I wanna frock and roll all night.

The Perfect Knit Dress, and Cowly top

2012-01-23T15:21:00.005+11:00

Behold the (now out of print) McCalls 5752, the perfect knit dress, in a spotty knit from the stash. It was a bit gapey at the neckline, so I sewed a deeper seam where the bodice attaches at the midriff and it worked out fine. I think I'll make this again, in a plain fabric. I like the 40s-by-way-of-the-70s thing it has going on. No? Just me?

I had enough of this rayon knit left over from making this frock to make New Look 6901, the cowl t-shirt. I've decided that I'm going to use any left over knit frock fabric to make tops.. Most of my stash bins are frock leftovers. They'll have to be easy tops though or else I'll never do it. Can't get much easier than this, no finishing of the cowl neckline required.

Vintage Butterick 9269

2012-01-10T17:34:00.002+11:00

The latest frock, Butterick 9269, view b, the bodice in black linen/cotton blend and the skirt in stretch sateen snake, both fabrics are from Spotlight.
Purchased belt, as they say.

I scooped out the back and front necklines 1.5cm each, after looking at the pattern piece and thinking it looked as though they were too high. I think it was a good thing I did as it looks like the pattern illustration now. It would have been too high. I shortened the frock a lot. As drafted this frock would be nearly down to my ankles. After much pinning and photographing, I decided it looked best hemmed above the knee. I find it easier to decide hem length from photos rather than from looking in the mirror. Anyone else find that?

This is an unprinted pattern, and very fragile, so I traced it. Ugh. I hate tracing unmarked patterns. Trying to figure out which holes mean darts or are just grain line holes. No nice dark lines to trace over either. (I put sew-in interfacing over the pattern to trace).

Frankenstein Frock Frenzy 2012

2012-01-09T13:52:00.003+11:00

During my time off over the festive season I have been very busy in the sewing room.

I bought some fab Shaheen tiki print quilting cotton from equilter last year. When it arrived it was sopping wet in the package, in an Australia Post plastic bag which said that is how they received it. It was like it had been at the bottom of the sea! Equilter were great about it when I notified them, and told me to give it a wash and see if I wanted to keep it, and if not they would refund me. It washed up fine, so I kept it and made it into my New Year's eve frock.

I used bodice D of New Look 6699, but rounded off the neckline a little, to make it a bit more like a vintage sarong dress. I only had 2 yards of this fabric, and equilter had no more, so I couldn't do a proper wrap skirt. Instead I attached the skirt from Butterick 5672, cut on the bias (as the pattern instructs you to do, which I don't really understand as it is designed for stretchy knits.) I cut on the bias because I was using a woven of course and thought it would give me some more wiggle room (haha!)

This means the striped motif is angled on the skirt, but I don't mind that, it makes it look more 'sarongy' to me. The side pleats on the skirt give it a bit of a wrap vibe.

Next I frankensteined Butterick 5672 again. I'm getting my money's worth out of this pattern! This time I used the bodice, but extended the shoulders for a more vintage look. I attached skirt D from New Look 6911, but decreased the pleats on the front from 6 to 4 (total) and left off the waistband.

The fabric is a linen/cotton blend I got at Spotlight. It's extremely red as you can see. Nice and cool and the skirt twirls nicely. I didn't line the frock, instead I used bias binding as facings. It's not especially sheer fabric, and I wanted to keep the lovely lightness and coolness of the fabric for summer wearing.

This frock was an experiment for the next fabric I had in the queue, but I ended up going with a different pattern for that in the end. I've finished that next frock now, and will show it in my next post. Now I have to get out of the sewing room and go somewhere to wear all these frocks!

Butterick 5672

2012-01-08T00:20:00.001+11:00

I've been too busy sewing to post!
One frock I've made is Butterick 5672

The fabric is a tweedy wool blend knit, with about 30% stretch across the grain. Not enough stretch for this dress, so I did put the zip in. I went up a size due to my fabric not being stretchy enough, but the pleats are pulling a little too much so it's probably still a skootch too small. Still it's comfy and may become a tripfit once I've road tested it.

Initial tripfits

2011-12-29T19:44:00.001+11:00

Hey, did we mention that we've booked a holiday? Kitty and I are venturing to Europe - it was a choice between that or the USA to explore the Smithsonians and other ports of call... but London, Paris and Rome and points in between won out.

We are going in the last week of March, coming back in the third week of April - so the weather is a bit unpredictable. The travel wardrobe I took this March to Belgium / France / London worked really well, although I hardly wore my coat at all.

But... what's a holiday without themed sewing in the lead up?

So we are in the middle of working out where those points may be, researching fabric districts, and of course thinking of said tripfits! I'm contemplating a black / blue / green theme. So far I've made a dress / pinafore from Simplicity retro 3673 in self-striped bengaline

A day bag from Butterick 5273 with the leftover bengaline, with an embroidered motif of a sweet graveyard, tree and owl (from Emblibrary.com)

Oh, and did I mention that I caught the fever and got my own Singer Featherweight? It's a 221K rather than the 222K - the difference being that this one doesn't have the free arm.

It's so lovely to sew on!

Next things to attempt - shrugs, a cape, shirred or faux wrap skirt, and a couple of knit dresses...

Style 2323

2011-12-18T16:30:00.001+11:00

Style 2323, made from the same lace print knit fabric Moggy used to make this frock.
I made view 1. I didn't put in the pockets. The pattern is for wovens and knits, hence it is extremely tent like before the waist elastic goes in. I still might take the bodice area sides in, as it takes a bit of fiddling to get it to sit nicely up top due to the low armholes and extra fabric.

A very straightforward pattern.
Bit obsessed with elastic-waist knit frocks lately, in case you'd not noticed.

Reversible gifts

2011-12-10T13:23:00.001+11:00

This morning I made 2 reversible pursibles, for Christmas presents for work colleagues:

Excitingly made up on one of my new Featherweight 222Ks!

Umm, one of, yes. I recently developed a bit of an obsession with these tiny machines after seeing one in a pawn shop (not for sale sadly). I bought one on eBay and then two more came up at the auction house near where I live. I put in low absentee bids on both for a laugh, and was unexpectedly successful on one of them and now I have two almost identical machines. Oops.

They do sew beautifully. Such fun, and so little! Here's one next to my regular sized Singer 348:

Aww.

Another McCalls 6069

2011-11-27T17:22:00.001+11:00

Yup, made another one.

Snake print ITY knit from fabric.com, bought when it was on clearance a few months back.
No pockets this time.
I forgot to mention, this dress is quite short as drafted, so if you don't want to show your knees, you will have to add length. I sewed the teensiest hem ever on this.
Here's a slightly clearer pic on Betty:

I made a narrow sash for this one as well, as you can see.

Latest projects

2011-11-26T13:27:00.001+11:00

Latest sewing: A shirred cotton frock for a 4 year old friend and McCalls 6069, in a poly knit from Spotlight.

No pattern for the shirred frock, just a large rectangle with 12 lines of shirring and 4 straps, one seam down the back, hem top and bottom and done.
The fabric is a quilting cotton (the design is called floragraphix III.) I didn't notice I had shirred the wrong end until I had done all 12 rows, so the swallows are flying upside down. Sigh. I couldn't bring myself to waste all that shirring elastic by unpicking and starting again. I'm trying to decide if I point it out to the young one's mother or keep quiet and see if they notice. Maybe I can claim it is to make the design more abstract. We'll see.

The McCalls dress has several reviews on Patternreview.com.
Like some other sewists, I used the square neck front bodice for the back, because I didn't fancy a cowl back on this. I rounded off the back neckline as you can see in the photo.
Some reviewers also noted that the skirt seemed quite tight, which wasn't a look I wanted in an elastic waisted frock, so I added a few centimetres width to the skirt. I did the side seam pockets too, but I think I'd leave them out if I made this again, they don't sit neatly in this drapey fabric and give a bit of a harem skirt look around the hips. If I don't end up liking the pockets after wearing, I might sew up the sides and take the pockets off, easy enough to do. Shame, as I love pockets in a frock. I made a thin self-fabric tie belt too, although it's barely visible on the busy print.
Here are the pics:

Easy stitch 'n save is Easy

2011-11-01T19:13:00.001+11:00

At the end of last week, Kitty made a quick visit to Melbourne. Do you think we might've snuck in a bit of fabric shopping? Why, yes we did...

We both bought some poly (I think) knit with a lace print from Spotlight ($5/m knits MUST be bought you know) and also McCall's 6308 - one of their Easy Stitch 'n Save patterns (Clegs was having a half price sale, so we got 'em for $4).

This looks a bit similar to the Out Of Print McCall's 6070, but with a different back and the midriff band doesn't go all the way around.

So, they seemed like a great match. Today is Melbourne Cup Day, so Melbourne gets a public holiday (for a horse race... hey, don't look a gift horse in the mouth!). So I sewed her up today.

I made a few minor changes - added 3cm to the front band to make it more like a midriff band (an added the same to the back of course) and 10cm to the bottom. It was a very quick - under two hours. It would have been even quicker, apart from having to rethread the overlocker from coverstitch to overlocking to rolled hem back to overlocking... phew! I coverstitched the neck instead of using the suggested neck binding.

I also changed the back neckline from a v back to a shallow scoop - it ended up a bit raised, which is a nice effect:

It ended up a little low in the neckline, so I've tacked it closed so it's decent for work...

New New Look... pleatorama

2011-10-24T22:44:00.001+11:00

As soon as I saw New Look 6067 in the catalogue, I knew it must be mine! Front pleats? Check! Tulipy skirt? check! Little cap sleeves? Check again!

I liked it so much I couldn't wait for it to come out in Australia so I bought it from sewingpatterns.com, along with a few other patterns that no doubt will be revealed in coming weeks (hint: New Look 6069 is one of them).

I made it out of some lovely shot orange/red bengaline I bought at Remnant Warehouse last time I was in Sydney with Kitty. It's the same fabric as New Look 6000 in pink (which I now realise I didn't blog - here she is:

I've also got some in sky blue - I still need to decide what dress to make out of it.

One thing I keep trying to get to stick in my head is that Bengaline stretches across the grain (almost 50% I reckon) and not at all down the length - so it's important to remember to check the stretch.

Anyway, back to 6067...
For some reason in the first picture she looks like she has Tyrannosaurus Rex arms - she doesn't really, honest!

Here's the detail of the bodice.

I had a peasant weekend

2011-10-23T18:27:00.001+11:00

I found this splodgy voile at Spotlight, and decided it wanted to be a peasant blouse. The pattern is a frock with a midriff, but I just traced the top and extended it straight down. No need for a zip. I cut self fabric bias to make casings for the sleeves and neckline. I'm a convert to cutting my own bias, when I have enough fabric.

I shirred the waist for a bit of shape.

I recently made 2 skirts out of frock remnants. Both are double- knittish fabrics. The slimmer skirt is the Burda wool skirt pattern again, with heaps cut off the pattern because the pattern runs big. The flared skirt is New Look 6977, view C, but I added side seam pockets. I managed to sew a twist in the waistband of the flared skirt, which you may be able to see in the (blurry, sorry!) photo. Rather than unpick overlocking, I'm calling it a design feature, as you do.

Vintage Butterick 8861, literally

2011-10-16T14:35:00.004+11:00

A fairly literal interpretation, I admit. I doubt the original was meant to be made in comfy cotton elastane though (think thick leggings or yoga pants material). The ribbon ripples like that when I move, but looks worse in the photos than in real life I think (hope).

Black hides the front bodice pleats, but they're there.

I sewed the front bodice and skirt pieces together, then the back bodice and skirt, then joined them at the shoulders so I could sew the under sleeve and side seams in one pass. I knew I'd have to remove the ease making it in a stretchy knit, and it was easy just to whoosh it through the overlocker to remove the excess.

Pastoral Peter Pan, Parallel Pintucks

2011-10-08T18:51:00.001+11:00

I liked my first version of Butterick 5315 so much, I made another this week.

