Sunday, May 31, 2015

Simplicity 2564

This is a super simple skirt.  The pattern I used, Simplicity 2564, is out of print, but any straight skirt would do.  I shortened the design to be above-knee, and I used the patch pockets from the pattern but moved them to where I wanted them.  Don't you just love choosing where exactly you want your pockets?
 They are perfect for holding my iPod.  The fabric is a stretch cotton from Pennie Fabrics in Sarasota.

 I don't have a lot of tops that really go with this skirt.  White would obviously work, but I like to pull out a color from the print.  I've worn it with a pale pink cami and this gray cardigan (showed a glimpse here).  The top in this post is Simplicity 2181.
 The shape of this top is a bit weird tucked into the skirt, though, and it's too long to leave out.  I'll be on the lookout for a good gray or purple fabric to make another knit top.
 I used some quilting cotton from my way-too-big stash of quilting cottons to make the waistband facing.  I also used it to line the patch pockets, but there's really no good way to show off the inside of a pocket!
 The hem is a simple straight stitch. I couldn't bring myself to bother with a hand-sewn hem on a casual skirt in a busy print.

Friday, May 29, 2015

Podcast 12: Update

I don't know why I was so scratchy this week.  I'm not sick.  I guess I should have had some water instead of coffee.  :-)

SHOWNOTES

      SSHandmadeJenny on Twitter
      SSHandmade_Jenny on Instagram
      JennyAnne on Ravelry
      JennyAnne on Artisan's Square

Intro

Life 

Goodies -  I talked about the Woolful podcast and the newer podcasts aren't an hour and a half long.  The newer ones are all less than a hour.
                  www.o-wool.com
                      Some Balance Yarn in the Butterstone color is on its way to my house


Sewing - no progress on Marfy 2779
                 
                 Simplicity 1355

                 The fabric is a stretch cotton from Pennie Fabrics
                 I mentioned Pattern Review
                 Alabama Chanin

Knitting - Hitofude Cardigan in Malabrigo Mechita
                  Verdure Shawlette by Isabelle of Fluffy Fibers

Living Handmade - Me Made May
                  My grandma's Bleeding Hearts look like this:

                  Mine look like this:
                  And the smaller plant I hacked up accidentally has these beautiful blooms:

Thursday, May 21, 2015

Podcast 11: Boys' Perspective

SHOWNOTES

      SSHandmadeJenny on Twitter
      SSHandmade_Jenny on Instagram
      JennyAnne on Ravelry
      JennyAnne on Artisan's Square

Intro

Life - preparing to go camping this weekend

Goodies - my LYS - Brandon Yarn Boutique
                 Berroco Comfort DK  I think my color is "holly" to make Lush
                 Berroco Folio in Balsam Fir for Verdure Shawlette

Sewing -  I'm working on (and having trouble with) Marfy 2779

                                             

                 I mentioned my Marfy 3443
                 Simplicity 2564 seems to be out of print
                            I forgot to say the fabric is a stretch cotton bottom-weight from Pennie Fabrics in Sarasota
                                              skirt selfie...  Is that a thing?  It is now.

                 earlier versions of Simplicity 2564
                 Alabama Studio Sewing Patterns
                 Alabama Studio Sewing + Design
                                                                             

Knitting - Knitty
                  Hitofude 

                       My earlier Hitofude
                  Cap Sleeve Lattice Top


Interview - I interviewed my boys (8 and 5 years old) about knitting and sewing, and we went through the Brooklyn Tweed BT Kids collection for their thoughts.


Thursday, May 14, 2015

Podcast 10: It's Spring!

