Once More

too the machines, Faire Abercrombie!

I know the quote is from Shakespeare, and if it were not quite so late, I would look it up.  Maybe Henry the V?  I seem to recall a film version with Kenneth Brannaugh.  I also digress.

Anyway, there was still some of the good stuff from Mood left over, so I thought why not a warmer weather rendition.  HotPatterns Plain & Simple T in the V-necked version.  This is a high V neck, so quite modest.  I will probably lower the V next time I make it.  The short sleeved version also has very short sleeves.

Not that I could have made them any longer.  The blob of fabric in the photo to the right is literally all that remains of the deconstructed jersey.  That’s all!  A little bit of bits.  Lack of fabric is also why I chose to bind the sleeve hems.  There just wasn’t enough fabric to turn up and hem properly.  Let’s call it a design feature!

Plain & Simply – the Good Stuff

Flora flaunts The Good Stuff

Last year (was it really last year, as in 2011?) I made a resolution to “cut into the good stuff”.  Cant’ say that happened often, but I think this top counts, as I did cut it out in 2011.  The last week of, but hey, it still counts, right?  This is Hot Patterns Plain & Simple T in the bauteau neck style.  I believe Trudy & Jeremy have recently re-issued this pattern, making a few tweaks to the fit and length.  I have the first edition.  A First Edition Pattern.  Amazing!

Since I’ve made this pattern before, there’s not much to say about the fit.  It does.  With such unusual fabric, a simple silhouette was called for.  3/4 sleeves, so I can add jewelry if desired.

The fabric is a really cool quasi-deconstructed knit from Mood.  You know the place – where the childish and arrogant of Project Runway shop.  Anyway, the fabric is two separate knits that are tacked together, then by some process (chemical, I think) the outer layer has been removed.  It is very easy to sew, and feels quite soft on the skin.  Cotton / rayon perhaps?

I did toss it in the wash before cutting out, to allow for shrinkage.  This created some number of tails that needed to be snipped off, lest I look like leftover streamers from a New Year’s Eve party.  Simple enough to do, and it also meant I could customize the fabric a little bit more.  I have no idea if the fabric will continue to degrade with successive washings, but that’s part of the fun!

Waiting. Patiently.

These lovely rayon jerseys have been waiting for me since I cut them out at the end of September.  Waiting.  Waiting very patiently.  I finally got my serger threaded (no large feet, Bernice the Serger and I are long time friends) this weekend, and proceeded to sew them up.

They turned out wonderfully.  The fabric, a beefy rayon knit was actually a dream to sew.  I was concerned it would be slippery, like some of the ITY knits, but it wasn’t.  No skipped stitches even when using the regular sewing machine.

These two are both from HotPatterns.  The one at the left is a their Plain & Simple T in the bateau neckline variation.  Sleeveless, of course.  I had to cut the armhole down a bit, but that was the only adjustment to leaving the sleeves off.

The purple at the right is a free download from Fabric.com – Fringe Festival Scarf shirt – sans scarf.  I thought it best to leave the scarf off, since these are destined for summer wear, and I am prone to dunking things like scarves into my soup.

Lastly is another rendition of New Look 6569.  No adjustments on this one, as I’ve made it several times.  The shirring in front adds just enough interest.

I used fold over elastic on both the purple and green shirts.  Originally I had planned to use a contrasting color, then decided against it.  What you can’t see in these small photos is that the elastic is stitched with variegated thread, which provides subtle interest.

I know, tank tops in November.  Not something I’ll be wearing any time soon, even here in Cactusville.  However now they are finished, and I can move on to holiday sewing.  About time too, as Christmas is coming early this year.  Or rather GrandMeow is visiting early, and she will want to open gifties.  (Grandmeow – grandmother to the cats).

Hefty-T

The last of the beefy cotton knit.  Turns out, once I had the long sleeve version finished, there was just enough fabric left to squeeze out one more t-shirt.  Here ’tis.

Hotpatterns Plain & Simple T-shirt was the pattern.  I used the scoop neck version.

I like this color-way.  It’s bright and lively.  Reminds me of that fruit stripe gum that came in all those not-found-in-nature colors.  Sweet & Sassy!

Taxi!

Hey Taxi!

Flora hails herself a taxi!  The iconic yellow cab palette is what I was after when I first envisioned this color-blocked shirt.  I am immensely pleased with the results.

The body fabric is a rayon/lycra knit from Fabric.com, and the striped neckband is from E-bay.

I was actually of two minds about the band, but think the hint of silver thread, which you can just make out in the photo at right, really gives that extra bit of pizzaz.  A girl’s gotta have her zaz, right?

Sewn on the serger, hemmed on the coverstitch.  For the coverstitch, I  changed the exterior thread to match the fabric, so there are no interfering hem lines to mar the color blocks.

The pattern is the lovely Cabana-T from Hotpatterns. My only alteration was to take in the sides for a bit more shape.  I like the deep hem on the bottom and sleeves.  It gives a richness to the whole affair, as well as helping the fabric drape nicely.

Amuse Bouche

A little bite to amuse and invigorate the palate.

HotPatterns Plain & Simple Fitted-T was my sewing amuse bouche for the week.  I’ve had this beefy, yarn-dyed rib knit in stash for a very long time.  I think it was one of the first knit fabrics I got, year ago, when I decided to conquer sewing with knits.  Yes folks, it’s that old.

I really like this top. It’s bright.  It’s beefy.  It may even be worn tomorrow, as we’re not expected to get above 70.

My sewing palate needed to be enlivened.  After the detail of the Plaza jacket, and the intense fitting of the next major project, well, something simple was called for.  Sewn on the serger, hemmed on the coverstitch, worn the next day.  What’s not to like?

In Lust…Again!

Hotpatterns has done it to me once again.  I am in lust with this jacket pattern.  Of course, me being me, if/when I get the pattern, I will probably be sewing it up in the middle of summer.  In Cactusville.  When the temperatures are 110+.

I still really like it.

I realized during the not-long-past holidays that I wanted something a bit warmer than my jeans jacket, but fancier than the usual fleece to wear while running errands and going out and about.  Not tailored, but stylish.

I think this fits the bill quite nicely.  It’s edgy, but not so outré that it would go out of style before I get it sewn.  The seaming provides lots of possibilities, both in terms of fit and fabric.  Fabric combinations – maybe a tapestry and faux leather?  The zips could be colored or rhinestone.  Oh my!  The brain whirls.  Inspiration Abounds!

Having just returned from Tucson Gem Show, toting around loot for days, I can well attest to the need of a good sturdy satchel.  Ta Da!

Interior pockets, with and without zips.  A nice sturdy handle.  A special place for your cell phone (though I probably wouldn’t hear mine inside the bag).

Trudy has even provided YouTube video on how to construct this lovely.  You can find the lining here and the satchel here

Hmm, this post is sounding a bit like an advertisement for Hotpatterns, and that is not the case.  I mean it more as a source of inspiration, which I have been lacking of late.  Now the creative juices are flowing, and ideas are abounding.

It’s a nice feeling.