McCall's 5050

This one's a new one for me. I had been looking at this particular fabric for a while, but couldn't think of the right place to use it, since it was so lightweight. I decided the best thing to do with it would be a nice, flow-ey, peasant blouse.

Pattern Used: McCall's 5050

Pattern Details: Peasant-style blouse with sleeve variations

Fabric used: Lightweight cotton

View Made: A

What did you especially like about this pattern? I like that I don't need to interface anything, and I like how simple this pattern is in general. It only took me about three hours, start to finish.

What did you dislike about this pattern? Not a whole lot.  I found that once I had made the elastic casings and left the opening, it was hard to stretch the elastic so I could sew my casing down flat. Other than that I had no problems.

Did you change the pattern at all? Nope. However, I didn't use the elastic guides provided. Instead, I just measured the elastic to my body to make sure it was the right length.

Final Thoughts: This turned out well, the fabric was easy to work with. I will be making this again sometime.

Pictures:

Front View

Back View

Bow

 

By the way, I don't know why these pictures turned out blurry, but they'll have to do.

McCall's 6696 Revisited

Recently, I made another "copy" of a dress that I made back in June. I really liked the original and had fabric and buttons for another one.

I made another shirt-dress from McCall's 6696. For the original review, click here.

I have no really new information to add on this pattern, other than I've decided to stop pressing the edges of pieces up before I sew them. If you sew them first, then pin it in place, you can press the edge evenly along the seamline, covering all that you need to, as well as making the inside look nearly as neat as the outside. (I'm talking about the waistband here, where you are supposed to press up one edge at 5/8", then sew it over your interfaced waistband and skirt, then slipstitch it down.)

As per usual I didn't slipstitch anything on this pattern, instead I did a lot of edge and topstitching, hence the new technique for pieces that should be slip-stitched.

A note about this fabric. I really love the way this fabric looks and feels. I'm pretty sure it's a poly-cotton blend, that's heavy on the poly. It was quite hard to work with, however. Because it is so light, it tucks like nobody's business and it frays really badly. I ended up finishing all my inside seams with a zig-zag stitch. It was also kind of hard to hem, because of the tuck-ey-ness. In the end, I think the result is worth it. It's almost a vintage look. :)

Pictures:

Front View

Back View

Close-up of topstitching and fabric. Notice the white striation to the fabric.

Edgestitching along the button strip.

McCall's 5523

This pattern's a good wardrobe staple. It's not exceptional in the looks department (but that may be due to my body shape. I don't think pencil skirts are my thing). Anyway, here's the review:

Pattern Used: McCall's 5523

Fabric Used: Grey Suiting

Pattern Details: Pencil skirt with princess seams and back insert.

What did you especially like about this pattern? It came together really easily and I like the different options for the back.

What did you especially dislike about this pattern? Nothing really. It was a simple, straightforward pattern.

Final Thoughts: I wish that I had realized earlier in this project that the seams were puckering slightly. I also wish I wouldn't have hemmed the larger circle insert before inserting it. In the end, I had to cut the hem off and do it again. Finally, I wish suiting pressed nicer. I didn't want to edge and topstitch all the seams, but that's what happened.

Pictures:

Front View

Back View

 

Sorry for the short review, but I find that this pattern really is as easy as presented. I can't really think of anything to say about it.

Vogue 8470 Revisited

So I did say that this pattern was on my list to make again. I finally got around to it, and I am very pleased with the results.

Since I've already made this pattern, I won't review it again. If you want to read the full review, you can do it here.

I really like how this turned out. I used a really lightweight, white, embroidered fabric for the top, and a cotton-candy pink broadcloth underneath. The white softens the pink of the broadcloth, and the pink gives a little colour to the white fabric on top. It's a nice balance.

I didn't have any problems with this pattern, really. The only things that were problematic were the ruffle and the halter top itself, a little bit. For the ruffle, I couldn't figure out the markings. You'd think, with all the sewing I do, that wouldn't be a problem, but after fiddling with the ruffle for about an hour, I laid the skirt out flat on the floor, and adjusted the ruffle to fit evenly around the skirt, disregarding seam matching (GASP!). I figured the ruffle itself would disguise that the seams don't match up. However, I DID match the back skirt seam to one of the ruffle seams. AND, since the fabric was so light-weight, I kept sewing bits of the skirt in to the ruffle seam, and then had to rip it out. At least you hem the ruffle before putting it on, so that means less circle-skirt hemming.

For the halter top, I don't really understand what Vogue is trying to teach me by having me construct the complete bodice in lining and good fabric, and then attaching the two around the edge. If I ever make this again (which I might), I'll put together the halter pieces with their lining, then sew those to the midriff piece, then attach the lining over the back. I think that method would give me more control over the look, placement and fit of the halter pieces, even if it is a bit more fiddly to attach the midriff lining after.

Finally, since this is a halter dress, I had to take in the back at the zipper, a little bit, just to make sure the back was snug.

Final thoughts: RUFFLES!!!

Pictures:

Front View

Back View

Close-up of Fabric Combo

RUFFLES!