Sewn from Stash: Denim Skirt

Lately I have been trying to use up fabrics that are in my stash, so recently I noticed this remnant of dark denim that I bought at Stone Mountain Fabrics. They have a small remnant shelf and I often find something interesting there so I check first when I arrive at the store. This is a dark denim with gold sparkles, a 1 yard remnant, so initially I bought it with the thought to make a tank style dress.  But I don't need any more summer dresses so a denim skirt is way more useful in my wardrobe.

By the way - putting it here at the top of this post. I have a new online class starting next week, on Tues. July 9,  Fitted Dress Techniques. You can register at that link or see more details. I'll be talking about some bodice pattern adjustments, linings, invisible zippers, lots of ways that I sew in a different order than the pattern instructions, fitting as you sew, facings, necklines, sewing a clean finished sleeveless dress, and whatever else occurs to me as the weeks go. 

OK back to denim skirts.

I saw this pattern in a recent Burda Magazine and thought it looked familiar. So on a different quest through some old issues I noticed the twin pattern - or basically the same pattern, with different pockets. 

They are both the same style. Faced waistband, front buttons, no center back seam, 3 darts in back. The difference is in the pocket options. I liked the pockets on the 2009 version which are actually large pockets and not just decorative. So I traced that one out. But you could use the one in the 2024 version and add whatever patch pocket you wanted. 

I didn't do the sew-on front button band but instead used a foldover button band which is another option in that magazine issue. 

This skirt lends itself to one of my favorite sewing features, which is fit as you sew. (note I mentioned that above in talking about the new class. I do adjust patterns but I like to give myself some extra room and then fit as needed when the item is partially sewn together.) 

For this skirt I am about a Burda 42 in waist and 44 at hip. Since the pattern was up to size 44 I just cut out that size when I made the red version and then made some adjustments as I sewed it up. Then I noted those on my paper pattern pieces. However in the blue version I wanted it even slimmer so I took away a bit more of the ease and it still has plenty of room.  Below you can see the final stitching which is about 3/8" in from the original size 44 at the hip. 

I like this red version although it lends itself to white tops - or maybe a navy blue? anyway I will have to look around and see if I have anything else I can wear it with or perhaps make something new.  The fabric in the red skirt is a remnant that has been hanging around a while, here are the 2 posts where I originally used it. Jacket  and Jacket Express Class.  2013! I still wear that jacket and still think that is one of the very best patterns I have ever seen, in terms of instructions and construction. 

A better look at the skirts, with the photo lightened up a bit as it was too dark to see the details. I'm not so thrilled with the buttons but they were in my stash and will do for now. Perhaps some more interesting buttons to match the stitching? 

A look at the details on the red one, which shows there is no waistband, it just has a smooth waist with a facing, and 3 darts across the back. I think I will make this pattern again changing the center front button to a zipper fly but otherwise with the same details. That will save on making all those buttonholes and I am always ever so slightly fearful about a button front skirt - if you lose a button when you are out and about then what? a long jacket :)  

Hiding in the shrubbery. Not really, just wanted to show off the hydrangeas. That was the beginning and a week later they are absolutely covered in blooms. and then two more days later wilting in this heat. How hot is it?   See below.   That is under my patio cover so the hot air is trapped under there. Out in the real world it's only 106ºF today. ONLY!  And across the bay at the ocean it's about 70ºF right now. 

SF Bay area - every climate you could ever want :) 

Other classes with Hello Stitch Studio on my calendar. Check the links for details and to sign up. 

Sat. July 20      10am-3pm    Make a Knit Wrap Dress. A few spots left. 

Sun. Aug. 11   10am-3pm    Sew with Knits, Make a basic T-shirt. (2 spots left)

Up next, thinking about what to wear to Bay Area Frocktails at the end of this month. A new dress or not?

And I have some fall travel plans which might need a few capsule wardrobe additions. 

Stay cool and Happy 4th!

Beth

Last fall I pulled all the dahlia tubers from their pots and put them in the back half of the big vegetable planter. So evidently that was the right move as they are really blooming.

Remnants and Ruffles, a Summer Top

Recently I was rummaging through my fabric stash and came across a few small pieces that needed to get off the shelf and into my sewing machine. Whenever I go to Stone Mountain Fabrics in Berkeley my first stop is the remnant shelf. I found this rayon challis there last summer, I think it was labeled as 7/8 yard so I looked around my patterns to find something that didn't need much fabric.

