Sewing For Your Girls–Hospital Bed Jacket

Here’s a hospital-friendly reiteration of “Basic Pattern 8” from “Sewing For Your Girls” by  Yoshiko Tsukiori.

I simply split the sleeves, and added 1/2″ (+seam allowance) to the back piece, and 1/2″ (+ seam allowance) to the front piece. Than I added snap tape and sewed as usual. I also added snap tape to the front, and took about 2″ of width from the back.

This was a really emotional garment for me to sew. It’s hard to explain, but even though it is a garment for Katya’s comfort, it feels like sewing it solidifies and makes real the fact of her future pain. Every time I see it, or handle it, I worry that maybe she won’t be able to enjoy it. Maybe I’ll have to fold it up and send it to some other little girl.  But Katya is touched that I’m making things for her–Katya loves a good act of service. And so, I suppose the only thing to be done is to put teary thoughts aside –after making a good plan of action, of course, in case our worst fears should be realized–personally I plan on alternating between crying hysterically, dripping quietly, and retreating to some out of the way nook to brood –as I was saying, to put teary thoughts aside, and focus on making these days as happy as possible.  Dear, sweet Katya.

“Stylish Remakes” by Violette Room, Book Review

Another book sent to me by Tuttle Publishing. As usual, all opinions are my own, I was not paid for this review, etc.

It seems to me that for every “sew” pun this side of the Atlantic, there’s a “stylish” Japanese pattern book. Although, “Stylish Remakes” isn’t really a pattern book.  It has no pull out pattern sheet, and only two patterns inside. It’s really a book of instruction and inspiration. But what it is about most of all is upcycling.

I was inspired by three projects in this book;

to follow the book’s advice,

and make this:

Mum gave me this shirt, which though lovely in fit and lovely in color, was so plain it could make your eyes water. So I added simple beading to the neck, and a vintage hanky bow, which I never would have thought of without “Stylish Remakes“!

Now to the basic stuff:

The “College Sweats” section is one of my favorites–although I can’t figure out why the shirts are all American. Perhaps they restyled this book for an American audience?   Whatever the case, this outfit is my favorite:

I thought this shirt would be hilarious done up in Buckey’s/Michigan.

Here’s one of the instruction pages for the above shirt. As you can see, the measurements are all approximate.

And a random coat, which is somehow kind of awesome.

There you have it–a brief summation of “Stylish Remakes” by Violette Room.  Go forth and upcycle!

Modernized Skirt

So Mum had found me a khaki skirt at the thrift store. You know the kind– think 90’s. Not necessarily bad…. just…. plain. So plain you could weep. Basic to the extreme. So boring that I couldn’t think of anything to wear it with.

BUT

It had good bones; A wide waistband, pleats, inseam pockets. The right sort of fabric.  But these features weren’t enough to redeem it from the “someday I’ll fix this” pile.

Until I found some green buttons. Why green? Because I had two green shirts and nothing to wear them with. Sometimes denim just feels cliche, you know. There weren’t enough buttons on the card I had, so I had to haul both shirts in to JoAnns to match buttons. There was a serious dearth of green buttons, let me tell you.

I’m sorry I don’t have a “before” picture. I just couldn’t bear to wear it. But here’s a “during”, which shows one of the too-plain buttons.

 

And here’s the “after”:

 

I think it’s cute!  Mum helped me take this hasty picture as I was going out the door to violin. The extreme haste is why we didn’t catch that my shirt is pulled funny. Oh well.

Do you notice that the buttons are arranged in an ombre pattern!? Two of each color, and three at the top under my shirt. They come in packs of five colors. I used four.  This was actually really easy to do– a seam ripper to take the old buttons off, and needle and thread to sew the new ones on.  And it freshened up the skirt so much, adding just the right amount of interest without screaming “I was altered!”

A Timely Alteration

Mum found this cute-but-a-wee-bit-too-large LandsEnd dress for Kristina at the thrift store.  The obvious solution? A simple strip of ribbon, sewn across the front to the side-seams, to function as a belt. Measure it out, singe the ends, sew it on, and you’re out of there!  Personally, I think it looks cuter with the belt! It was a timely fix, since Kristina was in need of a refreshed summer wardrobe.

