Nuevo Yukata Shirt

A few years ago at a sewing expo, I purchased several vintage Japanese fabric pieces from June Colburn.  These were salesman's samples of traditional blue and white printed cottons for yukata, the casual summer kimono.  The pieces are quite small - about 18" in width, and 24"' or so in length.  For this shirt, I chose two fabrics to pair with white linen from Sawyer Brook.  When I started working on this project back in August, I took some photos of the fabrics together, before I cut them up.  I'm sure they were stunning photos, but we'll never know, because the computer gnomes stole ran off with them.  (Seems they wanted to ditch their frumpy gnomewear for some stylish yukata.)  So, you'll have to use your imagination to envision the small amount of fabric I had to work with.  By the time the garment was finished, I had used almost every square inch of it.

I merged two patterns to create this shirt.  The base pattern is an out-of-print Vogue by Sandra Betzina (sorry, I can't find the number online and my copy is at my studio).  It's a classic shirt style, with a traditional front placket, shirt collar and cuffs.  I'm finding her patterns fit me fairly well, and are a good starting point from which I can arrive at a garment that fits me well.  I made a few basic alterations to tweak the fit.

The design elements in this shirt are from ReVisions Nuevo Shirt pattern.  I'm drawn to Diane Ericson's design aesthetic, and the features of this shirt pattern have long interested me.  It's arty without being wacky or looking like a craft project. 

Diane's shirt has a very loose fit, with dropped shoulders.  That style is not becoming to me, which is why I used the Vogue pattern for the basic shape.  I eliminated the front placket from the Vogue pattern, as well as the collar.  I don't care for a close-fitting neckline, so I lowered the front by about an inch.  I drafted the mandarin collar - a favorite collar style for me, as my neck is short.  I duplicated the shirt tail hemline of the Nuevo shirt.

One of the design features of the Nuevo shirt is the inset and pocket on the right front.  This is the perfect showcase for the yukata fabrics.  One - the pocket fabric - is printed on both sides, giving me three prints to combine.

Construction of this element is not complicated, but a good result depends on very careful seaming.  Interfacing is fused to the shirt, then the center of the "box" is cut out, and the inset is sewn in one edge at a time.  Getting sharp, square corners can be a bit tricky.  I edgestitched both the pocket and the inset.

This inset is the perfect opportunity for surface embellishment, which I'd like to do on a future shirt.  There is also a back yoke which can be embellished, but I eliminated it this time around because my print fabrics were in such limited supply.  Instead, I inserted a strip of yukata fabric down the center back. 

This visually breaks up a large expanse of white on the back of the shirt, and ties the back to the front, design-wise.

The Nuevo shirt sleeve is seamed down the center, as well as at the underarm.  I split the Vogue sleeve pattern in two, and drafted Diane's sleeve design at the bottom.  I really like the Nuevo "half cuff" feature.  It gives opportunity to add more of the printed fabric, to balance the design features.  I love asymmetry, so using a different fabric on each cuff adds to my visual pleasure.

 

I was pleased with the white and blue look, but felt a need to add blue to other areas of the shirt, to pull it all together. I topstitched the shoulders, outer sleeve seams, front openings, and collar with blue topstitching thread.  It made a huge difference in the overall continuity of the garment.

I shopped around for buttons and didn't have success until I found some at my local yarn shop.  The blue color was very hard to match, and these blue and white ones are just perfect.  (I'll try to get a close up photo next time I'm shooting photos.)  There were only 6 available, and I bought all of them.  I regret not using all 6, as the shirt gapes a bit when I wear it.  I'm not sure how to resolve this situation, since the buttonholes are cut.  I could add a placket, covering the existing holes, but I don't think I'd like a placket with the styling of this shirt. 

Plus, that would be a lot of work, and I'm pretty much done with this shirt, energy wise. Between searching for buttons and taking in the side seams a couple of times, the shirt was hanging around my studio way too long. I finally got the side seams right on Wednesday, and wore it to work Thursday. It will probably be put away until Spring, unless these Indian summer days continue. 

This was a really fun sewing project.  I'm still not sure I'm comfortable wearing shirts, as I prefer the drape of knit fabrics over the stiffness of wovens, but, who knows?  Maybe I'll get used to it!

The end.  :)

Do You Have a Shirt that You Really Love?

