True Bias Hudson Pants

I think it’s Hudson Pants season!

I haven’t made these for myself since 2014, and that pair was heavily modified to be more like a harem pant (it was before the Pattern Emporium Harem Pants came out).

In 2015, I made the Mini and Men’s Hudson for my grandson and son, they were a bit hit!

This winter I find myself freezing in thin leggings, and having seen several Hudson versions recently on IGram, the lightbulb came on. Finally 🙂

Fabric: Kaufman Laguna stretch jersey in Bonsai. Top: modified Cali Faye Gardenia tunic.

Sewing notes:

• This time I sewed the size 12. Based on my measurements, I could go down to a 10, but I’m a bit nervous about slim-fitted britches of any kind.

• I used Kelli’s high waist tutorial, which puts the pants at the natural waist – I love the fit.

• In general, I don’t care for drawstrings, they’re fussy and get in the way of tops. I simply inserted 1 1/2″ elastic in the waistband casing.

• The pattern is drafted for a 5’5″ frame and 28″ inseam. I’m just under 5’8″, 30″ inseam, so I added 1 3/4″ to the length. These pants are meant to land at the ankle – for slacks I would have added more.

• Speaking of the ankle, I don’t care for a tight ankle band, so I added to the width of mine.

• My only fit issue was a slight pinch at the crotch. I fixed it by extending the inseam at the crotch by about 3/8″, front and back.

Trivia: this was Kelli’s first pattern!

Of course I’ve made another pair already, in navy Laguna, and I’ve ordered some grey as well.

Parting note: I started my blog in February, 2012, it’s my 10-year anniversary! I was nervous as a cat, took down the post, the then re-published it in March. And in all that time, I’ve never been a decent photographer 🙂

McCall 6488

It has been a wonderful journey. Bye for now! Coco

True Bias Roscoe Blouse

Just not my thing… but posted for several notes on the construction.

I was so hoping for a cute boho top. And maybe for some this fits the bill. It does nothing for me, even though I sized way down to a size 6.

Not wanting to leave you with nothing, particularly if you want to sew this or a similar tied neckline top:

• I did not sew the ties and neckline binding separately. I.e., I did not sew ties and insert them at the front neckline edge. What a kerflunky mess. I sewed one piece of 2″ x 53″ bias binding for a continuous neckline binding and ties, being careful to mark the placement of the neckline notches. It’s a nice clean finish from the inside and the outside.

• I also constructed the front with a 1″ seam allowance, not on the fold as in the pattern. Then I folded the seam allowance and topstitched it, top to hem. The result is a nice view when the blouse is open at the neckline. The facing on the pattern is not nearly wide enough to facilitate a neat aspect with the blouse open.

• And to decrease the angst of gathering the cuff into its binding, I gathered the sleeve into the binding before sewing the sleeve/side seam. The directions have you finish the sleeve seam and then wrestle the voluminous sleeve into a cuff. umm…no

And that’s that. I sometimes wonder why pattern designers make the simple things, duh, so hard, particularly for beginner/advanced beginner sewists. Anyway, not to be repeated. I am interested in challis-friendly loose blouses for summer, but this does not work for me. Ideas for alternatives?

Ciao! Coco

Ogden dress variation!

I’m catching up on August True Bias Ogden month, with wild hair and no makeup (as promised in my last post).

Since I am living in my Ogden top/Pattern Emporium harem pants combos, as well as my Simplicity 8640 handkerchief hem dresses, I just had to do an Ogden dress.

I matched the top and the dress at the top of the side seam/base of the armhole. What a fortuitous fit! This was so easy.

Pics!

In the rain, Cloud9 monkeys from Fabric.com:

And two more from this morning, sunshine on the porch, shirting fabric from Fabric Mart:

Before I go, how to express fully my appreciation for all the sharing and supportive comments on my ‘low battery’ post. Thank you all – I feel fortunate to share this planet with so many wonderful friends.

Coco

True Bias Ogden Cami with variations

Deep summer and so very hot…I’ve been living in my only Ogden Cami (here). So I went through my remnant stash for anything approaching a yard of fabric.

What a lovely and easy pattern:

I haven’t made the plain vanilla, as above, but opted to draft a button-front from the get-go. IMHO, it’s a great way to break up that ‘sea’ of fabric in the front and add some interest to the design.

I also changed the back neckline – I wasn’t fond of the flare from the v-neckline in the original.

Sewing notes:

• I originally cut the size 4, based on my measurements. It was just too snug across the bustline and center back. This is size 8, with an additional 1/2″ added to the length of the straps.

• The button front is uncomplicated, my first post has more details on the draft and construction.

Fabric: Art Gallery Magnolia Study Silkroad rayon challis, Fabric.com. It’s shifty, and this pattern has so many bias cuts! Pin, pin, and pin again 🙂

• The raised and loosened back neckline is also an easy change.

