A quick and easy summer knit top - Butterick 5495

A weeks worth of sewing and this is all I have to show for it, a super simple knit top.

It's not that the top took that long to sew. Total time spent to create it probably totaled two hours and that includes cutting it out.

But its summertime! And the weather has been perfect! Our summers are so short here that I can't bear to spend time cooped up inside my sewing studio.

Last year's summer weather was quite cool so I didn't add much to my existing wardrobe. However, this year is a different story. With the beautiful warm weather we've been experiencing, I discovered I needed a few more tops.

The pattern and view was chosen based on the fact that it only required one yard of fabric. You see, one yard of fabric was all I had. This beautiful RPL knit, purchased as a roll end last year from Emma One Sock, has been patiently waiting to be sewn.

The pattern, Butterick 5495, was definitely not my first choice. While I like the design, I really wanted to find a way to sew view A from McCall's 6078. But alas, I just couldn't squeeze a pattern requiring 1-1/2 yards of fabric onto barely one yard.

I completed a review of the top on Pattern Review (here) and there really isn't much to look out for when sewing this one. It's rated very easy and if you have any sewing experience you shouldn't run into any difficulty. Just follow the instructions. That little loop is inserted into two small openings in front of the top that are created when you sew the underbust seam. When you tighten the loop it forms the front gathers.

I did find the neckline to be way too low as designed and after the top was completed I sewed it closed by about three inches.


I think the short sleeve length is a little wonky. Perhaps being more sleeveless versus cap sleeve would take care of that. The other thing that surprised me was the fact that 1) it needed no FBA and 2) the loop and underbust seam actually fell below the bustline.



All in all, it will be a great top to toss on during the weekends for running errands. Comfortable yet stylish.

Best of all? It's one of a kind.

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Vogue 1027 DKNY knit dress

Does this fabric look familiar?

It might, as I posted a photo last February as soon as it arrived in my order from Fabric Mart Fabrics.

In fact, that posting was dated just days before we discovered my son had a brain tumor.

Last February feels like a lifetime ago, yet in reality it was only five months ago. Five months of surgery, recovery, radiation and chemo. For me, and certainly for my son, it really hit home how your life can change in an instant.

During that period I went through a time when I lost all motivation to sew. It felt like such a silly activity. In fact, I went through my supplies and made a rather large sewing related donation to a local thrift store. Included in that donation was yards and yards and yards of fabric.

But not this piece of fabric. Instinctively I knew once we got past the initial shock and treatment I would once again find sewing to be a relaxing retreat.

Which is where I'm at today. My sewing time is still more limited than it was, but I suspect that will soon return to normal also.

That brings me back to this fabric and dress. Knowing it was likely too trendy to survive until next summer I pulled it out with the intent of sewing a maxi dress. Until I remembered this pattern - Vogue 1027. With only four main pattern pieces it was perfect for this large print.

Over the course of the past 1-1/2 weeks I've been working on the dress. All that remains is the final hem. Pics and full review will be coming later this week.

Happy Sewing!

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Give me a "N", give me an "A", give me a "T"...

N-A-T-A-L-I-E

Chenille stuffed alphabet letter pillows for a new baby.

Naturally, Sophia is certain they are for her.

My daughter sewed these as a gift for her cousin whose daughter is due to arrive August 8. We even know her name, Natalie, which made it pretty easy to sew a personalized gift before the blessed event happens.

We used Butterick 6040, a vintage craft alphabet letter pattern probably from the 80s.

Honestly you wouldn't need a pattern. Each of these letter measure about 12" tall. You could simply draw your letters right on your fabric, cut, sew and stuff.

However, if you do prefer to use a pattern, Simplicity has a current offering and the older releases are pretty easy to find online. As I write this Etsy has quite a few as does Ebay.

We used four remnants of chenille that I had purchased five or six years ago. In fact, I pulled them out of the bag that was destined to go to the thrift store this week when we decided the last minute that we wanted to give her at least one handmade gift at her shower.

While the colors worked well together we thought the plain chenille was a bit blah. We didn't want these to scream "1980s" so we certainly weren't going to add eyelet lace to the edges. Instead we took scraps of chenille, cut out shapes freehand and appliqued them to the front of the pillows. They're not perfect but we find them charming.

