dressmaking Archives - Page 3 of 17

Summer in the City

July 19, 2016

It’s nice to share some sewn stitches for a change.

How could I resist this adorable London themed fabric? It’s so very charming.

How cute is this? I just love it.

Fabric constraints meant that I couldn’t pattern match the bodice. So I fussy cut cute scenes instead. I’m happy with how it works.

I cut the skirt as one piece to maintain the integrity of the design, and managed to get an almost perfect match on the seam there.

Thankfully, Miss Button loves it too.

I’ll call that a win!

Project details

Pattern: Geranium from Made by Rae

Pattern cost: £10 – this is my 5th version, so it’s excellent value for money

Fabric: Cotton novelty print from The Buttonhole

Fabric cost: £5/mtr (I think). I used 1 mtr.

The majority of things I’ve made this year (and my productivity isn’t high at the moment) have been woolly socks for my lovely husband. However I’ve also been sewing for Miss Button, but getting her to pose for pictures has been a whole other ballgame. 8 is the new 14! Small girls are so stroppy!

However, en route to a friend’s party at the weekend, she was in a good enough mood for a quick 5 minutes of photos, despite the overcast and gloomy weather.

She’s mad for flamingos at the moment so I couldn’t resist this cute and colourful retro Hawaiian flamingo print. This is yet another geranium top (my fourth time with this fabulous pattern, I think).

Oh she looks so very, very tired. Summer holidays can’t come quickly enough!

I’ll be honest that I made no attempt at pattern matching. And because of this I managed to squeeze this top out of a metre of fabric. I had to skimp a bit on the gathering of the skirt. We’ve reached a tipping point where I need to start buying a bit extra fabric for her. She’s growing so quickly these days.

Ah….that’s my girl!

As always the Geranium was a quick and simple make that gives great results. The simple lines really show off the fabric at it’s best. This is a sweet pattern for little girls and I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Project Summary

Pattern: Geranium from Made By Rae

Pattern Cost: $10

Fabric: Hawaiian-style flamingo print cotton

Fabric Source: Fabrix, Lancaster

Fabric Cost: £5.95/mtr

Burda Scarf Sweater

May 20, 2016

Do you remember this monstrosity?

This was BurdaStyle 123 – 11 /2014 before I set to work on it.

That’s better!

To be honest, though, this sweater has been a disaster from start to finish.

First up, I bought the PDF version of this pattern and it was simply awful to tape together. It had been printed in a batch of other patterns that all seem to be ok, so I’m laying the blame for that firmly at Burda’s door. It was all over the place and nigh on impossible to get two pages to line up properly.

Having compared my measurement to Burda’s measurement chart, I did a 4cm FBA. That was fine. But I ended up having to fiddle with the bust darts to make them point remotely in the right direction. They’re still a bit hinky. And I chopped inches off both the sleeves and the hem. They were crazy long!

Most importantly I hand-stitched the scarf to the neckline. It looks so much better this way and resolved the issue I had with the neckline being a bit too wide.

The fabric was bought at the Knitting and Stitching Show last November. When I opened it at home I was really disappointed to find these circular marks all over it. They look like faded grease stains and don’t follow the grain of the fabric. Another disaster! It’s so disappointing because this fabric is so soft and cosy and just the most amazing colour.

In real life they’re less noticeable than in the photos, but it means that this sweater is probably relegated to chill out wear for home.

My adorable photobombers!

I’m confident that I won’t be making this pattern again in a hurry. Not only is it fabric hungry because of the scarf, but the way the front pleats adds bulk where I need it least. I also prefer the scarf as an integral part of the sweater, so all in all this is just too much faff.

However, I’m glad this fabric is out of the stash and in the wardrobe. And whilst the weather is finally warming up here, this will be waiting for me on chilly nights.

Burda 6985 – a very wearable muslin

May 15, 2016

I’ve made a start on the first of my planned TNT patterns, which is this BurdaStyle slim legged trouser.

The fabric I used is a 100% polyester crepe from Abakhan. I’m slowly edging away from polyester, but I’d booked myself onto a Sewing for Fun day at Stitchscape with Celia Banks, and new this was one of the patterns I wanted to work on.

I’d already cut them in a cotton drill but when I’d tacked them together for fitting it was really obvious there was a problem. It turns out the fabric was completely twisted on the grain. So I needed a replacement fabric. And fast.

