Hi, long time no see :-(. I really do enjoy maintaining my blog - now if only I could get all of those blog posts that I compose in my head out and into this format without any further effort that would be great! I'd be almost a daily blogger, ha ha!!
Anyway... I have been looking forward to Me Made May this year, and thinking that I could probably allllmost do a full me-made pledge, that is all me-made except for underwear and shoes, buuut... that would have meant taking a deep breath and trying my first pair of jeans - which is still on the cards but hasn't happened quite yet. So...
I, Jo, sign up for Me Made May 2015 with the goal of wearing at least one item of Me-Made 5 days a week and 2 days a week wearing all Me-Made (excluding underwear and shoes). Repeats are allowed, and I must add at least one pair of Me-Made trousers to my wardrobe over the month.
What I love about MMM is that it helps me identify gaps in my me-made wardrobe and encourages me to wear what I have.
And as an aside, here's a pic of one of my many un-blogged garments - another simple Zippy Top.
Are you doing MMM? Any new projects on the cards? Do you make jeans? Do tell!
Friday, May 1, 2015
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
Pattern mania, the Lou box top & following the designer's advice
Don't you love discovering a new pattern?! It can be such an exciting process and generally goes like this for me... stumble upon a new pattern (via Instagram, Pinterest or blog), fall a bit (or a lot!) in love with it, research it, find some examples that I love, daydream about making it, (deep breath) buy it, and finally make it. Only then can I stop thinking about it! Phew, what a process... is it like that for you too?
The first time the Lou Box Top by SewDIY came on my radar was with this version, and the process of getting the pattern ended up being a test of my patience as this was a pattern tester's version, the pattern had not yet been released! So of course all I could do was stalk her Instragram account waiting for the release ;-)
When I finally got my hands on the pattern I tried it in a voile (in anticipation for the dark chambray I had in mind for the next) and... it looked totally wrong. Basically I was guilty of not following the designers' direction on fabric and had chosen something without enough drape - it was waaaay too boxy. So I cut that one down to something different, which I'll show you next time, and went back to my stash...
I chose a knit next and this worked really well. You can see from the above pic that the shape is indeed boxy. I'd try this in a rayon or maybe a silk but otherwise I think I'll stick to knits for this. I have a beautiful piece of dark grey tissue weight knit in my stash which I think will look fantastic. I used a solid cream coloured back (an upcycled piece of an old t-shirt sheet that had worn out) to give the eye a rest from the crazy print.
This is a really simple pattern, and would be great for beginners. I love how several different lengths, hemlines and necklines are included, and thought this was very innovative, especially as it's her first pattern release. I did already have a few simple top patterns in my stash but each is a little different, and as I proved with my fabric stuff-up, each has it's own merits and requirements!
The fabric, by the way, was a scrap from Spotlight. As it was a small piece they just charged me a few dollars, which proves that they don't always need to give crappy service!! As an interesting aside, I've washed this maybe 5 times and realised the other day that I don't have an orange t-shirt anymore - it's faded right back to a pink! Oh well, I'll enjoy it it as it is!
The first time the Lou Box Top by SewDIY came on my radar was with this version, and the process of getting the pattern ended up being a test of my patience as this was a pattern tester's version, the pattern had not yet been released! So of course all I could do was stalk her Instragram account waiting for the release ;-)
When I finally got my hands on the pattern I tried it in a voile (in anticipation for the dark chambray I had in mind for the next) and... it looked totally wrong. Basically I was guilty of not following the designers' direction on fabric and had chosen something without enough drape - it was waaaay too boxy. So I cut that one down to something different, which I'll show you next time, and went back to my stash...
I chose a knit next and this worked really well. You can see from the above pic that the shape is indeed boxy. I'd try this in a rayon or maybe a silk but otherwise I think I'll stick to knits for this. I have a beautiful piece of dark grey tissue weight knit in my stash which I think will look fantastic. I used a solid cream coloured back (an upcycled piece of an old t-shirt sheet that had worn out) to give the eye a rest from the crazy print.
This is a really simple pattern, and would be great for beginners. I love how several different lengths, hemlines and necklines are included, and thought this was very innovative, especially as it's her first pattern release. I did already have a few simple top patterns in my stash but each is a little different, and as I proved with my fabric stuff-up, each has it's own merits and requirements!
The fabric, by the way, was a scrap from Spotlight. As it was a small piece they just charged me a few dollars, which proves that they don't always need to give crappy service!! As an interesting aside, I've washed this maybe 5 times and realised the other day that I don't have an orange t-shirt anymore - it's faded right back to a pink! Oh well, I'll enjoy it it as it is!
Sunday, March 1, 2015
Pattern favourites: Melly sews high low top and Black Spinel trousers
When I was in Melbourne last year I picked up a couple of metres of a light weight plaid cotton from Rathdowne Fabrics. It's been staring at me from the stash all summer, and though I'd envisioned making a Grainline Archer with it I haven't tried that pattern yet (though hope I get the courage to soon!) and I really wanted to use it now! I wanted to use it on a pattern I knew would work, was simple, quick and pretty fail-safe, so I chose the Melly Sews high low top. The one I made this time last year has had heaps of wear.
If you don't know this pattern, it's a free one but only available in one size (Melissa's, and as it turns out, mine too - I'm about an Australian size 10/12). There are set in sleeves, bust darts and a high low hem. As with the last one, the fit is good for me so it didn't need adjusting, the only thing I did differently again was to add elastic to the sleeve cuffs as I feel it creates a nicer silhouette on me. For this I just turned a small hem up twice and left a gap where I threaded thin elastic. Also I smoothed out the hem curve a little so it created a hemline that was easier to hem by turning up twice and sewing down. Though I kind of wish I'd used bias binding here too as well as the neckline as it makes such a nice finish and adds a little weight.
I'm pretty happy with my top and think the balance of the style with the busy plaid works well.
I thought I'd also mention my trousers here which I made ages ago but I haven't blogged. They are Black Spinel Pants from the Japanese brand Tamanegi-kobo. This is my third pair and this pattern is definitely another favourite of mine. The first pair I made 3 years ago and have worn out, the second were a merino blend khaki pair which I wore to death last winter, but these are my favourites of the three: so comfortable, versatile and just great to wear.
I love the design description on the Tamanegi-kobo website:
Super skinny leggings using stretch woven fabric inspired from knit leggings. Biker pants like cutting and engineered with three dimensional design including articulated knees. Waistband is elasticated and easy construction. Front width is narrower and pocket placement is lower, which will have the effect of looking skinny. Even coordinate with simple Tee shirt will still make you look stylish. Topstitch is the key point. Go crazy with thicker thread and color!
Apologies for the butt shot but I wanted to show you the detail of pockets, yoke and top stitching (over exposed pic so that hopefully you can make it out).
These details make the trousers look almost like jeans, or at least less like leggings, so I feel I can wear them with quite a few different tops. I'm not a huge leggings wearer, and when I do wear them I always like my tops to cover my bottom & crotch, but these are that bit more substantial. Plus they are made in a shark skin type fabric which is about a medium weight.
I have changed a couple of things along my journey with this pattern: I lowered the waist (I prefer waistbands to sit on my hips), narrowed the leg a little and to this pair I drafted some front pockets to add to the detail but also to make them infinitely more practical. I'm sure no. 4 will occur, I love this pattern so much :-)
If you don't know this pattern, it's a free one but only available in one size (Melissa's, and as it turns out, mine too - I'm about an Australian size 10/12). There are set in sleeves, bust darts and a high low hem. As with the last one, the fit is good for me so it didn't need adjusting, the only thing I did differently again was to add elastic to the sleeve cuffs as I feel it creates a nicer silhouette on me. For this I just turned a small hem up twice and left a gap where I threaded thin elastic. Also I smoothed out the hem curve a little so it created a hemline that was easier to hem by turning up twice and sewing down. Though I kind of wish I'd used bias binding here too as well as the neckline as it makes such a nice finish and adds a little weight.
I'm pretty happy with my top and think the balance of the style with the busy plaid works well.
I thought I'd also mention my trousers here which I made ages ago but I haven't blogged. They are Black Spinel Pants from the Japanese brand Tamanegi-kobo. This is my third pair and this pattern is definitely another favourite of mine. The first pair I made 3 years ago and have worn out, the second were a merino blend khaki pair which I wore to death last winter, but these are my favourites of the three: so comfortable, versatile and just great to wear.
I love the design description on the Tamanegi-kobo website:
Super skinny leggings using stretch woven fabric inspired from knit leggings. Biker pants like cutting and engineered with three dimensional design including articulated knees. Waistband is elasticated and easy construction. Front width is narrower and pocket placement is lower, which will have the effect of looking skinny. Even coordinate with simple Tee shirt will still make you look stylish. Topstitch is the key point. Go crazy with thicker thread and color!
