j.kaori designs

Love Claire Shaeffer's Revised Couture Book

2012-01-29T06:40:00.000-08:00

I finally received my copy of Claire Shaeffer's revised Couture Sewing Techniques. What a wonderful book! In addition to including a concise history of couture, the book showcases many wonderful techniques -- clearly outlined and easy to follow -- that I hope to incorporate in my sewing. A must for your sewing library!

Image from here.

120 Years of Vogue Magazine: Now Archived for the Public

2011-12-10T05:58:00.001-08:00

Like many of you, I've been a reader of Vogue Magazine for many years. While I only keep the September issues now, I love being able to pick up an old issue and be inspired by the gorgeous images.

Image from here.

It looks like Vogue is making available, to the public, its entire digital archive -- from 1892 to the present -- for an annual subscription fee. What an amazing resource! Here's a link to the article, which quotes designer Narciso Rodriquez: "You get to see life, women, the time -- you see what life was like."

Celebrating 10 Years

2011-11-06T08:15:00.000-08:00

We celebrated our 10-year wedding anniversary this weekend. So surprised to see this beautiful bouquet waiting for me! The weather here has been cool enough that I even wore my Faux Fur Coat to our celebratory dinner. I felt very special and supremely glamorous!

Amineko Crochet Buddy for Simon

2011-11-05T08:43:00.000-07:00

Just a quick diversion here. I saw this pattern for an amineko or crochet cat -- and had to make one. Not sure if Simon really likes it, but he at least tolerated it for the photo op!

Ready to Tackle a Coat

2011-10-30T07:41:00.000-07:00

Thank you for your lovely comments on my pillow covers. I'm still making them, as I have many more pillows in need of covers, but I miss making garments! So...

I love coats, but to sew one requires a significant commitment of time, energy and patience. Perhaps it is the change in the weather (or perhaps it is because I finally found a fabric that will work for this pattern!) -- but I'm finally feeling up to the task of tackling a coat project.

I've had my eye on this pattern for more than a year now. It is from Burda's September 2010 issue (I love that issue):

I finally have the fabric -- a great wool flannel coating in a dark charcoal gray that doesn't photograph very well. And I just received my first order of interfacing -- including the new sew-in hair canvas -- from Fashion Sewing Supply. I've been reading Pam's blog for quite a while, but it was SunnyGal who mentioned to me (and was so generous to give me samples!!) that the interfacing was fantastic -- so I had to give it a try.

I'm looking forward to giving this one a go!

Home Dec Diversion - Pillows

2011-10-16T13:20:00.000-07:00

Home decor is definitely not a strength of mine. I don't really get overly excited about making pillows, throws, runners, tablecloths, etc. Just not my thing. But, sometimes you need them, and when you're too thrifty to spend for something that could be made quite easily...

So far, I made two pairs of pillow covers. One pair was knit using Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick and Quick, a super chunky yarn that requires size 13 needles. One is just a plain garter stitch and the other is a 2x2 basketweave-type of stitch. Both have zipper closures and are machine-washable.

The other pair is a patchwork-type of design using scraps of kasuri fabrics, which are Japanese ikat-woven fabrics. I have a large stash that I received from my grandmother. I made a quilt with some of them, and now the scraps have turned into pillow covers. The red stripes are scraps of bias silk charmeuse that I stitched on after the kasuri pieces were sewn together. I think my grandmother would approve!

Curved Seam Dress Finished -- An Expensive Muslin

2011-10-09T09:49:00.000-07:00

It's amazing how when you identify something as needing to be "last-minute", it takes the longest time to complete. I didn't finish the Curved Seam Dress in time for the event -- just ended up wearing a plain old black outfit -- but I'm glad I finally finished it. The pattern is from the September 2010 issue of Burda.

Why am I calling it "an expensive muslin"? Because the fabric was expensive -- the silk dupioni was pricey (they've really increased prices at Thai Silks) -- and because this was the messiest bit of sewing/fitting I've done in a long time. I'm usually very careful about finishing seams, clipping threads as I go along, etc. But for this project, I ended up having to do a lot of fit adjustments along the way, and with the time constraints, I just kept moving forward. The sloppiness of the construction (and the need for further fit refinements) makes this a muslin in my mind. I like this dress and want to make it again -- but will be more careful with the construction process.

Some thoughts on this dress:

1. The pattern was drafted for knits but I made it in a woven. To do this, I didn't need as much ease as I thought I would. I just needed some room in the bodice (between bust point and waist). The tricky part was figuring out where to put the zipper. The original pattern doesn't have a closure. I decided to put it along the vertical seam in the side/back and run it up on the diagonal to the underarm. This worked well. I drew a line from the underarm to the waist/seam intersection, cut and added the appropriate seam allowances and grainlines.

2. The hem is tapered and tight for a woven fabric, so there needs to be some sort of vent to allow walking ease. I ended up just putting in a simple vent along one side. For a sexier look, you could leave slits on both sides.

3. Achieving the right fit is critical for this style. Given all of the seams, it is best to really get the initial muslin right and then move on to fashion fabric. I employed the "quick and dirty" technique, which ended up requiring a ton of fitting adjustments in fashion fabric -- not pretty when you're working with fray-happy fabric like silk dupioni!

4. The silk dupioni required underlining, so I hand-basted each piece with silk organza.

5. The dress actually looked great without the sleeve extensions, but I wanted to see how it looked with them. At first, I left the bottoms free to see how they would look -- I was told I looked like I walked out of a Star Trek episode -- so I tacked them down (per Burda instructions). They are ok, but I may take them off next time.

This is a good dress pattern. When you take the time to refine the fit, I think it is very flattering and definitely works in a woven fabric.

Not-So-Last-Minute Dress Progress

2011-09-25T06:57:00.000-07:00

First off, I want to thank everyone for sharing their thoughts on dresses from my previous post. Like many of you commented, my first choice was the first dress as well -- the lines are so pretty and because I made the skirt version, I know that it is relatively easy to sew (despite all of the curved seams).

Unfortunately, I had a couple of problems with this pattern. It is drafted for knits, and I don't think a knit dress would be the most appropriate choice for the occasion. Also, for some strange reason, I had my heart set on making a silk dupioni dress (hence the trip to Thai Silks) -- regardless of the pattern. So I decided to make a go of it and try to convert the pattern into one for wovens. After spending the last few days working out a muslin, adding ease, figuring out where to put a zipper, etc. -- I realized this isn't really much of a last-minute dress anymore!

Here's the muslin, made up without any alterations to the original pattern. The curved seams on the skirt are puckering --- I think I must have stretched the bias as I sewed, which is why it is pouf-ing in all the wrong places. As expected, the dress is tight in most places, so I added ease all around.

I've been unsure about this dress for days now, and while I'm really not sure how this will turn out, I've decided to move forward. I have a ready-made back-up dress in case things don't turn out with this one, but I'm determined to at least see this through!

Help Needed With Last-Minute Dress Project

2011-09-14T20:57:00.000-07:00

This is critical, guys. I have an event in a couple of weeks and I am having one of those "I have nothing to wear" moments. A dress would be most appropriate, as it will be outdoors in the late afternoon/evening by the ocean -- but I'm not sure what to make. I have a couple of ideas below, but any other suggestions would be appreciated. I'm planning to hit Thai Silks on Saturday! Thank you!

How about something like this?

Or this from the August 2009 issue of Burda?

Artistry in Fashion Event on Sept 24

2011-09-10T06:57:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again! If you are in the San Francisco Bay Area on September 24, don't miss the Canada College Fashion Department's annual Artistry in Fashion event. In addition to the open house and fashion show by Lyla Messinger, a must-see is the Designer Sale and Showcase -- a great venue for browsing and purchasing creative, hand-crafted items, many created by local designers and artisans. Hope to see you there!

A Shear With a Story

2011-09-03T07:36:00.000-07:00

Thought this was an interesting blurb on NYT: the shears behind the designers. I love the back-stories because they convey how important and treasured these very utilitarian items are to people who design and sew.

I currently use a pair of Gingher shears with no back-story other than they were purchased at Joann's and have a pink ribbon on the handle so they wouldn't get lost in a class. But, I remember my grandmother had a pair of pinking shears that were nearly as scary-looking as the pair owned by Brian Wolk and Claude Morais. As a child, I was fascinated with them because of the jagged edges and the fact that they were a menacing steel gray -- very industrial-looking. I'm not sure where they are now -- probably somewhere in my mom's house -- but I guess that pair would sort-of qualify as a "shear with a story".

Getting Closer to Working on Projects Again

2011-08-20T06:56:00.000-07:00

I can't believe how long it has been since I last wrote! It has been a busy summer -- we moved into a new house, sold our old one and finally finished decluttering and moving our assortment of "stuff" to the new place. It has been a dry summer as it relates to sewing and knitting, but a very fruitful one for DIY home projects, including painting. Here's my sewing room, transformed from a bubble gum pink to a soothing blue-gray. Thanks to Simon for helping out with the effort!

I still need to organize the room, but I'm looking forward to getting back to some fun projects soon!

Directives from House Stagers Mean No Sewing

2011-06-18T06:18:00.000-07:00

Times have been hectic in our household, as we bought a house and are now in the process of selling our current home. It's exciting, exhausting, scary and fun at the same time -- what a mix of emotions!

We spent days de-cluttering the house so the stagers could take over our home. It is clean. It is sterile. And we have been charged to keep it this way until a sale is made.

My sewing room is very "arranged" but not really inspiring these days. There are no random threads or fabric scraps to be found. But, one fun thing happened -- the photographer who shot our house took photos of Simon as well. She was generous enough to send us a photo with different poses of him added to the room, thanks to photoshop. Simon has been cloned -- at least digitally!

Can't wait to move!

Batik Shirts: Too Matchy-Matchy

2011-06-11T07:11:00.000-07:00

We had a great time in Hawaii -- a brief but much-needed break from reality!

While I was proud of making the matching shirts, it was highly uncomfortable posing in them -- together -- for this photo. Needless to say, we only "matched" for a few minutes -- I think the beach staff thought we were crazy!

Aloha

2011-05-28T05:11:00.000-07:00

I just finished two easy projects -- tropical shirts for our upcoming trip to the Big Island of Hawaii! I used a batik-y fabric purchased on our last trip and faux coconut buttons for him and shell buttons for her.

I'm not sure if we will be brave enough to wear them together -- talk about matchy matchy -- but they will be fun to wear!

Balenciaga Exhibit in SF is a Must-See

2011-05-07T07:18:00.000-07:00

A week ago today, a group of us who live in the San Francisco area spent a wonderful day with Cristobal (Balenciaga, that is -- or more accurately, his fabulous garments) at the de Young museum in Golden Gate Park.

It was so fun to meet fellow sewing bloggers and enthusiasts and share the experience of viewing exquisite works from a master designer. It was even more fun to learn more about each other during a leisurely lunch! From scrutinizing construction details like darts and seamlines (highlighted with a mini flashlight -- until security called it a no-go!) to admiring the range of inspirations -- religion, fishermen, matadors -- that informed Balenciaga's designs, I felt the day was enriched by sharing it with others who love sewing and fashion as much as I do.

Photo from here.

Beth of SunnyGal Studio, Sharon of Communing with Fabric, and Jillian of JillyBeJoyful have wonderful posts and photos from the day. It was also great to meet Rose of Needles, Pins, Thorns, Jennifer of Sew What?, Sydney, Natasha and Andrea (we missed you for the group photo)!

If you are in need of summer plans, come out to San Francisco before the exhibit closes on July 4!

Balenciaga at the De Young Museum: Set for April 30

2011-04-24T06:48:00.001-07:00

We're on for April 30 to catch the Balenciaga exhibit at the De Young museum in San Francisco!

I received a couple of comments about possibly joining the meet up but wasn't able to get in contact -- we don't want to miss you, so if you are still interested, please send an email to jean@jeankaori.com.

Looking forward to it!

Finally Moving Forward: Python Parka

2011-04-17T07:54:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it has been a few weeks since I've blogged or even sewn anything! I managed to bring back a bug from a business trip and finally, after a couple of weeks, am on the road to recovery. This was a particularly tough illness to shake, but I'm glad I'm on the mend. Now I need to catch up with all of my projects and blog-reading!

I actually made great progress on the Python Parka before the hiatus -- all of the pieces are cut out and ready to be sewn. I even received my extra long 2-way zip from Zipper Stop!

The fabric is a lightweight polyester with a slight crinkly texture to it. It may be difficult to press, so I may use flat felled seams for this project. I love the python print!

Here's the pattern, which is from the January 2009 issue of Burda Magazine. I decided to take the collar of the first one and put it on the body of the second. Both images from here.

