S9776: Super cute, but not yet wearable muslin

Inspired by the PR class "More Knits", I made a muslin of a stretch lace tank with FOE neckline/armhole finish that continued into straps.  The fabric is from my spring fabric bender shopping with Elizabeth in San Diego.  I was originally going to make KID MD's raglan sleeved shirt with lace front overlay but after making the mini-tank for the PR class, the tank won.

It's adorable.
But it's not yet wearable.
Do you know why?

The front "point" is way too far over toward my arms.   I need to move it over toward my center, and it needs some armhole scooping if I'm going to keep the strap length the same. The FOE is irritating my skin at the point, because of the strap placement and strap length, I'm pretty sure.

Above I used chalk to draw the line where I'm going to do some muslin surgery. I think I can make this a wearable muslin.

Yes, this pattern is for knits and it has darts!  I know!  and a center back seam!  I know!

I'm going to fix that swayback too... (and yes, I bought wonder clips. I know!  I read a post about the pros/cons of wonder clips and binder clips.  I decided to give wonder clips a try).


My black eyed susans.
My female pumpkin flower never opened and now the baby pumpkin is shriveling up.
Not a good year for pumpkins in my backyard.  Last year was a miracle and I enjoyed every minute of being a pumpkin mama.

It's still summer!!
Be well!

B4789: The final post: Hems.

I'm still coming off the high that is MPB Day.... Thanks for your comments--it is really fun to read them!

I promise, this is the final post on B4789.   I wanted to write a bit about the hems.

The pattern calls for narrow hems on the neckline and sleeves.  I don't know who does narrow hems on knits (where you fold twice and stitch it down...) but it's not me.  For the neckline, I folded it over 5/8" and stitched it down.  Not elegant, not traditional, but it worked.




Hemming the sleeves was really tricky.  Probably using a binding is the way to go. I folded it over but couldn't be consistent about it, as that armhole curve is very sharp.  I decided to just fold it over the distance the fabric wanted to be folded over, and not worry about it.    It's not like anyone is inspecting seams at my armpit. 
Also, I love these sleeves--what are they officially called?  They are actually just an extension of the shoulder seam and not sewn-in sleeves...any idea?


The dress was waaaay too long on me as a muslin--it was approaching mid-calf length.

I cut 4" off the pattern pieces before cutting the real deal, and was really careful as I did so---but somehow the front wound up shorter than the back.  I basically pinned the hem while the dress was on my dressform to try to get it to be even all the way around.  It is a little shorter in the front than in the back, but not as significant as it was.


I used my stretch twin needle for hemming.  I feel like the stretch twin needle has been getting a bad rap in the sewing community lately and am thinking of writing a post entitled "In Defense of the Stretch Twin Needle".  Anyone interested??  It would also be an update of my 2010 post "Success with Twin Needle Stitching"



Overall I really liked the pattern and was glad to have finally made it.  Kathy's version on Spottedroo was the inspiration for me making it--thanks Kathy!  (I'm ultra impressed with your chevron matching!)

I finished the "More Knits"  class on PR.  Yay!  Here's the project for that class (a mini-tank top to get practice using FOE).  It's adorable and I want to make one me-sized.  Highly recommend both of the knits classes on PR, and will write reviews of both classes before the week is out.

Here is my first female pumpkin flower of the season....it is budding up.  I'm a little worried.  The vines have been producing mad amounts of male flowers, but now that the female flower is gearing up, there are only two male buds left and they look like they are going to open days before the female.   Hmmm...


The formatting of the arrows and the text got messed up here, but you get the idea!

Be well!

MPB Day 2013 recap

I. had. SO. much. FUN!
MPB Day was a blast (and that was without gunshots this year.)

I got there for the 11am visit to the FIT museum, to see the RetroSpective exhibit.  First we stopped for pictures on the red carpet (ok, next to the red carpet) in the lobby of the FIT museum.

We started as 25 strong but this group grew throughout the day.    I'd say a third of attendees were MPB Day alums.
 
The exhibit was small, the talking was loud, and pictures were prohibited.  I met one of my blog followers, Mary, and we hit it off instantly.  We were joined at the hip for the rest of the day.  For someone I had never met before, we had so much to talk about!

Lunch was at Panera, and the pattern swap was on...
 
Then it was time to hit the garment district.   Half of us followed Clio and her purple hair to Mood.
Here's Mary and the delight that is the knits aisle at Mood Fabrics

Me and my first love, I mean, the double knits section at Mood Fabrics


Suzanne saw Sandro (yes Sandro!), Uli and another PR alum during our visit there.  I saw lots of fabric.

Then it was a blur:  SIL Thread, Spandex House, Pacific Trimming,  Chic Fabrics.

Express your love with rhinestones (Pacific Trimming)
 
Random truck (follow the jaywalking ladies on the left to SIL)

Mary and moi posing with the mannequin at Chic Fabrics

The day wound up at Bryant Park for show and tell (this is maybe a third of the group):
Me and Mr MPB himself!

I'm wearing M6078 (polka dot cowl top), NL6843 skirt, and the bag is S8331.  I'm even wearing my own undies, but I didn't flash anyone. 

Then Mary was going back to the train station but she readily agreed to procure doughnuts from Doughnut Plant first.  I don't think I'd ever noticed the carrot doughnut before...or the banana one for that matter.


And then she agreed to take a later train so we could have dinner at Brgr (no need for vowels!)

On the right is their "shake shot": 5oz of milkshake. Clever idea.

Thanks for coming with me back to Chelsea, Mary! It was so fun getting to know you!

As far as what I bought, I only went $66 over budget.  You know that bag that everyone made for the Super Online Sewing Match?  I want to make it.  I bought the swivel clips, webbing, D-rings, and had a zipper custom cut at Pacific Trimming (which is the BEST---they cut it on the balcony upstairs and then attach it to the end of a rope and lower it down to you while the guy yells out "zipper"...wish I took a pic of that).  Only $1 to cut it to the right length.  (The fabric is some kind of vinyl I bought in June at Kashi's with velosewer).


Zippers, piping, FOE from SIL Thread and Pacific Trimming:

All the fabric is from Mood except for the navy silk charmeuse from Chic:

Ivory silk organza (for the PR class on garment cloning, and a bit extra to use as a press cloth);
Navy Silk charmeuse
Black cotton and silk voile
Tan cotton jersey
Silver acetate and polyamide in center.

What I picked out of the pattern swap.  I *love* that Vogue pattern!!!  And am interested in the knit shirt on the right.


Thank you Peter for providing another opportunity for the sewing community to join together--see you next year!!