More Piles

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A job that leaves one brain dead after work, how lucky am I! Then pick a project that calls for non-standard seam and hem decisions, how smart is that! Not very obviously. So to console myself for lack of progress on the sewing front I went on a sewing related book shopping spree – I can always dream about sewing even if I don’t actually manage to do it!

The first two were prompted by sleeve pattern alteration I was doing on the Burda Moto jacket. I decided to try tips from Jeffery Diduch’s article on tailored sleeve alterations in Threads July 2013 (he of Made by Hand blog, a professional tailor & patternmaker).

But there are a lot more reference points in his armscye diagram than on the Burda pattern, even more than the Big Four (which is just one more than Burda). (E is missing from this web illustration.)  So I thought I’d check The Cutter and Tailor for recommendation on pattern books that might illuminate how to locate these reference points. I settled on these supposedly oldies but goodies:

The Modern Tailor Outfitter And Clothier – Vol I
The Modern Tailor Outfitter And Clothier – Vol II

Maybe they’re not so aptly titled anymore as they are ‘1928 Modern’ rather than ‘2014 Modern’. But then menswear tailoring probably hasn’t changed as much as womenswear. The whole emphasis on fit as measure of quality over ostentation sounds promising. Volume I & II both have 3-4 chapters on womenswear tailoring including pattern drafting instruction. I haven’t read these in depth yet, but quick glance shows the instruction is the old fashion procedural type with little explanation of how to adapt to different measurements. Oh boy. Hopefully there’ll be gems buried in the other paragraphs.

And so far no references to these armscye reference points that set me on this wild goose chase yet. The hunt continues. Maybe a thorough troll through Mr Diduch’s blog is in order. (Actually, Nancy K had already asked Mr Diduch the very same question. His answer is on Threads website. Doh!)

Next up is another book on principles of pattern drafting.

How Patterns Work: The Fundamental Principles of Pattern Making and Sewing in Fashion Design

I briefly considered this book when I was looking for books on principles of how anatomy & human motions impact fit & pattern design. But the table of content didn’t seem promising. So I got Theory of Garment-Pattern Making instead on recommendation by Kathleen Fasanella. (That was another old fashion anemic book and sadly didn’t quite answer the enormity of my questions.) So when someone mentions this book again in response to Marina von Koenig‘s tutorials on pencil skirt drafting, I gave it a second chance. I’m still on the fence with this one, but that’s just from flipping through the book and reading the author / publisher ‘bio’: Too many illustrations of dress forms and too little evidence of credentials. Manifesto is all fine, but I feel more reassured if Assembil Books had listed where they got their experience and insights from. I will reassess when I’ve finally read the book cover to cover.

But not now. Because I have three more fun & inspirational books in my box!

I wanted to get some books on McQueen ever since I saw the Isabella Blow exhibit at Somerset House. (Wouldn’t have minded one on John Galliano either, but seems like now that he has fallen from grace there’s no book to be had. Not unless you fork out a fortune for rare second hand ones.)

Savage Beauty is as close as I’m going to get to examining McQueen garments without getting told off by museum guards. Lots of great pieces modeled by neutral mannequins if the theatrical fashion show presentations weren’t quite your cup of tea.

Vogue one has mostly editorial photos, many quite beautiful and not as aggressive as the runway presentations.

But at the moment I’m savoring the Life and Legacy bio. There are less inspiring photos here – mostly runway photos and only used to illustrate the collection summaries. Instead, the inspiration comes from the words. I love the details about McQueen’s Savile Row apprenticeship, the stints with various 80s designers as a cutter afterward (didn’t know he worked for Romeo Gigli – a 80s/90s Italian designer I also like), the Central St Martin training, the early struggles (so glamorous yet so impoverished). I’m inspired by how he turned out cutting edge collections on shoe-string budget while living off state benefits. (Galliano supposedly did the same when he first showed in Paris, having to resort to cheapo lining fabric for his geishaish collection.) I love that iconic garments can be created from seemingly uninspiring materials (where as sometimes the most expensive and exquisite fabrics get turned into frump).

