Catching Up and Sunny

I had such plans!  After getting through first term and settling into a routine with school and life I was going to jump right back onto this thing and blog my little heart out.  Yeah, not so much.  Turns out I am only capable of being motivated in one aspect of my life at any given time, and it looks like school is the winner of the motivational jackpot.

Learning is awesome, this semester had made me absolutely certain that this is what I need to be doing with my life right now.  With long days and a long commute, time with Darron and the kids becomes my highest priority so personal sewing hangs pretty low on my list.  That's not to say I haven't made anything lately.  There were those bridesmaid dresses I keep talking about but haven't shown you yet, and I'll sort out some photos of my school stuff eventually too, but I have still managed to make some stuff.

Like this Sunny!  At the start of the year I bought a bunch of top patterns from Style Arc, this is the second of that lot that I've made.   

This was super quick to make.  All up it took about hour to run it up on the overlocker, then twin needle for the hem and sleeves.  I used a teal mid weight drapey cotton/acrylic knit I've had sitting around for a couple of years and it was perfect for this pattern.  Its soft and warm without being bulky.

The cocoon shape is a new one for me, and I must say I'm glad I tried it out.  It is a seriously comfortable top, casual without being sloppy.  I'd like to make one in a heavier weight fabric but i'm a bit concerned that with too much body it might turn out like a big round bubble, which is not the look I'm after.

This top filled a gap in my wardrobe for nice casual layering pieces and has been on regular rotation since I made it.  You can see my seamstress necklace properly in that last shot too.  It was a gift from my parents, its the cutest thing, the tiny spool of thread is so sweet!

Pattern: Sunny from Style Arc (Size 12)

Summer Capsule Wardrobe 2013/14

Last year (still getting used to that) I drew up some plans for a Summer Capsule Wardrobe.  A bundle of garments that all work together as well as being seasonally appropriate.  The wardrobe evolved a little as it all came together but the bones of it have stayed true to my original plan.  

A sleeveless chambray shirt.  This was one of the first garments I made for this project.  It very quickly became a wardrobe staple.  The pattern is BurdaStyle 10/2009 105 without the sleeves.  I used silver coloured buttons to fancy it up and they work beautifully with the chambray fabric. It fits just right, looks great tucked in and untucked, buttoned to the top or left open at the neck, I love it.

Navy high waisted shorts. These were a difficult make.  The fabric frays like mad and drove me crazy, I got the feeling these shorts didn't really want to be made.  I persevered though and they turned out quite cute.  Then the invisible zip busted.  So I replaced it with an exposed, indestructible metal zip.  The pattern is the same as for the November shorts, BurdaStyle 0/2011 111.

Wiksten tank dress.  This lightweight cotton fabric was in the bottom of a box at my local op shop.  I loved the massive bright floral print the moment I saw it.  It really needed a simple shape and the Wiksten tank dress is perfect.  I added an elastic casing at the waist, and lengthened the hem by 5cm.

Red Wiksten tank.  I made this tank for Red October.  The fabric is so light. It's perfect for hot weather.  Unfortunately it wasn't colourfast so it has faded a little, but it's still very red!  

Printed denim shorts.  The bottom of November's outfit, these have seen quite a bit of action so far this summer.  I was worried that the high lycra content would make them a bit saggy with wear but they're holding up very nicely.  They are comfy too, very successful!

White tee.  This plain white Elise Tee from December's outfit was another to quickly become a wardrobe staple.  It is casual, comfy, and goes with everything!

Navy button up tank.  Another from November's outfit.  This one has fitted in with so many of my outfits too.  I love wearing it with jeans, it's casual without being sloppy.  Comfortable and cool for summer!

Teal skirt.  This one was not originally part of the the plan.  Just like it was not originally part of December's outfit.  I'm thrilled with it though!  It fitted right in with the whole wardrobe.  This is one I can see transitioning well through all seasons.  It will be so cute with tights and cardigans when the weather cools down.

Coral tee.  This scoop necked, low backed tee was rescued from being an unsuccessful attempt at a bodysuit.  In hindsight, I really should have known it was a poor fabric choice, but the colour was so perfect!  No where near enough stretch for a bodysuit but just right for a tee!  

Coral elephant wrap skirt.  It took me a very long time to find the right fabric for this skirt.  The pattern is a 1970s Simplicity with a couple of different waistband and length options.  This shot doesn't show it off as well as it could, but it it lightweight and flows beautifully, and the wee elephants are so sweet!

There were a couple more garments that haven't made the final cut.  The bottom of my swimsuit turned out quite well, the top not so much, I can't really show off the bit that worked though because this is not that kind of blog!  I also have a wrap maxi dress that I don't consider to be up to standard, I'll get around to tweaking it at some stage to make it what I want.  I held out on posting in the hopes they would be sorted, but sometimes you have to know when to walk away.

These photos were taken in the surrounds of our camp site on a family camping trip during the summer school holidays.  I assure you, platforms and hair and frocks are not my usual camping attire and were packed back away for the rest of the holiday!

