A 4-in-1 remake roundup

 I've always considered taking pictures to be the bottleneck when it came to creating new blog posts. Apparently that's not entirely true, as I've had these pictures waiting for ages. So, what kept me from blogging for so long? Honestly? I sewed myself to sleep!

It's not that I didn't sew at all in recent months. But my choices were boring, like I was sewing on automatic pilot. Once I realised what was happening I made a few changes that will have a positive impact on my sewing for the coming years, but that's a subject for another post. For now I do have a few of those boring things to share. After all I use this blog to keep track of what I made, and when, and for the sake of keeping it real I think it's best to document less inspired moments as well.

So let's get this out of the way!

In June I made a Deer and Doe Plantain, a t-shirt that is fitted at the shoulders and flares at the hips. I had used the pattern a few times and wanted to recreate the look of one of my favourite versions that I made in January 2015. That tee has been in heavy rotation since then and can no longer be worn in public as it's almost see-through now.

Here's a close up of the fabric. A sturdy textured knit, perhaps a bit too stiff do do justice to the flared hipline, but all in all a versatile garment that makes retiring its predecessor much easier.

Next: a refashioning project.

ConcordTShirt in the Portuguese mountains

I'd been wanting to make a navy and white striped Cashmerette Concord T-shirt but just couldn't find the right fabric. One day I discovered this monstrosity in the back of my closet:

A long forgotten RTW top with a neckline that would only look good when the ties were pulled so tight that the V ended up at belly button level. But the fabric was exactly what I had in mind and the top was tunic length, so plenty of fabric to play with. For a short moment I considered keeping as much of the top intact as I could, but I ended up taking it apart to start from scratch. The sewing was horrible! 

RTW hem on the left, hand stiched hem on the right.

I cut off just enough from the bottom to create a neckband (navy on the outside, half white/half navy on the inside) and ended up with what turned out to be one of my favourite travel shirts.

Working with the Concord pattern reminded me of the time I used this pattern to make sleepwear.
Apparently our high summer temperatures were killing my creativity as not only did I use the same pattern, I used the same print again as well.

In order to prevent a total deja vu effect I used a different colourway of the fabric, drafted cap sleeves and used matching lingerie elastic not only to the neckline but also along the sleeves and hem.

The last remake of this summer is another Helen's Closet Blackwood cardigan.

It was my fourth version of this pattern and I call it Murphy. Everything that could go wrong did go wrong. The fabric, a lovely cotton jersey, had a faded line down the middle. I was so happy to finally find the shade of pink I was looking for that I failed to notice this flaw. I managed to mostly work around this issue, only to discover later that there was barely enough stretch for this pattern. And it is wrinkling like crazy. Then, right in the middle of this project, my serger knife hit a pin so Murphy's insides looked wonky and frayed.

By this time the only thing that kept me going was that gorgeous pink.

When I first made this floral Blackwood I wasn't too happy with the horizontal seam hitting me at the widest part of my high hip. I considered making the band the same width as the front bands, but suspected the counterweight was needed for a correct hang. So I kept the band at the original width and added 7 cm length to the bodice. Guess what? That looked odd. When I asked Mr Foxgloves for his opinion, without mentioning the length issue, he took one glance, raised an eyebrow and said: 'That cardigan is either too long or too short.' I did not want to restart the now blunt and misbehaving serger so I simply folded the hem band over and hand stitched it to the seam, thus enclosing the frayed edges.
Smaller hem band, same weight, shorter length. Still far from perfect, but much better.
And pink :)

Next up: a few new patterns, sewing for men, Christmas dresses, a brand new sewing machine and exciting sewing plans.

Thanks for stopping by!

Floral party in the back Concord

This is my latest version of the Cashmerette Concord tee. I've lost count, but I've made this pattern at least a dozen times. Not bad, considering I was firmly in camp 'why sew a t-shirt if you can just as well buy one' for decades.

One of the many things I like about sewing is the planning stage. The hunt for the right fabric, deciding on a colour, finding notions and adding little details. Step by step the project that only existed in your head comes alive, resulting in a one of kind garment. For years I believed this approach was only worthwhile for special projects. Coats, evening wear, jackets. But once I started making t-shirts I was amazed by the number of design choices you could make for such a simple top.
All Concord tees I've made have different necklines, lengths, and sleeves. I know find that picking fabric for something I know I will wear till it's worn out is even more fun than selecting fabric for a seldom worn special occasion dress. Long story short: once I started making my tees I've never looked back.

The fabric for my umpteenth Concord tee is a rayon jersey from TST stoffen, a Dutch online fabric shop. It has a lovely drape so I wanted to make a flared swing top, just like the blue one I made last year. I kept the sleeves at elbow length because it turned out that's what gets the most wear during our rather unpredictable summers.

Because the blue top is still going strong I didn't want to make an exact copy and I used every last bit of the leftovers to create ties for the back. When mr Foxgloves first  saw my tee he said: 'Oh, nice.' And when I turned around he said: 'Oh! That's really, really nice!' So I guess the ties do indeed add a little interest.