Yes, some of his designs are a bit offish even to me – really not sure about the bumster trousers. No one’s perfect. But I love his mix of tailoring and gothic romantic cutting edge.

Here’s a quote from Savage Beauty worth considering:

“[I design from the side,] that way I get the worst angle of the body. You’ve got all the lumps and bumps, the S-bend of the back, the bum. That way I get a cut and proportion and silhouette that works all the way round the body.”

It really resonate with me because I find a few of my makes less than flattering from the side view. Love the front and back. But not the side.

While I have no ambition to be a designer (nor a professional tailor), sewing for myself (and styling the outfits) are about the only creative outlet I allowed myself. So these little gems of insights from the professionals are real threats. If only they all design for non-model bodies!

Blocks? Check. OK, now what do I do?

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There are times when things just go round in circle. Or off on a wild tangent. You want to do A. But wait, you need to do B first before you can do A. Oh, and B need C first. And on and on.

It’s been one of those times. I thought with my skirt and bodice blocks sorted I should be able to easily whip up my New Year Resolution list of…

  • 3 pencil skirts
  • 3 straight skirts
  • 3 A-line skirts
  • 3 long sleeve woven tops
  • 3 short sleeve woven tops
  • 3 long sleeve knit tops
  • 3 short sleeve knit tops
  • 3 dresses
  • 3 jackets

I even have fabrics lined up for the pencil skirts and 2 straight skirts. But I’ve fallen at my first hurdle.

0plans-jacketsIt’s a pencil skirt in a fabric from Mood NYC I got last June. The fabric is thicker than your typical suiting fabric. It feels like a fancy sweatshirt material to me – but I’ve never worn sweatsuits so I’m probably wrong. It has two nice sides, so I’m thinking it would make a nice matching Burda Asymmetrical Moto Jacket 11/2013 #117 too.

Except I might have to run it through the hot washing cycle and stiffen it up a little. Other people have complained that the double knit that Burda recommend for the jacket isn’t nearly stiff enough to show off the single layer oversized collar. I’m hoping once felted mine won’t suffer the same wimpy fate.

But maybe that won’t be enough & I’d still need extra support of edge binding? And what about seaming, would it be too thick for standard seaming? Should I try lapped seam? Do I need to finish off the edges? And skirt hem, too thick again? Overlocked hem maybe? Decisions decisions decisions – that’s the peril of trying to be creative. There’s no instruction to follow mindlessly.

It’s the same with the pattern. For the skirt I think I will simply use my Pencil Skirt Block. So I’m working on the jacket pattern now to check if I’ll have enough fabric for both.

So here’s the dilemma: When you have Blocks, do you still start with commercial patterns? Or would you start with your Blocks and try to mimic the design details of the desired commercial pattern?

The problem with starting with commercial patterns how much to ‘correct’ & how do you go about it. I started with the best intention to follow standard alteration steps to get the jacket pattern as close to my Fitted Jacket Block as possible. The center front & back pieces were relatively straightforward. But I just couldn’t get the side pieces into the right shape with the standard alteration procedures (lower bust curve > FBA on side pieces).

1-fit-alt-1Head clogged by a cold, I resorted to slicing the innards & seam allowances of these side pieces with hinges on the seam lines. Then the seam lines is pulled into shape to match my Fitted Jacket Block patterns. There are a little bit of shortening/expansion here & there, but I was able to get the jacket patterns close enough to my Blocks. Not an ideal long term solution, but for now that will do.

Next up try the altered tissue pattern on Q. Then finalize the jacket pattern, figure out if I have ample fabric, and finally get back to cutting out & making the skirt!

Jungle Cocktail Dress…aka Burdastyle 2012-04-128A

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Jungle January 2014And just before time is called on Jungle January 2014, this tortoisey snake finally slither its way into the party with its ratty tail barely clearing the closing door.

