Second Sassy - finally!

For the first time in months I feel that I have enough head space to get back into regular sewing time. I even started thinking about UFOs. I currently have two sewing projects hibernating and they are beginning to play on my mind. So this week I put on my big girl pants and faced one. My second Sassy Librarian Blouse.

I completed my first SLB last year. I love this pattern. L. O. V. E. The neckline and cute Peter Pan collar, the vents that aren't darts and just enough shaping to stop it from being boxy and yet not fitted. And then there are all the options - sleeves or sleeveless, tucks at the front, a cute bow at the front opening.

For my second one, I decided to have a go at the tucks and sleeveless bound armscye. I also made the collar and armhole binding is in a solid contrasting fabric to the patterned main fabric. I added 1" in length. I'm a bit long waisted. A little between the bust dart and armscye and a bit more between the bust dart and vents. But I did forget to increase the length of the front facing. Duh!I

I refreshed my knowledge on pleated fronts and bound armscyes on the Craftsy platform. I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed Christine's style. What a great smile!

The blouse came together really well. I motored through the tucks. And then....

Stopped...

Fast forward 18 months (yes, really that long). I had pulled a heap of stuff out of my craft cupboard and was looking at the pattern pieces - all cut out and ready to go. There were fewer reasons to put it all back away than to get to and finish it. So I did. Using a pattern for a second time is a bit like riding a bike; you never forget. It did help that I'd written copious notes during make #1. But I did re-review (is this a word?) binding the armscye on Craftsy. I made up the collar and faced the shirt. I found making the collar and manipulating the facings so much easier this time.

Using different fabric for the collar and binding did present a small challenge. I think that the armscye binding could have been a little longer. The binding fabric wasn't as flexible as the main fabric.

All in all I'm really pleased with the way SLB#2 turned out. I do have fabric for #3. Hopefully it won't be 18 months before I finish this one. :)

Ice skating on butter...

I've started on another version of my current fave pattern Vogue 1071 but this time view B (the picture on the right). Main differences are set in sleeves and buttons down the front (not back).

I've had this beautiful fabric in my stash for a little while courtesy of those fab girls at The Drapery. I went in looking for something else completely, walked past their remnants basket and spied this. It's from the Lou Lou Thi collection by Anna Maria Horner. Sigh! I couldn't leave it there. It needed a good home. Take a moment to check this fabric out. The pattern is delightful - sunflowers! And the quality of the fabric is breathtaking (yes, I gasped when I touched it!). It felt like butter. 

I spent last night layout out and tracing the pattern pieces. The usual size 12. This pattern is verging on vintage and needs to be looked after. Tonight I had enough time to cut out the fabric before dinner. But X had his homework spread out over the dining table which is where I usually cut out. I got inventive. The kitchen island bench was empty - cleared in readiness for dinner. I estimated that there would be enough length but maybe not width. What the heck! Have a go. Wide enough. Just. 

So I laid out the fabric, positioned the pieces and started to cut. Wait a minute... Why haven't I done this before? The pins slid over the granite. No sticking at all! Then I started cutting. It was like skating on butter.

Vogue 1071

I'm slowly developing a few TNT patterns. And Vogue 1071 (view A - the one on the left in the picture below) is probably the first one - almost without realising it. Very occasionally the fitting gods smile down on me and they did with this pattern. When I first made it after "re-finding" this pattern in my mum's stash, the only mod I made was to open the neck up. The original is too tight. The rest of the fit in size 12 was just fine. This is a semi-fitted top so it doesn't have to be perfect.

Last weekend I found a spare day (I know it seems strange :)) and I needed a bit of stress relief. It has a been a very busy time. This pattern is vey simple - two pieces. The arms and bodice are one pattern piece. There are facings but I used bias binding for both the neck and sleeves. I had some cotton with pink flowers on cream just waiting for something to inspire me. There was a lightbulb moment when I saw the wider neckline on the Butterick 2444 and I knew that I wanted to try something similar with Vogue 1407. For my first make, I made up the back as two pieces with all seven buttons but for this one, I realised that I did have quite enough fabric for the buttoned back so I contemplated cutting the back on the fold (I never use the buttons on the original to get it on and off). But I couldn't quite stretch the fabric that far so I cut the back with a seam. And no, no pattern matching happening at all.

All in all the top took an afternoon to make. I wore it the next day to work. I love wearing me-mades to work.

This is a great top for work or casual. I am contemplating my next one in a sheer silk of some kind. I think this would be a good pattern to work on my technique for sheers.

OAL2014

This has been soooooo much fun! I was actually a bit torn... which do I start... dress or cardigan... cardigan or dress. So I started BOTH!

The Myrna. This is my second Andi Satterlund knit. My first, a Miette, is in very high rotation this winter, so this OAL's timing is perfect. I love how quickly 10ply knits up. And the Bendigo 10ply is a dream to knit. I spent half my time patting the wool. The colour is a little bit like butter and for some reason that's what I think of when I'm touching it. I did have a moment with the keyhole in the back. It's shape didn't look so good after knitting, but after finishing, I have to say it looks fine.

