Flashback Friday - Father and Daughter Golf Shirts

This picture makes my heart melt, my face smile and my eyes get a little teary.  It is such a cute picture with such wonderful memories

This was July 2000, the twins were 5-1/2 and we belonged to a local golf course.  Paige our oldest loved to golf, as did my husband (what am I saying he still loves to golf).  We would go to the course on Sunday evenings as a family and play at least 6 holes.  Mike cut down putters for all the girls when they were young so everyone had their own club and it was just the right size.  That was the only time they were allowed to hit, so when we reached the green off they would run with the ball and club.  The girls would hit and count the strokes until the ball was in the hole.

The fabric came from Needle Nook Fabric after a weekend trip to Wichita.  We took the whole family on a mini-trip just so I could shop at Anne's store.  I brought home some great goodies, one of them this stripe knit for matching golf shirts.  In addition to fabric shopping, we went to the zoo, the Science museum and Cow Town (historical venue).

For the twins' shirts, I used Kwik Sew Sewing for Toddlers

and for my husband's shirt Kwik Sew 1882

In, fact, I found my review for this pattern on Pattern Review

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Grandson note, he spent two nights in the hospital the first of the week with RSV, yesterday afternoon he finally seemed to be getting better.  So not much sewing here, I spent my evenings at the hospital loving on the little guy.

Burda Magazine 2-2009 #118

Pattern Description:

Figure hugging top in jersey with off-shoulder puffed sleeves"

Pattern Sizing:

34-42

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?

Yes, I do believe a solid fabric shows the details better but I do like my top

Were the instructions easy to follow?

I had to read the sleeve steps a couple of times to understand totally the construction process. Alot of the construction is carefully marking your pattern pieces, enabling you to match the corresponding pieces. Make sure you mark the bottom of the sleeve and inside sleeve piece, this helps tremendously.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?

It is a fun knit shirt pattern, on my to-do list for quite some time.

Fabric Used:

A cotton-lycra knit from Needle Nook Fabric.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:

Added to length

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?

I might sew it again in a solid fabric, would be cute

Conclusion:

Fun knit shirt, the sleeves and yoke make it unique.

New Look 6648

Pattern Description:


Knit tops 4 different looks





Pattern Sizing:

6 to 16

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?

For the most part, I used a solid color for the gathered band

Were the instructions easy to follow?

This pattern has 4 pieces, neckband, front, back and lower band, so it is very easy to follow the instructions

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?

I liked the style of the top, dressy casual, plus I liked several of the versions here on PR.

Fabric Used:

ITY knit from fabric.com and the black is from Needle Nook fabric.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:

I added a bit of length and for the elastic gathered sleeves, I just stitched 1/8" elastic in the seam allowance.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?

I thnk I will make it again, view C is calling my name.

Conclusion:

Fast and fun top with great results. I have a new top for the fall
 

Simplicity 2599 - White Knit

This pattern is a Best of 2010 on Pattern Review and I can see why, it is very versatile

I made this in August 2010 and here is the review and the original blog post

I was Cabi-inspired again with this white top:

Photo from Cabi Canary

I called my friend, Anne at Needle Nook Fabric and asked her for a white knit, something substantial, so I could wear it alone if needed.  She had just the fabric and by the time we finished talking, I had a nice box coming my way (you know, I like my knit fabric)

Since this Simplicity pattern is for a woven, I had to make some adjustments

1. I folded out the dart on the pattern
2. cut it a bit smaller in waist and hips
3. added some length (not due to the knit but felt my first top needed some length)
4. Cut the back on the center fold, I did not need the keyhole opening for a knit

I used the ruffles from view D first.  When I cut these the first time (crosswise) the knit kept wanting to curl on the bottom of the ruffles.  I didn't need to worry about the stretch on the ruffles, so I cut these lengthwise.  This solved the curling problem and only if you are very close to the garment can you tell the difference. 

Next came the neck ruffle from View E and then a bit of finishing.

I wore it to work like this:

but soon wore it like this at work, just too hot in the building

I cropped a photo of the ruffles, the details can be seen a bit better.  Clarity isn't the best

Opinions Please for Simplicity 2250

I originally purchased this pattern for Meredith, the dress looks just like her, then the cardigan caught my eye.

.  The recommended fabrics are:

So does anyone have any good ideas on fabric?  I was thinking a lightweight denim but not positive.

Suggestions, please?

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On a sad note, please keep my friend, Anne, owner of Needle Nook Fabrics in your thoughts. Here is her blogpost. 

My Image Wrap Cardigan #105

Recently I purchased My Image Magazine from Sew Baby.  The information from the website states  it is a pattern magazine from the Netherlands with 16 patterns.  I thought I would give it a try and I am very pleased.  Here is a the website for the contents.  You can tell a few things get lost in translation but with prior sewing knowledge, a good sewing book or similar pattern you can figure it out.

My first item is a long cardigan and here is the line drawing of all the patterns.

Ann from Sew Baby made the cardigan in December and I knew I really wanted to sew from this magazine.

Pattern:  Long cardigan with pockets (which they call a vest)

Sizing: 36 to 44, I made a 38, it is a bit big.  I did add seam allowances, need to re-read the magazine and see if I needed to do that.

Instructions:  On this garment very good, I could figure it out, somethings are translated a bit differently.  For instance, the pocket facing is called the counterpiece.  Another instance, close the sleeve rush which is the sleeve band.  Don't let this stop you from sewing from the magazine, it is all easy to figure out.

