Sew Wrong

Pattern Review – Simplicity 2593 [Calvin Klein Inspired]

simplicity 2593

Pattern: Simplicity 2593 (Cynthia Rowley)
Size: 10 graded to a 12
Fabric: Cotton eyelet from Mood Fabrics in NYC; Kona cotton from stash

Shorts: Old Navy
Earrings: Macy’s
Hair pin: J Crew

This top is my attempt at copying a Calvin Klein eyelet pullover top I saw in a department store last spring.  It was a simple, short sleeve white blouse with no shaping and a silver exposed zipper in the back.  So so cute, yet so so expensive: $80! Here’s a picture of the original:

Calvin Klein Eyelet Top - the Inspiration

 On an unexpected shopping trip to Mood last summer, I stumbled upon some aqua colored fabric with an eyelet pattern almost exactly the same as the original Calvin Klein, and for $25, I had the fabric to make my own version.  (Note: I also found a matching silver zipper, but decided not to go through the trouble of creating a CB seam to sew the zipper in.)

simplicity 2593

Construction:

I made view A of this pattern back in 2009 and didn’t have much success – it fit well but the twisted band didn’t look good after I washed the tank.  A loose fit with a straight up-and-down cut was what I was looking for for this particular top, so I picked view D.  This went together in a flash: I cut out the top and finished during an afternoon last week while on vacation (I blogged preview pics about it here).

simplicity 2593

I did my usual mods of grading the pattern out from a 10 to a 12 from waist to hip and that was pretty much the only thing I needed to change on this pattern.  I ran into an issue when I tried to cut out the neckbinding: the eyelet pattern did not run the whole width of the fabric and I was stuck with some of the neckbinding looking like plain aqua cotton, some eyelet.  My mom pulled out a cotton from her stash that was almost the right color, but I liked the slight contrast and decided to use that in place of my eyelet.  I think it creates a nice, subtle design feature.

The top is a little boxy and I probably could have gone down a size, but it’s nice a cool to wear on muggy days like today.  It’s a great go-to and no-fuss pattern for a simple summer pop-over!

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On My (Mom’s) Cutting Table

sewing table

I’m home visiting my family on vacation this week and I’m taking full advantage of my mom’s sewing room set-up…huge cutting table, nice sewing machine and iron, good lighting, etc.  And for my birthday, she got me new scissors!  I’ve wanted a pair of Gingher dressmaker shears for a long time and I finally have my own pair – they’re a dream to cut with and I can’t believe I’ve gone so long cutting with my trusty orange Fiskars (not to knock them or anything…these are just nicer).

The above is fabric I bought last year from Mood for a top that I started and finished yesterday – love it when that happens!  I’ll post pictures of the finished garment next week.

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Pattern Review – Simplicity 2369

simplicity 2369

Pattern: Simplicity 2369
Size: 10 graded to a 12
Fabric: Knit ITY from Joann Fabrics

Jeans: Mek Denim
Sunnies: Bulgari
Necklace: birthday gift!
Wristlet: Michael Michael Kors (birthday gift to myself!)

simplicity 2369

I’ve had this top finished and in my closet for about a month and realized that I never had an opportunity to share it here, partially due to my “photographer” not being available when I was as well as the hours I’m working for my new job (I got a promotion!).  It was cool in Boston on Sunday and I wanted to feel comfy but look cute for my birthday mini-golf outing – it was definitely a jeans and tee kinda day.

Yes, it was my birthday!  I noticed a fine line forming on my forehead in the bathroom that morning and my roots need to be colored since my grays are showing through.  Hooray.

Construction

I was apprehensive about how this top was going to fit since wrap tops are always too big on me due to the cross-over piece being too long.  This isn’t a “true” wrap top since it’s only a half piece that wraps across the front, and I think that attributed to the correct fitting of this top.  I did my usual mods, a 10 graded out to a 12 from waist to hip, and I think I could have gone a bit smaller up top.  But I was too lazy to re-cut the top and take in the sides, it wasn’t that major of a fit issue.

