Another Tried and True T-shirt - New Look 6402

Completed in 2022.

Pattern: New Look 6838 (from 2008, since reissued as New Look 6402)

Pattern Description: Knit tops with neckline/sleeve options and pull-on drawstring pants. View C.

Pattern Sizing: Size A (XS-XL) I cut a M (14-16) for the 40.5" bust and 37" waist finished garment measurements.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes.

Were the instructions easy to follow? Yes, very simple.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I love the wide neckline and the curved back seam which took care of the swayback situation.

Fabric Used: Cream chain link geometric double brush jersey knit (100% polyester) from Joann Fabrics.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: When I made this pattern the first time I had fitting issues and had to alter the paper pattern extensively. You may find that the top is drafted too long, the back pattern piece will be a full inch or so wider than the front, and the neckline is extremely wide and might need adjustment. When I use this pattern I now sew a larger seam allowance on the center back, I have added to the inner neckline on my pattern piece, and also eliminated 1.5" from the hem.

Noting that my other versions were now tight in the chest I created a faux full-bust-adjustment by adapting a technique from a favorite Kwik Sew pattern. The front piece is curved outward at the bust (adding more length/room there) and gathered to fit the back piece. Once worn, the bust fills out that excess fabric.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? I can not recommend the pattern as is since I had to do a major reworking of the original pattern. However, the one great thing about this pattern is that the back pattern piece included a shaped center back seam which has addressed any swayback issues. I suggest looking for similar patterns in order to create the best fitted t-shirt block that your particular shape needs.

Conclusion: I am happy with the custom fit I achieved on this make. However, I am always on the lookout for a t-shirt pattern with less effort. 

Navy Knit Bootcut Pants - Vogue 1663

Completed in 2022.

Finished garment photo coming.

Pattern: Vogue 1663 (2019) 

Pattern Description: Misses' Jacket, Top, and Pants: Pull-on pants have a self-lined yoke with hidden waist elastic and topstitched hems.

Pattern Sizing: Y(XS-S-M), ZZ(L-XL-XXL) I cut an XL, which was the closest to my measurements.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes, it did. 

Were the instructions easy to follow? Yes, very much so!

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? The yoke construction is similar to one from my favorite knit skirt, Butterick 6464. It is meant to have the convenience of a gathered waist without excess bulk around the waist and hip. I also love the slight bootcut shape of the pants leg.

Fabric Used: Navy cotton interlock (from a 2016 Hancock Fabrics liquidation sale!), Dritz 3/4" wide braided elastic, Gutermann 100% polyester thread in Navy #272.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: I decided to compare the leg shape to two similar patterns in my stash, Simplicity 1283 and Vogue 8963. I was initially going to make one of those and add the yoke from B6464. This just made it so much easier!

The instructions have you sew double seams, so I needed to first baste the pants together to see how they would fit. This is hard to see without the waistband, so I decided to leave them as-is, baste on the waistband, and then reevaluate them.

I pulled out the elastic template and noticed that the measurement for size XL was too long. Size XL should fit a 34"-37" waist, but the elastic length for XL would be 40." Ridiculous! The same formula was used for the other two sizes in the packet. I did not trust their installation method. Instead, I adapted the technique from Butterick 6464 and cut my elastic to my waist measurement, 36" (also the length Vogue 1663 said to cut for size L!). I cut off 1-2", making sure it could comfortably stretch over my hips. That was the right call.

Once the waistband was in place, I could evaluate the fit. The front rise was 1/2" too long while I would want to add at least 1/2" to the back rise, which seemed (exposing underwear when bending over) low. The width of the legs was fine, but the length was ridiculous, 3 inches too long! This means that the knees can't possibly be in the right place, so the shaping could be better, and this will need to be altered on the paper pattern for any future pants.

I noticed when I took the pants apart that the fabric had stretched. Choosing a cotton interlock for pants might not have been the most sustainable choice. I had to recut the side seams and even out the pants legs to the original length before I cut 1-1/2" off.

Like the XL waistband, I think the pant legs were too large (or stretched out) because I ended up recutting the legs between the size XL and the size L. I will also need to alter the yoke pattern, which I thought was too wide. Next time, I will also cut a size L.

I trimmed down 1/2" at center front, tapering out to nothing at the side seams. In future pairs, I will do the same and add 1 /2" to the center back piece.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? Yes, I would recommend this pattern for the pants even though I didn't use their elastic insertion method. I liked the use of a yoke to minimize elastic waist bulk and the flared shape of the legs. However, in my future makes, I need to use appropriate fabric and make alterations to this pattern.

Conclusion: These pants will be paired with McCall's 7254, a jacket I made in this same fabric five years ago! I had meant to muslin Vogue 1411 in this fabric instead. However, I'm still intimidated by that pattern, so instead, I've created a casual and cozy knit suit.

Everyday Dress - In the Folds/Peppermint Magazine

Completed in 2022.

 

Pattern: Peppermint Magazine Everyday Dress (2020) A collaboration with In The Folds patterns.

Pattern Description: Knee-length oversized reversible dress. One side of the dress has a soft v-neck, and the other has a round one. The dress features relaxed body sleeves, in-seam pockets, hem slits, and an optional waist tie belt.

