Grainline Studio Archives - Merritts Makes

November 12, 2019November 12, 2019

Reversible Tamarack Jacket

Disclosure: The pattern for this post was provided to me by Indiesew. All opinions are my own.

Goooood morning! Today I’m sharing a project that feels like an amalgamation of my sewing journey. I’ve always found joy in creating and had access to a sewing machine from a young age. However, it wasn’t until I took a few college sewing classes that my love of sewing blossomed. Those sewing classes led me to a magical place called Suppose. It was there that my love affair with fabric began. During my five years working there, I came to love quilting and was serendipitously introduced to the world of indie sewing patterns. There I purchased my first indie apparel pattern: a paper copy of the Grainline Studio Scout Tee. Now, years later, I’m here writing a blog post about another Grainline pattern, the Tamarack Jacket.

Preparing the Patchwork

Over the years, I’ve acquired an unhealthily large stash of scraps. Letting go of beautiful fabrics has never been top priority here. In a moment of creative energy, I began piecing together large scraps in October 2018. Then, I cut them down, pieced them back together, and….. forgot about them for nearly a year. Early this October, the project was resumed and I slowly added scraps one fabric or block at a time.

Once the patchwork reached a size of approximately 60″ x 60″, the Tamarack pattern pieces were placed to determine a cutting layout. Then, I roughly cut around each piece leaving about an inch of extra fabric on all sides. Using the roughly cut pieces I cut batting and backing pieces. Finally, each piece was quilted with straight lines 2″ apart and cut down to its proper size.

Sizing Alterations

According to the size chart, I should be a 4 at the bust and a 10 at the hip. Over the years I’ve noticed that Grainline patterns often include a generous amount of ease. Consulting the finished garment measurements confirmed this observation. In the end, I decided to size up in the bust and arms to provide plenty of room for layering. This led me to sew a straight size 6. My only other sizing alteration would be adding 5/8″ to the sleeve length.

Creating the Wrap Front

The simplicity of this particular “pattern hack” makes it feel like less of a hack and more of a pattern shortcut. An added bonus of a simple wrap front vs. the snap or button closure? A fully reversible jacket. Say “hello” to the Ace and Jig inspired side of my Tamarack Jacket. Want the details on how to hack your own? Let’s do this.

Pattern Preparation

Grab your front bodice pattern piece. Draw a diagonal line connecting the top of the neckline (at the shoulder) to the lengthen shorten line at the center front (view B). Curve line slightly for a smoother look. Remove excess paper to the right of this line. Cut front pieces as indicated. For this version I also chose to curve the bottom of the center front.
Create four belt loops by cutting a piece of binding fabric 1.25″ x 13.” Fold in half and sew along the length with a 1/4″ seam allowance. Leave short ends open and use a safety pin or tube turner to turn right side out. Cut this into four 3″ pieces. Baste belt loops to front jacket pieces on both the inside and outside.
Cut a belt piece that is 3″ wide by desired length (mine was about 62″ long). Use a 1/4″ seam to sew around all edges, leaving a 2-3″ opening for turning. Turn right side out and sew the opening.

Construction

Sew shoulder seams as indicated in pattern step 26. Finish the shoulder seams with bias binding for a clean finish.
Apply bias binding to neckline and front as indicated in pattern step 27. Do NOT apply bias binding to the back bottom piece yet.
Follow pattern step 28. Finish this seam with bias binding.
Sew sides as indicated in pattern step 29. Now, starting at end of one sleeve, use continuous piece of binding to bind the sleeve seam, down the side, across the back bottom, up the other side and across the other sleeve seam. This part is probably the most confusing and time consuming of all. Don’t give up. You’re almost finished.
Bind sleeve hems as indicated in pattern step 30. Hooray! Trim any stray threads and enjoy your finished jacket.

Final Thoughts

Last week I posted a photo of my in progress patchwork. One commenter called it a “love letter to a fabric stash.” This sentiment has stuck with me since reading it and holds true in this Tamarack Jacket. In it I see bits of old projects, stray quilt blocks, and scraps left from gifts made for loved ones; all pieced alongside bits of my own fabric favorites. Each fabric connects me to a moment in time, joining my sewing past and present into a wearable warm hug.

