Snoop Shopping and Fall Wardrobe Planning

Now that my sewing skills have grown and I feel more comfortable wearing what I have made in public, I want to work with some nicer fabrics for fall and take on some more complex patterns. BUT, I want to do this in a smart way, and make sure that what I am planning to make is similar enough to items that are current and available, so that I don't end up looking Becky Home-ecky. Well, I might still, but it won't be because of the patterns and fabrics that I choose, it will be because I screw up the assembly in some way.

So here are my plans.

First up, Vogue 8315.


I will be making it from a charcoal-colored, 100% cotton twill, that I got for $4.95 a yard, for a total of $22.28.


I think that this will be a good look, because I found a similar dress by Ralph Lauren at Bloomingdale's.


The Bloomingdale's dress cost $230.00, so I figure that I am doing a lot better with my $22.00 version. Also, the original is taffeta, which may be slightly inappropriate for work. But cotton will be better!

Next, Vogue 1051, an Alice + Olivia flared pant.


You can pick up a pair of Alice + Olivia pants at Bloomie's for a mere $253.00:



But at only $3.00 a yard, my version will be just $7.50 in a pinstriped suiting:


If my fingers aren't bleeding and my sanity is intact after that, I'll work on Vogue 8409:


I'll be doing mine in a grey doubleknit at $4.00 a yard, who can beat an $8.00 dress??


But it would appear that Ann Taylor was inspired by the Vogue envelope, since they did their version in the same pea-soup-green. I think I'll pass. For $128.00 you think they could make it from a color less reminiscent of baby-poo.


Next, Vogue 8280. I have tried to make this one before and ended up using the fabric for other things. So, I'm going to give it another try:


I'll be making it (I hope) from a 100% cotton flannel twill that was purchased for $5.75 a yard. That means the dress will cost a grand total of $11.50.


Banana Republic has a similar dress (check out the sleeves, very similar!) for $150.00:


Although the Vogue pattern is actually a copy of a 2007 Roland Mouret design seen here and here (scroll to the bottom). I couldn't exactly find one for sale, but did find an article that said that the dresses cost 990 pounds. Converted to US dollars, that is $1702.50.

Finally, I'm going to make a first attempt at a silky material. But I'm not going to spend money on actual silk, I'm going to start with a poly-charmeuse. I'll be using McCalls 5522:


Since I haven't used silky fabric before and don't want to spend a lot of money on something that I may potentially royally screw up, I picked up the fabric for $3.00 a yard. So at the most, I'll be out $5.25. On the upside, it's pretty cute:


And, if I pull it off, I might end up with something similar to this shirt from Nordstrom's that retails for $149.00:


So, in all, I am fairly pleased with my pattern and fabric choices, since I have been able to find extremely similar items at a variety of higher-end retailers. If I manage to put them together well, and refine the fit, I could potentially have the equivalent of over $900.00 worth of clothes for about $70.00 worth of fabric and notions.

Updates and a New Toy

Here are some photos of my most recent iteration of Vogue 8379. I think that I am now officially "done" with this pattern for a while, having sewn six different versions since the beginning of the year.


This one I made with a poly knit from Gorgeous Fabrics, same place I got the pink giraffe print. I need to stay off that website for a while, especially since I still have a length of gray and a length of aqua knit from Hancocks, as well as 3 knits from Fabric.com to work on. Not to mention the stash that I have set aside for projects that probably should have been completed over the winter.

I also got a new "toy," a Singer 401a, for just $75.00 on Craigslist. It is in a giant desk and it sews like a dream. Initially I was worried that it might have to go in for repairs since the stitch selector was stuck, but after opening up the top, putting some oil in the appropriate places and just working with gears, I was able to get the selector unstuck and now it is moving just fine. It sews like a dream, in fact, I sewed the entirety of the dress above on it.



Some upcoming projects that I have are:

1. Jeremy's coat. Now that it is cooling down, I feel up to working with wool.

2. I have a tweed dress that has been cut for 6 months and I just haven't done anything with it.

3. I also have a black wool suiting for pants and awesome pink and black houndstooth for a jacket for this OOP Michael Kors suit.

4. I have a grey herringbone for these Alice and Olivia pants and separate blazer for another suit, not to mention the black denim purchased for a wearable muslin of the pants.

5. I have an embroidered red stretch twill for this BWOF dress.

And those are just the ones have material purchased already! Not to mention the dozens of patterns that I have just waiting for me to get around to!!

I am really looking forward to getting to some serious sewing on the 401!

More Patterns, More Projects!

