Burda 7947 Skirt - Done

This was a very easy skirt to make and it went together perfectly. I didn't make any fit adjustments to this pattern.

Overall I am pleased.....I like the skirt style....it is very slimming.

I like the fabric.....but ....... unfortunately I'm just not sure yet how it will wear!

Skirt Front

My fabric is a light weight jean fabric with some stretch, and I'm thinking I should have made the skirt a touch smaller to accommodate for the stretch..... I have a feeling by the end of the day it may be somewhat loose. We'll just have to see!

Skirt Back

Inside Back Yoke - label & yoke seam detail

Invisible Zipper

Once I finish the Jalie top I will post a picture of the outfit.

Taking pictures to post on a blog sounds easy enough - doesn't it? Not so...not always....not for me!

I have to say I have allot of respect for people who take pictures of their garments and they look "so" professional. ....whether they are on their forms or they are wearing them.... trying to get everything right is just not as easy as it may appear.... again to me!

I must take 50 pictures to get one right. Now I'm curious, am I too fussy or do you all go through this to get your pictures up on your blog???

Have a great week!

Burda 7947 Skirt & Jalie 2910 Top

Just a quick note to check in. I hope everyone is having a great week so far.

I decided my next project would be a fairly easy and hopefully a quick one, so I picked this Burda skirt and a Jalie top.

I love the lines of this skirt.(View C). I'm making it in a very light weight jean fabric. The Jalie top will be the sleeveless one done up in a knit.

When sewing is done in short sessions, and the project is simple, it's actually exciting that you can see progress :) in one sitting. In one night I easily traced the pattern, cut out my fabric and sewn the skirt fronts. It's great :)

I met a young lady today, who just happens to make beautiful garments and I wanted to share her site with you. . . Erin drafts, designs and sews them up herself and sells these creative garments on Etsy. ... .She is very talented.... Enjoy!

Vogue 8259 - Completed

I'm thrilled to finally have this jacket done. I love it. It is so comfortable and I love the fit. The time I took to make the sway back alterations on the muslin paid off. I think this is the best fitting jacket I made so far.

Pattern Review- Jacket Vogue 8259:

Pattern Description:

MISSES’/MISSES’ PETITE JACKET:

Semi-fitted, partially interfaced, lined jacket, below waist has princess seams (no side seams), stand collar, patch pockets, long three-piece sleeves with buttoned vents and purchased trim. A: couture construction techniques, quilting details, contrast front and sleeve facings, collar lining.

Pattern Sizing:

SIZES

- 6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

22

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?

The outside of the jacket did look like the model on the envelope. I made View B and made some changes from this view, but overall yes it looked like the pattern should.

Were the instructions easy to follow?

The instructions were very well written. There are "Claires Hints" all thru the pattern. I've done most of the couture techniques in this pattern however the sleeve method was new to me. I loved the construction of the sleeve/cuff. One construction step that was a little confusing was attaching the sleeve/lining to the jacket. I could not wrap my head around these instructions (step #41 & 42), so I just did it my way. (It just appeared that the steps were reversed. Even in reversing the steps it was awkward setting the sleeve lining in, but I did it.)

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?

I love the style. The fit is the best I've made so far. I love the sleeve/cuffs.

Cuff Inside view

Fabric Used:

Bouclé, and satin back crepe for the lining.

Bound Button hole

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made.

• 1- I made a sway back adjustment and I took in pretty much every seam. I could have made a size smaller.

• 2-I underlined every piece with fusible knit tricot interfacing and also added hair canvas to the front and did pad-stitching to the front pieces.

• 3- I made bound buttonholes. My fabric was a very loose bouclé and I had some trouble with the buttonholes. I made my test buttonholes and the fabric was fraying /tearing around the buttonhole stitches. (Making the bound buttonholes with organza and using a 1.5 stitch worked great)

• 4- I made a front facing

• 5- I added a chain to the hem.

Padstitching

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?

I definitely will sew it again. Next time making View A with the quilted lining. I definitely recommend this pattern.

Conclusion. This is a great Claire Schaeffer pattern.

Final inspection

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My newest Sewing Room Notion

My husband and daughter saw this shoe tape dispenser at our local Staples store- and they thought it would be just too perfect for my sewing room...... I love it!

