The Many Versions of Simplicity 9385

When this pattern was released last fall, I knew it was going to be popular. It's got sleeve, neckline, and bodice variations and makes for a great layering piece or main upper garment if the fabric is heavy enough. I made five versions of view C (third image from top on the pattern).

 

Fabric & notions:

• 1.5 yards of 60"-wide fabric
• 1/2-inch strips of fusible interfacing to stabilize the shoulder seams
• serger thread

Pattern:  View C uses 6 pattern pieces:  front, back, sleeves, lower band, collar, and sleeve cuffs.

 

Size:  I cut a straight 14 for each version. After making and wearing the first one (cream rayon lycra), I found myself always tugging on it. So be aware that view C is very short. 

 

I did a cheater FBA by adding one inch to the center front. I also lengthened the top an additional two inches. In the picture below, you can see the center front is extended three inches, tapering to two inches at the side seam. I suppose I could just cut the view with the longer length, but I like the look of the band and I think the longer version with the band might be too long.

The sleeves on this version are a bit long on me, so I removed an inch on versions 2 - 5. 

 

Construction:  I sewed each top completely on my serger. From cutting to finishing with no mistakes, this top can be completed in a couple of hours.

Fabric:  I used three different types of fabrics:  rayon lycra, medium-weight ribbed knit, and polyester brushed sweater knit.

cream rayon lycra

 

For me, the pattern is just okay in a light-weight fabric. The drape is nice and I would only wear it under a jacket, cardigan, or sweater.  Also sewing this was a bit of a pain. Don't get me wrong, I like rayon lycra, but this project in that fabric was annoying. Incidentally, one of my many 2021 fails was a second rayon lycra version of this pattern. 😏

medium-weight ribbed sweater knit

 

These are definitely my favorites of the bunch. The ribbed knits hold their shapes well and are quite warm without additional layers. I've worn both tops with skirts and jeans.

polyester brushed sweater knit

Using the brushed poly sweater knit was a happy medium between rayon lycra and the heavier ribbed knit. The fabric has almost the same drape as the lycra but with the structure of the ribbed knit. Sewing these versions was way less frustrating.

The camouflage knit feels lighter in weight and poorer quality than the animal print. So I guess not all poly brushed sweater knits are the same. I wore the camouflage top on Wednesday and it felt fussy. It also catches lint very easily; I suspect this version will pill and degrade quicker than the others.

Summary:  This is a great pattern to add to the wardrobe. It's not difficult to sew and has lots of variations and potential. I have a scrap remnant of purple Merino wool knit that I intend to color block with scraps of black Merino wool. I'll cut the bodice out of purple and use the black fabric for the cuffs, band, and collar.

I also might try some of the other versions. Some sewers mention a mistake with the sleeve pattern for version A (too long or something). Versions A and C use the same sleeve pattern. If I make the version with the extra long cuffs, I'll definitely shorten the sleeves some more.

That's all for now. I'm in a sewing rut at the moment. I have things that I'd like to sew, but energy and motivation are on the low end. I'll keep working on building the 2022 MakeNine. I have seven patterns, but don't see anything else that I'd like to add right now. Maybe the other two slots should be fabric. Hmm...

L

2021 Sewing Year in Review

Although 2021 was full on crazy, I did manage to sew some things.

not pictured: 

Burda 6464 (white cotton pique jacket) 

Jalie Éléonore (army green twill pull-on capri pants)

 

I made 16 wearable garments (8 knits, 8 woven) and had 14 UFOs/fails. The fail rate was higher than normal because I didn't have the mental capacity to endure even more foolishness. 😬 If something wasn't working, I let it go post haste. For me, sewing is fun and enjoyable. Challenges happen, for sure. But the moment it becomes a frustrating chore, it's got to go.

The Statistics

 

 

Once again, even with limited sewing, Burda and Simplicity are clear favorites. Of course I just bought 10 new McCall's patterns. 😅 Most of them are dresses and I rarely even make dresses! Ooof. I blame Instagram and YouTube.

 

 

That I sewed more non-stash than stash is a good thing considering the amount of fabric I purchased last year. Wadders/UFOs amount to 31.875 yards of fabric - the majority all stash. In total, I worked with 62 yards.

Favorites

Burda 8-2011-102:  This is easily my most favorite garment made during the year and in the top 5 of all time. It's been on my radar for a long time I am so glad I finally made it.

