Jalie 2559: Fail

After much hard work and deliberation, I finally have to admit that this project is a major fail!  While the pattern is nicely drafted and fits reasonably well (with a few minor alterations), the cause of the failure was completely due to fabric choice.  I used a wool flannel and with all of the layers, the garment doesn't hang nor fit as nicely after the facing/lining unit is attached.  It's just too thick many areas and making sharp collar points is nearly impossible.  Here are a couple of pictures of where the jacket stands at present.

  Meh. 

I'll likely finish it and give it away.  I'm not a fan of the finished product and I know I'll never wear it.

Unfortunately, this tanks my motivation for the SWAP.  I did finish another piece of the plan, but I have no desire to focus on the remaining pieces, especially now since I need to start over on the jacket.  I'm not even pressed about it.  There are so many other things I want to sew right now and I'm going to do just that. 

Many thanks to everyone who left comments on my jeans. I really appreciate it. =)


L

Jeans 7 & 8: Complete

I finished my eighth pair of jeans this weekend.  I'm all jeans-ed out for now, but I am sure I'll be making more in the near future.  The details for these two pair are the same as before - except that I sewed the equivalent of a size U since I lost some weight.  The waistbands on both pair are a bit more stretchy than I like, but they're wearable without a belt.

Notions (for each pair):

• 2 yards of stretch denim (dark blue and very dark blue)
• cotton fat quarter for pocket linings
• YKK zippers
• gold and cream topstitching thread

 dark blue with gold topstitching 

 very dark blue with cream topstitching

On the very dark blue pair, I opted not to include any design on the back pockets.  Last May, I made a black pair of jeans with the same non-design.  Those jeans are too big now, but since I liked the look I decided to recopy it here.  The jeans really are blue, despite how the picture looks.

Up next:  I've resumed work on my wool Jalie jacket.  Wouldn't you know I've already run into a problem??  The back neck facing is MUCH shorter than the back neck area on the lining.  I have no idea how that happened and have to think about it over the next few days.

As always, more later...  Until then, be well!

L

One Down, One to Go!

I need to open the button hole and add the tack.

If I work really, really hard (i.e., at all), I should be able to finish by the deadline.  Thank goodness!  Then I can resume working on my jacket and SWAP.

More later...

L

Why I Love & Hate Contests

Contests are an opportunity to focus solely on the challenge presented.  There are rules to follow and deadlines to meet.  Contests serve as a good motivation to try something new or hone old skills and there's a sense of accomplishment when the contest is completed. The excitement of the start of a new contest brings about creative ideas and the prospects of planning fabric and patterns.

I have come to realize that while contests are fun and challenging, I also hate them.  It's not the contest per se, but the feeling that I can't begin other projects until after the contest is over.  As a result, I end up rushing to finish a garment and making far more mistakes.  Plus, right now I can't help but think of all the new sewing possibilities for Spring.   The fact that it's 40 degrees outside...in February...in Mchigan is NOT helping.  (What is up with the weather??  I am not at all a fan of the cold, but it should not be this warm in February.  My mother's daffodils broke ground last month due to the abnormally mild winter.  That is not good!)

Case in point:  I am working on two more pairs of jeans for the Jeans Contest.  On one pair, I have sewn and unpicked the waistband three times.  On the other pair, it took me forever to come up with the simplest back pocket design - and I'm not even a big fan of it.  With just over a week to go, I don't even know if I'll finish the contest.

As for the SWAP, I am still committed to finishing, though I am stalled on the jacket.  I got the fit to a point where I like it and now I need to insert the lining.  The problem is, I neglected to make the same adjustments to the lining pieces when I adjusted the fashion fabric.  I only vaguely remember what I did.  I usually write these things down as soon as I do them, but didn't this time.  I just hope the lining goes in smoothly.

Finally, the Fashion in Detroit show is coming up in a month and I want to make a dress for that.  After viewing the comments left on my last post, I've decided on Butterick 5559.  There are only three pieces, it's knit, and I should be able to sew it up rather quickly - thus freeing up more time and energy to devote to my SWAP.

I think these will be my last contests for a long time.  I might join a sew along or two, but I'm over competitions.  Anyone else have experience with contest fatigue?


L