2013 Refashion #2: Light Jacket Upsizing & Relining

A lengthy refashion project I started a couple of weeks ago: to upsize my old linen jacket and reline it.

• In order to evaluate how much to add to the too-small jacket, I unpick the lining and used that as my "muslin". I guestimated that I needed 3 inches added to each sides of the front bodice and under-arms of the kimono sleeves for wearing ease. I contemplated under-arm gussets for a while, but ditched that plan and stick to just adding panel insets. I added the same amount to panel inserts for the jacket.
• I used the matching linen pants to cut up panel inserts for the jacket.

• Using the old lining-turned-muslin as pattern pieces, I cut out new lining for the upsized jacket out of a set of thrifted grey and beige rayon blouse and skirt.

I am very happy with the outcome! The relining took 2/3 of the sewing time because I got side tracked by other ongoing projects and a sewing meetup I went to this recent Saturday (was the first actual sewing meetup I participated in, I had great fun and did not feel out of place! How could I not: talking to kind and warm adults other than my husband about sewing, fabric, crafts and whatnots without the toddler sitting on my projects or trying to pull out my pins? :) )

I did not re-sew the buttons and snaps back on (there wasn't buttonholes on the original, the self-covered buttons were just there for embellishment) because I kind of like it left open like that. Very casual. (I might consider adding some sort of closures in the future...)

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Currently on my sewing table: 

• Refashion project of an ultrasuede skirt to a handbag (status: pattern adjusted and pieces cut)
• A white rayon-cotton knit V1261 alice + olivia vogue patterns view A (status: maybe 80% done, but man, i'm now thinking that at this stage of my sewing clothes I should consider getting a serger finally. sewing a light knit on regular sewing machine is a beast. Not looking for anything fancy, a lower end but can do good cover stitch, rolled hem, and whatnot. Using twin needles and this and that fancy detachable feet on my regular, cheap but beloved sewing machine is not cutting it anymore...)

Anybody have any suggestion on a good lower end (by that i meant $300 and lower) serger/overlock to start on? Are you using one currently?

Excitement!

I was searching online for a local sewing workshop/lesson yesterday afternoon and found one. It's surreal because I've been looking for a long time...

I started looking about 2 years ago - I Google-d for such a class and the only ones I found are at the local community college and a one-on-one by the hour lesson with a local seamstress. I registered with the college for a class, but they canceled on me a few days before the class due to low registration/instructor pulling out and at the time can't even say when the program will be back (they never call me to confirm anything, so they lost me).

I ruled out the one-on-one at the time because 1) as a "recent" immigrant and in need of female companionship I felt that I would like to be surrounded by like minded people/peers, learning a new skill, and get to know the locals; 2) I need to know somebody at some level before entering into a teacher-student relationship; and 3) I didn't even know how to thread a machine at that time, not to mention having a little fear of them, so I imagined I would need many many many hours of lessons, and that will be too expensive - especially when I don't know if I am going to like/feel comfortable with the teacher or not.

So imagine my elation when I found the place in town, offering exactly what I wanted all these while - a sewing & craft supply shop, with food and drinks thrown in, workshop space and community (it's a dream environment for me because in my previous life, pre-marriage, back when I was working in a peace group, I wanted to open such a space, minus the sewing & craft supply part).

If I'm not mistaken, this shop/workshop has been in business since 2008, but they just got a new website, and that's how I found them yesterday (I do live a very internet driven life). They are offering a lot of knitting and crocheting classes, there's screen painting also and crafting. But there's one workshop that really suits my want, and that is to learn to sew one of 3 choices of dresses from the book Sew Cute Dress (It's a Japanese pattern book that I saw alot online other than Pattern Magic of course. Reviews mentioned that the dresses mostly have similar boxy silhouette with slight variations, but I am a beginner sewing enthusiast with a postpartum middle section (still), it's a given that everything I sew are boxy!) I chatted with my husband about it (he was at work), showed him the link, I picked up the phone and registered for the class! It will be over 2 days, 6 - 8 pm, in the middle of November :)

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Sometimes when I get too excited for something, it might not turn out the way I wanted it to be. Let's not pin all my hopes and dreams that attending this one workshop will be the answer to my prayers, that I will immediately, after almost 3 years of moving here, feel more at "home". Working full time, and then half-time didn't do it for me, did it? I think I'm the most pragmatic person I know. I know I'm only in the middle of my adjustment period curve. So, I will go with an open mind. I have a lot to learn!

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This week I'm a bit ambitious. I have 3 projects that I plan to complete: a blouse/top, a bag and little Bean's pyjama bottom. I might need to make a muslin first for the blouse. It is a teal colored silk (abstract print), and I want it flowy on the front. For the bag and pyjama bottom, the patterns for them just arrived yesterday (no, I don't have patterns for those already in my huge stash, hehehehe).