Monday, February 29, 2016

Colette Laurel and M7053 (or the Monet Top)

At the New Year I made a couple of resolutions, one was to only spend $150 per month on sewing (we'll call that an aspiration, as I'm still working on it), and the other was to work out more days than not.  You may recall I made the same resolution last year for the working out, and it worked.  I do yoga, barre, or Wing Chun (Chinese self defense) at least four days a week.  Why does that matter?  On days I don't have a class scheduled, I tend to do yoga videos on youtube.  I'm currently slowly working through Yoga with Adriene's 30 Day Yoga Camp series.  Today mantra was I release.  This is a mantra that we can all use within our sewing, and our lives in general.  I release that my top is a Monet, so if you look closely you can see that the top-stitching is not great.  I release that I would rather get eight hours of sleep than make all the things I want to make.  I release that even though what I see in the mirror looks good, and I feel good about myself, the photos don't always say the same.
Now that we have that off my chest, let's talk about sewing.  Over the last week I've been working on M7073, a McCall's Archive top.  I got this top because of the interesting sleeves, for whatever reason, I have been totally loving the bishop sleeve.  Ha! you say, you can't hardly see a top with sleeves.  That's because during the making of the top, I was like woah, you know this would look awesome under a jumper.  Then since I work in a fancy schmancy office, I had to wear a blazer on it.  At least my blazer isn't black, right?  Alright, let's take a closer look at the top.
So, yeah, we won't look any closer than this, as this is a total Monet.  You would think I didn't know how to sew a straight line by looking at it.  My last foray into silk charmeuse was a breeze, but this time, my machine was not feeling it.  I really think my machine needs a good service, but I haven't found the Bernina dealer in Kyiv to service it.  Anyone know and want to let me know?  Once I got the top almost made, I questioned my judgment about those sleeves.  But I decided screw it, life is too short not to have an interesting sleeve! They not quite half circles gathered at the bottom and bound. Final details about the top, I made a size 12 graded out to a size 14 in the hips.  It fits rather well.  I love the seam detailing on the front of the top, I think I might make one without the bishop sleeves and the bow, maybe a v-neck that matches the angle of the lower v?
Here are the sleeves in action.  I am feeling very 70's working girl in this outfit.  I really enjoyed wearing it at work today.  The jumper is a sleeveless Colette Laurel.  I have made this dress a couple times before, but I think this is my favorite version, it is most definitely the best fitting one.  As I went to lower the darts, I had an epiphany, drop the shoulder to the front, rotate the darts to shoulder gathers.  No dart to deal with!  In the last year or so, I have come to love gathers acting as darts.  I am a pretty full busted gal, so that usually equals giant darts.  Giant darts equal weird points.  Gathers solves that problem.  It also solves matching plaid on the side problem.
Not to shabby, eh?  I made a size 6, with 3/8" seams at the bust and the hip.  This seemed to work well.  I usually need to narrow the shoulders, so I took 3/4" seams there.  I changed the neckline to a v-neck to accommodate the bow.  I also took about 1.25 inches out of the back neckline by folding it out on the pattern.  I have worked hard on my posture over the last couple of years, so I have less of a curve there than what is drafted.
I also cut the back on the fold, saving me the hassle of matching the plaid.  The pictures how that it might be a little loose over-all.  This was something I wasn't expecting, as the last woven version I made was a little snug.  I think I might put in front darts.  I am pretty pleased with the back darts.  They're fairly invisible. 
I finished the neck and armholes with bias binding.  The seams are serged.  The hem was super easy- I cut the bottom on a line in the plaid and folded up twice, using my glue stick to keep it in place while sewing.  I also did this with the hem on the shirt.  I should have used my glue stick a lot more on the top, it would have turned out cleaner.  Oh well, no one will be close enough to see the flaws.  I release those flaws!  Now, you may have noticed my little guy mimicking my poses in the pictures.  I take most the photos right when I get home from work.  Today, I pulled out the camera and asked my assistant (his brother) to help me, and he decided to show off his outfit:




Way better at it than I am.  What a cutie!  Well that's the end.  I need to get back to working on my plaid jacket.  I am sticking with the 70's theme and making a professor style jacket, with elbow patches.  This is my inspiration, but using the same plaid as the jumper, and turquoise ponte scraps for the collar (shaw) and elbow patches.  What do you think?


Vtg 70s Fitted Buffalo PLAID Boyfriend Blazer Professor Jacket Padded Elbows Patchwork Preppy Boho Mod Retro Kitschy Geometric Elbow Patch
Found here

I'll keep you posted.  Until next time, happy sewing!
 

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