So let’s get straight down to businesses and boogie down to that last five minutes of the Jungle wailings…

Style Shots & Mug Shots

BS 2012-04-128aBS 2012-04-128aBS 2012-04-128aBS 2012-04-128a

BS 2012-04-128aBS 2012-04-128a

BS 2012-04-128a BS 2012-04-128a BS 2012-04-128a BS 2012-04-128a

BS 2012-04-128a BS 2012-04-128a BS 2012-04-128aNext up must be the fabric of course. Says so on the party invite dress code.

Fabric & Notions Used

I got this snake print fabric 2-1/2 years ago, and by the time I realized that I’m in love, I couldn’t get any more of it 🙁 Thankfully I got 3 meters originally. So there should be enough for another garment.

It has a lovely drape and isn’t too difficult to sew. But it does feel slightly plasticky (hence the delay in attempt to get more). And – my pet hate – like all jerseys it curls at the edges. Normally I’d starch the hell out of these curly edges. But this time starch has no effect. Maybe it’s 100% water-hating petro fiber. Who knows.

As a non-snake person – I’m terrified of them, even earthworms & eels that remind me of them – this first foray into snake print is suitably timid & subtle. Maybe next year I’ll be bolder. In fact I already have a couple of loud prints with splashes of snakes from my last NYC trip. And it might be a good idea for me to start preparing them early. Who knows, I might even come to Jungle January 2015 on time!

OK, on to the hangover drone that is the pattern review…

(Or if you prefer more jungle action, check out the Jungle January 2014 Flickr photo stream!)

 The Pattern


Burdastyle 2012-04-128

I actually didn’t get the magazine when it came out – much to my regret now – so had to download the PDF version from Burdastyle website. And while I do appreciate the second chance, downloadable patterns are a royal pain. It’s better than not being able to get the pattern at all. But given the choice, I’d take pre-printed patterns any day. Yes, even Burda’s unwieldy jungle of  overlapping pattern lines.

So the pattern itself…I was rather surprised to find virtually no makes out there on the interweb. Nada on Burdastyle.com. And a paltry one make on Pattern Review which unfortunately featured only action shots, so hard to see the dress clearly. Burda Russia of course have a few more – including the longer view B, but still not as many as this pretty dress deserves I thought.

Size Used

This time I went with 36, which happens to be the recommended size for me according to the sizing chart. But this is only because 36 matched my new Basic Top Block most closely in the key measurements.

Changes Made

Fitting changes

For a change I didn’t use my Block to gauge alterations needed. Instead I pressed Q into tissue-fitting service. I started with the lining pieces because it has less drapes / is more fitted, so is easier to fit. Once I figure out the main changes needed, I apply the same changes to the shell pieces.

Lining side front
Shell side front
Shell side
Shell back

The alterations this time are fairly minimum.

Front lining & shell
Back shell & lining
  • Short, aging body shape adjustments: Shortened between bust & waist, waist & hip, and hip & knee. This kept the widths at all the key levels unchanged.
  • Small hip adjustment: Graded down at the side seam from waist down.
  • Front-back body shape adjustment: Shifted a little bit of the waist shaping from the side seams to the darts. In other words, made the darts wider at the waist and added the amount this removed back at the side seam waist. So side seam is straighter. (In Frabjous Couture‘s recent discussion about shape & pattern drafting, I’d be a less dramatic Liz.)
  • Shortened bust dart for my low hanging girls, and lengthened the back darts above waist for my narrow lower back.
  • Sloping uneven shoulder adjustment: I narrowed the upper back a little bit so the straps won’t hang too close to the edge of my shoulders. The strap then had to be adjusted in length to accommodate this. I also shortened the left strap to accommodate my lower left shoulder. Hopefully there won’t be any jumping off the shoulder cliff drama with these precautions.

There’s one more change I’d make if I were making this in bias woven. And that is to take account of bias stretching when assessing the pattern length. Kenneth King mentioned a rule of thumb of 1/4″ stretch per 6″ length in his Moulage book. If I were to cut on the bias as instructed, then I might want to shorten everything accordingly – including the darts and torso shaping. In a shapeless dress you might be able to just shorten at the hem as needed. But this dress actually is a body skimming sheath. So I’d want to make sure the torso shaping hasn’t elongated after gravity has worked it’s lousy magic.

