Showing posts with label Simplicity 2962. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Simplicity 2962. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Simplicity 2962


I finished this top just in time for what passes for wintry weather here in Hilo, but it was warm enough yesterday afternoon to wear for several hours. Nice and comfy, but sheesh, it's big. I made my size and yikes, I'm swimming in it. The yoke is too wide (I have broadish, square shoulders, fit there is not usually a problem), and the armscye is gapier than it should be. I thought I liked that the front yoke is lower than in similar other patterns, but when I wear it I wantto hike it up an inch or so at the shoulders.


I ended up making View B (shorter length) with a contrast yoke, and skipped the pockets.

I chose this pattern because I like the pleats (rather than gathers) in the front. I'm not so thrilled with the square yoke in the back, and would prefer a circle yoke that goes all the way around. But this is intended to be around-the-house wear using up some stash fabric, so the yoke issue isn't a big deal. Original plan was to add the cute pockets in the yoke fabric, but I ended up deciding on a shorter length, so pocket placement would be awkward.

Haven't decided yet whether to stick with this length or add a contrast band of a third fabric at the hem to make it long enough to be worn as a short dress. A dress would fit my need for steamy-day-around-the-house wear more than a top does, but I don't have a fabric in my stash that looks right with this. Theoretically I could purchase another half yard or so of the yoke fabric, but the whole idea was to use up my last piece of that. So it may stay a top forever. Whether it will stay in the closet, or see regular wear, is as yet unknown.

Construction was pretty easy, BTW, although getting the yoke and yoke facing all lined up just right was a bit fussy. The back of my bodice ended up about an inch wider than it should have been to fit the yoke width (I suspect that's my error: I did not intently heed the instruction re trimming S/A at the armscye), so I took a small pleat in the center back as well, which you can see here:

Remembered to add a fake tag to the inside yoke, too, just for fun. It's not exactly centered, big deal.

I skipped the back ties. They don't really seem necessary, since most of the extra is in the front. I made ties, but didn't insert them when I sewed up the side seams because I wanted to check placement first. And then I decided not to bother, as most of the extra size in this is in the front. I might take in the sides a couple of inches, see if that helps it feel a little less gargantuan. Yeah, I wanted loose and cool, but there's loose and then there's gigundo.

I've got a similar pattern to this (Butterick 5179), with a higher yoke, in dress length. I'm gonna try that before attempting this again. If it fits/looks better and I want another top, I'll just make a short version of that one.
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UPDATE: I've worn this top several times now, and am liking it more and more. It's just so comfy. I think I will make it again, going down a size and see how that fits. I also want to try out those cute pockets and make a shortish (not mini, I'm too old for that, but a couple of inches above the knee) dress length for hot day wear. That may be one project, or two.

I've got other things higher on the fashion sewing list, though, so don't know when I'll get back to this. Probably around the time the weather gets warm and sticky again and I feel desperate for light, loose clothing.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Give-away + Simplicity 2957 & 2962

One of the sewing/crafts blogs I follow has a wonderful give-away going on, to celebrate 100 posts (I'll get to 100 eventually). Details here.

PROJECT REPORT

I've finished Simplicity 2957 (will add garment photo as soon as I have one; discovered my camera battery is dead, thought I had a backup, then remembered that's the one in the camera).

I made a "muslin" made from quilting stash fabrics, to see if this is something I'd like to make from "nicer" fabric, and no, I don't think so. It will work as an around-the-house dress, but I don't love it. Not out of cotton, anyway.

The little Asian-inspired shoulder flange thingies on View B look so cute on the pattern envelope, but a little odd in real life. And the whole thing is a little too voluminous. But it's comfortable, and fits better than expected, so I'm may try with more modifications and a knit fabric. I've already lengthened the torso 2" so the midriff would be in the waist area, not riding up on my tits, and made the whole thing shorter (it was not a good length), and changed the center-skirt gathers (whose idea was that? how unflattering to anyone with a tummy!) to pleats toward the side. I would have added a contrast band at the bottom, too, but didn't have enough of my contrast fabric to do that. If there's a next time, I'll make the V-neck bands a little narrower, they're kind of clunky.

Instead of the tie-in-back sashes, which I also didn't have enough fabric for, I made a wide band that's attached in the left side seam and wraps around to the right, where it will button just in front of the side seam. Still haven't found the button-hole guide for my sewing machine, but this is a "muslin" so I'm okay with making sloppy freehand ones. And I think fabric buttons would be cute, from the main fabric. So, yes, technically this is still a UFO, until the buttonholes and buttons are done.

There are things I still like about this dress, though. I might make View A (with the short sleeves) someday from a jersey. However, that requires that I first:
A) purchase some knit fabric (after the fabric embargo ends), and
B) learn how to sew knits
So, probably not something I'll do right away.

Next project: Simplicity 2962.

From stash fabric, of course, and I plan to do a contrast yoke. I want to use what I've got left of the goofy Kaffe Fasset I used to line the Taxi Tote. And maybe the yellow Amy Butler "martini" bubbles, too. It may come out looking like a nightgown, but that will be okay. I'm still in need of loose and comfy garments to wear around the house on steamy days.

I think I'll make the smock length (View A), but without the frilly sleeves. Those are soooooo not my style. I might add a contrast band at the bottom and lengthen it to mini-dress length. When I bought this pattern I thought the gathered pockets were ick, but now I think they're cute.
Is this one going to be way oversized, too? I might try making a size smaller than usual. First up, let's see if anyone has reviewed it.

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Dress and Blouse Patterns are Here

Yay, the sewing patterns I ordered online have arrived! At the rate I get through projects these will keep me going for months.

Waffling on what to make first. It's gonna be one of these two, with contrast yoke and hem panel:



Fabrics... oh I've amassed so many to choose from. Amy Butler for sure, but which to feature and which to trim with... could take me days to make a decision.

If I decide to go with 5179, I prefer the lower yoke and pleated bodice (vs. gathers) of this version (Simplicity 2962):
... which I'm gonna make at least one top from. But a dress comes first.

Actually, meeting my noveling goal for the day comes first. No sewing until that's done.