You Guessed It, Another Renfrew

Somehow I just can't quit this pattern.

Neckband is a little hoiked up because of the "hands on hips" pose

I wouldn't even post it except:

1) The last of my 3 yard Tilton booth bundle is now out of stash

Boy is the color different when photographed inside!

 2) Instead of zig-zagging the neckband to keep it in place, I used one of the decorative stitches on my Babylock. It's kind of like the machine equivalent of the feather stitch. It's just as stretchy as a zig-zag, and I think I like it!

Neckband is laying a little nicer in this photo

3) While this is my 10th Renfrew (or so), it is only my second V-neck.

Stashbusting Challenge 2015

Announcing the June theme for the 2015 Stashbusting Sewalong:

Knits!

Click here to read all about the Sewalong

Yes, June is all about knits. You know you love them. Even if you don't sew with them very often (or perhaps at all?), I bet you wear them all the time. Tee shirts, yoga pants, underwear - nothing beats a knit when you want that second-skin comfort. And when that hot, summer weather hits, a knit dress or top in a nice, natural fiber is just what the doctor ordered.

The knit stash - smaller than it used to be!

Why did I volunteer to be the host for knits month? I can tell you that it's not because I am a skillful or experienced knit seamstress - I'm still a newcomer.  What I am, though, is an enthusiastic and accomplished stasher of knits. Knits were probably about 75% of my stash when I began the Stashbusting Sewalong in January. I've been diligently chipping away at the knit shelves over the past 5 months, so I'd say the proportions are now more like 50-50.

Oh, what the heck. I'll just come right out and admit it; I've bought some knits over the past few months too. I just can't say "no" to a good knit, especially if it's a great color or print.

Got these at the Tilton booth in Puyallup. The devil made me do it.

If you're comfortable working with knits, jump on the bandwagon and dive into your knit stash! You'll be glad you did. Especially when you throw on that new tee or maxi skirt and head on out to the beach. Or, if you're a Southern Hemisphere sewist, when you cuddle into that soft, warm cowl-neck Renfrew...

If you are a bit of a knit newby, here are  couple of knit myth busters that might encourage you to give sewing with these fabulous fabrics a try:

Don't you need a serger to sew with knits? No, you do not! I don't have a serger and I can sew up most any garment I want, right on my Babylock Craftmaster. My seams might not look quite so pretty on the inside, but knits mostly don't fray. Practically speaking, you don't need to finish those seams at all. And as far as hems, I often don't hem my knits at all. Remember, those edges don't fray, and no hem means less bulk if you're going to tuck in that top.  If you do want a hem, your regular sewing machine can handle the job just fine, especially if you throw in some stabilizing hem tape.

But you do need a special stretch stitch, right? Again, no! My friend Martha has recently been sucked into sewing. She's been turning out super cute tee shirts on her grandmother's Singer Featherweight.

I recently took the Craftsy class on the Ultimate Tee, taught by the Tilton sisters. I learned that, unless you're sewing something with negative ease (like a swimsuit), you can just go ahead and use your straight stitch. My machine does have a stretch stitch (a.k.a. lightening bolt stitch) but I rarely use it these days. The straight stitch is quicker, uses less thread and is much easier to pick out (not that I ever need to do that).

So, toss that stash and pull out your bits of knits! And remember to share the inspiration on facebook and flicker!

Experiments in Undergarments

I’ve been wanting to try making my own undies for a while now, but somehow I hadn’t gotten around to it. Then, just when I needed a kick in the pants (ha ha), along came the Stashbusting Sewalong’s Lingerie theme.

My old standby undies are the High Leg Brief by Victoria’s Secret. Back in the day, that style used to come up to my waist – or pretty close, anyway. Now that a lower rise is so popular in the RTW world, Victoria’s waistband has been migrating downwards. I find that a line of elastic across my high hip cuts right into my chub. VPL for sure.

Now that I have a few me-made knit skirts and trousers that I like to wear, I’m all about the smooth silhouette. 

In fact, my goal is to avoid elastic altogether. On top of disliking the chub-compression properties of elastic, my frugality gene came into play. I like the idea of making undies out of scraps and nothing but scraps. How sweet would it be if I could come up with a plan that didn’t involve purchasing any special elastics or findings?

One of my favorite sewing ladies (who, sadly, hasn’t been posting recently) is Loran of Loran’s World. She wrote a great post about sewing lingerie and active wear using self-fabric bands rather than elastic. She used to sew dance wear this way, and I figure if it works for a dancer, it’s going to stay put just fine for me. 

Burdastyle 01/2012, #127

I hauled out the high-waisted panty pattern from the January, 2012 issue of Burdastyle. I remember thinking the pattern was pretty cute when I first got this issue, but I was put off by the zipper called for in the instructions. Zippers in undies just seems like too much . . . something. But if I made the undies out of a stretchy knit I could probably omit that puppy, just like I’d omit the zipper from a knit dress.

And bingo!

I test-drove the undies yesterday and they felt pretty good. Meaning that I didn’t notice them at all. The knit bands that substituted for elastic did their job, though I think the cut of these undies helps minimize any creep factor.

Plus I think they look pretty cute. I’m too dignified to post a photo. Imagine me modeling these undies, but looking more like Betty Grable than I actually do.

For this trial pair I used some scraps of cotton jersey left over from making tee shirts for The Man. Fabric constraints inspired me to make my first attempt at color blocking. I kind of like it! Maybe I can flex my color-blocking muscles with underwear and then move on to outerwear.

