Cropped Linden, and City Gym Shorts

Hi all!

I'm 'almost' done with the first year of clinical rotations, "only" two exams left! Hopefully I'll pass and then have some time to relax. This year has been something... else. I think I reached my physical limits and I'm paying a price for ignoring health-related issues. In order to remedy this and hopefully get back to my former healthier self I'm slowing things down and trying to rest as much as possible (while hopefully still passing the exams!).

during the past few months I didn't have the energy, both physical energy and mental energy, to sew complicated (or even easy-but-long) projects, but I did manage to finish a couple of much needed tshirts to wear on weekends, a much needed addition to my wardrobe as I lack casual and comfortable clothes to wear during my free time, and often find myself wearing very inappropriate sweatpants paired with one of D's tshirts around the house. There's nothing wrongs with it of course, and I probably will keep this habit sometimes but I rather have more options.

I made two tops, combining dark blue and black fabric with a lot of drape (I don't know the fiber contents).

For the tshirts I used the the short-sleeved version of the Linden sweatshirt from Grainline, this version features elbow length sleeves, a length I find flattering, with a cropped hem. While the hem is too short for some of my pants it is the perfect length to wear with my Moss skirts, and with the newest addition to my wardrobe - a pair of City Gym Shorts by Purl Soho in purple denim.

To make the shorts more appropriate to wear outside I lengthened the inseam (4 cm more of less), straightened the side seams, and drafted pockets that are big enough to hold my phone and keys when I go out on a walk. I also reduced the length (circumference) of the waistline to make them less sporty and more like regular shorts. On the next version I'll try to add darts, and hopefully draft my way to the perfect-yet-comfortable shorts I want so much. I used to go out on walks pretty often to clear my mind and motivate me to study, a hobby I neglected recently because I felt to lousy and week to exercise. Now that I'm getting my strength back I started walking again and this shorts are almost perfect. My only complaint is that the stretch denim feels a bit plastic-y against the skin.

Despite the minor complaints I enjoyed these two garments so much that I finally was motivated enough to tape and cut the Aster shirt from Colette! I'm halfway through my muslin using a really crazy fabric, and I think I would like to find a way to hack this shirt into a jumpsuit. Everybody lookS so comfortable wearing a jumpsuit, I want one as well to test if this jumpsuit party really is worth it ;)

Till next time,

Be well and enjoy sewing!

Wyome Jeans - FAIL

Hi all!

The weather has been warmer for a while, so I spent some time thinking about the gaps in my warm-weather wardrobe and how I would like to manage my sewing for the next few months.

One garment I wanted to make was a pair of boyfriend-style jeans. I prefer wearing loose fitting clothes, especially in warmer weather, and I had blue medium-weight denim with some stretch in my stash that was suitable for this project.

Based on my positive experience with the Alexandria pattern by Named (here and here and I have another unblogged version) I got curious and wanted to try the Wyome pattern. When I started this project (months ago) Morgan from Closet Case Files wasn't out yet, and while a knew that one of these days someone will release a modern boyfriend jeans pattern I couldn't wait. So off I went with the Wyome, knowing it will not be easy based on the way I thought the jeans were drafted. 

I tried to find as many posts/ instagram/ pinterest clues as to how exactly Wyome fits, as I think the description is very different from the pattern itself. First, it was obvious that the pattern as drafted was not so loose fitting as the photos on the model could suggest. Second, the waist is relatively high while in my imagination boyfriend jeans are suppose to have a lower waist.

Based on what I read I decided to start with size 40, at least two sizes larger than what my measurements would suggest (my hips are 89-90 cm circumference, putting my between 34 and 36). 

Based on the first muslin I shortened the front crotch by 4 cm, and then went ahead with a second muslin that fitted more or less as I wanted. However what I failed to take into account is the stretch in the denim I wanted to use - in the final jeans I had to take about 8 cm at the waist, as a result I had to eliminate the 5th pocket and the size of the side pockets was reduced considerably. Another problem I faced was the back crotch, that was not deep (=curvy) enough resulting in some weird wrinkles at the back. I tried as much as possible to change it, but there is only so much one can do with an almost-complete pair of jeans. 

