dressmaking Archives - Page 4 of 17

A flying visit

June 30, 2015

Hello m’dears. I’ve been absent for what seems like ages and thankfully this time it’s been down to having fun rather than coughing like a badger!

Last week was my birthday and Hubby took the week off work and we had a lovely time. Monday evening we celebrated with the family and the rest of the week we pootled and had outings and rounded the week off with a lovely Italian dinner and rather too much champagne.

This week I’ve got my nose to the grindstone. My neighbour has her prom a week from today and I’m making her a gown. I thought I had a lot of time….but, in typical fashion, I’d got the dates wrong and need this finished by the weekend!

I’m making her this BurdaStyle gown sans the rosette.

Her fabric is this beautiful silk crepe backed satin in royal blue from Beckford Silk:

This is the first time I’ve purchased from this company and I’ve been really pleased with the levels of customer service and the quality of this fabric.

The colour is saturated and whilst the fabric is, of course, a bear to cut, it’s a joy to stitch and feeds through the machine with no shenanigans. For which, in my current time constrained manner, I’m eternally grateful.

I’m sewing the medium weight silk for this dress and my preference would have been the heavier, but 16 year olds have definite ideas so who am I to argue?

Thankfully I’m on schedule (yep…I have a schedule for this one…no room for slippage on time) and I’ve just inserted a beautiful invisible zip…hence the time for a quick coffee break and a quick pop in here to say hello.

I’m off now to start on those pleats. Wish me luck…I’ll see you on the other side!

Simplicity 1660 – two new tops for me!

June 7, 2015

Finally, finally, I’ve done some sewing for me. The sewjo has been on the missing list for far too long where I’m concerned, but last week it returned with a vengeance.

I’d been toying with buying the Sutton Blouse pattern from True Bias

when I remembered I had this pattern already in my stash.

Saving pennies wasn’t the only consideration; the sizing of the Simplicity pattern meant that I could get straight to sewing with minimal fuss. Aside from the time taken to tape the Sutton PDF together, I’d also have needed to do some grading as I fall outside their size range at the moment.

It was a complete no brainer!

I’ve made them both up using the hemline of version B and the sleeves of version A without the cuffs.

The first version is made up in a poly georgette from Abakhan that I bought ages ago from their oddments bin. I swear I didn’t pay more than £5 for this. In fact £2.50 is lurking in my head. I really must get better at recording this stuff. It was a beast to sew with…a very slippery customer…but is lovely to wear and the perfect fabric for this top.

S1660 is a really easy sew and, for once, I did things right and checked my measurements against the finished measurements and cut my size accordingly. The only adjustment I made to the pattern was to add 2″ to the length. The neckline is a bit closer on me than the diagram, so I shaved 1/2″ off the neckline on the second version. I think I need to shave at least another 1/2″ off future iterations as you’ll see.

The back has this cute overlapping v-neck and slight gathering into the yoke. The sleeves are cut as one with the body.

This is such a quick sew. Even with the fiddly fabric this was sewn in an afternoon.

Which was why I quickly cut out a second version from a fabric I’ve had in my stash for For. Ever! Christmas 2012 to be precise!

This is Art Gallery Voile in Praline Honey and it’s buttery soft and delightfully lightweight.

It’s a wonderful fabric to sew with, but be warned it creases almost as much as linen!

These pictures show how fabric choice influences how a pattern turns out. The poly georgette is one of the recommended fabrics on the pattern envelope. The voile is possibly just a wee bit structured for this blouse, but I still think it’s quite successful.

It’s not as fluid over the bust, but it’s more noticeable on the photos than in real life. I’d also remove the shirt tail hem at the back if I made this up in cotton again.

Summer tops are scarce in my wardrobe at the moment so both of these tops are in very heavy rotation until my next project is done. I’ve got Butterick 6024 cut out and ready to sew.

But, rest assured, you’ll be seeing S1660 again in the not too distant future!

She wears the pants….winner!

May 22, 2015

I’m pleased to announce the winner of this copy is Katy M!

Congratulations Katy. Please drop me an email with your home address and I’ll pop this in the post to you.

Thank you to everyone who entered the competition and the debate. I’ve really enjoyed the conversation.

She wears the pants – review and giveaway

May 13, 2015

Yay…giveaway time! I lurve a good giveaway and this one’s no exception.

