Inspiration...Shirt + Pants

 I have been seeing a lot of "suit" like wardrobe items.  Here is one that is a little bit interesting:

This is the Akris Punto Baby Leopard Print Cropped Twill Blouse and Fred Baby Leopard Print Twill Belted Pants.  Price tag:  Blouse - $595.00, Pants - $495.00.  Details:  Blouse - cotton twill in a leopard print, Kent collar, concealed button placket, 3/4 sleeves with dropped shoulders, back pleat, boxy fit, cropped length, round hem.  Pants - high rise, side slip pockets, back button pocket, fabric d-ring belt, tapered legs, ankle length, tab/zipper fly, belt loops.

Here are a couple of  tutorials on how to create the placket - How To Make Hidden Buttonholes and How to Make a Hidden Button Placket.   The second tutorial is my favorite method but I would think that both have advantages. 

As far as patterns go, I think would be tempted to just use the Classic Shirt by Liesl & Co. and just shorten the sleeves and maybe straighten the hem.  As far as the pants go, the Clover pant pattern by Colette using view A is a classic cigarette style pant.  

I might need to give more thought to the patterns but I really haven't seen too many pant patterns with that exact silhouette.  I am open to suggestions.

Happy Stitching!

Seamwork Design Your Wardrobe...

Another Seamwork Design Your Wardrobe has ended.  I have been an member at Seamwork for a couple of years and have participated in the Design Your Wardrobe multiple times.  It really is a good exercise if your want to spend your time examining your wardrobe - what needs replacing, what needs to be added, are they any holes, etc.  I have never followed through with the intended wardrobes.  Just the fun in planning it, picking patterns and fabric.   This time around I decided to concentrate on just a couple of looks.  Here are my plans:

1.  Seamwork Bertie dress pattern with the member hack.  This will be in a gray tencil twill.  The pattern has been fitted and I have almost finished the dress.

2.  Seamwork Rhett jacket pattern.  This will be made in a navy Chore Coat fabric.  The pattern hasn't been fitted yet.

3.  Love Notions Duet Trousers pattern.  This will be made in a dark grey fabric.  The pattern hasn't been fitted yet and will be fitted in both a knit and a woven.  I would also like pants in black and navy.

4. Colette Aster top pattern.  This top hasn't got fabric planned yet.  It will most likely be a navy/grey/pink print of some sort.  It could very well be in the stash already.  That would be best.  This pattern has not been fitted yet but it is very similar to the Bertie pattern and I have laid the patterns down together to see what the differences are.  

I think the jacket can be worn with the dress and the top/pants.  It's possible it will too casual but that is my life these days...casual.

Do you plan out what you are going to make or just sew one piece at a time?  Normally, I would do one piece at a time which works out sometimes and sometimes does not.  I'm trying to do a little more planning and then follow through.  There has been a lot of documenting of planned projects/purchases and what actually gets created this year.  It has made me really realized how slow I sew.  So instead of planning large quantities of clothing, I am going to concentrate on just a few and see I if I can finish them without getting overwhelmed or getting distracted.

Happy Stitching!

Inspiration...Slim Pants

This week's inspiration is slim pants and not just any slim pant.  These pants remind me of cigarette pants.

This are the Manhattan Slim Pants by Lafayette 148 New York. Price tag:  $368.00.  Details - stretch cotton, side slip pockets, flat front legs, ankle length, hook/fly zip.

Since they remind me more of a cigarette pant, that is the pattern I am going to show today:

This is the Colette Clover pant pattern.  I think View 1 is right version for this inspiration.  The patterns from the Seamwork website are all pdfs.  The patterns can be purchased individually of you can become a member and use credits.  Here is a link for membership.  If you use that link to purchase a membership, you will get a small discount and I will get a small benefit as well.

How is your spring / summer sewing going?  Hopefully, it is going better than mine.

Happy Stitching!

Inspiration...Chino Skirt

Skirts. Skirts. Skirts.  Do you like wearing skirts?  I like having skirts that are easy to wear and go with everything in the wardrobe.  Few skirts actually fit that description but this one might:

This is the Boden Daisy skirt.  Price tag: $65.00.  Details:  Cotton or cotton/lycra blend, fitted straight shape, sits below natural waist, finishes above knee, 2 front pockets, unlined, exposed back zip.