I've had this Alexander Henry Midnight Pastoral toile sitting in the sewing room for a few months and had always thought that something sweet and feminine would be a lovely contrast with the print (which, until you look at it closely, is also sweet. I just can't resist skeletons it seems). I've got some of the blue as well, but for this one I was all for the etchiness.

I made one small change - I decided to put some pintucks in the front. Unsurprisingly, I did this the easy way - pintuck the fabric, then cut the pattern. I measure the first one and did the rest by eye.

I might add some buttons (sans buttonholes) - I've sewn the placket down for now, and will wear it with a brooch like I do with Francoise.

As you can see, Spring is springing all over...

New Look palate cleanser

2011-10-03T19:19:00.004+11:00

Hooray for long weekends!

I was excited to make Butterick 5674 in some snakeprint ITY knit from fabric.com (sold out now, but $2.09 per yard on sale!) As the pattern is new and not available here yet, I downloaded it and taped the 50 or so pages together. The frock has a lining, but I've never found it necessary to line a knit frock. The instructions looked a little complicated, so I decided to make a muslin. Unlike me, but I'm glad I did. I tried for a few hours to put the bodice together, but it just wasn't working, perhaps because the lining does something magic? I don't know. Nothing seemed to line up and I couldn't make out the instructions at all. I ended up chucking the bodice in the bin. What a disappointment. I'm glad I didn't waste any snake fabric on it!

I made New Look 6000 in navy ponte instead. Ahh, love New Look! Such a nice, well drafted pattern.

I extended the shoulders a little. The button was one I removed from the epaulette of a jacket a while ago, because buttons on my shoulders interfere with my handbag strap. Recycle-y!
I also recently finished knitting another moderne baby blanket, with an i-cord border this time, and less wonkiness!

Francoise hardly

2011-09-25T21:54:00.001+10:00

As soon as I saw this French General fabric, I knew I needed it for... something. My job involves words, so what better fabric? I got a few yards of the stone (which ended up being brown-grey), a yard of the red, and a couple of the blue. My initial thought was napkins for my sister (which I will still be doing), but I had enough of the stone to make a dress.

I wanted something vintagey, and for some reason a peter pan collar popped into my head. I went through my patterns and found Butterick 5315, which is a relatively recent pattern.

I mucked around with pattern a bit - didn't add the faux back pleat, and made the skirt pleats into inverted pleats rather than flat ones. I also left off the buttons down the front and just sewed the placket down - I will close it at the neck with a brooch instead.

I'm pleased with the result:

She's called "Francoise" because I was listening to Francoise Hardy and Francoiz Breut while I sewed her...

Burda skirt and Style Arc pants

2011-09-18T19:04:00.002+10:00

A simple skirt (burda 10/2010) with pockets, in stretch sateen from Spotlight. This turned out waaaay too big in my burda size, probably due to the stretch in the fabric, and how I completely ignored the fabric recommendation. I made the front gathers into 4 pleats to decrease the extreme poufiness of the gathers in this fabric, and took in the back, but the waist is still a good 5 cm too big and would need to be taken apart to fix. I wore it today, and with a shirt over the waistband it's all good.

Here's the Style Arc Linda pants in dark navy stretch bengaline from The Remnant Warehouse. These were super quick to make. Ready to wear pants always fit like this on me, with a slight baggy bit on the outer thighs. I'm not bothered enough to try and fix it. I was happy to see putting elastic in the waist was optional, so I left it out and they are fine.

Front:
Back:

If you need nice slimfit stretch pants, I recommend!

Hello Sailor!

2011-09-12T17:15:00.001+10:00

I wanted to make some trousers for work, out of some inky blue bengaline I recently bought. I'd heard good things about Style Arc's Linda pant, so I ordered the pattern. It was a nice surprise to find out that you get a free pattern with your order, and August's free pattern was the Ollie Tunic.
This stripey knit is from Pitt Trading (not sure of the fibre content, but feels like a cotton/poly blend maybe?) and I thought it would work nicely for the Ollie Tunic as there are no darts to interrupt the stripes.
I lengthened it to dress length, shaped the waist a little more and widened the neckline a smidge, although I was hoping for more of a boat neck effect.

Still, a very quick and easy sew!

I will eventually get to the Linda pants, but frocks are so much more fun.

Copying myself again

2011-09-04T15:08:00.004+10:00

I am wearing this sparkly frock a lot, so I made another version, in a teal coloured wool-blend jersey I bought while I was in Melbourne. Moggy bought some of this fabric too.

I widened the neckline a smidge to make it more boaty, but I went too far. My bra straps peek out a little. Why do I have to tinker when I already know I like the way it turns out? Why?

It's ok, my hair can cover it.

For years I used my hair to cover the top of dodgy back-zip insertion in frocks. Now I have my fab invisible zipper foot my zips are neat, so I could really cut my hair. If I didn't need it long for this bra strap issue, obviously.

Snap!

2011-08-07T21:14:00.001+10:00

When Kitty visited the other week, one thing we did was go fabric shopping - here you see some faux silk twill (the red with bit fat grey roses - $2.99/m marked as silk but it wasn't - no problem at that price, will be fabulous lining), self stripe bengaline (yay stretch - I see a pinafore) both from Brunswick Fabrics, and some faaabulous silver leopard from Clegs (for an eveningy frock of some description):

From GJ Fabrics in Lygon St, from left to right is green wool jersey (actually like a light doubleknit), emerald-y ponti, and lovely teal wool blend.

While she was here, Kitty also helped me to make Jane more... Moggy. Her proportions were never quite mine, so while she was fine for hanging hems and taking (inaccurate) photos, she wasn't doing what a dressmaker's dummy should do.

Now she does, as you can see on the left.

First we put a suitable sized bra on her, then used wadding to pad her out. Once her proportions resembled mine, I used New Look 6968 to make a tight fitting cover out of some stretch purple denim.

To celebrate, I used the new Jane to make a scoop necked version of good ol' Butterick 6522. I finally made a proper right-sized version of the bodice out of interfacing so I can make another thousand versions of it.

If the fabric looks familiar to those who follow bloggers, it's the same as Livebird's lovely drapey dress.

Hands up all who share the stretch cotton sateen love.

Another reason to appreciate said fabric is that with a frock like this - no need for a zip. Yay!

Sparkles

2011-08-01T16:28:00.001+10:00

I was in Melbourne the weekend before last, to visit family and friends, and Moggy and I went fabric shopping. I bought two dress lengths, a lovely teal wool blend knit, and this disco sparkly fabric, half price at Lincraft:

I used the same pattern I used for Shirr-ley, but modified it by drawing 7cm extra at the shoulders to form cap sleeves, and instead of shirring the waist, I put in a casing for a narrow elastic waist for some shape. I made a cord belt for a bit of extra disco pizazz!
The fabric is quite sheer, and feels a bit nylon-y and rough, so I lined it in a thin black poly knit.
I rarely line dresses, I prefer to wear a slip if necessary, but this fabric really needs a lining. It took me a few goes to get it all turned around the right way. I really should look things up online or in one of my sewing books before I try it; that would save a lot of time and unpicking. Maybe that can be next year's New Year Resolution!

Vintage vogue 8728

2011-07-17T16:13:00.001+10:00

This vintage vogue reissue pattern...

Plus this vintage cotton fabric (from etsy)...

Made this dress...

I changed the waist gathers to four pleats on both the front and back, because I prefer pleats to gathered waists. I made my own bias binding for the neckline, first time ever! With a bias maker it was easy.

Belt or no?

Masked marauder

2011-07-04T15:43:00.004+10:00

El Luchador loco! My first crochet project!
I used this pattern.

There's a few mistakes in there but I don't care! I love him!
This one's for a friend, but I've started another for me because I'm going to miss having the little guy around the house.

(Edited to add: sorry if the formatting is a bit whacky, blogged from my phone)

The look of love

2011-06-19T23:12:00.001+10:00

...New Look love, that is...

I had a hankering for a bolero so I popped along to Cleg's pattern and remnant sale (half price patterns, not their fabulous twice-yearly or so $5 for all patterns sale). I wanted New Look ones anyway, so they ended up being not much over $5 each

One was New Look 6935. Cute little collared and collarless boleros, plus some cute empire line frocks (which I may make one day). I made it out of some leftover Ponti. As usual, the New Look pattern made up a treat. This is view D. It's shaped nicely with darts at the neck (hard to see on black, of course!)

I found more of the same Ponti in my stash and decided to make a matching frock. This pattern is New Look 6013 which I bought a while ago - Kitty made this in leopard in May.

I cut out the front and embroidered a lovely bird from an Urban Threads giveaway (I removed the banner using the fabulous almost-free Stitch Era Universal embroidery software).

The sewing of the dress was super quick - I did the turn-and-sew thing with the neckline, sleeves and hem using the coverstitch. I love that Elna!

Not AGAIN!

2011-06-05T20:35:00.000+10:00

As Kitty and I were having our usual online-chatting-while-sewing-or-otherwise-craftifying, we discussed how despite both having a metric heap of patterns, we do often sew the same ones over (and sometimes over and over) again.

That's exactly what I did this weekend.

Saturday was a leopard ponti version of the red buckle dress from way back last November - the vintage Simplicity Slenderette S.183 . I dug out a silver buckle from the haberstash and off she went!

Unfortunately I think the coverstitch on my Elna was going a bit weird so will have to wear it and see if it maintains Hem Stability.

I'll see if I can get a better picture tomorrow where it's not looking quite so brick like.

Next is old favourite Butterick 6522, made Sunday afternoon after a lovely lunch at my sister's house to celebrate a couple of family birthdays. .

I've now made this one from lace, halloween cats, lurid stretch cotton sateen, black knit with embroidery, tiki print (hmm, where is that frock?) and now goldfish:

As mentioned before, it's a pattern I've had for ages so was cut to a 14 - I now sew an 18 most of the time. So I added 2cm to each seam (side and back) and the centre front, and sewed the back dart 1cm smaller at the waist, tapering up to the existing dart at the top. I used the usual a line skirt from New Look 6557. This is such a quick sew, what with the cut on sleeves, dartless a-line skirt, faced sweetheart neckline and french dart. It's a great style for showing off the pattern of a fabric.

Note to self: trace a version with these additions onto interfacing so I don't have to mark it up every time and adjust the facing. Because we all know I'll make this one again.

Replacement frocking

2011-06-04T15:18:00.005+10:00

I wanted to make a frock to replace this one, which I gave to my pregnant friend in New York when I was there several months ago. She tried it on, and when I saw her face I knew I couldn't take it back. She loved it, and her wardrobe was shrinking as her belly grew...my wardrobe on the other hand is ever-expanding. Hey, I can always make another one, right?

So I had making a replacement frock in mind when I was shopping in the NY garment district, and this is the only fabric I bought while I was there. The fabric is thick and warm and soft and lovely and I might just need more of it. I did look for other colours, but they only had this lovely stuff in black.

The front and back are New Look 6000 (Moggy made it in brown); chosen because the neckline was nice and wide, and the side gathers added a bit of interest to what is a very plain black frock. I extended the skirt into an A-line while tracing the pattern, and left off the rear vent. The sleeves are from the same vintage pattern as the original version, again with some of the volume removed. I overlocked and then turned and stitched the neckline instead of using the facings. The armscye and sleeve head were a pretty good fit without any mucking about, (luckily for lazy me) so I sewed the sleeves in flat, before sewing up the side and sleeve seams together.

I did some photo jiggery-pokery so the details stand out:

Back on the sewing horse (clothes horse?)

2011-05-22T18:28:00.000+10:00

It seems absolutely ages since I posted, or indeed sewed. This weekend, aided by the lovely autumn weather, I remedied that terrible oversight.

Still haven't learnt to take a decent picture though.

On the right: New Look 6000 in brown ponti. I did the boat/scoop neck instead of the collar, and extended the shoulders to make cut-on cap sleeves instead of the ones in the pattern (much as I love the cuffed sleeves, I was being... lazy is the only way to say it).

