Two and Done

Did I say I was making three scrub tops? Hahahaha! I'm bored already. I really do not like assembly-line sewing. Scrub #3 is going on hold because I want to sew for ME! I'll send the two finished scrubs off to my sister and at some point #3 will find its way to her too. Just not in the same package.

So anyway, this one is View A from the same pattern, KS 3709. (Pattern #3708 is the same pattern but in non-plus sizes.) Making this view, I figured what the heck good were those princess seams if they stay hidden, so I broke it up with a print and a contrast. I like how it came out. The print was bought a short time ago specifically for this batch of scrubs. The solid contrast has been a stash resident for years. It all came together when I was looking in the stash for something else. I like when that happens, like it's made to be. Oh wait, it was. ;-)



I'm especially proud of this edgestitching. Done completely on Mr. Kenmore with nothing more than my old eyes and the default foot. No guide rudders on specialty feet. I suppose I should invest in an ankle for the Kenmore that will let me use my Viking snap-on feet. Anyone know where to find one online? Until then, my foot choices for the Kenmore are dismal.




I forgot to include a pic of the back of the first scrub. It's got an elastic casing to draw in the waist for more shaping. I'm still deciding whether to add it to the latest top.



No word yet on my D1. I'm going to call about it tomorrow and see what's up. I really, really, really, really, REALLY!! miss my needle down and my automatic presser foot up/down, and my 25 needle positions, and ... well, just about everything. I could never use a straight-stitch only machine for garment sewing. Not now that I've sewn on the Dark Side. ;-) But, really, the Kenmore is fine and I shouldn't complain and it's actually been nice to have a Reverse again. Plus it sews nice and straight and one bobbin lasted for both tops and still has thread, but … I miss my D1 — warts and all. My menfolk are flying up north on Friday morning for a long male-bonding weekend with DH's father and brother and I'd really love to have my real machine back for my weekend alone. Since I haven't heard anything about it, I'm doubting that will happen.

We've been having a preview of the menfolks' trip up north. It's been extremely cold all week and we set a record with TWENTY-SEVEN DEGREES here this morning. OMG. Did the weather not get the memo that this is Florida?? It's supposed to stay cold for many more days. I'm not planning on going anywhere. Even the dogs don't want to be out longer than it takes to do their business. They don't have winter coats, natural or man-made. Chili was actually shivering this afternoon. I was right there with him. Brrrrr.

Scrubalicious

Scrub #1 is done, thanks to Mr. Kenmore. ;-) It's hanging kind of crooked in this pic. I still have 2 more in the assembly-line, cut and waiting for a thread change on the machines. I actually bought the main print for this top from Fabric.com a few weeks ago for me but when it arrived, it was not at all what I was expecting. I almost returned it but then I realized that it would be perfect for a scrub top. The contrast pieces are from stash.

The pattern is Kwik Sew 3709 and it's a winner. I'll write a full review when I'm done, but the quick version is that it has nice shaping, great seams and flattering pocket angles, and two similar yet different views in the same pattern doubling the value. There'd probably be even more residual value if I hadn't taken the lazy way out and cut (gasp!) a Kwik Sew pattern instead of tracing it.

The scrub pictured above is View B.



Here's a close-up that shows the upper yoke seam and a glimpse of the princess seams.


I'm making one more View B and one View A and hope to have them all done and in the mail/UPS truck by Friday. I would be further along except I goofed big-time on the center front panel. I completely missed that it was to be cut on the fold and cut 1/2 of the piece and actually sewed it — and serged it — to the side panels. Oops. Thankfully, I had more fabric. I may not be as lucky with the second one, so it's probably going to have a center front seam.

Groovy Scrub

One more gift is done on the to-make list. This is another scrub top for my sister using Kwik Sew 3201.

In the past, I've had questions about how I do the neckline so I took some pics while making this one.

In this pic, the two neckband strips (the polka-dot fabric) are sewn together at the bottom of the vee, which you can see in the second pic below. The vee of the neckline has been staystitched and clipped per the pattern instructions, and the seam allowances for the entire neckline are pressed under. The neckband strips are laying under the neckline, stuck in place with Collins Wonder Tape. (Remember to click the photos to enlarge them.)



This is the wrong side of the pic above. You can see the stitching at the intersection of the neckbands. No stitching to attach the neckbands to the neckline has been done yet.



To attach the neckbands, I serge the raw edges of each neckband strip and corresponding neckline seam allowance, one at a time, moving the body of the top out of the way so that only the straight edge of the neckbands and neckline pass through the serger.



After the two passes through the serger, I turn the top to the right side and press the seam allowances toward the body of the top. I then topstitch the neckline, catching the overlocked/pressed seam allowances as I do so. I also stitch a diamond at the bottom of the neckbands to hold the cross-over together.