Note: If you haven’t heard the news, Indiesew will be closing up shop and no longer available after November 30th. Read the goodbye announcement here for further details. I’m going to miss the enrichment and inspiration that Indiesew has contributed to the online sewing world and wish Allie all the best in her future endeavors. Thank you Indiesew for being a cherished part of the community and my personal sewing journey.

Thanks for reading!

February 25, 2019February 25, 2019

A Menswear Inspired Look with Indiesew

Hello again! Today I’m sharing my first post as part of the 2019 Indiesew Blogger Team. Inspired by Shirt Month and Menswear for Everyone, I decided to create a look that was a bit of a departure from my usual. Using the Grainline Studio Archer Button Up and Closet Case Patterns Morgan Jeans patterns, my goal was creating a look that could plausibly be pulled from my husband’s closet but instead fits my unique body shape. Alright, let’s get to it.

Archer Button Up

After seeing this Navy Tropics Rayon Challis fabric restocked on Indiesew, I knew it had to be mine. The fabric is opaque, has a nice drape, and is a bit more stable than a traditional rayon challis which makes it easy to work with and perfect for a collared shirt. As I was undecided on whether to sew short or long sleeves, I ended up ordering 2 yards and have about 1/2 yard left.

One thing I’ve tried to do over the last few years is slow down the process of sewing and take the time to carefully and properly finish each item. In December, I made an Ikat Archer opting to finish the inside by using french seams. The inside of that shirt is almost as lovely as the outside so I knew I wanted to do the same with this one. The result is a shirt with no exposed seams that will hopefully last years. Through sewing I’m slowly learning to trade speed for precision and quality over quantity.

Morgan Jeans

It’s no secret that I love a good pair of pants (evidenced by #sewfancypants). Boyfriend jeans have always seemed out of reach for me. I’ve loved the style for years, but never found a ready to wear pair that fit well. When I found the style in women’s sizing, the rise was always just a bit short. I’ve even spent my fair share of time over in the men’s section trying on jeans with hopes of finding a perfect pair. The problem with the men’s jeans was they all seemed to assume that the wearer would have a flatter buttocks and wider legs. These issues with ready to wear jeans made me hesitant to try the boyfriend jeans style but, seeing hundreds of fabulous Morgan Jeans, emboldened me to give them a try.

My measurements put me squarely between a 10 and a 12 on the pattern size chart. Upon reading reviews and doing a bit of research, I decided to sew a 12. This turned out to be a great decision as the 10 would’ve likely been a bit snug. I cut a straight size 12 with my only alterations being an added 1/2″ in the front and back rise as well as 1″ added to the leg length. Once my pieces were cut, I basted the pants together. The initial fit wasn’t bad, but I had a bit of gaping at the center back. Going back to my sewing machine, I removed an extra 1/4″ from the top of the center back seam allowance and angled back to the regular seam allowance just below the back yoke. With that, I decided to call the fit good enough.

I’ve had a decent amount of jeans/pant sewing experience over the last year, so construction went smoothly. This time, however, I decided to try something new (for me) and use a contrasting thread for topstitching. This prompted me to slow down and take my time on each step. My favorite topstitching detail is on the pockets. I was inspired by an Anna Maria Horner woven to make the pocket stitching pattern using simple straight lines and x’s. Topstitching went remarkably well, until it didn’t.

This hefty 14oz Dark Olive Denim from Sewing Studio is the same denim I used last month for my Jenny Overalls (I was completely surprised to have over a yard left over). Both of my sewing machines did well sewing this denim while making my overalls so I assumed these would come together without a hitch. On Friday, I was patting myself on the back for a topstitching job well done and had one step left to complete my jeans: attaching belt loops. After several attempts, it seemed that these belt loops were not going to happen so I went to bed. In the morning, I woke up with a clear head and decided to try again. This time I flattened the ends of my belt loops with a hammer and miraculously, my machine decided to work. That is, until I got to the center back belt loop. Eight layers of 14oz denim is apparently the limit for my domestic machines and I nearly broke my machine trying to remove stuck needle. In the end, the pants got finished and I think the belt loops look ok. I did learn that next time I need to sew eight layers of 14oz denim, I should probably call upon someone with an industrial machine to assist.

