Timmel SWAP items #3 and #4

The top that I'm going to show you was done a week ago but I was under a very tight deadline with a boring and loathsome report and didn't take pictures. The jeans were done over the weekend.

So, without further ado, item #3 - NYU (not your usual) wrap top: Burda 01/2008, top 116

It's a blurry picture, sorry for that. I say it is not your usual wrap top because the panel in front that simulates a camisole is cut out of a black cotton/lycra, the rest is cut in a black and white knit and, to tie it on with my general black-white-red theme and in order to avoid too much black, I bound the entire neckline and the sleeves with red cotton lycra. I took a picture to show-you a close-up of the binding but I don't know how, the picture simply disappeared from my camera! How is that possible?

The ties were a bit too short (wished I read the reviews on PR and found out about that before I cut it... ) so I'm tying them in the back not the front. Also, I wish I didn't finish this top before Debbie Cook finished and published hers - look what an ingenious idea for the ties! This is great, Debbie, I'll surely use this for the next top.



And here is a better picture of the top. For a more extravagant look, it can be tied in front, with a bow.




Even with the application of binding, it still is a quick and rewarding project. But... it does require quite a lot of fabric, I had to be really creative about it as the black and white knit was a remnant.

Item #4 - NYU jeans



These are copied from my favorite RTW jeans. I had them for more than 4 years and I wore them to death. The most flattering jeans I've ever had. They will soon be unwearable and I plan to make at least two more pairs this year. I decided to make the first pair in black, with tone-on-tone topstitching and embellishment (see below for embellishment) because I wanted a dressier pair of jeans, one that I could wear with anything, including my Chanel-style jacket.

Why are these not your usual jeans?
First, because of the fabric - it is denim but made out of linen, viscose and elasthane. Looks pretty dressy and has a bit of sheen.
Second, because of the back pocket treatment. Stole an idea from another pair of RTW jeans and instead of applying patch pockets, I made inseam pockets (in the seam joining the back yoke to the back jean), with a pocket bag in the shape of a jean pocket and with only partial topstitching on the right side - take a look, pictures speak better than my English :)



The wrong side of the jeans, showing the pocket bag




And third, because of the embellishment done on the pocket, using heirloom/hemstitch techniques by machine. I found this great resource, containing a wealth of fact sheets (pdf format), I've printed almost all of them and made a separate file. They are so great that last night, when I finally got my copy of Handsewn by Machine (ordered at the end of December) I found I already knew almost everything in the book, thanks to these fact sheets. Here is a link to the techniques (you'll get a list of files not your usual website, but the name of those files is pretty relevant). And here is the link to the fact sheet that I've used - it is a heirloom hemstitched applique.

What I did: starch well (I finally found a good spray starch) a piece of organza, hooped it (if I don't hoop it, I get a lot of channeling), drew with chalk a rectangle that would fit into my machine (that rectangle was enough to cut out two leaves - I've used the leaf in the fact sheet as a template) and covered the rectangle with a Venetian hemstitch (sorry, but I cannot find a drawing of this hemstitch), using silk thread in the needle. The first rectangle took forever (you need some practice) but the second rectangle took only 30 minutes. Oh, and I couldn't find a wing needle here (I absolutely must find an online supply for wing needles and white silk thread, they are impossible to find here) and I used the largest needle that I have - size 11o. Worked just fine - the idea is to have a needle large enough to leave holes in the fabric.

Here is the unhooped rectangle, with the stitching done:



I then drew the leaf shapes on the rectangle, stitched around them with a straight stitch and cut them out, just outside the stitched outline. Used a spray adhesive (another thing that I must find online) to attach a piece of wash-away stabilizer to the back of the pocket. I then appliqued the leaves to the pocket. It is a corded applique and for that I've used my three hole cording foot, a strand of black pearl cotton and a satin stitch (2.5 mm width, 0.4 mm length) to stitch the leaf to the jeans. I then outlined the entire applique with a pinstitch. Isn't it beautiful?



And a close up of the front pocket. I used again snaps instead of rivets - can't find decent jean rivets here, but these snaps work just great.

