Sunday, July 19, 2015

Donna Karan Shirt


TOC:

Donna Karan shirt, Vogue 1440

When this Donna Karan pattern came out last spring, I liked this top very much.

Mostly, that is.

From the front, it looks like a fairly traditional button down, sleeveless shirt. But from behind...

...it's fabulous!

Except that I don't wear sleeveless tops that require a racerback bra.

Then Margy told me about Sleevey Wonders. A Sleevey Wonder is a sleeved version of a dickey.

Brilliant!

I bought a long-sleeved Sleevey Wonder in black jersey. At some point, I'll probably get another or two in different fabrications, because I really like it!

Thanks to my Sleevey Wonder, I decided to forge ahead and make the Donna Karan shirt, though there were a few alterations I wanted to make. The basic shape of the shirt is close-fitting through the bust, but then flares to an a-line silhouette. This is not a shape I like on my body, so I made some changes:

  • Removed the a-line shaping to make it more straight.
  • Nipped it in about 2" at the waist.
  • Did an FBA to increase the bust, but removed the long darts from the hem.
  • Did not want a hidden button placket, so converted it to a regular button front.
  • Made the back yoke from an ikat fabric.
  • Didn't want to cover the ikat yoke with the bands, so I finished the yoke differently: instead of bands, I cut a yoke lining from the same pattern piece. Also sewed the sleeve bands to the inside.
  • Reinforced the collar with crescent-shaped, crisp interfacing, and channel stitching to help it stand up, as shown in this post.
Inside of completed back yoke

When cutting the ikat, I placed the collar stand on the cross grain. You can just make out the channel stitching on the under collar.

This fabric, from my stash, is a novelty voile—it's quite thin. I took the next photo in the late afternoon with the sun streaming through. I purchased the ikat in Portland last spring.

I thought that this fabric is the same one I used in this tie front top, but they are actually different. This one has differently sized "dots" and has no metallic.

Do I like this top?

It's ok. I think it's a bit bland from the front—there's just so.much.black. I like it better from behind.

Vogue 1440


Meet Bella!

I am not typically into vintage sewing machines though, technically, I sew every day with a vintage machine. My mother purchased my Bernina 930 brand new in the mid '80s. She purchased it for herself, but I inherited it just a few years later. Anyway, I'm not one of those people who gets excited by vintage Singers, though my very first sewing machine was a very old Singer that had been converted to use electricity.

As a kid, I desperately wanted my own sewing machine and I started saving for one. The Christmas that I was 11, my mother took my savings, matched them, and bought me a used Singer. I was so happy to have my own machine, but there was one little problem. When I would sew, if my right hand or arm were at all exposed, I would get shocked. I had to wear sleeves when sewing and be very careful, because if the sleeve crept up my right hand even a tiny bit... ZZZAP.

I didn't stop sewing, because I was determined, but it was a huge annoyance.

That machine is long gone, so I can't even look up what model it was.

Despite my lack of interest in vintage machines, last January I made the decision to buy a Featherweight. Back when I was into quilting, I had a Featherweight. Later, when I thought I was done with sewing, I gave it away. Yes, I gave.it.away. <sigh>

I wanted a Featherweight for the buttonholes, particularly the key-shaped buttonholes. On eBay I bought the buttonhole attachment and I even snagged the coveted, and rare, eyelet template.

I also bought a Singer 221 and sent it off to be painted.

I mailed my machine, insured and well packed, off to Gerald Holmes in Arkansas to be painted Candy Apple red. Gerald uses automotive paints, which works great for these old cast iron machines.

It was an interesting experience. The turnaround on the paint job was 4 months—I knew in advance that it would be several months, as he has quite a backlog, and illness and an injury caused further delays. Gerald did an excellent job, but he is not highly communicative, and he doesn't seem to know about postal tracking—when he mailed the machine back, I had no idea of when it might arrive or whether it was insured.

It was a nail-biting time.

When it arrived, I opened it gingerly and discovered some minor damage—the thread spindle had snapped off in transit. When I contacted Gerald, he immediately rectified the problem, which was a huge relief.

I'm in love.

I've never been into cars, either, but now I get those guys who lovingly polish their vintage cars, because that's how I feel about Bella. I mean, I don't typically name my machines, but this one is special.

So it was a great experience, all in all! (Though I still haven't used it to make buttonholes!)


Yukata

As you may have noticed, a huge trend right now in RTW is the kimono-style cardigan or jacket. This morning I received an email from Uniqlo and was surprised to see that they are selling women's yukata—lightweight cotton kimonos.

The yukata come in only one size. I was mesmerized by the videos they provide—one on how to wear (and size) the yukata, and the other on how to tie the included obi.

I am thinking I might buy one of these. It could be fun to wear it (as a robe, sans obi) while swanning around the house.


