Sometimes risks don’t pay off

I knew when I pulled out this pattern that the gathering in the sleeve caps, neckline, neck band, sleeve seams, and tucks in the sleeves seemed a bit far out there for me.  But it looked so maternity like.  Perhaps I’ve realized that though I’m carrying extra weight around, exaggerating it is just not my style.  Ugh.

The neckhole ended up being 5″ too big mysteriously (though it didn’t stretch at all whilst sewing it–nay, this interlock didn’t stretch anywhere like interlock usually does).  I will say that the neckline isn’t obviously oversized when I’m standing up, but it feels too big and it does gape a little bit at CB which is what happens on my body when the neck hole is too large.  These elasticated sleeves are ridiculous too and the general silhouette just make me feel like a big old barn.  I’ve only gained just over 1o lbs. more than half-way through too.  Why Simplicity do you make me feel so bad?  There are some bright spots in this project…

Simplicity 2850

What I learned:

1.  Trace another sleeve cap:  I did try to make this pattern work.  I knew that the excess of gathered business would be a gamble and might make me look more voluminous than I am (it did), so I decided to oust the gathered sleeve cap in an attempt to cut out some of the absurdity.  I measured the sleeve seam line on the pattern piece and went to see if I had another Simplicity pattern whose sleeve seam line matched that measurement.  Sure enough, S2364, a knit top with a smooth sleeve cap worked perfectly.  The measurements were within 1/8″ of each other.  I overlayed the 2850 sleeve over the 2364, lined up the edges of the sleeves, and all 3 notches and traced the flatter line from 2364 right onto the 2850 pattern piece.  I then cut off the excess.  Since I had already measured, I knew it was going to fit.  Indeed it worked in beautifully.  I’ll be looking to eliminate gathered sleeve caps in the future in such a manner as I dislike them vehemently.

2.  Tube knits are nifty:  The upside of this top being one that will not make it out of the 4 walls of my house is that I only spent 80 cents on the fabric.  It was a piece of cotton/poly interlock sold in a tube that was on the $1/lb table at Denver Fabrics.  I do love the color which makes it sting a little that things worked out so poorly, but my cheap heart is happy that at least financially this one won’t break the bank.  What I did learn is that tube knits make for really economical layouts if you have a lot of pattern pieces on the fold.  Because it’s a tube, when you flatten the thing out, you have 2 folds to work from.  Since all but 1 pattern piece was on the fold, I would have had to use a lot more fabric in non-tube knit.  The pattern called for I think 1 5/8 yards, and everything fit in just over a yard.  I’ll look for more tube knits in the future.  They are way more fun to work with than I anticipated. 

My review of the pattern is here at Patternreview.

Microstripes!

Ah, Jalie patterns.  I tell you what, kids, I’m in love with this company.  It makes my cheap soul gulp a little every time I buy a pattern from them, but seriously, the patterns are so great, they’re worth it.  The styles that they offer are fairly simplistic, but they all have a little twist.  Combine that with fantastic drafting and great instructions, and you have a no fail, joy-to-sew combination.  The patterns are all so sleek looking too, which these days is such a welcome change from generally big and shapeless.

This top is no exception.  The included modesty panel piece is useful and looks way better than the little diy triangles I’ve been adding.  I love their directions for finishing said modesty panel with clear elastic to cling to the body, and the directions for finishing the neck band are simple though totally RTW.  As for details, the side ruching makes this a little more interesting than a typical wrap over empire seamed top, plus it makes room for baby (in all fairness, I added extra too), plus it shows off how cute baby is. 

Jalie Crossover Empire Top

What I learned:

1.  I need to experiment with empire seams:  My cheating way of adding room in the bust by swinging out to a larger size just under the armsyce makes it possible to not have to do an FBA.  I did that in this top as well and had plenty of room to be comfortable.  What I didn’t think about (because I never do) is that the empire seam doesn’t go to the bottom of my bust.  I’m thinking I’ll just slice off a portion of the lower bodice and tape it to the bottom of the upper bodice since the fit is fine otherwise.  I don’t know how successful that will be, but it’s worth a shot.  This version really was just a muslin (I bought a lot of this fabric thinking it’d make a great dress, but I got it home and realized it’s really more like swimwear fabric.  I’m not complaining–that extra stretch is so comfortable on my pregnant body) and will probably just be a workout top which I needed anyhow.

