Mortem's Tricks or Treats: Butterick 5566

My visit back home to Canada has come and gone, and now I sit here wide awake nearing yet another conscious visit of the witching hour of the night, picking at tiny but bothersome skin tag on my neck.

I can scarcely believe that just a couple days ago I was having a nice visit with my momma, and celebrating my SIL's graduation with the whole lot of in laws and beyond. While it was great spending time with direct and extended family, I regret that my time was quite limited for old friends-- I didn't get to see most of them, and I didn't get to much the last visit either. It's rather overdue if I wish to keep these friendships.

Before I let myself get too real for a mere pattern review, let us focus shall we?
I found out and was intent on entering a project to the Skirt Contest on patternreview.com; it was days before my departure up North, and there wasn't a lot of time to work with. It's a little funny knowing the fact I scrambled then and now that I should realize that the previous skirt I finished still fell within the qualifying dates haha! I rushed for nothing...

Anyway, my choice was Butterick 5566, after some arduous deliberation.
Unfortunately it was a very recent pattern purchase... maybe a couple weeks old at most from the date I made it.
I landed on view D-E, and cut out a size 18.

Not wishing to further breach my commitment to using up old stash, I grabbed some flocked denim I purchased while living in New Mexico (but funny enough purchased during a trip to El Paso) and the remaining yardage of the suede-ish material from my last project (which I have since finished and worn... though no real time shots of that particular one yet).

In a nutshell, this skirt is exceedingly simple, even with the materials I have chosen which can be quite daunting to work with; I say this with what I consider to be the experience of an advanced beginner, maybe intermediate skill level. So really, there is nothing to be that afraid of when making this pattern view.

I'd say the scariest part of this skirt is the ease, which there is plenty of... and in my humble opinion, way too much at points. Especially on the upper hip. I was worried about this and continued with using my main material anyways without making a mock up... but I did hand baste the ever-loving-crap out of every seam to make sure everything matched up.

I did find that discrepancy that I was worried about-- the upper hip did gape. Thankfully the silhouette is simple enough that I simply grabbed ahold of my hip curve ruler and chopped off what needed removing and blended it out with my serger. Not the most professional way of getting things done, but it did the job.

I was particularly impressed with the drafting of the waist facing, I must say. I haven't come across many waist facings I didn't have to majorly tweak to fit; the only tweaking I did was the weight of the interfacing and adjustment of the upper hip being chopped. Though I didn't mess with the curvature, I just simply took off what I needed off the ends; it seemed to do the trick quite well.
I used a medium weight interfacing instead of a lightweight, even under a woven pant weight like the kind I used.
I like a lot of stability in that area, as my stomach protrudes quite awkwardly if there isn't anything bearing down on it like a belt or some such integrated cinching feature, heh.

I got it done in time, and I had hoped to shoot it and the previous skirt during my visit North as the landscape is much better than I have immediately available down here. Though, since I lacked the foresight to know that my time up there would not be mine... nothing was shot. During a visit to Dollarama with my brother however, I was pleasantly surprised to find some nice shooting equipment, and since the exchange rate was in my favor, for mere pocket change I was able to obtain a selfie stick, a bluetooth remote, a few cases, and a selection of mini tripods. Seriously, the dollar stores in Canada rock.

So now I'm able to do my photos all by myself again and without racing the timer! No more relying heavily on the whim of the hubbubs, and no more guilt trips for having the desire to take and share photos of myself from him either.

And of course, I cannot show and tell without a couple of the McCall's skirt.

I usually allot a couple hours for shooting because 1.) it takes a lot of convincing my hubbubs, almost precisely an hour and 2.) retaking and retaking photos because he won't take it seriously enough. This time I was able to shoot not one but two outfits and I got several very good shots! I was very pleased indeed. The quality overall of each shot is definitely up.
If you have any tips of your own for better shots, please, you're more than welcome to share them!

Till next time my lovely ghouls, spook ya later!

Mortem's Tricks or Treats: She's ALIVE!! ... and Sewing.

My, my my...

It has been a while, hasn't it. 4 months said out loud does not sound like long at all, but quite a lot has happened in that very insignificant blip in the cosmos...

