Paco Peralta Wide Leg Pants and Burda Style Top 4/2014

I wanted to make this pants(bcnuniquepatterns, a design by Paco Peralta) during the summer but as it happens summer ended before I could. I then decided that they would make nice pants for transitional weather. I bought from Fabric.com a very lightweight cotton twill. It is not a very good quality fabric, a peril of buying online.

Quería hacer estos pantalones (un diseño de Paco Peralta, bcnuniquepatterns) este pasado verano pero se acabó el calor antes de poder. Por eso decidí que me vendrían bien para el otoño. Compré la tela, un twill de algodón bien ligero, en Fabric.com. No es una calidad super buena, lo que pueded pasar comprando sin poder ver.

This design is very generous with ease. I made a Medium and a Small would have worked for me (W30, hip 38 1/2), especially because my fabric while lightweight didn't have a lot of drape to keep the fullness as designed. Center front is flat, the elastic and casing stop at the pleat.

Este diseño es bien amplio. Yo me hice un Mediano y la verdad que el Pequeño hubiera sido mejor (mi cintura: 30 pulgadas, cadera 38 1/2 pulgadas), especialmente pues la tela aunque ligera no tiene mucha caída. El elástico llega hasta los pliegues del costado por delante dejando el centro (por la barriga) plano.

I am looking forward to using a fabric with a lot more drape for the next version. I took the above pictures on a different day so you could see the waistline on the pants.



En el futuro planeo usar una tela con más caída y hacer una version para el verano. Las fotos encima las tomé otro día para mostrarles bien el diseño.

I was looking through my collection of Burdas and I found this style that I have always wanted to make. I used a poly crepe from my stash.

El otro día estaba mirando mis viejas Burdas y encontré este estilo que siempre quise hacer. Usé un crepé de polyester que ya tenía.

I changed the neckline by adding an inch to bring it in. Sometimes ballet style necklines don't fit my narrow shoulders well. I like how it turned out. I added an opening to the back thinking I might not be able to get it over my head but I can...oh well.

Cambié el escote agregando una pulgada para que no quedara tan abierto pues a veces los modelos con ese tipo de escote no me quedan bien. Agregué una abertura a la espalda pensando que quizás no me cabía por la cabeza pero me pude haber evitado el trabajo pues no tengo que desabrochar el botón para ponermela.

The picture of this top in the magazine shows that the top is cropped. I added an inch to the length at but I always do but even without that extra inch it would not have been cropped on me.

En la revista el modelo se vé corto (llegando a la cintura). Yo agregué una pulgada al largo pero es algo que siempre hago.  Sin esa pulgada de extra aún no me quedaría tan corto.

I really like how this outfit turned out!


¡Estoy muy contenta con mi nuevo conjunto!

Vogue 1567 Paco Peralta for Vogue Patterns

You might be asking yourself what am I doing wearing a fall/winter outfit in high humidity/temperature weather. It is a good question and here is why. I finished this outfit months ago and never had the chance to photograph it. When I saw that Vogue has fall patterns out and with the encouragement of my friend Paco I decided that now was the time to do it. Before I say anything, I love this outfit!!!!! I love the skirt and top and I love that the way I envisioned this pattern is what I got!!


Me imagino se están preguntando qué hago vestida para frío cuando hay calor y humedad. Muy buena pregunta y les digo por qué. Terminé este conjunto hace meses y no tuve oportunidad de tomar fotos. Cuando vi que Vogue había sacado los modelos del otoño me dije que aprovechara y acabara de mostrarselos pues además estoy encantada con él. ¡Me encanta este modelo! Y muy contenta de que como yo deseaba que me quedara así quedó.

The fabric for the skirt I bought at Fabric Mart (https://www.fabricmartfabrics.com/) when I visited the store with a group of sewers a few years ago. It is a wool plaid with distortion? In person it looks more of a plaid :-)


La tela de la falda la compré en Fabric Mart (https://www.fabricmartfabrics.com/) cuando visité la tienda ya hace varios años con un grupo. La tela es de lana con un diseño de cuadros distorcionado que en persona se nota el cuadro más.

The top is made out of ponte knit. I love the v-neck in the back.

El pulover está confeccionado de tela de punto (ponte knit). Me encanta el cuello de pico en la espalda.



Both fabrics came from my stash.

Las dos telas salieron de mi colección. :-)

The waistband is a little loose on me because I lost some weight after the skirt was finished. I plan to take some temporary tucks on the sides so that the waistband holds up the pleats a little better.


El fajín de la cintura me queda grande pues perdí peso después de haber terminado la falda. Planeo cogerle un pequeño pliegue en cada lado para que que los pliegues (que son bolsillos) tenga mejor soporte.