• One thing that really really bugged was that the original lining cut right across my bust -terribly uncomfortable, and, in a sheer fabric, kind of a bad idea. Also, the linings wanted to crawl up. Aarg. so I used the lining pattern to draft facings for the entire bodice, which finish at 1.25″ wide. These are easy to topstitch in place, and they don’t wave around or impact the fit of the bodice at all.

Pics!

Yari jumpsuit recycle

To open, I love the True Bias Yari jumpsuit. Unfortunately, mine, size 8, is just too big on me. Since I used a lovely Kaufman expresso yarn-dyed linen, I’ve taken the plunge (after months and months) and recycled it.

Pants! I cut the pattern below the second button and went from there. Since the crotch was very low on me, I raised the pants and lowered the hem for a better fit.

I folded the top a couple inches to form a cut-on waistband and added 7 belt carriers.

Pics!

Perfect 🙂

Parting shot: I have an unusual tree in my back yard, a tapioca – Manihot esculenta – aka cassava. It was trimmed along with my mandarin tree last fall, but my understanding is that it simply grows with abandon if not harvested for its roots. And it seems to enjoy the partial shade of the back corner of the yard. It is blooming like crazy, small, pretty blossoms, and it’s about 20′ high. Check out those leaves, so unique.

The Green Garden Girls came over yesterday with a plan for the front yard. Beautiful, I’m so excited. It combines tropical lush with bungalow charm.

Next up – not sure, I think I’ll finish my Cheetah Moon harem pants and just think about the challis in the stash. BTW, I do plan another Yari, I think with short sleeves like an aviator jumpsuit! Future…

Feeling blessed – Coco

Hot hot hot and harem pants

It’s so hot outside, 93 degrees for a couple days. I don’t really mind, but I also don’t feel like wearing a bunch of fabric, such as a maxi dress. Truth is, I need to replace my entire AC system, air handler (16 years old) and compressor (10 years old). I knew this when I bought the house, and I’m ready now that we are into summer weather. The system struggles, runs all day, to maintain 79 degrees in the house (I have lots of fans). Only the lockdown has kept me from doing it – come June and these boogies are getting replaced!!

Enter my new challis Pattern Emporium Harem pants, always a favorite. I’m also wearing a lightweight True Bias Ogden cami, a button variation. As an aside, I just don’t feel like hiding anything, so my skin is here in all its scarred and scleroderma ‘patterned’ and irregular glory 🙂 It’s kind of cathartic to do this, and my buddy alligator has my back. It has been 10 long years…

Sewing notes:

• I am still sewing the size 12 in the pants, but I’ve taken quite a bit out of the sides. I suppose I could size down, but now my tissue works, so I won’t bother 🙂
• My cami is size 4. I drafted the button variation early on, but I think that Kelli has a tutorial on how to do this.
• Fabric: Rifle Co. Wonderland Blue Magic Forest. The cami is simple broadcloth.

• As a note, I’m 5’7″, measurements 33.5″/29″/39″. I hope this helpful. I myself get so frustrated when I research reviews and pics of a pattern and have no idea of how it really fits – few sewists include the info.

Play time:

I am thinking of all my blog friends, every one, and hope you are finding grace and faith, these are such unfamiliar times. For now, Coco

True Bias Shelby dress – mellow muslin

So, in line with this being a muslin, I’m totally bed-headed and unadorned! It’s early 🙂

I’ve been looking for this pattern design for ages. It’s a throwback to the 90’s, when this dress style was so popular. I bought my first one in Brazil, soon found a couple more at the Limited, and loved them for casual Fridays. I see similar styles now on Pinterest, generally described as a French dress, often with cute sleeves.

Beautiful drafting and options from Kelli at True Bias:

I used this yellow chambray because it’s destined for face masks – it’s way too much yellow for me to wear, and of course it doesn’t have the drape of a voile or challis. However, it was easy to manipulate, mark, and adjust during my fitting of the dress.

Sewing notes:

• Drafted size 10, view B, based on my bust and broad shoulders and back. It fit nicely in in the shoulders, back, and upper bodice, but I took a lot out of the balance of the dress after I sewed it to the original seam lines.
• Removed 6 3/4″ from the hemline – it’s long!
• Took in the side seams and back princess seams starting at the waist curve, down to the hemline.
• And took in the front princess seam quite a bit at the bustline. I did this in small increments until I had the fit I liked.
• Small changes, I added 1/2″ to the short sleeve, and 2″ to the ties. The latter were sewn with a 3/8″ SA instead of 5/8″.

On Emile!

Next up for this cute dress, Telio rayon challis from Fabric.com:

I hope you and your community are well and safe, Coco