Burda trench coat

I'm working on view B/C of the Burda plus size trench in the January 2009 magazine. The "bedsheet" version is a work in process. I traced a 48 in the shoulders, 50 in the bust and 52 in the hips. The fit is wonderful except for the length of the sleeves. They are about 1 1/2 inches too short. The fabric is a microfiber from fabricmart.com. The lining is ambiance from the Denver Fabrics clearance. Buttons are in the stash and buckles are on order. I'm also going to put an inner lining in it for warmth. My coats are getting old and ugly and need to be replaced. This trench version looks a lot like the ones I see in the store. Pictures are in my picasa album.

picassa album

The lining will be stenciled. In fact it has already been stenciled with lumiere paint and is hanging in the bathroom for the required 24 hours. Then it will be pressed and heat set.

More on the jacket

The body portion of the jacket is mostly done. The collar is ready to attach, but it seems to be too short by about a half inch. I'm not sure whether this is because I stretched the collar out or it is just too short. Anyway there is enough fabric left to cut out a new collar.

Burda July 2008 no. 130

I've traced out the pattern and made my adjustments. The test garment has been done and a couple more tweaks have been added in. The Burda photo looks like a jean jacket type garment, but my test garment looks more like a regular jacket, a nice one. It will be a flip and stitch jacket out of a black linen blend. It will be lined with rayon bemberg lining. Then maybe a second one from some EOS fabric in the stash.

Dress Form

DH gifted me with a Uniquely You dress form for my birthday. I've started padding her out, but she still has some issues. She needs a breast reduction and needs hips. She has no hips but I am not straight up and down. The tummy is looking pretty good. Lots of pulls on the shoulder/breast area and a large tuck underneath the breast area. Haven't decided on her name yet. The old one was named Emily, but she just doesn't seem like an Emily. Maybe Prudence.

The biannual blog post

It's now July and I'm just posting a second note for the year. I've finished the sophia blouse from Silouette Patterns, and it still needs another tweak. The neck in front is a little high. It needs to be lowered about a half inch and the collar extended a tad bit to cover the extra.

I took pictures of the silk version and it looks to be very oversized, so they haven't been posted. The collar kind of flops down on the left side, but noone seems to notice. It's very comfortable and the garments that she wears seem to be very oversided too. It's one of the reasons that I made it an extra size larger. The blouse seems to have that oversized campshirt type fit.

I'm debating whether or not to make another one.

Otherwise, I'm tracing out a Burda jacket from the July 2008 issue. It will be for work and may or may not be lined using the flip and stitch method.

Another blouse is in the works. It will have a lapel collar, puffy cap sleeve and a yoke in the back with a gathered back piece. Version 2 is coming up. Then maybe a couple of silk versions in pastels for work. That will use up the sand washed silk from PR Weekend in L.A. I've used up 5 pieces of the fabric. The faux wool pant weight doesn't wear well or look very good. I just may use the last piece for a muslin, not even wearable. It's disappointing because I wanted new pants. Maybe I'll go off to Fabricland in Orange and get some new stuff. I'm 4 yards in the black for the year fabricwise.

My poor abandoned blog

This blog has seen no activity for the last five months. I haven't done much sewing either. I've gained 10 to 12 pounds (which is a whole size), and bought a bunch of stuff at PR Weekend LA. Now there is no excuse. I need new work clothes and have a stack of new fabrics.

PMB4 pants have been printed and a test sample done. They fit wonderfully. I found a way to eliminate that under the bum slanted wrinkle. When you drop the waist in PMB4, just drop the side seam 1/4 inch less and it's like magic. The under the bum wrinkle goes away. My first pair of pants is partly cut out and ready to begin.

The jacket. Last Post on the subject.

Well the jacket is finished. It has been a great learning project for me. I genuinely believe the next jacket will be wearable, but this one just doesn't quite make it. DH likes it, but I don't feel comfortable wearing it out in public. The sleeve caps still have a little too much ease, the collar is a little lopsided and the bottom front sags. I will definitely make this jacket out of a better fabric.

I've also signed up for Shannon Gifford's stitch and flip jacket class. I'm looking forward to that.

In the meantime, I'm working on a jumper. I know, I know. I'm too old to wear jumpers.