Jennifer Lauren Handmade - The Laneway Dress

This is a dreamy dress!

The Jennifer Lauren Handmade patterns are really lovely patterns - drafted dreamily - I love the Bronte Top (I have several versions) as a tried and true pattern.  When I had an opportunity to test a new dress - right when I needed a new dress - I jumped on that wagon!

The Laneway Dress is a lovely - straightforward dress with separate pattern pieces for B, C & D cups - and I was able to make and wear it with no (I swear!) adjustments - no swayback, no bust changes, not even length!  I made the dress three times - all in a 16C - a muslin, this one and another to be revealed later.

I had a silly purchase in my stash - a gorgeous linen with a garish black overprint - I don't wear black, so that's the silly bit.  I am not sure what I was thinking - but from the pattern accompanying the fabric - it looks like I thought a pair of culottes (?)  - wowza.

So since this was a tester, I thought - I would use the fabric for this project instead, and surprise! I have worn the dress several times!

I know - the shoes - adorable, right?

The sleeve is wonderful - I have a full range of motion and it went in without a hitch.  The side pocket instructions are especially nice.

I didn't have enough fabric to match the side seams of the skirt, but the back is a piece de resistance:

 check out the pattern matching!

The invisible zipper install instructions were very nice, and I used my invisible zipper foot for a painless process start to finish.

The front neckline has three supercute options - I lightly tacked down the asymmetrical opening on mine

The inside is nice too:

And.... I have pretty new tags for my makes!

In the end the dress was perfect for the hot gymnasium the night of my son's graduation.

Tilton Shrug 9190 #2

Okay - I will admit - I LOVE to wear cute clothes.  How can you not feel happy when your fabric is called Happy Town?  

(It is from Birch Fabrics, and all organic - here's the link)

I wanted to try the V9190 2nd view  (view 1 post is here)  - I HAD been thinking about a Morris Blazer, and this had similar lapels - but look at this feminine back:

I ended up with this cute fabric in a Simplifi remnants box - and there was a smidge of the pink - just enough for the yoke, cuffs and I squeezed the drawstrings out.

It coordinates perfectly with the roofs on some of the houses.

So - I know, it's way beyond dear.... but I feel happy in it.

The Tilton pattern is dreamy and fits well - I'll make it again in something more subdued - but I will probably wear this version to death.  The pattern will apparently work well with a combination of wovens (where I have used the Pink).  I may try that, too.

I want to mention, too, that I took Marcy and Katherine Tilton - The Ultimate T-Shirt: Fitting & Construction and it has made a HUGE difference in the quality of the tops I am making.  I also added using knit stay tape to my garments and my hems and top stitching are MUCH nicer now. (that's an affiliate link above - go mark the class to your wishlist and pick it up next time Craftsy has a sale).

This top has a set in sleeve - I have found that the method works wonderfully - I pin it a bunch and stitch it slow and I haven't had an issue at all.



so - back to my day of practiced oblivion of current events!

Lane Raglan - Rainbow LOVE

Hey June Lane Raglan

Ack.... I started to write a post about my new shirt and how lovely the source shop is.  It's not a shop in my own town, so I don't subscribe or follow on Facebook - but it was a lovely shop in a grand century home,  There was a lovely fibre arts room in the back of the shop - and a sweet little section for apparel sewing.  Back in September I traveled with a gf to Guelph Ontario so that she could complete her move back to our city.  I stopped into a sweet textile shop called .... Well, HECK!  I just went to grab the name of the store and found out that it CLOSED this weekend!  -  it was the Greenwood Quiltery.  Damn - it was a nice shop.

Well on that arm flopping announcement - I bought this dreamy knit fabric there.  It is an Art Gallery Fabrics Knit - and like all the AG that I have sewn with it is the dreamy 54" wide 4-way stretch with awesome depth of dye and no background showing through when it is stretched.  AG knits are my favorite of all the knits I have purchased.  I have sewn with several AG knits now, and you get incredible band for your buck.

This is: Looming Love Pastel from the Etno Collection
It's a perfect Type 1 (Dress Your Truth <--- affiliate link, there) fabric and all the cute and action makes me feel HAPPY!

I am striving to sew most of my own wardrobe, and a key piece in my grid is the long-sleeved T.  I work from home and I wear casual clothes most days.

