Simplicity 9187

 I made a coat!  And I am pretty pleased with it.  See my smug face. 

Pattern Description: Simplicity 9187 is a relaxed fit jacket and coat with a shaped collar and pockets. The pockets are fun! There is the option to do a faux fur collar and cuffs with a separate pattern piece.

Pattern Sizing: XXS to XXL.  My measurements put me in a size large but I sized down to a medium because I knew it would be very oversized. Actually, my bust measurement put me in a medium, but everything else is in the large size.  The medium fit perfectly with a couple of shoulder alterations.

Fabric Used:  The fabric is really what inspired the coat.  A few months ago, I ordered this alpaca knit wool fabric from fabric.com on a whim.  It wasn't actually what I was shopping for and I don't really know why I ordered it.  I was expecting it to be much lighter weight. When it came, I was surprised by the weight and warmth.  I figured I better make a nice coat out of it.  I searched around for a pattern that was simple so I didn't have to do too much plaid matching and settled on this one.  Anyway, it's super warm and cozy. It's probably the warmest coat I own.  It's definitely 100% wool because it smelled like a wet alpaca when I washed it!  I spent forever cutting out each piece individually to try and match up my plaids perfectly.  I think I did an ok job.  The horizontal lines match up pretty well, but I did not pay attention to the vertical lines in some places.  At least it's symmetrical.  I lined it with a rayon challis because I couldn't find anything else to match.  The rayon challis is a little heavier than a normal lining, but it contributes to the warmth, I think.

Alterations/ Deviations:  I went ahead and did my standard square shoulder/forward should adjustment before cutting anything out.  I just added 5/8" to the back shoulder seam.  Then I had to wrap my brain around where to add the 5/8" to make up for the change in the back neckline.  I added it to the center back collar seam.  I also added a little to the sleeve cap to make up for the extra added when cutting the fabric.  I probably should have taken a picture of what I did, because it worked well and I'm very happy with where the shoulder seam sits on me.  Otherwise I didn't do any other fit alterations because there is not much else to fit! I made the shorter jacket length, but I used the curved hem from the longer version because I liked it.  I also bagged the lining instead of hemming the lining and coat separately.  I almost think it was easier to do it that way.

Likes/ Dislikes:  I really love the end result.  It is so warm and cozy. It is the ultimate blanket coat.  I can see myself wearing this often, even though it's only cold enough here for a couple of months.  I love the fabric and I love the relaxed fit.  I can definitely fit a big sweater underneath.  The pockets are really fun.  They have an opening sewn with the seam allowances sewn in to the side seams.  I thought they were a little fiddly while I was working on them but love the way they turned out.  The only dislikes I have are the way the cuffs are sewn.  My fabric makes that seam pretty bulky, especially with the lining sewn to it as well.  The sleeves are also very wide and could maybe be slimmed down.  But then again, they work with oversized fit of the coat.

Conclusion: Nice pattern, love my new coat! 

Burda Cardigan

I may never take this off.  This cardigan was inspired by the fabric.  It's not anything fancy.  It's just something I found on a trip to Joann's for thread.  You know how that goes.  You only go in to pick up some thread and...  It's a double sided knit. Polka dots on one side, stripes on the other.  Actually, I think this would be considered double cloth since it seems to be two knits fused together at the dots.  I have used some of this same knit before to make crawling baby pants for Jane a while ago.  It is really soft and spongy and has some drape because of the weight.  But not a lot of recovery.  So I bought it knowing it would be perfect for a drapey cardigan.  One that would show off both sides of the fabric. 

I cleaned out my pattern stash recently.  I was ruthless.  Since I began sewing all the time five or so years ago, I have bought patterns with reckless abandon.  Mainly big four patterns when they are on major sale at Hancock or Joann's.  I had a huuuuge pattern stash with no chance of ever making all of them up.  I got rid of everything that I didn't love.  I donated them to a local thrift store that has a giant crafting section so I know they'll go to good homes.  And I've whittled my pattern stash down to just what I intend to make.  I'm also vowing to not buy any more patterns unless I am serious about making it up.  We'll see how that goes.  I think I've already bought four or so since that cull.  Oops.

