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Goal for Fall 2010:
To edit edit edit. Make more negative space (as in clear, open and spacious). Negative space, like negative ions (which you get from a walk on the beach), are a GOOD thing! Negative space in the closet. Clear open spaces in the studio. A small, focused, tightly pared down, functional and flattering core/travel wardrobe. I want the satisfaction of making AND wearing the clothes I make for everyday and professional life. | | |
| | Marcy's Little Cardi | | |  | | | Slouchy cardigan in an acrylic/lycra sweater knit (sorry, this print is sold out, but we have MANY other wonderful sweater knits to choose from this fall).
In my current fixation on the cardigan, I wanted to sew on a sweater knit, and I am hooked. Takes a bit of care on the soft fabric which does not have much stretch recovery, but it was not hard to work with---it was a quick and very fun project, and more to come. I used V8497 as a starting point. Copied off the pattern to turn it into a cardigan: changing the front neck to a V and cutting bigger side seams. This is my favorite kind of sewing...making it up as I go along. I'll be teaching a class on 'The Arty Cardi' at the Puyallup Sewing Expo, so more experiments with cardigans are on my radar.
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| | | | | | | | | The neck band gaped a bit, so I added the little darts, which changed the shape at the edge, making it more interesting. | | | |
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| | VOGUE 8676 |
| | | | | | | | This is a great little unlined sweater-jacket with a figure flattering lightly shaped fit. For the garments in the pattern envelope, I used polar fleece for one version and a printed boiled wool for the other. This pattern is really easy to make and has fun, easy and quick to sew techniques straight from European ready to wear. The collar is sewn on using a lapped seam. The fleece version collar is composed of alternating strips of the fleece---when stretched slightly the knit fleece rolls, and the rolls are held in place with tiny strips of the fleece which are machine stitched in random 'dots'. The 'buttons' are self fabric circles stitched over large snaps. The snaps are hand sewn, and the 'buttons' machine stitched in place last. | | | |
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| | Vogue 8676: Marcy's version | | | | | | | | |
Prototype which I am loving as the cool weather comes on. I used black and taupe polar fleece, and experimented with a ruffle on the collar. Fun and feminine, this would be an easy variation to try---the ruffle is just a straight strip of the fleece accented with the tiny 'dots'. | | | |
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| | VOGUE 8693 | | | | | | | | I used two different fabrications for the pattern envelope: a green wool tweed, which is lined in the front, upper back and sleeve (in china silk...so it is whisper light, feels fabulous and is cozy too), and has inset welt pockets. The ivory white version is a ponte in a heavier than usual weight, unlined, like a sweater jacket and has no pocket.
The sewing is straightforward and simple. Fitting is easy too, the jacket skims the bust, has a slight waist shaping and the square corner edge makes it easy to slide over the hips no matter what your size. |
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| | | Vogue 8693: Marcy's Version |
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| | Alex's Jacket
Vogue 8676
My friend Alex came for a girlfriend sewing weekend and made this wonderful jacket...one of those projects that began in a burst of enthusiasm and continued to evolve in creative sparks each step of the way. The tweed fabric has an overall artful wrinkle that inspired the successful use of raw, frayed and selvedge edges.
The pattern recommends knits, but it worked well in this woven fabric. You can see one of the original garments from the pattern envelope in the background.
Below see close up details of the finished jacket.
Alex wanted to reinforce the defined wrinkles in the fabric, which had gotten slightly flattened in the pressing during construction. So, when the jacket was finished, she dampened it and crushed it into a ball and left it overnight. Voila! the memory of the wrinkles returned---in a good way. | | | | | | | | | The collar is cut on the bias, an important change that worked well. (on the original pattern, the collar relies on the stretch/give of a knit). Alex pared down the width of the collar, and added a shot of contrast with a double layer of mesh knit along the edge. |
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