The Lane Raglan from Hey June is my new favorite T.  I love the shape of the neckline and the scoop  front coupled with the raglan sleeve.  I graded between sizes and have cut the bust a little on the small size as I am still dropping weight (I have lost 55lbs now, and I am aiming on several more before the Spring).
The pattern is affordable to print at a copy shop, comes with a view with a hood and a bottom band, and there are nice Tutorials for the included Thumbhole Cuffs.  Last Fall I made a hoodie and thumbhole version that is in rotation in my wardrobe:

  I bought my Hey June pattern from IndieSew - the password restrictions on the Hey June site were too demanding.  That's not an affiliate link, it just lands you in the IndieSew land on a page that has my name on it.

   

I used my lightning stitch to hem and secure the neck band - and I used a lovely variegated mercerized cotton from Sulky

I added knit stabilizer tape to the neckline on the front, sleeves, and back, to the raglan seam on the sleeves, to the sleeve hem and shirttail.  I find this keeps the shape of the raglan, which I have had stretch out in wovens, and in knits I just love the crispness that the interfacing brings to the hems.  I usually lay the interfacing edge along the foldline on the hem (facing) so that I have a fold guide as well as support for my top-stitching.

I graded up to a larger size in the hips, and the length and sleeve length is great on me - I'm 5'4" / 162.5 cmI may to a slight swayback adjustment if I ever decide to use this pattern for something dressy - but as is, it stands as my newest TNT.

I am so thrilled with this make.  Here are a few more views:

Oh and my bragging: check out my stripe matching:

I think I might make some yellow jeans, next.

Next! Sewing Mojo is Flowin!

I have been sewing like crazy!   But NEXT:  I am going to go back to the Seamster Dandelion top to make a leather shell!  Here's my last (and fitting perfectly after more than a dozen washes) version:

Can you see the lovely side panel?
 It curves from halfway to center back up under the arm to a princess seam

There's a center back zip
(which I don't use in this version, but I am sure I will need in a leather version)

The fabric is gorgeous - some kind of batik on a plaid cotton

Here is my first version:  made in a cotton lawn - I put this one up at the store - I made an identical one for myself by the invisible zipper ate the lawn on my first zip - I immediately went out an bought a proper invisible zipper foot.  These shots show the design lines nicely.

the curved side panel shows up well on this shot

So - what else have I sewn?

I made a BBQ shirt for my DH using the bits from a shirt we ordered online  (apparently an XXL for a child)

 -I think the main fabric is a Kaufman Interweave chambray (pepper? I think) - I bought a remnant.

My friend gifted me some crazy poly-knit, I love it!  So I made (another) Lisbon Cardigan

Here's another one I didn't blog from May (apparently that was my last haircut!):

I made a Plantain Tee out of a gorgeous Rayon jersey from my Nature's Fabrics prize pack

Plantain Tee

And - a Sophie Swimsuit that I will blog when I make one from the finalized pattern

Sophie Swimsuit

Today I will finish this dress.  I totally messed with a woven pattern to make a knit version of view C

phew!  two weeks of holidays, then I will tackle the leather shell - do you think denim will make a good test run?

A kindred soul's stash

Earth Day /week inspires a lot of rehoming, repurposing, and reduce, reuse, recycling and today was a thrifting day in my town: schools and organizations have resale events where they collect a small admittance at the door and various "vendors" tag their goods for sale in gymnasiums and halls.

We visited a sale this morning searching for some summer clothes for DS the younger.  Afterwards we popped into VV to dig around.  I (per usual) loaded up the cart with children's books (to keep the boy occupied while I peruse) and moved over to the sewing and fabric section and I delightedly collected a few bags of notions.

 

I gaga'd at the little sneak peeks that i could discern through the jumble of stacked cards and celophane, shelled over my $6 and change and happily returned the children's book (save 1 DS got to pick).  Once at home I settled down to sort through the 4 bags.  The first was a fantastic collection of buttons.  Gorgeous jewels still on their cards.  Most were purchased for 15 cents from Woolworth, Zellers, and Eaton's. 

I am taking such joy on this bag! There was a little card of orange buttons that attracted me at first, it was why I bought the bag... but, so many beautiful buttons!  Like candies.

