Pleats & Pockets -- Butterick 6459 & 6461

Nothing like a new shirt and pant to welcome Spring!

Even with the wet and gray

weather we've been experiencing

here in the northwest,

sewing with lighter colors and florals

brings on a smile.

Butterick 6461 Pockets Pant, cropped version.

Reminds me of what's to come --

flowers and sunshine.

Keep an eye on marcytilton.com 

for the great stretch wovens Marcy offers.

Butterick 6461 Pockets Pant.

The pants have two deep pockets

on the front leg which add a nice design detail
along with some practicality.
An extra deep hem
offers the versatility to wear the pant long
or to roll up the finished hem for a cropped look.

This top can be worn as both 

a shirt and a jacket.

Butterick 6459 Pleatback Shirt or Jacket.

It works alone as a shirt or as a 
jacket layering piece over a tank or T.

Butterick 6459 Pleatback Shirt or Jacket.

A multi-colored version was created

using different patterned taffetas. 

Pre-washed taffetas waiting to be pressed.

Washing softens the taffeta 

and pressing readies it for cutting.

Taffeta version of Butterick 6458.

Four different taffetas

were used in this version.

Buttons are vintage.

Fabric swatches on pattern pieces.

Always look for balance and harmony

in the design. 

One way to do this

is by shifting swatches around

on the pattern pieces.

Work with one side of the pattern

and then the other
when making design decisions.

In the photo above each pattern piece is ready 
to be cut singly in two different fabrics,
one for the left side and one for the right.

Curving pleats enhance the back.

 Pleats are marked on the inside 

& stitched to the outside.

I like to begin by stitching up every other pleat.

Then finish stitching 
the remainder of the pleats and press.

The yoke was cut double so there would be
more contrast fabric by the face.

The center front facing was trimmed off 
and tucked up under the the yoke lining/facing.

The yoke lining/facing pinned
and ready to be slip-stitched in place.

The yoke and collar crush softly around the face.

Pleats in the back yoke 
repeat the design element
and can be pressed up or down.

Back of the taffeta version.

Butterick 6459 (ignore what it says on the photo).

Happy Sewing!