Bought a Serger: Juki MO-734DE

3月ももう数日で終わるというのに、未だにイギリスでの滞在期間不明です。
なんかもういつまでいるのかとか考えて行動するのが面倒くさくなったので、中古のロックミシン買いました（爆）先月ロックミシンが壊れてから、ずっとどうしようか考えていたのです。最大の難点は、イギリスとアメリカでは電源の圧力が違う（コンセントの形も違う）ということ。でもアメリカから持ってきたミシンも変圧器使って普通に使えてるし、そんなこと思ってたら、アメリカに帰ったら買おうと思ってたモデルの上のモデルの中古がEbayに出てて、オークションで買ってしまった。

買ったのはJukiのMO-734DEというモデルで（日本では多分MO-344Dというモデル）、もう製造事体は中止されてるんだけど、中古とは言えほとんど使ってない状態で、付属品もたくさんついてて（どれも未使用だし）、かなりお得でした。
でもさ、ロンドン南部まで取りに行くのが1日がかり。
もうどこ行っても渋滞で、1時間15分ぐらいで着くはずが片道3時間もかかったわよ。
フェリーでテムズ川渡ったわよ。
片道3時間もかけて（帰り道も3時間かかった）行って、あまりいい状態の中古じゃなかったらどうしようと思ったけど、6時間かけた価値あったと思う。よかった。（運転手のオットにちょっと申し訳なかった）

It is almost the end of the month and we still do not know if we are moving back to the US or not. I am so tired of thinking or planning the move at this point, so if I need a detergent and it's on sale at the store if I get 2 bottles, I am going to buy 2 bottles.

On that same note, I bought a serger.

My Brother 1034D has been out of order for a month now. It broke down early last year and the timing has been ever slightly wrong. It was still sewing just fine, then it went completely wrong.

I was planning on buying a Juki MO-654DE when I get back to the U.S. I have enough Amazon gift certificate to cover the cost so it's like free for me. Then, I saw a listing of this used MO-734DE on Ebay... And it appeared to be a pretty good deal...

I hesitated first, because the thing about buying a new machine in UK is that the voltage is different and the power socket is different. But then, I can totally use the UK machine with a voltage converter in the US...

So I bit the bullet and bid on the auction, and I won (at the last 2 seconds of the auction)!

Well, that meant I had to go to Bromley to collect it. Bromley is in the southern part of the greater London area. I allotted 1.5 hours of driving to Bromley, but it ended up taking 3 hours each way, thanks to congestion everywhere in London. I felt bad for MOTH who was driving, but at least we got to get on a ferry to cross River Themes.

So, the serger.

I worried a bit for getting a lemon since the Ebay listing did not have much description and I'm always weary about Ebay sellers. But I think I got a good working machine. The lady who was selling it was moving and she had sewing machine and a coverstitch machine for auction as well.

I tested it at her house. I kind of winged it on the threading but it totally worked (the lady did not even know how to thread it). And oh, how well it sewed!

The machine came with a carrying case, 6 spools of thread, all the accessories including a brand new packet of needles which I assume came with the machine when she bought it. And 6 additional feet. The lady was a bit embarrassed that she only used the machine for 1 project and never even opened or used the accessories.

The machine was cheaper than a brand new Brother 1034D, and so far, I am just amazed how smooth it sews compared to 1034D. It's a discontinued model but I have heard all good things about Juki so let's hope it will last for a long long time. I am very excited at my new (used) serger!

Liberty Shirt #3: Butterick B5526

もう水仙が咲き始めたというのに雪が降った土曜日だったので、一日裁縫に励みました。リバティタナローンを使ったシャツ3枚目。型紙は毎度のことながらバタリックの5526番。もう飽きたとは言わせませんわっ。
今回は、肩の傾斜角度を変えてみたら、鎖骨当たりがサクッとはまってくれて、今まで続けてきた型紙の微調整の中でも一番きれいに収まったと思います。今後はもう調整しなくていいぐらい。

ちなみに近況報告をすると、オットの駐在勤務の契約が3月末で切れるというのに未だに今後の予定不明（泣）本来は2月末で切れる契約をすでにひと月更新していて、それでも未決定ですよ。もう1年とどまるのか帰るのか、どっちでもいいから早く決めてほしいです、会社よ。

Daffodils have started to bloom but the Beast from the East II brought snow again so I spent all day on Saturday sewing.