I initially cut the size 36, as suggested by my measurements. The pattern is designed for a stretch woven, so I thought I wouldn’t downsize immediately. I ended up retracing the pattern in the smallest size. I think I’ll try to size it down a bit more next time, just because I’m used to the feeling of a snugger fit for underwear.

I like this style enough that I to make up several more pairs. I may just go a bit wild with the fabric combos. I have some black lace that would be fun for those side panels.

Have a hankering to try some lingerie sewing yourself? Obsessive Creativeness has a plethora of tutorial and free pattern links here!

My pattern review is on PatternReview.com here.

Bagua Pants

The Man and I are taking a bagua zhang class every Thursday at the Academy of Martial and Internal Arts. Martial arts is something new for me. I've been really enjoying it. I'm learning to move my body in some different ways, which I think is good for the mind as well as the muscles. Plus The Man and I are allowed to spar, now that we know enough to not knock each other's blocks off by mistake. The Man refuses to take dance lessons with me, so this is the closest I'm likely to come to waltzing with him.

Anyway, my skills are improving bit by bit, but my wardrobe is woefully inadequate. I have a stable of running gear, but apparently shorts or neon leggings are just Not Done in martial arts. I've been wearing a pair of cheap yoga pants (also Not Done, but better then shorts). Those pants are kind of hot and polyester-y, and they only have one tiny pocket inside the waistband; maybe big enough for lip gloss, but nothing else.

So I made me some Bagua Pants.

This is the Snake, with what I think is the Crane stance. I'm a newby though

I used pattern #112 (Jogging Pants) from the March, 2014 issue of BurdaStyle magazine. Burda describes them as narrow jogging pants with an elasticated waist. Short and to the point. They advised using fine knits or jersey, and it just so happened I had a hunk of brown cotton jersey just waiting in my fabric closet.

That makes this project is a two-fer: Burda Challenge (check) and Stashbusting Challenge (check).

This is the Lion

The pattern was super straightforward. There are 4 pattern pieces, one of which I didn't use (the back pocket). They have you draft your own waistband and ankle bands, but even I can draft a rectangle without too much drama. OK, I did initially cut the ankle bands too narrow, but I had plenty of fabric to fix that little problem.

Snake

I do appreciate the front pockets. They describe them as 'hip yoke' pockets; they're the same kind of pockets you see on trouser patterns. They're nice and roomy but don't look too baggy. I won't be able to haul around too much stuff, because this fabric is so light, but they can handle my car keys for sure.

Waistband shot - The Man tells me baby blue satin drawstrings are also a no-no in martial arts. I'll have to swap that out before class.

Burda says the waistband sits about an inch below the natural waist, but the slouchiness of elastic and drawstring puts it a bit lower on me. It feels like just about the perfect rise for a pair of sweatpants.

I'm pretty happy with them. They feel much lighter than the yoga pants, and they're certainly comfy and very easy to move around in. In fact, I have them on now as I slump on the couch writing this post.

You know when you get home from work and you just want to yank off your shoes and constraining office clothes and chill? This is what you want to be putting on. I can see myself making another pair in a perkier, non-martial arts color for lounging purposes. Bet they'd make great jammies too.

I leave you with the Unicorn

My review of the pattern is on PatternReview.com here.

Oldest Stashed Fabric, Busted!

This is my entry in the Oldest Fabric category for the February Stashbusting Challenge.  I toyed with entering it under the Ugliest Fabric category, but I have to admit, it's been growing on me.

I'm not 100% sure which is the absolute oldest piece in my stash. I recently used one of the true ancients for this jacket. That piece had been folded up in my closet for so long that it had begun to fray along one of the creases. From this I learned that you can't keep stash forever.

This fabric is definitely up in the senior cohort though. I bought it probably 5 or so years ago at Findings in Carmel. Gosh, I still tear up when I remember going to their closing sale.

In the early days of my sewing renaissance I would find myself attracted to a fabric because of the color, or because of an interesting texture. With reckless abandon, I'd call out to the fabric lady to cut me two yards; no, wait, make that three! I'd buy like a drunken sailor on shore leave. Especially when fabric shopping with my friend Jessica.

Then I'd get the plunder home and realize that, while I did like the fabric as an object, I had no idea what to do with it. Like, for example, this hunk of green sweater-y knit with tweedy flecks all over it. So it sat in the lower levels of the stash for year after year. Every so often, I'd pull it out and heft it, then slide it back in the closet. No inspiration.

Then I discovered McCall's 6844. I had no idea that you could sew a cardigan! I though you had to start with yarn and spend 3 years knitting the darn thing, only to find that it made you look like Mr. Rogers.

In contrast, this cardigan took me about 4 hours from start to finish.

McCall's 6844 was a Sewing Pattern Review pattern of the year in 2013. With good reason too. It's easy to put together and includes a couple of cute variations. I made View A, the shorter version without the peplum.

I would have cut a medium if I followed the measurements on the pattern envelope. Because I'd checked out the reviews on Pattern Review, I cut a small. Good move. Otherwise I made it up exactly as instructed, including using interfacing on the collar. I'm glad I did - it seemed odd for a knit cardigan, but it gives the collar a bit of structure, which is nice.

You know, I like it. It's light but warm, it fits pretty well and I like the shawl collar. I can see myself making a few more of these. In fact, I have another ancient piece of knit fabric that may finally be seeing the sun as the longer, peplum-less version.