May 2020 Fashion Sewing Club

Another great month of meeting via Zoom! We had almost 60 people attending over the three sessions. We saw many indie patterns and always get the question about copy shop printing (the big box stores can be very expensive and knowledge varies from employee to employee) so here are are 3 best ways of getting those Pdf patterns printed on something other than 8.5”x11” sheets that you have to tape together:

1. Look for the pattern on patternreview.com. If they sell it, they will give you the option to choose having it printed for about $5 when you add it to your cart.

2. Go to pdfplotting.com and send your files to them. It takes a few minutes to figure out how to navigate in your computer and files but the price and convenience are worth it. And you can call and talk to Keith and he will help you out. Shipping time is usually a few days.

3. Thomas Printworks, 801 2nd Ave. N., Mpls.-you’ll have to go pick it up but turnaround is quick and price is great. The online form can be hard to figure out so just call 612-374-1120 and get the email address to send your files to.

And now for Debbie and Kristin’s garments for May-we hope we can actually see some of you in June as stores are opening up but we will definitely be meeting by Zoom. We’ll keep you posted.

Material Girls Fashion Sewing Club

May 2020

Debbie’s Garments:

La Paz Jacket by Itch to Stitch

Navy Knit Blazer:

La Paz Jacket by Itch to Stitch

65% Rayon, 32%nylon and 5% spandex Ponte

1. I made a muslin first to determine fit changes and there were several- shortened between shoulder and bust, shortened jacket and sleeve length, adjusted for narrow shoulder and went down a size – I feel the pattern runs big.

2. This is PDF pattern which I try to avoid because I don’t like to trace and to determine lines and marks to follow is difficult.

3. The directions are excellent and a website is given to follow for welt pockets which is also very well done. The collar instructions are more difficult than necessary though.

4. The jacket has a back  lining shield which is very nice. However, I wish I would have drafted a lining pattern. It would have been easier and given a cleaner inside look.

McCalls 7351

Floral Chambray Shirt Dress:

McCalls 7351, View B with straight hem

100% cotton

1. Did my standard fitting adjustments and lowered front bust dart, added 1/2” to waist length and 1 inch to hem.

2. I changed order of construction, did a burrito roll for yoke and stitched rs of button band to ws of dress front for a clean finish  and no slip stitching.

3. I added a fabric tie belt to copy what I am seeing in RTW.

New Look 6439

Coral Floral Tunic:  

New Look 6439, View D  with View C neckline

Rayon Jersey

1. This is  a TNT pattern. This is my summer version. Winter is the only season I haven’t covered and I don’t want to think about that for a lonnnnng time!

McCalls 6964

Cut Apart T-Shirt:  

McCalls 6964

Green and navy solid rayon jersey, print cotton lycra from Art Gallery.

Saw this tee in a catalog and thought it would be cute and use up some of my scraps.

Kristin’s Garments

Palisade Pants
Pocket detail

Palisade Pants by Papercut Patterns

Chambray stripe

1. Pattern has a nice flat front waist and fun pockets-one pattern piece is heart shaped.

2. Lots of layers in pocket hide hip issues.

3. For my figure, the front waist was high but not a deal breaker.

4. Good instructions, fun to see how a stripe worked out with the pocket pieces.

Hudson Pant by True/Bias

Knit Joggers

Hudson Pant by True/Bias

Rayon ponte, very soft and stretchy

1. Omitted the pockets for the sake of bulk.

2. Pattern advises making a size up if you don’t want a tight fit so I did that.

3. Made waist band smaller by 2” to reduce bulk.

Camber Set
Added to the back yoke and back for rounded shoulder adjustment-you can see it very well with the patchwork pieces

SUMMER (?!) Dress

Camber Set by Merchant & Mills

Patchwork plaid cotton

1. Pattern features a bust dart that borders on a French dart.

2. Needed to do a bit of work on sleeves as they were quite slim but the armhole was on the larger size.

3. Also made the Scout Tee by Grainline and that had a flat sleeve with a close fitting armhole-so I went with Camber to get the yoke (made a rounded back adjustment easier) and used armhole from Scout.

