Little monsters

It It's been a while since I blogged, but I have been busy making these little monsters for the Boy's classmates:

Each one is made from a single sheet of cheap Hobbycraft felt (50p) plus white and black felt for the features. 

I also made this:

It's a handbag organiser made out of 2 bits of felt and some interfacing. There are pockets for my purse, phone, diary, pens... And when I change bag I can just lift the whole thing out. It's made it so much easier to find my stuff in my capacious bag! If I make another one I will do a little tutorial.

Spend spend spend

Ah, the dangers of a glass of wine and internet access on a Saturday!

So far I have bought a book: 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/1408170884

Recommended by a friend, apparently it is the answer to all my fitting  problems.

I have also been over to http://sewoverit.co.uk and purchased their wrap dress and the dress pattern. Reckless. And that's not mentioning the luxury holiday to Norway I also booked tonight. Yikes.

The tea dress pattern is for this fabric :

Which is actually slightly lighter blue than it looks in the picture. At £2.50 per metre from Tahim's in coventry, it doesn't matter too much if I mess it up! And I still have some Drape Drape patterns to attempt... Going to be busy. 

I made something that isn't crap!

I haven't blogged much lately because I've been busy turning 40. It's actually fine, although I find it utterly unbelievable that I'm that old. One surprise birthday party and a reunion with the Brighton girls later and I'm ready to just get on with it.

In sewing news, I've abandoned my wrap dress because it's a disaster. But I have made a skirt. I don't really own any skirts and I had a sudden hankering for a denim one. So on my trip to Brighton I picked up some slightly stretchy denim from Fabricland (£4.99/m). The selection was a bit disappointing because it was all getting a bit Halloween in there. But I got my denim and my friend picked up loads of co-ordinating cottons to make bags (I've really got to get my Christmas-present-making arse in gear!)

So, I dug out my Burda magazines and found a pencil skirt pattern. I added a vent at the back because, well, I wanted to be able to walk.

I'm chuffed with the result. The invisible zip went in fine, despite the lack of an invisible zip foot. The skirt is a little snug, but I shall wear my Spanx and wiggle my tush.

So, finally, a sewing non-disaster! I would like to finish the seams though as they are a bit fray-y. I may bind them in some way but I haven't thought how yet... But I'm back in the sewing saddle. Now to tackle Christmas presents!

Burda knotted dress with a fabric shortfall

So my current project is this Burda knotted dress

(I'll have what she's having... I never thought leaning on the tin man's head could result in such ecstasy). 

My problem is that it calls for 3 metres of fabric and I have ... 2 metres. The shortfall is due to the big ties at the end of the wrap. So I've ditched them and tried to turn it into a basic faux wrap dress.But I might stick the wraps back on because I'm having problems with getting the wrap to line up ok at the sides. It's bunching up all wrong because the original fronts wrap over in the middle, while I'm trying to attach them at the sides.

What has gone well is attaching tape to the seams to stabilise them, although my cheap jersey from Birmingham's rag market (£2.50 a metre) is fairly stable. 

So I still have to cut out the sleeves and figure out what to do with the wrap bit.  

When will I learn to just follow the bloody pattern?

And now for something completely different

A rather natty little leopard print number, as requested by The Boy. I made this about a year ago and tonight he suddenly decided he wanted to wear it as pyjamas. Pattern was a major Burda hack from various fancy dress costume patterns. Not my finest work but it has a certain je ne sais quoi.

Oops. Drape Drape disaster.

It was my fault really. 

Disaster 1: trying to cut a pattern that calls for 1m 20 of fabric from a 96cm piece. 

Problem solved by cutting the front and back as 2 separate pieces and adding a seam allowance then stitching them together.

Disaster 2: choosing the slipperiest, stretchiest lurex fabric ever. Like juggling eels. Fabric sliding about in the sewing machine; wonky, puckered seams...

Problem solved with my wonderful walking foot. More about that in a later post. More even seams, fabric behaving itself a bit better.

Disaster 3: ahem... Forgetting to include the waistband when I traced the pattern. (See also Disaster1). I thought the top was looking a bit short so I tried it on for size before attempting to sew the binding to the neckline. Spot the difference:

I didnt have enough fabric left to cut the waistband out so I had cobble  together the scraps into Frankenstein's waistband.

With the waistband attached, I have now hand-sewn the neckline binding and I just need to hem it and finish the sleeves. I'm hoping it will be wearable and I think the pattern itself will be great in an easier-to-sew fabric and with the pattern actually cut out properly. Oh we'll: you live, you sew, you learn...

Drape Drape 2... Winners and losers

ISo I was super-excited to get my copy of Drape Drape 2 in the post. It's a smaller book than I thought. So far the favourite pattern is an asymmetric top :

Sorry about the sideways pic. New iPod touch. I think this is going to be a really versatile pattern for making comfy tops to lounge about in and maybe something in a more luxurious fabric for going out. (Ha! My fabulous social life consists of a monthly trip to Wetherspoons with similarly knackered mums). 

