Reflections on 2024

 

given by a friend!

This was a year with more sewing going on than the previous two when I was recovering from surgeries and mostly wore my bathrobe. 

It was the year I rediscovered dresses, because when I finally started getting around more, they were easier to put on. Much to my surprise, I also enjoyed wearing them! One nice thing about getting older is the disappearance of a lot of insecurities (maybe not all…still human), especially regarding appearance.

Patterns

For years, my main pattern source had been Ottobre Woman. With Ottobre on hiatus, I resubscribed to BurdaStyle. I do enjoy Burda’s fit and drafting, but I am a basics kind of a girl and Burda is kind of anti-basics. To use their magazines, I usually have to scan through them to find a style that I can strip of their details to make what I have in mind. There’s fun in the search, though, and I affirmed that by renewing my subscription for the next year. In the latest issue, Burda says they will be celebrating their 75-year anniversary with retro patterns each month. They are also bringing plus sizes back into the magazine. Sounds good to me.

In 2024 I gave Love Notions a whirl, and had mixed results. A couple of their knit patterns worked well for me, but I don’t sew that many knit things. Their woven patterns consistently don’t meet at the front and are tight across the shoulders on me, the only patterns I’ve ever sewn that fit that way. Wait, I’m lying. Back when Sandra Betzina’s line for Vogue first came out with “today’s fit” sizing, I gave them a try and they fit that way, too. Love Notions has plenty of fans, so they are doing something right. They just aren’t for me. 

Style Arc, on the other hand, has given me a lot of pleasure this year. In the past, I had sworn them off more than once because of confusing terminology and directions, but their styles kept drawing me back. They make patterns for things that I want to wear. I love the current barrel leg trousers, and Style Arc has lots of them. I also enjoy their easy fitting dresses. I love that they print the seam lines on their patterns. They have frequent sales and that doesn’t hurt, either!

I scan other indies and the legacy pattern companies now and again, but haven't felt like they were offering much that I needed. I did buy a couple of Palmer/Pletsch jacket patterns (Butterick? McCall's?) and a top from Itch to Stitch, but haven't made them up yet.

This seems like a good time to insert a pattern scorecard for the things I made in 2024. Not all of them made blog appearances. 

• Burda - 4
• Love Notions - 3
• Ottobre - 2
• Simplicity - 1
• Style Arc - 9

This year I made TNT patterns for several basic pieces, wahoo! 

Jeans - style arc carlisle

Big shirt - knipmode

Semi- fitted shirt - burda

Camp-ish shirt - style arc marley

Cardigan - burda

Jean jacket - burda

Still needed: basic trousers, woven shell, knit tank and tee. Toss in a pull-on pant and basic dress and that should give me almost everything I need to make variation after variation. 

a smart buy from Miss Matatabi

Fabrics

Stash report…this year I had an unexpected little income stream that I earmarked for fabric purchases. Because the money was not coming out of our regular funds, it helped me ease up on obsessive bargain-hunting (the feeling that I could not have nice things because they are too expensive) and the crippling fear of shipping charges (which meant that I would buy stuff I wasn’t crazy about just to avoid paying for shipping). Neither of those attitudes make good economic sense because they lead to a closet full of fabric that is not quite right - bought because it was on sale or to avoid paying for shipping.  The funny thing is, once I gave myself permission to buy whatever I wanted, I became very picky and made much smarter purchases. Guess what - nice fabric inspires better workmanship. 

The moral of the story is: buy less, get the good stuff, and do good work.

The “Make 9” grid from the beginning of the year didn’t work out. It’s better to just follow the flow of my wants and needs than to set goals in advance. With the fresh new year arriving, the urge to make lists and plans is strong, but I'll resist.

Best wishes to all for 2025! 

Burda Plus basic shirt and buttons that lie

Do you wear a lot of shirts? I do. Knit tops often make me feel lumpy, while wovens just skim over everything. I've been wanting a new TNT pattern for a basic shirt since spring, and have just managed to get the first iteration of it completed before the end of the year.

It's funny how you can flip through years of Burda magazines and not find what you want if you're looking for a basic style. The pattern I finally settled on is from the Fall 2008 issue of Burda Plus. Stripped of its style details, it had the features I was looking for: 

Collar with stand

Bust darts

Yoke with shoulder shaping (not just a back piece whacked in two)

Slight shaping at the side seams

Relaxed, but not oversized, fit

This pattern was easy to adapt and only needed a couple of design changes to become a master pattern. The original had a concealed button placket that I modified to be a cut-on self-interfaced front band. I also replaced the band and flounces on the sleeves with a standard cuff and tower placket. Added a center back pleat. And I traced the front vertical darts but did not sew them for this version.

