I thought, now that I have my pants muslin sorted out, that I better finish off my one and only UFO (Un Finished Object) before it was full steam ahead with my pants. A while back I made a skirt for my sister, another garment in my “Sister’s Sewing Projects“.
The fabrics used were both 97% cotton and 3% spandex and were originally planned out to make a dress, so we had lots of fabric left over, after making the skirt, for a matching shirt/jacket. When I look at the flower print I see “newsprint” in the background, don’t you?
I pulled a pattern from my stash, Simplicity 5455, dated 2003. My sister did like to have some changes: shorten the sleeves, add cuffs, shorten the shirt/jacket, add topstitching. We had some of the white print left so we decided to do the collar and cuffs in that. I would have to be careful with pattern placement though as the flowers definitely ran up the fabric.
The shirt/jacket was easy to put together, but since I prefer the neater look of a yoke done with the burrito technique, I chose to do that here and not follow the pattern instructions. As you can see, the fronts, yoke and back are sewn together as usual, with the yoke lining sewn on too at the bottom seam.
The yokes were then placed together and the shirt/jacket fronts and back were rolled up, like burrito stuffing.
Then the yokes were folded over the stuffing and pinned together at the shoulder seams to hold the stuffing inside.
The shoulder seams were sewn together…
and seriously I don’t know how it happens – it’s like a Rubic’s Cube to me – but when you pull the stuffing out of the end of the burrito (sewn together yokes) you have a neat and tidy yoke!
I added topstitching!
I am determined to cover all exposed seams on this shirt/jacket with bias tape so I started with the front facings. Remember I said that the flowers had to run up? Well the piece of fabric that I had wasn’t long enough for the front facings to be cut in one piece so I made them two pieces and covered the join with bias tape. Yes I know this is the wrong side of the facing, no one else will notice it, but I just had to do it. I also had to cover the edge of the front facings with bias tape.
Here’s the right side of the front facing. If it wasn’t for the mismatched flowers you wouldn’t even see the seam … at least the flowers are all running up the shirt/jacket and this will all be on the inside!
Contrast collar and front facings have been sewn on. I have a bit of hand stitching to do to attach the front facings to the shoulder seams yet. I love the bias tape around the edge of the front facings.
Next the cuffs. It was easy enough to cut out the white contrasting fabric 4 1/2″ wide and the length of the sleeve edge. I sewed the one seam in the cuff, folded the cuff in half (2 1/4″) and zig zagged the edge.
I sewed the cuff edge on to the bottom of the sleeve. The right side of the sleeve was facing out at the time.
Then I just folded the cuff up and topstitched the bottom edge. I will hand stitch a few stitches by the seam to make sure that the cuff always stays up. I love this flowered print!
Next? Nothing too difficult, sew the sleeves in, topstitching (I love topstitching!), hemming, buttonholes and buttons, and a bit of hand sewing.
Have you got any UFO’s hiding in your house? It’s time to confess! Come on, how many?
Happy Sewing!
Well Linda, my UFOs are more like AOs – abandoned objects. I often get part way though my ‘bright ideas’ and ton realising they won’t work, walk away in the knowledge that at least I didn’t waste more time than absolutely necessary! Maybe just a couple have been abandoned due to lack of interest which makes them UFOs I guess!! You are so good sewing for your sister – does she bake or knit for you perhaps?
It is true, with everything you do there is a point where you can’t possibly put anymore time into it. Totally understandable! And when it comes to sewing for my sister, she rewards me with fabric so I can sew things for myself! 😃👍 I am blessed… All three of my sisters are kind and generous… And I’m not just saying that because they might read this… Well maybe a bit of me is just saying that! 😂
Too many to mention!! But I have a wrist problem at the moment and can’t cut out so my UFO’S might get a look in now. Yours is looking lovely. I love that flower fabric K xXx
Oh no! Get well soon! Although you are making the best of it if you choose not to cut now, but sew!
How fantastic is the burrito method? I use it for knicker gussets too.
Yes, it is very practical!
I love how you call your un-finished object UFO, I have a surprising amount of UFO under the bed, and keep promising myself, I won’t start a new project until they have been finished and hanging in the wardrobe. The nearest I got was to repair all the missing buttons, dropped hems, and patch up hubby’s work clothes.
Oh! I am really bad with those types of things. The garments that need mending are only done if they are not my own. I still have two pairs of my own trousers that need the zippers replaced. I’d rather sew myself a new pair of trousers than replace a broken zipper!
I like your Burrito method – quite hard to get my head round though.
My only UFO is a handsewn quilt – gradually getting bigger. I have promised to put it in my quilt group’s exhibition March 2018 – there’s a serious danger of not being ready…
I find new techniques to be easier when I actually fumble through them myself. I don’t know if I could ever finish a quilt. I stick to smaller quilted items like placemats, etc. Quilts are so much work and hand sewing? Well that would be another story yet! Good for you taking on the project!
