My Fabrication

European odyssey

2012-01-23T17:08:00.000-08:00

Hard to know where to start with this post. I've just returned from 20 days in Paris, London and various parts of Spain with my 16 year old daughter who had just finished 6 weeks at school in Paris.
I had planned a travel wardrobe, but in the end I ran out of time and inclination. The only completed item is my striped t-shirt from Simplicity 3688 which I wore on the plane. Highly recommend this pattern and will definitely make again in a silk. I also added a fur collar and made some length alterations to a second-hand overcoat. I would love to have seen the original owner, maxi length legs and very short arms!
The main focus of the trip was art and culture. But would it been any fun without meeting up with blogging friends and fabric purchases? Of course not! I was delighted to meet with Marie Noelle in Paris. Marie Noelle lives in Normandy and we spent a lovely day together visiting fabric stores in Montematre and sharing lunch. In Paris I bought two lovely pieces of silk (one habitae, one sheer chiffon) and 3 metres of very fine Italian linen. I also bought some buttons, sans photograph. I love that "Je suis la!" look I have in this photo.

London was also exciting from a sewing point of view. First up I met with Jane at Goldhawk Road who bought along her pals, Alana and Suzy. Goldhawk Road is fantastic with many small fabric shops, including one Alladin's cave of last season Libery silks, voiles and cottons and some top quality, low price wool.
My loot included a fabulous piece of wool boucle, grey cashmere for trousers, some liberty silk, voile and cotton pieces.

I was also excited to meet Eugenia a blogger who I have amired for a long time. We met up outsite Libertys looking at the current lines, then went to a few of her favourite stores nearby. I bought just one more piece of very fine cotton spotted blousing and some trim for a planned kaftan.

Last up I met with Paco in Barcelona. Paco is a very talented designer who has recently branched into pattern making. While Paco's English isn't great, we spoke a common language of fabric. He took me to Roger de Luria Street, which has three large caverns of fabric at great prices. I had to be fairly judicious about my purchases as my suitcase was already bulging with cloth. In the end I choose a really interesting piece of patterned ponte to make up Paco's 'unique' jacket and two pieces of black wool with a flower pattern in the weave.

Off to unpack, and plan some sewing. Happy 2012!

Summer is where?

2011-12-03T20:57:00.000-08:00

If I look a little tense it may be due to the weather. The spell of early summer has been broken by chill westerly winds and heavy rains. I wore my new dress to a Christmas lunch with my real life sewing friends from the Australian Sewing Guild and asked Sharon from Petite and Sewing to take a blog photo. Much better than asking a reluctant DD or grumpy husbie. The backdrop is the Parramatta River, just near the Sydney Olympic site.

The first thing I need to say is McCalls 6163 - a faux-wrap dress with raglan sleeves and rouching into the side seam - is a great pattern. The pattern calls for a zip into the side seam - don't bother as it is not needed for the majority of stretch fabrics. Next time I make this dress I will pinch in the pattern slightly at the neckline to bring the collar lower and allow it to sit better. Otherwise I am happy with the fit and feel that it flatters my increasingly lumpy figure.

Next? I really really do want to make up the Donna Karan jacket, but I'm headed for Paris, London and Spain in early January so should focus on a travel wardrobe - black ponte pants, black dress, two infinity scarves, overcoat (?) and finish a nearly done animal print, faux suede trench jacket.

Happy sewing!

There is nothing like a wet weekend

2011-11-29T03:02:00.000-08:00

There is nothing like a wet weekend to boost sewing productivity! Saturday in Sydney was torrential rain, followed by a steamy Sunday. Saturday was also Sewing Guild meet so I managed to finish four projects.

I'm a recent convert to New Look patterns. My new polka dot cotton blouse New Look 6808 is way out my comfort zone but I'm very happy with it. The pattern has four collar variations and four sleeve variations, so I expect that I'll make another version before too long. The closure is zipper on the side seam. While the pattern uses a fully opening zip, I inserted an invisible zipper and closed the seam at the hip. This works very weel. I also added red piping around the collar for a retro feel.

Remember the Donna Karan jacket that I cut a muslin for last summer? Well I took advantage of our fitting workshop to piece it together and resolve a few difficulties. I'm now really looking forward to making this up - it's another tricky jigsaw puzzle but the results are very pleasing.

I also finished my maxi dress Simplicity 3503. I'm also quite pleased with this, although I have some advice from the fitting expert on how to raise the sides. I need to find a skimpier bra to wear with it.

Also finished another basic tshirt from lovely butter soft pinstriped jersey. The sleeves are hand hemmed and there is a twin-needle hem at the base. I've probably made this pattern six times now. Time to try something new.

Princess Gail

2011-11-12T16:19:00.000-08:00

There's nothing like a ball to stir up the inner princess in every girl. Last night I finally had the chance to show off my ball outfit and think I scrubbed up pretty well. Excluding earrings and hairdo, the total cost of my princessery was $85! Danced the night away and it felt wonderful!!

The skirt is based on Burda 12/2008 125 with adjustments to change the design from double fronted to centre fold. I used horsehair stiffening in the hemline to emphasise the fishtail hem line.

I changed my mind a dozen times about the blouse as I wanted something practical that I would wear again. The Japanese fabric origami patterns intrigued me but they are very fabric hungry and I wasn't sure that silk would hold the structures well enough. Husbie and DD also convinced me that the design should be quite simple to highlight the skirt.

In the end I opted for an olive green silk wrap blouse which I created from a Vintage Vogue dress pattern from the 1980s. I created the cap sleeve by cutting a half circle on the centre fold.

I've also completed a version of Simplicity 3503 which I'll show you in my next post.

Frocked up

2011-10-23T02:24:00.000-07:00

Ok it's not a frock, but it IS frocked up. This is a sneak peak at the bottom half of my ball outfit. It is made from beautiful embroidered taffeta silk that I bought on-line for $15 a metre. I bought it on a whim with no particular expectation or project in mind. I remember the elation I felt on opening the package - it was so much more beautiful than the e-shop picture.

When I started thinking about my ball outfit my thoughts went immediately to Allesandra Rich and her beautiful, structured lace and silk dresses. But looking on net-a-porter, I saw a beautiful $1000 + fishtail skirt and I knew immediately that this was a practical solution. I haven't been to a ball since I was 25 and I'm not likely to go to many more, so investing in good lace was not very sensible.

I used Burda 12/2008 125 as my base pattern. This is a double fronted evening skirt with a fishtail hem. To redraft as a plain skirt, all I needed to do was to make the centre-front line a centre-fold on both the skirt and the waist band and voila! You'll have to wait until after November 12 for wearing photos, but it is a very good fit. The next photo shows the embroidery in more detail and the degree of pattern matching I was able to achieve. No mean feat with only 2 metres of fabric. I'm yet to complete the hem - still deciding if I need horsehair stiffening or just stiff interfacing to accentuate the fishtail.

The last photo shows you where I'm going with the top half.

Beware of Ottobre Magazine

2011-10-13T22:10:00.000-07:00

In Australia, the notion of a 'standing subscription' would be considered a dodgy business practice at best. Not so in Finland.

I purchased two copies of Ottobre magazine having seen some great back issues. The issues duly arrived and personally I thought the designs were really dated and uninspired. So I did not bother to renew my subscription. Lo and behold I received the next issue - worse than ever in terms of patterns and styles - and an invoice for 15.9 euros. I wrote to Ottobre in protest but was told to read the fine print.

Given my overall lack of satisfaction with my Finnish friends, I am posting this as a warning to all current and potential subscribers. If you don't want future issues you need to send then notification in writing. Otherwise you'll receive lots of threatening notices to pay. But perhaps you'd do better not to subscribe in first place.

Frocktober No 2

2011-10-11T02:02:00.000-07:00

I'm loving 'Frocktober'. Frock No.2 is my Tracy Reece dress Vogue 1224. The fabric was bought for $6 from a charity store. Originally intended a cheap test fabric, it was only when I started sewing I realised what I gem I had. 1970s silky woven jersey, very reminiscent of early Dianne Von Furstenberg. It behaved like a dream under the needles.

Tracy Reece's design is very flattering when you get it right. I don't know what it is about Vogue's young designers - the designs are beautiful and clever, but their drafting skills are a little under par. I am only 5 foot 2 inches and added more than two inches to the top half and another two inches to the hemline. Without the adjustment it would have gathered under the bust and come up very short.

Overall I'm happy as I have a dress that I can wear to the office under a jacket or more casually with sandals.

Next up I'm making my outfit for the ball in November. It was to be a frock but I'm opting for the practicality of long embroidered duponi silk skirt and a silk cowl neck and back blouse. At least I know that I will wear the blouse again. So watch this space.

Frocktober off to a good start

2011-10-05T02:30:00.000-07:00

October is a month of dress-making for me - literally making dresses. I've started the spring season with my version of the Vena Cava dress Vogue 1258. I've used a very soft, drapey knit jersey - a rare quality find from Spotlight. A little too drapey on reflection as the weight of the front ties drags the neckline to dangerous depths.

There are a few things to remember if you are making this dress.
1) read the instructions
2) read the instructions and
3) read the instructions!

Seriously, this pattern is a pleasure to sew and cleverly crafted, but it is not an 'intuitive' pattern. You need to follow the map or you will veer off the road very quickly. The other thing to remember is that the neckline from the pattern is very very low. It isn't too much of a problem to adjust. On advice from Alison who made the dress before me I took the neck up about two inches.

If I were to make this pattern again (maybe... but with sleeves for winter) I would also take a little of the taper from the hip to knee. As Erica Bunker warned Alison, the results are very "body conscious". I certainly don't want the answer to the proverbial "does my bum look big in this?" question.

Frocktober no. 2 is the Tracy Reece dress Vogue 1224 in black and white jersey. It is coming along nicely. I can see that I need to seriously work on my blog photos. My daughter takes them and the attitude is no care, no responsibility. DD 1 who is away at university was much more accommodating.

At home with Julia

2011-09-28T23:47:00.000-07:00

Sadly only my Aussie readers will get the joke about Julia our much maligned Prime Minister, Julia Gillard who has a perchant for while jackets with deep necklines.

The white jacket Butterick 5619 is my latest from my long spring/summer sewing list to be completed. I made it for the Jewish New Year as it is a Rosh Hashanah custom to wear white garments. The color white symbolizes purity and renewal and on Rosh Hashanah, we wish to make a fresh start and renew ourselves for the new year.

The jacket is unlined and I've used Hong Kong seam bindings and French seams on the sleelves. The jacket is a great fit, but I'm not sure the flying saucer neckline is for me. The lapels are so big that a gust of wind fly the tip of the lapel into my red lipstick. I'll use the pattern again, but will change it to a more conventional neckline.

The fabric for my jacket came from the Tessuti's roll sale. I shared a $10 roll with another buyer - there was just over 4 meters on the roll. Not the greatest quality as it has a lot of spandex in the weave, but great for testing ideas.

I've completed a new silk chiffon blouse Butterick 5561. I struggled with this garment as the pieces didn't seem to fit together in the way they were intended. I found the pleat in the bottom of the sleeve made the sleeves tight and puffy, so I removed it and re-cut to achieve a straight (straightish?) line. Overall, not a winner, but pretty and wearable, especially under a jacket.

Next up - I had a cutting binge recently. I cut my jacket, two Vogue knit dresses and two t-shirts. I also have an unfinished faux suede leopard print trench jacket perilously close to finishing. I made great progress, then the weather warmed up and I lost motivation to complete. Now it is a little cooler the sewing room poltergiest has stolen the upper sleeve piece. I have searched everywhere. I have contacted the company I bought the fabric from. They have none left!! My solution - I think - will be to cut the upper sleeve from an old black sweater and add a matching sweater trim somewhere else on the garment.

I am also very happy to announce that I was lucky enough to win Becky at Sew and So's fantastically generous gift voucher give away. Becky makes lovely garments and is a great refashioner.

Finally, to my fellow Jewish sewers (are there any out there?) Le Shana Tova and to the rest of my friends happy sewing. May this year be a sweet one.

Band wagoning

2011-09-04T02:32:00.000-07:00

We've been a little late to jump onto the Vogue 1250 bandwagon down- under. Now that Spring is here I'm keen to wear more dresses and man this is an easy dress to piece together. I whipped this up in two hours from cutting board to hand finished hemline, just in time for my friend's 50th birthday party. The fabric is a butter soft gold and black knit jersey from Tessuti. I love it with my orange cardigan (the best mistake I ever made) and boots and can't wait to shed the outer layer and show my pedicured toes again!

My spring/summer sewing list is long and I have a stash in serious need of busting. I've set out some of the priorities:

5 blouses for work (white, black & pale pink polka dots, gold silk, printed chiffons)
5 weekend t-shirts that can be dressed up (striped, red, fine striped, black, blue)
3 tunics/casual chic wear (from the linen stash)
Dresses - I have 8 patterns (mostly DKNY and Tracy Reese) that I would like to make in no particular order.
A maxi dress (Simplicity 3503)
New white pants
A ball gown (I have a big event in mid-November thinking Alessandra Rich simple lines with contrasting lace)
3 lightweight summer jackets or suits

Now you can see why I don't make lists!