This pattern is from the Burda June 2020 magazine. I think this same tank top shape is the basis for the jumpsuit and romper in that issue, as well as this top. I've made both the jumpsuit (link here) and the top  (link here)   That blue jumpsuit I've only worn once or twice - I think when the weather is suitable (warm) I tend to pick out one of summer dresses instead. As for the tops in the other post - when I made this ruffle one I think the ruffle was too narrow and it didn't really come out all that well. The other two tops shown in that post are long gone. That was in the first summer of the pandemic and I was just making any old thing to keep busy. Glad those days are behind us, hopefully for good. 

I love this royal blue color and maybe I can find some matching solid cotton to make a skirt. For now I can wear it with a denim skirt or as shown above with my Pauline Alice Mirambell skirt, which has the eyelet hem. (I need to make a dress with that treatment :). I love that skirt, it has great pockets and looks dressed up but is very easy to wear. 

Here's the images from the magazine. I think it needs the wider ruffle and also requires a soft fabric so that it drapes nicely instead of sticking out. Rayon challis is perfect and silk crepe de chine would be also. But how many of these tops do I need ?

Back view and also a look at my little Trader Joe's orchid which I bought last June as an accent for my newly remodeled bathroom. I decided it needed more light and so it now lives on this windowsill with morning light and is continuously blooming. Amazing to me, the first one I've ever had to bloom again. So I am not moving it!

So that's the latest on my recent sewing - I have made a lot of things in the last few months so I plan to do a few more blog posts. 

I have a couple of upcoming classes with www.hellostitchstudio.com 

Fitted Dress Techniques: ONLINE class starting on July 9.  In this class I will focus on princess seams, talk about some pattern adjustments, invisible zippers and how to painlessly add a lining which allowing you to fit as you go. 

Knit Wrap Dress:  IN PERSON class, July 20.  this one was by request and based on the popularity of the knit wrap dress patterns. Which are perfect for travel if you have a vacay planned. 

So all the details are in the links above and I hope to see you there. 

In other news, I bought my ticket for Bay Area Sewists Frocktails in July. And I can't decide if I should make a new dress (tempting!) or wear one of the zillions of dresses I already have. I think I'll wait a few weeks to decide.  

Happy Summer Sewing,

Beth

Today's garden picture - everything is in full bloom now, May and June are the best time in the N. California garden. Especially when the pink jasmine is in full bloom, the scent is heavenly!

Purple Pants - two patterns, Leisl + Co Peckham and VikiSews Edna

Did I need two pairs of purple pants?  Or any purple pants at all? Not really, But I had some purple fabric in my stash and decided to work out a new pants pattern, the Leisl + Co. Peckham pants. With a number of changes I'm fairly satisfied with how they turned out - although the elastic waistband which is a feature of this pattern is what I actually eliminated in my version. 

Here are the Peckham trousers, the fabric is a stretch woven, I think it has about 1 or 2% stretch and the pattern does call for stretch woven. 

Changes I made to this pattern:

• Raised the waist all around about 3/4"
• eliminated the elastic waistband
• added a seam in the waistband at center back.
• shaved off about 1/2" on the upper side edge of each back piece
• took in the center back about 1" after waistband was attached. 
• due to my uneven hips, lowered the waistband about 1/2" on the right side tapering back to center front and center back. 

No changes in the legs or the crotch seam shape. In this pattern the inseam is moved forward which is much more similar to many ready to wear pants which I think fit better than most sewing patterns where the inseam is at the lowest point of the crotch curve. The designer has industry experience in ready to wear and it does show in the pants pattern of Leisl and Co. 

Now for things I don't like about this pattern:

• 1/2" seam allowances.  Just my personal preference but I hate these, I am so used to 5/8" so I have to concentrate when I sew any other seam allowance. 
• Elastic insets in waistband. In theory it sounded good but when I sewed up a test version they were just very bunchy and the waist was too big and needed a lot of adjustment. 
• Zipper fly method - I prefer to use a cut on fly for trousers, reinforced with interfacing, it just comes out much better than sewing on a lot of fly pieces that add bulk. I changed it to a cut on fly.

This is my test version, I used some wool crepe that someone had given me during the pandemic - definitely not my color. I ended up taking in a lot of fabric when people were stuck at home and doing closet cleaning, figuring I would use it eventually for tests, samples, etc. but I think I need to start culling as even with making test versions of patterns I won't use up all these fabrics. 