I've actually just finished another garment for Britex, all except for some snaps—I can't locate my stash of snaps. I'm also eager to get started on an interesting piece of fabric I have from Marcy. In fact, I should get off the computer while I have the light.

Have a great week!

66 comments:

  1. Love your "new" machine! Sleevy Wonders - neat idea. Oh, nice blouse, too. ;-)

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  2. What a beauty...the shirt and Bella! Ikat is just so special and even using it is small sections makes such an impact!

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    1. Thanks, Mrs Mole! I agree, though I do wish I could enjoy it on the front. ;)

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  3. LOVE the shirt - I had no idea it was layered!!!

    But then I got sidetracked....by Bella.... I'm coming over to visit her!!!!! And fondle her. And just flat out admire her. Congratulations!!!

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    1. Thanks, Jilly! Hmmmm.... You'll have to check your bags at the door. ;)

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  4. AH, Ikat, Sleevy Wonders, how could I NOT love it?

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    1. Thanks for that great recommendation, Margy!

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  5. Your shirt is definitely a show stealer from behind, I love the unexpectedness of the Ikat, and the sleevy wonders work really well. I made something similar to the U neck version years ago for a holiday where it was hot but sleeves were required for cultural reasons. I also had a pair of detachable long sleeves for temple visits, but the different sleevy designs extend the versatility even more. Must keep this in mind, as it creates possibilities for racerback styles... and Bella is aptly named, so beautiful!!!

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    1. Very clever, Dilliander, to make something so versatile! It's good to hear from you!

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  6. The blouse is lovely! The back is especially nice! And the red machine - wow. Too good to use :)

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    1. Thanks, Vicki! Yes, I fear it might be too beautiful to use!

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  7. What a wonderful paint job on your Featherweight!!! Today at a flea market I saw one painted lavender, although it did not have that shiny candy glow. If I had your shirt, I would practice walking backwards so the first view would be of that magnificent back!!!

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    1. LOL, Claire! Yes, it's tempting to collect them in different colors! I must be wary of that temptation!

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  8. The shirt is great! The machine is amazing in that color, it matches my car!

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    1. Thanks, gnittingknam! Come to think of it, it's similar to the color of my car, too!

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  9. I will never get rid of my various Singers as they DO make the best buttonholes. You might be surprised to find some of the buttonhole makers at garage sales, I confess I now have a hoard of 4 of them since a couple of years ago I dropped one and it came apart. to my dismay I can't get it back together. so now I have the spares. and the various cams. you will love it. also i have all the instructions if you need - play with the stitch width for different looks and on different fabrics. Nice shirt although I'm with you - it was not interesting enough to purchase the pattern but you have made it so.

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    1. Thanks, Beth! In full disclosure, I think I have 3 buttonhole attachments, now. Maybe four. ;)

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  10. I liked that shirt on another blog and yours has just convinced me I need a shirt in that style.
    Your new Singer is a gem. I have two, one hand crank and one treadle, just for fun. They really do make fabulous buttonholes with the attachment. My Pfaff is nowhere near as good - or as dependably uniform.
    I watched the Uniqlo videos and loved them. I have a very old kimono type robe that my MIL gave me. It is wonderful for 'swanning', and I must replace it before it falls apart. Cue trip to Uniqlo -or should I make a replacement?

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    1. Yes, I haven't bought one of those yukata, yet. I could make one, but don't really have much of that sort of fabric.

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  11. Thanks for sharing info about Sleevy Wonder! I love this pattern but because of aging arms, I don't wear sleeveless much. This is perfect solution. Your use of the contrast fabric for yoke is nice design idea. Really like the top!

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    1. Yup, I'm the same! That shirt would be far too revealing for me, otherwise. Thanks!

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  12. First, whoever came up with the name "Sleevey Wonder" is a marketing genius! Love the concept and how it gave the op to make your DK top. It looks really cute.

    That machine is BEAUTIFUL! My green monster has totally revived looking at it. It will make buttonhole making a spiritual experience. Enjoy!

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    1. LOL. I agree, the Sleevey Wonder folks are pretty smart! I've actually recommended to a local boutique that they should carry those!

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  13. Oh this is a fantastic shirt Shams. I love everything about it and who would have thought of wearing it with a "thingy" underneath !! And that vintage machine. Holy Cow!!!!

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  14. Love the shirt and the changes you made to it. I've never heard of Sleevey's but they seem very convenient. Love love love Your machine and I never thought to paint them. I have one and may have to do that too :)

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    1. I wonder if Gerald will have an onslaught of inquiries! Thanks, Ann!

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  15. I do like the back of your shirt a lot, especially how you've accented it with the ikat. The other fabric is marvelous, too.