Bottom line - I didn't finish them, and probably never will. 

I put them in my UFO/WIP box, and am trying to figure out my lessons from this project. 

I could be really harsh on myself and say I wasted good fabric on something that had very little chance to succeed (as I knew it won't be easy to get the fit I wanted) but I think wasting good fabric (and time! and money in material!) on failed projects is just part of the process. I still want boyfriend jeans though! When Heather released the Morgan pattern I thought to give it a go, but judging from the photos this pattern is not so loose fitting as drafted, so I don't think it will be the answer to my problem. I do have a pair of RTW jeans I like so I think I can copy them to get the fit I want. I have another very old pair that is now falling apart that I would like to recreate. I guess it shouldn't be more difficult than starting with a new pattern.

The problem is I feel I need a relatively quick and successful project to lift my sewing spirits. My machines were out of order for a while now (I won't elaborate but my zipper sole took the hit during the Wyome battle and both my sewing machine and overlocker had to be taken to the repair shop...) and I had what felt as a long line of not-so-successful-and-not-so-fun projects. After the wedding dress, Wyome and Inari (that I'm still not sure about) I want something interesting that will produce a successful yet fun sewing experience. I cut a few quick knit projects but as the overlocker is still in the shop I need to tackle some woven! 

Maybe it's about time I'll tape and try the Aster from Colette! I've been fantasizing on this pattern ever since it was released but as I've never made a pattern from Colette before I don't know what to expect (with the exception of a Small Bust Adjustment).  

Until I make up my mind, I'll leave you with two current photos of my Inari in action. While I'm still undecided about the cocoon shape, I'm positive that the armscye is too low to allow enough movements. If I choose to make it again, I'll adjust the sleeves based on the Scout pattern that fits me better (it isn't a straight forward adjustment because the patterns are drafted differently but it can be done). I wore the dress to another wedding a week ago. It's my only summer dress so while not perfect it is the best I currently have. Something to consider in the future - I think I'm at the point of "too much cake, not enough frosting". How would have thought it was even possible? 

Inari Tdress / Named

A few days ago I had an episode of anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction to something. I have about two episodes a years, around this time when all the flowers are blooming and most allergic people go around glued to tissue and antihistamines. Despite the fact I'm used to it by now, whenever it happens and I need to inject myself with epipen I get puzzeled and confused. I know it takes me four days of rest until I recuperate from anaphylaxis so I try to convince myself it isn't really happening. Well - it happened, and as always it happened late at night while I was alone.

I spent the following two days in bed feeling sorry for myself with only short breaks from sleeping. By the end of the second day I felt I had to do something productive. I have the Wyome pattern by Named on the list, and have already made the first muslin, but making a second muslin wasn't really appealing to me at that point. I wanted immediate satisfaction!

So I took out the fabric I kept for the Inari dress and started cutting it.

The Inari pattern by Named is well documented and very popular, and initially I thought the coccun shape will not suit my figure. I'm flat chested and my legs are not my best feature, so on paper this should be the worst choice for me. But I received printed cotton from a friend's mother and thought the Inari was the best pattern to showcase the unique print. Also I notice my wardrobe lacks "evening wear", something more special than jeans and a button-up, but not too dressy. Something I can reach for when we go out for coffee and such. At the same time I dislike fitted garments, especially when dinner is involved, so the shape of this dress is perfect for such a wardeobe gap.

I muslined the pattern a few weeks ago just so I can be sure of the size. I went with 36 despite my flat chest and thought the size fitted me well. For this version I haven't adjusted the pattern and it fits well as is, but for future versions I'll go down a size. Initially I thought a small bust adjustment will do the trick, but after wearing the dress during a hike I understand the dress is overall too big.

 This is is the second pattern I make by Named and again I think it's a great success! I still haven't decide about the shape, though. I like it but I'm afraid people will think I'm hiding a bump... We'll see if I reach for this dress in the future, and if so, if I like the way I feel while wearing it.

