Wool Plaid Tessuti Yuki as a winter jumper

I've been thinking for awhile about making a wool jumper over/dress. I've been wearing my linen charlie caftan in this capacity, and I think it's super cute over leggings and a long sleeve top, but it would be ideal to have the warmth of a wool version.

Then Thornberry posted her Yuki dress, and it occurred to me that this is a very similar design, only with a cozy cowl. It's funny, she talked about the pattern being wintery but then make a super colorful summery Yuki.

Then I came across this INCREDIBLE wool fabric at Homespun, just the perfect weight and drape for a dress, cozy soft, and with a very cool irregular plaid/houndstooth pattern. I've sort of been looking forever for just the right fabric, and I can't believe it was in the back corner of my local fabric shop. The Yuki made even more sense with this fabric, as I'm not sure what I would have done with the inset.

A close up of the fabric, showing its tiny houndstooths in the plaid design. 

It's been awhile since I tackled a Tessuti pattern. It had all of the usual hallmarks, hand drawn, quirky construction, etc. The taping together went rather quickly, since there are only two main pattern pieces. The pattern pieces fit side by side on my 60 inch fabric, which was a relief, since it made matching the plaid from front to back a breeze.

The pocket construction was the usual Tessuti method, which is very cool and causes the pockets to stay to the front better than a traditional inseam pocket. However the suggested seam finish is serging and I couldn't get my brain around how I would french seam this pocket design, so I had to go with a completely serged interior. Which is totally fine, but I'm spoiled by all of my french seamed and flat felled garments that look as pretty inside as out. I'll get over it, I'm sure.

The armhole finish, however, was both fussy and sort of unsatisfactory. The directions have you turn under the armhole twice and stitch down, then there is this complicated dance to get it all to lay flat with the side seam. They seem to know how fussy this all is, as they suggest basting it first... Well it all sort of worked out fine even though I did not baste, but the finish isn't as smooth as I feel it could be, since a turned over edge just isn't as nice as other methods. It seems to me there is probably a way to do this with bias or a narrow facing, and I'll probably give that a go if I make another Yuki.

The one bit that was fun and unexpected is the way the drawstring hole is formed. I don't know how to describe it, but it is super clever and easy. The drawstring I used is actually a length of rayon seam finish which was the only black finished string-like thing I had on hand. The pattern suggests making a tube and turning it, but I didn't relish doing that with my wool. I might at some point replace this string with something a bit nicer... a turned piece of black linen or even black twill tape would probably be ideal.

Cute and different, right? I'm wearing it here with a silk jersey tee and self-drafted black leggings. I think I will love wearing this on snowy days!

Red Ombre Plaid Tessuti Oslo Coat

I've made a new coat!

And it is a cozy, wooly, wintery coat!

It's been awhile since I've made a coat. Last year I was crushing on all of the amazing versions of the Papercut Sapporo coat on instagram, and I bought a piece of wool to make it. Online purchase, and it was a lovely gray coating, but it was drapy-er than I thought would be ideal for the Sapporo coat. I was also having second thoughts on the Sapporo because it really isn't such a practical coat for truly cold climates since it has no front closure and cropped sleeves, so what I would be making would be a late fall-early spring coat, and the wardrobe gap I was filling was for a truly warm coat. I was also noticing how many of the Sapporo coats that I admired required quite a bit of finagling of the pattern, and then this review came out.

I still think I'll still sew the Sapporo coat sometime in the near future since it is such a unique pattern and I'm  but for my winter coat needs, I went looking for another pattern. I was looking for something classic and a bit boxy, and decided on the Oslo coat by Tessuti. There are some incredible versions of this one out in the blogosphere by some of my favorite bloggers, including amazing versions by Diary of a Chainstitcher, Fifty two Fancies, Jasika Nicole, and of course the amazing Heather of Closet Case files.

The plan was coming together for some cozy holiday sewing over the Thanksgiving break. However, when I pulled out my stashed gray coating, it didn't seem right for this project either. So I make a trip to my favorite local fabric shop, Homespun, and this ombre plaid coating was love at first sight. It was a pretty heavy wool, so I thought it would work well to make a structured, super-warm coat. I also picked up a lining that was an interesting fabric, smooth rayon sort of like a bemberg on one side and cotton on the other.

I took a cue from Heather and went up a size because I was planning on some serious underlining and interlining and I wanted room to be able to wear a thick sweater or down liner, and I increased the seam allowances to 1-inch on the side seams and sleeves to allow on-the-fly fitting. I ended up using some of that extra seam allowance to add some width to the upper sleeve because I felt that my very significant biceps needed a bit more ease for layering.

I bought about 1/2 a yard extra for plaid matching, but perhaps I should have bought more, especially after adding extra to the seam allowances. I just barely managed to cut it all out, and I ended up having to piece together one of the facings. However, in the end I am very happy with my plaid matching, it is so satisfying!