I really like the gathered collar detail of the longer parka, but didn't want something so long. I also like the gathered detail on the sleeves of the shorter parker. The pattern pieces are the same for the body, so it should be easy to swap out the collars.

Ruffle Trim Diversion

2011-03-27T07:55:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, I do a lot of knitting as well as sewing. I found this amazingly unique "yarn" recently that turned into a very cool short scarf.

The yarn is really a lacy ribbon that, when knit through the edges, turns into a wonderfully ruffly concoction.

I just made a simple scarf to test the yarn, but it can be used to create a wonderful edging that can be sewn onto necklines, cuffs, etc. Fun stuff!

Planning A Field Trip - Balenciaga in San Francisco

2011-03-18T20:10:00.000-07:00

The much anticipated Balenciaga and Spain exhibit opens on March 26, 2011 at the De Young Museum in San Francisco. This exhibit has been on my "must-see" list for quite a while --- and I was so thrilled to learn that someone else was just as excited about it --- Beth of SunnyGal Studio!

We determined that there must be other like-minded fashion/sewing enthusiasts who would like to take a field trip to the De Young. The construction details, silhouettes, embellishments --- the inspiration will be tremendous. And it will be so fun to share our experiences and impressions!

As Beth mentioned in her post, we have a tentative date of Saturday, April 30, but it isn't set in stone. The exhibit runs through July 4. Let us know if you're interested in joining us!

Image from here.

Thank You and the Python Parka is Next

2011-03-13T06:45:00.000-07:00

Thank you for all of your lovely comments about my Trench Dress. I haven't had a chance to wear it yet, but I hope to soon. Interestingly, when I tried it on, my husband thought it looked better worn as a coat and had a difficult time seeing it as a dress. It must be the trench details --- it is such an iconic coat style.

I forgot to mention that I purchased the Trench Dress fabric from Emma OneSock, one of my fave online resources for unique fabrics --- and one that is familiar to many folks. I recently purchased this interesting python print fabric from EOS. It is polyester and has a wrinkly texture to it --- perfect for one of those Burda parkas that I've been wanting to make for the last couple of years.

Up next ... the Python Parka!

Trench Dress: Finished and I Love It

2011-03-06T18:57:00.000-08:00

At long last, the Trench Dress is finally complete! Unfortunately, I wasn't able to model it today, so I'll have to follow up with another post.

Fabric and Notions
My fabric, which is a wool blend with metallic stripes and some fuzzy chenille-type stripes, is more drapey than crisp, so I thought it would be perfect as a dress. In fact, it was kind of difficult to work with because it shifted a lot and seemed to stretch out of shape easily --- not particularly stable. For the lining, I chose a bright blue china silk from Thai Silks (love that place!).

I used a fusible interfacing for the collar, stand, fronts, belt, belt loops, epaulets, pockets and all hems. The buttons, which are a combination of matte and shiny black, are from Stonemountain and Daughter Fabrics.

The buckle was a challenge to find. I couldn't find anything suitable at a local store, so I ended up going online and found a great recommendation on Pattern Review for an unexpected online source for a leather-wrapped rectangular buckle that worked perfectly! They were great --- ordering was easy and the buckle arrived in a couple of days.

Mistakes that Became Design Elements
As often happens, unexpected mistakes arise. For this project, it was the instability of the fabric that led to my concocting an unplanned for design feature. According to the pattern, the back yoke (storm flap?), which comes to a point at CB, is just turned up and hemmed/topstitched. I should have paid more attention to what my fabric was speaking, because I tried that with my fabric, and it turned into a wavy mess. Of course, I didn't have enough extra fabric to re-cut the piece, so I decided to just trim off the wavy section and use bias binding to add some stability and length. In hindsight, it would have been best to line it with a thin fabric (like the lining fabric).

Remember the issue with the back pleat? Well, I'm so glad I got rid of that extra fabric! There would have been too much weight and volume in the back if I left that pleat there. I could have done what Mary Nanna did, which was to stitch down the pleat until the waist and let it loose, but because of my fabric, I don't think the pleat would have been very crisp or attractive.

The sleeve hems have a new design element because I forgot to add enough of a hem allowance to the pattern! I ended up adding a 2-inch wide band to the hem (interfaced), which actually looks pretty nice --- might work well to cuff up the sleeves for a different look.

Pattern Thoughts
This is a great trench coat pattern that includes all of the expected elements. One thing I thought was cool were the "pockets in the darts" --- pockets are sewn into the front darts and covered by the pocket flap. Clever!

Overall, I'm pleased with this dress/coat. As others have said, the trench styling has so many details that it really becomes a labor of love to finish one. That said, I would definitely make another one of this pattern (minus the back pleat) using a more coat-appropriate fabric. Love it!

Trench Dress: Needed a Muslin

2011-02-21T19:05:00.001-08:00

I'm usually very good about making a muslin to check the fit, style, etc. For the Trench Dress, I took a shortcut by just using my moulage to check the key measurements and then dove right into the fashion fabric.

All was well, until I reached the point where I sewed the shoulders and side seams, tried it on and noticed a huge amount of volume in the back due to the inverted pleat down CB. The pattern calls for a substantial pleat --- nearly 7 inches in width total --- and even though it was basted closed, I could tell it would be way too much volume once it was opened. In addition, my fabric is more drapey than crisp, so the pleat would be less defined (and therefore more apt to spread). After spending a moment wishing I had made a muslin, I decided to move forward with a quick fix. I decided to cut away the pleat and sew the CB seam closed. The fit is much better --- a more streamlined look.

Signe Chanel Documentary Series --- Wow!

2011-02-19T07:21:00.000-08:00

The five-part Signe Chanel documentary series was made in 2005 --- ages ago! --- so I'm sure most fashion-focused people have seen it already, but I just caught it last night on the Sundance Channel. Wow! I loved the "inside look" at how the 2004/2005 fall/winter couture collection developed from sketches to final runway show. The personalities, the little workroom dramas and the mounting anxiety that you could actually feel as the runway show neared --- not to mention the garment construction scenes --- really made this a must-see for me. I especially loved the braid maker --- she was a hoot! It was amazing to see how she made the braid/trim for the iconic Chanel jacket --- she unraveled the fabric used for the jacket (by hand --- no machines here) and re-wove them into a braid using a hand-crafted loom her brother made for her years ago. I was inspired.

Carolina at New York Fashion Week

2011-02-15T06:09:00.000-08:00

I can't get over this jacket. I love it. It's from Carolina Herrera's Fall 2011 collection. The capelet neckline and color are amazing.

Image from here.

Trench Dress: A Flash of Blue

2011-02-14T05:48:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

Thank you for your thoughts on the J. Crew skirt. I think I will definitely attempt a slightly longer version using either the BurdaStyle pattern or the Patrones one (thanks Shelagh and Gail!) as a starting point or just drafting one from my moulage. I'm motivated!

But first, I need to finish the Trench Dress I started at the beginning of this year. I made good progress this weekend. The welt pockets are interesting because they are incorporated into the darts in the front of the dress. Here are the line drawings:

Image from here.

For fun, I used a blue china silk for the pockets --- a flash of blue! The dress will be lined with this same fabric, which I think will jazz up the gray/black plaid.

J. Crew Skirt Diversion

2011-02-12T20:41:00.001-08:00

The Faux Fur Coat has long been completed --- and I need to get back to my Trench Dress, which has been languishing --- all cut out and ready to be sewn. But, as often happens, diversions occur. And today, I had one of those moments at the J. Crew store. I saw an interesting skirt --- I think they call it a lantern shape --- that completely transformed when I tried it on. Here's a close up:

Image from here.

On the hanger, I thought the pleating looked interesting and was curious to see how the pleats would look on a live body. When I tried it on, I absolutely loved it. The skirt transformed into a very cute and surprisingly flattering bubble shape.

Image from here.

I was torn. I really wanted to purchase it, but there were a couple of reasons why I walked out without it:

1. Thoughts of "I can make it!" entered my head and prevented me from shelling out nearly 90 bucks for a cotton skirt.

2. It pains me to say this, but it's kind of short for a 40-year-old...

I'm wondering if the skirt could work in a slightly longer length --- maybe to just above the knee? If so, I think I could draft the pattern for this one. Any thoughts would be appreciated!

WSJ: Bespoke Suits

2011-02-02T06:24:00.000-08:00

If you're interested in tailoring, here's an interesting article in the WSJ about getting a bespoke suit that fits well. It's all about the shoulders --- check the space between the shoulders and the location of the seam joining the shoulder and the sleeve.

Learnings from the Faux Fur Coat

2011-01-29T17:25:00.000-08:00

With the recent popularity of faux fur projects, there are a lot of great resources for how to sew with this fabric type. I thought this resource was particularly helpful, because it has photos and clear instructions. Here are some additional learnings --- for my own future reference, but also for others who may be interested in sewing their own faux:

1. Choose a pattern with simple lines and minimal details. I used a pattern that was specifically drafted for faux fur, which was great because it had raglan sleeves (no sleeves to set in); minimal seams to sew; and a straight collar (no notched collar). Closures such as snaps or hooks would work best.

2. Determine the nap and make sure all of the pattern pieces are cut with the correct nap. Faux fur has a specific "direction", so it is important to make sure every piece is facing the correct way --- all of the fur of each piece is running in the same direction.

3. Cut each pattern piece in a single layer. Even if you are using a short-pile fur, it is much easier and more accurate to cut each piece from a single layer.

4. Use a good chalk marker to mark the wrong side of the fur. I used the Clover brand marker (in yellow), which worked well for me. I marked all of the notches and seam lines to make it easier to sew.

5. Cut from the wrong side of the fabric and cut only the backing --- do not cut the actual fur fibers. I made the mistake of cutting through the fur, and it made a huge mess. In reading about others' experiences, I guess the huge mess will come about regardless, but I'm sure it will be minimized if you just cut the backing fabric.

6. After stitching, trim the seam allowances. This is tedious, but it is well worth the work, as it reduces bulk and leaves a clean finish.

7. Check the right side along the stitched seam for any "sewn in" fibers. Use a blunt darning needle or thin knitting needle to pull out any of these fibers.

It's a fun project --- definitely worth a try!

The Faux Fur Coat: Finished in Time for a 70-Degree Day!

2011-01-23T13:57:00.000-08:00

The final snaps are sewn in and the Faux Fur Coat is finally finished! Of course, I would finish it on the one weekend that has 70-degree temps and sun! Oh well, I still love it, even though I can't really wear it out today.

I used pattern number 101 from Burda Style's October 2008 issue, which was drafted for faux fur. It was simple to sew (raglan sleeves and straight lines) and a perfect style to show off a fabulous fabric. The only pattern changes I made were to shorten the total length by about 2 inches and turn the sleeves into 3/4 length (the pattern is for elbow-length sleeves). I opted to exclude the top snap (the one that goes just below the collar) because I doubt I would ever snap it all the way up. Looking at the photo, I may add one more snap to the bottom.

Here's a shot of the lining.

Despite the drama of the flying fur, I absolutely love this coat and am really pleased that I gave faux fur a try. I was truly inspired by all of the faux fur projects that I've seen on other blogs recently, and actually built up the courage to try it out because of the experiences others have shared. Thank you! Now I need to wait for the cool weather to return so I can wear it out --- we're really having some odd January weather this weekend!

The Faux: So Close ...

2011-01-17T20:35:00.000-08:00

I made great progress on my faux fur coat --- inspired by all of the beautiful projects that are being created out there!

I sewed in a beautiful china silk lining in a gray/blue color and hemmed by hand --- the jump hem turned out pretty well. I tried it on and felt like a glamorous movie star. Only one thing remained until it was complete --- sewing in the jumbo silver snaps. Easy, right?

I'm sure everyone has had that feeling of being on a roll with a project --- great momentum and building anticipation of finally completing it. Well, that was me yesterday until it all came to a screeching halt in front of the notions wall at Joann Fabrics.

Unfortunately for me, my local Joann Fabrics only had one card (2 snaps) in stock. How can that be?!? I need those jumbo silver snaps! To make matters even worse, the salesperson informed me that they were consolidating the local branches into one "superstore", so they wouldn't be getting any new stock until mid-April. I was bummed. So now I need to find another store to pick up three jumbo silver snaps --- hopefully this week! After all, if I don't hurry up, Simon will turn my coat into his personal lounge!

The Scarf is No Longer a Noose

2011-01-16T08:05:00.000-08:00

I love silk scarves, so I was thrilled to see this article in the WSJ about scarves making a fashion comeback. My life-long desire for an Hermes scarf always seemed so old-fashioned, but now that I saw this article, I guess it isn't so old-fashioned these days!

