May: Project Sew My Style

It’s time for the latest installment of #sewmystyle.  Heads up guys, Jamie not happy!

This month’s make comes from CaliFaye.  It’s a simple skirt, simply named Pocket Skirt.  It is simple set of 6 rectangles and a 2 large pockets.  Simple right?  Are you starting to see my theme? Sometimes things aren’t as “simple” as they sound.

I knew immediately I wanted to make a grey version of this skirt.  Pretty much straight ripping off the picture on the site.  I figured it would go with a lot of the items I wear already and would be great for work.  I can fill those pockets to the brim when necessary.  I scored my fabric from Jo-Ann’s.  It’s a linen and rayon blend.  It so had me at the word “rayon”.  I’ve noticed when buying fabric that grey seems to be a 1 tone and you’re done kind of thing.  I usually want a darker shade but to no avail.  So much for there being 50 shades of it…

I put the pdf together quite quickly.  As I mentioned, there’s 6 rectangles and 2 of those are 1 pattern piece cut in duplicate.  I always cut the largest size first and then start determining what size I actually need.  With my measurements, it’s smaller on the top grading to larger for my behind. The measurements for this are whacky. I would be a medium in the waist (normal for me) and then a super duper large on the bottom.  Yowza… not normal.  My next thing to do is to look at the finished garment sizes… nope. Not understanding how you end up with those sizes when comparing to the measurements above.  Lastly, when I’m still unsure, I measure the pattern pieces themselves and do a bit of math.  Measure, remove seam allowances…. how the hell is this supposed to fit around anyone’s waist!?!?! I’m making the largest size and then chopping the hell out of it as I go.

Then being a good little sewist, I read the directions. Well sorta… I read the first 3 paragraphs twice didn’t understand, looked the pictures and said “Nope!”.  What the frick is going on here!?! This skirt looks so simple and everything is complicated as hell.  Oh and the kicker.  Totally didn’t notice that the skirt calls for not only elastic at the back (I was super excited about this. Comfy like sweatpants but not actually wearing sweatpants out and about) but it needs a zipper too.  Why oh why would you want to put those two together in a skirt? This seems like over kill.  Well, since I’m going to do whatever I feel like I’m negating that stupid zipper.  All this and I haven’t even cut any fabric. We’re starting off well.

I cut the largest size out. I knew the extra fabric was going to be gathered so when I slipped it on, the whole Weight Watchers “I’ve lost this much weight. Wow!” kind of thing was acceptable.  I put in some thread to gather the fabric.  Linen is a tough fabric and it doesn’t like to gather and by the time I end up gathering all of it, the skirt is going to be extremely poofy and poofy in areas I don’t need poof.  I automatically come with enough poof thank you very much.  Plus, when it was all gathered there was no way that my booty was going to be big enough to hold that up. i.e. I couldn’t get it to gather small enough.

Front with a twin rows of stitching

Back with a ridiculous amount of gathering. *sigh*

Long story short. I’ve ripped apart the skirt 4 times. I even had elastic sewed in the band so it didn’t flip and flop on me.  I’ll give myself a hand at this point and I took notes the whole time on how much of the fabric I ended up cutting off the skirt sides. I even made new, longer waistband pieces and hacked at them a bit too.  I’m going to take all that mess and make new pattern pieces. I don’t really know why I’m going to go to all the trouble now that I think about it.  I’m not sure if I’m ever going to make this pattern again.

But, OH, the pockets!  I love pockets and these are huge!

All in all the skirt came out okay.  (I think my face tells a different story) I’m not pleasantly surprised like some of my sews go.  It looks really dark and grim, then an amazing something happens and it’s sunshine and rainbows.  Nope. Not here.  I gave myself two evenings to finish this; after work and before my early bedtime.  That should have been ample time.  BUT NO! I had to work on it Saturday morning.  Finished, promptly folded it and put it to the side. Done…

Doesn’t it look like I have on baggy boxers?  Oh the horror!  I swear my butt is nowhere close to eating the fabric.  It just lays something awful. I’m thinking about ripping it apart again… I obviously didn’t even care to iron the thing.

Not bad from the front and sides though right? I feel this is my contemplation face. I did take more pics but let’s just not put ourselves through that.

I’m a little worried guys. Another CaliFaye pattern is on the #sewmystyle list.  I think it’s only a few months away.  I’m really hoping to not have the same bad sewing experience.  I sew for fun not because I “have to” and man did this one feel like a “have to”.

