JAPAN!

It is almost a year since Kitty and I went to JAPAN! Since then, the Yen has jumped against the li'l aussie dollar (in fact every currency has, I don't know why since we are apparently in 'better shape' than other western countries hit by the financial crisis, but I am not an economist or an accountant or anything like that so I don't know why that should be, but I digress...) Short story is, no going to JAPAN! this year.

So instead I made a vaguely JAPAN! inspired frock from the vaguely JAPAN!ese print I bought today (yes, I was going to make something from the stash, but since that was going to be a spotty frock and I used it to make the reversible doiley bolero the other day [or should I say 'the other year'] I didn't have enough).
So I made this instead
The top is the lovely vintage Butterick 8149 and the skirt is the straight 'un from Vogue 9668 (I like that one because it is a has hip room).

It is such a quick make. Would have been quicker if I wasn't faffing around repotting Mrs Butt the Bouganvillia and harvesting tomatoes and defrosting prawns.

Today's purchases

Moggy here.
Since I do tend to use this blog as a bit of a 'what pattern did I use for that frock?' memory jog, I thought it might be useful to post about fabric purchases too, so I can remember where and when I bought things. And do lazy stash-shopping too!

Spotlight had a special members-only sale for the last few days - spend over $100 and get $40 off. So I went in and bought STUFF. Note I haven't included pictures of the three packs of Schmetz needles, 1000m of black Guterman thread, box of glass-headed pins six cones of overlocking thread, 10m of cheap non-iron interfacing for tracing and 3.5m of iron on Whisperweft (yes, dear readers, I did reach the magic $100...).

They had a pretty good specials table, where everything had an extra 50% off, so I bought myself a bunch of fabric. As I am what could accurately described as a lazy sewer, I only buy muslining fabric that I wouldn't mind wearing out of the house, since it might turn out nicely and then I will wear it. If all else fails, it will work as a housedress, and I have vowed only to wear things I like, no matter who sees me.
Some of this may also be used to line frocks.

Clockwise above you see:
6m of "Printed Poplin Old Rose" cotton @ $1m (might muslin one of those ginormous-skirted fifties frocks)
2.5m of japanese inspired quilting cotton @ $2.50/m (that's all they had left. I think this will be a slim-skirted frock, probably a tried and true rather than a muslin)
5m of green wallpaper print quilting cotton @ $2.50/ m (so I can practice some chevroning)
3m of poppy print voile @ $1/m (not sure with this one, might make a yukata depending on how see-through it turns out to be)

And from the non-sale side of things, I bought 2.5m of stretch cotton sateen leopard print ($14.95/m! how pricey!) which I think will become a pinafore as I can then wear it in summer as a frock and with a shirt underneath when it is cooler (IF THAT DAY EVER COMES).

On the right is 2m (it is 148cm wide) of cotton voile @ $7.95/m. I don't know what this will be yet - a blouse? - but for some reason I couldn't resist it.

I'm trying to be a bit more vigorous about pre-shrinking since I make so much out of cotton, so all of this is now on the line drying (it's a warm day, so it should be dry soon). My method is to overlock the ends of the fabric to a) stop it fraying and b) remind me I have preshrunk it when I come to use it whenever that might be. Then I either soak it in water in the sink for 20 minutes or stick it on the shortest cycle in the washing machine without any detergent. I only ever wash in cold water and line dry, so I wash it in cold water and line dry it when I preshrink it.

Having said that, I think I will go and make a frock out of something I didn't buy today.

Trying new things

We're playing around with the template of the blog, so you will have noticed a change around here. We finally made a picture header. About time too!

I made McCalls 9533 this week, view F, in a nice smooth doubleknit. No zip required, so really just 2 french darts, 2 side seams, and twin needle turn and hem armholes, neckline and hem. Very quick! It was a bit plain, so I sewed three red buttons on the front. I'm getting a lot of wear out of it already. It goes well with my surprisingly large collection of red shoes!

I told you so!

Today I made up for yesterday:

First one was from the pattern I traced on Friday night (Butterick 8149)
I only used the top, with ol' faithful 6557 for the skirt.


The gathered straps make lovely sort of faux-cap-sleeves. I think I shall wear this to work tomorrow as it is going to be warm.

Next is another sunfrock. I bought the material at Spotlight last week, along with the material above (which is quilting fabric, "Cherry Plaid" by West 22nd btw).

Anyway, this is a floral stripe, also 100% cotton - a nice crisp smooth one. I used New Look 6557 again (view D bodice), but first I pleated the fabric then cut it out using the usual bodice piece as the lining.

I cut the midriff on the straight, and for the skirt I pleated two rectangles to fit the waist measurement. Consequently you can't really see that the fabric is a stripe - but you can when the skirt is on the move. The straps are a modified narrow version of the Butterick 8149 ones (because I liked them so much - plus the fact they are hemmed, not turned, which is nice and quick).

PS - If you click on the pictures, you can see more detail.

Naughty naughty

I had every intention of sewing today. Last night I played trace 'ums at Livebird's house while eating chocolate and half-watching an incomprehensible Clara Bow film (moral of the story: don't marry then kill a chap then run away with his son on a baroness' borrowed passport).

Today I went shopping for too long and consequently didn't cut out or sew any of the things I planned to (tomorrow, honest!).

However I now have 400% more indoor plants (yep, I only had one before, alright?) and the most superb rotating VIrgin of Guadulupe light (complete with Mexican Flag! and roses!)