One that you feel so groovy in? 

You don't even mind if it starts to fade

That only makes it nicer still   (Donovan)

I'm not a 'shirt' kind of girl.  You know - the classic, woven fabric, button-down-the-front, collared, type of shirt.  This is probably because shirts don't fit my short-necked, rounded back, apple shaped figure well at all.  And they often need ironing to look their best.
Knit tops are just more flattering and comfortable, and I wear them 99% of the time.  This is my current favorite:

I made this in March, but wore it only a couple of times before the warm weather forced me to put it away for a few months.  Wearing it on a cool day last week reminded me of how good it makes me feel.  It's made from a double knit cotton from Marcy Tilton, and a cotton jersey from Sawyer Brook, both of which are very comfortable.  The double knit is dotted on one side, and striped on the other, offering many design options.  I purchased this in the summer of 2010, and will jump at the chance to buy other colorations, should Marcy ever find them.  She offered a warm-toned green (I believe) one this summer - not a good color for me, but a fabulous fabric!

The design concept for this top was born during the winter, when I was working on my SanMarDia jacket.  This plum fabric was on my design table near the trim I had painted for the jacket, and I noticed the burgundy Jacquard Lumiere paint was an exact color match.  I knew then I would be making a top using the paint on black knit, combining it with the double sided plum knit.  What a wonderful affirmation of letting fabric "age" in my collection!  I love to let a fabric rest in my view while I'm working on other projects.  It encourages percolation of design ideas.  Sometimes it gets put away for a later viewing, and other times a great idea such as this emerges.

I started with Marcy's Vogue 8497, view B, extending the front curve into a corner, and widening the neckline.  I painted it using the Plum Blossom silk screen from Marcy's Japanese Tea Garden set, and foiled it with dragonflies from her Angelic Insects silk screen.  I embellished the fabric pieces after I cut them out, in hopes of achieving good design placement.  In hindsight, I should have done the foiling after the garment was sewn, to avoid placing the dragonfly on the bust point.  (Must have been my inner stripper diva strutting her stuff!)

The plum stripe/dot fabric lent itself very well to this pattern, creating a "third fabric" for the neckband.  I used raw edges, but fused black superfine Design Plus Bias Fusible Tape to the raw edge, to prevent major stretching.

I can't say enough good things about this tape.  It has held well through several washings, and it has continued to stabilize the band edges around the neck and down the front and back of the garment.
This great pattern is an excellent candidate for embellishment and design options.  I love the ability to use two fabrics and achieve successful balance.  I made another version of this top, using the curved front piece and leaving the neck as it was drafted on the pattern. (I'll blog about it when I can get DH to take some pictures.) If I make this sharp corner version again, I'll place the corner higher and bring the neck in a bit, to expose less of my chest. I don't mind it for warmer weather, but I prefer a more closed neckline in cooler temperatures.
The overlay down the back is really stylish, too.

The hemline of one side is shorter than the other, creating a cool design feature both front and back:

The pattern is also fairly easy to grade up several sizes, thanks to the dolman sleeve design.  I simply figured how much more width I needed at the sides, then echoed the same underarm and overarm curves when I redrafted the pattern.  I might add a small bust dart next time, but the crosswise wrinkle at the bust doesn't bother me much on a dolman style.  Actual construction at the sewing machine is very easy.

I love my shirt, I love my shirt,

My shirt is so comfortable lovely

I love my shirt, I love my shirt,

My shirt is so comfortable lovely

Sewing (and Shopping!) With a Plan

Those of you who sew a lot are undoubtedly familiar with the acronym that's become popular on sewing websites, SWAP - Sewing With A Plan.  After reorganizing my fabric collection (a.k.a. "stash") last week, I decided I need to start Shopping With A Plan.  How can one person accumulate over 20 pieces of purple fabric and find only a few pairings that work?  SWOAP - Sewing WithOut A Plan - that's how!  Buying fabric because it's beautiful, it's a natural fiber, it's comfortable, and, most of all, because it's :) PURPLE :).  Now, purple might not be your color, but I bet there's one that gets you every time you shop.  A color that calls your name, begs you to take it home, even though you already own fabric and garments in every other possible shade of it.

