Thursday 24 April 2014

::Sewing::FO:: That 70's Hollyburn

Ever since I made my first Hollyburn skirt I've been meaning to make another.


I couldn't for the life of me find the pattern pieces I'd traced and adjusted from last time. I can't remember which view I cut out last time (I checked the post and I didn't mention it. Gah!)
I traced view B pattern and then put it aside as I made this dress. I finally cut out the fabric for this skirt the other day when I was cutting my rayon kimo-no top.

I found that in the last skirt the pockets where a tad bulky so I thought I'd try to make the lining out of some quilting cotton I had in my stash. I drew a 5/8 inch seam allowance either side of the fold line. I folded the pattern at the appropriate SA line and cut out the pocket lining from the quilting cotton and the pocket from the main fabric. I could have done a pocket facing (when the pocket bag is made of a lining fabric, but the bit showing is a small section of fashion fabric), but I'm not that big a fan of them. Mine usually slip out so you can see the pocket facing edge from the outside.

I folded the pattern at the appropriate SA line and cut out the pocket lining from the quilting cotton and the pocket from the main fabric. While I was faffing about with the pockets I got rid of the point in the bottom of the pocket bag by tracing around a container lid and snipping it off.

This is my trying to show you the green pocket facing.
I took my time with this make and added some details to mix it up. I top stitched around the pockets edges. I sewed, overlocked (serged) and top stitched the front and side seams. To top stitch the seams I used my stitch in the ditch foot and moved the needle to the side.


As an experiment I used heavyweight interfacing on half the waistband. I finished the waistband by stitching in the ditch between the waistband and skirt.

I sewed in snap tab at the top of the zipper to hold the skirt up as I zip up. I came across this idea in the Pants Construction Techniques Craftsy class with Sandra Betzina.


Inspired by this post I trimmed and finished the invisible zipper by sewing pouch the width of the zipper, folding all the raw edges to the inside, slipping the trimmed zipper in the pouch and sewing across the top.

To hem I sewed a line of basting at 1 inch. I then pressed the hem up at this line. To finish I turned raw edges into the crease of the fold.

I'm happy with the fit of this skirt. It is very different to the fit of the first Hollyburn I made. The waistband is snugger than I'm used to and sits at my waist, but that was what I was going for. The skirt fabric bunches and pulls a tad above my bum, which means I either need to do a sway back or a full butt adjustment - I'm leaning towards a full butt adjustment.


~Pattern~
Sewaholic Hollyburn-View B

~Changes I made this time~
  • Changed the pockets - made it a 2 piece pocket and rounded the pointed bottom
  • Snap tab at top of zipper
  • Invisible zipper
~What I Like~
  • The snap tab is fantastic! Makes zipping up a breeze!
  • The colour is a great basic without being black.
~What I Don't Like~
  • The fabric is a bit rough. But I'll see how it goes after a few cycles through the wash.
  • The zipper gets a bit stuck at the waistband. I think it's a  combination of a bulky waistband and slightly over exuberant stitching at the zipper while finishing the waistband  are the culprits.
  • There is a bit of pulling in the back of the skirt when I put my hands in my pockets
~Changes for Next Time~
  • I might try a full butt adjustment to resolve some of the bunching at the back of the skirt.
  • I have sewn the Hollyburn a couple of times in fairly heavy fabric. I'll have to try it in a lighter fabric.

STATS
PatternSewaholic Hollyburn (view b) - used before - FREE$0.00
Fabric3.0 m brown cotton canvas (can't remember how much it cost, it's pre-blog)$15.00 ish
Notions
  • Thread
  • Snap
  • Interfacing
$3.50
$0.50
$0.50
Time8 hours (* $16-ish Australian minimum wage) $128.00
Total
$147.50

~Final Comment~
I think that the skirt has a very 70's vibe. I think it's a combination of the shape, length and colour. Overall a pretty good make. It will make a great addition to my wardrobe rotation.


