The Florence Shirt by Jalie, a troublesome toile

It seemed like it would be fun to sew up a shirt in a paneled print, playing with the print, placing a stripe here, a rectangle there.  However, this wonderful slinky rayon crepe was a nightmare to cut, only somewhat manageable with a rotary cutter on a single layer.   Luckily, it was easy to sew and a dream to wear.  It does seem a bit crinkly, so it might stretch out with washing and wearing, as crinkle rayons do.  

The 6 24" panels of Dark Navy/Camel/Pearl White/Multi 100% Rayon Diamond Framework Print Challis, 56" wide, were $24, bought from Fabric Mart for McCall's 7650. That pattern lists rayon challis.  However, this is more of a rayon crepe.  It would work for that pattern, but I was discouraged from making that dress by some pattern reviews.  The dress back has no structure to support a drapey rayon fabric.  

Florence Shirt by Jalie in Rayon 

The Florence Shirt has structure in its collar, back yoke and plackets.  For further support, the pocket instructions prompted me to interface the pocket hem as well as the usual interfacing on the collar and plackets.  As additional support, bias binding was added to the pocket hem, plackets and shoulders.  There won't be any unraveling there.  The neck and sleeve edges have bands that enclose the seam allowances.  At least, the collar is intended to enclose the allowance, the sleeve bands are not.  However, it was a simple mod to turn the band seam allowance down and stitch in the ditch to secure it over the sleeve seam allowance.  The side seams were pinked and pressed open.  French seams would have been better there, but there's not enough seam allowance for that.

The 3/8" seam allowance is the start of my issues with the Jalie pattern format.  A 3/8" allowance is good for knits because it saves a bit of fabric and the trouble of trimming.  With woven fabrics, edge treatments, either French seams, Hong Kong finishes, or overcast edges, are often needed.  A 5/8" seam allowance is essential for these finishes.  Additionally, because the pattern is intended to be traced off, the paper is too thick for cutting.  The instructions are clear and helpful.  Some minor steps are omitted, such as seam finishes, pressing directions, etc.   For example, the buttonholes are not marked on the pattern piece.  A chart is provided for button placement for the dress option.  If there is one for the shirt, it is lost now.  (The buttonhole layout is my own, I explain below.)   For those who like to trace patterns to save the original, don't mind a narrow seam allowance, and never refer to instructions, the format is good.  The design is great and overcomes the pattern's shortfalls.

The construction is easy to understand.  Assembly went as directed, with only one mistake on my part--attaching the collar in reverse of the instructions.  The instructions are to sew the inner collar facing onto the shirt, then top stitch down the collar on the right side.  Instead, I sewed the right side of the collar down, then top stitched the collar, catching the facing in the top stitching.  As a result, I had to hand sew down a portion of the collar that did not get caught in the top stitching.  The instructed method would have been easier.  

3/8" buttons
(The diagonals are part of the pockets!)

In spite of a vague memory of a chart for button placement for the shirt, I could only find one for the dress.  Even though the dress button placement chart was helpful, there's fewer buttons on the shirt.  With my placement, there are fewer buttons than recommended for the shirt.  However, that is not the only buttonhole problem.  Even after realizing that the buttons are to be sewn horizontally for the collar and vertically for the band, I still forgot and sewed them all horizontally.  It seemed the correct way because the buttonholes for my Vogue top are vertical and the buttons make them gape out around the thread shank.  That could be caused by the 4-hole buttons, but also by the direction of the slide.  These are two-hole buttons.  It just seems to me that for the horizontal shank created by the two-hole button, it is better to allow the button to slide to the end of the buttonhole where it naturally wants to sit.  There is a round-ended buttonhole style in my machine that is recommended for lightweight fabrics.  These would be an option for a repeat of this pattern.  Will there be a repeat?  Look:  

On the end result, wow.  The drape, the fit, the back pleat, are all winners.  Both the plackets and the collar are smooth and a perfect fit.  Truly the only detraction is the print.  The print of the fabric is busy.  The pockets are of questionable use and my decision to bias cut them and place the largest design across the diagonal was overkill.  Nonetheless, the pockets are striking and may add more to the shirt than I realize.  They are definitely a wow.  But a wow that I need to become comfortable with.  The back is fabulous enough to compensate for the overwhelming pockets.  Not bad for a toile, especially one that used only half of the fabric.

p.s. Those are the pants from my last post.