So, sorting and organizing my fabric stash proved to be a very useful exercise.  I now know what I own, what can be worn with what, and which colors and types of fabrics I need to purchase to turn my stash into clothing that I will wear (and love).  I also learned which colors and types of fabrics I should never, never buy again for my personal wardrobe.  Warm tones, no.  Muted or muddy tones, no.  Dressy fabrics, no.

Which leads me to Sewing With A Plan.  I've never been one to plan and sew a capsule wardrobe, where everything goes with everything else.  But after pruning and organizing my stash,  I'm going to work with the SWAP concept a little this season.  I pulled together several fabrics that look great together:

Now, don't worry.  Not all of the garments made with these fabrics will be interchangable.  No red with teal (Christmas, anyone?).  Here's my plan:

The middle fabric is a heathered brown/black stretch twill (lightweight denim-like). It will become pants, which I'll wear with all of the other fabrics shown.

The rippled brown is a drapey linen/silk blend that I'm using for an unstructured cardigan-jacket. 

The brown and natural leaf print will become a top to wear with pants and cardigan.

• The shibori-like jersey in browns and pale blue-gray will be another top to wear with pants and cardigan. 

• Crancherry red double knit, cotton on one side, rayon on the other. The rayon is slightly darker, so I will design a cardigan that incorporates both sides. 
• Solid brown rayon jersey, for a top to wear with the red cardigan.

• Teal jersey, another top, to be worn with the brown ripple cardigan.  It's the same fabric shown in my current blog header. 

• The striped knit in the header is a vest I am knitting.  Cascade front, vertical stripiing.  It doesn't follow my rule of "no warm colors", but I love the combination and it contains enough clear tones that think I can get away with it.  I'll wear it with the teal top and jeans.

If these colors look good on me, I'll be on the lookout for a dark brown knit for pants, and a heavier fabric for another solid brown cardigan or jacket.  I have a teal linen that would make a great funky vest to wear with the solid brown jersey top, if I have time to sew it before winter.  But first comes an autumn/spring weight coat out of a wonderful crinkled brown woven from Marcy Tilton.  It will be a big project, so I'll need to get these other garments completed soon. 
So, will I feel good in these colors?  They should be a good fit, as my hair is cool brown, and these cool dark brown fabrics are very close in color to my hair.  My skin is quite pink, and my eyes are warm brown/gold/green.  I'm a color consultant's nightmare, not easily categorized.  When the Color Me Beautiful concept came out in the 70's, I was told I was an autumn.  After revamping my wardrobe and looking drab in muted fall colors, another consultant diagnosed me as a summer.  So I changed to cool tones - much better for my skin - but pale and muted made me look washed out.  A few years ago some pals on an internet color forum helped me come to see that I am a soft winter, or clear, strong summer.  Jewel tones look great on me.  Black looks horrible next to my face.  It's just too much contrast.  I've grown to love my "winter" wardrobe, but since I don't wear black next to my face with much success, I've wanted to find another neutral.  Navy is good, but hard to find shades that match.  So that's why I'm trying cool brown.  I've got the fabrics, so I might as well give it a whirl!
I started working with the ripple linen/silk this weekend, making Marcy Tilton's Vogue 8088.  I'm adapting the pattern a bit, and loving the drape of this fabric.  You'll see the completed jacket here, if it's a success.  Stay tuned!

P.S.  Why all of this fuss about colors?  Because I simply don't feel good wearing colors that are not harmonious with my coloring.  It's that simple!

Slumpy Tote

For some time, I've wanted to make a fabric tote that would stand up on its own, like a good leather one will.  I knew canvas would be a good bet, but that wasn't the look I was going for.  I also knew the fabrics I chose, a shirt-weight cotton and black linen for trim, were not a good bet for stiffness or durability.  But style won over sensibility, and I moved forward with the project.  I hoped that by reinforcing it with lots of interfacing,  I would have a bag that would last at least a season.  At first glance, I thought I might have achieved it:

It didn't take long for me to see it wasn't going to stand as straight as I had hoped!

When loaded, it prefers to slump.  But I still like it and have carried it daily for nearly two months now.

I had been looking for fun fabric combinations in my stash and at Sawyer Brook Fabrics (where I work), when this gorgeous striped shirting arrived.  My penchant for purple and love of stripes had me sold on it right away.  It was a done deal when I saw how well it coordinated with another shirting cotton from Sawyer Brook, which became the lining.

