Wardrobe Ideas and White Shirt

Could there be more posts and television segments about Wardrobe planning and ideas?  Or is it I am just noticing them more? Whatever reason, here are a some from the last week  to share with you .

The first one is from the Nate Berkus Show titled Recycle Your Wardrobe, making the most of your wardrobe using a black blazer for several different outfits.  Head over to the watch the episode, while your watching think of it as one of pieces in the SAL.  Say the fur vest, tie sweater or even the puffy vest.  Or get ideas to change one of the list items to a blazer if that fits into your lifestyle more.

The next one I hestitate to post, it will start our minds focusing on spring sewing and we all might abandon the SAL!  (just kidding but boy, some pretty colors and fabrics for you).  This is Cabi Canary and the blog post is titled A Month of Style With Just 15 Fabulous Fashions

A bit of substituting our pieces and we can see how to make what we are sewing into outfits.  Let's see, the tie cardigan for the tie jacket.  Black ponte pants for the yellow pants, turtleneck for gray scooped neck shirt.  You get the idea. 


Now for the weekly featured garment - The White Blouse - a classic.  Head over to Lynne's blog, Wonderfully Made for her RTW inspiration, the pattern ideas and fabric ideas. 

and/or

Simplicity 2728 - Cabi Inspired

I have made this pattern for Erin with linen and here is the original review.  As you know, Lynne and I like to watch Cabi blog and they had this tweed jacket:

Source Cabi

You know what they say about best laid plans?  My jacket really didn't turn out like the inspiration except for my tweed fabric.

I cut my jacket out the last week of November and then Christmas came.  I decided to make all those Sophia and Weekender bags making the Cabi-inspired jacket lost in the to-do pile.

Fast-forward to December 23rd, the bags are complete and I didn't feel like starting on the jacket unitl after the New Year.  Instead I did a very needed cleaning of my sewing room and in this process threw away my Simplicity 2728.  I went by Hobby Lobby on January 2nd but they did not have the pattern.  Being a person who cannot start another project until the one is finished, I forged ahead.

I did not cut out the collar, who knows why?  Looking at the line drawing, the collar is perfect for the inspiration piece, wide and full shaped.

One thing I did add was leather pocket flaps, cut from an old purse.  I had seen leather on jackets in RTW and wanted to incorporate this.

I used quilting cotton on the underside of the flaps

Here is the finished jacket front

Here is the back



Overall, I am quite pleased with my jacket, I do wish it had a collar but I will still enjoy wearing it.

Ponte Trench in Action

As most of you know I made McCall's 5525 from ponte, details found here

Friday night, big class reunion time (numbers won't be mentioned) and I was debating on the trench or motorcycle jacket with my white blouse and trouser jeans.  I asked a good friend which jacket and she said motorcycle, a bit more casual.   This was a good choice for the night, the dress was more casual.  I did grab the camera and set the timer for several consecutive shots.  Here is the ponte trench in action:

The white blouse is Butterick 5526, blogpost here.

Off to work on a Vogue blouse, not much time to sew this week.  I have managed about 20 minutes each morning, so the blouse is down to cuffs and buttonholes.

McCall's 5525 - Ponte Knit

The McCall's Trench Coat

Which I have made twice before.  Most recently in a gorgeous teal, see review here and blog post here then I made it back in March 2008, see review here and blog post here.

My latest version is for me.  Lynne and I talk about Cabi Canary quite a bit and she was so excited about the entire Ponte collection.  I liked many of the items and had purchased 3 yards of gray ponte from Fabricmart a couple of weeks ago.  My intention was for a cardigan and a simple skirt, well plans change.  Lynne is going to make the trench coat and said she was looking at this McCall's pattern for her version.  Her enthusiasm was contagious and I fell on the Ponte Trench Coat bandwagon. 

Cabi Canary

I have been reading several fashion magazines and looking online for inspiration and this trench coat look instead of a jacket is seen many places.

Ann Taylor Loft

pinterest

So the information.  I made a size 10, a size smaller than my normal jacket size.  I ended up taking the jacket in more on the side seams, shoulder seams, underarms and top of sleeves. I kept trying on this jacket and heading to the mirror to see what I needed to do for fitting.  I wanted this jacket on the slimmer side, as it looked in the Cabi picture

  My advice would be if using a Ponte knit, go down a size.  I did not line this jacket due to the  many size adjustments I made after some of the construction was complete.  I felt I could not even come close to getting the lining to be the correct size,  so I used some black knit and finished the facings

Here is the ponte on my dressform

Here on me

I will style it quite differently - just came home and put on the Ponte trench for pictures.  

I do think this is a piece I will wear quite a bit and will be a nice addition to my closet.

Thanks Lynne, can't wait to see yours.

Simplicity 2599 - White Knit

This pattern is a Best of 2010 on Pattern Review and I can see why, it is very versatile

I made this in August 2010 and here is the review and the original blog post

I was Cabi-inspired again with this white top:

Photo from Cabi Canary

I called my friend, Anne at Needle Nook Fabric and asked her for a white knit, something substantial, so I could wear it alone if needed.  She had just the fabric and by the time we finished talking, I had a nice box coming my way (you know, I like my knit fabric)

Since this Simplicity pattern is for a woven, I had to make some adjustments

1. I folded out the dart on the pattern
2. cut it a bit smaller in waist and hips
3. added some length (not due to the knit but felt my first top needed some length)
4. Cut the back on the center fold, I did not need the keyhole opening for a knit

I used the ruffles from view D first.  When I cut these the first time (crosswise) the knit kept wanting to curl on the bottom of the ruffles.  I didn't need to worry about the stretch on the ruffles, so I cut these lengthwise.  This solved the curling problem and only if you are very close to the garment can you tell the difference. 

