Grainline Morris - Breaking Ground

Woo Hoo!  It's Spring!
Time for layers and figure-revealing jackets! (Or, let's be real, I'm in Canada: I'm just raising my shirt-tails to  bum-revealing)


I will fully admit that I have avoided Grainline Studio patterns so far:  no slight intended (and I doubt, taken), but the aesthetic isn't me - I am all about soft and curvy and flowy, upward movement, and face/waist framing and Grainline is: not.  I feel like it is less romantic and more business casual, and I have seen the waxing poetic about the Scout Tee, the Farrow, and the Morris for ever - and just kept right on looking.

Farrow, Scout, Morris from Grainline Studio

That said, when The Breaking Ground Blog Tour came up and I was thinking through what pattern company I might want to look into, I came across several versions of the Morris that were my style, and I thought: self, perhaps you should give this a whirl.

So - I bought my pattern from PatternReview.com - (I get a tidy discount because I am a member, and I was featured recently and had a little coupon gift to use).  I took my file down to the local Staples Copy Centre and (after a wee struggle and realization that the A0 version worked best on their printers) had a pattern on my table to trace.

Now - I started to do all my normal adjustments - but then I changed my mind, and decided to make the pattern as printed - to do a proper review I think that's only fair.  So here is my review considering the pattern as written, no adjustments, to my size specs, following directions step by step.




So - there are a few caveats we should address for this pattern - it is a straight forward pattern: Sleeve, Front, Back and Facings. There is magic in a pattern like this - the fit has to work without princess seams and darts - and this pattern is a little piece of that magical land - it actually works pretty well.

I LOVE the facing application and construction process for this jacket - you end up with a nice and tidy unlined, stretch woven or stable knit jacket.  My choice of a stretch twill/denim worked very well, and I have a nice casual jacket to throw on over jeans when I run to pick up a kid on a work from home in my jeans sort of day.  I think if you are experienced with fitting for your body it is a great little pattern, or if you are a slim, somewhat broad shouldered gal, you should be able to make this out of the package.

That said - I think you should be prepared to measure and pattern fit.  The chest/bust measurement vs garment for a size 14 was bang-on.  The sleeve is a slim sleeve - so definitely measure and ensure you have some ease.  In addition, I found that the shoulders were wider than my own and I am pretty typical lately (after a significant weight loss) - so plan to measure and adjust the shoulders.

Too broad in the shoulder, and too tight in the bicep.
Gainline Morris

I perused the Internet and found one example after another of a wrinkle at the back of the jacket between the armpit and the shoulder - go check it out online - it won't take you long if you google the images for the grainline morris blazer.  I'm not sure if it's because the sleeve is too narrow, combined with the shoulder so wide - but I like the construction elements of this jacket so much that i am going to tackle this again, with a bicep adjustment (I like Sewaholic's instruction-set) and a shoulder adjustment (Colette's Albion Sewalong has a nice graphical step by step guide to a narrow shoulder adjustment).

In the end I have a jacket that is wearable with bare arms underneath.  It's a great item to throw over my general uniform and to dash out looking a little like I tried  :)

This post is part of the Breaking Ground Tour - pushing each contributor to try a new pattern company.  I purchased all materials with my own cash - so opinions are entirely my own!  more blogs links below.

Here are the rest of the Breaking Ground Blogs (direct links to Breaking Ground posts) Anne-Mari Sews, Sprouting Jube Jube, Sewing A La Carte, Tales of a Tester

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.

Cake: Endeavours - Cullottes for Sew Long Summer Blog Tour.

This morning it was 9 degrees (48F) and that was *just* a little too chilly for shorts and a tee shirt (I am Canadian).  Luckily I have been prepping for the Sew Long Summer - transitioning into Autumn - Blog Tour. 

Last Spring I found an Indie Pattern Shelf at Fabrications in Ottawa  and was BEYOND THRILLED to find a copy of the Cake Endeavour Trouser.  I quickly made up a pair of very wearable shorts and made plans to use the pattern as a wardrobe starting point - but then I decided to make a dress, and tested a few patterns and got away from my "wardrobe" plans.

So here we are - AUTUMN! and I don't need shorts.

