Finished: BPF FW–11–428

First things first … I owe 100% Polyester an apology.

Poly, I'm sorry I blamed you for the horrible way the collar and yoke looked when I used you to make version 1 of this blouse.  I said some hurtful things when I threw you in the trash.  Some of the fault may have been mine.  I made a mistake adding seam allowances.  Here is what the directions said about seam allowances:  "1.5 cm (5/8") at seams and edges, 1 cm (3/8") on horizontal edges of cut in front piece, on front bands, and on collar attachment seam, 2 cm (3/4") on hem etc, etc, etc."  My mistake was adding two different seam allowances: 3/8" on the collar piece and 5/8" on the blouse front and back yoke neckline edges.  So Poly, I was wrong.  I still prefer natural fibers and I still will avoid sewing you, but it wasn't all your fault.  

I realized my error when the collar of version 2 fit a poorly as version 1.  I checked my pattern pieces and there was a 5/8" seam allowance staring at me.  I trimmed away the excess seam allowance on the blouse, stay stitched and clipped the curves and the collar went on perfectly.  Of course, my itty-bitty mistake on the collar doesn't absolve Polyester of the yoke, but we won't go there.  Poly and I can both blame Burda Style Magazine for the poorly written instructions. Adding a little "s" to "collar attachment seam" might have made all the difference.

And now, on to the blouse ……

BPF FW-11-428
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It all started with that damn polyester. I fell in love the with color and I had to have it. I selected the blouse pattern because it was not what I would normally choose. I started out in love with the polyester fabric color and ended up in love with the blouse design when the poly didn't work out. After the poly was thrown out, I still had to have the blouse. So, I immediately went out to find an alternative fabric. (Thank heaven for JoMar.)

The front gathers and front band were a bit of a challenge.  I had to adjust the gathers to the length of the band, meet the gathered edges to the bottom of the slit, diagonally bast the gathers to the slit opening, then cover the gathers, inside and out, with the front bands.  Of course, the inside and outside bands are not exactly congruent and the inside is a little funky.  If I'd done more basting, it might have looked better.  And if that procedure wasn't enough of a pain, the instructions were written in typical Burda pidgin English and required several readings and visualizations before they made sense to me.

I'm ambivalent about the cuffs.  They were part of the reason I chose to sew this blouse, but I'm not sure I love them now.  If I ever make this blouse again, I'll make a more conventional cuff.

As God Is My Witness………

…… I'll never sew polyester again!

Burda Plus Fashion
Fall/Winter 2011 #428

All I wanted was a blouse.  This blouse really wasn't that difficult.  I read the instructions a few times and understood the construction of that deceptively innocent looking gathering on the front.   My mistake was choosing 100% polyester fabric. When sewing a nice natural fiber like linen or cotton, one only needs a little steam to make the fabric behave.  Natural fibers stretch and ease.  But polyester?  Polyester doesn't stretch or ease.   It's almost impossible to ease a polyester seam.   Steam wasn't enough to shrink the longer seam.  Steam only made it wet.  It took brute force and a wood clapper to even press the seam allowances to one side.  And even then, the results are less than desirable.  I used every method of easing I know and it wasn't enough.  I got the sloppy looking collar and yoke seen below.

Easing would have helped the collar and yoke.

If the polyester were more cooperative,  I could have eased the seams together and those hideous little hiccups would have disappeared.  If I couldn't get a seam like the yoke to look smooth, imagine what the sleeve would have looked like – especially with the added layers of the bands on the shoulder.  I did what any self-respecting person would do.  I gave up.  I wasn't happy with the way the yoke and collar looked and I knew I would never wear the blouse.

As I struggled with an iron, a clapper and brute strength, I felt like Scarlett O'Hara must have felt when she found herself face down in the dirt scarfing down that raw potato.    A little piece of polyester was not going to keep me from having that blouse.  Just like Scarlett, I got up, wiped the dirt off my face, spit out that damn potato and took myself to the store to look for another fabric to use for the blouse.

Finished: Burda Plus Fashion FW-2010-405

BPF FW-2010-405
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My lastest finished project is #405 from the Fall/Winter 2010 issue of Burda Plus Fashion. I can't believe I've had the fabric since last May, PR Weekend in Chicago.  I usually don't let fabric hang around that long.  The fabric is 100% polyester and pressing it really made me appreciate natural fibers.  I had to use lots of steam and a clapper to get the seams to press open.

I thought the print fabric needed some contrast. I was lucky to find the black contrasting fabric at JoAnn. The two fabrics are essentially identical and they work well together. Adding the contrast was easy.  I determined the width and drew a line on the bodice pattern piece (front and back).  Then, I laid tracing paper over the bodice and traced the new contrast band piece.  Next, I added the seam allowance to the band and to the new edge of the bodice and cut out the pieces.  I recommend including a notch for matching the pieces.  An even easier method would have been to draw the line, cut the pattern piece apart and add seam allowances.  The bodice is lined with self fabric rather than faced.

