Simplicity 4500 Jacket Muslin Part 2

Well, last night I had a chance to cut out my modified sleeves and sewed them to the body. I used Ann's tutorial in BeSewStylish. I really like the way they went in, no headaches and a great fit. I will use this method first from now on, and then if the fabric is not easing in right using the pins I will use my usual method (easing the jacket sleeve with a strip of bias interfacing/wool and stretching it while sewing it).

The wrinkles in the front view next to the armhole are because I do not have the upper front properly closed, they disappear when the center fronts are properly aligned. The wrinkling on the sleeves are due to the fabric but there are no telltale lines of pulling or other issues as far as I can tell.

I'm very happy with the way my muslin is fitting but if any of you think there is a problem please let me know!.

I have to put aside this project for now and make a muslin for a dress for my future SIL (more details on this on another post).

Simplicity 4500 Jacket Muslin

When I chose to make this jacket I decided to experiment with certain fitting issues, not that I am totally dissatisfied how the jackets I have made but I wanted to do some tweaking.

I traced armhole length of the size 12 but kept the shoulder line and neckline at 8. Although I have a very narrow upper chest I am long waisted and I thought I could use a little more length above the bust and then add the rest that I need just above the waist. I think the muslin showed me that this was a good thing to do, even the bust point fits right (on the last Simplicity jacket I made I had to lower the bus point). Even though I usually do fine tracing a 12 at the bust and a 14 at the waist and hip, this jacket was just too snug which I sort of expected because a reviewer in PR had found the pattern with little ease. So I let out 1/8 in at each princess seam starting at the waist (total 1/4 x 4 ) and 1/4 at each side seam (total 1/2 x 2). As you can see on the pictures it is still a close fitting jacket.

The sleeves are two piece and again as an experiment I used Nancy Ziemman's method of rotating the pieces to increase only the upper sleeve by 1/2 inch and see what results I get. I modified the sleeve pattern and now I need to cut it out of muslin and set it in.

I'll let you know how it goes!

Celebration in DC

Today we spent the day in Washington DC, it was my DH birthday on Friday and his request was to go to the Museum of Natural History to visit the bug museum (which had been closed for a while). We also got to see a 3D IMAX movie about prehistoric monsters of the sea and the new butterfly exhibit. We were disappointed at the bug museum, it looked just like before and the butterfly exhibit was good but a little confining and of course it did not help that it was very crowded. The movie however was fantastic! I closed my eyes several times...I could not stand to see those monsters so close!Then again I'm sort of a chicken when it comes to scary movies. We had lunch at the Native American Museum, you cannot go wrong there, everything we have ever had , and we have been there often, has been delicious.

After all the nasty weather we have had it was wonderful to walk and bask in the sunshine.

The picture shows the tile wall part of the Botanical Gardens.

McCall's 5504 Pattern Review

My son finally outgrew the pattern I had been using for I don't know how many years (I kept adding length and width and it was just too cut up to keep using it). He had been asking for flannel pjs for a while so I finally made them. The fabric is a monkey print flannel from Joann's. I love monkeys maybe because my first toy was a stuffed monkey that had an adorable face. Anyways I bought the fabric thinking if my son did not like it I would get new pjs...

The pattern is very easy. The only thing I did different was to use elastic at the waist instead of making a casing for a tie.

The last picture was taken 4 years ago, now he is a teenager...

Butterick 4976 Pattern Review

I completed this dress a while ago and got to wear it two days ago. Before I get into all the changes I want to say that I wore it for about 8 hours while I did my translation work, which involved a lot of walking, sitting and talking. It was extremely comfortable, the fabrics are a polyester knit that I bought from EmmaOneSock I don't remember how long ago, I was neither hot nor cold which it is something I worry about when wearing polyester.

Ok, I ended up reducing the lenght of the bodice to eliminate most of the gaping and then I used clear elastic to bring the neckline closer to the body. Now I always have a hard time doing this technique, it seems simple enough but it is hard to judge the distribution of the elastic when applying it so that it doesn't become one wrinkly mess when you're done. I always have to add length to the bodice because I am long waisted so I was really surprised to have so much extra fabric in this pattern. Of course the fact that the fabric was really stretchy might have added to the problem. Something else to note about the fit is that this pattern is designed for knits and wovens so maybe I should have gone down a size because I used a knit, the fit in the bodice is looser that what I'm used to in knits. I did not add the zipper since I can easily fit this dress over my head.

This is not one of my favorite dresses the zigzag skirt certainly adds width, and the bodice fit is not perfect. On the other hand it is very comfortable and I certainly will wear it.

Will I make this pattern again?No, there are a couple of Burda WOF dresses I want to do instead.

The picture was snapped by mom on my way out the door, excuse the mess on the rug, the kids had been playing Life (the Sponge Bob version)...

Curling for Charity

This is the second year that my DH participates in a curling fund raiser. This year the boys were interested in giving it a try. My friend asked one of the people in charge if the children could get on the ice and have a try and he agreed. I'm glad they tried something new, my children are not the most adventurous...something they get from their mother.

Goodies in my mailbox

Today I received the beautiful necklace set that I bought from trenabdesigns:
It is even more beautiful in person. Her(nicegirl from PR) designs are exquisite. Thanks Trena!

I also received February's Burda WOF, and my beagle got two dog bones from the mailman.

All in all the mailman was really good to us today.

Coming out of the fog...

Last Saturday, my youngest came down with a stomach virus, then on Tuesday it was time for the oldest and me. Well, I can sort of see the light now but not completely. Unfortunately, it seems my DH is now coming down with it.

I am thankful that this morning schools are opening two hours late, which will give me more time to get the boys to eat and see how they are today (yesterday the oldest had to be picked up early from school).

I was able to finish this pair of socks for my future SIL. She complains her apartment is very cold and what better than to wear wool socks at home. I am not a sock knitter, I knit them when they are needed, and even though I enjoy knitting them I prefer to be knitting something else. The pattern is from a basic sock recipe that I found online, the yarns are your basic wool sock yarn I couldn't find the label but I know I bought it from Knit Picks back when they sold other brands than their own.