From bored to overwhelmed

So in the last week I've gone from sad and bored and unemployed to overwhelmingly deluged with creative projects.  It started with rebooting my poor, neglected Etsy store (Cherry Lime) and deciding to try out the Alchemy section of the site, just for kicks.  It's a neat feature where potential clients put forth ideas of what they want and artisans bid to make them.  Fun idea.  Of course most shoppers think you can make miracles on walmart prices but those ideas are easily overlooked.  There are, however, the occasional gems.

My first accepted bid was to make a pattern for a loose, single shoulder summer dress for another seamstress.  Fun!

I sketched up some options to see what, exactly she wanted and, in the process, realized I really need to work on my sketching skills.  Oh, well, it at least conveyed the IDEA of what I was going for.

My client went with the wider strap, elastic waist, and full skirt.  We were off!

I decided to try draping.  After all, the Project Runway designers seem to prefer that so it can't be too hard, right?  Apparently my mind doesn't work that way.  After fiddling for too long with it, I gave up and went back to the way I know works - flat pattern drafting from measurements.  I determined how much room I wanted in the bodice, how wide the hem should be, and drew up a tall trapazoid from that. I added a single arm cyc using a mix of a curve of my own body (client and I had very similar measurements) and my already drafted (and 100% mine) jacket pattern.  Extend the shoulder seam the correct amount, add a gentle curve to connect inner shoulder to left side seam, check it all by pinning it up on Elanor (my dress form) and the basic pattern was done! All that was left was the addition of seam and hem allowances, the sewing line for the waist elastic, and basic written instructions.  The pattern was finished in time and hopefully soon I'll get to see how the client interprets it in fabric form.  Can't wait!

I wanted to test it out myself but the style is horrible on me and, frankly, the client wasn't paying nearly enough to do that much work.  Fortunately she knew that and chose to accept the risk.  And I have a new pattern of my very own!

And that was just the start ...

I'm currently sourcing fabric for a second client to make a custom robe and, at the same time, working with a third client to make ten adorable little outfits for her Lady Lovely Locks dolls.  I'm especially excited about that one as those were some of my favorite dolls as a child and I adore making small, beautiful dresses.  That will probably be my largest challenge these coming weeks because small clothes are hard (teensy seams!!) but so, so fun.  The client is giving me a lot of freedom in the design department so it's almost like doing this for my own enjoyment only I get paid.  And I don't get to keep the results - but that's ok.  My favorite part is creating, the finished product is just a nice byproduct.  I'd actually rather have the check.  So what a perfect arrangement!

And, of course, loving the actual INCOME after a summer of fruitless job searching.  This so beats sitting behind a desk!

Help me pick my last SWAP pattern

I'm juuuust about done with my SWAP but my jacket piece is proving to be my sticking point. It's not that I haven't tried - this will officially be my fifth attempt.  Seriously.  What happened to 1-4?  Story for another time.  Basics being that I tried to make fabric work rather than using the right fabric to begin with.  So Friday I picked up 4 yards of black denim at Joanns and now it's washed ready to be cut.  Unfortunately I can't decide which pattern is best for it.  Can you help?

Option #1

Simplicity 4084

I'd make view C, the single breasted one shown in purple. Problem: I've lost the front yoke pattern piece back when making attempt #1 and I'm not sure the coat would look right without that overlay over the shoulder. It's not super easy to see in the pattern picture but that vertical line right at the shoulder seems to really make the pattern work. So I'm dithering on that. On the other hand the lines are good and I've already got the tissue pattern cut out to the right size. Again from attempt #1. So that's a time saver.

Option #2
Simplicity 2812

I'd make up the shawl collar version, the one shown in brown on the far right. Knee length. Problem: Not sure if the empire waist won't look totally '09 come next season. However I really like that shawl collar and if the high waist is my only issue then I could piece the parts together and cut as one, eliminating the empire waist. Right? Or is this one of those cases where, if I"m going to do it, I should just do it all the way and include the high waist? So many choices!

