Stitcher's Guild Reloaded

@Karamiel - Not be contrary, but I thought your dress quite cheerful!  I am really enjoying the patterns and the fabrics you are using for your SWAP - all of them so far so much fun, not cheerless at all.

@stephaniecan  - it does seem as if a bunch of us are finishing up garments somewhat abandoned last year.  Your plaid coat is glorious - excellent fit, crisp lapels, great plaid matching.  It's going to be a wonderful late winter early spring coat!  And oh that sweater    Your knitting is so awe-inspiring.

@LillieT - the Ottoman dress looks so comfortable!  The shoulder insets are so intriquing.  Your color scheme for your 1/2 Monty SWAP is so intriguing - what a great eye for mixing and matching you have.  The putty color of the Ottoman dress goes so fabulously pattern/fabric piecing in the Carol jacket.

@Upstate Linda - Isn't it so frustrating?  I remember one time a couple of years ago I was so angry with my multiple fails at a Loes Hines pattern.  I was mad, I felt I couldn't sew, and who was I kidding!  -  I went out and bought some cheap fabric at Joanns and made the same "danged" pattern again just to prove to myself that I could sew.  Since then, I try to be much more patient with myself.  Someone here at Stitcher's Guild - I think it was @luz clara - talked about the magic closet.  It's worked for me many times.  Is the dress too much of a goner to even try that?  Like you, I may move to summer sewing too -- I am just going to add them to my SWAP!


How's everyone's sewing going?  I have been "snowed" under with work and with "weather" so am wondering if everyone else is too.

I took a massive detour over the last couple of weeks. I finished a sweater I started knitting on October 25 (and then ripped out and restarted on November 11, so I think based on the commentary to the rules that it would count, although I don't care if it is SWAP-able or not). I made the stranded colour chart to represent a house that I saw in the paper and want to buy (the yellow one!).


More pertinently, I have almost completed the coat with moth embroidery that I started for last year's SWAP. This is important only because I am going to use the same pattern for my yellow coat, since I like the shape on me and I also spent a lot of time fitting the pattern. I think it will be fun in yellow and the pockets will stand out more. I used traditional pick stitching on the plaid coat, but I might use top-stitching on the yellow coat (I still wish Luz Clara (I think it was Luz Clara who loves top-stitching) would come over to do that as nothing makes me crazier in sewing than my wonky top-stitching!. We'll see. The plaid coat still needs hemming and the lining to be put in, plus the single buttonhole. I hope to wear it this spring. (The lining I sewed last year, so it just needs to be hand sewn into the garment.) Hopefully, now that I am out of the woods with this coat I will cut the yellow one this weekend!

Cheers!

@Karamiel Karine, I actually think the dress looks quite nice on you, in spite of your reservations. Very intrigued by the tigers though...

So much for getting back in the sewing room, hopefully that will change soon as my top only needs the binding under stitched and stitched in place.

@CCL I am happy with the shorts length but am thinking of giving myself a bit more width but it won't be much.

@LillieT another two great pieces, your dress with the quick hem and jeans and it anyone notices your top stitching they are too close.  I use different feet on my sewing machine for my top stitching which I find makes a lot of difference.

@Karamiel your dress looks very smart from here and the fabric will hide a lot of what you are not happy with, as long as it is comfortable to wear I'd say it is a win.

@Sew Ruthie Sews I understand why you have decided not to sew clothes for a while as you review what you have - I don't have a lot of clothes and my friend did say to me yesterday that "I don't have enough variety in my wardrobe that she would be happy with"!

Item 3 : the cheerless dress.

Burda n°130, 08/2015.
Synthetic fabric, from Japan, 2017.


While sewing it, I kept remembering a quote I read a long time ago, from a writer, saying that she never wears synthetic clothes when she goes on a plane, in case there is an accident. At the time, I found that a bit silly. Usually, plane accidents are lethal anyway. But I have to confess that each time I fly (or used to fly), I think about it and go for cotton.

I seriously thought about burning it more than once, because the fabric wouldn't gather neatly at the neckline, as it was supposed to do.
Of course, I had to abdicate and modified it.

The pattern was weird too (or am I ?). Sleeves too long, funny armscies...

So, "cheerless dress" I said. It spent a while on my dummy and its view wasn't bringing me any joy. I was really about to give the sewing up.

