Tweak your capsule for Spring 2011

Posted March 5, 2011 by sewingplums
Categories: Eileen Fisher

Eileen Fisher’s designs for the coming season have appeared.

As usual there’s a ‘Dress in 5 minutes‘ section. Much the same as before. Some repeated shapes in the main catalogue, so I’m commenting on them. And as usual, the biggest style changes are the focus jackets. I’m writing a separate post on them this time. (This turned into several posts, starting here.)

– – –

‘Dress in 5 minutes’ basics

The ‘system’ for ‘dress in 5 minutes’ is very similar to last year, when I wrote several posts on it. So renew your basics.

Tops

Mostly low hip length sleeveless tops with wide or narrow straps (see previous ‘dress in 5 minutes’ tops post).

One new style element – a ‘racer-back’, see McCall’s 6288 by Rebecca Turbow.

”m6268-2”

A few thigh length tunics, one with sleeves (see winter capsule post for pattern suggestions).

Bottoms

And slim pants – though there is a choice of straight and wide legged pants in the main catalogue.

Just-above-knee length slim straight skirts. Eileen Fisher hasn’t chosen to go for this season’s trendy longer looser skirts.

See previous ‘dress in 5 minutes’ bottoms post for slim pant and skirt patterns.

– – –

Adding more interest

There aren’t any layering pieces in the ‘dress in 5 minutes’ section this time. But there are plenty of possibilities elsewhere in the catalogue. Several main shapes keep appearing (jackets I’m putting in a separate post).

Cardigans

Many knit cardigans. Similar styles to previous layering tops.

– short straight little tops, as last summer.

”shortjkts” Eileen Fisher

Easiest to find find patterns for these little jackets/ shrugs in the evening wear pattern sections, perhaps McCall’s 6245 below (or Butterick 5529 View C.).

”m6245”

There are some comments on wearing these short layering pieces in my previous post on ‘dress in 5 minutes’ layers.

– longer cascade or drape front knits

”cascadecardis” Eileen Fisher

Many Eileen Fisher versions of these, in different fibres and with slightly different fronts. Also many patterns. A typical one is McCall’s 6084.

”m6084”

Some other patterns in my winter capsule post.

Sweaters

Knit sweaters, mainly with mid chest or bust level v-necks,

”v-necks” Eileen Fisher

Add one of these wide curved V-necks to a favourite easy fit knit top pattern.

Or try these Hot Patterns Plain & Simple Relaxed Tees

”hot-tees2”

or Hot Patterns Metropolitan Sweaters

”metrosweater”

As well as open V-necks, you can add cowl and drape necklines.

”cowldrape” Eileen Fisher

Eileen Fisher call styles with an added fabric piece ‘cowls’, and styles with an integral dropped front ‘draped’ – perhaps cut on the bias.

There are several patterns for these in the catalogues, though not many with long sleeves. Try Vogue 8597, which has both cowl and drape neck versions.

”v8597”

Vests

Drapey front styles

”cascadevests” Eileen Fisher

Some pattern suggestions in my ‘current vests’ post.

Dresses and shirts

As usual, most of the Eileen Fisher dresses are simply longer versions of the sleeveless tops. There is one shirt dress, the only dress with sleeves.
And there are a couple of classic shirts in the Tops section.

Several patterns for classic shirts. Palmer-Pletsch McCall’s 5433 has fitting help.

”m5433”

This pattern combines a classic band shirt collar with 4 sleeves and 3 lengths, and could easily be lengthened to a dress.

You may be going for shirts because you prefer wovens to knits. Or if you can’t find knit fabrics you like. You can of course make all these top, cardigan, ‘sweater’ and vest shapes in wovens. Possible patterns in the other posts I’ve linked to.

Accessories

Big slouchy leather bags (Vogue 8680).

”v8680”

Classic leather belts,
Long wide textured scarves.

There’s currently a good video on ways of wearing scarves, in the videos section of the Eileen Fisher site.

– – –

Many continuing styles. So if you stocked up in previous seasons, on sleeveless tops, simple slim bottoms, and knit loose layers, you can continue to wear them.

It’s interesting fabrics and surface textures plus subtle details which give variety to the main shapes. There’s a good video showing some of the details and looks, a Spring Preview currently on the Eileen Fisher site.

There are several focus jacket shapes, so I’m planning more posts on those.

Eileen Fisher mainly uses black and greys. There are many other current colours and prints if you prefer them, see my post on looks for the coming summer.

– – –

The top runway designers tempt the big spenders by changing the fashion shapes every season. Pants seem to be the current most rapidly changing high fashion shape. But you haven’t got to change your clothes so much to look good (which is rather different from looking fashionable 😀 ).

