Butterick met Kenneth King and produced---

This:

Threads #158 had a tutorial by Kenneth King, using what he calls "bias strip insertion".   Bias strips are cut and folded, like bias tape, then twisted and sewn into a base panel.  That panel is inserted into garment seams.

My Designer group's challengee for this month was to embellish something, using a strip of fabric.  That strip could be strip piecing, bias tapes, fabric tubes--whatever, as long as the embellishment began with a strip of fabric.  This project was perfect for the challenge.  And so it began.

Here's a detail of the bias strip insertion on the front panels and sleeve:

I used this simple OOP Butterick pattern for my base.  It has a bust dart and lapel.

This is the journey.  Using drawings, this is what my base pattern looked like:

I curved the neckline into a sweetheart shape, and drew in the style lines for the base panel that would hold the bis strip embellishment:

But--uh oh!  The design lines went right through the bust dart.  So, I shortened the dart, making it touch the design line nearest the point of the original dart:

Then, I cut out the bust dart, slashed the outermost design line to the bust point, and opened the dart.  Now, the dart is in the seamline of the panel:

Next, it was a matter of cutting the pattern apart on the style lines, and adding seam allowances.

The panels are 3" wide, finished.  I cut bias strips 4 -1/4" wide (3" plus two seam allowances), folded them into a bias tape, pressed them,  and sewed them to one raw edge of the panel. Then gave them a twist, and sewed to the other edge of the panel.  That panel was then sewn into the garment fronts.

For the sleeves, I used the same technique, but made the bias strips narrower and with spaces between each strip.  Originally, I tried to put them touching one another, but that was too full for a small circumference.

The fabric content is unknown.  I picked it up off the grab table at one of my sewing clubs.  I underlined the jacket with white lining, and made HongKong finishes on the seams, and bound the armholes.  For a closure, I used button loops and covered buttons, and put a modesty panel on the button side.

And that's how I did it!

The Eyes Have It

Time passes fast, even when you're NOT having fun!  The month of January and part of February have been consumed with getting my eyes fixed.  It takes a lot of I-Doc appts. and may I say I was sincerely tired of eye-drops!  I didn't feel like sewing.  All is better now, and I've getting back to what I love to do.

For some time, I've wanted to have a basic underarm bust-dart jacket pattern.   Try to find one.  Actually, I found TWO.  One is Burda 8332 and the other, Butterick4963.  These two patterns are almost identical in their draft.  Most jacket patterns have a Princess seam, which of course, is a nice shape, and makes fitting a bit easier.  But, I want a basic TNT bust-dart jacket pattern for a couple of reasons.  For one, I want a TNT pattern that I can design upon.  And, sometimes I don't want a print broken up with a seam.   Having a TNT eliminates constant fittings and muslins.  All pluses.

I made muslin(s) of B4963.  Bust dart correctly placed, shoulders and sleeve all good.

I used this new book as a reference.  If you make muslins, this is a very good book, with real photographs showing fitting problems/solutions.

Now, I'm going to make an actual garment with lining, for a final check.  If I'm happy with the results, I'll start drafting collars, sleeves, princess seams--and have a bunch of interchangeable parts.  Also, I can superimpose another pattern onto my TNT and copy design details.  I'm looking forward to having some fun with this.  A few pattern designers have tried to do this with their pattern lines.  Shirley Adams had "Alternative" patterns with interchangeable parts.  It never caught on.  People didn't really know what to do with them.  Nancy Erickson has a few basic patterns and a newsletter to purchase that uses the basic patterns and applies design changes.  I've read a thread at StitchersGuild, about Sure Fit Designs, which builds upon a sloper draft.   There are some informative videos on that site.   Someday, I'm going to buy the program.  After paying for eye surgeries and  unexpected income taxes.  But for now, I  have my own jacket TNT.  It makes me happy.

I did a bit of hand embroidery and sewing pillowcases for Valentines gifts.  I embroidered white pillowcases with blue lettering for my daughter.  Sewed some ric-rac on the hem.  I love their simplicity.  These are just laid on my bed to photograph, and they are large pillowcases,  and I couldn't get them in their entirety.  Here's one:

And the two, side by side:

I made these for my little grandsons.   You know that Spiderman rules don't you?  Even when you sleep!

Orange JAM

I got photos of my JAM#2.   The pattern is B5567.

Shannon made this and I thought it was a cute, unstructured jacket.  Mine is made of bright orange knit fabric which has a loopy face, very much like terry.  It's supposed to be unlined, but I added one which gave the fabric the body which it needed.  Both the fabric and lining came off the grab table at a sewing club, so this garment was almost free.

The only closure is a covered snap.  I sewed a glass button on front but it's non-functional.

The lining is the same color orange as the jacket.

This is the easiest jacket I've ever made.  Nothing to it.  It's a good pattern if you want a plain canvas for embellishing, or for that piece of fabric that cries for something simple.  It can be fitted a bit more by sewing in the vertical darts, which I didn't do.  I may go back and put them in one day.

On to JAM #3, which I haven't decided on yet.  I have a couple of patterns pulled to think about.

My husband is recovering well from the stroke.  So far, so good. 

JAM #2, the Beginning

Thank you all for the nice comments on my Winter Sunshine.   This is such a wonderful community, and I wish I knew each and every one of you personally.

As things seem to go in life, when it rains, it pours.  My DH has had health issues for a long time, and Saturday morning, he suffered a stroke.  On one of the worst, snowy, bad road days we've had until today.  It was a small stroke, a TIA, I believe it is called.  It affected his eyes, so that he has double vision, which has caused him to lose his equilibrium.  He is home from the hospital and recuperating.  The doctors believe his vision will return to normal in time, and he will get corrective lenses.  Until then, he does need help and I can't leave him alone.

Today, I found some time to work on my next JAM.  It's B5567. 

I'm making View D, in the lower right corner.  It's unstructured and although supposed to be unlined, I am adding a lining.  The fabric is an orange knit, with a "loopy" face.  I got this fabric off the grab table at a sewing club.  I've had it in the stash for a long time, never knowing quite what to do with it.  I don't think a muslin is necessary for this jacket.  There's very little fitting and the fabric was free, so I have nothing invested.  Shannon made this recently, and I thought it was cute, worn with a long sleeve top.

Hope everyone had a good snow-day and got a lot of sewing done.

Ms Fru Fru

I love flowey, drapey, wispy garments. This is a topper I made a while ago. It's actually a shrug with ruffles.

The pattern is an OOP-B4733. It was featured in the evening wear section of the pattern catalog.
Mine is made from a poly-sheer fabric. It's very lightweight, and would be a great evening wrap, if made in the appropriate fabric. I did a serger-rolled hem on the edges of the ruffle. It's flirty and feminine, and I love wearing it.

BTW-the quilt in the background is one I made in the 80s. It's called "Lone Star", and a very familiar pattern with quilters. This one was made entirely by hand. BY HAND. No machine stitching anywhere. I pieced it by hand, and quilted it by hand. What was I thinking?

This is going to be another busy week for me. I go to Creative Clothing Club tomorrow, which takes up most of the day. I babysit a couple of days this week.

And--hello--September is around the corner! You know what that means. Kids back in school. Vacations over. Back to sewing! Fall is in the air. I love it! Give me September all year.

Sew on!