I was pleased with the result. Although seeing Livebird's collared-and-cuffed version, i think I'll have to make the effort next time!

I also made a slip from Sew-knit-n-stretch #212:

This ended up being quite quick to make, and turned out rather nicely. I made it from lace and a stretch satin I had left over from a previous slip project:

New Look 6013

2011-05-14T16:10:00.005+10:00

Sorry about the no-posting-for-yonks. We had a house guest for ages, so the sewing room was packed up. Bonus of no sewing - I taught myself to crochet so I can make amigurumi. I am compelled to make this!
I am partway through crocheting a robot right now. If all goes well, I will have a little luchador on the hook next.

Spotlight have had some fab ponte de roma lately, including this grey and black leopard print.
I made the New Look 6013 raglan sleeve dress today. I omitted the zip, and cut the back on the fold, placing the centre back over the edge of the fold to remove the seam allowances due to the no zip thing.
Very quick, everything went together smoothly, and I have yet another grey and black knit frock for winter.

I might be in a rut.

Infinite dress - burda 7352

2011-04-03T10:21:00.001+10:00

I went to a wedding recently where the bridesmaids wore infinite dresses, in black, all tied differently. I thought it would be fun to make one.
As I do, I wanted to make it NOW so I downloaded Burda 7352 from sewing patterns.com.

Of course that meant spending a whole lot of time printing and taping the pattern, but at least I could make it the next day instead of waiting for the pattern to arrive in the mail, right?

Here's the result. So fun to figure out the different configurations! Apologies for the phone pics; I made this frock a few weeks ago and thought I'd wait and take proper pics but seems I'm too lazy!

It looks nice with a sparkly vintage brooch:

The dress was quick and easy to make; no finishing! Because the wrong side of the fabric is visible when you tie the straps you have to cut cleanly. I used a heavy poly jersey. This version has a bodice piece unlike other versions I've seen which are just the skirt with two straps. I like the bodice because it gives a little more coverage. If I made another one I would put the straps closer together; they're fine, but I would prefer them to be touching where they attach to the bodice.

I'd also make the straps longer by about 30 cm, even though they are already long! I used the videos at two birds bridesmaids dresses to tie the different styles and the straps are too short for some of the styles I'd like to try. The frocks the bridesmaids wore which made me want to make this were from two birds, and they looked gorgeous! Such a good idea! Mmm, might make a black one, with my modifications...

Imminent tripfits

2011-03-05T21:29:00.000+11:00

It's only a week until my fortnight's jaunt to Europe, so I thought I'd post a couple of my new tripfits. According to the weather reports it will be around -1 to 11 Celsius across Brussels, France and London (22 - 51F for our non-metric friends). However, as previously mentioned I run a bit hot, so I'm going on the layering theory with some silk thermal undergarments for good measure...

First up is the Simplicity 4789 Maggy London knot dress out of the giant orchid knit from my Spotlight Knit Shopping expedition:

Comfy, dressy, and rolls up into a nice small space.
I also made a plain black version of McCalls 6081 that can be used as a dress or a skirt. As a dress:

As a skirt, over the top of the orchid dress:

I also made a tiny happy over-the-shoulder bag for walking about the town. I put a zip in, which went in easily and sits rather nicely I am happy to say. It's big enough to fit the iPad in (I put a pocket in). I lined it with green ripstop nylon, but I neglected to take a pic of the lining...

I also bought some more shoes from Amazon. These are the Dansko Savanna which are already lovely and comfortable. Yay for good travel shoes!

I'm also taking the grey ponti pinafore, Citrine (doubleknit travel coat from a couple of years ago), a skirt from the scribble ponti that Kitty made her lovely frock from (it's a plain knit skirt so I haven't taken a pic), and one short sleeve and one long sleeved wrap top from Butterick 5101.

Brocade McCalls 5349 (and another Heidi)

2011-03-05T13:07:00.008+11:00

I am going to a wedding this week, on Thursday evening.
I was going to wear vintage Heidi, with a sparkly turquoise crystal necklace, but thinking about the dress code (which is "Fancy"), and seeing what my friends were planning on wearing (umm, Fancy!), I began to doubt myself and think vintage Heidi might be too 'daytime'. I went to the stash and found this chinese brocade I forgot had been given to me, and made McCall's 5349 which I have wanted to make for a long time. With some modifications, this is the result:
I made a plain sash out of the reverse of the brocade, instead of the cummerbund. I love the cummerbund, but the brocade was just too thick to sit properly. The pattern calls for an under-bodice (due to having the sheer overdress option) but I just made a panel and hand-stitched it to the bodice lining for a similar effect. I experimented with using the reverse side of the fabric for the panel, but the dark blue looked better. Here she is without the sash:
The sash has covered buttons and button loops. It's a bit sad that it falls down to my natural waist instead of sitting over the midriff band. Maybe I will tack it on and see how it looks.
A couple of weeks ago I made a quick modified Heidi out of red ponte de roma. Probably not a great idea because the fabric is thick so the pleats are a bit exaggerated, and overlocking and turning the neckline was a pain and didn't turn out so well. Oh and obviously I didn't press it before taking the photos, oops. It's wearable thankfully.

New Look 6968 version 2

2011-02-18T20:03:00.001+11:00

Here is New Look 6968 again, in scribbly ponte. I made view B minus the welts, and with the sleeves from view D.
I wore her out to dinner tonight with these beads, which broke and scattered all over the restaurant floor. I can report the frock is very practical for scrambling under tables retrieving beads. Tested in the field!

And yes, I had strung the beads myself. Please note: blog is not called "I wanna bead and roll all night". That is all.

New Love and New Look 6968

2011-02-12T15:46:00.002+11:00

I realised today I hadn't blogged about my new love. She's a mid 1960s Singer 348, in her own sweet table. I bought her at auction, got her serviced and have been sewing away for a couple of months now. She came with cute little matching blue tool and a dozen cams for decorative stitches. She handles all thicknesses of fabric and I love the adjustable presser foot pressure. I've always wanted that, and now I have it. Sweet!
My other machine has been relegated to buttonhole service. Fortunately all my Janome presser feet fit the Singer, yay!
Here she is:

Lovely isn't she?

I used her yesterday and today to make New Look 6968. The fabric is a stretch bengaline, shocking pink shot with black, for a dupioni-like two-tone effect. It photographs a wine colour, but it looks more interesting in real life I think.

It turned out okay, but this frock is in my bad books a little due to the horrific collar instructions. I'm a bit traumatised. Apart from that, I didn't cut the collar pieces on the bias because I'm a smartypants who thought the stretch fabric would negate the need for bias. Learn from my mistake...the collar really should be cut on the bias so it sits properly. Mine doesn't and it's annoying.

The collar instructions are still horrific. I stand by that.

I only did a 1cm hem on this frock, it was this length straight out of the envelope. If you want it longer, or you're tall, you will need to lengthen the skirt pattern pieces. I usually have to cut off at least 5cm in length on New Look, so this worked for me, but check first if it's right for you!

Look what I found at Spotlight! A dead ringer for scribbly knit, but in a nice thick ponte! I had to have it, and I've already cut out another New Look 6968, with the plain neckline this time!

I'm posting this from my iPhone, using blogger+, so apologies for the dodgy phone pics. If this works, I'm going to force Moggy to get it and to post about fabric shopping when she's in Europe next month.

Edited to add a clearer pic of the frock.

NYC

2011-02-08T18:13:00.003+11:00

I'm back from New York. As the second photo suggests, I did go to the garment district. I spent a full morning there, and only bought one dress length of black wool double knit (from Chic fabrics on 39th St.) I really can't explain it, except nothing else took my fancy. The double knit is super nice though. I did go to Mood, which seemed to have everything, but nothing I particularly wanted. Had a fabulous time looking though!

What I've been sewing while not gallivanting in New York

2011-02-07T22:35:00.004+11:00

I've been remiss with my posting the last couple of weeks - I'd say it was because Kitty was in New York and I didn't want to take over the blog while she's away... but that would be an excuse.

Anyway, since I last posted I've booked a holiday myself - there were super cheap fares for Brussels so I am off to Europe for a couple of weeks mid-March - Brussels, London and visiting a friend in the French countryside where I am already engaged to help sew some curtains!

Sadly I will miss the big fabric market in Brussels... but hopefully I'll find a fabric shop or two amongst the mussels and chocolate and frites.

Therefore I am thinking tripfits again... and I am dreaming of just taking a carry on bag - three frocks, a skirt, four tops (short and long sleeve), a coat and pashmina, a couple of pairs of shoes... I think the temperature will be a top of 15oC, but I wear short sleeves half the time when it's that temperature here so I reckon I think I'll cope... plus I think last time I was in London I saw a shop or two around the place.

So far my thinking is the scribbly frock from the last post, plus a long-sleeved black ruched-side frock (picture to come... those black frocks!) and a grey ponti pinafore I made the other week for that very purpose:

This should be warm and layerable... haven't done a test wear yet because it is still summery here. You can't go wrong with ponti + grey though!

This was adapted from Simplicity 2550 bought in the Xmas pattern shopping extravaganza - I used the skirt and cut a square neckline into the plain view of the bodice. I lined (bodice only) in some leftover black knit.

Not sure I'm entirely happy with the pleats in the skirt rather than darts, but I suppose I can always sew them down later.

I've also made a wearable muslin of McCalls 6081 from the same pattern shopping expedition, made from the etchy knit from the knit fabric shopping experience. I've worn it to work (with a top over as it is a bit bare) and around the house as a dress. It's a bit long as a skirt, so when I make the next one for travel I will shorten it a bit more.

Having said that, it may well be fine in the print as I seem to be going black and grey...

I also made a long sleeved top version of the wrap dress-top thingy from Butterick 5101 in black wool knit - again, photo to come.

I also made a completely nontravel related dress in big fat stretch woven spots, but the photo appears to have escaped from my computer for the meantime...

Scribbly Sunday Sew-off take #2

2011-01-16T19:47:00.003+11:00

As Kitty mentioned, this weekend we had a bit of a sew-off, using the scribbly knit I found the other day.

Since I was frankensteining two different patterns, I thought I should muslin in some cheaper fabric. I don't usually do muslins, but I knew this would be a wearable one if it turned out. This was also a good chance to do more coverstitch practice. I did about 1/3 of the stitching on the sewing machine for the Rosie Scribble (the muslin), much less on Newt (I call her that because she is mostly sewn on the Overlocker... mostly.*)

I frankensteined Simplicity 2364 view b with the lower dress from an a-line knit dress pattern that has mysteriously disappeared (note to self: clean cutting table). Aha, found the pattern I used for the dress part - Simplicity 4697

This time I actually traced everything off onto interfacing rather than just pinning it all in situ on the fabric - yay for repeatable experiments!

Wearable muslin for the win! I think I'll wear her to work tomorrow.

So... heeeere's Newt my for real scribbly contender. I lengthened it about 4" (yeah, I know, but I seem to sew half in metric and half in imperial!). She will also be worn in the coming week.

* points if you got the Aliens reference

Sunday Scribbly Sew-off!

2011-01-16T16:40:00.002+11:00

Moggy found this lovely scribbly patterned knit a while ago, and was kind enough to get some for me.
Today Moggy and I decided to sew it up, into very similar frocks as it happens. Does finishing first mean I won? I think it does. I didn't do a muslin though, so Moggy will have two frocks sewn today. Maybe I get line honours, like in the Sydney to Hobart, but Moggy wins overall.

So really, we're both winners!

This is the first pattern I've used from the auction lot too! Very easy, only two pattern pieces, and no darts! (well, a little one in the back armhole...quaint)

Three baby bibs and a frock

2011-01-08T16:50:00.011+11:00

I haven't done much sewing lately. I'm going to New York in 2 weeks (yay) so I have been knitting hats, cowls and socks! I want to try and wear a frock while I'm there, despite the cold. I have a down coat and fleece-lined tights so I'm hopeful! (Understand that I have only been in freezing weather one day of my life. I have no idea if I can do this! Exciting!)

