New project - B 5355 raglan tunic ... in silk charmeuse!

All those carefully laid (half-baked?) Ren Faire garb sewing plans and corset plans went out the window with Friday's mail.  My son has another sports award banquet scheduled for the 17th, and I have no warm weather nice clothes.  As I've learned more about fitting, I've learned there is just no possible way I can buy clothes at a store that will fit me, so sewing it is!  Besides, I have some really nice fabrics I've scored on sale, that sit and look pretty and inspire dreams of beautiful garments ...

My silk charmeuses are a good example!  I knew when I bought them back in January I wanted drapey-flowy tops of them ... and I have now started on the first one: Butterick 5355 raglan tunic, in this silk charmeuse:

B5355 silk charmeuse

The pattern cries out for drapey-flowy fabric, just as the fabric cries out for a pattern to show off its fluid finery.  And the word "fluid" is especially appropriate for this silk ... it really does want to find its way to the floor!  Getting it laid out is the first major battle on the cutting table, because it loves to slide around on itself, even when folded wrong side together, right side out.  It's ten times worse if you try to fold the right side in ...!

Before I even dug the lovely silk out of its hiding spot, I asked for tips, tricks, and advice on cutting and sewing it in the PR chat room.  Here is what I was told would help preserve what little sanity I have:

• Make sure cuticles are trimmed and fingernails are filed ... charmeuse snags easily!
• Get a pinking blade for the rotary cutter, and have a good mat to cut on ... Olfa was recommended by name for both.
• Silk pins help ... I bought a new (PINK!) tomato pincushion to keep my silk pins separate from the normal ones.  If you are inclined to pin your pattern pieces, do so only in the seam allowances.  I pinned the selvages, then weighted the pieces with votive candle holders.
• Use cotton thread - Gutterman was recommended by name.  Test on a scrap before sewing to see just how small of stitch looks best - 1.5 to 1.8 was recommended (mm, I *think*).
• French seams to sew silk charmeuse, which automatically finishes the inside.
• Quilting gloves called Machingers were also recommended, but I have no way to get them in a timely manner.  I may order them anyway since I do have the two couture silk charmeuses, plus the silk brocades.
• Sharps needles ... I thought I had size 8, but I only have size 10s.  The size 10 Sharps still sew better than size 8 universals in my test.

I'll spare y'all all the whining and blubbering of the past week ... except to say my son looked dashingly handsome in his rental tux for prom, and we had two and a half days rainfree which included the kids getting to prom without getting wet.

A little more coffee, and I'll go wrestle the silk charmeuse into place to cut the wide billowy sleeves .... then the sewing silk adventure will start!

S2621 corset: Boning channels and directional sewing

First of all ... I am already sick and tired of this storm front!  It rolled in a little after 11 last night and promptly knocked out our power ... while the power has stayed on for this morning, we keep getting bands of strong storms, and this early morning's lightning strikes sounded almost on top of us.  What a way to wake up ...

I've already started up on sewing together the layers for my Simplicity 2621 Elizabethan "pair-of-bodies" (the period term for a corset).  I have the front boning channels on either side of the eyelets in, and it occurred to me I haven't mentioned a mysterious peculiarity of sewing boning channels: directional sewing seems to count!  I haven't seen an actual explanation for this, but each time I've seen it mentioned, the person posting it swears it makes a difference even if s/he doesn't know why.  Once you start sewing the boning channels on a corset panel, you need to continue sewing in that direction ... or you end up with small wrinkles around the boning.

directional sewing - boning channels on S2621

If you check the larger image, you'll see yellow pinheads on only one side of each corset half: marked "top" on this pic, as in the end that gets sewn first.  This is how I am keeping track of my directional sewing this time, and I find it so much easier than leaving thread tails!  Now, for a closeup, just because it came out clear!

Closeup front boning channels S2621 Elizabethan corset

Another plus of this closeup turning out clearly is I can show off my outer fashion fabric layer: an unknown home dec remnant that has a jacquard/brocade style stripe to it.  I am hoping the vertical stripes provide for a visually slimming effect ... although I strongly suspect they will mess with the shoulder strap idea.  If so, I will simply make this one strapless.

Simplicity 2621 smock put together

It's put together ... now I need to figure out how I'm going to finish the embroidered trim around the neckline.  The embroidered trim for the sleeves came out perfect ... the neckline trim ... not so perfect.  First, the pics (it's very grey today ... but at least it's not green or yellow clouds!)