One of the Simplest Alterations

Perhaps you remember the orchestra dress I needed? And how I dyed this one, and that failed, so I ended up with this?

And perhaps you also remember that I promised I’d tell you how I made a size 2x  dress fit a girl who wears small and medium petites?  Well, here’s the delivery. It really is one of the most simple alterations to do, right after cutting the sleeves off a t-shirt:

Take the side seams in.

The only tricky part is that this dress was lined, with the lining partially attached. So to keep the dress hanging correctly, I had to “hop” my stitching off the shell when it detached, and sew only on the lining.  Picking thread out of slinky non-cotton knit is not easy, BTW. Ask me how I know!

So the alteration on this dress wasn’t what you would call *easy*, but it was simple. And now you know!

I Begin Sewing Again

I haven’t sewed much for awhile, but I was feeling so badly of late about Katya’s thin, scratchy pillowcase that today I got a bee in my proverbial bonnet, and made her a new one.

Katya chose this fabric the first year we had her–so a little over two years ago. For some reason, we were at a larger Jo-Ann Fabric’s, and while riding past the quilting cottons, Katya saw this one and seized it eagerly.  Since at that point she rarely showed enthusiasm for anything but rocking, breezes, and food, she was indulged, and a length of fabric duly purchased. It just took this long to get around to cutting into it.

Katya chose the red ribbon. She chose well. She was so excited to have a new pillowcase– she was gently trying to take it from the sewing machine before it was quite done, and wanted to run up and put it on her pillow. She seemed touched that I’d made her a new one. Perhaps she remembered wanting it. Then Katya wanted a sewing lesson. She was quite willing, until we got to the “pin the pieces together” step. Apparently she’s developed a new fear of pins? So it never got beyond the cutting out stage, but oh well.

Sewing a pillowcase felt so good, that I sat right down and sewed up a hot water bottle cover. We’ve been needing one for ages. Katya is always getting ear-infections, and it’s difficult to keep a hand towel wrapped around a bottle.   A year or two ago, my group violin teacher (Thanks, Mrs. D!) put some unused articles of clothing up for grabs, and I scored a chenille sweatshirt, 100% cotton.  I thought I’d take it in to fit me, but that didn’t work so well, and so it sat.  Just this week, I looked at it and thought that I *really* needed to give it to the Goodwill, or something. But then I thought, “no, I might use it for something” And now I have.

I turned it inside out and traced generously around the bottle.  It’s roomy, but that’s fine.  I incorporated the finished edge, and the side seam.  I cut a wedge shape from the opening side, starting at the top and tapering to below the cord opening, so that the fabric would “sit” better when scrunched.  I used a scrap of bias tape leftover from a jumper for Katya for the casing, and the cord is from mum’s stash.  So it was a really inexpensive project to do, and best of all, required no math!

Katya was excited about this, too, and ran and wanted the hot-water bottle filled up to try the cover out.

And then she stuck it inside her new pillowcase, and cuddled with mum.

It felt good to sew again.

I Live to Dye

Ever heard the saying “Use it up, wear it out, make do with or do without”? How about, “Necessity is the mother of Invention”? Or,  “I live to dye, I dye to live. The more I live the more I dye, the more I dye the more I live”?  Well, now you have. Keep those words in mind, and read on.

Since last spring, we thought Katya was going to undergo major and risky surgery this November. We spent the whole summer dreading it, and making no plans for November through the end of summer, thinking we’d either be busy caring for a convalescing Katya, or planning her funeral. But when we found out that the surgery might not be needed after all, and certainly shouldn’t be done now, suddenly the whole autumn, winter, and spring opened up. And I suddenly went from having no plans for the winter to having a great many.

One of those activities is playing in a Christmas performance at a college. It’s a big deal, at least to me. Esp. because I have a stack of music to learn in not even five weeks. Since the decision to let me perform was left to my violin teacher’s discretion, it’s not just my reputation on the line. At any rate, it’s a dress-up event, and since it’s an orchestra, everyone has to look coordinated. Suits for the guys, and all-black for the ladies. Not the sort of thing you show up for in black jeans and a t-shirt if you can at all help it.

