ChrisK said... A very nice suit, the skirt shape is very flattering I bet it swings nicely as you move in it, and the jacket looks just great - how wonderful it would be if all muslins could turn out this good! I think Sandra Betzina (Power Sewing Step by Step) has a page or two on applying petersham ribbon as a waist facing. Thanks for the very thorough review MaryBeth. 3/14/05 1:14 AM
echolalia said... This suit is great on you, MaryBeth. The skirt proportions are fabulous & very flattering, I think that the skirt as illustrated on the pattern envelope is too short - whatever happened to the 'golden rule' of proprtions. I see what you mean by 'the back is narrow', but I think that is true for the hip area, not across the back where I think that you could remove a little width, although with a front fastening the hang would change somewhat. You have done a great job, I'll look forward to the 'real' suit if this is a muslin! 3/14/05 1:24 AM
jlg said... Mary Beth, beautiful suit. I really like the skirt shape. Great review. 3/14/05 5:08 AM
ClaireC said... I have this jacket cut out in a gorgeous wool boucle. I don't think I have enough fabric for the skirt also, but I will need to try this in another fabric. Thank you for the long, detailed review. I hope to finish my jacket in the near future.
3/14/05 5:24 AM
ryan's mom said... Your suit looks great on you, MaryBeth! 3/14/05 5:55 AM
BjP said... Love this flirty skirt....and the jacket is wonderfully done. Thanks for the informative review and all the tips! 3/14/05 7:42 AM
Hilary said... Beautiful! Thanks for a very informative review. You used a very nice looking fabric for a wearable muslin! :o) Too bad the back doesn't fit quite right but hopefully next time you'll have it tweaked to perfection. If this is your "muslin", I can't wait to see the real thing :o) 3/14/05 7:59 AM
Gigi Louis said... A really beautiful suit! I especially love the skirt and bought the pattern for this reason alone. I find that I don't wear jackets with jewel necklines well as they tend not to hang gracefully over a full bustline without some type of closure - as you found out. :-) 3/14/05 8:50 AM
MickeyFan said... A beautiful suit Mary Beth. I have this pattern sitting in my before bedtime reading stash. Thanks so much for this informative review, I think you have inspired me to give it a try. 3/14/05 9:10 AM
cindyann said... Just lovely on you. Thank you so much for the wonderful review. I have this pattern and now I'm very inspired to try the skirt. 3/14/05 9:14 AM
Gillian said... I'm glad to see someone dove into this newer pattern and reviewed it. I think a lot of us have had our eye on it. Your outfit looks great. Thanks! 3/14/05 9:18 AM
Leslie in Austin said... Pretty snazzy for a muslin, MB. The whole shebang looks just fantastic, but the skirt especially so. Very flattering on you (check out those gams!) Your skirt to jacket proportions are much nicer than the pattern's illustrations. 3/14/05 9:55 AM
Georgene said... Love the proportions MB. The skirt is a definate keeper, its 'godet' shaping is just right! PS What about hiding hooks and eyes, the big fur kind, behind that fringe for a 'kissing' front closure? All in all, excellent work. Can't wait to see the 'real' one! 3/14/05 11:24 AM
Nickle said... Your suit looks great on you. Really enjoyed your informative review. 3/14/05 1:52 PM
PixieCat said... You're suit is so beautiful. Thank you for the detail on the grosgrain ribbon application. 3/15/05 3:46 AM
AnneM said... And that is your muslin, eh? Great job with it. Thanks for the informative review. Sounds like a useful book, also. 3/15/05 4:22 AM
Danvillegirl said... Very nice looking muslin that is wearable. I think it turned out great. The book "Sewing Secrets from the Fashion Industry" is rather helpful with grosgrain ribbon for skirt facings. However, I think what you described is very close to their method so you might not need it. 3/15/05 5:43 AM
happy jack said... Thank you for this detailed review. I have this pattern and have been agonizing over several things that are dealt with in this review. I'll proceed less fearfully. 3/15/05 7:07 AM
els said... MaryBeth you look beautyful in your new suit. 3/15/05 8:58 AM
xela said... Beautiful suit. Very attractive on you. 3/15/05 9:05 AM
MaryBeth said... Thanks for all your comments. I'm sure that I do have an authority on the bookshelf for the "correct" grosgrain application, this method just came in on a wing and prayer (they do get answered, you know?) I believe that I will try to locate a big hook and eye to hide in the fringe and apply it right under the bustline. Thanks Gigi, for your thoughts. I might have decided that I just needed to tweak more to have the front hang right. If you're working on this pattern and want to "talk" feel free to send me a message :) This is not the world's best jacket IMHO but the skirt is just excellent and I can't wait for other reviews! 3/15/05 12:18 PM