The smallest size for this pattern is a 46. Normally, for a Burda plus-sizes, I'd use a size 44, sizing down using the method described in this blog entry . But since I wanted an easy fit, size 46 was just fine, blending out to a 48 below the waist.

The fabric is a really nice midweight cotton flannel from Califabrics. I loved that it combined 3 neutrals with a dash of red. There were no issues with the drafting. There was minimal ease in the sleeve cap, eliminating the need for that double row of basting stitches to help with easing. For some reason, I really dislike having to run and pull out those basting stitches! Interfacing was fusible tricot from Emma One Sock which gave the right amount of body to the collar and cuffs. 

Fitting alterations: none besides the blending of sizes. Next time I make this I will try a small forward shoulder adjustment and shorten the sleeve a bit. 

After auditioning several buttons, the ones that looked most at home were these that proclaimed the shirt to be "Authentic Lee". That's not true, but I doubt anyone will be getting close enough to read my buttons.

Another little extra has added more fun to my sewing than anticipated. I finally ordered some sew-in labels because I wanted something to help me tell the back from the front in some garments. The ones I got are printed on wide cotton twill and are not at all scratchy. I didn't realize how much I would enjoy having my own brand on my clothes! They are getting sewn into everything now, even if it is easy to tell the back and front apart.

This will be a much-used pattern and I look forward to making lots of variations on the shirt theme. There are so many distinctive little things you can do to them.  Glad to finally have this in the pattern drawer, ready to go!

I’m a lumberjack and I’m ok

Burda 12.2024 #114 Sweatshirt

This was a rush job because I am already tired of being cold! Winters are not long here, and are not usually very cold compared to other parts of the country, but I am used to much warmer weather and get chilled easily. I had one ratty 40-year-old sweatshirt that had been washed so many times it had gotten pretty thin. Not warm. It was time for another.

 This is a men's pattern; this particular issue has patterns for men's sweatshirt and t-shirt (essentially the same pattern), and a bomber jacket and outdoor-type vest (again, variations of the same pattern). Nice basics for the guys. There have been some women's styles for heavier stable knits in recent issues, but they have all had some exaggerated style features and looked extremely oversized on the models. I wanted a classic sweatshirt. Normally I would rather use a pattern designed for female bodies, but sweatshirts are pretty much unisex garments so this one was my pick.

Choosing a size was a puzzle, but I didn't agonize over it too much because these things aren't fitted. The men's size charts include neck measurements, and that's what I used to zero in on a size. It put me in the second smallest men's size, and that seemed about right. Flat pattern measurements confirmed that it would go around me.

Pattern alterations: none. Style changes: the little triangle patch below the neckband was omitted because I don't have a coverstitch machine and didn't like my options for finishing it. It would have been a nice touch, though. I did wonder a little about adding seam allowances to the neck, sleeve, and hem bands, but decided that the proportions would be wrong if they were wider, so left them off. 

You can see the fit and depth of the armholes in the photos. It's loose and casual, but not very oversized. There's enough room for another layer underneath.

Califabrics has some Polartec Sweatshirt fabric and that is what this is made from. It's very soft and cuddly. My only complaint about it is that the public surface has a polyester-ish sheen to it, but since it feels so good to wear it gets a pass on that. Neither my sewing machine nor the serger were too happy about working with it, because of the thickness, I guess, but they muddled through with just a little grumbling.

This was a quick, warm project and a very welcome addition to my winter wardrobe. Wearing it as I type this entry!

Happy holidays to everyone who reads this. Wishing you a nice warm feeling on the inside as well as the outside!

Burda Classics - Jacket 0007

Back around 10 years ago, Burda published a couple of special issues they called Classics. I don't think they continued with the concept beyond the two magazines. This jacket is a modification of style #0007 in the first issue. 

This fabric was listed as a wool flannel, so I was surprised when it came and was more like a Shetland wool. It's coarser and more scratchy than flannel. O, the perils of online ordering, but what are you going to do? What I thought was going to be a relaxed flannel blazer had to become something else. 

