Commencing a few more projects...

I finished a muslin for Petite Plus 104, the Shapely Shirt.It is a very well drafted pattern that fits almost without a problem. The sleeves are wonky though. I did alter the pattern with my usual shoulder alterations, and then I had to do three renditions of a muslin sleeve before I got it right. I have to select fabric and cut this out and sew it now. The thing about this pattern is that it is supposed to be for knits, but looks like a great woven top, so I am making it out of a woven material and even making the armholes a bit larger because of that. The ease in the pattern works for me, and I think it should work. We'll see. I added ease because the pattern illustration on the package looks like it is too small for the model. There is a terrific review of this pattern here. The review is by Debbie Cook, and her blog Stitches and Seams has even more! The only other news is that I am doing a few top secret projects for the holidays, or trying to get them together anyway! More to follow on that effort...OH, and I did acquire a new baby. Here she is, my new Elna 2100.She isn't really little, but she's the bottom line. Vertical bobbin, several nice stitches, and pink! And yes, the 2100 is the newer cosmetics and new number version of the 2110 I bought in Seattle last May. I couldn't resist when I saw this one on Sewing In USA online. Very well made stitches as well. I have purchased several front loading feet for her from Sew Vac Direct since then. She will take the front loading Janome feet. There is nowhere to get Elna feet around here, and since Elna is made by Janome, I purchased Janome. She came with an adjustable zipper foot (which was not listed as an accessory for this machine, only for the 2300 but came anyway!, a blind hem foot and a buttonhole foot for her very nice four-step buttonhole. So far I have a 1/4" foot, an adjustable buttonhole foot (new and sort of cool), a satin stitch foot and a teflon foot and have ordered a walking foot and a darning or quilting foot and an overedge foot. I am going to let her virgin run be on some of the projects for the holidays and I need that walking foot! I could use my Pfaff with IDT, but that machine hasn't got the stitch I need! My goodness, but the multi-machined home has that advantage!

Wool knit top...light and comfy...

Lutterloh 2008-58 is done. Although the graphic says #60, I used the long sleeved version. I am very happy with the results! I had two pieces of fabric. One cotton-Lycra and one wool-Lycra and both very lightweight tee material of nearly the exact same color. Being a bit afraid to cut the wool blend, I thought I was using the cotton blend for this top. As I cut it out though, I began to think I had the wool, and I smelled the fabric. Sure enough there was a clean but wool smell to it!The hand of this fabric is the softest and nicest and smoothest I have ever felt. After assembling the garment I was so glad I had used the wool! I bought the fabric at our late departed and mourned fabric store, and that will probably be the last of this wool-Lycra I see because if I get more I will have to order it online from a nice place like Gorgeous Fabrics, and I won't see it first. The wool blend was easy to sew, and the only thing I will try to do better next time is to make the neckline band even shorter so there is more stretch necessary. I always use the tutorial at Threads to do the neckline. I watch it every single time I do a neckline in a knit top! As to the pattern, I drafted the Lutterloh, then shortened the pattern and used my shoulder template as I always do, and cut it down to my shoulder measurements, which wasn't a whole lot of adjustment. I love my Lutterloh patterns! I can wear this top over a turtleneck for Winter or I can wear it alone in warmer weather. It does provide a lightweight layer of warmth. I will be sewing this pattern again, and may make it a bit smaller for wearing alone.

Lutterloh Silk Blouse part Three...The finale!

Finally this blouse is all done, and worn happily. It will probably not be worn so casually all the time, but it can go from casual to more formal with ease. Finishing it was a matter of buttons, cuffs and hem. Making the buttonhole on the collar was something I had wanted to do before I added the collar to the blouse,
but as it turns out the collar really needs to be in place first so you can get a fitting and mark where you want it. The cuffs were fun and rather work intensive, but they turned out nicely. I have a few ideas of how I can do them differently next time I make this sort of cuff. I used three layers of the silk for the collar and also for the cuffs as self interfacing.Working on silk was an experience I had not had in decades, and it was tricky but not as much as I thought it might be because it wasn't a slippery silk, but a crepe. As I wrote in the previous post, the Teflon Foot made a huge difference in the feed of the fabric, and made the sewing almost as easy as sewing cotton. For the most part, when sewing on silk you must do it right the first time because pulling out stitches can leave tell tale signs in the fabric. Ironing is not to be steam either. And I find that creases once ironed in remain in so caution in ironing is key as well. There is quite a lot of hand sewing that you should do with silk. I did the inner collar, the inner cuffs, and fastening the front facings to the shoulders and front seam by hand, and made sure the facings were anchored but not sewn tightly. I did machine hemming by turning up about 1/4" and sewing that and then turning up about 5/8" and sewing that. The blouse will be worn tucked in with a blousy style.

Lutterloh blouse part deux...

More on Lutterloh 2005-16. Silk crepe is a tricky fabric. Every now and then it wants to catch the needle and pull a fiber. However, after consulting my Betzina Fabric book and then my other various books, I chose to use the Viking teflon foot. It is hard to believe what a difference the teflon foot makes. No pulls, holds that silk and sews like a charm. I love my extra Husqvarna Viking feet. I know I have referenced them now several times in these writings, and they are all well worth the price. The Teflon foot came with my machine, but I would buy it in a minute if I had to. Now I am working on the plackets for the sleeves, then to apply the cuffs, buttons and finally the hem, and this will be a lovely wearable garment. Pictures of that last step will be forthcoming when all is done.