Here's the pattern image. Why do pattern designers use print fabric to show the example on their pattern?? Which is another reason why I really don't look at the examples but just at the line drawing.

Now for Pants pattern # 2. This one is the VikiSews Edna Trousers. I kept the same purple silk shirt on for these pictures and it is definitely a different shade of purple, plus if I didn't have my hand in the pocket that would be better. But anyway I like how these fit as well. 

This is actually the second time I have made these, I thought I had posted on the blog but I think only on Instagram about 12 months ago. This pattern calls for woven and this is a wool twill with no stretch. I think they would be fine with a slight stretch fabric as well. 

Here's the line drawing for the VikiSews Edna trousers. I think it is a bit idealized, but the basics are visible. The useful thing on their website is to compare all the line drawings of the different pants they offer, looking at leg width, pocket shape, etc to choose one that I liked. 

Changes I made to this pattern:

• this has a shaped waistband and I lie that better, but I did create a seam in the center back waistband so I can fit that area.
• added seams in the waistband at the side seams, for additional fitting. 
• I might have raised the waist in the back about 1".I can't recall but I think so as most pants are dip down at the back waist on me. 
• printed it as a copy shop size file which has the seam allowances as 3/8" and it is easy to change that to 5/8" which just makes it easier for me to sew. 

What I like about all the VikiSews patterns, and the pants particular are the instruction which are outstanding. This is the only pattern brand that details the steam shaping of the pants legs and also has the crease line marked, which you press before you sew up the pants. I really like the width of the legs on both these patterns, perhaps the Leisl and Co Peckham pants have a slightly more fitted leg which makes sense as it is designed for stretch woven.  

Dislikes - can't think of any. These VikiSews patterns are really well designed. And they have the same forward inseam as mentioned for the Peckham pants above. 

So that's the latest on my pants sewing adventures. 

Another look at the Peckham pants.

And another look at the VikiSews Edna pants. 

Enough purple for you?  I made that shirt using a silk that I bought in NY in October at Chic Fabrics. It does match quite well the first pants and I actually wore that outfit the other day. 

I think I will make some cotton sateen pants or lightweight chino in one of these patterns for spring/summer as an alternative to always wearing jeans.

I have a couple of in person classes coming up in April  

Copy your Favorite Shirt class with Hello Stitch Studio, April 13, details here. 

Make the Kalle Shirt or Dress, Weekend Workshop April 27/28, details here. 

Up next in my sewing, no idea. The weather has been so cold and rainy and I am ready for spring! We had a few gorgeous sunny days recently and I am ready for more shorts weather. Even with the chill I have been out in the garden quite a lot and things are getting ready to burst into bloom. 

Happy Sewing,

Beth

throwback photo for the garden, a dahlia from last summer. At the end of the season I put all the dahlias in a garden bed and let nature do what it wanted. Just the other day I saw the first shoots poking out of the soil so they are on the way. 

Cloning Ready to wear, copying an interesting top

Last year my friend Heather bought a top from Universal Standard which was really perfect for office wear and fit well.  I think it came in only two colors so she bought both.  One day she showed it to me and said she wished it came in other colors, and actually in different fabric. I took a look and said I thought I could make a pattern from the existing top - without taking it apart. So I did!

Before I forget - we just scheduled a Garment Copy Class with Hello Stitch on Sat. April 13. I haven't done this class in a while and it was really popular back in the day so I'm glad we found a spot on the calendar. 

It's an ideal top as a layering piece, under a blazer or sweater. This version is of a silk that I think I got at a stash sale - I originally made a blouse for myself and still had several yards remaining.  I don't wear much navy blue but as you know if you read this blog - Heather loves it so it was great to use it for this top.  

I will confess that I had to make about 3 test versions of my clone pattern to work out the details of the neckline area. 

Here's a look at the top from Universal Standard. Currently on their website they have a similar one with long sleeves. 

Here are the pattern pieces after I find tuned them, made sure all the seams sewed together precisely and with the seam allowances added. I used 3/8" seam allowances on this as that is what the original had, and it makes it easier to recreate that color which is an all in one facing that folds back at the neckline.

I think in my test versions I worked out the placement and angle of the dart, which is drawn in in pink on the above image. 