Red October

Way back, before October even started, the twitter sewcialists brought up the concept of #sewredoctober.  Simple really, sew something red during the month of October.  For a split second I thought about going off plan and sewing a fabulous red summer frock, then I remembered that there was a little red garment in my Summer Capsule Wardrobe which would be perfect.  So amongst everything else going on in October, I knocked out this little number.  

A sheer red cotton Wiksten Tank.  Perfect for summer!  It is light and comfortable, great on its own, but it also layers really well. 

I know I'm late to the Wiksten Tank party, but it really is a great pattern.  Very simple, beautifully finished, a versatile top.  

I can't wait to make the dress version next!

Menswear Outfit One: September

Here is the first of Darron's twelve outfits!  As you can see from that smile, he likes it!  I love a satisfied customer.  September's outfit is brought to you by Thread Theory.  I bought the Parkland Wardrobe Builder Package, because building a wardrobe is what we're doing here.  Plus these are by far the best menswear patterns I've found.  The patterns are so adaptable, the style and fit suits Darron perfectly, and the patterns themselves are fantastic.

The first garment is a Strathcona Henley in navy jersey.  This fabric is fairly firm, with minimal stretch.  I'm going to use the henley neckline on a tee for me, the pattern for it is so easy to use.  The best part of this one?  The sleeves.  With the cuffs, these sleeves are the perfect length for Darron!  No modifications necessary!  We have plans for some more henleys with various sleeve lengths, pockets and features in a couple of different fabrics too.  The plain tee version will be very hand as well.

Above you can see the waistband hem on the top.  I love the way it looks.  It takes it above plain tee to  be a nice smart top.  

Check out those top stitched back pockets and flat felled seams!  The Jedediah pants pattern is amazing!  I am so pleased with the result.  The pattern itself is excellent, the instructions are clear and helpful and the sew along on the Thread Theory blog was super!  The flat felled seams, bound seams, zip fly and waistband attachment, all clearly stepped through with pictures and even video instructions.  I will be using their trouser construction method for all future casual pants.

The next pair of Jeds I make for him will probably go down a size as the size I cut is borderline between fitting perfectly and being a smidge on the large side.  The next pair we'll go down a size and see how we go with a slimmer fit.

All up, as a smart casual outfit, this is exactly right for Darron.  A bit of colour with versatile garments.  Darron is now on the hunt for the perfect shoes to go with this style of pants.  Desert boots, boat shoes, oxfords, tennis shoes, leather, canvas, the options go on and on!

Outfit Three: April

Now that the weather is cooling down my outfits are getting a bit more substantial.  April is four pieces, five if you count the bracelet I made by deconstructing necklace.  The main feature is the blazer.  I fell in love with this cotton drill critter fabric and bought a couple of metres of it with  plans to make a dress for Joss and maybe a bag for me.  The more I looked at it though the more I wanted to keep it for myself.  Now it's all mine! 

A simple blazer with a shawl collar, cropped sleeves and a single button.  I'm really pleased with my top stitching on this one.  I have a tendency to rush it and get all wonky, but I'm finally taking my time and getting good results.

This is the first time I've made a blazer so the whole thing was a learning experience.  I lined it with some light grey poly cotton I scored from the op shop.

Another first: double welt pockets.  I'm not 100% satisfied with them, but for a first effort they're alright.  One of the best things about doing 12 outfits is that I'm using techniques that I haven't tried before.

Blazer Pattern: Burda magazine 9/2008 pattern 129.

I have mixed feelings about the trousers.  They're comfortable, and the fit is ok, but the linen in there means they crease like crazy and get a bit baggy with wear.  They spring right back into shape with a wash but as you can see from the pics, after a day's wear they're not sitting very well.  More learning!

Trousers pattern: Burda magazine 1/2009 pattern 121

I got the wool blend jersey for April's top from the spotlight bargain table for $3 a metre.  It is lightweight, soft and super drapey.  I had planned to make a different top with it but that style didn't sit right under the blazer so I had to find another pattern.  This one is another Burda mag pattern, 3/2010, 118B.  The deep cowl neckline and drawstring waist make it a bit fancier than a plain tee and it dresses up and down really well.

Finally, the silk scarf.  It took forever to knit and I was so pleased to be done with it, but it was worth every minute and every hand cramp.  It is gorgeous and soft and drapey and light and warm.  I only ended up using half the 100g skein of yarn even though I did a full 13 pattern repeats.  This is also number 5 of my 13 in 13 from stash.

Pattern: Groovy in laceweight

Yarn: Sulky Silk from Mayhem & Chaos in Bad Things

Needles: 2.5mm

I tried to make every part of this outfit as versatile and wearable as possible.  With Me Made May just around the corner we'll see just how successful that was!

Thrifty Bitch

Thats me!

I, like many people I know, am trying to save money.  I have been asked lately whether it's worth it, money wise these days, to sew my own clothes.  I answered the lovely lady who asked that for me it is.   The main reason I sew is because I love to make things.  It's that simple.  Secondary to that is I can make things that fit me properly, and I can do it in a way that saves me money.

