Sewing for Me with Katherine Tilton and Vogue

 I have a number of fabric purchases that have been awaiting their turn to be transformed into SOMETHING but this project took precedence and got done. I attended the Cleveland Quilting and Sewing EXPO this week and for such occasions you MUST wear something hand made. I did so for one of the two days I spent there and here it is.

The fabric is a reversible knit in dots and stripes AGAIN. I made something with reversible knit previously (see here). 

The pattern is Vogue 8793 by Katherine Tilton and I chose it for the bit of quirkiness and the zipper detail on the double collar. The knit I chose is probably a bit stretchier than the Moderate Stretch Knit Only which is suggested. The stretchiness might be why the sleeve on the right in this photo is so much longer than the left. A tug would have evened them up but didn't see it until I put it up here.

An advantage of the extra stretch is that the sleeves are a bit tighter than I would like,  but the give makes it tolerable.

Here it is on me. Ooooh, I wish I matched this mannequin. She is a display piece NOT my dress form. 

This collar was the main reason to purchase this pattern (ON SALE) because all Vogue patterns are ridiculously priced (SEE HERE) The printed price on this one is $30. I got it online somewhere for $6, I think.

Again, I ignored instructions and bought a metal zipper, which is definitely what is shown on the pattern picture. 

Adding that double collar was the trickiest because the collar had a wad of layers and they are being sewn onto one rather thin and stretchy shirt layer. I did it on the regular machine with a stretch stitch and then trimmed it up on the serger. A row of top-stitching along that collar seam would have been nice, but I know I would have messed it up. It would have needed an interfacing to handle it and one more layer in that collar seam would have been asking for disaster.

It called for a Lightweight Molded Separating Zipper.  That would be plastic. I wanted this to have the effect of funky jewelry and plastic would just look stupid.  Granted, it would probably work out better in the laundry. This will be hand-washed, dried flat as I can imagine those little metal teeth biting into the soft knit.

Most of the shirt was assembled on the serger. Here I, once more, defy instructions and add the cuff BEFORE sewing up the sleeve seams. The pattern did show sewing the sleeve and side seams after the shoulder seam as in most knits.                                                                                

Again, I wish I was built like this mannequin. But even with Francine's nice straight shoulders you can see a glitch and a bit of stripe misalignment. My remedy for this is to just keep moving and no one will notice. 

Even after adjusting the shoulder width and using tape on the seam, I still get a droop. This pose is also not helping. Hubby was drafted into taking these and he worries way more about the edges of the picture and ignores how to make me look my best.

For your viewing pleasure, here is the left and right sides on Francine. I wish I had mixed it up a bit more on the inner and outer sides of the collars. This pattern would give you a way to mix and match a bunch of leftover knits. I would just make sure to pre-wash and make sure they are equally stretchy.                                                                                                     

Watch for the next installment of ThimbleFingers where I will show you what I acquired at the sewing expo that may change my life!

Ruffle Riot and a Reluctant Model

The serger is well and I have done nothing to jeopardize it this week. (see previous post) I am using pins MUCH more sparingly.  I used to avoid ruffles because of the tedious thread pulling, but with the soft gathering setting on the serger they are quick and easy.  The rolled edge makes the ruffles soft and flowy.  So I made some more of these skirts.  I love putting the color and print combinations together.

We were having the grand kids over for the weekend so I spent ALL day Friday with this pattern.

I am a big fan of patterns with lots of options and this one fits the bill. You get a sweater, two shirt versions, leggings and a skirt. And I made them all.















The cardigan is my favorite but I made it in polka dot instead of the solid.  I found this Riley Blake knit online somewhere and if I could remember I would tell you.


Darling grand-daughter proved to be her typical 3-year-old self and had to be sweet talked into even putting this on.

                     She really liked the purple shirt which was purchased and the leggings.

The pink ruffle and the flower pin on the cardigan were repurposed from an 18 month size tutu that ended up at my house.

I got the matching t-shirt on her for a short spell.  After the photo-shoot I re-serged the 

shoulder seams for a better fit.

I did a really bad job on the zipper because I did not read everything before I started and didn't
even realize it called for one. Bad me.  I think a zipper in a knit with a neck this large is totally unnecessary.

This is her favorite picture.

The her brother had to get into the act and really hammed it up.

                                       Turns out she REALLY wants a purple skirt and being a good grandma, I will be searching out the right shades of purple to go with that polka-dot purple shirt before their next visit.   Like on real models, the  skirt has been "fitted" by pinning out the extra inches in the back.                        

I wasn't done with the pattern.  I made the color-blocked shirt and another pair of leggings.


























But,  they look like pajamas so that is what they are going to be.





                    AND I did not put in a zipper and there is oodles of head room.

And then I made another ruffled skirt.  I really like the way the knit makes the extra ruffly lettuce edge.

                 Do you like to sew for kids?  Do THEY like what you sew?

Serger Fix + Results

Black is a birch to photograph. See the fabric in the next photo.

Well, it has been awhile since my last post when I was ready to sew up the top and sweater combo on my serger.   Well, if you saw that post you saw that the serger had a major problem. A new presser foot was acquired quickly but the problem went much deeper.  I managed to bend the shaft. I took it to Jim "Doc" Watson in Medina and he fixed me up and gave me a few warnings to be kinder to the machine and to use serger needles.  I will be kinder and I will TRY some serger needles when I get them.

Sewing apparel is not my passion.  I like making almost anything else in fabric but hate fitting and I am not the patient type who has EVER made a muslin. I make a few adjustments for my narrow shoulders and lack of height and that's that.

I did sew this up with no problem.  This is going to be my travel outfit for an overnight flight to Italy next week.  I wanted something that would basically feel like pajamas and I think I achieved it. 

 The fabric is reversible so I wanted to make this drapey cardigan that can show both sides.  The dotted side is barely discernible from any distance so I chose to show off the slightly neon stripey side.                

       

 Here is the princess seam top where I used the dots in the center and stripes on the sides.  It could be a little more fitted, but then again, I was going for comfort.
























This is the first time for selfies.  I set up the camera on a tripod and used the timer. It felt weird and odd to smile so I look pretty glum and didn't take time for make-up and hair a la Project Runway.

The fold above my butt is not the patterns fault. I just should have straightened it out.

And here it is with one of the scarves to jazz it up.  I prefer this to jewelry when traveling.  

BTW, those pants are RTW from Macy's and I got them at a great price and best of all they are marked SHORT and they actually ARE. No hemming even for sub 5" me. I am no sewing purist.

I have been reading a ton of sewing blogs  staring with Peter's Male Pattern Boldness  and branching off from his list and I am really impressed by the great creations from all of them (especially Oonaballona)

I would maybe try some of those darling dresses if my lifestyle of a retired school librarian in small town Ohio offered up occasions to wear them.  

However, I may be inspired to try a jacket or coat.  When in Rome at the end of our tour I plan to visit 

-Fratelli Bassetti Tessuti on Via Vittorio Emanuael II, 73 is one of Rome’s largest fabric stores and also the fabric source for many Italian clothing and interior designers. Opened in 1954 by two brothers, the store is on two floors with double-height ceilings. It holds 200,000 fabrics in any color, shade and texture, distributed in a labyrinth of rooms and layers of rolls of fabric.

 I copied this from Design Sponge

Maybe a nice Italian wool to get me through another Ohio winter.