Winter of Wearable Shirts: #1

Welcome to the first garment of the winter of wearable shirts! I need tops that are easy to wear, don't look sloppy, and are easy to clean. I've got six planned in total and am excited to throw out the holey, stretched, and pilled shirts that they will be replacing.

I've always loved eyelets, but they can end up way too cutesy for my liking. In need of inspiration I turned to google with the search term 'edgy eyelet' and found this beauty. Then The Fabric Store sent out an email showing all their stunning eyelets and I had to have some. I found this geometric, blue cotton beauty. I wanted white, but I wanted something with straight lines to make adding the insets smoother so navy it is. The insets and lining is light silk-cotton, also from The Fabric Store. Then I saw Pattern Review's Bargainista Fashionista contest and moved this project up to the front of the queue.

I used Simplicity 1366, but I belled out the sleeves and added more room at the center to make room for my ample bosom. The finished measurements on the pattern felt a bit...suffocating. I eyeballed where to add the insets, but I find when one's chest is larger, higher insets give the impression of perkier boobs. I actually had a lot of fun putting this together, it was all a big experiment. I wasn't going to add an inset to the back, but after cutting I found a huge imperfection in the eyelet and was worried that the shirt wouldn't last past a couple of wearings which would have rocketed me into a fit of depression.

I was going to make the insides so beautiful with bound seams but I ended up running out of the lining fabric because I had to double-layer it for modesty so only the shoulder seams and sleeve seams are bound, the armcycles and side-seams are pressed open and serged in navy. The neckline is bias bound as part of the pattern.

I adore this shirt. I love the dropped shoulders and the boat neck and the loose fit. Its one of the few woven shirts that actually fit without making me feel like the Hulk about to rip every seam. How awesome would this look with a pair of high-waisted white Gingers?

Pattern Review: New Look 6097

I'm totally messing with the shape of this thing, but look at my pocketses!

I've been lusting after New Look 6097 for a while now and all thoughts were confirmed. Unabashed success! I went three sizes smaller than the pattern indicated for a correct fit with a very sturdy Italian knit. A very sturdy Italian knit which I discovered likes to unknit itself at an alarmingly fast pace. The pattern calls for a lightweight knit, but this beauty works too! I stabilized the shoulders and pocket openings with the selvedge of some teal silk and tacked down the cuffs, but otherwise followed the pattern exactly. Some previous reviews added elastic to the neckline, but this knit is so meaty especially with the multiple layers of fabric at the neckline, I'm not much worried about mine. I did hem it a lot shorter though, a little too short in the end. Oops. I used a stretch stitch to sew the hems and the space-dyed pattern is so busy you can't tell there's even thread there. 

Hey, look, a button that took me 30 minutes to pick out. Its gold. And plain. This picture shows the colors of the fabric better, it mainly red, gold, and teal, but it seems like everything is in there. Its a sold out fabric from Gorgeous Fabrics. The grain of the pockets was half a design choice and half a lack-of-fabric requirement.

The dress looks really cute with a black belt, but I forgot to throw it on for the pictures. This was meant to be a work dress, but its a little short. I figure the longer sleeve balances things out so its still good. I'll just wear it with a black blazer and leave the hooker shoes at home.

My hand looks alarmingly tiny.

I think this is the: I'm posing but my cats just tripped me picture.

This is a fan-frickin-tastic pattern, I can make a million of these.

New Simplicity Patterns: Fall 2013

Simplicity 1594

How freaking cute is that. Any day now I should become a future Auntie through my boyfriend's brother so I'll have to start stocking up on cute baby stuff because hell or high water, I'm going to be that baby's favorite Aunt. It'll be hard since its other aunt's will like about 20 min away from it and I'll be a 10 hour drive, so that's a lot of material lovin'. I like how the shoes are NOT INTENDED FOR WALKING. That sticker should also be included on all 2.5"-plus heeled shoes.

Adult clothes?

Simplicity 1585

That's some 70's realness. I hate the gathering under the bust, it looks like the mark of a homemade garment. The shoulder cut-outs are weird with that style.

Simplicity 1586

 Classic, GREAT dress with fitting help. Nothing wrong here!

Simplicity 1587

I love the skirt, I hate the bodice. I wish they had more 1920's retro patterns.

Simplicity 1588

I am personally insulted by this. When this is the 4th pattern in the new release, there's not much hope.

Simplicity 1589

Hey, if you are going to learn to sew, there are worse patterns to start with. I made culottes when I was starting out. A lot of culottes. Otherwise, this pattern looks about 5 years too late.

Simplicity 1590

Ah, the 10" waists of the 1940's. Yowza that looks painful. I like what the peplum's doing here.

Simplicity 1591

That's about as nondescript as you're ever going to get. How come skirts never get waistbands?

