Show and Tell 2026

 SHOW AND TELL 2026

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This is the itchy blazer I mentioned in the Palmer/Pletsch book review. This is Simplicity 4273. I love the slanted patch pockets, and I got the fit to be quite nice, IMHO. It turns out I didn’t edgestitch the lapel or the front facing. I still have the sleeve hole open when I turned out the lining, so I will go back in and fix that and the bottom edge. Look at that mess! the bottom facing and lining need desperate help. I pinned it better on one side, the other I was trying something else, with obvious failure. 

 This is supposed to be a jacket - made with a knit. I hate it. I don’t think I edgestitched this either, maybe I can love it again to finish. I have a knit jacket that I adore and thought I could recreate. I don’t remember what pattern this is, I really should do better on that! I get frustrated and shove the garment in the ‘finish someday’ closet and toss the pattern out of sight. 

The flower top is Simplicity 9469 was mostly made in the retreat last month, but I finished it at home because I wanted to use my serger. I omitted the front tie, but the sleeves do have a bit of elastic. The fabric is probably a polyester, with a charmeuse type of finish. The fabric frayed a lot, and I wanted to close as I could match the serging threads to the garment, also, I needed to serge the hem before I hemmed it because of that fraying. I wanted a nice clean finish and didn’t want to rely on my coverstitch machine for the result I wanted. I am really pleased with this top, although it may be better for a slight stretchy fabric, since pulling on and off feels a little tight. There are no darts and it is a fast sew and looks flattering I think. I recommend it and hope to make more!

Now this top! I have had my eye on this New Look 6781 top for a long time! I finally bought it at a simplicity.com sale and then didn’t make it for a while. I wanted to try it out so I used this doggy bag cut of linen I got from fabrics-store.com last year in May. I had just enough from one yard to get this top cut out. I had to use another cut of linen for the bias binding you see in a lighter grey. I didn’t get the neat result I wanted in the binding, I should have starched the binding first I think because the weight was lighter. The dart is way too high for my body and for some reason, I didn’t even bother to check that simple alteration before I sewed and serged it all together. I left it hanging for a while and finally just hemmed it last night. It was a bit short, so I serged the seam and then used my blind hem foot to hem it for a clean finish. I really like the clean finish and now wondering what to do with the buttons. It calls for four one inch buttons, but that really isn’t enough for my body, and I don’t think I want to see them anyway. I think I will do one at the top, and close the front with stitches under the facing so it doesn’t show. I don’t need the buttons to get it on and off and need to have the top all the way closed anyway. The top doesn’t look right when it is open at the neckline. It could possibly use a little less volume at the bottom, I may try to reduce a bit for the next one. I really like this top though, and I am considering opening up the serged side seam to fix the dart, or I may just wear it as it is. Which would you do? 

There are a lot of choices at this online store, so I wanted to share that the lighter gray that I used for the binding was called DB IL020 Handkerchief Grey Whisper Softened 100% linen 3.7oz per yard, I purchased a doggy bag for $2.66 for 0.4 yard.  At the time of purchase I figured I’d get to test it out for a pocket or something so the tiny amount made sense. The darker grey was DB IL019 All purpose Graphite Fs Signature Finish 100% linen 5.3oz per yard. I purchased 1 yard for $13.62. So for that and the price of the pattern, I think was $4.99, and not counting thread and buttons this top cost me $21.27. Using Palmer/Pletsch reasoning of ingredients x7 for the value, that top is worth almost $150. I’d agree-if the dart was in the right place. Haha. I recommend the graphite 5.3 oz linen; it has a nice hand, presses beautifully, and looks amazing really. I am trying to be on a fabric freeze, even if I did just spend some on Vogue fabrics…I am looking at the online store now and see lots of linen on sale right now. They do a nice presentation of samples if you wanted to touch and feel and see, and at the time of my order they were only $1.50. 

I hope you enjoyed this post by Bonny D on 4/14/2026