No one would ever notice, but I used a tone-on-tone decorative stitch on the insert.  I took the time to audition several stitch patterns to find one that complimented the print.  I needn't have bothered.   I like a tone-on-tone effect for its subtlety, but this passes subtle and goes right to invisible.

I'm happy with the way this dress turned out.  I glad that decided to add the contrast.  This may end up being a favorite dress.

Hiatus

Where did the time go?  It's been a month since I've posted anything.  Blogging seems to have slipped off the radar while I wasn't looking. So, I've decided to put blogging aside for a while.  I'm fully aware that my little blog is just a speck of dust in cyberspace, but I've come to know people in the blogosphere and in real life who might have noticed my absence, if only as a passing thought.   I'm still healthy; still sewing; still reading blogs and boards (and occasionally commenting).  Just as maintaining a blog slipped off the radar, when the time is right, it will slip back on.

Pivot and Slide with Side Pocket

I use the pivot and slide method to make pattern adjustments.  When making pants with a side pocket, as 99% of my pants are, I usually ignored the pocket and adjusted only the hip yoke.  I read about a method for handling side pockets in Fitting Finesse (Zieman, 1995).  I missed it because it was hidden in the chapter on skirts.  This method used waxed paper and a tracing wheel to trace three layers of waxed paper at one time.  I couldn't use this method since I don't use waxed paper.  The marks made by the tracing wheel on my tracing paper were barely visible.  But, I realized I needed to adjust all three pieces (pants front, side hip yoke and pocket lining) and I modified the method to suit me.  The important part of this method is what I call "The Master Pattern".

1. Trace pants front master pattern.  Layer hip yoke and pocket lining pattern pieces into position, matching notches and dots.  Trace lines for hip yoke and pocket lining pieces onto the master pattern.  For easy identification of pieces, use a different color for each piece.
 

2.  Make adjustments to hip yoke.  Lay tracing paper over master pattern and trace hip yoke piece and side and waist seams (red).  Mark adjustment point measured distance from side seam.  Pivot to increase and trace new lines.  Be sure to trace side seam and waist line differences (red colored-in sections).

3. Make adjustments to pocket piece.  Lay tracing paper over master pattern again and trace pocket piece and side and waist seams (green).  Mark adjustment point measured distance for side seam.  Pivot to increase and trace all new lines.  Be sure to trace opening edge and waist line differences.

4. Increases appear on front, hip yoke and pocket lining.  Adjustments are made to the center front, center back and side back as usual.

So far, I've only tried this method on paper.  I'm eager to make my next pair of pants so I can try it out.

Finished: BSM 04-11-138A and BSM 09-10-135

Top: Burda Style Magazine 04-2011-138A

I  hate sewing knits prefer sewing wovens.  Lately, I've been more selective when choosing knits and I've been more successful.  I purchased this knit from Gorgeous Fabrics and sewing it really wasn't that difficult.  The only difficulty was choosing the correct needle.  A jersey needle worked better than a stretch needle on this fabric.  Usually, it's been the other way around.  I don't know why it made a difference, but it did.

Pattern Description:  
This top is actually an amalgam of two tops.  The body is BSM 04-2011-138A and the neckline is Pamela's Patterns #104.  The original Burda neckline showed too much skin.

Pattern Sizing:
The BSM body comes in Plus sizes  44 - 52.  Pamela's Pattern is XS - XL

Were the instructions easy to follow? 
Since I used two patterns, I used to sets of instructions. Both were very easy to follow.  The original BSM top called for a turned under seam allowance at the neckline. I preferred a bound neckline, so I used the instructions from Pamela's Pattern.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
The fabric was slightly busy, so I wanted a simple design. This long sleeved t-shirt had no design details to conflict with or get lost in the fabric.

Fabric Used:
I hastily selected this fabric from Gorgeous Fabrics.  All I wanted was a black and white knit.  It was easy to sew and I'm slowly changing my mind about knits.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:
I tried making the changes to the neckline without using another pattern but I lost my nerve at the last minute.  Good thing.  When I compared my neckline adjustment with Pamela's Pattern neckline they were vastly different.   My neckline would have looked really strange and I probably wouldn't have worn the top.

Conclusion: 

There will be other times when I want a no-frills long sleeved knit top.  I'm certain to sew this again.

Pants: Burda Style Magazine 09-2010-135

How many pairs of black pants does one woman need?  According to my closet, several.   I've made yet another pair.

Pattern Description: 

These are typical fly front pants.

Pattern Sizing:
This is a Burda plus size pattern, European 44 - 52

Were the instructions easy to follow?


What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
These pants have a partial lining on the front. I didn't know that when I decided on these pants, but I like the idea of a partial lining. The front lining was basted to the pants front and the two pieces were treated as one (technically, an interlining).  Even the fly guard was lined.  It makes a very neat appearance on the inside of the pants.

Fabric Used:
I bought this wool blend last year on a field trip to FabricMart.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:
I did not make any alterations to these pants, but when I make them again, I will add maybe an inch to the waist.

Conclusion: 
My next pair of pants is likely to be this pattern.