Butterick 5794 Sweaterdress

Well, I just realized that this pattern is out of print, which is so sad!  This is a great pattern, and it's kind of unique, not the kind of thing you can easily engineer from another dress pattern.  It has a lot of great details.

The pattern is Butterick 5794.

I made basically the black version with pink's sleeves, but I raised the neckline a couple inches (for warmth!) and added long cuffs to the sleeves instead of finishing them with elastic.

I raised the neckline a bit, because I have a store-bought sweaterdress with a low cowl neckline, and I am always cold when I wear it.  I like the higher neckline for a dress that is supposed to be warm.

I am really happy with the sleeves and the gathers.  They are both such fun details that make this dress so interesting.  

The fabric is from the recently-closed Gorgeous Fabrics website.  It is a different color of the same fabric I used for my green Arenal sweater top.

The only thing I would do differently if I make this again is lower the waistline one inch.  It's in a strange place that's lower than empire-waist but higher than my natural waist.  

Let's end on one more shot of those pretty gathers!

2018 Sewing Plans

Everyone's doing a post like this, and I always want to be one of the cool kids, so... here are some patterns I really want to sew up this year.  This list doesn't include oldies but goodies I'll probably make again like the Arenal or Simplicity 1696.  Also, there are 9 because that's what fits nicely into Instagram!  :-)

#1 is the Closet Case Patterns Mid-Rise Ginger Jeans.  One of my goals last year was to make some jeans, and I think I checked that off with Vogue 1573, but I've had these on my list for at least two years now, and it really must be done.

#2 is the Closet Case Files Sasha Trousers.  These could replace my beloved Simplicity 1696 since these look perfect without any modifications.

#3 is Vogue 9281.  I bought one of those off-the-shoulder cotton tops last spring that were EVERYWHERE, and my husband really liked the look. so I'd like to try a knit one.  I think the flare portion of this fit and flare top is a little too much, though.  I'll likely just modify it to be a standard top shape because I'm boring like that.

#4 is s straight-up 90s slip dress.  This is Vogue 9278, but I know I have something similar in my pattern collection.

#5 is a flowy top with lace accents a la Butterick 6518.  I'm not 100% sure about the sleeves, but I could always take them off in a year or two when the crazy sleeve look it out.

#6 is the totally impractical McCalls 7685.  I kind of want it in a beautiful summer floral, but I do have a wedding coming up in February in Florida if I could just decide on the perfect color...

#7, McCalls 7695 is a more everyday-wearable option.  I have a store-bought puffer jacket in white which I love.  A fun color for spring would be great!

#8 is McCalls 7714.  I have the perfect fabric for this dress!  It is a gorgeous textured, drapey floral.  I had it earmarked for another pattern, but this one would be great, too.  I'm thinking Easter dress.  The pleated skirt is so pretty!

#9 is Simplicity 8019, which I have made once before, but I love the shape and fit of it so much that I'm going to eliminate the button front and add a zipper in the back and just make a simple black wool version.  I have to fabric ready to go.

2017 Recap

Hello there!  I thought I would do a recap of 2017 since I so enjoyed the sewing and knitting ones I did last year.  I haven't been as productive in 2017, though (moving is a lot of work!), so I figure I'll just squish it all in one post this time.

I have a few projects I have finished since my last blog post, but for posterity, they will be considered 2018 projects (even the red velvet top!) since they're not yet on the blog.


Let's start with sewing, least to most favorite:

Vogue 1439
These pants are fine, and I do wear them, but I would wear them even more if they were a couple inches longer to make them just like standard chinos.

Serger/Coverstitch Tee
This project also is just a smidge "off."  The neckline sticks up strangely.  I'll chalk it up to this being my first coverstitch project.  There was a small learning curve.

Helene Cardigan
This cardigan is surprisingly warm, and I love the pockets and style.  The only downside is it would benefit from a small bust adjustment.  It hangs a little funny along the opening edge.