Menswear and Me

While I recognize that both the Archer and the Morgan Jeans are women’s patterns, both have silhouettes and details inspired by menswear. Both of these pieces will surely find their way into many outfits over the next few years and, thanks to careful sewing, hopefully hold up to whatever I may throw at (or spill on) them. However, my biggest takeaway from sewing these items was the confidence needed to start sewing for my husband.

Twice while sewing this outfit, my husband remarked how he would like similar items in his wardrobe. First, when I finished the Archer, my husband said, ” I wouldn’t want gold buttons, but, yeah, I’d wear a shirt like that.” Second, when I was trying on my Morgan Jeans, my husband asked “Do you think you could make me jeans that fit me the way those fit you?” These comments reassured me that my goals for this outfit had been achieved.

Overall, I’m quite pleased with the end result of this menswear inspired outfit and I see more menswear sewing in my future. Whether that menswear will actually be made for my husband or for myself remains to be seen. Anyone else sew some menswear during February or have some planned for the future?

The rayon challis and jeans pattern used in this post were provided to me by Indiesew, but all opinions expressed here are my own.

Thanks for reading!

December 4, 2018December 4, 2018

Ikat Archer Button Up

Hello! I can hardly believe that December is upon us. Somehow I’m feeling baffled that this last year has flown so quickly and simultaneously feeling that it lasted forever. Time is weird. Let’s get back to the reason you’re here. My latest make is one of which I’m quite proud. This Archer Button Up made with an Ikat from Merritt Makes is one of those projects that reminded me “practice makes (almost) perfect.”

First, Fabric.

Merritt Makes is an online fabric shop run by a mother/daughter team. As someone who spent five years working in a shop run by a mother/daughter team, I have a soft spot for mother/daughter run businesses. About a month ago, I was browsing their website and couldn’t stop planning projects. You know the fabric is good when one look at the website results in the planning of an entire seasonal wardrobe. After emailing back and forth with Merritt, she helped me settle on making an Archer in this delicious Ivory Ikat fabric.

This woven ikat fabric is lightweight 100% cotton. The weave is slightly looser than a quilting cotton, but still tight enough to make handling it easier than a rayon challis. The hand feels similar to a gauze which makes wearing this fabric both breathable and comfortable. Pressing it was a dream which made it ideal for the crisp structure of a button up. Working with this fabric felt luxurious and I found myself taking extra care with each step.

Next, Construction.

As mentioned above, my love for this ikat fabric led me to take extra care during the construction of this top. Due to the slightly looser weave of the fabric, I chose to finish all the exposed seams with french seams instead of a serged edge. I then used two lines to top stitched the french seams so they would lay flat. This meant that each of the exposed seams was sewn a total four times. It took extra time, but the end result is a garment that looks just as neat on the inside as it does on the outside. I want this shirt to last and decided the best way to ensure that would be to take my time on its construction.

I’m no stranger to button-up shirts, in fact, I’ve made my son at least 12-15 over the last several years. This was my fourth Archer Button Up, but the first using view B and with a standard collar instead of a mandarin collar. The last Archer I made was made in the summer of 2016, so coming back to this pattern felt a little like visiting an old friend. I came back to it with fondness as well as wisdom gained from an abundance of sewing over the years. As with anything I’ve made, there are slight imperfections here and there. However, this top is the best I’ve ever sewn a button up and that realization feels pretty darn good.

I was proud of where I was skill-wise 2.5 years ago when I made my last Archer, and now I’m proud of the progress I’ve seen since then. There have been countless times over the last few years when I’ve thrown a project across the room in frustration, muttered a few choice words, and felt like giving up. Finishing things like this Archer makes me thankful that I didn’t. I still have a ridiculous amount of room for improvement in my sewing, but this project reminded me that improvement happens when we just keep trying. Sometimes it happens more slowly than we’d like, but it does happen.