Apologies for the butt shot but I wanted to show you the detail of pockets, yoke and top stitching (over exposed pic so that hopefully you can make it out).
These details make the trousers look almost like jeans, or at least less like leggings, so I feel I can wear them with quite a few different tops. I'm not a huge leggings wearer, and when I do wear them I always like my tops to cover my bottom & crotch, but these are that bit more substantial. Plus they are made in a shark skin type fabric which is about a medium weight.
I have changed a couple of things along my journey with this pattern: I lowered the waist (I prefer waistbands to sit on my hips), narrowed the leg a little and to this pair I drafted some front pockets to add to the detail but also to make them infinitely more practical. I'm sure no. 4 will occur, I love this pattern so much :-)
Thursday, February 5, 2015
Summer sewing: Emma & Diana
Hi! Despite my lack of blog posts - January was the first month I didn't post in the almost 5 years I've been blogging :-( I have been having fun sewing as usual, just not taking pics and writing!
So here are two things I've made over summer that I'm enjoying wearing... Emma pants and Diana cami from Spit Up and Stilettos (formerly Sewloft). First the pants...
This is the first time I've made pants with a fly/zip opening, though I've been wanting to for ages. I've tired all sorts of pull on trousers and also fly front shorts, but not actual trousers, so I'm excited that I've tackled it, and I'm pretty pleased with the results.
What attracted me to this pattern was the shape of the trousers: slim fit, side slash pockets, lowish waist and cropped leg. I found the instructions easy to follow and the techniques quite sophisticated. For example I hadn't used this particular method for pocket construction but loved it and found it very professional looking and well finished.
I used a light weight cotton with some stretch from Remnant Warehouse. It's a neutral grey colour and light weight enough to be worn in summer when I'm feeling like pants over a skirt or dress (shorts for me are relegated to home or beach wear). The fit is not absolutely perfect (the crotch could do with some slight adjustments), but overall they're fine and certainly fill a gap in my wardrobe. I suspect that as I make more trousers I will get more picky about fit (and possibly look back at these and cringe!), but I think that's OK - as sewists we build on our knowledge bit by bit and improve with time and practice.
Next time I would try a heavier weight fabric, as I think it would sit better, adjust that crotch slightly and also lengthen the legs a bit as I had to turn the tiniest of hems so that they wouldn't end up shorter than I wanted for my average height (I'm 5'6" or 168cm).
When I downloaded the Emma pattern I also downloaded the Diana cami and thought it might look nice together so tried it. I used a scrap of fabric thinking that it might be a wearable musline to wear to bed with pyjama shorts, but I like it so much that it's gone to the ordinary wardrobe :-) The construction is just 2 pieces, front and back, no bust darts or shaping, the neckline and armholes are bound with self bias binding and the straps are thin spaghetti straps from the same fabric.
I love the racer style back and also the boxy fit. It would obviously look different in differently draping fabrics, and I think would look fabulous extended to a dress. On an underwear note, I think this pattern deserves a strapless bra, if you can bear it, to show off the lovely back without distraction.
* Having said all that and stated how much I like both of these pieces, I struggled to decide whether to publish this blog post, as I learnt just yesterday of the copyright dispute issue happening around this pattern company (I don't think these designs in particular but am not sure). I don't know much at all about it but it always saddens me to hear of copyright issues. I would love to think that someone would not knowingly take the design/s of another and call them their own to profit, but who knows really what happens. All I'll say is that I hope the issue is sorted out as this sewing community in general is so fantastic.
So here are two things I've made over summer that I'm enjoying wearing... Emma pants and Diana cami from Spit Up and Stilettos (formerly Sewloft). First the pants...
This is the first time I've made pants with a fly/zip opening, though I've been wanting to for ages. I've tired all sorts of pull on trousers and also fly front shorts, but not actual trousers, so I'm excited that I've tackled it, and I'm pretty pleased with the results.
What attracted me to this pattern was the shape of the trousers: slim fit, side slash pockets, lowish waist and cropped leg. I found the instructions easy to follow and the techniques quite sophisticated. For example I hadn't used this particular method for pocket construction but loved it and found it very professional looking and well finished.
I used a light weight cotton with some stretch from Remnant Warehouse. It's a neutral grey colour and light weight enough to be worn in summer when I'm feeling like pants over a skirt or dress (shorts for me are relegated to home or beach wear). The fit is not absolutely perfect (the crotch could do with some slight adjustments), but overall they're fine and certainly fill a gap in my wardrobe. I suspect that as I make more trousers I will get more picky about fit (and possibly look back at these and cringe!), but I think that's OK - as sewists we build on our knowledge bit by bit and improve with time and practice.
Next time I would try a heavier weight fabric, as I think it would sit better, adjust that crotch slightly and also lengthen the legs a bit as I had to turn the tiniest of hems so that they wouldn't end up shorter than I wanted for my average height (I'm 5'6" or 168cm).
When I downloaded the Emma pattern I also downloaded the Diana cami and thought it might look nice together so tried it. I used a scrap of fabric thinking that it might be a wearable musline to wear to bed with pyjama shorts, but I like it so much that it's gone to the ordinary wardrobe :-) The construction is just 2 pieces, front and back, no bust darts or shaping, the neckline and armholes are bound with self bias binding and the straps are thin spaghetti straps from the same fabric.
I love the racer style back and also the boxy fit. It would obviously look different in differently draping fabrics, and I think would look fabulous extended to a dress. On an underwear note, I think this pattern deserves a strapless bra, if you can bear it, to show off the lovely back without distraction.
* Having said all that and stated how much I like both of these pieces, I struggled to decide whether to publish this blog post, as I learnt just yesterday of the copyright dispute issue happening around this pattern company (I don't think these designs in particular but am not sure). I don't know much at all about it but it always saddens me to hear of copyright issues. I would love to think that someone would not knowingly take the design/s of another and call them their own to profit, but who knows really what happens. All I'll say is that I hope the issue is sorted out as this sewing community in general is so fantastic.
Saturday, December 27, 2014
Modified Zippy Top
Hello and happy holidays! I hope you're enjoying the festive season and getting in some sewing/crafting time ;-)
I seem to have a pattern crush on the See Kate Sew Zippy Top at the moment, I've made 3 for myself and 2 for the recent school fete, with plans afoot for 2 more! What I love about it is the simple shape, lovely neckline and sleeves and the scope for adaptation.
This is my latest one, a slighlty more dressy version. I think it's the fabric that really makes this version. Last time I was at mylocal thrift shop a garment caught my eye - I don't tend to shop for clothes at the thrift shop (or anywhere else) these days but I do go looking for fabric to upcycle. The garment was a large kaftan type top from H&M in polyester. My kids say this is my zebra top :-) but I think it looks like a lovely watercolour landscape painting, or something like that. No matter what, I really like it.
I unpicked the existing seams to get maximum area and cut out my pieces as usual. This time I omitted the zip as the fabric is very light weight and delicate and I thought the weight of the zip and facing might pull it out of shape. Also the neckline is wide enough to comfortably go over the head without an opening. I simply turned over the edges of the neckline and armholes twice and sewed a small hem. I wouldn't normally do this as I find it can look messy but in this very sheer fabric and with the busy print it worked fine. I also did my usual length for the hem - I found the crop length too short but the other length too long to be flattering for me so I went in between.
As a decorative element I slightly gathered the shoulder seam and added ties (repurposed from the original top). I really love this type of detail and the extra touch it adds without too much effort.
I really like this version of the pattern. I've worn it with these grey/black jeans but I can also picture it with my favourite black stretch satin cigarette pants for a more dressy evening.
Do you have a pattern crush at the moment? Do tell!
I seem to have a pattern crush on the See Kate Sew Zippy Top at the moment, I've made 3 for myself and 2 for the recent school fete, with plans afoot for 2 more! What I love about it is the simple shape, lovely neckline and sleeves and the scope for adaptation.
This is my latest one, a slighlty more dressy version. I think it's the fabric that really makes this version. Last time I was at mylocal thrift shop a garment caught my eye - I don't tend to shop for clothes at the thrift shop (or anywhere else) these days but I do go looking for fabric to upcycle. The garment was a large kaftan type top from H&M in polyester. My kids say this is my zebra top :-) but I think it looks like a lovely watercolour landscape painting, or something like that. No matter what, I really like it.
I unpicked the existing seams to get maximum area and cut out my pieces as usual. This time I omitted the zip as the fabric is very light weight and delicate and I thought the weight of the zip and facing might pull it out of shape. Also the neckline is wide enough to comfortably go over the head without an opening. I simply turned over the edges of the neckline and armholes twice and sewed a small hem. I wouldn't normally do this as I find it can look messy but in this very sheer fabric and with the busy print it worked fine. I also did my usual length for the hem - I found the crop length too short but the other length too long to be flattering for me so I went in between.