Hermes has a website --- ilovemyscarf.com --- that showcases all of the different ways scarves can be worn and setting them in NY, Paris, Tokyo and London. Rather than just tied around the neck, these scarves are worn as belts, bracelets, hair accessories, etc. So creative and so inspirational!

The (Faux) Fur is Flying

2011-01-09T06:39:00.000-08:00

Very exciting news --- I finally received my silvery faux fur shipment this past week. It is stunning. It is so soft I spent time just petting it. As a result of this new-found love, I had to set aside the Trench Dress temporarily so I could work with this gorgeous stuff!

I chose a simple coat pattern from Burda's October 2008 issue. It has straight lines, a high collar, raglan sleeves and reaches the knees. I think the simple style will really showcase the beauty of the fabric.

Image from here.

I traced the pattern, made minor alterations, and steeled myself for cutting. I've read about the need for careful cutting --- but did I take that to heart? No, of course not. In my excitement to move forward, I rationalized that my faux pile was on the short side so I could just cut out the pieces per usual --- rather than cutting out the patterns in a single layer and just cutting into the backing fabric to minimize cutting the actual fur hairs. Bad move. Needless to say, I have many, many tufts of faux fur all over my dining room/cutting area. Even my cat is staying away. Lesson learned --- careful cutting will help minimize the flying fur!

Starting a New Trench Dress for the New Year

2011-01-02T08:39:00.000-08:00

Happy 2011!

Because I'm feeling better after a week of fighting a cold (just my luck to get sick during the holidays!) and the fact that my obsession --- the faux fur --- hasn't arrived yet, I thought I would start on a trench dress I've been thinking about for a while.

The September 2010 issue of Burda is quickly becoming a favorite. In addition to this amazing skirt pattern, there are a number of other styles that I would like to make, one of them being this trench dress.

Image from here.

The pattern can be made into a coat or a dress --- some of the details are different (topstitching) and the coat version requires a lining. I'm planning to wear mine as a dress, but I'll probably add the lining and topstitching because I like those details.

Here's the fabric I'm using, which is a wool blend with metallic stripes (difficult to see, but the metallic effect is quite striking).

I'm being bold in the new year --- instead of making a muslin, I just worked with the paper pattern, made adjustments according to my moulage, and went straight to the fabric. I'm confident the fit will work --- after all, the moulage hasn't let me down yet!

Faux Fur Obsession

2010-12-23T20:42:00.000-08:00

I've been obsessed with faux fur these past few months. I've coveted SewTawdry's amazing creations (even the Chewbacca vest!) and Miss Muslin's leopard coat. I've read the stories of flying fur bits and been forewarned of the need for care in cutting and sewing. I'm not deterred. I'm ready for my first faux!

I decided to treat myself to a pre-Christmas purchase of a beautiful short gray faux. I fell in love with it when I saw it at EOS.

I can't wait to turn this beauty into a little coat!

Curved Seam Skirt - Finally Finished

2010-12-12T15:39:00.001-08:00

Given that all I had to do a couple of weeks ago was to tack down the lining along the zipper, the Curved Seam Skirt has taken way too long to complete! That said, I am very happy with the result and I think it was worth the extra time.

This is one stylin' skirt! The curved seams (which weren't as challenging to sew as I originally feared) "wrap" around the region from waist to low hip to really provide a wonderful fit. The skirt is slightly pegged at the hem so the narrow silhouette is accentuated.

I love the off-set zipper and slit in the back --- interesting details that take this beyond a standard pencil skirt.

Fabric and Notions
I used a cotton polka dot fabric with two "good" sides for the main skirt and Bemberg rayon lining. It really is a fun yet refined fabric. I used a fusible interfacing along the waist edge and back slit/vent for extra stabilization. I ended up just pinking the seams to keep them flat. This worked well for the curved seams, because I wanted to make sure I didn't add any extra bulk in that area. I hand-sewed the hem.

Pattern Alterations
As with most Burda patterns, this one was well drafted. The only alterations I needed were to the length. I ended up cutting off 1.5 inches at the hem (basically eliminated the hem allowance). I still needed to shorten it a bit more. Thanks to some of your wonderful suggestions, I ended up doing a "quick and dirty" length measurement of the curved area of the Burda dress pattern that was included in the same issue. This dress pattern is drafted for a petite frame and is essentially the skirt pattern with a bodice attached. I noted that the curved pieces were about 1 inch shorter for the dress than for the skirt.

Image from here.

Based on this observation, I cut off 1 inch from the top curved piece and adjusted the side seam to ensure a proper fit at the waist. If you notice in the photograph below, the top curved piece is narrower than the others. In hindsight, the better approach would be to decrease the length from all three curved pieces, but the fit is fine as it is.

Overall, I love this skirt pattern. I still need to tweak the length of the curved pieces, but I definitely want to make another version!

Curved Seam Skirt: Almost Complete

2010-11-29T19:59:00.000-08:00

The curved seam skirt is almost complete. I decided to use a cotton polka dot jacquard fabric, one of my "I'm buying it because I love it" purchases that I had on hand. The fabric is wonderful --- it has a substantial weight and the design is really fun. However, in hindsight, I think this skirt design would have been more attractive with a solid fabric. Or, perhaps some contrast piping along the curved seams would have helped to make those beautiful lines stand out. I really like the design and fit of this skirt, so I think a solid one --- perhaps in wool crepe --- will be in my future!

I lined the skirt with rayon Bemberg lining and inserted an invisible zipper. The waist treatment is interesting, as there is no waistband or facing, but the fit is perfect. Here is a photo of the understitching I did along the waist.

I made mitered corners for the hem vents to create a clean finish before stitching the lining in place.

All I have left to do is sew the lining along the zipper and then it will be complete!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-25T06:50:00.000-08:00

The turkey is brining, the yams have been roasted and the veggies have been diced. We're having a simple Thanksgiving meal this year, but we have a lot to be thankful for. Have a wonderful holiday!

NYT: Balenciaga in NY

2010-11-20T19:51:00.000-08:00

For Balenciaga fans, there's a new exhibition opening in NY this week. Called "Balenciaga: Spanish Master", the exhibition will be at the Queen Sofia Spanish Institute on Park Avenue. Even more exciting is that there are plans for a larger show at the DeYoung Museum in San Francisco in the spring!

Image from here.

Image from here.

Image from here.

Thai Silks is Having a Sale!

2010-11-20T07:59:00.001-08:00

One of my favorite resources for silk fabrics, Thai Silks, is having a pre-holiday sale -- 25 percent off all non-sale fabrics! Even if you can't visit, they have a great on-line store and swatching service. I like to purchase their silk dupioni, silk charmeuse and silk/cotton blend fabrics (especially the silk/cotton batiste, which is great as a lightweight lining). They also have wonderful silk organza in a variety of colors, which is perfect for underlining jackets and coats. Great quality and the service is always top-notch. Here are a couple of things I've made using their fabrics.

Parka: Silk/cotton blend (main), silk dupioni (trim)

Silk Wrap Coat: Silk dupioni (main), silk organza (underlining), silk/cotton batiste (lining)

The Sewist's Version of "I Have Nothing to Wear"

2010-11-06T07:07:00.000-07:00

I have nothing in my stash ... for the two projects I have been planning to make for the last couple of weeks. Despite numerous folds of untouched fabrics stacked in my bins, I don't seem to have the "right" fabric for that beautiful Curved Seam Skirt and coat. To make matters even more challenging, I had a spontaneous shopping moment recently and bought these two fabulous fabrics at EOM --- both of which will not work for the two projects that are top of mind right now. What was I thinking?!

I know what I was thinking. I fell in love with that plaid and those little polka dots --- and before I knew it, I ended up with two more folds of fabric that will join the others in my bins. As full disclosure, while I completed the online purchase, I convinced myself that the polka dots would be perfect for the skirt and the plaid would make a stunning coat. Yeah right. The polka dots would make a cute skirt with simple lines and the plaid would be great for a dress. Well, I may need to review and revise my sewing plan, yet again!

Happy Ninth Anniversary

2010-11-04T20:35:00.000-07:00

Today is our ninth wedding anniversary. I can't believe how quickly the years have passed. I still remember our wedding day --- sunny and unseasonably warm for November. Just the week before, we had a rain storm, which completely stressed me out. I was on the phone all week with the wedding planners trying to assess contingency plans in case of rain. Luckily for us, our day was perfect, and it seems that every year since, on our anniversary, the weather turns out to be just beautiful. Today was no exception!

Calling All Knitters: Introducing My New Blog

2010-11-01T20:29:00.000-07:00

After years of designing hand knits for various magazines, I've decided to branch out ... take the plunge ... stretch myself ... go for it ... by venturing into the world of self-publishing my knit patterns. It has been quite a learning experience. I've had to be a web designer, graphic artist, writer, business person, and, oh yes, knitwear designer --- all rolled into one!

I eventually launched a new blog, Jean Kaori Knits, which is focused on my knit projects. Take a look if you have an interest.

Here are two of my first Jean Kaori designs, both of which can be found on my new blog and on Ravelry.

The Chinchilla

The Pleated Zip Capelet

I'm keeping this blog for all of my sewing projects, so I'll still be sharing all of my Burda projects!

Curved Seam Skirt: Love it!

2010-10-24T18:35:00.000-07:00

Thank you very much to everyone who chimed in with their feedback on my prior post about this skirt. As a result of your thoughtful comments, I decided to give this pattern a shot and made up a "quick and dirty" muslin this weekend to test out the pattern --- without any alterations to see how it would fit.

Well, all I can say is that it is a very flattering design and those curved seams are just beautiful (the pattern is well drafted so the curved pieces came together easily). I love how the back slit is offset to the right and not placed down CB like most skirts. I'm sorry about the quality of the photos, but it rained all day today and we were house-bound --- yellowish lights!

So now the length. I made it as-is and pinned up the recommended hem allowance (about 1.5 inches). Here is the original length.

I pulled up the waist a bit above my natural waist as it seemed to fit best that way, so I may need to take some length from the top. The length ends up mid to lower calf, but because of the narrow/slightly pegged shape at the hem, I don't think it looks too bad. It kind of looks retro in a '30s/'40s sort of way, I think.

Here's a version pinned up an additional 1.5 inches.

The below-the-knee length doesn't look so bad, at least not as bad as I originally imagined!

Thank you again for your wonderful feedback --- I am now officially in love with this design and am looking forward to making it in a cool fabric!

Curved Seam Skirt: Conflicted

2010-10-20T20:36:00.000-07:00

Well, I've been hemming and hawing about this skirt from the September 2010 issue of Burda.

Image from here.

After a rather painful session deciphering the "new and improved" Burda pattern sheet, I took an objective look at the skirt design and asked myself, "is this going to work for me?" In hindsight, I guess I should have thought of this before I spent the time tracing out those pattern pieces!

I started measuring the pieces and realized that the total length of the skirt is about 27 inches, which is tremendously long for someone who is 5 feet 1 inches tall on a good posture day. Looking at the photo, I guess the skirt is meant to fall below the knees, but that length is really unflattering for me. Typically, skirts that are 22 inches in length (maximum) work for me, which means I would need to somehow eliminate 5 inches from this pattern. That's a lot!

I don't think I can just lop off 5 inches from the "non-curved" skirt pieces (the bottom sections of the skirt patterns) because the proportion of the curved sections to the non-curved sections would get out of whack --- I think it would end up looking funky. I don't think I have the energy to calculate and re-draft the curved pieces to maintain the original proportions, but any opinions would be appreciated. Perhaps this skirt is so cute that it would be worth trying to manipulate the curved pieces?

What Happened to the Burda Pattern Sheets?

2010-10-13T20:36:00.001-07:00

Yes, I realize I'm late to the party here, but I just pulled out the September 2010 issue of Burda to trace out the patterns for the skirt and coat from my previous post --- and was absolutely shocked!

Earlier this year, I recall some blogs commenting on the format change of these pattern sheets that made it much more difficult to trace. Well, now I know what they were talking about! I literally stared at the sheet for quite a while, trying to make sense of it all. The original format was already pretty difficult to read, but it looks like they condensed two very large sheets of patterns into one, making it even more challenging. I managed to trace out the skirt pieces, but I felt so tired afterward that I couldn't muster up the energy to trace out the coat pieces. Ugh, I guess I'll just have to get used to it!

Too Late for Batik: Moving on to Coats

2010-10-11T18:54:00.000-07:00

I can't believe how quickly time is flying by. I noticed my beautiful pink flower batik fabric is still lying in my sewing area --- it never turned into a tunic or a skirt, and now, with the calendar advancing to mid-October, it seems ridiculous to sew anything batik!