Despite being pleased with my construction here, it didn’t come without mishaps. Due to the yarn-dyed woven nature of this ikat, there isn’t a definitive right or wrong side to the fabric. In a lot of ways, this is great. Unfortunately, I forgot to double check that I was sewing the correct sides of the fabric together when attaching the sleeves. I didn’t notice my mistake until I had french seamed and top stitched both the sleeves and side seams. As a result, my continuous sleeve placket that should’ve been turned to the inside, was now turned to the outside. My late-night sewing brain determined there were only two options: leave the plackets on the outside and call it a design feature or rip out 24 lines of stitching to reattach the sleeves with the actual right side out. In frustration, I decided to call it a night and come back to my sewing in the morning. Nothing clears your head like a good night’s rest and the next morning I realized there was a third option that would fix my problem in just a few minutes with only one small seam to rip out. All I had to do was unpick a 3/8″ long diagonal seam holding the top of the placket together (for reference see this Archer sewalong post). I then flipped the placket to the new wrong side, re-stitched the diagonal seam, and all was well.

Finally, Fitting.

According to the Archer measurement chart, my bust put me in a size 4 with my hip measurement right between an 8 and a 10. After looking at the finished measurement chart, I decided to go for a straight size 4. In retrospect, I likely should’ve graded to an 8 at the hips for a straighter fit. My only real adjustments to the pattern were adding length. I added 1″ in length to bodice and 1/2″ in length to the sleeves. Overall, I’m pleased with the fit of this top. It gives me full range of motion while the semi-fitted nature of it keeps me from looking as if I just rolled out of bed and grabbed my husband’s shirt.

Thanks for reading! If you need me, I’ll be cozied up in my Archer and a chunky cardigan for the foreseeable future. Be sure to check out Merritt Makes on IG or at their website. I can almost guarantee that you’ll be as tempted as I am to make an entire seasonal wardrobe with their lovely stock.

July 11, 2017

A Weekend Retreat and My Driftless Cardigan

Way back in October of last year, I purchased this gray jersey knit from Suppose and cut out my Driftless Cardigan (find the pattern here). I was clearly getting ahead of myself because I had approximately one billion other deadlines at the time. April came around and I thought to myself, “Life has finally slowed down, I can now finish all of those other projects that I started last fall.” I was wrong. My husband ended up applying for and accepting an amazing new job which meant life was about to get crazy again.

Meanwhile, I attended a blogger meet up in SLC and Sara and I came up with the idea for a small weekend sewing retreat. I spent the next few weeks stressing about my upcoming move and finally decided to pull the trigger on planning a retreat. This mama needed a break. Sara and I set a date, I got permission to use the family cabin, and we began counting the days.

The weekend finally arrived and it turned out to be both rejuvenating and productive. My sewing weekend goal was finishing a pile of unfinished projects so that they would no longer clutter my sewing area. Each of my projects were only a few steps away from completion, but had been sitting unfinished for months. Sewing for an entire weekend allowed me to complete a couple of baby quilts, a quilted pillow cover, two simple baby dresses, and my Driftless Cardigan.

While setting aside time to actually sew this took months; the actual time it took to sew this cardigan was roughly 3 hours. One of those hours was used to hand stitch the neckband. I have loved Grainline Studio patterns for years because of the clean lines and well-executed details. The Driftless Cardigan is a great example of this with its hidden pockets and optional split bottom band. This was completed a month ago and it’s gotten quite a bit of use despite the blazing summer temperatures. It’s perfect for an extra layer at the movie theater (ours is always freezing) or for wearing on chilly evenings.

A quick note on sizing: I sewed up a size 4 and added 2.5 inches to the length at the lengthen/shorten line. I also added about 1.5 inches to the sleeve length because I like my sleeves extra long.

Special thanks goes to Kim of Sweet Red Poppy for taking these lovely photos.