The one major change that I made was to raise the pockets a whole 6 inches. Every review I've read of this coat talks about how low the pockets are. I determined the pocket height by draping the pinned together coat pieces around me and imagining a good pocket location. The pockets are truly humongous, and this is a feature I love in the finished coat after raising them to a point where I can easily touch the bottom of the pocket when wearing the coat. There has been many a coat and dress where I've placed the pocket too low and not being able to touch the bottom of your pockets is seriously annoying!

One of the goals for this coat was to make a TRULY WARM winter coat. I happened to be reading this post by Fehr trade while making the coat, which really nailed home the wind-blocking properties of flannel interlining, so I fully interlined the sleeves and upper body with flannel that I had in my stash. I really loved Jasika Nicole's idea of a quilted lining, so I borrowed her idea. I used Dream Wool and the crib size was just enough for my coat.

I added hanging chain, and one of my dwindling supply of tags.

I was almost too lazy, but at the last minute I found the energy to add an interior zipper pocket. I made it HUGE, it can easily swallow my big credit card wallet.

Generally the directions were quite good. However I had a small beef with the understitching instructions for the collar. Shouldn't one switch the side of the understitching at the break, the point at which the collar turns? Otherwise the seam would show on either the collar or the bottom of the coat. I followed the directions blindly at first, but it bothered me so much that I unpicked my understitching and redid it, clipping the seam at the break and switching the understitching. 

This wool required serious use of steam and a clapper. The clapper wasn't on hand for the final press for these photos, and I ended up using a handy block of wood which worked just about as well as my fancy clapper.

I didn't add the buttonhole until just before I sewed in the lining, so that I could customize the location. It was a bit of a pain making a bound buttonhole with the coat already sewn, but not impossible, and it beats having the buttonhole in the wrong location. The button is an interesting dark green button from my friend Susie's grandmother's collection.

I was lazy and did not add the interior button. In some photos the coat does not lay as well as it could... not sure if I'm motivated to go back and add it though.

Towards the end of the project I was just going on autopilot, so I finished that tricky area where the bottom of the front facing meets the lining with a bit of hand sewing like I usually do. However in retrospect it looks like they had an interesting method for getting a nice finish, so I wish I had paid more attention to the directions.

I love the notch where there collar meets the shoulder, it adds a subtle detail to an otherwise simple design.

So, after finishing it up, I have to say... this coat is heavy! And sort of huge. However, it is toasty warm. It isn't the coat I reach for every day, but on cold days it is the coat I reach for when I know I'll be standing around it in. It is the perfect coat for keeping my daughter company on dark cold mornings as she waits for her school bus. It's definitely the coat I reach for on below-freezing snowy mornings when I know I have to be at work despite the conditions. However I wore it on a day I was out Christmas shopping and I was sweating in the stores!

A few more photos...

So the one thing I've thought about is adding an inner cuff to the sleeve. I probably should have tapered the sleeve a bit more, because as it is it lets in a bit of a draft.

I would love to make this pattern again in the future, perhaps with a lighter, drapier wool, not sizing up, which I think would make a very classy, versatile coat.

Have you made a warm coat? How did you add warmth to your coat?

Tessuti Kate in Black Shadow Stripe Linen

As soon as the heat sets in, all I want to wear is linen!

I've never been to Australia before, but I have a feeling Australians know how to dress for heat... because Tessuti Patterns are just the thing for light, breezy linen tops, dresses, and pants. 

I initially resisted the Kate top pattern because it looked too boxy for me. However, I love the way it looks on so many people, and I was interested in adding a new style to my linen top collection. So I did up a muslin and decided that if I added a shaped back seam, that might add just enough curve for me. I have a bit of a swayback anyway, so I basically did a swayback adjustment. I added a center seam instead of cutting on the fold, and pinned out the excess in a curve that was deepest at the small of my back and tapered to nothing behind my shoulders and at the hips. 

My muslin also suggested that I needed to add length (which several other reviewers have also mentioned. I added 2 inches at the lengthen/shorten line on the pattern). 

Other than my minor adjustments, I sewed view B with only tiny changes. I love the very clear pictures in the instructions, and how a beautiful interior finish seems integrated into the design. 

My fabric is Marcy Tilton's "shadow stripe" linen. It is a loosely woven linen with a subtle stripe woven into the fabric. It is rather sheer, and I debated lining it, but I decided that on a really hot day when I was hanging out at home, I might appreciate a little extra air. If I decided to wear it to work, I could always just wear a cami. Working with this very loosely woven linen was delicate work, it wanted to fray if I even looked at it too hard. I stay stitched everything, religiously. I probably should have used a tear-away stabilizer as directed (Tessuti patterns suggest Vilene, which is an Aussie brand, but there are others available here) but I didn't bother, and seem to have mostly gotten away with it. 