When Melissa touched base and suggested I join the Sew Long Summer Blog tour I immediately thought of the Cake pattern.

SewManju does a lovely job styling her cullottes and I thought the look might work for me, and I had some black linen in my queue, so I decided  to give it a go.

First - let's talk about the pattern:  

FORMAT:  I am normally a pdf gal when it comes to indie patterns - we just don't have access to the gorgeous printed patterns in my neck of the woods.  I was reluctant to buy the pdf of this pattern because I had heard it was complex (but it is not, really) with many pattern pieces for different size combinations (true).

The packaging is lovely - the colour coding is valuable (don't stick to B&W if you are printing the pdf), and the printed sheet is not enormous - I imagine it will be manageable as a pdf.

SIZE RUN: Until recently - there weren't many offerings of plus size patterns in printed versions.  Cake has a nice size range (Hip measurements included: 30"-55" (76-150))  - the pattern concept is especially wonderful for a curvy body because there are grading lines for various body types and measurements.  If you are an experienced size blender it is an awesome and easy experience to grade from a 54" hip to a small waist using the pattern pieces.

INSTRUCTIONS: if you have marked your notches and know how to follow them the instructions are excellent.  StephC comes very close to beginner level instructions, but it's definitely and advanced beginner pattern.  There are a few parts to the instruction puzzle that are on the pattern pages them selves, so don't pack the pattern away after tracing until you have checked for additional info on the sheets.  There are fewer pictures than typical (more than StyleArc... but no four colour photos, for sure)

TECHNIQUE:  I particularly liked the pocket design and construction process on this pattern.

FEATURES:  The Darling Pant (there is also a Sailor Pant pattern in this offering) features an invisible zipper (easily installed above the pocket seams) and generous, slanted hip pockets.  The real perk of this pattern, is the front leg (princess?) seam on the pant and the back yoke, which allow for tweaking in the fit.  The leg is very wide, and I am told that somewher out there there are instructions for narrowing the leg pattern, but other than the mention on Flikr I have not been able to uncover an instruction set.  (Cake's  Designer, StephC is on a LOA recently and is sometimes present on these interwebs, but you are better to turn to your Facebook groups for any advice ). 

ALTERATIONS: I added 13" to the shorts length to get this cullotte.  I also did a full tumy adjustment by temporarily piceing together the front panel pieces and following Michelle's tutorial on the Curvy Sewing Collective.  I moved some of the front leg inseam to the back leg (narrowing the front crotch curve and lengthening the back crotch curve to eliminate some bunching I found when walking in my shorts - it seems to have done the trick.  Next time I will use my self-drafted shaped wastband - the pattern will accept a different wasitband easily.

And the pants themselves?

FABRIC - Delicious black linen with a viscose blend - not itchy, good body, washes well and has held it's colour very well.   I am not new to linen and canvas for multi-season wear.... it's great for when the mornings are too cool for cotton skirts, and transitions perfectly to hot afternoons.  It's dreamy and soft and warm and cool.

For the pockets, I used a knit lining I had on hand (hence, the olive) and the pocket technique that uses adhesive seam tape is really nice.

Pocket on the inside of the garment

The inside of the pocket and invisible zipper (what? you can't see it?)

STYLING - Cullottes are quite wearable!  I love how SewManju added a boxy T or a fited jacket - I think keeping proportions in thirds work well with the short length: 1/3 top and 2/3 pants.   I am wearing my nude M7093 in these pictures - tucked in - and untucked looked nice as well.  I have a nice cropped leather jacket that looks great with these, and a pretty frilled top that works well too.  I am happiest with the way they look with a pair of MaryJanes, but if these contine to be wearable, I might try pairing with my black boots to extend their season a little.