My daughter was thrilled that she was able to give such a personalized gift to her cousin. Her cousin was thrilled to receive them. And we're thrilled that little Natalie will soon be joining our family.

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Burda 5-2010-105 Dress: not feelin' the love

I was hooked the moment I saw this dress in the Burda May 2010 issue.

So simple. So trendy. So easy to sew.

So flattering on so many, like here and here and the nine reviews at PatternReview.

So not loving it.

Yes, it was indeed very simple - and easy - to sew. After all there are only a five pattern pieces and that's if you count the facing for the neckline.

But I think my aversion to tight fitting clothes worked against me this time as the lower portion of the dress is much too lose. The total effect on me is one big, wide shapeless box.

You can't really tell I have a waist, unless I keep my hands on my hips...

...or up in the air. Which might look rather odd at the office don't you think?

When I grab about five inches of fabric and pull it to the backside the look is closer to the what the design was meant to be.

Perhaps if I removed the waistline elastic, removed the skirt, sewed it smaller, pegged the hem, resewed the skirt and added the elastic I'd wear it.

Nah, who am I kidding? I don't love it enough to give it that much attention. It's just not the best silhouette for my body shape.


Burda 05-2010-105 Dress Review:

It's rated one dot and deservedly so. The only shaped pieces are the front and back bodice pieces. The neckline facing and skirt are simply rectangles cut to size.

The skirt is attached to the bodice at the waistline in a 5/8" seam. A waist casing is formed by sewing a second row of stitching near the edge of the seam allowance. I did not sew the casing to the dress - it is unattached inside the dress.

The neckline is finished with a narrow facing that was folded in half right sides together, stitched to the neck edge, pressed up and topstitched in place on the outside just below the seam.


The sleeves were hemmed by using steam-a-seam then topstitching in place. The hem was finished in the same manner except that I added a second row of stitching to look like a twin needle was used.


The knit, likely a polyester, was actually a good choice for this dress. It's not too heavy, doesn't cling, and has the drape needed to make that bodice look good.

Even though the dress didn't work for me, I would certainly recommend sewing it if you've been thinking about it. Pin It

Another perfect knit dress - McCall's 5752

This version of McCall's 5752, the Perfect Knit Dress, looks amazingly similar to the pattern cover, thanks to the fact that I sewed a dress using the exact fabric as one of the samples.
The fabric was purchased late last summer with the intent of having this dress sewn and ready to wear when spring rolled around. Well, there was no sewing going on for quite some time after we learned of my son's brain tumor.

That changed about a month or so ago as his initial treatment ended, he moved back home and life slowly returned to as normal as it is likely to be.

As I reentered my sewing studio I began pulling out planned projects along with projects that had already been cut out. This dress was one of those.

You know, when I sewed this dress the first time I was always a bit bugged by the ruched mid-section. Eventually I quit wearing it and it was donated to a local thrift store.

Thinking it was my choice of fabric that I was unhappy with the first time around (a very soft rayon knit) I forged ahead with this dress using a different knit.

The finished dress originally had three-quarter sleeves, a ruched mid-section and the faux ties.

But, my first thought when I tried it on was "I can't believe I wasted my precious sewing time on something so ugly" followed by "yikes, those tie thingies are really weird."

So out came my handy-dandy little seam ripper. The goofy faux ties came off as did the ruching layer at the mid-section.

And those three-quarter length sleeves were just too much to wear in the summer heat.

And let's face it. This is a summer dress with a limited shelf life. This print is too trendy to last and I lost one season already by purchasing it last year.

So the sleeves were chopped off to short sleeves. They're going to be chopped even more as I think I'd like a cap sleeve better.

The print hides the separate mid-section, especially with the ruched overlay removed. I find it much more flattering than without the ruching. The curved midsection is slenderizing.


I've now sewn this perfect knit dress twice and it's time to move on.

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Must. Work. Out.

Because this skirt would show every little bump.

But I want it.

I don't know why.

I just do.

In case you're wondering, this is Vogue 1202, one of the Vogue fall 2010 patterns.

