Tag: princess seams

I’m falling for plaid…

Published on by ellegeemakes7 Comments

IMG_6058Name Name five things that are cozier than flannel….. Can’t do it? Me neither. That’s why I’m glad this blue and green cotton flannel found its way into my shopping cart.

‘Cozy’ is the theme of my fall sewing efforts, and this shirt definitely delivers. Cotton flannel is such a dream to wear! My shirt’s first outing was a hilly walk this afternoon. Not only did the fabric score a big ten in the ‘cozy’ department, it breathes too!  So, if like me, you’ve never owned a flannel shirt, let me tell you. It’s high time you did.

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I loved this plaid on sight. For one thing, it’s such a great basic that just screams ‘fall’. It reminds me of everything good that these crisp cold days offer: leaf stalking (you’ll notice I didn’t say leaf raking), wine tasting, and using the fireplace for the first time. The added bonus? Plaid is a big fashion ‘yes’ this fall, so it’s available in every color combination imaginable. If you look great in chartreuse, there’s a plaid out there just for you.

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For my shirt, I used Simplicity 2447, a button-down with princess seams, a front band, a back yoke and various front detail combinations.

I chose this pattern because it had so many variations and opportunities for contrast. I knew I wanted to cut a few pieces on the bias to make the structure of the shirt more obvious and, with this pattern, the options were endless.

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The hardest part of this project, (yes, you guessed it) was matching the plaid. I bought LOTS of extra fabric (on sale at Fabric Depot, so nice!) so that my match-ups could be strategic, without worrying if I’d have enough fabric. Cotton flannel is not a slippery fabric, so it was difficult to get the double layer of fabric perfectly smooth AND have the plaids on both sides match as well. I pinned the selvedges together, which helped a bit. But finally, instead of cutting out all the pattern pieces on the double layers of fabric, I opted to cut a few pieces twice on single layers. That way, I could position the collar, pockets, cuffs etc. without worrying. I just didn’t trust the wonky way the fabric seemed to move and stretch even though I could swear, I wasn’t touching it (Haunted!).   Cutting out a pattern is usual a brainless activity that I can do while watching ‘Project Runway’, yet never missing a beat. Let me tell you…not this time! TV OFF!

It was fun to figure out how to cut out the pockets.

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I finally decided to cut them on the diagonal for contrast and the plaid is centered on the princess seams.  I put a button on the pocket to draw your eye there. The back yolk is cut on the diagonal as well for contrast with the plaid pattern centered over the back pleat.

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This is my first version of Simplicity 2447 and I think I’ll make this pattern again. It fit my shape without modifications (princess seams shape the bodice), which is a rarity for me. The instructions were easy to follow.  The pattern includes lots of options (including three (3!!) sleeve options), so it’s easy to make the style your own.. This time, I tried the rolled up sleeves with the button tabs but I’ll try the long-sleeved version with cuffs soon. The hem has a nice curve, which I left long to make the shirt even cozier.

I love sewing with cotton flannel and it’s so great to wear – – I can’t figure out why I’m not living in flannel. Hmmm, is this the beginning of a new fabric obsession? I would love to hear about your adventures with my new favorite fabric!

Happy sewing and thanks for stopping by…May your week be colorful and cozy!

Sew The Look: Alexa’s Corduroy Shirt Dress

Published on by ellegeemakes13 Comments

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The fall weather here has been perfect for wandering about…sunny, warm and colorful! When the weather is like this, I find it impossible to stay inside. On a recent walk, I found myself in front of my favorite RTW haunt, Anthropologie. What a surprise! I couldn’t help but go inside. As usual, the racks were loaded with inspiration. My favorite ‘find’ was a navy corduroy shirt dress, an A-line with a seventies vibe.

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Since I’ve been in a bluesy-denim mood for about a YEAR, the color alone was enough to make me swoon, so I grabbed it and headed to the dressing room. There, I just happened to glance at the price tag. Sticker shock! The price was roughly three times what I expected it to be. How could that be? The dress was made from corduroy! It turns out that my favorite frock wasn’t just any old shirt dress, but one designed by model,  Alexa Chung. It’s part of a line by AG jeans of dresses, all with a retro seventies look, so, of course, I fell in love.  As fate would have it, the dress didn’t fit at all. My narrow shoulders….my high waist…yada yada.  You know the story. (This is one good reason to sew!) Still, I wanted that dress! That moment gave birth to a new obsession – – to create my own version of that cute navy dress. Stealthily, in the privacy of my dressing room, I studied it, making a quick mental list of the details that made that dress so awesome: soft navy corduroy, great a tonal top stitching, french seams, a very ‘seventy’s’ A-line shape, princess seams (who can resist!!), cool silver buttons, two pockets, and long sleeves with cuffs.