Simplicity Tudor chemise front (in progress)



S 2621 Tudor "shift" back (in progress)

 

Elizabethan smock - neckline detail (in progress)

OK ... geek time (just because I AM one ...) I'm mixing terms here because there is no one single, agreed-upon term.  Time period is Renaissance (broad category), Tudor period (a bit more specific), and Elizabethan (more specific).  Elizabeth I was the last of the actual Tudors, who refused to marry because that would be giving up her authority.  The Tudor period saw the Renaissance reach England, so this smock is from the Renaissance - Tudor - Elizabethan period.

So ... is it a smock, a shift (as the pattern calls it), or a chemise?  I've seen all of those terms used ... along with spelling variations to boot in contemporary quotes!  Just like there are variations of how Shakespeare himself spelled his own name (he was also Elizabethan period), there just weren't set spellings at the time (tyme?) so the different terms may have had subtle differences in the garments described ... or not.  It could just be regional variances within England (kind of like the regional difference between y'all and youse guys and you, the unspecified plural).

While I tend to use the term smock, shift is probably more appropriate for this particular garment, as the handkerchief linen is very lightweight and as the pics show, it's pretty see-through.  Either way, the actual construction part is done.  It does still need another pressing/attack with hot iron.

Now I need to unhose the neckline trim ... I'm not sure what exactly happened, but the trim pieces ended up just a smidge too short.  So time to trot out my mom's "greatest secret of sewing": the secret isn't perfect mistake-free sewing ... it's knowing how to cover up your mistakes or, if they can't be covered up, how to make them look like intention design details.  Right now, I am leaning towards seeing if I have green fabric that matches the embroidery thread to make squares in each corner, then satin-stitch them on with the white.  Maybe even put a little white-stitched flower in the middle ...

Embroidered trim finished and a tip

First up, I figured out why I have been getting the little wrinkles around the embroidery design ... other than the possibility of the cotton thread shrinking.  I hadn't rinsed ALL the stabilizer out.  I discovered this when reaching for my press cloth, and it was stiff ... since I had to rinse out the fabric marker anyway, I soaked the trim pieces again.  And here is the "done" pic for my trim:

Custom-made embroidered decorative trim

I made one extra piece of single-design trim on purpose ... just in case I oopsie something.  And while this last extra one was stitching out, I was reminded just why I sit and watch the the embroidery needle hop along as it stitches out ... the thread caught on itself.  When the top thread broke, the machine sensed it and stopped itself before I realized the thread was broken.  However, when the thread caught on itself, I stopped the machine before it "realized" there was a problem.  Closeup of the oopsie:


embroidery oopsie - thread caught on itself

It's not overly noticeable since I caught it within a few stitches of it happening, then the machine stops two stitches after I hit stop (which is a fast response given how fast the needle is hopping on it) so the piece is usable if need be ... but it is sitting off to the side of the others to be used last (or hopefully not at all!).

Now ... this Brother "country yarn" embroidery thread is very messy!  I probably should have snapped a pic of the fuzz bunnies I pulled out of the emb after this project was done, because it was massive.  Then before I started up the daily driver to satin stitch, I cleaned under the hood on him as well ... canvas fray bits and more fuzz bunnies.  I hope I don't dream of fuzz bunnies under the bobbin holder thingy tonight ...

Custom embroidered decorative trim!

Happy!  Excited!  IT WORKED!!!!!!  My custom embroidered decorative trim for the neckline and sleeve edges for my Elizabethan smock (Simplicity 2621) has turned out the way I hoped it would!  Happy dance time!


custom embroidery trim: Forget-Me-Not



Forget-Me-Not custom trim

 Sometimes ... well, often ... my experiments don't turn out as I hoped.  So when one actually does come out looking like the picture in my head, I get very very excited and happy.  This embroidered decorative trim idea is exactly what I wanted ... well, it will look much more like planned once I wash the fabric marker off the edges.  I used a very short zigzag to create the satin stitch at the edges, and the pinked ends will be inside seams, folded under, or covered by a cross piece of trim.

OK, *now* I am excited about making this smock!

Almost done with B4254 D

I spent yesterday putting on the bias binding after making some up in the denim left over.  My fingers are still protesting because I sewed half of each bias binding by hand ... yes, your handsewing-hating blogger is still handsewing!  For good reason ... this is the first time I've done bias binding that I don't hate once it's finished.  No wrinkles, nothing kinked under, nothing gone wabberjawed ...

I did try to do continuous bias binding, but somehow hosed up sewing the crooked tube and my lines didn't line up, so I ripped that seam out and just did strips.  Machts nicht ("mox nix") since each strip did a top or bottom with a little bit left over.