When assembling the PDF I find that not all lines meet, but when assembling the dress itself all notches correspond well to one another. Another small complaint I have is that the pattern pieces themselves hold very little information regarding how many to cut for each version, and even the foldlines aren't marked. I would appreciate more information on the pattern pieces so I wouldn't have to look at the instructions so often.

On the other hand, I love the way this pattern comes together. Unlike other companies that leave the decision regarding seam finishes to the seamstress, Named instruct you when to finish the seams resulting in a very neat finish. I followed their instructions and used my serger to finish the seams. While I usually prefer French seams on woven garments, I love how flat and simple open serged edges are. One reason to putting off this project was that I couldn't decide whether I wanted to try French seams or just go with the instructions. At the end despite using a non-matching thread (I only have 3 colors and threading my serger with black wasn't going to happen that day) I like the neat result.

For the neckline I used facing rather than binding. The pattern has both options, but I was intrigued to see how well a facing would behave. I haven't installed a facing in a long time and wandered if I could achieve a better looking facing now that I notice things like grainlines, notches and understitching...

I'm happy to report the facing behaves well, despite some miss-handling on my part (I didn't fused the facing, mostly because I hate fusible interfacing, and I thought the cotton can hold the shape well).

I've only worn this dress ones, because I intend to wear it to my cousin's wedding two weeks from now, and I enjoyed the overall feel. Again my only concerns are with size being too big and the lack of shaping around the waist. I know it's a very popular silhouette but I don't have the best body image, and rally afraid someone will ask me if I'm pregnant.

It has just occurred to me that maybe on other parts of the world people are less up front with this line of questioning? In Israel people are known to be really nosy, especially with young couples. I'm very conscience of my body and so I can easily get offended when someone stares at the wrong parts. Let's see if I follow through with the plan and actually wear it to the wedding, or look for a last minute replacement (or a belt!)

What do you think? Do you wear cocoon style garments or so you think this shape should be used solely for maternity wear?

Please tell me you would never ask a woman if she's pregnant because of what she wears!

2016 reSEWlutions

Hi all!
I know, we are two months into 2016, but during January I had the wedding on my mind so I postponed my new year resolutions till I get back to a regular routine. Considering I've just started the last week of the internal medicine rotation my routine is as normal as can be. The rotation in this department is considered the most demanding rotation of the year, and getting married mid-rotation had proven more difficult than I imagined. I'm happy that life is about to get less complicated starting next week, so I think it's time to get my reSEWlutions in order.

Since I started clinical rotations two months ago I noticed how I have become more attentive to what I wear, as well as what other students around me wear. I think we all try to be comfortable while still looking tidy and somewhat "grown-up". It's the first time I notice how much affected by fashion trends we all are. So my first reSEWlution for 2016 is to challenge my self with my makes rather than go for what mimics RTW choices. It may sound obvious, a lot of us sew in order to express ourselves and make unique garments, but lately I notice that I'm drawn to the patterns and sillahouettes that resemble what I'd find in chainstores. There is nothing wrong with this kind of inspiration of course, but it is less interesting to make something I could buy. At the same time I notice that I get the most complements over garments that resemble the latest trends in RTW. I like to talk about clothes and obviously don't mind the complements, but it's less interesting to talk about something that looks exactly like what I would find in the nearest H&M. I hope that in 2016 I'll make clothes that are more interesting to me and less " trendy".

Colette book club

I started to read the previous book from the book club and was on schedule to join the discussion, but unfortunately my Kindle screen broke and I missed the deadline. I finished the book two days ago and already started the next one on the list. I would like to join the discussion on this one, and stick with the routine they set. It's so nice to have someone else find all the good sewing-related books!

Make sure I stash enough notions

While I have a lot of fabric, I never seem to have enough thread / buttons / fusible making it impossible to spontaneously start my next project. This year I'll try to stash more notions so missing material won't prevent me from conquering the next project.