My famous blue raincoat :)

(title of a Leonard Cohen song that I love)

Now... some girls have a Birkin bag. Some girls have a Kelly.
But I am the happy owner of a Tany trenchcoat!

When I saw this picture, I thought immediately of the midnight blue taffeta that Tany sent me a while ago. This is one of the reasons for which the trenchcoat is named after her. The other reasons... do I really need to mention them? Besides being an inspiration for many of us, she is such a warm, supportive, lovely person.

Burda WOF 02/2008, 117 Coat:



I loved the "runway" look of this trench the minute I saw it. The volume in the skirt (a big trend for this spring/summer) , the shirring in the waist, the lapels with a collar with stand... all these details attracted me. The 20 rows of topstitching on the hem portion of the coat give the effect of a petticoat underneath. If you don't want that much volume on you, you could easily skip the topstitching on the hem. Without it, the coat drapes at the hem instead of standing away from the body and it looks beautiful that way too.

Speaking of topstitching, this was a very time-consuming project (I again forgot to keep track of the time I spent on this project):

• There are 8 rows of shirring in the waist. I used a tubular elastic for that, encased in a zigzag stitch (4 mm width, 3 mm length). My pearl and piping foot helped a lot, the elastic fitted in it perfectly
• There are 20 rows of topstitching on the hem (spaced at 1 cm apart/approx 3/8 inch), plus 10 rows of topstitching on each sleeve cuff. I used a silk thread for the topstitching.

• To make my life even more beautiful, I decided to add another 10 rows of topstitching on the collar and 10 rows on each lapel. It did seem like this project will never ed (sooo much topstitching) but it was worthwhile to add topstitching on the collar and lapels. Not only it ties in with the hem and cuffs, but it gives better shape and structure to the collar and lapels. If you look in the Burda pictures, you can see that their lapels are a bit floppy.

• This coat is unlined. At first I wanted to line it with a beautiful blue satin I had in my stash, but I realized that with all the shirring at the waist, lining the coat could mean some bulkier stiff gathers and I didn't want that on my petite frame. The coat being unlined, I used a Hong Kong finish on the seams (cutting bias strips from the blue satin) and I bound the pockets.

• The trench is fastened with snaps, handsewn. I eliminated the first two pairs/rows of snaps because I knew I would never wear my coat buttoned to the collar, I want it to have lapels. But I did add another three pairs of snaps after the last one (the Burda snaps stop at mid-thigh) because guess what... This trench can easily be worn as a dress as well! I wouldn't want to show that much thigh :), so more snaps were in order.
  
• I've added another snap at the waist, at mid-way between the bust row of snaps and the second one, which is a bit below waist. If you look at the enlarged Burda pictures, there is some strange gaping at the waist. I got the same gaping, it is due to the snaps placing, but the additional snap at the waist solved this problem.

Not MIA

Have you seen the Spring and Summer 2008 Fashion trends report on the Fashion-Era website? If not, go here. And go here for the Wardrobe planning tips for 2008.

I've just finished a project (non-SWAP related) that really got me hooked and I hope to take pictures tonight.

I'll also take pictures of two SWAP garments and post them. Tomorrow hopefully.

How did I manage so far without underlined pants?

So I've managed to get back (partially, because I'm not sewing with my usual passion) my sewing mojo and finished the first two items of my Timmel SWAP the past weekend. If you remember, my provisional SWAP title is "Not Your Usual Basics" and my first two items are NYU (not your usual) black pants and NYU pencil skirt.

The NYU pants are part of my wardrobe pattern (a requirement for the Timmel SWAP is to make at least three different items from the same wardrobe pattern) - Vogue 2813, an out of print Donna Karan. I don't like pants that sit at my natural waist (I don't like how they look on me) but I do like these pants - they have a really high waist and I call them my "toreador" pants. It is precisely this high waist that made me call them "not your usual black pants". The pants look great with a blouse tucked in or over them (see at the end of the post for a white Burda shirt worn over them) and I finally get to wear my older shorter T-shirts without flashing my panties every time I bend to pick up something :)

Fabric: gorgeous wool with a bit of elasthane.