Here’s a quote from top film costume designer Jenny Beavan :
“I was watching a catwalk show the other day and I found it fascinating because it’s obviously all drawn, made and then put on a model who is completely bland. They all look the same, walk the same, have the same hair, the same body shape – it’s all about the clothes. What I do is the absolute opposite. For me, it is all about the characters – the clothes are a useful tool.”
(BBC Radio Times, 26 Feb)
Some of the top designers even sketch models with tiny heads, while most real people need designs which draw attention to their face.

Wearing simple unfitted separates with few style elements, like these from Eileen Fisher, is not the right choice for everyone. We can choose our own favourite shapes, textures and trims. We can choose the colours and prints we most love. Dress to express your character 😀

– – –

Patterns and links available March 2011

Comments: 5 Comments

Oriental style – Kimono

Posted February 26, 2011 by sewingplums
Categories: current fashion

The ethnic style for the coming season (summer 2011) is ‘oriental’, according to the UK Elle magazine March issue.

Meaning the Japanese kimono and obi belt, and the Chinese cheongsam. This all got a bit long, so I’ve put the cheongsam in a later post.

Make from a border print or a chinese brocade. Also many oriental style prints available in quilting cottons. The Japanese use luxurious silks to make kimonos for special occasions.

– – –

Kimono

The classic kimono has a straight neck band, straight armhole, straight side seams perhaps with long slits, and big deep sleeves. So they’re simple to make, and often used as a beginners pattern. The simple shape also means they’re a popular starting point for embellishment.

Cut-on sleeves are sometimes called kimono sleeves, but that isn’t what is meant here.

If you prefer a Big 4 pattern, there are several from Simplicity.
Simplicity 4080 is a pattern for a geisha costume.

”s4080geisha1”

Simplicity 4134 (left) and Simplicity 2940 (right) are more fashion oriented versions.

”skimonos”

Japanese kimonos are traditionally cut in rectangles, using every scrap of what may be very expensive fabric.

For authenticity, try a Japanese pattern book. In Japanese, but the instructions have many illustrations. This book includes photos of how to wear kimonos, and how to tie the obi belt – simplified for modern wear.

There are two main western books in English. For focus on the clothes, try Make your own japanese clothes by John Marshall. Or Jenni Dobson’s book for kimonos used as the background for embellishment and art-quilting.

Do a book search for ‘kimono’ as there are some stunning books with photos of historic garments as works of art. And everything I’m saying is very simplified, as in Japan there are different styles of kimono for different purposes and with different names. Here’s a summary.

– – –

Independent patterns

There are many kimono styles from independent pattern designers. Here are a few with different approaches.

Folkwear 113 (left) is for a kimono and Folkwear 143 (right) is for a michiyuki, meant to be worn over a kimono.

”fw-japan”

Folkwear have several other patterns like the kimono, in their Asian section.

Deborah Brunner’s Ragstock patterns are similar in approach to a traditional kimono pattern. She doesn’t give you a tissue pattern. She tells you the size to cut fabric rectangles, then to cut sections off them to make the pattern pieces needed. Here are her Kimono (left) and Wrap shirt (right).

”rag_kimono-wrap”

Other similar Ragstock patterns are the Sashiko vest (left) and Signature jacket (right)

”ragstock_other2”
(not correct relative sizes)

(Sadly these patterns are no longer available, but I’ve left them in for ideas.)

Or how about retro patterns from a time when kimonos were high fashion. In the 20s, fashionable women were celebrating being able to wear loose clothing for the first time. EvaDress has kimonos from that era, dated about 1923 (left) and 1924 (right).

”evadress”

– – –

Obi belt

For a touch of oriental style wear an obi belt, traditionally tied round the kimono. In a very simple western version, it’s just a wide fabric strip.

Here’s a video on how to tie it.
The instructions for making one that she refers to are here.

Not at all the same as tying an authentic Japanese obi belt, which involves many yards of fabric and special supports and is considered an art form.

– – –

Sashiko quilting

Or for another taste of the orient, add some Japanese embellishment.

Japanese sashiko stitching traditionally has large white stitches on a dark blue ground. Here’s a clear tutorial.

The Folkwear 113 kimono is embellished with sashiko quilting.

”fw-sashiko”

There’s full information about sashiko quilting supplies, patterns and books at Shibori Dragon (about a third of the way down the home page).

Sashiko is not as heavy as western quilting, as it just uses 2 layers of fabric, no wadding/batting.

Here’s a stunning example of sashiko on a garment, the back of a jacket pattern from Betty Gant (sadly no longer available).

”gant-jacket”

– – –

I love the relaxed easy styling of the kimono shape and have collected a lot of information, so this got a bit long. My planned post on the Chinese cheongsam is much shorter !

