Drafting a Cowl

So I have taken my bodice sloper and made a knit sloper from it. I used some old knits to try as a muslin and was happy with the fit of the knit bodice. So I placed that on tag for future t-shirts.

I worked through the lesson for drafting a cowl neck from my bodice sloper.  My first mock-up was pretty good but the shoulder seams were too far back by 1 inch.  I lowered the front shoulder seams and dropped my armhole a bit to make up for the 1 inch I took off in the shoulder and cut the changes straight away from the same mock-up knit fabric that is a lovely polka dot brown.

This seemed to work out quite nicely. I proceeded to turn under the armhole edges and sewed them with a small hem using a stretch stitch.

For the hem on the bottom I used some steam a seam to hold the hem in place I turned it up 3/4 inch. I proceeded to try out my twin needle for the first time. I loved the results!

My Juki can be set up for a coverstitch but it is such a hassle that I would rather use the twin needle.  If I sew lots of knits in the future I think it would be worth investing in a coverstitch machine.  Switching back and forth to serging takes such a long time. I did however serg my side seams in a pretty blue…..because that was the thread still in there from my skirt project 🙂

Overall I am very pleased with this pattern, there is a facing in the front and back so the neckline is just a soft fold over and it stays tucked in quite well, I made the facing 4 inches long in the front and 3 in the back.  I may try a double cowl for a more dressy top in the future or better yet extend my side seams down and make it a dress 🙂

 

The next thing I would like to tackle is following along with the course and practicing more dart manipulation but in a woven…..looks like I have to break out the muslin again 😉

Check this out!  The El Nino’s is moving through the pacific ocean in South California and the tuna is coming close to shore. This has brought 1000’s of bright red crabs that have got caught in the surf and washed up on shore  😦 Such is the cycle of nature. They where last seen on the shores in 1997.  Along with the crabs, and tuna come the great white sharks too! So I will not be swimming in there any time soon!

 

The Minaj Skirt

Can you guess why I called it the Minaj skirt and what do you know my first name is Nicki too lol.

I need a beeper when I walk backwards 🙂

Does this skirt make my ass look fat?? For once it’s not actually my ass lol.

I decided to go ahead and use the last cotton fabric I had bought to make my 3rd skirt.

I designed a long pencil skirt with a slit in the back, it has double peplums only in the back. I wanted to mimic the old Victorian ruffle back type of skirts that have bustles.  I found the peplums fanned out too much:

VS

So I further manipulated the fabric by rouching the peplums with clear elastic to get more of a “fluffy butt” (faux bustle) look. This skirt is also fully lined and has a facing waist band, invisible side zip and small clasp for closing. Sort of Victorian Retro meets Steampunk minus the gadgetry don’t you think? 😉

Here are a few more pics just for fun:

Ok hopefully I am done with that “bee in my bonnet” and I can move on to making tops with my bodice sloper!!

Happy Sewing 🙂

 

Bodacious Booty Skirt Design

I am having so much fun with skirt drafting designs. I love vintage patterns especially historical dresses that have back bustles. So this is my inspiration with this design I sewed it up in muslin to see if I would like it. The back peplums I could not put on the bias due to lack of muslin so the drape is not as good as it could be plus I couldn’t put them on a fold for the same reason.

I wanted to have a longer skirt but maybe too long? I will have a side zip in this skirt so I don’t disrupt the back peplums. I still have a back center seam on this dress because I wanted to have a slit since this skirt does taper down and is essentially another pencil skirt. The slit gives much-needed room to walk in this long pencil skirt design.

The peplum design line itself I think I will narrow so it doesn’t fan out so much in the back, I want it to drape down more but again it would have a better drape if it was on bias. I think I am just going to have a facing for this skirt or else it will be just another straight waistband.

So what do you guys think? Too corny? Or different and cute? What sort of fabric would you use for this skirt?

Here is a pic of another pattern I drafted that is sort of a mermaid type of design fitted to flared but I need 60 inch fabric for this to work as it needs to go onto the bias and it is also a long skirt.  I also drafted a circle skirt that is mid calf length and also puts me in the same fabric conundrum!!

Happy Sewing 🙂

How to Install an Invisible Zip

The easiest way to install an invisible zip is by working with your flat pieces. By this I mean putting in the zip before sewing any seams. Much, much easier! In fact I would even say it is almost fool-proof!

There is some prep work involved:

•  Prep your pattern pieces by serging or zig-zagging your raw edges.

Tip If you have a larger seam allowance like I do for the zip area you will have a small jog in your serged area like in the picture below. Just hit this little spot with some no fray.

• Interface your seam allowance where the zipper will be inserted on both sides of your pattern pieces:

• Iron your invisible zipper open. The tape should almost stand up touching one another. If it looks like this then you know you did it right:

• Mark your seam allowance on your fabric with a disappearing ink pen. Your zipper teeth will be lined up on this line:

• Now comes the fun part!! Put your fabric pieces in front of you with your invisible zip in the middle of the two pieces so you can visualize the process. Remember the invisible zipper tape is sewn to your fashion fabric right sides together.  So place one side of the zipper teeth right sides together on the line you just drew. Pin it well.  I like to place the top of the tape at the top of my seam allowance on both sides. This will guarantee it will be even when you zip it up.

• Bring this to your machine and sew down the one side with your invisible zipper foot:

• Now I like to place the pattern pieces together again and have your zip flipped over to pin the other side. Pin well and zip the zipper up just to make sure you have it twisted the right way!! Do this step…..don’t skip it….ask me how I know this

• so if you can zip it up and the panels don’t turn into a contortionist then you did it right. Now go sew that side too 🙂 Presto perfect!

• Ok we are not quite out of the woods yet. Now take your regular zipper foot and put that on your machine. We are going to sew the rest of this seam down. Place in your machine the fabric right sides together, hold the zipper tape out of the way as best you can and get inline with the zipper seams you just made. Adjusting your needle to follow down a few inches away from the zipper stop. Then you can put your regular foot back on and continue sewing your seam.

• Press your seams open and I usually zig zag the bottom of the zipper tape to the seam allowance, just catching it for a few stitches to help hold in place when you are zipping up the article of clothing. It helps to anchor and provide support for the zipper.

• Thats it! Ta da your done!