    The Singer is a beauty. I would name her, too! Makes me wish I had one. I also sew on a Bernina 930, and was disappointed with the buttonholes. For years I only made bound buttonholes or hand worked buttonholes until I found a Griess buttonholer on eBay. Now buttonholes are so easy! Mine came with a larger keyhole cam, but I am on the lookout for a smaller one.

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    1. Thanks, Su-z! I did not know that I could use a Singer or Griest attachment on a 930. Any particular model? This is intriguing! (Though I am pretty happy with the buttonholes on my 930, but it can't do keyhole.)

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  16. I do like your blouse, but understand about so much black....the back, however, is GREAT! Your Bella is FABULOUS! I have two Featherweights right now....one may need a paintjob!

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  17. That shirt looks lovely, seriously better than what I managed to come up with from the same pattern!

    And I'm glad you finally got your sewing machine back! It does look absolutely great.

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    1. Nooooo, I don't believe that, Laura. But, thanks!

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  18. WOW! It would never have occurred to me to get a machine painted, but yours looks wonderful! I love the blouse, as well.

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    1. I've been wanting to do it for years, Claudine. In fact, the first gentleman I was going to use for the paint job went on "hiatus" and I waited for over a year, but he never came back! So I just googled and found Gerald.

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  19. I love the blouse....immaculate construction as always. But I'm in love with Bella. I've often thought about having a machine sprayed but it always seemed slightly sacrilegious. Now, I'm converted. She's beautiful.

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    1. Thanks, pendlestitches! Yes, I know that it is a sacrilege to some but, believe me, never was a machine more loved or tenderly babied.

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  20. Bella is absolutely gorgeous! How lucky you are to have her--I'm sure she will love collaborating with you! I saw your reference on Stitcher's Guild to a "hole-y" fabric from Marcy Tilton. Did you get a piece of that tweedy hole-y knit she just had in? I snagged a piece of that myself and am imagining the possibilities; just haven't decided yet. Can't wait to see what you come up with. You always create amazing things with amazing fabrics!

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    1. Thanks, MarcyF! NO, I didn't get that one! I saw it on her site, for the blink of an eye. It is GORGEOUS! My fabric was up for several days in two colorways. It's a knit with LOTS of holes. I've decided what I want to do with it, but I'm going to have to modify a pattern to get there. Fun fun! :D

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  21. The blouse is beautiful, Sharon. Thanks for the sleevy wonders info.

    FYI, Tom Trebotich of the Twice Nice Shoppe in Fremont sells the same Featherweights in various car paint colors. He's been doing this for years and they're as gorgeous as yours. Tom is a retired mechanical engineer who specializes in repairing vintage machines he works out of his home. I highly recommend him.

    Now, for me, must find a sleevy wonder. :)

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    1. Wow, THANKS for that info, Lozzen! I had no idea! I bought my Sleevey Wonder through the link I provided in the post. Thanks again!

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  22. oh, what a racy machine! Quite the upgrade from the beige singer on which so many of us no doubt learned to sew ;) fantastic!

    That shirt is perfect! You know there is a very similar fabric at stone mountain, i've been eyeing it every time i go there the past few months but it stumps me constantly....i think you're even more brilliant for solving the riddle of this fabric which has had me flummoxed for so long!

    I've seen various types of sleeves and keep thinking i should make some...but it just gets so hot here everyone goes sleeveless and darn the consequences! Your set looks *smashing* with that blouse.

    Yukatas are just the thing for around the house (and you can use the sleeves as pockets if they're deep enough, sew up some of the extra).

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    1. Thanks, Stephanie! Good to know that they have similar fabric at Stone Mountain! I don't get over there too often. :)

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  23. Oh wow! Who *wouldn't* crave and cherish beautiful Bella? SO cherry .. ;) Reminds me of the PioneerWoman's painted KitchenAid mixers she awards to lucky posters ..

    http://thepioneerwoman.com/homeandgarden/2015/05/pretty-red-mixer-giveaway/

    Really custom painted
    http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2014/12/weekend-mixer-giveaway/

    Love your special touches on the blouse .. thank you for the interesting channel
    stitching collar technique .. saved it. Have you thought about adding some "Margy"
    red accents to the front? Tiny bias trim, buttons, collar corner studs, red pocket or
    pocket trim to spark the front? It surely doesn't need it to make it more super than it
    is .. I bet if you put on a longer version of your red and black ball necklace, it could
    add the interest you might like.