So, perhaps it is best to save the batik for next spring and shift gears to start thinking about winter items. I flipped through the September issue of Burda and found a number of very cool projects, including this skirt, which SewTawdry beautifully made recently.

Image from here.

I am also really drawn to this coat from the same issue. I love the architectural style --- the clean lines and shapes. I'm not sure how it will work on my petite frame, but I'm willing to give it a try. I'm not sure about fabric choice --- it says to use coating fabric that won't fray, and I'm not sure what that would be. I would appreciate any ideas!

Image from here.

Pattern Magic Volume 1 in English

2010-09-26T22:16:00.000-07:00

I just found a resource for the Pattern Magic Volume 1 book --- in English! It looks like the Center for Pattern Design is offering pre-ordering of these books, which are due out by October 1. Both Volumes 1 and 2 are truly inspirational, and in English, they will be more accessible
for a broader audience. It looks like only Volume 1 is being offered at this point, but I would imagine a translation of Volume 2 is in the works. The Center for Pattern Design also has a number of classes (if you are close to the California wine country in Napa/Sonoma) as well as tools/books for sale on their website. Check it out!

A Lady of Leisure ... Not!

2010-09-13T20:41:00.000-07:00

Quiet mornings with my coffee and my blogs and days spent sketching, sewing and knitting amazing garments --- for a while, I had these wonderful visions of a new life of leisure. Granted, it would have been an unemployed life of leisure thanks to a corporate acquisition, but that's a minor detail.

Well, the visions never materialized (they never do, do they?) and, in fact, I've been spending many long hours integrating into a new job. Secretly, I was hoping for a few months as a lady of leisure. Yes, it is a very selfish thought when so many people are out of work, but I'm not above admitting it. What a luxury it would be to have all the time in the world to knit and sew!

Anyways, needless to say, the last few weeks have been busy and, while I've made some progress on my knitting projects, my beautiful batiks and Burda patterns have remained untouched. Even worse, I've fallen out of touch with all of you and haven't even had the opportunity to keep up with your wonderful blogs. I'm hoping my life gets back to normal soon --- I'm very much looking forward to catching up!

Batik on my Mind

2010-08-22T07:32:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure if it was the Alfred Shaheen exhibit or the summer weather, but I'm still in a batik-loving phase. I have this beautiful print that I am inspired to work with, but I'm trying to decide on the right project.

While a summer dress is an obvious choice, I'm wondering if a shirt/tunic --- one that can be worn as a beach cover up or as a decent top for a meal --- would be fun. I found this one in the February 2010 issue of Burda that I've been wanting to try.

Image from here.

I've also had flouncy skirts on my radar, and I think this print may be a fun choice for that as well. While the image below (a Carolina Herrera creation) is of a dress, I like the concept of a fitted silhouette through the hips and layered fullness to the hem. I think it can be modified into a more casual skirt style --- shorter and less volume.

Image from here.

Any thoughts are welcome!

NYT: Resurgence of Interest in Handcrafting

2010-08-14T08:17:00.000-07:00

Here is a neat article from the NYT about a resurgence of interest among young Italians in learning handcrafting skills that are used to make custom garments. It was nice to read that there appears to be a growing appreciation for preserving the skills that can make garments well-made, well-fitting and truly unique. I wish I lived in Florence so I could attend these courses --- it would be an amazing experience!

Love This Prada Look

2010-08-11T20:01:00.000-07:00

Image from here.

I love this woman's outfit for Fall 2010 --- such a fun look! Prada is just too cool. I wonder if the skirt is straight until full hip with a gathered hem or if it is a full skirt from the waist down? I like skirts that are fitted through the full hip (or at least through high hip) --- a more flattering look for most women.

Image from here.

Image from here.

Showing Off --- New Flooring

2010-08-08T19:18:00.000-07:00

Just showing off our new flooring! Here's Simon checking out the work in progress (trims haven't been tacked down yet):

Here's a shot of the nearly finished living area:

We ended up moving the big patterned chair in the living area to a downstairs room, which really expanded the space in the photo above. Love it!

Americo Original's Lithium Wrap

2010-08-07T15:37:00.000-07:00

It took some time but I finally finished the Lithium Wrap by Americo Original, a superb yarn shop in Toronto, Canada. This was one of those mindless knit projects with a simple knit/purl block repeat, but what makes it special is the yarn.

I used the Cotton Flame yarn from Americo, which is thick and thin pima cotton yarn that is easy to knit and yields a beautiful, drapey, lightweight fabric, especially when knit with a larger needle (I used a size 9, which is quite large for a fingering weight yarn). The pattern called for 2 skeins, but I ended up using slightly less. As you can see from the photo below, the finished wrap is pretty long!

I fell in love with this yarn. With my leftover yarn, I swatched using different size needles and different stitch patterns. I think the best needle size is a 7, which yields good stitch definition while maintaining a nice drape. Because of the thick and thin texture, I think a simple stitch pattern works best, such as stockinette or a simple rib.

Alfred Shaheen Exhibit

2010-08-05T16:35:00.000-07:00

A friend invited me to see an amazing exhibit at the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles this past week.

Image from here.

It was so wonderful! I was completely unfamiliar with Alfred Shaheen prior to visiting the museum, but instantly fell in love with the bold and vibrant print fabrics and the vintage styles from the '50s and '60s. Alfred Shaheen designed and printed the fabrics and created original garments using them --- all from his headquarters on Oahu, Hawaii, which was also his family home.

This was one of my favorites from the exhibit. I love the graduated colors of the print and the wonderful wrap around the shoulders (which is held to the inside of the bodice with buttons --- we peeked!). The front also has a faux wrap skirt that ties on the side.

Image from here.

How cool is this ad?

Image from here.

I came away with a lot of design ideas that I can't wait to try out!

NYT: Is Italy Too Italian?

2010-08-03T18:11:00.000-07:00

I just love the headline of this piece. It is an interesting article about a family-run textile business in northern Italy --- one that has a "spa" for all of the threads/yarns that ultimately become yards of fine wool fabrics that are extremely expensive but gorgeous. While the article veers from the actual making of the fabric, it offers interesting tidbits about how things are done in Italy and its current state of affairs. There is even a mention of Santo Versace, the older brother of Gianni Versace, who is now a member of the Italian parliament but was once the business head of the Versace brand (I recently read the book, House of Versace: The Untold Story of Genius, Murder and Survival --- a good beach read).

New Flooring ... No Sewing ... But A Bonus

2010-07-25T20:59:00.001-07:00

Our house has been in disarray for the last few days, as we're getting ready to have new flooring installed. As I'm sure many of you know, you can't just embark on a home improvement project without tacking on a few others. As a result, the new flooring project led to a massive clean-up of the house and garage, numerous hauls to donation centers and a special pick up from our city garbage collector.

The good:
New maple floors that will be installed this week!

The bad:
My sewing machine and all of my associated "stuff" are all packed up and out of reach. I probably won't see them until next weekend.

The reward for this tremendous effort:
Our extra room is being converted into my sewing room! Yes! My stuff will have their own home --- no more sharing with the computer/printer/bookcases!

Creating Fashion From Balloons

2010-07-17T07:25:00.000-07:00

For me, balloons mean birthday parties, twisty headpieces and grand opening celebrations. Balloons as fashion? Now that is definitely different.

Rie Hosokai of Daisy Balloon has created some stunning pieces --- all out of balloons. They aren't the most wearable, but they are definitely eye-catching and incredibly creative.

Image from here.

Image from here.

Knock Around the House Dress Based on Musubu B

2010-07-13T19:45:00.000-07:00

Do you have a "knock around the house" dress?

During my trip to Hawaii last month, I visited Discount Fabric Warehouse, which is a nondescript storefront in an industrial part of Kailua-Kona.

Not much to look at on the outside, but inside, they had a huge selection of aloha-print fabrics --- they even had a floral print polar fleece! Unfortunately, I was so busy selecting fabrics to buy that I didn't get an interior photo! One of the fabrics I chose was this beautiful cotton print in blues and greens. I bought enough to make a little dress.

I used the Musubu B style master pattern as the base and made the following alterations:

1. Instead of the big bow in the front, I did not add the top loop and converted the bottom loop into two ties. Here's a photo of the original moulage that shows the loops.

2. I drafted a little stand-up collar to add a bit of polish to the dress.

3. I released all of the darts (except for the darts that were converted to the front gathers and the back shoulder darts) and added additional fullness to the lower part of the dress to create an A-line shape.

4. I added a placket to CF.

My husband prefers the dress belted, but I kind of like having something loose and comfortable --- perfect for knocking around the house ... or maybe the beach ... in Hawaii again!

Chanel at Paris Couture - How Inspiring

2010-07-11T07:24:00.000-07:00

The Chanel designs recently presented at the Paris Couture shows are absolutely stunning --- and surprisingly wearable. I loved the silhouettes and the beautiful embroidered and beaded details. Here's a link to a slideshow of each of the styles and here's a link to a cool video of the actual runway show. All images below are from here.

Pattern Magic: Musubu B Style

2010-07-07T16:32:00.000-07:00

I think I'm done with all things nautical for a while now. After working with four yards of nautical stripe fabric that turned into three projects and this tiny little pile of scraps --- plus two unused patch pockets --- I'm ready to move on to another challenge!

I love most of the designs in the two Pattern Magic books that I have in my library. I made the Quick Turn Dress using a design in Volume 2, which I think turned out well. From the first book, I tried the "Musubu B" style, which is this one.

I like dramatic details --- and this bow, which is front and center, certainly makes a statement!

The pattern work ended up being much easier than the Quick Turn style. The style features two loops that are tied together to form a bow at CF. One loop extends out of the front pattern piece, with the loop cut on a LW fold (fold is perpendicular to selvage) so the bodice ends up being cut on the bias. The second loop is created by a separate collar piece, with the loop cut on the fold. The second loop is slightly shorter than the first loop.

I started with my moulage front and made the following pattern changes:
1. Move the bodice darts to the armhole. For my sample, I only moved the shoulder dart and left the internal dart at the waist.
2. Draw a line at the bust point that is perpendicular to CF. Draw a parallel line that is 1 cm above this line. From this point and above, draw a line that is 2 cm in from CF (decrease the bodice width) and cut out.
3. From the cut out point, measure up 5 cm and mark. This will be the start of the neckline shaping. Draw a straight line from this mark up to the neck/shoulder intersection. To create a curved neckline, measure in 0.5 cm at the midpoint of the line and draw a concave curve. Measure this distance and record, as it will be needed for the collar piece.
4. Going back to the 5 cm edge at CF, divide this distance into thirds and mark. These marks will be used as a guide for the three dart transfers that will be needed. For the first dart transfer, measure in 2 cm from the shoulder/armhole edge and draw a curved line down. For the second dart transfer, draw a slightly curved line from the top of the armhole dart. For the third dart transfer, draw a straight line from the bust point to the bottom of the 5 cm edge.

From the 5 cm edge, cut each dart transfer line to but not through the opposite edge. Close the original darts. Place the bodice piece on a separate piece of paper and spread the cut pieces out evenly until the distance from cut edge to edge is 16 cm. Tape the cut pattern to the paper underneath to secure.

5. To create the tie extension, measure out two parallel lines that are at right angles to the top and bottom of the top part of the bodice. Each line should measure 32 cm. Connect the lines. From each parallel line, mark out 3 cm and draw new lines that extend back to the bodice from this new point down to 0. This creates a curved look for the tie. Mark the grainline on the tie (parallel to the lines that are extending out from the bodice) and mark the perpendicular line as a fold line (fabric will be cut on the fold here to create a loop).

6. From the bust point line and below, add a placket piece for the closure (I used a 1.5 in piece).

Using my back moulage:
1. Drop down 0.5 cm from CB/neckline and mark. From the neckline/shoulder edge, measure out 2 cm (away from CB) as a straight line (do not follow the shoulder line) and mark. This will be the new neckline/shoulder edge point. Draw a line connecting these two marks to create a new neckline. Measure this distance for the collar. True up the shoulder line.
2. I converted the two darts in my moulage into a princess seam line by connecting the darts and cutting out.

For the separate collar loop:
1. Fold the pattern paper in half so the fold extends along the top.
2. With the fold at the top, draw a LW line down 6 cm and mark the line as CB. From this line, draw two parallel lines at right angles that extend the same length as the back neckline (measured). Mark. Continue extending the two parallel lines to correspond with the length of the front neckline (measured). Mark. Continue extending the lines until the piece measures 43 cm total from the first mark. Draw a perpendicular line, extending down by 5 cm. From this point, draw a line that extends back to the first mark. Curve this line slightly by measuring in 0.5 cm at the midpoint of the line and drawing a concave curve that smooths into the first mark.
3. The far line (opposite from the CB line) will be cut on the fold, with the grainline perpendicular to that line.
4. Cut the pattern and unfold.

