Deco floral stitch-out

I finally sat down and played with the embroidery machine this morning, then I spent time trying to get a clear pic of it.  My teenage son ribbed me about fuzzy pics, but here is a mostly clear one:

Decorative floral emb test stitch-out

Believe it or not, this is only my second multi-color design ... and I have a few tips that should probably go into the Sgt. Obvious file.  The most important being that in between colors, it's a good idea to clip the bottom threads from jumps as well as the top threads.  Otherwise, it can get tangled and try to go under/into the throat plate ...

Maybe not a Sgt Obvious observation, but along with tweezers, the blunt side of a seamripper is great for getting tearaway stabilizer out of the inside parts of the design.

The little sets of dots are supposed to be different colors, but as these were the last three and I was tired of changing the thread ... I made them all that pretty pale blue.

While stitching, it occurred to me that the rayon embroidery thread (that I bought for the silk charmeuse tunic) would probably work better on this rayon challis than the polyester thread that I used on the stitch-out test.  The Sulky thread isn't on sale at Hancock until next weekend, so it doesn't look like I will get this tunic done in time to take up to Indiana on Monday.  I think I'd rather be "late" with it and make it as awesome as I can.

S2621 corset - boning

So I broke out the fabric marker and ruler and planned out my boning (since I am probably off the pattern ... I haven't even looked at the instructions since last year!  LOL)  I was sewing veeerrrrrryyyy slllllooooowwllllyyyy in a sincere attempt to get these channels sewn straight ... the stitches themselves might not be perfectly straight, but I stayed on the fabric marker line today!  Of course, once the first line was sewn, then it was easier to slide a cable tie in and use the boxy zipper foot to snug up to it.  Pic snapped this afternoon:

Boning for S2621 corset

It's not period-correct, but that isn't what I am going for on this one.  I happen to really REALLY like the support these cable ties give me.

Oh, a new one for the "Thank you, Sgt. Obvious!" file: I have discovered - by accident - that topstitching looks so much nicer when you press it afterwards ... apparently "everyone" knows this, but I honestly don't recall seeing anyone ever mention it.

Bustier versus corset

I am taking Kenneth King's bustier class at Pattern review, and am learning some very interesting things.  First, the most important thing: the difference between a bustier and a corset!  The second thing I am learning is ... I don't really want to sew a bustier!  Third (and this was well worth the cost of the class!) why my Kwik Sew 3850 bustier-made-corset-style flopped ... which relates back to the major difference between corsets and bustiers.

Before signing up for the class, someone had asked on the message board class pre-registration Q&A thread if any of it was applicable towards making corsets, and KK replied "Yes."  I am happy to report there is "truth in advertising" here ... I am picking up some really good tips for construction.  I just don't feel it would be ethical for me to post them, because KK earns money from both his class and his CD-book.  However, I will say that for me this class is worth the fee.  Then again ... I've been the adventurous newb frustrated by lack of info available for free on the web who has been learning by mistakes ... err, "learning opportunities".  As y'all recall, I had quite a few of those with the KS 3850 bustier-corset ... and hadn't figured them all out on my own.

I suppose with enough Googling and reading, the difference between a bustier and a corset can be found on the web ... it's a small but important difference in patterning.  A bustier is designed to have zero ease ... lay against the skin like a second skin.  In contrast, a corset has negative ease and shapes the body with more solid and more support (boning).    The bustier takes its shape from the body with no wearing ease, whereas the corset shapes the body (even just smoothing things out is a form of shaping).

Which brings me to the second thing I've learned ... since a bustier doesn't shape the body, I am not actually wanting to make a bustier.  Which means my Kwik Sew and the new McCall bustier patterns will need to be modified on a fundamental level before using them.  I like the looks of both KS 3850 and M 6325 ... but I don't have the body to pull off either one as a bustier.  Time for me to learn fundamental theory of corset-drafting ...

Which brings me to a more informed analysis of why my KS 3850 bustier-corset flopped - other than the fact that bustiers and corsets aren't quite the same.  Along with the over-engineering in the bust cups, I didn't have near enough support in front (unlike my denim mid-Victorian) combined with too much ease despite it hugging me through the waist.  For a corset, zero ease is still a bit too much.  Also ... and this may be a biggie ... I am not sure the KS bustier can be made strapless.  From wearing mine a few times (granted, I didn't follow the instructions for it!) it does feel like it hangs from the shoulder straps ... whereas the McCall's bustier pattern has two of the four views as strapless.  Ideally, a bustier should have enough support to do strapless, and not hang from the shoulders.

