Au Bonheur des Petites Mains - Tunic with Front Tucks (TQH08002)

There has been much activity surrounding Au Bonheur patterns over on Stitcher's Guild, largely spurred on by PStarbuck (aka Peggy), and her wonderful creations. It made me want to knock out another of these fun French patterns.

I bought this tunic pattern a year or so ago. It is reminiscent of recent tunic patterns from the Big 4 that fit through the bust then flare out at the waist and feature an uneven hem. However, this one has two large tucks on the front at hip level. The front is cut much wider and longer than the back, and when the tucks are sewn in to the front, the fabric under the tucks falls in such a way as to suggest a "skirting." I have sewn tops similar to this style from the Big 4, and this one is drafted quite differently.

Which is why I like this pattern line. :)

The pattern comes in size 36-46, which is too small for me and my trusty ruler told me I'd need to add at least 10 inches at the bustline. Though there are only 3 pattern pieces, it took me longer to alter the pattern than it did to cut and sew it.

Alterations:

• I widened the sleeve 2" at the bicep tapered to 3/8" at the wrist.
  
• I widened the back 2" (a total of 4").
  
• I applied an FBA, ending at the hip. I added a Y-dart that was 4" wide (adding 8" total). I did not sew the dart, however. I eased the fullness into the side seam.
  

When I visited Stone Mountain and Daughter on New Year's Day, I picked up a sweater knit from the upstairs sale room. It contained wool, mohair, and synthetic - I can't remember the exact blend, though the bolt recommended dry cleaning. I threw a small piece of it into the washer and dryer, and I liked how it softened the slightly scratchy mohair, so I threw the entire piece into a normal load. It did shrink, though I didn't measure the amount.

This fabric was a pain to sew. It is a very loose knit and it ravels. It is a fun print, but is highly unstable and stretches out like crazy. So, with the running and the instability, it required a gentle hand.

Construction Notes:

• Before sewing the front tucks, I placed Steam a Seam Lite on the stitching line of each tuck.
  
• I stabilized the shoulder seams, also with SAS Lite.
  
• After my alterations, the back shoulder seam was wider than the front. I eased in some of that fullness, but I chopped the remainder off of the armscye.
  
• Despite my best efforts, the neckline stretched out of shape, almost as soon as it was cut. I sewed the neckline using a strip of a black leotard-style lycra knit, turned to the inside, and then topstitched at 1/4". I then inserted a 2mm round elastic into the casing formed by the topstitching and eased the neckline back to its desired location. Note that this pattern has a fairly open neckline and I cut it a bit higher than designed.
  
• I spent time fitting the top through the bust. The knit is so stretchy, that I did remove several inches from the side seam from the bust to the waist.
  
• I hand sewed the hems, both the bottom hem and the sleeves.
  
• I finished the seams with the serger.
  

I love my new Fluevog boots! I bought these during the sale in early January. :)

What the Heck, UPS?

Here are the facts:

On Sunday, January 16th, I ordered a Janome Felting machine from Fabric.com.

On Wednesday, January 19th, I received a shipping confirmation, with a tracking number for UPS.

I hoped it would arrive in 5 days or so. It was coming from Ohio to San Francisco, and this seemed reasonable.

Time dragged on and it didn't arrive. I chalked it up to the nasty weather that has been pummeling much of the country.

Finally, on Tuesday, January 25th, I dug up the tracking information and looked it up. It said that the package had arrived in San Pablo, California, the previous day, on Monday the 24th. That is a mere 30 minutes from my home, so I assumed it would arrive any minute and I started stalking my front door.

When I checked tracking the next day (or maybe it was later the same day) the only change to the status was that it had said I would receive the package on February 2nd.

HUH?

How come it would take NINE days to travel 30 minutes to my house? There was no clue on the status page.

On Saturday, I checked the status page again, and saw that my package had left Hodgkins, Illinois on Friday.

Come again?

There was no departure scan from San Pablo, which suggested to me that it was scanned on arrival and then stuck on the wrong truck, or not unloaded from the truck, or something similar. But at least I now understand why they put an arrival date of February 2nd.

What the heck, UPS?

Perhaps they are not aware that I have a half finished jacket that is languishing until I have the machine in my hot little hands.

Meanwhile, I've made a top this weekend. I can't take photos until tomorrow, but I'll go write the post up now. :)

Vogue 8712 - Marcy Tilton Pants - in Black!