In a Jiffy

Disclaimer: I’m using a new photo editing software. If my pics are funny colors, I apologize. We’re still getting to know each other.

I know repeatedly I’ve said that I’m stash busting this year. My goal was to only buy fabric for the #sewmystyle projects.  I did so good until a few weeks ago. I needed denim for flares that are listed on my #2017makenine. I may have bought a bit of other fabric while I was at it.  One of those fabric was a blue sweater knit. I needed a plain blue top to go with a skirt I made a few years back. (unclogged and my first sew on my serger) I have a long sleeve sweater but it’s not appropriate for summer.

I decided to revisit a pattern that created a fail in a previous life. Simplicity 1364 which is a vintage Jiffy pattern. I did a lot of measuring before deciding on make a size 10 and grade to a 12. I really should have made an 8 and grade to a 10. That’s pretty typical for me. I’ll explain why in a bit.

When they advertise “jiffy” damn do they mean it! It has a front, back and facing for the neck.  There are a couple darts on the front but other than that I used my serger for everything. When you can park in front of one machine, everything goes so fast! Granted there was some top stitching. Not sure if that was part of the instructions or not. I didn’t actually read them at all. When you have three whole pieces, are instructions really necessary? I believe not!

As I mentioned, I cut a 10. I shouldn’t have. The knit is forgiving so I could afford to go smaller. And honestly, if I would have flashed back to my previous version, I would have remember that it’s huge on me. Oh well. I ran the top through the serger to shave off the sides a bit more. I also added a small band at the bottom. I didn’t want the bottom to continuously try to roll up which light weight knits tend to want to do. I cut a 3″ wide rectangle the length of the shirt’s bottom circumference. I folded that guy in a half and sergered it on. I did topstitch the sewn edge to the body of the top. I’m determined that there shall be no roll! After trying it on with my skirt, I could have left off the band and turned up some of the length. It does seem a little long.

I think it turned out well. The neckline is a boat neck and I prefer a crew style but whatever. It works! It’s plain and looks cute with my skirt. Everything I was aiming for.

It also looks pretty good with jeans too.  I may need to make more of these.  Pieces that I can wear to work and still want to wear on the weekends are a must. That post went by in a Jiffy too.

Me-Made-May 2017 Part One

We’ve made it halfway through Me-Made-May guys!  I’ve decided to participate a little differently this year.  I’m still taking morning pics everyday but I’m not included in them.  I found the whole “let’s look perky/semi-pretty” at 6 something in the morning absolutely dreadful.  I’ve seen other people take pics of their clothes only.  Genius!  The other change I’m making is, only doing a couple blog posts about the festivities.  Usually I do a weekly round-up but I’m not feeling it this year.  I do love Me-Made-May but it was requiring too much time and concentration.  I’ve become very lazy… who we kidding. I’ve always been lazy! I just found a better way to lazy-it-up.

Without further ado… my first half of ME MADE MAY!

Day One & Two:

• Polka Dot Simplicity 1425 peplum top and RTW black pants
• Multi-color Colete Sorbetto and RTW grey pants

Day Three & Four:

• Floral Bridgetown Dress from Sew House 7
• Briar Tee by Megan Nielsen

Day Five & Six:

• Floral skirt Butterick 5613 and RTW green sweater
• Butterick 5526 Blurple popover and RTW sorts

Day Seven & Eight:

• Sew House 7 floral Toaster Sweater, RTW jeans and tank
• Vogue 9001 maxi dress

Day Nine & Ten:

• Blackout Colette Sorbetto and RTW skirt I hacked about 8″ from.
• Jamie-Made capris and RTW tank top

Day Eleven & Twelve:

• Sewaholic Thurlows in a light-weight denim and RTW bright pink tank
• Butterick 5526 popover and Jamie Jeans by Named Patterns. Ultimate fav outfit!

Day Thirteen & Fourteen:

• Victory Simone top and RTW capris turned shorts
• Butterick 5526 and RTW jeans

Day Fifteen:

• Refashioned jeans to maxi skirt and RTW scarf and t-shirt.

Well that brings us up to speed.  I do have to say that this year I don’t feel as challenged to pick out a new outfit everyday.  I think my army of Jamie-Mades has grown quite considerably and is making my me-made-everyday a reality.  I’ve really been enjoying checking out everyone’s clothes via Instagram.  You can check me out daily at @Jamie_L_Mac.