I had been playing with an out of print Vogue pattern, 7463.  I like the shape because the sides taper a bit.  The original style is rather plain:

  
I decided to miter the stripes, which really pumps up the appeal.  It was painstaking, but well worth the effort.

Wanting a really sturdy bottom that didn't sag (unlike my own!), I inserted a piece of non-corrugated cardboard I had purchased a few years ago at an art store.  It's more of a paperboard, I believe.  It's gray, and the layers can be peeled apart with effort.  Anyway, my DH cut it to the size I needed, and drilled holes so I could put feet on the bag:

To make the fabrics more durable, I fused a medium-weight interfacing to all of the body and lining pieces.  For stiffness, I lined the shell of the bag with heavy Craf-Tex interfacing.  This gave the bag enough support to stand upright on its own.

There is one zippered pocket in the pattern.  I added 5 more.

I wanted some gusseted pockets for my glasses, cell phone, and date book.  I fashioned this from one strip of fabric, and made small tucks to form the gussets.  The polka dot ribbon trim adds some stiffness to the edge, and a touch of whimsy.

Knowing that weight on the sides of the bag would cause it to slump, I stitched the pockets low in the bag. In hindsight, I wish I had sewn them even lower, so the contents would rest on the bottom of the bag and reduce strain on the side.

I wanted a flat pocket to carry papers (bank deposit, mail, etc.), so I added that to the other side of the lining.  A smaller pocket is attached to it - a handy place for my car keys.  I also attached a key fob on a long strap to the top edge of the bag.  I keep my work and studio keys on it, and it has become my secondmost favorite feature of the bag.  With the long strap, I can pull it out and unlock a door without having to remove the keyring from the clip.  Very handy!

My favorite feature of the tote is the water bottle bag I constructed. It is interlined with two layers of needlepunch fleece for insulation, and lined with PUL - a knit fabric with a water resistant coating (popular for diaper covers, I believe).

I sewed this into the side seam of the lining, so it keeps the bottle standing upright and easily accessible.  This feature has been wonderful.  No more water bottle sweat on the other contents in my bag, and it helps keep the water cold.  I'll definitely include this feature in the next tote I make!

Before inserting the lining, I crafted ring tabs from my linen trim, using a template (cut from a manilla folder) to press the edes in so they would be even:

I like the additional interest the tabs make on the exterior of the bag.  I placed the rings so both fabrics could be seen through them.  This design element turned out to be a flaw.  In spite of all of the reinforcing I had done with the interfacing, the tops of the tabs became stress points when I held the bag by the handles, creating a horizontal fold between the two tabs.  Basically, the top of the bag turned inward, and the line created by the stress became a ridge.  Sooooo, I topstitched the straps to the top edge of the bag.  This took care of the stress issue, although it doesn't look as nice.  If I use this pattern again, the rings will need to be attached at the top edge of the bag.

The webbing I used for straps is from M & J Trimming in New York.  I couldn't find any locally that was the correct width to fit the rings.  The webbing is very sturdy, and doesn't crumple in my hand.  Very good quality; I highly recommend it.  Several people have asked why I didn't make the handles longer, so the bag could be carried on my shoulder.  After having surgery on both shoulders years ago, I don't carry anything on them.  I cut the straps long enough for carrying the bag comfortably on my arm or in my hand, which works for me.

Here's a peek inside my completed tote.  It's almost a shame to have this pretty lining covered by all of the stuff I put in here, but it makes me smile when I catch a glimpse of it. 

This was a very time-consuming project because of all of the features I added, but it was well worth the effort. I love carrying it.  And when it becomes too worn for everyday use, it will make a great knitting bag!