Well this insignificant blip has certainly taught me a lot about myself; too much to get into for now, so let's appreciate this "rest stop" on a journey of self discovery I have inadvertently taken.

Ah, such is the mortal coil-- growing pains never stop, no matter what your parents say (they should really know better than to spread such a fallacy, tsk tsk).

Thankfully, I am a person with a decidedly cathartic outlet; a hobby... or more specifically, I have my ability to sew to ease the ennui.

I am progressing nicely in my goal to change the fabric I work with from spooky cute to spooky decadence; it's a much harder transition then once anticipated since Halloween prints pluck beautiful notes on my heart strings. However, I haven't done good by my to do list of patterns to sew, I seem to have found myself yet again at a deviated point...

I stitched up yet another skirt, because they're quick and I am very much lacking skirts with the right length for the weather here in Texas which has been irritatingly humid and hot... or just wet. No in between.

Unfortunately I didn't use any stashed supplies or patterns; these are all recent purchases made in the last month or so. This is McCall's 6706, and I used a black brocade satin.

I used View C which is the hi-low hem option, and cut out a size 18.

It turned out alright. Other than the side seams and zipper, this one is fairly easy to put together.

While the side seams and zipper were of no issue to myself, I can foresee them being an issue for someone else-- unless one is not particularly finicky about a clean finish.

In the above perspective you can take a gander at the side zipper and hook eye opening of the waistband; I was particularly happy with how it turned out because they came out exactly as intended-- almost seamless. The zipper is lapped, and originally I thought I could somehow get away with making it an invisible zip since I hate doing lapped zippers lol, but it just didn't work.

The way the box pleats are drafted into this one is designed so the side seams and consequently the zipper lie on the inside of them, thus becoming hidden. My initial experiment with the invisible zipper revealed one little flaw in the instructions, wherein they say to stitch up to the dot-- the dot being the point where you will insert the zipper. If you're not careful at the insertion of the zipper which comes before creating the pleats, that seam can create a very wonky look to the entire pleat. It has to be as close to perfect to avoid looking poorly made.

My solution to this was simple, make sure you haven't lost track of the dot, and stitch it all the way up back stitching at the dot. and continuing. Insert the zipper onto the seam allowance, as you would with any lapped zipper technique, and once inserted, very carefully pluck the seam open up to your back stitch. Voila, seamless and pretty darn near to perfect.

The skirt has fantastic body with this material-- there isn't a petticoat under there, it's awesome naturally. I also didn't go loco on the embellishments, as I was rather hoping to use this as a staple skirt; I could potentially whip up a bustle belt for this, or pair it with a very frilly blouse. To keep it in this way opens up a lot of outfit possibilities. Plus it really lets the pattern of the material to really blossom on its own.

And so my curse resides, heroes...

Hopefully I'll get around to posting about this sooner then later, but in case I don't, here's a sneak peek at what is currently brewing in my creative laboratory.

Till then, my lovely ghouls.

Mortem's Tricks or Treats: Simplicity 8019

Since my last post, I have begun to experience what others have dubbed life.
I am actually living, as any homosapien must do-- it's exhausting and wondrous... and of course expensive, heh.
The life of a hermit has not been entirely for my benefit, though I did live exceptionally comfortable and embedded within my means.

The most exciting though of all the happenings is the joyous and infinitely desired news of all, news of my mother's official remission! I believe we've doused ourselves with a healthy dose of hope after that. We're drenching ourselves in all the relief that is possible for such news, while still having two feet planted on the ground about such matters.

That being said, with some emotional weight off my shoulders, and as little as the year progressed, I have been able to make leaps and bounds with my bat fit goals already, but I wanted to break this little pause I've taken from blogging this time with the one and only sewn project I've done for what is now behind us in the current year.

That's right, I've been up to my ears in things to do that sewing has actually taken a back seat... for now. So sewing productivity may be down, but it is certainly up in other equally important affairs.
What began as a simple visit to the fabric shop to find something for my pattern, literally turned into an opportunity for work-- but before all that, it was the simple gesture of revising my sewing list that was the catalyst to what is now yet another way for me to give back to the shop I now work at all the money I earn from it hahah!

