Thursday, April 26, 2007

The Clock Is Ticking …

The pants will be done for tonight's school event, but a top?? I don't know. I'm running out of time. Yesterday was not a PSD after all, so all I've got left for sewing time is between now and 6 PM. I think I know which TNT pattern I want to use, but can I sew uninterrupted and get it done? Time will tell.

Here's the embroidery on the capris. The washaway stabilizers have not yet been washed away so the leg is still very puckery and the pockets have a "fill" inside the embroidery that won't be there after a trip through the laundry — which will happen in about an hour, sewing gods willing. The pockets will be tone-on-tone just like the leg but because I wanted to precisely place mirror images of the motif on the pockets *and* embroider them at the same time and in the same hooping (I'm lazy), I needed a see-through stabilizer on top so I could arrange the pockets under my tracings of the designs. (Clear as mud?) It was a bit fiddly to get right, but it worked rather well.



Because this is stretch denim and I don't want the waistband to stretch now that it's fitted to me, I've sewn twill tape just inside the waistband seam allowance. After that, I trimmed the seam allowances with pinking shears to reduce bulk. The twill tape and pressed-up seam allowances will be covered by the waistband facing, which itself will be secured with some stitching-in-the-ditch from the right side of the pants, as well as the topstitching that is still to be done.



Now, off to finish the waistband, sew some buttons & buttonholes and get started on the top.

6 comments:

  1. Gorgeous embroidery design! Would you mind sharing the design name? (No rush. When you have time.)
    I almost always forget about tape on the waistband and then pay with baggy waists later! Thanks for the reminder! Can't wait to see the finished outfit.

    PegL

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  2. Beautiful, Debbie!

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  3. ooohhhh, La La...Love the tone on tone embroidery!
    Thanks for the reminder on the stay tape along the waistline, thought of that as I was cutting out my strtech denim, but forgot to put out the twill tape..I will go and do that now...
    Just finished 5 pair of crop pants..my summer wardrobe, with maybe a few dresses thrown in.
    Looking forward to seeing you model your outfit!

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  4. I am having some serious embroidery machine ENVY here, tone on tone is all I would/could tolerate in clothing...Your capris are looking so goooood!

    Those back pockets came out really SHARP but I have burnt my fingers on that hem thingy when I tried to use it, so it never gets used. Maybe if I use my superduper silicone potholder it might work, mind you I might not be able to even feel the hem ruler...lol.

    Another successful outfit, well done!

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  5. Wow. I've never been tempted to get an embroidery machine until now. I am also one who never thinks to put twill tape. Thanks for the reminder! Do you only use it for stretch or all waistbands?

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  6. Cidell, I use the twill tape mostly with stretch woven fabrics because otherwise after an hour or two of wearing, the waistband slides down an inch or more and I end up pulling up my pants all day.

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Thank you for each and every comment. I appreciate them all, but I have to be honest and let you know that I'm usually bad about answering questions. I hope you understand that there just isn't enough time in the day to do everything I want to do.

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