Next came the neck ruffle from View E and then a bit of finishing.

I wore it to work like this:

but soon wore it like this at work, just too hot in the building

I cropped a photo of the ruffles, the details can be seen a bit better.  Clarity isn't the best

Kwik Sew 3419 with some changes

Another TNT pattern, I made it here and that is probably my all time favorite top and it is due to the fabric.  You can read my pattern review  and it has links to the four previous tops I have made.  The best feeling knit and it was a dream to sew.  I emailed Anne of Needle Nook with that link and ask her if she had some more of that fabric.  She sent a picture of several bolts and I picked several fabrics.  For this top, I used an aqua knit, talk about soft.

This time I wanted the bottom of the top to have some gathering.  On  the Cabi site, it has several versions of the gathered top.  I added 11" to the bottom front and gathered it to the back, the gathering stops at the bottom 2" to allow for hemming.

close up of gathering

Simplicity 2804 (again)

I have made this pattern

back in December 2008 and in October 2009

This time I was looking for a pattern to recreate the floral top



Photo from Cabi Canary

Here is my top, using the sleeves from view A, the band from view C and changing the neckline to a lower rounded neckline from View C.

trying differet poses

close up of top

I read a recent blog post at Inside Out Style on how to pose for photographs, I thought I would try some of them.

Eyelet skirt

I have spoken about Cabi for inspiration.  Last week, they had a wonderful blogpost full of ideas. Several things from that post, I want to sew for the remaining days of summer.  The first one is the eyelet skirt

I found a tutorial at Crafters Hours and decided to use that for the pattern, which is very well written and easy to follow.  I omitted the pockets but followed the rest.  I mis-read the instructions, I used the elastic for the entire waistband piece.

I used some eyelet from fabric.com and batiste for the lining.  The eyelet's right side is very shiny, not a look I wanted, so I used the wrong side which looks fine and has no shine.

shiny side

lining

Also, the hem of my garment is the scallops of the eyelet.

Instead of using the eyelet for the waistband, I just used the batiste.

here is my finished skirt

McCall's 6282

Pattern Description:  Straight, above mid-knee length lined dresses front high or low cowl, side and back gathers optional back invisible zipper; dress D has unlined, above elbow length sleeves.

Sizing:  8 to 22

Instructions:  Very thorough and informative, this pattern is a Palmer and Pletsch pattern.  They are great teachers and have shared much information in this pattern.

Likes/Dislikes:  I seem to be drawn to draped cowl neck patterns lately.  I thought I would give this one a try.  Plus, thanks to Lynne, I have been using Cabi for inspiration.  The striped top in the middle was my inspiration

picture from Cabi Canary

and here

picture from Cabi Canary

Fabric:  A jersey knit from Gorgeous Fabrics

Changes: well, lots.  I omitted the gathers at the waistline.  I did not line it or use a zipper.

Conclusion:  After completing this garment, I decided this pattern wasn't for me.  There were several other drape patterns I like better.  Then I looked at the pictures and decided maybe this wasn't as bad as I thought.  I like an ITY or rayon knit would be better for the pattern, it drapes nicer

with my Simplicity Cynthia Rowley jacket I made last summer

Pictures and an Award

Thanks to Trini for this award, I am so appreciative and she listed some incredible bloggers and their garments on her nominations.  She nominated me for my Cabi-Channel inspired jacket, which I wore today.

Here are a couple of pictures

I am passing this award to all my sewing friends, they are all so stylish (and inspiring). 

Simplicity 2284

Description:  Misses' & Miss petite lined jacket in two lengths with trim variations… separate patterns included for A, B, C, D cup sizes.

Sizing: 6 to 24

Instructions:  They were really very good, even has instructions for sleeve heads.  I did follow most of their instructions but used this Ann R's tutorial at flickr for interfacing and sleeve heads

Here are my pictures from the inside

I stitched a basting line for the hem at the bottom

Likes/Distlikes:  I was trying to recreate this Cabi Jacket and I really thought this pattern was just the match.

I liked the construction, loved the cup sized pattern and the style.  the only thing I don't like (and it is my fault) is the narrow sleeves.  If I had looked at the pattern envelope I would have noticed the jacket is modeled with knit tops, probably sleeveless.    I wanted to be able to wear some blouses with my jacket, like the picture, but I will not be able to do this, not enough ease.  Other than that, I really like my jacket.

Changes:  I added 1" to the length of the jacket and the sleeves.  I also made my own fringe for this jacket.
I cut the fringe about 1-1/2" wide and unraveled on each side:

Then from the larger threads I unraveled, made a braid:

I used two layers of the fringe, then applied the braid to the fringe with a zigzag.  Then I applied the trim to the pockets and jacket with a zigzag.

Here you can see the two layers, makes the trim fluffier.

I found Threads article November 2005 #121, "Inside The Chanel Jacket", to be very helpful and the pictures of actual Chanel garment helped with trim placement.

The biggest news for me was I made a muslin of this pattern, something I don't do very often.  I knew the jacket would take some time to construct and I wanted to have the sizing correct. 

I also added hooks and eyes to close the jacket.

Fabric: Berry Tweed from Fashionista Fabrics

Conclusion:  I really like my jacket, it turned out even better than the picture in my head.  I do wish I could wear those blouses with it but I will just have to make another one.  After examining the Cabi picture, the sleeves on that jacket are much wider (or at least appear to be).  

 I lightened this photo a bit so you could see the details:

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We are at home, waiting for the snow plow, see no road:

It is in front of that barbed wire fence somewhere.  I am in now hurry, I know they will be by when they can, lots of roads in my county.