It had to be navy and this was it!

Whilst it was a bugger to sew, it drapes really nicely and worked well in a pinch for the sewing class.

For the purposes of fitting, I cut without pockets or fly zip and did an invisible zip in the back seam. This isn’t my favourite style of trouser but I believe it’s a great way to simplify the pattern and work on the fit.

Ah…the obligatory derriere shot!

This clearly shows how flat I am at the back. I’m straight up and down with no waist or hips to speak of. This is one of the reasons I have such issues with RTW.

But I’m really happy with the fit at the back. I’m not sure I could get it much better than that.

The front is pretty good too.

All in all I’m quite pleased with these.

I think with a couple of tweaks they’ll be spot on. I definitely need to take the waist in at least 1/2″, maybe as much as 1″.

I also think that I need to drop the waistline by about 1/4 – 1/2″.

And I may scoop that front curve just a smidge too.

Finally, I’d like the leg to be slightly slimmer, as the next pair I make will be the 7/8ths length shown on the pattern and I like a more slender leg for that style of trouser.

But…these are a great pair of smart trousers and a very wearable toile! I’d definitely wear them for formal meetings (although those are few and far between) or, more likely, with a pretty top and my wedding heels (as here) for dinner out with the husband.

Now if only he’d book the table…..

How to sew

February 22, 2016

Sewing for others has made something very, very clear. When I sew for myself I’m really, slapdash. When I sew for others I do things by the book.

And guess what?

Katie_Prom_8

The stuff I make for others always turns out better. Like….miles better! Even if I’m time constrained. Or it’s a ridiculously tricky fabric. Or, as is usually the case, a combination of the two! Who knew?

I know I’ve touched on this before but I’ve never really instigated a plan. Or maybe its more a set of guidelines.

Rules to Sew By!

Ooooh, that has a good ring to it! There’ll be a book offer on the table by the weeks end!

Not.

But seriously. I’ve been sewing for the best part of 40 years and still I’m focused on cranking out stuff to wear rather than upskilling to make them more beautiful. And it’s not like I’m making 20 garments a month. I’ve got no excuse.

So here are my new Rules to Sew By!

Rule 1 – Measure twice…..

I’m about to make an admission that will have seamstresses up and down the land beating a path to my door bearing pitchforks and burning torches.

Whisper it!

I don’t have an up to date set of my measurements.

Quelle horreur!!!!!

I know…it’s sewing sacrilege. It would explain why I have such issues with fit. And why, because stuff doesn’t fit as I want, I’m loathe to start sewing something for myself.

I need to fix that problem post haste and get my measurements down on paper. Regular updates wouldn’t go amiss, either.

Rule 2 – It’s all about the fit!

With my new found measurements in hand I’ll be all set to get the fit perfect first time, right?

Right?

Yeah. No!

I’ve always ~~wanted to poke~~ admired those folk who say such things as “I made my usual 1″ SBA, 1/2″ sway back and 1/4″ forward shoulder adjustments and I was done”.

It struck me that if I kept ordered notes on each pattern brand of the adjustments I make for each brand, then I too could be one of those ~~smug~~ clever folk who know just where to start to give them a fighting chance of a toile fitting with fewer adjustments.

Because, as ~~you~~ we all know, all the patterns are cut from the same blocks.

*hits desk with forehead repeatedly*

Rule 3 – It’s all about the fitting!

No….it’s not Rule 2 again. Not only do I have to figure out what adjustments I need to make, but how to make them, dare I say it…..properly!

You know…actually do a FBA before you even make a toile because you’re haven’t been a B cup since you were 13!

And its time to learn to do a dartless FBA too. Just sayin’

And when you roll the shoulder forward, you need to adjust the sleeve too! No, really…you do!

Rule 4 – Make a damn toile!

For every new pattern.

No excuses.

No exceptions.

Rule 5 – Follow the damned instructions!

I know that I know how to sew, but I’ve also been doing it long enough to fall into some appalling habits. So actually, I suppose, I’ve gone all the way round to the beginning and really shouldn’t be let loose with scissors and thread!

So it’s back to basics.

Using the instructions and (when they’re out of storage) the rather fabulous range of sewing texts I own.