Tangerine dreams

2011-08-30T01:16:00.000-07:00

Colour blocking is everywhere this season and I love it. Perhaps I'm taking the idea too far with my double helping of burnt orange? For the skirt I've used Simplicity 2475, a favourite pattern of mine. The detail isn't evident in the photo, but my version has false pocket flaps with buttons to match the cardigan and belt carriers. The fabric is Italian ponte bought at Tessutis a while back, not quite as bright as it appears in photo. Unfortunately it is no longer in stock or I'd be back for more to make a suit jacket. I've had to satisfy myself with a soft knit in burnt orange merino wool knit. This garment actually started out as my self drafted basic tshirt. Sadly, the merino is very fine and rather clingy. So I bought another metre, drew a line up the middle and added the button panels. It was a happy mistake I think. Eventually I'll make up a cowl neck singlet with the remaining fabric to brighten up some of my blacks and greys.

I was planning to show you my grey trousers (Simplicity 2700), but I have to tell these pants are a victim of my own stupidity! They were always a test garment made from $2 a metre fabric but I have rendered them an unwearable muslin by the trimming the zip with the excess fabric around the fly. A definite no no as the zip has frayed into obvilion. The zip is sorry saga beginning with pattern notions calling for an 18cm zip (7 inch) when a 7 cm zip is required. Having discovered this after shop hours, I grabbed a recycled zip in the wrong colour. Another big mistake as a highly contrasting zip will show even under a fly front!! Oh well, at least I have worked through the fitting issues.

Not sure what to sew next. I have two more winter garments cut but now the weather is warming up, I'm in the mood for dresses.

Little red dress success

2011-08-20T02:57:00.000-07:00

Ok, this was an act of major motherly love, but I'm more than happy with the results. We used Burda 03/11 108 with the sleeves from 107. Both these patterns were part of a bridal theme. As you can see they lend themselves nicely to a party dress. I cut the smallest size, made up the front and back of dress then awaited the arrival of my dd from Melbourne to fit the side seams. I had to take it in about 7 cms on each side at the waist to make it fit properly. Surprisingly though the dart placement was exactly right! I also took multiple centimetres from the sleeves and hemline. My dd is a thumbalina!

The bodice is lined with red poly lining. It is machine sewn around the neckline and through the centre back. I handstitched the lining in at the side seams and around the sleeves. The hems on the sleeves and at hemline are finished with cotton bias binding. All very neat, but no photos as DD was rushing off for a 'pre' before the party. Let's hope the 'apres' is not too devastating! PS she is not wearing this peep-show bra. PPS she loves me, she really really love me...and the dress of course.

In the meanwhile, I've started a new job in the city, have cut five new pieces for me and completed the boring grey pants except for two button holes. They fit well but the fabric is cheap and they are no more than a wearable proto-type. More photos to come.

Daughter loving

2011-08-13T00:31:00.000-07:00

Email from my daughter - 960 kilometres away

"could you make this for me for next saturday night in a bright red fabric, perhaps jersey?

i saw it in zara and when i went back it was gone...

it had three quarter length sleeves in the shop, this was the closest thing i could find to it.

if you cant thats ok, i know your starting your job next week."

Now I just happen to have a piece of fire engine red synthetic in my stash that I was wondering what on earth I'd do with it and why I had it.

I also found just the pattern in my Burda mags. Snip, snip ...watch this space.

No boring business

2011-07-27T17:13:00.000-07:00

Heading into the city for winter meetings, I am struck by how much black and grey Sydney women wear. Not just black and grey, but boring black and grey, basic jackets, trousers or skirts teemed with equally boring pinstriped or white blouses. Young attractive women looking as inspiring as Mao Tse Tung's Red Brigade revolutionaries. So I'm leading a revolution of my own - the No Boring Business Wear revolt.

This jacket in vintage green and white cotton knit is my first assault on top end of town conservatism. The wool khaki trim from Tessuti reminds me of my militancy and the buttons, also from Tessuti show that there is no need to sacrifice elegance in pursuit of the cause. I love the results, its a little bit Armani and a little bit Chanel, but not slavishly copying either. It is also very comfortable to wear, thanks to my Sewing Guild buddy Sharon who suggested cutting the acetate sleeve lining on the bias so it moves in the same way as the knit. This wasn't necessary for the body of the garment which I gave more body with fusible interfacing.

Practiced my bound buttonholes and top stitch free pockets (used in my husband's jacket). I also developed a new method for sewing pocket flaps without bulk or top stitching. Sew binding onto the top of the right side of the flap and handstitch all edges. Turn over and press, the handstitch in place. The result is very neat and provides a couture finish on the outside of the garment. I ran out of binding to go around the sleeves - what do you think? To bind or not to bind?

Next up...I'm whispering now....boring grey flannel pants (Simplicity 2700). But fear not, I plan to team it with a camel cashmere trench jacket (Burda 4/2008 107 - with long sleeves), gold silk blouse (Burda Style 4/2011 113) and my new Midas brogues that insisted on following me out of the store.

Now ladies, what are you stitching for the revolution? Vive la revolution de la couleur!

Grey for a grey day

2011-07-21T01:40:00.000-07:00

Mental note, smile in all future photos and never allow your daughter to take a photo with camera held at waist level. It makes you look twice your real size! But guys it's cold, wet and misable here in Sydney. Time to bring out my new skirt made with a remnant piece of grey and black leopard print ponte from my stash. I made another skirt using this fabric that I have worn to death, blogged about here. I used Vogue 8603 again, this time including the gathers front and back. It is lined with red synthetic lining however after a day in the city I've decided to remove it as is doesn't move with the garment. The fabric is quite thick so doesn't really need a lining. Think I'll take the opportunity to shorten it as well. The coat is also self-made and well worn from last winter. I blogged about it here.
I am making a very interesting jacket at the moment which I hope to finish on the weekend.

Nice outfit, bad photo

2011-07-07T16:33:00.000-07:00

Husbie arrived just as I was about to leave so I asked for a photo. Four shots later, this is the best of breed. Next up another version of Vogue 8603 in grey and black leopard print ponte and a vintage style jacket in green and white crinoline. No they are not a set!

Simply stylish ...in my opinion

2011-07-06T23:11:00.000-07:00

In the absence of the household photographers I'm adding a quick shot of my lastest project Butterick 5472. This a very easy pattern that hasn't received enough attention in blogland. Firstly, it is great to have a cowl neck pull on dress that can be made in a woven fabric. The front is cut on the bias. I've used a satin faille from Tessuti. The jacket is made from a beautiful soft jersey also from Tessuti. My only suggestion is if you use a knit for the jacket, don't use woven lining (the back is lined with lining, the front pieces are self-lined making it a fabric hungry pattern). It hangs and moves differently. My only other suggestion is that the pockets would benefit from interfacing - they droop a little too much in the knit fabric.

Wearing it with boots to the theatre tonight - Sydney Theatre Company's production de jour - The White Guard with Miranda Otto. Also thoroughly recommend Terminus by Ireland's Abby Theatre Company to my fellow Sydney-siders.

More corporate wardrobe builders on the way.

Mission Accomplished!

2011-06-26T05:34:00.000-07:00

The coat had its first outing tonight and I think it has just the right feel - casual rumpled intellectual. We still need to work on the modelling and the shirt is looking a bit tired. He likes the coat and conceded that I'd done a good job. But he's not so keen on the khaki. Can't get past the military thing and the fact that it is the same colour as my daughter's school blazer. There are a few little things that I think could be improved, but overall I'm proud of it.

I have recently acquired some OOP men's patterns in my armoury, Burda 6111(parka), McCalls 8409 (shirts) Vogue 8043 (trousers) and McCalls 3363 (pullovers and zip jackets), so expect further forays into menswear.

Next up I'm working on Butterick 5472 for me. My mission - should I choose to accept it - Tessuti's sale is on after all - is to make up the dress, top, jacket and pants as a coordinated set using only fabrics from my stash. Certainly worth a try.

Victory by stealth - Mission underway

2011-06-13T05:25:00.000-07:00

The man jacket is coming along nicely, after a wet long weekend in Sydney. So far, so good. I did make one fundamental mistake, but not a fatal one. When I adjusted for a large chest, I forgot to move the dart over by about 2 cms. Not that noticable, just annoying.

The other minor annoyance is that the my pad stitching doesn't exactly match the turn of the collar. I had to guess it as it is not marked on the pattern. I'm sure it would be there on a classically tailored jacket pattern. No matter.

Making a man jacket is a great way to explore new sewing techniques. I've been guided by a great book Tailoring: The Classic Guide to Sewing the Perfect Jacket. The illustrations and explanations in the book are so clear. I managed half-way decent bound buttonholes and a bound wallet pocket in the lining.

I also owe the pocket technique to my friend Diana in Canada who posted a great method for adding pockets without top-stitching. So good I've added a few pictures to explain. Step 1: attach the lining in the pocket placement position, leaving the top seam allowance open. Step 2: press the seam allowance upward into the pocket. Step 3: attach the right side of the fabric pocket to the lining. Step 4: pin the pocket in place and hand-stitch in place.

Overall, I'm happy with my progress. All that is left to be done is to piece together and insert the lining and sew on the buttons. Snappo! I think my Mojo is back!

Venturing into menswear and mojo sapping projects

2011-06-05T21:38:00.000-07:00

Sydney is having the coldest winter in forty years and my dear, daggy husband hasn't a warm coat that is fit for wearing in public. After a quick perusal of the store offerings, he asked me if I could make him one. Challenging, yes. But the positive side is that it may be my chance to change his rag bag ways. A coat here, a shirt there - victory by stealth is my plan.

Fitting and pattern preparation was not as easy as I'd planned. Burda Style 08/2009 133 was cut as a muslin and we couldn't fit the sleeves. Despite a number of adjustments they refused to hang correctly. So we opted for Vogue 8719. Fitting was again an issue - partly due to husbie's delusion that he was a size smaller than his measurement's suggested. Tissue fitting showed that we needed the next size up and several centimetres more in the chest. Is the male equivalent of a full bust adjustment a BCA (big chest adjustment)? Fortunately my adjustment worked a treat and with a good fitting muslin, I cut into my khaki green pure wool, purchased from a deceased estate. I'm using a combination of traditional, custom tailoring and fusible interfacings, as shown in this illustration. This method is surprisingly quick and quite meditative. The hand stitching on under collar makes shaping the collar quite easy. The pattern isn't lined, so I've had to change the front facing piece and add a back facing. It also has no collar stand or back vents. Great for ease of sewing but not particularly tailored.

The red jacket is almost finished. I've used Simplicity 2313 version D . This version has strange pintucks to hold the frill erect which I ignored. I'll probably add a few handstitches near the bust point to stop it from flopping down. I need to unpick and redo the button holes which were a bit of a disaster in terms of placement. MOJO SAPPER NO. 1.

My Chanel style jacket wasn't finished last winter and I fear it may never see the light. It needs one sleeve to be handsewn into place, the lining hand attached and the sleeves shorted with bands added. My heart isn't in this project - MOJO SAPPER NO 2.

Rachel came home from Melbourne last weekend for my B'day and asked me to make some t-shirts for laying under sweaters etc. I made one from Burda style 12/2009 121 using some cheap fabric in my stash which didn't behave under my needles. The finished tee is fine but it made me cross - MOJO SAPPER NO 3.

But a nice piece of khaki wool and a mission - MOJO RETUNRED!

Its red white and blue, but its not a flag

2011-05-03T03:49:00.000-07:00

Another new blouse and skirt set completed and I am very happy with the results. The blouse is made from very sheer silk chiffon using a combination of Simplicity 2732 and the sleeves from McCalls 5433

These are both terrific blouse patterns that I highly recommend. I should post a picture of the inside of the blouse - I've used French seams and binding around the sleeves and under the bust and it is very well made.

I made the skirt to match in navy blue Italian ponte from Tessutis. The pattern is Vogue 8603. I only used the gathers in the front and kept the back plain. The skirt is lined, with an invisible zip at the centre back seam. It was easy to fit and very quick to make. I will definitely made a few more of these.

Next up, a red ponte jacket to finish the outfit and I am planning a few more corporate sets that can be mixed and matched.

Leopard print in action and new projects

2011-04-27T17:10:00.000-07:00

I wore my new silk blouse to the city today and received two unsolicited compliments - one from my client and the other from my daughter. I am wearing it with my Vogue 8426 skirt made in March 2009 and an Anthea Crawford pure wool jacket I bought at St Vincent de Paul for $25.

I am pleased to report that my health is much improved and I managed a little more sewing over the Easter/Anzac Day break. I'm sewing another blouse in silk chiffon using the body of Simplicity 2732 and the sleeves from McCalls 5433. So far so good, pleasure to sew and surprisingly cooperative fabric.

I also helped DD2 sew a mini skirt. It is a copy of one she wanted from American Apparel that I refused to pay the $64 asking price. She proved remarkably resourceful, using my pattern drafting book to draft a simple but very accurate pattern and did all the sewing herself - very neat for a new sewer. Her sewing has increased her 'cool girl' status at school. She wore it to a party with flat tan biker boots (mine), one of my black t-shirts worn baggyish and long silver necklaces (pinched too) - very Alexa Chung. Her friends are placing orders for their own skirts. More recently DD2 been seen flicking through my Burda magazines.

Autumn safari and why is G##d a baritone?