I must say I find that the pants look better in real life than in photos. Worn them in the office yesterday and at least 6 people asked if I lost weight recently. Believe me, I haven't lost one gram!

Back of pants



Now, regarding the title of this post, I have two things to say: I'm very partial to underlining lately, I think I said it before on my blog, I like how the underlining moves with the fashion fabric, instead of having two separate garments joined at some seam, like in the case of lining. It is a subjective things, of course, but I'm going to use underlining instead of lining for most of my projects. Even for jackets, I'm thinking of using the flatlining method - described by Shannon Gifford in a recent Threads article.

Part of my great liking of underlinings is this gorgeous knit lining that I'm using - it is stretchy, thin, it does not alter significantly the drape of pants and anyway it improves it, and it has a silky side that feels absolutely luxurious against the skin. Plus it really minimizes the wrinkling which is very important, taking into account that I spend long working days sitting at a desk. The result: I cannot wear unlined pants anymore! :)

I've used this tip on PR for underlining and giving a Hong Kong finish to the seams at the same time. I'd like to explain a bit this method, insisting on the turn of cloth. This method has you cutting the underlining fabric with a supplementary seam allowance of 5/8 (aprox. 1.6 cm) . Therefore the fashion fabric has a 5/8 (1.6 cm) seam allowance and the underlining fabric 5/8 x 2 = 1 1/4 (aprox. 3.2 cm). You then join the fashion fabric wrong side to the underlining wrong side with a 1/4 seam allowance. I must stress that it is very important: 1) to be able to cut accurate seam allowances (I use my rotary cutter and its guide arm); 2) to be able to sew accurate 1/4 seams - use your 1/4 foot if you have one, your zipper foot (mine sews an exact 1/4 seam allowance if I align its edge to the fabric edge). I use my normal foot and a special setting on my machine which allows me to sew an 1/4 straight stitch seam. Now, from the supplementary 5/8 (1.6 cm) seam allowance, 1/4 is caught in the seam (0.6 cm), another 1/4 (0.6 cm) wraps over this 1/4 seam creating the Hong Kong finish and the remaining 1/8 (aprox. 0.3-0.4 cm) is for the turn of cloth. Now, if your fabric is especially thick or thin, you should increase/decrease the turn of cloth and the respective supplementary seam allowance of the underlining fabric. For a thick fabric, you'd cut more than 5/8 supplementary allowance, for a thin fabric, less.
See below the finished seam. I bound the hem with a band cut from the same knit lining, to go nicely with my Hong Kong seams.



The method works for vertical seams and I wasn't sure if I could use it on the center seam of the pants, therefore for those seams I used a method described by Shannon in this post. See the center seam below. The method described by Shannon (and coming from a Threads article I think) is a lot like Sandra Betzina's method, that I used for this pair of pants. I must say I like this one better than Sandra Betzina's, first because the underlining is cut with the same seam allowance as the fashion fabric and second because it has a 3/8 (approx. 1 cm) seam allowance instead of 5/8 (1.6 cm) which for me, looks better and cleaner. See it below.



I've used a self-made polkadotted bias binding for the facing (goes well with my SWAP colours - black, white and red and with my love for polka dots) . The same polkadotted satin was used to finish the end of the zipper. Perfect match with my label too :)



The waist facing is boned, I've inserted (see below the wrong side of the facing) 7 pieces of Rigilene boning, quite wide (almost 1 cm/3/8 inches, I think). After boning the waist of this skirt, I'm in love with this Rigilene boning. You don't feel it at all, because it is flexible and it molds to your body (it is sensitive to body heat). I wore this pants yesterday in the office and believe me, I forgot there was boning in my waist. Totally comfortable, no poking, no rigidness - but enough support not to have those horizontal strain wrinkles in the waist. The facing is also interfaced with a strong woven fusible (hope you can see it in the picture).




And now, my NYU pencil skirt - Burda WOF 12/2007, the skirt from the ensemble 123.



