The Savvy Sewer Salon at Sawyer Brook

I've taken up the challenge on the Bamboo fabric - I brought home some yardage to make up and see how it behaves and holds up. I've been intrigued with the idea of bamboo fabric since the PACC conference in Baltimore in Fall 2005, so I was delighted to learn it was arriving at the warehouse! I've chosen my pattern - Vogue 7876, a wrap side-tied blouse with a one-side front drape. I plan to make view D, a short-sleeved view with the collar/drape. Today I'm about to wash the fabric - I'll let you know how it comes out!

I just checked my fabric after it's been through the wash. I used cold water, delicate machine cycle, and dried it hung over a rack. There was no shrinkage - either lengthwise or crosswise! It is quite wrinkled, probably because I ran the load thru the regular spin cycle to get more water out, but I'm sure it will iron out nicely.

I picked up my pattern yesterday, and just have to make my bust adjustment before I can cut out the blouse. I hope to get to it sometime this weekend, but I have a really busy schedule!

I've also taken on the Bamboo Challenge. I'm very eager to experiment and use this new fabric. It feels wonderful - very soft and drapey. I will wash my yardage this week.
My project plan is to try a style that is soft and fairly unstructured so I've chosen Burda pattern #8334 View A. It's a hip length jacket with no collar, no pockets, drawstring waistline for shaping, dropped shoulder, long sleeves and a front yoke. For a longer tunic length jacket some might choose View B which eliminates the drawstring waist in exchange for a button and loop closure; a chance to show off that one special button from the button box.

I live in a warm climate but I often toss on a light weight jacket in winter, spring, and even in the summer when our evenings turn cool. So having this jacket made from Bamboo should be very comfortable.

I've got some ideas on maybe adding a light weight natural fiber lining but I'll wait to make my final decision about that as I begin to sew. I will also post my tests using different interfacings. You'll hear back from me later this week with my progress.

Lois,

Barb was surprised that my fabric came out wrinkled, until she realized I'd kept it out of the dryer. Judy also test washed a small rectangle, and had minimal shrinkage when she dried it on low. I put my yardage back in the dryer to fluff, and some of the wrinkles came out, so I'm planning to wet it completely and dry it on low before I cut out.

I like the style you're planning to make! I must have missed that one in the Burda book, but I was looking for blouses when I checked. I really prefer the fit of Burda armholes for me, but I wanted to try the Vogue pattern.

Janee - Thanks for the tip - I will be sure to put the fabric into dryer for a few minutes.

I like the blouse fabric you're using - have that one in my pattern stash so I'll be interested in your experience with it.

Lois

I've washed my Bamboo fabric piece and like Janee, I also had no shrinkage. I used a Gentle cycle on my washer which I always use for my fine fabrics. I think the Perma Press cycle would also be fine. By the way, when I wash my silks and rayons I use Ivory Liquid laundry soap. I have had great results with that product - gentle enough and colors stay true.

After drying the Bamboo on a low temp dryer (I added some towels to help fluff the fabric during the cycle) it required a light press. I used a medium iron temp with steam. End result - the fabric is gorgeous! Very smooth and I can't wait to get moving with this project. I'll be working with my pattern and testing some interfacing choices next, and I'll post again later this week with my progress.

I'm finally getting started on my wrap-blouse of Bamboo Beige. I had a friend help me tissue-fit the pattern the other day, so I've made the changes to the front and shoulders that I needed. I've cut out the bamboo fabric, and tested some interfacing choices. I think I'm going to use Sof-knit, as I like the drape and body best of the choices I have at home. I don't really need to use a knit interfacing thought, so I'll check out some other possibilities Monday when I'm back at the warehouse. I hope to get back into the sewing room this afternoon to begin assembling the blouse. I'll keep you posted!

Here's an update on my Bamboo project. I'm making a light weight jacket and like Janee I did a pin fit with the pattern first. This jacket appears to have a fair amount of ease (see photo on page 1 of this Topic) but when I worked with the tissue pattern I had doubts. It didn't seem to have as much ease as I expected. I want to take advantage of this fabric's gentle drape so I will adjust the pattern to have adequate ease.

To pencil-in the seam lines onto my pattern pieces, I always use my tape measure since it is 5/8" wide. I drew in the seam lines on most pieces and then tried on the sleeve issue pattern first. It seemed rather tight, so I'll cut it one size bigger. This jacket has a drawstring waistline. To ensure adequate ease in the hip area I plan to cut the side seams on the next size larger too.

I love the feel of the Bamboo - it's very drapey but has plenty of body too. Since this will be a jacket, I wanted to add a lining that will enhance the Bamboo and not over-power it. So I pulled many fabrics from my stash to consider....a silk, a rayon batik print, and finally a sueded rayon I bought from Sawyer Brook a few years ago. It was called Dobby Rayon - it is soft, sueded rayon with an interesting diamond weave and it's a solid color that matches the Bamboo exactly. So I'm going with that. I think I'll topstitch the jacket in Navy thread as an accent and might decide to add some navy piping to emphasize the design lines of the jacket.

Next for me - test interfacing - so I'll be interested in hearing what Janee decides to use.

Interfacing - Testing is completed!