Commit to organise the stash

At this point I understand that stash organisation is not a one-time thing. Even when I find my system I will still have to rearrange it whenever I take a piece out, or add some scraps in (or new pieces of fabric!). I realise that the more I use up stash the bigger it gets, because the scraps take up so much space... I recently arranged all the fabric in boxes and would like to actively keep it organised. Additionally I would like to frequently take stock and get rid of scraps more often.

Invest in equipment that will make sewing woven material easier

I keep avoiding the woven fabric in my stash because pressing sleeves to achieve a professional look is difficult with my current set up. It never bothered me before, but the more experience I have the more attentive I become towards pressing and seam finish. I've been telling myself I should get a sleeve ham for a few years now, so 2016 is the year I invest in a few pressing tools!

That's it for now, let's hope 2016 will be full of fun, health and positivity!

Alexandria Peg Trousers / Named - in velvet

Hi all!

Here's to a new experience - I'm writing this post on my phone! My laptop battery is empty and there are no suitable plugs in this classroom. 

I'm still waiting for our wedding pictures to arrive, so I can write a proper wedding dress post (or posts..) without waiting forever for the big reveal, but I'm very happy to inform I finished it on time! Truth be told, a friend had to cut the hem a few hours before the wedding while I was working on shortening D's button down shirt, but everything worked out perfectly and I was happy and comfortable in my hand made outfit.

No more than two days following the wedding I started binge-sewing all the knits that were waiting in my stash. The first project was this pair of Alexandria peg trousers. I bought this weird dotted light blue velvet fabric while fabric-shopping for the wedding outfit (along with the scuba knit I made into a Linden before starting with the dress), and cut them before the wedding.  After making my first Alexandria I knew I wanted more pairs from this pattern, but being rather traditional with my pants choices I didn't want to try a patterned fabric. When I saw the velvet I thought it could be a nice opportunity to try a new-to-me fabric with the potential of creating something different and interesting to beef up my lounge-wear / weekend wardrobe.

Sewing this fabric was a bit tricky partially due to the stretch and drape that were difficult to control but mostly because the layers of the velvet kept shifting under the machine.

While very soft  and stretchy, the fabric is quite thick and warm. The thickness means there's  more fabric around the hips / waist area than I would have liked, and in retrospect I should have used thinner fabric for the pockets and maybe even for the waistband. 

Unlike my previous version, due to the fabric's characteristics (as well as my general hastiness) the front pleats are not as tidy as should be. The outcome is looks like gathering rather than the neat two pleats the pattern calls for, although I didn't (intentionally) gathered the waistband.

Despite all the mishaps I like them more than I have imagined I would. These pants are shiny, drape well, fun and comfortable, and are something I imagine would be appropriate for a Disco party. Other people's opinions were less supportive - my cousins said the silhouette is awesome ( thanks Named!) but they would look better in a different fabric. I realize wearing shiny velvet pants is not trendy (right now) but I'm happy with the less-obvious choice of fabric. I will probably make this pattern again, but I would like to continue to explore the possibilities it holds without sticking with the trendy/ traditional/ RTW inspired fabric choices this pattern suits for.

I first wore them to my grandmother's 85th birthday, which was a very casual weekend event, along with my first Linden (unblogged) and Birkenstock clogs. Time will tell if the outside criticism will change my mind, or rather - I'll continue to enjoy them and everyone will follow.

what do you think? To much? Or just right?

Notes:
Like the previous version, I made a straight size 36 (my hips are ~88 but I prefer my clothes looser than the average person, I think). I made no changes to the pattern other than omitting the drawstring at the waist (because I don't have one currently... I think It's a great addition and will probably add some once I get the chance to buy it).
Due to the 4-way stretch, I think I hemmed them using a dipper hem. the weight of the fabric causes the legs to twist some time, causing the diagonal lines in the pictures.
I didn't interface anything (because I'm lazy) or pressed any of the seams (told you I was binge-sewing...!) resulting in some back-pockets floppiness I actually quite like.
This version hits just below my navel, while the previous (woven) version seats lower at the waist.