My Heart Pounding with Passion

Yesterday morning, my eye was caught by a book of poetry in my bookcase.  Trusting this intuitive spark, I lifted the volume from the shelf, leafed through it, chose a page and began to read:

Seven weeks away

from the New Hampshire desk, on the last day

of our trip, in Sapporo,

we ate noodle soup with the head

of the Hokkaido

Historical Museum.  In his good

English, and with

embarrassment, the director desired us

to check the grammar

and diction of a photograph's caption

he had composed in English -

and his two sentences lacked one

"the".  But I also noticed

that if he reversed the order

of clauses, the first

sentence would gain energy; the second,

turned into a dependent

clause, would compress the whole to half

the words and make a witty

shape.  My pencil made loops, circling

new orders of diction

and style, my heart pounding with passion.

from The Old Life,

 by Donald Hall

A native New Englander now well into his eighties, Donald Hall is one of my favorite poets and essayists.  Much of his poetry is elegaic, and, therefore, a bit sad.  But his reflections of life on his grandparents' New Hampshire farm, where he has now lived for decades, meet me at my heritage, and make me smile.  My parents came from farming families, and ran a dairy farm for the first 10 years of my life.  They, too, are in their eighties, and reside on a parcel of land they have owned for nearly 60 years.  Mr. Hall's portrayals of everyday life and of his love for home never fail to move me.

But I digress.  The account I read yesterday, of a moment during a trip Hall took to Japan, sings to my creative spirit.  It is an inspiring glimpse of a person being who he is, performing his life's calling.  In the midst of a lengthy vacation, away from his writing desk and the daily disciplines of a writing life, a serendipitous opportunity drops him smack into the middle of his art.  The easy task of checking the grammar and diction of two sentences become an affirmation of his creative talent.  In working with a mere caption, he comes to glory in the joy of the creative process, in his excellence as a crafter of words.  The mundane becomes sacred.

I can see him at a table in Japan, reading through the caption, then adding a "the".  Then I see his energy shift as divine inspiration flows through him, enabling him to recognize the creative potential of the words.  As he makes loops and circles with his pencil, I feel his joy, his thrill with the pleasure and satisfaction that come with creative efforts.  I experience this same joy when I see the potential of a certain combination of materials, and allow creative energy to flow through me as I work and play and finalize the project.  Mr. Hall transforms words into art.  I transform fiber and yarn into art.

For me, living a creative life means consciously allowing the inspiration of the Universe to flow through me.  It means being present, aware of my surroundings, awake to creative opportunities, and open to challenges my environment or circumstances bring.  It requires discipline, which I am slowly developing.  It means taking risks.  It requires practice, practice, practice.  Most important of all, it asks for play; a romping spirit that revels in the joy of creating.

Donald Hall has figured it out.  I'm learning to do the same.  The reward is feeling fully alive, deeply satisfied, my heart pounding with passion.

Trillian is Growing!

Help! My sewing mojo appears to have gone on vacation.  It was reportedly sighted on the nude beach in Provincetown, reading a sleazy novel and getting a good burn on.  And ogling the scenery.  I sure wish it would come home.  There are garments waiting to be designed and sewn!

It's times like this I'm really glad I learned to knit.  Lately, I've been knitting a little bit every day, and I'm loving how this scarf is progressing.  The looooong triangular shape will be very fun to wear.  I'm picturing it wrapped twice around my neck, with the ends hanging in front.  It will continue to get wider as I knit, but the corner angles will remain the same.  Very long and sleek!

As the scarf widens, the stripes become more and more narrow.  I expect it to grow twice as wide as it is now, so the stripes may be less than 1/2" wide at the end.  The varied stripe widths will give added interest when the scarf is wrapped.

I'm working into the second repeat of the color sequence, so all the colors are visible now.

I'm a color fanatic, and I dig unusual color combinations like this one.  Combining brown, blue and lavender in one piece is somewhat of a surprise to the eye.  Color wheel knowledge, however, explains why it works.  Brown is actually dark orange, which is opposite blue on the color wheel.  That makes them complimentary - they contrast with one another and create drama and movement (and say nice things to one another).  The two of them are far more interesting together than on their own.  Lavender sits next to blue on the color wheel, which means the two colors are harmonious.  They share a common color - blue - but are slightly different from one another.  And, lavender contains enough blue to look good with brown.

The blue in this yarn is quite warm, as is the brown. The lavender is very cool, leaning more to the blue than the red side.  Some say mixing warm and cool tones in the same piece creates disharmony, but I disagree.  Even though the lavender is cool and the blue is warm, they appear to "go together".

What I find most interesting about this color combination is what happens when you remove one of the colors.  Blocking out the lavender, brown, or blue, one at a time, reveals nice color schemes, but seeing all three together creates lots more interest.  They play off each other and the neutral whites, grays and blacks to form a quiet yet lively palette.