I’m still doing pants block – sadly last muslin didn’t work. In the meantime I’m also doing a couple of UFOs, a skirt and a top. Trying to get fit right.
Sometimes I find fitting to be frustrating, other times I must be lucky that the pattern isn’t much different than me! Good luck with your’s!
Ooooh, that shirt/jacket is so pretty! I have one AO (see Sewniptuck’s comment), and 2 UFOs. One I’ll definitely finish, the other I’m not so sure. Now I also have several projects that are missing either the pattern or the fabric….what would we call those? AR (almost ready), GGS (gotta get started), NS (not started) ??? 😉
Sooo funny! I too have patterns without fabric and lots of fabric without patterns. I call that my stash 😂 or WIHFMH (What I Hide From My Husband!) 😂
I especially like the WIHFMH variety!
I have quite a few UFOs (about 8). I’m not sure if I’ll ever complete them. The burrito method is like a rubik’s cube to me as well but I love it!
I love learning new sewing tricks and when I do I look forward to the chance to use them again and again!
So many UFOs I have them all stuffed into an overflowing COS [Crate of Shame]! A couple have been there for years. I do clear it out occasionally, so that a couple of years ago I got rid of some unfinished items for my daughter. They were started when she was about 15. She’s now *cough* 31. Oh dear, bad mum.
Oh well! My Ultimate was a cross stitch I got as a gift when I went on maternity leave that I ended up finishing when my son was in grade 7. I guess we all have these little projects we hide!
That reminds me- when my daughter was pregnant with her first, I started a ‘tatty teddy’ cross stitch height chart. It was very very boring, being all shades of grey [probably 5o lol] and I lost heart. I picked it up again when she was expecting her 2nd, 5 years later. He’s now 7, and it’s still not finished. Oh the shame. Maybe for great grandchildren?
I’m sure there will be someone in the future generations who will appreciate it! 😂 or perhaps even finish it??? 😂
The burrito method is so mysterious…how does it happen :)? I love that flowered print. You have great taste in fabric, and yes, I do have a UFO in my sewing room, an iPad cover that I has bias trim all the way around it. That’s where I got stick! I’m not a fan of putting on bias trim, but I do want to finish that thing….maybe I will this month!
I’m not sure! I’d have to ask my son the engineer! In the meantime, I will just make sure I roll it up right, fold the yokes over and sew… then pull the stuffing out!!! I love it how UFO’s end up being called that “thing” sitting on the chair… or hiding under the bed … 🙂
Hello. I’m way behind in my blog reading. I don’t have any UFO’s in my closet. Since I create art, what I do have our first attempts at portraits. I use those pages like a protector sheet or to try out new colour markers.
I love the term burrito technique. I was going to tease you about it but as I continued reading and I saw the picture, I thought, “it does look like a burrito.” I love that colour blue and I was taken by the print with the tiny words on it and the green vines and little blue flowers. I love seeing words on any print. Good work. I’ll try not to be a week late next time.
No problem! I’m here for your reading pleasure, anytime! I’m glad you found a use for your UFO’s. A good idea! I’m in love with this print. It’s not like anything else I’ve seen!
This looks great! I haven’t tackled any jackets or shirts yet so the Burrito method is completely new to me. It looks like magic. LOL!
Can’t wait to see the finished result!
LOL it feels like magic! Don’t know if I could have invented the technique, but I sure like using it!
This is absolutely lovely. It will g so nicely with the skirt. I love the Burrito method for yokes. It is so neat and tidy on the insides. Xx
Thank you! I had a lot of hand sewing before I discovered this!
Interesting post. I need to try the burrito method on an upcoming dress but honestly for some reason it terrifies me!!!
Buttonholes terrify me. Cutting into my fabric is so … painfully permanent! With this if you mess up, just rip it out and try again! The more I do it the more it makes sense. Lay it out proper, roll it up and fold the yokes back over your “stuffing”. Then sew and pull your stuffing out! Now if only I could cut into my fabric without a good stiff drink! 😂
Haha thank you for this Linda!!!! I’ll definitely give it a go…now where’s that stiff drink…!! X
I love the burrito method, just learnt it with doing my husbands first shirt and amazed at how it works out as if by magic! Love the print of the flower fabric and yes a little like newsprint which adds great texture. UFO is my husbands shirt!! Really need to get it done as it’s stifling my other sewing as it’s sitting on the sewing table and has been for a month! X
I think it’s great when I can learn something new! If it was me, the husband’s shirt would be that UFO because I would be wanting it done to perfection! 😬 You understand!
Oh I do understand – should be sewing it now instead of cake baking! Any excuse! Ha ha
Oh but cake baking is a fabulous excuse!