Here are images of the finished pattern pieces.

Front

Back

Collar

And here is the muslin. I ran out of regular muslin so I dug up this old batik fabric from my stash. It is kind of difficult to see the bow detail clearly with the print. My bow is a bit loose as well --- need to practice that!

Here's the front untied so you can see the two loops.

I'm not sure how I'll use this style --- perhaps a dress would be cute.

Nautical Stripe Strapless Tunic

2010-07-06T07:37:00.000-07:00

There are wonderful versions of this top on Pattern Review from the September 2009 issue of Burda. I was inspired to make my own version using my remaining nautical stripe knit fabric.

I made a few changes to the design, the most significant being the elimination of the pleats below the bustline, as I didn't want any fullness. I read in the reviews that, with the base bodice pieces plus the folded draped pieces that cross in front and back, you end up with a lot of bulk, so the recommendation was to use a thin knit and to possibly eliminate the fold of the draped pieces (adding seam allowances instead). My nautical stripe fabric is pretty stable and substantial, so to cut down on the bulk, I removed the fold from the draped pieces and just hemmed them and I also removed the draped piece in the back, which left just the base bodice. I added rick rack trim to the front draped pieces as an accent.

There is a bodice lining as well. I didn't have a stretch lining fabric, so I just cut up an old J. Crew perfect fit t-shirt that has seen better days and used it as the lining. It worked well! The only problem I had was the elastic casing along the top of the bodice. I believe the casing is supposed to be made by sewing the lining to the seam allowance of the bodice, so the seam wouldn't show on the outside. I ended up sewing the lining to the bodice so the line of stitching shows on the correct side, but I think it is ok. In fact, I think it is more stable this way. I used a 0.25-inch wide elastic. I think a wider one may work better, as indicated by some of the reviewers.

Overall, this is an easy-to-sew and comfortable top that fits snugly around the bodice. The pattern is versatile and can be altered in a variety of ways, which makes it fun!

Nautical Stripe Jacket - Plus One or Maybe More

2010-07-03T06:49:00.000-07:00

I love my navy- and white-striped knit fabric from Emma One Sock. I saw it on the site, loved it, and in the snap of my fingers, just went for it. Four yards of it. Which means I have enough yardage to keep me in nautical style for quite a while.

I definitely wanted to make a casual jacket, so I started with that.

Here's the completed Nautical Stripe Jacket from the Burda June 2009 issue. I think this is a really comfortable and casual jacket that I'll be able to wear year-round here in California.

I decided to go without the patch pockets (thank you to those who commented in my prior post about pockets or no pockets!) and used large snaps as the front closure (with big navy buttons sewn on top). I could have gone either way, even with the big buttons, but I think it is cleaner without the pockets.

I shortened the sleeves and added foldover cuffs for a different look. It is unlined so I finished the seams with either overlock stitch or bias binding using scrap organza. I also used a fusible interfacing for the collar, facings and hems, and stabilized the shoulder seams with stay tape.

This was one of the rare times I didn't make a muslin --- I just went for it. As a result, I had to make alterations along the way, which I then translated back to my paper pattern for future reference. The biggest adjustment was the shoulder seam line, which I ended up decreasing by about an inch.

After finishing the jacket, I still had a lot of yardage and my mind was in "knits" mode, so I continued on with this fabric and decided to make this vest/top from the September 2008 issue of Burda. I've had my eye on this style for a while and am glad I tried it.

This is a simple style, as there are no sleeves to set in. I think it looks best belted but I don't have the right belt yet. I managed to dig up a navy belt for the photo, but I think it needs something different. Thoughts?

Here it is unbelted.

I used a navy blue separating zipper for the front closure and interfaced the facings, collar and hems with fusible interfacing. I topstitched the seams, which gave it a clean finish.

The one problem I had with this pattern was that it called for the facing to be the same piece as the front. With the fabric I used, which is a thicker and more stable knit, the two layers, one of which I interfaced, made the fit too bulky in the front when zipped closed. I ended up narrowing the facings, which worked well.

I really like this vest/top, as it can be worn with just a tank top underneath or with a longer-sleeved knit during cooler weather. It is really comfortable to wear and I like the look. Now I just need the right belt!

I still have more yardage and I'm on a roll with it, so stay tuned!

A Game of Tag

2010-06-29T21:48:00.000-07:00

Gail, who sews with the best fabrics and travels to the most fabulous parts of the world, has tagged me, so here goes!

Which pattern/vintage style have you been thinking about lately?
I always admire the vintage patterns others have collected, especially ones from the '50s and '60s, but I personally don't have any. I'm not even sure if this counts, but the only "vintage" pattern I own is from the '80s, when I was obsessed with everything "Esprit". I think I was more in love with the brand than the actual style of the pattern, but here it is. I think it will be quite a while before I ever sew a blazer with shoulders that wide, and given how petite I am, that outfit has to be the most unflattering for someone like me!

What's the one place you want to visit that you've never been to before?
There are many places in this world that I would like to visit, but at the top would be Egypt/Jordan and the far north to see the aurora borealis.

How do you relax?
While my family believes that I am unable to relax, I think I do a pretty good job when I cook, listen to music, or wake up early and enjoy a good cup of coffee.

What is your favorite holiday?
My favorite vacation was the first trip to Italy I took with my husband. We roamed the Tuscan countryside in a little Punto and, in addition to seeing the sights, we learned a lot about each other. It was the first international trip we took together and we had the best time! We've taken a number of trips since then, but this one was definitely the most memorable. Here's a page from our scrapbook.

What is one sewing skill you want to learn/try out?
I recently purchased two yards of silk chiffon fabric (while in Hawaii, of all places!) and am just trying to muster up the courage to work with it. I've never been particularly adventurous when it comes to sewing with different types of fabric (love that cotton!), so it would be a good challenge for me. I need to find the right pattern, though. The chiffon is the fabric in the middle.

Can you knit? Crochet? Other crafting talents?
I love to knit but I've been spending more time sewing lately. I recently took a textiles class and became enamored of batiks and the resist-dying technique. I thought, wouldn't it be fun to learn how to dye my own fabrics? I've also been fascinated with the sashiko hand embroidery technique and have been wanting to try that. Here is an applique/sashiko pattern that I have in my stash. I purchased it in Hawaii with every intention of completing it --- I even made my husband drive around in circles trying to find the tiny little quilt shop that sold it --- but I haven't started it yet. One of these days!

Image from here.

What garment/accessory do you wear the most?
I love to sew tailored garments, but when it comes to which garment I reach for the most, it must be my shawl-collar jacket made in sweatshirting fabric! I feel very pulled together when I wear it, while being extremely comfortable. Here it is in Mendocino --- the llama seems to like it too.

How much time do you spend reading blogs? (Per day or per week?)
There are so many fun and informative blogs out there that I end up spending quite a bit of time reading them, especially on the weekends when I play catch-up.

Your motto/mantra?
One of my favorite proverbs is an old Japanese one: Even Monkeys Fall From Trees. I first heard it as a child and it is one that I've never forgotten.

So now it's my turn to tag:

Claire is extremely generous in sharing her extensive knowledge of all things sewing.

Audrey constructs beautiful garments with a huge dose of creativity --- it's all in the details.

Have fun!

Nautical Stripe Jacket

2010-06-24T16:54:00.001-07:00

Earlier this year, the WSJ featured the "mariniere style", which is one of my favorite looks. Since I already have several tops, I thought it would be cute to make a casual jacket.

Luckily for me, Emma One Sock had the perfect fabric --- a navy and white-striped doubleknit, which is just the right weight for a jacket. And in the June 2009 issue of Burda, the featured petite style was a jacket made with sweatshirting, which I thought would work well.

Here's the jacket in progress, one with the patch pockets pinned and the other without them. I'm not sure which version I like more --- the pockets seem to make the jacket look too busy. I'm planning to add some fun buttons at CF --- perhaps that will be enough?

I don't sew with knits very often, so for this project, I've been using a great reference book for sewing with knits by Connie Long that I borrowed from our local library. It is a really informative book that presents useful information about different types of knit fabrics and how to work with them as well as basic construction techniques specifically for knits, such as seams, buttonholes, zippers, binding, etc.

Shrug for the Summer

2010-06-20T07:15:00.000-07:00

I just finished a simple knit shrug using a pattern and yarn I purchased during my trip to Toronto earlier this year.

Called the Kayla Shrug, the pattern and yarn are from Americo Original, which is a fantastic store. I used the Pima Cotton yarn, which had a tight twist so the strands did not split at all. Combined with a larger needle size, the resulting fabric had a nice airy drape.

I ended up using three skeins of the Pima Cotton rather than the five that was suggested in the pattern. If I continued knitting the collar, I think it would have been too big and long for me. While it would have been nice to have more volume in the front, I don't think a longer length in the back would look as good. Overall, I think this is a cute and easy pattern for a summer shrug.

No Bemberg Lining Fabric at Joanns

2010-06-14T06:45:00.000-07:00

I went to Joanns yesterday to purchase some Bemberg lining fabric for my Recycle project. My local one has never had a huge selection of colors but I could always count on them for the basics --- and yesterday, I just needed some cream-colored Bemberg. Much to my surprise, I only found two bolts (black and gray) and a sea of their other lining fabrics that I prefer not to use. I asked the salesperson about their Bemberg stock and was informed that they are phasing the brand out! I was so bummed --- it is a great rayon lining fabric with nice drape and wonderful feel. I especially like using it to line skirts, pants and dresses.

I know of a couple of mail order sources, but it may take a few days. If time allows today, I may switch gears and drive down to Thai Silks for a cotton/silk batiste fabric that always works as a lining. I wonder if all of the Joann stores are phasing out their Bembergs?

Recycling a Dress

2010-06-13T08:32:00.001-07:00

Several years ago, I needed a dress to wear to a friend's wedding. I fell in love with a Nanette Lepore dress (the fabric was amazing). Unfortunately, the groom's sister loved the fabric too, because she was at the wedding wearing the skirt version of my dress! It really is a distinctive fabric, so it was pretty obvious we were having an "awkward fashion moment". At least they weren't exactly the same! Since then, I think I've only worn it once to another wedding. It never really fit well --- a bit too large all around. I love the fabric, so I finally decided to convert it into something I would wear --- a skirt!

I couldn't find a photo of the dress intact, so the above photo shows how it looks after I ripped it apart. It is a strapless dress with significant boning in the bodice. The construction is actually pretty nice considering it is an off the rack garment. I ripped the skirt section from the bodice and took out all of the darts.

I decided on a length (20 inches) and then I marked CF (CB was already marked, as the zipper goes there) and used my sloper to redraw the darts and the side seams (the original garment was too wide). It is difficult to see below, but I placed my plastic sloper on top of the fabric, matching CF of the garment with my sloper CF, and used a pencil to make the marks. For the length I wanted, I had to cut off a substantial amount from the top of the original garment --- most of the original darts were cut away.

I sewed the darts (the top photo shows the sewn version) and am now ready to insert the CB zipper. I will need to close up part of the back slit as it is now too long, add a lining and then I will need to add a narrow waistband. That's it! I'll post the finished version soon.

Still in a Hawaii State of Mind

2010-06-09T20:21:00.000-07:00

Sometimes a beach vacation --- the kind where you spend most of your time lazing by the water rather than darting from one must-see sight to the next --- is the best kind of respite. This was our third time visiting the Big Island of Hawaii, so by the time we landed at Kona airport last Saturday, our itinerary was a blank slate. We've done the tours --- helicopter, Mauna Kea observatories and Kilauea volcano --- on previous trips. The goal this time was relaxation, and I think we achieved it. Well, maybe not as relaxed as that sea turtle in the photo below, but pretty close!

Hawaiian sunsets have an amazing way of melting away the stress.

We had interesting views from our cabana. There was a local throw-net fisherman who tried his luck in the water --- he eventually caught a pretty good-sized fish!

We did have some activities --- morning beachside yoga, spa treatments, bicycle rides (Schwinn cruisers!) and walks along the beach. With our new Canon camera (thanks bro!), we felt like professional photographers. We ate pineapple spears every morning --- the BEST pineapple ever! And given our proximity to the heart of Kona coffee country, the brew tasted somewhat better than what we drink over here on the mainland.

We took a drive to Hilo (other side of the island from where we stayed), which is the most populated town on the island. What a huge change --- our side of the island is the dry side and is characterized by remnants of old lava flows. No green in sight, other than what is manufactured by the resorts. However, there is abundant sunshine!