I figured I better adjust what kinds of garments will be on that list, as I estimate by the time I get to finish all of them I might be well enough into the hot and humid summer months that anything for cool weather will be a completely moot point; the hot weather lasts just too long here, and I'd hate not to be able to wear what I finish right then for that length of time. Two of the patterns have been with me since the time I lived in Hellbrook (aka Holbrook, Arizona)-- it's about time I start working from where I started with this now gargantuan collection of commercial patterns!

Anyway, even from my own point of view I sometimes ponder how my brain functions; making a list is a methodical thing to do... and yet, somewhat surprisingly, I didn't start at the beginning of that list.

In a very similar fashion, much of the inner machinations of my creative laboratory work much the same way; I can't begin with a chaotic space, so I first clean every nook and cranny before every project... yet during the process I don't quite mind the torrent of scraps and thread strewn about.

I digress (immensely). I started with a retro reprint of a button up skirt: Simplicity 8019; originally printed in the 70's, and reprinted sometime in the past year or two. It took a while to get this one done, in fact it wasn't officially "done" until last week! Talk about procrastination; for myself, that is a highly irregular pause between start and finish that wasn't deliberate. I called it done before actually being so, because I had simply but to sew on buttonholes and buttons to call it complete.

At first, a halloween print was crying out to me... but I remembered one of my bat fit goals; to ease up on making everything from Halloween prints and use more "mature" fabrics, as was once the case. I took to the fabric store and found a beautifully (mature) purple and black plaid. I found some nice black buttons that I assumed I would still love by the time I got to that point. This was not the case.

I cut out a size 14 at first which brought me to the realization that I gained weight; so I graded up to a 16-- still not quite enough. Finally, I landed on 18. I wanted it in view C which was a midcalf length, but on me it would look more like D-- I had to go all the way up to A for me to have that mid calf length I wanted, with some of the bottom hem unused for just a touch more length to make it right. Yeesh, I'm short!

During the process of matching my plaids up on my pattern pieces, something stopped clicking with my choice of buttons; I no longer wanted these black with crystal rhinestone ones.

It felt at that moment in time, like a frenzy had overtaken me... and before I knew it, I had purchased dozens of new buttons in an attempt to satiate whatever hunger overtook me.

What inevitably won were little metal skull shank buttons that I failed to properly take a photo of. I guess I wasn't fully over the concept of adding some Halloween flair to my stuff!

I put off sewing on the buttonholes until I was sure which buttons were the "perfect ones", because it was no longer an easy task to pop and sew a buttonhole; I decided to take the plunge and try the contraption I was so afraid of using since its acquisition; my Singer Buttonholer.

I'm not gonna lie, this thing is as scary to work with as it is to look at; I broke four needles just troubleshooting it with the machine, heh... but once the trial and terror part was over, I was able to produce the best buttonhole I have ever witnessed made!

I was a lazy bum and didn't contrast the thread for your guys' sake, and yet clearly there's a huge difference between the top, which was made with my Brother (not unlike many other of its ilk manufactured after the 80's and forward), and the bottom which was produced with the singer and the buttonholer gadget. The only problem I've noticed is that the keyhole templates don't go any smaller than 7/8th's of an inch-- which is the benefit of the sliding buttonhole foot of any everyday machine these days: any size, any time, quick, painless, and sufficient for most needs.

However, I needed something with a little more umph for this project, since the design and weight of the fabric would swallow up the button holes my Brother made.

Back to the pattern, it was very easy to dish out; I sewed two others up as a mock up before I got to making my final garment. No significant adjustments were made-- any width sizing issues I had were simply because I was trying to shortcut my way out of actually having to remeasure myself for all the weight I gained hahah! The vertical length was something I simply wasn't paying attention to when I made the two mock ups before the final one; so really pay attention to that finished length measurement on the packet. I know it seems obvious to mention it, but a lot of people including myself tend to gloss over it, heheh.  Next changes made were simply design changes,  I extended the grain line markings so it would be easier to match my plaid, and to create a directional focal of the waistband.

You'll have to excuse the wrinkling-- another momentary lapse in foresight. This was moments after a cat nap after work in my clothes and on my way to class! Heh.