2.  It pays to practice with 1/4″ seams:  My serger is not a fan of 1/4″ seams…or maybe I’m not.  I’m much happier cutting off that extra 1/8″.  Since Jalie uses 1/4″ seams and I didn’t want to add an extra 1/8″ I decided it was high time to practice smaller seams.  I guess my serger work has gotten better in general from repetition because I found it not that difficult at all to run the edge just along the edge of the machine away from the knife.  It feels like an accomplishment.  My last 1/4″ seam with the serger was a bit of ugliness.

3.  Duh, use a zigzag:  I’ve used clear elastic before in necklines.  It’s useful stuff, but I’ve concluded that both Gnomey and Josey hate the stuff.  Well, really, they don’t–it’s my fault.  I’ve been trying to sew the stuff in with a straight stitch.  Given the amazing amount of stretch of clear elastic, it would seem obvious that you should not do this.  Apparently not.  I have even used a normal zigzag stitch with clear elastic to no avail.  The cute little illustration in the Jalie directions showed a normal zigzag over the clear elastic, but it looked wider somehow to me.  This led me to give a 3-step zigzag stitch a try.  Magic.  No bunchy bunchy occurred, and the elastic is super stable…so much so that when I ran it under the serger, I had none of the feeding problems that I usually do.  Shoot, I didn’t even have to pull out my non-stick foot.  And because of the extra stability from the 3-part stitch, it turned and topstitched like a dream.  So thank you Jalie for perhaps unintentionally steering me towards this stitch.

I’ll leave you with a wish for a happy Thanksgiving for everyone!

Altering non-maternity patterns for your pregnancy

I must have been taken by the print of this fabric because it literally has the same feel as the gym shorts from my 6th grade P.E. class.  Thankfully, this top does not come with the nasty athletic girls, the teasing, and the coach with the Rod Stewart spiky mullet (no lie–Rod Stewart was her hero) that those hideous blue shorts did.  Over a tissue weight t-shirt and jeans, that nastiness can’t be felt anyhow.

Aside from that, this was an easy tunic (if you can call something that hits you at mid-thigh a tunic), and I’m so glad to have something in my preggy wardrobe that’s not colored maternity dark and bland (don’t get me started on RTW maternity lameness).

BWOF 02-2008-122(a non-maternity tunic that works great as a maternity tunic)

What I learned (or more encouragement really for other pregnant sewists out there):

Why you should alter non-maternity patterns when you’re pregnant:  Maternity patterns are few and far between as far as all pattern companies are concerned.  There’s a few patterns, but they’re not terribly interesting, and the sizing is weird in my opinion.  Worse yet, if you do a search for “maternity” on Polyvore, you can see that with little exception, a few basic silhouettes are repeated without much interest, care, detail, and in a woeful color selection.  Not personally wanting to spend 9+ months in t-shirts, I’m left to alter existing patterns. 

For some valuable help on adding fabric for your expandomatic tummy, check out Rostitchery here.  I’ll add that to add for that extra full bust that accompanies pregnancy, I trace off my normal shoulder size and swing out an extra size from my normal at the very bottom of the armscye and continue that size down.  That becomes my base size that I work from.  This is nice and simple, does the job, and prevents the mess that FBA’s can become (if they work for you, you are a lucky gal).