I'm very"slowly" making progress on my Vogue 8259 jacket .

Pieces are all interfaced.......pad stitching done ....

and pockets ready to be hand sewn on.

I hope to get more done tomorrow. It will be nice to finish this jacket so I can start on summer clothes....like this one of many I want to make.....

from Patrones #278. There are so many beautiful patterns in this issue.

(Thank you so much Paco).

I'm happy to say that my Jalie patterns have been shipped. They were not supposed to be released till Mar 24th, but I got my shipping notice on the 19th :) For those not familiar with Jalie, when you order (from their site), 3 patterns you receive a fourth free. I ordered three new patterns and my fourth I chose the pants patterm # 2107 for my husband. I also ordered my stretch denim from Fabric.com for the jeans pattern #2908.

....and last but not least, a picture of my "boys" keeping me company in my sewing room! Bradley happy as can be sleeping very comfortably on Duncan.

New Jalie Patterns

Following pictures taken form Jalie site.

The New Jalie Collection is Available for Pre-Order.

I pre-ordered mine today. They are due out Mar 24th.

I just love the neckline and the little mandarin collar on the Faux Wrap Top-2910.

.

** Sisterhood Award ** Pass it On

Thank you so very much Marjie and Lindsay for this Sisterhood Award. There are so many great blogs out there and I can spend way too much time browsing, but I do love reading blogs :) and seeing what everyone is making.

As I said for the Kreativ Blog Award, I would just like to pick everyone from my side bar, because they are all wonderful blogs!

The rules of this award are:

1. Put the logo on your blog or post .

2. Nominate at least 10 blogs which show great Attitude and/or Gratitude!

3. Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.

4. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.

5. Share the love and link to the person from whom you received your award.

1. Ana Carina - Os Meus Projectos de Moda

2. Ana's Closet

3. Ann- Gorgeous Fabrics Blog

4. Anne - Le Mani D'oro

5. Birgitte - Bubblegum 4 Breakfast

6. Summerset - Pins and Needles

7. Deepika - Curtains to Coats

8. Diana - Sew Passionista

9. Faye's Sewing Adventures

10. Tany - Couture et Tricot

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Vogue 8259 - Trims & Buttons -Blues

** Thank you so much Birgitte, Anne, Lindsay and Paco for your help and offers. I truly appreciate your thoughtfulness :)

After yesterday's post, I've been playing around - allot - with the white trim and also making trim from the bouclé fabric, however I didn't come up with anything I liked.

I had these buttons and trim for another project, and when I tried them with this blue/white bouclé fabric, well I kind-a like it :)

The trim is a variegated color that actually blends very nicely. When the light reflects on the buttons, the blue of the bouclé fabric comes out in the buttons!

The buttons look goldish in the picture (on my screen), however they are actually an antiqued looking silver.

Fabric,trim and buttons all seem to just fit together! I'm happy. Now I can carry on :)

Blue/ White Bouclé Jacket- Vogue 8259 - Trim & Buttons & Claire Shaeffer CD

I finally found some trim and buttons today.....but I must say I'm not totally thrilled with my find....but it was what I could find. I really only have the "one" place to go to, to choose trims and buttons, and although it is pretty good most times, it definitely is not like Lindsay's go to places in NYC's Garment District :)

I was truly hoping to find trim to match the blue in my fabric, but that was just not happening! So I'm a little disappointed - but white trim and buttons was just my only way to go! Hoping when all is done it will look beautiful!!

I'm leaning to the #1 choice, but will decide when the time comes to apply the trim.

#1

**************************************************************************************

I thought I'd share this information because I know there are some of you,just like me, who are patiently waiting for this CD:

Behind The Seams: The Shaeffer Collection Volume One: CHANEL -

I emailed David Coffin today asking when the CD would be available to purchase and from where, and this is what he wrote back:

I'm sorry this has been delayed, but it WILL soon be available. It's essentially done and just needs some details tweaked so that Claire and I are completely happy with it, which we're working on as we speak. Claire will be selling it, and I'm sending her a copy of this so you can get on her announce list. She's here:

sewfari@earthlink.net

(It's a CD-ROM, btw; not a DVD; amazingly, it all fits on a CD!)