This side view shows the pleat that is facing outward. In essence that pleat is another dart creating some fullness over the bust. At first when I started playing around with the pattern I thought it was similar to a top I made last summer but if you look at that blog post which has the diagram, on that top the pleat opens to the center of the neckline. I prefer this one, it lays on the body a bit better. 

Here is a closer look at the pattern pieces with the folds at the neckline shown, that's what creates both the pleat and the self-facing which turns to the inside and covers up the back neck seam. 

Here's a look at the inside of the neckline before I sewed the "facing" down to enclose the seam. I did undo the seam on the store-bought top so I could see what was going on in there, and to measure the depth of the pleat. I noticed they had some lightweight interfacing on the pleat section, going a bit past the shoulder seams so I did the same on mine. I think it supports the soft and slippery silk fabric and makes the back neckline lay nicely against the neck. I also put some interfacing at the center front where the center front seam ended, to reinforce that area. I alway worry about over the head tops like this - that is the point of all strain when you are putting it on and the fibers can fray and cause a tear at that spot. So a bit of interfacing is helpful to avoid that. 

The top inside out on the dress form, the front area folds back and is attached at the shoulder seam, but underneath is the fold that is creating the nice pleat on the outside. 

Another look at the original.

Back view on Heather - you can tell she is not very tall as I made the length similar to the ready to wear, and it is a lot shorter on that probably 5'8" model. I actually made another version previously in a silk print we bought at Britex, here is that version. I think it works in solids and prints. 

So that's the latest on garment copying - it's something I really like doing, it's very satisfying to copy an existing item, for one thing you know you already like the length and the fit. Here's something I copied quite a few years ago - a denim jacket for my mom. And when she wore this pineapple jacket on the plane to Hawaii the flight attendants went wild for it!

Another link to my upcoming Garment Copy Class, on April 13, sign up on that link to the Hello Stitch website. 

Happy Spring Sewing, 

Beth

Another look at Heather in her silk top. This will stand in for my usual garden photo - note that I took that picture on Dec. 12, 2023, and looking at it now I can't believe how much color remained in the garden through December. 

 

Remnant Fabrics to Coat: Part 2 Finished Look Burda 6845 coat

What is it about making coats that is so satisfying? I think they are my favorite item to make but I'm starting to think I'm getting to coat maximum - or at least my closet is saying so.  But if they are all as nice as this one I will keep doing it.  This blog post is a look at the finished coat, for lots of fitting and construction details see my previous post here.

I still can't get over how nicely the colors of these various remnant fabrics go together. In my previous post I have links to the blog posts of the previous projects that resulted in these remnants. 

Photographing this coat has made me crazy, the colors looks different in every image and various times of day, sunny or cloudy etc. These photos in the park on what was an almost rainy day are the most accurate of how it looks in person. 

I lightened the shadows on this one to make the collar more visible. I used Burda 6845 which is an envelope pattern with princess seams and option of the horizontal seam which I used. If I was being really picky I think the lapels are a tiny bit on the narrow side but that's just my style preference. 

I wrote about fitting and construction details in the previous post so I don't have much more to say about that. But if I can give some outerwear sewing tips they are 1. plenty of interfacing 2. grade the seams and 3. press (with care).  Also I really like this photo which shows how it is the stitching lines that match on a sleeve, not the edges.  Confession time - I almost never do any gathering of the sleeve cap or press it to shape before I sew the sleeves in. Which is contrary to sewing wisdom but my method seems to work for me!

  

It took some time and concentration to get that horizontal color block seam to line up precisely when buttoned and I am very satisfied with the result. FYI,  3 buttons, probably sewn on a total of 8 times, on/off, move a tiny fraction of an inch, sew again, etc. The seams all line up as well which also entailed some unpicking and restitching with some tiny adjustments. But that is the point of this coat so it was worth the time. 

For the lining I used navy blue bemberg rayon throughout.  I have done a coat with a color block lining to match the outside but as this coat was remnants I thought it was a bit silly to buy more lining fabric when I already had this navy blue. 

So that's about it for my latest coat project, a very satisfying one on many levels. We are in the midst of a big rainstorm but I think spring is right around the corner and I have a couple of new t-shirt patterns that I might try out next.

Happy almost Spring Sewing,
Beth

Today's garden photo, a camellia that needs a good trim once all the flowers are gone. But I can't do it now while all these beautiful flowers are on it. And the bees are in heaven.