The innards are quite lovely. The back slit is faced, and the facing is turned under and stitched down. I did flat felled seams at the shoulders for a little extra strength. For the back seam that I added, I serged the pattern pieces before sewing them together. I then sewed the back seam, starting at the bottom of where you were directed to cut the slit. 

There is a self fabric button loop. Mine is a bit thicker than recommended, as I didn't have a smaller tube-turner thingy, but it works well enough. The button is a vintage shell button from the buttons gifted me by my best friend's grandmother. 

The lovely side vents with mitered corners were one of the details that really sold the pattern to me. They are explained very well in the instructions. Unfortunately I fumbled a bit on them... somehow I misread the directions and turned up the bottom seam 1/2 inch rather than 1/4, which threatened to put the entire mitered corner askew. I persevered though, and the only lasting effect is that the bottom hem is a bit narrower than it should be. 

The pattern also described a method of adding binding to the armholes and neckline that was new to me, and I sort of love it. Rather than using a bias binding maker, which I find rather fussy, especially with a very loosely woven linen, the pattern has you simply press your binding in half and attach the raw ends to the raw edge of your neckline and armholes. It seems sensible, and it worked well. Also, you are instructed to understitch the binding, and this extra line of stitching may help to keep all of those loosely woven ends in check. I have some trouble with the edges of bindings working their way out on some of my older linen tops that are made with loose weaves. 

I've been sewing awhile now, and I really appreciate it when patterns have techniques that are really smart and add to my arsenal of sewing tricks!

Overall, I really love the top. The fit is loose but not sloppy, and I think the bit of shaping that I added was just right for me. I love the look of the high neckline and slightly scooped shoulders. I think this linen top is going to get a lot of wear this summer!

Rainbow floral voile top: Ruby Top by Tessuti Patterns

My sewing has moved onto spring, even if the weather has taken a step back into winter (we were shoveling snow yesterday in the Finger Lakes!).

I've been hoarding this lovely cotton voile from Emmaonesock for YEARS. I still remember, I saw it on her website and I HAD TO HAVE IT. I didn't even really know what voile was at the time. I thought I'd make a nice floaty skirt... but the fact is, I have lots of lovely floaty skirts that I don't wear very often. Floaty tops, however, get worn all the time in my wardrobe, since I think showing a lot of leg and not much midriff is a good look for my post-baby body.

The pattern is the Ruby Top by Tessuti Fabrics. I'm drawn to tops with cut in shoulders. I think it comes from the days when I was a climber and had muscular arms to show off. I still love how free this sporty style feels since it gives a wide range of shoulder motion.

The cut of this top is fantastic... just so easy to wear, and it hangs beautifully with a nice drapey fabric. This is the second time I've made this pattern... the first one was pretty good, but I noticed the armholes hung very low. I didn't heed the warnings from other bloggers because I NEVER have this problem, if anything I tend to lower armholes a bit. But lo and behold, the armholes on that first top (which I will get to blogging sometime!) are VERY low, to the point that I have to wear it with-- um-- "decorative" bras.

Armhole detail.

This time, I raised the armholes 1.5 inches. Yikes! I literally added 1.5 inches to the bottom of the armhole, and graded to nothing midway to the shoulder. It looked crazy, but it totally worked-- the armholes on this version are perfect. Not binding, and no peeking at my bra.

White cotton batiste lining.

The other major change is that I fully lined the top with a white cotton batiste voile. It was super easy to do... I suspect it was faster than all those bindings and facings anyway. I just cut two of the front and the back, trimmed 1/16 of an inch off the armholes and the neckline of the lining, then sewed the two together with one of the "bagged lining" methods. Follow this link for a great tutorial, but basically, I sewed the top together at the shoulders, and did the same for the lining. Then I sewed the neckline and armholes of the top and lining, right sides together. Then I pulled it right side out and sewed the side seams. It worked like a charm!

V notch front detail. Nice design detail, don't you think?

The other change I made to the pattern was totally a mistake, but let's just call it a design detail. The "v" notch front was not part of the original pattern! The V was supposed to be the back closure... but in my muddled early morning gotta-get-this-done state of mind, I accidentally made the V in the front and didn't even notice until it was hemmed! Fortunately, I love it.

Tucked!

Speaking of late night sessions, this is a quick make. I took my time, did lots of ironing, took breaks to soothe restless babies, refill my wine glass, etc, and I had it done, fully lined, in less than 3 hours.

Back view. Top looks great. Jeans... not so rockin...!

Looking at this back view, it is a good thing that I have my Ginger Jeans pattern out and my Cone Mills Denim rumbling through the wash-dry cycles. These are, eh-hem, my best jeans! $100 RTW. Well, okay, they are about 3 years old, so I guess they probably have seen better days. We'll see if those long awaited new jeans finally materialize...