I have made a frock from wool interlock. I was inspired by this frock from Selfridges, which I saw on The Fashion Police when it was Dress of the Day:

I frankensteined this pattern (view F, just widened the neckline) which I have made previously:
...with the long sleeves from this pattern, which Moggy kindly sent me in a care package. I took about half the volume out of the sleeves due to lack of fabric, and also they were HYOOOOOGE.
I'm going to stay with a friend in NYC, who will be having a baby this year. I sewed some bibs (still need to attach velcro) which Moggy kindly embroidered for me using her awesome embroidery machine. One of them goes up to 11! I owe you Mog. Luckily I found some pink/black shot stretch bengaline for you, which I hope will partially repay your kindness!

coverknit floralshirr

2011-01-06T22:15:00.007+11:00

So I sewed one of the knits I bought on Monday. Of course I had to buy a new pattern (huh?) for it.... I chose New Look 6936, view B.

I coverstitched the neckline, sleeves and hem, and did the rest on the 4-thread overlocker. I had a bit of a struggle with the coverstitching, but it worked better once I used the clear foot instead of the fancy metal one.

Instead of drawstrings on the shoulders I used clear elastic, zigzagged on the wrong side. I shirred the waist from the underbust seam down - I spiralled it down until the elastic in the bobbin ran out (happened that it was at the side seam where I started, how about that for luck!). I also put a stitch or two where the top crosses over to stop possible gaping.

Verdict: comfy! easy!

More shoppingks - knits

2011-01-03T18:29:00.008+11:00

I popped into Spotlight again this morning to check out their sale knits to play with on the new overlocker.

The "dry knits" are on sale for $2 per metre (there does seem to be a bit of variation in which shops have what knits at the sale price, but I digress). These knits have a matte finish and I think they are poly-lycra. Nice and drapey.

I bought 5m of this one - I think it looks like the detail of an etching...

A floral with a black background - I am hoping it doesn't end up too eighties Laura Ashley but that will depend on the pattern I choose...

A huuuuge orchid print (yes, that's my hand):

And one of the not-$2 prints at a different shop - large scale rose (each one is hand-sized)

Now to think of patterns - I reckon McCalls 6081 for one of them and a wrap or wrap-style dress or two for the others.

I heart Sergio

2011-01-02T21:12:00.005+11:00

A new serger deserves a new cover, so I used Sergio to make a grey denim cover, and embroidered a lovely calavera from Urban Threads on it

Today I trialled the knit top from New Look 6977 to put Sergio through his paces. The whole thing took 1 1/2 hours - I think it would've taken less than an hour if I was more used to the rethreading.

I sewed half on the 4-thread safety, then the hem and sleeves on coverstitch:

...then back to the 4-thread safety for the sides and neckband. So three threadings altogether. I had a few issues with thread breakage but realised it was because I had a missed a bit of the threading.

Here it is on:

Verdict:

New Look 6977: yay!
Sergio: double yay!

Post Xmas Shoppinks

2010-12-28T22:09:00.008+11:00

I popped out to the various sales over the last couple of days. Clegs Fabrics in Melbourne have had their annual $5 pattern sale so I picked up the following:

Simplicity 2550 - high waisted dress with sleeve variations:

McCalls 6081 - I have a (possibly misguided) idea that this will make a good tripfit (long version of course):

Butterick 5315 - peterpan collar. That is all I need to say.

New Look 6886. I have some sweet green-and-flower wallpaper stripe that I want to try chevroning for view A.

New Look 6000. I actually bought this a few weeks ago and had a go at sewing it. Sadly I used a one way stretch - the wrong way! I'll have another go using it the right way, as even though it didn't fit it looks promising.

New Look 6968 - nice scarf/tie detail and li'l cap sleeves:

I also went to Spotlight and picked up a couple of Kwik Sew patterns at 1/2 price (Clegs don't carry them).
3726 - teddy and slip and 3761 a ruched-bodice summer frock

I also picked up a whole lotta shirring thread at $1 per spool (shirring ahoy!) and some variegated embroidery thread at the bargain price of $1 for a pack of 6 spools.

Oh, and I might've accidentally gone to Metro Sewing Centre and an new Elna 845 combo overlocker (serger) / coverstitch machine may have fallen into my bag...

I tried out a fine rolled hem on some silk habutai:

and a coverstitch hem on some ponti:

Can't wait to play more!

Makeup blogging

2010-12-19T21:15:00.009+11:00

Oops, looks like I haven't made anything for the last month! I have really...

The weekend before last I made a frock for our work Christmas party held at the sumptuous Plaza Ballroom underneath the Regent Theatre.

I used some vintage-looking red brocade I've had sitting in the stash for some years. I used good ol' Vogue 9668 - unfortunately I made it a bit tight so had to take out the back midriff section, unpick the darts, and add a new slightly bigger one in... what a pain! But it all turned out nicely in the end
.

I also made a version of Made By Rae's free Buttercup Bag to go with the frock. I reduced it to 70% on the photocopier so it came out tiny - just right for my phone and keys.

A fine night was had by all!

This weekend I had the laziest Saturday - as in I did nothing bar read a book or two. I decided that Sunday should make up for it so I made a frock.

Last week I got a delivery from equilter of yards of fabric - so I preshrank some yesterday (OK, so I did one thing yesterday!). I got a couple of the Germania quilting fabrics - this one is a sort of petri dish arrangements of germlike things (the other looks like cell structures - haven't decided on what to make with that one yet).

I used New Look 6867 - it's rather like 6557, but with wider straps. I made view B, then decided to try the 'knots' - little bands that cinch the straps. I like the look so I'll keep them.

Then I decided I was on a roll so I should make another. Plus it rained and hailed today and 17c - it's meant to be Summer! No complaints here though, I hate hot weather.

So I got out this fab Tiki Totem quilting fabric and used another old reliable pattern - Butterick Retro 6522 - with New Look 6557 skirt. Such a quick sew this one!

One thing about all this rain - the garden sure is looking lush!

Betty Jo

2010-12-05T11:09:00.015+11:00

Long time no post, but I have been sewing, knitting, beading and travelling. Just not posting.

The Fabric Store kindly emailed $20 discount vouchers to customers (on purchases of $50 or more), so I went in and bought some large-scale houndstooth cotton/poly knit. I went through my patterns looking for something I hadn't made yet, as I recently realised I was making the same favourite patterns over and over. (I'm looking at you Stepfrock.)

I decided on McCall's 6568 here:
Here is the finished result:
and on me:
(sorry about the dark photo, it's been very gloomy in Sydney this week)
This was a very straight forward, easy pattern, especially in a stable knit fabric like this. I didn't put in a zip, as there is enough stretch in this fabric to pull it on over my head. I also changed the front skirt gathers into two darts.
I've named her Betty Jo, after the name written in pencil on the pattern. Love that!

Here is a better view of the fabric, although it is a bit darker than this in reality:
I sewed two buttons on the neckband for a bit of interest:
Here is a little frock I made recently for a friend's 3 year old daughter. It's Japanese quilting cotton. Little one loves owls!
I used my usual pinafore pattern, New Look 6578. I really need to branch out a bit.

Snakey McCrystal

2010-11-07T18:24:00.005+11:00

At the same time I bought the red Ponti di Roma, I picked up some snakeskin print knit to make the so called 'perfect knit dress', McCall's 5974.

Is it perfect? Well, it is pretty comfortable and I do like the sashy-wrap business.
I altered the sleeves a bit by morphing the cut on sleeves from Butterick 5101 so that I didn't have to do set in sleeves - I'm pleased with how they turned out.

I also strung some crystal beads to make a three strand necklace.

Frock catch-up

2010-11-06T18:18:00.000+11:00

*Updated with proper picture of red dress*

I've made a few things lately but been rather slack with the posting, so here are my last two weekends' efforts:

First up, a Halloween frock. We don't really celebrate Halloween here in Australia, but I love the imagery. I wanted to wear this to work, so I didn't use any of my myriad skull fabric. This is one of the quilting prints I got this time last year from Beaver Creek Quilts. Good old Butterick 6522 again. I wore her on Friday and got some unsolicited compliments on public transport!

This picture of one of my kitties will give you an idea why I had to have that fabric!

The other frock was today's sewing. Kitty got some lovely red ponti at Spotlight during the week, so I nipped out and bought some too (I also bought some snakeskin knit fabric, which I started to cut out but it is a bit slippery so it is sitting half cut on my table).

It was screaming out for a Joan Holloway dress (don't you love how that's become code for a fab fitted retro frock?)
I dug this pattern out of my stash:

It's a 36, which is a size or two too small. So I did my lazy lady's grading and added 2cm to both the front and back centre seam/fold, did a bit of reshaping of the neckline so it wasn't too wide... and voila!

The instructions for that middle bit were a bit of a pain but it has worked out just fine.

Here it is on me. Do you think I need to dust my mirror?

And here she is on me!

Lacey Shirrley

2010-10-22T16:20:00.008+11:00

Livebird said in her comment on the last post that Moggy has become a "3D walking advertisment for fabrics I need to buy".

I present evidence to prove this is the case for me too:

(Actually may be exhibit 183. Moggy seems to find fabric I HAVE TO HAVE.)

When I saw this frock and that fabric, I had to have some, and Moggy obliged. Fortunately the shop where she bought it had some left in stock.

I made this Jiffy frock (Simplicity 4429) again, but this time I shirred the waist so I can wear it with or without a belt.
Thanks Moggy!

This week and last week

2010-10-17T17:36:00.004+11:00

I popped into Rathdowne Remnants last Saturday and picked up some lovely silk twill in an ever-so-vintage print. I wanted something super simple - raglan sleeves, and perhaps a sash. I didn't have quite the right pattern in the right size, so I crossed the decades and frankenpatterned the top of Advance 8954 and the dressness of New Look 6461...

It turned out well - I've worn it twice already, and it has only just been a week!

I made another reversible purse at the same time:

I also had the urge for a cowl neck dress for some reason. Luckily Kitty had New Look 6470, and traced it off for me in time for my lightning visit to Sydney.

So yesterday I lengthened it to make a dress (no science to it, just kept the line going as it is a reasonably long top). Kitty advised to make the turnover on the cowl wider, which I did - I made it about 10cm wide. I used leftover knit from Olive Surplus. All up it took about an hour. I'm rather pleased how it turned out. Looks nice with the bolero thingy from the other week.
$

Brocade McCall's 6030

2010-10-16T15:44:00.008+11:00

Here is the brocade version of the frock from my last post.
I made the back skirt pleats into darts this time, and made 4 front skirt pleats instead of the 8 the pattern suggests. 2 bigger pleats on each side is more than enough for this stiff-ish fabric.

Since I took the photos I have tacked down the front and back facings so they don't roll out anymore. I might have to put some bra strap holders in because despite shortening the straps a little and narrowing the neckline a smidge, the frock's straps fall off my shoulders occasionally.

I made a little matchy clutch to carry too, with disco strap.

Moggy was in Sydney for work yesterday, and we met up for breakfast in Surry Hills, where she forced me to buy this wool blend at the Fabric Store. FORCED ME.
Might make a little coat.

1961 evening frock test

2010-09-27T16:47:00.005+10:00

I have been invited to a formal occasion! Oh boy, have I been waiting for this day! Frockortunity!

I have this lovely blue and silver brocade, given to me by a manager at work. Her mother-in-law passed away last year, and sewed for most of her life. This manager kindly thought of me and gave me about 6 shopping bags of fabrics dating back to the 1960s! There are some nice ones (and some dud neon 80s ones too); this is one of the gems. Nice and sparkly!

I am testing patterns to make a 60s cocktail/evening frock...this is McCall's 6030.
I used the rest of the vintage fabric I used for this frock.
(That back strap is going to need a scoliosis adjustment, whoops. Didn't even notice until I saw the photos. I didn't do any adjustments to this pattern, but it needs the straps narrowed just a smidge I think, and there's a bit of wrinkling in the lower bodice that needs seeing to)

What do you think? A contender for the brocade?