As a decorative element I slightly gathered the shoulder seam and added ties (repurposed from the original top). I really love this type of detail and the extra touch it adds without too much effort.
I really like this version of the pattern. I've worn it with these grey/black jeans but I can also picture it with my favourite black stretch satin cigarette pants for a more dressy evening.
Do you have a pattern crush at the moment? Do tell!
Saturday, December 20, 2014
Summer sewing : : jersey maxi skirt
I've been wanting a maxi skirt or two to add to my summer wardrobe, for those days when you know, you don't feel like having to be careful when you bend over, or maybe your legs need attention (or 'deforesting' as a friend used to say :-). I'd been thinking about the Sewaholic Gabriola but knew I would labour over the details of that pattern... what I wanted was a quick and easy project.
Trawling through my knits stash I found a quite fluid and lovely navy blue jersey-type fabric. I'm not sure where I got it, possibly my Melbourne trip with Deb earlier in the year. The GJs $2p/m and $4p/m tables were great for fabric to experiment on. Then I found a tutorial online to use as a base and kind of winged it from there (I can't seem to find the tutorial again, sorry, but there are plenty if you Google 'jersey maxi skirt tutorial').
The shape is essentially just an exaggerated A line sewn onto a yoga-style waistband. No closures or fussing, taking advantage of the stretch and drape of the fabric.
Yoga style waistbands really appeal to me as they're so comfy and also add a bit of reassuring stability to delicate or flowy fabrics. To further the safety aspect I added a row of wide elastic into the inner waistband (under the yoga band as you can sort of see below) - when my kids were smaller I had several alarming incidents with clothes where I almost had a loose skirt pulled down, loose top pulled up etc and it has left me not wanting to take any chances!!
And just a note about styling my skirt... I knew the loose shape would suit a fitted or slimline top, but nothing I tried looked right. I tried the Wiksten tank above, untucked as I always do, but that wasn't structured enough - then a funny thing happened where a bit of the hem got caught in the skirt waist and I had an 'ah ha' moment - tucked looked sooo much better, even though I never wear things tucked (well I do now :-). I love lessons like this where you are forced to deviate from what you normally do and go out of your comfort zone. I think this old dog has learnt a new trick ;-)
Trawling through my knits stash I found a quite fluid and lovely navy blue jersey-type fabric. I'm not sure where I got it, possibly my Melbourne trip with Deb earlier in the year. The GJs $2p/m and $4p/m tables were great for fabric to experiment on. Then I found a tutorial online to use as a base and kind of winged it from there (I can't seem to find the tutorial again, sorry, but there are plenty if you Google 'jersey maxi skirt tutorial').
The shape is essentially just an exaggerated A line sewn onto a yoga-style waistband. No closures or fussing, taking advantage of the stretch and drape of the fabric.
Yoga style waistbands really appeal to me as they're so comfy and also add a bit of reassuring stability to delicate or flowy fabrics. To further the safety aspect I added a row of wide elastic into the inner waistband (under the yoga band as you can sort of see below) - when my kids were smaller I had several alarming incidents with clothes where I almost had a loose skirt pulled down, loose top pulled up etc and it has left me not wanting to take any chances!!
And just a note about styling my skirt... I knew the loose shape would suit a fitted or slimline top, but nothing I tried looked right. I tried the Wiksten tank above, untucked as I always do, but that wasn't structured enough - then a funny thing happened where a bit of the hem got caught in the skirt waist and I had an 'ah ha' moment - tucked looked sooo much better, even though I never wear things tucked (well I do now :-). I love lessons like this where you are forced to deviate from what you normally do and go out of your comfort zone. I think this old dog has learnt a new trick ;-)
Monday, December 8, 2014
Tween sewing
Several years ago I made my eldest girl a Sophie Tunic from Sisboom as a sun/beach cover-up. She's loved it and worn it to death but for a while now it's been way too small and she's been asking for an update. So when we were in a fabric store together recently I asked her to pick out a new fabric. She chose this lovely Cloud 9 printed cotton (proud mother moment ;-)
I think this is a great style for kids, not too cutesy or fussy and easy to wear. The fabric was lovely to work with and the top came together well and easily. If anything I find the Sisboom patterns a bit over-explained but then I guess that makes sure newbie sewers are covered.
The only change I made was to add sleeve tabs. The tab pattern is from my Make it Perfect Shearwater Kaftan pattern, which is like a grown-up version of the Sophie tunic. Make it Perfect now also have a little girl 'mini' version of the Shearwater, but as I already had the Sisboom pattern I thought I'd better save my pennies and re-use it. Don't you love kids patterns with a large range of sizes!
I also made her some new shorts, which happen to go reasonably well with the shirt. The pattern is Dana from Madeit's Shorts pattern, which is a great basic, especially for someone with a few kids to clothe - the sizing goes from 12 months to 10 years and Dana includes lots of tutorials for variations on her website/ It's one of those patterns where I wondered whether I should draft them myself, but really, for $8 you get all of those sizes already drafted, and who doesn't like to support the lovely indie designers. This is the 4th pair of shorts I've made from this pattern and I'm sure there will be many more.
For these I used a piece of black linen with some stretch my my stash, redesigned the front to add sewn in pockets (easy to do if you've sewn pockets before) and added 2 large decorative buttons.
She likes the whole outfit so we're both happy :-)
I think this is a great style for kids, not too cutesy or fussy and easy to wear. The fabric was lovely to work with and the top came together well and easily. If anything I find the Sisboom patterns a bit over-explained but then I guess that makes sure newbie sewers are covered.
The only change I made was to add sleeve tabs. The tab pattern is from my Make it Perfect Shearwater Kaftan pattern, which is like a grown-up version of the Sophie tunic. Make it Perfect now also have a little girl 'mini' version of the Shearwater, but as I already had the Sisboom pattern I thought I'd better save my pennies and re-use it. Don't you love kids patterns with a large range of sizes!
I also made her some new shorts, which happen to go reasonably well with the shirt. The pattern is Dana from Madeit's Shorts pattern, which is a great basic, especially for someone with a few kids to clothe - the sizing goes from 12 months to 10 years and Dana includes lots of tutorials for variations on her website/ It's one of those patterns where I wondered whether I should draft them myself, but really, for $8 you get all of those sizes already drafted, and who doesn't like to support the lovely indie designers. This is the 4th pair of shorts I've made from this pattern and I'm sure there will be many more.
For these I used a piece of black linen with some stretch my my stash, redesigned the front to add sewn in pockets (easy to do if you've sewn pockets before) and added 2 large decorative buttons.
She likes the whole outfit so we're both happy :-)
Friday, November 7, 2014
Tessuti Alice top
I had one of those rare reactions to seeing a new pattern recently: I wanted to buy and make it immediately! Tessuti's new Alice Top & dress pattern was the culprit.
I made a shameless copycat version, though my fabric is just a plain old cotton (from a thrifted doona/duvet cover) rather than the fine linen of the sample. The drape is not quite as nice but it's the same thin blue and white stripe and I love it :-)
This is my first Tessuti pattern and I enjoyed making it. The instructions were easy to understand and thorough, and the top went together well. I've always loved smock tops (either when pregnant or not!)and this one has a lovely armhole detail too. I made the size small with no alterations apart from shortening it, though in hindsight I think I was a bit over enthusiastic and next time will leave a few more centimetres in length.
I'm thinking this top will be a real workhorse over spring and summer and can definitely see myself making more, though I don't think I'll try the dress, as anything sack-like tends to swamp me and my shapeless legs poking out of the bottom look a bit ridiculous ;-)
But now I really need to get onto sewing some trousers, as I'm sadly lacking! I'm thinking Spit up and Stilettos' Emma Pant (previously known as Sewloft - have you seen their patterns are free now? Such an amazing thing to do), or a woven pair of Hudson Pants... I really should make both, it's getting too hot here for jeans. What's on your list at the moment?
I made a shameless copycat version, though my fabric is just a plain old cotton (from a thrifted doona/duvet cover) rather than the fine linen of the sample. The drape is not quite as nice but it's the same thin blue and white stripe and I love it :-)
This is my first Tessuti pattern and I enjoyed making it. The instructions were easy to understand and thorough, and the top went together well. I've always loved smock tops (either when pregnant or not!)and this one has a lovely armhole detail too. I made the size small with no alterations apart from shortening it, though in hindsight I think I was a bit over enthusiastic and next time will leave a few more centimetres in length.
I'm thinking this top will be a real workhorse over spring and summer and can definitely see myself making more, though I don't think I'll try the dress, as anything sack-like tends to swamp me and my shapeless legs poking out of the bottom look a bit ridiculous ;-)
But now I really need to get onto sewing some trousers, as I'm sadly lacking! I'm thinking Spit up and Stilettos' Emma Pant (previously known as Sewloft - have you seen their patterns are free now? Such an amazing thing to do), or a woven pair of Hudson Pants... I really should make both, it's getting too hot here for jeans. What's on your list at the moment?
