Dress in progress: petite pleated toile

This is the toile/muslin for a dress that I’m making for my sister.  (Burdastyle 02/2013 #112)  It might be a while before we find time to get together to do a first fitting.

This is in the size for women who are 5’3”/160cm in height, which is good as it means I won’t need to add length which I think might be tricky with this pleated design.  I used tailor’s tacks to mark all the pleats.  There wasn’t a waist marking that I could see on the non-pleated side, so I think this is the side that might need adjustments.

It feels different making something for someone else.  You do feel a bit of pressure to get it right and you hope that they will like it.

This is such a striking design, so feminine with lovely curved lines - I really hope I get to make it for real in a beautiful fabric.  

In the meantime I’m pre-washing fabric and daydreaming of what to make next for myself.

Inhabited garden

“The world is so empty if one thinks only of mountains, rivers & cities; but to know someone who thinks & feels with us, & who, though distant, is close to us in spirit, this makes the earth for us an inhabited garden.” (Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, author of “Faust”)

Last month I went to a screening organised by Crafty Pint of “Handmade Nation”.  The film was a look at the craft movement in America - touching on themes of individual empowerment through craft, as well as contributing to a local community and economy.  It was a film that left lots to ponder over.

Also at the screening was Save the Children with a small display of their I’m a Piece project.  Getting people involved in raising awareness and lobbying on global hunger via craft.  I was asked to contribute a jigsaw piece which formed part of an installation at Craft Central, Clerkenwell.  I was lucky to be able to chat to Sarah Corbett of Craftivist Collective.  Activism through crafting (or ‘introverted activism’) is Sarah’s brainchild.

It is really interesting the connections that we make through crafting - in particular the sewing community that blog and support each other via commenting, challenges and sew-alongs.  Attending meetups is so friendly and welcoming - surprising only because you might not have met in real life before, or only once or twice.  There is such a gentle connection via a love of thread and fabric.  I’m looking forward to seeing how this community grows in the coming years.

(Debi, me, Alana, Jane, Roisin, Clare, Sally - Shoreditch, London, 3 May 2013, photo courtesy of Roisin & Nic)

The gathering

Today was such a lovely day.  Some forty plus sewists gathered in London for a meet up which was hosted by lovely Rachel from House of Pinheiro.  Beginning at the Victoria and Albert Museum, where we tucked into tea and cakes in the beautiful cafe, and chatted about all things sewing.

Afterwards we headed outside to the garden for the group photos. The sun was shining on us and it felt so nice to be in the company of so many sewing enthusiasts.  You notice all the details of everyone’s clothes - a particular shade, the contrasting piping, the waistline lace trim, and it felt so normal to stroke other people’s clothing!

Then it was short hop on the tube to Goldhawk Road for fabric shopping.  I managed to buy some dark chambray fabric which will make a lovely everyday dress.  It’s great to see all the fabrics on offer but also quite overwhelming.

Then it was a short walk to the Lebanese restaurant for a really delicious lunch and a much needed sit down.  We filled the whole restaurant!  After lunch we headed downstairs where we had a fabric, pattern and notions swap.  I came away with some wool fabric which I hope to be able to make some trousers with, a tape measure, craft knife, dress pattern and separates pattern.  

Thank you Rachel for being such a warm host and organising this day, and to all the lovely people I met - thanks for being so friendly and engaging company!

Making the cascade top

This is the first time I’ve made something in a knit fabric.  I wasn’t really sure what I was doing - I did some reading to get some tips on how to sew knits on an ordinary sewing machine by browsing online and in books.

• I didn’t have any problems with selecting a stitch.  I just chose the most shallow zig-zag stitch and checked that it would still allow the fabric to stretch.
• I did find it quite hard to work out the grainline without a selvedge. You have to use the knitted ‘rib’ as your line.  
• The edges of the fabric do keep rolling, but as I always tack/baste - this wasn’t too much of a problem.  
• Jersey doesn’t fray, but to finish the seams, I zig-zag stitched them.

When I first saw this pattern, I really wanted to make it as it resembled a top I once bought that had this cascading drape at the front.  I had to stop wearing it when it developed holes and was fading.  

I did find the draped front a bit tricky to do as the written instructions were not too easy to follow.  I prefer illustrations.  I have made something with a gathered dart before, so that helped.  I like the facings with this top.  I did think this was a bit unusual, but it gives the top some body at the neckline, which is a bit heavy with the gathers and the front drape - so it helps to strengthen it.  I used organza ribbon to stabilise the shoulder seams. 

