Fabric Mixer

It’s always been a little taboo to mix knits and wovens in sewing but with the comfort of knits and the fun of wovens, I decided to break the rules and realize the best of both.  I wrote this post for the Fabricmart Fabrics blog in the hopes that others would do some mixing too.

I’ve been drooling over this top from my Pinterest board for quite a while and I used it as my inspiration. I chose a super soft navy slub knit from Fabricmart Fabrics for the body of the blouse and rooted around in my scrap basket for the wovens for the yoke.  

I chose New Look pattern 6187 View C  because it’s a simple design with a yoke. When mixing knits and wovens, the wovens are best placed in the most stable parts of the top like the yoke, collar, cuffs and placket.  It helps keep the shape of the garment without losing the comfort.  For example, it’s nice to have a yoke that stays in place but a sleeve that stretches and moves.  

I made a few simple changes to the pattern.  

1.  Omitted the collar and lowered the neckline 1/2”, 

2.  Shortened the sleeve 4” and added elastic instead of a cuff.  

3.  Pieced the yoke out of scraps,  lined it in voile and added a fabric "tab" to the back of my blouse.

4.  Replaced the neck facing by lining the front yoke and binding the back neck with 2” knit strips (see the photo) and then sewing in the shoulder seam.

To make the hem lay smooth, I pressed 1/2" wide strips of knit interfacing to the hem, folded up the hem and used a twin needle to sew it in.

This was a fun project and it's comfortable and cheery.  I highly recommend breaking the rules and mixing it up!

Here are my reviews for Pattern Review.com and Kollabora.

Happy Mixing!

Ooooo....Fed Ex Brought a Box!

Fed Ex came with a box for me.  I used my gift certificate from Fabricmart and treated myself to some new fabric.  It's my birthday today and I think I'm going to celebrate by diving in!

I went against my usual fabric shopping advice....don't buy more than a couple of pieces because it gets overwhelming but, I couldn't resist...they were having a sale.  I bought two voiles, a lightweight gauze print, a gauze solid with sequins (oooo so pretty), a charcoal twill and two knits.  The navy knit is on deck today with inspiration from Anthropologie.  Yay!  

Have a great day!

2013 Roundup

Happy New Year!  It flew by fast didn't it?

My girlfriend has a journal where she writes down ideas and phrases she finds witty or important.  On New Year's Eve, when we get together with her family every year, she writes down the New Year's Resolutions of everyone at the table.   This year, it was fun to see how well we did....or didn't do.  And even more interesting to be reminded of the one's we forgot!

Well, here are mine from last year with the results:

1. Sew 3 projects per month.  They can be anything but I mostly want to focus on garments and even more specifically on knits, pants and even some workout wear.  I did this for every month but April.  I made a few pairs of pants, worked on lots of knits but no workout wear.... 
2. Run 3 half marathons.  I ran 2.
3. Give away my "Penguins on the Beach" pajamas given to me by my dear friend Carolyn.  They are so worn they have to go!  But they're so comfy I don't want to let them go......but I will......this year.....I have all year right?  Yes, I gave them away....boo-hoo.

I didn't do everything I wanted but I am proud of what I did.

Here are my new resolutions for 2014:

1.  Sew 3 projects per month (this was the most fun I've ever had with a resolution so I'm doing it again).
2. Run the La Jolla Half Marathon.
3. Take better care of my hands.  I know this one sounds stupid but my hands are so dry they look like velociraptor claws.  With all the sewing, cleaning and cooking we do our hands take a beating!  Is anyone with me on this?
4. Be more thoughtful with others.  One random day, my girlfriend brought me a box of Good and Plenty for no reason.  It made my day.  My husband eats trail mix almost every day and sometimes he saves the M&M's for me.    I think this is the sweetest thing (no pun intended) anyone could do.  My daughter brushes my hair and it's a little thing that makes all my troubles go away.  I need to do more things like this.....

My sewing highlight for 2013 was far and away competing in Fabricmart's  Fabricista Challenge.  It was a couple of months in the fall and it challenged me to learn new techniques, make pieces I wouldn't normally make and work under deadlines I normally don't give myself.  I loved it!  But the best part about it was the support I got from my family and friends.  I felt very loved.

I'm just finishing my first garment of 2014 and I can't wait to share....

Happy 2014 everyone!  Let's make it a creative one!