Saturday, September 20, 2014
Another new bag and a mini Maximus cowl
It was that time again recently - time to make a new bag - and an idea had been brewing in my head for a while...
Usually my bags wear out with use, but this time the old one was still going but just didn't have the functionality I needed. You see we're going on a trip, and as much as I like the previous bag, the fact that I can't use it messenger style accross my body drives me mad. Especially when I'm walking any distance or when I'm wearing my minoru jacket - something about that jacket (maybe the big collar and raglan sleeves?) makes bags fall off my shoulder - grr!
After making so many bags (there are a stack to see if you're interested under the 'bag' category over on the right there >) I've come to know what's useful for me personally, so this time around I had a pretty tight list of practical requirements:
Something that could be worn messenger style...
Or on the shoulder...
With internal pockets for pen, phone, lip balm etc, ...
A key fob inside is handy and so is a zip pocket, and also an external zip pocket to quickly stuff keys into on the run.
Regarding the look of the bag I wanted something quite utilitarian looking but with some nice details. As I knew what I wanted I didn't use a pattern but made it by cutting a simple rectangular shape with cut away corners (not sure what the proper name for that is?) to give a hobo bag feel.
I used an old thrifted leather belt for the strap. I can't remember where I got the idea from, but I cut the belt while it was buckled and then attached each end to a side, handstitching it on with hemp thread. I hope it holds! Must remember not to carry any heavy kid water bottles in it! Using a belt sounds a bit naff and gimmicky but I think it comes off OK and does the job, plus adds the slight bit of grunge I was after. I do like a bit of grunge :-)
I had a great piece of grey linen I wanted to use for the outer, and even though it is cool toned and the belt is warm I thought they went together nicely, and decided to accentuate the warm/cool thing by adding brown taped zips (with silver coloured metal teeth) and brown toned fabric inside. It sounds like a lot of navel gazing but I really love experimenting and putting all the little details together :-)
All the materials I used are from my stash (yay stash busting!), some things I'd been hoarding for ages. I always cut off zips, buckles, buttons, sliders etc when I throw away an old bag (or whatever) and just put them away for another day. It's so satisfying being able to use them up one day, and feels great to not have to go out and buy yet more stuff, which is the positive side to stash hoarding I guess. And a friend recently gave me the inside fabric which I love (hello H if you happen to be reading! And thank you!).
The cowl I'm wearing here (note the warm/cool thing with the cowl & briar too :-) is the Maximus pattern from Chic Knits. I'm calling it my mini maximus because I ran out of wool and so it's smaller than the pattern specifies. It was such an enjoyable knit, on big needles, very quick and satisfying, if you're looking for a project I'd recommend it.
Usually my bags wear out with use, but this time the old one was still going but just didn't have the functionality I needed. You see we're going on a trip, and as much as I like the previous bag, the fact that I can't use it messenger style accross my body drives me mad. Especially when I'm walking any distance or when I'm wearing my minoru jacket - something about that jacket (maybe the big collar and raglan sleeves?) makes bags fall off my shoulder - grr!
After making so many bags (there are a stack to see if you're interested under the 'bag' category over on the right there >) I've come to know what's useful for me personally, so this time around I had a pretty tight list of practical requirements:
Something that could be worn messenger style...
Or on the shoulder...
With internal pockets for pen, phone, lip balm etc, ...
A key fob inside is handy and so is a zip pocket, and also an external zip pocket to quickly stuff keys into on the run.
Regarding the look of the bag I wanted something quite utilitarian looking but with some nice details. As I knew what I wanted I didn't use a pattern but made it by cutting a simple rectangular shape with cut away corners (not sure what the proper name for that is?) to give a hobo bag feel.
I used an old thrifted leather belt for the strap. I can't remember where I got the idea from, but I cut the belt while it was buckled and then attached each end to a side, handstitching it on with hemp thread. I hope it holds! Must remember not to carry any heavy kid water bottles in it! Using a belt sounds a bit naff and gimmicky but I think it comes off OK and does the job, plus adds the slight bit of grunge I was after. I do like a bit of grunge :-)
I had a great piece of grey linen I wanted to use for the outer, and even though it is cool toned and the belt is warm I thought they went together nicely, and decided to accentuate the warm/cool thing by adding brown taped zips (with silver coloured metal teeth) and brown toned fabric inside. It sounds like a lot of navel gazing but I really love experimenting and putting all the little details together :-)
All the materials I used are from my stash (yay stash busting!), some things I'd been hoarding for ages. I always cut off zips, buckles, buttons, sliders etc when I throw away an old bag (or whatever) and just put them away for another day. It's so satisfying being able to use them up one day, and feels great to not have to go out and buy yet more stuff, which is the positive side to stash hoarding I guess. And a friend recently gave me the inside fabric which I love (hello H if you happen to be reading! And thank you!).
The cowl I'm wearing here (note the warm/cool thing with the cowl & briar too :-) is the Maximus pattern from Chic Knits. I'm calling it my mini maximus because I ran out of wool and so it's smaller than the pattern specifies. It was such an enjoyable knit, on big needles, very quick and satisfying, if you're looking for a project I'd recommend it.
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
Winter Everyday Skirt
It's spring here now - yay! - and my thoughts have turned to spring/summer sewing projects, but I still have some winter sewing projects to show. This simple little skirt is the Everyday Skirt from Liesl + Co.
I had been wanting to add a winter skirt to my wardrobe and when I saw this pattern I thought it would be a quick, satisfying sew, which it was. It's similar to Simplicity 2226 which I love, but a bit simpler as it doesn't have a zip. In case you haven't seen this pattern before, it is a simple construction, the front is gathered below the waistband and has elastic in the back of the waist.
It has Liesl's typical fantastic instructions and beautiful drafting. Her patterns really are so professional and a joy to sew. I love the pockets and it's so comfy to wear. The only change I made was to raise the hem as it was feeling a bit frumpy and wasn't draping well, and I'll always wear this with tights.
The fabric I used is to be honest probably not ideal for this skirt - it's quite a heavy wool and doesn't sit as nicely as something with a bit more drape would. You can see from the pic above that it's a bit bunchy around the elastic at the back. But it's OK and I'm certainly getting quite a bit of wear out of it.
I bought the fabric back in autumn on sale from The Fabric Store (I think it was about $8 a metre). I loved the colour and thought that the metallic threads running through it looked OK, but when I grabbed the fabric back out of my stash for this skirt I thought the metallic thread jarred with the style and made it looked a bit cheap. So I started to pull the threads out one by one, it took a while but was quite cathartic really! I got some funny looks at kid activities as I dragged it around with me for a few days pulling a few out here and there, ending up with a pile of metallic threads on my knee each time. You might just be able to see the glint of the threads in the pics above (the pockets didn't get the treatment).
For summer I'm looking forward to making a couple of these in lightweight linens or cottons. Be sure to check out all of the lovely versions in the Flickr group.
I had been wanting to add a winter skirt to my wardrobe and when I saw this pattern I thought it would be a quick, satisfying sew, which it was. It's similar to Simplicity 2226 which I love, but a bit simpler as it doesn't have a zip. In case you haven't seen this pattern before, it is a simple construction, the front is gathered below the waistband and has elastic in the back of the waist.
It has Liesl's typical fantastic instructions and beautiful drafting. Her patterns really are so professional and a joy to sew. I love the pockets and it's so comfy to wear. The only change I made was to raise the hem as it was feeling a bit frumpy and wasn't draping well, and I'll always wear this with tights.
The fabric I used is to be honest probably not ideal for this skirt - it's quite a heavy wool and doesn't sit as nicely as something with a bit more drape would. You can see from the pic above that it's a bit bunchy around the elastic at the back. But it's OK and I'm certainly getting quite a bit of wear out of it.
I bought the fabric back in autumn on sale from The Fabric Store (I think it was about $8 a metre). I loved the colour and thought that the metallic threads running through it looked OK, but when I grabbed the fabric back out of my stash for this skirt I thought the metallic thread jarred with the style and made it looked a bit cheap. So I started to pull the threads out one by one, it took a while but was quite cathartic really! I got some funny looks at kid activities as I dragged it around with me for a few days pulling a few out here and there, ending up with a pile of metallic threads on my knee each time. You might just be able to see the glint of the threads in the pics above (the pockets didn't get the treatment).
For summer I'm looking forward to making a couple of these in lightweight linens or cottons. Be sure to check out all of the lovely versions in the Flickr group.
Friday, August 15, 2014
Merino(ish) Coco dress
This winter I am sooo loving using and wearing wool. It is such a fantastic fibre, I could go on about it all day ;-) I have a blog post in mind based on my little experiments using wool, but for now I thought I'd show you my very latest project involving wool, this Tilly and the Buttons Coco dress...