Ideally I want a nice lighter weight jacket that I can wear to class and out shopping, over my just-below-the-knee skirts and over my jeans alike. I plan on topstitching with some green thread that matches my green cord skirt and I bought some lovely green wood buttons so no matter what it won't be too boring.

So, what's your vote for the best use of this denim?
Thanks in advance!!!

Vampire hunter skirt (In Progress)

Pattern used: McCall's 5590

The lining done! Er, nearly - I don't want to hem it until it's in place. That's why it's uneven with the front panel 1" longer than the back. But besides that, doing a fitting muslin really paid off - the fit is PERFECT! And, I think, very, very flattering.




I used a heavier lining-weight poly I had in my stash from who knows where. I'll add sew-in boning to the sides to ensure it stays up. Hopefully tonight or, at the latest, Wednesday, I can get the fashion fabric cut out and start sewing it up. Like any basic skirt pattern, this is a breeze to put together. I did increase the work by dividing out the given two back darts into four. I have a sway back and that always means a lot of fabric to dart in.

The actual skirt will have a zipper-slit on the side and so you can see the lining's matching slit. The zipper slit won't be quite that high. At least, I don't think it will. :) I found a 22" invisible zipper in my stash so we'll see how racy it can be!

Red velvet shirt - how to

So ... how'd that red velvet shirt come together? It was easier than it looked. The original plan was for a tunic style woven shirt but then DH found this great panne velvet and it was too perfect. So new plan. Found this (moderately NSFW) drawing and really liked the neckline. Unfortunately none of my patterns quite fit the bill. So time to frankenpatten!


Pulled out these two patterns. The first is a knit pattern and has the body, rounded bottom of the neckline I want, and the sleeves. The second has the high neck bit. Unfortunately it's a woven, too narrow in the front (an outfit like this needs to show skin!) and has darts at the neckline. Darts, knits, and me don't mix.


Here you can see how I traced out the back. The top quarter is a tracing of the coat pattern, the rest is the knit shirt. To match up the two patterns I used the shoulder line and back center to line everything up. I pinched out the dart (it's the line down the back at a 45* angle) and raised the neckline to compensate. It was a lot of trial and error and hanging up on the dressform to get it roughly right. Good thing is it doesn't have to be perfect. Lesson learned from days working backstage - it just has to look right. It doesn't have to BE right. Sometimes those two things are actually contradictory. That's life.


Here's the front. Again, top bit is the jacket pattern, bottom is the knit shirt. And again the center line and shoulder line were very helpful in merging the two patterns. The mandarin collar came forwards too much so I measured out just where I wanted to to be and then started drawing. I really liked how it looked so plopped it down on the red velvet and started cutting! I had plenty of extra fabric (at $2.50 a yard, it was worth getting extra!) so no reason to not go forwards with it.



A closer look at how I pinched out the front dart and increased the angle of the high neck bit. In retrospect I really need to remember about seamlines - I just drew where I wanted the finished line to be rather than 3/8" (my favorite serger seam) away. Oh well. It worked out in the end.



I sewed up the body of the red velvet, then cut up and sewed it up again in a heavy black knit. Serged the necklines together. Flipped the lining inside. Serged in the sleeves (in the round - ick) which also secured the lining. Right now I'm leaving the hems raw but I might serge them together along the bottom. We'll see.

Anyway, there's the making of one vampire hunter shirt!

New Shirt - Butterick 5218

I have a new shirt! Or rather new - I finished it two and a half weeks ago. But when most of my wardrobe is older than the kids I work with, a two-week-old shirt still, comparatively, has that new garment feel to it. You know the feeling, where you're still getting used to fitting it into your wardrobe line up and it still feels a little strange (yet wonderful!) when you put it on. And the other tops look a little dingy and out of date next to it. And your black skirt that works so well with it suddenly feels new as well.

It's a great feeling.