Bag #2 had me at a peek of blue and silver rick rack.  There were so many pretties peeking over the stacks of cards in the bag.  There was also a new treasure:  Shell Braid.  Everything is sparkly with gold and silver fibers, and so may pastels!

Bag #3 was a motherload of snaps and hooks and eyes, needles and bias tape.  This one fascinated me in its history.

So many of the little metal bits were made in Canada and England.  Today they come from China and India usually, and I have been trained to have an aversion to cheaply made bits (often this is why I thrift - to re purpose and rehome bits and pieces that already exist, and lessen my footprint that iota.)

Bag #4 sits on my kitchen table waiting for my inspection.   I spotted bra hook panels and a snap setter and that was the motivation to spend another $1.39.  

I feel like I know the former owner of all these things, in fact, I feel like she is an old friend.  I know, if she was alive as the items were loaded up, that there was regret at the projects not made and the loss of those beautiful cards of buttons.  I hope that she somehow knows that her stash has landed in my stash.  I will do my best to create the final home for these notions and finishings and her passion will be infused with mine.

Do you wonder what will happen to your stash when you no longer hold it?

Stashbusting Sewalong - the Knits Month Posts!

Place Holder for KNITS MONTH POSTS

My final project will post next Monday - I have muslined it up, but I want to make it my first garment in the PR endless combinations contest ( http://sewing.patternreview.com/cgi-bin/ContestRules.pl?ContestID=254 ) so I have to wait to cut until the 1st.

March 1, 2016

It's Knits Month!
According to the interweb we are all intimidated by knits - but TBH I have always been fearless (to occasional great success and frequent thrift store donation). This month I am going to bust some knits out of my stash - if you choose to join the theme, come a long with me!

To start - what patterns do you have in your stash? I started a board - https://www.pinterest.com/hkdawson/knit-busting-patterns/

March 3, 2016
Did the Pinterest Board give you any ideas? (https://www.pinterest.com/hkdawson/knit-busting-patterns/)
If you are new to knits, and not ready to invest, here are a few free patterns that I recommended:

Deer and Doe - Plantain Tee
http://shop.deer-and-doe.fr/…/20-plantain-t-shirt-pattern.h…
(a great starter T shirt Pattern, works well for curvy bodies - and many hack ideas are available on The Internet - try searching images for "plantain pattern deer and doe" Pinterest is a great source for ideas on this pattern too)

Peek A Boo Patterns - Janey Jump Around Dress
http://www.peekaboopatternshop.com/janey-jump-around-dress/
(great girl's dress: I have made 6 or 8 of these dresses - it's a perfect little ditty - I can whip one up in less than 2 hours from dryer to hanger)

Oliver & S - Sunny Day Shorts
http://oliverands.com/free-patterns/sunny-day-shorts/
(Boys' Shorts)

And if you just want to dig around - there are a number of excellent free patterns through Deby's site So Sew Easy
http://so-sew-easy.com/free-sewing-patterns/

I know that several of our group have made the Lindy Petal Skirt from Itch to Stitch - I haven't, but I am confident in the validity of the reviews I have seen.
http://itch-to-stitch.com/new-pattern-release-lindy-petal-…/

There are quite a few other free patterns - I will go to the Pinterest Board and comment free on the ones I see there (or if you are pinning and know it is a free pattern, please mark it as free)

Next Up: Identifying the Knits in your stash - and sorting them out.

March 8, 2016There are so many types of knits fabrics in the big wide stash that choosing which is the proper knit to use in a project can be as difficult as sorting your stash.

So, we start with the basic knit identification tips:
- Where woven fabrics have a hash tag layout #, knits have a ₩ look. I'll attach a zoom in photo to show you. So, get out your magnifying glass.

- At the end of the photo set is a picture with instructions with measuring for %stretch - often on a commercial pattern package you will see a "fabric must stretch from here to here" chart. You should become accustomed to measuring stretch both cross grain and straight grain (parallel and perpendicular to the selvage).

- fabric content - hot tip - take a picture of the end of the bolt when you buy fabric - my stash predates digital photos, so that's mostly out for me, but there are lots of instructions on the Internet for testing for content (I don't have a great record for caring what content is in fabric).

