Lulu

This is a modified New Look 6699, made from Michael Miller's Honolulu fabric. I bought the fabric almost exactly 2 years ago when I was going through a 50s sarong dress obsession. I love the black velvet painting look of this fabric, so exotic!

I made the view D bodice, but rounded off the top of the bodice pieces and didn't put on the centre-cinching loop, not because I didn't like it, but with the Hawaiian print fabric it looked a little too swimsuity. I widened the straps to 'fettucini' rather than 'spaghetti' for better bra strap coverage. I didn't use the skirt pattern, I just bunged on my usual straight skirt pattern. From tracing and modifying the pattern pieces to finishing the frock took me 3 hours, tops! Love the New Look sunfrock patterns. They're so easy and well drafted, for me anyway.

( Moggy, we missed our blog-iversary! I wanna frock and roll all night was 2 years old on the 8th November! The 2 year gift is traditionally fabric. The 3rd year is patterns. Then the 4th is haberdashery. 5th is fabric again. 6th is patterns again. And so on...)

More Sunday spots

I never seem to get around to changing my clothes after work, so I like aprons for all that cook-y splatter-y messy stuff.

I decided that I need another one so I whipped up this number (no pattern, just a bunch of rectangles and straps - after all, it doesn't have to 'fit' per se).

I was going to make one out of some Last Supper material I have, but I think I might make an actual dress out of that.

Spotondot

This is Simplicity 6388, a 70s sunfrock pattern, with a slim skirt instead of the swishy full skirt. Thank you Moggy, for giving me the pattern and I hope you are continuing to buy patterns in my size at opshops, so I can rifle through your drawers again this Christmas. (ooo er!)

I didn't do the crossed straps at the back. I prefer to wear a plain old regular bra, not a convertible or strapless.
I also made another top, the cowly sleeveless New Look 6470, in a rayon knit.

This week in fashion...

Beans are out

Tomatoes are in



(Yeah, I know it isn't sewing, but it is what I did instead of sewing. And I was wearing a dress I made while I did it, so that's gotta count for something huh?)

Back in the sewing saddle

Apart from de-jet-lagging this week (hoorah for time off after a holiday!) I have made a start on the Dresstember wardrobe extension.

First is another version of Simplicity 3774 , this time without sleeves. After I was half way through, I realised how similar it is to one Kitty made earlier - weirdly, almost exactly one year ago! This has a fuller skirt though (it's a windy day, so you can't really see it). I've taken to frankensteining the 4 gore skirt from New Look 6557 on any frock that needs a nice full-but-not-circle skirt.

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The other dress is another old favourite, a Style pattern from the seventies. I haven't decided if I going to have it as a halter or plain straps.... or I could be tricky and put buttons on the inside of the back, and buttonholes on the straps, and make it convertible...



In an uncharacterisic fit of efficiency, I also cut another out of this material:



I haven't cut the skirt out yet, I might make it with a straight skirt.

Crossing over

Another work top. This is Simplicity 4076. I made the mock wrap, view B with view D sleeves. The fabric is a jersey (poly? I guess, but it's light and soft, not shiny and slippery) I bought at Remnants Warehouse a while ago.

Pink pinny

More gift sewing, this time for my little friend Fern, who turns one later this month. I've made this pinafore three times before. It's a winner, New Look 6578.

I bought the fabric in Melbourne, I think late last year, at Rathdowne Fabrics and Remnants. It was $1.50 per metre as I remember. I'm hoping I have enough left over to one day use as a yoke and cuffs on a western shirt for me.

Reversible pursible

I made this reversible purse (from Martha Stewart) as a last minute gift for a friend's birthday. Quick, easy and cute. It's a good project to use up the offcuts of fabrics after frock making too; yay for matching purses! (this one is not offcut fabric though, I bought some fabric especially)

Sewing for work

A great irony of my life is that I can't wear frocks to work. Imagine, me with a frock obsession and innumerable frocks! (for the curious, I work in healthcare, mainly with babies and kids. Involves being dribbled on frequently, and worse on rare occasions, as well as a lot of squatting and sitting on floors and grass, in sandpits etc)

So my frock-wearing self is a bit of a secret identity. I always think I'd like to swan about in my frocks at work, but I also like that putting on a frock signals 'me' time.

So I don't usually make work clothes. I don't want to make trousers (although I have) because I don't really like wearing them that much and I need to be a bit excited about what I sew.

The other day I was looking around the shops for new shirts for work, but the ones I liked were all $80 to $120. I have to be IN LOVE with something to spend that amount of money. So even though I'm not too excited about sewing them, I needed shirts, so a stash dive was in order.

The striped shirt is Butterick 4985, which I've made previously. (I might only wear this one on days I have no babies scheduled. The tie is a bit too... tuggable)

For the green patterned shirt I used a pattern I've also made before, a few times, including lengthened frock versions. One of Moggy's and my favourite patterns, I think it's safe to say. It's New Look 6513, but with cap sleeves instead of puffy sleeves this time, and I made it with the pointed collar instead of the rounded one for a change.

Black flouncey

So while I had the twin needle set up and the wool fabric out after making the wrap jacket from the last post, I thought I'd make a knit version of flouncey. No zips, few darts, only a few seams and voila! Black flouncey.
I didn't finish the edges of the flounce which made it even quicker to make.

Fortunately I have a few social engagements coming up in the next few weeks, so the new flounceys have already been set up with dates.

Wool wrap

Just in time for summer! There was a cold snap in Sydney this week, and I found myself hankering for a new jacket. Bit bored with the old ones.
Moggy kindly gave me a copy of out-of-print McCalls 4600 earlier this year, after I admired the asymmetrical jacket she made and took to Japan.

I used a light double knit wool from The Remnant Warehouse, and made the small.

Of course, I read the reviews on Pattern Review after I'd finished it, so I didn't know it's too big through the shoulders and upper body for most people. It's a little too big, but it's comfy.

I used a twin needle for the first time for this project, and I've gotta say, I'm sold! I like the look of the double stitching for the hems, rather than having zig-zaggy top stitching.

Flowery

I made this after work one evening last week. I have plenty of sundresses, but I have worn them all multiple times, so I need some fresh ones.

This is made from some poplin I picked up at Spotlight, bought on impulse when I went there to get a zip for another project. I used this pattern again for the bodice, and added a four gore skirt for a casual look.