Scarfy sweater

Yeah, so I've got just a leeeeeetle behind with my Burda Challenges. I think I had too much fun over the summer, which ate into my sewing time - must learn not to do that... Right, so this is my August challenge. I really really wanted to make the blazer on the cover (have you seen Kristy's awesome version?), but then decided I wanted a quicker make, and one that I would get more use out of (I very rarely wear smart jackets). I still plan to make the blazer (I have fabric, lining and button all chosen), but will postpone it a little until after some more practical things.

Pattern description

BurdaStyle Magazine 08/2013/131: Knit top with long raglan sleeves, high round neckline and integrated scarf.

Pattern sizing

36-44. I cut the 42 at the bust, grading out to 44 at the hips.

Fabric used

Poly-rayon sweater knit from Fabric.com.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope when you were done?

Mine is much looser fitting, I don't know whether this is just my fabric, but I think from the flat pattern measurements this is drafted larger than the photo would have you believe.

Were the instructions easy to follow?

The first part of the instructions confused me a bit at first (for sewing the seams that join the sides of the scarf, and the two halves of the front), but then I realised it's just folding the scarf in half lengthwise and sewing the front and scarf seams in one long pass. Other than that very straightforward - but then it is effectively just three pattern pieces!

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?

I really like the integrated scarf, it's a clever bit of drafting that brings to mind the Pattern Magic series of books (that I still haven't got round to making anything from). It's also nicely drafted so that the front seam is hidden by the scarf when worn.

Overall it's quite a boxy pattern, so unless you're very slim it benefits from a bit of extra waist shaping. I'm also not convinced by the raglan sleeves, for my body shape I think the diagonal seam comes too low and would look better if it was shaped more upwards.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made

I added a centre back seam so I could shape the back slightly (any tops that come past my waist really need at least one seam in the back in order to accommodate my, ahem, "full high hip" and stop me looking too wide from the side) - I think I could have taken more off the waist. I also added a keyhole with button and loop at the back so I could get the top over my head without stretching the rather high neckline too much (I wasn't sure how this fabric would recover), and also to balance the interest in the front.

I made a sort of forward shoulder adjustment by shifting the shoulder dart forward by 5mm at the top and 10mm at the bottom, plus adjusting the top part of the shoulder seams forward slightly.

I added a little width at the sides at bust level, and shaped in the waist at the side seams slightly. I also added 2cm at the bottom of both front and back, and ended up lowering the neckline at the front by 2cm.

Construction details

I used strips of tricot fusible interfacing rather than Vilene bias tape to keep the fabric stretchier. In addition to the areas they instruct you to interface with tape, I also applied a strip to the neckline facing, and small patches to the points of the front/scarf seam.

I would normally construct knit tops with my serger as much as possible, but the combination of the seams that couldn't be sewn by serger and the fact I only had one spool of matching thread meant I decided to sew it all on my regular machine and just overcast the edge with a zigzag stitch. Unfortunately this has all turned out rather ugly, as I managed to break my overlock presser foot halfway through the first seam, so the rest was done without it. Oh well. On most knits I would have just left the seams unfinished, but this fabric was very loose and ravelly, so I had to neaten the seams so it wouldn't just shred when it was worn and washed. Look away now if you are of a nervous disposition...

Actually, it doesn't look too bad in that photo. I think I subconsciously chose the neatest part to photograph. To hem the sleeves and bottom, I used a three-step zig-zag.

To stop it stretching, I sewed through strips of tissue paper. A little tip: when doing this, make sure you cut the strips widthwise, i.e. so the DoET™ (that would be the Direction of Easiest Tear) is widthwise not lengthwise along the strip, otherwise it's going to be a blimmin' nightmare to get it out the stitching.

The neckline was finished as Burda suggested, with a folded strip used as the facing. Finally, I added the button and a thread loop at the back neckline.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?

I might actually sew this again. I'm trying to replace the boring and ill-fitting store-bought basic tops in my wardrobe, the things I wear round the house, but don't make me feel good. This is a nice and generally simple top, but the interesting drafting elevates it a little. It'll have to wait a little bit though whilst I catch up with my September and October Burda Challenges! I think it would look really nice in an elegant shimmery dark fabric, for a casual evening top (although I would probably make a smaller size if I do this).

I would definitely recommend this to others, with the following things to watch out for: it runs very large, the neckline is very high at the front, and the arms are pretty long.

Conclusion

A handy top to add to my wardrobe, and also actually season-appropriate!

Mittens!

My husband, Mr Dibulous, is currently working at home, and spends all day coding at the computer. As soon as the weather turns cooler (which it just has - snow on top of our local mountain this morning!) his hands get really really cold, so a pair of fingerless mitts is the perfect thing for keeping him warm, but still able to work.

He actually picked out this wool so I could make them for a Christmas present. Last Christmas. Oops. Fortunately they still ended up as a present: for his birthday this week! The wool is Lang Merino 70 (deliciously soft and squishy, 98% merino, 2% polyester), and the pattern is this free one (the same one that Karen used for her stripy mitts last year). Karen mentioned in her post that the pattern didn't use as much wool as described, but I found I did use nearly a ball of wool for each - you can see how much I have left in the photo below.