This time I didn’t make this adjustment because my fabrics were all knits, so I cut on the standard straight grain.

Design changes
  • I had to lengthen the lining and add another layer of underlining to preserve my modesty. My snake print was way too see-through. The lining was lengthened from hip length to just below my bum. The underlining is knee length & just slightly shorter than the snake print. The underlining pattern is the dress pattern minus the front neckline pleats and the skirt side extension. I left a vent where the side extension would have been.

Verdict on the Instruction

The instruction is OK, though mention of length extension was confusing. Maybe it was referring to the magazine pattern. The PDF version looks like the full pattern, so I didn’t lengthen anywhere. Other than that, I did the usual thing of giving the instruction an once over, then doing my own thingy.

Theoretically this should be quick to make. But I ended up sewing each layer with slightly different seaming technique because, well as you know, knits are temperamental divas. And I have 3 of them to deal with:

  • The lining is stitched & top-stitched on the sewing machine with stretch stitches.
  • The underlining has stretch-stitched & hand top-stitched darts, and 3-thread narrow overlocked side and back seams.
  • And saving the best for the outside, the snake print has hand-stitched darts to minimize stretching & wavy seams. But the side & back seams were again done in 3-thread narrow overlock to keep the dress floaty. Unlike the under layers, I didn’t cut off the dart seam allowances on this layer because I like how the shading adds slimming vertical style lines to the dress.
  • All three have 2-thread rolled hem done on the overlocker. I like the lightness of the result. But there were lots of oops with the rolled stitch not catching the fabric edge. Urgh. Hand blanket stitch to the rescue.
  • And the straps I had to stabilize with stay tapes to prevent it stretching & showing off more of me than intended. Lots of hand sewing here too.

Would I sew it again / Would I recommend it to others

With all the fussy fabrics it’s no wonder I’m so late to the party! One thing for sure: There’ll be no swinging like Tarzan in this delicate dress with all its Oops. But I like the result well enough to want to wear it to a relative’s summer wedding coming up soon.

I think the pattern would also be really pretty in the recommended bias georgette (or even chiffon). But I’d only make it in those fabrics if I can figure out a way to avoid the wavy seam like on the pattern view B photo:

1-fit-lining-fAnd those double french darts – I just love how they looked on Q in the stiffish tissue paper. It gave Q sideway curves where she and I have none. This detail is a bit lost on droopy fabrics like georgette or mesh jersey. So I just might adapt the pattern to work with a crisper fabric like silk shantung. I’d have to do away with the neckline drapes and pleats, and the skirt side extension of course. It’d make a nice little cocktail party dress for ladies who lunch! 🙂

Sewist Pride

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While the new Ice Age hasn’t quite spread over to London from the US, my sewing has nonetheless slowed to a glacial pace thanks to going back to work full time. I am working on a snake print dress for Pretty Grievances‘ annual Jungle January party. In fact, I’ve been planning this since January last year. Fingers crossed it will be finished by end of January this year. More about this one another day.

What I did manage to finish (sort of) over the Xmas holidays are these muslins for my top and three skirt slopers. But I’m not going to go into details about the pattern-drafting and fitting this time. I’m feeling a bit fatigued with the nitty-gritty. In the depth of winter what one needs is some day-dreaming. And would you believe it, I’m actually rather inspired by these muslins.

Top/Dress sloper muslin
Top/Dress sloper muslin
Pencil Skirt Block v1 muslin
Pencil Skirt Block v1 muslin
Straight Skirt Block v1 muslin
Straight Skirt Block v1 muslin
A-line Skirt sloper muslin
A-line Skirt sloper muslin

I’m very tempted to turn these muslin into sewing-themed wearable garments. It sounds mad, but at least a couple of high fashion designers have already set the precedence…

Maison Martin Margiela Spring-Summer 1997 collection

0inspiration_martin-margiela-1997ss-60inspiration_martin-margiela-1997ss-4

(More from Dusty Burrito blog…) How cool is that? OK, maybe not everyone’s cup of tea. But for someone who came of fashion age during the first wave of fashion deconstructionist era, yeah I would wear that.