I was checking out Lauren's posts on the OAL dress when she snuck in one about stabilising button bands with petersham ribbon. What a good idea. There's nothing worse than having a fab cardi ruined by the dreaded GAPING BETWEEN THE BUTTONHOLES. So I went hunting for some butter-coloured ribbon and stabilised those bands. Very happy with the result. Minor issue with the size of button holes made. Note to self: when using irregular (flower-shaped) buttons, make the size of the holes just a little bit bigger. Whilst I can open the buttons, it's not an easy job. Oh well, I'll just have to wear it all day. Can you tell? I love it. Love. It.


Simplicity 2444. I've not made this dress before. This is a wearable muslin. This fabric is not what I would usually pick but nice enough and the lemon colour matches my buttery wool. The double bodice darts intrigued me and whilst full skirts aren't my "thing" I thought that a pleated skirt would be worth trying.

So I was making this up and, because I like doing this kind of thing, I hand basted all my skirt pleats down about 1 1/2 inch from the waistband. I still had the basting in when I first tried it on. A little bit of pulling over the hips, but wow! I really liked the silhouette. As a rectangle, any assistance in waist definition  is good (one reason that I generally make straight rather than full skirts). I usually end up looking like a box when I try on gathered or pleated full skirts. This was a nice compromise. But because it pulled and it was just hand basting, I took out the basting. Nice, but not as good as before. So I made the closed pleats permanent by stitching them down. Much better. There is also some gaping at the neckline. I've read that others have had the same problem. I might slip a couple of little darts in around the neck if I get around to it later, but I will make changes to the pattern. I will use this bodice again. Don't know if my wardrobe will stretch to another full skirt but I definitely use the bodice again.

I actually finished both the cardi and the dress in time for the grand reveal but then got sick and had to travel for work so either didn't feel like photos or wasn't anywhere near my new outfit to take them. So instead, here's my own personal reveal. Better late than never.

Book Week for The Princess

Do your kids participate in any book week activities? Mine do (or have done) with a parade at school.  I think this year was my 9th one but my first in a while where only one was involved. X is now too big (and too cool) for this kind of thing. But The Princess is still right into it. We spent a week gathering ideas. Which book? Which character? She decided on Sophie from Sophie's Misfortune. This is a lovely book by Comtesse de Ségur written in 1858 for her grandchildren which has been translated recently by Adelaide's own Stephanie Smee. So what does Sophie wear?

I spent a bit of time checking out the story and more time checking out the cover (and any other cover versions I could find online). Not much there beyond a white or light coloured dress.

So artistic interpretation was definitely an option. I have invested in a few girls patterns lately, including Simplicity 1457. A very versatile pattern. Options for length, sleeves and neckline. And a cute little bag included.

After much consultation with The Princess, we landed on a lovely poplin with a light embroidered pattern overlaying a tiny red and mint strawberry pattern. From our local Spotties. Cap sleeves and round neck. I made up a 12 which is still a little big, but maxed out the length. A few reviews mentioned it was on the short side. The length was ok in the end. 

Nothing special in the construction. The yoke is fully faced, which could be overkill but given I was using a light weight fabric I went with it. It looked fine. I had a zen moment hemming the dress. I decided to do it by hand. There is something calming about working a hem with a fine needle and thread (I am contemplating more hand sewing - don't know how I'll fit it in though). I bought mint coloured ribbon to match for her hair, but ended up embellishing the front with a bow too. I think it's a nice touch.

Importantly, The Princess is dead chuffed with the result. Lots of compliments on the day and she is already contemplating when she can wear the dress again (although it's spent a little too long in the ironing basket since). 

Jeans refashion skinnier

So I've had this pair of cord jeans with animal print! For some time now. They're from a couple of years ago and haven't got much air time. I like them but... you know... Near enough but not quite good enough. I found them again a couple of weeks ago during a camping clothes clean out. They nearly ended up rock climbing and sitting around campfires. But in a moment of inspiration, I put them aside on the "repurpose/refashion" pile. And then they started to whisper to me "Come on, you want to wear us again. Get out your favourite pair of skinny jeans and cut us down to fit. You know you want to. And we've leopard print too." So tonight after finishing a current project (trying to cut down on these too:)) I picked them up again, grabbed my fave skinnies and got started.



Very soon after I started seriously checking out other people's sewing blogs I discovered  Miss P who is a fabulous refashioner. Check her out. She has a great post on quick and easy jeans modification, which I followed closely.

The photos are terrible - grainy night time doesn't do the leopard print justice. But I'm really happy with the outcome. The jeans have stopped whispering. They're know they will have an outing this week.

At the starting blocks...

Today I officially begin the 2014 OAL. I ordered that 10ply Luxury from Bendigo Woollen Mills I mentioned last time and it's arrived. I've put the fabric and wool together. Check it out. I'm buzzing!

Today's job is to draft the pattern pieces. I will need to modify the waist and I will pay attention in case I need to make a potential swayback adjustment. Hopefully that's all I need.