-shrink test your fabric - knit patterns typically don't have a lot (or use negative) ease, so knowing the recovery, stretch, shrinkage of a fabric is important - wash a sample a few times (cut a square with specific dimensions - 10x10 cms is my usual - and then measure it when you are done drying it - then you can calculate the shrinkage) you can also check colour fastness and pilling at the same time.

- next we look at recovery and drape


March 11, 2016

After stretch %, Recovery and Drape are what makes a difference on selecting appropriate stash knits for a project.

Recovery - synonym: Elasticity. If you stretch it, does it return to the original shape and size? Imagine a range of BodySuit to Sleeveless Undershirt. A great test is the Poke Test - take a known size piece of fabric in both hands and drive your thumbs into the fabric like you are trying to get into a bag of chocolate. Scrunch it, twist it, poke it and then drop it like it's hot. How does it look? What size is it now? If it goes back to the original shape and size - it's likely Body Suit recovery level. If it looks like a topographic map - that's more like undershirt recovery level.

You have to use your imagination with judging the recovery of fabric for projects - where does the fabric lie on your body? How much ease is in the pattern, will the fabric slide over a joint (elbow, knee) or will you be stretching the fabric all day? Sleeveless undershirts need only a touch of recovery - when you bend forward it should recover. Body Suits will end up looking like a fat suit if you don't use fabric with recovery. Remember, Knit patterns might go so far as having NEGATIVE ease - this is why boyfriends don't like girlfriends wearing their favorite shirts - the girls can stretch out the chest and you end up giving your boyfriend a baggy chest.

Drape - How does the fabric fall? Is it gravity defying? Picture a dance skirt - poor drape makes a tutu, great drape makes a dance skirt - both skirts are gathered, but the drape effect changes the outcome. If you need the fabric to skim the body, then increased drape is important - this isn't unique to knits by any means, but it can be overlooked. Keep the tutu in mind - are you going to gather the knit? - what looks great as a sweatshirt (because it has more ease and hangs away from the body) might look silly as a skirt.

next up - needles, interfacing, and thread - Oh My!

March 15, 2016
I hope some of you have started attacking your knits plans - I whipped up a gorgeous StyleArc Emily and was led down the garden path by M7127 (you can look it up on pattern review - yeesh!) - I am trying to find my TNT (Tried and True) top pattern to blow out some of my pretty knits. - What have you completed so far?
So - Needles - they are what separate the tryers from the doers in sewing and can 'make' or 'break' a project (oh! so clever!)
There's a fantastic info summary on http://www.coatsindustrial.com/…/apparel-…/all-about-needles
We are focused on two needle types for our knits (size 80 needles will handle a typical knit, delicate fine knits need a smaller number, heavy dense knits need a bigger number):

Jersey/Ballpoint needles have a medium tip designed to slip between the knit fibers (will not break the fibres).

Stretch needles also have a medium ballpoint tip, but these have a special eye and scarf (thread slot) that are designed for especially stretchy fabrics and elastic (in these fabrics the threads will stretch rather than separate and you can end up with skipped stitches) Swimwear - and often slinky - needs this type of needle.

Thread! argue at will - I like a good thread - Coats and I have parted ways as the mercerized wrap seems to hate my tensioner discs in my machine.
You can use all cotton, mercerized, polyester - all of these work just fine. If your thread breaks while you stitch or when you try to stretch your seam (but you aren't skipping stitches), change your thread. You should be using a stretch stitch (a zigzag, double stitch, or lightning stitch).

Interfacing. It matters.
Yes, you will use interfacing in many knit projects. There is knit interfacing - use it if you pattern suggests it - you will produce a longer lasting, better lying, resilient garment. If you skip it, you will regret it.

Extra Interfacing and Stabilizer ideas? Patterns often skip the extras, but interfacing a zipper will improve your garment result, as will stabilizing your hemlines - we recently discussed Pellon and other knit stabilizer tape (in a comment string) I will attach a couple photos for your reference.
Here's the link to the conversation:
https://www.facebook.com/…/stashbusting20…/924643654298694/…

Finally, clear elastic (skinny like a ribbon) - it is great to add to horizontal seams that need to recover their shape - especially shoulder seams. Pull out some RTW and check to see if they have them in your garments - I have scavenged some out of garments where they used it for hanger strings. You stitch right through it and forget it.