I first found this fabric in a dark grey/khaki colour last year at The Fabric Store (my mecca for all fabrics merino) and used it to make a pair of Black Spinel pants. The fabric has 2 way stretch, making it great for pants, and I have worn them to death over winter, they're so soft, warm and comfy and a little edgy too. They don't bag at the knee and wash and wear beautifully. It's hard to describe the fabric - it's like a ponte (or 'sharkskin?') on the right side, very smooth and with a slight sheen, but then a loopy terry on the reverse. I guess the terry is the merino and the right side is something synthetic, as surely you can't get that finish with wool?!
So when I found some more of it in the recent sale I snapped it up. And at only $8 per metre (and 150cm wide) it was a bargain! The only problem was that the colour was a little crazy - it's sort of a deep teal blue with that sheen. I thought it would be OK for another pair of pants... but I got cold feet and decided to try it for the Coco. I reasoned that the simple lines and shape of the dress would balance the crazy colour.
I decided the dress would benefit from some subtle detail to keep it from looking too basic (it's a fine balance in my opinion!) and I knew from the Black Spinels that the fabric top stitched beautifully, so I added a decorative seam horizontally on the chest and also two seams on the sleeves. I considered pockets but am still deciding on that, it's a detail that can be added later I think.
The only other change I made to the pattern was to take in the side seams from the wrist right down to the hip to give it a more fitted look. Which maybe means I should have used a different size, but with knit fabrics I like being able to tailor the final fit around my curves and also each fabric behaves differently depending on stretch.
I'm pretty happy with the dress. I need to think about how to style it (don't think I've done the best job here), but again thinking of balance I'm inclined to team it with natural fibres - here with wool tights, cotton scarf and wool cardigan - to offset the synthetic sheen of the fabric's finish.
Have you come across any crazy fabrics lately? And are you a wool addict too?
I first found this fabric in a dark grey/khaki colour last year at The Fabric Store (my mecca for all fabrics merino) and used it to make a pair of Black Spinel pants. The fabric has 2 way stretch, making it great for pants, and I have worn them to death over winter, they're so soft, warm and comfy and a little edgy too. They don't bag at the knee and wash and wear beautifully. It's hard to describe the fabric - it's like a ponte (or 'sharkskin?') on the right side, very smooth and with a slight sheen, but then a loopy terry on the reverse. I guess the terry is the merino and the right side is something synthetic, as surely you can't get that finish with wool?!
So when I found some more of it in the recent sale I snapped it up. And at only $8 per metre (and 150cm wide) it was a bargain! The only problem was that the colour was a little crazy - it's sort of a deep teal blue with that sheen. I thought it would be OK for another pair of pants... but I got cold feet and decided to try it for the Coco. I reasoned that the simple lines and shape of the dress would balance the crazy colour.
I decided the dress would benefit from some subtle detail to keep it from looking too basic (it's a fine balance in my opinion!) and I knew from the Black Spinels that the fabric top stitched beautifully, so I added a decorative seam horizontally on the chest and also two seams on the sleeves. I considered pockets but am still deciding on that, it's a detail that can be added later I think.
The only other change I made to the pattern was to take in the side seams from the wrist right down to the hip to give it a more fitted look. Which maybe means I should have used a different size, but with knit fabrics I like being able to tailor the final fit around my curves and also each fabric behaves differently depending on stretch.
I'm pretty happy with the dress. I need to think about how to style it (don't think I've done the best job here), but again thinking of balance I'm inclined to team it with natural fibres - here with wool tights, cotton scarf and wool cardigan - to offset the synthetic sheen of the fabric's finish.
Have you come across any crazy fabrics lately? And are you a wool addict too?
Friday, July 25, 2014
Kids pj sewing
I've decided that sewing kids pyjamas is a great way to gain experience and feel more confident sewing with knits... small pieces of stash fabric can be used (ie not precious pieces), and it doesn't matter if the finish isn't perfect as they're just going to be lounged in and worn to bed. The finished piece gets worn lots and children stay warm - win win!
On a bit of a roll recently I made my boy a pair out of this cute woodland animal print jersey from Spotlight. It's has a really nice soft feel and good stretch & recovery. For the top I used the Oliver & S Filed Trip raglan t-shirt pattern. I bought this recently thinking it would be great for all 3 kids for both tshirts and pj tops (and more - show you later) and it also appealed that the pattern goes up to size 10, which shoud do us for a while. And the pants are based on the Sleeping Johns pattern from Growing up Sew Liberated. They are basically just loose leggings with an elastic waist and cuffs at the ankles.
He's such an easy kid, loves everything I make for him (at the moment!! Guess I should enjoy this while it lasts ;-). He loves these and I love seeing him warm in his mama mades.
I also made my girls nighties, you can see one on my middley above. For this I used my much-used Made by Rae Flashback Skinny tee, which I lengthened and flared out to an A-line shape.
In all I've made about them about 2 new sets each and been able to finally throw away those tatty, stretched and stained old pjs (why did I not do this ages ago?!). My stretch sewing is definitely looking neater and I can whip around cuffs and hems pretty quickly now, which is useful. I'm even starting to get my preferred ways of sewing things which I'm hoping to use on future projects. I love how it's also opened my imagination up to how I can adapt patterns.
On a bit of a roll recently I made my boy a pair out of this cute woodland animal print jersey from Spotlight. It's has a really nice soft feel and good stretch & recovery. For the top I used the Oliver & S Filed Trip raglan t-shirt pattern. I bought this recently thinking it would be great for all 3 kids for both tshirts and pj tops (and more - show you later) and it also appealed that the pattern goes up to size 10, which shoud do us for a while. And the pants are based on the Sleeping Johns pattern from Growing up Sew Liberated. They are basically just loose leggings with an elastic waist and cuffs at the ankles.
He's such an easy kid, loves everything I make for him (at the moment!! Guess I should enjoy this while it lasts ;-). He loves these and I love seeing him warm in his mama mades.
I also made my girls nighties, you can see one on my middley above. For this I used my much-used Made by Rae Flashback Skinny tee, which I lengthened and flared out to an A-line shape.
In all I've made about them about 2 new sets each and been able to finally throw away those tatty, stretched and stained old pjs (why did I not do this ages ago?!). My stretch sewing is definitely looking neater and I can whip around cuffs and hems pretty quickly now, which is useful. I'm even starting to get my preferred ways of sewing things which I'm hoping to use on future projects. I love how it's also opened my imagination up to how I can adapt patterns.
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Burdastyle asymmetric jacket
Hi! I've been completely immersed in organising a fundraising event at my kids' school for the past few weeks and though I thought of this little space often, it's been totally neglected... along with the just about everything else! I'm glad to be back :-)
OK, Burdastyle Asymmetric Jacket. Now firstly I should apologise for the extremely ahh lived in look of this jacket. All those wrinkles and creases are from all the wear it's had since I made it a couple of months ago (and have been meaning to blog ever since), which shows that I'm getting a lot of use from this garment, which has got to be a measure of success!
I like the challenge of sewing something reasonably complicated now and then, and this one had a few challenges for me, but I've got to say that I don't think Burdastyle patterns (or least this one) are the patterns to learn from as the instructions are so brief. A certain amount of knowledge is presumed, and this one's difficulty rating is 'Intermediate', which I'd consider myself to be, but when you come across a technique you haven't tried before, like the sleeve openings, you get no help at all to explain it - no drawings or detailed explanantions. I know lengthy descriptions of each step annoy some sewers, but for me I'd rather have that and be able to skip it rather than not have it at all. Anyway, it all turned out OK but I just fudged my way through those sleeves in the end.
The other thing I'm not fond of with Burdastyle is the lack of seam allowance on the patterns. I'm just not used to it and find it hard work. But I did get through it, needless to say I was pretty happy when the pattern printing/cutting/sticking/tracing stage was over! The base calls for a magnetic snap, which my kids laugh at each time it sticks to the car ;-). This makes the front hem sit well. I didn't add the button to the top inside flap as called for in the pattern but it seems to sit OK without it. I also haven't added buttons to the sleeves as I couldn't find what I wanted... hopefully one day! Another thing I clearly didn't understand properly was the lining pleat in the back seam, which seemed hopelessly small, as it's split! So some maintenence is required!
Having had my whinge I now want to say though how much I love this jacket :-) The style is lovely with all its little darts and shaping. I love the asymmetric opening, and like wearing it open, closed and half open. It's extremely versatile, warm but lightweight and just very wearable (hence all those wrinkles ;-)
I used a mid weight deep blue linen bought at The Fabric Store which I'd stashed away waiting for the perfect project, and lined it with an ordinary lining fabric (also from the stash - yay, stash busting!). And I found a heavy weight metal zip, which I think adds weight and a nice touch to the softness of the linen. I'm almost wishing I'd interfaced the lapels/front sections as the linen is sluming a bit as it relaxes and softens, but I think that's part of the beauty of linen.
