Royal (not a) Pain in the Neck Shirt

No, the shirt wasn't a pain in the neck to sew. But I don't absolutely love it, because I simply do not like to wear shirts. This particular one was yet another attempt to change my mind, but it didn't. I still don't like shirts, and if you stick with me, I'll explain why.

Last summer I purchased a washed tencel fabric in a gorgeous shade of royal blue from Homespun Boutique in Ithaca. Since then, I've been waiting for it to tell me what it wanted to be. I knew I wanted a top out of it, but I wasn't sure if it would be a shell or a shirt. Since a shirt requires buttons, I interviewed several blue shirt buttons from Sawyer Brook (oh, how I love having my studio right next door to SB. I had to walk all of 30 feet to get these buttons!). If I found a button that looked great, I would make a shirt.

Well, that square beauty on the right sure looked good! It's dyed corozo, aka "vegetable ivory", carved from the tagua nut. The color is a perfect match, and the square shape mimics the straight lines of the woven stripes in the fabric. This little button was my decision maker, and I moved forward with making a shirt. (If you're interested in the button, it is available in several colors here.)

I started with the same OOP Sandra Betzina Vogue pattern I used for my Nuevo Yukata shirt last summer. This time I left the neckline as drafted, rather than lowering the front a bit. I drafted a square-cornered mandarin collar and a long pocket. 

In the pattern instructions, Sandra gives permission to not put buttons at the top if there are no plans to wear it buttoned up. I don't like close-fitting fabric at my neck, and knew I'd never wear it buttoned, so I took advantage of her permission.

The shirt went together very easily. The fabric has good drape and the texture keeps it from being slippery. I made short sleeves and turned the sleeve hem allowance up twice and stitched, like the front bands are done. I did the same at the top of the pocket. I would have done the same at the hem, but didn't cut it long enough to do so. 

I really like how the buttons look on the fabric. I love how the grain of the natural nut shows in the finished button.

Button nirvana!

Ok, so why don't I like shirts? I think it has to do with the fabric. I love knits because they are soft and smooth and don't stand away from my body. This washed tencel has nice drape and breathes well, and I have to say it's a relatively comfortable shirt. But there's just too much fabric at the neck, at least for summer wear. I wore it yesterday and found it to be comfortable in 60 degree temperatures, but soon the weather will be too warm to wear it. I think I'll get more use out of it in fall and spring, when I can also wear it with a tank or cami underneath.

Not a pain in the neck, and such a gorgeous color!

Ten Tiltons!

A couple of projects ago, I realized I had completed several Tilton-inspired garments since last December. As I counted them, I was surprised to find that the next two that were in the works would bring the total to ten. It seems I've been breathing Tilton air for the past five months!

I love the artfulness of Katherine and Marcy's design sense. Their styles are relatively easy to sew, and comfortable to wear. I love how I can take a Tilton pattern and make it mine, either with a design change, or with paint. The sisters have helped me build a wardrobe that expresses my playful, off-the-beaten-path personality.

All of these garments are made using Vogue patterns designed by Marcy or Katherine. Most of them use fabric from marcytilton.com. A couple are painted using silk screens from Marcy.

 Katherine's 8710
Rayon Jersey from Homespun Boutique

Marcy's 8693
Lapis Ponte from Marcy
Numerous Swirly Silkscreens

Katherine's 8710
Peacock Rayon/Lycra Jersey from Marcy
Asian Inspired Silk Screens from Marcy

Marcy's 8671
Plummy Ponte from Marcy

Katherine's 8793
Violet Crumble and Metallic Stripe Jerseys from Marcy

Katherine's 8777
Grande Mesh from Marcy

Marcy's 8430
Ultramarine Ponte from Sawyer Brook

Collaged Top Inspired by Katherine
Jerseys from Sawyer Brook, Grande Mesh from Marcy

Marcy's 8582 - Shoulders and Collar
Violet Rayon Jersey from Sawyer Brook 

Katherine's 8778

Two jackets, two vests, and six tops. (Good thing I have jeans and pants to cover my lower half!) Many thanks to the Tilton sisters for the inspiration they have given me. My wish is that I have passed it along to my readers.

