Garment Grab Bag: Simplicity 4020

Sometimes indecision on what to sew stalls my progress. There are so many things I want to make, but I find it hard to settle on one item. So I am trying something new this year. I made a "garment grab bag" of a bunch of patterns that are on my very long "to-sew" list.

There is nothing high-tech of fancy going on here. It's a simple paper bag with folded slips of paper.

I will try to stick to whatever garment that gets selected, though I won't be too rigid. If I am truly not feeling like making that garment, I'll pick something else. Sewing brings me joy and the moment it turns into a chore, I lose motivation.

 

The first garment I selected was Simplicity 4020 - a pullover top that has been in and out of the queue for years. I don't know why I kept putting it off.

 

I made view A (red) in a green polyester-lycra sweater knit from the stash. I wanted to make view B (blue), but I didn't have enough fabric for both the collar and long cuffs.

 

I cut a straight size 16 and sewed it as is. I've yet to try it on, though I do intend to wear it to work tomorrow. It seems a little short, so we'll see how that goes. Hah!

 

The top is paired with my latest skirt:  Burda 1-2008-109.

 

 

This is another pattern that has long been in the sewing rotation.  I cut a straight size 44 and used 1.5 yards of stretch denim. I forgot to add the belt loops before putting on the waistband and my fly front is sewn opposite than what's shown in the line drawing.

 

The front angled seams also serve as integrated pockets which is a neat design. It makes the skirt puff out a bit in the front, but I don't mind it much. 

 

There was one part of the instructions that just did not make ANY sense despite my best attempt at trying to understand. After thinking about it for a couple of days, I gave up and skipped that part. Maybe those instructions are there to help control the poofiness? I have no idea. Everything seemed to piece together without them and the skirt fits fine. I doubt I'll sew this pattern again, so those instructions will remain a mystery.

***

I selected another garment from the grab bag; this time, I pulled floral trench coat. I seriously debated selecting something else because (a) this will be a very long project and (b) I'm in the lower arctic and a lightweight trench coat is not on my radar right now. Then again, I thought why not get started on spring wear now. Yes, it's minus degrees Fahrenheit and there's a crapton of snow and it's windy so the temperature feels even worse. But spring is a couple of months away and I want to be ready.

I want to blog the process of making the coat. If I can remember to take pictures of the progress along the way, I'll share them here.

 

L

Unintentional Endless Combinations Mini Wardrobe

Pattern Review occasionally runs a contest called Endless Combinations (EC). The idea is to create a wardrobe where each subsequent garment coordinates with the previous one.

An example from the 2016 contest rules (edited for clarity): 

1. Sew blouse A.
2. The next item, B, could be pants and must work with blouse A.
3. Item C must coordinate with item B. It could be another top or a jacket. It does not have to work with item A; if it does, that's a bonus.
4. Item D must work with item C. If you made a jacket for item C, item D could be a skirt, another pair of pants, or a top.

Of all of the wardrobe plans I've tried, I've had the most success with this and the Stitcher's Guild 6PAC. One time I sewed an 11-piece wardrobe for a contest. By the time I was finished, I was SO bored with everything that I stopped sewing for a few weeks. Plus I only wore maybe 2 or 3 of those 11 garments and gave the rest away.

Here are the garments I made using this idea. I didn't start with this intention; it just fell into place.

First I made Burda 2-2005-129.

I wanted another denim chambray shirt, so I made Ottobre 5-2012-7. I used a blue/white/red gingham scrap for the undercollar and inner collar stand, cuffs, and front band. 

Not really feeling the skirt's prairie vibe, I opted for something more structured and made Burda 1-2018-121.

Thinking this would look good with a short jacket, I made Burda 4-2008-107.

Finally I completed the set with Simplicity 8606 using a red floral polyester woven from JoJo. 

Here is a collage of all the possible combinations from the five garments.

Hands down my favorite looks are in the first and last columns. I just do not like the prairie skirt! I know I said I'll wear it at least once, but...uh...I'm not so sure about that anymore. The angled stripes just aren't doing the skirt any favors. Big ol' meh!

Added bonus: three of the five garments I made are a part of my 2020 MakeNine. Woot! If I ever get that tote bag done, I will be halfway-ish through the plan. Baby steps. =)

I will write a review of the Ottobre shirt and Burda jacket next.

***

I'm working on a shirt for #Faye'sTopsThatPop sewing challenge starting on 1 Jun. The color works with some garments I made at the beginning of the year and continues the spirit of Endless Combinations.