4. Added back shaping darts.

June Fashion Sewing Club

Tuesday, June 9, 10:30, Treadle

Thursday, June 12, SR Harris, Burnsville

Saturday, June 14, Treadle

Saturday’s Sew and Tell

It’s been fun seeing new faces along with our regulars! And the new folks are jumping right in with garments they’ve sewn. Here are the highlights-

Several variations on Silhouette Patterns #719 DVF’s Blouse in a Liberty of London fabric-the courage it took to cut into the fabric! Yeah!!
V9057 for Mother’s Day gift
“Corona Virus Stash Buster Jacket” McCall’s 7100
Plain old pj pant (Simplicity 1520) looks awesome in a fun print with an added paper bag waist!
Talvikki Sweater by Named Patterns
Knit top from Love Notions may also be made in a woven
Janet Pray’s Create Your Own Sloper Tee
Lots of work goes into a pair of jeans-these are the Cashmerette Ames version
Beginnings of a summer wardrobe capsule in denim seersucker
Top is McCalls 7784 View C with great use of the fabric’s selvage
Shorts are Burda 6927 View A
Mimi G. Simplicity 8927 top and skirt in same fabric as above
Notice the skirt button opening is intentionally off center-Katie isn’t sure if that’s a positive or negative 🙂
Seamwork York Shirt in a woven

Thursday’s Club Inspiration

Another fun Zoom meeting with new faces and familiar faces-so much fun to connect and see what everyone’s been doing!

Last chance to join in is Saturday at 10:30-email me (materialgirlsewing@gmail.com) for link or go to calendar on website and click on link under Fashion Sewing Club event.

A new face for us in her cotton Vogue dress-side zip and sleeve length added.
Cashmerette Tobin Sweater
Vogue 7954 men’s shirt in handkerchief linen
Sleeve detail
Jalie Nursing Tee and McCalls 6996 Cardigan
McCalls 6964

Tuesday’s Club Photos

We had a great turn out with 26 people hopping on to our Zoom meeting-froze my iPad but the show went on!

Here are photos from sew and tell. It’s never too late to send photos-I will keep adding them to this blogpost.

Next meeting is tomorrow-Thursday-at 10:30. Anyone wishing to attend can email me for Club sheets in advance so you can print them out if you want.

The meeting link can be accessed here in the Calendar or email me and I can send it to you.

Thanks for staying connected with us!

Inspired by Artful Home (pic on door) using Vogue 9057 Marcy Tilton tee paired with Sewing Workshop Picasso Pant in wool seersucker from Treadle
Butterick 6633 -wonderful Katherine Tilton pattern in a knit from SR Harris with RTW leggings
Butterick 6026 in a beautiful but challenging linen print
Same blouse in a cotton print
Truly a TNT (tried and true) blouse and now you can see the distinctive darts of this Katherine Tilton wardrobe staple
Sew House 7 view 2 with sleeve pleats added and Textile Studio Loes Hinse Brussels Skirt
KwikSew 3036 view D
Hoping for summer with McCalls 8067 above and below
Jalie 3352 Dolman Tee
See pattern envelope below
Shown in gray above
Pattern shown below
Shown in navy above

May Fashion Sewing Club Dates

It’s that time again! Circumstances warranted a change in dates (just the Saturday one) so we’ll be meeting via Zoom on Tuesday, May 12, Thursday, May 14 and Saturday, May 16, all at 10:30 am.

Go to our calendar page for the links to the Zoom meeting. When it’s time for the meeting, just click on the link and you will go into a waiting room and be let in. It worked very well last month with 38 total attendees. If you’d like, send me an email or text and I can send a separate link directly to you.

You can wear your garment for show and tell or email me a pic and I will have it ready to put up during the meeting.

Happy Mother’s Day!!

Flowers or FABRIC!!

First Virtual Fashion Sewing Club a Success!

We started with ten attendees at our Tuesday Zoom meeting, ten on Thursday and then 18 on Saturday! We had new people, regular attenders and one unidentified iPHone 🙂 It was a great way for people to check us out. Everybody mentioned how nice it was to see familiar faces and talk sewing.