I'm working on a couple of woven top projects now, and a knit top is waiting to be hemmed. First, I need to make some shorts - a scary proposition, but I know I have to bite the bullet and dive in. There are no Tiltons planned in the immediate future, but those sisters always reside in my creative mind, so I know they'll show up again soon!

Iris Top

I purchased this lovely iris colored rayon knit at Homespun Boutique in Ithaca, NY last summer, and have been eager to sew it up for spring and summer wear. I love the fit of Katherine Tilton's Vogue 8710, and decided to make it again, with short sleeves.

The pattern was a pretty good choice for the fabric, except the neckline didn't recover from being stretched when I applied the band. The fabric has no lycra, so its recovery is not good. I thought a run through a wash cycle would help it, but it didn't take care of the problem.

Before: Droopy and Sad
(and I'm talking about the neckline here, not the girls!)

Part of this droopiness may be due to the forward shoulder seams of the pattern. But it was mostly an issue of being stretched out. I undid my hand and machine stitching, ran an ease stitch along the front neck edge, and pin basted the band back on, making it 1-1/2" shorter. I'm glad I chose to redo the band, as I don't think running elastic through the neckband would have looked this good.

After: High and Happy

While constructing this top, I realized I had made some alterations to the pattern that I had forgotten to mention on the green version. I had narrowed the shoulder seam by about an inch and a half, because the sleeves hung off my shoulders. The underarm is also quite low. I raised it and inch on this top, but will raise it even more next time. I will also narrow the width of the garment at the front neckline, as it's just a bit too wide.

I still think this is a great pattern for us full figured gals. The generosity of fabric at the lower part of the top helps it fall nicely over wide bellies and/or hips. This version is really comfortable, and I know I'll get lots of wear from it in the coming months!

Painted Lapis Ponte Jacket

Whew - where did the past month go? It seems time just flew by. I've been busily sewing, finishing two garments a couple of weeks ago, and in the midst of two more at present. A photo session before Mother's Day weekend was a failure, but DH took some good shots this week. Now I can blog about my new jacket.

I started this project back in March, when the unseasonable 70f+ degree temperatures were interrupted by some days that topped out at 50. Back then, I thought I might finish it in time for spring wearing, but several changes I made in the process of constructing it put the kibosh on that prospect. No problem - I now have a jacket I really like, and come September, I'll wear it a lot.

This was made from a rather stiff ponte from Marcy Tilton, in a gorgeous color she named lapis. The color is a rich blue that is accurate in the photo above, but not as much so in the photos that follow. I really like the fabric, and pondered quite a while before choosing to use this pattern, also Marcy's, Vogue 8693. I love the size of the collar, the curved seam lines, and thought I would like the pointed hemline:

Vogue 8693
(Tiny Image for Some Unknown Reason)

This looks so elegant on the model! The side drapes flatter her so well. Little did I know the fabric I had chosen was too stiff to drape nicely, and I would feel like I had wings a la The Flying Nun when wearing it. What looked like nice drapes in the photo looked like airplane wings on me! A softer ponte would have helped, but I finally concluded this style just won't flatter me at my current size.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. Not one to be content with a "plain" jacket, I decided to add some paint using several of Marcy's silk screens. I thought I didn't want to add much color, so at first I used only pewter Lumiere. After looking at it for a few days, I decided it needed more depth, so I added two shades of purple.

I painted on the cut out pieces, rather than on the garment after it was constructed. Sometimes this works well, and sometimes not so much. I like to group motifs together, so I really need to make sure which seam joins which, in order to place the elements in the right place. I'm fairly happy with the results, although I always see room for improvement.

