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Thursday, April 11, 2013

Another SFD Top and A Video for Klutzy68

Alright, my anonymous friend won't give me her name, so I am going to make one up for her.  I am going to call her "Nony" (pronounced No Nee), which is just a shortened "anonymous".  Nony asked me why I don't make dresses or skirts or SOMETHING other than a thousand blouses.  Yesterday, I remembered the reason.

The reason is, I have spent the last two years LEARNING how to make the clothes I make fit me.

I have miles of fabric, most of which I bought on sale, and I decided to use the fabric up as LESSONS IN FIT.  Obviously, finding Sure-fit Designs was a great solution, BUT that doesn't really teach me how to fit a commercial pattern.  That is what I wanted to be able to do, because I am not good -- yet -- at making new styles up with SFD.

ALSO, another reason was that I have this $12,000 embroidery machine sitting here as a very large paper weight on my sewing table, and I wanted to be able to apply some designs to my tops without distorting the shape of the top.

When you put an embroidery design on a piece of fabric, it pulls it -- sucks it up -- and the pattern piece is then distorted.  SOOOOOOO, I wanted to be able to have a pattern that was so perfect, I could cut out a pattern piece with insurance all around the sides -- apply the design -- put the pattern back down, and cut it out less whatever insurance was left.

I decided I wanted one design on my shoulder and another on the opposite hip.  Here are the designs I chose after HOURS looking for them on line.

I picked out a SFD top I had made before, and I changed the neckline and decided to make it button down the front.

I had enough fabric to cut larger-than-the-pattern fronts so I would have room for fabric-suckage from the embroidery designs.

Then, I MISTAKENLY decided to use Sulky Ultratwist to sew the one-color designs with.  I SHOULD have know better!  I thought by doing it BEFORE cutting the exact shape of the fronts would prevent fabric distortion, but I think it got distorted anyway when I put it in the washer and dryer.  I was really shocked to see it in the pictures.  I THOUGHT it surely had shrunk to its maximum with me applying tons of hot steam to the finished designs, but NO!  I am so disappointed.  Check it out:

Look how the LEFT side of me (right side of pic) -- with the embroidery up at the top pulls up over my boob!  You can see 5 stress lines pulling out from the buttons. 

I couldn't believe my eyes when I looked at this picture.  I was VERY upset. 

I took several more pics, and it looked the same every time.  I would think the prewashed fabric shrunk again, but it is only on one side.

The right side isn't too bad.  I suppose that is because that design is smaller.

This is why I hardly ever use Sulky thread.  It shrinks and it fades.  Such a shame, because it is so pretty.  I am going to cut this same blouse out again, and I am going to use Isacord thread for the designs. 

Hopefuly, I can find fabric in a close enough color to reuse those nine buttons.

And, YES, I can see that the dart is way too high.  The funny thing about that is I had a note written on the pattern piece that the dart was "too low".  How odd!  I held the paper pattern up to my chest, and the dart seemed fine, so I left it where it was.


I really like the embroidery though.

I will keep trying -- of course -- and I will call this "Muslin #1".  It isn't the fit that is the problem since it is SFD.

Obviously, the seamstress has some serious issues with imperfection!

This morning, I had a comment on one of my videos from a new subscriber.  She found me via Sure-fit Designs.  She told me she had seen my "red tee" at SFD, and she really liked it.  She asked me to show her what I did to change the original blueprint.

First, I went to SFD to try to find the red top.  I didn't see it anywhere, so I don't know how she found it. 

I went through my pattern envelopes, and I found the ONLY red tee I have made.  Below is a video I made just for you, Klutzy68, showing how I changed my SFD blueprint to make the red knit top.

Here is the same top in a zebra print.  I am sitting in this goofy pose to show you the FRENCH DART that goes into the side seam.


This video probably has more information than you want or need, but I wanted to explain all the oddities about my patterns so as not to discourage the entire world from ever wanting to sew!

Gotta go. 

I asked Jerry if he would take me on a date after work to go buy some ivy plants.  I LOVE ivy because it grows like a weed, and it is so GREEN. 

