Category: Thursday Top

Sweater Knits Rule

Published on by ellegeemakes16 Comments

 

IMG_7121

I wear a lot of separates. This fact became obvious to me when I rearranged my closet this week to make room for Spring clothes. There’s nothing wrong with a good separate, and we all need them,  but OMG.  My closet is crammed with mix and match items. It’s a bit overwhelming when it comes time to choose.  I might have to rethink my look a bit as we move into Spring…

Nevertheless, I am posting more separates today, both made from Yummy Sweater Knits. As you all know, I am such a fan. And this layered outfit includes two chunky knits, one from cotton, the other from a wool/poly blend. They are so, so comfortable to wear. Honestly, you just can’t go wrong with them.

The white top is a good basic, made from a chunky cotton knit feels so good against my skin.

IMG_7110

I used Vogue 8925 for this top.

V8925

I cut bias strips of the same cotton knit to embellish the cuffs and neck. To get the gently frayed look, I left the edges unfinished and the raw edge becomes a bit of an embellishment that way.

IMG_7117

 

IMG_7106The black cardi-wrap is cut from eyelash knit, a chunky fabric with a unique furry texture. I’m not sure you can tell this from the photos, but the fabric is as dense as my cat’s fur.

IMG_7131The pattern for this wrap is Butterick 5789 with a few modifications. I used View E but left off the front bands.

To get the wrapped look, I overlapped the fronts, adding three vintage buttons to keep them together. Buttons make the world go round, don’t you think?

IMG_7125

Because this black knit is super stretchy, I stabilized the front with a bit of interfacing to support the button holes and buttons. Sweater knits are pretty forgiving, but even the heavier weaves don’t seem to be able to support the weight of a button without a bit of help. I used an overlock stitch for the stretchy seams. I finished the edges by turning the fabric under and stitching. It worked well because this knit is so dense, the stitches just disappeared into it :). The bad news with a knit like this is that a mistake is almost impossible to correct. You’ll lose your mind trying to remove those lovely, buried stitches!

Overall, I’d say this cardi-wrap will be a favorite for me. I’ll be able to throw it on over anything!  The downside is that it’s black, a color that doesn’t work well with orange cat fur, but what does?

Have you tried to sew buttons on sweater knits? Any tips to share? Happy sewing and thanks for stopping by.

 

 

Thursday Top: Vogue 8815

Published on by ellegeemakes6 Comments

IMG_7737

Well, here we are in February, the month that straddles the seasons.  The fabric stores are flaunting new lightweight cottons and linens. Yet, I’m still working through my stash of sweater knits.

At this point, it’s probably ridiculous to state the obvious – I am a fan of sweater knits. As I’ve confessed before, it’s not just because they’re cozy and comfortable. It’s because I can’t knit. Really. My brain gets ahead of my fingers and, well, chaos ensues. Sweater knits are the easy way out.

IMG_7750

And they are so comfortable! However, as you can see in the photo above, I’m discovering yet another cat hair on me. Knits do seem to attract fur of any sort, but doesn’t everything? Still, this particular sweater knit is wonderful, a thick cotton/lycra blend that’s textured and double faced. The result is a lush, thick fabric with a moderate amount of give that is so great to wear.

IMG_7739 I took a close up of the fabric so that you could see the texture. The pattern I used for this Thursday top is one of my TNT (tried and true) patterns, Vogue 8815.

I made it before Here. The pattern is designed for wovens, but when I found this knit, I could see it only one way – – as this top. Generally, when I decide to use a knit instead of a woven, I take the pattern down a full size. But I’ve discovered that each knit is so different, it’s hard to predict how they will behave.

This time, I tried a new method to allow for the stretch in the knit. I adjusted the seam allowances from 5/8″ to 6/8″. Because the stretch on this knit was so moderate, I didn’t want to cut out a smaller size, only to discover the knit wasn’t stretchy enough to warrant that large of an adjustment.

IMG_7748

In the end, I was glad I made the adjustment this way. The knit didn’t stretch enough across the shoulders to warrant any adjustment at all. Because I basted in the seams, it was easy to just let the back seam out where I needed to. Yahoo! So glad I didn’t screw up this great fabric 🙂

IMG_7041

Because the knit had moderate stretch, I used my Bernina’s overlock stitch rather than serging the seams. Here are my pattern modifications:

  • Because I used a knit, I didn’t insert a zipper. The neck slips over my head easily.
  • I added a solid band of knit at the neck (very stretchy so that it wouldn’t bind) in contrasting black.
  • I also added a solid black band of knit at the waist. To do this, I shortened the front and back bodice by two inches. Then I cut 2, two inch wide bands of solid knit fabric the same width as the bodice pieces.  I sewed the solid knit pieces to the shortened bodice pieces before sewing on the back and front peplum pieces.

IMG_7030

Done! One winter project down, and a few more to go. I’m getting antsy for Spring, though. I’ve been longing to work with linen again. I think my first spring project will be a shirt dress of some sort. Have you started sewing for Spring, or are you still working through winter projects?

Happy sewing and thanks for stopping by!

This Thursday’s Top is Simplicity 1693; Black + White = Cool

Published on by ellegeemakes4 Comments
DSC03192
This week marks the sun’s Big Debut here in Portland. We’re expecting a weekend sizzler with temperatures over 100 degrees! Panic! We are wimps, so a forecast like that can cause a bit of freak out around here. We faint at the mere idea of a hot day, and if you throw humidity into the mix, trust me. The streets of our fair city will be deserted. Everyone will be holed up in their air- conditioned houses with fans humming.
I, on the other hand, will be feeling fresh as a daisy, dressed in summer’s perfect fabric – – linen!
DSC03191
In anticipation of the heat, I crafted a new frock for my Thursday Top – – a three-hour wonder with an a-line shape that’s sure to please. I had great fun making this easy piece. I used three fabrics (3!!); two prints and a solid, making this project a Stash Busting Gem.
Pattern:  I used Simplicity 1693. It’s a  top with length, sleeve and waist variations. It was simple to sew and the instructions were clear.
DSC03190
Style: 
If there was a Best Top for Any Figure competition, I’d have to nominate this one for the title. It’s simple, to be sure, an A-line that’s fitted at the yoke and slightly flared at the bottom. What’s not to like about that? This top accentuates the good parts of our figures, while forgiving the not-so-good parts.
Modifications:
Yoke: Because I wanted to use some remnants in my stash, I cut the one-piece bodice into two pieces –  a yoke and lower bodice. To do this, I made a cut across the bodice, eight inches from the neck, remembering to add 5/8 “ on both pieces for the seam allowances.
DSC03186
Front stripe: To make the front stripe of fabric, I cut a 4″wide piece of  fabric  the length of the center front. I turned under the edges and edge stitched it before sewing it to the Center Front of the garment (An easy way to mark the stripe’s placement is to press in the center fold, and use that line as your guide when applying the stripe).
 Fabric: The bodice and sleeves are linen, purchased at Fabric Depot, the yoke and stripe are japanese cotton, purchased at the sewing expo. All of it breathes and is super comfortable to wear.
DSC03183
So, bring it on, Mr. Sun! I am ready!
What’s your favorite style of pattern to sew with linen? What’s your favorite shape for your figure?
Happy sewing and thanks for stopping by!