I am kinda-sorta-not really sewing right now ... a nasty storm front hit us Thursday night and I am still hearing thunder now on Saturday afternoon.  Today I've been playing with my embroidery machine a bit, and also discovered the "air dry" fabric marker I used Sunday afternoon was not a good idea, as most of the marks have disappeared because I've taken so long to get back to it.  Oops ... new note from Sergeant Obvious: Don't use the air dry fabric marker unless you are certain you will get back to the project before the marks "dry" away!  Yup, live and learn ... and pics will need to wait until tomorrow because it is just so grey again today.

I'm gonna go cry now ...

It was a beautiful dream ... truly lovely dream ... and I had even snapped a pic of this dream with every intention and desire to make it reality:

On the right is my new salt-and-pepper color linen, and I dug up the cuss-inducing slippery as **** rayon challis to use as a lining, and fished out the chosen blazer pattern.  My resolve strengthened as I ironed the linen and admired the textured weave and play of colors ...

I even preread the instructions and looked the suggested layout over, as KwikSew patterns tend to have very reasonable pattern layouts ... FAIL!!!!  Oh, the agony of reality as it came crashing down on me.  I had only ordered two yards of this 44 inch wide fabric, and this blazer requires 3-1/8 yards of 45 inch wide fabric.  Did I mention KS does reasonable and fabric-conserving layouts in their instructions?  I can see no way to bend the laws of physics enough to make this idea work, even if I shorten both body and sleeves.

So it is with a heavy heart and shattered dream that we get this latest gem from Sergeant Obvious: Make sure you have enough fabric before getting too carried away with a beautiful sewing idea!

I guess this gorgeous linen will end up being culottes or capri-length summer pants ...

Plaid matching ... sorta

I'm a bit slow to get moving this morning.  Maybe I need more coffee, or maybe it's because I sound like a bowl of Rice Crispies trying to move around.  My son celebrated his snow day off school by sleeping in ... and since he's finally up and moving I guess I should make an attempt at moving around myself.

I had to wait my turn for the dryer yesterday, and while I did get the wool run through the dryer with a hot wet towel ... I didn't layout the pattern pieces are do any cutting.  However I have started that this morning:

Maybe I'm just not feeling too adventurous this morning.  Or maybe my cheap gene is telling me the $1/yd cotton print plaid would be better to do full plaid-matching than this lovely $8/yd wool ... but I am only matching horizontally, using a very convenient shorten/lengthen line on the pattern that is consistent on all pieces just 1 inch above the waistline (which is only marked on the front piece anyway).  I've lined all the pieces up so that one white yarn is centered between the s/l lines on the pattern ... which also required a bit of gentle tugging on the fabric to get it as straight as I am going to accomplish this morning.  I even drew a blue arrow at the top of the pic to point out the lines and white yarn, but the tip of the arrow is a bit off.

I've read that plaid matching is best accomplished by cutting out single thickness, but my Thursday evening deadline is roaring up on me fast.  I have plenty of cheaper plaids to work out the details ... if I'm honest about it, I simply have plenty of plaids.  I do love plaids, so at some point in the near future I will get a better handle on matching these plaids both ways.

Caffeine, nicotine, and sugar are my usual methods of motivation in the morning ... and today breakfast was a piece of my birthday cake from last night, so it's definitely "one of those mornings".  If you have useful tips on plaid matching, feel free to leave them here ... and I'll refer back to them when I am in a more cheerful mood.

Another tip from my "Thank you, Sgt Obvious" file: spellcheck function catches typos.  Who'd've thunk it?

Here she is ... S2566 blouse done!

Well, except for handsewing the shank buttons on ... but given how the cuffs sit they won't show in a regular Mathilda the dressform pic.  It could probaly benefit from another press, but I will be adding new wrinkles as I put the buttons on in all likelihood.

Except for the goofy dart "sidecars" I am quite happy.  I won't model it myself until after the vest is done because of the dart shaping issue (and a good dose of vanity) so Mathilda will have to do for the next 3-5 days.
Now, here's a gem for my "Thank you, Sgt Obvious!" file.  Irons heat up so much faster when they are plugged in.  I wouldn't lie to y'all  LOL

As I expected, putting the buttonholes in was a pain in the (*donkey*) due to how close-fitting the cuffs are.  I also discovered the fabric can catch the little lever-thingy on my 1-step buttonhole and make it change directions before it ought to.

The instructions called for slip stitching the hem ... errr ... that's hand sewing, right?  Something I don't care for, and don't have the patience to do.  Props to those who do, but that isn't me.  Especially with a deadline for this outfit.  There's no getting around the handsewing of shank buttons, but I'll skip on the handsewn hem idea.