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Choosing the pattern was a no-brainer. McCalls’ 6124 is a TNT for me,  a shirt with princess seams, front bands, sleeves with cuffs, and collar variations.

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Fabric? I found the softest corduroy EVER at Mill End, and it was a deep rich navy, so I was off to a good start.The cutting out phase of the project went well, with one exception. A small, orange-ish cat snuck into my sewing room. I’ll just say this. If you choose to make a dress out of dark corduroy, carry a lint brush at all times.

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This classic shirt dress went together as expected, and, as usual, I had trouble with the challenge of the collar stand. It’s the curves, the positioning of the collar, the edge stitching – – everything about it pushes my patience.  I can never get the collar and the band to line up perfectly. This time though, I used a technique I learned about awhile ago from the blog, Four Square Walls. Instead of attaching the collar to the collar stand, then attaching the whole piece to the neckline, you re-order things a bit. First, you sew one interfaced collar band piece to the neckline. Then, you sew the collar to that, following finally with the other collar band piece, and Voila! Perfection! Here’s the link that describes the process perfectly: four square walls, sewing a collar a different order.

The top stitching was so fun too, especially because I got to use my new best friend, Bernina presser foot 57, my 1/4” Patchwork Seam Foot.

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Love that thing. You just line the little seam guide up and you can not go wrong.

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Because I might use this dress as a layering piece over jeans (wearing it open?), I worked extra hard to make the inside perfect. So, I did french seams throughout, using a light blue topstitching thread. It took awhile (a three hour movie – – but who’s counting), but I’m sure the effort will pay off at some point (?). I also added self drafted pockets with flaps and top stitched them as well.

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The most satisfying detail of all for me was the buttons, little jeans buttons with stars on them!

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If you’ve never played around with these things, let me tell you, it is a kick. You get to use a hammer to pound the back on! I like the silver accent of the buttons against the blue corduroy.

The dress is so comfortable to wear. There is nothing like the comfort of a soft cotton corduroy and a walk in the woods to make a day perfect.IMG_2918

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What RTW inspirations have you found this fall? Happy sewing and thanks for stopping by!

Thursday Tee: A season-flexible piece with swirls

Published on by ellegeemakes3 Comments

This week’s tee is another stash buster, a project inspired by a remnant of mystery fabric I found in the (always seductive) remnant section at Fabric Depot. I bought it, not because I needed it (!), but because it’s embroidered with white flowers and swirls that look almost….french. Instant love! Of course, I indulged.

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Because there was only a yard of it, I had to find a piece of coordinating fabric that would look as though it was from the same dye lot, a tall order any day. But a serious case of fabric love had me in a frenzy. In the matter of a couple of hours, I drove from one end of the Portland to the other in search of the perfect, coordinating solid. (BTW, I am spoiled. We have a half a dozen fabric stores in Portland.)
 Luckily, the fabric fairy granted me my one wish, and on the very same day, I stumbled into a cool store in my neighborhood called Bolt. There, I found it, an off-white cotton knit that felt soft and yummy, and (magically) matched my mystery fabric perfectly.  Given my frenzied state, you’d probably  expect that I’d cut that fabric the very same day. But I didn’t. I parked both pieces on a shelf and stared at them. Sometimes, I love a fabric so much, I just have to think about for, well, months.
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Butterick 6134 is the pattern I (finally) used for this off-white tee/top. It’s a fitted top with a raised neckline (which is why I bought it), front princess seams (what’s not to love about those), and a narrow hem. The pattern is designed for lightweight woven and stable knits, perfect given my fabric choices. I made view A, but lengthened the sleeves (Yes, I know it’s Spring, but this is Oregon, after all). To give the top a more polished look, I added cuffs to the sleeves, cut from the same mystery fabric.
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This was an easy, fast sew because the sleeves are raglan style, so you don’t have to set them in. The raised neckline is easy too, as it’s cut as part of the bodice rather than constructed. All told, I made this top in an afternoon – Instant gratification.
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I’m in love with all shades of white these days, so this top will be worn alot. The long sleeves make it perfect, not only for Spring, but for Fall too. And I still love that fabric. But because I have no idea what it’s made of, I’ll have to resist the urge to toss it in the machine. Apparently, hand-washing is the downside of giving in to a mystery.
 Do you give into the lure of mystery fabric or have you been burned?