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...

Can you tell I didn't make this?

I've been after an additional kitteh for a while now. Since the other one is a six year old boy, I was advised to get a youngish female. I love the tabby, so I was waiting for a 10-14 month old female tabby. Lo and behold the RSPCA had a couple o' kittehs fitting the bill advertised last week. One was snapped up before I could even get there, but this little one year old number was still there.

Meet (cue The Damned singing Eloise)
EEELLLOOOOOOOIIIIISEEEEE

She's still in quarantine in the front room since she just got the snip, and she and Reebs have to be slowly introduced to each other (there's been a bit of sniffing under doors, but that is it so far). She's a calm kitty, and I'm please to say she has a nice loud and constant purr.

Happy New Year, meet Shirley

I have just returned from spending Christmas and New Year in Melbourne. Oh the shopping I did! You Melbourne people have the best shops and sales. I needed to get home to Sydney and return to my more frugal self, away from the shoe outlets.

I got to spend time in Moggy's awesome sewing studio again. We had our traditional (we've done it twice, it is so a tradition) girls' sewing night with our friend S, and the result is a frock for S, which I have named Shirley.

S wanted a flouncey frock, with a full 'Mrs Partridge' style flounce; hence the name.
We used the sheath dress from New Look 6736, left out the neckline slash, made it slightly more A-line and pinned on a remnant of sheer-ish polyester from a too-short dress of S's which Moggy had just that minute taken up to top length. The frock fabric is a thick stretch cotton woven I bought at Rathdowne Fabrics and Remnants earlier that day. I love stretch wovens, so very comfortable to wear. I think I'll have to make one for myself. (I bought more of this fabric, and I nabbed the other half of the sheer poly offcut)

The facings are unusual in that you put in the large facing before sewing the side seams and then pull the garment right side out through the shoulder 'straps'. Takes a bit of effort, but the results are worth it. No flippy-out facings and it looks so neat. We didn't have a 22" zip, so I put in a 16" invisible zip in the middle of the centre back seam at Moggy's suggestion, after we checked that the neckline was wide enough to fit a head through without the zip opening up to the top. A blind hem and she was done!

Another example of a New Look frock fitting just right straight out of the packet. (we go by the finished garment measurements printed on the pattern tissue. Never fails with New Look)