More Men’s Coat V8940 (and Adventures in Thedas)

I’m still working on V8940. The fronts have all their understructure and padstitching.  Which is a roundabout way of saying that everything I’ve done so far happens before Step 1 of the pattern.  I did mention I’m slow, right?

Given that it’s the later part  of winter here, I’m sewing toward next winter.

I referenced several books (listed in my last post  about the coat) while making decisions — (Ledbetter and Lansing’s is particularly good for choosing between methods) — but now that I’m sewing, referencing too many makes me muddled, so I’ve stuck to the very clear, one-method Cabrera book (even though I have the women’s version) and Poulin for adapting it to menswear.

I’d be further along if I hadn’t seen a dirt cheap copy of Dragon Age: Inquisition and played it through the end.  Now my favorite, easily surpassing Skyrim and Witcher III (for me at least — those are probably fighting words to many). So although I’m sewing every weekend, I took a few detours to Thedas. :/

Muslins for Men’s Coat V8940

I’m working on Vogue 8940, which is the first thing besides boxers I’ve made for my OH. After 2 1/2 test garments, I think I have the last fitting issue sorted, and am waiting for him to wake so I can pounce and (after his coffee; I’m not a monster) have him try it on yet again.

I’m not over-fitting; I’m just new to both menswear and coats. I definitely like the reduced stress of getting a muslin to the point where I’m happy with it before I cut fashion fabric.

Assuming all is well, I’ll move on to doing more with understructure than the pattern includes. I still have a couple of months before his birthday (by which time it will be cold here), but I’m pretty slow, so may be late…

Over the past couple of months I’ve referred to several books, including The Complete

A basting stitch that’s twice the max stitch length of your machine

I liked this so much I made a video for it. It’s easy and only requires a double eye needle and a machine with a zigzag stitch. These needles used to be popular and were sold as “magic” or “basting” needles. Now Schmetz is making them again to market them for decorative stitches.  (I’ve gotten them cheaply on ebay here.) You can do regular sewing by threading the bottom eye and basting by threading the top eye and following the steps in the video.

ETA – As pointed out to me by a member of the Bernina Lovers fb group, you can baste with an even longer stitch using the blindhem stitch.

4 way stretch lightweight knit (McCalls 8777)

This weekend I experimented with the thinnest, stretchiest knit I’ve tackled yet. A 4-way stretch that was cheap from a pop-up shop in Porirua. The easiest pattern I had for it was McCalls 8777.

I traced out full pattern pieces so I wouldn’t need to cut anything on the fold, then pinned fabric and pattern to foam core board. After trying the fabric with a few types of needles, I liked the stretch needle best. Foot pressure was reduced by more than half, and I sandwiched strips of water soluble stabilizer in the seams. Tension was set to 2 for most of it, but I hemmed with a double stretch needle, and for that I set tension to zero to keep it flat. At the shoulder and neckline, I stabilized with 1/4″ cotton tape (bought at Made Marion while enjoying the Mad Skills class).

None of the adjustments were that time consuming, so I was happy with a quick top made with just foot #1 on the Activa 130.

Easy, Casual Knit Top (Vogue 8877)

Just in time for spring, I’ve made a cool weather shirt. That’s alright; we always have some damp, chilly weather again before Christmas. This was straight forward and super easy, so not a ton to say about it, but after the Craftsy cramming fest that was October Free Pass and then some back trouble, I’m glad to finish a project!

Vogue 8877 View C — Loose fitting, pullover top with dropped shoulders. So loose fitting, in fact, that since I was using knit, I made a small, despite the size chart indicating a medium, and still had plenty of room. In fact, I tapered the sleeves down to an extra small at the wrist.

Incredibly easy to make, and the instructions were fine.

Fabrics: Maggy London Fog City Gray medium weight ponte knit, and a lightweight looser weave knit endcut, both from Smuggler’s Daughter with discounts for the endcut and  having reviewed the shop at pr.

Wellington Sewing Bloggers Network!

So many talented dressmakers in NZ and in my region! I’m glad the
WSBN includes members near Welly as well as those in the city, because I’m thrilled to join and meet others, hear about local events, and see what everybody’s sewing.

A month of Craftsy

I’m part way through a Vogue blouse, but that’s been on hold as I take advantage of the October Pass to Craftsy. $14.99 NZ gave me free access to every class on the site through the end of the month. It’s derailed my productivity, but I’m learning a lot.

So far favorite classes include the patternmaking series by Suzy Furrer, a fun new drawing fashion flats class, fitting for the back, neck, and shoulders, several tailoring classes, and sewing with sheer fabrics. It’s a good thing I was on vacation last week!

Walkaway Dress / Altered (Butterick 4790)

I picked this one, because the dress has a high waist, which is more flattering on me than regular waistlines.

Difficulty: Easy to sew, and simple directions. Alterations took longer than the sewing.

Fabric: Medium weight cotton sateen with 5% elastane from Spotlight. The little bit of stretch made it easier to get the fit! (And besides the Vogue fitting shell, this was my first attempt at a bodice this fitted.)

Design alterations:

This re-release was changed, and it comes out looking like Butterick’s online photo rather than the 50’s drawing on the envelope if you sew it up as is. I altered the back bodice to get the v-shape on the drawing by following the simple directions on the Edelweiss blog.

Boxers (Simplicity 2741)

Cotton flannelette Yoda for Darryl. Extremely simple pattern with easy instructions.

Alterations:
I just shortened between waist and crotch, since, like me, he’s not that tall. Slightly redrew the flap at center front afterward, since I’d shortened straight through it.