In the tradition of this blog, being the cheap ass that I am, I have been putting off going to the fabric store until today because today the planets aligned and Vogue patterns were on sale for $3.99, Simplicity for $1.99, and McCalls for $.99. Not to mention notions and scissors for 50% off, and I needed a new set of scissors so that I could send in my REAL scissors (the super-expensive ones that have their own wooden box) out to be resharpened. No, I didn't buy those. I swiped them from grandma. I'd be cutting fabric with a sharp rock left to my own devices. I HATE paying full price for anything, especially patterns.

So today I picked up 15 new patterns at Hancock's for just $29.00 in hopes of doing a little "Stash Reduction." I only allowed myself 1 1/2 yards of fabric, and some interfacing (because I am always out of interfacing). The fabric I got because I needed a shirt with turquoise in it to match a particular jacket and shoes. It's cool, I paid a lot of the jacket (Ann Taylor) and shoes (Cole Haan) so I think I can justify $11.00 worth of fabric for a shirt, even though I should be on a fabric moratorium. Even though Fashion Fabrics Club posted some new knits yesterday. And lawd knows I love FFC. I know people bitch about their shipping and their customer service, but I adore them all the same. Plus, I just drive over and pick up my order, so that takes care of the shipping issues right there.

Here are some of my new "treasures":


I got this Anne Klein pattern because of the great detail on the back of the skirt. I'm not a huge fan of the boxy jacket. I'm pretty boxy all by myself, so I don't think that I'll be using the jacket pattern.


The shirt in the DKNY pattern looks more like underwear than something I'd actually leave the house in. But the pants are a great find. Straight leg with a side zipper. A side zipper!! Side zippers are the most flattering for someone with a bit of a round tummy, and the contour waist is great for someone with a bit of shape. The jacket has some nice detail (and yeah, I'll be ditching that idiot collar and the trim that looks like they pulled it off my grandmother's sofa), including french seams and a two-piece sleeve.


Another stupid, boxy jacket but this one has added pleats to the back. Now, with added back fabric, to emphasize your weight!! But the skirt and pants are both contoured at the waist and both have back zippers, so again, great options to hide a bit of a tummy bulge.


A series of great skirts with a variety of lower back flounce options. Although I can guarantee that I won't be making option C with that retarded ruffle on it.

I also picked up a few Simplicity patterns. Normally I am not a fan of Simplicity, I find them to be a bit frumpy, but they have re-released some of their retro patterns and they are kind of cute.


I really love the shirt in this pattern. I probably won't use much else. Possibly the skirt, but as cute as the jacket is, I just can't see myself wearing it on a daily basis...it is too retro...it would be like a costume.


They don't show it on the line drawing on the pattern envelope, but it is on the line drawing on the instruction sheet and you can just barely see it on the taupe pants on the model, but there is a scallop detail on the waistband of these pants that is to die for.


I know, I know, they're mom pants. But I love the shirt. And plus, I'll bet my granny would love some pants she could pull up to her armpits. Maybe I'll make a pair for her.

Don't Do It, Girl!

I just finished my most recent version of Vogue 8379 and am further convinced that this is truly the best possible dress pattern for a girl with a little extra fluff on their bones. To prove a point, I am making a side-by-side comparison of Vogue 8379 and another DVF wrap lookalike, Kwik Sew 3489.


Now you can see that at first glance, the Kwik Sew pattern looks a bit more like the original DVF dress, namely in that it is lacking the darts at the waist that Vogue added to their version, and it has the narrower skirt (so much narrower in fact that the Kwik Sew version takes 3/4 a yard less fabric than the Vogue version). But, as you can see from the following photographs, it is just the Vogue details that the chubby girl needs, and when it is lacking the dress magic is lacking too.

For my most recent version, I used a poly-lycra in an awesome giraffe print from Gorgeous Fabrics. While you'll never be able to brag about how cheaply you got off at Gorgeous Fabrics, you will be able to brag about the amazing and unique fabrics you find there.




Here you get all three views. The wide waist tie is great for cinching the waist, the wide skirt skims over the hips, and the darts/tucks at the front make it unnecessary for those of us of the D-cup persuasion to be concerned about big alterations like making a full-bust alteration, especially since you are already working with a stretchy knit. The back is properly tapered, so it doesn't tug at the waist-tie, and this is the one wrap dress that I don't have to worry about raising the neckline on. It is already properly drafted. The only alteration necessary is lengthening the bodice, and I knew that because of my first version, and also reading the reviews on Pattern Review.

Last week I made a muslin of Kwik Sew 3489. Let's face it, sometime you get bored...even when a pattern is clearly as perfectly drafted as Vogue 8379. You can probably see from the look on my face in the photos that my disappointment was palpable.