There's nothing more to tell that I haven't discussed previously when it comes to this curve friendly pattern that comes in cup sizes and has become a true wardrobe staple for me.

So I'll end with a few more pictures of the shirt taken out in the wild during a trip to Germany last week, starting with the obligatory Schnitzel und Bier moment.

That's the first of summer holiday sewing done.
Till next time!

Foxgloves and tees

After finishing two time consuming projects in a row, a winter coat and a French jacket, I felt the need to change my sewing pace. I wanted to make something quick and easy. Around this time of year the garden is seriously eating up my spare time so it was not just a matter of looking for instant gratification. When there is little time even simple projects can take ages so I steered away from my usual habit of overthinking and overcomplicating things and went straight into the sewing room to look for inspiration.

I found a piece of jersey in my stash that was just waiting to become a Cashmerette Concord tee. Number six, or seven, I lost count.

As you can see the Concord Tee is an essential part of my gardener's uniform. I've already made all views: high neck, scoop neck, v-neck, short, medium and long sleeves, cropped length, mid length and long curved hem. This time around the length of my fabric did not give me many options: short sleeves and then hoping for the best regarding pattern matching.

Although I liked the idea of a short sleeved v-neck tee I was worried the angle of the triangles in the print would look weird with the different angle of the v-neck. So scoop neck it was, meaning it was an exact remake of this Concord. Shoulder adjustments, size 18 G/H and a bit of extra ease at the waist.

The jersey is rather thin and clingy, which means it works better as a layering piece. Or for showing off those biceps, after carrying around watering cans....

Now that this pattern is still on my sewing table I'm making a few adjustments to try a different shape. Giving the bodice some flare and doing a front and back v-neck. We'll see how this ends!

Concord tee goes Barcelona, part 2

You can take a girl out of her garden, but you can't take the gardener out of the girl.
Touch all the plants, sew all floral fabrics!

By now you'll all recognise this pattern, it's Concord tee #6. Thanks to mr Foxgloves I finally have a decent picture of the back.

The fabric is a dark blue cotton/rayon jersey,  a bit less stretchy than the fabric I used for my previous shirt. As a result the neckline ended up slightly higher. I opted for 7/8 length sleeves to balance the busy print.
You can spot some pooling at my back. I don't think this indicates the need for a sway back adjustment, my other Concords are perfectly fine. It's more likely caused by a less forgiving fabric or being (temporarily?) too tight at the high hip. Guess that's where all the tapas, sangria and palmera cookies went.

There's nothing to tell about fitting and construction that I didn't already mention here, here, here or here so I'll leave you with some Barcelona action pictures of my new shirt.

Outside Gaudi's Sagrada Familia:

Inside the breathtaking masterpiece:

In my natural habitat:

And drinking sangria at the beautiful Placa Reial:

When we returned to our hotel I found my Concord tee nightie stylishly draped on the bed. That night I dreamt about imaginary tiny waistlines ;)


Next: Barcelona fabric shopping adventures!

A floral v-neck Concord tee

It's the time of year when my lunch break sewing is often replaced by lunch break mowing. So here I am in my summer habitat. In the ongoing battle between garden and sewing room the score must be something like Foxgloves:20 vs Thimbles:1. It's a lucky coincidence that the garments I wear while gardening are not very time consuming to make! Enter my third Cashmerette Concord t-shirt.

Ha! Does that happen to you too? I swear I changed my unsightly garden shoes for matchy matchy ones in an attempt to look presentable!

See?

The fabric is a very soft cotton jersey with a leopard meets roses print on a light grey background. I made view B with the v-neck and elbow length sleeves. I like it when my v-necks form a defined v and I noticed that the sample v-neck Concords had a tendency to show a more rounded shape. I could think of a variety of causes and decided to tackle them one by one.

-Shoulder seams: the seams are so narrow compared to the total back width, they need all the help they can get to stay in shape. I stabilized them even more than I did for the scoop neck tees.
- Back neckline: to prevent gaping at the back I took out a some of the width.
- Neckband: I changed the original overlapping neckband for a mitered v. When there's strain on the overlap (and there certainly is strain on the point of the v with larger cup sizes) the overlap can easily spread out of shape.

Quite happy with the front! Maybe I'll scoop out the back neckline a bit more next time. There's not much more to tell that I haven't told yet in the posts about Concord #1 and Concord #2 so I'll make room for my favourite furry photobomber who claims her minute of blog fame.

Well, didn't we all want the be the star on our 4th birthday? Go on, shine!

I hope I can find time to sew a few summer dresses soon. I'm working on a wrap dress, have plans for a maxi dress and there's a pretty butterfly print waiting to become a sundress. The weird thing is those sundresses will only get sewn during rainy weekends.... Be careful what you wish for?

I hope you'll all have a wonderful weekend with plenty of time for your favourite pastimes!

A sporty Concord tee

Just a quick post to show another Cashmerette Concord T-shirt. I needed a new shirt for the gym and since my wearable Concord muslin gets a lot of wear I thought I'd give the longer version a try.  