I did attach the bias to the front of the corset halves by machine.  While my machine sewing still isn't *all that* it does look straighter than my handsewing, and is quicker to boot.  After the first bit of binding, I had the smart idea to trim the corset layers before folding the binding over.  This made it both easier and much less messy, as the edges were trying to fray after so much handling.

Now, about that handsewing that my poor fingertips are still complaining about ... do it!  When someone who avoids handsewing (when possible) heartily recommends sewing something by hand, there is a darn good reason.  The results will speak for themselves, but - especially on corsets - handsewing is worth the time and sore fingers.  Apparently, the way I did my binding is the same way quilters do theirs, so if you don't believe me ... go ask a quilter.  LOL

I don't have in-progress pics of the binding ... I guess I got a little excited about getting it done before bedtime.  This morning I am setting the eyelets, and will *TRY* once again to get clear pictures of this step-by-step as has been requested since the waist corset I made in December.  It's almost 10 AM here, and I am still waiting for a bit of sunlight ... it is so grey today I need to turn on the lights even with an east-facing window in the sewing area (that hubby and son still insist on calling "the dining room").  I do have the eyelet tools gathered up and the spacing figured already.

I marked the waist by feeling for the waist tape I put in, then figured out from there with the two eyelets-to-be right next to the waist being a tiny bit closer than the others, as these will be where the "rabbit ears" will be.  I have both satin and grossgrain style ribbon that matches the lace ... right now I am leaning towards the satin.

I need to find my FrayCheck, as the lace is trying to fray at the cut edges.  Since I don't have buckram in the lacing panel, I'll want to use it around the eyelet holes as well.  I just straight up forgot the buckram this time ...

What a difference flossing makes

No, not teeth (although it does hold true as well) but corsets ... I have one half completely flossed, and while I don't know if y'all can tell the difference in the pic (due to my poor photog skills) but I can sure feel a difference when I pick the two halves up.  The flossed half holds its shape!  This may be something I have been missing in previous corsets I've made.  Oh, the pic:

I'm using jeans thread on top, since I have decided to go with the lace under the top binding.  The bottom binding will just be topstitched denim bias.  Besides flowers grow *up* ... even completely pink flowers.  Using the jeans thread which is practically invisible on this denim gives me the opportunity to try out variations on flossing.  My still coffee deprived mind is also wondering how the designs will look with variegated thread ...

B 4254 D progress and waist tape

Just a quick check-in after running my only errand on this absolutely lovely spring day, and to snap a couple pics before I baste the layers all the way together.  Last night I basted in twill tape along the shortest length of each side, following instructions from Sidney Eileen's tutorial on adding a waist tape into your corset.  For those who haven't bookmarked it yet (or had the old bookmark before her site revamp), Ms. Eileen has a number of useful pic-heavy corset-making tutorials.  So here's a pic of my waist tape on the canvas core layer:

And I tried to snap a pic of the topstitching, plus how neat the CB looks by using the stitch and flip method instead of trying to bind the center back ... with my usual (too) "soft focus" photography (lack of) skill:

Meh, you can sort-of see the pink topstitching I did with my narrow twin needle.  You can also see where I intentionally skipped the top part of the seam through the middle of the bust cup.  No need to emphasize just how far out that seam will sit.

Now, to grab bright red thread and baste the layers together to put in the boning channels.  I was asked last night in chat why I am hand-basting when I dislike handsewing so much ... my battle with fitting this corset showed me just how much a difference moving the seams can make ... and there are six vertical panels!  If each slides even just 1/16th of an inch, then the layers will not only be hosed overall but if it's off by more than 1/4 inch overall that changes how it fits.  With everything basted together instead of pinned, that is one less thing to worry about as I sew and I can concentrate on trying to keep the seam where it ought to be.  Not to forget about another benefit: if everything is basted together, that is much less chance of getting the bottom lining layer folded up underneath or caught in the wrong seam!  (That's an oopsie that tends to happen about every other project.)

Hand basting B 4254

You read that post title right ... I am hand basting the seams on my Butterick 4254 corset.  No, this is not a guest post.  No, I am not a pod person left in place of your handsewing-hating blogger after her abduction by aliens ... at least I don't think I am!  And no, I haven't suddenly developed a love for handsewing either ... and yes my fingertips are still letting me know about it.