2011-04-23T23:29:00.000-07:00

Lots of things have been getting in the way of sewing lately - Passover celebrations (not to mention the fitting issues a week of Matzo ball soup and flourless chocolate cakes can cause!), illness and a major job interview.

Husbie and DD2 went off to Melbourne last weekend to visit DD1 and I aspired to a lovely weekend of sewing and solitude. Came home from Sewing Guild meeting on Saturday afternoon all fired to put together my silk blouse after a silk sewing and fit workshop with Angie Zimmerman. Managed to keep it together until 9pm when I came down with the worse dose of influenza ever. One week later I'm still coughing and feeling less than average.

Easter weekend in Australia combines with Anzac Day, an extra long weekend. Great time for sewing I say to myself. Also a great time for going to movies, walking along the beach or slumping lazily in front of TV watching Charlton Heston do what Charlton did best and drinking brandy (for medicinal purposes). Why does G##d have such a deep voice?

I have managed to finish two items and am close to finishing a matching skirt which I'm calling my "Autumn safari" - it has that out of Africa feel to it and the palette is definitely Autumnal.

I am delighted with my blouse in leopard print habitai silk bought in Hong Kong. I used McCalls 5433. I thoroughly recommend this pattern, especially if you are new to full bust adjustments. I cut a 14 with an FBA an a slight additional adjustments to the back and sleeves. The result is a TNT pattern than I will definitely use again. I cut the blouse to the longer length so I could wear it as a tunic or tucked into skirt. The inside of the blouse is very good too. I used French seams, cut a bias binding from the fabric for sleeves and on the hem used a double rolled hem - a new technique taught by Angie. Rather than struggle with a rolled hem foot, turn up a single layer, stitch, trim close to the stitching line then turn up again and stitch again just below the first stitching line. Only one row of stitching is visible from the outside of the garment and it is very effective on a silk garment.

I am also pleased with my other blouse, really just a test garment made in a cheap piece of polyester bought from the charity store. I used Simplicity 2732 one of those fabulous patterns that already do the FBA for you! I made several changes to this pattern. One choice was not to include the darts which run from the hem to the bust line and at the back. I think they look really busy, especially on the busy print I used. Next time I make the blouse I will include one dart on each side to give it more shape. I also shortened the sleeves, due to lack of fabric. Overall I'm happy with the look and fit of this blouse. I'll wear it, but would like to make another in a better fabric.

I've also been working on another test garment using Simplicity 3924 (OOP). This pattern is from skinnier days and my adjustment wasn't generous enough at the waistline. It looks fine but 1) I can't tuck anything into it and 2) it is an instrument of torture. The plan, cut another blouse and leave the skirt until the ravishes of Pesach have passed over me.

Winner and Wear a White Shirt Day

2011-04-04T03:30:00.000-07:00

It appears that some of my followers do indeed appreciate vintage wear more than I do. Carolyn is the lucky recipient of the pattern drawn randomly from my gardening hat!

I have completed my McCalls 6035 white linen blouse and am very happy with results. This pattern adjusts the shape of the princess seam to offer a variety of cup sizes. I used a 14 D which fitted straight out of the pack. The only adjustment I made was to reduce the gathering of the sleeve by a total of 14 cms! These sleeves are huge - straight out of the Seinfeld Puffy Blouse episode.

I will definitely make this blouse again, but am likely to substitute the sleeves for another style.

My blouse is ready in time for Wear your white shirt day on 19th May, a special day to raise funds and awareness for the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation. So my aussie sewing friends, I hope that you are busily making white shirts. Although if you do purchase the recommended Witchery blouse, it's all for a good cause.

Next up? I'm keen to start on a tailored jacket, but may just continue to make blouses as I am very short on work blouses now that I'm visiting the office on a daily basis.

It's been a while

2011-03-24T02:42:00.000-07:00

I've been very short on sewing time lately -organising a charity dinner at my daughter's school and working in town on an in-house contract have rather preoccupied me. I did manage to slip in two sewing projects.

First up I completed my 1944 Vogue original design dress. This was a test pattern to see if I liked the style enough to make the evening gown for a ball I'm going to in November. The answer was a resounding no! There is nothing wrong with the dress, in fact it's quite pretty on. But it isn't me. I know that I will be shot down in flames, but I really don't like vintage. I'm giving away this pattern to a follower, because I know so many of you do. Just include a comment letting me know that you'd like to receive it. I'll wear the dress eventually - it requires a certain mood.

Enough of random sewing. I am back onto my linen collection. The jacket (Burda June 2008 115) was completed some time ago and blogged about here. I bought the Japanese cotton skirt fabric at the same time, with an edgy summer business suit in mind. The skirt is finally completed using Burda March 2008 114. This is a great pattern that I will use again and can vary with ease. I love the pockets and the pleats in the front. I am really pleased with way this outfit turned out. Forgive the photo - I hads already removed the makeup and was about to take off the outfit after a long day when it occured to me I should have it photographed. So you get me warts and all!

I've cut out a white linen blouse using McCalls 6035 in the hope this will be one plain blouse that suits me. The princess seams and the puffier sleeve shift it along from the man style white shirt that just does not suit me.

I still haven't touched the Donna Karan muslin. I'm not sure why - I think perhaps because I've changed my mind about the material that I was going to use and summer is almost at an end. It's on the back burner.

Happy sewing ladies!

Warning bright colours ahead

2011-03-05T13:06:00.000-08:00

Put it down to fear of the Karan, Donna Karan that is. I just can't bring myself to work on my jacket muslin for 'the collection'. Instead I have wondering around the stash picking up the most random pieces of cloth that should been ousted based on my new found sewing philosophy.

This silk dress is one case in point. I bought the fabric from Hong Kong a few years back with the intention of a maxi dress, but never found the right pattern. Look its wild, but I really enjoyed wearing this dress to the theatre last night. Just pull it over the head, add boots and earrings and away I went. Silk against the skin is the best feeling.

I used a lengthened version of Simplicity 2696, a kaftan pattern which I blogged about here. Who says elegant minimalism can't be colourful?

I am also nearly finished another dress which is way out of my comfort zone. It is really a test dress for an evening gown pattern - and has definitely been ruled out on that score. The pattern is pictured below and I will have pictures of the finished garment shortly. Mine is a short floral version.

Not sure where to go next with my sewing. The weather is becoming cooler, so would prefer a three-quarter sleeved version of the Donna Karan jacket. I'll overcome my trepidation and get started. Right after I go through the stash again...?

I've also just started working in house for at least a month and potentially much longer. So sewing time will be limited. Worse, I will not have as much time to check out what all my blogging friends are up to.

Trench coat dress in action

2011-02-14T15:51:00.000-08:00

This is the first time it has been cool enough to wear my trench in casual mode. I've teamed it with my striped t-shirt (self-drafted) and my favourite white linen pants.

I'm taking my eldest daughter and her boyfriend to lunch. She is leaving me this week to go to college in Melbourne. This girl has a great future ahead of her, but I'm a little sad.

Anyway she said I looked nice and suggested a photo for my blog. Perhaps this was down to the new laptop I just bought her...?

Not much to skite about

2011-02-13T01:07:00.000-08:00

This week has not been much about sewing. I've had a visitor who is sleeping in my sewing room until Tuesday, too much professional work to cope with, back to school functions, not to mention just plain lack of motivation. You know that old Joan Baez song about motherhood where she wails "I'm tired, I'm tired, I'm tired..." as a refrain for all mothers around the world.

So the only sewing I got done this week was to finish my Butterick 5283 version C t-shirt. I remember Erica Bunker made this top, didn't wear it, then decided later that she liked it. I'm feeling the same - it is comfortable, soft and drapey, but... the indefinable but...

Perhaps it is that both my daughters and my husband asked me if the twist is meant to be off centre? It is also a little big at the back of the neck and I'm contemplating unpicking and adjusting it.

Next up, I need to start piecing my muslin together for the Donna Karan jacket.

Elegant minimalism

2011-02-06T01:22:00.000-08:00

The style manuals all suggest that no woman's wardrobe is complete without a crisp white blouse. Unfortunately, the traditional white collared shirt looks rather dowdy on me. So I took out my pattern drafting manual and came up with this white linen shirt/jacket.

I am quite proud of my efforts - although this rather rumpled photo does it no justice. We've had a week of heatwave and I am simply too lethargic to pose it in or iron it properly! I feel like I have been living in a blast furnace.

The tie front extends from the side seam and joins to a separate piece on the lower front, giving the impression of a peplum. It teams beautifully with my recent black linen trousers, so I feel I have some coherence to my work.

I've also completed my January jacket for the jacket a month quota. This design is very clever in the way the lining is turned through a gap in the centre back, then hand stitched.

At first I was very hestitant about the cape sleeved bolero. I don't normally wear anything cropped and it felt it little costumey. But it works with my sheath dress in the same fabric for a dressy occasion, and with black tshirt and trousers for a more casual look. It is not my favourite items, but it may get the occasional outing.

I nearly finished another summer tshirt using Butterick 5283 version C and I've cut a muslin for my February jacket Vogue 1093. The Donna Karan designed jacket will be made in mustard coloured linen. I adore the pattern, but can see why it is ranked difficult by Vogue - the pattern markings look like ancient hierogythics. Hope I can pull it off.

My not quite summer pants

2011-01-28T14:26:00.000-08:00

Well here they are, my first trousers cut from a pattern (Burda 2010/06 105), muslined and stitched. I am calling them my 'not quite summer' pants - simply because they are not the light summer pants I envisaged. The combination of the linen/polyester blend fabric and slimline cut is quite hot when the mercury goes up in ol' Sydney town. 41 degrees predicted for Tuesday (thats 105 on the US scale).

My other little niggles -and believe me they are little ones- are that despite lengthening them from the mid calf length pattern, and lengthening them from the muslin they are a fraction too short; and I accidentially put in the invisible zip on my left side. Now this is not an ascetic problem, but try getting them done up again when you've had a few glasses of wine at your own dinner party!?

On the plus side, I very happy with the fit. I love the way they can be worn with ballet flats or chunky high heeled sandals and that I can wear them into the cooler months.

Some of you may recognise the blouse. It had rather cute sleeves in an earlier life, but those sleeves for some reason threw the whole fit of the shoulders out. I tried to rotate them to no avail, so I binned them and added some of the vintage seam binding I bought on ebay. I have 67 cards of the stuff! It is very light and in my opinion, must nicer to use than the stuff we use today.

What's next? I am nearly finished my leopard print cape jacket. I am doing the jacket a month challenge but in a very uncommitted way. This pattern would be Very Easy Vogue if it didn't have a massive Vogue drafting error - the collar piece is 5 cms longer than it should be. So I need to retify this and complete. Then I am making a self-drafted blouse in white linen. And yes ladies...there will be a muslin and it will be IRONED.

Thanks for all your help. Your tut tutting is turning me from slap dash to a 'precision sewer' as Lindsay T puts it.

Trousers for 2011 - the muslin

2011-01-17T13:08:00.000-08:00

I must admit that I was optimistic when I measured the front and back crotch lengths of my Burda 06/10 trousers against my trousers sloper that I made in pattern making class. They matched exactly. This muslin has been cut straight from the pattern and I'm reasonably happy with the fit. I have to add a hem allowance (I changed the original curved hemline from the pattern) and take the upper thighs in a little.

Can you see any other adjustments? This is my first time so your help would be appreciated.

PS. Do you iron your muslin fabric before you cut? I can't shed all my bad habits can I?

I'm also wearing my new gun metal grey t-shirt that I've hardly taken off since it was finished. Pity it's not in the photo as it doesn't warrant a separate post.

Waiting for Godot

2011-01-11T18:09:00.000-08:00

That's what it feels like waiting for someone to take my photo wearing a finished garment. So these images will suffice for now. I am so pleased with this garment which can be worn as a dress, and as a coat over jeans. I also really like the buckle. Originally I made a tie belt but didn't care for it. My husband was going over to Newtown, home of the best button store in Sydney and I asked him if he could look for 5cm buckle to match my buttons. I wasn't expecting much, but he came home with a very expensive bone buckle that sets off the garment beautifully. When I commented on its price, he said "I thought the cheaper one would spoil your good work". I love that man!! I'm also pretty happy with my buttonholes, which I did myself - mainly out of impatience to finish the garment on the weekend.

I also need to credit Celia from Miss Celie's Pants for the inspiration to make this dress. Her jacket version was quite awesome.

Meanwhile I have declared 2011 'Year of the Girl Scout'-I am going to be prepared. I confess to being a sewer who never prewashed fabrics, rarely made a muslin and leapt from one unrelated garment to another.

That behaviour is at an end. So I have just washed ten pieces from my stash. I am working up a sewing plan based on 'the merchandising formula', that is a typical six-look collection could consist of the following offerings:

Three outer wear options (a tailored option, a shorter options and novelty option); three jackets; three woven blouses; three knits; three trousers; three skirts and two dresses.

I am planning a Spring/Summer collection and an Autumn Winter collection. This is also an exercise in stash busting - my aim is to use up as much of my existing collection as possible, sell the pieces that just don't fit the theme and only buy essentials.

Off to a great start in 2011

2011-01-03T23:07:00.000-08:00

I'm not one to reflect too much on past achievements, so will not be reviewing my 2010 outputs. Rather, I'm looking forward to a great year of sewing - with a better sense about personal style.