The lovely peeps over at Tuttle shared this book with me for review, but you know, as always, all opinions are my own.

So, to the book. Can we talk about the elephant in the room first? “She wears the pants”. What were they thinking? The original title of the book “She has a mannish style” is much more appropriate and really shows how easily things can get lost in translation, and why it’s so important to check cultural norms when carrying out any translation work. To be honest, my preference would have been for them to include some of the strap-line and title the book “She has an urban style”, which would actually better encapsulate the contents of this book.

Like all Japanese sewing books this is very stylised. Perhaps a little too much for my taste. Some of the photos are a somewhat too dark to properly see the garment, and you have to rely on the technical drawing. For me, this isn’t a book I’d make lots out of, but that’s because I’m not that hip! I don’t think it’s an age thing, more a personal style thing.

That said there are some garments that with a little tweak would fit perfectly in my wardrobe, you just have to restyle them in your head.

I love this jacket and think it would be a great trans-season piece in a good weight of ponté jersey.

This draped cardigan would look great with cigarette trousers and loafers.

This is a very classic blouse that would work in just about anyone’s wardrobe.

And with a bit of length added this blouse would work brilliantly with leggings or jeans.

As you’d expect the instructions are minimal but you do have some really clear drawings to help you out.

And the pattern pieces included in the back don’t have seam allowances, so you’ll need to add them.

Finally, I have one final, but rather large caveat, and that’s the sizing. Whilst I appreciate that the Japanese market for which this book was originally intended is markedly more petite than the western market this edition is designed for, I’m surprised and disappointed at the very small range of sizes included.

Even taking the largest size I’d be having to grade that bust up by at least 30%. Which is a real shame because there’s a whole section of the sewing population that would love to dive into cool, Japanese sewing patterns and can’t because they either don’t have the skills or the inclination to carry out such a significant grading exercise. I probably fall into the middle of both categories.

I really hope the publishers take this on board as more of these books become available in English and that they expand their size ranges accordingly.

However, let’s not detract from the fact that, quibbles aside, this is a great book that I’d definitely recommend if your style leans toward an urban look.

And I have a copy up for grabs!

I’d love to hear your thoughts on Japanese patterns in general and sizing in particular, so leave me a comment below before Friday 22nd May and I’ll draw the winner at random.

Little Geranium dress in Liberty Tana Lawn

April 21, 2015

When I bought the fabric for Button’s recent blouse I was hopeful that I’d have enough for a little gift for Alice (who-isn’t-a-cat, but that seems a bit redundant these days) who was expecting a little gift of her own.

Oh, she’s so lovely. My heart melts. What better way to welcome her than with a teeny tiny dress?

Of course the pattern is Rae’s Little Geranium Dress which is available for free in size 0 – 3 months. If you haven’t already fallen for this wonderful pattern (at which point I’m scratching my head and wondering if I should call a medic!) then this is a great way to test it out so you can realise the error of your ways!

This version is lined with white cotton lawn, to keep it soft against little skin.

Simple red buttons on the back.

A perfect gift for any little girl…especially one so adorable!

Sewing for your girls….giveaway winners.

April 19, 2015

Classic Button…sassy as sassy can be!

But it’s time to pick the lucky winners of the Sewing for Your Girls giveaway. I used Random.org to select them.

So, Birdie and Katie Sinclair you each get a copy of this adorable book.

Ladies, please drop me an email with your postal address and I’ll get your copy out to you as quickly as I can.

Thank you to everyone who entered…I wish I had a copy for each of you. But I’ve another giveaway coming soon. This time it’s one for the grown ups, so do stay tuned.

Sewing for your girls – review and giveaway

April 10, 2015

Thanks to the lovely guys over at Tuttle Publishing I received a copy of their new title “Sewing for your girls” by Yoshiko Tsukiori, which is available in the UK from Amazon on the 15th April 2015.

I decided to road test this book and the blouse I’ve been teasing you with is Basic Pattern #7 (catchy, no?) made up in Liberty Tana Lawn purchased from Washable Fabrics on Preston Market for a tenner.

This book is delightful. There are 8 patterns in total, 7 of which has a basic and an applied version, which, as you’ve probably guessed, has a little more going on. You’ll see from the photo above, which is the blouse I made, that using pattern #7 you can make an adorable blouse or a lovely summer dress.

As well as the patterns the book also has a wealth of clearly photographed advice to give you the best chance of getting a great result.