On the Hilo side, everything is green and lush --- very tropical. The scenery was spectacular on the drive there. We went on a Wednesday, so the famous Hilo farmer's market was in full swing. While I didn't care for the trinket vendors, the food vendors were a completely different story. All I can say is "wow"! If you go to the Big Island, be sure to go to the Hilo farmer's market! In addition to this enormous ginger root, there was jack fruit (looked like a spiny alien), mounds of papaya, fresh lychees, glorious bouquets of tropical flowers, and my favorite, fresh coconut that a young guy wielding a threatening machete hacked at so us tourists could sip the liquid inside (bendy straws included).

We took a quick peek at Waipio Valley, which is considered to be one of the most spiritual places on the island. It is also one of the least accessible --- to get down to that gorgeous black sand beach, you have to drive down this one-lane road that has a 25 percent grade. Yes, there is a check point at the start of the road to make sure all cars have 4-wheel drive. We didn't do it --- just contented ourselves with the views from the overlook area.

We had some wonderful meals on this trip. The best was at Merriman's in Waimea, which focuses on local ingredients. Our meals were amazing --- beginning with the warm taro rolls with fresh butter to the starters of beet and wasabi green salad with fresh goat cheese and tomato soup to the entrees of wok-charred ahi and wagyu beef --- and were the best of the trip. We also had great pizza and beer at Kona Brewing Co. and wonderfully fresh burgers at Ultimate Burgers, both in Kailua-Kona.

As tradition dictates, I made my husband an aloha shirt for the trip. I found this great print at Joann's a few weeks ago and used a McCalls pattern for a loose-fitting shirt with a back yoke and collar/stand. I think it looks pretty snazzy with the lei!

Here's the one I made for Hawaii 2008. This is a more traditional aloha shirt style (no back yoke and collar stand). I finally convinced him to give me the "V" sign --- guess it should have been a shaka sign given where we were!

Here's me in my Quick Turn Dress --- everything looks better in Hawaii!

We missed our little Simon, so when we encountered this peaceful scene, we had to capture the moment.

I can't get over the beauty of Hawaii!

Just a couple of old turkeys...

Aloha! Until next time...

Thank You and Back From Hawaii

2010-06-07T08:36:00.001-07:00

Thank you for all of your wonderful comments about the Back Pleat Coat/Dress. It was nice to read them when I returned from our vacation in Hawaii. I'm looking forward to wearing it once the weather cools a bit --- feels like summer now!

JoanneM --- I used a Hong Kong finish for the back panels (pleats) and overlocked the rest of the seams. Even though the coat is lined, the fabric ravels so much that I wanted to make sure all of the seams were clean and finished. Here's a not-so-great photo of the back panels:

For this coat, I used the satin organza as a sew-in interfacing for the fronts and the back neck stay. It is thicker and has more body than a regular silk organza, so I was able to use one layer as the interfacing. Here are a couple of photos of the organza used for the back neck stay and the front shoulder reinforcement:

We had a great time in Hawaii --- couldn't imagine ever wearing a coat like this there! I'll share photos once I have them organized.

Back Pleat Coat/Dress - Completed...Finally!

2010-05-28T06:02:00.000-07:00

Well, as I predicted, the Back Pleat Coat/Dress missed the "spring coat" season, so it will have to wait until fall for its debut. I'm too slow!

I have mixed emotions about this garment. The double face fabric is beautiful --- more lustrous in person than in a photo --- and the fit and style are perfect. As anyone who sews can understand, it is the details that can make or break a garment. In this case, I had to make a number of fixes as a result of the fabric's tendency to ravel, and my eyes keep fixating on those spots. It isn't perfect (is anything perfect in this world?), but I'll get over it. Big picture --- it is a good coat.

Design Details
I love the military styling of this pattern from the September 2006 issue of Burda. For the collar, I used hair canvas interfacing and pad-stitched it by hand. I think this process helped to add a really nice shape to the collar, which is key for this style.

The pocket flaps on the front are faux pockets. The placement of those pockets didn't work for me --- I couldn't imagine using them --- so I made them faux and added side seam pockets, which I just love.

The back has a cool belt detail, which is accentuated by the buttons. The sleeves have faux plackets as well. It is all purely decorative, but I like it.

The back features an inverted pleat at CB and two deep pleats on either side. When I first started this project, I was hesitant about adding bulk in the back with those pleats, but now that I look at the finished garment, it just wouldn't be the same without those pleats. I chose to keep them unpressed at this point, but perhaps a press along the hem is needed.

Here's the shot of the back pleats. For the inverted panel, I used the reverse of the fabric for a peek-a-boo effect. Hmm --- needs a bit of pressing.

Simon doing a QC check via cat-scan:

Construction Details
For this garment, I used a double face cotton fabric for the garment and china silk for the lining. I used hair canvas as the interfacing for the collar and stand and used satin organza as the interfacing for the fronts, lapels and back neck stay. I used a fusible tricot interfacing for the hems. All of the seams on the inside of the coat are finished with either overlock stitch or a Hong Kong finish using bias strips of the china silk lining fabric. The keyhole buttonholes are machine-done.

Overall, I think this is a pretty nice coat/dress that is perfect for days when I want to sashay around town. Yes, sashay --- the combination of those back pleats and side pockets scream "sashay"!

Back Pleat Coat/Dress - Working Like a Madwoman

2010-05-17T19:39:00.000-07:00

I'm invigorated...energized...caffeinated...just pumped about the Back Pleat Coat/Dress! I've been working like a madwoman for days on this project, as it has been languishing on our dining table for far too long. It is nearing completion and, I must say that, despite all the little "fixes" I've had to make, it looks pretty good.

It is unbelievable how much time I've spent finishing seams --- even though it is a lined garment, the excessive raveling requires finished seams throughout. I think I spent the bulk of the last two days working on these kinds details --- you know, the ones that won't ever be visible in the finished garment!

I'm off to sew in the lining!

New Knit Design in Interweave Knits Summer 2010

2010-05-08T07:59:00.000-07:00

I'm very excited to share that my Daisy Stitch Tunic has been included in the Summer 2010 issue of Interweave Knits magazine!

Image from here.

Design
For summer, I wanted to create a "tailored tunic", one that is elegant yet simple and easy to wear. I was inspired by the daisy stitch as an accent stitch, and thought it would provide the right amount of interest and detail to an otherwise simply styled garment. The mandarin or standing collar dictated a clasp at the base, which produced a neat keyhole at the neckline. The side seams are shaped, so the garment can yield a closer fit.

Image from here.

Image from here.

Yarn
The tunic is worked in Karabella's Zodiac yarn, which is 100% mercerized cotton. It is a smooth yarn that yields wonderful stitch definition, which is needed to highlight the daisy stitch worked along the front neckline/collar and side slits. This yarn is very easy to knit with and the resulting fabric is drapey with a nice weight.

Details
While the body is worked in plain stockinette stitch, the details are at the neckline and side slits. These areas are worked in daisy stitch, which produces areas of clustered stitches resembling flowers (or daisies) and areas of open space. I love this stitch because it produces a sturdy fabric that has a delicate look. Here's a close-up of the stitch, which is worked with Classic Elite's Provence, a 100% mercerized cotton yarn.

The mandarin collar is a bit on the chunky side because it has a stockinette stitch facing on the inside of the collar. To make the facing, I finished the daisy stitch collar, worked two rows of garter to mark the fold line, and worked stockinette stitch the same length as the collar. After binding off, I sewed the facing to the joining line at the base of the collar. I definitely think the collar needs the facing to ensure enough structure.

Overall, this is a simple and elegant knit for summer.

Back Pleat Coat/Dress - It Ravels...A Lot

2010-05-06T06:16:00.000-07:00

Warning --- I'm going to complain a bit. The sweet flower print for the Back Pleat Coat/Dress is quite deceiving. There is nothing sweet about this fabric! The raveling is horrendous, and it really became heartbreaking last night when I was sewing the collar and lapels. I sewed the upper collar to the under collar and it looked fine, until I turned it to the right side and noticed that the raveling had caused a slight hole in the stitching line. Ugh. So I turned it back and re-sewed the seam. This happened twice. Unfortunately, I had to sew into the hair canvas to stitch enough fabric, which made the "turn" of the collar and the collar point look a bit awkward. Another ugh. I can't even take a photo at this point.

Lesson learned --- I think a fusible interfacing would have added more stability. Shame on me for not realizing this earlier on in the process. Too late for this one, but I'll file this tidbit away for next time. I'll keep pressing on --- in the end I know the garment will be ok. Thanks for putting up with the rant!

Cinchier Trenches

2010-05-02T18:39:00.000-07:00

I don't think "cinchier" --- as in "cinch the waist" --- is an actual word, but it was in the headline of a recent article on trench coats in NY Magazine, which also included this very cool photo. Can trench coats look any cooler or sexier than this?

Image from here.

Thank You

2010-04-23T17:20:00.000-07:00

Thank you for your thoughtful feedback regarding the lapel choice for the Back Pleat Coat/Dress. I really appreciate your thoughts.

As many of you can appreciate, when you are in the midst of a project, it is often tough to step back and objectively assess what is being made. For this project, I have to admit that I was obsessed with the "it has two good sides!" concept. At one point, I thought I would use the blue side for the pockets, the belt in the back, the pleats, the collar and lapels --- it goes on and on! Because of the "two good sides", I focused on "contrast everything" to make sure to maximize the use of both sides --- I didn't think about what would most suit this particular fabric.

Onwards! After much thought and scrutiny, I've decided to go with the gray fabric lapel and collar, and save the contrast side for the box pleat in the back --- it will give just the right amount of peek-a-boo effect that I think will be really cute. Thank you all!

Back Pleat Coat/Dress - Which Lapel?

2010-04-18T19:37:00.000-07:00

I've made some progress on the Back Pleat Coat/Dress this weekend, and am at the point where I need to decide which side of the fabric to use for the lapels, stand and collar. Here are the two options:

Contrast lapel

Same color lapel

I'm leaning toward the contrast lapel, because it showcases the blue side and gives the coat/dress a bit more interest, but if you have any thoughts on this, I would love to hear them!

Quick Trip to Toronto

2010-04-17T08:05:00.001-07:00

I just returned from a short trip to Toronto for work. What a beautiful city! While I didn't have time to really tour around, I did manage to spend some time walking (the weather was gorgeous) --- to a couple of yarn and fabric shops that I researched before the trip!

It just so happened that my hotel was on Queen St., which is a dream for anyone who likes to knit and sew. My first stop was Americo Original, which is an absolutely divine yarn shop. The yarns were beautiful --- no novelties, just classic wools, cottons and other natural fiber blends. There were broad color ranges for each type, all of which were arranged in a way that was so inspiring.

Nicole was so helpful --- and so talented. She designed all of the unique garments and accessories found in the store, all of which beautifully highlighted the yarns used for each project. I ended up buying two cotton yarns:

Pima Cotton in a dark gray

Image from here.

Here's one of Nicole's designs for this yarn

Image from here.

Cotton Flame in bright red

Image from here.

And one of the designs for this yarn

Image from here.

Next, I went into The Wool House and Leo's Textiles, but unfortunately, I didn't have enough time to really dig into their inventories. I spent too much time at Americo! At The Wool House, there were neatly arranged bolts of suiting fabrics, shirt fabrics, etc., but it was rather overwhelming, and the salesperson was overly animated on his phone call, which detracted from the shopping experience. Leo's Textiles was a neat shop, but again, required time to really comb through the fabrics. I saw some amazing boucle fabrics and linens, but I ran short of time.

I definitely want to go back to Toronto to explore the city --- so beautiful!

Back Pleat Coat/Dress - Pad-Stitching the Collar

2010-04-10T08:18:00.000-07:00

The Back Pleat Coat/Dress is still progressing, but at a slower pace than I originally anticipated. At this rate, I may miss spring and this may turn into an autumn coat/dress!

I decided to use some scrap hair canvas to interface the collar and stand. I like the structure and feel of tailored projects that utilize hair canvas, but I was unsure about using it for this particular project. I wondered if it would be too much for a spring/autumn-weight garment. I think it works well in the collar and stand, but am planning to use satin organza for the coat front pieces and lapel, so it doesn't become too heavy.

Simon decided to help out (see paw in the upper left) as I marked my pad-stitching lines. What a crafty cat!

Here are the pad-stitched pieces. I probably could have stitched the lines more closely together at the collar points to ensure they are shaped nicely, but I'll admit, I got lazy. I stitched vertical lines for the collar stand because I want it to stand up well. The other option for the collar stand is to stitch lines that mirror the collar, but using smaller stitches and more closely spaced lines. I've always preferred the vertical stitch option and have had good results. It isn't obvious in the photos, but one of the benefits of this process is the ability to subtly shape each of the pieces. For example, for the undercollar piece, I draped it over my left hand as I stitched, which allowed a soft shaping to occur.

