Spadina musings

Now that I have the garments chosen, I need to finalize fabrics and patterns.  I did some block draping with two knit prints that will be tops and the two skirt fabric options.

Tops - Pucci print and a silk jersey paisley

Skirt - wool grab and lightly felted wool

I also draped the Pucci as a wrap style dress.  I live the colours, it is most definitely my colour path, but am worrying the print will wear me rather than the reverse if I do this in a wrap.  I have never worn a large scale print like this full body.  Huge leap here...

Trilogy part 2- the Tunic

I realized that this is posted out of order...  this was supposed to post BEFORE the Spadina Collection post.  I published the wrong draft first ... sorry!

I am not sure about tunics on me and my shape.  As I am somewhat curvy, they tend to look chunky on me.  I am also not one for belts as I find them uncomfrotable when sitting at a desk.  But that could also be a posture issue.  I think the length hits me wrong as well.  Believe it or not,there is a waistline in there.

For this one I used a wool challis in a wonderful paisley print that will go with denim or wool suiting.  Love it to death!  What I did not realize is that not all challis behave the same.  The Trilogy calls for RAYON challis.  Different drape all together.  Still nice but not tunic drapey, if that makes sense.  Will have to think hard about which pattern I choose for the rest of the fabric.

This might have been better for the bias version...

Spadina Collection

I have given up in the HP Trilogy pattern... but only because fall has arrived in Ottawa and I am cold.  So, the bias version and the top are delay until either spring or a trip south.   On the upside, the question of proportion has been solved.  I belted the challis the tunic length and bloused it to the top length.  Eureka! So, one day when I REALLY want to wear it this winter, I will pull the side seams and chop her down in length!  It will work well with the SWAP (Sewing with a Plan) I sort of have in mind.  The paisley colouring will go well with the bottoms planned and already completed.

I am calling this capsule the Spadina Collection.  It was inspired by my wonderful visit with MaryBeth and Els in Toronto a few years back.  We spent the day wandering the Garent District.  I was in seach for a fabric to coordinate with a piece of wool boucle I bought at Darrell's.  I was looking for burgundy, but was convinced to go WAY outside my comfort zone and try a deep lilac/mauve colour instead.  I have spent the intervening years avoiding the cloth.  Now that I am working in a professional office, I needed to get at it!

The jacket has been progressing, but I am taking my time here.  I have spent time on this one, adding a canvas mount, interfcing the boucle and adding organza interlining and padstitching.  It is my skils project.  Before I put the sleeves in, I need to decide on the lapels.  They are quite wide, very on the 70s trend right now, and I think I can pull it off as I am not a small woman.  I just don't want to date the jacket.  I want it to stay classic.  SO, before I put sleeves in and add the lining, I need to decide.  What do you think? The sleeves will be the same blue as the peplum and lapel.

The shift dress peeking out from underneath is the fabric from Toronto.  It is ready for sleeves and neck facing and hemming. The stalling point is that I have decided it needs a lining.  That means I have to go back to the cutting board and cut the dress out again.  As my sewing time is limited, I need a day to to that and then sew it.  I am very happy with the fit after some tweaking and consistant excerise.

I have enough of the wool gab from the dress to make either a top or a skirt. Decisions, decisions... am leaning towards the top for versatility.  The fact that I have some luscious Pucci knit that will coordinate is one of the things pushing me to a skirt.  I do have other top options to go with said skirt, though.  So maybe it will become a skirt.

The real battle in my head is where to go next.  I am in SUCH a need for
office wear that I do not know where to logically start!  I am not sewing many TNT patterns as most of those are not fitting or are too casual.  so quick question ... do I START WITH THE BOTTOMS (PANTS) or do I start a marathon of tops and then move on to the pant marathon?  Is it better to sew outfits or or pieces?  How do I stop overthinking this??  If I was shopping, I would buy outfits.  Logic says I should start there.  So, a simple bottom and a couple of tops.  To stay with the thread on the machines I will do the pencil skirt and the Pucci print, then perhaps a button up in a classic stripe. Then move on to a pair of pants.

Pucci print

This where I will start.  I have been trying to determine what pattern will suit this lovely.  Was thinking dress, but now that the weather is cooling off, it will be a top with enough for a flirty skirt come warmer weather.  I think I even know where I am going to start pattern wise!

Tale of the Trilogy - Part 1

After a raft of fit disasters on previous projects, I have been avoiding my sewing room and sulking.  My hour glass silhouette has turned more pear shape in profile resulting in some major body image issues.   This then led to changing how I sewed and resulted in the aforementioned disasters.  I went back to basics - starting with size.

I think I was sewing too big on my last few attempts.  I think I was so bothered by my weight gain that I was sewing his I felt, not how I actually looked and measured.  Going back to almost a sloper was just what I needed.  Guess I have not gained as much as I thought... Either that or it is actually starting to come off due to a change in eating habits and going for long walks.

Too hot to garden and fighting a headache Saturday... Excellent day to devote to sewing!  Two pattern muslins cut for Hot Patterns latest release the Fast and Fabulous Trilogy Shift dress tunic top.  A basic pull on shift dress, it comes in three lengths - top (at low hip length), tunic and dress length.  Due to the above, I was a bit hesitant to order this as I did not want another garment that did not suit.  After chatting with Trudy, I decided to take a chance as there is more shaping than in the pattern picture.  For the hourglass silhouette that turns to a pear profile, This dress is a great fit!  There is very little shaping on the sides and CB but none at CF.  That was a concern as I do not like tents except to sleep in!

Muslin #1 - Cut out the top only (without the added length) as this was purely for a baseline fit.  Cut a size 14 without alterations first to see what was really needed.  The fit was pretty damned close.  The only change to the base pattern was to add some shaping to the CF from under the bustline to the waist.

Body of the top without the length extension; no added shaping or seam allowance; straight 14

As you can see there are some drag lines in the high hip area even though the Side seams are hanging straight.  I thought I would have to blend to a 16 below the waist.

Muslin #2 is a rayon batik in the full dress length.  The sides have the extra width and I have increased the shaping at CB as well to cover off a hollow back.  This fabric was a gift from dear friend MaryBeth a number of years ago.  This fabric was reclaimed from the very aging stash of the Diva.

This turned out to be wearable ... maybe not to work as this is quite lightweight fabric, but a runabout dress all the same.  I have yet to hem it and I did end up doing 5/8" s.a. vice the 3/8".  In hindsight, I could do the 14 without blending to the 16.  The Pilot suggested more shaping at the waist but if I do any more I will have to add a zipper to take it on and off. Not something I want in this version.

Size 14 w/shaped seams

To appease the Pilot, I took some fabric remnants and mocked up a self fabric belt.  I like that look much better.  I may add some loops to the side seams once I finish the belt. This version still needs to be hemmed so it will be shorter by about 1" all around.  It hits me at mid calf.  Not sure if I like that length on me.  Once it is hemmed and the belt is done I will post a final shot of me wearing it.  The Pilot liked it and The Diva did not veto it.  I guess it is a keeper!

Self fabric belt option after taking in seams to 5/8"

Version 3 will be a knit version.  I have some luscious Pucci knits to choose from.  It will definitely be the 14 with 5/8" seams and more shaping.  Then I have to decide on fabrics for the tunic length and the top.  After all, it is the Trilogy pattern!


Still considering the bias cut version for fun... That will be another start from scratch muslin attempt.  After seeing the shaping, though, it would have to be the tunic and not the dress.