Rule 6 – Fit as you sew

Just because the toile looked ok, doesn’t mean the fashion fabric is going to behave in the same way. It’s better to fit as you sew than just stick your fingers in your ears, sing la-la-la-la-la and hope it works out at the end.

And then wonder why it doesn’t.

Rule 7 – Stop buying all the things

Why yes…that fabric is beautiful, but purple and green poppies aren’t really your thing.

Oooooh, look at that fabulous new indie pattern that every single sewing blogger and her dog is making….but don’t you already have something similar in your pattern stash?

Amazon called…can you please leave some sewing books for everyone else!

I’m not saying don’t buy stuff…just not All. The. Things.

Rule 8 – Make what you wear

This follows neatly on from Rule 7. Because whilst all the cool kids are making party dresses out of purple and green poppy silk dupion, what you wear in real life is jeans, tops and Ugg boots.

So why aren’t you making jeans and cute tops?

It’s probably pushing it to make your own Ugg boots. Unless someone out there has come up with a kit. In which case I’ll be all over it!

Until then…if you sew what you wear you’ll wear what you sew.

I should make that into a poster!

Rule 9 – Rome wasn’t built in a day

Primark may be able to make a bajillion t-shirts a day but thats why they are crap. Not even getting starting on the conditions and pay of workers in fast fashion sweat shops.

I don’t need to make a bajillion t-shirts. In a day or otherwise. I need to make a few really well fitted ones that work with my life and my style.

And if it takes me two weeks to fit the pattern, then so be it.

And it it takes me four versions to really nail the fit…….I think you know the answer.

Rule 10 – It’s meant to be fun!

I know I’ve discussed before how when I create I focus on the product, not the process. This isn’t necessarily a good thing. For starters, being focused on the finished garment doesn’t give me much headspace for creativity. And my life is probably the poorer for that. Felicia discusses this topic far more eloquently than I do. If you’re all about the product I highly recommend you check out this post. Even if you’re all about the process, go read anyway. She’s fabulous!

So there we go. My new guidelines for sewing.

Except they’re not new, really. They’re what I should have been doing all along. They just got lost in the rush to get stuff made.

Does any of this ring a bell with you? Or are you one of the smart ones who remembers to do things right?

Style 1035 – a simple blouse

January 29, 2016

It felt good to be back in the sewing saddle this week. Although the shameful layer of dust on the overlocker was testament to how long it’s been since I’ve ridden this particular pony!

I made this simple blouse for my friend Liz in payment for her sewing up of the Longfellow cardigan. We often trade skills and it works out really well.

The pattern I used is OOP Style 1035, which comes from Liz’s stash.

Scannable Document

Whilst the styling on the pattern is quite dated, the pieces in this are really good, solid basics.

Liz decided on the little jacket, but the fabric she chose was a fantastic charity shop find that made the end result more of a blouse. It was a pale green cotton voile scarf that, if memory serves, cost her less than £2. As she’s petite and slender there was no issue in cutting a short sleeved version of this for her from the fabric available.

Style_1035

I’ll admit that it was a bugger to handle. Shifty, fraying, downright pesky. And I’m fairly sure there’s not a straight seam to be had! Although I can confirm that the hem is even, although it doesn’t look it in these photos.

Seams were simply overlocked. French seams would have been preferable but we were pushed for time. Sleeve and bodice hems were hand stitched – primarily because they’d look prettier, but also because it was so much easier than trying to get this fabric to behave and sew a straight and neat hem!

The upside of this is that it drapes beautifully (and hides a multitude of sins doing so) and is lightweight and airy.

Style_1035_2

The buttons are from Liz’s stash. Liz’s stash is impressive. Her sewing room is a veritable Aladdin’s Cave of haberdashery, yarn and patterns…both knitting and sewing.

All in all not a bad start to the sewing year.

The tyranny of a handmade wardrobe

November 18, 2015

Image from BurdaStyle

For as long as I’ve known him, which is nearly 10 years, the husband has been giving me a very hard time about the state of my wardrobe.

I’ve know women who have snuck bags of clothes into the back of the wardrobe and burnt the receipts in the vain hope of their other half not noticing that they’ve been shopping again. I am not one of those women.

Neither am I one of those women who struggle to fit another thing in the cupboard and have no idea what delights lurk at the back of the closet.

