Stitching in New England

It's gorgeous here in New Hampshire. The leaves haven't reached their full glory but you can tell it's coming. I moved from Austin, Texas to Princeton, New Jersey back in the 80's. It was a big shock to this Texas gal, but I do have fond memories of the fall colors, especially mums like these.

The colors in my latest ensemble form a background for autumn colors. With the right jewelry or scarf or jacket this will be a favorite for me, I think. Both pieces are made with Sewing Workshop patterns - the Helix pants and the Odette top.

The Helix pants are a rayon ponte in a color I'd call caramel. Yum. I cut them out before heading north. These are such an easy make, a great basic. They are just right for sewing under less-than-ideal circumstances - away from home, no access to my stash of thread, chalk, and other supplies.

I did not have the right thread but made do. I have found that it's super important to use polyester thread on knit pants. I've tried them with cotton thread, but it's just too easy to place my foot in the wrong place and pop the side seams while slipping into them. Polyester is much stronger and better for knit pants, I think. The closest color I had on hand was a dark green which was fine for all sewing, except top-stitching. I used some matching cotton thread for the top-stitching.

I brought my sweet featherweight 222K which is relatively easy to carry on a plane and easy to tuck away when I'm not sewing. It's such a pleasure to have and to use. Almost too pretty to use. Almost. Look at that gorgeous straight stitch.

The Odette top is made from organic Alabama Chanin cotton jersey, in a brown just a shade lighter than the rayon ponte in the Helix pants. Again I see this piece as a basic, background for other pieces to shine. The Odette pattern in asymmetric in style. Almost every pattern piece is cut single-thickness. The sleeves are the only exception. Luckily I was able to cut these out prior to leaving home.

Some of the Odette pieces offered a nice place for sashiko. That was such fun. I used sashiko to secure the neckline, as well as all hems. Then I added some to the angular seams. Not sure that was a great idea but I can always remove the sashiko that crosses my belly.

Although the sewing has not been the same as it is in my home studio, it has been fun. And look what I found!

So has the season change affected your sewing?

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MMM Day 7

Dresses are always outliers in my wardrobe. I am ever optimistic and I make them and then I don't wear them much.

This one, from the Sewing Workshop, is a recent make that I've already worn several times. It is quite the understatement to say that it is comfortable. And it was nearly free because it is made out of ponte knit remnants I had lurking near my stash. The only fit is through the shoulders and maybe the bust.

At this point, I am convinced it's a keeper and I even have some ITY knit that should be lovely for this pattern. I'll be checking for lines to shorten it a bit. For now, I'm considering making a different dress. Never give up!

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Memphis Fun

A new pattern is almost always a salivating experience for me. It must be that way for some people who enjoy jigsaw puzzles. It's never quite as much fun the second time around though.

The new Memphis dress from the Sewing Workshop was intriguing and a fun make. This one is a sort of wearable muslin. Since knit is required, muslin cannot be used, of course. So I used remnants of ponte in my stash.

I started with this purple remnant. I had just enough to test the bodice of the Medium. I could see that I'd need to take it in at the shoulders just a smidge. The pattern does not really fit anywhere else so I proceeded with the wearable version.

As with so many of these assymetrical patterns, almost every piece required cutting in a single layer. The exceptions were the sleeves and the back yoke. As you can see, I did not have enough of my remnants to cut out full length sleeves. That's OK anyway because warm weather is headed my way.

The pattern is designed with a forward shoulder.

The pieces came together flawlessly. This is no surprise - Sewing Workshop patterns are always beautifully drafted and the instructions are thorough. There was one grain line missing from one of the lower bands but it was easy to determine, based on the suggested pattern layout.

I tested it as a tunic before attaching the lower bands. Not too bad.

My two fabrics are both ponte knit but the black one is slightly heavier and more stable. I think this will cause the dress to grow. That may be a problem. I can always remove the lower bands and go with the tunic idea.

I have enough of a poly knit that may be worth trying next. But then I don't wear dresses. Much. Each time I make a dress, I think, maybe this time. I am the eternal optimist when it comes to sewing. Are you too?

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