Underwear review

Ages ago I made myself some underwear, but never continued, mainly because the pattern I used didn't fit and it seemed too much trouble to fiddle around fitting with something that was so easy to buy.

Lately however I have been eyeing my bamboo, rayon, and nice cotton knit remnants and thinking they were too good to throw out, and thinking I should revisit sewing my own undies.

First the patterns. 

These are the ones I used in my trials. I know the fabrics are pretty wild, but this was muslin work.

First: Jan Bones' The Smoothie:

The key features of this pattern are great bum coverage, high cut front legs made possible by the side seams shifted to the front, which gives that back wrap.

Before showing you my sample I have to say I learned something in my practice sewing. This was that on my body, with my personal requirement that nothing was too tight, particularly the front leg (don't you just hate it when that digs in?) the elastic really worked best when it was applied one to one, except a little stretched under the back, sort of a finish to the raw edge not a gather.

What this means is that the off the machine version looks really wavy, although on me it lay flat, and after a day's wear the waviness had disappeared. Interesting.

The wear test was important, I have learned the hard way that the way something looks and how it feels are too different things. I never want to review anything without that all day test.

Grade: A 

Comfortable and since this pattern has been drafted for sewn in elastic, it will be a good choice when I can't find any stretch lace or foldover elastic to match my fabric:

Next pattern Kwik Sew 3881:

This pattern was a surprise. I have a 40" hip and cut out the medium. When I looked at the pattern pieces they seemed huge but I sewed it up anyway, basted the side seams once the crotch was sewn in, and tried it on.

Old lady droopy drawers.You don't need pictures to convey that - use your imagination. Here are the pattern pieces. Big at the back and low cut legs at the front:

Grade: F, at least on me.

Next pattern two versions of the same pattern:

Jalie 2568:

I made both the "hipster" (more a boycut) and bikini versions of this pattern. Here is the bikini version. It was nice but didn't have enough rear coverage for me at all, you can see how high the back leg is cut. The bisected butt is not a good look. However for someone less heavily endowed in that department it might work great:

Grade: D for me but may be someone else's A

Finally I made the hipster version, sort of an afterthought, the boycut never appealed to me, not being a boy myself. But then again as my kids say I am one of the original hipsters (not totally sure what that means or if it is a compliment or not, something about sewing when sewing wasn't cool I think) so I tried this out.

Interestingly this pattern had the option of a turned and stitched leg opening and since the fabric for this pair was a bamboo knit with fair body I tried that too, using a nice three step zig zag. I used a fold over elastic for the waist because I thought that would work with the grey and the boycut thing.

Here we go:

Now this was just a muslin trial but I did wear these and was most impressed. The back coverage is good, unlike the other pattern companies there is only one crotch seam in the Jalies, and I found that comfortable. The front legs weren't as low as I expected. Most of all I was impressed with how well the turned under leg looked and this was definitely the most comfortable of all my pairs from that perspective.

This was the fastest panty to construct and will probably be one of my favourite patterns. My sense though is that if you are turning and stitching you really need a good two-way fabric with some recovery, with thinner and less bounce back fabrics I will probably use the Jan Bones pattern.

Grade A+

I don't think I will be buying underwear again. My two As are much nicer to wear than anything currently in the drawer.

Esme top and me

Well a bit of catch up to do here.

First a bit of news.

One reason I have been AWOL is I have been getting a new project set-up, specifically a book I will be writing for C&T Publications, on you guessed it, sewing. This will take some time, but as this is my favourite subject I am enjoying this process.  Stay tuned.

And of course I have been actually sewing too.

I had a brief flash of remembering I need to make more basics, so I went back to my Stylearc Esme top that I had made sleeveless, and made one with sleeves, because it is pretty clear to me that summer is more or less over.

I like this top but think it is worth another go with the neckline pulled in. I have one of those scrawny necks and the '50s rolled collar is a little wide. I think it is worth moving this neckline in and may make another one soon to do this.