 

 

The fabric, 100% wool twill at $16/yd, was not inexpensive and a quick read of the instructions had me worried. For more-involved Burda patterns, I type the instructions, enumerated line-by-line and divided into sections. I find this helps me to slow down and think carefully about each step. Plus my eyes are showing their age and I can't read that small ass print. 😏

 

Because I was bit nervous about messing up, I made a muslin to check the fit and to make sure I understood the construction of the collar, collar stand, and front band/facing.

 

Even though the fabric was difficult to press, it was so worth the hassle because the drape and hand of the coat is simply wonderful. The coat is lined with black Bemberg Ambiance and I used sew-in hair canvas to interface the front. Weft interfacing was used on all hems, collar, collar stand, pocket flaps, and front facing. I used a cotton scrap for the back stay, though I think hair canvas may have been a better choice.

McCall's 7838 (button-up shirt) & Burda 12-2020-106 (skirt):  I have gone all in on dramatic sleeves. I don't follow trends, so I don't know if this style is still "in." And I don't care; I wear what I like.

view C - modeled on envelope

 

The blouse fabric is 100% cotton shirting in a color that is unlike anything I own. I cut a size 16, made 1/2" FBA, and rotated the extra dart take-up to a shoulder pleat. The sleeves are a bit too long - especially with the extra long cuff. I still like it and wear it.

 

The buttons, a vintage something purchased at my local happy place, are a perfect match. I waffled back and forth on using them thinking I should save them for "something special." This shirt is something special.

 

The skirt with which the shirt is paired is nothing too special in its design. It has front and back darts, center back zipper, and a lower flounce. The reason it's one of my favorites is because of the interior finish. I have long wanted to improve the inside of my skirts - especially when using facings and linings. A video I found on YouTube (link) is what I used to achieve a nice finish.

 

Honorable mentions

Burda 8-2009-104:  This is another pattern that's been in and out of the sewing queue. A couple of years ago, I jumped on the ruffle bandwagon and never left.

 

 

Don't mind the wonkiness on the dress form; it hangs correctly on my body. The front frill is off center, so it looks like the shirt is crooked; it's not. The pattern actually calls for snaps as the closure, but I didn't feel like sewing them. 

 

The fabric is described as having colors quartz, crimson, red, and white. The quartz is reading blue to me and it's hard to match it with other garments I have, so I'll likely wear the shirt with jeans.

Bootstrap Fashion dress form:  I made a dress form! I tire of making muslins all of the time - even though I know I need to. I have a padded dress form, but the measurements were never quite close enough to my own. After reading many reviews of those who've made the Bootstrap version, I ordered the pattern and got to work.

For the most part, it's a good match. The stomach area is a little flatter than mine, but the chest area is pretty close. I think the cup size is still off, but I've still been able to use the form to tissue fit before jumping into making adjustments.

 

Wadders/UFOs

The list here is rather long, but the biggest disappointment is the Jedi Smurf Coat. I so much wanted this coat to happen, but I ended up not liking it as the finish neared. It looks like an oversized bathrobe and I just am not feeling it. It's VERY warm, but voluminous in a way that I don't like on my small frame. Unlike the other wadders, I won't trash this. I just need to re-hem the lining, add buttonholes, and sew buttons. I will finish it, but not any time soon.

 

The pattern design is fantastic and is much better suited in a lighter-weight fabric. I used a heavy wool-nylon-cashmere coating and it's just too much.

 

The rest of the wadders/UFOs from the year are the result of poor fabric choice and lots of user error (e.g., accidentally slicing into the hem of a newly-finished skirt).  Of the 14 unfinished garments, 7 are trashed and 7 are on time out.

 

 

So how did those 2021 Sewing Intentions go?

• reduce fabric buying & use more stash:  Womp, womp. I leaned all the way in to retail therapy.
• Make Nine 2021:  I completed 1 of 9. I'll try again this year.
  
• make one or two more bras:  Never finished the bra I started and I'm so close.
• embrace the finish:  Eh...
  
• just sew it & just let it go:  Totally let it go last year, hence the many wadders and UFOs.
  

 

2022 Sewing Intentions

• reduce fabric buying & use more stash:  I really, REALLY need to be mindful of this. I bought way too much fabric last year and need to (a) sew it or (b) do a major cull. It's probably both. Definitely both.
  
• Make Nine 2022:  Again with the Make Nine. I like the uninhibited-yet-focused nature of the challenge. 
  
• record all sewing-related purchases:  I started monitoring my fabric buying a few years ago and want to extend that to include all things sewing. I started a spreadsheet to track fabric, patterns, and notions purchased.
• just sew it & just let it go:  Always an intention.

 

Thanks to all who continue to visit my small sewing corner. Stay safe and happy sewing.

