This week in patterns (19-Dec-2014)

We only had one actual "release" this week, but it was a good one. McCall's released their Early Spring patterns. You can make a joke about it being the dead of winter, but outside of that cold front that caught the PNW (and most of the rest of the country) back in November, we've been having a very mild winter in Seattle, so far. There are some real gems in this collection, I think.

If I can get my coat finished before the end of the year, I might even try to tackle one or two of these new patterns before I head back to work in early January!

McCall's - Early Spring Release 2015

As has already been discussed over at Sew Crafty Chemist and You Sew, Girl!, McCall's flat-out knocked it out of the park with their Early Spring release this year. (One warning if you follow them both--many of my picks are the same as theirs.) So...many...patterns...that I want...and so little time to sew. There's barely even anything to make fun of in this release, so let's look at everything that I plan to pick up over the next few JoAnn/Hancock pattern sales.

Just going through my picks, in order, from the McCall's website:

M7081

Lynelle at You Sew, Girl picked this dress as being like "the Cake Tiramisu, but without the drama." I both laughed and agreed. The main differences are that M7081 is designed for lightweight wovens, has set-in (not cut-on) sleeves, has a much shorter waist inset than the Tiramisu, and has different collar and sleeve options. I like that it has a bit of a shirtdress vibe, but without the buttons. The pleating on this one makes it a good option for those of us needing larger FBA's, too.

M7081

M7084

OMG, it's a shirtdress with the following features:

• Shoulder princess seams (much friendlier to those of us with very large busts than darts or even armhole princess seams).
• Pockets.
• Different collar and sleeve options.
• Front button bands.
• An option for godets(!) in the skirt. (Must resist the urge to mimic Anna's coronation dress from Frozen here..and now that I've typed that, I have "For the first time in forever" stuck in my head.)

M7084

M7089

The dress has some fun seamlines in the main photo, but then you get down to the last photo for the pattern, and there's some WTF-ery worth of Burda.

M7089

M7089 - Human/dressform hybrid

M7099

I feel like I shouldn't like this jumpsuit, but I do, I really do. It's designed for knits. And it has sleeves. And it looks like something that a grown-up might wear. It's also quite similar to the StyleArc Carly Jumpsuit, but the Carly is designed for wovens and doesn't have a sleeved option. Maybe I've just been brainwashed by seeing that commercial with Jennifer Garner wearing her sophisticated surplice top-style black jumpsuit too many times. This pattern even has a romper and a capri view, if you're inclined to do a summer version.

M7099

M7100

If you're looking for a Big 4 version of the Papercut Rigel Bomber Jacket or the HotPatterns Sakura Bomber Jacket, M7100 would be a good option. It's a very close match to the Sakura--right down to the panel seams and in-seam pockets (the Rigel lacks the seaming and has welt pockets). I actually already own the Sakura and have a version in-progress (set aside while I work on the Leanne Marshall coat), but if I didn't already own it, I'd be all over this.

M7100

M7093

M7093 is a cute, pieced raglan-sleeved blouse with secret pockets in one of the color blocks!

M7093

M7094

I'm not sure how I feel about the view with the butt flaps in back, but these drapey blouses with this neckline are everywhere right now. The shoulder pleats are FBA-friendly, too. I prefer shirt-tail hems on myself over straight hems, so I like that several views include that option.

M7094

M7098

I initially passed right over this pants/shorts pattern, but eagle-eyed Nakisha caught that these have seaming in both front and back. I haven't personally had good luck with the crotch curve on Big 4 patterns, so I rarely bother, but I'm wondering if the seaming on these would make them easier to fit, especially if I morphed the curve from a HotPattern or StyleArc onto the pack piece. In any case, with this many view options, pockets, and a fly front, this has the potential to be a real workhorse of a pattern.

M7098

M7103

Stuffed sharks as tall as a toddler? And a pattern that includes three different shark types? The only thing that I don't like about this is that it didn't come out in time for Christmas. My two nephews and daughter all would have gotten sharks for Christmas. My daughter will get one at some point, though, because she got really excited about the pictures for this pattern.

M7103

Final Thoughts

I've got a whopping 7 patterns from the McCall's release saved to my phone. To put that in perspective, I usually buy 1-2 new patterns per Big 4 release. This means that if JoAnn's/Hancock does one of their "5 for $5" sales, as they often do with McCall's, I'm going to need a second sale to get everything on my list. This release didn't include any jackets or coats (understandable given that it's an "early spring" release), but outside of that, I really think that there's something for everyone in this batch. If you don't have access to JoAnn's/Hancock sales, these patterns are on sale now for $3.99 each on the BMV website at the moment.