Moschino Cheap and Chic Spring-Summer 2004

0inspiration_moschino-cnc_2004ss-2

I love the idea of wearing my sewing proudly. In this age of ready made cheap fashion it feels a bit rebellious to proudly declare oneself a home-sewist/sewer/seamstress/whatever.

Most of the muslins were made from an old linen color bed skirt, so already looks a bit like the MM dress form top. The only problem is that when I was cutting out I didn’t notice that the two sides are slightly different shades (sun fading?). So some panels are slightly darker shades than others. Oops. Will have to stew this idea for a bit longer.

In the meanwhile, I’ve also started planning the skirts I’m going to make from these skirt slopers:

0plans-skirts

But these will have to wait a bit longer. I haven’t quite figured out all the construction details yet.

Plus I don’t want my snake print dress to miss another year of Jungle January!

2013 Round Up

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I wish I could join in with all the Top 5s you gals are posting. But this very first year-end-round-up of mine has turned out to be rather disappointing. I felt like I’ve been sewing a lot more this year. But really I only average just 1.25 finished project a month.Not really enough to have various Top 5s. Oh bother!

Garment types
1   Dress
7   Tops
2   Skirts
2   Sweaters
1   Jacket
1   Coat
1   Bag
15   Total
Pattern brands
9   Burda
3   McCall
2   Self drafted
1   Vogue
   
   
   
   

Do moulage, slopers, and dress form count?

moulage & knit sloper
Changes to KK Pencil Skirt draft to get Block v1
Q, my dress form v2

Not that these would up my average much. But fingers crossed now that these have been sorted next year I’ll be much more productive. I’m hoping I’ll have enough to join in Me Made May 2014!

So which project has been the winner of 2013? There is no contest it’s this bag I finished in January. I use it almost every day. It even went on two holidays with me.

Self-drafted Tote

Runner up has to be the wrap sweater I finished while on holiday in the States. It goes with so many outfits so got a fair bit of wear as well. It too went on both of my holidays.

Franken BS 2011-06-139 Wrap Cardigans

Knit tops certainly was popular around here this year. That’s mostly thanks to my two tentative knit blocks. Two sleeveless cowl at the beginning of the year were based on version 1 developed from McCall last year.

The remaining 5 were based on version 2 developed from Burda this year.

This was the first year I’ve tried sweater knit. And although this mock turtle / cowl neck sweater hasn’t had a lot of wear yet, I like it well enough to make more in the future.

Franken BS 2013-02-121 Sweater

This is also the first time in decades that I’ve made clothing for someone else, and the first time ever that I’ve made children’s clothing.

M6501 A+E Dress for Tweeny NieceB9547 B Jacket for Tweeny Niece
Self-drafted Tiered Skirt for Tweeny Nieceneice-2neice-1

Hmm, that jacket is already looking wee bit tight. Then again, the pattern envelope shows it worn buttoned only at the top. Maybe it’s designed to be worn that way. Fingers crossed she’ll get a few more wears out them before she blossom into a lady.

Moving on…It’s a good thing I have some skirt blocks sorted now. I was most nproductive on the skirt front in 2013, yielding a meager one skirt at the beginning of the year. It was a good skirt though.

BS 2012-05-113 Draped Leopard Skirt

And the big production of the year – apart from the mouage and dress form – must be this wearable trench muslin. It was finished just in time as my RTW trench got a bit too stained and threadbare to be presentable.

M5525 D+E Trench

There’s still a few days left to the year. But I think I will not rush to whip up anything more. Instead I might try to get my slopers together over the non-working holidays. Then hopefully next year will be much more productive, even when I’m back at work. Pencil skirt sloper is almost there. I could always do a straight and an A-line one too. Then 2014 can be the year of the Skirts.

What about you? Any last minute sewing for the New Year’s Day partying? Already planning your 2014 sewing? I look forward to reading all about them on your blogs! (Or discussion forums if they’re your literary outlet of choice.)