So tell me, have you been meaning to make another of something you've made before? If so, what is it? Leave a comment below :)

Until next time,


Lets connect

Wednesday 16 April 2014

::Sewing::FO:: Kimo-No Sorbetto Cobalt Rayon Top


I don't know what is happening with my face here.
Please excuse the 'bitchy face'
This blue rayon has been calling to me since I bought in September last year. I've been a little afraid to play with it because it felt slippery and slinky and I thought I would be a bugger to sew.
Last week I was playing with my fabric (please tell me I'm not the only one who takes fabric out of my stash; pets it; admires it and folds it all back into the stash) and inspiration struck. I think this fabric would work fabulously in a kimono tee. I looked to Miss P's amazing pashmina refashions for inspiration.

Took out my Colette Sorbetto pattern and traced out the size 18, added 2 inches in length, raised the back neckline by 2 inches and drafted on some kimono sleeves. I took photos of my process because I was going to share how I added my kimono sleeves with you, but I won't because I stuffed that up a bit.

A little trick I thought up as I was added length was to trace the pattern, mark the added length at the bottom then slide the pattern down to the marking and trace the new hem. This trip probably wouldn't work in all cases (like adding length to a circle skirt) but it worked fine here.


I cut out the fabric using a rotary cutter and cutting mat which I thought would be safer than scissors with this slinky slippery fabric. A few hours later I had a 'ding' moment and thought I may have drafted kimono too narrow. My suspicions were confirmed when I basted the top together. The sleeves where far too snug and distorted the neckline.

I unpicked the side seams. I resigned to the fact that this wasn't going to be a kimono tee and made it a cap sleeve top by cutting from the outer edge of the shoulder seam to the underarm (just above the bust dart on the front) removing the lower portion of the sleeve. Thinking about it now I should have cut the sleeves with a curve so the cap sleeve was less pointy at the shoulder seam.

Construction wise this top had a bit of back and forth about it.
The first bit of sewing I did was to stay stich the neckline.
I sewed the bust darts and then sewed and overlocked (serged) the shoulder seams.
After baste fitting the side seams; ripping them out and removing the lower portion of the kimono sleeves I overlocked  all along the side and sleeve edges.
The side seams where then sewn.
I did a double turn hem for the sleeves.
I overlocked the hem, then unpicked it because I didn't want bulk in the hem.
The neckline and hem where faced with bias tape.


I've avoided rayon because it's a bit slippery and I thought it was synthetic. But as it turns out it’s a natural fibre that has very intense processing (which I learnt from Steph C). In the end it wasn't that hard to tame the rayon.

I'm surprised with how much I like the sleeves on this top. It's a happy accident. I like the fit although I could probably be a bit snugger. The neckline is wider than what I'm used to and find myself fussing with it to make sure I keep my modesty and my bra straps covered. Thinking about it now, maybe bra strap carriers are the answer.

~Pattern~
Colette Patterns Sorbetto - Hacked

~Changes I made this time~
  • Back neckline raised
  • Added length
  • Added kimono sleeves, which I then had to adjust into a cap sleeve
~What I Like~
  • The fabric colour and drape
  • I like the length
  • The cap sleeves turned out better than I thought they would
~What I Don't Like~
  • The neckline is a bit wide and the front neckline sometimes droops a little too low for comfort
  • The sleeve hems are a bit bulky and alter the drape
  • The top has a lot of ease
~Changes for Next Time~
  • Try tracing a size 14 next time and from under the grading out to a size 18 from the waist to hip
  • Make the neckline narrower (although if I trace a size 14 at the top it might not need it)
  • Finish all openings with bias tape as facing
  • If I'm going to have another go at making a kimono top I must remember to shift the lower part of the sleeve down a 2 inches and rotate the bust dart into a French dart so it doesn't get messed up in the kimono sleeve.
STATS
PatternColette Patterns - Sorbetto (FREE)$0.00
Fabric 1.5m cobalt blue rayon (spotlight) $6.29/m$9.45
Notions
  • Thread
  • Bias Tape
$2.00
$1.50
Time6 hours (* $16-ish Australian minimum wage) $96.00
Total
$108.95

Kind of expensive for a basic top, however, the materials were cheap, considering the lessons I learnt and the fact there was a lot of unpicking I'm totally cool with that.

~Final Comment~
I really like this top and I can see myself wearing it a lot. Like, A LOT.


Have you been able to 'save' a project that was going a bit wrong? What was it?
I'd live to hear about it, leave me a comment. :)


Until next time,


Lets connect