Not much to it, eh? But I find it a lot easier this way than to align dot marks at the points, pin, etc., etc.

Tomorrow, more baking, working on my brother-in-law's shirt, and boxing up some things for a Post Office pick-up.

Scrub-A-Dub-Dub

Finally done! (Click on the pics for bigger versions.) These are all from Kwik Sew 3201, a plus-sized scrubs pattern I used for the first time on these. They're huge on my dressform because my sister is taller and plus-ier than me. I hope they fit. I did make a full-bust adjustment and sewed the dart, because she's bustier than me too (hard to believe!).


There's no way I could ever be a real assembly-line sewer. Making 3 of these at the same time drove me nuts. And these are easy. I lost all desire to be creative and instead I just wanted them DONE. So, no sparklies or fancy stitching. But I think the fabrics are busy enough anyway.

Oh wait. I take that back. I did get "creative" (term used very loosely here). For two of them, I sewed the back facing on so it faced outward. I'm going to do this from now on because what's the point of using pretty fabrics if they don't show? I also used the contrast on the blue version to edge the sleeves instead of fold-up hems, and I edged the pockets on the orange top. The greenish top is just plain-jane, sewn as per the pattern.


None of the pockets match up with the print below because I didn't get enough fabric to fussy cut them. The only one that was going to look particularly odd was the orange top, which is why I banded the pocket tops … gotta make it look like it was planned, y'know! But I did line up the general colors of the striping effect so unless you're looking (and I know you are now), they look like they match up. The other prints are busy enough that the pockets blend right in.

The last thing (well, actually one of the first things) was to cut the orange fabric cross-grain so that the striping effect runs vertical instead of horizontal. I'm glad I caught that optical effect before cutting.

I'll be dropping these at the PO on our way out to dinner. Whew!

Friday Miscellany

It's been a full two days since I committed to finishing those scrubs and still they are not done. I was all set to sew up a scrub storm on Wednesday but then I laid on my bed to read for a bit first and yep, out like a light. My sparse sleeping hours caught up with me. That's OK, I needed it.

I do have one of the tops finished and one to the point of hems. The other is still sitting on the cutting table. I had to switch gears with it. It was supposed to be made from my new crossover scrubs pattern but silly me neglected to look at the fabric requirements before ordering the fabric and, well, I'm short. By a lot. And there's no more to be ordered. I had already cut the back when I figured this out. Luckily, I could cut the back piece of the other pattern from it without losing a thing. So my sister won't be getting a new style this round. She'll live. ;-)

It's raining today so the dogs and I are inside but that means I'll have a few hours to finish up the scrubs (IwillIwillIwillIwill) before I need to get ready for dinner out tonight. It's my first-born son's 18th birthday today. How did THAT happen?

More than eighteen years ago a sonogram had told us we were having a son. I had wanted to have a daughter and was a bit sad that I wasn't. Then on the morning of March 16th, 1989 I was laying in the operating room of a Washington, D.C. hospital feeling weirdly outside of myself while my my abdomen was cut open for a planned C-section. Less than an hour later I was madly, deeply in love. Daughter? No way! I wanted a son, MY SON! Every day has been a joy with my "baby" and I feel privileged and proud to be his mother. I get glimpses of the man he is becoming, although he is still my little boy in some ways, and I like what I see. We've had a special bond since the day we officially met and we've always been close. I know we always will be, no matter where life takes him. Happy Birthday Tyler!

Scrub Maid

When my sister was here in January she was dropping major hints for some new scrubs. OK, not really hints … more like outright demands. ;-) I ordered some prints which will be arriving today and I hope to crank out 3 tops over the next week (around maybe another twist top for me). I'll use my TNT Simplicity 8336 but I'm also going to do at least one crossover top using this new pattern (she'll be on her own for the cami underneath unless I'm feeling especially generous!):

These are the fabrics I picked out. Part of the fun for me is that Lisa (my sister) gets absolutely no say whatsoever in fabric selection. ;-) I get to go a little wild and she loves the surprise.

The first in each pair is the main fabric and the other is the coordinating neckband, pocket trim or whatever I decide. I just realized this first fabric would look great trimmed with the striped fabric on the pattern envelope.












I'll toss them all into the washer and dryer this evening so they'll be ready when I am.

* * * * *

Thank you everyone for the nice comments about my "mom uniform." I'm loving those colors too.

Nancy, I do have a tripod and have used it. It's even being stored in my sewing room. But it's a real PITN to keep going back to the camera to click for each photo, and subsequently needing to rearrange myself and my pose in the 10 seconds before it goes off. Inevitably, I end up with a hem rolled up or a big wrinkle right down my chest. ;-) So, my apologies but blurry is what we get. LOL!