It sounds like a lot to do, but really, it’s no different than making any other alterations other than the fact that you’re attempting to hit a moving target.  As for picking patterns to alter for maternity here are my tips for success:

• Knits, especially those with lycra are your friend: stretchy fabric is way more comfortable when you’re growing in all directions.  You will probably have more success with knit patterns whilst pregnant, but you can also make up woven patterns in a knit like I did on this top. 
• Find styles with minimal seaming: less seams = less altering = more time that your tired pregnant self can spend with a cuppa reading a book with your feet up buried under a nice blanket.  Empire seams and seams that hit above the bust are very easy to add volume to and will give the eye a focus other than your obvious anatomical addition(s). 
• Look for patterns with pleats and gathers: since these features already create volume, it’ll be nice and simple to add more where you need it.
• Feel free to choose styles you wouldn’t wear while not pregnant: I would NEVER in 8 million years wear an empire-waisted, tunic, or billowy, shapeless anything non-pregnant.  The combo of my petiteness and hourglass shape and lack of definition at the waist adds weight to my figure 100% of the time.  Not having a waist makes it possible to pull some of these styles off, and I figure when I’m in the temporary state of pregnancy, it’s fun to play around.
• Take advantage of online communities: Patternreview has such helpful people on it.  Burdastyle has had some helpful maternity tutorials in the past as well.  I promise you someone will walk you through finding specific maternity patterns or altering a pattern for maternity on these sites and others if you just ask.  Shoot, I myself would be glad to help you.  You can always email me at elizabethmadethis@yahoo.com.

My review of this particular pattern is here at Patternreview.

Now for that cup of rooibos and Barbara Kafka cookbook I picked up at the library…

Deep stashing

At some point if you start sewing–really, I don’t care WHAT it is that you are sewing, it seems to follow that you will indeed accumulate a stash.

It starts out innocently enough…some scraps here, a yard of this or that, and then one day you realize that you not only need even more storage for all of the fabric that you already have scraps of, but you start to wonder if your family might turn you into one of those shows on hoarding. 

The categories in my stash are thus:

1.  Scraps–they live in a box on the floor for Noah to revel in or for me to use for whatever.

2.  Muslining fabrics–an accumulation of sheets, large scraps of previous projects too small for another project, and once in a while actual muslin

3.  To be used imminently–in a cubby under my sewing table.  It’s deep enough for me to have a couple of seasons sorted in there, but I can only see what’s in the front pile which is helpful.

4.  Quilting fabrics–these take up way too much room because I bought a lot of them when I first started sewing out of not really thinking I’d ever sew myself a garment lest I be sporting that “homemade” sort of look.  They are pretty, but they annoy me acutely because I don’t like/don’t want to quilt.   

5.  Deep stash–this is a category whose existence I’ve had to come to terms with.  These fabrics are the ones I have set aside for specific projects (like the teal winter wool for a coat) or because they’re too pretty for me to haphazardly cut into without a very special reason (the pale aqua Patagonia wool knit).  In one way I feel guilty about buying new fabric when I have these on hand, but then, I know that I’ve segregated them into this pile for the very reason that they will be loved and used to a degree that I would regret rash action on my part in cutting them up.  I started feeling better about my deep stash when I started thinking about the deep stash I have in my kitchen.  I keep odd things like Lyle’s Golden Syrup (for my favorite spice cookies), a selection of tasty vinegars (because really good vinegar is transformative in your cooking), and candied orange rind (for really really special baked goods) on hand for a few tasks.  Occasionally I think about tossing them, but there’s a purpose behind each of them and I really DO use them.  And what about the random gadgets that I only use once a year, like my spritz gun?  All I can say is, woe to anyone who tries to swipe my spritz gun around Christmas.  

I’m thinking about all of this because as I’ve been trying to plan out some maternity wear, I bought a couple of fabrics from Fashionista Fabrics.  They were on clearance, so even with shipping, they were more than reasonable.  One is a light blue cotton/spandex shirting which will go into the imminent stash for a blouse.  The other one is sadly, going into deep stash. 

I thought I was buying just a polyester print woven, in which case, it would have been this tunic, but this is a poly/lyrca knit.  Being a knit junkie, I won’t complain about FF not putting better info on their website…I was secretly hoping it WAS a knit.  But when it arrived, I realized that I love the print FAR too much to only wear it during this and any subsequent pregnancies.  So while I’m bummed that I must wait to sew this up until my body goes back to some sort of normal, I’m looking forward to wearing what I’ll make from it.

What say you people?  Do you all have deep stashes?

