Hello Chevron Ensis!

Did I tell you that I am in Love with Papercut Patterns - okay so moving right along then, let's talk about my Ensis Tee which I've made up in this fabulous cream and black chevron.

The top black pieces are NZ merino, a remnant piece from my stash and the bottom is a polyester knit, recently found on Trade Me (the NZ equivalent to EBay).  Yes, I did say polyester!  I've been looking for chevron knit fabric but NZ seem to be behind the rest of the world in realising that this is popular right now.  There are plenty of overseas online stores with great cotton knits but the shipping makes it really, really expensive for a knit fabric - so I've settled for a poly!

In saying that, the polyester hangs really nicely and just needed hemming with a double needle, which looks awesome btw!

I made a size xtra small and added 1" to the sleeve length, well actually to the cuff length.  I'm a bit of a fan of the deeper cuff :-)  Note to self for next time, add about 1/2" to the width of the cuff, which will still be a snug fit, but will be a little easier to attach to those pesky sleeve ends.

I like how the upper body and arms have a snug fit but through the body it's a little more free flowing.  I like how this pattern could also be sewn up in a double knit, perhaps a size bigger and be a great stylie sweater - version 1 with the bands lends itself that way, or you could add a bit of length and get a lovely tunic top.

My Papercut love includes:
Peter and the Wolf Pants
Circle Top 2 - Black
Circle Top 1 - Red

As always more photos on my Flickr -->

Hi Low Raglan

This was love at first sight!

This is the Hi Lo Raglan pattern from Jamie Christina.  The best part is that there was no waiting around to get this one made up:  download, tape together, fabric from stash and wolla a new top all in a day :-)

There's not really much to say about this one, so let me start with fabric - all from the stash!  The pattern is designed for a knit fabric but has enough ease that I used a woven lightweight satin for the body and a stretch mesh for the sleeves.  I used some frusible stay tape around the neck edges before I began to sew - six seams in total.

The cuff end of the sleeves are raw, which is what I love about mesh.  The bottom of the body is turned up and finished with a tricot stitch - I could have used a double needle, but nah!

Next time I make this, and there will be a next time, I'll add just a tad more ease around the hips.  This one is a satin and just slides nicely over my skinny but there isn't a lot of room there.  I like the length at the front and back - just right :-)

I purchased another two Jamie Christina patterns, because it was sale time, and because I've been thinking about nice and easy things to wear over the holidays.  I couldn't pass up her Sol Hoodie and The Mission Maxi.  I really like her Abbey Coat but that might have to wait until next winter.

Not much to say and not many pictures, but as always there are more photots on my Flickr -->

Two months, 38 hours and counting

Back in October I embarked on construction of My Little French Jacket and it has been a bit of a journey.  I started with a hiss and a roar and was ahead of the game, each week waiting anxiously for the next sew-along post to come out - but then came the sleeves and a pile of other sewing that I wanted to do.  So when I picked it up yesterday, determined to conquer the sleeves I realised that it had been three weeks since I did any work on it!  Just as well I was ahead of the game, because after successfully getting those sleeves in I'm back on track, yay!  So I thought I would share a bit about the journey so far ....

I chose this cotton boucle and silk lining - both purchased from The Fabric Store here in Wellington.

Muslin pieces all traced and thread traced.  I selected a pattern size according to my bust measurement and made the muslin without any adjustments.  The upper body of the muslin was a great fit, but I had to let out the princess seams in the front for my waist and hips.  Minor adjustments in the scheme of things.

All the pattern pieces are thread traced on the stitch line.  The grainline is also thread traced.  The fabric is then placed over the lining and pinned on - this is where the grainline on the fabric is super useful.

The lining is then attached to the fabric by quilting lines.  This is the very first time I had heard or seen this technique.  I was super curious about how this wouldn't be visible from the outside - but it just get lost in the fabric, almost like magic!

I marked my quilting lines with pins.  Oh and this is where a walking foot on the sewing machine comes into its own - the best investment I ever made!

The seams of the fabric are then all sewn together and pressed open.   Those seams are sewn by machine but to ensure accuracy the seams are basted together first and then put under the machine foot.  The seams of the lining are then trimmed and hand stitched in place using a small fell stitch.  My fell stitches got better and better - the pic below is my sleeve which is looking pretty if I do say so myself :-)

Now the sleeves are also set in my hand. This was a first for me and a little daunting but once I just followed all Leisa's wonderful instructions it was a breeze. 