I don't want to do the copy-paste bit from my PR review since I figure you can just click here to see it if you want to and ignore the link if you don't want. The long and short - I actually used three sizes smaller than recommended and it's still a moderately big shirt so keep that in mind. Construction and drafting were both excellent and while the pattern needs some tweaks to look high-end RTW (a standard shirt hem with the curving side vents, cuffs on the sleeves), it's a great starter piece and easy enough for a first tailored shirt project. I really had a great time with all the (added) topstitching. It's just so instant-gratification that you've gotta love it.

This was my first time doing buttonholes so that was a good bit of anxiety right there. After all, you mess up on that front placket and suddenly you're in salvage mode to save the whole thing. After, of course, you've put at least ten hours into it. Pressure? Yeah. But my new little machine did a great job! After I fiddled with it, that is. It's got some strange quirks. But I'm not sure how to explain them so I won't. It just makes me wonder what it is about me that can't have a NORMAL machine for once? Oh well. Someday. :) Until then I should be able to stay nicely dressed with the machines I have!

Perfect in Purple

My husband's from one of those small towns where everyone went to school together and people live and die in the house they were born in. Completely foriegn to this suburban military brat! However I fell in love when DH took me to the local antique store. So many lovelies! There was a little pattern area with a number of beautiful vintage offerings. None of it was in great shape and all the patterns had obviously been well loved (and used!) but in a way that added to the fun of the hunt. This is one of the patterns I picked up because I just couldn't resist it. Look at those lovely collars! And the sleeves! Sadly it's missing a good half of it's pieces (including the lower part of those full sleeves) but, like most patterns, it shows what those peices should look like on the back of the envelope. So if I do decide to make this someday it shouldn't be impossible. Difficult, but not impossible. For now it's functioning as artwork and being fully appreciated as such. Vintage patterns are my version of jewels, I guess. Not terribly practical but they make my world more beautiful. Or something like that!

On the cutting table: Burda 7895

The first item for my 4-piece mini wardrobe is cut out and started on! My cold is still fighting for control so it was slow going but I knew if I didn't do SOMETHING creative I'd go crazy so, well, the skirt got cut out. I didn't have as much fabric as the pattern called for but some creative rearranging made it all fit. However after making up the lining I have a new respect for Burda's sizing - I measured myself a little more snuggly than I had in the past, saw I was a 12 by those snug measurements, cut out a 12 ... and have a snug lining. Hm. So unlike the Big4's standard, when they say a 12 fits a 36" hip they aren't kidding around. I plan on sewing with 3/8" seams and hopefully that'll give me enough extra room to keep it from looking and feeling too painted on. Of course, I AM making this out of faux suede so maybe sexy is impossible to avoid. Worst case I might be able to squeeze out two more back sides from my remaining fabric. We'll see! Another worst case is that only DH gets to see it on me and, if you ask him, that's a best case. :) So win-win.

Vogue 7748, part 2

DONE!

Ok, half done...

The inside still needs a good amount of work. And I'd like to line it with a nice red. And add a hook and eye to keep that front neck detail closed. And make the belt. And add a button and loop to replace the safety pins at the sides.

But besides that it's done. :) It hit the point where either the inside or the outside was going to be presentable so I chose the outside. It seemed to make the most sense.

I edged it with some red piping I had in my stash. Good to know - it takes EXACTLY one package of piping to do this. To the millimeter. Talk about cutting it close. Um, literally.

And you'll notice the collar looks a bit different than the pattern picture. Not my fault, that's totally the pattern right there. It's working on this dress but if I make it again (and the linen-look fabic at Joann's is calling to me) then I'll reduce the collar by a good inch. Maybe more. I don't particualarly like my clothing assulting my neck. But, like I said, it seems to work on this dress.

It was fun to make something like this - something a little wild and not something I can wear everyday. Or most days. Next on the list is some more practical sewing which is always easier after some impractical sewing. Today I'm rummaging through my stash to get together an entry for the mini wardrobe contest - stay tuned for that!