So how, you may ask, did I alter the pattern to get rid of the wings? The piece for the side front (which continues to the side back) is basically a long rectangle with shaped ends. I was able to cut away part of the rectangle - the part that draped. I laid the jacket out and figured out the shape required to fill the empty space created when I ripped out the side piece. Then I trimmed away the part of the piece I didn't need. It turned out quite well, I think. The curved seams are still there, and it's roomy enough to accomodate my lower torso.

The pattern has optional welt pockets that are inserted in the draped area. Having cut away those draped sides, and not one to own a jacket without pockets, I decided to insert them into the seam. I didn't want to add bulk, so I used lining for both sides of the pocket, rather than using ponte for the the back piece. That means the lining can show, but I kind of like the peek at contrasting fabric.

I could have used a color that matched a bit better, but I had this great Hang Loose lining left over from another project, and it is a close color match to the darker purple paint. It's static-free, which will be a great benefit when I wear the jacket in cold, dry weather. (I tend to be a magnet for static cling, for some reason.)

The jacket is partially lined, in the center front, upper back, and sleeves. I was hesitant to line a stretch fabric, but really wanted the slipperiness a lining offers, as it helps the jacket to lie smoothly against other garments. The fabric doesn't stretch without being tugged at, so I took a chance. At first I sewed the bottom edge of the front lining pieces to the hem of the jacket. One side of the jacket bagged, so I took out the stitches and hemmed the lining pieces separately from the jacket hem. (Sorry I couldn't get the colors in this shot more true to reality. The fabrics are a bit bluer and cooler looking than this.)

In the pattern instructions, Marcy discusses whether or not to interface the collar. I chose not to interface it, as I wanted it to be somewhat slouchy. Interfaced, it would stand higher than my ears - not a flattering look. It's taken a bit to get used to, but I do like the soft folds in the collar.

The final touch for the jacket was the button. I had a difficult time finding a large button that matched the fabric well, so I decided to opt for a colorful one. This coconut button was in my stash. I liked the shape, and the cutouts seemed to echo what's going on in the silk screen designs. The button had been on display at Sawyer Brook for years, and fluorescent lighting had faded it to a dull pink.  I gave it a few coats of one of the purple paints used in the silk screening. I regret not having taken a "before" image, as the "after" image is remarkably different.

One last item - a warning for anyone who owns this fabric. It crocks. That is the industry term for when the fabric dye rubs off - like some blue jeans do when new. Just a bit into working with the fabric, I noticed my fingers were blue. This continued throughout the construction process. I had washed and dried the fabric, but apparently it needs another washing or two before the dye quits transferring. If you have this fabric in your stash, you might want to wash it a few times before working with it, and definitely before wearing it, as it could rub off and show on lighter colored clothing.

I really like this jacket, and I'm looking forward to pulling it out in September or October, when the air cools down again. Just think - I'll have a brand new coat!

Peacock Green Top

Because of its tendency to pill, I've been saying no to most rayon jersey. Three of the tops I made last summer from rayon have pilled so badly they're no longer wearable in public. I admit, I did put them in the dryer. But still... it seems fabric that costs $15 a yard should last longer than 10 to 15 wash and dry cycles. I've put them to good use as tops to wear in the studio, where leaning against my cutting table as I reach for items eventually wears holes at the waistline. So all is not lost.

The rayon jersey I really love is knit from yarns spun from longer fibers. This gives the jersey an almost crepe texture, and a very dry hand. It is truly beautiful fabric, but harder to come by, as the shorter staple rayons are more popular in the marketplace. It's those shorter fibers that fluff out and become pills. The way to tell a short fiber rayon jersey? Does it feel soft and cottony? If so, my experience has shown it's likely to pill.

So, no more short fiber rayon jersey for me, I said. And I really meant to stick with this conviction - until I saw this lovely color of rayon/lycra jersey on Marcy Tilton's site. One look, and all promises were forgotten.

This rich jewel tone green is a great color for me, and hard to come by. I requested a swatch and found it was a soft, drapey, short-fiber rayon. Yes, it's likely to pill. But the color just hooked me. I swore to take very gentle care of it - short cycle in the washer, and hang to dry. It's too early to tell how it will hold up, but I hope it does, because I really love this top.