Nope…I’m the girl with 6 things in her wardrobe and who, when an event comes up unexpectedly, genuinely has nothing to wear. I’m not even kidding! I can wear a pair of jeans and 3 tops to destruction…and frequently have. That’s why tumble dryers were invented! And why hubby has been so frustrated with me!

Whilst I can in clear conscience say that during the early years of our relationship our finances meant that it was more important for the kids to be clothed well and for the husband to be kept in suits than for me to have an outfit for every event; or that, at 5 foot 7 and plus sized, clothes shopping isn’t the most fun because I sit squarely between standard and tall sizes and, well, everyone over a size 14 knows how tricky finding your size on the rack can be, these were really nothing more than excuses for not having anything to wear.

No. In reality, the single most significant contributor to the lack of clothing in my wardrobe is one small and seemingly innocuous phrase.

“I could make that.”

I could make that blue instead of lime green with pink dots. I could make that cheaper. I could make that with a better fit. I could make that better quality. I could make that and people in Bangladeshi sweatshops wouldn’t die so I have clothes on my back.

I could make that.

Except…I have 2 young children who have faced challenges due to the circumstances of their births. Boy didn’t sleep through the night or past 5am until he started school. It’s only in the last 3 months that he regularly sleeps past 6.30am. He used to sit and scream for hours on end. Hours. I’m telling you…that makes for one tired mum!

Except…For the early years of their lives I was studying to finish my degree. Then I was doing up the house. And doing it again. And now I’m studying to become an accountant.

Except…my husband works away from home all week. He leaves at 6.15 on a Monday morning and gets home late on a Thursday evening. It used to be Sunday to Friday. This is bliss!

Except…I have a home to run and family and friends.

Except….

Now don’t get me wrong. My life is exactly how I want it to be. Well…apart from the husband working away bit, but we’re a team and it’s the nature of his work, so I’m not complaining. And my kids are champions to have come through some much.

But adding to everything the desire to make every. single. item of clothing I wear. And for the kids too. It wasn’t my greatest idea!

Let’s face it, though. We are surrounded by people who do this. Who sew fabulous garments one after the other. Who have drawers full of beautiful handmade lingerie. And stunning hand knit sweaters.

We are reminded that oftentimes the clothes we can purchase are made with the sweat and blood and lives of people who will never have the luxury of choosing whether their wardrobes are handmade, ethically produced and locally sourced. Sadly the tone is often one of reproach towards anyone who strays from this path.

I hasten to add at this point that I’m not advocating mass consumerism. Regular trips to the shops is not my idea of fun. I have never and will never purchase a thing from Primark. £2 t-shirts cannot be considered a Good Thing for anyone.

I still want to get to a point where I’m making more than I’m buying. But let’s get real. At the moment this ain’t gonna happen.

Over the last few months, however, as my thinking on this has shifted, I’ve been making a few strategic purchases.

So now, if the hubby wants to take me out to dinner, I’ve got a couple of nice dresses that do the trick. Coffee with friends…jeans and a cute top. Ditto cinema dates or a day out with himself.

I have cosy boots to do the school run and cute loafers for a lunch date.

It is wonderful.

I used my Wardrobe Architect knowledge to ensure that everything goes together. And something quite marvellous has come out of this.

I now have a very, VERY clear idea of what I want to sew. I know what it is I reach for in any given situation. I know what colours garner the most compliments and what shapes I feel most comfortable in.

This has been a revelation. Not only is this one less thing to stress about, but it’s also given me a plan for moving forward with my sewing. I promise to share that soon in another post.

The moral of this story is that whilst the goal of a completely handmade wardrobe is a worthy and worthwhile aim, it’s ok if life prevents you achieving that right now. It’s ok to cut yourself a little slack and shop a little. Who knows…it might be as revelatory for you as it has been for me!

The making of Chanel’s FW15 collection…..swoon!

September 30, 2015

With the estate agents coming tomorrow to put our little house on the market I have no sewing of my own to share.

I think this is a wondrous substitute.

Enjoy!

Summertime

July 20, 2015

….and the living is busy!

So much going on here. The kids are on holiday from school now for 7 weeks. Already we have a playdate with friends and sleepovers at grandparents planned. A week at playscheme will be a good break for all of us, as will spending the last week with friends in Bedford. It’s hard to believe but when they go back in September Button will be in juniors.