Well, I couldn't help myself. I really wanted to perfect the fit on these pants before I put the pattern tissue away. I folded the excess fullness out of the side back and back pieces and then cut the pattern out of my beloved black ponte. I whipped up this pair in a couple of hours last night, making no other changes. In effect I was cutting a smaller size in back than in front. Many women, as they mature, carry more "fluff" in front and I know sewists who routinely use a smaller size in back. It is a fairly common alteration for many of us.

I love these pants! I like the width, the length, and the overall fit. I like the subtle lantern shaping near the hem. I am sure I will get lots of wear out of this pair, as well as the pair I made on Saturday. I would still like to make view A/B, but not today. :)

This photo has been lightened so you can see the detail a bit better.

I have a slightly weird stance here, but you can see that the back fits much better than my last pair.

Several of you found my blog through the Vogue Patterns Facebook page. Welcome!

I am still waiting for my needle felting machine. I wonder if it's stuck in bad weather. The temps here have been in the 70s, but I am thinking of those of you freezing your patooties off back east. Stay warm and safe!!! Maybe you can get lots of sewing done in the bad weather... :)

Vogue 8712 - Marcy Tilton Pants

I ordered Marcy Tilton's new patterns in the recent BMV sale. They arrived yesterday (Friday). I opened the mailing envelope at 11pm and was cutting fabric at midnight. I was a little obsessed about making these immediately - I needed quick project!

What Size?

There was one teeny problem. I wasn't sure which size to order as Marcy's pants sometimes have more design ease and sometimes less. This pattern comes in two multi-size groupings: 8-14 and 16-22. According to Vogue, a size 16 has a 40" hip. I have a 40" hip, so I ordered the larger pattern. But when I opened the pattern tissue for View C, I saw that the finished hip on the size 16 is 46". This is larger than I like to wear, particularly in a knit, even a stable knit like a ponte.

I really wish Vogue would tell us the finished measurements in this situation, so we know which multi-size grouping to buy. I would have purchased the smaller size if I'd known this little tidbit.

I proceeded to alter the pattern. In my case, I transferred the crotch from my TNT pants pattern, so I know that the crotch will fit me without tweaking. I planned to pin fit the pants in the fashion fabric to remove excess at the hips.

I finished cutting out the pants and went to bed.

When I woke up at 6am this morning, I was eager to finish these pants. I told myself I couldn't leave the house to hit some enticing sales until I'd finished, so motivation was high. Besides transferring my crotch curve, I had eliminated the fly front and zipper. Did I mention that I really needed a quick project? I started sewing around 6:30am or so and quickly fell into the groove of stitching and top-stitching - I enjoy me some good top-stitching.

Unfortunately, in my eagerness to finish, I forgot to pin fit the pants. Oops.

After they were constructed and before I attached the waistband, I realized my mistake and added two additional darts in the back, taking out 1 1/4" (doubled) from the waist, tapering to nothing about 15" down, removing 5" of fullness in total from the waist/hip. I even topstitched the darts to make them look intentional. While this helped, the pants are still too large through the hips and need to be reduced another 4" or so.

I wanted to make these in something other than black. I have so many black pants and I'm feeling the need to branch out a bit, so I used a ponte I bought from Marcy Tilton in a color she calls Chestnut. It's a really nice fabric and very easy to sew. I *think* I prewashed it, but if not, I hope it behaves well. :)

I managed to finish the pants before 10am and to get a couple quick photos before running out the door. I do like the design very much, especially how the fullness nips in at the ankle.

Oh, I should mention that I didn't alter the length in any way. They are ankle length on me (at 5'5") but the pattern photo clearly shows them to be cropped, so be aware that they may run long. I love the long length, but shorter would have worked too, which is why I didn't worry about it in the alteration phase.

Before I make these again, I plan to grade the pattern down. Once I've tweaked it a bit, this will become a favorite pattern. I want to make View A/B as well.

I was so happy to complete a quick project - it's a nice change from the labor intensive projects I've been working on recently. And I will wear these a lot - they fit better than RTW pants I've bought in the past, but I've gotten more picky about fit since sewing my own clothing. :)

You can see in the back that there is too much fullness.

On the jacket front, I have two in process. I am waiting for my needle felting machine so I can finish the second one. I have more I can work on this weekend, though, since I need to fit the lining and sleeves. But beyond that, I am stuck until the machine arrives. I just may have to start jacket #4. :D

Hurry! Vogue $5 Clearance Sale

Vogue Patterns is having a 2-day sale of their Clearance patterns for $5 ($4.50 if you are a BMV member) that ends today. Generally, clearance patterns are full price and are immune from their other (more common) sales.

