Tweedy

So I made this frock. It's the middle view from Simplicity 6445, in a tweedy looking suiting. I bound the neck and armholes with bias tape, and hand-sewed some flat braid under the yoke to look like piping. And then I took a ton of photos, inside and outdoors, trying to decide if I like it or not. I find it easier to be objective when looking at photos.
I took it in a lot, because as expected from the pattern illustration, it was a little sack-like. I didn't cut off the seam allowances before binding the neck and armholes, and I think it would sit better if I had. Normally I can't wait to wear something I've just made, but this one is a little 'meh' so far. Maybe if I leave it for a while, it'll grow on me.

A-line experiment

Crazy, I know, but I realised recently that I don't have a black A-line skirt in my wardrobe! I think I got rid of the two I had in my last wardrobe cleanup.
I made this today, a plain pull-on A-line in cotton thierry knit, a scrap from this frock. I put faux pocket flaps on the front to make it less boring. I based it on the pattern from the high waisted tripfit skirts, but with a narrower waistband due to lack of fabric.
This wasn't the right fabric for this project; I think a less 'floppy' fabric would work better, but it will do for about the house, shopping etc.
I'm standing in that bizarre manner to show the A-line, as it flops down into a straight looking skirt unless I do an awkward 1960s style modelling pose.

Citrine, with pockets internal and external

I finished my coat. I am very happy with her - took her out for a road test to the theatre (highly recommended) this evening - the internal ticket pockets worked a treat!



The buttons aren't actually crooked, and there are four of them (bought at the Great Buttonmania Sale of '08). Lovely big grey carved deco looking numbers.

And here is her lining, which earnt her the name Citrine:

Pocket frock-it

It's almost that time of year again. The fifties fair is on again next month at Rose Seidler house in Sydney.

I made this frock yesterday, with the idea I would wear it to the fifties fair, weather permitting. Even weather not permitting really; I have cardigans. And many tiny umbrellas from Japan.
It's New Look 6699, view G bodice. Love you New Look! Call me! We'll have cake!

I lined the bodice with white stretch poplin, as the main fabric is stretch cotton sateen. Since I had a bit of the white poplin left over, I put side seam pockets in the skirt. I like them, it gives the dress a more casual feel.

I had a vintage pattern picked out for this fabric, but I thought the print might be too much in a full coverage bodice with cap sleeves. And so a sundress was born.

$5 knockoff

A couple of years ago, when shopping with Kitty in Sydney, I bought this $5 top. I really like the shape of it, and have been looking for a pattern to make myself another in plain black. The closest was a Jalie 2794 but those patterns are only available overseas and are quite spensy and it's not quite the same and so on.

So I decided to get the Kwik Sew 3338 that I've used before to make a plain long-sleeved t-shirt (I have decided that plain t-shirts, while practical, don't do much for me). I put the traced off pattern up against the $5 top and finangle it about to get the same shape. The front is one piece from the neck down and two side bits that go up to the shoulder seams.

Great explanation, isn't it?

Here's the result - I am rather pleased. One more tripfit done!
I
Note it didn't cost $5 - I used leftovers from something else and a pattern I already had.

Girly skulls

I've been a bit of a sewing fiend lately, despite the very pleasant and sunny winter we are having in Sydney so far. Why leave the house for walks on the beach, or lunch in an outdoor cafe, when you can hunch over a sewing machine in a draughty kitchen? Not me!
This is what I came up with for the skull jersey I bought last week. I used the sleeveless blouse pattern, but changed it to a pull-on top. I didn't think buttons would sit well anyway on this floppy fabric. I cut a v-neck so I could get it over my head.
I haven't tried it on with the pinafore yet, but I think it will suit it well, and give the sweet pinny a subtly sinister edge.

One of them "work in progress" thingies

I'm making a coat. All lined and pockety and everything (extra inside pockets because I am making it as part of the European tripfits). I had to make the lining pattern and the pockets 'cos they didn't come with the pattern (New Look 6736). And I had to go out for lunch. And afternoon tea, and and and...

That is my excuse for not finishing it in one weekend. Here it is in progress:
I chose a sort of citron-celadon stretch satin for the lining, and the main fabric is a nice smooth doubleknit.
I have enough left over for either a skirt, or even a pinafore, or maybe some trousers.