Not so usual, because the skirt is cut on the bias and also, because I've added a black-on-black handsewn embroidery near the hem.



Let me tell you, this pattern is gorgeous. The bias cut is form-fitting and curve-enhancing but at the same time there is enough ease over the hips to be comfortable and enough stretch at the hem to be able to walk (there is not slit in the back of this skirt).

The skirt is underlined with the same knit lining and using the same method described above of underlining and giving a Hong Kong finish at the same time.



I bound the hem too at the beginning but then I found that binding made it too tight for walking therefore I ripped it and serged the hem. The underlining is cut on grain and not on the bias, because the knit lining is stretchy enough. This eliminated all the problems you normally have with bias-cut garments and made it beautifully stable. See below that there is no rippling in the side seams and no bubble at the end of the invisible zipper. And that with no special effort, simply due to the underlining cut on grain.




This skirt made me change my mind about my most-flattering skirt length. This year I preferred to hem my skirts just to cover my knee. Now I find that hemming them at mid-knee is much more flattering. Maybe because the skirt stops at one of my thinner parts instead of ending at a wider part.

And last, a blouse made two weeks ago (before losing my mojo) which will probably be a SWAP extra. This is blouse 120, from Burda WOF 01/2008.

Fabric: high quality stretch poplin, black cotton lace

Sorry for the blurry picture... Blouse over the NYU pants




Blouse tucked in my NYU skirt



There is a collar underneath the collar with the lace. It has a bit of a different shape and it acts like a support for this decorative collar. Burda actually has you put two of these decorative collars, not sewn to each other, just two pieces of fabric, one with lace and the other one with a serger finished edge. My fabric having quite some body, I preferred to make only one "floating" collar instead of too. If I make this blouse again, I might ditch the support collar underneath altogether and only put the two "floating" collars.





I've used black lace instead of white. I love the contrast...

Also, I didn't have the special closures required by Burda, therefore made loops out of fabric bias strips and used some mother of pearl vintage buttons for the closure.



The inside of the blouse is secured with two ties, one caught in the side seam, the other one attached to the left front.

Can't find a title, can't make a plan :(

OK, so I wanted to show you my first two bras today but first I couldn't find my camera then I did find it (in a drawer where I looked a dozen times without seeing it) but managed to take really crappy pictures. I'll try again tonight.

What I want to write about today is my plan (or lack of it) for the TimmelFabrics SWAP 2008. The contest takes place between 1 January 2008 and 11 April 2008 and it is about sewing a perfectly coordinated wardrobe made of 11 garments: 1 jacket, 4 bottoms and 6 tops. You can substitute a maximum of two dresses for two tops. In case of jumpers, these would count as bottoms. All the tops must work with all the bottoms and the jacket must go with everything. You can use two previously sewn garments and one garment that was purchased. You must also use a print in this wardrobe. Every year, the contest has a "twist" to make it more interesting and this year's twist is that three garments must be made from a "wardrobe" pattern. The entire text of the rules can be read here. There's also a SWAP discussion thread at Artisan Square, here and see the storyboards made until now here.

It's been at least one month since I'm trying to come up with a plan for this SWAP and I keep changing my mind or hesitating. Therefore I've decided NOT to make a storyboard, at least not for the time being.

My provisional and painful SWAP plan:

• My colours will probably be black, white and red (how very innovative, right?)
  
• I'll probably make a coat instead instead of a jacket and the coat will be made out of my print - the red, white and black boucle from TimmelFabrics

• I'll probably make 4 bottoms - two skirts and two pants, five tops and one dress
• My provisional title is "Not your usual basics", as I plan to have several basics (a little black dress, a pair of lined black pants, a pair of jeans, a white shirt) but I will try to give them a little twist.
  
• My wardrobe pattern will probably be Vogue 2813, an out of print Donna Karan

My second bra and the two matching pairs of panties are my first SWAP extra :)

Happy holidays

To all of you, my dear virtual friends, happy holidays. I wish you the happiest New Year ever, full of love and joy...

