Like yourself

I have this student.


First class last term we were talking about the job hunting process. She commented that "well I know this isn't fair but I am probably going to have an advantage, you know, because of my looks. I hate to say it, but being attractive makes a difference."


I kept on my best teacher face but I remember thinking to myself that I hadn't actually considered this girl really attractive. Eyes a little close together maybe, nose a little big, a few pounds, and well those were sort of knock knees...there were far, far prettier girls in the class. I was taken aback a bit by her comment.


Over the course of the term I got to know this student. I eventually realized that there wasn't any vanity involved, no stuck up ego, it's just that somewhere along the line she had been brought up to just like herself. She enjoyed herself, she could laugh at herself. As student, and not a particularly good student, she had a great attitude. Nearly fail her, and I would get an email back "Great feedback Barb, really appreciate the trouble you took to explain this to me. Now I know what I need to do." And you know, the next assignment I saw she actually had taken it all to heart and I could see the changes she made. 


You just couldn't get this kid down. Unlike nearly everyone her age somehow this girl understood how not to take it personally, it was my comments on the work, not on her.


By the end of the term I started to notice things. How this student was always so well-groomed, well-dressed, good appropriate make-up, she took care of herself. She just took care of herself.


Last class I took her aside and told her that when she went job hunting I would give her a reference.


Not that she might need it, such an attractive girl already has an edge.

McCalls 6401

With surfer son's partially finished body work on his car in the background, nice touch

With a never before noticed over bite - nearly every picture I am talking to the photographer. Linda pants from Style Arc, isn't that a nice pattern?

Well here we are.


McCalls 6401 is a sort of Big Shirt with ties at the sides to draw it in. Very dropped sleeves and one of those front bands that curves out slightly in a V so the first button starts about 7" down.


Here are my thoughts:

• I made this in some quilted cotton that I bought on that afternoon I thought I was going to develop into a quilter. Since that thought had left me by about 4:00 that same afternoon I make up some "wearable muslins" in that yardage. My intention was to see if this pattern would work in a White Shirt since I have a huge pile of that stuff waiting for patterns that inspire me.
• It is pretty big. Despite the fact I am a 16-18 bust I made the medium (12-14) and you can see for yourself how generous it is.
• I started to cut the longer version but when I realized how long it was I cut off 3". As I am 5'9" you can see how long it still is in length too.
• I really like the way you can use the ties to pull it in and how they tie at the side and not over your belly. Belting a big shirt like this often gives me a poofed out belly that is not cool. This is better.
• The only construction change I made, and I really believe in this one, was not to interface the front bands. I have done that in the past and even gone back in and removed it (now that was a fun job). I have been making shirts for neglected sons and I note that men's shirts never have interfaced bands. Personally with the four layers of the fabric in the bands a lot is happening there to add bulk - IMO adding interfacing just makes a shirt too stiff over the chest. If it was a good idea to interface those bands they would be adding it to the gazillion men's shirts that are manufactured.

To me this is not a bad going-to-the-store, weekend shirt. Since I go to the store and have a weekend every week I will probably wear it a fair bit. I will decide once I have done a day in it if it is too loose and may actually make a white shirt version.

The Incompetent sewer's shirt collar instructions

I have enjoyed sewing this shirt and pictures of it will be up the end of the day when my husband gets back from going out to help his mom, and I have the buttons sewn on.


In the meantime here are, in what I hope is some kind of coherent order, my instructions for a collar that works for me. (see title above).


I want to emphasize that absolutely different methods work for different sewers. This is true of all techniques and the reason why there are 101 different ways to do everything out there. Just find what works for your sewing style. Personally I do best when a job is broken down into little stages with self correction opportunities are available at each stage, and everything does not depend on one large ambitious seam to make it all work.


Having to pull out the seam ripper does not bring out the best in me.


First off here are the collar issues an incompetent sewer like myself on some days can have with shirt collars:


1. Sewing that tricky round corner and top-stitching it is tough to do evenly. With a 1/4" seam, advised by some for good reason because it is more accurate, can make you crazy if your fabric starts to fray. Note a straight stitch foot and plate if you have one, or a needle set at the furthest left or right position (right up against the presser foot opening so to reduce the wide gap in the standard zig zag presser foot and therefore adding stability to the fabric support) is a real hep.


2. Little bits of thread or fabric can hang out right at that bump where the collar stand meets the shirt.


3. The top stitching of the band to the shirt can miss catching the other side.


4. Add your own issues, I am sure I have made more and forgotten some.


In general this is my approach:


1. Do nothing in final stitching until you have as much as possible set it up and pressed and organized it in its final shape. This gives you the opportunity to correct any potential problems while you still can. The object of this whole method is avoid having to use a seam ripper at all costs.


2. Sew with a conventional 5/8" seam allowance and then trim before the next step. I find this easier. I like to have something to hold on to.


Here goes, and if any of this doesn't make sense please let me know.