Next up - pinning, cutting, basting.  (more below the comments)

Melissa Evans Thanks Heather Dawson. I just read a blog post on the difference between jersey and stretch needles, and she basically couldn't find a good answer after her research and testing. Your brief description is far and away more enlightening. I need to up my knit game when it comes to hems. I have a few things I need to try.

Like · Reply · 1 · 15 March at 15:12

Heather Dawson Epiphany!!! I was just sewing my elastic stabilizer into my shoulder seam and the thread broke. I was using a ball point needle. I switched it out for a stretch needle and no thread breaks!

Like · Reply · 1 · 15 March at 22:14

Heather Dawson I KNEW what needed changing!

Like · Reply · 1 · 15 March at 22:15

Write a reply...

Janina von Weissenberg Ballpoint for knits yes but I wonder if I've even seen stretch needles..

Like · Reply · 15 March at 15:48

Heather Dawson

Like · Reply · 15 March at 18:55

Heather Dawson

Like · Reply · 15 March at 18:56

Heather Dawson This is the badly drafted shoulder of m7127

Like · Reply · 15 March at 19:57 · Edited

Heather Dawson Clear Elastic stabilizer in the shoulder seam

Like · Reply · 15 March at 22:17

Heather Dawson I use wooly nylon in the looper and regular thread in the needles on my serger.

March 17, 2016
Ack! We are half-way through the month! Have you tackled at least one of your stashed knits? I am in pursuit of a go-to t shirt pattern and not there yet. My latest project went off the rails, but I am converting into a knit shell to at least not waste the yardage. I have a gorgeous Art Gallery Knit (http://tinyurl.com/hze8dof) that is meant to be a top by the 31st - I have to get crackin'! I am not wasting the fabric on an untried pattern, so I have at least two more tops to make this month!

Pinning / Cutting

I have long been a non-pinner (militant, maybe?) but my newer machine has all sorts of gizmos around the foot and I am finding that my knuckles fared better when I started adding a pin or two - so I now have an opinion on pins:I like some of them, sometimes.

You should test your pins on knits - I know that sounds OCD, but it's true - knits don't like having holes poked in them, so you should make sure your pins are knit friendly. I don't think you absolutely have to go out and invest in fine ball point pins, but next time you have a 50% off coupon or someone asks you what you want for a gift - try out some fine glass head pins. They are dreamy. Test to make sure that your pins don't leave permanent holes in your fabric and that your pins don't cut/tear the fibres of your knits.

As with all fabrics, the gorgeous movement and personality of the drapier fabrics can make them a terrible thing to cut. I use rotary blades to cut my knits and many of you prefer scissors - and both work just fine, but a dull blade will result in a creeping knit.

By creeping I mean:

a) when cutting two layers the top layer and the bottom layer will misalign

b) the fabric will not remain relaxed and will stretch as you cut.

When you cut knits there are a few things that can help (note that I am not saying you have to do these - but precision cutting leads to precision garments - it's worth the time if the garment is worth the time):

a) pinning carefully is one thing and for fitted knits you probably need to pin on the precision seams - princess seams especially - take care to make sure the fabric stays in place around the vertical seams especially - bust point, pocket openings, etc

b) weights - lots and lots of weights (I made some cute bean bags a few years ago to use as pattern weights - I'll attach a photo)

c) cut cut break - meaning let your fabric relax between cutting movements - cut until you start to see a shift (you will notice it at the pins) then release the fabric from your blade to let it relax again

d) cut out 1 layer at a time (yuck.) the plushier the fabric the greater the shift - so for those lovely, luxe springy knits - suck it up and do twice the work - it will make a more precise garment.

E) use a SHARP BLADE

Part of Cutting is marking the guide points and notches. I like to use thread for marking on the garment - and I notch with a tiny snip on less delicate knits - on delicate knits I mark the notches with a chalk roller (it has a wheel with bumps so the knit doesn't creep). Very likely you will need to add banding to your knits, so take a second and mark the centre front, back and midway of the sleeve hem. Chalk paper works as well, but I find that the markings can be hard to remove from knits.

Basting
I ALWAYS BASTE (see creeping knits above)
On my garments that are worth the time - I baste and then serge. If I don't care as much - I might go straight to the serger on a straight seam. If there is any fitting, easing, gathering, or if the seam is curved in any way - baste it first, check it, and then sew.