First, we’ll catch up on some show and tell and then you’ll see the Club sheets and photos of our garments. Looks like we may be meeting this way again in May so work on your skillz with Zoom and join us in May!

Itch to Stitch Cape Cod Capelet
Butterick Gertie 6563 and a very successful FBA learned at Treadle!
Using up small pieces and discovering the wonders of fold over elastic
Saf-T-Pockets Brief Escape Vest
Taking time to make a “fashionable” serger cover

And now Debbie and Kristin garments/Club sheets-

Material Girls Fashion Sewing Club

April 2020

www.materialgirlsewing.com

Debbie’s Garments:

Navy Vintage Shirt Dress:

Sew Over It Vintage Shirt Dress, View 1

Rayon Challis

1. Not sure I was into the vintage look so I made a muslin and did all my shortening adjustments between shoulder and waist and hip and hems. I also added 1 inch to waist length but removed that inch after the try on.  The upper body fit seemed a little boxy.  I feel it runs big so consider going down a size for bodice.

2. The pattern is easy and goes together quickly, especially if you adjust order of construction.

3. I made a fabric belt and used covered buttons.

4. I like the dress but will not make it again. I’m sticking to today’s current patterns.

Home Dec Jean Jacket:  

Butterick 5616, View B

Ink Bolt Ebony, 71%cotton, 12%nylon, 11% rayon

1. I have made this pattern before and was set to sew without any change to pattern.

2. I did change construction order and constructed collar before side seams.

3. The fabric is quite heavy so I limited the amount of interfacing – i.e. only interface half of cuff and band. I used a rayon lining for under collar.

4. I used all purpose thread and a size 16 needle for topstitching. My first choice would have been to use topstitch thread but none in my stash. Also as you can see I have buttonholes without buttons. The pattern calls for 3 buttonholes on cuff but I did two. I need ten 3/4” buttons for entire jacket and again none in my stash.

5. I added trim to back neck line collar. This pattern is a TNT but I do prefer the Janet Pray Islander System and her Jean Jacket pattern, especially for construction techniques.

Grey Stripe Ballet/Boatneck Tee:

Sew Over It Edie tee from Work to Weekend ebook

Cotton Jersey

1. This is a new pattern for me and I like the fit and neckline. I did do a lot of shortening and stabilized the neckline.  Other than that it went together quickly and is quite easy.

New Garments sewn with favorite TNT patterns used for the following outfits:

Grey Denim Jeans – Eleonore by Jalie, 78%cotton, 21% poly and 1% elastic

Panel Tee – Vogue 9065, View A, Rayon Jersey

Coral Blazer -Morris Blazer by  Grainline Studio, Cotton Stretch

Rusty Tee with Bow at Neckline – McCalls 6964, rayon Jersey

Plaid floral Pants- Vogue 1630, Today’s Fit by Sandra Betzina, rayon, nylon and spandex

Kristin’s Garments

Denim Jacket

Fit for Art Tabula Rasa Base Pattern

Assorted denims

1. Purchased the pattern and tried on their muslins for a first fitting. Wish I would have taken more time and a few pictures!

2. Pattern is based on a kimono with a square underarm and princess seams.

3. Pattern has horizontal fitting lines that work well to divide pieces for piecing your leftovers 🙂

4. Bust dart quite low (where are my photos from the try-on?) but it fits nicely with the underarm seam.

5. Looks like I need a rounded shoulder or sway back adjustment (centerback rides up and stands out) but I added a center back seam and topstitched it so hoped that it might go away with omitting the center back seam.

Peach Wool Jacket

Fit for Art Tabula Rasa with Shirt Variations

Very soft wool in gabardine (?) weave

1. This was my attraction to the pattern-she has done all the variations for you. First bit of advice-pin the variation right on to the pattern so you don’t accidentally cut out the base piece! So the front of the jacket is on the cross grain because that is exactly what I did.

2. I added 5” to the pattern to get a longer shirt jacket.

3. Moved the dart but opted not to mess with the center back.

4. Should have messed with the center back!

5. Stand up collar doesn’t stand up much so Debbie’s (Treadle’s) beautiful floral wool doesn’t show as much as I’d hoped.