The patterns traced from printed pattern sheets that are stored in the back of the book. A word to the wise….they don’t include seam allowances to do allow for that when tracing. Ask me how I know!!!

Given the chance I’d change a couple of things about this book, but they are only minor gripes.

So…to the blouse. I really enjoyed sewing this one. It’s beautifully drafted with facings to the front and armholes and bias binding to the back neckline. The front ruffles and round collar add a sweet touch without being overly twee. This is a good thing. I’m not mad on ruffles but these hit the mark.

Button didn’t want to do photos, so we decided that dancing was the only way forwards.

I cut a size 120 for my 116cm tall 7 year old, based not only on height but chest measurements.

I couldn’t be happier with the result.

Button loves it too!

The details on this top are really quite lovely.

Gorgeous, no?

Now, if you, like me, have a very pernickety small girl to sew for then I suspect that you’d like a copy of this book too. Good job I’ve got a couple of copies to give away, then! 😉

Edited to remove Rafflecopter and say…leave me a comment below to be entered into the draw!

Sewing with The Archers – sneak peak

March 30, 2015

Oh it was all going so well. I was catching up with the shenanigans in Ambridge and making great progress with the little Liberty blouse I’m making for Button.

Front ruffle

Then on Thursday evening it was a sunny, if blustery evening, so I headed off to the park after school with the kids and the dog with the plan of blowing the cobwebs off us all.

Carter has recently returned from a 3 week training bootcamp which means he has much better manners. But he wasn’t socialised with other dogs as a pup and, to be honest, still gets ridiculously giddy around them. He’s like a teenage boy backstage at a Victoria’s Secret runway show….hasn’t the first idea how to behave!

Neckline binding

So when a small puppy decided he simply had to play with Carter….well, Carter wanted to play too. Unfortunately in his messing he wrapped my hand in the lead and pulled.

My fingers felt broken, but thankfully weren’t. But all sewing and knitting was on hold for a few days. The bruising is down now and I’m back in action!

Armhole facing

I’ve just the wee buttonholes and buttons to sew. I’m planning to do them tomorrow. Because not only do I want to get this little top ready and move onto the next project…I want to find out what happens with Roy and his dispute with Elizabeth! And any Archers fans amongst you will know exactly how far behind I am.

I’ll be back soon with the finished article!

Grainline Linden….relearning a sewing lesson.

March 14, 2015

Wadder alert!

Whilst I love sharing things that have gone swimmingly…I think it’s also good to share the stuff that doesn’t quite work.

I’ve learnt from this project…maybe someone else will too.

:: :: :: :: ::

I’ve had my eye on the Linden pattern since Grainline initially launched the pattern.

I love traditional sweatshirts but they don’t love me…I’m the wrong shape for them. Despite this I had high hopes of Linden opening up lots of opportunities for sweatshirt love.

Sadly…I don’t think it’s going to be the case. Be warned…this ain’t pretty!

Cue massively unflattering photos. Not helped by the sweater being dragged back by my hands…but you get the picture!

I’m going to start out by saying that there is absolutely nothing wrong with this pattern. It’s my first Grainline pattern and it’s immaculately drafted and the instructions are really clear.

This is a clear case of hope triumphing over experience.

I know that raglan sleeves aren’t the best for me because I have sloping shoulders that don’t support the top of the sleeve.

I know I need to be cautious of scooped necklines…if they’re loose then they tend to slip and slide.

I knew I needed to do a FBA and that would involve adding a bust dart. In this case it’s still a tiny bit long and a tiny bit low. Which would be hidden in a plain fabric but isn’t on this striped fabric.

The fabric comes from the “what the hell was I thinking pile”!

And I know I just need a bit more shape in a garment.

Whilst this is undoubtedly a trainwreck of a garment, it’s all good! This has been a great and worthwhile process for me.

Over the last year I’ve gained quite a bit of weight….you can hardly have missed it. Mostly this has been driven by medication impacting on appetite, quite a bit of it steroid based because of my repeated bouts of bronchitis and accompanying chest infections.

(Cue too many cakes and too much pasta!)

These chest problems have also severely limited my ability to exercise, as has a very frozen shoulder for the last 6 months.

My changed shape size has undoubtedly knocked my sewing mojo. I’m not overly inclined to sew for myself at this size as I’m determined that this isn’t a permanent state of affairs. Getting back to full health/fitness is a huge priority for me. It seems such a waste of fabric…which is frankly crazy. I still need stuff to wear…

My judgement as to what suits me is also off at the moment. The photos above evidence that.

