Super Sensible

On my list of 'possible blog topics' for this week, I've got a note to talk about Shannon Gifford's Sensible Sewing Newsletter, which comes out quarterly. The most recent edition arrived in my inbox over the weekend, and it is *so* timely for what I've been thinking about it's almost scary. You'll have to take my word for that at the moment; I meant to write a post about 'Top Ten' lists before I jumped into this one, but, well, it didn't happen, so unless you check the link to the discussion on Stitcher's Guild the little box on the front of Sew Sensible about Top Ten garments won't jump out as 'oh, wow, that's what Lisa was thinking about' to you. But it sure smacked me upside the head.

But what makes this edition so pertinent isn't just the Top Ten list, it's the approach to wardrobing...which is kinda my take on Top Ten at the moment (see above link). Shannon is writing about developing Tried 'N' True (AKA "TNT") patterns, with emphasis on fitting and using a basic button front shirt pattern. She shows a dart finishing technique that I had to read twice, because it sounded so, um, different; but once I 'got' it I realized 'I've got to try this!' And then she shows examples of how to alter that basic pattern into different styles...even how to use it to fit a different pattern. Lots of good information here!

And that was all I intended to write. But, in cleaning up Wednesday's explosion of books (dangerous task, rearranging books. You can find an old friend and get lost for an unmeasured amount of time...over and over.... No, I didn't get it cleaned up quickly :rolleyes:) I found one of the Sensible Sewing newsletters from December 2006. It was somehow separated from the rest of the printouts, and so at first I thought it was the current issue. But I did a double take at the photo on the front and realized it wasn't the current edition...it was about sewing coats. With a long detailed tutorial on sewing a trench coat w/a button-out insulation layer. Talk about timing!

I'll be referencing that newsletter quite a bit once I get the Queue sewn down to the 'pink thread' and I can cut my trench coat. I might even try that button-out layer....

NAYY, just someone who's gotten some real benefit from Shannon's expertise!

Weekend Tracings

I'm just not excited about the tiered cotton skirts. Oh, I wanted one really bad this summer, when we were taking long car trips. A pull on long crinkly cotton skirt is one of the best, coolest, most comfy things to wear when traveling by car on days when the temp is approaching 100 degrees F (if my math is right, that's what... 38 degrees C?). And it did consume a lot of fabric from a near-full bolt that had been in the stash for years. But I'm not having fun making it now.

So it wasn't hard to set my skirt aside after I finished the one for DD (dunno if I'll get a photo or not) and do a little pattern tracing.

I traced off the trench coat pattern; I think the only change I made was to add walking ease to the front. I did trace off one size larger in the shoulders than normal, because one of the previous reviewers mentioned it was a little snug when worn over a sweater. I intend this to be a honest Southern-winter coat, not a fashion item, so a little oversized will be good. I'll wear it over sweaters and maybe even light jackets. Normally, I would shorten the sleeves, but more than one of the reviewers noted that the sleeves seemed short, so I didn't alter those. I decided to leave off the pocket flaps, which meant that I have enough buttons for the double-breasted version. The fabric's prepped, the pattern's traced, and I realized I have almost a whole 5-yard package of Peggy Sager's knit interfacing, which will work great on the gab. So that project is Ready To Cut.

But, hey, the table was up and I was in the tracing zone, so I kept going. I altered the Vogue Wrap Dress pattern, adding 1 1/4" to the bodice length and tracing sleeves two sizes bigger.
I also taped together the free Burda pants download, but I didn't trace it. The sample square, which is labeled as being 4" on a side, actually printed at 3 15/16" on a side. So I need to take into account that slight variation...on 40" of hip, that's 5/8" that's missing. Anyway, it's taped together and I'll get to it eventually.

I kept tracing; the knit top from Vogue 2925 and an oop McCall's jumper for DD. I've got one more pattern lying on the table...McCall's 5460 city shorts (crops? knickers?) for DD, then I'm putting everything up until I feel like I can cut again.

Looking at the queue, I've got my skirt, a shirt for My Sweet Baboo and two blouses to do with cream thread in the serger, then I can switch to black. There's a BUNCH of black to be sewn, then I've got four pieces than need fuschia thread and just a few that need something else. So I think once I get to the point where I switch from black to pink, I can cut out new projects.

And, yeah, those costumes for children's church are still lurking about; I'm working on getting a chunk of work time at church to assembly-line those with some of the other sewing ladies. But I'll likely work on some of the oddball items along the way. We'll see.

But for this week...I'm just going to make myself finish that skirt. I've got 4 days left to get the house clean....

Good Intentions Kick Start

Because I am in desperate need of a good trench coat (which is good for most of the winter here in North Alabama), and I look horrid in the yellowy-brown khaki color from which most RTW trenches in my price range are fabricated, I bought Simplicity 4084 sometime last spring. And promptly forgot about it.

It was *after* I'd spotted a wonderful taupe wool gabardine on the sale table at Hancock's that I remembered I had that pattern waiting for the perfect fabric. So I took a deep breath and committed myself to sewing the coat by buying the fabric. I also made myself buy a quality heavy rayon lining from the high-class indy fabric store in Nashville. Because I AM GOING TO MAKE THAT COAT THIS FALL.

But the whole coat...pattern, lining, fabric, buttons, thread, etc, was just sitting in the Hancock's bag, waiting for me to dig through all the WIPs first. What, really, were its chances?

Then Eme started The Great Trench Coat Sew Along on the Patternreview boards and I realized that could provide the accountability I needed to actually get going on the coat. So, I joined up, emptied the Hancock's bag and took a photo (the colors are off a little; the wool is more taupe than gray and the lining matches better IRL than it does in the photo):


Then, even though I plan to dry-clean the coat, I soaked the fabric and the lining in warm water and hung the wool to dry; the lining went in the dryer. (Don't you *love* the smell of wet wool? 4 yards was too much to do the wrap-in-a-sheet thing).

So, today I have promised myself that I will trace/adjust the pattern. Which means I have to DECIDE which view I want. My heart wants the double-breasted version, but I don't think I have enough buttons for that (I bought all of that style on the hook).

Given the fact that I've got so much on the plate, it may not get cut out for another three weeks. But at least I will have taken the first steps!