Handsome Dove

2010-09-19T18:03:00.007+10:00

After commenting on Kitty's lovely popover re: not sewing my sludgy green frock I thought I may as well go and make a start on the frock, which I cut out yesterday.

I bought the pattern a year or so ago at Lost & Found in Smith St for the princely sum of $5. Mid seventies I'm thinking - I'm not a huge fan of the 70s, but some of the patterns can be great if you don't use orange and brown polyester. Unless you want to of course!

I got the fabric from the Vietnamese lady on Smith St yesterday - not sure of the fibre, it's a nice drapey knit.

Being a knit, I left out the zip. This meant it only took two albums to sew - Lost Souls by The Doves and Last Days of Wonder by The Handsome Family - hence her name (Handsome Dove) and the fact that she now exists when she didn't at 4pm.

As I hoped, she's turned out rather Joan Holloway. Hurrah!

Rick rack pop-over

2010-09-19T14:40:00.006+10:00

(I should have pulled it down at the front a bit, there are red buttons on the shoulders)

I took to wearing a cotton frock over my swimsuit last summer, so I could pop into a cafe or go to the shops on the way home from the beach. I was using the floral vintage frock I bought at the Alameda flea market.

The metal zip on that frock was a bit burny on hot days, so I decided to make a pop-over frock for this year.
I have had this rick rack print fabric for a few years, and looked through the pattern stash for a frock with a centre front seam I could chevron.

I found Simplicity 8024, and used the view shown in white, second from the right. Because I cut on the bias to do the chevron, I was able to forgo a zip altogether, yay!

Quick and easy, swingy and breezy!

One hour dress is one hour: and, sleeves looking for a dress

2010-09-04T19:05:00.006+10:00

Today I tried the one-hour dress as seen on LSASPACEY's blog - I probably wouldn't have found it otherwise, and hers looks so lovely so I had to try.

It was quick and easy - half the time was measuring and drawing up the pattern, the actual sewing was a breeze (yay overlocker!). Doesn't look great without a belt, but that is no surprise. With it, it's cute - not as drapey on me though (when oh when will I learn to take decent pics of myself?). The fabric is a lace-print knit from my embarrassingly large stash.

Inspired by a bolero cardigan thingy Kitty bought, I decided I needed a little shrug bolero thingy. This turned out a bit like portable sleeves, but that is no bad thing! Here it is with the last posting's leopard wrap frock (note to self: don't wear a wrap dress on a windy day - I went up to the shop and Melbourne is having a w-i-i-i-i-i-ndy day today. Lucky I wear a slip as a matter of course!)

I used view D of McCalls 3033, with fold over elastic instead of using the scalloped edge of the lace... seeing as I wasn't using lace, y'know? I used a light lycra blend knit - not sure what fibre, maybe viscose (leftovers from something else). I think I'll make one in some green I have left over from something else else...

Fifties Fair 2010. Kittyhaul!

2010-08-29T17:38:00.007+10:00

It was the Fifties Fair today at Rose Seidler house, hurrah!

(I've been playing with the hipstamatic app on my new iPhone, which explains the above photo of the house. If you are into such things you must get it, it's super fun)

Moggy and her Mr J came along; I finally met Livebird and the Curmudgeon; a grand time was had.

I bought a nice scarf:
I couldn't resist these vintage fabrics, frock lengths:
and this is what I wore:
I made this frock last Saturday night while watching the election coverage. The frock was finished on the night, unlike the election. (Moggy has an uncanny knack of making me look like a robot in photos. I don't know how she does it. She's done it before. I honestly don't know what I was doing with my hands here.) Anyway, I used this 1962 pattern (not 50s I know. I'm a rebel):
I didn't have enough fabric for the panel, which is actually sewn all down the front of the frock. Intweeging.

Fifties fair frock and a leopard

2010-08-22T18:58:00.003+10:00

This weekend I made my fifties fair frock. It's next weekend, so I decided to go for a pattern I'd made before - I think this might be the fourth time I've made this.

And I just realised I made this one for last year's fair too!

This time I made it with the collar

It's a nice cotton sateen with lycra - this means no need for a zip, which made it a super quick sew. As this was a woven rather than a knit, I added 2cm to each seam (including the CF and CB folds) which seems just right. I used the a-line skirt from New Look 6557.

I do like it with that collar.

I also made a wrap dress with some monochrome leopard knit I bought last weekend, at the same time as the sateen above.

I used Butterick 5101 - I've made this as a top before, which I didn't post because it was black and therefore hard to see. It has a nice slight raised collar at the back. I was a little worried that it might gape, but I road tested it today and it seems fine - I usually wear a slip anyway so that should be fine.

Sewing, buying, stapling

2010-08-14T16:31:00.001+10:00

It will take me a bit longer to know for sure, but I think having a dedicated sewing room has slowed my sewing down. I used to be motivated to finish a frock in a day, or at least a weekend, because I had to clear everything off the dining table. Now I can leave everything in the sewing room for weeks.

It could also be winter slowing me down, because it's cold in the sewing room, and I have resisted Mr M's offers to set up a portable heater in there as too indulgent and expensive. As much as Betty is a useful dressform, I still need to try things on myself to be sure of length and fit, and I really don't enjoy doing that in the chilly house. I admit it! I sew in my undies in summer. So much easier for multiple try-ons.

I just finished another Stepfrock, this time in a blue doubleknit. This fabric is softer and has more drape than the doubleknit I used for the black one, and the result isn't as crisp, but I like it nonetheless.

I scored three boxes of vintage patterns at an auction place recently, in two auctions over two weeks. I'd say 95% are my size, so what could I do? I had to bid. There would be perhaps 140 patterns in total, and I counted 29 duds, but most are from the 40s, 50s and 60s. Yay! I haven't had much time to sit and study each one, but Moggy is coming up again for the Fifties fair in a couple of weeks, so I'll save that for an evening activity for us.

I also bought about 4.5 metres of Sanderson's 'Dandelion Clocks' fabric on eBay at a bargain price. Here it is stapled onto a canvas on my bedroom wall. I still have heaps left to make cushions.

I don't have to try on cushions, so they have a chance of being made before summer.

Only a little bit of sewing...

2010-07-24T17:47:00.007+10:00

In last year's makeover post I mentioned wanting to get hold of a Queen Anne style bedroom suite. I finally did a few weeks ago - two bedside tables, a mirrored dressing table, and a bed. (I reckon from the 70s, going by the maker and what I could find out about them - they're made by The Prestige Furniture Co, Reservoir).

It's brown shiny veneer, so I knew I had to paint it - I thought either white, black, or pink. I decided on the black, with pink handles. I found some great repro medium pink glass handles on eBay - sent from the USA, with great quick (and cheap!) shipping, and really well packed... (Rousso's Reproductions - NAYY but highly recommended).

I didn't want to have to do all sorts of sanding and so on, so I went to the paint shop and got a recommendation for Zinsser 1-2-3 Bullseye (what a name!) which you can paint straight over varnish - and so it did. I painted 3 coats of gloss black over the top (all water based, much easier than oil).
So, here's the first part of the suite:

As you can see, I also whipped up a doily for it - some leftover pink linen from another project, some crochet lace from the shop up the road, and Wednesday's days of the week kitty from Embroidery Library (embroidery machine, I have been neglecting you!)

Now to paint the rest of the suite, which also involves fixing the busted leg on the bed... that will be interesting. I'm not sure if I'm going to upholster the bed - I'll paint it first, then see how I like it.

Vintage Fabric Heidi

2010-07-18T17:01:00.006+10:00

It's been a long time between posts; I've been sewing, just not fast enough to blog about it.

I finished the final iteration of Heidi today.

She fought me all the way.
I've been working on this frock for weeks! The fabric was slippery and recalcitrant, and it just wasn't fun. I got through the ordeal by working on her in short bursts, giving up and closing the door of the sewing room when I felt ready to throw the whole thing in the bin.

I even made a self-fabric cummerbund too. I think you can tell by my posture in the cummerbund pic that I'm not thrilled with it! I think this version of the frock looks better without a belt:
The cummerbund took ages too, because of the naughty fabric. Sigh.

I lined her in bright pink cotton poplin, inspired by the little bit of pink in the fabric:

I'm pleased with the final result, but she shall sit in the wardrobe until I'm over the ordeal of making her. Also until it warms up enough to wear her. I might even warm to the cummerbund with time, but I'm not counting on it.

In the chilly weather, my thoughts turn to knitting. I love sitting on the couch with a nice warm knit!

This is what I've made:
Big Bad Baby Blanket: from Stitch n Bitch, in an acrylic from Spotlight:

Sludgy green ribbed lace bolero, for Ms Mog, who says she loves it and wore it already so maybe she doesn't lie:

Yarn is "Classic" 100% merino (colour Guava) from Bendigo Woollen Mills.

I'm knitting another, more complicated baby blanket now. More on that one later.

Bloody Bengaline

2010-06-14T20:01:00.008+10:00

I got some blood red stretch bengaline on Saturday. I was umming and ahhing but then decided to buy 5m of the stuff.

I do love a bit of bengaline. Did you know that Lizzie Borden was wearing a bengaline dress when she* axe murdered her parents? The things you learn on Wikipedia!. Hers was silk though, mine isn't so murdery...

I decided to make Butterick 5281 - a retro reprint from 1946. Now I look at the Butterick website I see they've made a version in a similar red - fancy that!

Unfortunately I think it has turned out a bit mumsy (not sure of the translation of that term for our North American friends...). I'm hoping a brooch -as opposed to the fetching pin that is there now - and a belt will help. I also didn't put the shoulder pads in - I will have a think about it on my test drive tomorrow.**

It was actually a pretty straightforward sew. I didn't line the bodice, just made a facing which seems to have worked fine.

_______________________________________
*Allegedly murdered (thanks anonymous)

** Test drove frock today - garnered compliments. Easy Jane, why do you frumpify# my frocks?

#Thanks Cathie, that is the word I was looking for!

Deery me

2010-06-14T19:10:00.007+10:00

Here's the other frock I was making while Heidi-ing.

It's made of the Joel Dewberry Deer Valley fabric featured in an earlier post. It's delightful! Made from old faithfull vintage Butterick 8149 with some wide straps trimmed with the same bias binding as I put on the top of the bodice. Skirt is good old New Look 6699 as the large scale fabric seemed to demand a-line skirt.

Hooray!

Duelling Heidis

2010-05-31T15:41:00.005+10:00

Moggy and I were making Heidis at the same time on the weekend, and had a virtual sew-along over the innernets. Fun! We used similar prints too, which I didn't know until she had finished her muslin.

This is my Heidi number 2, which I made out of a stash fabric to test the size 34 bodice. It's a much better fit than the 36, but I think I'll need to take a smidge out of the width of the neckline on the final version as it still gaps when I move. Although it may be the open pleats causing the billowing I guess. A small bust adjustment wouldn't hurt; I think Burdas are drafted for a C cup, aren't they? I'm no C.

The fabric is from the stash, a quilting cotton from a couple of years ago called 'Touched by the Sun' by RJR. (I can't find it online anywhere now.) It really didn't need lining, but I lined it for extra practise before doing the vintage fabric version. With the thick cotton lining it feels substantial, like a vintage frock. I'm enjoying that.
I am debating whether to do this skirt on the final version. There are 7 pieces (including the pockets) which make up just the front of this skirt, yikes! I do love the pockets, but a simpler skirt (like on Moggy's version yesterday) would look fine too, since the details are lost on these busy prints. I could always put in side seam pockets. What do you think?

I am Heidi (and so can you!)*

2010-05-30T17:51:00.005+10:00

I finally got back into sewing this weekend - it felt fab.

Why did it take me so long to get onto the Heidi bandwagon? She's a good quick sew, and just plain lovely! I shoulda know when such stylish and tasteful sewing ladies such as Livebird, Erin Dressaday and my sewing compadre kitty have made such nice frocks.