That's all for now. Stay safe everyone.

L

Burda 2-2005-109 (skirt)

This skirt was the first item finished of my 2020 Make9 (now revised) plan. I was on a ruffle kick last year and kept thinking about this skirt every time I saw it in my Burda binder.

This looked different in my mind.  Oof.

I was going to use a horizontal striped rainbow-colored linen (you know the one that err'body bought from JoAnn...that one).  But I switched to this red and white vertical striped linen because I was knee-deep in a little mini wardrobe and wanted the skirt to coordinate.

Eh. Not a good idea.

Vertical stripes just don't work with this pattern. The front and back pieces are very bias and you can tell. Plus matching the lower front with the yoke is impossible - and believe me I tried.

Also I can't stand how the skirt creates that fold in the front. I should have known this because the same fold is shown in the line drawing! I guess I sewed it correctly?

Let's check out those side seams. 

Right side looks good, left side? Not so much. *facepalm*

I didn't have enough fabric to make the hem-band as wide as it appears in the line drawing. This makes the skirt seem unbalanced - at least to me.

And can we talk about the construction of the hem band? It's...weird. The waist ruffle is a separate rectangular piece gathered to fit. The hem band ruffle is formed by sewing under the top of the band and gathering it to fit.  Then you attach it somehow (?) to the front. I couldn't decipher Burda's instructions and just made something up. Of course by the time I realized this, I didn't have enough fabric to cut a second smaller rectangle and sew it like the waist ruffle.

The waist yoke is wider than as it appears in the line drawing. It doesn't affect fit and isn't a big deal, but still. It seems like it throws off the proportions.

Overall, the skirt is a little too "prairie" for me. Maybe this will be better in a solid and with enough fabric to make the wider hem band.

I'm committed to wearing it at least once just to give it a try. After that, it's going in the donation pile.

(skirt paired with Ottobre 5-2012-7)

I made another skirt from the revised Make9 and LOOOOVE it. I'll review that one next.

Until then, peace!

L

Burda Style 4-2019-113: skirt

Leave it to Burda to take a simple A-line skirt and make it fabulous.  When I saw this pattern in the April issue, I knew I wanted to make it.

 (line drawing credit:  Doctor T Designs)

Let's look at the details:

• loads of topstitching
• in-seam pockets
• functional and removable pocket bag
• belt loops - integrated and separate
• back invisible zipper
• cuteness overload!

I cut size 44 and made a 3/4" full seat adjustment.  I added a 1" hem but removed it after trying on the skirt.  Usually I don't add a hem allowance to Burda skirts or tops, but this looked a little short.  I ended up not needing the extra length.

This is really easy to sew and the instructions aren't terrible.  Mind your markings and definitely follow the instructions!  I ended up picking every single topstitched seam because I glossed over some details.

For example, the area where the belt passes under the panel is only on the right side.  This is clear in the line drawing and implied in the instructions.  Somehow, I missed that until I was nearly finished.  *facepalm*

Also I topstitched the center back seam before finishing the waist.  Yeah, don't do that.  Once the waist is finished, the topstitching helps to secure the facing (or petersham in my case) to the inside.  I wondered why Burda waited until the end to do this topstitching; now I know.

Can we talk about the belt and pocket loops?

Each rectangle is 1 1/8 inches wide.  You're supposed to stitch the long sides right sides together using a 1/4 inch seam allowance and turn right side out. Even though I was using a light weight denim, there was no way to turn this tube right side out.  I tried using a bodkin, fasturn, safety pin, prayer - nothing worked.

So instead, I re-cut the rectangle 1/4" wider, turned the long edges in, pressed, and topstitched from the outside.

So much easier!

I used petersham to face the waist - my preferred method for skirts.  I actually cut and attempted to use the facings, but following the instructions left me with an area that was really bulky. 

I didn't include the tab on the pocket bag or the inseam pockets.  I used a snap as the closure, but I will make a functional buttonhole instead.  The button looks out of place just sitting there.

I really like this skirt.  It's part of a mini wardrobe I got going on right now:

• Tops:  Jalie 3245 (done), Burda 6426 (next)
• Bottoms:  Burda Style 4-2019-113 (d0ne), McCall's 7906
• Jacket:  Kwik Sew 3558 (done)
• Dresses:  Simplicity 8891, Simplicity 8834, McCall's 7465

I muslined Burda 6426 and it looks promising. Hopefully I can get this sewn in the next couple of days.

L