I love the colour of this pot - sort of fifties green lustre. I got them from one of those cheapie all sorts o' crud shops - incredibly they were $1.80 each which is a bargain (they are about 16cm high).

Dottie McCuteytops

I made this, the top from Vogue 2925 this afternoon, in about an hour, including tracing out the pattern. So quick and easy. The fabric is a cotton lycra knit from Spotlight.
I didn't have high hopes for this for some reason, but I love how it turned out. I love how it is only two pieces, yet has some nice detail. The scoopy neck! The pleaty cap sleeves! The little bit of side gathering!

I had to do a flash shot indoors, it's so dark and rainy today. Moody weather.

It passes the test of a successful afternoon's sewing...I am going to wear it out tonight.

Repeating myself

So despite the sizzling summer heat, after I went for a lovely swim at the swimming hole this morning (a harbour beach...yachts clinking, mansions overlooking my world-class Esther Williams impressions, nets to keep the sharks out...what's not to like?) I managed to whip up another Simplicity pinafore, in the same houndstooth I used for the burda skirt in the last post.

The black version is really a wearable muslin; this one is the real deal. (Although I only ever make wearable muslins, if I make any at all. No calico for me! There's plenty of cheap black wovens and knits in the world I figure.) This drapier fabric suits the pattern better. I interfaced the yoke pieces this time, and used some stretch poplin for the yoke lining. I particularly like the pleats under the yoke. Sassy!

I wore it out to dinner tonight, with red sandals and a big red apple pendant.

(Oh, and to the lovely people who nominated us for a Kreativ Blogger Award, thank you! I think everyone who sews and/or knits rewards themself by having a fantastic creative outlet, and if they blog too, well that's great for the rest of us! So I won't further the nominations...it's too hard to choose. Instead I pledge to comment on the blogs I visit more often this year. I'm such a slack commenter!)

Houndstooth

I have been wearing the black version of burda 7947 so much, I made another version this weekend, this time in houndstooth stretch cotton. I topstitched this time.

Fauxhalter

I got this seventies pattern (sans cover) at the Lost and Found market the other week.


I wanted a fauxhalter (that is, looks like a halter but has a back) so I cut away some of the sleeve - I think I might scoop out a bit more. Sadly, the zip is pretty bad - I didn't have an invisible zip so I used a normal one - it's very rippley (and not in an Alien way) and I might have to do it again. I did a side zip instead of the back one as called for in the pattern. As you can see I am cleverly hiding it with my hand.


I also used the trusty skirt from New Look 6557 instead of the six-gore skirt in the pattern.
Fabric from Clear It in Brunswick street.

I think I need to make a few half slips - I have a fair few halter dresses which I can't wear full slips under, and also quite a stash of silk and lace trim. Plus, they will be quick to make...

Cue gratuitous picture of new and and existing kittehs in passout mode :


NB: his head isn't really three times bigger than hers - merely 1/3.

Simplicity 2848

My first Project Runway pattern, Simplicity 2848. Lots of options is good!
The inspiration for this frock was a Cue pinny in grey flannel, so I changed the pattern a little to reflect that, by putting small pleats on the straight pinny piece and squaring off the pocket flaps.

The neckline is a little wonky. I thought I had done a better job than that, but I shall blame the very thick fabric for that...maybe I shouldn't have self-lined the yoke.

It doesn't look as wrinkly in real life, I don't like these photos much at all, yet I like the dress a lot.

I didn't make the blouse, but it was another reason I needed a black pinafore, it's sheer and tent-like and I find it unwearable on its own, but- pink!black!spots!

Black skirt: Burda 7947

I have made a few black skirts, yet I never seem to reach for the black skirts I've made without wishing they were in different weight fabric, were a bit longer, were a bit more flattering, were higher/lower waisted. Or maybe I just get sick of them/the style quickly. I think this one is on the way to being a favourite for quite some time. It's Burda 7947, view C, and it is a very nice pattern indeed.

It's made in a nice thick stretch cotton, the same stuff from which I made S's Shirley dress recently, and the princessy sort of seaming front and back makes for a flattering fit.

I shortened the skirt, and didn't do the topstitching because I thought it might pucker between the topstitching and the seams a bit, and it probably wouldn't show up on the black too well anyway for all the 'sitting quietly, paying attention' it takes. This pattern starts at burda size 36, and I'm a 34, so I took in the side seams about 1cm. I also left off the belt loops; just didn't want.

Excuse the poor photo, it was 40 degrees Celcius yesterday, I wasn't going to set up a tripod or stay out there for any length of time; I didn't even press it properly...ironing = more heat. So here's the arm's length shot, sweat included.

What I did on my holidays

Painted the house:



That white used to get awful grubby. The grey is nice and bluestoney, and matches the back of the house. Now I need to think about veranda fixes.

I also made a new frock, inspired by one I saw when shopping with Kitty and S. over the xmas break:


It's good old doubleknit for the bottom portion, and a cute shamrock and yellow blob print on black knit from It Inc up top.

The pattern is frankensteined from McCall 5700 (I choose to ignore the fact that it is a Hillary Duff pattern, but have to admit there are a couple o'cute frocks in her line) with the top half of the Butterick 4985 blouse on top. They went together like they were made for each other.

I also painted the garden setting. I have a couple of days of holidays left, maybe I will get around to that wallpapering, or unpacking more of those boxes that have been sitting around for the past year, or sort out my wardrobe, or make another frock...