Vogue 7748, part 1

The cute guy and I are celebrating our one year anniversary this weekend and I figured I needed to take the excuse to make something for myself. So a couple nights ago we sat down with my boxes of patterns and he went through and picked his five favorites. I picked this one out of those five. Usually I pick out my own clothes but with 500+ patterns I was facing paralysis so we made it a joint activity. 'Sides, he's pretty good at picking out clothes for me. :) Yeah, he's a keeper.

This is actually a pattern I had tried to make years ago just before going on a cruise and I was so tired I cut out three left bodices. No right bodices, just left. I tried to salvage it but simply couldn't and had to repurpose the fabric as a skirt and part of a top. I'm fairly proud of what I did but still, it meant this pattern got stuffed back in the envelope for the time being.

So now that I returned to the pattern I had to find fabric worthy of it. The suggested fabrics were pretty limited: crepe and linen. Great if I had planned a few weeks ahead. Not so great when my fabric sources are limited to my stash and my Joann's. Now don't get me wrong, I'm very happy with our local Joann's, but largely because I keep my expectations low. Which means not expecting any decent crepe or linen. And I was right. They had "linen look" which is half linen, half poly and all rough and not the best dyes. It's fantastic for medieval clothing because it really captures the hand-woven, hand-dyed from plants look. But that wasn't what I was going for here. Crepe? A small selection of pure poly formalwear, some of which is crepe. Again, not the look I'm going for.

So I head over to the quilting cotton, a section that's getting more of my attention each time I go there. Look what I found!



It's an Alexander Henry print and so vibrant and asian. And just $8.99, making for a $26 dress! I don't sew JUST to save money, but I love it when it works out!

I did have a dilemma, though. Should I stick with the wide skirt or should I frankenpattern this with a narrow skirt? I went to PR for the answers. Posted, checked back to see the answer ... and I got a resounding chorus of "wrong fabric!!!" Ok, so maybe I did choose a DIFFERENT fabric from the original authorial intent ... but last I checked, it's not a fabric decision that will truly make it unwearable like, say, chiffon replaced for denim in jeans. And even so, I've seen a fantastic trench coat made out of georgette so really, it's less about the pattern's requirement than understanding why and how a different choice affects it. I guess I got a little hurt that there was less praise and outright admiration of the utter brilliance of my pattern and fabric and more realistic critiques. Maybe I need to get out more. :) I did have one person wisely note that it would probably work best to sew "as-is" and then pin up the sides to see if I like the narrower look better. After all, you can always subtract fabric.

I got it all cut out tonight (and cut it all correctly!) and started sewing it up. Forgot just how much I love sewing on my old Viking! I've been using my new Bernedette and it's just not the same. Lovely, but not the same. Anyway, the skirt is fully assembled and I've got it hanging on my dress form to get all it's stretch and warp issues out before hemming it. And you know what?

I LOVE it.

The skirt definitely has volume but it works. It really works. It makes this a statement dress like boring ol' linen wouldn't. Or maybe I'm just biased. :) But it is lovely and fun, perfect for the occasion. I'll take pics tomorrow and hopefully get one of me all dressed up in it for dinner out!

New(-ish) McCalls

So I'm a month late noticing these. A MONTH! Used to be I'd notice new patterns within a couple of hours of their release! Sad, sad, sad. I'm loosing my touch.

And there were some nice patterns in this as well - nothing that hit my MUST HAVE YESTERDAY button but some nice ones nonetheless.

Mc5700

I really like the faux top and high waist skirt look - no fussing with a top that wants to come untucked. Plus you know that, yes, that top does go with that bottom. I have such trouble with tops and skirts not quite working together. Am I the only one? I would like this pattern better if the top had sleeves and so was a bit more work appropriate (and by work, I mean "teaching adult classes and doing research in a freezing library" so I might be unique in my needs) and I really don't get why they want you to use knits. Yes, I know it means no darts in that skirt but it also means some bulges at the hip and thigh area. And it's got a zipper. In a knit dress. The main reason I make a knit dress is to avoid zippers. Oh, well. Good idea thought I'll probably pass due to those issues. However I can still admire the thought.