Other possibles include a best top/dress that could look good:

Cowl neck dress (obviously need to wear something underneath this).

Batwing dress. Could look a bit dodgy round the hips...

I rather like this petal skirt too:

But I think this could be a drape too far:

Errrr... No. Just no:

The book cost £13 so I figure if I get 2 good patterns out of it, it's paid it's keep. So, off to the fabric shop in Birmingham on Saturday to try to find some suitably lux jersey to get started with... Wonder what I'll come back with...

Claiming my blog

<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/10863905/?claim=xkqd2mtwgtu">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>

Haven't yet got the hang of this blogging lark but I hereby claim my blog. Apparently. Not sure what it's all about quite frankly.

Bye bye to the original phantom foot pedal

Well I have donated the Phantom Foot Pedal machine to a lovely schoolgirl who is starting to make her own clothes. I'm worried that it's a bit of a poisoned chalice due to the machine's - ahem - idiosyncracies. But she's been fully warned.
It's great to see people taking up sewing (she says in the slightly patronising way of an expert who's been sewing for ooh a year).  I used to sew when I was a hideously square teenager and then I didn't sew for about 20 years. I work as an Occupational Therapist and that has led me to understand the importance of the process of creating as much as the finished product. I'm not artistic but I can follow instructions, and the joy of sewing is that you get to wear the product at the end.
I hope the recipient of the machine goes on to sew for years to come and to share the joys with her friends and family.
and I hope she doesn't curse me when the machine takes off with its crazy mind of its own...

Doing some groundwork

I've had fitting issues with most of the stuff I've made so I've decided to do some groundwork before I plug the sewing machine back in.

My excellent local library furnished me with this book:

Fast Fit: Easy Pattern Alterations for Every Figure by Sandra Betzina. It might look a bit dated but this book is a bible for fitting issues and how to adjust patterns. I've started doing my measurements... Just need to rope the hubby in for the hard-to-reach bits. This is such a good book that I may well invest in a copy. I can't recommend libraries enough. There are so many sewing books out there that it's easy to purchase a dud. Libraries may not have every sewing book but mine certainly has a good selection, particularly of reference books for techniques. 

I so picked up this one:

Which is a bit groovier and has all sorts of quick projects. Some of which look a bit bonkers.

New shoes and thinking about the avant grade

I haven't done any sewing this week. Too busy at work, plus the students have moved back in next door and have been partying till half 6, which is when I get up for work. Bless 'em.

So I've been very tired. So tired. 

Anyhow, we dragged ourselves out of bed on Saturday and drove down to Rushdensimplicity to a factory sale of Grenson shoes. I've never owned proper handmade shoes and these were all 40 and 50 quid instead of about 200. 

This got me thinking about my wardrobe and I decided I need to branch out from the big pattern companies and try something more adventurous than an endless series of shift dresses. (I think this may be part of my turning 40 crisis. Which has coincided with a Fleetwood Mac reunion. This could all get a bit Stevie Nicks....). So I have ordered a copy of Drape Drape 2, a Japanese sewing book that I've been reading about on the blogosphere. Apparently some of the patterns are fairly mindblowing, but there are some knit patterns that look wearable. There are 3 books in the series, but I thought I'd start with this one and see how I got on. 

I've persuaded a friend to come to Barry's fabric store in Birmingham in a couple of weeks, which gives me time to work out what patterns to make and how much fabric I need! I can't wait to get started. 

I've also been envying Dolly Clackett's new Anna dress/ Charlotte skirt mash-up.... Maybe next time....

More thoughts on Simplicity 1913

So, I finished my dress just in time for the wedding do. I mean literally, grabbed it out of the sewing machine and then out the door.

The problem was... Bulges and Bags. I had bulgy bits below the waistline and saggy bits at the back. I blame this partly on the pattern's marrying of a princess-seamed bodice with a pencil skirt that is gathered at the waistline. Why? Why would you put a fitted top with a gathered pencil skirt? Darts, yes. Even a gathered full skirt. Anyway, the combo was weird and unflattering, so ten minutes before I was due to leave, I unpicked a couple of bits of waistline and eyeballed some darts. They don't marry up with the princess seams but fortunately the lace is quite forgiving.

I had problems with the whole fit of the dress. The pattern was a freebie that came in what it said was US sizes 12 to something, EUR 38 to something. The smallest measurements married up quite well with mine, but I ended up taking loads out of the side seams and the centre back seam. I really don't know anything about fitting but I thought a fairly structured dress like this wouldn't have too much ease. I think in future I probably need to make a sway back adjustment and something around the upper back and chest as I always end up with a baggy lower back, excess fabric at the top back and a gaping neckline. Maybe I need to cut a smaller bodice size, with a full bust adjustment? Hell, I don't know.