Thanks for asking, we're hard at work!

Best,

David Coffin

I didn't realize there was an announce list, might be a good idea to get your name on this list :)

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Blue/ White Bouclé Jacket- Vogue 8259

I have been slowly getting thru my little fitting marathon with this jacket! Luckily they are not major adjustments, just time consuming, with allot of pinning/unpinning and trying the muslin on...... and off..............to get that perfect fit!The back was mainly the problem area.

The jacket back has 2 pieces, main back piece and a side back. This gave me lots of seams to adjust the fit, but I did end up making adjustments on pretty much every seam, front and back!

There was way to much fabric at the lower back and mid back. I made a double sway back adjustment, which were two dart-tucks tapering to nothing at side seams. This adjustment made the back hem pull up, so when I transferred all the adjustments to my paper pattern I added length to the back and straightened the grain line.

I also had to take in the center back, side seams and front seams (under the bust only).

1st muslin

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* I made a 2nd muslin, no sleeves, to confirm that the adjustments were alright.

I was happy with the fit.

There is still some minor tweaking that needs to be done, but I'll make those on the fabric.

Ann -Jalie 2794

Ann -Jalie 2794

Originally uploaded by Ann's Fashion Studio

I must tell you that these Jalie tops are "so" comfortable!

This is the top that does not have the altered (raised) neckline.

I find it is low, but with a camisole it is just right!

Edited: I wanted to mention that I cut the neckline bands as per pattern pieces, but for this top, applied them using the Sarah Veblen technique.

Another one of her videos available is her turtle neck application. (I'm posting them here for future references.)

Vogue 1086

I have been patiently waiting for my local fabric store to bring the new Vogue patterns out. I was thrilled to see them in the cabinets today so -

I bought Vogue 1086 today.

When I first saw this pattern on the Vogue site, I knew I had to have it. It's a gorgeous dress and I'm very anxious to make it.

Now - I must ponder what fabric to use!

Hope you are all having a wonderful week end :)

Sweetheart Top #2 *Jalie 2794

Jalie 2794 - Sweetheart Top, Jan 31 2009 Originally uploaded by Ann's Fashion Studio

Another Jalie 2794 Sweetheart Top.

I raised the neckline by 1-1/4", and this is a much better fit for me.

This is such a pretty top and fits very nicely.

I'm thrilled with the fit and I'm thinking of making another one already!

I will wear the #1 Sweetheart Top, with a camisole, however this one will be my TNT Pattern.

Sweetheart Top #1 * Jalie 2794

I have been wanting to make this top for as long as the pattern has been out (2007) and now that I have - I love it! It is such a pretty top.

There are so many wonderful reviews written up at Pattern Review on this top and I think I've had the same success as everyone else who has made it. For my first one I wanted to see how the fit would be without alterations to the pattern, so I didn't make any- (other than making full length sleeves). Many reviewed that the neckline was low. I figured that would be an issue for me too. I'm thrilled to say, that this is the "only" change I will make, is in the neckline, as I do find it somewhat low. I am very happy with the overall fit of this top, ( l will post a picture wearing it).

I plan on making another one as soon as I finish this post and I will raise the neckline.

The fabric I used is a knit I bought at Tissus Claudiany in Quebec. (Does it look familiar?)

I'm sure you have all seen the Sewing Article: "Best Patterns for 2008" by Diane Egelston at Pattern Review. It's a very interesting article.

Jalie 2794 was the # 1 Pattern!

MacPhee # 420

My first project of the year was this fleece jacket for my husband Bill.

I made it the first week of January, but just did not have the time to post till now.

The Pattern is MacPhee # 420 -No Sweat Shirt. I used red/white fleece, which I bought on line from MacPhee Workshop - Edmonton. I made the full zip front with side inseam pockets. Bill didn't want the maple leaf applique sewn on the front or back of his jacket.. It is unlined and to finish the seam allowances, I serged them......very easy and quick.

I've made this jacket many times before. I've made the pullover variation and the full zip front variation and every time it turns out perfect. The jacket is casual and very comfortable.

Overall it's really just a nice, simple pattern, no surprises and easy to follow instructions.