Year In Review - 2015

On the days leading to January 1st 2016 I looked back at 2015 and at first judged it as a VERY unsuccessful and unproductive year. It wasn't one of the best years of my life. I spent a lot of time and energy trying to finish the experimental stage of my pHD, and way too much time was spent worrying about the future. I worry too much, which never really helps but I still find it difficult to let go.

I don't know why I didn't realized it at first, but despite my subjective feelings, 2015 was indeed quite productive both in sewing and in real-life.

KonMary 

I started the KonMary project during April, but I'm not yet done with it. I'm slowly collecting shoe-boxes from everyone I know, and hopefully by the end of 2016 I'll be done. Despite the slow-going process the closet has been clean and tidy since April, which makes dressing up in the morning way more fun.
 I never thought that if I throw out everything I dislike I may end up with too little, but apparently this could happen. During the first months after I threw out most of the items I didn't like I had very little left to wear. I don't miss the clothes I tossed (even not the hand-made ones that were a bit more difficult to give away), on the contrary I really enjoyed the free space in the closet, but since I love sewing and I needed more garments, the space is filling up quite fast. 

Lounge Wear 

On May I pledged to wear a me-made lounge garment twice a week.
This didn't work out quite well, as at that point I only had a few garments for lounging/ walking/ dancing/ sewing (please tell me I'm not the only one who can't sew with jeans), some were store-bought. Ever since May, I tried to find fabric and patterns to beef up my lounge wardrobe. I'm a sensitive person and very hyperactive so the moment I come home from work I immediately change into the most comfortable clothes I can find. Additionally you will never see me wearing anything restricting during weekends, nothing with zippers/ buttons, and usually not anything from a woven fabric unless it has a lot of ease. 

Case in point, this is what I wore to dinner on Friday:
 

 My father was not too pleased with my outfit... I quite tastelessly paired the blue floral Linden with the black and white Go-To knit pants, but let me tell you - it felt great! Needless to say I need a few more options in my "easywear" wardrobe.


New-to-me patterns

This year I enjoyed sewing more patterns than before. The Linden by Grainline is my current favorite; after hacking the Strathcona into a raglan I finally bought the Linden and immediately fell in love with the loose fit, but yet the body-conscious sillhouette. 

 
 Above is my third Linden. Again, presenting one of my horrible lounge pants. 



 And again a Linden, this time with a Moss skirt. 


 The Morris blazer on the above pictures wins the "most surprising make of 2015". I had the fabric in my stash for a year or so, it was bought with the Lady Skater dress in mind but I don't wear dresses so often and I already have two in a similar fabric (different color) so it waited in my stash. After the first Morris, I thought this heavy jersey fabric can make a cozy and "spicy" blazer and I'm happy with the result! 

I enjoyed trying out new patterns and indie designers, and I hope I'll continue to explore new shapes and silhouettes in 2016 as well.

I hope your 2016 is off to a good start! The first week of 2016 was also the first week of my internal medicine rotation, so I'm still socked and tired from the change in atmosphere and routine but I hope I'll enjoy the rest of this interesting (yet very demanding) rotation. An update on the wedding outfit will follow, I'm happy to say I'm sort of on schedule and will probably have a white thingy to wear by the beginning of February so things aren't too bad on that front. 

Have a great week!

Wedding dress #1 (and the Linden I made while procrastinating)

Hi all!

I'm glad to report that the pre-clinical-rotations-two-months-of-frontal-lectures-hell is behind me! I past the exam and my body (and mind) are slowly recovering. Sitting in class all day IS NOT FOR ME and I'm glad I'll never have to go through this again in my life.

As I mentioned before, we are getting married in the beginning of February. We've been living together for several very happy years, so getting married and formalizing our relationship was not a surprising step for anyone. Therefor I naively thought that everyone will accept our opinions regarding the ceremony itself, and will let us hold it in a way that suits our lifestyle. I was wrong... Weddings in Israel are big (and expensive), the stadard is an evening wedding with dinner and a dance party (DJ included), in which guests are expected to give money as a present, to cover the costs of the party. Needless to say, this kind of celebration isn't really for me... but as the wedding ceremony is also a gift we give the families, we are doing what we are asked to do, while trying to fit it into our lifestyle as much as possible. 