I did not have a black dress, and my mother, who is taking the part of “Necessity” in this little story, did not have the 30+ dollars it would have taken to buy me one.  And since I was now christened “Invention,” it was up to me to find a way to make do.  My mother, who also is playing the role of “Practical-and-Hardworking-Housewife” sent me to the sewing room to reflect upon my misfortunes, and mend some clothes while I was at it. Wonder of wonders, I found this dress, purchased some time before from a thrift-shop, waiting to have a small hole mended.

It was the right fit, and looked pretty cute. Just one problem: it’s colour. The obvious solution was to dye it. (See where this is going?)

Having nothing to lose, except a dress I didn’t wear anyways, the boxes of dye were duly purchased, the internet consulted, and the dye bath readied. Which is how I discovered that I don’t really like dyeing. Keeping watch over my caldron by night (out of doors, on the grill, to keep the fumes down) and then spending the better part of an hour squatting in the bathtub, rinsing dye out of a dress is not my idea of fun.  But the dress is now irrevocably black.

It’s… alright. Not as pretty as I would have hoped, but it fits. I think it looked better before it was dyed, actually. Now it’s a sort of dusty black with red undertones. Which is fine, but not with the sweater I was going to wear with it, which is a true inky black.

Because of the red-undertones of the dress, and the faint redish-grey tint the white stitching took on, I can’t use the yellow-hued original buttons. So I will have to buy some new ones. I’m thinking black or silver, though I might end up with pearlescent.

See how the stitching the stands out on the skirt? Some of can be picked out, but not all of it. Do you think that it would work to colour over the white stitching with a black sharpie?

So despite fitting well, and being quite comfortable due to elastic smocked panel in the back, it isn’t perfect.  But, it’ll do.   And that’s the point, isn’t it?To make do.

Work Begins

Remember this project?

Well, I’ve started working on it.  And it has just as much math as I thought it would.  So far, though, I’ve only got teary once.

I’m using Simplicity 1610, slightly altered, for the pockets, and, after a rather bad attempt trying to morph a circle skirt to a fitted waist, I’m just going with a self-drafted A-line.  After all, a simple pattern done well is much better looking then a complex one done poorly.   Not that a well-drafted A-line is anything to sneeze at.  The tears! The agony! The math!

Regarding the A-line, if you want an example of me making a mistake,  the paper pattern looked too narrow when held up to my hips, so I split the pattern and taped in four inches of extra width. When I made a mock-up, the skirt was four-inches too large, so I took the four inches out again and taped up the pattern. When I made a second mock-up, the skirt was about 5/8″ too small in the width, so I’ll have to add some ease back in.   >sigh<   But I’m getting closer! And I’m repurposing the too-small mock-up into a slip for Kristina.  So it’s all useful.

If you want details as to the steps I’ve taken, I can give them to you (I keep track of all my steps in a note-book) but they’ll be excruciating.  So much math! So much back-tracking.  Such liberal use of scissors and tape.    So I’ve included a slide-show of my progress so far, if you want a summary.

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Good luck to me! I’ll keep you posted.

Planning a Hospital “Gown”

The last time Katya was in the hospital, we got so, so tired of seeing her in the  hospital gowns.  All an unnatural shade of green with a print of bears and balloons (Katya is frightened of both), made up in a scratchy synthetic that provided little warmth, and so big and floppy that she could barely keep them on.

For all but the last few days of her three week stay, Katya was on IV’s, so putting her in anything else was impossible.   She perked up considerably, once she was put in something soft and pretty.     So this time I’m going to do something.