We've been having some lovely spring weather, so I have been running errands and admiring the cheery bright yellow daffodils and watching the white and pink dogwoods bloom.  Yesterday after some errands I cut out the canvas core layer for my B4254 corset ... and while leaning over the last piece to cut with the rotary my back gave me a warning that it was not about to tolerate sitting at the sewing machine after all the errands and cutting.  So, no putting it together ... unless ...

Necessity may be the mother of invention, but determination and stubbornness are what tend to get things done for me.  I still wanted to put the pieces together - not just to make progress, but to keep my furry feline faction from "playing" with it as I slept.  My cats may be cute, but they are still ornery mischievous monsters.  So yesterday evening I hand basted all the seams except the side seams and the seam in the center of the bust cups.

I'm on my 3rd cup of coffee, took time to clean my machine and change the needle, dig out light pink thread ... and it still isn't even noon.  I have all those seams machine-stitched, pressed, pinked, and even topstitched.  Already.  Seriously!  Even stitching up the bust gusset curves was easy.  And here is the obligatory "Prove it!" pic:

I basted with the dark green that is still on my desk after the velvet ribbon handsewing for my friend's doublet.  I used up the last of the lavender thread in a bobbin ... errr, I don't recall what project that is left over from.  For the canvas layer, I am pressing the seams the opposite way - towards the front - as the outer and lining layers will have their seams pressed towards the back and I am not thrilled with the idea of sewing through 12 layers when I put it all together.  I've also decided to do only three layers instead of four.

I've come to the conclusion handsewing is like exercise: while I don't really enjoy the process, I do like the results.  Now, to hand baste the remaining four seams ... then cut out the denim and indigo linen/cotton for the lining so I can hand baste them this evening.

Scrap fun and function

Last week, Rebecca at WannabeSeamstress asked "What to do with fabric scraps?" and I promised her a post about all the things I do with them ... because I only throw away the pieces too small to do anything with at all.  I just got finished putting a second denim scrap to use for today repairing/patching the pocket of hubby's jeans, after doing the same to a pair of son's jeans this afternoon.  For both, I had to use my denim scraps wrong-side-out due to the fading of the jeans' denim, and with both being lower section of the back pockets that meant handsewing since I am not inclined to take the pockets off then reattach exactly plus topstitching.  If you and your family wear jeans, save denim scraps for patching.

The past couple days you probably noticed the cotton duck from my friend's doublet showing back up as boning casings for my corset fitting muslin.  I briefly thought of using the canvas scraps from mine and hubby's KwikSew barn coats I made in December to do the actual fitting muslin, but opted to use my unbleached canvas because it is heavier.  I might still use those scraps for fitting muslin #2 ...

But what about the nicer scraps?  This is where I need that smiling devil emoticon here .... I have an embroidery machine that I paid more for than my three sewing machines combined ... and I ain't afraid to use it!  A decent-sized scrap from hubby's linen/cotton longsleeved shirt became an embroidered monogrammed handkerchief for my grandmother-in-law, who declared it "too good to use!" and tucked it away to keep it nice.  Here it is:

It's all good ... I have another scrap the same size to make another hankie ... I also have embroidery designs for small gift bags!  And tissue holders, and eyeglass cases ... if you have an embroidery machine, that opens up a whole lot of uses for the nicer fabric scraps.  Leftover pieces of fabric from projects (like my brown linen pants) can also become nice kitchen towels to hang next to the coffeemaker.

Printed and solid color cotton scraps get saved for quilters ... and they don't need to be huge either.  I have a bag I need to pass on to a local lady who makes charity quilts that I met at Hancock's cutting table.

Home dec scraps?  I of course have some of those ... and intend to whip up drawstring bags for my gaming guys to use as dice bags.  I think the rayon challis scraps will make nice linings for those ... especially the scraps from hubby's beloved parrot shirt.  At some point, I will have faux fur scraps ... and if they are too small for anything else, I will just make stuffed "mice" for my cats to play with.

Have I covered the offbeat uses for scraps?  I think I shall tag JillyBe for her to post about what she's done with her very nice scraps ... she needs to do a blog post about it anyway!

Slow progress and a couple tricks

First of all, I have been in pain since Friday afternoon, and since I know this affects my mood I try not to post much when this happens (in pretty much any form).  Progress on the bustier-done-corset-style Kwik Sew 3850 is slow because of this.

I have figured out a couple little tricks to working with that poly boning stuff you can buy at Hancock or Wal-Mart.  First of all, you can iron the stuff flat!  Honestly, I don't know why I didn't realize this before.  I know it is heat-malleable because wearing it next to the body causes it to conform to the curve - as opposed to holding its shape which is what I originally wanted it to do.