Having a "standard wedding" is difficult for me as my mother died when I was young, and nothing can make up for the fact my only wish for this happy occasion would be that she could witness it. therefore I tried as much as I could to push aside the traditions, the "should" and the "proper", and make this night about love and happiness in a less formal way. Unfortunately, as I wrote above, not all of my wishes were granted and for the past weeks I was just sad about this entire thing. 

I know it makes very little sense, as I get to spend everyday with the love of my life, and one night in which I put other people's wills above mine will not change it. But I still struggle with letting go of the things that will not be as I wish, despite knowing I'll enjoy this night no matter what.

Anyway, the wedding dress and all that involves my appearance is one place were I can do whatever I want (within reason). The process of designing my outfit started with deciding about several topics:

Do I want to make my own dress, rent it, or buy it?

Well, that was the easiest... I think that making my own dress will not only save money but will allow my to wear (almost) exactly what I have in mind. It will also spare me long hours of looking for an RTW dress, fitting sessions etc. Most importantly, the making of a garment is part of the experience in wearing it. I think I'll feel more "me" in a garment I spent time working on.  

How much money am I willing to invest? Do I want to save money, or try working with high-end material?

I want to feel special and beautiful in my wedding dress (aren't we all...?), and it shouldn't look cheap. At the same time, this is a one-night garment, so I didn't want to invest a lot of money in fabric. I prefer to invest money on fabric for garments I'll wear more (such as high quality denim, that I already asked for my birthday). 

How much time do I want to invest in this project?

Nowadays sewing knits is all I want. The speedy work on the overlocker and the cozy result excite me. I have plenty of projects on my winter sewing list, and since winter-wear is my favorite to sew (and I would also like to sew a cascade coat this year), I don't want to spend all my free time on the wedding dress. Therefore, while I think dresses with lots of bead work and hand-sewn lace are amazing, it is probably not the project for me.  

What is the general style I'm going for? 

There are probably one-million dresses I would enjoy wearing. The waiting gown from Sex and the City would probably be my top choice as an inspiration, while the Vera Wand dress from Brides Wars is another one I always liked. However while I like this aesthetic I probably won't feel comfortable wearing such a big dress to this particular evening, so I started a pinterest board and realized I wanted something with less volume and more coverage. 

At the end (of admittedly a very short search session) I decided to use the two-piece outfit from Rue De Seine as the inspiration (it's at the bottom of the board). 

After a few weeks of procrastination I finely went fabric shopping with a friend. For the top I decided to use the snowball dress by Waffle patterns, the base layer would be made of cotton-sateen in off-white, and the top either from lace we bought or from a lace shirt I already have (depending on the amount of lace needed). The skirt is "just" a full circle skirt cinched at the waist, made out of three layers of white chiffon and one layer of lining in cream sateen. 

I like the texture and pattern on the shirt I have so I hope I can use it for the dress (also, I got the shirt from my father's wife, and it feels special to integrate it into the dress)

 

Before we went fabric shopping, D jokingly said I can buy as much fabric as I'd like, but he will lock all my non-wedding-related fabric until I finish the dress, as I have no plan B and the wedding is getting closer (I don't really have time working on the dress during the week, and we still have to make all the decorations, since no made-in-China-by-children decorations will be part of our wedding...). Obviously Linden sweatshirts are made faster than the time it takes to persuade me to confront 20 meters of white slippery fabric, so this one was made immediately:

 

(Worn here with my Go-To Knit Pants. I know I promised a review but I'm still not sure what I think of this pattern). This is my 4th Linden, this one is made from Scuba knit I bought along with the aforementioned ridiculous amount of white fabric, and put immediately into good use. I made straight size 2 based on my measurements, and surprisingly my broad shoulders don't need extra room. Please note: Linden comes with 1/4" seam allowance!

After finishing my Linden I was ready to conquer the piles of white fabric, which meant I had a "white Christmas" after all! The results of this first sewing session will follow shortly. 

Till then, Happy Christmas and may you all have a fabulous end to 2015!