My Sew Expo Wardrobe -- Four Days of Fashion

"What are you going to wear?"

Hand stitching on Vogue 8793

That is the question...

The question Marcy and I toss back and forth

before every trip or event.

For the Sew Expo at Puyallup I began by looking through my closet

to find favorite pieces made in the past year.

Then I stitched up some new pieces to enhance and fill in the gaps.

Inspired to sew and hit the 'refresh' button.

I'll be wearing black pants every day

made from Vogue 8837, Vogue 8859

and a new Butterick pant pattern to be released later this year. 

 (Pants are so hard to photograph well on a dress form --

you will just have to imagine them.)

I've been stitching up a plethora of t-shirts,

having a great time combining fabrics and sewing variations of Vogue 8793.

Many of them have twisted cowl neck treatments.

Must be the weather...

It was challenging to pick just four.

#1 Vogue 8793 with hand stitching

The stitching on #1 is too wonderful to cover up

with a vest or jacket. 

Nothing like some hand stitching

to create a perfectly contemplative evening.

#2 Love this Keith Haring fabric!

 #2 Vogue 8863 over Vogue 8793.

This Keith Haring cotton combined with William stripe

(and all my fabric) comes from Marcy's website.

Some are sold out but never fear

there's always more at marcytilton.com.

I'm not sure what day I will wear #2,

the wildest of my ensembles,

but I will be sure to have fun!

I added pieces around the lower edge of this t-shirt because

it needed more length and weight.

#3 Butterick vest 5891 over Vogue 8793.

#3 Detail of twisted cowl neck on Vogue 8793.

The marvelous digital print fabric used in this t-shirt

from Marcy's website is sold out (sorry).

The piece I used had a 'flaw'

(note the white line and collar contrast)

which made me very happy and gave me some creative design options.

#4 Another version of Vogue 8793 in dots and stripes.

#4 Vogue 8863 over Vogue 8793.

I know, I know. I'm wearing the same jacket twice.

I just love it so much! 

This great reversible denim-with-a-dot fabric is going to Puyallup with us.

If there's any left it will go up on Marcy's website.

Sews like a dream.

I made the jacket from Vogue 8863 with no lining and no lower sleeve.

Different t-shirt parts peeking out at the neck, sleeve and hem 

provide variety and change the look.

Collar detail of Vogue 8863.

Snap tape replaces the zipper 

and adds design detail.

If you are attending the Sew Expo please stop by Booth 830

and check out our beautiful fabric collection!

Plus you can see what I'm wearing in person.

Be sure to attend our Fashion Show on the Vogue and Butterick

Creative Closet every morning at 10:30AM.

It is sure to be inspiring and fun.

The show includes pieces by Koos van den Akker and Sandra Betzina

as well as Marcy and me.

Marcy has blogged about her Expo wardrobe too!

Happy stitching.

Butterick Premiere

I'm excited to be now designing for Butterick!
Change is good
and keeps me on my toes.

My first designs can be viewed in the Butterick

Spring-Summer Preview Lookbook

It came out today

 and I'm loving the color and the feel of Spring!

Butterick 5891

 This piece can be worn alone as a sleeveless top

or as a vest over a t-shirt.

It conveniently layers over or under the shirt/jacket

for extra warmth and style.

 This fabric was reversible so I used both sides.

The circles on the back seam match beautifully don't they?

I love it when that happens!

A little paint brightens up basic black.

 Washed linen version in a juicy color.

I just made myself an iteration of the jacket/shirt in black washed linen.

I will layer it over t-shirts or tank tops

as things warm up.

Butterick 5891

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Butterick 5881

Washed linen dress with asymmetrical hem

is layered with slits in the seaming.

Gathers nip the dress in at the waist

to create a flattering line.

Lace option adds a feminine touch.

I couldn't resist making this multicolored version

utilizing the washed linens in my stash.

Sometimes the amount of fabric on hand

helps make design decisions...