I Dare Pants with New Look 6458

I have not worn pants for a few years now.  I just gave them up once I deemed jeans were no longer comfortable.  True, I did buy a couple of pairs of cotton cropped trousers when they first came into fashion.  They hang in my closet still because I successfully upcycled a pair of double-gauze capris into a skirt when upcycling was how I sewed.  I keep thinking I will upcycle the trousers into skirts, but pause when I remember that upcycling is more work than cutting and sewing.  After all, the garment has to be almost completely taken apart before the cutting and sewing starts.  That is an extra step.  It might be good for the planet if the end result is wearable, but wearability is more of a risk when there is no pattern to follow.  

Once I dropped upcycling, I started buying fabric and patterns, concentrating on the main gap in my wardrobe--skirts.  Since my entire wardrobe was built around blue jeans and tops, the economical approach was to add skirts.  I tried to by skirts but found it difficult.  A case in point were the 3  hours I spent at a San Francisco area outlet mall that yielded only two skirts, both gray.  I figured if I can't find skirts in any store in a big city mall, skirts are just not available.  After that, I began upcycling jeans into skirts and fell into sewing full tilt during the lockdown.  Now, I have a fairly full closet.  (Which is why there's been no sewing since June.)  However, there are no pants in it.  At least, none that I wear.  With cold weather approaching, I dared to try sewing a pair of warm, comfy pants. 

My wearable toile used 3 yards Prussian Blue Poly/Lycra brushed sweater knit.  ($3/yd., 58" wide. $9 FM)  The only pants pattern I have for knit fabric came with one of my most-used basic skirt, top and dress patterns, New Look 6458.  Since I have used this pattern repeatedly, I felt confident with a size 16.  A size 14 would be a more flattering fit, but these should be comfy, not cute.  Well, cute won't hurt, but a brushed "sweater" knit does not promise a flattering fit.  If I like these and wear them, there's other knits in my stash that can be cut to a size 14.  

Once cut, there were no markings to be transferred.  The pieces went together in less than an hour, even with the oh-so slow stretch stitch.  For the waistband and hems, there was a heavy ribbed knit fabric from JA, 1 yard Cream athleisure rib, 43", 90% nylon/10% spandex, $10.46.  The cuffs and waistband used less than 5", call it $2, for a total of $12.50 or so.  Although the ribbing is labeled machine wash gentle cold, tumble dry low, the brushed poly knit is gentle wash.  I washed them in cold water, shorter cycle and hung to dry.  There's no agitator in my top loader so it is gentle enough.  

My new stretch twin needle performed well as long as there was the stiffer ribbing under the needle in the mix somewhere to reduce the tunneling.  The hems are twin needled, but the less visible waistband was attached with a stretch zig-zag stitch.  The three layers of the seam allowances were stitched together with the same in an effort to keep them turned in the proper direction--down for the waistband, up for the hems.  

All in all, a neat and comfortable finish.  Matching the ribbing color to the main fabric would dress it up a bit, but this one is fine for these casual pants.  

Here is a flat lay for now, there will be another photo of these pants when the coordinating shirt is done.

McCalls 8053 as a summer tunic

My inspiration:

These are the pattern photos for the Tosca tunic by Tessuti.

My fabric:

Crinkle Gauze, rayon/cotton, sheer, yarn dyed woven plaid large checks in black on white. 44" 4 yards, $7.99 reg, $2/yard on sale, $8 total. 

My pattern:

McCall's 8053, a simple straight dress with short sleeves.  It has darts, which the Tosca does not have. The sleeve piece from my recent vintage jacket pattern was used to lengthen the pattern's sleeves.

This pattern has a neck facing or a neck binding.  Since my fabric is the type that rolls and stretches and loses its shape way too easily, the facing offered a simpler means of finishing the neck. In a fabric with more body, the binding would be a better imitation of the Tosca. This fabric needed shoulder stabilization with an extra bit of woven fabric sewn into the french seams. The floppy fabric is also the reason there are no pockets. It just isn't worth it because they couldn't hold anything without sagging. This fabric, I am told, will s t r e t c h. (See this post by another sewing blogger.)

