Tag:

viscose

A viscose challis Galicia blouse

by Elsa 9 April 2023

*This article may contain affiliate links.

My first Galicia blouse is already one-year old! I used some poplin scrap and added huge square vintage buttons.

This time, I cut some Minerva viscose challis and I added homemade buttons.

Main features of the Galicia pattern

I won’t tell much about the pattern’s features since you can read about them here.

However, here are what attracted me to this pattern and made me want to sew it again:

(optional) fisheye darts on the front and back
back button placket
Gathers around the neckline and top of raglan sleeves

Using viscose for my Galicia: tips and tricks

I’m rather new to viscose.

I’ve been afraid of it for some times because of its shifty tendency.

Here are some tips I constantly use for getting over your fear of flowy lightweight fabrics:

Pre-wash it gently with serged edges (to prevent fraying)
Startch it if you want
Use a rotary cutter for cutting your pieces.
Minimize the use of pins.

I cut a size 8 bust and hips and a size 6 waist. I chose to sew both sets of darts for the slimming effect they have.

I may have lost some weight sicne last year, but I noticed that the fabric being lighter than poplin made the blouse a bit too large on me.

However, viscose challis is really comforatble to wear and I love the splashes of colors it has.

Said splashes made choosing buttons a nightmare!

Finding 9 22-mm buttons in my stash was a lost cause. BUT…I had some cover buttons*.

Using this little thingy* made covering the buttons easy.

I covered 6 22-mm and 2 18-mm in no time. Afterwards, I prefer having smaller buttons on the wrists.

A posteriori

Viscose challis wasn’t the right fabric for Galicia. If it was great for my Stan shirt, it wasn’t for the Galicia blouse.

I could have sized down, but it wouldn’t have changed the fact that the weight of the huge buttons pull the fabric down, especially at the back neckline.

Well, we live and learn and I’m eager to play again with viscose challis. All of Minerva’s new designs* are amazing.

Don’t you think that my brand new Billie jacket was especially made to pair with this Galicia?!?

9 April 2023 0 comment

Another STAN shirt

by Elsa 12 February 2023

*This article may contain affiliate links.

This will be my second STAN shirt. After having tested it in a luscious wool crepe, I was eager to sew it in this beautiful viscose challis*.

I took exactly the same options because I loved them: size 42, bishop sleeves with slit finished with continuous binding, hidden button plakcte, and no pleat at the shoulder. All of the options are detailed in my first post.

I just lengthened the bodice a bit more (+2 cm) because I had shortened it too much the first time.

Viscose challis with kitties and tips to cut and sew

We are a cat-lover family. Our 5 indoor cats live happily with us so that means we have cat hair everywhere!

It doesn’t prevent me from sewing dark fabrics, such as this navy blue viscose challis, an exclusive design by Minerva*. The kitty print is not flashy, making the shirt easily wearable on a pair of denims or a pencil skirt (that I should sew…).

The drape is to fall for! The fabric is soft, but like any viscose, it needs to be handled carefully.

Here are my two favorite tips for cutting viscose:

after pre-washing it, starch it when pressing it. You can use store-bought starch or make your own mix (I’ve never done it, but there are plenty of recipes available).
when it’s time to cut, use a rotary cutter*, a self-healing mat (as big as possible, mine is similar to this one*, but size is A1), some pattern weights* (tins work a charm!), and do not cut on the fold to prevent fabric from shifting. A single layer of fabric is easier to handle.

Fabric is fragile and you may pull some threads if not using the right size needle. I would advise to use a size 80 (or 70).

Did you know that when using a small-size needle, you must use a lightweight thread? It’s logical, but I didn’t know so far. I’ll need to stock up on lightweight threads if I carry on sewing lightweight fabrics. I only own all-purpose threads.

A not-so-traditional STAN shirt

So, I have a hidden button placket shirt that can easily be dressed up or down. The joy of navy blue.

I loved stitching the buttonholes early in the process. Less stress at the end! I do have a wonderful sewing mahcine (Janome 6700P), but buttonholes are very stressful for me, especially on shifty fabrics, even if they’re always interfaced.

The continuous binding is rather narrow and can be tricky to handle.

My sewing machine comes with special professional foot and plate, called HP. Both helped me so much not having the fabric shifting under the plate and the narrow foot was of great help when navigating the curves of my son’s Waufarer bag.

Viscose challis is great for the multiple gathers on the shoulder and yoke.

Now is the time to transfer the pattern pieces on a sturdier medium. I like to buy a large roll of Kraft paper* to transfer my favorite patterns.

12 February 2023 0 comment

Needles and Threads Sewing for me

End of summer with a Fisterra dress

by Elsa 29 September 2022

*This article may contain affiliate links.

Days are getting colder, but I wanted to sew a last Summer ’22 dress!

I had some remnants from Minerva’s lovely viscose challis* and Itch to Stitch had a new pattern to be tested, the Fisterra dress and top*.

Let’s see it in details.

Fisterra, a dress or a top

Itch to Stitch* is known for her top or dress patterns.

Fisterra‘s size range goes from US 00 to 40 (with various cup sizes (AA to DD). It features shirring on the back waistband, a V neckline, gathers underneath the shoulder seams, etc.

Fisterra* is fully lined too.

A key detail is on the sleeves. They have box pleats at the sleeve head and you choose to do a pleated cuff as well.

A drapey woven is needed. However, if you want to sew the pleated cuffs, your fabric must have some body.

Mine was too soft and lightweight to be pleated nicely. Hence an hemmed edge.

My Fisterra dress

I used this Minerva exclusive viscose challis* for my Fisterra dress. I had already transformed into an Eliana dress and I knew it would be the perfect fabric for a drapey dress.

According to my measurements, I was a size 4 bust (B cup) graded to 6 for waist and hips. However, after a quick look at the finsihed measurements chart, I opted to sew a straight size 4.

No alteration made whatsoever, it was nice from the start.

First time shirring and I adored it! That was fun seeing the fabric grew smaller after each row. No need for steam, it shirred on its own! I bought some shirring elastic* and I checked on Janome’s website if I had to hand wind or if I could use the automatic bobbin winder (the latter was advised, my machine is the 6700P). Shirring went well: I did the 6 rows with one bobbin.

This dress is fully lined. I should have chosen some voile instead of polyester for the sake of breathability.

I’ll make some aletrations for my next Fisterra:

crepe and cotton voile
narrow shoulder adjustment
lengthening the bodice (1 cm)
Shortening the skirt, above the knees

Tip: when doing narrow hems, I like to serge first, then press the hem twice. Serging gives some structure to flimsy fabrics like challis and makes hemming easier.

29 September 2022 0 comment

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