Simplicity 1592

Snore. Nice elastic waist pants.

Simplicity 1593

Same pants, straighter side seams.

And the totally adorable baby girls win this round!

Pattern Review: Simplicity 2584

A couple minutes after yesterday's thunderstorm.

So I have a bunch of fabric, none of which really excites me anymore. I really like the cover of Simplicity 2584, but I don't like clothes made out of stiff woven cotton and even though I knew this was going to end badly, I just went ahead and did it. So I present Simplicity 2584 in a cotton poplin. Yea.

It looks like scrubs.

It sits really very high and very far from the back of my neck.

Invisible zipper on a casual shirt? Bleh.

I was going to add the gimmicky front do-dad from the cover of the pattern but for the life of me, couldn't get it to lay flat and centered so I threw it away in disgust. I also raised the slit by 3 or so inches because, whoa, dude, that was loooow. All the facings turned out really well so it isn't a bad pattern. Everyone else seems to love it and they look great in it. I think this would be really great in a stable knit with no dumb zipper so maybe I'll just think of this as a muslin and just consider it a win.

Otherwise its already being used for a good cause.

Hey Foliage, I'm probably not going to wear that so you might as make yourself more comfortable.

 

There you go.

New Simplicity Patterns: Early Spring 2013

Coming in close on McCalls' heels is Simplicity

Starting with the prom offerings

Simplicity 1691

My best friend from high school and I like to go through magazines and play 'which outfit would you rather wear, and you can't pick something I picked.' Even if you can't stand anything on the page, you still have to pick something, its a lot of fun although it kinda sounds lame written out like this.

If I were going to prom this year (as a 26 year-old) I would pick 'FLIRTY', what would you pick? (I'll allow multiple pickings of the same dress, just this time!) I love v-neck, ruffles, and the center slit makes it a party dress.


Now which Leanne Marshall pattern would you rather wear to prom?

Simplicity 1689

or

Simplicity 1690

?

I choose the short strapless 1690. Not all prom dresses need to fulfill the fairy princess fantasy, prom is a freakin' party! Any other adult women want to play my game with me? What prom dress would you choose?

I also like the 'day' look from this pattern, but its a bit poofy. The top is cute, but crazy simple.

Simplicity 1688

Ok, prom dress play is over, lets discuss real clothes. I LOVE this. Cynthia Rowley is the bomb-diggity. The dress is perfection, the contrast, the seaming, the jacket is perfect, omg stripes, and its lined! I'm going to buy the crap out of this next 99 cent sale.

Simplicity 1687

This looks like something Taylor Swift would wear. Its cute, I love the contrasts (piping and yoke), pockets, and pleats coming off the pockets, but I think its a bit too cutesy for me. Fabric choice might alleviate the cutesy.

Simplicity 1692

OMG, its SENCHA! You can bet your patooty that Simplicity (and the others) know all about the independent pattern makers out there and are following their every move and success. Sencha is one of Collete's more popular patterns so I guess this is not surprising. I like Sencha better. So there.

Simplicity 1693

Boring shirts and those bell sleeves are unflattering. I don't like drawstring waists. They are trying to cash in on the peter-pan collar trend.

Simplicity 1694

Going for the high-low shirt hem. That front split with only one button is not my cup o'tea. Whatever is going on with the hem in view F is awful! Interesting fake fabric choice with view B, that's straight out of the 70's.

Simplicity 1699

Ok, I like that top in a pilgrim sort of way, but everything else is throwaway.

Simplicity 1696

Those look like very comprehensive pants. Very standard.

Simplicity 1686

I don't watch Mad Men, but is this what they are wearing right now?

New Simplicity Patterns: Winter 2012

So I'm traveling for work again. I'm about 8,000 feet about sea level and up at at 4 in the morning with nary a sewing machine in sight so instead of actually working, I will share my critique of Simplicity's latest offerings with you. Mind you, its 4 in the morning, these will be the ramblings of a crazy woman.

I'm going to start with this one...

Simplicity 1727

Ok, I first wanted to start this with, ARE YOU KIDDING ME? But the more I think about this, the more I philosophize. These types of collars are crazy trendy right now among the crazy trendy. Now follow me, most of the crazy trendy probably don't sew, but if they got the hankering to sew and to sew a decorative collar, they couldn't throw together a collar 'pattern' like you and me, they'd have to use this. Think of this as like a 'first hits free' kinda pattern. So any way to bring innocent people into our fold has got to be commended, right?

Nevermind, this pseudopattern is just crazy-sauce.

Simplicity 1726

Being a cape lover, I am insulted by those calling that blue taffeta monstrosity a cape. That is an ugly. The jacket is unremarkable and so are the shirts, but thank goodness, I will looking for a pattern for an obi belt, I could never have made that on my own.