Mc5705

That massive cowl is calling to me. It's so fun and crazy and overdone that I just have to like it. The dress under it is less of a like - far too 80s sack with unflattering elastic waist for my taste. But the cowl...

Mc5717

Forget the pattern, I want the green plaid fabric! Seriously, though, that's a fantastic marriage of pattern and fabric. Love the bias cut of the ruffle, it adds a great girly kick to a beautiful, classic shape.

Mc5686

Beautiful, but one question: What's the difference between this Stitch and Save pattern...


and this full-priced one?
Same necklines. Same skirts. Same sleeves. Same pockets, even. As far as I can tell the only difference is that the full-priced one has a pattern for a belt (who makes those anyway?) and the SnS one doesn't. And the full priced one came out a year earlier which probably counts for something but still... this confuses me.

Vogue Summer 2008 - The Anime Collection

(this is totally cut-n-paste from my comments on PatternReview's message board so if it looks familiar it's not just you)

Is anyone else getting an anime vibe from this collection or was it just me? As I was looking the thought "if I ever get into cosplay I should stock up on some of these" kept going through my head.


These pants are so cute mechanic chick (helped greatly by the tank top) while the jacket with the collar up is ... someone else. Still trying to pin it down.


Sexy, but the odd (in a good way) front placket is right on the edge. Just what the mature love interest is likely to wear. Sexy but in control.


First off, love the neck treatment of the purple one. If I get into making tees I might have to pick it up just for that detail. The other two with the curves and zigzags have to be standard costume for at least a few anime characters.


Total anime or sci-fi villian. Or fan service, that works too. But you'd have to add a thigh-high slit. :)


That jacket so looks like a anime futuristic military uniform. I think it's the lapel in that color. I feel the need to add random pins and braid.


The vibe's not so strong with these but the over all asian feel still qualifies them as honorable mentions. And despite having none of the characteristics needed to pull off these pieces, I'm still tempted just because they're so totally unique.

----

Ok, that was all the seriously anime stuff I found. Still, interesting. Beyond the desire to buy for any future costume needs that may come up, I really didn't fall for anything in this line. But, well, that's standard for vogue and me. That's fine, I love the more plebian other 3 so we're good. :) I did appreciate some stuff though. For example:

Hidden under those large (but strangely attractive) tailored shirts are hollywood pants in 8502.

The dress in 8491 is so Laura Bennet with the great squarish neckline in front and v in back. Also love the many darts which make fitting easier.

8494 is one of those dresses that manages to be totally current with the beaded neckline but will still be chic many years from now.

I kinda want the Ralph Rucci shirt dress just for the instruction sheet. The halter-ish style top is bad on me but it shouldn't be impossible to take it's better parts (like that braided trim, pockets, and construction) and morph them with a shirt dress better suited for my figure.

I LOVE the new Alice+Olivia pants though I'll need to do a review dive to see what body shape they normally draft for. I'm all curves which sounds great for a 50s bombshell, not so great for fitting pants. And speaking of 50s - I like the vintage patterns they released even if I'm just so no a fan of the Dior New Look. I'm a 40s girl at heart. Fortunately Vogue already has more 40s stuff out than I can keep up with so I'm not complaining. :)

McCall's 5576 Step-by-Step: Tracing and Getting the Fabric Ready

I'm a half-and-half tracer - half the time I do it, the other half I just use the pattern directly.  So why trace at all, especially when you can get patterns at $1.99 on sale?  Lots of reasons but I do it for the fit and durability.  I trace onto the cheapest interfacing I can get at Joann's and because it's fabric-like I can sew it up, pin it, and generally assemble the pieces as though they're fabric to check for fit.  You'll see below how I did that with this pattern.  It's also great for doing modifications - I can draw all over with my colored pencils taking in some here or adding something there and it won't tear like the cheap tissue pattern.  Also it means if I need a different size then I can get it, even if the pattern's out of print.  This is the big one.  So there's a bit of an apologetic for tracing.  With that done, let's get onto the dress!

