SWAP 2011 - Week 7 of 17

I don't usually make the same pattern twice.  The challenge becomes lost.  I have no TNT.  However, I thought it would be very clever on my part to reproduce Vogue 2987.  My thinking was again that this should go together really quickly, since I worked out all the kinks.  I'd have another SWAP top in no time at all.  I didn't take into consideration the difference in fabric.  

This time around I used a black rayon jersey.  The fabric has a lot of stretch, but that wasn't my first problem.  I very carefully layed out each piece, was sure I had it right.  Only when I went to put the top together did I realize the gathered side was on the opposite side from the last time.  I did figure out what went wrong.  The back was set on the fold, but the right and left sides were layed singularly.  I had the paper pattern right side up, but the fabric was inside out.  Duh! 

The secondary problem was the stretching.  I had to re-do the shoulder seams three times.  I finally read about the differential feed on my serger.  By adjusting it, the shoulders went together nicely.  I took Sandra Betzina's advice from More Fabric Savvy to use a walking foot for topstitching.  I bought the foot last year to prepare for making a faux Chanel jacket this year.  What a pleasant experience.  The foot was a dream to work with.  If I hadn't adjusted the differential feed or used the walking foot, this piece would have gone in the trash.  Instead I have this very soft, comfortable top.

MPB Shirt Sew Along - Week 1

My DH found himself the perfect classic dress shirt pattern.

It has all the important features that he's particular about ~ front band, collar stand, collar stay.  I explained that if he can master this pattern, anything after this will be easy.

He narrowed down the fabric choices to this white/lavendar stripe.

This small stripe won't be difficult for him to work with.  It will actually help in locating the straight of grain.  It was washed/ironed and is ready, but I am having him make a muslin first.

My DH spent a few days reading sections of Shirtmaking by David Page Coffin and a 1926 edition of Tailored Garments by Woman's Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences on tailored shirts.  I did research on wearing ease for a man's shirt.  Scott R Robinson, Designer and Instructor in Theater Arts at Central Washington University states that a classic shirt should have 3" of wearing ease at the chest.  A fitted shirt should have 1 1/2" - 2 1/2" inches of wearing ease.  I took DH's measurements after I had him watch this video.  Never even thought about the watch.

Since my DH feels this pattern is so nice, I had him preserve it by having him trace each piece instead of using the originals.  I put the cutting table near his work bench, so he would feel more confortable.  At first, he did a lot of complaining about having to trace the pattern.  Something like, it would be cheaper to buy a new pattern than use up his time.  Blah, blah, blah!  I had him iron each original pattern piece, and showed him how easy it is to trace.  That you don't have to mark everything.  So we proceed to trace the large pieces together.  I went on to do other things and came back to this.

What an amazing job!  A little obsessive, but amazing.  If he keeps this up, he is going to have one beautiful shirt.  Each pattern piece is now cut ready for the muslin fabric. 

SWAP 2011 - Week 6 of 17

I resolved my problem with the sleeveless top of Vogue 2987.  I decided to treat the stretch lace and the stretch lining as one.  I took apart the shoulder seams and placed each lace piece with its appropriate lining piece.  Literally only three pieces for this top.  I first serged the shoulder seams with stay tape sandwiched between the seams.  The stay tape keeps the shoulders from stretching.  I then serged the neck edge and the arm openings. 

This allowed me to cut off 1/4" of fabric while finishing these seams.  This left 3/8" seams to be turned into the inside of the top. 

The outside was topstitched . 

I really thought this top would go together in no time.  Not so.  I changed my serger threads back and forth.  Nude when sewing the shoulder and side seams and black when serging the pieces together and topsitching. 

I broke my left serger needle four different times, but can't figure out why.  Luckily while not doing the seams, but at the end.  I think I am pulling the thread tail while taking out the garment and the needle springs back hitting the looper.  Sewing with knits, and a lace knit at that, is the technique I was trying to master. 

SWAP 2011 - Week 5 of 17

The Kwik Sew 3494 skirt is completed.  This week I finished the grosgrain waistband.  The bottom edge of the band was sewn down with a back stitch.  I was surprised to find how easy the grosgrain ribbon was to sew through.  I really thought it was going to be difficult.  I made one machine made button hole on the inside tab of the skirt and applied a sew-on hook and eye closure for a lapped waistband.  I used an invisible catch stitch on the hem.

The fashion fabric for this skirt is a tan/black tencel. 

The fabric allows the back flares to drape nicely.

The contrasting black china silk hong kong seam finishes, black grosgrain waistband, and black invisible zipper compliment the fabric on the inside.

This has already been worn and laundered. 


I am already changing my original SWAP plan.  Instead of using Simplicty 6703 for a knit lace top, I am replacing it with this Vogue pattern.

It's the end of the month, and I've only completed one full garment.  I thought this would go together really quickly, but not so.  The instructions have you sew the shoulders together on the lining and the fashion fabric separately.  The beginning of the problem.  I am using a knit lace fabric and a contrasting knit lining.  The seam allowances are sandwiched between the two; therefore, the seam allowances are visible through the lace.  This is not a good thing.  This same problem will happen at the neck edge and the armhole edges.   So here it sits, so I can think this through.

MPB Shirt Sew Along

My DH is very supportive of my sewing passion.  He was an airplane mechanic during his early years in the Air Force and learned how to repair (sew using a flat felled seam) a cloth plane wing.  He actually took a sewing class two years ago on tie making, made a tie, and received lots of compliments on it .  Last year he traded up an old Brother's sewing machine he purchased at a yard sale for a Bernina.  This spring we were going to each make a shirt with me teaching him the process.  I recently discovered that Peter was having a shirt sew-along, and I encouraged my DH to join.   I checked off the list of suggested sewing tools and added a few of my own.

In May, 2010, while honeymooning  in NYC , we purchased a few pieces of shirting fabric to prepare for our shirtmaking sessions;

The two pieces on the left would make a fine two-toned shirt.  While sewing a shirt for my DS, I purchased while muslin for interfacing and later purchased white fusible interfacing.  Of course, I have loads of shirt buttons. 

The only new purchase is the Nigroni shirt pattern from Colette, which I took care of today; but that isn't a firm pattern decision from my husband.  He would like to make more of a dress shirt, so he probably won't use it.  However, I may in the future.  Watch his progress on MPB Men's Shirt Sew Along under Pago_3 and I will also be posting his progress here.