1. Make the collar. Stitch, take one stitch diagonally across the point, and press. The secret to a decent collar is to press the seams open on a Barbie doll ironing board a.k.a. this: (When searching for an image I found a link to an article with good pictures on the Threads site. I was surprised to see I wrote it. No mention that I would go on to write instructions for incompetent sewers. )

Turn and topstitch. David Page Coffin says to use a smaller stitch length and not to stitch too close to the edge, so I do it because he would know. Use a little "hump jumper" or folded something behind the presser foot when you turn to corner so you won't skip or pack up stitches and to keep the presser foot level. (I use an old leather bookmark somebody gave someone once).


Now this is important: because of turn of cloth when you turn and press the collar the open neckline edges will not be even. Trim them so they are.


2. Right sides together, baste the neckline edges of the collar band together with a long basting stitch. Press this seam open, then remove the stitches. This is a Debbie Cook trick and a great one. This step will make both of the collar band seam allowances even and set them up for the final stitch down without one side being shorter than the other. It is also sooo much easier to have this edge pressed before it goes anywhere near any other part of the shirt and will set you up with an edge like this when you go to sew it down:

Yes I know this is a weird fabric, I am going through a black and red stage and this was hanging around.

3. Paying attention to the markings on the top of the collar band to show you where the collar ends, stitch the collar to the band, sandwiching it between the collar band pieces, around that curved corner and right across your pressed-up seam allowances on the neck edge. Trim this seam closely but leave the seam allowances a little longer at the neck edge. If you don't do that when you turn and press the collar band/collar unit you might have little frayed seam allowance pieces poking out at the bottom of the curved edge of the collar. This will drive you crazy.


Go inside and make a few hand stitches to hold these seam allowances up and out of the way of the pressed edges. Am I making any sense?


You should now have a nice completed collar unit ready to slot onto the shirt. If it isn't nice and complete you still have time to fix it up so it is.


4. Stay stitch the neck edge of the shirt and clip it as often as you have to to get that neckline to create a straight line when you pull it out. It is not possible to sew a curve (neck edge) to a straight (collar band) without those little pleaty things forming along the neck seam line. You have not choice but to make the curved edge straight.


5. Try pinning the collar unit to the neck edge to make sure it fits exactly over it. If not you still have time to make some adjustments. For example if your neckline for whatever reason is a shade too long you can still take in a shoulder seam a little bit until it fits.


6. Sew most of the collar unit to the neck edge stopping this seam a couple of inches short of the edges of the shirts and working with attaching only the outer collar band to the shirt. Leave the pressed edge of the inner band free. Stitch this seam along the pressed line of the seam allowance and then trim but only along the part you have sewn. You are going to need to be able to see that 5/8" to attach the rest of the band:

I like doing this because it takes the pressure off of having to attach the band in one long accurate seam. Oh, and at this stage I would trim the seam allowance of the pressed under inner band, once I was confident it would all work. I like to trim only at a last stage in case any other adjustments are necessary - I hate trying to resew a tiny trimmed seam.


7. Flip the pressed edge of the collar down, and top-stitch all around the band for the final securing, only a small part of this seam is going to involve making two unstitched edges line up:

This works pretty well for me and for the way I sew.


Pictures of the final collar on me later today.

Saturday and shirts

It has been a busy, busy week. 


First week of classes and 140 students to educate this term. Turns out one of the other programs made my first year class a required, found this out when I saw my wait list, and I had to scramble.


Very happy and excited to see my students though - I really love teaching. I won't be touching down until December and my job is to hold it together until then.


On the home front my husband is tearing apart the kitchen this weekend. I have to wander around with pots trying to figure out where to put things.


So I really needed a straightforward sewing project. I decided to go for a cotton shirt, and this one:

If my spouse goes off to the hardware store enough I should be able to get it mostly done today.


I am pretty excited about this project because I have finally developed a shirt collar application that suits my random style. I can sew carefully if I have to, but since sewing is my Zoloft, I don't like it to be too stressful.


I really am not dispositionally a precision person. This is why I am so content spending my work time with young people making them laugh and maybe enjoy thinking and am not say a property lawyer, or an accountant, or other adult occupations.


So I am developing what I am going to call the "Incompetent sewer's shirt collar" instructions. So far my collar is going  together quite well in those snippets of time between when I hear the car drive out of the driveway and when I hear it drive back in.


Which is what I detect now. 


More later, got to go and pick up a pile of pots.

Am I painting by number?

A couple of things have me thinking. 


First of all, and maybe folks were being polite, the comments other people made here and on Pattern Review about that red vest were more favorable than the ones I made. I am trying to expand my style edges and it feels weird. I am thinking that my after work and maybe some of my work wardrobe needs to be more arty. Like a lot of women I am trying to negotiate a maturing style that is not trying-to-hard-to-look-trendy and therefore aging, or is what I would call given-up T shirt and jeans basics. Arty style if done right seems to hit that sweet spot, which I am still trying to locate.