Also I deviated from the pattern by adding pockets to the front seams. I had almost finished the outer jacket when the niggle in my mind got too loud "you'll want pockets!!" and I had to listen to it! I wanted them to be reasonably hidden and flush with the front so as not to add bulk, and they work pretty well, and are certainly used well.
So, apart from a few things that annoyed me with the pattern, a great jacket! And a great addition to my wardrobe. Have you tried Burdastyle patterns? Love the style but don't love the pattern details? Or is it just me!
OK, Burdastyle Asymmetric Jacket. Now firstly I should apologise for the extremely ahh lived in look of this jacket. All those wrinkles and creases are from all the wear it's had since I made it a couple of months ago (and have been meaning to blog ever since), which shows that I'm getting a lot of use from this garment, which has got to be a measure of success!
I like the challenge of sewing something reasonably complicated now and then, and this one had a few challenges for me, but I've got to say that I don't think Burdastyle patterns (or least this one) are the patterns to learn from as the instructions are so brief. A certain amount of knowledge is presumed, and this one's difficulty rating is 'Intermediate', which I'd consider myself to be, but when you come across a technique you haven't tried before, like the sleeve openings, you get no help at all to explain it - no drawings or detailed explanantions. I know lengthy descriptions of each step annoy some sewers, but for me I'd rather have that and be able to skip it rather than not have it at all. Anyway, it all turned out OK but I just fudged my way through those sleeves in the end.
The other thing I'm not fond of with Burdastyle is the lack of seam allowance on the patterns. I'm just not used to it and find it hard work. But I did get through it, needless to say I was pretty happy when the pattern printing/cutting/sticking/tracing stage was over! The base calls for a magnetic snap, which my kids laugh at each time it sticks to the car ;-). This makes the front hem sit well. I didn't add the button to the top inside flap as called for in the pattern but it seems to sit OK without it. I also haven't added buttons to the sleeves as I couldn't find what I wanted... hopefully one day! Another thing I clearly didn't understand properly was the lining pleat in the back seam, which seemed hopelessly small, as it's split! So some maintenence is required!
Having had my whinge I now want to say though how much I love this jacket :-) The style is lovely with all its little darts and shaping. I love the asymmetric opening, and like wearing it open, closed and half open. It's extremely versatile, warm but lightweight and just very wearable (hence all those wrinkles ;-)
I used a mid weight deep blue linen bought at The Fabric Store which I'd stashed away waiting for the perfect project, and lined it with an ordinary lining fabric (also from the stash - yay, stash busting!). And I found a heavy weight metal zip, which I think adds weight and a nice touch to the softness of the linen. I'm almost wishing I'd interfaced the lapels/front sections as the linen is sluming a bit as it relaxes and softens, but I think that's part of the beauty of linen.
Also I deviated from the pattern by adding pockets to the front seams. I had almost finished the outer jacket when the niggle in my mind got too loud "you'll want pockets!!" and I had to listen to it! I wanted them to be reasonably hidden and flush with the front so as not to add bulk, and they work pretty well, and are certainly used well.
So, apart from a few things that annoyed me with the pattern, a great jacket! And a great addition to my wardrobe. Have you tried Burdastyle patterns? Love the style but don't love the pattern details? Or is it just me!
Thursday, May 29, 2014
MMM findings: trousers needed!
Well, I had good intentions for posting here weekly on my Me Made May progress, but in the end it all seemed too hard and too time consuming (I blame Instagram for making me blog-lazy ;-) So if you're interested please have a look over to the right there at my instagram feed to see what I've been wearing.
The month is almost over now, and as with last year it's been fun (mostly!) and revealing too. My findings:
1. As the weather has been so pleasently warm aside from the first week, I've had plenty of wear from my light short sleeved tops. Next summer I must make some more, they're so easy and wearable.
2. May is a bad month for dress wearing for me. I guess it's just because the weather is too cool for summery dresses but not cold enough for thick tights (which I love). And I've also lost my enthusiasm for my knee high boots, though my Fly London ankle boots are getting loved to death at the moment ;-) On day 16 I loved wearing my Moss Mini with opaques, and my denim Simplicity 2226 got a look in on day 20, but apart from that the only other dress that got a look in was a self drafted dress worn for a night out on day 24. So...
3. More pants needed! I basically live in jeans most of the time. My lifestyle at this time in my life requires very casual clothes. I did wear my Tamanegi-kobo Black Spinel trousers several times (unblogged), but apart from that it was all RTW on the jeans front. I've resisted trying to sew jeans in the past but I'm coming around to the idea, especially after seeing other lovely versions around the blogs.
Top contenders on the pattern front are:
Named Jamie Jeans. They seem to have a cult following... must be a good pattern!
Burdastyle Floral skinny jeans (but not in floral), I've also seen some lovely versions of these around (though can't say I'd be thrilled to tackle another pattern without seam allowances again in the near future. Grrr)
Burdastyle Anita jeans. Nice. And look, seam allowances INCLUDED!
and I also like the Named Alpi Chinos for their classic styling
Any recommendations welcome!
The month is almost over now, and as with last year it's been fun (mostly!) and revealing too. My findings:
1. As the weather has been so pleasently warm aside from the first week, I've had plenty of wear from my light short sleeved tops. Next summer I must make some more, they're so easy and wearable.
2. May is a bad month for dress wearing for me. I guess it's just because the weather is too cool for summery dresses but not cold enough for thick tights (which I love). And I've also lost my enthusiasm for my knee high boots, though my Fly London ankle boots are getting loved to death at the moment ;-) On day 16 I loved wearing my Moss Mini with opaques, and my denim Simplicity 2226 got a look in on day 20, but apart from that the only other dress that got a look in was a self drafted dress worn for a night out on day 24. So...
3. More pants needed! I basically live in jeans most of the time. My lifestyle at this time in my life requires very casual clothes. I did wear my Tamanegi-kobo Black Spinel trousers several times (unblogged), but apart from that it was all RTW on the jeans front. I've resisted trying to sew jeans in the past but I'm coming around to the idea, especially after seeing other lovely versions around the blogs.
Top contenders on the pattern front are:
Named Jamie Jeans. They seem to have a cult following... must be a good pattern!
Burdastyle Floral skinny jeans (but not in floral), I've also seen some lovely versions of these around (though can't say I'd be thrilled to tackle another pattern without seam allowances again in the near future. Grrr)
Burdastyle Anita jeans. Nice. And look, seam allowances INCLUDED!
and I also like the Named Alpi Chinos for their classic styling
Any recommendations welcome!
Sunday, May 11, 2014
Tova with modifications
I've had a design for a blouse in mind for ages... loose but flattering, with gathers, cap sleeves, a gently curved hem and some interesting details. When I couldn't find a pattern like it I decided to give it a go myself.
The closest design I could think of was the Wiksten Tova so I started with that and modified it.
Firstly I modified the sleeves, as I did on this one to be capped, then did a circular cut-out, binding around it and tieing a bow.
Then for the back I seperated the pattern horizontally along the shoulders so that it made a yoke, added width to the lower piece and gathered it in the centre.
I also modified the collar to be smaller, cropped a few inches off the hem of the pattern and the curved the sides, making the back slightly lower than the front.
The fabric is one of the lovely Japanese lawns from Spotlight that I've been enjoying using lately. It's really soft to wear and washes well too. I love the cute design, and the dusty pink with the little splashes of blue on the birds is really sweet.
In hindsight I don't think I needed the gathers at the back, they make it a bit pouffy. But overall I'm pretty happy with this top. It's easy to wear and a nice change from t-shirts. And the loose fit and drape go well with skinny jeans.
The closest design I could think of was the Wiksten Tova so I started with that and modified it.
Firstly I modified the sleeves, as I did on this one to be capped, then did a circular cut-out, binding around it and tieing a bow.
Then for the back I seperated the pattern horizontally along the shoulders so that it made a yoke, added width to the lower piece and gathered it in the centre.
I also modified the collar to be smaller, cropped a few inches off the hem of the pattern and the curved the sides, making the back slightly lower than the front.
The fabric is one of the lovely Japanese lawns from Spotlight that I've been enjoying using lately. It's really soft to wear and washes well too. I love the cute design, and the dusty pink with the little splashes of blue on the birds is really sweet.
In hindsight I don't think I needed the gathers at the back, they make it a bit pouffy. But overall I'm pretty happy with this top. It's easy to wear and a nice change from t-shirts. And the loose fit and drape go well with skinny jeans.
Saturday, May 3, 2014
Melly Sews Hi Lo Top and MMM'14
On the last day of April I decided I'd sign up for Me Made May again this year. Last year was my first year and I really enjoyed it, much more than I thought I would. I found that I hardly had to think about reaching for me-made as it's automatic and also it identified the gaps in my wardrobe. Plus, there's of course the great big bonus that I get to connect with lots and lots of lovely like-minded sewing fanatics all over the world, yay!