Tracing the Pattern

(1) Gather the Materials

- Pattern

- Something to trace onto (I used non-fusible interfacing, 99c a yard)

- Dark colored pencils

- Ruler

(2) Unfold pattern, find each piece needed, and trace over your size with a bright pencil.  It'll make the next step far easier.

(3) Lay the tracing material over the first pattern piece, pin the two layers together or use a heavy object to keep them together (I use the ruler) and trace the pattern.  Make sure to include cutting lines, notches, and all triangles and circles.  Label with pattern piece, pattern number, and the size you cut out.  Repeat for all other pieces needed.

(4) Pinfit.  Pin the pattern pieces together as they'll go in the final product.  Don't bother with facings or hems unless they're vital.  You're just trying to get an idea of how the fit is on you.  Put it on and see how it fits - is anything too tight?  Too loose?  How's the fit in the shoulder area?  Yes, it's hard to do this with only half a pattern but soon you'll be a pro.

Getting the Fabric Ready

(1) Look at the pattern layout carefully.  Look again.  It's not the ONLY way to cut out the pattern but it's a really good place to start.  Unfortunately this dress's layout for sizes 8-14 is HORRIBLE for a new seamstress.  Instead of an easy fold in half like the other sizes it has you fold in one side just enough to fit on the front and back pieces.  That's hard and it takes a lot longer than is fun.  So if you're reading this prior to buying fabric - BUY ACCORDING TO THE 18-22 LAYOUT.  It's just half a yard more (2 5/8 rather than 2 1/8) and worth every inch.  Unfortunately I bought according to the smaller amount so that's what you'll see.

(1b) If you haven't yet, wash the fabric.  Cotton especially has a tendency to shrink in the wash and you want this to happen BEFORE you've spent hours cutting and sewing.  Wash it on the hottest setting it'll take and, if your cotton is strongly colored, don't put lighter colored stuff in with it.  Dye always bleeds the worse the first couple washes.  

(2) Prep the fabric for laying out.  "True" the grain by taking a snip half an inch down from one edge, cutting far enough in to get past the tightly woven selvage.  Now rip along that cut.  Yes, you read right.  Cottons rip wonderfully along their grain line and it's kinda fun.  Now the top edge should be perfectly perpendicular to the selvages.  Lay it out along a grid to make sure.  If not tug the fabric into shape.

(3) Fold the fabric according to layout instructions

(3a) If you're following the 18-22 layout then fold the fabric in half length wise.  Pin along the selvage ever 6 or so inches to keep it all together, especially if you're cutting on a table smaller than the fabric length. 

(3b) I bought according to the 8-16 layout so I had to do this the hard way.  First I measured the widest part of the front and back pieces.  This plus half an inch (just in case) is how much I need to fold over from one edge.  The magic number for my size (12 tapering to 14 at the hips) was 11.5 inches.  I folded then measured at three different spots to make sure it was all folded evenly.  Of course it wasn't.  Fold and measure again.  And again.  This is why that extra 1/2 yard would have been a great investment.

(4) If your cutting surface is shorter than your fabric (and mine usually is) then there's a danger of the fabric getting stretched off grain as it hangs off the edge of the table.  This is a slight to moderate risk for firmly woven cottons and a guarantee for looser wovens like chiffon and some satins.  I just take the bit that would hang over the edge and fold it up to sit on the end of my table.  True, it makes my small cutting area even smaller but it's better than dealing with a skewed grain.  Trust me on that one.

Now you're ready to pin the pattern pieces on!  You're doing great!

McCall's 5576 day 1

I have four classes sketched out so far - an introduction to the machine, first pattern (a robe), introduction to zippers and sleeves and darts, and a skirt fitting class. I'm considering using McCall's 5576 for the intro to zippers et al class and figured that maybe, just maybe I should make up the pattern myself to see if it would work for newbies. Plus I get a couple dresses out of the bargan. Score. :) So the making of the dress, day one...