6. Bust dart placement is better but I may change it to look like a typical Burda princess dart-short and in the right place with no relationship to the underarm seam.

7. Stay tuned for further variations.

Spring Tee

Fit for Art Tabula Rasa Knits Tee

Cotton knit

1. Made the pattern using same size as jacket. Happy that the drafting skinnied up the sleeve and overall worked well as a tee.

2. Neck shaping is a bit close at sides of neck but that is easily changed.

3. Threads featured a blue faux wrap dress (painted garment was the focus) that uses this pattern with the Clever Crossings variation.

Addendum-there were some drag lines coming from the center back neck on both of the Tabula Rasa jackets which would indicate a rounded shoulder adjustment so I gave it a try one more time in a woven quilt weight cotton.

Here is the amount the horizontal line went vertical (!) on the denim jacket
New and improved rounded shoulder adjustment!
And it doesn’t swing out at the hem anymore 🙂
Note to self: make a wearable muslin in plaid so you can see lines!

May 2020 Fashion Sewing Club

Saturday, May 7, 10:30 at Treadle

Tuesday, May 12, 10:30 at Treadle

Thursday, May 14, 10:30 at SR Harris, Burnsville

April Fashion Sewing Club via Zoom!

In an attempt to establish some normalcy, we hosted Tuesday’s meeting of Fashion Sewing Club on Zoom. We’ve been meeting as Sew Social the past two Thursdays to try it out-and see familiar faces.

You, too can be a part of these meetings by going to our website and clicking the link on the calendar. Zoom can be accessed on your computer or you can download the app for your phone or iPad. Send an email to materialgirlsewing@gmail.com and we will send a copy of the Club sheets so you can follow along.

You can also send photos of your garments to show or show them from your device during the meeting. There is no charge to attend.

Tuesday’s meeting was a big success-so good to see people! Katie Knoblach showed up with her Christine Jonson Easy Coat! We did miss having lunch together afterwards 😦

Katie in Christine Jonson’s Easy Coat

Here are show and tell pics. Kristin and Debbie’s garments along with the Club sheets will be posted after the Saturday meeting.

Be bold! Try something new-or come and lend your expertise-and show up on Thursday or Saturday! See and be seen!!

Bernie’s beautiful herringbone yoke
And herringbone pocket
And a peek of red Bemberg lining
Sewing Workshop Chateau Coat
Patterns for Pirates Grandpa Cardigan-not a stellar review but it looks good!
Cashmerette Fuller Cardigan and Concord Tee-favorite pattern company!

Thanks for the great photos, all! Find your happy place-SEW ON!

Making Covid19 Masks

Perhaps you saw the great Treadle Yard Goods/Sew Good Goods article on the 10 o’clock news and are already in production mode.


Here is a link to the Allina Health site that lists donation locations.https://www.allinahealth.org/about-us/newsroom/2020/allina-health-calls-on-public-for-donations-of-face-masks
Here is a link with printed instructions on how to sew the face mask:https://www.allinahealth.org/-/media/allina-health/files/mask-sewing-how-to.pdf

Sew Good Goods instructions are here.

But in case you haven’t jumped on the bandwagon, here are some sources and inspirational photos to inspire you:

And here is the YouTube link to an instructional video.https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=21&v=9tBg0Os5FWQ&feature=emb_logo
Also, Craftpassion.com has a pattern and a file for using a Cricut to cut fabric. That would be a great time/hand saver!

Test model who shall remain nameless-but thanks to Sew Socialites (our group that sews on Thursdays at First Sewing)

Sew forth and conquer and reach out to your sewing friends to keep spirits up!! Or send me photos and I will post here.

First entry-Loraine has finished 20 and says you can drop off at JoAnn Edina.