This current project was commenced just before Christmas and interrupted by an idyllic week at Pearl Beach (pictured below) and a failed swimsuit for my daughter. I could do a whole post on why it is foolhardy to attempt a drawstring triangle bikini in a hurry for girl with D-cup but I won't. Lets just say it was terribly immodest.

My trench dress was inspired by this magazine story about summer trench dresses and a picture I saw on a street fashion zine of woman wearing a sleeveless trench coat over jeans and a striped t-shirt. I've jused Burda 4/2008 107, eliminating the pockets and lengthening the pattern by 27cms. This pattern is not as difficult as it looks, just a bit fiddly.

Now it is tantalisingly close to being finished - I have to finish top stitching the belt, do the hem and underarm bindings. Having put so much effort in, I have decided to outsource the buttonholes. Next projects - two much needed casual summer tshirts, a striped black and white ponte jacket, black pants and white linen blouse. I have enough fabric to last till 2012, so the projects will keep rolling in. Or at least that is the plan!

The animal in me

2010-12-11T23:11:00.001-08:00

Interview with self

So tell me about your latest project?

I've just completed another version of Simplicity 2648 from the amazing fit collection working with some lovely black and creme crepe animal print.

Are you happy with it?

You bet! This version is fully lined and I managed to overcome some of the fitting issues I had last time round. It is almost perfect.

Almost?

Well you know we sewers are perfectionists. If I make this dress again, I think I will add a fraction more wearing ease around the rib cage. The underarms could be cut a little deeper. Or maybe I should just shed a few excess kilos! I do like the lining and the lace edging on the zip and hem.

You've been reflecting on your personal style recently. Where does this garment fit?

I originally planned this dress for business, but its too 'va va boom' if you know what I mean. I'll wear it to the theatre and I have a cocktail party in early February. In terms of personal style, it doesn't break any of the rules I set - it's well cut, the print is low key, the colour palette is within the limits.

So what will you be working on next?

I have two items already cut and ready to go: a sleeveless trench dress, based on Burda 4/2008 107 and a cropped jacket Vogue 8604 (pictured below) cut from the leftover fabric from the dress. I doubt that I'll wear them together, but you never know. After that I have a head full of ideas, but I really need casual summer tops.

Anything else to share?

Had such a fabulous afternoon with husbie and the girls celebrating husbie's birthday at the Deckhouse Restuarant. Perfect Sydney day and my silk dress had another outing. It was quite windy and the top half is billowing out with the seabreeze. I am not that big!!

Defining my image

2010-12-02T13:44:00.000-08:00

Thank you for the encouraging comments on my summer kaftan. I'm equally pleased with my new Burda 1/2009 105B skirt from black and white plaid silk dupone which I wore last night to the Sydney Theatre Company.

This skirt is very quick and easy to construct. I made two alterations. The hembands are cut on the bias and I had only a small amount of fabric - left over from a friends curtains!! I cut the front band in one piece on the bias as per the pattern. The back band had to be cut in three pieces from the remaining scraps of fabric.

My other deviation was to include a lining, made without the pleats for a smoother fit. I will definitely make this skirt again in winter from a good wool and would consider interfacing the hem band. I didn't think to do this and it is a little lightweight in comparison to the rest of the garment.

I love my Israeli silver earring - a present from my DD who returned home

last night.

I have been giving quite a bit of consideration to my 'fashion image' for want of a better way of putting it. This was prompted in part by a newspaper rant from an 80 year old woman who wanted to buy smart casual clothes for a cruise trip. She was still looking for stylish clothing and was unable to find well fitting, age appropriate clothing that flattered the "shape I had struggled all my life to retain". It raised two questions in my mind "Would I still be interested in fashion at 80?" ANSWER probably yes and "What is age age appropriate for a woman of 52? I was a little less definitive about this.

The answers I came up with were:

Block colours and low key prints
A minimal palette for business - black, white, neutrals, red
A little more adventure for casual wear - hence my journey into green for the kaftan.
Well cut clothing with clean lines, not too body but no baggy sacks either
Good quality accessories - people notice your shoes - they should be stylish, leather if possible and in good repair.
Statement jewellery, but used sparingly.

This is me!

2010-11-27T23:02:00.000-08:00

Delete any images of me from the past. This is me!

I love my summer kaftan made of the softest green and white cotton voile (with perhaps a wisp of rayon?) from Simplicity 2696. I thoroughly recommend this pattern, it ticks all the boxes in terms of fit, cut and ease of construction. The only alteration I made was to leave the cuffs off the sleeve, opting for an a bell shaped sleeve.

Even before I finished I was planning a number of other versions, including using my leopard print habitae silk in dress length. DD says no, but what would she know.

I match my garden well, don't I?

Burda success

2010-11-21T15:48:00.000-08:00

Things are desperate when you resort to photographing yourself in the mirror! This is my test run of Burda 06/09 105, a pattern not for the faint hearted. I had so much trouble fitting this tshirt due to the mad instructions that I've written my own.

1. stitch darts into front bodice and bodice lining
2. fold pleats in place, baste and iron in place. If they will not hold in place, top-stitch in place (as per my illustration).
3. stitch front and back sleeves together and self line, stitching the two pieces together at the hem.
4. attach sleeves to front and back bodice
5. attach front lining to back facing and stitch to bodice and sleeves with right sides together.
6. attach waist band to peplum front and back
7. join pieces to bodice
8. stitch side seams from sleeves to peplum, ensuring that seams match at waist and peplum.
9. sew a lining for waist and peplum, joing side seams together.
10. stitch the lining to the hem of the peplum and handstitch in place at the top of the waist band.

I must confess that I didn't use this method. The instruction said to sew up the side seams before attaching the sleeves. This led to fit problems, endless unpicking of serged seams. I think the weight of the waistband and peplum is too light above the lined bodice, hence my suggestion to line it too. The sleeves should be lined because they are difficult to hem at the seam join.

In the end I have a top that I quite like, although this colour from my stash is way to bright for my taste. I want to make this top again in a less strident colour, if only to test my proposed method. If I could find black stretch lace with a scalloped edge I'd make it without lining the sleeves or peplum, but a full lining in the back.

Happy sewing...my black and white skirt is cut and ready to roll.

From Frocktober to No-sew-vember!

2010-11-18T13:20:00.000-08:00

Well not quite no sew but close to! I have been swamped with paid and voluntary work, supervising mini-me's end of year final exam preparation and having some work done on my house. Not much time for me in all that.

I did manage to finish two items. This lovely silk dress from New Look 6892 was made very quickly for a cocktail function when I had that I've got nothing to wear feeling two days before the event. I was hoping for a photo of me wearing it with my orange sandals but no-one can find the time. The belt was $4 from St Vincent de Paul.

I've loved the pattern since I saw Eugenia's top here. I extended the length using my TNT skirt extension from Simplicity 2614. I will be making a few tops from this pattern this summer.

I also completed mini-me's made to order black strapless (with safety strap for swimming) twist-top bikini. It looks much better on, but there is no way I will parade pictures of a not quite 15 year old girl in a bikini to the world. Letting her wear them on Bondi Beach is hard enough for me!

At present I'm struggling with BWOF 6/2009 105. I've concluded that Burda's knit patterns are not great - crazy order of work in the instructions, the addition of facings that don't work and designs are so fabric weight specific that they frustrate sewers. Like others who have sewn this top, my lightweight red jersey was too light to hold the pleats so I needed to stitch them down like pintucks. I'm busily unpicking the side seams now, first it was too big, then I overcompensated and it is a tad tight at the waist and hips. The top half looked good so I am determined to make it work.

Next up a skirt in black and white plaid silk duponi using BWOF 1/2009 105B. I'm after a skirt that I can dress up with heels and a blouse or down with flat sandals and a t-shirt.

And what not to wear!

2010-11-02T17:08:00.001-07:00

A picture speaks a thousand words!

Melbourne Cup Fashion on the Field

2010-11-02T15:48:00.001-07:00

Melbourne Cup is an Australian tradition - the race that stops the nation - when everyone has a flutter on the horses and even women without the slightest interest in fashion frock up and don a fascinator for the races or a luncheon.

Thought I'd share the winners of the Fashion on the Field competition at the Cup. The gorgeous woman in red was the winner - wearing a self designed dress inspired by a visit to the Valentino Exhibition in Brisbane. Runner up was to woman in grey - a cheat in my mind - spending $5000 on Chanel!

I wore my black and cream dress with a new belt and matching shoes. It was unseasonably cold so I topped it with a black three quarter sleeved bolero jacket and a black fascinator. Didn't take any pictures to share, but several friends (who don't know I sew) complemented my look.

Next year I am being brave and going for drama - Red dress and a hat! The prize for the best outfit and the best hat at my charity do makes it worthwhile.

Frocktober 3 - A lazy girl's guide to BWOF 6-2010-102

2010-10-29T13:24:00.000-07:00

I have completed my 'Frocktober' challenge - three dresses by end of October. I have one to work in, one to lunch in and now one simply to relax.

My dress was made with Sydney summer in mind, a light silk billowy sort of dress that catches the sea breeze. I used silk bought from the Remnant Warehouse for $2.50 a metre.

The old adage "you get what you pay for" is true you know. The fabric I can only describe as Lohanic. Like its namesake Lindsay it is beautiful but cheap and difficult to control. Also like its namesake my Lohanic dress has gone through several style changes. I made one bodice, beaded it with bronze pieces and shook my head. Mini-me said it looked cheap and tacky. I agreed with her. I bought deep red rickrack for a new bodice I cut, but decided to reserve it for another use. I made the ruffles and loved them. Mini me and I were in rare agreement on style issues.

Initially I made the pintucks prescribed by the pattern. They were as crooked as Lindsay on a Saturday night. I couldn't bring myself to go through all that pinning and basting again, so I shirred the front. Hence the lazy girl tag.

I intended to make a maxi dress. I've not worn a maxi since the 70s and felt silly and fat in that riot of red and orange. Mini-me said leave it long but subconsciously I didn't agree and had a cutting accident with the hem that forced me to crop it mid calf. Much more flattering for me.

Will I make this again? You bet! Next time a top in high quality indigo coloured linen bought from Tessutis. With pintucks!

Next up I have promised Mini-me two new bikinis, but don't expect pictures.

Its the second of Frocktober

2010-10-25T02:14:00.000-07:00

This is the second of three dresses for Frocktober. As you can see I've joined the McCalls 6069 bandwagon. This is an easy dress to sew but takes longer than the one hour recommended on the pattern jacket.

I plan to wear it to a Melbourne Cup luncheon next week. The fabric is so perfect for this dress, purchased on line for $7 a metre.

I'm nearly finished a more complicated project, so am on target to complete my Frocktober challenge.

First of Frocktoctober

2010-10-13T03:02:00.000-07:00

This is first of my three Frocktoctober dresses using the 'Amazing Fit' pattern Simplicity 2648. Originally I'd intended to make a muslin of this dress until I remembered that my fabric (a polyester crepe?) was purchased for only $3 a metre at the Remnant Warehouse and my muslin cost just as much. So I settled for a tissue fit and fitting as I went.

Despite a few hiccups, I'm reasonably happy with my dress. The pattern includes different cup sizes and a curvy option for the skirt. Unfortunately I ran into difficulty right at the end. The dress fitted around the neck without the facing, but once I attached it it flopped and gaped open. I must have stretched it when steaming the interfacing down. I also suggest interfacing the sleeve caps. I didn't and the result is rather floppy - more like a ruffle than a cap. Still I don't mind this.

My quick fix was to hand stitch in two darts and add covered buttons to match the ones on the belt I made. I didn't like the simple buttoned tab at the front, and after forgetting to sew the buckle front bands into the front bodice, decided a belt was the way to go.

Next time I make this dress, I will line the top rather than use facings. This is a summer dress and an acetate lining will not do in Sydney's climate. So rather than put a silk lining in a cheap dress I opted for Hong Kong seams throughout. Much less comfortable than a soft silk.

The second of Frocktober is coming up. Think old kimono scarf, and gun metal grey duponi.
I also want to thank my two latest followers for finally getting beyond 99 followers! I have a give away planned to celebrate. Will post on this shortly.

Its Frocktober

2010-10-03T02:22:00.000-07:00

While Mini-me and her Dad were failing in their attempt to scale Mount Solitary with 15 kg backpacks and no ropes, I was failing my attempt to have a few fabulous, uninterrupted sewing evenings. I did sew, but the results left me feeling well ...meh.

The best of my three finished tops is this one from embroidered Swiss voile using Simplicity 3887. I found this pattern ran very large and I had some trouble fitting the neck pieces were I made adjustments.
Next was my 'bland basic tshirt' using a remnant of Mela Purdie jersey and Vogue 8392. This is not strictly speaking a knit pattern so the fit is not as snug as you might want in a tshirt. For a summer business top it works tucked into my khaki pencil skirt. I hand finished the neckline, hem and the sleeves with blind heming stitches so it doesn't look too casual.

The striped tshirt is another re-run of Simplicity 2614 which has definely become my TNT pattern. To test the capabilities of my new overlocker I did rolled hems on the sleeves and the base. The stripes are a bit overwhelming for me and I can only wear this tucked into a black pencil skirt or trousers. I think it needs a black or grey narrow ruffle around the neck and down the front seam - so consider this a work in progress.