However….I do know that I’m glad I tried this pattern. I bought it on sale and the fabric was very inexpensive too. So it was an experiment that cost me a little money, a little time, but has taught me to really trust my instincts.

If I listen to myself I know what suits me. It comes back to the work I did with Wardrobe Architect last year. I need to revisit this because, even with this fuller shape, the principles still apply.

So that’s what I’m going to do. I spent some time this past week sorting fabric and patterns in my stash. Some are to go into storage until I have my new sewing room up and running, hopefully by the end of the year. These are mainly lovely vintage winter fabrics…I see some beautiful jackets in my Winter 2015 wardrobe.

Others are patterns that I’m planning to build my Summer 2015 wardrobe around. I have a few fabrics that I’ve been hoarding for too long….and a pile of patterns that had me exclaiming over and over again “oh! I’d forgotten I had that!”.

It’s time to build a plan, I think. I’ll be back with that soon….and a much more successful make!

Sewing for kids…Japanese pattern books reviewed

December 5, 2014

I’d like to lay money on the fact that you’re far more organised than I am as we look down the barrel of Christmas. Chez Stitches there is hardly a gift purchased, nor the handmade ones even started. Today the house lies under a layer of dust as the walls are chased out to fit the new patio door. The decorator is coming on Sunday to finish the last room.

And, although I’m not a gambling woman, I’m sure its safe to say that you’ve already written to Santa, explaining that it really wasn’t your fault and that you should actually be safely ensconced on the “nice” list!

So, whilst sewing is likely the last thing on your mind at the moment, don’t forget that this will all be over in a couple of weeks and normal service will be resumed. And with that in mind, if you’ve got small peeps in the household, drop everything, fire up the laptop, and send Santa photographic evidence of your innocence and ask, nay beg, him to pop a copy of any, or, indeed, all, of the following books into your Christmas stocking. Because once the glitter dust of Christmas has settled, you’re going to want to make the wee ones All. Of. The. Things!

First up…Sew Chic Kids by Ruriko Yamada:

Such cute, easy to sew casual clothes for boys and girls aged 2 to 8, with full sized pattern sheets in the back of the book.

Clear diagrams walk you through the construction, with top tips to help you get a great result.

Basically all the beautiful design and inspiration that we’ve come to expect from Japanese sewing books, but in English! Soooooo cool!

Sew Sweet HandMade Clothes for Girls by Yuri Araki is chock full of adorable outfits for your favourite girl aged 1 – 8.

This time the instructions have written sewing steps as well as detailed diagrams.

There’s even a couple of photographic sewing lessons that walk you through the construction of a little sleeveless dress, but which also shows you techniques that are used in other garments in the book. Genius!

And last, but not least, is Girls Style book by Yoshiko Tsukiori and H.H.

Aimed at little girls aged 4 – 10 the styling is a little more grown up but still very age appropriate. And again there are written sewing steps to make the whole process even simpler.

When Tuttle approached me to review Sew Sweet, I was really pleased to do so as I’d been contemplating purchasing my own copy of this having seen the beautiful clothes Sanae stitches for her daughter. To receive all three books was an unexpected and delightful bonus.

The patterns are all classic styles that can be sewn over and over again for your littlies without their wardrobes becoming tired or dull. They have clean lines that showcase gorgeous fabrics, and simple closures to make them quick and easy to sew and for small folk to put on and off.

For me this is the hallmark of a great sewing book. Inspirational styling with practical wearability, clear instructions to help you get a beautiful result, and a range of sizes that ensures you’ll get great value for money (I checked the price of these on Amazon UK today and they’ll set you back about £12. Less than the price of most indy sewing patterns and working out to as little as 50p per pattern dependent on the book!)

So…tell Santa to sort it! Or treat yourself so that you’ve got something to look forward to in the grey and dismal days of January. Either way…you’ll be glad you did!

Thanks to Tuttle Publishing for providing me with these books for review. (Guys…I’ve lost your emails in the transfer of laptops…apologies!) And to Sewing Princess for pointing them in my direction. As always all opinions are my own, but I can sleep easy knowing that if you’ve got small folk you’ll love these patterns. And expect to see my little Miss and Mr popping up in makes from them next year

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