The only thing I'm not excited about on this skirt is the exposed back zip.  Otherwise, this is the perfect everyday skirt.  The Boden USA website has 4 colors/variations on this skirt and you really should check them out so you can see the details a little closer  Here's a pattern that will work fairly well for this skirt:

This is Colette Selene skirt pattern.   View 3 is almost identical to the Boden skirt.  Small change - don't cut out the detail on the pocket.  That's it folks. 

This skirt is already on my list of things to do  Except I'm making it in a dark charcoal stretch woven.  Hopefully, it will get made soon.  Then I want to think about something similar to the inspiration skirt but perhaps in a navy twill.  Hope you are inspired to create something beautiful.

Happy Stitching!

Inspiration...Sweater, Shirt, and Pants

Inspiration for a whole outfit can't get much better than this.

This is from Lafayette 148 New York.  Cashmere Turtleneck Sweater - price $448.00.  Brody Uptown Tattersall Long-Sleeve Blouse - price $378.00.  Clinton Heritage Plaid Cuffed Pants - price $598.00.  For a closer look, check the Neiman Marcus website.

Here's my pattern choices to recreate a similar look:

This is #195 Sweater Set by Silhouettes. I would make a long sleeved tee with a little more ease and add the turtle neck or whatever neckline I wanted.  Do it in a sweatery rib knit.

This is the Archer Button Up pattern by Grainline Studio.  To achieve a similar top, don't add the pocket.  This pattern would also work:

This is the Classic Shirt by Liesl & Co.  Although this pattern gives you the same basic silhouette as the Archer, this one has a darts which will give it a better fit.

This is the Clover pant pattern by Colette.  View A is a classic cigarette style pant.

This feels like a lot of ideas but we really should think outfits when we are sewing so we do not end up with a lot of orphan projects.   Who needs a closet full of clothes with nothing to wear?  Hope you are inspired to create something beautiful.

Happy Stitching!

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Inspiration...Linen Tee Dress

I'm still looking for cool things to wear in the hot weather.  This dress seems to fit that description:

This is the Structured Linen Tee Dress by Theory.  Price tag: $395.00. 

Details:  Linen/Viscose blend fabric, scoop neck, pull-over style shift, short sleeves. 

Let's check patterns:

This is the Scout Tee by Grainline Studio.  It is a pretty good match at the neckline and sleeve to the inspiration photo.  You would need to add length and width for the hip.  This is a fairly popular pattern.

This is the Sorbetto by Colette.  This is also a pretty good match for the inspiration photo.  Put the fold of the fabric on the stitching line for the pleat, lengthen version two, and use version 3 sleeves. 

I think either one of these options would create a nice option.

Hope you're inspired to create something beautiful.

Happy Stitching!

A finished project....

Yep, that's right. I have finished a project and I can't remember the last time I finished anything. That is so sad. In my last post, I mentioned that I have been working on the Sorbetto tank top   pattern by Colette Patterns.  Here's my finished top:

I was fairly impressed with this pattern. It was very well drafted.  I did make a couple of changes:

1. Moved the dart from being a straight dart to a french dart.
2. Made a larger dart by 3/4".
3. Added 3/8" to the bottom.
4. Due to lack of fabric, I removed the front pleat.

I can see in the mirror and the pictures that there is still a little bit of length and depth issues going on but this is a completely wearable top.  It actually fits better than most RTW.   I really thought the first try at this would be a wadder and used some really pretty scraps that I found in my stash.  That bit of left over fabric was just perfect for this particular project.  I'm thrilled that I have a woven tank top pattern now.  The one thing that I did not like about the pattern was the bias binding application. 

The things I will changing for the next try on this top:

1.  Make a larger FBA.  I can see the signs that this needs to be larger with the front being shorter than the sides and the wrinkles from the bust to the side.  There is also a little bit of gaping around the armhole.  Again that could just be the need for a larger FBA.
2. Change the bias binding application.  This should not be too hard to accomplish.
3.  I would like to draft a sleeve pattern for this pattern.  I think that having a little bit of a sleeve will be a little more flattering.  Once I get the top fitting where I'm happy with it, I will redraft the armhole and draft the sleeve.
That isn't too much to do, is it?

The next project is a skirt.  I draw an a-line skirt based on my measurements.  It is really simple.  Same pattern piece for the front and the back.  When cut for the front, the pattern piece is on the fold.  When cut for the back, the pattern piece is not cut on the fold with a seam allowance added.   This should be easy.  The pattern does call for a cotton lining.  We'll see if one is needed.

Happy Sewing!