Gelato on vacation

We went on vacation, which meant that I got that have-to-sew-something-new-for-vacation itch. And it just wouldn't sit there and not be scratched.

Negroni Bula

My former neighbor in Georgia, who now lives in Fiji, passed through town a couple of months ago.  She very thoughtfully brought me some fabric and a pile of coconut shell buttons.  Orange happens to be my husband's favorite color, so it was clear that this cut had to become a Fijian bula shirt.

This is the Colette Negroni, which I've had in my stash for a couple of years, but which I'd never sewn before.  I sewed a size M according to J's measurements.  I actually added two inches of length for my 6'1" husband, but it turned out he didn't need them.  The size M fits his shoulders and chest well but it was a little snug in the belly area, so I ended up sewing the side seams up with a 1/4" allowance, blending to the prescribed 5/8" allowance when I got to the sleeves.

I'm quite proud of my pattern matching across the front.  I also really like the way the print looks on him.  The pattern is busy, but it's perfect for a breezy vacation shirt, and we both love the flame red and orange shades.

As far as construction, the sewing was fairly easy.  I did find the burrito-method yoke attachment and the attachment of the front facing at the shoulders to be a little fussy.  I haven't done that before, though, so that's probably why.   I do know that I really dislike having a floppy front facing in place of a regular button placket.  It feels bulky and messy to me, and is even more of a deal breaker because the darn facing curls in on itself after being laundered.  SO I'm going to have to press the darn thing every time I wash it.  Here is how it looks out of the wash:

No bueno.

I've never seen a shirt with a facing like this in RTW, but when I went looking for other patterns, I found that a lot of the Big Four options also had facings instead of plackets.   Is this a common finish for a home-sewn shirt?

In any case, now that I've got more crazy shirt sewing in my future (my brother has requested one for his birthday, and we ordered more fabric to make J one, as well), I'm shopping around for another pattern.  One with a regular button placket.  I think I'm going to try the Fairfield from Thread Theory, with the downloadable wider collar option.  I will also be using more of these awesome coconut shell buttons.

I'd write more, but I have to go iron this shirt ...

J is looking a bit perturbed at the additional housework his shirt will require.  But not perturbed enough to stop wearing it.

A tale of two Mabels

I sewed these skirts in December, but it has taken until now to get photos!

I needed something to wear for Christmas, and since shopping for myself is so frustrating these days, I pushed through the paucity of sewing time around here and "whipped up" a Mabel.  Two, actually.

First up was a yellow ponte Mabel to wear in our family photos. I sewed Version 3, the same one I made last summer.  I had to take that one in significantly after I made it.  So this time I sewed a size L with a size M waistband.  It ended up a smidge too tight.   It looks OK on but I feel like a stuffed pepper in it.  I did not end up wearing it for our family photos.  I wore my first Mabel instead.  Hopefully it will fit better soon!

Like my first Mabel, I feel like it makes me look a bit saddlebag-y.  I actually don't consider saddlebags a problem area for myself in general, and I don't really see the problem in these photos, but in person it just jumps out at me.  I have the same issue with my first Mabel - and I have a suspicion that this pattern just isn't a good shape for me.

So for my second skirt (because I was determined to make Mabel work), I modified the pattern a little. I cut the waistband and the top of the back skirt the same, but I angled the sides outward, starting at the notch at the widest point of the hip, and flaring it out 7/8" at the hem.  I did the same thing on the outer pieces of the front skirt.

I used what turned out to be a really nice red ponte from JoAnn's.  I will definitely buy more of their ponte (on sale or with a coupon).

I like the shape of this skirt a bit better, but it still screams "Saddlebags! Baggy baggy saddlebags!" at me when I look at myself in the mirror.  I know, you are thinking, "I have no idea what she is talking about."  I think my hands are hiding the problem in the photo.  But my hands rarely hang at my sides in real life.  I'm always holding a baby or corralling a small child or wiping a nose, etc.

All complaining aside, I do wear this skirt - I wore it for Christmas and now I wear it to church regularly.  These photos were taken yesterday (you can see my photographers' reflection in the storm door) after church.  I kept trying to tug down the Josephine blouse I was wearing with it - I seemed to want it to be about an inch longer.  I think pairing it with a slightly lengthened Plantain might make me feel less self-conscious when I wear it.

Now I just need to find time to make another Plantain ;)

Late to the Mabel Party

I was on the fence about Colette's Mabel when it came out last year.  I liked the idea, but the modeled photos on the web site just weren't doing it for me.  Meg made a couple that I liked, at which time I added the pattern to my mental shopping list.  I didn't actually buy it until a couple of weeks ago when it was on sale for $10 at Fabric Mart.

I used a gray ponte with flocked back diamonds that I bought a year ago for $5/yard (also from Fabricmart - I seriously love that site).  I sewed the XL according to my current measurements.

It seemed to fit pretty well, but after a few hours' wear it had stretched out significantly.  Hate that.  The ponte felt like it had pretty good recovery so I figured the skirt was too big, size chart notwithstanding.  I took it apart and took in the waistband seams and the top of the skirt seams 5/8" inch for a total decrease of 2.5" around (basically the L size with an XL hip).  I tapered the seam to nothing about five inches down.  It fits better but still stretches out more than I'd like with wear.

  

As you can see, I photographed this skirt on a number of occasions.  I used my self-timer (reasonable), my husband (best quality photos but he stinks at looking critically at the clothes to make sure they aren't on crooked/have a flipped up hem/etc), my 5-year-old (use your imagination) and the old standby mirror shot.

As others have noted, the kick pleat does not behave well in knit fabric.  The ponte would not hold a press, so I edge-stitched the outer fold of the pleat.  It works but still is not perfect.



The skirt really doesn't need the pleat for purposes of wear but I like the idea of it, or something similar, to give the skirt a little flair.  I think I will definitely make another of these*, so I'll have to mull over what to do in back next time.

I did not notice until I uploaded these photos to the blog, that the skirt pulls in front, looking too small.  It doesn't feel too small at all, it feels comfy and snug, but maybe I will grade out the next one a little at the widest point of my hip.  Or maybe some of this baby weight will come off and I will have to resize :)

*Am I the only one who is always blogging that she will "definitely make another one" but then rarely does it?  I should go cut another Mabel right now to avoid making a liar of myself.