Recent Project Tweaks + MPB Day Reminder

It is not unusual for me to go back and tweak a project even after I (thought I had) finished it.

With a few days' (or weeks') distance, I sometimes see things differently that I had originally.  (Does this every happen to you?)

Case in point: my recently completed striped organic cotton rugby shirt.  When I looked at the photo of myself up top -- which you've already seen if you follow me on Instagram --  I realized that the white cuffs looked a tad too long (and gave me monkey arms).  So this morning, I removed the old cuffs and made new ones that are roughly one inch shorter and have just one button instead of two.



I was also able to correct the stripe-matching issue that eagle-eyed MPB reader Lauriana pointed out earlier in the week (and no, there's no visible difference in sleeve length).  The result is a cuff I'm totally happy with.  When I make this shirt again I may skip the placket and attach a knit cuff -- much easier.



Below you can see the old cuff (on the right) next to the new cuff.



Meanwhile, my blue linen coveralls needed a tweak too.  I wanted to keep the rolled-pant-cuff look from my photo shoot without having to resort to pinning them in place.  I knew I didn't want permanent cuffs in case I want to wear them longer.  So what I did was to add a small buttonhole on each leg seam, and to place a button on the inside near the hem that, when the pants are rolled up twice, fits neatly into the buttonhole.







The cuff still looks loose and casual but I don't have to worry about it rolling down.



Finally, a reminder that we're just one week away from MPB Day (Saturday, August 8).  I'm very excited as many past attendees are returning and lots of new people are coming too.  If you haven't already RSVP'd and wish to attend, please shoot me an email at peterlappinnyc at gmail dot com.  It's always nice to know who's coming, who's missing, etc.

It also looks like we will be able to shop at Metro Textiles as I have arranged with Kashi to have him open on Saturday afternoon.

And that's it!

Are you a secret project-tweaker?

Have a great day, everybody!

Things I Don't Get, Vol. 15 -- Lycra in Woven Fabrics

Readers, have you noticed how many woven fabrics today have Lycra in them?

Now, I totally understand why people would want a little stretch in their clothes, but if you really want a tight fit, isn't that what knit fabrics are for?

I've been working on a straight skirt for my client Susan and the fabric I bought -- how I wish I hadn't -- is a stretch cotton pants-weight cotton.  It's perfectly nice looking and a very attractive pale purple.  But the stretch factor is making it surprisingly challenging to work with.  So much so that I'm going to try to find a non-stretch substitute in a similar color tomorrow. 

Darts in particular don't seem to press well when there's Lycra in a fabric (see top pic).  The stretchiness makes the end of the darts more visible.  The stretch also calls attention to one's lumps and bumps (if one has any and who doesn't?).  Also, since my muslin had absolutely no stretch, it's hard for me to evaluate what difference the Lycra will make in the final fit.



Maybe I'm being too much of a perfectionist (my mother thinks so), but it seems to me that if your clothes are well-fitted, you shouldn't need Lycra in the weave.  I do get the need for Lycra in knits, mind you.  My swimsuits have Lycra, since the material needs to move with my body and not drag in the water.

Coincidentally, I popped into Chic Fabrics on 39th Street only yesterday and, in their remnant bin, found a very similar heavy cotton sateen (with a bit of Lycra) in more of an orchid -- a very wide yard for just $1.  For a buck I'll deal with Lycra.  I think for tight-fitting pants, this moderately stretchy fabric might work, and shouldn't every middle-aged man own a pair of tight-fitting pink pants?

Pants courtesy of Steven Alan

The final issue I have with Lycra is that over time it breaks down, leaving a garment feeling baggier than it would have if it hadn't had Lycra in the first place.  Has that ever happened to you?

I'm starting to wonder if Lycra in woven fabrics isn't simply to make it easier for manufacturers to fit a wider range of body types with the same size garment than they otherwise could.

What's your take, readers?   Do you seek out Lycra in the woven fabrics you sew with?   Does it really make your clothing fit better or just cling uncomfortably on hot summer days?

Jump in!

An Organic Cotton Striped Rugby Shirt!

Readers, I just made my very first rugby shirt!

Now, I know about as much about rugby as I do cricket, croquet, lacrosse, jai alai, polo, and mahjong, which is to say, nothing at all.  But I do like the preppy look of a striped rugby shirt.

This summer the folks at the online fabric store Organic Cotton Plus reached out to me to review another project for them (you may recall my organic orchid flannel shirt from last fall).  I was delighted to comply.

This time I chose a classic pink and midnight blue-striped cotton interlock to make a rugby shirt. Since I knew I'd need a sturdy woven cotton for the cuffs and collar, I chose a tightly woven, slightly stiff white cotton percale.



I pre-washed (and machine-dried) both fabrics and both came out of the wash looking great.  They also played well together.  I'm always a little nervous sewing a woven and knit together.  Luckily the interlock, while moderately stretchy, maintained its body throughout the sewing process.  It has excellent rebound.