The skirt is completely finished with bias binding. The construction was challenging and required patience when it came to the 3 seams unions....but did I tell you how much I love this outfit? Totally worth the work!


La falda está completamente terminada con bandas al bies. La construcción tuvo sus momentos más trabajosos, especialmente en las uniones de tres costuras...pero les dije lo mucho que me gusta el resultado? ¡Todo valió la pena!

I like wearing it with a belt also.

I loved this pattern as soon as it came out and I'm so glad that I made it up. Another winner from Paco!


Me enamoré de este diseño en cuanto lo ví y estoy muy contenta que lo hice. ¡Otro bello diseño de Paco!

 I couldn't resist giving this last picture a fall filter.


No pude resister darle un filtro de otoño a esta foto.

Vogue 1550, a Paco Peralta design

When choosing your sizing for the tunic, even though this is a designer pattern, follow your usual Vogue Patterns sizing. Keep in mind though that the armholes are higher than usual. Since I always cut an 8 at the shoulders and upper chest and then go out to a 12 at the bust, I needed to also drop the armhole a 1/2 inch  lower. If you don't do this transition I think you will be fine, and the higher armhole is a nice fit.

Cuando escojan la talla para este patrón, aunque es un patrón "designer", escojan su talla regular. Las sisas están cortadas más alta que Vogue regularmente tiene. Yo siempre tengo que cortar un 8 en los hombros y en el pecho un 12. Por esto encontré que tuve que bajar la sisa una media pulgada para que me quedara bien. Si no haces esa transición entre las tallas no creo que tengas problemas.

I followed the instructions for the mitered corners, this was a new technique for me, and they turned out fine.

Yo seguí las instrucciones para crear las puntas de la túnica y no tuve problemas.

I am thankful that Tany posted her reviews and tips on how to insert the organza strips, they were so helpful in this project. This was an outfit that took time but I enjoyed it and I'm happy with the results.

Estoy muy agradecida que Tany escribió acerca de éste diseño y que dió consejos de como mejor agregar las tiras de organza. Este es un conjunto que tomó su tiempo pero disfruté el proceso y estoy contenta con el resultado.

Tali wondering what I'm doing.

Vogue 1550 Paco Peralta design for Vogue Patterns

I had been working on the culottes for a while. I wanted to make sure the fit was perfect since it would be very difficult to go back and adjust the side seams with the silk organza insets.( I'm making views C and D, above).

Me tomé mi tiempo trabajando en los gauchos. Quería estar segura de que me quedaran bien pues iba a ser difícil modificarlos después por la tira de organza que va en las costuras laterales.



I had to wait for the silk organza since I only had black at home and I wanted it in off white. I used a cross dyed linen from my stash which I love.


Tuve también que esperar a que me llegara la organza pues en casa sólo tenía color negro y yo quería usar un color crema.. El hilo que estoy usando ya lo tenIa.

I learned a new technique to finish the facings around a zipper and I love it. Tany showed how she used the technique as explained in the Sewing Divas blog.

Aprendí una nueva tecnica para como terminar las vistas que están alrededor del zipper. Tany mostró como ella terminó su zipper siguiendo las instrucciones en el blog de Sewing Divas

The culottes are done now and I'm starting on the top.

Los gauchos ya están terminados y empecé con la túnica.

Paco's half circle skirt and Vogue 1261

Photo from In Style Magazine

After finishing Paco's gorgeous skirt I wanted a new top to go with it. I had saved this picture from a In Style magazine and I decided I would replicate the look.

Paco Peralta half circle skirt Pattern Review

Isn't it gorgeous?

 

Working with Paco's patterns makes you feel very special. Paco hand draws every single one and clearly marks all pertinent information, both in Spanish and English. This pattern is drawn whole for single layer cutting, as you can imagine you need a very large surface to cut out the maxi! Once you see the shaping of this pattern you know you will get one fantastic looking skirt.

I cut the skirt before I started working full time on Peter Pan so it has been a while, but I believe I traced the medium and added a bit extra, since my measurements fell between these two sizes.

I used a rayon lycra jersey with a wonderful weight. Because of the weight I made sure that I stabilized the waistline with Seams Great (which gives you stability with a bit of stretch) The waistband I interfaced with weft interfacing. I let the skirt hang overnight but there was no additional stretching so I felt confident inserting the zipper and finishing the waistband once I had a good fit. I referred to Paco's tutorial for the zipper placement into the waistband. I added a lining, a tricot that I hoped would smooth everything out, and it does!

I love my skirt! I could have one in every color! I am planning many more outfits with this skirt, I hope to share them with you as I wear them.

