Anna's Garden Alabama Chanin Sleeveless Tee Shirt and Skirt.

So my addiction has gotten the best of me again. Immediately after stitching up my Alabama Chanin Fitted tee and skirt I painted and got to stitching on my new project. This time it is the Anna's Garden fitted sleeveless tee shirt and short skirt. Both patterns are from the Alabama Chanin Studio Sewing and Design book.
I choose a navy top layer and a baby blue jersey cotton bottom layer. I airbrushed the fabric with my Anna's Garden stencil. I knew I would be sewing the design in the outside reverse applique technique. With this technique I make tiny cuts in the top layer shapes to prepare it for cutting out later. When I didn't do this, I found it difficult to separate the layers and risked inadvertently cutting the lower layer.

The stenciled fabric is almost to pretty to cut away!

Stenciled fabric with small cuts in the fabric to be removed.

I have found that stitching with a magnifying glass around my neck helpful as well. I would like to think it is because I stitch in low light, but I have enough Psychology education to not live in denial here; I am getting older and my eyes are failing me! In addition to needing a better visual field, this project took a toll on my hands like never before. My middle right finger got swollen and the knuckle bulged! I developed a numbing pain in my hand and through my wrist. I self-diagnosed that it was a repetitive motion injury that would require rest for healing. In the midst of my pain, I promised myself that I will rest it when this project is complete. (I can honestly tell you as I write this, I did not keep my promise).

Fabric hooped and through my magnifying glass.

Cutting away the top layer with safety scissors and embroidery scissors.

Scraps of painted bits removed.

Front Panel stitched and cut. Cue a chorus of angels singing Handel's Messiah!

I knew that I wanted a coordinating skirt to go with the finished shirt. I decided that the back panel of the shirt would be un-embellished navy jersey. I choose to use the light blue fabric for the shirt. I used the navy button/craft thread to stitch the skirt and felled the seams to the inside. I bound the waistline with fold-over elastic that I stitched using a parallel stitch.

Outfit back on B.I.R.A

Bound Waistline

 Here is the finished product!

Anna's Garden Sleeveless Tee and Skirt

    

Bound using the cross-stitch

Can you tell I love it!

Here is my review of the pattern:

Pattern Description: 
 
Hand-stitched Sleeveless Tee and Short skirt from Alabama Chanin Studio Sewing and Design book.  
Pattern Sizing

S,M,L,XL I made a size medium in both.
 
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?
 
The shirts in the book are not embellished only on the front, but other than that yes. This top is embellished with the Anna's Garden stencil that can be made from the book. The skirt is un-embellished and looks like those in the book.

Were the instructions easy to follow?
 
The books give very clear instructions and inspirations for creating multiple garments. The garment construction is not difficult, but it is time-consuming. (Does time-consuming have a negative implication? It is engrossing, time-dependent, addicting, and repetitive.) The garments in the book require a great deal of work and the results appear complex because of the details, but broken down into smaller parts, easy.  

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?     

I love everything about the patterns in this book. The outside reverse applique stitches up faster than some others in the book. With this stencil, you feel like you are making progress especially since you are working with a running stitch. My hubby says it looks more complicated to work that some of the other techniques.

Fabric Used:
 
Jersey Cotton in Navy and Baby Blue

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made:
 
No alterations.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?  

Yes and yes.

Conclusion: Great books and start to an awesome addiction. 

Happy Sewing!
Bianca

Alabama Chanin Anna's Garden Fitted Tunic

 What is it about summer viruses that are so heinous? We have been going round and round with a bug in our house, and city. Our pediatrician says it is everywhere and we have to let it run its course. So as I, and our kids have been down, I have been hand stitching another Alabama Chanin creation. This time I have ventured into making the fitted tank top from the book Alabama Chanin Studio Sewing and Design.

For this tank, I used a baby blue cotton jersey fabric for the top layer and a lime green jersey cotton fabric for the bottom. I used the lime fabric for the bias binding secured with Slate colored button/ craft thread. The front is a a double layer of fabric and the back is a single layer. I stitched the design on the front only, using the Outside Reverse Applique technique. With this technique you stitch 1/8 of an inch outside the painted and stenciled shapes. When done, you cut the shape out removing the painted parts. 

This is a good project if you do not have an airbrush or if your painted images are less than perfect. You cut that part out anyway, so it does not matter. As a matter of fact, you can probably stencil using a pen, sharpie or crayon (well, maybe not a crayon)! If you have a great airbrush and equally great painting skills, this project might sting a bit. It hurts to toss your fabulously  painted shapes into the trash!
  

Alabama Chanin Fitted Tunic with Short Skirt

For this tunic, I cut the size medium and sewed a 5/8th seam allowance into the shirt when I constructed it. I found that to be the perfect sizing for me. Because I find the neckline too low for my tastes, I took a suggestion from a blog reader to shorten the straps. I fitted it before adding the binding and I took out about 2 inches off the straps. I secured the layers with a running stitch, so it went together really fast. I didn't have to start and stop the stitches as often as in the negative reverse applique.

Anna's Garden Fitted Tunic

Back details

I paired the tank with a modified version of short skirt pattern from the book. I simply added width to the panels and cut it into six panels instead of four. I liked the idea of the extra seams up the front and back so I just fiddled with it until it worked.

Here is my review of the pattern from the book.

Pattern Description:
 
Hand-stitched tank tunic from Alabama Chanin Studio Sewing and Design.

Pattern Sizing:

S,M,L,XL I made a medium with a 5/8 seam allowance.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?
Yes, in that I followed the instructions. My color choices were my own.

Were the instructions easy to follow?

The books give very clear instructions and inspirations for creating multiple garments.
 
What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?

I love everything about the patterns in this book. I do not like the depth of the neckline on the pattern, so I raised the straps about two inches.

Fabric Used:

Jersey Cotton in baby blue and lime green.

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made: 

I only embellished the front of the top.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
 
Yes and Yes! 


Happy Sewing!

Alabama Chanin inspired Swing Dress using Vogue 2976

Sometimes I need to branch out of my usual style and make something that is outside of my wheelhouse. To that end, I delved into my vintage pattern stash and found the lovely Vogue 2976. This vintage Vogue pattern has simple lines and just two major seams. I love the cut of the neckline and how it is fitted then spills into a full swing skirt.

 

The swing style of the dress reminded me of the Alabama A-line dress.The neckline is different, but they had a similar feel to me, so I thought I would make my dress in the Alabama Chanin style. I used a single layer of navy jersey fabric. I hand-stitched it with navy colored button and craft thread. I felled the seams to the inside with no knots visible. I omitted the facings and added bias bindings secured with the cross stitch. For the back split I used a hook and eye closure. It was super fast to stitch because it has only two pieces and I did not have to hem it. I decided to allow the hem to roll on itself. 

I made the dress shown in view B. When I was done, I walked downstairs to show my family and the look on my hubby's face said it all; Awful! It was billowy in the worst way and had no shape. He thought it was unflattering in its current state. I would be lying if I said I wasn't bummed by his reaction, but I couldn't  say I disagreed.

I put it aside and when I returned to it days later, it was with a sharp pair of scissors and my rotary cutter. I hacked at the hem and made it a quick and  dirty hi-lo version. I am very happy with it! I thought it gave a bit more style to what was an ordinary dress. Hubby returned from work and raved about the new look! He gushed about it without realizing it was the same one from a few days before! Go figure!

Here are the photos of the finished dress.

A.C style swing dress

Hi-lo hemline

Front neckline

Back opening detail

Happy Sewing!