The pattern is, once again, Butterick B5526. I know it's bee the same pattern over and over and it gets kind of boring. But let me tell you something (or let me complain): MOTH's expat contract is until the end of March. It was already extended for a month last month. We still do not know whether we are staying another year or we are going back to the U.S. So I don't really want to buy more stuff or take on a whole new project if I have to pack it all up in a couple of weeks. (Plus the serger is still out of order...) That's why I'm sticking to my stash, which gives me limited things to make. But shirtmaking is very satisfying so I can't complaint about that.

Anyway, this is my Liberty tana lawn shirt #3. I picked the pink-ish print to represent my spring mood. The print is called "Mauvey."

I made a princess seam version with long sleeve and followed some my previous pattern alterations:
-Size 10.
-Use Sewaholic Granville shirt sleeve/cuff/tower placket pattern for a slimmer sleeve and wider cuff.
-Rounded the corner of the cuff.
-Shaved 1/2" at the tip of collar.
-Shortened bodice 1" (I am 5'3").

In addition, I added the following alterations:
-Shaved the outer edge of the collar 1/8".
-Square shoulder adjustment by raising the end of shoulder by 3/8" and raised the underarm by 3/8".
-Took in 3/8" at the bottom of the front princess seam (both front and side front seam where the pencil is pointing in the picture below) to reduce the flare.
-Lower the sleeve cap by 1/2" to reduce ease (and it made no ease at sleeve cap and no need to do ease stitch).

I'm very happy now that the front bodice does not stick out too much (but still enough ease to comfortably sit down and eat a full dinner).

But what I'm most excited about is the effect of the square shoulder adjustment. I mentioned in my last post that the upper chest area right below the collar is collapsing. It's been that way for my other iteration of this pattern but the more I refine the fit, the collapsing became more noticeable. And raising the shoulder angle by 3/8" made all the difference. Now I can apply this alteration to dress patterns so I won't have gaping neck line anymore.

Last time I forgot to top stitch the collar and cuffs so this time I made sure to do that.

Hard to see but this is the flat felled seam over the princess line. Not perfect but getting better at it.

The only regret that I have with this shirt is that I did not do any pattern matching. I did not even think I would need to do pattern matching or need to be mindful of pattern placement because the print is all over. However, now that I'm looking at the photo, the gray flowers in the print really stick out. It was pure luck that the gray flowers are falling somewhat symmetrical but that makes it all the more noticeable.

Well, that pattern placement aside, this is the best fit among all the B5526 I made and I think this is "it." No more pattern tweak. This is my TNT final version.

Fleece Projects: Fleece Beanie & Neck Warmer

もう3月だというのに、先週はすごい寒波に襲われて、日中の最高気温が零下な日が続きました。夜の散歩はブリザード状態で、零下7度ぐらい（風のおかげで体感気温はそんなもんじゃなかった）で、おそらく人生で一番寒い日々だったと思う。そんなでもさ、向かいの牧場に放し飼いにされてる馬たちはフツーに雪を鼻でのけながら草食べてたよ（夜でもね）。

ものすごい寒いおかげで毎日降る雪がパウダースノーだったので、これまた人生で初めて、雪を掃いた。シャベルいらず（っていうかシャベルないから）。デッキブラシで掃いた。

週末になってあったかくなったので、もう雪もとけたし、気温も4度ぐらいまであがったんだけど、まだ気分は真冬だったので、フリースのあまり布でネックウォーマーと帽子を作りました。

I had the coldest days in my life when the Beast from the East hit England. Having been grown up in the snow country, snowing doesn't surprise me. (Though, having living in the desert for 10 years, I do get excited when it snows) But being able to "sweep" the snow with a push broom was a totally new experience to me. Yey to the power snow.

The temperature has come up above freezing over the weekend and all the snow has already melted, but since I was still having the blizzard mentality, I made some fleece beanie and neck warmer.

