Project Details

Pattern: Butterick 4865
Description: Unlined raglan sleeve jacket has collar, sleeve and length variations.
Fabric: olive/black wool blend tweed
Notions: eight 1 3/8" buttons

As you see, I'm quite smittened with these cropped jackets. It really doesn't get "coat-cold" here until around January, so I'll get a lot of wear out of these jackets for the next couple of months. I sewed this jacket last week, I've just now found the time to photograph it. This jacket is a combination of views C & D. This is a Butterick Fast & Easy pattern and it was. I made this jacket before I did the previous one and it did not come with instructions for a lining and I didn't quite understand how to make it work so I just used a Hong Kong seam finish.

View C required six buttons, but I used eight (six on the outside and two inside). I couldn't really find buttons that accessorized the fabric well so I decided to cover plain black buttons with leftover fabric. I decided to use this tutorial to make fleurchon type of button cover a la Angela Keslar of PR. I went ahead and made the belt from view D to have the option of wearing it belted or not.

Pattern: McCall's 5007 - View A
Description: Short, boxy jacket with princess seams, 3/4 length sleeves and collar variations.
Fabric:
black stretch corduroy
lining - blk/wht polka dot charmeuse
Notions: four 1 1/8" buttons, four sew-on snaps
Skirt: Zigzag Skirt

This little jacket is McCall's version of the Elie Tahari Elsa Jacket from his Spring 2005 Collection. This was a very easy pattern, the instructions were very well written and illustrated and the lining went in quite smoothly. I decided to use a corduroy and line it with a polka dot charmeuse that I found on the $2.00/yard table at Wal-Mart.

The collar on this jacket is amazingly well drafted. The upper collar is slightly larger than the lower collar, and it attached beautifully. I fused the entire front sections to give the jacket a more tailored look. I topstitched and added the buttons. The jacket sewed so beautifully that I couldn't bare cutting buttonholes, so I used four sew-on snaps, like the Tahari jacket instead.

I love the look of this jacket, the vintage styling. I plan on getting a lot of wear out of this jacket this Fall.

I bought this pattern because I thought that it was a really cute top, but I had no idea of what fabric I was going to use so it just sat in my collection for a while. A few weeks ago while out window shopping, I stopped into Anthropologie and saw all of the beautiful lace wear they have in their Fall collection and was inspired to make something similar.

This pattern completely lives up to it's name -- "Fast & Easy"! I cut and sewed this top in like 2 hours! I modified View A, by omitting the bias tape that should have been sewn to the waistline of the top that would incase the lace ties. I wanted to be able to belt the top and have option on what type of belt to wear. Since the top is lace, I also omitted the facings and the fusible interface. I used the lace guide pattern piece to cut the scalloped edge from the fabric to use as the trim around the neckline and voila, it was done!

Pants

Pattern: Butterick 4861-View D
Description: Straight-legged, below mid-knee pants or wide-legged gaucho, below mid-calf or evening length have waistband and mock fly.
Fabric: light-weight black and white wool blend tweed
Notions: two 3/4" buttons; 7" zipper

Also while in Anthropologie, they had a great pair of wide-legged gauchos with wide cuff, so I was inspired to do a pair of those too. I never really saw an exact pattern for the style I wanted, and since this pattern was really quick and easy, I decided to just modify it. I used View D, which are the pants, cut off 3" inches on the legs. On the wrong side, I made a 4" wide hem and on the right side, I did a 3" cuff and tacked it down on the seam lines. Also, on the waistband, I added an inside button. Another great "Fast & Easy" pattern.

The October Magknits is up. Must give shout-out to Saun for the very cute Susy Tunic and honorable mention to Whitewater Wristwarmers.

Also, the Vogue Knitting holiday preview is up. These grabbed my attention:


This sweater could be cute, but I hate where the ribbing stops. Why would the designer stop it at nipple level?


Can you ever have to many twin sets? I'm thinking not... wear it now with the cardi and by itself for warm weather.

I want this dress... bad! It's really simple, with a scoop neck and an a-line skirt.