I am a serial op shopper.  I buy clothes, shoes, bags, scarves, the lot.  I also buy fabric, or large garments with enough fabric to use for other garments.  This t shirt cost about 70 cents in materials.  The fabric is half a metre of interlock that set me back a whopping 50 cents, plus about 20 cents worth of thread and a bit of my time that would have otherwise been spent sitting on the couch watching TV.

This one really cost me nothing.  The fabric was a maxi dress that I used to wear quite a bit, but have shrunk out of.  There's plenty of fabric in a big jersey maxi dress for a t shirt.  

 There's plenty of fabric in a big jersey maxi dress for a t shirt.  Both t shirts were made using the patterns from the Meg McElwee's Craftsy course Sewing With Knits. (It's on sale at the moment for too!)

My final thrifty project this week was a mens shirt refashion.  I bought the shirt a few weeks ago because the blue with white pinstripe was lovely, and I have had an idea kicking around in my head for it.

I love it when an idea translates to reality!  This casual top turned out exactly how I had pictured it in my head.  

There was enough fabric in the sleeves to make bias tape for the edging and straps.  I used the continuous method which was a bit of a brain stretch but now that I've done it makes perfect sense.

 Please ignore those spots, it started raining just as I was taking pics.

So there you go.  A weeks worth of thrifty sewing.  I may or may not be procrastinating about starting my blazer because I've never done one before.  I know I'll be fine once I get started but that starting mojo is elusive.

Outfit Two: March

Here's outfit number two!  I must say I really enjoy the moment when an outfit graduates from the studio to the wardrobe.

This outfit was the first to jump off the table when I pulled all my stashes out earlier in the year.  The yellow yarn grabbed the floral voile and some black jersey and wouldn't let go.   That yarn already became the golden waves cowl.

The Pattern for the skirt is from 1978.  I have an awful lot of skirt patterns from that decade, there were some really great skirts in the '70s.  This one has a really interesting wide wraparound waist band that narrows to tie in the front, and best of all it has pockets.  I love skirts with pockets.

The floral voile is quite sheer so I used a slightly heavier plain black voile to line it, it also gives the skirt a bit of body.  I'd love to make this pattern again in the maxi length, I just need to find the right fabric.

I have had the pattern for this top marked since I bought the Burda magazine in 2010.  I was really glad to have found the right outfit for it. 

I absolutely love the neckline and the fit is great.  Except for the length.  I should know by now that Burda Style knit tops are too short for my torso, but it's been a while since I made any so I forgot, and as a result, this one is a little shorter than I would like.  It doesn't matter at all when it gets tucked in, but I will be a little limited in which of my jeans I will be able to wear it with.  

Skirt
Pattern: McCalls 6389 View B
Fabric: Floral cotton voile & black cotton voile, both from Spotlight.
Modifications: Lined and shortened.

Top
Pattern: Burda Style 2/2010 Pattern 122A
Fabric: Cotton jersey with lycra
Modifications: Clear elastic reinforced neckline.

A Little Refashioned Blouse

Last week Joss and I wandered a couple of towns over to check out an op shop I haven't visited before.  As well as a couple of cute vintage kids patterns, some super cheap fabric and a pair of t-bar shoes, I found a couple of nice quality men's shirts in pretty colours.  This one is particularly pretty.  It was a men's small so I didn't have much room for tweaking.

I took off the collar and sleeves and turned it around.  Widened the neckline, narrowed the shoulders and added a couple of pin tucks to the new front.  Then I finished the arm holes with bias binding facings and added a somewhat crooked collar.  No hemming, no sewing button holes, minimal finishing!

The end result is pretty cute, fits well, the weather has turned too cold to wear it outside, not even for photos.  So now you get to see my cluttered studio, and look there in the background in the pic below is my skirt for March's outfit!

SSS Ends in a Fizzle

My Self Stitched September didn't end with the bang I had imagined. It fizzled out in the midst of illness and grief. Here are the last few outfits I managed before I had to pull the pin:




The last couple of weeks have been difficult. I fell ill, my grandfather passed away quite suddenly, and we discovered that my son has asthma. This week things are getting back to normal, and I am looking forward to waking this little blog back up.

Coming soon: The biggest, most important sewing project I have ever attempted! My best girl Em and I have started work on her wedding dress!

Days 12, 13 & 14

The last three days have covered all facets of proper spring weather! On Sunday there were showers all day. My navy trousers are getting a real work out this month! My waist coat is getting more use now and my red v neck top got another outing.


Monday was a work day, hence the delightful photo of me half awake at seven in the morning! There's that waist coat again! I made the skirt about 12 months ago, the fabric is vintage wool and it's just dorky enough to make me very happy. The shirt is from Target, I can't remember where the olive tights came from, and my little tree brooch is by Elk.


And then today the sun came out again, it was gorgeous, but not very warm! Navy pants again, (and again and again!) and my burgundy T, both made by me. The cropped jacket is from Stussy. I made the cheesy kid too. This is us dashing out the door to take him to kindergarten. I didn't notice at the time that I was standing right on top of that little pot pant!


The knit tops above were both made from my mum's patterns. both from the 1980s too.

I have view A of the Kwik Sew in burgundy and view D of the Butterick in bright red. Both were super easy, super quick and have helped build my confidence in sewing knits !