I bought some snazy (and, for Joann's, expensive) black quilting cotton with silver sparkles. I keep hoping I didn't make a mistake - it was more than I wanted to pay and it's pretty stiff - certainly not the nice soft stuff I'd recomend to students. But it looks really fantastically sharp. Part of the trepidation is knowing that I can't frankenpattern or modify this pattern like I normally would. The standard saves I'd typically make really don't help the students see what their dress will look like. Though, if it really looks that bad, it could be an example of a creative save. But hopefully it'll work out fine. For my trial version, though, I'm going to use a much softer cotton (also from my little local J's) in a beautiful black and green geometric print that I love and which has been aging a year in my stash but has waited until now to tell me what it wants to be. The print should help hide errors, as well.

Back to the black fabric, it came home and I wanted to wash it immediately but we just did laundry yesterday and I'm not spending the 75c our apartment washers cost for one length of fabric. So I googled how to wash clothes in the bathtub. Ask and you shall receive! I so love all things Wiki.


After washing the fabric I traced the pattern. I'm a very slow tracer. An hour and a half later I finished and pinfitted the traced pieces - looks good! Tomorrow I hope to cut and start on the actual sewing. Tonight I'm tired and I know better than to cut while tired - very odd things happen. So avoiding that. :)

Simplicity's Early Spring Line

It's like Christmas with all the new patterns coming out! So let's look at Simplicity and see what's hot and what's not. Unlike with the McCall's like the problem this time isn't with narrowing down my favorites but with coming up with five I liked. This particular line isn't horrendous, it's just ... eh. The kind that, five minutes after I close the window, I have trouble remembering.

But when has that ever stopped me from commenting?

So let's look at what's hot (or at least lukewarm) and what's not

HOT

#5 - S3510



A very cute, very easy summer dress for the little girl in your life. Ignoring that red and white item, isn't that green dress one that just looks like daisies and long summer days and lime pop-sickles from the ice cream man? You could make up a half-dozen incarnations with various fabrics, sleeves, and trims, and no one would be the wiser. Cute, cute.

#4 - 2995



I'm seriously considering holding a sewing class on campus. A sweet lady's been giving new Bernedettes to anyone who asks so I figure that, for once, everyone who wants to learn to sew can without me having to have my own arsenal of machines. If I do then we'll have an intro class (this is called a sewing machine ... this is a needle...), a beginning sewing class using one of the earlier released PR patterns, and then an advance beginners class with this one. Why this pattern? Not because it's terribly fantastic ... but it's got sleeves, a zipper, and two darts, all of which are good second steps along the sewing way and yet they're in a very simple, easy to fit dress. Plus the students should already be familiar with the very slightly different way PR patterns give their yardage requirement and layout instructions so why rock the boat. I also love how there's just such a positive "can do" attitude with these PR patterns. The variations are wonderful and really make it possible that the new sew-ers will come away with a dress they'll actually wear. So it gets on my hot list.

#3 - 3503



The more I look at this the more I like it. I mean it's like a jack-of-all-patterns; there's that cute duro-esque day dress with the kimono sleeves, that hot red cocktail dress that needs a stunner of a necklace, and that glamorous 30s style long dress with the wide shoulders that just screams red carpet. I like it. Not love it but, for this line, like is good enough to get it on the hot list.

#2 - 3502



I LOVE the Grecian goddess version there. I think it needs a drapier fabric and more gathers but the overall idea is beautiful. Not sure I could wear that style but I'd be very willing to try.

#1 - 2996



I love these shirt dresses and I swear I'll get around to making one sometime this year. The blue version is so sleak and chic and I like the 50s vibe the two longer ones are giving off. The pink version's the only one I'm not feeling. Dropped waists and gatered skirts really should be outlawed on anyone over the age of 9. But that's the only misstep in this pattern and and easy one to ignore with the two other skirt option.

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Top 5 Nots coming up soon!

McCall's Spring Preview - What's Hot, What's Not

Not Hot
Starting out with what's Not because it's just so much more fun that way...

