planning

That’s why I sew

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Right, that’s it. I’ve had enough of losing things I kept in the ridiculously shallow pockets of my Top Shop Trench.

First my outrageously expensive annual travel card. Now my classy Brooks Brother sunglasses all the way from America. If I’ve had doubts about why I bother sewing this is it: sensible pockets to my heart’s content!

I’ve been tempted to make a trench ever since I saw the Selfish Seamstress’ stylish renditions in delectable prints. But now it has shot straight to the top of the sewing list. The ever popular McCall’s 5525 at the ready, I just need to figure out what tweaks to make to ensure it’s more chic than frumpy.

And those all important pockets, they’re already on the alter list after reading about 5525’s similarly shallow version on Patterns Review (What is it with trench & shallow pockets?) I think I’ll also throw in an inside double-welt pocket or two for good measure.

McCall 5525 E

McCall 5525 E

Of course trench has always been on the list. But I’ve just never seen any pattern I liked. Most tend towards the frumpy side. Even the photos on 5525’s pattern envelope look borderline. If it weren’t for the Selfish Seamstress’ great fabric-pattern combinations (+ a dose of ANTM attitude thrown in for good measure), I would have passed on this pattern.

To avoid disappointment I have chosen an ugly cotton twill from the stash for my muslin test. Ugly because the fairly traditional beige is not very flattering for my skin. There’s also not enough of it, so I’ll have to figure out where to save the yardage.

One possibility is adding contrasting border to the hemlines like this Louis Vuitton trench…


Or go jacket style with more fitted bodice, shorter length, and  3/4 sleeve like this Dolce & Gabbana number from Fall 1995.


Here’s another D&G from the same season I really like. But I don’t smoke, am not blonde, so will never be able to pull it off with the same Belle De Jour panache…

And another  risqué one, from Donna Karan, requiring miles and miles of pearls and legs…The peals I definitely can do. And maybe the empire waist. Seems a bit counter-intuitive to place it above the slimmer waist. But maybe the elongated line actually creates an even more slimming effect for those of us not blessed with a womanly hour-glass shape.

Finally, a more ladylike beltless one by Todd Oldham, again with an empire waist…

Probably for a future attempt as this is way off the beaten trench path. (Sorry, I just can’t help myself with the clipping porn once I start! }:-)

Rules are meant to be broken right?

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Tacky or Edgy?

Having riled against cheap fabrics what do I then do? Order some potentially tacky snake-skin print jersey over the internet of course! 😀

So the deed is done. In a few days, my stash would have gone up by 6 pieces or 18 meters. Three more and it’ll tip over. (If only the stock market is doing as well!)

At least none were over £2.99/m, and a couple even £1.99/m. And luckily I found the shop’s own website (www.minervacraftsandfabrics.co.uk) so was able to get free delivery as well. I had originally found the shop on eBay and would have paid at least £15 in postage. But the shop was very helpful. They helped me cancelled my eBay orders so I can order direct and save. Whether they can help me with tacky fabric choices or not is a totally different matter!

Here’s a couple that could be duds or gems:

    

Don’t ask. I always seems to fall for muddy colored fabrics that look interesting in themselves but terrible on me! }:-) I’m hoping these will look more Vivienne Westwood or Jean-Paul Gaultier than, erm, cheap club kids?

Vogue 1159

As for next project, I’ve settled on Vogue 1159 Donna Karan dress. Like a few others I’ve decided to go for a plain knit, but in a mid- to light-tone to better show off the drapes. At the moment I think it’ll be either one of  these new acquisitions:

At £1.99/m, the dress  will cost me a mere £4 if I succeed. Amazing. I’m not sure what to do for skirt lining though. Presumably it needs to be stretchy. But stretch lining come in such limited range of colors. I might try to do without the lining. Need to study other’s attemps more.

And I will definitely do something about the low armhole, see if I can raise it a bit at the pattern stage. Thank goodness for Pattern Review (though website-design-wise I like knitters’ Ravelry much better). I’m also not entirely sure I like the back sleeve view. A bit too sporty looking for me. One to sleep on.