Hugs, Joy

13 comments:

  1. Joy, What a lovely blue on you. I hope you can find a color close to that one for your next try. I have been embroidering for about a year now and love the Isacord thread. I also purchased an embroidery machine because I wanted to embroider clothing. I am beyond the time to embroider bunnies on baby blankets. Love your blogspot! Sarah Sue

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Sarah Sue. What kind of machine do you have? I have an Ellisimo, and I love it. I also have a Bernina 180E -- an antique now -- but I like the Ellisimo better. I've got Muslin #2 in the works. I have one embroidery design done and one to go. It isn't turquoise though. It is cream colored.

      Hugs, Joy

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  2. Joy I love reading your blog and watching your videos they are so "motivating". The blue top looks beautiful on you and I love your embroidery designs you found, I hope you have more fabric to make another. I use Floriani Embroidery Thread which is fantastic, it has a silk rayon sheen but it is polyester.

    Happy Sewing!!
    Hugs,
    Sharlene

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  3. Joy, I currently am using A Bernina 580. I purchased a Designer I in 2007 because the dealer was within 20 miles, but after a year the machine would not read my USB stick. Because of my rural location it is not easy to purchase from a nearby dealer. I did investigate and purchased from a Bernina dealer 50 miles away which has numerous classes to learn how to use their machines. They have been most helpful. SFD has been a great help to fit my "aging body" which is changing almost monthly. I really love garment sewing! Thanks for your videos and all your posts. They are very inspiring.

    Sarah Sue

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  4. Joy, could it be the stabilizer you are using?

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  5. Joy, ( computer glitch if you see this twice)

    since you are SO good at showing how to do stuff, could you show me how to add an inset pocket to a SFD basic pant? I don't know how to form the front part. actually I'm not even sure how to sew the pocket although I think I know enough to goof it up.

    thanks!
    -susie

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    Replies
    1. Susie,

      I'm not sure what you mean by "inset" pocket. My favorite pocket is in the 3 camouflage pants I made a while back. I found the instructions in one of Glenda's books. I think it was the pants book that she sells separately from the kit. I can't think of the name of the book right now, and it is too early to turn on the lights and go upstairs to look. Check my next blog.

      Hugs, Joy

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  6. The blue blouse is beautiful. I find that pulls always look worse in a photo than in real life. You should wear it because it is so much better than anything you can buy.

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    1. Thank you. I didn't notice any of those pulls in the video, and I was wearing the same blouse. Of course, I was sitting down. You are so right!
      Hugs, Joy

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  7. Thanks Joy. The inset pocket is like the one you see in jeans. It doesn't get sewn into the seam so you can't see it. The front part is kind of curved and lays on top (kinda). I only have the basic pants book by Glenda and it's an older version. Do you have a photo of your camouflage pants? maybe I could look at those? I"ve done these pockets before from a pattern, but the pattern never fit right. I'm trying to figure out how to adapt a SFD basic pant to incorporate this style of pocket. here's a photo:

    https://www.dropbox.com/s/dehkmne5t05h717/inset%20pocket.jpg

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    Replies
    1. Yes, I've done that pocket many times. It DOES sew into the side seam, however. And I learned to do it from Glenda's book. I'll look it up after church this morning.
      Hugs, Joy

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    2. thank you! I guess I need to learn how to make the pocket pattern from scratch. I really like having pockets, and I love the fit of SFD pants - None of them have pockets :-(

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  8. I just love your blog. I can't wait to see what you have made. Because of you, I know am a SFD follower. I cannot believe what a difference it has made in the fit of dresses and tops I have made from the system.
    Thanks so much for sharing.

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TO COMMENT: Scroll down a bit and find the word "comments". It may have a number in front of it. Click on it, and you will be able to leave a somment. I realize you have to choose Google, Facebook or Anonymous or ? to post a comment. If you choose "Anonymous", you will be able to post a comment, but please leave your first name in your comment so I know you aren't a machine.

I do enjoy receiving comments, especially, when they are to answer my questions!

Hugs, Joy