SHOWNOTES

      SSHandmadeJenny on Twitter
      SSHandmade_Jenny on Instagram
      JennyAnne on Ravelry
      JennyAnne on Artisan's Square

Intro - Gardening
                                                                          herbs


Some flowers are starting to look a bit hot and tired

                                            My best seed starting effort




Goodies - Yarns from Webs
                         Sirdar Knit and Crochet cotton 4-ply to make Ruched Yoke Tee from Interweave Knits Spring 2011
                         Malabrigo Mechita to make Hitofude - here is mine

                 Yarns from A Good Yarn in Sarasota
                         Bio-Sesia 5
                         Anzula Meridian for Sideways Knitted Sweater from Debbie Bliss Spring/Summer 2015

                 Pennie Fabrics          
                 My Mothers Day Tea Kettle


Sewing - Simplicity 1810
                Marfy 3443
                Kids' jammies; Paul's top is Simplicity 1287
                Alabama Chanin
                Lilacs and Lace
           
Knitting - Wonderland Yarns Cheshire Cat 5-pack
                             
PHOTO
                  Malabrigo Mechita Sweater in Pearl
                             
PHOTO
                  My Socks
                  Just started this Bio-Sesia tank, idea from Cap Sleeve Lattic Top
                             

                  As my current inspiration, I mentioned Cassis, DubonnetNightswimming, Small Sandshore, and Sandshore
                                                                   
Gift Plans -  Swirl Hat and Claudine Layered Top and Dress
                               (I never did talk to "mom," so I blocked out her pretty little face)
                  Candlelit Shawl for my Nana (grandmother)
                               PHOTO
                  Elephant from Knit Your Own Zoo                             
                  Knit Your Own Dog
               
Living Handmade - Gardening
                  Me Made May - my first week

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Simplicity 1462


Well, it's a bit rumpled after a day of wearing tucked in (as is my hair), but here is my new blouse glimpsed on May 4th here.  The pattern is Simplicity 1462.



 Here you can see the interesting seams on the side.  I chose this pattern to show off the tiny orange stripes woven into the fabric.  I love the little tucks in the short sleeves.  They give a little puff and are comfortable to wear, but they look more sophisticated than a gathered hem.  The raglan sleeves are a bit unusual for a woven top and worked out well.  You can also see the side zipper pull at the waistline here.

The front opening does collapse a bit.  I don't think I interfaced the opening at all - just the collar.  If I make this again, I'll add a lightweight fusible to the opening areas to combat this. It doesn't bother me much, though.

 The fabric is linen from Pennie Fabrics in Sarasota.  Pre-washing softened the hand and decreases wrinkling.
 You're still going to get wrinkles with linen, though.  No way around it.

I like the look of a woven blouse, but I always worry about the comfort factor.  I love to be comfy, and I'm more used to wearing stretchy knit tops.  As far as fitted woven tops go, though, I felt fine in this one all day.  Overall, a nice, cool, comfy blouse for summer that will work with skirts, shorts, or pants.




Friday, May 8, 2015

Knitted Lacy Shrug

Here is the lacy shrug I mentioned here.  This is a new style for me, but I see more lace shrugs in my future.  They are quick to knit and very practical for my hot but sometimes heavily air-conditioned climate.
 I bought the materials for this shrug in a kit at my LYS, Brandon Yarn Boutique.  I don't think I've ever bought a kit before - one of the best things about making garments is matching up the perfect pattern with the perfect yarn, after all.  The bright rusty color caught my eye, though, so this kit came home with me.  I only used about the half of the yarn (made a size small), so I have two skeins left over.  I'm thinking of combining them with a creamy color for a striped tank.  Any suggestions?
 This shrug goes perfectly with my recent Simplicity 1810 dress.  It also looks nice with this denim dress that I made last year.  I tried it over my Derek Lam-esque denim dress, but the denim sleeves are too stiff to lay nicely with this sweater over top.
 If I make this shrug again, I will size up to a medium.  I think my back is kind of wide compared with my bust measurement.  This is pretty snug.
Here is my Ravelry project page.

I really want to make this little bolero now. I have the book and probably some appropriate yarn ready to go.

Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Marfy 3443

Here it is:  Marfy 3443
 
This was a mental challenge, figuring out the order of construction and where to use structural fabrics.  I am very pleased with the outcome!  My original plan was to walk through the muslin and construction in more detail, but I had a deadline for this dress (son's First Communion) and found myself less than two weeks out without so much as a  cut-out muslin.

