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...