Now the way I figure it, If I take the ties off this wrap dress,  extend the shoulder seam to make little cap sleeves (Katya is always cold), open up the shoulder seams,  judiciously apply snap-tape, and sew it up in a warm flannel, I expect it should make Katya a cozy hospital nighty.     (front opening, of course)

Note that I say “nighty” not “gown”.  She’ll be wearing a hospital gown for some of her stay.  Hospital gowns are easier access to her incisions, and there’s less of them to hold out of the way when toileting, esp. in PICU, when she’ll still be pretty weak.   No one cries if a hospital gown gets ruined.    But for when she’s feeling a little better, and we’re sick of hospital colors, I’ll have one or two of these made up.      I have in mind a length of hot-pink flannel with smiling Peanut-Butter and Jelly Sandwiches printed on it, that Katya expressed some affection for. It’s pretty wild, so she’ll be quite the focal point.  I’m looking forward to it.

A Minor Alteration

There I stood in front of the mirror, faced with a problem which, I imagine, dates to shortly after the first leafy apron.   You know, the sort of problem where you look in the mirror, and say “I like/love it, but…”  It might be a too-tight or too loose at the waist: The hem might be too long, too short, or uneven: A frill or furbelow might be one too few or too many: A sleeve may be too short, too long, or too baggy.   The garment, be it top or bottom, might just be too too.  Sometimes these problems can be fixed. Sometimes they can’t.     In my case,  the neckline on my newly purchased t-shirt fit great as long as  I stood erect and still, but as soon as I would stoop, or pick up my little sister (who has a penchant for using necklines as handholds) the slits in the top would flap open, and who wants that?

Now, the generally accepted way to fix a neckline that has too deep a V, is to put an insert of coordinating fabric in it. I have seen this be done very poorly. I have not seen it done well, because if alterations are done skillfully, they will be nearly undetectable. Or if noticeable, they will compliment the garment so well that the effect is boutique, and better in design then the original.

I am fortunate in having a mother with a large selection of Friends And Relations who Used To Sew, and have large collections of interesting–and frequently vintage–notions, a few of which have found their way to our house via the post. One of these shippments was entirely of lacey bits– collars and medallions, and what not.  Wouldn’t you know it, there was a practically perfect bit of cotton netting, in a lovely shade of cream. (My  apologies for the lighting. I was doing my alterations the night before I needed the blouse.)

It was a simple process to position the lace, pin it on, and hand stitch it to the inside of the blouse.   As you can see in the picture below,  I didn’t get it stitched on quite centered, but it isn’t noticeable at all from the front.

See? You wouldn’t know it was altered, would you?

“Stylish Dress Book” Again

View “K” take two!  As some of you might remember, I made a “K” blouse back in March. As you might also remember, I had some problems with the pattern’s fit.  For example, it was shorter than I wanted it, and the neck was too big.   So, I fixed it.  Here’s the result.  (Modeled photo-cred goes to Mum, as usual.)

Now, this next part might be a bit boring, if you don’t sew,  but here are my (1. Second thoughts about the pattern and (2. Alterations I made.

Second Thoughts: This pattern was much quicker and easier the second go-round, as might be expected. I really had no problems, and didn’t have to rip anything major out.  Over all, the method was sound and easy to follow.  However, the one thing I *will* change in the future, will be the construction of the cuffs.  The directions say –and I summarize– to ‘sew the cuffs to the wrong side; fold down cuff hem, than fold cuff to right side and top-stitch to sleeve.’     This method doesn’t work for me.   Next time I make this, I will Iron down cuff hem; sew cuff to *right* side, top-stitch, fold cuff to *wrong side*, and hand-stitch down.   A trifle more steps, but for me, less work.

I followed the directions from pattern “G” for the bias binding, and it did turn out nicer.  (Below you can see my first attempt at the binding, contrasted with my second try)

Note on bias binding: Be sure to add a centimeter seam allowance to the ends. 

• Alterations:
  
• Lengthened front and back by 2 1/2″
• Narrowed front and back neckline by 1/2″ (extended shoulder seams inward)
• Tapered back extension to point 1/2″ beyond edge-most marking
• Raised front neckline by 1 1/2″  (and it still wanted to slide around a bit)
• Narrowed back by 7/8″ on fold
• Shortened sleeves by 1 1/2″
• On bias binding, I marked the “Match to Shoulder Seam” point at size 10. (I am a size 12) This is because the neckline is smaller with the added height.  Worked fine.
• Cut binding to size 10. See above.
• Did not cut cuff on fold.

