Ottobre 2/2008 Cross front top

Knit versions of the same cross front Ottobre pattern.  This was my last top.  I took it in an extra 1/4 inch on the side seams just through the bodice. I put the neckline in with a 2 inch wide fabric strip as you would a ribbing.  The shoulders I bound the edges 1/2 inch deep.  The white and pink knit below was my "muslin"  for the knit version.  It was a bit loose and the ribbing application for the armholes did not lay as nice as I would like.  Both bottom bands were not hemmed.  I just did not want the added bulk.  Thanks for looking!!

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I am on a mission to make some cool and comfortable tops for the Texas heat.  I pulled out an old Ottobre magazine and decided to try this top again.  I usually make myself a 38, but this pattern runs tight across the chest and the arms and neck gaped on my first attempt.  Maybe, I am just used to sewing knits that are much more forgiving.  When copying the pattern, I did not use seam allowances at the neck and arm holes because they were to be bound.  On the sides, I used 5/8ths SA because I needed that for the invisible zipper.  The rest of the top I used 3/8th SA. I have a link in the upper right side of this blog that goes to a "How to" video of my 3/8th SA ruler. To prevent gaping,  I zigzaged dental floss and slightly gathered the front criss cross about mid-chest down to prevent this top from gaping at the bra location.  On the armholes, I put a tiny dart at the level of my arm pit. It worked out OK, but I think I may have to rethink the armholes because the dart made a narrow curve and the binding was a bit tricky because of this.  Any suggestions would be welcome!  Thanks for looking!

Twinkle Sews: Love in the Afternoon

This pattern is from the book Twinkle Sews. I have no idea why I have made something called Love in the Afternoon for my 15 yo daughter.

This picture is of my "muslin".  My dd does not like pink and boy do I have alot of pink fabric from when she did love pink.  The dark pink is a denim and it is too heavy of a fabric for this pattern.

I eventually cut about 10 inches off the length because dd prefered this as a tunic instead of a dress.

 This fabric folding is not what the book explained it is something that I made up because my not so nimble brain could not figure out what Twinkle did.

This is the non-muslin.  I did not make this two layers like the pattern calls for because it is not possible to wear this top with any modesty without a cami underneath. So one layer is plenty with a cami and being in Texas. In fact, for more breezy comfort, Niki Biki makes a bandeau cami that is perfect under tops in the summers.

I wish this was not blurry because the origami is really cute the second time around.

She adores this top and wears it all of the time.

Kwik Sew 3617

Hi,
I made this tshirt for my mom.  I have now made this pattern 3 times and I have some changes to this pattern that may help out. It is a nice fitting t-shirt.  It is not too tight around the mid section.  This shirt is an XL and it is on a M dressform.  This is why it looks a bit baggy.  Mom would not stay still long enough to get a pic while she was wearing it.  Also, the shoulders in this pattern run biggish. The main changes/additions to the pattern directions that I recommend have to do with the neckband.
Pattern Step 2: Oh my gosh! Do not overcast the outeredge unless you like to see it growwwww. We'll fix that in step 6.
Step 4: The zig zag stitch is a much nicer understitch than a straight stitch.
Step 5: Use the 1/4" steam a seam (SAS) on the shoulders.  The fabric will play so much nicer when you stitch these parts together.
Step 6: Pin with the non-interfaced side on top....Believe me it is much easier! Also mark the neckband CF and CB as well as the body front and back.
Most important:  Press band seam allowances to the body, NOT the neckband.  The finished product is much smoother this way.  I SAS the seam allowances of the band layers together on the inside so that I can serge them. (Try not to catch the body in the stitching.)  Then I top stitch the neck band down.  On this tee, I used a zig zag because I think that is cute.

Overall, a nice top!

My first blog!

I am finally out in the blogoshere! Today, I am going to share my seam allowance survey. I looked through my stash and emailed a few companies to see what seam allowances they use. Part of the reason I did this survey, was to ponder and validate what I like to use as seam allowances. I am not sure any validating was going on, since it seams all pattern companies have their various reasons for using what they use. I personally love a 3/8th inch seam allowance; mainly because I have a serger and I do not need to do french seams. I guess if I wanted to do french seams, I would just get out one of those skinny quilting press bars and add the 1/4. Most people who use the european pattern magazines, such as BWOF, Ottobre, and Patrones have to ponder at some point which seam allowance length floats their balloon. My take is you probably want to have a little extra seam allowance room on all of the pattern lines that end up perpendicular to the floor (side seams) if you do not plan on doing a muslin and want to do some adjusting as you sew. However, I just find that my accuracy greatly improves if I am not battling all that rumply material (esp. on curves) to the right of the needle that you get with a 5/8 seam allowance. Small areas like collars and pocket edges seam to behave better with just a 1/4 inch seam allowance. Since 3/8ths is just a smidge larger and you do not have to think as much when you get to the machine. A standard wide serger stitch is 1/4" wide. The 3/8th" allows you to cut off the ugly edges a little. The 5 thread safety stitch ( I heart this) is exactly 3/8th" wide and presses so nicely to the side.

Drum roll for the survey.......

I’ll start with all of those that I found that predominantly use the 5/8″ sa. They are: Burda, Butterick, Christine Jonson, Cutting Line, Kwik Sew (some wovens), La Fred, LJ Designs, McCalls, Park Bench, Purrfection (Dana Marie), Saf-T-Pockets, Simplicity, and Vogue. I will add more as I find them. My personal favorite seam allowance is the 3/8” sa. They are: Hot Patterns, Jalie, Lingerie Secrets, Lois Hinse, Onion, Silouette, and Textile Studios. Next are the 1/2” sa pattern companies: Birch Street, Favorite Things, Folkwear, Grainline Gear, and Revisions. The companies that use the 1/4” seam allowances are mostly for knits (of course). They are: Ann Person, Kwik Sew (knits and some wovens), and Pamela’s Patterns. The add your own seam allowance companies are BWOF, Ottobre, Knip Mode, Patrones, Neue Mode and et cetera....