P. S. YouLookFab has 2 posts on wearing a short kimono layer with casuals, here and here.

– – –

Patterns and links available February 2011

– – –

P.S. 2017. Kimonos are now very current, so there are many patterns for them. Here are just some :

Independents :
Burda Style, 121,06/2011
Ralph Pink Amayo Drape
Sewing Workshop Ikina
Sewing Workshop Plaza
Sew Over It kimono

Big 4 :
Butterick 6176
Simplicity 1318
search ‘kimono’ at Simplicity for many more, both fashion and costume.
Vogue 9115

= = = = =

Comments: 2 Comments

The power of the boring

Posted February 19, 2011 by sewingplums
Categories: specific capsules, wardrobe planning

Here’s the power of simple items to add flexibility to your wardrobe. By instantly adding many more different outfits. Of course this is classic wardrobing advice. But I find it helpful to be reminded.

People who like ‘statement pieces’ won’t be happy with this idea 😀 Nor is it much use to people who live in such warm climates you never wear added layers.

Following on from my post about some basic wardrobe capsules with trendy styling for the coming summer, here’s another group of quiet soft casuals. This is my favourite capsule from the new Vogue January 2011 patterns :

”janwrdrb”

shirt Vogue 8716.
top Vogue 8710.
vest Vogue 8713.
jacket Vogue 8714.
pants Vogue 8715.

From these I could make 3 outfits of 2 pieces :
top with pants
shirt with pants
jacket with pants.
(If you use a vest style with front closure so you can wear it without a top under, that would add another look.)

A choice of pieces to layer over the top – big shirt, vest, or jacket, which give very different looks. So that adds 3 more outfits. 6 different ones in all. Layer vest over shirt, 2 more outfits.

”4outfits15”

I’ve only shown the basic looks which include the top and no third layer vest, or the drawings get a bit big !

In an ideal layering wardrobe (see my take on the Sewing Workshop version) the jacket layers over the vest layers over the shirt layers over the top. To give the maximum number of different combinations and levels of warmth. But that isn’t possible with this particular pattern group.

If you made a second version of any of these layering pieces, their style elements are so distinctive it might be obvious you were wearing something similar, even though the colour or fabric had changed.

But if you add another tee and pants, the number of different outfits increases dramatically.

This shows the power of the boring.

Add a second top in a clearly different colour/ print/ texture. That adds 5 more looks, so the number of outfits goes up from 8 to 13. The diagram only shows the 8 outfits which use the tops. There are also the 2 made from the shirt or jacket with the pants. And the ones with vest over shirt.

”8wredtops”

Add another pair of pants. The 16 basic combinations are in the diagram, plus 4 from the shirt or jacket worn with a choice of pants, and more from vest layered over shirt.

”16redbrown”

(The added top and bottom can of course both be the same colour/ print/ texture.)

You’ve added 2 simple garments, making 7 items in all. And the number of combinations has gone up from 5 items making 8 outfits to 7 items making at least 25. A powerful example of the effectiveness of supplying yourself with basic co-ordinates.

(P.S. As an extreme example of this, see Janice of The Vivienne Files make 208 outfits from 33 garments.
And another post from 2015 at Vivienne Files on getting 45 outfits from 9 garments which shows photos of all the outfits (good for travel).
3 second layers (which can all also be worn alone)
3 tops
3 bottoms
gives
18 2 item outfits
27 3 item outfits.)

– – –

Even for very simple items with almost no added style elements, you choose your own best colours, and the silhouette/ neckline/ sleeve and body lengths, etc. that are right for you.

And this approach to increasing the effectiveness of your wardrobe needn’t fill you with gloomy despair at its lack of creativity. Have a look at Marcy Tilton’s gallery of what she has done with her Vogue tee patterns (many pages of them). And her CD on fitting, making and decorating tees.

Or Shirley Adams’ Alternatives 500 pattern with multiple different version of a shell.

There’s an almost infinite number of ways you can embellish and add interest to a simple top 😀

– – –

Patterns and links available February 2011

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A note on the FBA

Posted February 12, 2011 by sewingplums
Categories: fit of clothes

Some time ago I wrote about adding fabric wedges below the waist, especially so there’s enough fabric to cover a large front or back.

The best known reason for adding a fabric wedge above the waist is the Full Bust Alteration. (Lots of possibilities on the upper back and sleeves too, but I’m not going to talk about them here.)

I don’t need an FBA myself, so have no practical experience. It’s a bit silly for me to comment. But I am intrigued by it as an alteration so have been noticing information. Here’s some of what I’ve found, in case it’s of use to anyone.

There’s a list of links about the FBA by Debbie Cook at Pattern Review.

Adding enough fabric for larger cup sizes is not just a matter of adding length and width to the front pattern piece. A good FBA adds a wedge starting from the armhole, so the added fabric is in the middle of the pattern.

Here’s an example of the wedge in position, and it’s relation to the added length and width.
Before – left, after – right.