Anyway, this Burda 7184 pattern survived the pattern stash purge.  I'm generally a fan of Burda patterns, magazine or envelope.  So I kept this one.  It was perfect for this fabric.  The pattern has a two piece raglan sleeve.  The sleeve is not a very close fitting one.  I bet you could make this pattern up in some sort of wool knit or coating and it would be a great jacket.  Maybe even in a ponte knit.  I made the longer version with pockets.  I did size down to a 38 thinking the pattern pieces looked oversized.  I'm glad I did.  I normally make a 40 in Burda patterns.  I hemmed the front by flipping under twice and straight stitching.  The front hems shouldn't need to stretch much.  I made it up exactly as the pattern directed except for the neck facing.  The neck facing is a small piece of binding that you sew on to the back neckline and flip inside to finish the edge.  I inserted a piece of 1/4" elastic when I flipped the binding inside.  I wish I had taken a picture.  The elastic keeps the back neckline from stretching way out since the knit fabric is so heavy.  Helps it keep it's shape.

I love it.  It's like wearing a bathrobe that is acceptable to wear in public.  It's perfect for weekend wear.  This project was a win.  Like I said, I may never take it off.

Baby, It's Cold Outside

 

Oh boy, oh boy, am I in love with this make.  Or should I say oh girl, oh girl ;)

 

Yes, I made a maternity jacket.  With a little help from a friend.  Actually, a lot of help.

See, I am convinced that pregnancy totally skews your view of what is socially acceptable for one person to do for another.  When you are pregnant, you think that everyone should drop everything they are doing and assist in meeting your needs.  It starts out innocently enough.  First, people start opening doors for you, picking things up that you drop, offering you their seat, offering to carry your heavy load....  Then something happens.  Maybe it's hormones.  I've started believing that people should wait on me hand and foot.  All the time.  Poor J.  He has no idea what he's in for the next three months. 

Haha! Ok, not really.  But I do feel like I totally took advantage of the lovely Tj of The Perfect Nose.  On one of my first maternity posts a while back, The Perfect Nose very kindly offered to trace some maternity patterns for me.  She linked to a couple of Burda and Patrones issues that she had.  My first reaction was that the offer was super nice.  But I wasn't going to actually request that she spend her precious sewing time tracing patterns for me.  But then those crazy hormones kicked in.... mwahahaha...

 

I went to check out all the awesome maternity patterns she had on hand and was smitten with this jacket.   So I happily sent an email back and asked her if she would mind tracing off the pattern for me.  Um, there were only about eight billion pieces involved.  (Man,  I'm sorry Tj.  I think I picked the most involved pattern available.  Along with the gigantic wrap dress-  which I will be making up later, don't you worry.)

There's no telling how much time was spent tracing patterns for me.  She even added seam allowances.  Seam allowances!  It was such a treat to not have to trace off a Burda pattern.  Nor add seam allowances, which I always seem to forget.  I don't think I can gush enough and tell Tj how grateful I am.  I am so tickled with how this turned out.  I have worn it everyday this week and I'm sure I'll wear it nonstop until I deliver.  And maybe even after.

 

Now to the pattern nitty gritty.  I made a muslin.  A straight up, real deal muslin.  I rarely do that.  I usually make up a pseudo-muslin out of some fabric that I really intend to wear.  Or I do a lot of basting and fitting while I sew.  But this time I made a muslin to check fit.  And I'm glad I did because I made several changes.  I lowered and widened the neckline, drafted a new collar, added an inch to the hem, nipped in the midriff and made substantial changes to the upper sleeve.  The sleeves were slim and I tend to need more width for my bodacious biceps.  I wanted the sleeves to be extra big so I could wear bulky things under this jacket.  I added about an inch of width, possibly more.  I did it on the muslin so I'm not sure of the exact amount.   There are some fit issues with the sleeve and armscye.  No doubt due to my alterations.   But I have plenty of room to slip on this jacket over a sweater, which is nice.

