A Look Back - The 2020 Winners

 2020 was a rough year and it was not all due to the pandemic.  My health seemed to be telling me to slow down and take care of myself.  I tried.

Now, back to sewing.  I really think 2020 was my most successful sewing year in a very long time.  Everything that was made has been used.  

Many items in a weekly rotation throughout the summer.  Here is the items that were in constant rotation -The woven tanks were perfect for the hot summer weather.  They will be returning next summer unless there is a fitting issue.  The Camber Set Dress was another perfect hot summer item and in constant rotation.  The three shirts that I made my husband were well received and worn a lot.  He's still wearing them because the weather is intermittently still warm.  The Indygo Junction Easy Top was a great top and worn throughout the summer and fall.  

These items were not worn as much but still worn.  The Dorian Pants and Navy Tank were worn a fair amount.  The pants turned out to have an issue with the crotch length/depth.  I still wore them and enjoyed wearing them but spent a fair amount of time pulling them up.  The tank felt a little tight.  Even though it was the exact same pattern used as the woven tanks above.  I suspect that the fact that I had doubled the fabric had something to do with it.  That fabric was kinda expensive at $15/yard and I missed that it was only 1 1/2 oz in weight per yard.  Doubling the fabric was my solution to still getting a wearable garment from the yardage that I purchased.   The Natalie Shirt didn't get worn as much as I expected.  With this top, I missed the fact that the first button was at the same level as my bra band.  I felt kinda exposed with the button at that level.  I ended up adding an additional button and buttonhole, and it worked out okay.  I really love the fabric on this shirt and will definitely be looking for similar fabric.  The Rhett Jacket has been worn quite a bit given that I just finished it at the first of December.  The fabric is really what makes this jacket.  I liked the fabric so much that I searched for more and purchased a couple of different colors.  

I have not worn the Bertie dress yet.  I know that is sad but I do love the dress.  I just have not had an occasion to wear it.  I guess I will need to just wear with some tights and it will become a day-to-day dress.  I had intended this dress to be useful during the fall, winter, and spring.  

The last couple of items that I made this year was for my husband and son.  The lounge pants for my son was well received so I know that he will wear them as they come up into rotation.  The fleece vest that I made my husband was well received and he's been wearing it almost daily.

The other things that I made were masks, lots of masks.  The majority were handed off to the local hospital for non-essential workers/visitors.  All of the masks that I made for family have been used for the majority of the year.  In fact, it's probably time to make a few more just for something different. The holiday apron and oven mitts were well used on Christmas.  They will be used through the rest of the year into January then put away.

I think the reason that my sewing was so successful this year is that I really put some thought into the purchases that I made and the items that I needed.  I did purchase far too many patterns, too much fabric, and notions.  I did document my purchases and what I intended to make.  I realize that I do not sew as fast as I think I can.  I just need to not purchase as much and try a little harder to use the items that have already been purchased.  

Here's to a successful 2021.  I hope that I end up with as good a sewing year as 2020 was.  How did your 2020 sewing turn out?

Happy Stitching!

Fleece Vest - Simplicity 9191 or Simplicity R10902

 I found this pattern with the new releases from Simplicity and it seemed like it would be perfect for my husband:

I did show the pattern to my husband and he said "That perfect.  I was looking for a vest."  So, my impromptu purchase was right on target.  How lucky is that?

With the pattern being approved, I had to decide on fabric.  Although it is always more interesting to look for fresh, new fabric, I decided to check the fleece stash and see what was there.  I found that I had a piece of windpro fleece in navy that was perfect for the pattern.  So sometimes the stash does yield useful fabric.  Here's a glance at the fabric:

Now, this fabric is very heavy/thick which means that I will not being using this fabric as a facing anywhere within the garment.  Searching the local Joann Fabrics online I found a performance fabric that seemed like it would work for facings and such:

The fabric turned out to be a knit fabric which isn't ideal but I'm going to use it.  Testing with this fabric indicated that it will not work for the vest. So, off I went to fabric dot com and found this fabric:

This is a nylon ripstop in black.  

Zippers have been ordered from Etsy.  Finding zippers locally are almost impossible so I didn't even look to see if they had any.  Please note that the pattern states that you need a 26" zipper not that you need a 26" separating zipper.  

The pattern does include some basic sewing techniques for boiled wool, fleece, and knits.  I was surprised to see instructions for removing the seam allowances for the sleeves from the vest pieces.  This is the first time I have seen these instructions in a pattern.  Although I do see instruction for applying interfacing to the fleece, not too sure about this.  With that said, I generally only keep fusible interfacing in my stash.

Here's the finished vest:

The vest turned out rather nice.  My husband likes the vest and is happy to wear it.  

I used plastic zippers for all of the pockets as well as the front zip.  The zip pocket zips would work better with an invisible zipper, I think.  The side pockets are little small to be useful.  They would carry car keys, an id, and maybe a little bit of money but they aren't really big enough to put your hands into.  I will definitely put some notes in the pattern so that I will know in the future what changes should/could be made and that I need to figure out the whole pocket revision.

Happy Stitching!

Happy Christmas Panels...

 At the end of July, I purchased a happy little Christmas panel.  It was a Vintage Christmas panel by Northcott.  Here's an view of the panel:

I got this panel specifically for the apron.  For some reason, my Mom doesn't like the apron I generally use at Christmas.  So, I purchased this thinking she would like it and I could use it around her house.  She liked the truck.  

I needed a fabric to line all the pieces and got this from NZ Productions:

The color is called Mountain Green and with the variation in the color is perfect to go with the panel.  I also needed to purchase In-Sul Brite for the oven mitts.  

I finally got this finished.  Just in time for Christmas.  Here's my versions:

I am happy with my little project.  As always, the panel instructions are minimal but sufficient.

I don't think I will posting again before Christmas.  I have a few gifts that I would like to get finished.  So this will keep me busy for a few days.  I will probably post those items between Christmas and New Years.  Inspiration posts will return with the new year.

Enjoy your holidays!

Happy Stitching!

Lounge Pants...

 Way back in January 2019, I documented making lounge pants for my husband and son from Simplicity 8519.  My son requested another pair this year.  So, what's a Mom to do but make the pants.  I read through the information that I written previously on those particular lounge pants.  I purchased this fabric:

This was a snuggle flannel from JoAnn Fabrics.  It really is a perfect fabric for this type of project but be warned it is narrow.  I purchased 3 yards with the employee giving me the remainder on the bolt which was another yard.  I had 1/3 of  yard left.  After being washed this fabric was 40" wide.  Be aware that this is narrow yardage.

I traced a large, added 3" to the length, lengthened the pockets by 2", and removed the fiddly bits at the front pant opening.  Here are the finished pants with the faux fly:

Happy Stitching!

Seamwork Rhett Jacket...It's Done

 There is nothing like losing the sewjo during a project but I finally finished the Seamwork Rhett Jacket.  Here it is:

I gotta say it "I love this jacket.".  It is all about that fabric.  In fact, I loved this fabric so much I purchased more in two colorways.  Although the jacket is far from perfect, I will wear it with pride. there is a minor tweak I'm going to do to the pockets but I doubt that it will look much different.  

Here's the link to the muslins and the pattern changes:

Round 1 - straight from the pattern

Round 2 - some of the changes.

Round 3 - changes basted into place.

The dress I'm wearing with the jacket is the Seamwork Bertie which you can read about here.  I don't know for sure if I'll be wearing those short boots with the dress.  It doesn't feel like it's quite the right look with the long dress.  I have tall boots as well.

Happy Stitching!