My next project is going to be something loose to lounge around the house in so hopefully the fitting issues won't be too much of a problem.

Still, the dress was a success... A friend asked me if it was Phase Eight.

Almost done

I bloody love my new sewing machine. I've been sewing this pattern ready for an evening wedding do tomorrow:

It's Simplicity 1913, which was free with Sew Easy magazine recently. I'm not mad on the buttons and stuff but I wanted to do something with Princess Seams. Well, after a couple of evenings of hand stitching, it's almost done. Just a hook and eye to sew on at the top of the zip.

Here's a sneak preview: 

Full reveal and details of my numerous adjustments to follow. And have I mentioned I bloody love my new sewing machine?

Time for an upgrade?

I received a rather unexpected cheque in the post at the weekend and, as a result, I am contemplating upgrading The Phantom Foot Pedal machine for one that actually works. (Shhhh... Don't tell her!). The PFP was a generous gift from a friend when she was gifted a better machine. She did warn me that it would randomly start sewing without you touching the foot pedal but I've kind of got used to that little quirk. It certainly makes sewing more exciting. Like driving an F1 race with no control over your speed. She's been a great machine for starting me off in sewing but now I think it's time to move on and move up.

I've been scouring the Internet for recommendations but I think I am going to visit my local independent sewing store for advice. They even do. Free "getting to know your machine" class when you buy from them. Which I think I'm going to need. Exciting times! I'm off work today with a stinking cold, which is giving me time to think about the purchase and all the fancy things I might sew. I've also ordered some fat quarters from Frumble Fabrics for an as yet unknown project. This is why it's important that I work full time if I do t I end up buying stuff...

Meet the twins

Here are two I made earlier. In fact the first two dresses I finished - ooh about a year ago now.

These are McCall's 2401 - an Easy shift dress pattern with six variations. I made view E, with a boat neck and elbow length sleeves.
The material is Ponte Roma - I can't remember where I bought it from now, but it was less than £5 a metre, and each dress took less than 2 metres. I still have some left over, maybe enough for a top or a pencil skirt.
As the material had some stretch, I left out the centre back zip and cut the back as a single piece. I didn't make a very good job of the front darts on the red version - they aren't sharp enough and have ended up more like pin tucks. And my hem is a bit goofy because I trimmed the hem allowance too much and just did a narrow, machine stitched hem.
What I love about these dresses is that I can chuck them on and immediately look smart without making any effort (low maintenance, me?). And they are soooo comfy - basically a big sweatshirt. Just today my son's schoolteacher asked me where the dress I was wearing at parents' evening was from - yay, I made it!
I would definitely recommend this pattern for beginners, and a Ponte is great because you can do away with the zip. My main issue was with the facings, which tend to have a life of their own. I ended up top stitching close to the seam to try to get them to lie flat.

Shorts disaster

Bloody hell. I finished my shorts and they're shit. Look:

Side view isn't too bad...










But from the front they look ridiculous. I think my hem goes up too much at the sides, the material is a bit too stiff for the baggy, pleated cut. And my spindly, knobbly-kneed legs look stoopid.

I'm getting to the point now that if I have another sewing fail I'm seriously going to have consider sticking the Phantom Foot Pedal machine in the skip and burning my Burdas.
But... I have a plan...

Back in the blogosphere with holiday shorts

Well, I am back from a week in lovely Marbella. I managed to pack a few home made items but I drew an epic fail on completing my Burda shorts (02/2013). I was sewing to a deadline but then my son piped up that he would like a pair of shorts too, and by the time I'd rustled him up a pair I ran out of time to finish mine. Particularly as I made a load of balls-ups along the way. I'm not saying that I saw it coming, but I invested in a seam ripper before I embarked on this project... and I needed it. Several times. Bloody zip. Bloody Burda instructions.

This is what they are supposed to look like. Chic, no? They actually seem a lot more flared than in the picture, which is partly why I struggled with hemming them. Couldn't get the length right.





I made them (am making them) in the navy gaberchino from Minerva crafts. Not as shiny as it looks in the picture and a nice drape. I would definitely use it again.
I only bought a metre as I was only planning to make my shorts, but by using a different material (some left over Ponte) for the pocket linings and for the reverse of the waistband, I was able to squeeze out my shorts AND my son's from the metre. Thrifty.






This is my shorts as they currently are:

They have an "integrated yoke with pocket", for which the Burda instructions are nigh-on incomprehensible. I eventually managed to work it out with a lot of googling and the result is rather pleasing. I will save the full reveal for when/if I finish them. I also broke the iron which rather hampered the hemming process.

My son's shorts were also a Burda pattern (05/2010 - for Bermuda shorts and also trousers). This time I downloaded it and printed it out. I made a bit of shambles of the fake fly because I just winged it. And they look a bit like school shorts, but the boy wore them a lot on hols. I just need to pink the hems because they are already fraying a bit.