So here's my pledge:
'I, Jo of Bubala sign up as a participant of Me-Made-May '14. I endeavour to wear at least one item made by me each day and once a week a whole outfit (excluding underwear, shoes and socks) for the duration of May 2014'
I will posting a pic each day on my Instagram feed then hopefully do a round-up here after each week has passed. Anyone who's done MMM before will know that the photo taking is the hardest part!
I wore this top on day 2 and thought it was time I blogged about it before it falls apart through over-wear :-) I made this a couple of months ago and it's been in regular rotation ever since.
The pattern is the lovely free 'Hi Lo top' by Melly Sews. From the moment I saw this pattern I thought I'd love it, so I downloaded and printed it and waited for the right fabric to jump out at me :-) The pattern comes in only one size, but I think it would be reasonably easy to change a bit. I'm about a size 10/12 Australian (bust 34") and it fits well.
I love the overall shape of this top and it's been perfect for our autumn weather when you need a little extra coverage. One change I made to the pattern was to add a casing to the sleeves and thread elastic through. I have done this with other tops and it's worked well. I don't particularly like sleeves just hanging and find the elastic comfortable.
The other change I made was to add some pin tucks to the front. I love the look of pin tucks and hadn't tried them before so thought this would be a good pattern to try them on.
I used this tutorial, applying the pintucks to my flat (uncut) piece of fabric. I then placed the bodice pattern piece on the fabric so that the pintucks are in the upper centre of the piece. I then cut out the other pattern pieces and sewed them together as usual, applying the binding to the neckline as usual, which covers the raw ends of the pintucks. I choose to do 7 pintucks (my lucky number ;-) and just eyeballed how long I wanted them. As I'd done the pintucks before cutting out the pattern I didn't add any width to compensate for the width they take up, but if you were to cut them out first I'd consider adding a bit (about 1.5 cm in this case as each pintuck is about 2mm). Though, having said that, these pintucks are so tiny that if you had a loose fitting top you wouldn't necessarily need to bother. It looks like mine are straining a bit in the pic above but it's just that I'm stretching my arm out to take the selfie :-) I had so much fun doing the pintucks and will definitely be adding them to other garments in future!
The fabric I used was a Japanese lawn from Spotlight that I bought on sale and stashed away for the perfect project. I have used several of their lawns now and find them really comfortable to wear, quite strong but with a lovely drape. They also wash really well. I find it so annoying when fabrics suffer greatly from laundering. I do seem to find that Japanese made fabrics are superior to others. Gross generalisation but that's my finding so far. Do you agree?
So here's my pledge:
'I, Jo of Bubala sign up as a participant of Me-Made-May '14. I endeavour to wear at least one item made by me each day and once a week a whole outfit (excluding underwear, shoes and socks) for the duration of May 2014'
I will posting a pic each day on my Instagram feed then hopefully do a round-up here after each week has passed. Anyone who's done MMM before will know that the photo taking is the hardest part!
I wore this top on day 2 and thought it was time I blogged about it before it falls apart through over-wear :-) I made this a couple of months ago and it's been in regular rotation ever since.
The pattern is the lovely free 'Hi Lo top' by Melly Sews. From the moment I saw this pattern I thought I'd love it, so I downloaded and printed it and waited for the right fabric to jump out at me :-) The pattern comes in only one size, but I think it would be reasonably easy to change a bit. I'm about a size 10/12 Australian (bust 34") and it fits well.
I love the overall shape of this top and it's been perfect for our autumn weather when you need a little extra coverage. One change I made to the pattern was to add a casing to the sleeves and thread elastic through. I have done this with other tops and it's worked well. I don't particularly like sleeves just hanging and find the elastic comfortable.
The other change I made was to add some pin tucks to the front. I love the look of pin tucks and hadn't tried them before so thought this would be a good pattern to try them on.
I used this tutorial, applying the pintucks to my flat (uncut) piece of fabric. I then placed the bodice pattern piece on the fabric so that the pintucks are in the upper centre of the piece. I then cut out the other pattern pieces and sewed them together as usual, applying the binding to the neckline as usual, which covers the raw ends of the pintucks. I choose to do 7 pintucks (my lucky number ;-) and just eyeballed how long I wanted them. As I'd done the pintucks before cutting out the pattern I didn't add any width to compensate for the width they take up, but if you were to cut them out first I'd consider adding a bit (about 1.5 cm in this case as each pintuck is about 2mm). Though, having said that, these pintucks are so tiny that if you had a loose fitting top you wouldn't necessarily need to bother. It looks like mine are straining a bit in the pic above but it's just that I'm stretching my arm out to take the selfie :-) I had so much fun doing the pintucks and will definitely be adding them to other garments in future!
The fabric I used was a Japanese lawn from Spotlight that I bought on sale and stashed away for the perfect project. I have used several of their lawns now and find them really comfortable to wear, quite strong but with a lovely drape. They also wash really well. I find it so annoying when fabrics suffer greatly from laundering. I do seem to find that Japanese made fabrics are superior to others. Gross generalisation but that's my finding so far. Do you agree?
Monday, April 28, 2014
Cali Faye Collection Racer Back Flare dress
Hi all! I hope you had a good Easter/holiday.
Looking around the blogs lately I've realised I'm not alone in being on a Cali Faye Collection fad :-) So far I have 3 of their patterns and am trying to hold myself back from buying the Voila blouse and Cadette Coat. One thing I like about them is that they work for both my 6 year old and 9 year old - they're simple and stylish without being fussy, and the size goes up to age 10 (though my girls are on the smaller side so I think I'll get even longer out of them).
I fell in love with this little dress pattern, the Racer Back Flare, late last year and thought it would be perfect for my little girl's 6th birthday.
I made it up from a piece of a doona (duvet) cover that I found in my favourite charity shop. I really like reusing old sheets, covers, pillowcases etc, often the fabric is still in great condition and offers something a bit different. It's also often made of 100% cotton or linen and is comfortable to wear.
There's so much to love about this dress. Chiefly it's just a really great shape, with a perfect amount of flare and really well shaped neckline and armholes. The bodice is lined and the opening closes with a button, so no tricky zips or fastenings.
It's the perfect dress for twirling...
And even though she wasn't feeling well on the day of these pics she loves her dress and has worn it many times since her birthday last December. As the weather's cooler now she's can layer it with tshirts and leggings so it's really quite versatile. I also made her sister one in a totally different fabric. Now if I could just get around to photographing it!
I'd thoroughly recommend this pattern to anyone looking for a cute girls dress which is quick to sew and fun to wear.
Looking around the blogs lately I've realised I'm not alone in being on a Cali Faye Collection fad :-) So far I have 3 of their patterns and am trying to hold myself back from buying the Voila blouse and Cadette Coat. One thing I like about them is that they work for both my 6 year old and 9 year old - they're simple and stylish without being fussy, and the size goes up to age 10 (though my girls are on the smaller side so I think I'll get even longer out of them).
I fell in love with this little dress pattern, the Racer Back Flare, late last year and thought it would be perfect for my little girl's 6th birthday.
I made it up from a piece of a doona (duvet) cover that I found in my favourite charity shop. I really like reusing old sheets, covers, pillowcases etc, often the fabric is still in great condition and offers something a bit different. It's also often made of 100% cotton or linen and is comfortable to wear.
There's so much to love about this dress. Chiefly it's just a really great shape, with a perfect amount of flare and really well shaped neckline and armholes. The bodice is lined and the opening closes with a button, so no tricky zips or fastenings.
It's the perfect dress for twirling...
And even though she wasn't feeling well on the day of these pics she loves her dress and has worn it many times since her birthday last December. As the weather's cooler now she's can layer it with tshirts and leggings so it's really quite versatile. I also made her sister one in a totally different fabric. Now if I could just get around to photographing it!
I'd thoroughly recommend this pattern to anyone looking for a cute girls dress which is quick to sew and fun to wear.
Monday, April 14, 2014
Cali Faye Collection Perri Pullover
This post comes to you tonight courtesy of my procrastination on the task I'd mentally assigned myself earlier in the day: making cushions (or 'pillows')...
You see we have friends coming for lunch over Easter and I really wanted to get my act together and fix the woeful cushion issue in our living room. I know that my friend probably won't even notice them, but I will feel better if there's something new and fresh, know what I mean? And it will get them off the blasted 'to do' list!!
But I've procrastinated to the point where I now know what I haven't admitted to myself before... I loathe making cushions. I suspect this is down to the boring nature of the project. Plus I resent the fact that I could be working on my Asymmetric jacket or fulfilling one of the many sewing requests from the kids ;-)
Oh dear, I think I'll have to bribe myself tomorrow night with a big block of chocolate or something!But for now I'll continue to procrastinate and show you the Cali Faye Perri Pullover I made for my big girl's recent 9th birthday...