I've been sewing up a storm (pic-heavy)

I didn't vanish into thin air nor died, in case you worried about me not posting :) Just had a very very busy time at work and spend every spare second sewing. Florin was in Brussels for a week and I took advantage of it. But before I show you what I made in a week (looots of things), here is my Chanel style jacket "in action", at the conference. It looks rather interesting with the black pearls doesn't it?






Last night I had one of the happiest moments ever. Thanks to Sigrid, I've discovered Elingeria, an online shop in Germany, selling bra kits, bra notions, patterns and lots of great things (you'll see below what I ordered). I'm very happy with this shop and they provide great customer service. So here is my Christmas present for myself:



Two big cutting mats(90x60 cm). First time I have a mat and I can finally use my rotary cutters - have two and one of them even has that distance arm (how do you call it??) but I couldn't use them because I didn't have a mat!



Bra patterns (one of them by Beverly Johnson, author of the Bra-maker Manual), bra padding in various colors, bra kits: black/silver, chocolate/turquoise, emerald green/gold, hot pink/purple, dark red. Every kit has all the notions (except bra padding) and enough fabric and lace to make a bra and two pairs of panties.

And now, I proudly present you the result of a week's worth of sewing. Beware, I did nothing else this week but go to work and then go home and sew!

Coat, Burda 10/2007, 119








This is the best drafted coat pattern I've ever seen so far! I made it like it was (it is a petite pattern) and I didn't have to alter or change 1 mm of it! It's amazing! Look how elegant this side panel with pocket included is:



And I love the shape of the sleeve. It has a center seam and not cap ease - I think the pattern is cut down the center and all the cap ease is taken out in a dart. The shape is beautiful and as usual, I didn't even need to insert shoulder pads.

Back detail :



The coat is made out of the same wool knit that I used for my Chanel style jacket. The wool if you remember is very stretchy, therefore I underlined the entire coat with white cotton batiste. I love underlining, the coat is so soft and supple and so light!



Burda, 04/2007, blouse 114 with the sleeves of blouse 101 from Burda 09/2007. The original sleeves of the blouse were short and puffed. I copied the sleeve, measured from front (back) notch to the shoulder notch both on the bodice and the sleeve. The resulting difference (that allows for gathers in the sleeve) I took it out slashing the pattern and taking out 1 cm at each slash. The resulting cap sleeve was copied to the sleeve pattern of the other sleeve. The blouse is made in pure silk and I can wear it both with long ties or with a bow.









Burda 09/2007, dress 117

Dress unbelted



Dress belted





The dress is made out of two cuts (about 0.5 m each) of pure gorgeous wool. Those cuts were given to me by my mother, are at least 20 years old and come from a Romanian factory that used to make only wool fabrics.

See how gorgeous this fabric is, and it has the name of the factory (Libertatea Sibiu) woven in the selvage. "Lana pura" means "pure wool". Have no idea what "London shrunk" might mean. Christina reminded me that Carolyn describes in this post the London shrinking method. Thanks Christina! So this fabric was pre-shrunk in the factory. This amazes me.... I guess it means good quality, doesn't it? I also assume this fabric is wool crepe. I don't know the word in English, in Romanian we call it caşa (pronounced "kashà" - the word comes from German).



The dress is underlined with a great knit lining, silky and slippery (no static of any other problems over stockings, no wrinkling and practically inconspicuous). I used this tip on PR to underline and give a Hong Kong finish to the seams at the same time.







Jeans, Vogue 8202






These jeans are very low rise in the back and I noticed that good jeans are normally higher in the back. I therefore altered the waist seam of the yoke, raising it by 1.5 inches at the center and tapering to nothing at the sides.







I used two spools of topstitching thread threaded in the same jeans needle, as I didn't have any dark blue jeans thread. I'm not sure that I like that tone on tone topstitching, maybe I would have liked a rusty jeans thread better, but I wanted a pair of jeans to be worn with dressier jackets and thought that dark blue thread would be better.

Detail of the decorative stitching on the back pocket



Simplicity 4020