I’m still not sure how I feel about sewing with knits.  I do prefer woven, but I really like wearing jersey because it’s so easy and comfortable.  This was quite a tricky pattern to start something new with, but I’m happy that I finished this top and have got something very wearable and pretty at the end of it.

 

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Cascade top:

• pattern: Burdastyle magazine 2/2013 issue, #113;
• fabric: cotton jersey;
• notion: organza ribbon 

Making the high flying birds top

This is another recent make that has gathering on the bodice  - which means no darts to fit.  I’m finding this design feature suits my body shape.

I had a couple of mishaps.  I absent-mindedly pre-washed this fabric with the hot pink fabric and ended up with pink birds.  I washed the fabric in a few drops of bleach (this is probably not very good for the fabric), and managed to get rid of the colour run, but it has also faded parts of the black, so in some areas it is more chocolate-black than black.  Oh dear.

I usually sew concealed zips by hand.  Singer only seems to make a plastic foot and I’ve been trying to find a metal one.  I managed to find one on Ebay, so this is the first time I’ve sewn in a concealed zip with my machine.  It worked out fine and looks good.

My mishap came with cutting the long zip to size.  I should have lined up the opening to the hem and cut the other end.  There was a lot of fiddling to get the zip pull back on after I pulled it completely off the runner.  I can’t open the side completely but I’m managing to get this top on and off.

A lot of the detail in this top is lost in the print and black colour.  It has tucks (which are sewn on the inside) from the waistline down to the hem.  The only adjustment I made to the pattern was to add 1/4 inch to the bodice pieces at the hem and blended it up to the marked waistline.  (I’d actually blended it higher up and ended up having to adjust it as it was too much.)  The top ‘billows’ from the neck gathers down to the waist, where the tucks brings the shape back in, so it’s quite flattering.

The sleeves are gathered at the sleeve head and the hem.  They’re quite full, and more than I was expecting.  I left out the sleeve heading as I don’t think it needs more structure.  I also left out the sleeve ties at the hem, as I don’t think they need more embellishment.

I did make the tie for the front, although it is difficult to see - it does feel like something is missing from the centre without it.  I didn’t follow the pattern instructions for the ties (stitching right sides together and turning out).  I just didn’t think I would be able to turn them out - too fiddly.  Instead I folded the fabric and stitched on the outside.  Perfect.

It’s lovely to add another top to my collection of home-sewn garments.  I’m always on the lookout for top patterns.  I wasn’t sure about this top after I’d set in the sleeves, but after I’d hemmed it, added the back button and removed all the tacking threads, and tried it on again - I think it does look lovely.  I think a pair of red cropped trousers would look excellent with it.

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high flying birds top:

• pattern: Simplicity 1692, 1940s re-issue,
• fabric: cotton print,
• notions: concealed zip, button

Making the hot pink shirt dress

I had been eyeing up some lovely hot pink fabric in the shop for a while.  Then after seeing bernie and I’s lovely creation - I decided this would be a great colour to make something vivid and cheerful.

I decided to make a classic shirt dress with the fabric I was gifted for christmas from my wish list (lucky me!)

The only adjustment I made to this pattern was to add some width to the waist on the bodice and skirt pieces.  (I worked out the what the waist ease was from measuring the pattern.  Added this ease to my actual waist measurement to give the total width I needed.)

I found making the ‘shirt’ part actually quite straight forward.  When I was learning to sew in high school - I made quite a few blouses and shirts, so the construction felt quite familiar.  I used to love making buttonholes and it was nice to discover that I still do! 

This pattern has some lovely details.  There are yokes at the front and back, gathers and pleats on the bodice pieces.  The skirt is made of four panels altogether and drapes very well.  I made the three-quarter length sleeves which has a lovely ‘v’ cut shape at the cuffs.  

I decided to use fabric covered buttons after some deliberation.  It works well and helps to show off the bodice details without being distracting or busy.  I also added a button to each cuff.

I made this dress in small chunks of time and worked on a small section of the garment at a time.  When I was tired after work, I would just do some ‘prep’ eg.  tacking/basting seams.  

I’m really happy with the finished dress - it’s so classic.  It would also work well in a navy fabric with some white piping, or some grey wool for a work dress.

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hot pink shirt dress:

• pattern: Simplicity 1880, 2012,
• fabric: cotton,
• notions: fabric covered buttons, concealed zip

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weekend-away travel bag (for toiletries):

• pattern: from the book Weekend Sewing by Heather Ross (borrowed from local library),
• fabric: needlecord & printed cotton poplin (scrap fabric left over from previous makes),
• notion: zip