They have put one of my very favorite Marcy Tilton pants patterns (and therefore favorite pants pattern in the whole world) on clearance. They currently have both sizes. They have loads of other patterns, too. Hurry hurry!

Vogue 8397. This pattern runs large, so if you are on the "cusp" between the two sizes, you might want to buy the smaller size. I fit it according the hips and altered the waist.

I have been spending all morning fitting a jacket. I didn't make a muslin, so it's taking much longer to fit in the final fabric. It's worth taking the time, though! Next, I have some zipper pockets to make. :)

And, while I've been sewing today, I have been thinking of Martin Luther King. I have been remembering when there was no "Day" for Martin Luther King and how controversial that was back in the 80s. Many people would stay home that day, out of protest. It was an important step when this day was made a national holiday.

Review: "Full Busted?" DVD

I first became aware of this DVD not long after returning to sewing – about a year and a half ago. It is produced by the Palmer and Pletsch folks who do know a lot about fitting, but I had trouble finding real information about this DVD. I was worried it would contain information that I pretty much already knew and I held off purchasing it.

But I decided in December, what the heck, maybe I will learn something new, so I ordered it.

What took me so long???? It may be the best $20 I've spent for any sewing information. I am surprised that more women with bodacious boobage aren't hailing this as the best DVD ever, except maybe they don't know about it.

I want to get the word out. :D

I finally sat down and watched the two hour video yesterday, just before I was planning on altering Yet Another Princess Seam jacket pattern. As fashions have become closer and closer to the body in the last few years, you DO need this DVD if you are larger than a B cup. It is essential if you are a D or larger, as it contains information I have not seen anywhere else - not even in their fitting book (which I do love).

The presenter is Marta Alto, who has worked with the brand for a long time, I gather. The video begins with the tools/supplies that Marta uses. I am forever making muslins because I had never figured out how to achieve a reliable fit trying to get the pattern tissue over all my curves without ripping it to shreds, but they've created a technique that is most impressive. For the first time, I am making a jacket without a muslin - I can report on how effective this approach worked after the weekend - if I can get enough done today and tomorrow.

The FBA process begins with your standard dart - either creating one, or lowering/enlarging an existing one. How to rotate a dart, convert it to released tucks/pleats are shown. It covers the latter information fairly briefly, but as it's old information to me, I wouldn't have wanted a lot more detail anyway.

Next (and here is where it starts to get really good) Marta shows you how to alter non-standard patterns, such as a pattern with a cut-on sleeve. Because she is doing it in front of you, you can see little details, such as how and where to correctly true the seam - details that you often don't get from a book.

Marta then shows how to do an FBA on one of those twist, knot front tops. She uses a popular McCalls pattern and, I'm telling you, I could have NEVER figured out how to do this one. I could barely follow it, but at least you can watch the DVD over and over until you get it.

By this point we are about halfway through the 2-hour video and nary a princess seam to be found! She now brings out "real people." (I hate fake people.) Her first model is a young woman with perky breasts. She alters three patterns for her body - one with a crossover empire seam, one that is cut to fit just over the bust, and a princess-seamed strapless top. All are tops I could actually see a young woman wanting to wear.

The final two models have mature figures, thank goodness. :) Model #2 is fitted for a McCalls Palmer/Pletsch lined jacket with a bust dart and a fisheye dart from bust to waist. She also needs two back adjustments, which Marta acknowledges but does not go into detail on how to achieve. (They have another Fit video that most likely covers this.)

Model #2 needs an FBA, but she does not need her dart to be lowered. In this example, Marta mentions backing off of a dart (which I always have to do), especially if you wear a contour bra. Model #2 also needed a bit additional width through the hip area, another common alteration. Model #2 (as all the models) looks fabulous in her completed jacket. (She shows all garments in process and then completed. I really appreciate this.)

During the fit of Model #2's jacket, Marta stops for a brief comparison between a standard FBA and a Y-dart FBA. I learned of the Y-dart fairly recently from their book, Fit For Real People and I like this technique very much. It's strongly recommended for folks who are adding 2" or more to a dart and I have only seen this particular dart in their publications.

I started wondering if all Marta's models had perky breasts, when she brought out Model #3, who did need lowering of her bust fullness. (Lowering the bust fullness can be very tricky in some designs and I typically have to lower about 4" which can really affect a design.) Model #3 was being fitted for a lined, shoulder princess seamed jacket. Finally! She needed the bust to be lowered on the princess pieces and she needed BOTH front pieces to be altered.