Butterick 5881

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here's what I've been making lately:

Butterick 5891 front

Butterick 5891 back

Marcy scooped this one right up almost as soon as I finished it!

Washed linen was discharged before the piece was sewn

and I used large snaps for closure.

Butterick 5891

This version was made in a double weave black silk

with vintage Paris buttons.

Butterick 5891

A chic 'jean' jacket

stitched in crushed denim 

with buttons from Paris.

 

Butterick 5891

This double sided fabric lets me get playful

and offers many design possibilities.

I really have to concentrate when I'm cutting

so I get 'right' and 'wrong' sides where they belong.

More vintage French buttons.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Leaving early next week to go work with Marcy at the big Sew Expo 

in Puyallup Washington, February 28th - March 3d.

We have some fabulous new fabrics

so if you are coming to the Expo be sure to stop by booth 830.

AND come to our Vogue/Butterick Inspired Creatives Fashion Show,

Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 10:30AM.

 

Happy creating!

 

Vogue 8863 - Erratum - Hem That Sleeve!

Hem That Upper Sleeve

 

Oops Vogue!

Much appreciation to my stalwart sewing friends

who let me know when something in one of my patterns isn't working.

I work very hard when writing pattern instructions

to keep things clear and as simple as possible.

Given how differently our minds process information

what I think is clear may not be clear to anyone else.

To say nothing about what the pattern company does

with the directions I send them...

Human beings doing their best and things slipping through the cracks.

 

When I get two emails about the same issue

I know something is really wrong.

A couple of people emailed me about finishing the sleeve on V8863.

Unfortunately in this moment I do not have the directions

as printed in the pattern envelope so I contacted Vogue.

They checked and sure enough

instructions for the sleeve hem were left out.

They are correcting this.

And in the meantime...

If you already have the pattern you might be experiencing

some frustration.

My deepest apologies.

And then, when I read someone else's blog

and they mention the wrong thing in total innocence -- Yikes!

Shams at Communing With Fabric

made a great version of this pattern as a vest.

In reading her blog, she mentioned a raw edge on the jacket sleeve!

Oh no...

Please -- hem the sleeve of this jacket!

I love raw edges

but it doesn't seem like the right finish for a jacket like this.

The lower sleeve attaches to the lining inside the jacket

so it hangs loose and free.

My plan is to make a black or grey denim version

of this jacket (with no lining or lower sleeve)

to wear at the Sew Expo in Puyallup.

I'll keep you posted on that.

Happy creating!

Adding a Pocket to Vogue 8748

 I love the coolness of this big shirt

on a warm day (coming to your neighborhood soon)

made up in a crisp cotton, a soft linen, or a fluid knit.

Or the extra layer of warmth when worn as a jacket

over a tank or t-shirt.

I will be wearing this shirt both ways.

 Fabric in this newest rendition

is a stunning digital print on linen,

many colorways available from Marcy's website, 

pre-washed of course.

 

I decided to add pockets,

as one of my students mentioned she did.

Thank you very much, pockets are so handy!

I created a new pattern piece, 8-1/2" x 7-1/2"

and wrote notes on it to help me remember what I did.

I added some length to the band on my pattern

so yours might be different dimensions.

 

1. Add a notch, 8-1/4" in from the side seam on the top of the band pieces.

(Adjust to your pattern piece's measurements.)

2. Stay-stitch 1/2" on either side of this notch and clip to that line.

3. Fold, press and top-stitch the band's seam allowance 

from the clip to the side seam to create a finished pocket front.

4. Finish the unmarked side of the pocket back piece and stitch to the front band.

5. Stitch the band to the shirt, treating the pocket as part of the band.

6.  Top-stitch the inside of the pocket seam before you top-stitch the rest of the band. 

Much easier to do at this point.

7. Reinforce the inside upper corner of the pocket with some stitching.

8. Baste the front and back sides of the pocket together

before stitching up the side seams.

 

 It is such fun to problem solve something like this

and who knows, I may do it differently next time...

For now -- happy creating!