In my experience, it really wasn't that difficult to sew, even with french seams to control the fraying. In fact, in most cases, it was so malleable that setting in the sleeves and matching the plaid across seams was easier than with a straight woven fabric. It is definitely a very forgiving fabric! The sleeve length was just a wild guess in this case, cut along the "lengthen or shorten here" double line in the jacket sleeve. However, it is long enough to have a deep hem that can be cuffed up.

Or not.

In spite of the differences, I am really pleased with this dress. I can see that the fabric is not as fine as the crinkle linen that was used for the Tessuti sample, but since this rayon/cotton is more opaque, I prefer it as a more practical, age-appropriate garment. True, it isn't as long as the Tosca, but that was my decision. I opted for a more conventional length, to be worn without an underskirt.

Still, I couldn't resist trying, with the aid of photo editing tricks, to imitate the modeled sample.

I don't mind making myself look older and grayer, but I couldn't find an editing tool for the glasses and the short hair cut.😂

Combining New Look 6511 and McCalls 8197

Detour: While waiting for the white, summery fabrics to get washed and dried, this make combines the sleeves and skirt from McCalls 8197 with the bodice from New Look 6511, and adds pockets, to make a full coverage dress from a sedate sateen. Hopefully, cooler weather is not too far off. 🥺

The McCalls pattern is cute, but it requires an invisible zipper in the back. Something with a single button in the back is easier to put on. Using the simpler bodice also avoids the zipper, the bodice lining, and the low-cut neck. It also lowers the empire waist and thereby lengthens the dress. The fabric came from Fabric Mart, 3 1/2 yards of cute brown/black print Sateen; cost: $15.75; 58" wide; 20 oz. It is like a lawn, so quite light.

The armhole of the size 16 in the McCalls (the smallest size in the pattern block I have) is similar enough to the armhole of the size 14 in the New Look. The sleeves fit well enough. Both patterns specify sateen, thus this soft and light fabric worked just fine. Per the instructions for the McCalls, the neck is bias bound. That too worked well because the sateen is heavy enough to not need a lining. The pocket piece is from McCalls 8192, a pattern that has fitting issues with the princess seams. The bodice of the New Look pattern is a much better fit, especially since its armhole darts really work well for me. The skirt is the longest option in the McCalls pattern, combined with the ruffle for the shortest version. Even with all this extra coverage, there is still over 1/2 yard of this sateen left.

I really like it. I should look for more sateen.

Using Vogue 9258 to make a white summer top

A simple black skirt meets a fancy white and black top. Will they be compatible? Read this to find out! Vogue 9258 is the subject of a few reviews that indicate it runs small. For that reason, my first version was quickly sewn up in a Feathery Leaf Sketch Printed Linen, 2 yards, 42" wide, $21.   This fabric was listed as a misprint and was offered at a discount by Fabrics and Fabrics. My assumption was that there was an error in the appearance of the print, one that I could perhaps cut around. Instead, it is too much ink throughout the printed motif. There was so much dye or ink applied in this print that the black areas are stiff. After washing, the white softened a bit but the black remained stiff. Since the pattern sketch of this Vogue top appears to show it standing away from the body, i.e. not draping, this linen seemed a logical choice for a wearable toile. There was one benefit from the excess ink in that it secured the cut edges, making it possible to get by with simply pinking the edges instead of a more time-consuming finish. (I had tried open flat fell, and had considered overcast or bias-bound finishing before realizing that the edges just weren't raveling.) With that, it sewed together quite quickly.

The size 16, the largest size in this bundled size, looks ok, but a size 14 will definitely work for the next version. The only modification I made was to move the dart point down by 1". This make used purchased single fold bias binding and 4 buttons from my button box, that is it.I like it well enough. I might make it again, but I would rather try the version without buttons. That one has a keyhole opening in the back, with a single button.

Sewing Hot Weather Dresses

Given that Peppermint Magazine patterns are wonderful; gingham is in fashion; and the weather is hot, my answer to the question of whether I should sew a Wide Strap Maxi Dress was: Yes, Yes, and Yes!