Likes/dislikes:  Cute style, fun, easy to change to make this basic garment look quite different.  Shorter, sleeveless, pocket changes, etc.

Changes:  I added a bit of length.  The pattern in the magazine, has you sew on buttons, down the band and up the side of the band toward the shoulder seam.  In the magazine, there are several garments of each pattern, some of the cardigans had buttons and some did not.  I didn't see any buttonholes on any of the cardigans.  I did add buttonholes to my garment.

Fabric:  A double knit from Needle Nook

Conclusion:  A fun pattern from a great new magazine.


Front band (should of moved that buttonhole up a bit)

 buttons:

 Full view of cardigan:

 sleeve band

 Me in my cardigan with leggings and belted:

Ottobre 5/2010 #1

I finished another Ottobre t-shirt, it is the same pattern as this top just the sleeves are different.  I added 2" to the sleeves and this was the perfect length.  Fabric is from Needle Nook and it is an ITY knit.

Here is my top

The fabric is gorgeous!

Ottobre

I am wearing my new knit top from the latest Ottobre Woman Magazine

or you can see the line drawing the design is #4

I am wearing the top to work today and I would change two things:

1. Lengthen the arms by 1".  I rolled up the long cuffs, so my top is 3/4 sleeve and it looks better than too short long sleeves
2. I made a 38 and the shoulders are a bit wide, I will take off about a 1/4" from the next one (I have view #1 cut out and ready to sew - just different sleeves)

It is made from an ITY from Needle Nook Fabric.

Here it is on my dressform:

There are a couple more things I want to make from this issue, it is a good one.

McCall's 6036 Review

Pattern Description: Close fitting pullover tank top, t-shirt, with different embellishments. "Make it Crafty" pattern


Pattern Sizing:XS (4-6) to XL (20-22). 

Were the instructions easy to follow? I didn't even look at them but I will look at them for some of the embellishments.  I think McCall's embellishments on this pattern are very trendy.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?  The embellishments are the reason I purchased this pattern and this time I didn't even use them!

Fabric Used:  A stretch lace from Needle Nook Fabric

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:   I added 1" to the length for Meredith's height, should have added about 3" total.  She is long everywhere but has only recently had me to sew for her again.  I am learning all these alterations for her teenage body

I wondered if I would have to sew the lace differently so the seams would not show.  I had some serger thread very close to the fabric color and I did a test stitchout on some scraps.  I could not see the seam, so I serged the entire top.

Close-up of seam and neck edge

Would you sew it again?  I do plan to sew it again but next time for me.

Conclusion:  Great pattern for a basic tshirt and the plus is all the embellishment ideas.  I read in one of my fashion magazines, lace is big this year, so Meredith is right there with the trend.

I think Meredith really likes her top, I made it yesterday and she wore it to school today.  Hubby told her what a cute top she had on, "thanks, Mom made it", she responded.  He was impressed, which is good but to me it is just a basic tshirt made from some fantastic and unusual fabric for a t-shirt.

Here is Meredith wearing her top early this morning.  My lucky day, snapped one picture and then the camera battery died

Sweater Knit Fabric

I purchased some beautiful sweater knit at Needle Nook Fabric in July.  I turned to a pattern I had made before and enjoy wearing this garment.  It is Simplicity 2472 and you can see the orginal blog post here

I had just enough fabric left to try Butterick 4132

This pattern has many favorable reviews and it is for a woven.  I should have gone done one size, instead I went up one size.  What was I thinking?  I really don't know.  The top is way too big in the shoulders and in the body of the garment.  Also, you can tell in the pattern picture, it is short.  I didn't have fabric left to lengthen the garment but I will next time by 2-3".  Here it is

Jalie 2919

I have wanted to make this pattern since it first came up but never could find the right fabric.  After my trip to Needle Nook, I had the right fabric and purchased the pattern from Anne, too.  With the heat index at 110 degrees, I am staying inside and making a winter sweater.  Makes perfect sense, right?

So here is the review:

Description: Long-sleeved drapey cardigan (A) or vest (B) with doubled collar drape and front pleats from shoulder to waist.

Sizing: Children and Adult sizes 2 to 22.

Fabric used:  A sweater knit from Needle Nook Fabrics, very stretchy and a bit spongy and beautiful

Instructions: I thought the instructions were easy to follow.  I tend to look more at the illustrations on Jalie than the written instructions.

Changes:  The only change I made was due to the fabric.  I made three tucks in the front pieces instead of four.  After making three tucks, the front shoulder looked about the same size as the back shoulder.  I compared and the pattern pieces did match, thus eliminating one tuck.  I think this was due to the thickness of my fabric. 
Here is a close up of the pleats and the fabric:

Several reviews have mentioned narrow shoulders and tight arms in this pattern.  I cut a size V out in the entire pattern, plus added about 1/4" to the arms.  This seemed to be a good fit for these areas.  I would add more to the arms if I chose a fabric with limited stretch.

Likes/Dislikes:  Stylish is my first like and the fit of the cardigan.  I like the view from the back, just look at the shaping.

Conclusion.  I will make this again.  Meredith bought a cute black/gray stripe from Needle Nook's Remnant table for the sleeveless version and I have fabric for another long sleeve version.  This garment looks like a great addition to my fall/winter wardrobe, it just  might be a while before I wear it.