It is interesting to me that Stylearc seems to understand my lower body, pants fit in particular, perfectly but the tops require fitting adjustments always. I make the pants in a 12 and the tops in 10 but these tops still strike me as a bit wide.  I will have to work out a formula for this for this pattern line:

In the meantime here is the long sleeved Esme with my Stylerc Margaret pants:

The back neck, one of the nice features of this top

See you can see my bra strap slightly, got to bring in that neckline

Full view, interesting that the sleeves are narrow relative to the body - I know this is a style issue but also also common in the draft

The high low here on the top is quite flattering, I am also figuring out that a firmer fabric like this ponte is better for stomach disguise purposes than a clingy knit. Only took me about 40 years to figure that out.

Now off I go. Some Serious Christmas sewing underway, but now I have some of my other business straight in my head there will more more regular blogging, so brace yourselves.

On minimalist wardrobes

Well.

The best thing about this blog is your comments. Really what fascinating reading.

You make me think.

Thank you so much for that, for taking the time to share.

A few thoughts of my own now, seems less profound than what you have written here but here goes.

My house was built in 1958.

The bedrooms have closets that are a little more than one standard door wide, probably less than 3 feet across in each one. This surely reflects the number of clothes folks wore then.

Who had a walk-in closet in those days? How many families had three, four, five kids and one bathroom?

Imagine trying to talk minimalism then?

So this is about the times as much as about clothing collections.

After all you need a fair amount of stuff before you "edit".

I have just got back from New York where I did have to pack a minimalist wardrobe to get by with a case I could carry on,  in black and grey (which I hardly ever wear at all at home these days) so I looked a little less like I had an out of towner sign on my forehead - although I am sure I blew that one every time I opened my mouth and got all chatty with everyone I met.

It also occurred to me that all these minimalist wardrobe articles and adherents seem to be from New York. Thin racks of white shirts and black pants etc.

Well have you ever been in a Manhattan apartment? My son once shared one for a rent that would have paid for a mortgage with a pool and a four car garage around here that was so small he had to put his shoes on the dresser. Worth it of course because there was so much going on outside that apartment, but you can see where the minimalist thing might be pretty handy in apartments like that.

OK what do I think?

Well I get a uniform in that you don't have to think about getting dressed but what defines a uniform? 

We all have one I guess, our go to - for everyone it is different (that's a great next topic - what is your uniform?) For me it would be an apron on at home and poop bags in my pocket when I go out, knitting in my purse in case I have to wait anywhere, knit tops I don't have to iron.

Back to minimalism.

It seems to me that this works for folks who have minds on other things. Of course Obama is a wardrobe minimalist.

But what if you are a person whose mind, at least a good part of it, is on the business of your wardrobe? Mine is and what's in that closet (three now of the '50s kind) is more than a work in progress, more a record of my changing ambitions and ideas. I am always starting from scratch it seems, always trying to figure out a better way to get dressed every day (and for someone who has just confessed to poop bags being her most consistent accessory this is a remarkable indication of optimism and lack of self-perception). 

I can't imagine of multiples of any of the same thing. 

To make laundry easier? Maybe if you did it in the laundromat, but I don't mind going downstairs to the washing machine when I have to - it's next to my sewing room and there is always something interesting to do in there.

And colour.

I couldn't live in black, grey and white no matter how easy it would be to dress.

Who could do without coral in a summer dress?

A red jacket in the rain?

A green sweater on a grey day?

Or how about combos?

How nice wine goes with sky blue.

Or lime green next to navy.

What about great buttons?

You know the really amazing ones.

Why cull those out?

Why eat just toast when there is pie?

Why is it is so important to focus on only the best things and cherish them?

They are just things.

What you cherish are four-year-olds.

Quality things are easy enough to find.

Finding the quality people takes more work.

This week I took my friend for a walk.

They are calling it frontal lobe dementia.

Early onset.