Concord tech drawing

Scooped neckline, mid length sleeves with tabs, curved hemline. In addition to the shoulder adjustment I made for the muslin I took out an extra 3/8" halfway between center back and shoulder on each side of the back neckline to fix a bit of gaping. The neckband was cut on the cross grain.

The fabric is a cotton jersey, bought last autumn with a Plantain in mind. 

The sleeves were a bit short on me, next time I'll lengthen them so that I can make decent hems that don't roll every time I bend my arms. I just forgot to add the usual inch for my long arms.

Eventually I didn't use the tabs. There's enough going on with this print, and I liked the look of the sleeves as they are.

The curved hem is finished with facings. The pattern instructions tell you to finish the hem and topstitch the facings before closing the side seams, I prefer to do it the other way around. Close the side seams, stitch the facings together at the side seams and attach them in the round, then make a continuous row of topstitching.

There's something about this shirt  that doesn't feel completely right and I can't quite put my finger on it.

Should I take it in at waist and hips?

Or perhaps shorten it?

Or just leave it as it is and wear it for my weekly workout?

I'd really like to hear your opinions!

Cashmerette Concord T-shirt, a wearable muslin

Hi there! You just caught me during one of my favourite springtime jobs: inspecting future plum cakes in our mini orchard. 

At the end of each summer I traditionally ruin some tops while harvesting blackcurrants or bringing in the walnuts, giving me a good excuse to sew some fresh shirts during spring. 

This year the planning of new gardening gear coincided with the launch of the Concord T-shirt by Cashmerette Patterns. A classic t-shirt with three hem lengths, three necklines (high, V-neck, scoop) and, most importantly, three different cup sizes. Sold!

As this was my first Cashmerette pattern I checked the stash for muslin options. I found a lightweight cotton jersey of unknown origin, which to me looked like the result of drunk fabric shopping. Perfect muslin material!

Now to determine the right size.Sizing chart instructions tell you to use your full bust measurement to choose your bust size. Hmmm, I've never had any luck when following that rule. 

If your full bust could fit into two sizes, choose the size closest to your waistline.

Don't try this at home if you're middle aged and your waist has it's own agenda!

According to the above rules I had to cut a size 18 C/D cup (I have not been in those regions of the alphabet since high school, wearing a European 36HH bra)  I ignored the advice and went straight for the 18 G/H while adding some extra room for said waistline. This way I worked around the significant negative pattern ease. I can live with negative ease at the bust, negative ease at the back is a no go.

The design choices regarding length of sleeves and bodice were made by the fabric, I could just squeeze it out of 1 meter while avoiding the white horizontal band in the print ending up at apex height. 

When I'm making a new pattern I always start by basting the shoulders first. If the fit in the shoulders is off, the garment will never hang properly. I baste, adjust, and repeat the process till I'm happy. For the Concord tee  I made a shoulder adjustment that Liechty et al describe as Low Neck Base adjustment, so by reverse diagnosis I suppose that's what I have to deal with since I often make this type of adjustment.  I took in 3/8 inch at the neckline, tapering to zero at the armscye and used my calculator to determine the percentage of shortening needed for the neckband.

Cashmerette Concord

As mentioned before the Concord comes in three lengths. The pattern envelope is only showing two views, so what's what? The size chart is giving finished measurements for bust, waist and hip. It would be helpful to see finished back length measurements as well.

Come to think of it, if I remember correctly Cashmerette patterns are drafted for a 5'4" height, but nowhere in the instructions, nor in the size chart on the Cashmerette website could I check this.

It's a pet peeve of mine, but I feel the importance of the height issue is easily underestimated. I know I have sewing friends who are 5'1" as well as sewing friends of 6' tall and most probably Cashmerette customers come in very different heights as well. It's so much easier when you know the starting point!

For those of you who want an indication of the length: I am 5'8" and I cut the mid length, which I expected to be on the short side. Surprise! In the end I shortened it by 1,5 inch it's now finished at a length that's 1,5 inch longer than the crop length. 

The instructions are comprehensive, but when I look at the booklet through the eyes of a beginner I think some useful tips could be added. For instance, clear elastic for the shoulder seams is 'optional'.

When you consider these tiny seams as the anchor for both the neckline and the sleeves, I strongly recommend using clear elastic, or even a woven ribbon to reinforce the shoulder seams! It really helps the neckline to stay in place.

Also, but maybe I'm sounding like my nitpicking editor self now, the instructions tell you to sew side seam and sleeve seam at one go, starting at the waist and sewing to the end of the sleeve. From the waist? Technically the waist is where one of the notches is, about halfway between top and hem. When do we sew hem to waist, a beginner might wonder? I feel this could have been phrased more accurately to avoid confusion. 

O, and last but not least, sew the neckband using this Off the Cuff tutorial

Final verdict: after some minor adjustments I really like the fit of this pattern and there will be more Concord t-shirts in my near future. I'm planning a longer version for the gym, a fun print with a v-neck and a stripey one with medium sleeves.

Edit: as Jenny of Cashmerette mentions in the comments Cashmerette Patterns are drafted for 5'6" and that information can now be found on the sizing page.