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The short, longer, longest skirt. A pattern review of Simplicity 2449

Three skirts in one.

As long as you don't mind a little fussing to switch from short to longer to longest.

Simplicity 2449 is the pattern used to sew this skirt. At my son's benefit one of his friends had on a skirt similar to this. I knew I wanted to make one as soon as I saw hers. I remember sewing a dress with a hemline like this back in the early 90s from a McCall's NYNY pattern so I knew how to achieve that cloud effect.

However, turns out Simplicity had released a skirt pattern with the exact hemline treatment I was looking for. So I parted ways with my 99 cents (plus tax) and brought the pattern home with me.

The ten panel skirt is simple to sew. It's nice and full too. So you'll want to hem this baby with your machine.

If you're one of those sewers who doesn't care much for sewing in zippers you'll be thrilled to know this skirt actually has an elastic waist. One inch wide elastic is inserted into a wide bias casing. Personally I thought it was a fitted yoke so I'm on the fence as to whether or not I like the waistline. But it sure does have comfy in its favor!

The cloud effect is achieved with ties secured to the seam allowances on the inside of the skirt. How tight or loose you tie the ties will determine how short the skirt becomes.

For instance, if you like the short look as shown here...

... you would tie the inside ties tightly, as shown here.


If you like a little longer look as shown here...

... you would tie the inside ties a little looser, as shown here.


Finally, if you like the look of a full long skirt, as shown here...

... you would tie the inside ties together making sure not to pull up the skirt fabric, as shown here. You do have to tie the ties for this look as the ties hang down below the hemline otherwise.

As you can see it's a pretty versatile skirt. I like the longer cloud effect version the best.

Even knowing my husband is thinking "It's not normal to wear a skirt like that. It looks like you got your skirt caught in something and need to pull it out." But I still love him.

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80s fashion 2010 style - Butterick 5497

Black, black, black. Oh how I love wearing you. You look so good on, but you do photograph poorly...

It's really difficult to see the details here, but this top (Butterick 5497) has that 80s vibe going on with the ruched shoulders and loose fitting upper bodice combined with a closer fit through the lower torso.

And of course the cut out back detail, although modified here, it's definitely an 80s trend revisited.

Which leads to my only dislike of this pattern. The back criss-cross is too low for me as evidenced by the little peek-a-boo of my undergarment.

Butterick's rating of "Easy" is right on with this top. For view B, which I sewed, there are only five pattern pieces.

My original plan was to sew view A, but I don't think I'd like to wear this top with a cami underneath and on me, that neckline would require one. Plus I only needed 1-1/4 yards of fabric for view B. I was pleasantly surprised at the neckline. Not too high and not too low. Perfect to wear as is or with a fabulous beaded necklace.

The back of the top is two separate pieces with a self facing. They overlap slightly at the lower edge and are secured in place at the back neck edge with a narrow neck binding.

I would suggest extending that neck binding (pattern piece 5) so it could be used to finish the front neck edge also instead of the turn under and stitch method as shown in the instructions.

I was surprised to learn that the ruching at the shoulders is created by inserting elastic into narrow casings. I guess if I would have known this had I taken time to read the description on the back side of the envelope.

The bodice is gathered front and back and sewn to the lower front and back pieces. Normally I would deviate from the instructions and sew the front bodice to the lower front and the back bodice to the lower back before sewing the side seams. But for this top you'll want to follow along as written.

Why? Because another narrow casing for elastic is created at that seam. I was going to skip that part, but was pleasantly surprised at how nicely that little bit of elastic helps hold the upper bodice in place.

Here's the top inside out so you can see the elastic casings at both the shoulder and the midriff seams.


After hemming the bottom and the sleeves this baby was done. Super duper simple.

Of course the fabric was wonderful. A black knit purchased from Treadle Yard Goods (and from their remnant bin no less). It has a nice drape to it which works beautifully with this design.

I still have no plans to sew view A, but view C will be making an appearance as the weather begins to cool. Wouldn't it be great with a pair of jeans tucked into boots? Oh, and if you'd like to see what view A looks like, check out The Mahogany Stylist's yellow version.

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