I've gotten a bit of track and away from my sewing but finally got back to my project tonight. I cut the Burda 8334 jacket from the Bamboo. One thing I'd like to mention....this fabric has been machine washed and dried, and steam pressed. And it stayed perfectly On-Grain! We are continually reminded of rayon when working with this Bamboo fabric. And Rayon sometimes is wobbly and difficult hard to handle but Bamboo is NOT! After pressing the washed yardage, I spread it on my cutting table and was able to smooth out all bubbles and the on grain cut edges were perfectly straight at both top and bottom. For those of us Fabric-LOVERS - it was a beautiful thing!!
Cutting was no problem. The Bamboo cut like any nice cotton...easy with my rotary cutter.

Since I am making a light weight jacket I want the interfacing to offer some stability in Center Front and around the neckline. So I tested my favorite first....Fusi Knit which I love to use when I don't want a heavy interfacing feel or look. So I tested that, but found it was WAY too flexible. I want stability down the Center Front and didn't think the knit interfacing would give me that. It had a nice feel but won't keep the Center Front straight.

Next....I tried Feather Weft. It's made for light weight fabrics but has the weft threads for greater stability and go along with the grain. I've used it many times in rayons but it proved to be too light weight for my purpose. I thought....maybe I will use two layers - one on the facing and another on the garment....when I folded the test piece to a double-layer it would be substantial enough.

Then I tried something I thought would be TOO heavy. I tried Textured Weft (now called Grid Weft). It's light but a heavier thread running through the weft (than Feather Weft). I've used this on a nubby silk tweed or a chenille fabric with great success. I expected it not to work on Bamboo, but for my purpose it was the right choice. I will get the stability I want to hold the CF on grain without adding too much weight ant won't give it that flat-fused look. Only one layer will be necessary which will be applied to the facings.

Stay tuned....stitching begins next.

I've done quite a bit of work on my blouse, but haven't had time to post an update here. I too found layout and cutting this fabric a joy - it actually behaves when you lay it down! After my testing of interfacings I had on hand, I checked the samples Judy made at the SB warehouse. I'm not surprised that you chose the Textured Weft, Lois - I felt the same way about the hand on those samples, for your garment. For mine, I'm sticking with th Sof-Knit - this is a wrap blouse, with the fronts cut on the bias, and the interfacing will only be at the back neck, front surplice neckline, and front side edge to the hem. The hand of one interfaced layer is exactly what I'm looking for.

You're in for a treat as you stitch this fabric too - beautiful melding of stitches, smooth press of seams, a real rayon-like experience. It reminds me of working with a beautiful challis. I'm anxious to finish the blouse and wear it, to see how it stands up in washing and repeated wearings. I've only got the facing, sleeves and hem to finish, but many other projects beckoning. I'll keep you posted!

This sounds like great stuff! I'd be interested to sew with it.... I'll have to have Mom bring some home!

Once again I have been sidetracked with family responsibilities but got back to my sewing room over the weekend and began to sew my jacket. To review - the outer fabric is the Bamboo In Beige #80210 on the Sawyer Brook website.
http://store.sawyerbrook.com/Templates/frmTemplateR.asp?SubFolderID=1&SearchYN=Y

And the lining is a sandwashed rayon of the same color.

It was interesting to compare the difference between the two fabrics as I stitched the first few seams. A sand washed rayon can be a finicky fabric to work on. The Bamboo has a drape similar to rayon but is easier to handle. The darts stitched nice and straight. The seams also fed easily through the sewing machine. And pressing was easier with the Bamboo too. However, I chose to use a press cloth on the right side. That was not absolutely necessary but I did notice a slight shine over the seams after pressing my first seam (with medium heat & steam) so I decided to use a see through press cloth.

Conclusion: I like stitching and pressing this Bamboo fabric. It looks wonderful after stitching and pressing. I'm eager to spend more time on my project and I'll let you know how it goes. I'll post a picture too. If you have any questions please let me know....

My jacket is coming along and I just love the way this Bamboo fabric responds. It has stitched easily and presses beautifully. I've done a couple of things beyond the pattern instructions.

#1 I am lining the jacket with a rayon because I wanted the Bamboo to be gently supported and hold up as a light weight jacket. The jacket pattern did not include a lining so I used a method I learned from Roberta Carr. Cut the lining from the same jacket pieces used for the fashion fabric. Stitch shoulder seams, and next attach the facing pieces on top of the lining, after first finishing the facing's raw outer edge (serge, turn under 1/4" or in my case used bias binding). Line up the raw edges of lining and facing.....Topstitch the facing and lining together along the outer finished edge of the facing. Then trim the lining away on the wrong side so you won't have 2 layers when stitching the facing to the garment. Later you will apply the facing to the jacket in the usual manner; the facing has the lining already attached.

#2 I decided to use bias binding to add a little interest to the jacket. I used Wrights Bias tape. Inserted in two places......one where the facing and lining meet; which is an easy way to finish off that raw edge. Second....along the center front and back neckline.

Closer look of facing, binding and lining

Hi all,

I actually finished my blouse a couple of weeks ago. It turned out beautifully, the fabric behaved so well and drapes so nicely. The only problem is, I don't like the finished garment on me. It fits too tightly in the sleeves - how did that happen? I fit the sleeve when I fit the garment, it's just so much tighter sewn in than it was not being attached in the armhole. I also think my fitting buddy Donna overfit the front drape and neckline - the garment just isn't as flattering as I envisioned it. I brought it in to Sawyer Brook, and will let Colleen take a photo to post for me, but I won't model it - at least until I have a chance to rework the sleeves and see what I can do to make it fit and look better.

Anyone have any comments on similar experiences? What do you do when your reality of a garment doesn't match your vision?