Since this is part of a Blog Tour there are some nice perks:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Fun discounts and coupon codes from our sponsors:

Zierstoff Patterns 20% off patterns Code: zierstoffpatterns20 Ends 9/17/16 

  Blue Dot Patterns 25% off patterns Code: SewLongSummer Ends 9/17/16 

  On the Cutting Floor 50% off patterns Code: SEWLONG Ends 9/17/16

The rest of the Tuesday posts are here:

mahlicadesigns
Musings of a Seamstress
Sprouting Jube Jube
 Sewing A La Carte
 Anne-Mari Sews

Here are some of the other posts:

Sewing By Ti, Cindy Parrett, Sewing Vortex, Couturious, Nina Makes

I will come back and update this post with the links as they are published

Stash Buster #30 (of 48) - Sucking it up and completing a UFO - Seamwork Sydney

Back when I was planning for the Plus Size Outfit Contest with patternreview.com I had hoped to include the Seamwork Sydney

Look how cute it is!

I had a great fabric that coordinated well,,, it wasn't a

"Light-weight fabric such as linen, chambray, silk crepe, double gauze, cotton lawn or voile" - I decided to go with "Crazy Rebellion away from the recommended" - I went with a ruched mystery jersey backed with a viscose knit.

Then I cut it out.

It looked HUGE, and sloppy - and I hadn't even stitched it. And - what was I going to do for bias trim? (I even bought (gasp!) 4m of FOE to edge it!)

Seriously - I am over 40 should I really be looking like this:

eek!  The 80s!

I badmouthed myself.

(that and Kmart shoes - I swore I would NEVER.....)

So yesterday, I was getting ready to cut out my planned Aberdeen and the Sydney scoffed at me from my cutting table. So, I looked in my bias trim box and found stash from my bib making days - and I looked at it with the fabric, and challenged myself to face the Syd.

And I started sewing, and then I altered the shoulder, and I bound the edges in the chambray and .... last night, right before bed I put in on.

Holy Heck!

I like it!

And today I am wearing it - I wore it in public all morning for running DS (the elder) to his babysitting course, taking DS (the younger) to daycare, buying train tickets, grabbing coffee, and now right through to lunch hour at my desk.

**** so the alteration:****

I laid out the garment (since it was already cut out) and pin basted it (used pins instead of stitching) and put it on.

The neckline was too big, so I inched at the shoulder , then repinned.  

The fit was better, so I laid the pieces flat and measured and cut a wedge out - along the shoulder seam -  1" at the neckline, reducing the adjustment to nil at the shoulder point (which was the edge of the flap on me).

It worked like a charm - I love this topper.

People Watching - Developments! The teens I see every morning are blossoming!

I. Love. Spring!

Most days the stroller makes its way across my geographical footprint to daycare.  It's a great walk of 4000 steps according to my pedometer and the route varies only slightly from time to time.
(My vicious Beast of Hell, Eddie the Dog accompanies me, so don't get any stalker ideas, dear reader)

En route, I say good morning to every face - whether eye contact is made or not.  Teens will sometimes walk along the road to avoid the interaction.  One particularly sullen girl, who walks with a steady pace that approaches Monty Python heights has been a little project of mine - and I have NOT event cracked the shell in 6 months.

She is the perfect combination of apathy and angst - frozen gaze, firm lips, dead eyes and hair falling in her face, held back only slightly by her earbuds and cords.

Last week, my mind exploded when she had her hair in a pony-tail (I'm not kidding - I actually veered off the sidewalk gawking at her).

Then, earlier this week she was walking with a boy.

Today:  She said "Good Morning" To. My. Face!!!!!

Holy Marshmallow on a branch!  There's hope!

I. Love. Spring!

I have no voice - so I can't blog? What's been happening in my troll house.

I have a wonderful sewing space in my unfinished basement - a big space with the water heater in one corner, a lonely laundry tub (Iron refilling station!) and the household deep-freeze in another corner.  It has a window (9 feet up) and a geothermic cooling system (concrete floor).  I adopted a rug (that saw a vacuum when it landed and not since) and my dress forms (my wish I was size and my recent Value Village addition of a plus size Diana) wear my ragged sewing sweaters.

I love this space.  I call it my Troll House - mostly because I hunker down and mumble back to people when they dare invade my mommy time (lips pressed together over the latest pin, usually).  My Dad put up the walls for me a year ago, and my DH and DS (the elder) worked hard to put up shelves for me for Christmas.