Vogue 1261

I bought this pretty lacy sweatery knit from Gorgeous Fabrics without a plan, I just liked it, and then I knew it would be perfect to replicate the above In Style inspiration.

I had two other patterns with raglan sleeves, Burda which had the ease I was looking for since my knit is not super stretchy but I did not want a cowl and without it the neckline was too high. The other pattern (from Burda Stle magazine) had a boat neckline and very tight fitting, two style features I did not want. I did try to modify the Burda envelope pattern but got myself all confused with matching the seams at the neckline so I gave it up. Then Vogue patterns went on sale online and I found the perfect pattern with raglan sleeves and the pretty round neckline I wanted!

As you can see I did not make the uneven hemline, not that I don't like it but I just wanted a simple hem for this version. I removed some of the flare at the hem and I cut the back on the fold since I did not want to cut up my knit's cable design.

The instructions have you leave raw edges, this is not the kind of fabric for those finishes so all my hems are finished, including the neckline binding.

Looking at the pictures I'm considering taking in the side seams of the tunic for a slightly more fitted look...I'll keep you posted.

And a last picture wearing the coat I made since I left the nurse at my son's school speechless when I told her I had made it after she complemented it.

Peter Pan is coming!

So tomorrow is opening night for the fall play and I couldn't be more excited. On Tuesday I got to sit in the audience with the director/theater teacher and a couple of other parent volunteers while they ran the whole show for the first time. There were "oops" moments but all in all not bad. Amazing all that goes in these productions!

The set looks wonderful and I'm so proud of what I accomplished. The last bit I did was to add valances to the Darling children headboards using a piece of lace leftover from curtains that used to hang on my living room window. My husband is part of the "flight crew" and he is having fun making the kids fly.

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News from the sewing room. Before I started sewing for the theater I cut out this gorgeous skirt by Paco Peralta

I used a rayon knit in a yummy chocolate brown. I won't get any sewing done until after Thanksgiving since I'm having company for the next couple of weeks and the sewing room will become a guest room.

Happy Sewing!

My Paco original design jacket

First I wanted to thank you all for your well wishes after my "incident" at the dentist. The stitches came out Thursday when I braved the roads after the storm on Wednesday that left me without power for 3 days and nights (we hit a low of 41 F/5 C by Saturday in the house when our power was restored around 1:00pm). I was warned by the surgeon that I can't laugh too hard or open my mouth too wide; in 6 weeks he'll show me how to massage the scarring (which I can hardly see yay!).




Anyways my jacket is done! I used a totally different fabric from the two jackets Paco has made and what Tany used, which gives my jacket a different look.



I had reinforced the fronts of the jacket with hair canvas but because the collar wasn't laying down nice, I removed it from the collar area. I still can't get the collar to lay down perfectly, I think it is a function of the quilted fabric doubled up on the collar.

I followed Tany's construction steps so I'm skipping the details. I also used Paco's tutorial for inserting the lining. I love the way the facing at the hem comes out!



For the in-seam pocket I followed Paco's tutorial. The pocket pattern includes a facing and is inserted after the seam is done (the pocket opening is sewn with basting stitches.



The button was in my stash and I thought it looked well with this jacket.



I can't say enough about how nicely this jacket went together. All the markings are perfectly placed to insure precise construction. Like Tany I placed both Paco's and my label on the jacket.



I will make this jacket again with a lighter fabric next time.

Chaqueta de Paco - Construction

I have all the pieces cut out for the jacket (lining and hair canvas for hems also!) so I started construction about two days ago.

In the picture you can see the facing sewn to the bodice.

The fabric some of you might recognize it was sold at Joann's two years ago maybe? and it was featured in the Vogue Patterns magazine as a jacket. The lining I'm using is a rayon I bought from Michael's Fabrics a while ago. I'm using hair canvas for the hems because I did not want to fuse interfacings since the two quilted fabrics are synthetic and I believe the batting is polyester.

I'm following the steps of construction that Tany blogged about and so far all is going well.

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In my area last night we had snow followed by a layer of ice. After helping my husband outside (really he did almost all!) I went back to take some pictures, it was "popsicle land" out there!

Chaqueta de Paco Peralta, Muslin

I finally made up the a quick muslin with Paco's pattern. I really like this pattern!

Based on his hip measurements I had to add about 2 inches, and I split the pattern the way he suggests. I must have not added enough because the jacket while it closes with no ease around my hips it stays open as you can see in the first picture. Other than that I'm happy with how this fits me.

I forgot to take a picture of the fabric I'm using, I'll show you next time.

I finished the Butterick dress so pictures coming soon!