I also traced and fitted 4 more Burda patterns for my next projects. So all in all, my time was not wasted.

I'm over tops for now...this month is FROCKTOBER! Perhaps you want to sew along and complete three frocks by 31 October.

There is nothing like rumpled linen

2010-09-26T00:31:00.000-07:00

This is the latest of the Spring/Summer wardrobe pieces from Burda June 2008 115. It is made from beautiful Italian linen from Tessutis - seriously the most cooperative fabric on the planet. It is charcoal grey with creme and black back threads in the great weight that still looks good even if a little rumpled.

One tip if you are making this jacket, trim the curve on the top of the shoulders down a fraction. I didn't do this, and wonder if I should add small raglan sleeved shoulder pads to fill in the shoulders.

Overall I'm very pleased with the way it came out. I used Hong Kong and French seams on the inside and top stitching on my new machine is a dream.

My husband doesn't like this jacket at all - he suggests that the short boxy style doesn't flatter. "Its too short and why would you put pockets to accentuate your widest part?". Well thanks honey!! Personally I'm happy in it, provided it is worn with slim fitted pants or shirt and a longer t-shirt fitting closely over the hips.

Husbie and Mini-me are going camping for three nights, so I hope that I can start some new projects while they are away. It is becoming very warm, so I definitely want to start with two or three quick short sleeved t-shirts. Summer t-shirts t are in desperately short supply in my wardrobe. Then I should begin thinking about an outfit for a November cocktail party. In typical Sydney fashion, the style for this event is classy but casual. I am thinking of a maxi dress.

First of Spring Summer

2010-09-18T15:18:00.000-07:00

This is my first of spring summer outfits. The skirt is from Simplicity 2475 which I fully lined because of the colour. Great pattern that achieves a very good fit. Next time I make it I have to change my adjustments to the waist band slightly as I kept too much of the curve resulting in a distinct inverted v at the side zip.

Astute readers of my blog will also notice that I have retrieved my blouse from Mini-me! I want to fix this blouse again to get it right. It looks quite nice, but the shoulders don't fit well. I think I need to widen the arm hole at the underarm.

I also want to thank Rosie from http://sewingadicta.blogspot.com/2010/09/blogger-award.html and Rebecca from http://uglycutedesigns.blogspot.com/2010/09/beautiful-blogger-award-yay.htmlutm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+UglycuteDesigns+%28UglyCute+Designs%29
for this Beautiful blogger Award. According to the rules I'm meant to tell something about myself and nominate some other bloggers, so here goes.

I am the wrong side of 50

I like to travel

I quit my job in the city to return to my consultancy practice

I have recently acquired a huge stash of patterns and fabric (this is not like me!)

My children are my greatest blessing.

I am nominating three stylish women who make clothes that I want to wear:

Eugenia from http://theworldofeugenia.blogspot.com/ and

Alison at http://allisoncsewinggallery.blogspot.com/

A J Kaori from http://jkaori.blogspot.com/2010/08/batik-on-my-mind.html

One for the pyre

2010-09-12T17:57:00.000-07:00

It seems the whole world is in an incendiary mood. I do not support book burning of any sort, but am about to start a bonfire of my own. The bad frock pyre.

I am so cross that I spent over a week making this dress for the Jewish New Year. The pattern is Simplicity 2724 and while it is quite well made, it doesn't suit me at all. The silky top and ruffle accentuates my full bust-not in a Christina Henricks way-and the high waisted skirt is just unflattering. My new mantra is make a muslin first, because tissue fitting will only tell that the garment will fit. The pyre is imaginary only - I will take off the bottom half to make a skirt and am pondering the impossibilities for rescuing the top half. What would you throw onto the bad frock pyre? - bad patterns would help stoke the embers too.

Meanwhile, I've had a better start to my summer sewing with my white skirt using the fabulous Simplicity 2475. I cut the curvy and it fitted with only a very minor adjustment to the waist band. I am making view B. Should be finished in a day or so, as I decided that I needed to add a white lining to avoid show through.

Theft!

2010-08-25T02:29:00.000-07:00

Here is the finished blouse which mini-me has stolen from me. It is suitably vintage for her taste and looks much better on her. I wasn't that happy with the fit on the shoulders. If I ever get it back, I'll turn it into a sleeveless dress by taking the sleeves off and adding a black skirt.

Tonight I'm tracing patterns and testing fit. I need to have at least one garment ready to sew for my guild meeting on Saturday.

Moving from the back burner

2010-08-17T21:28:00.000-07:00

I'm annoyed that I have so little to show for myself - an unfinished blouse that I hope will be ready to wear to my friend's 50th on the weekend. The sleeve is only pinned in, and the other is ready to go.

This blouse is sewn from Vogue 7316 OOP from the 80s, which includes two tunics and a great frilled wrap blouse that I plan to use for my leopard print. Initially I'd planned a longer length tunic but the panel ended up looking like a giant cross on a medieval crusader! So I lopped off the bottom and will make an elastic casing for the base. This fabric is very tricky to cut as it is made from panels that are quite narrow. As I was using leftovers from another garment, I had to break all the rules - I cut across rather than down the grain and used the fabric inside out as I'm over shiny satin. A word of warning on this approach when using polyester fabric. The inside is generally smooth and fairly stable to make sewing easier, so when you reverse it, it is VERY slippery. Super sharp needles and patience are absolutely essential.

Sewing has been on slotted in around other things these last few over committed weeks. I've had reports due, new clients to smooze and a house guest from China. I lost most of Saturday looking for reasonably priced fabric for mini-me's formal dress and Sunday to a music festival (a feast for the ears!).

The net results:
Mini-me bought a very cute formal dress for $40 - having been unable to find navy blue silk for under $40 a metre and completely unwilling to compromise.

I went into a sewing shop with my blouse frill pieces asking to test the Babylock Imagine on my garment. I loved the results so much that I ordered one on the spot. Having recently had the pleasure of sewing on a quality sewing machine I borrowed from a friend, I thought go for broke and also ordered a Janome Memorycraft 5200 that was on sale. I pick up the overlocker on Friday, but have to layby the sewing machine.

My Chanel jacket has bound edges and trims, but still needs sleeves. I bought fabric to line the sleeves. Now that the cherry blossoms are out, I think I've lost motivation.

I have tidied my sewing cupboard and planned my spring/summer wardrobe using pieces from my stash, plus newly purchased white cotton and a beautiful navy and gold shirt panel. My plans are overly ambitious and to avoid the embarrassment of non-completion I will not share the entire SWAP. The base items are a crisp white cotton skirt, white linen trousers, black ponte pants, and unlined jackets in black and white stripes, mustard linen and burnt orange ponte. There is a new dress for Rosh Hashana using the navy and gold skirt panel, 2 party dresses, as well as some t-shirts and blouses to wear with the base items. Lets see how much I complete by January!!

Chanel progress before the darling buds of Spring overtake me...

2010-08-02T14:49:00.000-07:00

Romantic title. Well yes, a title to match my romantic notion that I could create the perfect faux Chanel jacket!

While I am not entirely displeased with the results, my jacket is far from perfect. The outside binding and pocket welts are still pinned in place and will be handstitched in place tonight. I have not yet cut the sleeves as I wanted to match up the horizontal stripes correctly. The sleeves and sleeve linings will be inserted by hand.

My favourite things about the jacket are the black boucle trim and the lovingly handstitched lining which gives a soft luxurious feel. It is rather heavy - Sydney winters are not particularly cold - there maybe only 10 days a year I could wear it!

One of the major difficulties I've had making the jacket is the fabric - which is a very loose weave wool acrylic mix that literally unravels under your finger tips. I had to add about 3 inches to the seam allowances to accommodate fraying, trimming them back just before joining the quilted seams together. Next time I will use a good quality wool. Unfortunately I did not have enough of this Japanese silk to line the sleeves. A plain lining in very pale grey satin will have to do.

This long cardigan coat also was completed and worn several times since my last post. It is self drafted except for the pleated sleeves from are from a woven jacket BWOF 11/08. I love this coat, worn over dresses. It is made from beautiful Mela Purdie double layer crushed jersey. The sleeve cuffs and pocket trim were cut off a moth eaten jumper that belonged to one the girls.

I'm also fond of the faux leather buttons that look rather like raffia place mats. I wanted to post a photo of me wearing it, but mini-me always has better things to do. Note...learn to use the self-timer!

Next up. Mini-me (who is now taller than me when I wear heels) has been invited to a Year 10 Formal at a boys school. This is the Aussie equivalent of a Junior Prom. I have drafted a pattern for a short dress with low cowl back, draped cross-over front and short gathered skirt. The test fit for the bodice fitted well, so we are fabric hunting on the weekend. Her dream is navy blue or steel grey silk, but dreams can change can't they? I have the whole of August to finish it.

Still dreaming of Spring

2010-07-08T17:21:00.000-07:00

This is my second dreaming of Spring, chanelling Leona dress for a weekend in Melbourne that is coming up. I'm attending a Bat Mitzvah, so need outfits for the Synagogue and the party. Two dinner parties over the weekend to cover as well.

Now I know that I have plenty of things on the hanger that would suit, but I'm attracted to the idea of a totally self sewn weekend.

This dress is made from black Mela Purdie jersey from my stash and a vibrant jersey print bought at the Tessuti sale. I love how vibrant the print is without being over the top. The pattern is a combination of my self-drafted plain tee-shirt cut to midriff length and the skirt from my previous dress, narrowed to allow for less fabric width. I added black satin piping to the front, and faux pockets with self covered buttons using the orange colour from the print.

Next up I'm making a long black buttoned cardigan from a quilted Mela Purdie black jersey. I'm drafting the pattern from a store-bought long cardigan in a sheer fabric. I wear this to death in Spring/early Summer and have always wanted a heavier version for the cooler months.

If I have time I'll finish some silk trousers I started making last year and a tunic blouse to match for the party. If not, I'm sure there is something to wear in my overflowing closet.

Perhaps I should finish my Chanel jacket?!!

Dreaming of spring dress and Chanel progress

2010-07-05T03:04:00.001-07:00

I am almost as passionate about
Simplicity 2614 as I am about this fabric bought at the Tessutis sale. It is such a versatile pattern. This dress is a modified version of the pattern including a self drafted flounce collar. To create the line for the dress I simply added the pattern piece for the skirt at the waistline mark on the blouse pattern. It works like a treat.

My dress is not copy but does pay homage to the Queen of the jersey frock, Australian designer Leona Edmiston. I made it to wear to a party in Melbourne - good thinking 99 - Melbourne is even colder than Sydney at the moment. It does look nice under my red wool overcoat!

I quite proud of what I achieved in terms of pattern matching. It took over an hour to lay out and cut. The picture below shows a centre front seam that is barely visible. I'm particularly grateful to the lovely assistant at Tessutis who persuaded me to buy more fabric than I originally intended. I needed every bit. Tessutis have a huge sale on so I came away with 6 metres of jersey and silk 30% off the original price.

I am still making slow progress on my Chanel style jacket. I've included a sneak preview shot of my first ever welt pocket which I'm trimming with a spidery black trim bought at the Dongdaemun fabric market in Korea. The black boucle self covered buttons have been rescued from a hideous pink and purple jacket found in the thrift shop. I've also completed quilting the back of the jacket. I'm seeing the jacket more as a hobby project to fit in around other projects that provide more instant gratification.

I've been tagged too

2010-06-28T03:43:00.000-07:00

Judy over at Just Sew Everything tagged me. I've enjoyed reading other bloggers responses so I thought that I would have a go.

Which pattern/vintage style have you been thinking about lately?
A few actually. In moments of weakness I’ve bought vintage patterns on Ebay and I also have a few in my stash that have matured into vintage items through years of idleness. Three I want to highlight are Vogue 1688 a Vogue Couturier Design by Pucci from the 1960s. I’m not sure about the ensemble, but I definitely will make the coat in jersey ponte. I’ve found the right aubergine, now looking for a paler contrast. I’ll do the dress in summer with a Japanese cotton floral center and the rest in black. Next one of my mature patterns, Vogue 2176 wardrobe. I found some wild animal print velvetine in the stash that was bought to make a jacket and skirt for Rachel when she was nine. Am I brave enough to wear a long coat in animal print with a plain black dress under. Still mulling that one over in my mind. The skirt is the perfect partner for a secret project soon to emerge from my blog. Finally, a recent ebay purchase Butterick 3893. Originally, I thought it might be suitable for the leopard print, but I have some other ideas for that cloth now.
What's the one place you want to visit that you've never been to before?
One place? Come off it, I’m a traveller with big dreams and a half empty wallet. My next dream holiday is Spain, Portugal and Morocco. I also have retirement plans, a round trip from Greece through Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Egypt and back to Greece. A spell in the Greek islands would be civilised. I’m also up for a road trip around America visiting my blogging friends. I’ve got a friend in Chicago who is documentary film maker. Great concept just need a financer.
How do you relax?
Sewing is definitely part of my down time. I also read, go the theatre, and walk my dog. I’m blessed to live in one of the world’s most beautiful cities and have special places here – Balmoral Beach, Waverton Reserve and Centennial Park. I love dining at home or outdoors with friends – especially with a few bottles of good Australian chardonnay or shiraz.
What is your favourite holiday?
The best holiday I ever had I took on my own. My daughter was on an exchange scholarship to a private girl’s school on the Upper East Side of New York. I had eight glorious days in New York visiting. My days I had to myself, wandering wherever I wanted, seeing all the galleries and shops I wanted at my own pace. By night, I teamed up with my daughter, met her friends and her friends’ parents. We went to Broadway shows, ate in great restaurants and in some pretty swanky private homes. Perfect.
What is one sewing skill you want to learn/try out?
I am working on a new Chanel jacket using couture techniques. I’m learning quilted lining, and welt pockets and couture button holes. We had a workshop on the weekend at the sewing guild that helped a lot
Can you knit? Crochet? Other crafting talents?
I don’t knit or crochet. I do embroider. My proudest embroidery achievements were my daughter’s tallits (prayer shawls) made for their Bat Mitzvahs. I don’t have photographs of the younger daughter’s one which uses appliqué techniques. I’d love to try fabric art, but while the inclination is strong, I definitely don’t have time.
What garment/accessory do you wear the most?
My black ponte skirt - I've literally worn it out. My favourite accessories are a silver pendant I bought in Jordan, my collection of pashmina scarves (It’s been cold). I’m also fond of some red wooden beads on leather made by Elk.
How much time do you spend reading blogs? (Per day or per week?)
Too much. I follow too many sewer and don’t have the heart to unfollow anyone.
Your motto/mantra?
What the human mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.
I’m also quite fond of “Life is too short to be idle”, but both husbie and the DD’s tell me that I sound totally manic when I say it.