This fabric ravels like crazy! Next up: interfacing the coat fronts with satin organza.

Crochet and Dreaming of Amigurumi Ewoks

2010-04-08T20:19:00.000-07:00

Crochet is definitely having a moment. These days, I've seen a lot of granny squares, mesh tunics and of course those adorable amigurumi, so I thought it would be fun to pick up my crochet hooks again and make something more than an edging for my knit garments.

I thought this adorable little Amigurumi Ewok --- of Star Wars fame --- would be too challenging for my skills...

Image from here.

...so I grabbed 5 skeins of Rowan Cotton Tape from my stash and made a little crochet mesh tunic. The mesh simply consists of chain stitches, while the flower-like edging at the bottom is created from clusters of double crochet.

The tunic is really cute and perfect for a beachy vacation, but I can't stop thinking about that darn cute Ewok. I'll have to keep practicing my crochet so I can make my own!

New Knit Design in 60 Quick Knits

2010-04-03T07:48:00.000-07:00

I'm very excited to share that one of my knit designs has just been included in a new book --- 60 Quick Knits: 20 Hats, 20 Scarves, 20 Mittens in Cascade 220!

Image from here.

All of the designs feature Cascade 220, which is a very popular 100% wool yarn that comes in an amazing array of colors. It is easy to knit and yields fabrics with great stitch definition. It is also felts beautifully and is just a great go-to yarn.

Image courtesy of Sixth and Spring Books.

My Striped Graduated Scarf is done in three colors --- silver, charcoal gray and black --- with each solid color block separated by "graduated color" areas that mix two colors. The stitch is a type of tweed stitch that employs slip stitches on the right side and purl stitches across the wrong side. Actually, the resulting fabric looks great on both sides so it is reversible. The ends are tapered using short row shaping.

My inspiration for this scarf was the coloration of a chinchilla fur. In the film, Casino, there is a scene where Sharon Stone wears a chinchilla coat --- and while I'm not into wearing real fur, the image of that chinchilla and its wonderful gradations of color has always remained in my mind. I was really excited to be able to interpret the coloration into a knit!

Back Pleat Coat/Dress - Choices

2010-03-29T19:20:00.000-07:00

Yards of fabric have covered my dining room area for the past several days, and I love it! The more I look at the fabric I chose for the Back Pleat Coat/Dress, the more I fall in love with it. It is such a happy print --- perfect for the season.

As is always the case with me, I've spent more time thinking about how to approach the project and playing around with ideas rather than sitting down and sewing. I had some scrap silk doupioni in a light blue, so I made bias strips and tested how they would look as an edging (a darker color may work better).

I've been playing around with fusible interfacing (works ok) as well as a sew-in (preferred). A friend told me about her experience using satin weave silk organza as an interfacing, so I went out this past weekend and purchased a couple of yards to try. I've used silk organza (not a satin weave) as an underlining for my jackets, but I've never handled a satin weave silk organza. It is less sheer and has much more body than a regular organza. Even with steaming, the fabric maintained its body and shape. While I know I will definitely use it for the fronts, I may go back to my tried and true hair canvas for the collar/stand and lapels. I'm wondering if the organza may have too much body for those areas and may be difficult to shape. I know for certain the hair canvas will allow those areas to be shaped beautifully. I may need to make a test collar with the organza to see how I like the result.

"Give Me a Sheep and I'll Make You a Sweater"

2010-03-27T09:42:00.000-07:00

What a classic quote from Gordana Gehlhausen, a season 6 contestant from Project Runway. While I don't remember the episode in which she said this to Tim, I think it is a great quote, especially for us knitters! I was rooting for her, as she was one of the older and least obnoxious contestants from that season, and made beautiful garments despite the lack of drama.

Here's a great interview with Gordana that talks about her love of knitting and how she incorporates them in her design work. I love that she is a designer who combines making sewn garments with knitted ones, and appears to be passionate about both. Below is one of her beautiful lace designs.

Image from here.

Back Pleat Coat/Dress - Muslin

2010-03-22T18:06:00.000-07:00

The Back Pleat Coat/Dress is coming along. I made the body of the muslin (but no sleeves yet). Some initial observations:

1. A reviewer noted this on Pattern Review, but the back gets heavy because of the pleats. In addition to the box pleat at CB, there are two deep pleats on either side of CB. Even in muslin, the back was heavy, and I can see how in a thicker fabric, there could be a weight imbalance between the front and back, as the front has no pleats. I'm considering just keeping the CB pleat and converting the two side pleats into seam lines. I'm not sure, though, as I kind of like the drama of having a lot of fullness and swinginess in the back.

2. I like the princess seam lines in the back, but I'm not so sure about the darts in the front and the angled pockets that run into those darts. The pockets hit where I can't imagine actually using them. In fact, I am thinking of making them decorative and adding usable pockets at the side seams. For reference in the photo below, the horizontal blue line at CF marks the waistline. Please excuse the quality of the photo --- it was getting late in the day.

3. Little Cotton Dresses commented on making it unlined to show off the reverse side of the fabric. Great idea --- I may just do a partial lining for the bodice and sleeves just for wearing comfort.

I had to make a couple of additional pattern alterations.

1. Decreased armhole length by 0.5 inches (raised up the waist, which was hitting too low).
2. Decreased shoulder width by 0.5 inches.

Next I'll test the fit of the sleeves.

My little helper!

Back Pleat Coat/Dress

2010-03-20T06:54:00.000-07:00

Lately, I've been obsessed with a few things:

1. Using up fabric and yarn in my stash
2. Trying new techniques
3. Making a coat that can be worn as a dress

So the stars have finally aligned and I have found the perfect project that will fulfill all three obsessions. Here is the pattern, which is from the September 2006 issue of Burda magazine.

I love the details, especially the buttons on the sleeves and the angled pockets. The back is very pretty, with an inverted pleat at CB and a little belt tab right above it. To be able to wear it as a dress, I plan to extend the buttons down CF.

Here's the fabric, which I purchased at EOS last year. It is a cotton that has a reversible print. Love it! I'm thinking of using the gray side as the main color and using the blue side for the facing/lapel and collar as well as the pocket flaps and the back pleat. I would also like to somehow highlight the great flower print, maybe with some simple hand-sewn outline stitches to make some of the flowers pop.

For the inner construction, I definitely want to use a sew-in interfacing, perhaps a silk/linen blend or a satin organza, which a friend of mine recently used and said worked beautifully. I think an underlining may be too much, as I want to be able to wear it as a dress. For the lining, I may use a silk/cotton batiste, which is lightweight and very soft.

I've made some initial paper pattern alterations and have cut out the muslin, so off I go!

We'll Miss You, Elvis the Cat

2010-03-17T17:38:00.000-07:00

We received heart-breaking news yesterday. My husband's family cat of 16 years, Elvis, passed away after being attacked by two neighborhood dogs. The dogs escaped from their backyard --- not their first time, it seems --- and found Elvis in front of my mother-in-law's house. It was really shocking, and we're all very saddened. Elvis did not deserve this.

I met Elvis over 10 years ago, when he had jet black fur and clear and bright yellow eyes. He was an indoor/outdoor cat who enjoyed keeping tabs on the neighborhood, coming in at night for his plate of food and a warm place to sleep. Before I met Elvis, I was a devout dog-lover who tolerated cats --- at best. I hadn't held a cat since about fifth grade, when my friend's long-haired feline decided to claw at me. After that episode, I stayed away from cats.

But Elvis was different. From the beginning, he came up to me and welcomed me into the family --- the Elvis tribe. He tolerated my awkward cradling and gave me affectionate nudges with his head. I called him a "dog-like cat" because of his devotion to my husband. In hindsight, he probably didn't appreciate that! When he pulled up to the driveway, Elvis somehow recognized the sound of the car and came running up to welcome us, sometimes even accompanying us into the house. He didn't mind being draped around the neck and hanging out for a while. He enjoyed the sun and spent many hours lying on the front porch to soak up some rays. He was a smart kitty with a long memory. I don't think he ever quite got used to our niece and nephew, who were a bit rough with him when they were young --- he always sensed when they were around, and soon afterward, he would be gone.

There were the usual scares --- nights when he didn't come home and health emergencies that took him to the kitty urgent care --- but overall, he was a healthy cat who definitely took advantage of each every one of his nine lives. We take comfort in knowing that he is in a good place, where he can chase birds, lap up bowls of milk and hang out with my father-in-law, who was also taken from us too soon.

We'll miss you, Elvis. Be at peace.

Monastic and Modern

2010-03-14T07:41:00.000-07:00

These NY Times videos are so fun. This week, it comes from the Paris shows and there are plenty of inspirational shots, particularly for those of us who like beautiful coats with clean lines. Some of the fun stuff --- keep an eye out for a faux fur bubble skirt, a chinchilla-printed jacket (looks like the print was silkscreened onto the fabric) and two guys who dressed up in their finest attire!

The looks from Celine for Fall 2010 are amazing. Here's a neat slideshow of those designs --- beautiful! In the image below, the coat on the left is a fave.

Image from here.

Times They Are A-Changin'

2010-03-12T05:46:00.000-08:00

There could be more sewing, knitting and blogging in my future.

The company I work for has recently announced that it will be acquired. While the deal still has to close and decisions need to be made as to what the acquiror's plans are for all of us worker bees, there are many changes to come in the coming months. I'm planning to just go with the flow and see what happens!

Quick Turn Dress - Finished!

2010-03-07T12:49:00.000-08:00

I can't believe how long ago I started the Pattern Magic Volume 2 Quick Turn Dress, but I finally finished a wearable version!

Here are some photos of the original pattern and muslin work. I started with my personal moulage and manipulated the pattern based on the instructions in the Pattern Magic Volume 2 book. The front bodice section, shown below, required quite a bit of fullness to accommodate the "quick turn" design, so there was a significant amount of slashing and spreading. The darts were transferred to the seam line and to fullness.

The muslin turned out well, especially the front bodice. Honestly, as I was doing the pattern work, I didn't think it would work out. but, like magic, it did. The muslin was snug at the waist and hip, so I took out about 0.5 inches along each side seam.

The back is one piece shaped with internal darts. The front has four pieces: the bodice top, the bodice bottom (curved section), and two front skirt pieces. The seamline for the front of the skirt is offset, so instead of adding a slit to the back, as the book recommended, I moved it to the front. I also moved the zipper from the recommended CB seam to the side. Both changes worked out well. The "quick turn" piece is essentially a long rectangle that can be sewn into the front skirt seamline and left free-hanging from the waist to the neckline. I chose to keep it as a free-hanging piece from hem to neckline, with just two snaps at the waistline.

For the finished dress, I used a Japanese quilting cotton and bias strips of scrap silk doupioni as an accent. Because the quilting cotton has a tendency to "stick", I lined the dress with scrap Bemberg rayon --- in purple!

There is a slit in the front bodice to accommodate the "quick turn" piece. I made a rather long bound buttonhole using the silk doupioni, which looks really nice. I also found that the "quick turn" piece was longer than I wanted once I threaded it through the buttonhole. But instead of cutting it and re-doing the bias binding, I decided to fold it up and add three small snaps to secure it. This created a wonderful fullness which is reminiscent of a tied Japanese obi.

Overall, I'm really pleased with this dress. The pattern work was challenging but not impossible, especially if you go step-by-step and think through what you are doing and why you are doing it. I made a number of mistakes throughout this process, but it's all a learning experience. Next time, I will:

1. Put the bound buttonhole on the correct side of the bodice. I accidentally placed it on the opposite side, which forced me to center the "quick turn" piece rather than place it offset to one side.
2. Play with different skirt styles and fabric types. I think the bodice design is really beautiful and could look amazing in a variety of fabrics and styles. I think more waist definition might look nice as well. Maybe a belt?
3. Be careful with sewing the bias binding --- I didn't do a very clean job, especially around the corners.
4. Be careful with the direction of the prints. Upon closer inspection, I think the print is upside down on the "quick turn" piece!

I'm looking forward to tackling another project in this book!

High-Waisted Skirt

2010-02-27T15:24:00.000-08:00

I've had my eye on this high-waisted skirt pattern for quite some time. It is from the January 2009 issue of Burda and there have been a number of inspiring, beautifully crafted versions on Pattern Review.

Image from here.

Since I recently finished a pair of high-waisted trousers, I decided to continue the theme. I'm glad I did, because the style and fit are exceptional.