Getting back

So I’m sure in being absent from this nutty world of (near) daily posting blogs I have surely lost readers, but sometimes you need to take a break.  I didn’t anticipate this one being so long, but that’s another matter entirely.

I’ve started to feel better in the past couple of weeks, which is an enormous relief after spending many weeks on the couch playing catch with Noah and reading piles of books and not really feeling well enough to do much else.  I won’t sugar coat things for those of you who have never experienced the joys of “morning”  sickness…it bites.  Things are looking up though, now, and feeling the baby starting to move makes me feel much happier about being pregnant again.

I’ve been cooking lots, but have just started to dust off Gnomey.  Noah’s taking more of my time, and since he and Gnomey share a room, I haven’t been able to go all sewing bonanza during his naps (did I mention that I, who NEVER nap have been forced to take my own naps? Argh).  So, what with some negotiation and the return of my energy, I’ve found some found time that I can set aside every week to work on things.  Yay! 

I’ve made a maternity top that I’ll post about sometime this week.  I’m on the fence about it, so I’d thought I’d return to my blog space with a much more successful project.

This is BWOF (the former, better Burda)08-2008-118.  It’s a simple little turtleneck tunic with front and back yokes and pleats on the front.  I thought this would be a super brainless maternity dress.  I was right.  I just made this a little more A-line, lengthened it, and added 1.5″ at CF tapering back to the side seam on the front to leave more room for baby.  Since I made it in a super stretchy rayon, I should easily be able to wear this for the last 5 months of my pregnancy here.  My full review is here.

BWOF 08-2008-118

What I learned:

1.  Notions that work:  I’ve finally gotten up the nerve and the skill with knits to tackle some more unwieldly slippery stretchy rayon knits.  They’re awesome.  They feel like butter and skim everything…including baby bumps.  

I’m a little OCD about it, but I really have found that I like interfacing the hems with SewKeysE knit interfacing (I know I link to this like every other knits project, but it’s great stuff, and Emma Seabrooke is a swell lady).  It has a soft hand which matches the feel of the rayon well.  As much as I love Steam-A-SeamII, I think it’s better suited to more synthetic (I would say crunchy feeling) knits like ITY or acrylic.  I also have discovered that this interfacing is a perfect base for twin-needling.  In a perfect world, I would have a coverstitch machine, but for now, I will bust out my twin needle.

2.  Stretchy in the bobbin:  Using polyester thread in the bobbin when you are stitching knit hems is fishy at best.  Even with a low tension and a narrow zigzag (.5 width, 2.5-3.0 length), you can feel some tightness on a finished hem that will either pop or on a slippery knit you may be able to pull clean out.  It’s my opinion that if you’re spending the time to make a garment for yourself in the first place, you might as well use something that will give you a result that will last longer than it takes you to make the thing in the first place.  For a while now, I’ve messed around with various stretch threads in the bobbin.  I wind them by hand (something to do while being forced to watch sports or something like that) and don’t particularly care if I get the perfect color match.  Here are the ones I’ve tried:

• Gutermann Bulky Nylon: Gutermann makes lovely all-purpose thread, but this stuff that they sell at JoAnn is not terribly useful.  It’s not stretchy, but you can still use it in your serger for seaming or a decorative stitch, and it will give you a *slightly* more stretchy hem in the bobbin than a polyester all-purpose would.  You can cheat and wind the bobbin by machine on the lowest speed without it stretching.
• Maxi-Lock Stretch Thread:  This is more stretchy than the bulky nylon and it feels pretty good in my dress hem.  It still feels like there’s a teensy bit of tightness in the hem, but I don’t think this one is going to pop on me.
• Wooly Nylon:  This stuff is just what it says it is–it’s all poofy like wool when you unwind it from the spool.  But it’s super stretchy too.  Stretch in the bobbin means stretch in your hem.  I haven’t tried this yet, but it’s on my list once thread is on sale next week at Hancocks’ (and JoAnn no longer carries it).

So there you are, kids.  Things have settled down at the ranch, and I’m finding my way back to Gnomey.  It was bound to happen.