I think at this point I’m meant to tag others. Like Judy, a lot of the sewers I admire have already been tagged or are always chosen. So I’m choose
j.kaori designs Who sews the most incredible, unique garments with style and finesse
Jorth A fellow Aussie sewer from the other end of this wide brown land who deserves more attention than she gets, and
Miss Muslin An Aussie of style who went to the US to beat the Yanks at their own game. She says it was for love, but we know!
Sadly, I’m all out of blogging time.

Who is Sailor Moon?

2010-06-16T17:37:00.000-07:00

This is Sailor Moon and I've got to confess that DD paid me a back handed complement. I wish I really did look like Sailor Moon..not the outfit..just like I worked out at the same gym!

For the record it was my 14 year DD who made the comparison. She hasn't watched Sailor Moon since she was little. My older DD, the one with taste and tact, is still studying in Jerusalem. I'll have her back in January to pass judgement on my summer wardrobe..

I propose to work on something more challenging when I finish DD junior's second pair of 'trackie daks' - Aussie for yoga pants using BWOF 11/08 126.

Chanelling Coco or Sailor Moon?

2010-06-15T00:20:00.000-07:00

We had a long weekend for the Queens Birthday (absurd yes, she is the Queen of England and it is not even her real birthday!) but I didn't do much sewing. My DD went away with friends for the weekend so husbie expected some attention. We had a great time. Highlights were seeing the new Australian film Animal Kingdom, one of the few truly great Aussie films by a first time director and starring some of our finest actors. No Nicole Kidman wasn't in it (that's why it was so good!) and seeing the dishy Australian actor singing the songs of Jacque Brel at the Basement. It was funny returning to the Basement, which was a hang of ours in our beatnik days of the late 70s. It looked like the same crowd there, but their goatees had gone grey. The bar stools didn't feel as comfortable either. Couldn't be possible!

Anyway, all things Francophone made we think up another jolie Jalie project. I used a metre of red and white striped rugby knit that I originally bought at Tessutis to make a pair of rompers for my eldest daughter. This child is now 18, so that is serious stash busting! I added some white merino jersey scraps for the ties and a cuffed sleeve.

I thought it all looked great, until DD came home. "You look like Sailor Moon" she wailed. Oh well, at least I match my doggie Alfie.

Quebec's revenge

2010-06-09T02:20:00.000-07:00

Picture the scene. At Jalie headquarters Montreal the head of design is briefing the pattern makers. "We av to come up with a shirt pattern zat will baffle ze English but for the smart ones that can follow our instructions will dazzle them with Francophone ingenuity and our superior pattern making".

One of the pattern makers has a moment of deep inspiration. "Mais oui I av it!" she says "We will create a collar that one must roll the entire garment through. Ze finish will be magnifique, but the making will be a challenge."

Well as you can see from this poor attempt at humour, I was challenged by Jalie 2921. I sat for an hour reading the instructions thinking that I must have misinterpreted the text and drawings. But no, you do indeed roll the garment through the stitched collar, creating a very clean line and no raw edges.

I'm very happy with the result and fit. I used a very drapey wool blend knit. My only complaint is that my tie hangs lower than on the pattern illustrations. I suspect this is a combination of not being generous enough with the seam allowances and the loose weave dragging it downward. I will definitely make another soon.

Decision time

2010-06-07T21:09:00.000-07:00

Thank you all so much for your helpful suggestions for my leopard print. My fabric arrived from Hong Kong today and it is beautiful, but sheerer than expected. Far too light for a dress or skirt. I have decided to make a mock wrap top using Simplicity 4074. I've had this pattern for years and never used it. I will use a fuller sleeve (View D from Simplicity 2732). Unfortunately, the belt is a fabric guzzler (1.5mts) so may be forced to use a tie side instead.

My next dilemma - the belt or follow Mary Nanna's suggestion of a kaftan with the remaining fabric. I have a muslin cut for Simplicity 4528 that didn't make it on time for my Middle Eastern odyssey. The style would be perfect but I may not have quite enough fabric. Or BWOF did a very simple 4 for 1 kaftan a while back.

Meanwhile I am almost finished my Jalie tie neck knit, found the perfect buttons for my silk affair blouse and have completed few quick refashioning projects. All will be revealed next post.

Inspire me

2010-06-01T18:27:00.000-07:00

I have three metres of this leopard print Habuti silk on its way to me. I'm thinking a shirtmaker dress and if there is any fabric left over a top, but am open to your suggestions. Help me out with references to pattern numbers.

A leopard can change its spots

2010-05-26T01:25:00.000-07:00

I made this skirt very quickly from heavy weight knit fabrics and a self drafted pattern. I love the combination of fabrics. It is very comfortable and looks quite well with my red t-shirt (also self drafted) and short leather jacket. I particularly like the deep pockets and invisible zip on the centre back seam. I've been wearing the skirt all day, so the waistband looks a little wrinkled...oh well.

Next up, I'm making a Jalie scarf collar top 2921 in a purple knit. I also am ready to cut my Chanel jacket. My sewing guild group is doing fitting and construction workshops with Angie Zimmerman, who will be well known to readers of Australian Stitches. At last I've learned how to do a full bust adjustment. Looking at this photo you can see why I need one!

I've been having a love affair

2010-05-17T20:23:00.000-07:00

....but not the kind you thought! With a piece of the finest silk that was gifted to me by my daughter's friend's mother. The woman in case is extremely tasteful, elegant and only wears black, white and creme clothing (usually of the expensive variety). Imagine my delight when she handed me 2 metres of gorgeous, hideously expensive silk - left over from a dress that she'd had made.

I have been working on this blouse for quite a while. Silk is not a particularly cooperative fabric and I wanted my blouse to be something special. I think I succeeded - just needs buttons to finish.

I used Simplicity 2501 a pattern that I have been keeping my eye on since I saw Eugenia's version back in September. It has separate sizing for D cups, so didn't need much adjustment. I did make two changes to the pattern and construction. Firstly, after cutting the longer ruffled sleeves, I decided I didn't like them. This left no choice but to cut away the massive sleeve head and pleat the sleeve into place at the shoulders. I really like the sleeves which look very vintage. The other change I made was to self line the flounce and to line the peplum. I did this to achieve a couture finish and to provide the extra weight needed as the fabric was very fine.

I was also able to put to use the understitching technique I learned at my first sewing guild meeting. This is such a simple thing - after clipping facing seams, open the facing out and stitch the facing and both seam allowances very close to the seam. This helps the outer fabric to roll neatly over the facing. I also did it around my peplum lining to great affect. I wish I knew the things I'm learning 20 years ago!

I promise to post a picture of me wearing the blouse when the buttons are on.

Ladies that lunch dress

2010-05-04T03:47:00.000-07:00

I'm really not sure about this dress. It certainly doesn't have 'hanger appeal' but looks much better on, worn with a black singlet and black boots. The fabric is very light cotton with a metallic sheen and embroidered border. I'm calling it my 'ladies that lunch' dress because I can't see myself wearing it to the office, but would happily wear it with sandals or boots for a lunch or coffee outing.

I bought this fabric ages ago in Armidale NSW, and I reckon I needed my head read. It just isn't me. I originally planned to make a Burda coatdress with shirring at the waist. Unfortunately I didn't have enough fabric and was left to ponder what on earth I'd do with it.

I was immediately attracted to Burda Style 02/10 127 because it didn't have any seams to break up the embroidered border. I've shortened the sleeves and added a cuff to balance the border pattern on the hem.

While the look is fine, the fabric is way too light for collar. I haven't ironed or stitched down the join of the collar on the front, so it looks a little lumpier than it actually is. If I make this again, I would use a heavier wool crepe. I've never inserted in under arm zip - quite proud of my efforts on that score.

Return to the machine

2010-04-27T02:53:00.000-07:00

Last weekend was the Anzac Day long weekend, during which Australian's honour their war dead. I don't get involved in the commemorations. Like many of my generation, I'm very conflicted about it. My father was a World War 2 veteran who eschewed Anzac Day. Until his 85th birthday he refused to march or his words "participate in the glorification of war".

I used the weekend as an opportunity to sew. Anxious to get back to the machine, I decided to work on simple projects. The striped t-shirt is self drafted and is made from very good quality Mela Purdie jersey from Tessutis. I absolutely love it and wore it all weekend. The floral t-shirt is from Simplicity 4076. This pattern is highly recommended and I've made several versions of this over the years. My only gripe with this one is that jersey is very shiny and looks a little cheap - which it wasn't. While I bought it off the remnant table at Tessutis it was originally $26 a metre! I prefer it worn under a black jacket.

I have joined the Australian Sewing Guild and on Saturday participated in my first workshop on inserting lapped and invisible zips with facings. It was revelationary. We learned a technique for lapped zips which involves completing the facing first, then inserting the zip. The finish for a dress or skirt seam is very good. Our next workshops are on fitting and constructing a Chanel jacket - which excites me very much. It is also fantastic to find so many professional women there. I sat between a doctor and a lawyer, and was delighted to meet up with a professor of history who gave me my first job out of university.

I have a mountain of fabric and patterns at the moment, so am trying to work methodically through them. I have four pieces that I've made firm decisions about. All I have to decide is which to do first!

The traveller returns

2010-04-25T00:43:00.000-07:00

I've been back at work for week after our month long trip to Israel, Jordan and Korea. The picture is taken at the Dead Sea - the mud ain't pretty but it works wonders on the skin. We looked radiant when it washed off. Rather than bore the sewers with a travelogue, I want to share 10 things I learned on the trip:

1) Never travel with a dodgy camera - We lost about 200 images due to a corrupted memory card. These included photos of embroideries and fabric art taken just for you guys!

2) Your 18 year old daughter living 12,000 kms away does not necessary welcome your visit, but will not have the courage to tell you before your arrival.

3) Even the most enthusiast 14 year old traveller has a limited tolerance of ancient ruins. After a while they become "just a bunch of old rocks".

4) Fabric art is huge in Israel. I went to several exhibitions and visited a few artists and their galleries. See the Israel Quilters Association website to see the depth of talent there.

5) Israel is changing immeasurably due to the rise of Jewish and Islamic orthodoxy. One consequence that wouldn't be immediately obvious to people who aren't obsessed with cloth is that women's clothing is not particularly decorative. Even the Palestinian women have largely given up their colourful embroidered dresses that I remember from 30 years ago for the long black coats and plain scarfs.

6) Time in the desert is good for the soul.

7) Jordans are wonderful, hospitable people who live in an amazingly beautiful country. Go there!

8) Taking a wrong turn and ending up in the West Bank in an Israeli plated car is not a pleasurable experience. Nablus is not a friendly town. It is easy to become irredeemably lost when all signposts are in Arabic only.

9) One hour is not enough time to spend in the labrynth of the Dondaemum Fabric Market in Seoul.

10) The fabric available at the market is very variable in taste and quality, but there are great pieces to be had. The buttons were the best buy, but I didn't have enough time to make the most of it.

Peacock blouse

2010-03-20T20:50:00.001-07:00

Ok, I know I said I was done with Simplicity 2614 but when I pulled this synthetic sateen from the stash I couldn't think of anything more appropriate to do with it.

There is something to be said for working with the same pattern across a few garments. It helps to understand its strengths and weakness and to make changes with confidence.

I've included the inside-out shot to show the self lining that I created by mirroring the bodice pattern, removing the gathering at the shoulder seam. This works so much better than the facing included in the pattern. I used a combination of French seams and and bound Hong Kong seams to give the garment a luxurious finish.

I have two more casual tops cut using totally different patterns - Simplicity 3887 and 4528. Not sure if I will have time to finish either before we leave on Wednesday. Looking forward to a month's holiday in Israel, Jordan and Korea. Robin at A Little Sewing on the Side has given me the heads up on where to buy fabric and haberdashery in Seoul, so while I won't be blogging, I will be thinking about sewing!