And here is where I'm at right now ... these two pics are both B&W :-)

Next, I need to work on closing the lining around the sleeve inset then it will be the hems, the trim and pockets.  I feel like I'm on the home straight now ....

Total time to date = 38 hours.

Wolf in the Wardrobe

So, Papercut Patterns added this new feature to their website "Made by You" and all you have to do is add the hashtag #iheartpapercut to your instagram post and your pic appears on their website.  This is such a cool feature - especially for those of us who are in love with Papercut Patterns.   Anyways, getting to my point, my pic of my Circle Tops (red and black) got selected as a winner and I got to choose a free Papercut Pattern.

This was such a difficult decision, but in the end I chose the Peter & the Wolf Pants.

I get really nervous when I make pants, cause if they don't fit straight out of the box I haven't really got it together enough to know how to go about making adjustments.  So thankfully they are wearable.

I chose a stretch cotton sateen from the Fabric Warehouse that I actually brought specifically for these pants.  The contrast is a stretch cotton and was probably just a wee bit to flimsy, but not that you can tell when I'm wearing them.

I made these on Saturday afternoon and worn them all day Sunday.  Initially I was really critical of them but they were actually quite comfy to wear.

I think the length is popular this summer and can be worn with a flat for a casual look or a heel for more of a dressy look.  I am 175cm tall and this length is exactly as the pattern provides.  I made a size small.

The pattern was a breeze to whip up.  The trickiest part would be attaching the front contrast and just because they are two curves bending in opposite directions.  So now is the time I should fess up to a wee boo boo!  I did read the pattern that said a 1cm seam allowance was provided, but when I got to driving the sewing machine I still stitched them up using a 1.5cm seam allowance.  It wasn't until I got to the side seams did I realise I was in auto pilot mode!  So the poor side seams are probably only .8cm.  Apart from being a bit tight around the lower thigh the fit if comfortable.

There is probably a bit too much fabric in the front which could be moved to the back, if I just knew what to adjust to fix that!

I haven't got many good photos, because my photographer daughter just wasn't interested in helping me out.  So there are a few more photos on my Flickr (far tooooo many butt shots than I feel comfortable with, but oh well I was grateful for any at all this day.

Floral - Summer - Wiggle

This cute little baby is my first ever full on floral dress (can you believe it!), and I am super in love with it.  Yay for the gorgeous summer days we've been having lately - no hanging around in the wardrobe for this dress.

As some of you might know I'm a little obsessed with Instagram atm and this wee obsession allowed me to be one of three lucky people to get a discounted 'end of stock' pattern from Blueginerdoll.  Abbey had rebranded all her pattern packaging and was looking to off-load the last of the 'old' Billie Jean patterns.

Actually, I was sitting on the fence about the pattern cause I just wasn't sure about the shoulder straps. The discount was just enough to tip me over and I must say it hasn't disappointed.

While I was in Auckland earlier in the month I managed to get in a wee bit of fabric shopping.  This lovely cotton sateen just kept calling my name and I kept walking away saying 'I don't do floral', but in the end the colours just drew me in.  I actually bought three pieces of fabric that day and this is the only one that has made it to my sewing table.

Billie Jean is described as a wiggle dress, but I actually have a heap of room to wiggle around in.  I think the pattern is very cleaver in that it looks super body hugging, but doesn't feel that way at all.   When walking it does call for small step, especially when paired with these shoes :).

The construction methods are fabulous making it almost impossible not to be able to line up the bodice princess seams with the skirt darts.   I think I might adopt this method for other patterns now.

I lined this dress with a black cotton viole, the perfect choice for a summer dress.  I did debate with myself about the length, but went with the pattern recommendation and think that it adds to the charm of the dress.

If you are sitting on the fence about this dress, there is no reason to be any more.  I'm sure my Billie Jean will get loads of wear this summer.

More photos on my Flickr -->

Oh to be like Jackie O!

This is the Brasilia Dress by House of Pinheiro.  A Jackie O inspired sheath dress that Rachel produced for the Fall for Cotton sew-along.

When I first saw Rachel's dress I thought it was to die for.  The inward darts at the bust are so unique - don't they just give the best shape to the dress.