I have had a WICKED COLD (via the snotty DS (the younger) and his blessed day-care buddies) and in my line of paid occupation (work from home telephone support to accounting software users) that's a curse - though I get a lot of sympathy from my clients as I squeak my way through their accounting nightmares and solve their conundrums - more compassion than I ever got from my live-in-person colleagues when I came to work sick in the past.

I suddenly realized today that I haven't blogged the whole time I have been sick - no voice means no blog?

I have been sewing baby clothes this month - and now it is time for me to move on to clothes for me... it's getting desperate and it IS the time to do it - Me Made may and all.

Plans?  They are laughably fluid - but I have an Alder Skirt up first, and then I am thinking of doing a SeamWork collection.... I am in love with the Sydney.  I need some shorts too - and I am tempted to make another pair of pjs from the Hudson Pant and Bronte Top (I love my set made in January).

okay more to come: but first, tylenol.

Sigh. Baby Mom versus Cool Mom of a Tween.

DS the elder is doing something super-cool tonight.  We went out and bought a pair of black slacks and a white, cotton, collared, dress shirt.  He left class to practice every day for weeks.  I picked him up right at the end of the school days and shuttled him downtown.  and I dropped him off at the dress rehearsal for:

Pink Floyd's The Wall

He's one of the school-children's voices in Another Brick in the Wall.

I am so happy for him - he has a great sense of music appreciation (we work at it) and he LOVES music.  This was his first time singing in front of people (who weren't sitting in wooden chairs in a school gymnasium waiting for their DSs and DDs classes to take the stage).

So he's there right now - signing as one of 8 kids on stage, and where am I?

At home with the baby.

I have been quietly sad about it all day.
He's with his Dad tonight and heading to the other house for the weekend.  I won't get to hug him until Sunday night.  I can't wait.

Baby Blues and Routine

So to be perfectly clear:  I am calling this Baby Blues instead of Post Partum Depression (PPD) for a reason.  I never went to a Dr to address my mood, didn't speak to a nurse.  I just drove around town crying and cocooning in my house.  I buried myself in projects and made serious use of my baby swing and remembered how to sleep with my baby.  If it weren't for my wonderful partner (DH) I would have been shipwrecked.

I am no stranger to the blues. 11 years ago I dropped in on them when I subjected myself to a two hour rotation of breast pumping for 4 months, and climbed out after I was delivered to my Father's cottage in Nova Scotia for the late Spring and Summer.  I had similar dips over the decade as I traversed the mountain range that was my life.

When my second marriage dissolved I ended up with a wonderful physician who specialized as a Life Coach doing a talk therapy approach to mood management. Through my conversations with Peter I garnered the following list of tasks to follow:

1. get your heart rate up for 20 minutes every day
2. Hang out with non-work friends once a week
3. Eat fish 3 times a week
4. Sleep
5. Pick one issue at a time and address a small part of it

So - up and at it at a decent hour - try to get in the shower right after my DH, and get that baby on a routine!

My girlfriends and I met at a local comedy club for dinner and a show, and my BFF came up from Altanta and spent a week with me getting her head wrapped around my life, and picked up the baby's cold.

I attended the Landmark Forum in September 2013 and it has been an invaluable addition to my life (in its subtractions and reductions)  and it has given me the tools I needed to deal with the #5s (above).  

Routine is huge.  Creating is huge.  Recognizing and expressing gratitude for the love I feel is essential.

Surprise! You're about to be an over 40 new mom!

The first time through I was 30 when my son was born, and THEN I was one of the older moms in my rural playgroups circles.  I was alone in a new town (my mother had passed away a few years before), with an absentee ex-husband, and only The Baby Whisperer to guide me, unless I attended the Better Beginnings meetings and playgroups.

I have done great - a working, single mom for most of my parenting life so-far - my son has made it to 10 and 3/4 without any major scars.  R has a manageable education barrier (his hand writing is terrible - identified as a learning disability), but he is super-bright about all things Greek history, and has exactly the right amount of fear.

So now I am 41.  6 months ago we realized that after all the years of failed pregnancies, I had a pregnancy that was going to stick!








A new bundle is due in the coming weeks, a new boy, and this time with a engaged, wonderful (first-time) father-to-be.