The pattern I used for my shirt is one of my favorites, vintage Butterick 4712.  I'd been wanting to make the rugby-style shirt on the pattern envelope for years and here was my chance!







All my major seams are serged (with four threads), though I stitched them first with my sewing machine and used my walking foot attachment to help keep the stripes lined up.  I reinforced the shoulder seams with rayon seam binding (cotton twill tape is another, somewhat sturdier, option).

I made only one significant change to the pattern.  Rather than use the center-front opening placket pattern piece (below right) which included a facing and attached to a one-piece collar, I traced the center-front placket pattern piece from David Coffin's classic book, Shirtmaking (p. 74), which allowed me to add a traditional collar and collar stand.

The pattern piece I traced from David Coffin's Shirtmaking is on the left.  (The markings are on the other side.)

I added two buttons to the cuffs instead of just one.  The chunky white buttons are vintage plastic from my stash.



The shirt's hem is serged, folded under, and topstitched.  Nothing fancy and very easy to accomplish.  With the exception of my Brother 1034D serger, I made the entire shirt on my Singer 201.





I think this is one snazzy-looking shirt.  The cotton interlock is extremely soft and comfortable.  Although this stripe is printed as opposed to knit with two color threads (hence the "wrong" side looks white), the colors are rich and do not bleed.  I recommend it without reservation.

Since this is a long-sleeve shirt, I can wear it all year round -- and I intend to!





Have a great day, everybody!

Back to the 1950's!

Readers, as you know, I adore vintage magazines, especially women's fashion and home magazines of the 1950's.

I love the content -- the recipes, the romantic short stories, the fashion and decorating tips, the laughably pre-feminist advice columns -- and I'm crazy about the visual aesthetic: the happy-go-lucky fonts, the cheerful cartoon illustrations, the colorful layouts, everything new and exciting and worthy of exclamation points (from instant coffee to cigarettes).











Please join me this summer Saturday and step back into two issues of Family Circle magazine from 1956 and 1958 that I picked up today at the Chelsea flea market.  Some of this stuff will be familiar to you and many of the products (Jell-O, Spam, Listerine) are still with us.  But we've lost enthusiasm for this kind of idealized suburban-dream living, complete with Spam casseroles, wood-paneled ranch houses, and candy-colored kitchens. 

It's not entirely gone for sure, but the excitement ain't what it used to be.

Classic juxtaposition.

For more than fifty full-color, supersize-able photos, just click here, or on the slideshow below:



Enjoy and have a great day, everybody!

(Anybody grow up in this world?)

Come See My Completed Coveralls!

Friends, my coveralls are finished.   Click here to see me model them.

These are a bit of a departure for me but I think I'm ready for a departure.  They're incredibly comfortable to wear plus you don't have to worry about putting together an outfit.

If you read my Mood post, you'll know that I made a few minor alterations to my pattern, primarily related to length.  A Small generally goes by chest size (34-36") and not height, and I'm only 5'7".  Straight out of the envelope they'd probably fit a guy who's 5'10.  Of course, coveralls are supposed to be roomy enough to fit over other clothes -- hence the name.  I think they look great with or without.

Hope you like them and don't forget to change your oil regularly!

I'm Making Coveralls (or is it a jumpsuit?)

Last year I purchased Kwik Sew 3389 with the intention of making a pair of coveralls, and I've finally decided the time is right.

I spent the last two days working on them and hope to finish them tomorrow.  I'm making mine out of a beautiful blue linen rather than a more utilitarian fabric. 



The Kwik Sew instructions are very clear and I've made only a few alterations to the pattern, mainly shortening them a little in the chest, the waist, the rise, and the inseam.  Since it's all one piece, it has to fit: there aren't many places to adjust it.

Now you may be wondering what the difference is between coveralls and a jumpsuit.  Coveralls are something worn over other clothes (hence the name) whereas a jumpsuit is usually worn next to the skin, am I right?  (More discussion of men's jumpsuits here.)

I'm not sure I'll be wearing these over other pants but I'll probably wear them over a shirt; I have to see how they look when they're finished.  The sewing has gone well but there's a lot of seaming (and many of the seams are reinforced with rayon binding) and topstitching, not to mention side pockets and patch pockets -- it all takes time and this somewhat loosely woven linen is a little hard to handle (and prone to fraying and growing).













Some of my inspiration for this project is below:

Hermes

Levi's for Band of Outsiders

I'm really looking forward to getting these finished and seeing how comfortable I am wearing them -- it's a new type of garment for me.  The linen makes them very cool and, since they cover most everything else, an easy thing to pull on for a summer morning dog walk.  We shall see.  Does any guy you know wear coveralls (as fashion, not uniform)?

Have a great day, everybody!