I've been wanting to make Katherine Tilton's Vogue 8710 for some time. This fabric told me that's what it wanted to be, and that it wanted to be painted. So, I jumped right in. (Call me crazy, but fabric does speak to me, if I listen carefully. It's all part of the wonderfully mysterious creative process.)
Since this top hadn't been designing itself in my mind for long, I began by looking at paint colors to see what enhanced the color of the fabric. All three are Lumiere. Then I pulled out all of my silk screens to find a nice combination. A Japanese theme came to the forefront.

I still have a lot of practicing to do to get the silk screening process refined. Sometimes I push too much paint through the screen, and sometimes not enough. Several parts of the screen used on the right edge of the back didn't come through well, so I touched them up with a fine brush. It's a tedious procedure, but I'm glad I had a way to save this top, as the pieces had been cut out before I painted them.

In addition to the top right of the front and back pieces, I also painted the lower left sleeve. Painting in three areas seemed to achieve a sort of balance.

As for the pattern, I can't say enough good about it. It is cut very well for my figure. Wanting to wear this in warmer weather, I cut the neckline a couple of inches lower. In hindsight, I could have left it as drafted. I shortened the sleeves to 7/8 length. They could have been tapered more, but I don't mind their width as they will be cooler.

The real bonus of this design is the side front insert. I'm always looking for an opportunity to add some bust shaping, and this piece provides one. I had sewn both of them in and inserted the sleeves before realizing the top could use more shaping in the bust area. So, I figured out how much of a "dart" to take out of the armscye, and pinned the insert that much farther into the front piece.

That's the front piece sticking out above the side insert piece. Here's a view from the other side, showing how much I was able to remove from the front - a good inch.

This adjustment made for a really pleasing fit at the side bust and armscye.

The only sewing change I made was to hand sew the neck band on the inside. The pattern calls for stitching in the ditch from the outside, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't stay in the ditch. I think it had something to do with the relative bulk of the band and the size of the presser feet I tested. I ended up turning the inner edge under and hand sewing it, only to discover that diagonal wrinkles had formed, mostly on the front. In an effort to save enough fabric for another garment, I had cut the band on the cross grain, rather than on the bias, as recommended by Katherine. Apparently the jersey needed to be lined up perfectly on grain in order to lie flat. So, I removed my stitches and started again. I inserted a pin at the sewn edge, followed the grain and inserted another pin at the raw edge. This told me which two points had to meet in order for the band to lie flat. I pinned a couple of inches, hand stitched it, pinned a couple more inches, and proceeded around the band. It turned out nicely, so I don't mind having put the effort in.

Little did I know at the time, but after a washing I discovered the hems behaved just like the neckline. Fortunately the wrinkles pressed out okay, so I'm not going to resew the hems. They are machine stitched, and would be a pain to remove and redo.

The swing fit of the lower front and back are great for a round, full figured gal like me.

Thinner women have mentioned on PR that they don't care for the extra fabric. For me, it means not having to add width at the side seams. If you have a protruding midriff and belly, like I do, this top may just be for you! I will definitely be making it again, as I love the "dart" I can hide in the side front seam.

Thanks to Katherine for another winning pattern!

Pretty Plum Pink Ponte Pullover!

12 tops in 12 months in 2012 - that's what I committed to on Stitcher's Guild. I wear tops nearly every day, so I certainly can use 12 new ones. I'm actually aiming for making 18 tops, as my wardrobe can use several for each season. My work environment at Sawyer Brook is very casual, as is my social life, so I don't have need for skirts, dresses, or blouses. Occasionally I'll wear a shirt, but most days it's a top with jeans or pants.

There are times when I long for the suits and dresses I wore in the 90's - totally different career - but for the most part, I'm content in dressing casually. You all know I have easy access to wonderful fabrics perfect for a business career. But that's not my life right now, so I'm sewing for the life I'm living.