 

Because I changed the neckline so much (and it was a yoke piece- not a traditional front and back bodice) I decided to draft a new collar.  I was stymied trying to figure out how to alter the original collar to fit.  I've also never sewn a collar that looked like this one before (see paper pieces above).  I am, once again, so thankful I own Winifred Aldrich's Metric Pattern Cutting for Women's Wear.  There is so much invaluable drafting info in this book.  I whipped it out and had a new collar in no time.  Although I included original seam allowances out of pure laziness.  Sue me.  I figured it's basically just a rectangle anyway.  It worked just fine except it probably would have benefited from bit of slashing and spreading.

The sleeve vents are another story.  I'm not ready to talk about them right now.  Yes, my experience was that bad.  I almost left them off during muslin stage, but decided they looked too cool not to include.  I read many, many explanations and tutorials on the interwebs before sewing them.  I am still confused.  Sleeve vents are one of those things I'll attempt later on when my skills are better.  For now, I'm avoiding them at all costs. 

I'll even show you a picture of how sorry they look close up.  I sewed them up the only logical way I could think off.  I didn't mitre any corners.  My brain couldn't handle it.  I just turned up the hem and  machine stitched it.  Then I slip stitched the lining hem to the jacket sleeve by hand.  Ick.  It's not the way it should be done and it looks pretty sloppy.  Luckily I don't ever see them while I'm wearing the jacket :)  And can anyone tell me which way is the proper way a sleeve vent is supposed to go?  Is it upper sleeve over lower sleeve, or vice versa?  It's possible I did it backwards.  I did upper sleeve vent over lower. 

You can also see the fabric well in the above photo.  I have no idea what it is.  Some sort of suiting.  I swore it had some wool in it when I bought it.  But now I'm pretty sure it's all acrylic.   It came from the stash so I won't complain too much.  It drapes really well and is heavy.  It's almost a cross between a woven and knit.  The outside is the twill or corded weave you see in the photo.  The inside reminds me of double knit.  Yet it frayed like crazy.  I top stitched all my seams to keep the fabric from fraying apart inside.  It frays that bad.  I top stitched the yoke piece in yellow just because.  I like how it highlights the curved seam at the back.  The fabric is also fuzzy.  After wearing it for a week I've noticed little fur balls under my arms where the fabric rubs together.  And I couldn't iron it without a press cloth.  Shiny marks all over the place.

 The original pattern called for the jacket to made from suede. Many of the instructions were specific to working with leather.   So I scratched the instructions and made it up the way I thought it should be made up.  I lined the jacket with flannel for warmth.  But I used a slippery polyester lining fabric for the sleeves.  It slips on and off so nicely.  And I did the midriff band in the lining fabric, too, to reduce any extra bulk there.  Below are the guts in all their glory.  It's pretty wrinkly from all the wear in the photo.   I left all the length on the sleeve lining.  I probably should have shortened it but I wanted enough ease.   I bound the hem in bias, turned it up once and hand stitched it.  I stitched on all those snaps, too.  I did tons of hand stitching.  I searched high and low for the perfect yellow buttons and never found them.  Instead I was drawn to the pale minty green ones I used for some reason. 

 

All in all I really, truly love my new jacket.  It fills a major void in my maternity wardrobe (ha! I have five outfits that I rotate) since my fleece jackets don't zip over my belly anymore.  I know I will wear this everyday.  I can't tell you how pleased I am that it buttons over my belly.  Tj, I cannot thank you enough for your pattern tracing magic!!!

 

And just for fun-- The belly at 27 weeks.   I feel good.  She kicks me constantly now and I love it.   But I'm expanding everywhere.  Every part of my body.  It's all worth it, of course.  Can't believe she'll be here in three more months.