Simplicity 1718

Oh Project Runway Simplicity, much like the show from which you glean your name, oh the mightly have fallen (Gretchen, Anya?!?!). Those are some of the dowdiest pants and skirts I can imagine. The pattern for that shirt was already made, and made better, by Cythia Rowley.

Simplicity 1716

That dress is cute on the model, but on my chest would be an unhappily stretched monstrosity. The cowl is ok, but I think I've made my thoughts on cowls pretty clear in the past.

Simplicity 1715

I think the 'Amazing Fit' concept is quite smart, it allows people a beginner approach to fitting patterns to their bodies than to jump in whole hog. Gotta say though, that is one dowdy dress.

Compare this pattern envelope to the Project Runway pattern envelope. The clarity on this is just lightyears better.

Simplicity 1717

Hey, that's kinda cute! Love the A-line and the pockets!

Ok, I was kinda coherent right? Join me tomorrow night for crazy late night-early morning ramblings of a sewing machine-less sewing blogger.

New Simplicity Patterns: Fall 2012

Hot on the Vogue heels are the rest of Simplicity's offering for our autumnal sewing pursuits. Fall is my absolute favorite fashion season. Its not so hot that you have to wear shorts and a tank to be comfortable, but not so cold that its snow boots and down everyday. Go Fall!

The bestest pattern of the restest.

Simplicity 1756

Wow wow wow. I love layering pieces that make an outfit for interesting and boy oh boy, this is an interesting layering piece. Its AWESOME! Its so unpractical and ridiculous that its perfectly perfect. I love the vest the bestest, but I love the jacket too. And I LOVE those silly cutouts. I'm this close to abandoning everything in my queue and making 14 of these. Thank you Cynthia.

And in no particular order....

Simplicity 1754

 I see the princess fans at Simplicity are still well and good because Kate wore that black lace dress. Other than the obviously inspiration, there's nothing that remarkable about this pattern and in fact, the dress on the pink girl is making her look dowdy.

Simplicity 1755

I haven't come to a final decision about this pattern because I hate, hate, hate the fabric choices for both options. The sleeveless version is the same color as the model skin tone, but wrinkly. How attractive. The version with sleeves is just gross. Since there's so much going on in this pattern, I think it really needs to be done in a solid color, but maybe red, blue, black, anything other than 'flesh of the wearer' please. Not bad Leanne, better than last time definitely.

Simplicity 1758

This pattern is pretty hideous, I'm only looking at it for the furry vest and its a fail. The ribbon closure is so sad. So so sad. The vest is weeping ribbons.

Simplicity 1759

Super 80's style jackets. I dislike low button closures on long coats, it makes the coat look like it was made for a much much taller lady.

Simplicity 1762

Awesome jammies! I want to make this in red and walk around with a pipe, ala Playboy. No, seriously.

New Simplicity Patterns: Fall 2012

Simplicity is rolling out patterns like they are going out of style! Hmmm, maybe they are...

Let's start with the good.

Simplicity 1783

Those pants are perfection. Perfection pants. The skirt looks quite nice too, harder to tell from a painting. Love a long sleeved shirt and this looks so wearable and wonderful. Cynthia Rowley makes the most interesting, trendy, yet classic patterns and was Simplicity's best decision. Never let this one go Simplicity!!!!!!

Well that was it for the good. Let's go to the eh, ok.

Simplicity 1776

Bit boring. I like the rounded square neckline, hate an exposed zipper, unsure about those front pockets, they look very infantile. The fit on the models doesn't even look good. A usable starting point for something more interesting if you're up to it.

Simplicity 1777

I'm not one for vintage pattern, but this one isn't bad. Still not for me, but its sweet. I like how the model is in the same pose for each picture, its all she's got. Like the higher necked version.

Simplicity 1779

As I've said, I'm a sucker for a good bow-necked top. This one's ok, bow's a little weak, but I like how its buttoned!

And the bad....

Simplicity 1778

The 'design' here is that there is ripply, rumply stuff going on your belly. Honestly, I spent 1 hour jumping and squatting around on Tuesday and can't really move my legs, abs, arm, or back in order to remove and keep away all ripply, rumply stuff on my belly. Why, just why?

Simplicity 1781

That's some 80's red suit jacket there. Needs shoulder pads. Like three of them.

 Simplicity 1780

I think Gwyneth Paltrow wore that top shrug in Emma. A movie from 1996 if you have no idea what I'm talking about. That bottom one...howdy Holly Hobby!

 Simplicity 1782

The ubiquitous two rectangle skirt that every pattern company comes out with every season. This one has a slit! Everyone, together now, "OOOOOOOOOOHHHH"

  Simplicity 1784

Sexy sexy librarian wear. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

 I LOVE THESE PANTS!!!!!