M5578


This dress is giving me bad flashbacks to fourth grade. Baggy top, gathered knit skirt, and buttons in the back? And those horribly placed pockets? Trust me, it wasn't particularly attractive on a fourth grader in the early nineties and it's no better on a grown woman. Worse, actually. I'm pretty certain that this dress is specifically designed to make a woman look her absolute dowdiest. Yes, those longer sleeves are kinda cute. Do yourself and all who look at you a favor and morph them onto a better bodice. The world will thank you.

M5577


The purple line drawing doesn't look so bad ... but that's only if you can tear yourself away from the train wreck of the blue jumper to look. Seriously, could the proportions look any worse? That tiny top with the child-carrying pockets just looks off. Granted, it's the kind of look you can envision seeing during Project Runway ... but it's usually the result of too little sewing time, a bad choice of fabric, and strange materials. We don't have that excuse. If, for some reason, you just HAVE to have a jumper like this then take your cue from the purple girl - wear it with a full shirt, use drapey fabric (maybe even a lush silk knit) and DON'T USE THOSE POCKETS! Put discrete ones in the side seams, if you like but please, by all that's holy, run from those horrible ones. They give all pockets a bad name.

M5588


This one isn't terrible ... it's just not good, either. The proportions with that neckline just seem very, very off. It looks like it's both engulfing and binding the poor model. Not exactly the look I go for when I get dressed each day.

M5565


The absolute, no doubt, unarguable worst of the bunch. It screams Happy Hands at Home in a way that makes one flinch from sewing. It's giving a tiny model thunder thighs. It looks like a maternity outfit made by a sweet aunt who only bought her fabric on sale ... back in the 70s. It's got those horrid thick fabric straps that only show up in bad sewing patterns and those oddly placed buttons that just feel so wrong. From top to bottom it's just so completely ick. Congrats, pattern, you've won top price at worst pattern of the season.

Hot
Moving on to happier grounds, the best of the bunch. Honestly, this was really difficult. There were so many patterns in this batch that I really like and would love to comment on. However, these are the five that I finally settled on as my absolute favorites. Enjoy!

M5576


It's a sack dress that also has shape - beautiful! And I love the use of the silver fabric and the totally mod gems on the green. Just too cute. And how can you not love a pattern that says, under notions, that it requires "purchased plastic or acrylic stones to creatively embellish motifs within the fabric for dress B or front yoke on dress C."

M5575


What a hot little tunic. I've got a similar one that I've been wearing to death over a pair of simple black pants. No leggings for these legs. It's worked really well, I get a number of compliments on it and it really is slimming. I'm not sure how since empire waists and mid-thigh tunics are usually my kriptonite, but it is. I might pick up this top and try and repeat the previous one's success. With a cami underneath - that's a pretty impressive v there.

M5590


This is a basic that NEEDS to be in your collection this year. High waisted pencil skirts are back with a vengeance and this is the perfect template for a lot of very stylish creativity. Added bonus - once you've got this pattern fitted for your figure it's an easy trim away from being a perfectly fitted regular-waist skirt. Since I hate the fitting step I'm all for that.

M5597


Look at that jacket. Look at it! Is that not an instant trip in time to the suits of the 30s and 40s with their small but fantastic details? Despite not having any need for the suit jackets I already have, I'm feeling a need for this one. Just wearing it is instant glamor. A definite must have for my pattern collection.

M5584


There were a lot of great patterns but this one is the one that I fall in love with a little more with each look. It's so retro modern, so over the top glamorous, that I can't stop thinking about it. Logically I shouldn't even consider it - I'm a curvy hour glass that should, by all the rule books, stick with close fitting silhouettes. Yet I keep wanting to float around in a deep olive green satin version of view C with black tulle poking out beneath and thin gold and silver celtic knots embroidered around the top band. I'm very seriously considering making it up for a wedding we're going to tomorrow evening. After all, with as little fitting as this dress has, it can't be all that difficult to make. And it would feel so very glamorous. Maybe with a little black velvet bolero ... I'm sold.