The BIG error I made on both pairs was that I didn't add the seam allowance to the waistband. Burda's instructions say that you need a rectangle "x by y" for the waistband, so that is what I cut out. It doesn't say you need a rectangle "x by y plus seam allowances". For my shorts, this meant I ended up having to line the waistband with a different fabric, otherwise I would have ended up with piping rather than a waistband.

So I should get my shorts finished in time for the autumn. They will have to become city shorts to wear with tights. Still, I have learned a lot about integrated yoke pockets, invisible zips and Burda instructions.

Drunken fabric ordering

Ok, so I wasn't drunk, I'd had a bottle of beer and I was bored of doing my essay. I thought I'd just take a little browse round Minerva Crafts... and 30 quid later I'd ordered myself some samples and some fabric. Hmmm. Bad girl.

Samples:

1) Muted Multicoloured Print Stretch Jersey Clearance Dress Fabric. I'm thinking maybe maxi dress, if it won't stretch out of shape too much.










2) Aqua Summer Floral Print 100% Cotton Lawn Designer Dress Fabric. This looks a bit like a Boden fabric to me. I have a little top in something similar. I'm not sure if I need another one...

3) Black Brown Tweed Double Jersey Dress Fabric.
I have a long-sleeved Burda dress in mind for this, for an Autumn outfit. 

4) Black/Green/Brown Stretch Cotton Canvas Designer Dress Fabric.
I think this one looks promising as it should have some structure and some stretch. Got to be a shift dress. It's fairly expensive, so I will have to test-drive a pattern before committing.

Lengths of fabrics purchased:

1) Plain Dark Red Viscose Jersey.
This was an impulse buy as it was too cheap to bother with a sample. Possibly might end up as a Cynthia Rowley dress.








2) Navy Gaberchino Poly/Cotton Dress Fabric
I love the sound of "gaberchino" - it's lighter than gaberdine. I had a sudden urge to make some shorts, hopefully in time for my holiday at the end of the month. I'm really hoping this isn't as shiny as it looks in the picture!

3) Plum Morgan Crepe Jersey.
This is supposed to be a good quality jersey. Again, it might end up as a Cynthia Rowley number.










So, I am now feeling very guilty about my purchases, particularly as I still have plenty in my stash that I haven't sewn up yet. But I've got the makings of 2 dresses and a pair of shorts, plus some potential fabric choices for the autumn. Going to be busy...

Sewing pattern audit - old and new

I may have sworn off the actual sewing for a while (17 days to go...) but I have been cheating a leeeeetle bit. I've been tracing some vintage patterns and having a little audit of my tiny sewing pattern collection.

here goes:

New Look 6070. Haven't made this yet. Not top of the list, but could be nice NOT made out of pink leopardprint...

New Look 6144. Haven't made this either. I like the neckline detail and the different options.

New Look 6123. Nope, haven't made this either but this is towards the top of the list. This was free with Sew Easy. I will not be doing the frills. I've spotted some great versions online, so when I am ready to sew this I

Simplicity 2444. Beloved of sewing Bloggers world-wide. I have made this. Like it but not a big fan of the big skirt. I think I'm more of a shift dress kind of girl.

Simplicity 1913. This was another freebie. Looks a bit fuddy duddy. Maybe it's the model's big hair. But it has Princess seams, which I quite like. I will have a look at what other people have created from the pattern for inspiration.

Simplicity 1796. This was actually my very first attempt at dressmaking and it was a disaster. I chose some hideous fabric and attempted the wrap dress version. In the seam-ripper pile. I was going to ditch the pattern but.... I have a feeling that with the right fabric that wrap dress might be quite useful. We shall see.

Simplicity 2281. I definitely want to have a go at this one. The red version is calling me and I like the long-sleeved grey version too. This calls for a lovely drapey fabric. On the project list for the autumn. Maybe a birthday present to myself!

Simplicity 4254. This is a lovely pattern cover. I made the version in blue with the pencil skirt out of a peacock fabric. I haven't posted pictures yet as it has gone back into the pile for some alterations. However, I will post it as it is to show the alterations I want to carry out.

Simplicity 5960. I picked this up in a charity shop. Cute Sixties tunic. I have some quite similar Boden dresses that are really versatile with leggings. I've traced this pattern as it is quite old. Maybe one to make in a super-soft corduroy or chambray.

Simplicity 5850. I love the maxi dress. It reminds me of a picture of my mum from the late 60s/early 70s. I would love to find some crazy psychedelic fabric and make this. Not sure I'm brave enough though! I have traced this pattern.

Simplicity 9651. And finally! Another charity shop find. One day I will make my son that jaunty chequered jacket, with co-ordinating slacks and waistcoat...