I used the same wool suiting as the high-waisted trousers and lined the skirt with purple bemberg rayon. The only pattern alterations I made were to the length --- decreased the waistband by about 1/4 inch and the skirt length by about 2 inches.

I made a few design and construction changes that I think worked well. Because of the high-waist styling, the waistband needs additional support and stability so it won't "crumple" when worn. A while back, I purchased some fusible hair canvas for tailoring, and decided to use that for the waistband. I like the stiffness it gave to the waistband, and fusing was a lot easier than sewing it in.

The waistband has a cool corset style, so there are multiple panels that are shaped to achieve a fitted look. I wanted to highlight the vertical lines, so I thought it would be interesting to insert a contrast fabric. I chose some silk twill I had in my stash --- lavender with red dots.

I used a fusible interfacing to stabilize the silk and cut 1-inch strips that I sewed to each panel, making sure about 1/4 inch of the silk remained visible on the outside. I then topstitched on both sides of the silk. In addition to adding interest to the waistband, this process served to further stiffen the waistband and actually seemed to act like a very light boning. The photo below shows how the waistband seam looks on the inside --- you can see the hair canvas and the interfaced silk that has been sewn to each panel and topstitched.

I used The Sewing Lawyer's belt loop technique (again!), which is really a great technique. They would have been perfect except for one small episode that involved a furry little feline. Just as I was about to sew on the second belt loop to the back, I got distracted by Simon sitting by my sewing machine. It was so cute that I dropped my fabric and ran off to get the camera. After a lengthy photo shoot, Simon tired of it all and walked away, so I went back to sewing the loop. Unfortunately, I got turned around and sewed it to the wrong side of the seam line! Ugh! My consolation is this photo of my little sewing assistant --- judging from his expression, I don't think he has a long future as a sewing cat!

So here's the back with the belt loops.

I sewed an invisible zipper along the back and added a little tab with a snap to the inside for a secure fit at the top.

Here's a photo of the skirt without the belt.

Overall I'm happy with the result!

Just a Couple of Snoods

2010-02-23T19:43:00.000-08:00

With the Stitches West yarn and knitting convention coming up this Thursday through Sunday, I've been inspired to pick up my needles. Nothing complicated --- just a couple of simple snoods!

This one, knit in the round using Prism Cool Stuff yarn, has one twist in it, which gives it a bit of character. The stitch pattern is simple, with six rows of garter alternating with six rows of stockinette. I've had this yarn in my stash for a few years now --- I bought it back when this type of novelty yarn was all over the place. Remember all those faux fur eyelash scarves? I've been feeling guilty about not finding a use for it, particularly because the one hank I bought cost a few pennies. I think this snood is the best use of the yarn --- it showcases all of the different novelty yarns and is a fun piece to wear!

This is another one that is knit in the round, but this one doesn't have a twist. It is just a simple tube that is knit in garter stitch. I had one ball left of Lion Brand Nature's Choice, and what better way to use it up than to knit a quick project. The yarn is really soft and easy to knit --- very cozy!

For Carolina Herrera Fans

2010-02-17T17:56:00.000-08:00

This week, there was a cool video interview with Carolina in the WSJ as well as a slideshow of some of her past designs. While I know I'll never have an occasion to wear one of her gowns, I still enjoy seeing her collections every season.

This is one of my favorite Carolina gowns, worn by Renee Zellweger several years ago. Can it be any simpler?

Image from here.

Silk Garden Cardi - Finished

2010-02-15T06:59:00.000-08:00

With just a few strands of yarn left, I managed to finish the Silk Garden Cardi. It definitely needed all 10 skeins of Noro Silk Garden that I had in my stash. It is a simple style, worked straight without shaping from hem to armhole in one piece. All of the edgings --- hem, sleeve hem, collar and front ruffle --- are worked in garter stitch, while the body is worked in a slip stitch. My original thought was to have long, bell sleeves and a wider ruffle along the fronts, but as I was quickly running out of yarn, I switched to Plan B!

I love the colorway of this yarn --- it was such a treat to watch how the colors would blend as I knitted the fabric. This is one aspect of knitting that I love --- instead of buying a fabric that is already made and printed, I get to create my fabric!

Here's an online source that I use for this amazing yarn and others. There are also pattern books out there using Noro yarns that are very inspiring. A recent one, titled Noro: Meet the Man Behind the Legendary Yarn, is supposed to be excellent.

Silk Garden Cardi - in progress

2010-02-01T18:46:00.000-08:00

Noro Silk Garden is a beautiful wool/silk/mohair blend yarn that comes in a number of gorgeous color combinations inspired by nature.

When I first tried Silk Garden a couple of years ago, I fell in love with the knitted fabric that resulted. It is lightweight yet warm; has a nice drape; and the colors are just stunning. I made my mom a vest with that first stash, which she loves and continues to wear today. I used a bamboo stitch, which is essentially a 4 x 2 rib stitch with rows of purl worked in intervals to mimic the look of bamboo. The pewter clasp in front is from a trip to Stockholm --- those clasps are the best!

My current Silk Garden project is a simple cardi done in garter stitch and a slip stitch. With this yarn, the color is the star, so I'm keeping the stitch patterns and overall design simple. What is interesting about the slip stitch pattern is that both sides are really attractive. I had a tough time deciding on which side to use as the "correct" side, but finally chose the flatter side, which looks more like a tweed stitch. The other side has more of a raised, boucle-like look. It is difficult to tell the difference in the photos below, but honestly, the colors are so mesmerizing to me that the stitch pattern doesn't seem very critical.

I'll post photos when I'm finished!

Calculating Cats

2010-01-31T19:41:00.001-08:00

Courtesy of Woolanthropy, I took this quick online quiz and was shocked --- just shocked --- at the result:

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I can't believe my sweet little Simon would plot anything ... other than a chance to lie on my freshly ironed fabric or swat at my dangling strands of yarn! Look at that face --- does that look like the face of a calculating cat?!?

Trousers - Not Just Two Sleeves Sewn Together

2010-01-25T19:07:00.000-08:00

Someone once told me that sewing a pair of pants is as easy as sewing two sleeves together. Ha!

I just finished a pair of high-waisted trousers, which are lined and feature a fly-front zipper and belt loops. While it wasn't as challenging as tailoring a jacket, it was still pretty involved --- definitely not easy!

Here's a line drawing of the pattern, which is from the January 2009 issue of Burda Magazine.

Pattern Alterations
As this is a petite-sized pattern, the only alterations I had to make were to add some width above the hip at the side seams. I made a muslin and found that it was a bit tight, so I made the required pattern changes and decided to make another muslin using a fabric closer to the final fashion fabric. Odd thing --- this muslin turned out too large! I decided to split the difference and added half of what the original muslin required.

As you can see from the front view, I should have gone with what the original muslin told me. It is a bit snug around the abdominal region. Just more incentive to hit the gym!

Fabric
I used a blue/gray wool suiting that I've had in my stash for a while. It is a "hard" fabric so it was difficult to press. For the seams, I used steam and a clapper to get a good press. I overlocked all of the raw edges rather than doing an enclosed seam finish, as I wanted to keep the seams as flat as possible. I used Bemberg rayon for the lining --- just some yardage I had in my stash.

Techniques
1. Fly-front Zipper: As I mentioned in an earlier post, I used this technique to put the fly-front zipper in, and it worked well. The only problem I ran into was accidentally pulling the zipper pull off! I managed to get it back on, but it doesn't quite look as good as it did before I had to fiddle with it. Oh well --- I learned my lesson --- do not cut off the zipper stops at the top of the zipper without securing the zipper top first!

2. Neat Belt Loops: The Sewing Lawyer has a great technique for putting in neat belt loops. Using her method, there are no raw edges showing and no messy topstitching at the narrow ends of the loops. Mine aren't as neat as hers, but I'll get there!

Construction
The only major change I made was to run the zipper up to the top and add a narrow bias band along the top, which added stability. The original pattern called for a two-button closure, but I was lazy and didn't want to make buttonholes. Yes, I am honest.

Changes I Would Make Next Time
1. Secure the zipper top before cutting off the stops!
2. In addition to interfacing the facings, I would interface the fronts and backs long the waist areas for added stability and potentially a smoother line.
3. Pockets would be nice.

Overall, I am pleased with these trousers, even though they are a bit snug. As someone who hasn't made very many pairs of pants, I think these turned out ok. I'm ready for my next pair!

Latest Burda --- in German!

2010-01-24T06:58:00.001-08:00

One of my stocking stuffers every year is a subscription renewal to my beloved Burda magazine. I've been a subscriber since 2006 and have all of my issues neatly organized by year in racks with a reference binder of patterns from each issue. Yes, I can be rather hyper-organized.

Well, last month, I received two January 2010 issues in the mail, one in English and the other in German. I thought there must have been some shipping mistake, but no --- I just received my February issue and it is in German! I looks like my subscription renewal was for the German language version!

Although I cannot read German, I am tempted to keep this subscription because the quality of the magazine is greater than the English version. While the English version has all of the pages, including the pattern sheets and directions, all stapled together in the center of the magazine, the German version has the pattern sheets and instructions bound together as a pack and inserted in the magazine. The pack has its own cover page and photos of each pattern style, so it can be neatly kept separately from the rest of the magazine. As any English Burda reader knows, in order to pull the patterns out, you have to remove the staples that hold the entire magazine together! Below is a picture of the pack, which has a perforated edge along the magazine binding.

I think the German version has special features as well which, unfortunately, I can't read, but I can appreciate the photos. Also, when you flip through the main photo pages, they include line drawings of each pattern, which is really nice to have, as sometimes it is difficult to discern the exact style in the photograph. The English version doesn't have this.

So it wouldn't be too bad to keep the German version --- the pattern pieces still have English terms on them and often times the instructions aren't all that clear anyway. Maybe I'll learn a few new words!

A Shirt's Tale

2010-01-22T06:12:00.000-08:00

Here's a good WSJ article about quality details in a well-tailored shirt. The article focuses on men's shirts, but the details can be applied to women's shirts as well.

For sewing shirts, I have the David Coffin book, Shirtmaking, which has excellent information on construction techniques. I know he recently came out with a trouser book, which I am thinking of buying. There is a really good blog, Off the Cuff, that is written by a designer who creates beautiful shirts. She has great tutorials and tips for making shirts as well as other garments, and I always learn something new from her site.

Week in San Francisco

2010-01-17T07:08:00.000-08:00

I spent the past week in San Francisco for a work-related conference, which meant no sewing and minimal knitting. During open times, I was fortunate that the weather allowed me to walk around and do a bit of window shopping. San Francisco has a great mix of the usuals (Nordstrom, Neiman, Saks) as well as specialty boutiques by local designers.

Margaret O'Leary has beautiful sweaters, and this time, a gray swing coat with an amazingly cozy oversized collar caught my eye. It's one of those sweaters that doesn't have great hanger appeal, but is transformative when put on. It is from the Fall 2009 collection and the image is on her website.

Sunhee Moon is always a fun store for clean-styled basics that are locally designed and manufactured. I love the shirtdresses and skirts, while a friend of mine says the pants are the best-fitting ever. I've had my eye on the dress below --- love the shape and the sleeves.

Image from here.

House of Hengst is another locally designed name that has really cool garments. The style is very clean with some retro elements to add interest. The fabrics are absolutely gorgeous and the construction is impeccable. The designer gives a lot of attention to the details, so if you have the chance to see one of her pieces up close, check out those details.

After all of my obligations were finished, I treated myself to a leisurely stroll through Britex Fabrics, which is one of the best resources for fine fabrics in the San Francisco area. All of the imported and designer fashion fabrics are on the first floor --- bolts of gorgeous wools line the walls and rolls of silk charmeuse prints cover the tables --- just the stuff to get your creative juices flowing. I always check out the fourth floor, which is where the remnants reside. I found a beautiful navy blue wool jersey, striped cotton shirting and a pale gray silk and cotton. I have no idea what I'm going to make but I'm sure I'll figure something out!

WSJ - Mariniere Style

2010-01-08T05:24:00.000-08:00

Image from here.

WSJ featured one of my favorite styles yesterday. Here's a link to the article, which features mariniere style or nautical style. The slideshow is very cool too.

According to the article, boat-necked striped shirts were first worn by French sailors. Then Coco Chanel came along and introduced the garment for women. Since then, the look has surfaced a number of times, the most current time being influenced by the movie, Coco Before Chanel, which was released last year and featured Audrey Tautou wearing one of the iconic shirts.

Here's a version that is actually a dress and has very cool draped sleeves. It is from a brand called T-Los Angeles.

Image from here.

I would love to make my own version --- maybe a tweaked version to give it more spunk. If anyone can recommend fabric sources for this kind of striped fabric, I would appreciate it!