Pattern Sizing: Sizes: (1-2-3-4-5) I chose size 3.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? It looks exactly like it!

Were the instructions easy to follow? Yes, very. I think a beginner could tackle this with a video tutorial for the hem-facing section.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I liked the simple design. It was also a quick make; I completed it in about six hours.

Fabric Used: 54" Linen-look fabric in Navy (55% linen, 45% rayon) from JoAnn Fabrics, Gutermann 100% polyester Sew-All thread in Eggplant #943

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: The pattern is meant for 58"/60" wide fabric. However, I used fabric bought initially for another project. It was long but only 48"/54" wide, so I had to cut the sleeves to size 1 sleeve length. They ended up perfect, right at the crook of my elbow. I shortened the dress two inches since it was drafted for a 5' 7" tall person. 

The dress is meant to be comfortably oversized, but I am two different sizes and was worried the hips might end up too tight. I marked out from size 3 under the bust to size 4 at the bottom. It worked. I might not have needed to do that (it only added an inch total), but I feel secure that this dress will last longer because of this addition.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? I can see more of these with different sleeves and hem lengths. Though the pattern was free, the instructions were thorough and easy to complete. I would highly recommend this pattern.

Conclusion: I am pleased with this dress and how quickly it was constructed. It's a relatively simple design, but the faced hem slits and the reversible nature of the dress elevate it. This dress could also be radically transformed using different substrates, colors, and patterns.

Wide-Strap Maxi Dress - Elbe Textiles/Peppermint Magazine

Completed in 2022.

Pattern: Peppermint Magazine Wide-Strap Maxi Dress (2021) - A collaboration with Elbe Textiles.

Pattern Description: A-line maxi dress with wide shoulder straps, faced side splits, and an elasticized back.

Pattern Sizing: Sizes (A-J) I cut out size F.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Exactly!

Were the instructions easy to follow? Yes, they were. 

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? It looked like the most comfortable but streamlined version of a summer caftan, but with some structure.

Fabric Used: 43" Robert Kaufman Essex linen blend in Crimson (55% linen, 45% rayon) from Fabric.com, Gutermann 100% polyester Sew-All thread in Chili Red #420, Crimson #347, and Dritz 1-1/2" soft waistband elastic.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: As the pattern was meant for a person taller than me, 5'7", I thought I would need to shorten the dress by three inches, but when I held the pattern up to myself, I liked the length. 

Even though I matched the pattern measurements, I was still scared of creating a dress that didn't fit, especially one made with French seams.  I held up the pieces at each step, checking to see them compared to my body. Once I tried on the basted dress, I was reassured that there was plenty of room for my hips and that the darts were in the correct location.

Looking at the written instructions, I thought constructing the slits would be difficult. This was warranted because when it came to the second pass of the French seamed sides, I wasn't sure how the side split would fit in and doubted myself. I ended up scrolling Instagram and enlarging every photo of other sewists' versions to see how their dresses looked in that area. 

Unfortunately, none looked as weird as mine, so I separated the seams and started over. I chose to sew it with a regular 1/2" seam allowance and use a faux flat-fell finish. This fulfilled the pattern's goal of a clean inside finish. 

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? Yes, I think I would; it's a great design. I can see sewing another one in a more fluid fabric.

Conclusion: I love this dress, but it had some fit issues. The shoulder straps were unwieldy and need adjustment, they slip all over the place. I need to add the bra strap holders (which were included in the instructions) and that will fix the problem. 

Pocket Skirt - Thread Theory/Peppermint Magazine

Completed in 2022.

Pattern: Peppermint Magazine Pocket Skirt (2020) A collaboration with Thread Theory Patterns.

Pattern Description: Relaxed midi-length skirt with a wide gathered waistband and oversized panel pockets.

Pattern Sizing: In sizes 6-28, I cut a size 18.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done with it? It looked exactly like the pattern picture.

Were the instructions easy to follow? Extremely. I was able to make this up in two evenings after work.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? Of course, the large, purposely droopy pockets were the draw, along with the gathered waistband.

Fabric Used: 52" Robert Kaufman Brussels Washer linen blend in Brown (55% linen, 45% rayon) from Fabric.com, Gutermann 100% polyester Sew-All thread in Chocolate #578, and Dritz 1.5" heavy stretch waistband elastic.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: The pattern was designed for a 5'7" person, so I immediately cut off 2 inches from the center front, center back, and 2 inches from the lower side panel. There is a line to shorten or lengthen where the pocket goes, but I could not figure out how that would work. As it turned out, I still had to remove an inch from the side panels after it was stitched. I assume this was my fault and my calculations were mixed up somewhere.

They suggest you cut it out on a single layer of fabric, so I used Easy Pattern paper to turn the half pieces into whole ones to make cutting them out easier.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? Yes, I would and will make it again. I also highly recommend this pattern to others. Why not? It's free, easy, and looks great!

  

Conclusion: The most important thing that came out of this make is that I love Brussels washer linen. The weight, drape, and feel make the perfect summer fabric for swishy skirts and cool breezy linen shirts.