Having never used a Kwik Sew pattern before, I traced based on what the size chart indicated. I tend to go a bit smaller with Vogue/McCalls/Butterick and A LOT smaller with Simplicity because I am familiar with the amount of ease they put into their patterns. But since the Kwik Sew pattern was SO specific with the amount of stretch (35%!!) and even provided a gauge, I traced the pattern "true-to-size" and selected a large based on my measurements.

For example, my measurements are:

Bust: 39.5
Waist: 32
Hips: 41

In the Vogue pattern, I cut a 16, for which the measurements indicated:

Bust: 38
Waist: 30
Hips: 40

I decided to go with the smaller size because I was using a very stretchy knit, and was familiar enough with the pattern to feel comfortable going down a size, given that the last version I made was cut as an 18, so I had a basis for comparison.

In the Kwik Sew size chart, my measurements fall within the lower range for a Large, but outside the range for Medium.

Bust: (L) 40-41 1/2, (M) 37-38 1/2
Waist: (L) 31-33, (M) 27 1/2-29
Hips: (L) 41 1/2-43 1/2, (M) 38 1/2-40

Clearly, I am too large for a Medium, correct? Also, being very used to sewing in the 16-20 range in patterns even though I purchase a 10-14 in ready-to-wear, why question cutting a Large?

Well, question it. I should have cut a medium, at least in the bodice, and even that might not have solved all the problems illustrated below. Overall, the dress is not as flattering as the Vogue dress. Also, I took these photos on the same day as the photos in the pink dress, so I am wearing the same undergarments. There is no reason I should look this lumpy in the green dress. I'm wearing my Spanx.

1. Because the dress has bust darts rather than the darts at the waist like the Vogue version, when the waist is pulled small enough to fit my waist, it pulls in an odd way under the bust.


2. The very thin waist tie not only is very difficult to turn, but also cuts into the waist rather than cinching the waist the way the wider tie does in the Vogue version


3. The bust darts do not fall in the proper location, and you can see from the side view that the dress is just not as flattering as the pink one above. These photos were taken 10 minutes apart, I did not have enough time to put on 10 pounds. Nor did I have my boobs lowered. That is ALL THE DRESS.


4. The back is very wide and blouses out over the waist tie. I have love handles already. I generally do not like to enhance them by encasing them in green fabric and draping them over a belt.


5. As broad shouldered as I am, I am shocked that I need to take this pattern in across the shoulders. Who are they drafting these patterns for? Body builders?


6. Rather than skimming over the body the way the Vogue skirt does, this narrow skirt clings to the body instead. NOT GOOD for the chubby girl. I might need to put some spackle on that hail damage.


While the Kwik Sew version may be a good option for those with a firmer physique, if you are trying to disguise anything, I cannot recommend it.

Now, I could go back and fix all the problems with the Kwik Sew pattern and make it like the Vogue pattern, but why? When the Vogue pattern is already 90% perfect, and all I have to do is lengthen the bodice? Plus, if I want that curved skirt edge detail from the Kwik Sew pattern, I can just draft that onto the Vogue skirt.

My high hip fluff and I will be sticking with Vogue 8379.

Dress Magic

Let's face it, I'm a chubby girl. I write about being chubby all. the. time. I admit it, I sweat when I eat. So when I find something that can make you look skinny, I will totally share that secret. Now, granted, the secret is a designer dress. However, I also know the secret to making one of you own. So I'll share that one one with you, too.

I was inspired to write this by my friend Bitch Cakes's recent blog about dressing to flatter your body. And one thing that flatters nearly every body is a wrap dress in a not-too-clingy knit. THE wrap dress was "invented" by Diane Von Furstenberg in the 1970's, and it has been a classic ever since. You can pick up your very own from DVF.com for a mere $345.00 (plus tax and shipping).


OK, let's face it. $345.00 for a dress just isn't going to happen. That's a car payment. My month's grocery bill. A round-trip plane ticket to see a friend. I'm not spending that on a dress. Especially not when I CAN SEW ONE. And you can sew one, too. So, why pay $345.00 (or more, go look at the website) when you can purchase a pattern and fabric, even a full price, even if you make it from silk jersey from a swank fabric store, for less than $75.00? I'll be honest with you. I bought my pattern on sale for $3.99, and the fabric for $4.00 a yard. My dress cost me a grand total of $15.99 and one Saturday afternoon.