One step forward two steps back

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The weight of the next project hangs around my neck. Sigh, sewing shouldn’t be so stressful! So I’ve decided to go fabric shopping. Again!

You see, since I’ve started reading other people’s sewing blogs, I’ve realised the errors of my way. I get my fabric fixes mostly in NYC. So splashing out on expensive fabrics is the norm. In fact, on my last trip the cheapest was $7/yard. And that was for China Silk, good mostly for expensive lining or lingerie. Most are at least 3 times that. Hence my reluctance to make anything, especially as fitting is not my forte.

So I got three options on the table at the moment.

Option 1…

Finish the T-shirt block that’s a bastardization of Burda 2011-06-120. I chickened out with the pattern. Comparing the pattern to my store-bought T-shirts the pattern always won in bagginess, even with the looser-fitting store-bought T-shirts. So I’ve decided to take 4+” off at the hip and waist, 3+” off at the bust, raise the underarm seam / shrink the arm hole, shorten the bodice, and scoop out an U-neckline. So by the end, it bears little resemblance to the Burda original. I’ve got a fabric picked out – actually a tiny scrap I got from someone else. As expected, it curls a bit at the edges and grain isn’t straight. I’ve just got starch to sort out the curling. So it is ready to go. But rather uninspiring.

Option 2…

Perfect a basic sloper with the aid of Connie Crawford’s Patternmaking Made Easy, then figure out what modifications I’d need to make for each of the pattern brands. Once done I imagine I’d be able to churn out projects after projects like a well run Chinese Sweat Shop!

But gosh, it seems like an awful lot of effort to get there, and I’m not sure my web-conditioned attention span could cope.

Options 3…

Do as all you lot do – pick a pattern and just check the fit with really REALLY cheap fabric. That would of course require shopping for more fabrics!

So much for whittling down 191 pieces of fabrics. All of my recent projects bar one failed to diminish that pile. Frugal me managed to use the bare minimum so that I can squeeze yet more projects out of the scraps. So the current count remains. Maybe minus one – it’s awfully hard to keep track of that many pieces!

I’ve got a couple of patterns in mind already. Both Vogue Donna Karan. Both  inspired again by you lot…

So why these two despite everyone saying the patterns are rather difficult to understand, let alone alter? Well, that’s precisely the point. If it’s almost impossible to alter I’ll have no choice but to just make it without fretting about perfecting the fit first. But that of course hinges on using cheap fabric that I won’t regret messing up. Hence the need to go fabric shopping again.

See there is always method to my madness!

So I’m tending towards Option 1 while finalising plan for Option 3.  I’d imagine it’d take me a while to figure out where to get dirt cheap fabric in London / UK that isn’t utterly revolting. (Sorry, I can only go so low, the NYC snob that I am at heart! 😉

Searching for The One, The Perfect T-Shirt One

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Burda Style 2011-06-120

It’s still gray and dreary in London. So no picture update on La Chemise.

In the meanwhile I’ve started plotting the next assignation. I thought it’s about time I have a reliable block for a well-fitted T-Shirt. Shouldn’t be difficult right? Burda Style June 2011 had a T-Shirt that looked just  about right. A deeper scoop. Get rid of the back zipper – why would anyone need a zipper on a T-shirt I would never know – it’s not even a feature!!!???

I traced out the pattern – this time taking care
to recheck my measurement and pick the right size. Then I compared it to a Victoria’s Secret T I had which fitted quite well.

Surprise surprise. Burda pattern is like way too big! Going by the front alone it’s like 1″ wider each side – that’s 4″ wider at the bust. The armhole is lower / bigger. So how does it look so fitted on the model? Answer on a postcard please.

So what do I do? Go with the pattern? Go with a T I already know fits me? I’m inclined to go with the latter. That’s how I end up with all these improv patterns. Why do the pattern companies insist on frumpy proportions? Sigh. Maybe I should google around to see if anyone’s tried this pattern with any  success.