McCall’s 6844 Cardigan

I love this pattern! It was easy to make (it only took a few hours with the serger). I fits well. And it’s the kind of thing that, depending on the fabric, you could dress up or down.

I made View A. I did grade up to the large from the medium (which is what I bought). I think I bought this on sale and the only size they had was XS-S-M. Sometimes I’m delusional about sizes…anywhoo. I really like the fit.

The whole point is to have a well-fitting garment, and I think I’ve achieved that. The only change I would make is to lengthen the front band. It doesn’t seem to meet the hem like it’s supposed to. I did have to work with it for a bit. And I was aware ahead of time that that was the only sticking point for most people. So next time, I’ll just make the band longer (it only needs about 1 5/8″). That extra inch is going to alleviate my stress!

This is something that I will definitely make again!

Sewing jeans…McCalls 6610

I’ve made a couple of pairs of jeans recently, and I have the third pair cut and ready to sew. I used McCall’s 6610 (View A). This was my first time using this particular pattern. I wanted something more of a straight-leg jean this time around, so I went with this. Because I’ve made jeans before, I knew what areas I was going to have to fit the most (waist).

I made a couple of different sizes (16 and 14) each with some grading up or down for fit. These green jeans are basically a size 16. They are so comfortable!

The khaki-colored jeans are the 14 (with some grading up at the waist). These are comfortable as well, but I prefer the green.

The next ones I have cut out (and are waiting to be sewn) are stretch denim. I am working on getting the fit just right for me. Those are a 16 with some slimming at the leg, but not enough to make them skinny jeans. We’ll see how things go. The green are my preferred fit, but I want to make them a bit more jean-like. I did make a muslin for these, by the way before I started. I made one muslin and I just keep adjusting the fit on it. But for me, it’s always a little difficult to tell what something is really going to look like (or fit like) until I actually make it.

Anyway, it’s a creative process and it does take some work to get what you want, right? It’s fun and good practice. It makes me feel like a real designer…and I end up with more clothes. That’s not a bad thing!

McCalls 6554

I finished this about a week ago. It’s a “Fashion Star” pattern (remember that show?) that I’ve had but never made.

I really didn’t make any alterations to this pattern. It’s actually pretty quick to put together. One of the features that I really like are the pockets. I really like in-seam pockets. The belt, which can be optional, I think helps to pull the look together.

This picture above is without the belt. The bodice is lined (I used batiste). If I had thought about it at the time, I would have lined the skirt also. The fabric is a cotton linen blend that I bought last year and never got around to using.

The only thing that I did differently than the instructions was to use a regular zipper. And the only reason I did that is because that’s what I had in my stash! LOL! I’m using up as much as I possibly can while still make the things I want.

This is a really nice, comfortable dress to wear. My husband even complimented me on it. So, it’s all good.