Sharon Sews

I would much rather post pretty pictures of garments I am proud to have sewn. However, I posted earlier about the fitting problems I was having with the jacket from Butterick 4863 . Trust me, this is not how I envisioned this jacket would look! It is described as semi-fitted, appears fitted on the model and on the artist's drawings. This fit is so bad, that I even went back to my pattern to verify that I had indeed cut a size 12 like I thought I had! I gave up my quest to have this completed for my event yesterday morning as I realized it would take a lot of work to get the fit right. The sleeves are incredibly long, the waist is huge, the upper chest and upper back is too wide, the shoulder seam is too long and the armsyce is too low. In this photo, I have placed a 1/2" shoulder pad on my right shoulder (the left side of the photograph). It still doesn't take up the excess of the armsyce, and I had already sewn the seam 1/4" deeper than called for. I haven't give

The jacket is going together like a dream! All notches and small dots appear to match up well and it really is an easy pattern to sew. I still need to finish sewing the facing, add buttonholes and buttons, and hem the sleeves and bottom of the jacket. The snag I've run into is that the jacket is too big! In Butterick patterns, I typically sew a size 12 and make an FBA. That's what I did with this jacket and it is large. The upper back and upper chest area seem large, the unhemmed sleeves hang below my fingertips, and I've taken in the waist and hip seams. The pattern is described as semi-fitted and after getting this far, I would consider it loose-fitting. I'm not sure if it is the pattern, the fabric I choose (which has lycra), or the fact that I began an upper body weight workout routine six weeks ago and my body is changing. Tonight, I'll take it in where I can, complete the jacket and get the skirt put together. If all goes as planned, I can hem everything while

Okay, I just found out this afternoon that I need a black suit for a media event this Thursday morning. I want it to be somewhat trendy and flirty. Of course, there is nothing in my closet that will work. Well, that's not exactly true, but I'd prefer something new. So here's the plan. I need a jacket and skirt and I need it fast. I have two evenings to sew. (and that includes giving up watching Project Runway on Wednesday evening...) So tonight, once the after dinner clean up was complete, I dug through my stash looking for an appropriate piece of black fabric. Something with a nice hand - not too heavy, not too light. Something that would work in an unlined jacket and skirt since time is very, very limited. I found a lightweight black wool/lycra blend that has been sitting in the closet patiently awaiting the day it would be the chosen one. Today is the day. As soon as I choose it, I placed it in my washer on the Wool setting. (Note to self - preshrink fabric and mark it

I wrote a few days ago some thoughts I had about the new patterns released by Butterick for Fall 2006. I had written that the lines on this jacket pattern ( Butterick 4864 ) reminded me of a suit I had sewn in the early 1980s. Here is the line drawing for the jacket by Butterick. Look at the curved yoke and set in sleeve with a gathered cap, and short jacket length. Now, compare that to the lines of this Vogue pattern by Perry Ellis from 1982. The same curved yoke, short jacket length (minus the peplum) and gathered sleeve cap. And it is paired with a full, split skirt and a button front blouse with a drawstring neckline. I must admit that I absolutely loved this pattern. I made it from a lilac woven something (I can't remember what the fabric was. However, as a young and poor single mom with two kids I'm certain it wasn't anything extraordinary!) The blouse was from an almost sheer cotton voile in a small print that coordinated with the lilac. Come to think of it I may ha