I wanted a casual top for her that wasn't too young, something stretchy and comfy, and I think this pattern fits the bill.
It came together well, using a medium weight interlock I found at Spotlight. I was going to make her some leggings to go with it but couldn't find any 2 way stretch fabric I liked, so picked up these RTW tights for her, they have a cute metallic thread running through them, but they're a bit tight and I also think either the pullover needs to be a little longer on her or worn with leggings of jeans/trousers.
I enjoyed adding the little touches of the pocket lining and matching tag at the neck (idea pinched from Kelly, thanks Kelly!).
(Apologies for the wrinkly shot above) I really like this top and am now struggling not to go and buy the grown-up version for me ;-)
So how about you - do you have anything you really don't like sewing?
You see we have friends coming for lunch over Easter and I really wanted to get my act together and fix the woeful cushion issue in our living room. I know that my friend probably won't even notice them, but I will feel better if there's something new and fresh, know what I mean? And it will get them off the blasted 'to do' list!!
But I've procrastinated to the point where I now know what I haven't admitted to myself before... I loathe making cushions. I suspect this is down to the boring nature of the project. Plus I resent the fact that I could be working on my Asymmetric jacket or fulfilling one of the many sewing requests from the kids ;-)
Oh dear, I think I'll have to bribe myself tomorrow night with a big block of chocolate or something!But for now I'll continue to procrastinate and show you the Cali Faye Perri Pullover I made for my big girl's recent 9th birthday...
I wanted a casual top for her that wasn't too young, something stretchy and comfy, and I think this pattern fits the bill.
It came together well, using a medium weight interlock I found at Spotlight. I was going to make her some leggings to go with it but couldn't find any 2 way stretch fabric I liked, so picked up these RTW tights for her, they have a cute metallic thread running through them, but they're a bit tight and I also think either the pullover needs to be a little longer on her or worn with leggings of jeans/trousers.
I enjoyed adding the little touches of the pocket lining and matching tag at the neck (idea pinched from Kelly, thanks Kelly!).
(Apologies for the wrinkly shot above) I really like this top and am now struggling not to go and buy the grown-up version for me ;-)
So how about you - do you have anything you really don't like sewing?
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
In lieu of KCW
Hello! Long time no post... I have certainly been making and doing and all that goes with it, just not getting around to photographing and writing about all of my makes. But I have plenty to show you over the coming weeks, including a recipe or two as well (it's been a while!).
I had intended to take part in KCW this time. The kids do need some clothes and heading towards winter as we are I really should do an audit of what they need. However last week I spent any and all available down time sewing for my elder daughter who was turning 9 (what?!). I made her two lovely Cali Faye patterns which I'll hopefully show soon. By the end of the week I had the sudden and very strong urge to finally start my Burdastyle Asymmetric jacket, and I figure it's best to 'strike while the iron's hot', considering I've been avoiding it for a very long time! So that's what I'm doing this week. Sorry kids! I will get back to them but not in time for KCW, this jacket needs a slow and steady pace to do it and the lovely fabric justice (you may have seen a snippet of it if you follow me on Instagram ;-)
Anyhow in the meantime, and in lieu of participating, I thought I'd show you some things I've made for the kids in the past months.
My girls declared before Christmas that they liked nighties, and as I was looking for a quick sewing project to add to their Christmas present stash I dreamt up these and whipped them up over an evening or two.
I used a cute border embroidered voile from the stash and drafted a simple pattern, just two pieces, back and front, and finished with bound edges that become the tie straps. I love the soft purple colour of the voile and happened to have some lovely matching ribbon to add pretty little bows to the fronts.
My girls squeeled with delight when they opened their parcels and found matching nighties, which is about as good as it gets for a sewing obsessed crafty mama, don't you think?!
I really love seeing them in these nighites, they've had a ton of wear since Christmas and hopefully will fit for a couple of years, given the simple style. Win win!
I had intended to take part in KCW this time. The kids do need some clothes and heading towards winter as we are I really should do an audit of what they need. However last week I spent any and all available down time sewing for my elder daughter who was turning 9 (what?!). I made her two lovely Cali Faye patterns which I'll hopefully show soon. By the end of the week I had the sudden and very strong urge to finally start my Burdastyle Asymmetric jacket, and I figure it's best to 'strike while the iron's hot', considering I've been avoiding it for a very long time! So that's what I'm doing this week. Sorry kids! I will get back to them but not in time for KCW, this jacket needs a slow and steady pace to do it and the lovely fabric justice (you may have seen a snippet of it if you follow me on Instagram ;-)
Anyhow in the meantime, and in lieu of participating, I thought I'd show you some things I've made for the kids in the past months.
My girls declared before Christmas that they liked nighties, and as I was looking for a quick sewing project to add to their Christmas present stash I dreamt up these and whipped them up over an evening or two.
I used a cute border embroidered voile from the stash and drafted a simple pattern, just two pieces, back and front, and finished with bound edges that become the tie straps. I love the soft purple colour of the voile and happened to have some lovely matching ribbon to add pretty little bows to the fronts.
My girls squeeled with delight when they opened their parcels and found matching nighties, which is about as good as it gets for a sewing obsessed crafty mama, don't you think?!
I really love seeing them in these nighites, they've had a ton of wear since Christmas and hopefully will fit for a couple of years, given the simple style. Win win!
Monday, March 17, 2014
(another) New bag
Last week I made myself another new bag. I seem to go through them at quite a quick rate (maybe 1 every 6 months or so), but I guess that's what happens when you A. make them out of fabric and B. use them constantly and throw them around from floor to playground to chair to everywhere and anywhere. I guess one upside of the high turnover is I get to try out different designs and patterns and I never really get tired of one bag.
This time around I had in mind a slouchy style with mixed materials: a lovely heavy grey linen I've been hoarding for ages along with a recycled leather strap in maybe teal or red (the same scraps I make my cuffs from), or perhaps even one of my thrift shop belts, cut strategically to make use of the buckle etc. But somehow I just could not get started on this project (maybe it was fear of rivets?!) and the need was getting dire! So I pulled up this free tutorial and pattern from Very Purple Person that I've been wanting to try. I chose some stash fabric and quickly made this interim bag.
This is such a lovely straightforward pattern. I really enjoyed sewing it. The only changes I made were to make the handles a bit longer and, rather than pulling the whole bag through the handle opening as instructed, I left a gap at the bottom of the lining and turned it out through there and sewed it up later - as both my fabrics are quite heavy it was never going to go through the handles.
I also added a zip pocket to each side, using a heavy ticking from my scrap stash for the lining, adding to the rigidity of the structure. I used a heavy denim for the outer and a piece of this lovely "Hibernian House" print from a great local printer Publisher Textiles. If you follow them on Instagram you'll know what lovely work they do.
Even though this is a reversible bag, and I do love the print I used on the inside, I think I'll hardly ever use it with the red side showing as the denim is just so much more versatile and won't clash with anything else I'm wearing, unless you count 'double denim syndrome', which I just try not to think about :-) But it's a great splash of colour and visual texture. And I finally found a use for the cute little dear keyring I've had laying around - a fun zipper pull :-)
So there you go, a quick and easy pattern when the need for a new bag is dire, but also just a nice bag all round.
This time around I had in mind a slouchy style with mixed materials: a lovely heavy grey linen I've been hoarding for ages along with a recycled leather strap in maybe teal or red (the same scraps I make my cuffs from), or perhaps even one of my thrift shop belts, cut strategically to make use of the buckle etc. But somehow I just could not get started on this project (maybe it was fear of rivets?!) and the need was getting dire! So I pulled up this free tutorial and pattern from Very Purple Person that I've been wanting to try. I chose some stash fabric and quickly made this interim bag.
This is such a lovely straightforward pattern. I really enjoyed sewing it. The only changes I made were to make the handles a bit longer and, rather than pulling the whole bag through the handle opening as instructed, I left a gap at the bottom of the lining and turned it out through there and sewed it up later - as both my fabrics are quite heavy it was never going to go through the handles.
I also added a zip pocket to each side, using a heavy ticking from my scrap stash for the lining, adding to the rigidity of the structure. I used a heavy denim for the outer and a piece of this lovely "Hibernian House" print from a great local printer Publisher Textiles. If you follow them on Instagram you'll know what lovely work they do.
Even though this is a reversible bag, and I do love the print I used on the inside, I think I'll hardly ever use it with the red side showing as the denim is just so much more versatile and won't clash with anything else I'm wearing, unless you count 'double denim syndrome', which I just try not to think about :-) But it's a great splash of colour and visual texture. And I finally found a use for the cute little dear keyring I've had laying around - a fun zipper pull :-)
So there you go, a quick and easy pattern when the need for a new bag is dire, but also just a nice bag all round.
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