”fba”
(wedge about 2 inches)

The photo shows the usual FBA, described in detail in Palmer and Alto ‘Fit For Real People’ p.140 onwards, and also in many McCall’s Palmer-Pletsch patterns. Palmer-Pletsch also have a DVD : ‘Full Busted ? Sew Clothes that Fit !’‘.

Basically, slit up from waist to bust point.
Then angle across to the armhole stitching line at the notch.
Armhole not shoulder, as you may not want to increase the width of the upper pattern. Some people with larger cup sizes may like to open up a wedge to the shoulder as well.
Spread horizontally by the amount needed to go round the bust.

There’s no way of knowing beforehand exactly how large a change to make. It depends on your shape and your personal preferences – how much ease you think looks and feels right for you.

Also slash across to the centre front, and lower the separated section until the waistlines are level. This adds needed length to the front.

”new
(Red lines are new dart stitching lines. Larger cup sizes may look better with the ends of the darts further from the bust point.)

I’m getting more comfortable with the idea of slashing up muslins – it’s the reason we use the cheapest possible fabric ! Write on them, cut them up, keep them for reference. And I’m more patient with not getting fit right at first try.

Bigger darts put more curve in the flat fabric. You’ve added fabric at the centre of the pattern piece, but don’t want the side and waist seams to be longer. The added wedge of fabric also changes the shape of the armhole and the angle of the side seam.

McCall’s fitting pattern 2718 has different front patterns for 5 cup sizes. To make the armhole difference clear, here’s a tracing of the stitching lines for A cup (black) and DD cup (red). (Size 14, the shoulders and necklines are the same.)

”2armholes2”

The DD front pattern is wider, and the bust dart deeper. But also the armhole shape has changed, and the angle of the side seam. Notice the ‘scoop’ of the armhole – the lower edge of the armhole isn’t horizontal. The changed armhole shape introduces a wedge of fabric from the armhole where more fabric is not needed, to the centre of the pattern, where it is.

– – –

Some people who need a larger front pattern also need a larger armhole and sleeve head, or wider shoulders. But not everyone does. So those are separate adjustments.

If your cup size is larger than B (the size commercial patterns are made for), but your shoulders are not large, the pattern shoulders may fit you better if you buy patterns according to your upper chest/ high bust measurement, not your bust. Vogue size charts for Misses include the upper chest measure, but the Women’s chart doesn’t. I e-mailed them to ask about this, but they didn’t reply.

Debbie Cook’s list of links mentioned before includes several links about choosing pattern size by high bust or full bust measurement.

Ann Rowley prefers to buy her patterns by bust size and do a narrow shoulder adjustment, rather than buying by chest/ high bust size and doing an FBA. Here is her tutorial on the narrow shoulder adjustment.

Ann explains her choice by relating it to her own measurements. You only need to do an FBA or narrow shoulders if your shoulders are small relative to your bust. From Ann’s post, it looks as if the best method depends on :
– if your hips are smaller, like your shoulders – buy pattern by chest/ high bust and do an FBA,
– if your hips are larger, like your bust – buy by bust size and do a narrow shoulder adjustment.
If you’re interested in this, it’s best to read Ann’s comments about why her approach is best for her measurements, and her suggestions for other body shapes. This may be another area where you need to try both to see which is best for you !

– – –

The standard FBA method works for tops with fitted armholes and front shaping darts. Debbie Cook has written tutorials for doing FBAs on different styes of tops, which are here.

And there are many other special cases. Do a web search to get over 3,000 links with examples and suggestions to explore !

I hope you don’t have much difficulty with getting a good fit 😀

– – –

P.S. Here’s Imogen Lamport’s advice for people with large cup sizes on how to look good.
And here’s a post from her on layering tops with a large bust.

P.P.S. More resources :

Silhouette patterns are for B, C, D cup sizes.

Butterick patterns (A to D).
Vogue Custom Fit patterns (A to D).
Simplicity patterns for cup sizes A to D

McCall’s 2718 fitting pattern has front pattern pieces for A, B, C, D, DD cup sizes. (Buy by above-bust chest measure, which is on the Butterick and Vogue fitting charts though not the McCall’s one).

Here is blogger Shams’ fitting advice for people she calls the ‘uber busty’ (larger than D).
And here’s her resources for the busty.
The Curvy Sewing Collective has a series of posts about big darts starting here.

Connie Crawford has a series of master patterns for cup sizes from A to I :
basic bodice sloper with darts
shoulder princess
armhole princess
Video intro to these patterns on fitting for cup size.
Plus a video intro on
using these patterns as a starting point for making your own designs.
The videos refer to the basic sloper with darts (CS1201), but apply to the other master patterns as well.

Step-by-step detail about doing an FBA or an SBA on an existing pattern, from Colette Patterns here.

– – –

Links available February 2011

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