I have two skeins of yarn, so this scarf will continue to grow.  The one I started with had a knot joining two pieces at different areas of the color repeat.  I had to wind off a ball of yarn until I came to the same color in the repeat.  I'll need to join yarns again soon.  This will give me the opportunity to reverse the direction of the color repeat.  I think I might do this, as it will increase the interest of the color flow.  Another reason I love knitting with Noro!

Knitting on the Front Porch

My Parents' Front Porch

Eric, Poco and I just spent a long weekend visiting friends and family at my parents' home in Ithaca, NY.  Their wonderful front porch was the scene of much socializing during our stay.  The rocking chairs my sister recently gave them are a big hit.  They have great back and leg support, they're just the right height for tall gals like me, and the seat cushions make them soooo comfortable!

View from the Porch

The giant shag-bark hickory trees in the front lawn provide abundant shade and secluded perches for the many songbirds who visit the feeders.  The house is set back far from the road (which is along the telephone poles toward the top of the photo), so it is quite serene.

Poco, Rose of Sharon, and Pergola

Gardens and Deck at Back of House

My mother invests much of her energy in flower gardening and watercolor, her creative passions.  The many beds and plantings on the property keep her busy, and she thrives on this form of self expression, eagerly anticipating every growing season.  It's not unusual for her to spend hours a day outdoors, tending her gardens.  I snapped a quick photo of her at work Monday morning:

Mom

View from the Deck

In case one tires of the view from the front of the house, the deck view is equally beautiful.  The views are expansive, and the setting is quite private and peaceful.  Wild turkeys roam the adjacent fields and woods, and a day without a deer sighting is unusual.  (Unfortunately, they love Mom's flowers as much as she does.)

That's a pond behind the trees on the left.  It is swimable and stocked with fish.  This home was built in the late 1990's, in a field that was part of our family farm.  Any hints that my father still loves to drive his tractors?  Mowing the grass is his favorite passtime around home.

Dad, Dressed for a Trip to the Dump

Children are never bored here.  The pond is great for the older ones, while the toddlers love to climb and play in this fabulous tree house:

Playhouse

These lovely grounds were the perfect locale for a knitting weekend.  Imagine how wonderful it was for me to have lots of free time to while away the hours on the porch and the deck, with needles and yarn in my hands!  Sitting in view of colorful flowers, with birdsong in the air and cooling breezes passing by was simply divine.  The experience reminded me of how much I am nourished by being outdoors!

I purchased some yarn and a cool pattern just for this trip, and made quite a bit of progress on my new project:

Trillian Scarf

This quietly colorful self-striping yarn is Noro Taiyo Sock, a cotton/wool/nylon/silk blend from Japan.  I love knitting with Noro yarns.  Eisaku Noro's color sense is quite acute, and I can always count on creating a stunning garment from his yarn.  The thick/thin quality adds texture, and the fiber blend gives it an organic (as in "natural") flavor. 

Noro Taiyo Sock, Color No. 01

Such luscious color!  Rather than dying the yarn after it is spun, the folks at Noro begin with several different colored rovings (unspun fiber).  As the rovings are spun, the colors are gradually switched.  One long section of color blends into the next, which results in gradual color changes as the yarn is knit.  The colors are repeated in the same order, in about the same lengths, but since it is not a fully mechanized process, there is some pleasing variability. 

Gradual Color Changes and Rich Texture

I haven't yet reached the blue and brown in the yarn, so just imagine how rich the combination will be!  This is the fun of knitting with Noro - watching the colors appear in the knitted piece.

This pattern is quite simple, and a joy to knit in a striping yarn such as this.  The pattern is named Trillian, after a female character in the Douglas Adams classic, The Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy. Martina Behm designed it, and it can be purchased on Ravelry.com.  The scarf is about a foot long now, but when finished, it will be very long, so that I can wrap it around my neck a couple of times and let the ends fall long in front.  It has a simple lace edge, and an asymmetrial triangular shape.  The pointed end where I began knitting forms the narrowest angle in the triangle.

Asymmetry, texture, rich coloration, and stripes - four of my favorite design elements!  Knitting this scarf will continue to be a rewarding, relaxing experience.  Stay tuned for more photos as the scarf grows!

Poco Surveys His Domain Away from Home