Next up: seams and hems, bands and bindings.



Tiny Dancer Midnight in Knit, K-47202, Knits, Product Catalog, Art Gallery Fabrics

March 22, 2015:
I had planned to chat about seams, bands and bindings, but the Internet distracted me and I have a few neat things to share first:

TSHIRTS!
On the weekend Gillian posted a great post on her Tshirt adventures:
https://craftingarainbow.wordpress.com/…/19/types-of-t-shi…/

and followed up with another post:
https://craftingarainbow.wordpress.com/…/types-of-t-shirts…/

I have been hot in pursuit of a new Tried and True T and have been searching my stash - I have the Bronte, Plaintain, and Seamwork Rio to sew before the end of the month to meet my target for the month: a go-to T - but Gillian has me thinking that maybe I might have 3 go-to tees..... (perfect: a stash of go-tos for a stasher)

Here is a blog post on some hotly pursued independent patterns:
http://www.basteandgather.com/…/top-10-t-shirt-patterns-ind…



Plantain: http://shop.deer-and-doe.fr/.../20-plantain-t-shirt...
Renfrew: http://www.sewaholicpatterns.com/renfrew-top/
Lark: http://shop.grainlinestudio.com/products/lark
Bronte: https://www.etsy.com/.../bronte-knit-top-ladies-pdf...
Metro: http://oliverands.com/product/OLV-LC007WM-D.html

Next Up: seams, bands and bindings

March 29, 2015:
March 29 already! Have you made a dent in your knit stash at all?

My current pursuit is knit training pants for my son and nephew and I am really using my knits skills - doing research for these posts have really upped my game - I am so happy with my improvement in March (ad all my test garments have used up a heck of a lot of my scraps and stash!

In all of the following treatments it is important that you test your stitches:

• check for wavy seamlines, 
• watch for tunneling 
• test the stretch (remember our stretch test using the ruler? make sure you have at least enough stretch to make it to zero ease from the negative ease) 

Twin Needles are a nice stretch finish - Linda has a really nice intro to twin needle sewing: http://www.nightowlcorner.com/2014/08/sew-with-double-needle/

Seams
Knits stretch, so the seam should stretch as much as your garment will be asked. There are some guidelines for ensuring your seam CAN stretch, and the main principal is ensuring there is enough thread to BE stretched.

Many machines have a range of stretch stitches (and often they are indicated by a different paint colour or marked on your machine).

The phrase "The shortest distance between two points is a straight line" is our knits seam antithesis: we want to increase the distance - using a zigzag, back and forth (double or triple stitch), lightning, or serged stitch. Many people DO use a straight stitch on knits, but it is important that you consider whether you are going to ask the seam to stretch - if you are - make sure you reinforce the seam with a second row of stitching and consider using a thread with stretch, like a polyester.

Hems and Bands
Hems, similarly need to stretch. On fabrics that like to tunnel, I add a strip of knit seam tape to the stitching line to support the threads' tension and have no issues with wobbly hemlines. I usually add the seam tape to the wrong side of the fabric close to the raw edge and use the edge of the tape as the fold guide - leaving the right side of the garment with no tape. This also prevents the rolling of the fabric and gives a tidy finish.

Bands are stretchy - bands are especially useful when you want the opening to be snug - usually you cut a band slightly smaller (20%, often) than the opening and stretch the band (and do not stretch the opening) as you sew. Necklines use bands too: stretching the band just right, and not the opening will result in a neckline that lies flat - less stretch will create a standup collar. There are a million guides to sewing necklines - this one is a good example: http://www.craftsy.com/blog/2015/04/how-to-sew-a-round-neckline/

Bindings
Wrapping the edge of fabric is called binding and is another neckline and hemline treatment. Typically you will attach a piece of banding to the raw edge (with raw edges together) and then press the band towards the raw edge, then from the wrong side, press the banding to encase the raw edge and finally top stitch. Here's a good instruction set with lots of pictures: https://indiesew.com/blog/how-to-bind-a-knit-neckline









So! this is the end of Knits Month! I will copy all the posts over to http://rainydayparent.blogspot.com/2016/03/stashbusting-sewalong-knits-month-posts.html