These were super quick to knit up. The first one took a little longer as I needed to decode a few instructions, but the second one was knitted in an evening. Mr Dibulous has ridiculously giant hands, so I lengthened the mitts: 4 extra rows of rib at the wrist, and 2 extra rows of stocking stitch between the thumb and final ribbing.

I did a test square to check the tension gauge, and it was exactly what the pattern stated, but I thought these came out quite loose-fitting. Perfect for Mr Dibulous, but I think I would knit them just slightly smaller if I make them for myself (which I might!) - you can see the difference in the fit in the photos where I am modelling them. This may also be because of the wool - I have an inkling that the wool is slightly heavier weight than that suggested in the pattern. I would also reduce the length from the end of the wrist ribbing to the thumb, so it fits a bit more snugly at the base of the hand.

I followed Karen's tip and tied a red thread inside the right-hand mitten so it was easy to tell them apart.

Overall very pleased with these! I've been putting off knitting smaller items (i.e. gloves, socks and hats) as they just seemed so complicated. These really weren't! Mr Dibulous loves them, and has hardly taken them off since I gave them to him!

Leather accent dress

This started as an idea for a dress to wear for a wedding. Now, this wasn't my original idea - I wanted to have a beautiful silk dress made from some more of my NYC fabric haul. But... life and stress got in the way, so this was my third fallback plan. And I still didn't finish it in time. Never mind. It's still going to come in useful, and I'm pleased with the result.

Leather and leather-accent clothes have been getting more and more into the mainstream over the last year (yeah, major understatement), and it's been something I've been wanting to sew for ages. The problem was that (despite being vegetarian) I really don't like fake leather (or at least, the fake leather I can afford: Stella McCartney I am not), and there is nowhere to buy decent skins for clothing here at an affordable price.

So, Fabric.com addiction that I have, I spotted some fused leather on the site the last time I was shopping (PLEASE STOP ME), so I thought I'd try it. Now, I really have no idea how they make this, but it's SO COOL. I am not sponsored, honest. It's a thin layer of real leather, fused to a knit fabric (sort of like a lightweight doubleknit), which makes it stretch too! I just used small pieces here, but I really want to try making a full garment out of it. Whilst it has the disadvantage over regular leather that it has a nap (as it's fused to fabric), it comes on a roll like "proper" fabric, so it's a bit more predictable how much you need. I really want to know how they make it (actually, do I?), as it doesn't appear to have any visible seams in the leather layer. Maybe it's from reeeeeeeally big rectangular cow or sheep... Anyway...

Pattern description

Knit dress with shallow pleated cowl neckline, A-line skirt and contrast straps. If this looks familiar, you're right. It was inspired by my July Burda Challenge. I liked the style of this, but wasn't terribly happy with the fit, so I thought I'd have a go at drafting my own version.

Fabric used

Denim-look jersey from Tissu Fabrics, with "Perfection Fused Leather" from Fabric.com.

Did it look like the sketch/idea when you were done?

Fairly much. It came out a little tighter than intended, and the pleats in the cowl sort of disappeared. I also forgot that the shoulder line isn't parallel to the floor when drafting, so the bottom of the straps slope. Other than that, yes!

Drafting details

This was drafted from my custom knit block and was fairly straightforward, just a case of drawing in the straps and making a small cowl (I used my drafting books, but you can find instructions for making cowl necks online pretty easily). After mirroring the front completely in order to provide a lining, I then slashed and spread the outer layer to make pleats. I wanted fairly small pleats, but when sewn these ended up being really tiny. The skirt was a basic A-line.

Construction details

I cut the straps in the fused leather, with a facing in cotton broadcloth to neaten the inside. I'd initially intended to topstitch the straps along the edge, but this looked TERRIBLE. If I was making a full garment in the leather, I would experiment with Teflon presser feet, walking feet or tissue paper, but for two teeny tiny straps I could be faffed with that. So of course I hand stitched it! Because that's much quicker! Actually I decided it looked better without the stitching, much cleaner. However, I'd also decided that I needed to use my leather glue tape to keep the seam allowances neat, which made for a very sticky hand stitching experience (NOT a euphemism). I have to say, it was the first time I've used WD40 when sewing...

Apart from the stickiness, it was fairly easy to sew using a leather needle and a thimble. Also of course I used small bulldog clips rather than pins, which would have left marks in the leather.

When sewing the main body of the dress, I used Kristy's technique for sewing the linings and straps together neatly. It works great and gives a super neat clean finish. Recommended.

I had actually intended to line the skirt with the same slinky knit I used for the sleeves and trim of my walking top. But I forgot. Oops! If it's a bit clingy with tights (or a bit "young Diana") I will reverse-engineer a lining, or sew a half slip.

I sewed the hem with a three-step zig-zag.

Would you sew it again?

I may use this idea again, but I would probably try a variation, and definitely add more ease. There are a lot of other ideas I have that I would like to try first.

