Cowl neck top in sheer viscose

When scanning my syllabus at the start of the pattern making course I took last semester, I was most excited about learning how to draft cowl neck tops.  When we finally got to it toward the end of the course, I was surprised how simple they actually were!  Using a basic bodice sloper, it's just a matter of lowering the neckline and slash and spreading to create fullness.  The self-facing in the front keeps it pretty no matter how the cowl falls!  Clearly, putting my new knowledge to use was in the forefront of my mind when I had the opportunity to use one of the fabrics from the Novelty category at Britex. This unusual ruby and black sheer viscose fabric seemed like a fun and modern choice for a fairly classic cowl shape.

This fabric isn't an obvious choice for a cowl shape; while lightweight, it isn't particularly drapey, behaving more like a voile.  Nor could I cut on the bias (common for cowls) because of the obvious horizontal stripe. However, I kind of love how the neckline is more "origami folds" than draped.

The viscose is sheer--in these photos, I'm wearing a nude-colored tank top under this for modesty, but for cocktails or dancing, it would probably be fine without.

The self-drafted top is a basic pull-over shape, with no closures or darts.  It isn't as fitted as I normally like my tops, but it's light and airy (especially with the sheer fabric!) and adds a different silhouette to my wardrobe. For the construction, I used French seams throughout since the fabric is a loose weave. There is a back neck facing, which attaches to the front cowl facing, and bias tape for the armholes--simple and elegant!

Here's the exciting part: I've been learning digital drafting and grading, and I'm nearly finished with a multi-sized (S-M-L) pattern of this cowl-neck top as a free download!  Look for it sometime next week here or at the Britex blog!

Thank you to Britex for providing this great fabric--it's fun to try something completely new!

Slow start to the Jedediah

With a new teaching quarter to prepare for, I have slowed down a bit, but despite the inactivity on my blog, I actually have been sewing!  Some of my work has been boring (wet bags) or housekeeping (hemming), but I do have an big project as well: the new Jedediah pants pattern (Thread Theory) has been on my work table for a few weeks now.

Had to move to the dining room floor for this operation!

This time around, printing the file at the print shop was a serious cost ($19!) because the file was a few inches too wide to print on a single 36" wide sheet.   So as not to destroy my expensive paper pattern, I copied it onto Swedish tracing paper and then made up a muslin.  All that takes time, and isn't very exciting, I'm afraid.

Muslin version of Jedediah pants

The muslin version looks like hospital pants (if hospital pants had an actual waistband and fly), but they did their job and now I have a better idea of how to improve the pattern to fit my guy.  Some changes to make:

• decrease the waist (maybe by creating a two-part, slightly contoured band instead of a single, straight one) 
• increase the hip area a bit
• increase the width of the legs   
• adjust the slash pockets so they lay more flatly against the body

My husband and I have been laughing at the "easy-access" ring tab zipper and really exciting fly shield that I worked into this muslin.  I'm *so* tempted to use that fabric for the fly on the the final version...no one sees that, right? :)

Fancy fly shield and zipper pull

For the real deal, I purchased some amazing fabric from Hart's a few weeks back.  It's charcoal gray cotton/ hemp blend in a ripstop weave.   I'm excited to see the final product!

Top: organic voile (pocketing) Bottom: organic cotton/hemp ripstop

With the fit issues I've encountered, I find my feet dragging a bit, but I'm trying to persevere!

Ready for Round 2!

There are some seriously talented ladies in the Super Online Sewing Match, but I made it to Round #2! For this next challenge, I have the full time (a week) to sew up this lovely dress girl's dress from Oliver+S:  

I have to say, when I first saw this pattern, I wanted it for myself.  It's easy to wear, has small cap sleeves and elastic waist: perfect for the summer!  And after receiving the pattern via email for the competition, I realized that I can actually fit the largest size (girl's size 12), if I lowered the waistline a little bit.  However, I'm guessing no one wants to see an adult woman in photos for this particular challenge and I don't have any girl children of my own (and my boys *might* object to being photographed in a dress...), so I've recruited the daughter of good family friends to be my model.  She's absolutely adorable!   Can't wait to see her in my [barely started] dress!

Introducing Miss Juno!

Separate topic (which, coincidentally, is being discussed on the Sew Mama Sew FB page today): I can't stand printing patterns from my home computer.  I like the convenience, sure, but I'm just super bothered by the messiness of taped pages and whatnot.  Kind of starts off the project on the wrong foot, in my opinion.  So, I finally took the suggestion of the pattern instructions and took the file to the copy center!  The first center I took it to could only print 24" wide (36" is needed), so the technician split the file into two halves and printed them individually.  Since I still had to tape the two pages together, I wasn't overly excited.   But then I took it to FedEx/ Kinkos.  Hooray!  A full sheet pattern, printed in moments at a cost of $0.72/ sq/ft.  Why have I not done this before?  Yeah, laziness.  One suggestion to pattern makers, though: put a test square on that large format page.  And include a printable envelope.  That would be awesome!

I still have to trace the pattern, but at least I can fold the paper up neatly when I'm done.  Because, really, that's all that matters :)

Scoop neck tee from Skirt as Top

The garment factory accidents in Bangladesh have really opened my eyes to just how our clothing is made.  This article, which I heard on our local NPR station, painted a very vivid picture of the awful working conditions.  (The article is short, please read it.)  As seamstresses, we have a unique opportunity to do something small to help this terrible situation: to make at least some of our own clothing.  Even when my sewing room is sweltering hot, I know that my homemade clothing is not actually made in a sweatshop.  I can't make items like jeans, and I still do love shopping for and buying pretty things, so I don't think I'll be going fully homemade anytime soon, but I truly believe that even a little helps.  
In the past, I haven't wanted to make things like t-shirts because, well, they are so cheap to buy.  But they are cheap for a reason.  As I've gained confidence in my serging abilities, though, t-shirts have become much more quick and easy to make, and might even approach cost-effectiveness, which means one less item of clothing to buy. Fellow Britex blogger, Kristin from Skirt as Top has generously provided a lovely, simple and free t-shirt pattern, and after seeing it here, here, and here, I finally gave in.  Plus, I had a yard of some beautiful chevron fabric that had been waiting for a good pattern.
The pattern comes only in a smallish-medium size, so I took the sides in quite a bit and shortened it by about 2-3 inches.  I also redrew the neckline to be less scoopish (for modesty while bending over at the park, you know) and made the armholes smaller.  I love the resulting fit! 
I couldn't help myself and made a second one, immediately!  No lie, it took me 40 minutes.  The black and white looks a bit like prison gear, but it's super comfortable.  Despite using the exact same pattern, the black and white striped top is slightly roomier.
My littlest was helping work the camera timer today, wearing his mom-made top!