But eventually,the thing is, looking at the photos, I think it looks ok on me. Does it mean I have a matching cheerless complexion ?

In spite of everything bad I'm saying about that innocent dress, I like the print very much, and the fit is not bad.

I now feel ready to cut a different fabric, and tigers will be involved.

Thanks for reading and happy sewing to everyone!

@sewruthiesew - I have been thinking a lot about your last post.  I would not have needed the 6 pieces of clothing I just made had it not been for the loss of another 10 pounds.  However, I do have way more clothes hanging in my closet than I need.  I too need to go through and purge the clothes I don't wear for one reason or another - fit, color, style or some illogical reason. 
@CCL - Thanks for you comments on the yellow jacket.  It was a lot of fun to make and I can certainly see it done in wools.  Carol really was the perfect pattern - small pieces to piece making it seem like it went fairly fast. 

The ITY animal print muslin may or may not become a wearable muslin.  The knit is quite thin and somewhat slippery and I had trouble with the neckline even using a stabilizer.  It is in time-out for the moment.  It did serve its purpose though - only had to make a small adjustment to the armhole besides the usual adjustments I make to any new pattern:  rounded back, forward neck, grade to a size larger in hip area.  I also scooped the front neck about an inch - boat necks tend to make me feel choked. 
I went ahead and cut Tai out of the light grey ottoman and soon had my dress.  Was a very fast sew, doubt it took me an hour.  I did change one other thing - I cut it at tunic length and then added a deep band cutting the ottoman stripe the opposite direction of the main dress.  Fairly subtle, but I like the result - and of course, instant hem. 

We are in the middle of a major winter storm, not as bad here as on the West side of the state - but lots of snow.  I did venture out when the storm first started and purchased the dark grey thread I needed for the jeans and spent Saturday making them.  I am pleased with the results although my top stitching isn't the best. I have always struggled with top-stitching - not sure why.  I barely had enough material, faced the waistband and the hems with a quilting cotton. They fit just right and the wider legs are exactly what I had in mind.  The legs could have been an 1" longer but they are ok.  In addition to the usual fitting adjustments, I increased the width of the legs about 2" starting at the hip. I have always had "athletic" legs even when I was skinny otherwise.  The skinny pants trend has not been kind to me.  In addition to having thicker calves I need to wear compression socks.  Combine the thicker legs, compression socks and skinny pants and I am always having to pull the pant legs down after I sit

@anna.wahnsinn I am glad that worked out for you! Enjoy making costumes.

@CCL Thanks, I'll "embrace the stew"!

Well, I spent quite a bit of time sewing yesterday, but here's how circular I am: I worked on finishing the coat I started for last year's SWAP and didn't complete. There's a certain logic to it as it used the same pattern I plan to use for my yellow coat, and I guess I don't feel right starting a new coat having not completed the first...

I'll get somewhere, someday!

Quote from: anna.wahnsinn on February 14, 2021, 06:08:17 amThank you so much @stephaniecan, I had completely forgotten about flickr, this was perfect!

@anna.wahnsinn - I also find Flickr very easy to post from...good luck with the costume sewing!

@boppingbeth - Lovely that the grey shirt trial garment for the real deal chambray is turning out well.  Hope your sewing space gives you some comfort - the black lace dress sounds as if it turned out well, despite the horrid and depressing circumstances.

@stephaniecan - embrace those "stewing moments" - after years of kicking myself for procrastinating, I have come to realize that the "stewing moments" almost always provide some answers to challenges that I might have just steamrolled past had I not hesitated and dawdled.  The end product usually turned out much better for my stewing than it would have without it and the pause that gives insight.  Of course, that's just me, so take with a grain of salt. 

Quote from: stephaniecan on January 18, 2021, 09:20:49 pm@anna.wahnsinn I loved your story of the midnight snack! For photos, the easiest thing is to have them hosted elsewhere - flickr, a blog, and then to post the link using some simple code.

Thank you so much @stephaniecan, I had completely forgotten about flickr, this was perfect! Not confusing either. I still have two more pages of posts to read up on, and all of the swaps, but I really need to get going here and make Faschingskostüme for my little ones. The 7yo wants to be Vidia (purple Disney fairy, very fast), and my 9yo finally decided she wants an Apple White (Ever After High) costume. Due on Tuesday morning, about 7am...