PhyllisC said... Fabulous Mary Beth...it looks great and if you hadn't mentioned it was a muslin it *never* would have occured to me. 3/15/05 1:00 PM
PegL said... Wow! What a pretty suit! Thanks for a very informative and complete review too! I have this pattern and am now eager to give it a try! 3/15/05 10:35 PM
CatherineN said... Love the skirt especially. Such cute and graceful lines. Lovely fabric too. 3/22/05 2:37 PM
flowermama said... Wow! Love the design changes - you're stylin'. 3/22/05 5:06 PM
CarolynGM said... Wow. the original suit and the new jacket both look wonderful. I'm very impressed with the design changes you made for the plaid jacket. 3/22/05 5:59 PM
Sherril Miller said... Wow, I love that pleat in the back of your jacket. That's not a fix, it's a design feature. I'd leave off the belt, though. It just cuts your back in half and if you make a shorter jacket it will add more width visually. 3/22/05 6:38 PM
mClones said... Hey there, MaryBeth...I love that new jacket design. The longer look is fabulous on you -- the collar and notched lower edges are great (oops, I see that it is unhemmed - but that would be a neat design detail). I'd agree on nixing the back belt. Mina 3/23/05 0:03 AM
SandraB said... This is a beautiful suit Mary Beth. 3/24/05 1:13 PM
SouthernStitch said... How did I miss this?? What a great suit! Soon you'll have this one perfect, and can do a whole lot of creative things with it. 3/24/05 3:16 PM
AnneFromLambourn said... What a great job, MaryBeth. I have this pattern - and some fabric - but have put off starting it. Your review is so helpful, thanks! 7/25/05 3:29 PM
Diane E said... MaryBeth, I missed this review until I posted mine. Now I must make the skirt. Yours is wonderful. Love the jacket, too, as well as the new suit you made using this as a block. Wow! Thanks for the wonderful review. 10/6/05 8:30 PM
oldsewandsew said... Very good-looking suit - even though you're not completely satisfied! Skirt type is very flattering for we ladies who are a bit broader than we used to be!
I think your jacket looks nice with the fringe, although like you, I do think the buttons could have been larger.
Very pretty! 12/15/05 0:00 AM
DoggyGirl said... Lovely, lovely, lovely. The grey version is very flattering, and the 1930's style pleat and back belt on the new jacket is really nifty looking. 12/30/06 5:38 PM
DoggyGirl said... Lovely, lovely, lovely. The grey version is very flattering, and the 1930's style pleat and back belt on the new jacket is really nifty looking. 12/30/06 5:42 PM
A very nice suit, the skirt shape is very flattering I bet it swings nicely as you move in it, and the jacket looks just great - how wonderful it would be if all muslins could turn out this good! I think Sandra Betzina (Power Sewing Step by Step) has a page or two on applying petersham ribbon as a waist facing. Thanks for the very thorough review MaryBeth.
3/14/05 1:14 AM
This suit is great on you, MaryBeth. The skirt proportions are fabulous & very flattering, I think that the skirt as illustrated on the pattern envelope is too short - whatever happened to the 'golden rule' of proprtions. I see what you mean by 'the back is narrow', but I think that is true for the hip area, not across the back where I think that you could remove a little width, although with a front fastening the hang would change somewhat. You have done a great job, I'll look forward to the 'real' suit if this is a muslin!
3/14/05 1:24 AM
Mary Beth, beautiful suit. I really like the skirt shape. Great review.
3/14/05 5:08 AM
I have this jacket cut out in a gorgeous wool boucle. I don't think I have enough fabric for the skirt also, but I will need to try this in another fabric. Thank you for the long, detailed review. I hope to finish my jacket in the near future.
3/14/05 5:24 AM
Your suit looks great on you, MaryBeth!
3/14/05 5:55 AM
Love this flirty skirt....and the jacket is wonderfully done. Thanks for the informative review and all the tips!
3/14/05 7:42 AM
Beautiful! Thanks for a very informative review. You used a very nice looking fabric for a wearable muslin! :o) Too bad the back doesn't fit quite right but hopefully next time you'll have it tweaked to perfection. If this is your "muslin", I can't wait to see the real thing :o)
3/14/05 7:59 AM
A really beautiful suit! I especially love the skirt and bought the pattern for this reason alone. I find that I don't wear jackets with jewel necklines well as they tend not to hang gracefully over a full bustline without some type of closure - as you found out. :-)
3/14/05 8:50 AM
A beautiful suit Mary Beth. I have this pattern sitting in my before bedtime reading stash. Thanks so much for this informative review, I think you have inspired me to give it a try.