Then a few days ago my sister Nancy, who is tremendously creative, called and told me to go out and buy this magazine:

Now I am not a wearable art person. I am sure I am not the only one who made one of those serged, wearable art vests in the 90s that seemed like such a good idea in sewing class, but made her feel like a dingbat when she wore it (once) out in non-sewing company.  Some things we should just keep among ourselves. And I am not really a re-purposer. Yes, I also made a vest once out of men's ties too,


But I have to wonder if, like so many sewers of my generation, if I am stuck in pattern following execution and not doing enough with my creative brain. Accuracy and fit do not equate directly with self-expression. And really in this world do we get enough chances to do that?


There is some interesting work in this magazine. 


Yes, I would work on some technique - why would anyone use white thread to sew in a zipper in purple fabric? And please would someone give these girls an iron, but there is an idea here to consider and I am doing that.


Take a look at these projects and tell me what you think:

Sweater strips serged to bottom of a cardigan

The old felted sweater trick with some needle felting, interesting skirt I thought.

A lace top with tulle and decorations added as you can see, not a bad upgrade of the LBD for those occasions when everyone at the event is wearing a LBD

OK this is really clever, how smart is that strap/belt?

And me, signing off now, to go teach and try to open some young minds, and reminding myself to do the same with my own.

Butterick 5680 not exactly as illustrated

O.K. summer is overish. I have red leaves on my trees and I have had my last outdoor swim of the season.

I am dragging my mind to where I last left it.


At the end of last winter I decided I needed more warm vests.


And since I knew it would take me three years to knit a vest. at least, I have been looking for sewing patterns. Hopefully not dopey vests but something to keep my core warm in the dog walking, walking to work, side of my life. You know how sometimes you need a little something.


Like a little pie before bed, or a little chocolate to perk you up, or a vest to make that jacket or coat just a little warmer - but without sleeve bulk.


So in the last of many BMV orders (does Simplicity know how it is missing out?) I ordered this, Butterick 5680:

I am a sucker for a shawl collar and thought if the vest worked out I would try it in a longer version in the cardigan. 


I used a sort of fleece-like sweater knit as specified and made it in a medium (12-14) even though I am more a 16-18. 


Now to recap the bust for a 12 is 34" and the bust for a 14 is 36". The picture above of this vest has it sort of meet in the front.


Well folks this is what I ended up with:

Yup, a vest that measures 60" from front to front across the bust.

Now of course some of this is absorbed in the shawl collar, and of course you need ease, particularly if you are using a heavier fleece. But I figured I could have strapped two Wire-haired Fox terriers to my torso and this thing would still meet in the middle.


I know because I measured Mr. Rascal and doubled it.


This may be fine if you ever plan on doing that, but it's still something most of us won't do too often.


Don't take this as a criticism as much as a reality check and information you might want before you cut.


And it's not all bad. 


I mean if you wanted to put in buttons you would have lots of room to do it. Here is what this vest looks like, in all its generosity as is:

This is another of my what are you waiting for, take the picture shots

I made a small gaposis dart from the middle of the front arm aimed at my bust, and although I interfaced the collar as was suggested, I am not sure that would be necessary with a thicker fleece or even with this one. I was ad libbing the dart, should have made it shorter, and need to take a light iron to the hem. I see in this shot that there is a hem ripple on one side. Must be the light or the fact I threw it together just before I went off to visit my mother-in-law.

In the end I am not so much displeased with this vest as I was surprised by it. It is likely I will wear it, since I made it for warmth, wrapped around with a pin, like this, and it will do that job:

One more day before the first day of school and I hope to get at least something else started before I lose my sewing days, weekends excepted.

Jacket and now suit of Vogue 1264

First my quick projects.


Two more versions of Vogue 1261 in some sweater knit I had kicking around the place. I folded under and cover hemmed the collar, serged the rest of it up as you would normally (although you really need to set in the sleeves to make these work), and left the hem raw but with a row of cover-hemmed stitching:

I will get a lot of wear out of these and also the pants of 1264 which you have seen before and are still as comfortable.


Now on to the jacket. 


Here are assorted shots which give you an idea what this pattern looks like on someone who is about 40 pounds heavier than the model, and loving it.

Now I this is what I have to say about this jacket.


First off, the all the whole thing sort of depends on those front panels lining up. I did a FBA and I am glad I did. The only closure is a giant hook and eye at the neck and if I hadn't allowed for my waist etc. and bust it would have all spread in a really apparent way.


These are the hooks and eyes I used:

They were fine but you really have to bend in the hook a bit so it stays closed.


This went together without incident, probably because I left out the pockets, which I admit would have been nice, but I just didn't have a welt pocket in pleather kind of week. Things were busy enough.


The woven sewn-in interfacing suggested is necessary as the pleather, which stretches, really needs the stability and the grain.


All in all an interesting pattern and right past the boundaries of my usual look.


An outfit like this has it's uses though. 


I think it would be perfect for those meetings when I have to call in a kid and say "It seems you plagiarized." Yes, this is definitely an outfit for the plagiarism police. A badge would probably go nicely as an accessory. 


Finally, here is a shot of the characters who thought we were going out the front door for a drive to the park, I did take them later of course.