BOTH! I had never seen this before and this was also worth the cost of the DVD, and then some. I will now look at altering princess seamed garments with a totally new eye. Marta also explains the difference between a princess seam and a side panel design. She walks through the alteration using an sleeve princess design.

A quick note about the floral blue top Marta is wearing during Model #3's segment. I had this fabric over 20 years ago. I made (way back then) a long, gathered skirt from it. It's a rayon jersey and very swishy. I may still have the skirt somewhere, though I would have to redo the waist to wear it anymore. Anyway, I found it distracting to study her top and try to remember where I knew that fabric from! It's akin to seeing a face you recognize, but cannot place. :D

The last 15 minutes of the video quickly cover two much more involved patterns. This part is wonderful and could have been expanded even more, to my mind. She first shows a gorgeous jacket with complicated seaming - I would love to know the pattern number for this jacket, though I can't imagine how you would add a dart AND lower it. (She only showed adding the dart.) I am sure this pattern is OOP, but it might be worth tracking down.

She then shows a Belville Sassoon gown that needed loads of altering, though she just tells you what needs to be done, and doesn't walk through the steps. (For this dress you have to alter the (asymmetric) left and right fronts, the corset, the corset lining, and the front skirt. It was exhausting to think about!)

And that's it! The only FBA I would have liked to see that wasn't shown, is an "offset" princess seamed design with a dart on the front panel. I have dealt with this recently, and it's a PITA.

You know, I wonder if new sewists tend to ignore the Palmer Pletsch folks because their aesthetic is not very young, hip, or edgy. But, I'm telling you, these people understand fit. I have an engineering mindset, which is why I am so comfortable altering flat patterns, but Marta is an engineering genius and I bow to her greatness. I've already ordered a couple more DVDs and have even thought about attending one of their workshops in Portland. I think it would be fun and immensely educational.

By the way, you can order their books/DVDs through their website or through Amazon. And, as usual, I get nothin' for my review. ;)

New Spring Vogues

I guess I am a bit of a hypocrite. I get excited when I know a new batch of Vogues are coming. I am anxious to receive my magazine (this time mine came more than a week after other folks on Stitcher's Guild reported receiving theirs!), and I am even more eager to see them posted on Vogue's website. Usually the website is updated long before I see a magazine, but this time the website was very poky indeed, but they are finally up.

I mean, I have my hands more than full with projects, so I really don't need more patterns, but then the new patterns come out and, inevitably, there are some that I am excited to make up, making my project queue even longer. It can be overwhelming.

It's a pickle, I tell you.

So, here we go. First up, a pattern I.MUST.MAKE. This dress is stunning.

Vogue 8705

Now, of course, I could not wear this dress. No way. But I happen to have lovely daughters who could. Luckily, my eldest would be happy to have this.

OK, now on to clothes I could, and would, wear.

My favorite thing is when Marcy comes out with new pants patterns. Here's her latest offering.

Vogue 8712

Cute, huh? And notice that both views of these pants have pockets?!?!? Thanks, Marcy, and Vogue! I especially love the round pockets on View A.

This top from Katherine Tilton is gorgeous!

Vogue 8710

This top is right up my alley. I especially love the stylized princess seams on View B!

Marcy also has a very interesting new blouse. These tops with volume at the hips aren't always the most flattering on me, but they can work if they are more fitted through the bust and not too long.

Vogue 8709

It has very interesting collar and pocket detailing and it's hard to make out exactly what might be going on. I look forward to seeing this made up!

Look at this cute, easy to wear vest. I could imagine this in many different, interesting fabrications. It has an "Eileen Fisher" vibe to me.

Vogue 8713

This next jacket has some very nice details, such as the ruched sleeves, neckline shape, and the peplum. Do I need it? Probably not. Will I make it? Probably not. But if I have an excuse to make it, such as a wedding, I just might. :)

Vogue 8718

I like the little evening jackets shown in Views B and D. I would only make one of these if I or my daughters had a relevant event, but it's a nice little pattern to have when you need it.

Vogue 8721

Finally, I like this little top with the peplum. I'd have to alter it substantially to fit me, but it might be worth the effort.

Vogue 8714

That's all I would highlight from this offering. The spring Vogues also include many cute, fitted dresses and one nice draped, pencil skirt. These patterns are listed on other blogs, but they don't really fit my body or lifestyle.

But I really do want to make 8705 for my daughter - with her dancer's body, she would really look great in that. :)