3/14/05 9:10 AM
Just lovely on you. Thank you so much for the wonderful review. I have this pattern and now I'm very inspired to try the skirt.
3/14/05 9:14 AM
I'm glad to see someone dove into this newer pattern and reviewed it. I think a lot of us have had our eye on it. Your outfit looks great. Thanks!
3/14/05 9:18 AM
Pretty snazzy for a muslin, MB. The whole shebang looks just fantastic, but the skirt especially so. Very flattering on you (check out those gams!) Your skirt to jacket proportions are much nicer than the pattern's illustrations.
3/14/05 9:55 AM
Love the proportions MB. The skirt is a definate keeper, its 'godet' shaping is just right! PS What about hiding hooks and eyes, the big fur kind, behind that fringe for a 'kissing' front closure? All in all, excellent work. Can't wait to see the 'real' one!
3/14/05 11:24 AM
Your suit looks great on you. Really enjoyed your informative review.
3/14/05 1:52 PM
You're suit is so beautiful. Thank you for the detail on the grosgrain ribbon application.
3/15/05 3:46 AM
And that is your muslin, eh? Great job with it. Thanks for the informative review. Sounds like a useful book, also.
3/15/05 4:22 AM
Very nice looking muslin that is wearable. I think it turned out great. The book "Sewing Secrets from the Fashion Industry" is rather helpful with grosgrain ribbon for skirt facings. However, I think what you described is very close to their method so you might not need it.
3/15/05 5:43 AM
Thank you for this detailed review. I have this pattern and have been agonizing over several things that are dealt with in this review. I'll proceed less fearfully.
3/15/05 7:07 AM
MaryBeth you look beautyful in your new suit.
3/15/05 8:58 AM
Beautiful suit. Very attractive on you.
3/15/05 9:05 AM
Thanks for all your comments. I'm sure that I do have an authority on the bookshelf for the "correct" grosgrain application, this method just came in on a wing and prayer (they do get answered, you know?) I believe that I will try to locate a big hook and eye to hide in the fringe and apply it right under the bustline. Thanks Gigi, for your thoughts. I might have decided that I just needed to tweak more to have the front hang right. If you're working on this pattern and want to "talk" feel free to send me a message :) This is not the world's best jacket IMHO but the skirt is just excellent and I can't wait for other reviews!
3/15/05 12:18 PM
Fabulous Mary Beth...it looks great and if you hadn't mentioned it was a muslin it *never* would have occured to me.
3/15/05 1:00 PM
Wow! What a pretty suit! Thanks for a very informative and complete review too! I have this pattern and am now eager to give it a try!
3/15/05 10:35 PM
Love the skirt especially. Such cute and graceful lines. Lovely fabric too.
3/22/05 2:37 PM
Wow! Love the design changes - you're stylin'.
3/22/05 5:06 PM
Wow. the original suit and the new jacket both look wonderful. I'm very impressed with the design changes you made for the plaid jacket.
3/22/05 5:59 PM
Wow, I love that pleat in the back of your jacket. That's not a fix, it's a design feature. I'd leave off the belt, though. It just cuts your back in half and if you make a shorter jacket it will add more width visually.
3/22/05 6:38 PM
Hey there, MaryBeth...I love that new jacket design. The longer look is fabulous on you -- the collar and notched lower edges are great (oops, I see that it is unhemmed - but that would be a neat design detail). I'd agree on nixing the back belt. Mina
3/23/05 0:03 AM
This is a beautiful suit Mary Beth.
3/24/05 1:13 PM
How did I miss this?? What a great suit! Soon you'll have this one perfect, and can do a whole lot of creative things with it.
3/24/05 3:16 PM
What a great job, MaryBeth. I have this pattern - and some fabric - but have put off starting it. Your review is so helpful, thanks!
7/25/05 3:29 PM
MaryBeth, I missed this review until I posted mine. Now I must make the skirt. Yours is wonderful. Love the jacket, too, as well as the new suit you made using this as a block. Wow! Thanks for the wonderful review.
10/6/05 8:30 PM
Very good-looking suit - even though you're not completely satisfied! Skirt type is very flattering for we ladies who are a bit broader than we used to be! I think your jacket looks nice with the fringe, although like you, I do think the buttons could have been larger. Very pretty!
12/15/05 0:00 AM
Lovely, lovely, lovely. The grey version is very flattering, and the 1930's style pleat and back belt on the new jacket is really nifty looking.
12/30/06 5:38 PM
Lovely, lovely, lovely. The grey version is very flattering, and the 1930's style pleat and back belt on the new jacket is really nifty looking.
12/30/06 5:42 PM