I did the zipper up on his jacket. The jacket didn't matter, that he had candies in his pocket he put there for me did.

His dog walked at a pace with us. Slowly and stopping every few yards to make sure we were still OK.

I am thinking minimalism comes anyway sometimes,

In the meantime I think I will go with living brightly.

What do you think of the minimalist/capsule wardrobe?

On my way out the door and so am going to be thinking about this but would love to hear your thoughts on this approach, seems to be a movement these days.

More from me later of course.

Sewers are born and made

A lovely story from Tasmania if you haven't already seen this:

Complete random non sewing related photos

If you have absolutely nothing else going on this Sunday afternoon you might be interested in a completely random range of pictures from my week.

I am settled back home now, great trip to NYC, and a head full of thoughts on fitting. As to those who have inquired about using the FIT library you can do so but need to apply for research access. I was able to get that using my university affiliation, not sure what the general policy is. If you can visit that library I have to say it is great. I am currently on a fitting method research tear and the access to a wide range of materials was fantastic.

BTW am I the only one who thinks that the '70s-mid 80s were the golden age of sewing books? 

I am amazed at how many interesting and quite diverse approaches to fitting were developed during that period. As many of these books are still available via eBay or online resellers like Abe Books I am thinking of doing some reviews of my favourites. Good resources if you want to read original thinking and really get your teeth into topics.

I have been busy since I came back and the upcoming week looks even busier. I need to sew though but need some small projects. One thing I was thinking of doing was making some panties, something I haven't done for about 20 years, trying and comparing three patterns, Jalie, Kwik Sew and Jan Bones. What do you think of that?

I should be able to fit in that kind of sewing in between more worthy tasks.

Now onto the random photos as promised:

It is well-established I can't crochet but that didn't stop me from finishing this little unit, helped through to completion by my fascination with the US election coverage which also seems to be going in circles.

I had little Billy over for the weekend and he and I decided to try my new upholstery cleaning device. Since he and Miss Daisy are largely responsible for making this machine a necessity it seemed only fair they help me use it.

Canadian Thanksgiving was a little less than two weeks ago and my husband does the cooking. My mother gave him this jacket as a joke but he actually wears it for big meals and special effect.

I really have my eye on this longer, knit version of a moto jacket. I got some great zippers in New York now I have to just figure out the rest of it and what pattern I should start from.

Even though I don't really crochet very well I still haunt Ravelry for ideas. There is something going on in the minds of crocheters though. In case you can't recognize it the above is a crochet placenta. Of course. What every family needs.

Probably shouldn't put an ambiguous picture of food next but what you see above are some stuffed grape leaves made by the guy in the chef's jacket. What is interesting is he used the grape leaves from the vine that grows around my front window. He made about 500 of these. They freeze.

Now off to trace pantie patterns. Of course.

Flypaper thoughts New York edition

• Five days here and having a blast
• Zippers cut to fit and hardware at Botani
• Nice dinner with Carolyn from Diary of a Sewing Fanatic
• Time in the FIT library reading about fit, which I have decided I am really interested in
• Seeing more about drafting is instructive
• But's what with the "ideal figure"?
• You tell me one high hip from carrying babies around isn't ideal
• Or legs gone veiny from those 12 hour shifts
• Or bent necks from seeing what the kids have written at their desks
• Or earning a living over a keyboard
• Or pounds that came with the genes
• The same ones that gave you your smarts
• And your common sense
• Ideal figure, go figure
• But I did find out that I need to get a flexible ruler
• Been meaning to do that
• Spent time with the kids looking at new places with them
• Hope you don't mind this he said
• This isn't the sights
• Are you nuts?
• Don't they realize once they are off in the world
• All you really want is chances to be part of their real lives
• You can buy a farm in some places, a good one
• For a NY apartment
• However I am noticing there are a few things around here 
• You don't have on the farm
• Just a few
• Turns out another mother from home is here visiting
• I know her from a sewing class and she has never done the garment district
• That will change tomorrow