March Fashion Sewing Club

March Fashion Sewing Club

Kristin’s Garments

Assembly Line Cuff Top

Bubble Top

Assembly Line Cuff Top

Crinkly cotton

  1. Seam allowances vary from 1 cm-.5 cm marked on the pattern paper. I chose to serge seams and not topstitch so as to keep the bubbliness of the fabric.
  2. Neck is supposed to be a facing but added a bias binding instead.
  3. Sleeve elastic is 1.5” instead of the 2” called for in pattern. They also want you to serge elastic to raw edge, turn and topstitch. I made a casing.
Vogue 1665

Asymmetrical Top

Vogue 1665

Textured knit

  1. Fun to assemble and wear! Hip opening is wide enough for top to drape more than hug.
  2. All openings are hemmed seam allowances.
Burda 6498

Diagonal Hem Maxi

Burda 6498

Rayon woven

  1. Dress calls for underdress/lining that would mean 3 layers for the front. Instead I only lined the back.
  2. This made assembly more of a puzzle but it worked! No zipper needed.
  3. Armholes had to be bias bound because of assembly order.
McCalls 7561

Tee Shirt Dress

McCalls 7561

Rayon knit

  1. Shortened bodice 1.5” to keep it at MY natural waistline.
  2. Pattern calls for neckline to be hemmed-trimmed CF 5/8” and added band.
  3. Added bands to sleeve.
  4. Bodice seemed quite close fitting in photo so underarm/sleeve seam is 3/8” rather than 5/8”.
McCalls 7953

Debbie’s Garments

Faux Wrap Dress:  McCalls 7953, View A, Digital Kahio Indigo, 100% Rayon

1. Shortened  length between shoulder and bust which wasn’t difficult but also shortened dress length a total of 5 inches and it was difficult due to all the angles.

2. The pattern was annoying for the following reasons: difficult to determine which pattern pieces needed for each view, notches did not match up and the sewing techniques were awkward, especially for the faux wrap on right front. Ties sewed into seams would aid in fit.

3. The jumpsuit is appealing and I should have given it a try.

4. I do like the fabric but I think my choice does not have enough body for the wrap to stand out.

Vogue 1541

Navy Check Shirt/Tunic:  Vogue 1541, Today’s Fit Sandra Betzina , View A and B combined.

Double Gauze, 100% Cotton.

1. Went down one size in bust area, shortened length between shoulder and bust and did a narrow shoulder adjustment.  Shortened placket length.

2. Interfacing , pockets and bottom band were omitted.

3. The fitting and construction techniques are excellent, especially the center front placket. However the collar is a bit of a challenge.

4. One other great feature of her pattern construction is the recommended use of modern techniques such as the serger and Steam a Seam.

Sewaholic Oakridge Blouse

Sage Green Bow Blouse: Sewaholic Oakridge Blouse, 1502, View A, Brushed Stretch silk.

1. Shortened length between shoulder and bust as well as 2 inches hem length.

2. Straightened side seams slightly between waist and hip.

3. Added a hidden button placket – check out Susan Khalje in Threads #168, Aug/Sept 2013 for a great resource and  a few good You Tube videos.

4. I have been wanting to make this up for awhile to go with a wool blazer in my closet. I used a silk because I could not find a knit in this color. I am still looking for that knit!

April 2020 Fashion Sewing Club Dates

* Please note the changes made due to holiday

Thursday, April 9, 10:30, SR Harris, Burnsville

Tuesday, April 14, 10:30, Treadle Yard Goods, St. Paul

Saturday, April 18, 10:30, Treadle Yard Goods, St. Paul

New Tools to Try

A few of my favorite purchases from the Puyallup Sewing Expo are pictured and linked below. What are your favorites?

3M Micropore Tape
Use this instead of scotch tape to keep pattern tissue from wrinkling when you press the paper.
Amazon carries the Tape
Matte finish scotch tape
Glossy scotch tape is the worst
3M Micropore stays flat

Next up is a set of small rulers that are perfect for tracing patterns-Burdastyle patterns, here I come. I love to use rulers as I trace. My lines are so much more accurate. And there’s a plastic envelope 🙂 Again, Amazon carries these rulers.

Clover 3 Piece Set of French Curve Rulers

And last, but not least, the Hurth Ruler. It’s made in Germany and you can order it from Cochenille Design Studio. It’s great for measuring armhole depth, neck width, etc. Just so much easier than carrying two steel right angle rulers-which we used to do!

Lots of uses for this ruler!