My goofy Halloween top
This top turned out great!  I just wish I could wear it more than one month out of the year without looking batty!  Hehehe

Vogue 1517 faux suede pants
These pants are great, and I wear them a lot.  I'm so pleased with how the hems worked out.  They are the perfect length to cuff or half-cuff or not cuff at all, so they look perfect with any shoes.

McCalls 7429
I just feel awesome whenever I wear this dress.  I kind of wish the fabric was less t-shirt-like, but it doesn't bother me that much.  I could always make another one, but it works fine.

Simplicity 2473
It's kind of ridiculous to include this in 2017's projects since I made it years ago.  This is the year I blogged it, though, so this is where it will stay.

Vogue 1537

I'm very proud of this dress.  I just wish I had finished up the coordinating jacket in time to wear during the very short Florida spring season.  However, I will get plenty of wear time out of it this spring, as long as I hem those sleeves!

Vogue 1573 jeans
These jeans are amazing!  Such a hidden gem of a pattern since the pattern photo is in black, so it's impossible to see all the interesting seaming.  I love these in this of-the-moment color.

BurdaStyle 08/2017 Faux Suede Jacket
Aaaand, my magnum opus of 2017 sewing.  I searched out this magazine solely for this pattern, ordered it from Great Britain, and then graded down the pattern 3 sizes to fit me.  It turned out better than I could have hoped.  Love this!!

And now on to knitting, roughly least to most favorite:

Estonia in Ewe2Yarn
It's not that I don't like this.  I'm very happy with the fit and style.  I just don't reach for it that often.  Maybe because of the 3/4 sleeves.  They were very practical in Florida, but here in PA, cold-blooded me needs more long sleeves.

Cable and Seed Socks
These are so cozy.  I plan to knit myself many more pairs of socks this year.  It turns out they are pretty quick to knit and I LOVE wearing them.

Wayworn Hat
This is a great hat in a wear-with-everything shade.  What's not to love?

Cascade Falls Cardigan
This is the perfect thrown-on cardigan as far as I'm concerned.  I had a vision in my mind, and this pattern delivered!

My most recent post, Brickyard using Brooklyn Tweed Loft
This sweater is all I hoped it could be.  I agonized over a pattern for this gorgeous yarn, and in the end, this was my second attempt at doing it justice.  Mission accomplished.  I love this sweater!

And in a category of its own, my favorite design of the year - from the spring issue of Knitty.  :-)  So proud of this!
Recital

2017 wasn't very productive in terms of quantity, but this things I made, I wear and love.  It was a well-edited year, projectwise.  For 2018, I hope to continue picking projects I will wear and love.  Beyond that, we'll see where the year takes me.

Vogue 1573 Jeans in burgundy Diesel denim

You guys, I am so discouraged with my photos lately.  I probably knocked some dial on my camera out of whack or something that is making everything waaaay over-exposed.  I look like the undead in these photos.  Why is my skin WHITE?  I took these on an overcast day.  Argh!!  Ok moving on. 

These are the jeans from the very recent pattern Vogue 1573.  I didn't even notice the jeans in the pattern at first.  All I saw was the top.  I am glad my attention was eventually drawn to this part, though, because these are great jeans!  They are made of lots of parts pieced together, and the fit turned out very good with minimal fitting. 

Here is the line drawing to give you a better idea of the piecing.

 The fabric is a burgundy denim from Diesel that I bought from Sawyer Brook.  It is sold out, but there are a few other colors in stock right now..

The only change I needed to make for fitting was taking in the waist about an inch.  I also lowered the waist an inch for personal preference.  I can't stand high-rise jeans.  After lowering, these sit maybe two inches below my waist.

There are definitely wrinkles on the legs, but I don't think you can avoid that in skinny jeans, especially when the fabric has no stretch. 

I think the back pocket placement was good.

Overall, I am very happy with how these turned out.  I love the denim in this of-the-moment color.  I could see myself making another pair in gray, but we will see.  Definitely no time soon.  They were quite a bit of work!