The top button looks so misshapenly sewn in this photo, and yet this was the best shot I got of the buttons... still hard to see them. Boo! I wish I still had a functioning camera, instead of my phone. Seems like the kind of thing I should invest in.

Till next time, my lovely ghouls!

Fashioning My Cyber Microcosm: Polka-Polka, Polkadots

It's time for the Professor's Homework Assignment!

This month she asked us to base a post around polkadots; one of my favorite fabric patterns... perhaps my only other favorite aside damask. Polkadots isn't limited to just fabric, for example many have already posted polkadot nail art,

But for the sake of doing what I do best, I will stick with fashion... with a twist of the past.

Once upon a time, a young Mortem (pre-highschool) took it upon herself to draft her very first pattern! And it just so happens I still have the result of such an endeavor. The article in question is:

This skirt.

It's not just the dots that are relevant, but the fact it is about to be a little over a decade old; made by the hands of 14 year old me. I must admit I'm surprised how well it held up, considering I was no more than a novice then.

The real question is whether or not it still fit... 11 years is a long time, much has definitely changed. So, it occurred to me that this should also be a BatFit sort of test, to see how much I have changed in that time.

*drumroll*

Not much at all.
To my shock and awe, I didn't have to do any squeezing or sucking-in to put it on. Since I have so very few pictures of myself when I was young (it really means none), I decided I would dress and do my hair (more or less) how I used to in the latter part of my babybat years.

The ensemble would've included purple fishnet or stripped stockings, that I currently don't own anymore. Also my hair wasn't quite as long back then, and I usually wore pigtails... yeah, I know. 

I honestly can't get a grip on what style I once was-- it wasn't fully goth, though I adorned myself often with skulls and bats. I wore an extensive amount of color in the past, and made a transition to purely black, lace, satins and velvet over the years as I grew.

Perhaps one day I will stumble upon an old photo of me wearing this exact skirt those many years ago...

And what would a polkadot assignment be without polka music?

Mortem's Tricks or Treats: Hurly Burly

My hubby left on Friday, and since then I've kept my mind and hands busy in order to prevent any negative thought from emerging.

Alas, I crafted my hands into a coma...

Yesterday I spent the night nurturing a crippling episode of carpel tunnel, but thankfully it happened only minutes after I finished my intended projects. 

Today isn't so bad, as you can tell from my typing this post, but I'll be taking it easy.

Sunday was my 1st wedding anniversary; it was spent celebrating as well as one could do on her own: sewing, of course.

Finishing the final "piece"

I made an entire outfit to commemorate this somewhat joyous occasion, but its final showcase will have to wait until I can put it on and celebrate my hubby coming home. For now, let me whet your appetite with the reveal of the mock up of the above pictured piece.

I saw this skirt... somewhere. Being unable to locate the original, coupled with having zero money to purchase it, even if I did... I thought it would be a nice piece to recreate from the vague memory I have of the skirt.

The ties are long enough to come forward or stay backwards. The final product will have a lot more lace, and of course it will be black. I might add some white lace to this mock up... then who knows what will happen to it, heh.

I made yet another blouse from the same view I've been using in pattern 6078, but I added a little extra touch to it so it'll match up with the skirt. I know, I keep making these blouses! I'm currently obsessed with them-- this is the last one... I think. Probably not... but hopefully the last one you'll read about.

Anyway, aside from all that, I took a look at my most recent candy find and realized I could upcycle the tin instead of just having it jingle around just for the pleasure of how it looks.

I bought a mini sewing tin from China town during my visit in Vancouver a year a go. I purchased it because it was the only sewing kit I've ever found with a tiny pair of scissors with black handles. I had this sugar skull left over tin of mints that I bought at a place called It's Sugar during my visit to Phoenix last month for my brother-in-law's graduation.

I pulled a switcharo on the tins so that my travel kit now suits my tastes. I added in a couple extras; a tiny wood spool of black thread, a spool of purple thread, and a stitch-remover.

These tins also come in a white skull, or pink-- which I completely intend on buying before too long.

P.S. if you haven't seen Frankie's tattoos, have a closer look in the older post about her here.