I'm kidding, I mean this one:
These are the Kwik Sew 3115 yoga pants, which would be comfy for the 24 hours we have to be on the plane. I'd make 'em with a wider waistband so one could do the fold over thing like the January tripfit skirt (which for some reason I don't have a pic of, so I shall have to reference Kitty's)

Sister Navy of the Beutrons

...that's what Moggy suggested I call her. I had to take her in and up a lot to prevent that 'novice nun' look. I took in the bodice and armscyes a bit too much perhaps because putting the sleeves in became a challenge. I had to reshape the sleevecaps to fit them in, but I managed. The stretch of bengaline keeps it all comfortable and I can still move!

I probably took it in too much across the chest, looking at it now, but hey, no one will notice because they'll be checking out how that huuuuuge white collar matches my pasty white skin.

Some New Look lurve

Kitty and I were discussing today how lots of people feel the love for Burda. And we just can't seem to get on that Burda train. Apparently the fit is great; I don't know because I've never made one - the styles just don't appeal.

It's not you, Burda, it's me.

Luckily I don't need to do alterations on patterns (apart from sticking in a few cm in the midriff, which makes frocks fit better for long-waisted me), so as long as I check the finished pattern measurement before I choose my size I'm fine (We all do that, don't we? If you don't, you should, or else you risk too much ease, mateys! Nothing kills sass like too much ease!). So the whole fit thing isn't a big issue.

Of the modern patterns I do like New Look.

Hello, they say, I will be a dress for you! Let me be a coat! You'll love me and make me lots! Look at my midriff details and choices of styles! And I'm so cheap - quite frequently as little as $5! Isn't that worth a try?

here are some of my favourites:
Here's one I'm making at the moment (the coat, in black doubleknit with celadon satin lining)

And here is one on my to-make list (it gets rave reviews on PR).

Vogue 1679

Here's the other frock I made on the weekend. I made the version shown in green on the left of the pattern envelope, in a thick black double knit. The knit doesn't have much stretch, but I still made it without a zip, cutting the back piece on the fold. Thankfully the fabric has enough give so I can get it on fine.

The pockets took the most time, and I messed up the first attempt by cutting the welt too long so it looked like the pocket had some sort of wry grin coming out of the flap. Fortunately I had enough fabric to cut another front piece, and now I know to be much more careful with those snippers!

It's by no means perfect, but I'm the only one who can see that I have sewn the pocket flaps so one is a little wider than the other. And I'm not going to be silly and tell anyone, or put that classified information on the internet for all to see, am I?

New look 6726, and more

I made two frocks last weekend. Here is one of them:

and here is my photographer's assistant checking the lighting:
It's New Look 6726:
I made the version without front gathers, but with button tabs on the shoulders. I also added the button tabs at the empire waist, but didn't check the pattern before buying the buttons, so I didn't realise that the tabs went around the back of the dress too, requiring 6 buttons. I had four. I'd bought those four buttons in Melbourne, and I was back in Sydney. Hmm. I wanted this dress NOW. So I folded the tabs in half and topstitched to the side seam, only adding buttons at the front. I can't see the buttons on the back when I'm wearing it after all! Sorted!

I don't usually take in-progress photos when I'm sewing, mainly because I'm a 'I want a new frock to wear tonight!' type of girl, not a 'I'll stop and take a helpful photo' type.
I did pause during the making of this dress to take this photo of my beloved new invisible zip foot in action:
Afterwards, after feeling smugly helpful, I had to do this:


I had twisted the zip tape. I'm never being helpful again.
Today I put the dress on and the zip pull came off. I can't actually pull the zip down, so I shall have to have it surgically removed by Mr M this evening. Pliers may be necessary.

I went to the new location for Remnant Warehouse today, (fab, by the way. So spacious!) and bought some red, some white, and some navy bengaline. The 'Out of the Ashes' patterns arrived two days ago! So quick!
Guess which two frocks I'm making? Warning - Might be obvious:


I also bought some cute black and whites, a skull print and a rose print, in (gasp!) polyester! (hangs head in shame):

But how cute will they be in the sleeveless-with-tie blouse shown at the bottom of this post?
This post is long enough. I'll post the second frock later.

Hello Sailor!

I've been obsessing about a sailor frock for some time now. I see patterns about every so often, but I've had the old "can't find anything else from this seller so not worth the postage" or "I'm not paying x dollars for that!" as I can't imagine having more that one sailor frock.

This was the closest (went for $7.99 I see). I have a number of vintage sewing books with how to draft a sailor collar, and my nicely fitting sloper pattern, so I decided to run one up myself.


Here she blows!
(Being that it is on Jane, who as previously mentioned is smaller of hip and bigger of waist than I, it doesn't look as sassy as it does in real life. When I wear her I will take a pic.).

I'm pleased. A fifties fair contender along with Rekkid.