Needless to say everyone is tired. Boy threw the mother of all tantrums this morning and after 3 hours (I kid ye not) of yelling and stamping and tears and throwing toys around the place he’s finally asleep. Button is enjoying the respite as much as I. Things will settle soon after a few days of chillin’.

Husband and I are shattered as, despite not completing the reno on this house, we’re thinking the best option might actually be to move!

I know….it was totally outta the blue for us too. But our current home is teeny tiny with a garden the size of a postage stamp. After a recent visit to our friends in Bedford and their half acre garden, Button would stand at our bedroom window wistfully wishing that we could knock the fence down between us and our neighbours. Add in that we have need of a home office and a dedicated sewing room and only one small room that could eventually be argued over and we decided it’s time. Trying to sew, eat and run a business from the kitchen table is getting old! We’ve spent the last few weeks looking at everything on the market that remotely fitted the bill. We think we may have found the ideal candidate. There’s another interested buyer so we may lose out…time will tell. I’ll let you know as things develop.

So, as you’d expect, there’s not much creativity happening here.

A little knitting…..

This is Brooklyn Tweed’s Longfellow by Michele Wang which I’m knitting in Drops Alpaca in Navy (colour 5575) for Hubby.

There’s also a quilt to be layered ready for hand quilting:

And a new bag kit that I received as a birthday gift from my in-laws:

Mine will be red leather.

That should keep me occupied over the holidays. I’m hoping to get a little time at the machine too. I’ve two lots of fabric for shirts for Boy and the yellow blouse is going to be remade for Button.

I’m planning a version of her Liberty blouse, this time with a pleated front as per her request.

I think it will suit her more than me!

I also have a couple of makes that need photographing. Perhaps we’ll have a day of nice weather soon and we can get out and about with the camera.

Priority for the next 7 weeks, though, is picnics and playing in the park. Reading and drawing. Visits to the zoo and museums. Playdates and pyjama days. Pretty much taking the days as they come. Hopefully without too many meltdowns! Either theirs or mine!

So posting will sporadic…I’m sure you’ll understand. In the meantime I’m off to do some colouring with a small girl. I’ll see you soon.

BurdaStyle 130 – blue silk prom gown

July 8, 2015

Despite the unusual 30+ degree heat here last week I managed to get the silk prom dress sewn in plenty of time and delivered on Saturday morning to a very happy neighbour. She popped round last night on the way to her prom to let me snap a couple of quick photos.

She looked stunning, and I received a lovely message from her this morning telling me how happy she was with the dress and that it was much admired by her friends. Phew!

As I mentioned in my last post the pattern is BurdaStyle 12/2011 #130 and I made it in silk crepe backed satin in Royal Blue from Beckford Silk. I sewed the dress with the matte crepe side of the silk as the right side of the fabric. We both agreed it gave the dress a more elegant look.

As usual the instructions from the Burda pattern were ‘interesting’ and so I made some of the construction up as I went along!

As the silk is very lightweight I wanted to put as little weight as possible in the seams so I finished them with a ‘stitch and pink’ edging. French seams would have been beautiful but ran the risk of being simply too bulky and heavy. As this is an occasion dress that won’t get a great deal of wear, I’m not concerned about the seam finish not holding up to wear and tear.

The above photo shows the inside of the armhole which is gently held in place with herringbone stitch which catches just a couple of threads of the main fabric to hold it in place and is virtually invisible when you look at the finished dress.

The neckline facing and hem were hand-stitched in place, this time with teeny tiny slip stitches. I wanted them to look almost invisible from the outside…I think I succeeded.

When Katie collected the dress on Saturday morning it looked less than stellar on the hanger.

But…we’d had three fittings and I was confident that all would be well once the dress had been to the dry cleaners for a professional press.

I was right!

Being ultra critical there’s still a little wrinkling on the seams, but only us in the know will notice that and, let’s be honest, all eyes were on Katie, not the seams!

And, of course, the demure front of the dress hides a daring secret at the back…

I lengthened the neck tie, which threads through a casing at the neckline of the front bodice, to nearly 3 metres long to get this dramatic effect.

If you’d asked me a week ago I’d have had choice words to say about this gown, but today, seeing the result and that beautiful, happy smile, I can safely say it was worth every single stitch.