Making top after top after top gets a bit dull, so I do need to switch it up a bit now and then. You'll be seeing some different types of garments here soon. I'm just finishing up an outerwear jacket, and I have a linen/rayon shirt to make for spring. For now, though, it's tops!

This is top #3, sewn from a light-to-midweight ponte from Marcy Tilton.

I've had this fabric in my stash for well over a year, and I love the color. One day in my studio, while pondering what to sew next, this fabric told me it wanted to be made into that Marcy Tilton top with the off-center front seam. Message heard, I jumped right in and finished it in a weekend.

I started with my current TNT top pattern, Vogue1261, tracing fresh copies of the back and front. From there, tracing the neckline, shaped front seam and shaped hemline from Marcy's V8671 onto them was easy. These photos don't show it well, but the front seam and hemline are slightly curved. These curves are flattering, and give the top more interest and flow. FYI, I added several inches to the length, as I prefer a longer top.

All of the edges are left raw. To help stabilize them and prevent them from stretching out, Marcy has you cut strips of ponte and lay them under the hems and neckline. Then you topstitch, slightly stretching the strips, and trim the excess away. I think I stretched the strips a bit too much, as the hems appear a bit puckered. However, I think it's a neat technique, and I'm sure I'll use it again.

For the topstitching, I chose a variegated topstitching thread from Sulky. It was thick enough that I couldn't use a double needle; the thread kept breaking. So, I switched to a topstitching needle, and topstitched each edge twice.

The pink tones in the thread match the fabric perfectly, while the navy and gray add an extra dimension. The top has small side slits. I chose to lengthen them a bit.

(Please pardon the wrinkles. The top had been living in a bag for a couple of days before I took this shot, and I didn't have time to press it.)

I tried to insert bust darts from both the side seams and the armscyes, but I couldn't get them to look good. I think the weight of the fabric prevented them from lying nicely. I don't like the horizontal wrinkles under my arms, but they don't look as bad as the darts did!

This fabric has a nice feel on the skin, but I think it was just a tad too heavy for this top. It would have made a nice unconstructed cardigan or jacket. The drape of the knit would have been perfect for that. Marcy's pattern calls for a lightweight double knit, but I don't think this fabric is quite light enough. I am happy with the top, though, as it's very comfortable to wear.

What would I have made this spring without all of these Tilton patters and fabrics?! I've been having lots of fun sewing their styles. I have two more Tilton inspired garments almost ready to show you, then I think I'll try a Lynn Mizono. But you can be sure I'll be back to Tilton. I just love what those wonder women create! 







Grande Mesh Vest

I'm still catching up on blogging about garments I made in February and March. Photoshoots are the holdup for me. My husband works long hours, and I spend most of Saturday and Sunday at my studio, so there are only a couple of opportunities each week for posed photos. I'll have to look into getting a tripod, to give myself more flexibility.

A tripod, and a dress form. I want to get a really good one, so I'm saving my pennies for it. If anyone can recommend a good plus size form, I'd love to hear about it!

So, back in February, which seems like ages ago, I decided to make a vest using this new pattern from Katherine Tilton:

Vogue 8777

From the moment I saw it, I knew I had to make it, and probably more than once. I love its great lines and how easy it is to wear. The seaming in the back makes it unique, and I really like how the vest can add a layer to my look without making me too warm.

For this version I chose a black open mesh fabric I purchased from Marcy Tilton a year or two ago. I had originally intended the mesh to become an overlay for a top, but this vest pattern proved to be the perfect garment for it. (It also allowed enough leftovers for other projects, including my Back Words top. I still have some scraps, so you haven't seen the last of it yet!)

This was a very easy and rewarding sewing project. Katherine gives several options for finishing the seams. I chose to fold mine under and stich them in place. That's also how I finished the edges. It worked so well it's hard to tell which side they're turned to.

The top goes with many garments in my wardrobe, including the red violet top, the bright pink top from last fall, the Back Words collage top, and this:

This has been lots of fun to wear, and I'm definitely going to be making it again. And again!