I did need a warm jacket and have been seeing barn jackets in the shop windows - not so different from the shackets of the last few years. I really like my Logan shacket, but didn't want that volume in this fabric. The perfect pattern didn't exist in the whole of my pattern stash.

This Burda design, though, was pretty easy to modify. I had made it before, and knew that it fit and did not have extremely extended shoulders. It had darts. Most importantly, the sleeves of the previously-made jacket hung nicely. Sleeves with folds in them are my latest pet peeve, but now I know from my Knipmode big shirt and the Logan shacket, that even extended shoulder styles don't have to have them. 

Pattern modifications: Borrowed the collar and neck opening from a previously-made Ottobre utility jacket. Lengthened the body and added a center back seam with a little bit of shaping. Drafted facings and lining. Patch pockets were added, too.

The collar is made of velveteen for a no-scratch neckline. It doesn't match any color in the plaid, but does tone in very well. It was used to bind the buttonholes as well. That velveteen is the oldest piece in my fabric stash and it would be nice to finally make it up this winter - I'm thinking of a bomber jacket. 

The underlining is a shocking pink cotton/linen blend that was another online ordering surprise. I'm glad to have found a use for it. 

The lining is a black bemberg resembling what used to be sold as Ambiance.

Buttons - Califabrics has some bags of buttons that I took a chance on and they turned out to be a good value. I got a bag of mixed colors and a bag of metallics, and there were plenty of usable sets in each, including a good choice for this project in the mixed colors collection.

I put shoulder pads in, too, since the jacket was going to have some structure due to the underlining and the pads would be hidden with the lining.

There was a lot of hand basting involved making this, and careful sewing, but mercifully very little seam ripping. It took most of the month of November to complete and it will be a while before I want another long term project! However, cold weather is here (it's been four days and I've already had enough) and it's good to have a nice warm jacket.

Style Arc Carlisle Jeans

Pants photos are so difficult. While these pictures are not inspiring, I am really happy with this pattern. The Carlisle jeans are the type I like: high rise, with the base of the waistband at the natural waist, and loose straight legs. The pictures have been adjusted to try to show a little bit of detail in the dark indigo denim. 

I also think they are more flattering than these close-to-the-mirror photos show. The top is tucked in only for illustration purposes. Never in real life!

Pattern notes: 

These jeans are really long. As drafted, I think a person who wears heels could wear their very tallest with them and still be OK.

Size was chosen using Style Arc's charts and my full hip measurement. A one-leg muslin, top down center out style, was the starting point and indicated that my usual jeans fitting problems would have to be solved. The rise needed to be adjusted (mine is very short), more width needed for thighs, and there was major back waist gaposis.

When I was messing with the rise adjustments there was a lightbulb moment that will help me with all pants fitting going forward. Previously, I always shortened the front and lengthened the back in various ways. Drag lines in the back could be minimized but never truly went away.

This time, it suddenly made sense to shorten all the way around, front and back. That keeps the horizontal balance lines horizontal. After the length of the rise was correct, I could make adjustments to the back to carve out room for the rear. This made a huge positive difference! I ended up extending both the front and back crotch points a bit, scooping where my fullness is (not at the bottom of the curve), and adjusting the side seam to account for the scoop. When these changes were complete, the back waist actually reached up to my waist, without adding to the top or spreading via wedges.

I changed the construction so that they could be sewn up like men's dress pants with a seam in the center back waistband. That center back seam was sewn after the inseams, outseams, and center front; and after the waistband was attached. That way the center back could be contoured to fit and snug up to my waist. They are very comfortable to wear.

This pair is actually the second I made. The first pair resulted in some sewing drama and that story follows.

This denim is from Fashion Fabrics Club. They have a selection of Japanese selvedge denims that I have used before and liked very much, but there was a lesson to be learned with the first cut.

I did not pre wash that first cut.  In the past, I've had several pieces of denim that got abraded in the washing machine when doing the pre wash, leaving faded streaks all over that couldn't be cut around. The fabrics were ruined, and they were from reputable sources and not cheap. So I sewed the first pair up, true fly and topstitching and all, leaving them long and unhemmed. The idea was to hem after washing/shrinking. Except that when finally washed they shrank to capri length! Oh Regret, thy sting is sharp indeed.

But I was so motivated to get Carlisle in my wardrobe (and besides, all the fitting work had already been done) that I immediately turned around and made this second pair. With pre washed fabric. And then went on a denim shopping spree so there will be more. A black pair is up next.