2014-04-07
2014-04-06
New knitting project
I wanted some hand work to do today, so I started this sweater in Wensleydale wool I got at the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival several years ago. It's from Spinning Flock Farm, but I don't think they sell it anymore. So far the 1x1 neckline ribbing looks good, better than the 2x2 that started off the previous sweater I tried with this yarn. I hope it will fit over my head; no way of knowing at the moment as it's on a 16" circular needle.
2014-04-05
Paillette buttons
One-hole paillettes can be used as buttons. I've used mother-of-pearl ones here:
You might check bead stores for this sort of thing (although I think these came from Farmhouse Fabrics).
I sewed each on with a clear seed bead, just big enough to keep it from falling off.
Of course, you could use something intentionally contrasting or showy, too. I'd tend to avoid anything much bigger than necessary, though, because it might start to get wobbly or let the thread show.
I sewed each on with a clear seed bead, just big enough to keep it from falling off.
2014-04-04
Ditching goal met for the year
Well, this month I've sorted out more than 40 clothing items to get rid of, so my goal of getting rid of two things for every one thing I sew is likely already met for the whole year, if I don't increase my output. I may get rid of even more once I feel like the season's definitely changed. There's nothing like having around 6' total closet space to focus the mind, although it's taken time for me to really notice just how much I wasn't using. Anyway, this means I might not be posting regularly about clothes-ditched-per-month for the rest of the year. I hope it also means I won't accumulate too many clothes again, though given my current lack of fitting insight, it's entirely possible there may be some wadders in my future.
2014-04-03
Roll line on single-layer boiled wool jacket
Here's the roll line on the Malmedy jacket I finished the other day.
Since this is a single-layer jacket (no lining, no facings), this is technically on the outside, but hidden when the shawl collar flips down (and because I ended the tape a bit above the breakpoint).
I used plain-weave fusible tape here. Normally I'd have used a non-fusible tape, but this is all I have in a dark color at the moment. It remains to be seen how well this will work long-term.
I cut it shorter than the flat measurement of the roll line (by, let's say, 1" total) and catchstitched it on, easing the fabric, thus the ripples you see creating shadows on the right edge. Then I steamed it a little, flipped the collar out along the roll line, and, from the inside, pressed LIGHTLY with a lot of steam to form the roll without it becoming too much of a sharp crease.
This way, the roll line stays pretty well established and I don't have to do too much fidding with it every time I put on the jacket.
I used plain-weave fusible tape here. Normally I'd have used a non-fusible tape, but this is all I have in a dark color at the moment. It remains to be seen how well this will work long-term.
I cut it shorter than the flat measurement of the roll line (by, let's say, 1" total) and catchstitched it on, easing the fabric, thus the ripples you see creating shadows on the right edge. Then I steamed it a little, flipped the collar out along the roll line, and, from the inside, pressed LIGHTLY with a lot of steam to form the roll without it becoming too much of a sharp crease.
This way, the roll line stays pretty well established and I don't have to do too much fidding with it every time I put on the jacket.
2014-04-02
Jacket
I might be done with one of the inventories I have to do before I move, which would mean I could start recombobulating things. I now have a great big heap of clothes that will not be going with me; it might be good to start over a bit.
On the Simplicity 1540 jacket, I've got the body preliminarily sewn together. I think I might be able to get away with taking in the back waist some, although I don't want to overdo it as this is outerwear. The shoulders look a touch wide; I think I remember a Patternreviewer or two mentioning this. I haven't decided what I'll do about that. I'm sure it was pointed out that the sleeves were wide at the wrist, so I cut the sleeve bands in size 6 and tapered the main sleeve piece to match. Aside from all that, the fit in front looks great. My pocket markings are very high, but that's because I shortened a lot above the waist. I might have to move them down.
On the Simplicity 1540 jacket, I've got the body preliminarily sewn together. I think I might be able to get away with taking in the back waist some, although I don't want to overdo it as this is outerwear. The shoulders look a touch wide; I think I remember a Patternreviewer or two mentioning this. I haven't decided what I'll do about that. I'm sure it was pointed out that the sleeves were wide at the wrist, so I cut the sleeve bands in size 6 and tapered the main sleeve piece to match. Aside from all that, the fit in front looks great. My pocket markings are very high, but that's because I shortened a lot above the waist. I might have to move them down.
2014-04-01
Works in progress
OK, so here's what the super sekr1t Patternreview challenge contest is going to be....
Seriously, though, this is what I'm actually working on: Simplicity 1540 (on their site or on PR). I'm very pleased with the pattern so far. It has a proper upper collar and undercollar, the latter cut on the bias with a CB seam. I suspect I might have to deal with more turn-of-cloth than the pattern intends, but we'll see. The collar shape itself looks very nice; the back has princess seams; and the front has both princess seams and princess darts. I do wish the sleeve were two-piece, with a less-symmetric cap, but it's far from the worst cap shape I've ever seen.
Since I shortened the entire upper chest, when I shortened the sleeve cap, I tried to err on the side of blending such that the front curve was scooped out more and the back built up a little. I'm also interfacing the top part of the patch pockets, and only the outer half-plus-a-little-bit-past-the-fold of the sleeve bands instead of the entire things. I'm leaving off the back tab, because I'll be using very round buttons and wouldn't want to lean back on one of them. I did cut enough pieces for two tabs, so I could use them as epaulettes or pocket tabs if I wanted.
Technically, that'll be my project to finish in the second half of April.
In other news, I may have finished the Malmedy jacket. I did an M-stitch around all the outer edges, and I decided to tape the roll line; otherwise I'd have to guess at where it's meant to be every time I put the jacket on. I still have to fix it up a little, but the tape does give a tangible edge to fold against. I don't know if the back armholes are entirely satisfactory, but it's just a question of whether to leave my deeper stitching in or not.
Seriously, though, this is what I'm actually working on: Simplicity 1540 (on their site or on PR). I'm very pleased with the pattern so far. It has a proper upper collar and undercollar, the latter cut on the bias with a CB seam. I suspect I might have to deal with more turn-of-cloth than the pattern intends, but we'll see. The collar shape itself looks very nice; the back has princess seams; and the front has both princess seams and princess darts. I do wish the sleeve were two-piece, with a less-symmetric cap, but it's far from the worst cap shape I've ever seen.
Since I shortened the entire upper chest, when I shortened the sleeve cap, I tried to err on the side of blending such that the front curve was scooped out more and the back built up a little. I'm also interfacing the top part of the patch pockets, and only the outer half-plus-a-little-bit-past-the-fold of the sleeve bands instead of the entire things. I'm leaving off the back tab, because I'll be using very round buttons and wouldn't want to lean back on one of them. I did cut enough pieces for two tabs, so I could use them as epaulettes or pocket tabs if I wanted.
Technically, that'll be my project to finish in the second half of April.
In other news, I may have finished the Malmedy jacket. I did an M-stitch around all the outer edges, and I decided to tape the roll line; otherwise I'd have to guess at where it's meant to be every time I put the jacket on. I still have to fix it up a little, but the tape does give a tangible edge to fold against. I don't know if the back armholes are entirely satisfactory, but it's just a question of whether to leave my deeper stitching in or not.
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