I found this cotton sateen at the Fabric Barn in Lower Hutt.  I really wasn't sure about fabric until this one jumped off the shelf and into my arms!  I've used a solid black cotton to highlight the side insets, and to balance it up I've used the solid black along the hem as well.  I love the result, it gives my rectangular body shape the illusion of a curvy waist - yay me.

please ignore my sunburn lines - too much sun wearing my t-shirt.

The pattern came in one size, to match Rachel's measurements.  Luckily the waist and hips I didn't need to adjust but unfortunately I am not a C cup bust :(    I did my first SBA (small bust adjustment), reducing the bust by .5" and moved the apex of the darts by measuring the distance between the apex of each breast.  This worked out perfectly.

Because Rachel is so tall I had to remove some length from the torso area.  This felt a little strange because usually I have to add in length on most other patterns because of my height.  Anyway I removed 1.5" from the torso in addition to the .5" that was removed with the SBA.

I over complicated things a little trying to get the side insert correct after the SBA and removal of length and I've ended up with the front of the armhole looking a bit weird.  To overcome this I applied the bias binding so it formed a visable band around the armhole.  The weirdness is only noticeable when I move my arms backwards or stick my boobs out too far!

a weird armhole shape goin on!

I dropped the front neckline by .5" which is just a personal preference for me - I like things to sit under my collar bone.

The black band around the bottom was cut 2" deep and folded in half and applied to the hem as you would a bias binding.  This gives the dress an appropriate length that I could wear to the office without feeling like I was bearing too much leg!

The pattern recommended an invisible zipper but I thought for my fabric and blocking of colour it would be nice to do an exposed zipper - I love this feature, although I can't see it once I've got the dress on.

Usually I line ALL my dresses, but I decided not to line the Brasilia.  It is very comfy and fits like a glove.  It will be ideal for those hot summer days in the office.

I was a bit late to the pattern testing party (yay instagram), but I am so pleased Rachel allowed me to test her pattern.  Overall I love it and would definitely consider making another one.

If you are interested in stitching up this dress, it is due to be released on Christmas Day.  Keep an eye on Rachel's blog

More photos on my Flickr -->

Custom Made Bolero

I've made a few dresses lately and felt I was missing the one garment that would compliment them while keeping me warm as we transition through spring into summer.  Introducing the little black bolero!

This is a bit of a mis-mash of patterns.  First I started with the Sewaholic Renfrew which forms the base of the garment.  I reduced the length of the front and back pieces to 15.5" from base of neck to waist.  Then I took McCalls 5006 to shape the front,  which I had previously used to make THIS tie front cardie.  Lastly I used the band technique from the Papercut Patterns Circle Top I made HERE and HERE

I inserted the sleeves flat, just 'cos it's easier, then whipped the machine up the side and sleeve on both sides.

I flat measured the curved edges of the front, the bottom edge of the back and the neckline to determine how long to cut the band.  This is applied as you would bias tape.

I cut the Renfew in a size 4.  I removed 2" from the middle of the front, as I didn't want the fronts to meet but to just sit over my bust.  I made this with a cotton lycra, which I had bought to make multiple Renfrew's for the winter to wear under stuff as an extra layer - but didn't actually get there.  So the fabric still made it to a Renfrew but just not as initially planned.

I'm pretty happy with this.  Next time I want to make it in a lovely NZ merino but will re-draft with some adjustments:  cut a size 6 Renfrew, lengthen the shoulder seam toward the neck which will also give me more height in the back neck and front high chest, so it has just a little more coverage.  I think another 3/4" would do the trick!

I can see many more of these versatile little babies being made in a range of colours :-)   Far quicker to make one of these than actually use my knitting needles (sad to say).

More photos on my Flickr -->

Black Lace Ava

It would seem that I am in love with Victory Patterns at the moment ... first it was Lola, then Chloe 1 and Chloe 2 and now Ava.

My daughter loves wearing dresses (yay!) and had worn the death out of a dress we had bought for Christmas last year.   Ava is a very similar style and suits her hourglass figure like a glove.  However, teenagers are so fickle that choosing the right fabric was real marathon but after a trip to The Fabric Warehouse we walked out with a medium weight polytester which had a really nice drape to it.  The lace we had left over from a top I'd made for her back in May and that had already got the tick of approval.