Here's my (very) wearable muslin:

Changes:
7cm length added to bodice (it's rather a highwaisted pattern, and I'm longwaisted at the best of times) - thanks to Livebird for this one!

I didn't use the Heidi skirt -as I've said before, Burda do seem to put fussy (in my opinion) details on their patterns that seem to make things fiddly to make. Also, you wouldn't have been able to see the centre panel etc it in the busy pattern. I used the plain pencil skirt from New Look 6699, and made the darts into pleats.

I made it in a stretch woven I got for $2.50/m at Spotlight - if (when!) I make this in a non-stretch I'll need to add a couple of centimetres. I might change the back bodice pleats into darts, but I'll see how I feel when I've testdriven the frock tomorrow.

I think I'll make it out of the rose on the right here. I've made a frock in the deer print on the left, but that isn't quite finished yet... and now I wish it was a Heidi.

* with apologies to Stephen Colbert.

Frock in a Jiffy

2010-05-29T17:43:00.007+10:00

I was going to make another Heidi today, but as we head into winter next week, I fancied making something I can wear in the next two or three months!

I found some wool interlock (I think) in the stash, and used Simplicity 4429. I wanted more of a cap sleeve, so I added a few centimetres at the shoulders, and added a little depth to the underarm.

It really, really needs to be belted though. It's basically a slim sack. Not pretty. But pretty with a belt, yay! I love this frock!

It is a great background for brooches. I've been going a bit mad for vintage brooches on ebay
lately; in fact I bought two just last night, inspired by Tom and Lorenzo's Joan Holloway post. If you haven't yet discovered their Mad Style posts, you are in for a treat.

Heidi Ho

2010-05-23T17:17:00.003+10:00

I have some vintage fabric and I couldn't decide on a pattern for it. I think it's rayon, it's got that crispy acetate hand, and it's quite thin. I pulled out all my vintage patterns, but I had a feeling I could easily end up in the 'matronly' arena with this particular print.

I took out my modern patterns, but turns out my tastes run more to the vintagey looks in modern patterns too.

So I downloaded Burda 6016, the very popular Heidi dress. There are some sweet frocks on those links.

I haven't done a download-and-tape-together-pattern before. It's not difficult, but it is time consuming. It took me over an hour to fold and tape. Then I traced the 36, which was closest to my measurements. I haven't made many Burda patterns, and I'd heard they have less ease than other commercial patterns. I knew I had to make a muslin before cutting into the 'good' fabric.

I'm glad I traced, because I will need to trace the smaller bodice next time.

I used the rest of the 70s sheet I used to underline the silk shift and because I will be lining the vintage fabric version, I also fully lined it, in white calico, for a practise run. I didn't follow the instructions to the letter for the lining, because they instruct you to handsew the lining to the zipper tape. Ha! No chance! I put the skirt lining in before doing the zip, basted the outer fabric and lining together at the side opening, and then put the zip in. In the right side of the dress as it happens; I got my left and rights mixed up. It's an invisible zip so it doesn't matter.

Why are side zips always on the left anyway, anybody know?

Here she is, with the hem very roughly pinned up. I haven't decided on the length yet. I want to ruminate on it.

Here she is with a belt. Looks better with a belt. I didn't make the belt which came with the pattern, it would have got lost in this print anyway. And, it's a muslin. Too much effort, way too much laziness.

Love those pockets!

It does look like it fits in the photos, but the bodice is too big. It's fine when I stand still with my shoulders back, but if I move the shoulders slip down and the neckline billows out like a spinnaker. Maybe I should do some pintucks, like this one.

This is the fabric I want to use, maybe with a matching cummerbund, for extra fanciness. What do you think?

Tell the bride the wedding can go ahead!

2010-05-21T12:43:00.004+10:00

Thank you interweb friends, for your sympathy and your suggestions on how to fix this frock.

I bit the bullet and took Lsaspacey's advice (special 'mwah' to you!), and released the front darts, even though this meant undoing the overlocked and hand-stitched hem and pulling off the interlining. Ugh.

But it's worth it to have a wearable dress! I can move! (and eat, and laugh, and sit...)

Salvage operation

2010-05-16T21:37:00.006+10:00

Yesterday's frock again.

I took out the zip, and clawed back about a centimetre of ease by sewing it back in on a smaller seam allowance. Of course the zip was one of the best I'd ever done, and *sob* it's not as neat and even now. (no one else will notice, but still, annoyment).

It feels a bit better, but doesn't look too different. I might make a stand-by frock from the rest of this fabric (because, Carol-of-the-comments, I do want to eat at the wedding...why else does one go to a wedding if not for a free feed?)

I shall shop the pattern stash.

Silk shift

2010-05-15T16:06:00.004+10:00

I have a wedding to attend later in the year, and was talking of my desire for turquoise silk to Ms Moggy. I put it out there, and before I could say 'why-don't-I-make-a-too-tight-sheath-dress', Moggy scored me nearly 4 metres of turquoise/red silk dupioni for $10 total! Well Ms Mog, now
I'm dreaming about a million dollars, small bills. You should get on that.

I made New Look 6736 again, but forgot I made it in a stretchy fabric last time didn't I? Sigh. Here it is, much too tight over the bewbs and mid section. I even bought a vintage brooch on ebay to wear with it, as you can see in the close up.

I did teeny seams, and I suppose I could let out the darts a bit, but the thing is I underlined it. I never underline anything. I'd have to undo all that to alter it. Erm, not gonna happen. I bought these new-old-stock sheets at an auction you see, and the blue/green ones just looked so cute with the fabric. It does stop the silk wrinkling too.

Oh well. It's a cute frock, and I do have enough to make another, slightly bigger version. I just can't see that happening though, I've kind of moved on.

Shopping (sorta) Fail

2010-04-26T22:10:00.006+10:00

I've just come back from four weeks in the USA (California, Arizona, New Mexico) and did very minimal stuff shopping - even though I did visit the LA Fabric district (huge!) a JoAnn's or two (99c patterns! But only Simplicity!).

I bought three pairs of the same shoes from Re-Mix (in red, olive green and black):

3 yards of fabric from Michael Levine in the fabric district:

One 99c pattern from JoAnn's (pretty similar to the Vogue fauxlero, but nice cowly bit):

and... an iPad fell in my bag. Oops.

I did also eat lots of tasty foods and drove up Route 66 and went on 360 degree roller coasters and saw lovely rocks and the Grand Canyon and mid-century houses in Palm Springs and general silliness in Las Vegas and lovely Santa Fe and Albuquerque and Ham the Space Monkey's suit and capsule and a Sputnik and the site of the atomic bomb testing and Smokey the Bear museum and Zion National Park and Monument Valley and lava and White Sands and and and....

Pattern purchases at the Vintage Show

2010-04-26T12:13:00.010+10:00

I went to the Sydney Vintage Clothing, Jewellery and Textiles Show last weekend. I managed to go on the opening Friday night, which I have always wanted to do.
It was good as usual, but I didn't find any have-to-have fabrics or accessories. I did try on a pair of vintage 40s shoes which were gorgeous and fit me perfectly, but they were well out of my price range.

These patterns were in my price range though.
I'm going through a 60s shift/sheath phase, in my mind.
In my mind because after 3 and a half weeks of house guests, there has been no sewing here.

No sewing on this public holiday either. Too many sheets and towels to wash, and I still have to set up my sewing room again.

I had to buy Style 2323 (below), because it is the same as the dress I copied in this post. It will be fun to compare my drafted pattern to this one. Once the washing is done.

A pittance of sewing

2010-04-11T20:12:00.006+10:00

A pittance is all I have to show you after all this time.

A couple of weeks ago I started to make vintage Simplicity 6672 (sometimes called the Goddess dress). I started sewing a muslin out of polyester jersey, but we are in week 2 of having a houseguest for 3 weeks (eeeee! 3 weeks!) and I just can't sew when I have guests, unless they are sewing friends of course.

I am going a bit crazy with the not sewing.

I am going to show you the frock, with the hem awkwardly pinned, the armholes unfinished, and the seams all puckery because this is stoopid poly jersey and despite a walking foot and jersey needle and stretch stitch it's the best I could do.

I don't know whether I'll finish it looking at that photo. I think it looks better in real life. If I do finish it I'll have to wear it to places where I won't be photographed! Or just ditch this one and make it in a nicer fabric.

I don't usually do muslins, but this is a very different style for me. As it is I took heaps of volume out of the skirt because I only had 2 metres of fabric. I don't think I'd like it with a very heavy skirt. What do you think? Worth finishing, make it in a nicer knit, or give up?

Igor, frock and hat

2010-03-14T20:35:00.009+11:00

Last week I did a practice pack for next week's trip and thought I had everything. But then I read the weather for Los Angeles and apparently it is around 25-27 Celcius - so I though I'd better pack a sundress!

Notwithstanding the fact I have about one billion sundresses, I thought I should make another. This is a combo of the vintage Butterick 8149, the skirt from New Look 6699, and a band made up on the spot...

It's not actually a halter, I just haven't finished attaching the straps to the back. I also thought I should make a little bolero to pop over the top if it is even sunnier. This is a frankenpattern of Simplicity 3748 and McCalls 5006. I shall call her Igor:

I also decided to make a hat (why the hell not!) It is the baddana fabric on one side, and some leftover hawaiian print barkcloth on the other:

This is made from the Wild Ginger software called 'Wild Things!' which is a free download of fashion accessories patternmaking software.

Maxi refashion

2010-03-06T19:42:00.016+11:00

It occurred to me the other day that all those maxi dresses you see around - on sale of course! - would be the ideal candidate for refashioning. I've been finding leopard knit rather hard to find for a while, so when I saw this I thought it would be a good candidate at a mere $20 on sale up the road:

The neckline is way too blingy - it looks even worse in person I think.

So I cut the bling off (interestingly, it came off as one piece which might actually make quite a nice necklace - as you can see in the Afters).

I cut it fairly straight (the back was slightly elasticated and straight so I left it as is), put some pleats at the centre front to dip the neckline, and made the Butterick 8149 gathered straps.

Here is the after. This might even end up being a tripfit, since it packs up small and doesn't wrinkle.

I might need to sauce it up a bit, but I will wear it a few times first.

Random stuff

2010-02-27T14:55:00.005+11:00

I am in the midst of knitting a baby blanket for a colleague:
It's the 'Old Shale Baby Blanket'. It's an easy knit, but looks far more complicated than it is. You can find the pattern here.

I also recently made toadstool rattle for a friend's new bub. It's cute, but my version came out more like a toadstool ice-cream cone. Mmm, poisony. (Pattern here)

Finally I have a couple of weddings to attend, so I am on the lookout for fancy fabrics to make up some of the vintage patterns I love but haven't made because I haven't had occasions to wear them. I went looking at Remnant Warehouse today. I came home with two sweater knits instead of glam silks. Oh dear, looks like I will have to do more fabric shopping. Sigh.
I'm thinking the McCalls 5245 jacket from the dark chocolate rib which the label says is a poly/viscose, and maybe another Vogue 2925 top from the teal, which is a wool/acrylic blend.

Luaus and sewing rooms

2010-02-07T11:14:00.006+11:00

I'm having a housewarming luau in a few weeks, and not surprisingly I have a few tropical frocks to choose from.

I think I have decided to wear flamingos (see the last link above), but as I'm thinking more of a 60s-Blue-Hawaii-Elvis-movie -theme-luau, a wiggle dress seemed appropriate, so I took her in, and up.

Here she is now, along with a sneak peek of my new sewing area, wooo! (I love the old telephone desk I got at auction, but I can't fit my sewing machine and overlocker on it together, so it may be replaced when I find just the right desk) Not as fab as Moggy's purpose built sewing studio, (no, I'm not envious AT ALL), but I am just so happy to have a place where I can keep my machine set up!
Is it bad form to leave your guests for frock changes? I'm having trouble deciding which frock. Help anyone?

Also, I think I have found just the right fabric in the stash for a machine cover, what do you think?