Here is a similar style worn by Beyonce

First of all, I'd like to thank you all for the kind birthday greetings. Friday, the DH took me to a nice, casual dinner at The Cheesecake Factory. Sometimes, it's just great to get away from the kiddies and have adult conversations that don't include children's issues or bills... can I get an Amen? We've been kinda slacking off on our usual date night and the kids end up always tagging along... yeah, that's gonna come to an end!

For my birthday, I like to receive money so that I can do what I want to do with it. Would you like to take a wild guess as to what I spent it on? Gosh, you guys are so smart! That's right -- fabric and patterns!

This is a series I'm doing where I'm sewing basic wardrobe pieces, you know, the kind that if you ran to the mall you'd pick up. The first is a pair of wide leg pants. Since I'm revolting against all things skinny, I made these:

This Vogue Basic Design (rated easy) pattern is a mock fly, slightly flared pants with yoke waistband, side seam pockets with hem variations -- I did a regular hem. It's sized from 6-22, I cut my normal pattern size 16, which is equivalent to the R.T.W. size 12 I would normally buy. The instructions were quite simple, to the point that most of the time I didn't even read them. I would ONLY recommend that if you've sewn pants before.

What I like most about this pattern is that it came real close to looking like the Marc by Marc Jacobs wide leg pants that I've been craving that retail for $278.00. From the illustration, I thought that the waistband was going to be a lot higher than it was and I was prepared to make an adjustment but it was perfect -- they have a 10" rise! I did have to shorten the zipper from 7" to 5" so that it would fit properly. They look a little different from the pattern envelope because it's a line drawing and who looks like that anyway? I like the way the pants fit in the back. If you've watched any fashion segments or T.V. programs such as "What Not To Wear" (both versions BBC America and TLC), or read fashion magazines, you know that the wider the yoke, the smaller your butt looks and wider legs balance out hips. I'm all for illusions!

What I didn't like is that they are indeed a "mock fly". I failed to read that part prior to purchase. Mental note: R.I.F. (Reading Is Fundamental). This isn't a big problem, just personal preference. I thought the "naked" zipper made the pants look cheap, so I fully lined them, which I feel makes everything hang better.

In conclusion, I would/will probably make another pair, one of the cuff versions because I really like these Rebecca Taylor pants. I read a couple of reviews on PatternReview.com and one was very negative, so you always have to trust your own judgement and know your body and what looks good on you.

This is a "Vogue Easy Options" pattern that is sized from 4 - 20. I did Version E which has 8 pieces. As you know, my first attempt on this dress was in a small glenplaid pattern that was very difficult to match at the seams and darts, so I decided on the black wool to give my version a more authentic look.


Be prepared to do a lot of hightighting because the instructions jump all over 6 pages. This pattern starts out very easy with the construction of the front and back bodice pieces. Next is the "flange" (shoulder part connected to the sleeve). The flange and back bodice pieces all matched perfecty. The confusion started when it was time to connect the flange to the front bodice. Read that part very carefully. Next was the bodice lining. This dress was only suppose to lined just in the bodice, which didn't make sense to me, so I lined the whole dress. I omitted the part for finishing the lining and moved on to the sleeves.

The sleeves has a gathered/ruched detail that gives them the "puff" look. The sleeves are lined and have a slit opening. Once it was time to do the gathers, I didn't have any marking go by (make your markings on the rightside!) so I had to wing it. Hey, it looks good to me! Oh, almost forgot: I did topstitching around all edges because from what I could see on the original designer dress, there was some sort of topstitching or edgestitching. I also stitched down the flange to the bodice because once I tried it on, there was a LOT of gaping right there. All of my darts and seams matched perfectly and from this point on, the instructions are smooth sailing.


I fell in love with this dress the first time I saw it in a magazine and I never wanted to settle for one of the cheap knock-off versions. I also love the vintage 40s styling... when I put it on, I feel like I'm channeling Lena Horne or Dorothy Dandridge. I recommend this pattern to anyone who wants something other than a basic sheath. I enjoyed sewing this dress because I got to attach a lining to a dress with an invisible zipper and a slit. I would sew this one again... possible the sleeveless, sweetheart neckline in a lightweight fabric (i.e. linen) for Spring.