Helene Cardigan by Jalie

Hello!  This is the Helene Shawl Collar Cardigan by Jalie.  This is actually my first Jalie pattern, and I really like it!  I also bought this pants/shorts pattern, but I haven't tried it out yet.

The fabric for this cardigan is from Pennie Fabrics in Sarasota.  It is a navy boucle textured knit with very little stretch, and it has brick red flecks in it.  Very unique and cool.  

The neatest feature of this pattern is the pockets.  The design makes them super easy to sew.  This went together super quickly with just my serger and coverstitch machines.

I need to dig out the camera remote.  I don't know what I did with the timer that made me look yellow.  I'm a little blurry,, too, which I blame on the camera focusing on the trees behind me.  Someday, I'll get this taking pictures of myself thing all figured out.

I like that the line of the pockets continues around to the back.  I like details like that.  Plus, the seamed pieces give the back great shape.

I will definitely be making this again, both for me and for the nieces.  It's a great basic.  Here's a little detail shot of a pocket:

Vogue 1439, kind of

Has it REALLY been more than three months since I've posted?  I guess moving really takes it out of me!  Well, I am pretty much settled into Pennsylvania now.  There are still plenty of pictures to hang on the walls and rooms to be painted, but I have been in my new sewing space quite a bit lately, and I have some things to show for it.  

First up is some pink pants.  These are not at all my favorite pants ever.  :-(  They came out pretty baggy, probably due to the stretchy fabric, and I forgot to lower the front rise, so they sit higher on the waist than I'd like.  I'm trying to embrace them as more of a casual chino style than the skinny pants I am used to wearing these days.  We'll see...

 I used the same pattern as my favorite red pants, Vogue 1439.  I think the problems are, as I said above, the fabric is stretchier than the red, and I didn't lower the rise.  I also added some standard pockets, going for more of a jeans look.  That makes it harder to adjust the width at the hips later.

 Looking at this side view, I'm kind of hating the combo of the leg width and where it hits at the hem.  Ugh.  I am thinking maybe just taking in the side seams an inch or two and see what happens.  It couldn't hurt to try.

 The fit is good, though.  I just don't love how the style turned out.  The look great in the back!

Today, I tried to wear them more casually, rolled up a bit and with sneakers.  I like them more today, but I still don't love them, and they have grown through the day.  The fabric is a stretch denim from JoAnns, but it's a very lightweight denim.  

What do you think?  Leave them as is?  Take in the side seams?  Just let them go?

McCalls 7429

This is version 2 of McCalls 7429, actually in the full-length dress this time.  The first time I made this pattern, I found the skirt portion too short and tight, so I modified it to be a tunic.  This time, I lengthened the skirt pieces and cut the sides more A-line shaped to compensate.  

I started out by cutting the sleeves long, figuring I could adjust them when the rest of the dress was finished.  I decided that with the long sleeves, it was just too much white, but I did like the look of longer sleeves, so instead of cutting them short, I went with 3/4.

The fabric is a white cotton ponte from Pennie Fabrics in Sarasota, but white ponte isn't hard to find online.  

I am not sure about the hem.  The knot pulls the hem all different ways.  Sometimes it looks like the outer wrap is too long, but a little adjustment fixes it.  I am leaving it as is for now, but if I find that I am constantly having to adjust, I will just redo the hem.

When I envisioned this dress in white in my head, I thought it would be so classic and classy, and it is.  I wanted it to hit at the bottom of my knee, which it does.  It is form-fitting, but doesn't show a lot of skin.  Then, the first time I wore it, I noticed THIS as I walked through a parking lot...

Yeah, there is nothing to be done.  That wrap is at the just the right spot to show a LOT of leg when walking.  :-)

x

Here is a closeup of the knot detail.

I constructed almost all of this dress on my serger and coverstitch machines that I received for Christmas.  It was awesome!  It goes without saying that you don't need either type of machine to make this dress, though.  In fact, I made my first red tunic version before I had either one.

I hope all the moms out there have a great Mothers' Day!