Lady Grey is So Finished!

Do I look happy? Well, I am! On Sunday, I was actually kind of hating this coat. Sewing fatigue, maybe? But I did something really simple, and it totally changed the look and the way I felt about it. What is it you ask? I simply topstitched around the entire front edge, lapels and collar. That's it. You see, I hadn't done any topstitching, but this left the front edge and lapels weirdly poofy and no amount of ironing was going to tame them. I had even understitched the facing up to the lapels and around the neckline. But, no. Anyway, it's done and I've blogged a lot about alterations and muslins and the process, so today, just a few observations and some more pictures.

Gratuitous gorgeous sunny fall day picture. Too sunny really to get good pictures.

 I'm happy with the fit for the most part. And enjoyed the tailoring process.

There is still that wrinkle across the back, in spite of the sway back adjustment. Oh well. I'll live.

Hard to see in the picture, but each belt loop has four lines of topstitching. The first two were kind of uneven and I was too lazy to make new ones, so I added 2 more lines of stitching and I kind of like the effect.

I added those really big snaps instead of buttons and I love them! With the giant belt loops on the back, I'll always wear the belt, so the button would be hidden anyway. I'll save the 3 I bought for another project.

The biggest flaws in the sewing are on the inside and it's pretty much a hot mess. Puckery princess seams, wonky hem, sleeve lining was too short,and I just added another band of lining.

And the lining is Hot! It's Pink! It says "Look at ME!" Oh well, again, I'll live. Most of the time, curious onlookers will only see a glimpse anyway.

And that's it! Curious about more of these posts?
Muslin #1
Muslin #2A
Muslin #2B
Cutting it out
Pad Stitching
The Interfacing

And I think that's it. How about some more pictures!

My Mondo Top -- Vogue 8151

If you watched Project Runway this past season, then you must remember the Jackie Kennedy challenge, and Mondo's tee and skirt outfit that won.


From the moment I saw it, I knew I wanted my very own Mondo top! How do you feel about knock-offs? I feel like, it's ok, if you're making it for your own use. It's not like I'm going to make lots of them and sell them. I also feel like home sewistas are often inspired by designers and RTW fashions. How many times have you seen something in a store, and said "I can make that"?!

Anyway, I already had Vogue 8151, and with just a couple of modifications, I had made myself a Mondo top.

I used a Michael Miller cotton interlock knit from fabric.com which is super soft, with a nice, beefy weight. These knits shrink quite a bit, so be sure to prewash if you purchase any. The sleeve on this pattern is already 3/4 length, so I just determined where I wanted to cut it, and added seam allowance to the cut. I did shorten the length by an inch.

I also made the neckline more of a boatneck, though it could have be made even more so, and I didn't use the neckband in the pattern. I simply serged the neck edge, and folded it over 5/8". I was worried about matching the stripes just a bit with the dart, but didn't have any problems.

I'm not the only one who wanted a top like this! Laura wanted one, too, and I made her one in black and white. I lengthened the body an inch for her and left the sleeve length alone. I also made her one size smaller (the "B" size). I haven't sent it to her yet, so fingers crossed that it fits.

A New Baby

My Etsy friend, Holly Anne, had a beautiful baby boy yesterday, so in honor of her and Cohen, I want to share this fun video. And to my own children, when you have your own babies, this could very well be what I want to do with them.

Something Different

You know that I have Etsy shops, and sometimes I actually do some work on them. Usually it's purses, clutches and the odd quilt now and then, but a couple of months ago, Roland actually did a little marketing for me, and pointed one of his colleagues in my direction. She's Jewish, and apparently when Jewish children reach a certain age they receive a prayer book. Traditionally, covering this prayer book would be an elaborate cover handmade by the mother or grandmother.

Well, this mom is a corporate attorney, and is, well, by her own admission, not crafty at all. This is where I come in. Her son didn't want anything traditional, and I think you'll all agree, there really is nothing Jewish about this book cover at all.

Roland found the hockey fabric at G Street Fabrics in Rockville, Maryland on our trip there this past September.

A clarification about my yarn ball for Karin: I didn't spin this yarn, I merely wound it into that marvelous ball. I'm probably at least a few years from actually spinning yarn, if ever, but thanks for thinking that I'm that clever. It made me smile!

A parting shot:

Ta Da!!

OK, admit it. That last post was just so boring informative, you could hardly stand it! And by the title, you're thinking... She has finally finished that darn Lady Grey coat, and we can move on from those boring informative posts and read about something else.

But you would be wrong.

I've done this! Made a ball of yarn from a hank of yarn. Oh no, you're thinking that now she's gone and done something really boring  exciting now! Yet it seems I have become instantly addicted to an age old pasttime that I previously thought I had absolutely no interest in. So I bought a knitting book (more on that later), ordered some yarn from fabric.com (where else?), and the sticks have been clicking! (Well, you had some foreshadowing of this event with that scarf I showed you, right?) Look how pretty:

Yes, I know that's the back side (the purl side for you yarn enthusiasts... see, I know what I'm talking about). I just love the way it looks.

Oh. And I FINALLY finished the pad stitching on my Lady Grey collar. Could it have taken ANY longer?

Interfacing for the Lady Grey

I

I have used 4 different kinds of interfacing for the Lady Grey, plus sleeve heads. And what are they? Well, 2 kinds of hair canvas. The one on the side piece is just regular hair canvas that I bought at G Street Fabrics in Maryland. Unfortunately, it was only half as wide as I thought it would be, and I didn't have enough. So for the front piece, I ordered what turned out to be Pro-Tailor Fusible Hair Canvas from Fashion Sewing Supply.
Well, I knew I was ordering the hair canvas, but the fusible part turned out to be the surprise part.

Never mind though, instructions came with the fusible hair canvas, and I just went with it. As you can see, the lower sleeve part has yet another interfacing, and this one is Pellon 860F Ultra-weft. Also fusible. Seems pretty good, and is loosely woven.

Do you see the cute pink polka dot pocket? Polyester charmeuse. The back stay is the regular hair canvas. And I'm not sure it shows up, but the back hem is interfaced with pro-sheer elegance fusible interfacing, which is a very lightweight knit interfacing. Seemed like a good idea. I'll let you know when I get to the hemming part.

And I used a sleeve head to support the sleeve cap and to help with the easing. The sleeves went in pretty easily with only one pucker that I had to fix.

And then on to the pad stitching for the collar. I had enough regular hair canvas, so used that. One of the problems I had with the collar was that as you stitch, the canvas can get pulled and bunched, and then doesn't go to the edges like it should. If you hold it with pins (which I did) you get repeatedly stuck. Ouch! My solution:

Don't Mess with Lady Grey!

Seriously! [editor's note: that is NOT Lady Grey in the picture, but clearly must be her protector!]

[Saturday, Kyle, Roland and I went skeet shooting. Beautiful fall weather, fun company and well, not much success on my part of hitting those orange flying saucer-like "skeets".  Never mind that, what about the sewing?!!]

It almost looks like a coat!

Sleeves will be added tomorrow! And the lining is all cut out. Looking back at Gertie's tutorials (click on the sidebar sew along icon to see them), there will be more pad stitching with the collar before the lining is tackled though. Check out a close up of the pad stitching on the lapel:

I've got lots more projects lined up to start right after the coat is finished (and maybe worked in even before it's finished). Some of them will be Christmas gifts, so they won't be revealed until later.