The dress came from 4 yards black and tan mini check homespun (100% cotton, 45" wide, made in India, $14.36). There is a huge, unbelievable and unexpected weaving flaw in this fabric. One of the rows of black is missing a few weft threads, making it obviously narrower that the others. Since it never occurred to me that such a flaw was possible in gingham, I did not look for it. That's too bad, because there was enough fabric to cut around it. Now, though, it is sewn up and it looks like a seam or something odd across the back. Since this is a house dress and not a big deal, it is staying. At least it is in the back where I will not be looking at it.

There were not many modifications, other than removing a total of five inches in length, an inch or two each in the bodice, the skirt and the hem. (Both the front and back pieces of the pattern are now permanently altered). There was another (optional) 1 inch taken off the hem. This version is a E at the top graded to a D at the bottom. A size D all the way would have worked. The straps are wider in the center and placed about a half inch further into the center back. The facing needs to be a bit wider to fit properly. Here, the facing seams are narrower than indicated to make it fit. It was very difficult to get the straps in the right spot to cover bra straps and to adjust the elastic in the back. Another approach would be to run a couple of ties run through two channels in the back to make the back adjustable. The length of the straps is ok, but could be a bit longer. Maybe, straps that tie at the shoulders would be better. This dress is my go-to at home wear on a hot summer day. Another option for those days is the Southwest Day Dress that is based on a photo of a RTW dress.

This project used remnants and 2 yards of the Taos Texture print cotton from Taos Adobe Quilting. The 16" of the Kokopelli print cotton from Taos Quilting was enough for the top and a patch pocket. Some leftover rayon/linen blend in teal from JoAnn was more than enough for the center panels, even though they required piecing. Simplicity 7024 vintage pattern provided the shape for the top. The center panel is cut at 8" and measures 6" across once pleated. The side panels are 14" wide from the center seam. There's enough ease in them for two small 3/4" to 1/2" pleats on each side. A repeat make should use the same print for the top and the center panels and possibly omit the center panel in the back. It could be wider, with deeper pleats, or it could have side slits or side pockets. There are a lot of possibilities in this design, especially since it uses remnants.

The Taos Texture was quite prone to ravel and is finished either with zig zag and pinking or by turning under the edge and top stitching.

ETA: This post was written in the summer of '22, only just published in the summer of '23 after finally taking a photo of the Wide Strip Maxi Dress. It is hot again, and more hot weather dresses are underway. If any get completed, they will be posted here.

Ok, one more, in a crinkle gauze using the wide strap maxi pattern.  This is now cut down to a size D all over.  There wasn't quite enough fabric, so it is 5" shorter at the hem.  I moved the dart point down one inch, a standard modification that I didn't mention above.  The crinkle fabric is difficult.  See my post on the Tosca Tunic knock-off for more on that.  This fabric is especially difficult in that besides the stretching, it has a rough feel.  However, it is very light and will be nice on those hot, hot days.

Mandarin Collars, Denim Jackets, Railroad Twill, and a 1977 Pattern

New Look 6513, my recent make, put me on to Mandarin collars. A search found a vintage pattern on eBay, Simplicity 7998, a pattern so old that there is only one size provided (or it may that it is the Canadian version). Just one size meant there had to be a muslin made. The fabric is duckcloth left over from the bag I made, 100% cotton, 44" wide. The 2 yards were $9.99 reg, $4/yard on sale, $8 total. Once I laid out the pattern pieces, I saw that the pattern was missing the two pieces for the short sleeve option. With only the long sleeve option, the fabric was not enough for all the pattern pieces. The seller could not find the missing pieces and sent a refund. I used that to buy a size 12 version of the same pattern, figuring I could use the sleeve from it with a slight adjustment. (Note: The first pattern came with an extra yoke piece from another pattern--it's now in the envelope for Vogue 9255. That pattern includes a yoke top that might could use a lower, deeper yoke.)