My machine, however, did not care for the ITY I was sewing with.  I never sewed with an ITY before, even though I have heard rave things about them and it seems to be quite the fabric in the knit fabric world, but I’m not sure I would sew with it again.  I love my little Bernina 1005 but it had a hard time stitching consistently and kept skipping stitches, zigging when it should have zagged.  I changed the stitch length, even switched to a straight stitch and stretched while I sewed, but it didn’t like that either.  Maybe someone reading this has insight into this problem?

simplicity 2369

I decided to do a neck band instead of a facing for this top, figuring I could benefit from additional fabric being added to an already low neckline.  I followed the instructions to make the binding and opted not to turn it to the inside.  The only downside is that since I didn’t plan ahead to do this, I have raw edges on the inside.  I also have to tie this top pretty tight and watch the neckline during the day, but having worn this top twice now, I haven’t had any gap-age issues.  Whew, what a relief!

I loved this pattern – I made the pants to go along with this top as well – and I definitely want to make the dress, too.  Since I already attempted to make a test garment for a wrap dress that failed, I bet this pattern will be the pattern I pick to make the wrap dress off of my 12 in 2012 list.

Best of Patterns

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DIY Spring 2012 Fashion Trends – Color Blocking

color blocking

From left to right: Nanette Lepore, Milly, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Alexander Wang, Carolina Herrera

In case you haven’t noticed, color blocking is everywhere!  I thought that this was a trend that had gone away, but apparently I was wrong when I cracked open my spring fashion magazines (or when I said to one of my coworkers that “color blocking was so last season” and she pointed to the new pairs of color blocked shoes that we got in the store.  Oi.)  This trend was surprisingly easy to find patterns for from every major pattern company.  McCall’s new spring line even included a few patterns that allowed for color blocking variations.

So how do you wear this loud, bold trend and not look like Rainbow Brite?  Keep the maximum number of colors to three.  Based on the runway pictures above, it seems the easiest color combinations are with a white or black added in to the mix.  Or, keep the colors in the family – try mixing different shades of blues together to get a monochromatic but still color blocked look.  Depending on the pattern shapes, this can also be a figure flattering trend utilizing the technique of “trompe l’oeil” – some of the dresses and skirts below have a slenderizing look to them.  Below is a compilation of patterns that you can use at home to try out one of the easiest spring fashion trends.

Dresses:

Skirts:
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On My Cutting Table: Simplicity 2369

WIP - Simplicity 2369


This pattern is one of two patterns that I’m trying this month in an attempt to master a style that alludes me: the surplice top/wrap dress.  To this day I have not been able to find a dress or top, be it in RTW or a sewing pattern, that fits my bust.  The gaping, the droopiness, the excess fabric – I shall conquer it this month.  And it’s so far so good with Simplicity 2369.

This tunic is the start of a conscious effort to start sewing more separates, and I’m happy with how well the test garment turned out (above).  The neckline is going to be pretty low, but I don’t think I’ll have any gaping issues from what I can tell (otherwise I’d try this).  Based on what I’ve read about this pattern on Pattern Review, I’m going to try using clear elastic to stabilize the neckline instead of using a facing.  I figured it would be best to start with the tunic version of this pattern and if all goes well, I’ll definitely make the dress version at a later time.

Yesterday I also cut out and made the pants from this pattern that will go with the top.  I should have tried them on before I trimmed the allowances since I could have done with a little letting out of the side seams at the thighs – I have “frown lines,” an indicator that there isn’t enough room for my thighs in the front.  But I didn’t adjust it and I have some frowny-ness going on and I’m ok with that.  I tried the test tunic on with the pants and it’ll cover that area, so no one will know about it but me.  I also had to crop about two inches off of the top of the pants since I’m not 85 and I don’t like my pants to hit right at my rib cage – why is it so hard to find pants patterns that have a modern fit?  Now that they hit about an inch bellow my belly button, they are the comfiest pants in the world: almost like PJ’s but sewn out of a knit fabric that is socially acceptable to wear in public.

What’s on your cutting table this week?

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