I made up a muslin first to check fit, cutting out a size 12.  A small list of adjustments were required, but nothing major:

• Lengthened bodice by 1.5". 
• Moved shoulder seam back by 6/8" at neckline and 3/8" at shoulder seam. 
• Removed 1/2" from each side seam under the arm and tapered to the existing side seam at waist.

It was important for her that the dress bodice be body hugging.  Once the fashion fabric was cut and sewn I double checked fit before closing side seams and putting in the zipper.  Just as well because the fashion fabric had more ease than the muslin which required another 1/2" to be removed from the side seams.

The dress is not lined, which is okay by her.  The sweetheart neckline where the base fabric meets the lace is bound, as recommended by the pattern - that shit was fiddly, but I got there!

 

I underlined the sleeve caps with black chiffon from the stash, to provide them with a bit of stability.  I basted the sleeve caps in before binding the sleeve opening.  I bought some black cotton poplin and made my own bias binding for neck/sleeve openings and bound seems.  The polyester was just too heavy for that purpose.

The side zipper was inserted by hand using a pick stitch. Oh how I love it!

Overall the dress is her all time new fav and got her first official outing to the Beyonce concert recently.

A few more photos on my Flickr -->

Cotton Chloe

Cotton Chloe comes very hot on the heals of my first make

I wasn't intending to make another Chloe so quickly but .... I was in the Fabric Warehouse getting some cotton lining for my super cool geek fabric and spotted this cotton black/purple/cream fabric and just couldn't put it down.  I had very good intentions of only walking out with what I had come for - but my will power just wasn't that great.

Before I even got out of the shop I knew that this fabric would be sewn up into another Chloe.  I didn't make any changes to the dress itself.  The sleeves on the other hand I thought I would remove the excess fabric from the underarm seam.  On the first dress I took out 5/8" from the front side panel and back side panel but didn't remove the equivalent from the sleeve seam.

But that was a complete fail and the sleeves were too tight.  This was a real shit because I had already hand sewn the lining to the dress around the sleeve seam.  On the bright side I hadn't overlocked the raw edge of the sleeve seam, because I had tucked it into the dress before attaching the lining.  Just as well I had plenty of the black cotton fabric in my stash, although I hate having to redo things!  I should so have learnt my lesson with sleeves by now - obviously Not!

Oh I just about forgot, I also lengthen the hem of the dress 2" more than the pattern.   Two reasons:
1.  I wanted a deeper hem on this dress than my first which was only 1"
2.  I wanted the dress to be about 1" longer than my first.

Yay for a deeper hem but I'm not sure that I really like the length, perhaps just a bit too long for the style?  OR maybe it just seem like a lot of print?

Too finish I put wee studs on the pocket tabs.  I didn't put any up near the neckline as the pattern suggests as I think they are too small and will get lost against the pattern and I think a nice necklace will be better.

I'm sure this won't be the last Chloe I make either.  With summer coming on I think a sleeveless version in a nice light fabric might be in order!

More photos on my Flickr -->

Geektastic marries Vogue

I have been hanging out to make this dress for what seems like ages.  I purchased the pattern early this year but put it away thinking that when summer arrives I will get it out again.  Then I discovered Spoonflower!

I can't remember what month but this fabric was the winner of the geek contest on Spoonflower.  The colour was amazing and it just spoke to me.  Now ...  I don't usually go for novelty prints but this, well I just had to have it.

At the first sign of Spring this dress just had to jump the que and be first onto the sewing table for Frocktober.

I put together a muslin first and just as well cause the waist was just too small, so a bit of math later and I'd worked out that each pleat, and there are 10 of them, had to loose 0.7cm which would give me the extra 7cm in circumference that I needed.  I also had a hell of a time with the princess seams in the bodice - they weren't true princess seams because the pattern also has a bust dart.  Anyway after much faffing it all came together.

I got some cotton batiste (well that's what I think it is anyway) from The Fabric Warehouse to line the dress, so it would feel wonderful against my skin in the summer heat, without sticking to me.

The dress provided for a hem facing.  This is the first time I've done one of these - very easy I must say.  I couldn't really workout why a facing and not just a hem, but as soon as I put the dress on I immediately knew why - it helps give the skirt some fooff and helps maintain the overall shape of the dress when worn - very cleaver if you ask me!

Look at the shape of the dress - isn't that so pretty?

My invisible zipper went in like a dream.   No pattern matching here, as you can tell!

More Photo on my Flickr -->