General Things I Would Like You to Know:

I wear it belted in with a grosgrain belt I had from another blouse. It makes a pretty ( I think) peasant effect.

We got the fabric either from a relative (people send us boxes) or a thrift-store grab bag, I forget which. It seems to be a poly-cotton blend, based on the fact that it’s a trifle scratchy, and irons perfectly well on the “Polyester” setting, whereas 100% cotton requires all the heat and steam you can give it.  It washed up nicely, though, and is much softer for the wear.

The fabric is rather mannish, but upon Mum’s suggestion (and she *does* have the best suggestions) I prettied it up with blue buttons, of which only the top one is functional.   I didn’t think to take a picture, but all the seams are frenched, even the sleeves.      And I’m rather proud of the tiny hem.    I hate hems: I’m scared I’ll get burned.

This pattern should be fine for a patient beginner. The most time-consuming  thing about it, for me, would be the frenching, and if you don’t french, or won’t french,  it should come together fairly quickly.   The hardest aspect of “View K” I found would be the cuffs, but I know how to do them next time. Really, whatever works and looks tidy.  Don’t be intimidated: Take the plunge and sew yourself up a blouse (or two)

An Upcycled Skirt

This is the skirt I was telling you about. It’s been cluttering up the sewing room for over a year.  I had cut an old mens T-Shirt into an A-line shape, and sewed one strip of doubled over gathered tulle on the skirt.  Did you know you can buy nifty rolls of pre-cut tulle?   I had planned to sew on another strip, but all those gatheres wigged me out. I have some perfectionist tendency, when it comes to sewing, and gathers drive me up the wall, because it’s so hard to get them evenly distributed.   So it sat, languishing. Until last week, when I picked it up again and made an executive decision. I unpinned the 2nd ruffle, and, at mother’s suggestion, sewed on a strip of velvet ribbon.

I also made a fabric flower to go with it. The flower was created from a thrifted piece of lingerie–even the lace.

I’m sorry the picture is so blurry: I’ll replace it with a better one by-and by.

Edit: Here’s the better one.

Detail shot of the waist. Since the flower is off-center, I didn’t want Katya to be confused as to which is front and which is back. If you look carefully, you can see that I zig-zag stitched the waistband. Zig-zag stitch has stretch to it, so the stitches won’t pop as easily.

Katya seemed pleased with the skirt: She likes it when I make things for her.  She wore it to school today.  I have no good pictures of her face, because Katya objected to me taking her picture, and made the most disagreeable scowls, and kicked.

 

 

A Warm, Fuzzy Popsicle Skirt

Here is the answer; A Skirt, for Kristina.   :)   Congratulations to all those who guessed correctly.

I made the waistband from the bottom band of a freebie t-shirt. Score!

This trim is why we have a stash. It has sat around for several years being perfect for *something*…. And here it is!   It took an hour or two to hand-sew it on.

Ooh boy, I wouldn’t want to do that again anytime soon!

Kristina liked it, BTW. I will try to take a picture of her wearing it sometime. We just need to find a blouse. Shouldn’t be too hard, with all those colours.

I’ll have to put up a post detailing my mistakes with this project, but that’s for another time. Just to warn you, I made some doozies!

 

A Blue Mistake

So I decide to make myself a much-needed winter skirt off of McCall’s 3296, in a lovely soft flannel.

The largest size I had was a 10, and according to the back I needed a size 14. But I decided to risk it.  Well, risking it didn’t work. No way was I going to fit in a size 10, that was immediately clear as soon as I held the partially completed skirt up to myself.  But in the three or so minutes in which I contemplated any way to make it work, I was bitten by the “I Can Make It A Little-Bit-Better” bug. It began with a zipper, expanded munificently to include a vintage hanky, and ended up with no zipper and a pack of perfectly matching vintage bias tape. Oh, those eye-filling blues!

I’m thinking pockets trimmed with hanky, and I’m not quite sure about the bias tape, but trust me, it will be used.

And still no skirt for me. >sigh<  But won’t this mistake turn out beautifully? I’m planning on selling this one, BTW.