Conclusion

Pretty happy with this! I like the combination of leather and "denim" in a fairly conservative styled dress. Although it's a little snug fitting, it's still comfortable to wear. The only downside is that in winter a strappy dress is perhaps not the most practical thing, and a cardie or jacket covers up the main feature. Fortunately, the Swiss absolutely adore their sauna-level indoor heating, so I will probably be fine with bare arms inside! I will post some photos after I've worn this out and about.

Gingham shirt-dress

Having enjoyed wearing my cowboy shirt-dress so much recently, I decided it was high time I developed a custom-fitted woven bodice block so I can draft more of what I make for myself, in the same way as I do for knit tops.

Pattern description

Shirt dress with stand collar, shirt style placket, pleated skirt and side seam pockets.

Fabric used

Stretch cotton gingham from Fabric.com.

Drafting details

I used my trusty Aldrich to draft the basic pattern for the bodice, based on my high bust measurement. This was then traced off and I made a FBA of 3.5cm (i.e. 7cm total), which was the difference between my high bust and full bust. As it turned out, this was too much, despite being true to measurements! It's ended up with the excess forming sort of pleats over my bust point (these are more exaggerated in the pictures on Wilma, as she is less well endowed than me. Even with a bra on). Further experimentation (unfortunately after I'd finished this dress), showed that only 2cm (4cm total) was much better. Weird.

The pattern was drafted by:

• Distributing the front suppression into one waist dart and two bust darts.
• Separating the front and back bodice into yokes and lower sections.
• Drafting a two piece stand collar, and a shirt-style placket front.
• Drafting a basic skirt, transforming it into an A-line skirt, and then slashing and spreading to give the pleats.

Construction details

Fairly standard construction for this, not much to say! I interfaced the collar with fusible tricot to add stability but keep the lightness, and stabilised the front pocket edges with selvedge. I chose to hand stitch the inside collar rather than topstitch or stitch-in-the-ditch. I like hand stitching.

However, I tried out the "burrito" method of sewing the yoke so that it was totally machine sewn and clean-finished. I thought it might be a bit fiddly, but it's totally super easy and looks great. The topstitching was done with my usual method of the stretch straight stitch on the machine. I think I need to fiddle with tensions slightly as this stitch has drawn up slightly on the more lightweight fabric. Hmm.

Would you sew it again?

Not an exact replica, but I do plan to sew some more shirt-dresses (slightly more autumn appropriate ones though). I'm pleased with the way the top half turned out (with the exception of the bust fit), so this was good practice.

Conclusion

A moderate success. The poor fit over the bust is sort of annoying, but I'm not sure if this is majorly noticeable to non-sewists (maybe I can get away with saying the pleats it forms are a design feature...?). The skirt pleats also sit a bit awkwardly for some reason, and the pockets are rather small.

On the positive side though, I'm really pleased with the yokes, collar and shirt styling. Sadly, this dress hasn't actually been worn yet (hence only the photos on Wilma), as I finished it up right at the end of summer. I wear dresses all throughout the year, but there's something about the gingham-ness of this that makes it very definitely scream SUMMER. I think I just need to find the right way of styling it with tights/cardie so that it is wearable before next year. Or maybe just go on holiday somewhere warm... Yeah, I like that idea.

Walking top(s)

My parents came to visit over the summer, and I went with them to central Switzerland to go hiking. I have been meaning for ages to make some suitable tops for exercise, so this seemed like a good opportunity.

Gathered raglan sleeve top

You may recognise this from my February Burda Challenge... I made the short sleeved version here to give my shoulders a bit of coverage in the sun, using a wicking fabric (from Fabric.com) for the front and back sections, and a slinky knit for the sleeves and neck band.

I wanted the neck band a little wider, to make the most of the contrast fabric, but this has made the band gape a bit at the front. This doesn't really bother me for a walking top, but if I wanted this effect again I guess the solution would be to make a separate piece for the neckline, rather than using a band. The hem and sleeve hems are turned up and stitched with a three-step zig-zag. Whilst not as RTW look as a coverstitch would be, it looks much better on this sort of fabric and style than a plain zig-zag or a twin needle.

This turned out really well. The contrast raglan sleeves look sporty, but the gathering keeps it "pretty" looking. The fabric is also much nicer to walk in than cotton, it dries really fast and doesn't show the sweat too much (yum). It has pilled a bit on the front from the chest strap of my rucksack, but other than that it has stood up well to a fair amount of use this summer.

Cowl neck sleeveless top

Whilst this isn't a wicking fabric, this rayon jersey is lovely to wear in warm weather (you may remember the dress I made from it last year), and doesn't get hot or sweaty. This top was originally intended as another walking top for the same holiday as the one above, but wasn't finished in time. When I did finish it, I found I liked it so much that it's been a regular wear instead!

It is self-drafted, with the cowl kept quite high to keep the sun off my chest. The back neckline and armscyes are finished with my usual method of serging on folded strips. I surprisingly don't have many photos of me wearing this, given how often I do wear it! In this photo I'm also wearing my new jeans skirt.