    And talk about synchronicity .. I'm in the middle of drafting of a looooong post to you on SG about the Greist with the 930, and my struggles, successes, stress with it,
    and as i continue sweating and fiddling with it, I may still post to that thread as I've
    found a quite a bit of further info about the combo. BTW, mine is the #1 Greist model, as recommended in this list.on PatternReview:

    http://sewing.patternreview.com/cgi-bin/sewingclasses/board.pl?t=46553

    My latest obstacle is that, even though I can make a gorgeous keyhole going around once, when I continue the process for the 2nd time for a more pronounced look, and even though the needle is always inside the boundaries of that finger, the needle is striking something and breaking just before it completes. I'm stumped and frustrated trying to figure out what it's hitting. Could it be the bobbin case below? Is the needle too long, are there shorter needles? Yup .. stumped.

    But now, you're in the pink .. err red! You're going to be making gorgeous buttonholes and eyelets .. ENJOY ..so happy for you! You'll be polishing and shining
    that baby up just like the car guys .. LOL. She is truly so dreamy!

    ~Joy~

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    1. Thanks, Joy, for all this information! I clicked on those links of the pretty mixers. I have a boring white KitchenAid (I bought before I got married, so it's quite old). I'm not sure I'd paint it, though, as it's already a bear to clean and might stress me out if it was all gorgeous and then got spattered with some concoction.

      I also checked the link with the info on the Griest buttonhole attachments. I may not have the right one for my Bernina. I have the one that works on the Featherweight. I also have a slanted shank Singer attachment that I bought by accident. ;)

      Also, did you see that Su-z left a comment earlier that she also uses the Griest on her 930? I think it's worth following up with her to see if she has more tips! Her blog is http://madamesewandsew.blogspot.com.

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  24. Buttonholes are my nemesis. So I'm thinking maybe I "need" one of those machines. Ha. Yours is beautiful. The color name "Candy" apple red definitely fits! Love your top; the fabric, and the combo thereof. Just looking at the pattern pic, I would have dismissed this pattern as totally "not me": the racer-back. But your artistic creation opens up some inspirational ideas for me. Great post!

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  25. Love this top, and the pattern but had figured I'd never wear it. Your version is fabulous!. I'm going to have to check out the Sleevey Wonders.

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  26. Shams, I love your RED featherweight. It turned out wonderfully. I am surprised to hear about the buttonholes, because I thought featherweights only did a straight stitch. Am I missing something?

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    1. Hey, Nancy! You can buy a buttonhole attachment that sews BEAUTIFUL buttonholes. They come with little cams, or templates, and some of them create a keyhole shape. If you search on youtube, you will see lots of videos that show how.

      In fact, here's a sample of one, chosen at random (there are many more):
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XlkM_FOQos

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  27. Hi, Shams, I don't know how blogging works from the blogger's point of view but I noticed that your blog list doesn't update for days at a time. Do you have to manually update the list and just get too busy to do it? For instance, as I write this it is 9:36 am on 7.25.15. Gayle Ortiz's listing on your blog list said it was updated five hours ago. When I go to her blog, it shows a date of July 22. Just thought I'd mention it.

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    1. Hey Carol! I just looked at the blog list on my sidebar and Gayle's post is marked as 3 days old. There are much newer posts, with the newest being The Dashing Eccentric's.

      To answer your question, no, this list is not manually updated, but automatically. It sounds like you need to refresh the browser page. In Chrome, Firefox and Safari, you can do that (on a Mac) with command-R. The menu item (on Safari) is View->Reload page.

      Let me know if that doesn't work!

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    2. To summarize... the list is automatically updated, but your browser page is not. Either reload the page, or re-open it in your browser. :)

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    3. Thanks for your quick and informative reply, Shams! I'll try this next time the problem happens. Yours is the only blog I've notice this problem with, but maybe that's because I look at yours more than any other! Thanks for so many delightful reads.

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  28. Great pattern making skills. Seeing this has made me realise I need to just get up and do it! Thanks for the idea.

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  29. Your featherweight is ADORABLE! I was going to sell my second featherweight, but now I'm considering having mine eventually painted. Love the shirt and how you combined the fabrics. As always, very inspiring!

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  30. I loved seeing how to put on a kimono. Now I can see why it is a one size garment, as the garment's width and length are adjustable. Obi tying is surprisingly complicated! Thanks for the links.

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  31. Wow! What a racy machine! Love your Donna Karan shirt and the kimono videos.
    Measuring the dip at the back of the kimono neck is like checking that not too much cleavage shows for Western tops. I always wondered how women kept all the wrinkles out of the kimono.

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  32. Hello. I love Bella. She is sassy and stunning. I'm looking into a new paint job an one of my four (yes, four) Featherweights. I've been to Gerald's site, but can't find anything about how he settles up the payment for the paint job. Can you share how that works?

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    1. Hi Susan!

      Gerald doesn't take plastic. You talk about the price up front, of course, via email. When he receives your machine, he tests it and you can verify the amount. (If the machine needs repairs, that would cost extra.) Once he's done, you mail him a check and he mails your machine.

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