Simplicity 2614, again

2010-01-26T20:09:00.003+11:00

In honour of Australia Day (day off, woo!), I organised my stash. Organising in my world doesn't mean colour coding, categorising by type of fabric, oh no no no. I went through my plastic storage bins of fabric and tossed all the post-project scraps of fabric I had shoved in there, many of which were not big enough to make a coin purse. Then I folded the fabrics up properly, which has made more room for more fabric. Yay!

One of the benefits of cleaning up the stash was finding bits of fabrics I had forgotten about. This is a cotton voile I bought from Spotlight years ago, pre-blog. I had made a wrap dress with it, but had never worn it due to the neckline stretching out (forgot to stay-stitch, whoops!). That dress was recently tossed, or donated, I don't remember which. Anyway, I found enough of a remnant of the fabric to make another Simplicity 2614 blouse, with the tie, but without the sleeves.

I made it this afternoon and wore it out to dinner this evening. I just hurriedly snapped a photo outside in the fading light, so it's a bit crumpled; please imagine it crisply ironed.

Which reminds me, I have some crispy M&Ms waiting. Mmmmm.

Florals for everybody!

2010-01-17T20:03:00.004+11:00

I made another Vogue 3013 the other day, in some cherry blossom fabric I bought in Tokyo nearly 2 years ago. This pattern is like my fitting shell, it fits me so well. I must remember to trust the pattern though, and not panic and do small seam allowances before I put the zip in. I pulled it around my body prior to zip insertion, and convinced myself it was going to be too small. Of course as soon as I put the zip in it was all gape-a-rama up the top. I probably need to become one of those ladies who scribble all over my pattern envelopes. "Trust the pattern, Kitty!" Wouldn't that make a nice mystery for its next owner?

I also made Simplicity 2614 in cotton voile I bought at Pitt Trading. It was supposed to be the non-tie version, which it was for a while, until I noticed this:

Yes, the largest flowers over the bewbies. Not anatomically correct, but not a good look in any case. Sigh. And I was careful cutting out, or so I thought. The gathers might have pulled them in to that awkward position.
I consulted Moggy, nip-crisis counsellor, who suggested making the tie to distract the eye. She was right, and the blouse is saved, see:

I like it even more now, and I must remember that V-neck cotton tops always look a bit like scrubs to me. (I should scribble that on the pattern envelope. "Cotton + V-neck = Scrubby") The tie helps scrub out the scrubbiness.

Also, I had to re-cut the front facing on this pattern, due to it being a good 10cm too small on the size 8! I did the neck facings 3 times in all, what with them being too small, Then putting the corrected ones on, then ripping them out to put the collar/tie on, which meant cutting more facings... and cotton voile is no friend of the seam ripper. Under that neckline is ugly and holey my friends.

All this for a work top. This is why I don't like making clothes to wear to work. Frocks rarely give me this much trouble.

Wrongrose

2010-01-15T22:04:00.005+11:00

As promised, here is the dress I cut out yesterday along with the shruglero. I have named her Wrongrose in honour of Livebird's comment yesterday.

The pattern is New Look 6789, which I have made twice before.

This is super quick to sew, the only thing that took time is the piping on the band (made much easier by the mighty piping foot!).

The stretch cotton sateen is lovely to sew and wear - if only all my floral cottons were lycra-ed!

Here she is with the shruglero from yesterday. Looks a bit mother of the bride, but I think I'll manage.

Shruglero

2010-01-14T18:22:00.005+11:00

I think this is a bolero, however the pattern (McCalls 5006) says 'shrug' - so I shall compromise with Shruglero!

I have a dress cut out to match this (New Look 6789), but as I've made it a couple of times before I thought I'd make this first.

I made view D, with 3/4 sleeves. It is supposed to be lined, but since it has a front facing and raised back neck band, I took a chance and left it out - it worked just fine.

I need to decide what button to use to fasten the front - I have a squillion buttons, but none quite right!

More home dec sewing

2010-01-13T12:46:00.003+11:00

A couple of simple cushions for the sofa, in green 'boomerang beat' fabric.
No fancy piping or anything, too lazy and the fabric is fancy enough, no?

I am trying to decide what frock to make while I am still on holidays. It's hot here, so a cotton sunfrock is high on the agenda. Hmm.
But I am having a bit of a knit affair. Mmm, knits.

I will have a rifle through the stash. I may be some time.

Black Black Black

2010-01-06T22:12:00.003+11:00

The frock below was the muslin for this dress, and which I roughly put together to test my pattern draft. I finished it off today, and it's wearable. This version had a mandarin collar, which we ended up not putting on the official version, because it looked a bit tacked on. I don't mind it on this though.

I made a quick knit skirt too. How many black skirts can one woman need? Well, my other pull on knit skirts are too thick to wear in summer, this one is nice and thin. Ignore the bulges from the tucked in shirt, I wouldn't normally tuck a shirt in, but I did for the photo to show the waistband.

Mended a couple of Mr M's shirts today too, so I'm popular.

Baggage

2010-01-03T16:08:00.006+11:00

Part of my trip preparation ritual is making a new bag. I like to have a bag to carry stuff on the plane and for wandering about the streets with a camera and cardigan and bottle of water and all that kind of thing.

So here's this trip's bag - I haven't road tested it yet, so it remains to be seen if it comes on holiday with me:

It converts from the big size (good for magazines and carrying bulkier stuff like the aforementioned cardigan) down to a smaller more handbag-size, by clipping the strap on to the middle d-rings rather than the top ones. The rings stick out a bit, but I don't mind that look.

I was inspired by the Timbuk2 Stowaway bag which is delightful but at US$50 for shipping (the bag is on sale at the mo for US$25) it's really not practical.

I also made the dress from Vogue 1020 yesterday, but it is NQR... I think I need to taper the sleeves. Will post when done, but once again it is black so a little hard to see!

Home sewing

2010-01-02T14:10:00.005+11:00

Moving house has meant mostly home dec sewing for me lately. Busy busy busy!

I have 'prepared' curtains. Hemming and clipping them up, putting a bit of lining behind them is barely 'making' curtains. Fabric on the smaller window is vintage, the dandelion print is from ikea.

We bought an outdoor dining setting from ikea, and painted it white. I dipped into the stash to make some tropical cushions for it, and we used it when we had friends over for New Year's Eve.
It pleases me.

I've also finished the moderne baby blanket for friends whose baby may arrive anytime now. It's a bit wonky, due to the instructions saying to pick up stitches one for one to start the next block, even from the edge rows. There may be an errata somewhere, but I didn't see it when I started this months ago, so I started out doing that, before remembering that knit stitches are wider than they are tall, so that trick never works. Hence the wonk. I am choosing to see it as 'hand crafted charm'.

Tripfits Twenty-Ten

2010-01-01T18:16:00.013+11:00

Now that the new year has ticked over, it is less than three months until my USA holiday so tripfits must be made!

It's been horribly hot and sticky lately which means I can just about make myself cut out things but don't feel much like actual sewing - luckily it is lovely and cool today so I took advantage of the weather to make a dress:
It's made from a mystery knit from the shop up the road - I did the burn test and got a sort of hair-paper smell and a bit of melty stuff so who knows! It has a nice drape, and doesn't crush - so good prospect for a travel frock. It's a teeny bit low for day wear, but I'll be making some nice straight-across slips so that should be fine.

Item #2 is a travel skirt from this Vogue Pattern, using the same fabric. I lengthened the skirt 15cm as the original was a bit short:

The annual Cleg's $5 pattern sale was on Boxing Day so I went and got a big bunch o'patterns. As well as the two above I also got:

Red Shirr-ley

2009-12-26T14:08:00.005+11:00

I made another version of Shirr-ley, because I wear the first version a lot.

The fabric for this one is a cottony knit (I though it might be a poly cotton due to the weight, but having worn the frock a few times, I think the extra weight is maybe elastane not poly. I can tell because it's been stinking hot on a few occasions when I've worn this, and I haven't expired from the heat like I would with even the smallest bit of poly. Why this doesn't happen with elastane or lycra, I don't know.)

The knit is from Pitt Trading. I bought it with making another Shirr-ley in mind. I like the retro print.

I didn't bind the neckline or armholes this time, because I didn't have anything in quite the right colour. I would like to make a neckline flounce for this one, maybe a turquoise little something? Or a big brooch? The neckline feels quite plain. But maybe that's just because I'm used to fancy!

Olive surplus

2009-12-05T19:54:00.003+11:00

Despite having a giant stash under my cutting table (12 x 55l boxes! eek!) I can't resist buying more when I see it. I went past Cleg's in the city last night and found some sludgy green poly-lycra crepish knit... it's one of my favourite colours at the moment so I couldn't resist. $5.95/m was also a bit irresistible.

I pondered what to make last night. I decided something wrappy-drapey would be good, so I thought of the very popular New Look 6429 (which I am wearing today for inspiration). Such a comfy dress and one that takes longer to cut out than sew...

However I decided to make a few changes. I put 5 cm through the torso since the other one sits a bit high.

I used clear elastic inside the turned-over neck so it wouldn't gape. I may have gone a bit overboard, but the gathers are in keeping with the side gathers and the back so I think that works OK (if I don't like it after a few wears I should be able to take some of the elastic out)

I also decided to square off the back bodice point and put on a straighter skirt with gathers:

It sits a bit lower than I planned, but I think the effect is rather 1940s which is just fine by me!

The colour doesn't come up too well in the pics - it's more like this text (note to self: learn some more html)

And I'm back

2009-11-22T21:33:00.005+11:00

My stash of patterns and fabric has been in storage for nearly two months, boo! Mr M and I have moved house, so there has been a lot going on. It was worth it to get a sewing room. Well, hopefully I will have a sewing room once we get all of the junk sorted out.

I'm back on the sewing machine wagon now.

First up was my friend S coming up to stay at our new place for a weekend, so I could make her a frock for an awards night she's attending. It's difficult to see because it's black, but it's a v-neck, with tie gathered shoulders, and a shirred high waist. Made in a satiny polyester. It's what she wanted. No pattern, I just traced one of her dresses for size, then shirred away. Still loving the shirring obviously. Magic. The pic is the frock on me, it looks better on S. Darn. Well, it was made for her.

Today I made a shirred sunfrock for a friend's daughter's second birthday. I have used this fabric before for a little frock. No pattern necessary; I cut out a rectangle 50cm long and about 60cm wide, hemmed all around, shirred 10 rows, sewed the one seam (reinforcing the shirred bit of the seam a few times to catch all the shirring elastic. We don't want any pinging) and added straps. Easy. Just as well, because today was the last chance I had to make something before the big day. I hope it fits. Surely the magic shirring won't let me down!

By the way, the photo is taken on the huge rock face we have in our new back yard. Naturey!

Wiggle, robots, wiggle!

2009-11-07T17:27:00.015+11:00

Is it really two months since our last posting? What a shocking state of affairs!

I've bought a fair chunk of fabric online in the last few weeks (woohoo for the strength of the Australian dollar!).
I heartily endorse buying quilting cottons online and getting them shipped from the USA. I usually search via Quiltshops.com, and most of the places seem to ship to Australia. A global priority envelope fits 7-9 yards (if they are really skilled envelope squeezers!) and costs $12.95 USD postage. I find they get here in about two weeks and I have never been disappointed with the fabric. NAYY, just a satisfied repeat customer.

So it seemed time to sew a couple of them up:

New Look 6789 from this irresistable "First Village" from Michael Miller:

This went together very easily - or it least it would have if I hadn't chucked in some extra seam allowance willynilly, which I then had to take out again... but anyway, a quick sew and a very comfortable frock:

Then we have the "Robots" from Michael Miller (what can I say, I love their work) which is a frankenstein of the Butterick 8149 bodice and the straight skirt from New Look 6699. I should've trawled our archives first and realised I used a different skirt with more hip room last time... this time resulted in a Robot Wiggle frock:

I am off to a party this evening, so I made a robot reversible pursible to go with

it (lined with green toy soldier fabric):

The other fabrics that I bought recently are:

Happy Camper (this and the two above are from Fabric Shack). This is destined for a shirtdress of some sort for the USA trip next year:

More robots (a shirt for the chap) plus a couple of halloween prints (frocks for me), from Beaver Creek quilts:

I've been most conscientious and prewashed all of these (note to self: don't forget to overlock the ends before chucking in the machine, saves a whole world of tangle).