Second, if I pull it out of its casing I can stitch it into place using my boxy-style zipper foot that came with each of my little cheap Brother machines.  The poly boning is either exactly or very close to the height of a standard zipper, so it fits perfectly and the foot keeps the needle out of the poly boning.  Gratuitous pic for Elaina, who requested "more pics" last night:

On a slight tangent, hubby tightened up the back lacing on my Elizabethan for me today, and says there is no room to tighten any further.  I'm pretty certain I haven't lost weight, so that leaves fabric stretching as the most likely reason.  I will definitely be making a new one for this year's Renn Faire.

Coat progress despite distractions

I've been sewing today ... honest!  I felt good when I woke up, so had my daily driver fired up well before lunchtime.  I attached to back skirt to the yoke, after putting "permanent pleats" in the CB deep pleat.

I wish I could take a good pic of how I do this permanent pleat/crease idea that my mom did on my slacks decades ago when I was growing up.  It has no hope of showing up with black thread on an almost black back of the fabric though, so y'all will just have to visual until I get light color thread on the machine to do a demo on a scrap (note to self: don't forget to make an example for this).

A while back ago in chat, gloria had mentioned doing this for her slacks ... after making me first promise not to laugh about it.  I did chuckle, but it was because my mom did this years ago, and I wish I had done it on my long pleated gaucho pants as well.  It's so simple: just edgestitch about 1/16th of an inch in along a crease you want to be permanent.  Since the mystery home dec stuff doesn't seem inclined to hold a sharp crease - I am considering a vague maybe hint of a crease to be the best I can get - I really wanted a way to make this deep pleat hold its pleated shape.  The vinegar trick of chemically setting pleats sounds like it only works on fabrics that will take a sharp crease to begin with (now why hadn't I used that on the linen gaucho pants either?).

Distraction #1 occurred when I had a thought (just one, don't be too shocked!) to put the coat outer layer on Mathilda, and realized the black dotted 80s style blouse was still on Mathilda instead of being washed and worn.  When I pulled my blouse off Mathilda, I noticed I hadn't topstitched the facing down around the neckline.  Well, there's black thread loaded up on the machine ...!  So I went around shoulder seam to shoulder seam, and it has now finally made it into my laundry pile to the washer.

Distraction #2 came in the form of a Hancock run.  I decided I have coupons and ain't afraid to use them, so today is a perfect day to go get a walking foot.  Err ... FAIL!  They have two slant shank feet and zero low shank ... guess which style my machines require?  It wasn't a wasted trip though ... as if I could leave Hancock's empty handed. 

First happy acquisition: some gridded "interfacing" to draw a new corset pattern via Lady Drea's Custom Corset pattern generator.  Y'all knew this would end up being about corsets ... right?  LOL  Once I get it drawn out for my measurements, then I'll tweak the Simplicity 2621 pattern I've used before and frankenpattern the two into a new Elizabethan with boned tabs this time.  If it works out as planned, I will use the white pearl silk brocade for the outer layer!  Ice storm or no ice storm forecast ... I am trying to resist the temptation to drop the coat idea and make a new corset right now.

Which brings me to one of the two new Kwik Sew patterns I bought today.  Along with pleated shorts, I also bought the new bustier pattern, KS 3850.  I'll test it out as a bustier first, using my fuchsia linen from last year :)  then see just how easily it will adapt to a more boned corset.  Judging from the line drawings, it looks like it will convert very nicely!  Oh, I want to drop all this winter coat stuff and start on this immediately ...

Edit: Hit publish too soon!  Of course, all my wanting to drop the coat idea for now and do corsets and a bustier may partly be inspired by maggie finishing up her Victorian corset in blush dupioni.  I think it looks quite good, and considering maggie says she's learning as she does it, I'll bet the next version looks better.  They're not mistakes, they're learning experiences!  And y'all can bet that I have been taking notes, so I can make different mist -err, learning experiences.  ;)

Excessive pinning

My mystery home dec fabric has a velvet-like pile to it, which means it wants to wiggle and not feed evenly.  Since I don't have a walking foot (although I am seriously thinking of getting one before the forecast ice hits tomorrow night) I am making do with excessive pinning ... cussing is optional.

Yes, the long pleat pin is under the presser foot, by quite a bit ... but it is pinned about 1/4 inch from the edge, while the needle is in the left position and stitching at the 5/8 inch seam allowance.  Once I get it this far, I stop, lift the presser foot, and reposition the fabric.  Takes a while ... but it works.