I watched "Sewing with Fleece" class on Craftsy while the Craftsy Unlimited was free over the weekend, and used the beanie pattern from the class. Very simple pattern and it took very little time to finish.

Since I could not use my serger to finish the raw edges, I used a decorative stitch on my sewing machine to top stitch the seam line and to secure the hem. It almost worked like cover stitch and the seams are nicely compressed.

I originally planned to make a fleece scarf next, but my left-over fabric did not have enough width to cut a continuous long scarf, so I made a neck warmer instead.

It's just a rectangle, 26 inches wide by 22 inches tall, with 2 layers sewn together and top-stitched.

One corner attaches to the diagonal corner with 2 snaps. I added fake leather buttons to cover the snaps. The buttons are fake as in it's not leather, and they are also fake as in it's purely decorative and not a functional button. I also have only 2 snaps, but added 3 buttons because 3 buttons looked better than 2.

I wore them to walk the dogs and thanks to the generic, non-technical fleece property, I got very hot at the neck and had to unzip my jacket.

I am still searching a good source to get technical fleece fabric (like Polartec) in England. Well, it's non-existent. Some online shops do sell "some" but I am lucky if I see more than 1 color (usually navy or gray). They don't even describe the thickness (like Polartec 100, or 200, etc). What do British sewers do when they want technical fleece fabric??? Why aren't there any Seattle Fabrics type shops in England???

Liberty Shirt #2: Butterick B5526

壊れたロックミシンを放置しているので、引き続きロックミシン無しでできるシャツ作り。シャツ作りって、けっこうハマる。
布は前回のリバティに引き続き、閉店セールで買ったリバティタナローンを使いました。
型紙も全く同じバタリックの5526番。（微妙にサイズ調整はしている）
なんかジーパンのモモがパツパツに見えるけど、下に股引履いてるからね（笑）

Since my serger is still out of order, I am continuing my sewing endeavor with a woven project and made another Liberty shirt from my precious Liberty I bought at the local fabric store's closing sale.

The pattern is, again, Butterick 5526, with the princess seam version.

I used the flat fell seam finish for shoulder, princess seam, armscye, and underarm-side seam. Not perfect around bust area and shoulder curve but getting better.

Just like the previous Liberty shirt, I cut a size 10, and used Sewaholic Granville Shirt pattern as a guide and adjusted the sleeves and cuffs. I also used the tower placket piece from Granville. The bodice is shortened 1" (I am 5'3").

I narrowed the collar and collar stand pieces in my last shirt, but I put them back to its original size this time, and just shaved off the corner of the collar piece (the shaded part where the pencil is pointing in the photo below).

Although this is my 4th princess seam version of this pattern, I am still tweaking the patterns here and there. It feels like the more I get right, the more I notice something wrong. One thing I have to change now is the bottom of the front bodice. Yes, my belly sticks out, but the shirt also sticks out. This has been the case for all my previous shirts from this pattern but I have neglected to adjust this part for some reason.

The other major flaw in the fit is the front neck area. It's collapsing. It had been that way for my other shirts from this pattern and I always thought my collar stand was not attached right or my button placement was wrong. But I think I now know what it is: my square shoulder. Why is my fitting adjustment never simple?

I think I got used to the shirt making process and had too much confidence in myself. The result is that I totally forgot to top stitch the collar and the edge of the front button placket. Note to myself: always be humble and read the instruction.

The original cuff pattern is a one-piece cuff where you just fold it in half to create a cuff. I wanted a round corner so cut made the pattern piece into 2 and slightly round the corner.

I really like the tower placket, though you can barely see it.

Oh, by the way, I totally used flower shaped buttons. Too juvenile for a 40-year-old? Nah.

I really really like this print. However, I was very disappointed in it that when the fabric was pressed, the color faded. Originally, the background navy was deeper and it had such vibrant contrast with salmon pink flowers, but it all faded somewhat gray-ish.

Shirtmaking is very addictive. I really like it when everything fits (not on the body but sewing-wise) into place perfectly and how fabric lives up when it's pressed and clapped.