There was over two yards of the arrow print, in a gorgeous slate blue, but it was narrow and missing a large chunk (the pockets in the bag). To get the best use of what remained, I cut just the pieces I needed as I worked through the construction of the jacket. This is a carefully considered approach, one that allows for a lot of thinking and testing, necessary because I was not only dealing with limited fabric, but I was also trying to align the print and match it as much as possible across pieces. First I cut out the body pieces and sewed them together, thus allowing me to visualize how it would look before placing the next pieces on the fabric to cut. Next, I pieced together the facing, putting a seam through the longer portion to save as much fabric as possible for the sleeves, pockets and cuffs. Once I constructed the jacket body, I realized that the fabric I had pulled out of my stash for the binding and trim would not look good with the main fabric. Neither would the main fabric with its large graphic. Another trip to the store yielded white duck cloth for contrast. Since the contrast is extreme, I decided against using the contrast fabric for pockets. I eaked out long sleeves even though they required piecing in additional fabric so that the seam line was hidden by the cuff.

The construction was tricky. However, the duck cloth was easy to sew. It helped too that it was very much a test garment. I am not sure I would ever wear this graphic print. Rather than having the pressure of creating an error-free finish, I concentrated on the details of construction, planning a final jacket in an nicer fabric that I will wear. Contruction details, such as reinforcing the 90 degree corners and aligning the collar edges to the jacket front were particulary time consuming but not overly frustrating. The 46-year-old pattern instructions were exacting but easy to follow.

Sleeves set in easily and the fabric pressed out smooth. Loops, bias binding, all per pattern. The exact size buttons required were located on Etsy. Only after ordering did it become obvious that they are being shipped from the Netherlands. For a couple of dollars! Unfortunately, they are not white enough to use for the jacket. However, they were sufficient to determine that a 1" plain rectangular toggle button looks good on the jacket.

Mood fabrics in New York City stocks a nice button selection. They had a white toggle button reasonably priced.

The white shirt is the Toaster sweater, version 2. The skirt is a summer ponte knit from JA, cut to McCalls 8055, size 14 with a size 16 waistband and 2 inches in length added to view C.

A good version of this jacket is in my future, but the fabric choice is not set at this time. It could be something to wear with the railroad twill from Stone Mountain and Daughter. The twill fabric is 2 yards of cotton spandex twill with a railroad stripe in indigo/ivory, $26.00, 8.26 oz/sq yd, 280 gsm. 52" wide. This is silky but heavy, not much stretch but feels smooth. A skirt from McCalls 8222, view B came out great but convinced me that there will not be enough of the twill left over for the vintage jacket pattern, not even with a cropped jacket and the short sleeve piece. (The size 12 is just 1/4" deeper in the sleeve cap, so a small mod in either the sleeve cap or the jacket armholes should make it possible to use the size 12 sleeve in the size 14 jacket.) Adding 1/2 yard of "denim" from JoAnn still wasn't enough to complete the jacket. (This is a very stretchy denim, selected for its weight, softness and similarity in color to the railroad twill. It is so stretchy that it ruffled when the edges were serged. 64% cotton, 33% modal, and 3% spandex. cold wash, line dry, $6.25.) It is disappointing, but there just isn't enough of the railroad twill left for a reasonable jacket. On top of that, washing the 1/2 yard of denim made it stiff. This unseasonable project is put on hold until the fall.

Making a knit top to wear with the skirt served as consolation. The particular shade of indigo in the railroad twill was difficult to match, but careful shopping turned up a knit jersey, 60" wide, "Peacoat Navy", 200 gsm, 95% rayon, 5% spandex, Machine or hand wash, cold, line dry, $10.78, made in China, at Hobby Lobby. It is a wonderful, soft and drapey fabric, lovely to wear and difficult to sew unless there are multiple layers or stabilizer to secure the stitches. Prior to figuring that out, I ruined a sleeve after a good solid chunk became embedded in the feedplate. Thankfully, there's over a yard left, so I was able to cut out a replacement and continue with the otherwise straightforward construction of New Look 6458, a pattern I have used for two dresses. This top uses the dress pattern but has sleeves instead of armhole bands. The sleeves are near perfect but need a bit longer hem. A size 14 tapered out to size 20 at the hips worked well. In a heavier fabric, tapering to size 16 would be better. Rayon jersey tends to stretch out long and narrow, making excess fabric a safe bet. This simple jacket pattern will probably be followed by a more traditional denim jacket, in khaki cotton twill $3/yard on sale, 60" 3 3/4 yards, $11.99 reg, $11.25 total. Someday. For now let's concentrate on summer clothes.