Plus Size Patterns

Two New Kwik Sew Patterns for Fall

I know that Kwik Sew is not known for their fashion forward patterns, but I do use their patterns and am looking forward to sewing with them in the future. When I say “Two New Kwik Sew Patterns,” I mean two TOTAL in Plus Sizes. If I had clicked on Summer, there would have been none. I had honestly thought Kwik Sew had given up on Plus Size patterns altogether, but no. A few drips here and there will quench our thirst. And apparently we fat people don’t go out much because all I need for fall is a pair of pajamas and one 3-piece outfit.

kwik-sew-new-plus-size-patterns-2016-fall

Advertisement

A Pattern Size Survey

The Curvy Sewing Collective is holding a pattern size survey. I encourage you to take it as I think it will have an impact. I was especially happy to fill in my dimensions as I am beyond most pattern size ranges, most notably the Big Four (except for Connie Crawford patterns on Butterick).

Altering the Joyful Blouse

I made this blouse recently, but it’s still too cold to wear it.  When do I get to wear skirts and sandals here?  I can’t wait. This is the Joyful Top from Hot Patterns, and the pattern is FREE! (It’s also a fundraiser for children with cancer.)

download-show-off

 

I had to make some alterations to the pattern, as usual, since their largest size is too small for me.

I used a tropical print fabric I bought in Hawaii many years ago, as well as some denim scraps, and only purchased the Laguna black jersey for the back.

It wasn’t difficult to sew, except that I still struggle with hemming knits.

I’ll post some pics of it when it’s warmer.

 

Muslins

I made a muslin of the jacket again, even though I made a “wearable” muslin already.  I wanted to work on the sleeve placement, so I rotated it forwards and backwards, with no definitive results.

JacketMuslin2

Muslin Sleeve Craziness

JacketMuslin1

 

Finally I just re-sewed one side a size smaller, and it’s a little better.  It still feels torqued, but I think I can live with it, and I have to get going on this so I can have it done before our fall trip!

 

Wearable Muslin Jacket Is Finished

Jacket Front 2 I finished the wearable muslin jacket (Butterick 5931) and I did learn a few things from it.  I wanted to try some new seams and my first attempt fell flat, i.e., the flat-felled seams were a failure.  Flat-felled seams are the kind you see on the inner pant leg of jeans.  It was always a mystery how they were done as there are no raw edges in this type of seam.  I wanted to try it out on this jacket because I thought it would go with the denim look.  It’s the seam across the jacket’s yoke, which included the pocket front and back, and the lower front piece.  That came out to 6 layers of denim, which, when I finally trimmed the yoke seam, turned out to be too thick to work.  So, I changed it into a French seam.  I also decided not to top-stitch it for now, because of that thickness.

I ended up using several different seam finishes in this jacket because I alternated between impatience and obsessiveness.  For example, I used 1/4″ bias tape around the pocket seams, pinking and then stitching down the jacket facing, 1/2″ bias tape on the side seams, and overcast stitching around the armholes.  I also top-stitched wherever I felt like it, from 1/4″ away from a seam to 1/8″.  And, the sleeve seams are not finished at all for now!

Jacket Back

Issues with this pattern:

  • The sleeves are too short.  I assumed the models on the pattern cover where long-armed and that surely, the sleeves would be too long on me, as they always are, but they’re actually too short (for a long-sleeved jacket).
  • The facing is not under stitched.  I ended up top-stitching to compensate.
  • The set of the sleeve is pitched too far forward.  I should have reset them about an inch backwards, but got lazy.
  • The cuffs are very large, letting in a lot of air.

I don’t know if it’s just me, but I adjusted the ease to my measurements, and it felt like I was swimming in fabric.  I made the 3x, which should have worked.  So I cut the sides down even more.  It still feels too big overall, but I’m trying it out anyway.  Barbara Deckert says we’re all too used to close-fitting garments what with lycra in everything.

For my future goretex jacket I will need to add a drawstring to the hood, also making it meet in the center front.  I’m thinking of using some other patterns I’ve found and combining them.  I may also add a waist drawstring and add velcro fasteners for the cuffs.

Overexposed, but shows more detail:

Jacket Front

Image

Diving In

Diving In

I’m making a “wearable muslin” out of black stretch denim so I can later make a goretex jacket with the same pattern with modifications. Never made a jacket before! I’ll be trying out different seaming techniques. This is Connie Crawford’s Butterick 5931. I’m making a 3x.