Tomorrow I plan to either frockify one of the lengths, or maybe start the Great Bolero Experiment of Summer '09. This girl needs some cover ups for sunny days!

Oops, I forgot I made this skirt a few weeks ago too. It's from an old Style pattern, and I think I'll make another in wool jersey for the trip:

All the fun of the fair

2009-09-05T14:40:00.003+10:00

Sorry about the break in transmission there. Life kind of got in the way. I was doodling along in my comfortable rut, which is where I do my best work, and then something happened and dragged me out of my lovely rut and left me in a huge paddock, running free! It's all good though, but not much sewing, knitting or blogging got done.

Darn paddocks.

Anyway, I'm back, and especially for Livebird, here is the fifties fair update!

Um, we didn't take any photos at the fair. I admit it. I wanted to take my vintage handbag and my camera didn't fit in it, so no photos.

I didn't buy much at the fair either. I had put in an absentee bid at an auction the day before (not eBay, an actual physical auction house) on four boxes of vintage patterns, most in my size and mostly gorgeous! My natural optimism meant I was sure I would get them. Erm, I didn't, but the auction wasn't until the next day, and on fifties fair day it meant I wasn't motivated to pay $8+ for patterns. I was going to get over a hundred just the next day at a bargain price of course! Erm, no.

Back to the fair.

I wore this frock:
I didn't make this one, it's gen-yoo-wine vintage. I may have even bought it at the fifties fair one year, the memory's a little hazy.
I did buy a few little things, such as this hat:

and a half slip (no photo, have already mislaid said slip)

and three budgie pins, also mislaid, but maybe Moggy will post a photo of hers.

Of course, with Miss Moggy here for a weekend, we had to do some fabric shops.

This is my haul:

(Left to right: pink stretch silk seersuckery stuff from Just Remnants; navy cotton voile floral; and a floral mystery knit, probably cotton/poly by the feel...I bought it to make another Shirr-ley, the two fabrics on the right were from the website-less Pitt Trading)

I also bought some 100% wool jersey and some wool interlock from The Remnant Warehouse, but they are black so they photograph pretty much as a black blob. Be assured when I make them up into frocks you will see them. We also went to the Fabric Store in Surry Hills, where Moggy bought something but I didn't. I'll let Moggy fill you in on that if she so desires.

I was on a bit of a quest that weekend to find fold-over elastic, and success! Here (from the top); red and navy FOE, some black lingerie elastic (not fold over) and a divine black fold-over elastic with a little picot edge surprise.
Elastics from Pitt Trading (their address is: 274 Rocky Point Rd, Ramsgate, NSW) and Just Remnants, which is fab by the way and if you're in Sydney you should go there.

Owly

2009-08-17T16:06:00.003+10:00

Just in time for a steamy Sydney summer, Owly is finished! (I lie. Almost finished. Like 99% done) The knitting is complete, all that is left is to sew on their little button eyes.
I will do that after I block it; those stitches look a bit rough in the bulky yarn.

This was a very quick and fun knit. I would have finished earlier had it not been for the sock interlude, and two friends announcing they're having babies, necessitating a dash for wool to start baby blankets. I only have 6 months! Eeeee!

Fifties Fair this weekend. What am I going to wear?

Hearty sweetheart sweetness

2009-08-13T19:48:00.005+10:00

I realised this week that I hadn't made a frock for the fifties fair (next weekend) and I don't have any in reserve. So I spent today making this:

It's a Butterick Retro '50 - Butterick 6522 which I made before in lace (and in something else, but I can't remember what). It must have been some time ago, because the pattern was a size or two too small, but I just placed the centre back and centre front 2cm in from the fold and voila - fits perfectly.

I made it from a crepe-y black knit - turned out to be a good choice as it is nice and drapey and also I didn't need to put a zip in (yay!). I'm letting it hang for a while before I hem it. I may need to put in thread chain belt loops, or maybe stabilise the waist with some elastic.

The extra heart-ness is thanks to my trusty embroidery machine. I got the heart from Urban Threads (this one, minus the wings).

Noro socks

2009-08-09T17:34:00.004+10:00

I interrupted my owly knitting to knit some socks for a friend having surgery this week. I used Noro Kureyon sock yarn, in colourway number S184. I knit using both ends of the ball of wool alternately every 4 rows to get the small stripes. The second sock should have gone more quickly, but there were snarls the size of golf balls in the middle of the ball which took me ages each time to untangle. I ended up just cutting the snarls free and carrying on, which I thought was clever until I started running out of yarn and had to untangle them anyway.

Look like they fit, huh?

They do! Until I stand up. Here's what socks knit for size 11 feet look like (with gravity) on size 6.5 feet:

All wrapped up in ribbon, ready for giving:

I haz bizzy

2009-08-06T20:07:00.004+10:00

I've been trying to make more productive use of my time off, to whit:
Shirring! (inspired by Kitty) - for some reason this took me a few goes to get right (hint- don't wind your elastic on your bobbin too tight). This is from a Simplicity pattern (I think it is an 80s one) for a peasant-blouse style dress. I used fold over elastic for the neckline and underwear elastic (!) for the sleeves. Here is before shirring and after shirring:

I made this a week or so ago out of some lovely sludgy green seersucker.

The pattern is a 1951 top half and the standard ol' a-line skirt (the original had a panelled one which didn't fit on my yardage). I've mislaid the pattern for the moment. Vintage buttons from Buttonmania sale earlier in the year.

I got out the embroidery machine and calavera'd a cardigan (embroidery design from Urban Threads).

I also did a bit of mending, but that doesn't merit a picture.

Lepolar

2009-07-28T22:33:00.005+10:00

I have already started tripfit planning for an as yet unbooked trip (March 2010) but these things can't be done too early!I decided that I wanted a polar fleece jacket that didn't look too much like one.I have McCall 5245 (now OOP) and some leopard print polar fleece in the stash (in the special leopard fabric section, don't you know). I think I bought it at the same time as the pattern.

So, here is my slightly dressy polar fleece jacket. It is very comfy and warm. All it needs is a button or two and it is done.

I was made for lining you baby (not!) and Owls

2009-07-27T17:40:00.006+10:00

I have cut out and sewn together the lining for the jacket, but when it came to cutting away for the vent in the back it said to cut away on the left side, and I assumed that meant the left side of the 'right' side (as opposed to 'wrong' side). Not thinking lining was I? The right side of lining sits against the body of course. D'oh. So I've flounced away for a while. Harrumph!

This trauma has sent me a-knitting. I started 'Owls' by Kate Davies. (ravelry link). It's a free pattern, and so cute! I always get the urge to knit wooly jumpers when the weather starts to warm up. This is a quick knit so far though, so I might sneak in a few wears before the end of the socks and cardigan season.
This is how much I knit on the weekend, I love bulky yarn! As you can see, I was terribly original with my choice of colour, ie I'm using exactly the same shade of grey (although it looks a little different in this pic):
The yarn is Moda Vera 'Mousse', which is 70% wool and 30% soya. It's very nice to knit, and thankfully doesn't seem like it will be itchy to wear.

I went to the designer's website and saw this paper dolls jumper. Another cutie!

Score: one meh, one yay

2009-07-19T18:26:00.012+10:00

Since Kittty went to the trouble of getting the Ashley-ish Simplicity 2614 before it is released in Australia. This weekend, I muslined it in the same skull print knit that Kitty used for a blouse before. Sadly I can't say I am that excited about the result - I think it might look better in a woven (i t is meant to be made from bias cut woven)

So I decided to make a skirt. I've had the pattern for McCall 5523 for a while, and bought the material at Darn Cheap last week. It's got that librarian vibe I was after so I am happy with the result.

Knit jacket

2009-07-18T15:37:00.003+10:00

I have been threatening to make a doubleknit jacket for a while. I started to make this jacket again a week or two ago. I have a short attention span for jacket making though, so I have been doing it in short bursts. For instance, a week ago I traced out the lining pattern pieces, and today I cut out the lining. I have no intention of sewing it in yet. I am in a mid-winter sewing slowdown.

I added 5cm of length to the jacket this time to match the length of my favourite blazer. I remembered to add the extra length to the lining pieces too, although it was a close thing. I'm glad I remembered before I cut into the stretch silk I'm using for the lining. Eek!

I'm not putting the pocket flaps on it this time, but I have thought about small patch pockets. I won't have to make that decision too soon at the rate I'm going.

Trashy Diva

2009-07-06T17:17:00.007+10:00

Moggy and I love Trashy Diva, and we have bought frocks/blouses/skirts/jackets from their online store on more than one occasion. They are great to deal with. Their silks are lovely.

Their sale section is a dangerous place to browse late at night with credit card at the ready and Ms Moggy egging me on via instant messaging. Lovely, silky danger.
I've just seen their latest dresses ...mmm. Some beauties there.

Two copies of Simplicity 2614 arrived in the mail today, one for me, one for the Mog . (I will send it soon M! Along with cardigans for embroidering)

View D, the reddish blouse in the middle, would make a nice 40s inspired frock if lengthened, no? A bit like Trashy Diva's Ashley...

*Edited later to add* - after re-reading this post, I thought I should add that we at Frock and Roll aren't affiliated with Trashy Diva in any way, we just like em!

Knockoff in waiting

2009-06-29T19:29:00.003+10:00

I tried on this frock in a shop a while ago while shopping with Moggy...
(Sneaky phone pic.) Cute, but too short for me (and a I prefer a bit of waist shaping. Still, I liked it enough to keep thinking about it. I think it's the collar)
Browsing around Pattern Review recently, I came across this pattern:
Pretty close, huh?
But it isn't out here yet.
eBay to the rescue. It's on its way!

Now I will be able to make a longer, shaped-for-me version.

Shirr-ley (Update: now with photo of frock on me)

2009-06-12T15:59:00.011+10:00

(See update at end of this post)
In a recent post I mentioned that my friend had sneakily taken photos of some frocks in London she thought I'd like. Here is the one that I decided to try and copy:
...and here's my version, made from stash cotton jersey. I bound the neckline and armholes in white stretch bengaline left over from making white collars:
Here she is with a temporary flounce I whipped up quickly. I want to make one in a wider stripe, in a knit fabric (this is just a scrap of leftover woven rayon). I like the flounce on it, it makes it all fancy like:
This was the first time I've ever done shirring. Can I just say - addictive? Oh yeah. There's a danger that I will be shirring everything from now on.
I used Simplicity 2995 for the basic frock and just marked where I wanted the waist to be and shirred away. 4 rounds did it. It transformed what was basically a sack into a saucy little frock.
I read this tutorial to learn how to do the shirring. It really is just sewing with shirring elastic in the bobbin. The longer the stitch, the tighter the shirr. And I like my shirring tight!
Betty dressform is modelling the frock, because this is a summer frock and we are in the midst of a sunny but very cold week of winter here.
Although I could wear this with a slip and warm tights of course. It doesn't get too cold in Sydney compared to the rest of the world. But, I am a wuss, so this is what you get.

Update: It was warm enough today to do a photo shoot, so by popular demand (well, Moggy asked) here's Shirrley on me:

tart in dress

2009-06-08T16:36:00.004+10:00

Yet another pinafore - but they are so handy!

Not having sewn with tartan / plaid for yonks, while I think I did an OK job at matching the up 'n' down, I see I didn't place the centre front in quite the right place. Ah well, I'm sure it won't be so obvious in the wild.

I did my usual sloper-adapted pinny, with a scoop neck rather than a square one, and the addition of extending the back shoulders to the front to make tabs (inspired by Kitty's pinny from last year). I got to use a whole TWO buttons from my buttonmania stash, 'ray!

Note to self: I usually make this out of stretch-woven. If I don't, then add some breathing space...