Kaftan number 2

2010-03-02T01:29:00.000-08:00

Ok I'm repeating myself but I'm smiling. This is my second and final 'bedouin tent' made from Simplicity 2619. I have a pair of trousers from the pattern cut out ready to go, then I will bury this pattern deep in the back of the cupboard. I've used a two-toned brown and creme piping cord which really works well with the brown and creme cotton. Overall I'd recommend this pattern if you want a quick project. It takes about two hours to complete - and that included felled seams and the piping.

I'm not sure what the next projects will be. Probably will continue with the mix of corporate and casual. I must finish the Burda purple silk top - it sits on the sewing table. If it could sing the song would be "what about me..It isn't fair..." and the new Patrones magazine is willing me to trace off a few of the best.

So ladies...watch this space!

My D cup runneth over

2010-02-25T02:55:00.000-08:00

Mini-me did not want to take my photo...better things to do...I am snarling at her to hold the camera up...not waist high tilting up ...this angle is flattering to 14 year olds on Facebook but certainly not for a D cup 50 year old! Sadly as a result of our little altercation my face doesn't look as great as this blouse.

This is my second blouse from Simplicity 2614. It is from a beautiful silk remnant that I've had in the stash for two years. I made some piping in cream dupont silk for the shoulder seam only and did not bother with the tie. For this version I followed the pattern directions cutting the back and the lower front on the bias and the front bodice on the straight grain. Having done the blouse both ways I prefer the fit and feel of the garment cut on the straight grain. The only thing I don't like about it is the neck facing. It could sit a little better, so I think I'll replace it with black satin bias tape on the weekend. If I do another one in a 'slippery' fabric I would self-face it by creating a double layered bodice.

I went to the Remnant Warehouse on the weekend and bought some great pieces of fabric for a total of $44. My loot included a 1.5 metres of brown and white cotton, matching piping, 3 metre piece of wool mix boucle, a 5 metre roll of red suiting, 2 metres of charcoal grey wool, 3 metres of navy blue cotton sateen and a lovely 2.5 metre piece of navy and red chiffon. I felt greedy but there was so much good stuff I was like a kid in a candy store. Suddenly I have an enormous stash - something I am not particularly approving of. The guilt will keep me on my minimum one garment a week sewing regime.

And then to my delight my newsagent now stocks Patrones!!! Issue no.286 is filled with inspiring designs for blouses and coats so I will certainly put it to good use. Next one is available on March 13.

My next project is another kaftan in the cotton, then I'll think about doing something different before I bore you all.

Bedouin tents

2010-02-13T23:40:00.001-08:00

Ok I know I am meant to be concentrating on my corporate wardrobe, but the white cotton was still on the machine and the overlocker. So I worked on my 'other mission'. I'm travelling to Israel and Jordan in late March to visit my daughter and return to the land where I met my husband 30 years ago! As we will be spending most of our time in Jerusalem, the Sinai and in the Wadi Rum region of Jordan I need some light, modest garments that are respectful of both my ultra-orthodox co-religionists and of Bedouin culture.

This blouse could be mistaken for a Bedouin tent, but for the fabric-the softest Swiss voile. Voile is too see through for modesty, so I will need to pop a cami underneath. It is perfect for the humid, hot Sydney summer. I used Simplicity 2619 a borderline hideous pattern, but super quick and easy. I changed the sleeves by gathering in the sleeve (without adjustment) and adding a small band. I plan to make at least one more of these and am making the trousers in khaki cotton. Suggestions for another kaftan pattern would be welcomed.

Tonight I'm cutting out some more corporate blouses. I'm concerned that my look is a little dull and want more edgy garments like the red, crumpled jacket. I often receive complements on this one. So look out for more interest in the fabrics.

In praise of D cup patterns

2010-02-09T03:47:00.000-08:00

I'm feeling rather guilty for not blogging, but frankly I haven't have much time for myself of late. I've completed two blouses in the last week. One I love, the other is lets say a 'work in progress'. I have another stalled blouse and about five more in my head.

Let's start on a promising note. I love my black and white striped cotton blouse. I used Simplicity 2614 which includes separate pattern pieces for A, B, C & D cup sizes. I cut a size 14 D cup and achieve a perfect fit without any adjustments. If you are currently doing FBAs on garments, support Simplicity and McCalls by buying these patterns. Hopefully they'll realise how viable the market for this product is.

The pattern calls for the back and lower front to be cut on the bias and the upper front cut on the straight grain. Working with vertical stripes I reversed this plan, cutting only the tie and the upper front on the bias. I also added black satin piping at the shoulder seam and on the cuff band. I love the fact that this blouse has no buttons or zips to contend with. I completed the whole garment in about two hours once it was cut. Matching the stripes and working out the correct angles was a bit tricky. The only change I will make to this pattern for future versions is to add 0.5cms to the sleeve band which is slightly tight around the 'tuckshop lady arms'. The skirt I'm wearing is my Vogue skirt I made last year and have worn and worn and worn.

They say every corporate wardrobe needs a crisp white blouse. Hence, my second completed blouse - the BWOF July 07, 106. I used white stretch cotton sateen - which gives a nice crisp look but is a little too heavy for a collared blouse. Initially I left off the front tie but it looked so plain and frumpy that I unpicked and inserted them. I actually pulled this out of the wash basket to photograph for the blog-it does look a little bit nicer than this photo presents. If I make this blouse again, I will take it in a little more, bring up the line of shoulder and change the sleeves. A lighter fabric is also a must.

Meanwhile my other BWOF silk blouse is cut, half sewn and sits on the sewing table. I blame KBenco for blogging about how unflattering the positioning of the gathering is on the blouse. She has me thinking...what to do.

And finally before I hit the sack...It is my blog's first birthday. I have completed about 26 garments including a fabulous formal gown. Of the garments I've made for myself, I wear about half of them regularly, a few irregularly and I've put some of my earliest work back into the sewing room for remaking.

Goodnight...and thanks for all your support and cameraderie. You've kept me sewing.

And look out for more blouses. I need about 10 corporate blouses as I have none...well two now!

Why are these kids so happy?

2010-01-25T03:46:00.001-08:00

Because they are leaving their parents for a whole year travelling to the other side of the world to train as youth leaders. My DD is the one with the biggest smile in the middle.

I am so proud of her. She did very well in her final year at school and achieved a place in one the top Universities here. She will study Media and Communications combined with Law or Global Studies (she can't decide) when she returns.

Between getting her on the plane and starting my new job I haven't done much sewing. I have cut my blouses and hope to finish two by the end of the week.

Slow progress

2010-01-14T02:43:00.000-08:00

Thank you for positive comments about the dress. I am planning to wear it next week, towards the end of the week.

Slowly continuing my quest to build my corporate wardrobe which for the sake of convenience has included a few non-extravagant store bought sale items. My best bargain was two pencil skirts including belts in black and beige for $14.95 each. I couldn't made them for that.

Last night I traced patterns for some serious blouse making on the weekend. I'm using BWOF March 2009 blouse 109, pictured as made and BWOF July 2007 106 from the technical drawing. There are three versions of this blouse which has a yoked back and comes with or without collar and front ties. If the fit and look is right I'll probably do all three versions.

First priorities are to do the overblouse in left over silk from the underlining of DD's formal dress (a rich auburgine/purple) and a plain cream cotton blouse sans collar. I also have some mustard silk and a red and white print in the stash suitable for blouses.

It'swonderful, smarvellous

2010-01-11T01:35:00.000-08:00

I love 2010! The summer is gorgeous, the air is filled with the sweet scent of muraya, the beach is close and the water warm. I've just had two weeks of doing not much at all.

Today I've hung up my consultancy shingle after 6 years running my own business and started a new executive role in the city. I'm sure the glow of summer will fade as quickly as my fake tan, but today I'm excited.

One of the upsides (and downsides) of a work from home consultancy is that you often find yourself working in your pyjamas at midday or at midnight. I have very few corporate clothes because I wore the same few suits (black and boring) to all my meetings.

Pyjamas won't pass muster at the new workplace so I am now focussing my sewing on 'corporate wardrobe builders'.

My first effort is BWOF March 09/111 a jacket which I felt so comfortable wearing today. For a summer jacket I didn't both with the lining and used a combination of Hong Kong and felled seams. I included self covered shoulder pads. It is made from a crushed polyester normally used for parkas. Perhaps not the best fabric for an unlined jacket worn in the Sydney summer, but it has a nice relaxed feel while still looking 'managerial'. I wore it with a khaki coloured jersey singlet and drill cotton khaki skirt. Note that I am strongly resisting a return to my old corporate uniform of black suits with white blouses.

Which is a good seque into my next completed item, a hybrid of BWOF May 09 dress 125 and 126. Husband suggests that I should "strongly reconsider" wearing this to the office. He doesn't like the fabric. Personally, I rather like it. It fits very well and feels comfortable. My eldest DD whose fashion opinions I trust is away, so what do you think? Should I? Be honest, I will not be offended.

Beat the heat dress

2009-12-21T01:19:00.001-08:00

Thank you all for your lovely comments on the formal dress.

Now I'm back I'm trying to put together some summer and corporate clothes for me.

I made this dress very quickly as a trial run for Simplicity 2622 using very cheap $1 a metre fabric from the stash. The fit is fine, but this style is not recommended for anyone over a B cup. Having the bodice cut off cut below the bust point and drop straight is "stoutening" (a lovely word found in my 1950s dressmaking instruction book). Definitely just a house frock. But I do like the lace insert on the hem - I'll do this again when I find the right sundress pattern.

If anyone would like to swap this uncut project runway pattern for another uncut dress or blouse pattern contact me.

Picture of perfect youth

2009-12-09T04:13:00.000-08:00

It's late and I'm off to Melbourne for a week of R&R in the morning. But I did want to show off DD's dress. It comes with matching BF! She looked sensational don't you think?

Purple dress saga

2009-12-06T17:30:00.000-08:00

I am proud to announce the birth of a beautiful purple formal dress. Only slight birth defeats that will only be noticed by the most scrupulous observer. The birth was long and arduous. It comprised a number of steps that few expectant mothers would be prepared to endure.

1) invisible zip inserted - too tight to do up. Tears, teenager tanti "Practice your @@##$ sewing on someone else..My formal is days away and I don't have an @@##$$#dress!"
2) applied black tape and handsewed zip onto this. Still tight and at risk of popping.
3) uppicked all of the above and tried unsuccessfully to use hook and eye tape. Pop, pop, pop - hopeless disaster both visually and practically.
4) sought professional advice - added two panels of the purple fabric to create a new area to apply the zip. Created a 1 cm channel of fabric on either side of the zip. Visually this looked good, but still a little tight.
5) unpicked other side seam and let out they .5cm. - and it fits!
6) complete handstitching of linings, stitching beaded waistband and machining the hems.
7) have a gin and tonic and swear never again.

Having fixed all this up, ready to get on with my paid work and my @@@###*** computer has broken down. No pictures until after the big night on Wednesday.

Thank you all for your supportive comments. I would not have completed without you all cheering from the sidelines. I have two years to recover before my younger DD's first formal.

Short black

2009-11-29T20:12:00.000-08:00

This is one of two formal dresses that I'm making for my DD. It is a refashion from a French lace pencil skirt that I've had since before she was born. I bought it from a recycled fashion store then, so I think is from the mid 80s.

The base is the original skirt cut at the hips and pleated in to fit the bodice.

The bodice is made from my self drafted pattern using Thai silk and cutings of the lace for a modern, edgy look. I've used boning and it fits well except for just under the bust. This could have been cinched in more.

I was really reluctant to take it in further because we had a disaster with the purple gown. After inserting the zip, it was too tight to do up. The combination of DD going "tighter Mum, tighter" and the gathering in effect of my pleating made the bodice much smaller than the original fitting. After shedding tears, I got out the seam ripper, added some black tape very close to the edge of fabric that the invisible zip will now sit on. I also removed the waistband and added some absolutely gorgeous purple and pewter beaded trim. I will definitely finish it a day or so. It is being worn on 9th December so I am running out of time.

I don't think I'll get my outfit finished - but I have plenty of party frocks. Besides, I'm the Mum. Who cares what I'm wearing.

Nearly there

2009-11-25T15:59:00.000-08:00

As you can see DD's formal dress is nearly done. The linings needs to be sewn in by hand at the zip edge and the side seam, hem and skirt to top lining. But I need your advice on a couple of things.

FIRST QUESTION: How to handle the skirt lining? My original plan was to attach a silk organza skirt lining to the hem and attach it by hand to the upper lining at hip height. I still want to use this method but my trouble is silk organza is ridiculously expensive (much more than the silk fabrics used in the garment!) Should I use left-over chiffon (which would have been a kaftan for me...oh well not really my colour) or an acetate lining? I have left over silk from the underskirt and upper lining, but it is too heavy for the purpose.

SECOND QUESTION: Embellish the waistband ro not? To me this waistband screams home made and is my least favourite part of the garment. I've seen some very high quality diamante trim in Tessutis and Bollywood Trims also has some interesting trims in purple and silver.

Next up, I'm refashioning my 80s vintage pencil skirt in this beautiful black French ribbon lace into a strapless cocktail mini for DD's other leaving school function. The top half in in black Thai silk and I'm trying to integrate some of the lace cut from the top of the skirt. We're using the same pattern as the formal dress but with a higher back. Straps may or may not be added depending on how different the two dresses look.