Now, you can do this one of two ways. You can either go back and find one of the actual patterns that Diane Von Furstenberg licensed to Vogue Patterns back in the 70's. They are out there, on vintage pattern sites, eBay and even in your local second-hand shops should you get so lucky (check out Patterns from the Past blog for more awesome pics of vintage patterns):



However, you could wait a while for your size to come up, the price might be daunting, the pattern might be damaged, cut already, incomplete, or any of the other ailment that vintage patterns typically suffer from.

I, on the other hand, suffer from extreme impatience and the need to begin projects RIGHT NOW as opposed to waiting for just that pattern to be available on an auction website. Don't get me wrong, I'll still lurk eBay looking for the original pattern, but in the meantime I have found one that makes a great substitute, Vogue 8379:


Granted, 8379 has a slightly wider skirt shape than the original DVF wrap, but, it has the "magic", the skinny magic. Like I said, I am not a skinny girl, but I have made multiple versions of this dress, for myself and others, and every person will tell you that this dress nips in the waist and hides any number of sins of the flesh as related to hips and thighs. Also, the wider skirt has a big overlap, so you are not constantly clutching at the skirt afraid that it is going to fly open, another big plus.

Here is my most recent version:



And I'll be totally honest with you...I'm not that thin! These dresses are magic. My friend Bitch Cakes on the other hand really is truly tiny. Here she is in hers. I cut a 10. A PATTERN 10. You KNOW that is small.

But, you can see, that even though I am taller and bustier, the dress is equally flattering on both body shapes. If you really want to see it on LOTS of bodies, go check out the reviews on PatternReview.com. Just filter by the pattern number, and you will see dozens of versions.

The one thing that you will learn from all those reviews though is that this pattern straight from the envelope is short-waisted. In fact, it was PERFECT for petite Bitch Cakes completely unaltered. I didn't have to shorten a single thing for her, even though she is truly a petite.

I, on the other hand, am 5' 6" and have shoulders like a line backer. Now, when sewing with knits, you can get away without a lot of alterations just because knits stretch. But, if you have a bit of a belly like I do, the short-waistedness of this pattern will bug you. In the first version of this dress I cut it completely unaltered and the waist tie would "pop up" over the top of my belly over the course of the day, simply because of the placement.

Now, that is not the worst problem in the world, and I won't stop wearing the dress. Let's face it, for a chubby girl, putting your clothes back where they are supposed to be during the course of the day is pretty much second nature, kind of like keeping a travel baby powder in your purse for chub-rub emergencies. It's just what we DO. But I decided if I was going to be "large and in charge," so to speak, I could fix that problem with the pattern. Lengthening the bodice of a pattern is SUPER-EASY, so I will show you how to do it for this dress, since anyone over 5' 4" should consider doing it for this pattern.

First, pretty much every pattern will have marked somewhere on it where you should make the alteration if you decide to lengthen it. This pattern was no different.


Starting with the bodice back, I cut along that line, and added a strip of paper equal in width to the length that I wanted to add to the bodice of the dress.


The front of the bodice is a little bit more difficult, because of angle of the front of the dress. I added a strip in the same way that I did with the back bodice:


However, with the angled front, you will now have to deal with where that is now offset. I KNOW what you are thinking. You are thinking "Michelle, you bitch! You said this would be easy!!!" It is, I swear! Don't worry!!! Just add one more tiny little strip of paper:


And then transfer the lengthening to your facing pattern as well:


One last thing to remember, we have lengthened the front bodice as well as widened it. So that means we have to take into account how that impacts the pattern pieces that that piece touches, correct? Now, we have already taken into account the impact that it has on the facing by lengthening that piece. The only other piece that it touches is the skirt front, so now we have to widen that, too, right? Wrong! Look at the skirt front pattern piece. There is a super-wide fold-over facing, two inches wide in fact. We widened the bodice front by one inch, so just remember when you are assembling the skirt, that the front facing is a one inch fold-over instead of two inches. Pretty clever, eh?


Just remember that sewing with knits is super simple as long as you take into account the stretch and adjust your sewing technique accordingly.

Next up, two more versions of the "Magic Wrap Dress," in some great patterned knits. I will probably make multiple versions of this dress, as I consider this a TNT pattern (tried n true). If you find one that has "good bones," use it a basis for many versions, different skirt lengths, collars, cuffs, contrast ties; you can get a lot of different looks that will ultimately be more flattering and versatile than making a lot of different patterns that may be less flattering on, and ultimately get less wear. I even do the same thing with ready to wear...if I find a pair of pants or a shirt that looks really great, I get it in EVERY COLOR. Here are the next fabrics on the cutting table. I'm taking Bitch Cakes's advice and going large-scale with prints. They're more slimming!