Another Esme, Easter, and necessity

Necessity is the mother of invention- or as Plato penned in The Republic, "our need will be the real creator"

Plato’s philosophy is definitely on over-drive this Spring as creative solutions are plied every day- from finding alternatives to personal protective equipment, elastic, real life gatherings, hand sanitizer, toilet paper, and so on.

This holiday weekend I got creative in light of shortages, and the end result is better than if I wasn’t caught short handed. I needed a palette cleansing project after making face coverings all week, and I also craved something to brighten up Easter in isolation. I knew I had a sweet Easter themed fabric in my stash: Cotton and Steele’s Wlldwood Fable.  I bought a yard of this last year from Lakes Makerie, because when I stopped in the owner was making adorable table runners out of this fabric.  I simply couldn’t resist the squirrels and bunnies and left with a yard of it- just because.  A yard is pretty limiting, but I was determined to make something festive that I could wear for our Easter zoom gathering with my family.  

So I squeezed out a simple little top. I knew the Esme top in Lotta Jansdotter’s book Everyday Style would be a quick make. And here is the necessity and invention part of the story: because I couldn’t make the sleeves as long as I like- I used the selvedge of the fabric to create a decorative hem detail. 

If I had enough fabric to make the top, I wouldn’t have added the little sleeve finishing detail.  But I think this feature makes the top more interesting.

I also used a wide bias tape remnant to keep the top as long as possible>

Here’s another happy result of creative problem solving.  My Mom and Dad typically host our annual Easter Holiday family gathering.  This year, due to the pandemic and stay home orders, we set up a Zoom meeting for the 33 members of their family.  Halfway through the virtual party and after several updates from children and grandchildren and great grandchildren, my mom noted that the online get together was in some ways better than the typical Easter party.  For one, it was the first time the whole family was “together” for Easter in many years.   In addition, my mom noted that this year she could listen to all the kids and grandkids; because when we celebrate in person at her house, she’s often busy in the kitchen and misses many of the updates.

And, here’s another solution found due to need. I didn’t have any egg dye, but found a way to decorate the Easter eggs in a new and pretty way.

Blue Velvet- for Spoolriver’s first birthday

Here I am dressed up in velvet in honor of the one-year anniversary of my blog.  Happy Birthday Spoolriver! Am I impractical to be wearing Blue Velvet (cue Bobby Vinton)? Absolutely not!  Am I involved in a noir mystery directed by David Lynch? I don’t think so! No, I am simply honoring a monumental year for me. And, actually, this was a private party.

So, here is why velvet is a practical party top.  I wore this top on Christmas Eve and Christmas day and was absolutely comfortable- even while sweating over cooking and serving sit down dinner for 13 and organizing next day’s pot luck dinner for 36!  And, unlike the sequined top I made for New Year’s Eve- I don’t leave a trail of sequins wherever I roamed.

I was struck by this beautiful blue silk velvet at the Fabric Store and knew it would be perfect for festive winter occasions.  Velvet may put people off, and I admit, it can be a little finicky to work with.  But silk velvet is both cozy and breathable -it’s a natural fiber.  It is sumptuous and luxurious, yet if you don’t lead a luxurious life- (read, I do the dishes) it is not precious.   I wash my silk velvet on delicate in the washing machine. And I wear it outside!

I chose an easy silhouette for this fabric- which I recommend when sewing velvet.  Even though this is essentially a boxy top, I included subtle shaping with darts and gathers. This model is self drafted. Sewing velvet requires a little extra care because of the nap or fuzzy pile to the fabric.  There is a nice beginners guide to sewing velvet at Seamwork.  With this simple top, I really only had to take a few extra steps.

I make sure (double check) that all my pattern pieces are laid out on the fabric in the same direction- top to bottom of the garment.  I choose to lay them out the direction of the nap.  To figure out the direction of the nap, I simply run my hand slowly up and down the fabric- the direction that feels smooth is the direction of the nap or where the pile (or nap) is running down the fabric.  I choose that direction –pile running down- when I layout my pattern- because that’s what I was told- long ago.  But I recently read that you may want to choose the other direction (against the nap) if you want the garment to look more saturated. Whichever direction you choose, just make sure all pattern pieces are running the same way.

I use tailors tacks to mark darts or notches.  But- I typically use tailor tacks to mark- so this is no big deal

Last, I pin (with so many pins) all seams to avoid fabric creeping.  This is actually the most important precaution.  Velvet shifts when you sew it because when you put two layers of fabric- right sides together – the nap (pile) causes the fabric to shift against itself.  Trust me- it really moves- it may even be worse than sewing with slippery and shiny fabrics! I know the recommended and best way to avoid creeping fabric is to hand baste seams.  But I simply can’t be bothered with hand basting.  When I made my first silk velvet garment long ago, a sewing friend gave me the following advice: “Just pin the *&%$!# out of it.”  So that’s what I do- and it works for me.  I pin at least every 1/8th inch.

The only other fiddly aspect of the top was the hem.  I originally hand stitched a hem- but the hemline looked all wobbly and terrible.  Here is the wobbly hem on Christmas Eve before the guests arrived.

To improve the look, I simply added elastic to the bottom.  The finish is now both tidy and stylish and I like it better.

That 1980s Feeling- Designer Vogue and Pink Landers for Fall

I recently took a gander through my old, old patterns and found this Vogue American Designer pattern from the 1980s.  How about those sleeves?! So is this vintage? or retro? Whatever the term, it is most definitely awesome and not at all outdated.

Yes- I was alive in the 1980s; and yes- I was sewing clothes for myself way back then.  I still remember -vividly- how great I felt in the dress I made from this pattern even though I don’t remember much else from the 1980s. I was in graduate school and a newly-wed during that decade. I do remember the Police, Talking Heads, shoulder pads, E.T., Duran Duran, Dirty Dancing, mullets, The Breakfast Club, big hair, arcade games and Madonna. I have seen the 1980s referred to as the greed decade- which might have something to do with the size of those sleeves- among other things.

I decided that another go-around with this pattern in a new century might recapture that great 1980s feeling- minus the greed part. Plus, I love how aspects of this pattern still feel modern and current.

I remember my first dress out of this pattern was a black and red print. And I know I sewed the pattern view B. This time around, it was easy to modify the pattern to create a spiffy knit top.  I simply widened the bodice from the bust-line and lengthened it slightly. 

This fabric is a very drapey knit from Treadle Yard Goods- so the sleeves did not turn out as voluminous as the first dress I made.  The pattern also calls for a sleeve cap header, that I remember making out of interfacing as a shoulder pad stand in- but I skipped that step.  I also modified the pattern to button on one shoulder, and sewed the other shoulder closed. Finally, I eliminated the button cuffs for the sleeves and simply attached sleeve bands.

I actually hand hemmed this top- because I wanted it to look pretty when worn untucked. Although, I found out I prefer how the top looks when it is tucked into these newly made Landers.

The pants are stripped down True Bias Lander pants with the zipper expansion.  No pockets anywhere. The fabric is a soft and comfortable- albeit a tad wrinkly- Robert Kaufman all cotton twill from Fabric.com.  The Lander pants are a great fit for me.  I blogged about these previously, you can get all the details here.