L

Make Nine 2021 Results

Despite the challenges of 2021, I tried to find some motivation to sew by working on my Make Nine plan. 

 

Welp. This was a big ol' fail. I'm cutting myself all the slack, though, because I had a lot going on.

 

COMPLETED

I finished Burda 8-2011-102 (military-styled coat/jacket). It took a long time to finish this garment because I worked on it here and there and had BEAST of a time sewing those damn epaulets. The fabric is a beautiful 100% wool twill with a bit of mechanical stretch and spongy feel. But man was it a challenge to press and turn neat corners.

The collar is supposed to be pointy; mine is most definitely not. 😬 After struggling with the epaulets, I didn't even bother trying to fool with the collar.

 

I think I cut six pairs of those things trying to make it work. I am not a perfectionist by any means. However, I am a don't-want-this-to-look-like-crap-ist.

I didn't like that the joining seam on the epaulet showed on the front and tried to redraw the piece so that it was cut on the fold. I forget why I didn't use those pieces; I think something was wrong with how the point turned out. Anyway. I went back to the original pieces and had trouble getting the point to be pointy. This was definitely a fabric issue.

 

Because of the fabric's surface texture and feel, it was hard to prevent shininess when pressing - even after using a press cloth.  I couldn't steam-press the corners into submission like I normally would. This is another reason it took a long time to make the coat; I had to be very careful and methodical with pressing.

In all, I really, really love it. I got to wear it once before it got too cold and am excited to wear again this early spring.

ABANDONED

First new admit to Area 51 is the shirt of 1000 buttons:  Burda 1-2008-105. I started this garment a few days before shit met fan and was really excited about how it was going. 

I adored (and still do) the contrast collar and cuffs and the overall shape of the shirt. 

 

 

I couldn't trick my sewing machine to make 1.5-inch buttonholes and settled for 1-inch instead. 

The tricky thing about sewing this sleeve situation is the over sleeve part. The instructions are just weird. Okay?

• sew upper sleeve to lower sleeve ✅
  
• make buttonholes on lower sleeve ✅
• add cuff to over sleeve ✅
• turn under seam allowance on over sleeve and do some Burda magic to attach at upper-lower sleeve seam 👀 um...wut?
  

Y'all know Burda be on some crazy with the instructions. Most of the time I can figure it out. This was not one of those times because the seam lengths do not match and I had no idea what went wrong. I separated the upper and lower sleeves, sewed the over sleeve (with cuff) to the upper sleeve, and then attached the lower sleeve (with buttonholes) to the upper sleeve. I added pleats (visible from under the sleeve) to take up the extra seam length.

 

I have yet to complete the second sleeve because I'm just not motivated. After one of my cuffs came out looking like this, I stopped working on the shirt. I know what I need to do, I just don't feel like doing it. Meh. Maybe it doesn't look so bad...

The next admit to Area 51 is the Blue Calla Dogwood duffle bag.

Listen. When I tell you that I tried, I REALLY tried to sew this bag. I started it over four times with four different fabrics and this is how far I've gotten. The first fabric was just way too stiff and was not going to work. The second fabric suffered burn marks from my iron (wtf?). I had issues with the third fabric because...hmm...oh I couldn't get the pocket flap to overlay properly. 

 

The fourth iteration is what you see in the picture above. This fabric and lining are working much better, but I've had problems understanding the instructions. I've emailed the bag designer a few times and she's been very helpful. I've just reached my limit (for now) on making it work and have put it aside. It was supposed to be a birthday gift for the dude, but it didn't happen. 

The last new member to Area 51 is the pleated skirt: Burda 10-2017-117.

The skirt is nearly done:  front is pleated, back darts are sewn, and the front overlay is hemmed. So what's the problem? The closure is not what I expected and I wasn't paying attention before I started.

 

It looks like a pre-made belt/buckle thing (don't know the proper terminology) is sewn to the overlay and pleated front...waistband area? I have no idea. Since I wasn't sure what was going on here, I decided to add an invisible zipper to the left side seam. As it turns out, one of the pleats is very close to the side seam and I'm not sure a zipper is going to sit well in that area.

 

Plus I used a stiff 100% wool gabardine and I don't think I like wool gabardine. Despite being wool, it was a bit hard to press and do you see those ripples? Bleh.

 

I didn't try the rest of the patterns in the Make Nine plan. I intend to add Simplicity 8014 back to the 2022 plan as I really want to make that dress. I've seen so many good versions and think it's a winner.

 

I enjoy doing the Make Nine challenges and intend to set some new goals for 2022. So far I've got six patterns on the grid and want to find three more. Details soon...

 

L