Here are the fashion illustrations.  Both have a buckle or brooch at the center.  I considered adding the brooch I mentioned here, but the fabric is so busy, I think it would have been lost anyway.


I think my waistline falls higher than in the illustrations, but it's hard to tell.  It does fall at my narrowest part, more at my lower rib cage than natural waistline.  I do think it is flattering. 

My waist and hip measurements fell between two pattern sizes, so I ordered down due to my small bust.  I figured the bust would be the most difficult part to adjust.  This plan worked out well.  I did add about 1" total to the waist area at the side seams, and I needed to add almost two inches in the back since it felt tight across the shoulders and back.  The hip area was fine as drafted due to the A-line shape and tucks.  I'm so glad I made a muslin for this dress.
Because the sleeves fall right below the crease of the elbow, and mine are simply one layer of silk chiffon, they do tend to get bunched up like you see in the photos, but it doesn't bother me.

Side view:  Despite the higher waistline and pleats, there is no maternity look about this dress.  The silk just lays perfectly flat where it is supposed to.  It could easily be modified to make a killer maternity dress, though.  I found the muslin sleeves were tight for me and I couldn't move my arms enough.  I added an inch to each sleeve and they are so much more comfortable now.

 I guess the back of this dress is nothing to write home about, but the fit is good and I got that center back invisible zip into the silk without bubbles, so that's something!

This dress is soooo swishy.  Love it!  I used a printed silk chiffon with a silk charmeuse lining/underlining depending on the area of the dress.  I used silk organza to add structure (interface) the back pieces and the side fronts.  The bust and skirt (areas with pleats and gathers) are just the chiffon lined with the charmeuse.  The sleeves are a single layer of chiffon.

The chiffon and charmeuse are from Pennie Fabrics in Sarasota.  The organza I've had for years and just use as needed on projects like this.  I mentioned using it to interface this blouse.
 Here are all the details.  I stitched down the skirt pleats for a couple of inches as shown on the pattern piece.  In the muslin, I didn't do that - I just tucked them and basted without stitching down.  I think these pop more and look more like the pattern illustration.

Inside, some areas are finished with the charmeuse acting as a lining, and some seams are finished with bias tape depending on what the area needed.  For instance, the zipper needed all three layers (chiffon, organza, and charmeuse) treated as one so the zipper wouldn't show through the chiffon and organza, so I finished that seam with some bias tape.
 I also treated the chiffon and charmeuse as one for the skirt pleats and finished the ends with bias tape.

Edit:  If you're interested in the Marfy process, I wrote a post about opening one up here.

Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Me-Made-May 1-5

So another Me-Made May is upon us.  I didn't officially sign up this year, more due to absent-mindedness than anything else, but I have been thinking about it.  My personal pledge this May is 3-fold:
       1. M-F, wear all handmade with the optional exception of one garment each day (under-garments and layering camis don't count toward my one RTW garment)
       2. Weekends, wear at least one handmade garment every day
       3.  Don't stress.  I didn't officially sign up, after all, so cheating is acceptable from time to time.

Here's what I wore for days 1-5.  There are some new things that I'll come back and give their own blog posts.

Friday the 1st
       I wore my recently-made Simplicity 1810 with a new knitted shrug, soon to be blogged about.

Saturday the 2nd
       I wore purchased shorts and my flamingo tee.

Sunday the 3rd
       I wore my brand new Marfy 3443, soon to be blogged about.

Monday the 4th
       I wore this skirt with a new blouse.  Sooo, I seem to be a bit behind on blogging about recently finished projects.

Tuesday the 5th 
       Today was a big old fail.  :-(  Well not really frown-y face - it was a perfectly happy day, but you know what I mean.  My mom's been visiting, and we've been shopping, and I bought a new top, so yeah, I just wanted to wear it today.  And I wore it with store-bought jeans, so yeah.  Bad Jenny.  I didn't even take a photo since I was sure I'd be able to find a pic of the top on Anthropologie's website, but no such luck.

Who else is participating in Me-Made-May?  The Marfy dress above has had my full attention for the past two weeks or two, so I'm anxious to get a few easier pieces made soon.