I'm also trying to finish two garments I started on my sewing weekend away with Sharon and her sewing buddies, so that I can look nice too!

Before Patty Palmer there was....

2009-11-16T14:28:00.000-08:00

The BookServer is a growing open architecture for vending and lending digital books over the Internet. Built on open catalog and open book formats, the BookServer model allows a wide network of publishers, booksellers, libraries, and even authors to make their catalogs of books available directly to readers through their laptops, phones, netbooks, or dedicated reading devices. BookServer facilitates pay transactions, borrowing books from libraries, and downloading free, publicly accessible books.

I decided to check if they had any sewing books and found an absolute treasure trove of 82 sewing books from the 1890s to 1921 that were sourced from Harvard Library. My favourite and by far the most useful is the Butterick Publishing Company's 1921 edition of The New Dressmaker. It is 176 pages of text and illustrations covering every conceivable hand stitch and machine sewing technique (albeit invisible zips and knits weren't invented yet) as well as complete pattern drafting instructions.

If you are teaching anyone to sew, the site has school sewing manuals from throughout this period. I think I'm doing sewing at the level of the 6th grade based on these books!

The best part is that they can be downloaded as PDFs or epubs free of charge.

Will post shortly on my sewing away weekend and update on the formal dress (nearly there!)...but just had to share my excitement about this.

All you need is love

2009-11-08T16:52:00.000-08:00

The dress is slowly but surely taking shape. Next steps: attach the over skirt and pleated waistband, finish attaching the linings and handsew the zip. I'm planning to use the couture method of attaching a silk organza lining to the hem and hand sewing it to the upper lining.

I love how this dress has developed. I sewed all weekend and migrated the project to the living room to get this far. There are nearly 1000 handstitches in this garment already...I really love my daughter.

Formally speaking I'm making progress

2009-11-04T15:13:00.001-08:00

I'm prepared to concede at this point that the dress will not look like the original design drawing. That design could only be achieved cut straight at the top which my DD didn't want as she was fearful of the "uniboob". DD also decided that strapless is more timeless than the faddish one shoulder look. As for me I'm having fun seeing where the fabric takes me.

Each row is set individually with tiny handstitches which add to the ruffly marshmallow effect. I love the waves that have formed. The other side will run upwards in the other direction.

Next big decision...to embellish the waist band or not? What do you guys think?

Cup glamour

2009-11-03T17:58:00.000-08:00

Here are my picks in the satorial stakes at the Melbourne Cup

And remember ladies...no turbans

2009-11-01T18:42:00.001-08:00

The Melbourne Cup is the race that stops the nation and a celebration of fashion. Check out this short video history of Cup fashion. I wore this fascinator and frock ensemble to a charity MC luncheon today. As you can see, I'm 'following trend' but very low key. I have a another 2 metres of this fabric which I hope to make into a more casual long dress featuring the spots on the sleeves in a panel down the centre front.

And the cryptic title of this post? Comes from a piece of Cup fashion advice from the early 70s that my friend Di and I still giggle about.

And here are a few more work in progress shots of the formal dress. I am getting faster.

Some skin on the bones

2009-11-01T14:36:00.000-08:00

I'm feeling dangerously smug. All is going well. I'm making the garment in stages - front first, then the back. It will be fitted and secured with a hand-picked zip at the side seams.

While I was most worried about the boning and shell, these tasks were relatively simple. The draping is another matter. The little bit shown in the picture is the result of three hours work! I have a whole front and back bodice to do. It is hand stitched onto the upper bodice, being careful not to go the lining. Progress is not helped by Mini-Me becoming agitated that I'm not following her design drawing. Indicative only I tell her. Which is my way of saying, I don't know what I'm doing!

Bones take two

2009-10-27T23:50:00.000-07:00

I've restarted the project. Thanks to KBenco's tip off, I've now read Susan Khalje's article in the latest American issue of Threads and have a better idea about boning the undercorset. I also gained useful insights from Gorgeous Fabrics lace bustier tutorial. I'm now using muslin (I didn't have any more fine tuille) and rigalene boning from Tessutis. I've made the casings from biased binding and ribbon that I already had rather than buying anything new. It gets covered anyway. But the major revelation came to me in one of those ah ha moments. If I am connecting the draping from the side seams I need a side zip, not a centre back zip. This required redrafting and reshaping the back. In doing so, I was able to take the excess ease out the of pattern and achieve a much better fit. The skirt muslin is now completed and tomorrow night we cut the silk. I'm terrified and excited!

That darned corset, footloose and Heathcliff

2009-10-25T16:09:00.000-07:00

I've completed drafting DD's formal dress, made a muslin and fitted the bodice. Now the work has commenced on a boned corset sewn on very fine tuille that will sit between the lining and the underlining. The rationale for this is that I need to construct the front and back of the bodice separately to enable the draped sections to be secured on the side sides. The separate corset allows me to attach the outer lining and ensure that the draping follows the correct shape - in theory.

The corset fits perfectly on her body (not my dressform). However I am concerned because the boning was bought in readymade casing on a roll and is curling up when not worn. Will this be alright when I attach it to the lining? Or should I start again making my own casings and inserting the boning? I have tried iron it under a rajah cloth.

My Chanel jacket is nearly finished. I am hand stitching the lining and the trims. I had hoped to complete the jacket this weekend, but Mini-Me and I did the Seven Bridges Walk, a 25km saunter around Sydney's beautiful harbour instead. It is an annual event - unfortunately this year the weather conditions were not favourable. For most of the course we walked in heavy tropical rain and thunder but it didn't dampen our spirits. The walk took us through so many foreshore parks and high street villages that we had never visited before. Mini-Me is a good distance runner and she urged me on to complete the course. I was so deliriously weary by the end that all I was up for on Sunday night was a BBC adaptation of Wuthering Heights. Surprisingly I'm not sore, but have a shocking 'wet socks' blister on the sole of my foot.

The day has reignited my lifelong ambition to walk from Sydney to Melbourne. I'll have to buy a copy of Gillian Souter's new book Slow Journeys: the Pleasures of Travelling by Foot while I contemplate about what a silly idea this really is!

Memories

2009-10-14T02:00:00.001-07:00

I was looking on Ebay at patterns and saw this dress pattern from 1972. I made this dress (yes the really short version) in 1972 in purple voile. Oh my I thought I was stylish. I remember the dress being very well made, but that didn't impress the nuns when I wore it on a free dress day to my convent school.

I showed my daughter who is the same age as I was in 72. She was not impressed. "You wore that?" she asked incredulously. Strange, I'm asking myself the same question

Careful what you wish for..

2009-10-11T04:57:00.001-07:00

You just might get it. My eldest is daughter is wishing for this formal gown to wear to her Year 12 formal on 5th December. It was designed by her talented 13 year old sister and will be made by her mother the "sewing elf". In fact the whole family will be involved because her daddy will pay for the acres of purple silk chiffon required to make it!

This design will test my skills but I like a challenge. I think that it will require a boned underlining and draping for the bodice with a gathered overskirt. I'm combining several patterns that I have, plus using my pattern making bible Patternmaking for Fashion Design for the bodice.

So by next weekend I plan to have a pattern drafted perhaps with some help from my old pattern maker/tailor. Then we make a muslin and then, and only then, do we buy fabric. My DD would prefer to avoid these steps and go straight to fabric purchase. All that preparation is soooo boring.

DD also wished for a "quick 'n dirty" dress to be made from some pretty floral in my stash. Mother duly complied and whipped it into shape despite her misgivings about the design. I really wanted to make BWOF 07/09 116 but she as insistent as only a teenage girl can be that she wanted a tank style top with a high waisted gathered skirt. Well, as she tripped out the front door wearing it, she announced that it needs splits in the sides so that she can walk properly in it!

Meanwhile I have actually begun sewing my Chanel jacket! I'll post a progress pick on the Chanel Sew along site shortly.

News from Mars

2009-10-05T01:32:00.000-07:00

This is the DVF smock that forced me onto the treadmill! Target is to fit into it on 4 November when I'm attending a charity Melbourne Cup luncheon. I'm not usually a "lady who lunches" but I get a kick out encouraging some of my snobbier friends to raise money for people they would normally would not want anything to do with.

I've decided that the neck is cut a little high, so I'll fiddle with that in the meantime. This is one of the rare occasions when I'm happy to show the dress inside out...French seams, silk lining and silk bound sleeves. There is not a raw edge in sight.

It has been a wet long weekend in Sydney, so I've had quite a bit of time to sew. Dianne's 50th birthday blouse is finished. It was given the royal treatment with French seams and bound armholes, but I'm now worried that I attached the neckpiece upside down! The piece fitted perfectly when attached this way ... but now I'm thinking that it looks wide at the top. I just don't know. Di lives in Queensland so I can't see it on her. Let's hope that she likes it.

I also went to Newtown and wondered all the way down King Street to Bollywood Trims in the Indian Quarter. The fellow I spoke to on the phone assured me they had Chanel style trims. Yes Memsahib we have whatever trims you are looking for. No such luck, but if you are looking for bling, 589 King Street is the place to be. Hidden among the hideous were some abolutely beautiful embellishments. I may go back for the formal dress. I ended up going to Spotlight and buying the standard trim that I was trying to avoid using on the Chanel jacket.

My next projects are to: to finish a long dress I've been making for Rachel (very quick and dirty!); start my Chanel jacket and work on the pattern and muslin for Rachel's formal dress. A chance meeting through a mutual friend has led me to an old Jewish pattern maker and tailor who is willing to help me with pattern for formal dress. I hope that he may be interested in teaching me some tailoring techniques too. My father-in-law also was a tailor, but unfortunately he died in 1986 and had not interest in passing on his skills to me.

PS...I'm doing 1 hour of exercise a day now and feel so much better for it.

A red sky in the morning

2009-09-29T20:16:00.001-07:00

...is the planet's warning. Oy vey the weather we have been having in Sydney is enough to stop climate change denial in its tracks. The dust rolled in from the Western desert on Tuesday morning. We woke to an eerie glow of red that faded to grey as the day wore on. There was so much dust in my house that you could write your name on floor. Got cleaned up only to be hit by another storm of lesser severity on Saturday morning. While we are calling it dust, it is actually top soil - an absolute disaster.

With the eternal dusting and Jewish High Holidays I have been doing more reflecting than sewing. The DVK dress is beautifully made, but too tight across the bust. It was so stupid not to make a muslin first. I used a tried and trusted pattern for knits, but it didn't have enough ease for a woven fabric.

The HHs are a time of reflection and resolution. My resolution - to look after my body more. I've been piling on the weight since my 50th and I hate it. So I say to myself, lose 10kgs. I will feel better and will have an entirely 'new' wardrobe of clothes that currently don't fit. Dianne's blouse still is not finished. I've been tired and busy and hope that she will understand. Will post pictures of the DVK soon - it is worth showing off, just not on me!

PS today I went to the gym!

I'm so lucky

2009-09-08T17:25:00.001-07:00

My lovely blogger friend Cindy sent me 2 1/2 yards of beautiful silk tweed for my Chanel challenge jacket. The colours are much more muted than they appear in the photograph. It arrrived from the US just in time as my muslin is completed.

Spring is on the way here, so I am making a three quarter sleeved version of Simplicity 4954, a simple classic Chanel style with no closure. I am considering plaiting three colours of super-fine pleated chiffon for the trim. I want a light and feminine feel. The plan is to wear with a matching chiffon blouse and white trousers.

I'm also working on a BWOF June 09/108 blouse which is 50th birthday present for my friend of 37 years Dianne. I really need to finish this before the weekend. I'm using fabric almost identical to the one published in the magazine. She lives 700 miles away, but we spent a girls weekend in Noosa recently and I was able to do a tissue fit.

My other major project is my dress for DD's valedictory dinner. I went into David Jones (major department store) and tried on a Dianne Von Furstenberg dress in this style.
While it looks rather simple in this picture, the one I tried on was in a beautiful floral silk and worn unbelted, looked very elegant and understated. At $545 I couldn't contemplate buying it, but will make my own. I have a gorgeous piece of silk in beige, red and pink that I will use. I am drafting the pattern at the moment. Interestingly the workmanship wasn't too great for a garment of that price. While it was lined, the sleeves were attached only with an overlock stitch. I will wear the dress with my Sophie Kyr on necklace that I wore at my youngest daughter's Bat Mitzvah.

Little black dress

2009-09-01T23:56:00.000-07:00

I am so happy with this dress which I made for my oldest daughter.

I used BWOF June 2009 115 and added sleeves from dress 129 - all Burda sleeves seem to be cut the same and can be interchanged with sleeveless dresses. There is nothing fancy in the sewing but the end result is fine. The seams are overlocked and it is lined with stretch jersey that I bought for $1 a metre. The fabric is from my bargain pile from the Remant Warehouse. It is black with flecks of blue in the lace. The total cost $7.95!

While my DD doesn't look too happy in this photo, she does love the dress. Possibly she'll wear it to her graduation dinner later this month. I'm now working on designs for her graduation cocktail function and her formal. I need dresses myself for the dinner and cocktail function.

A Scrap of Honesty

2009-08-30T23:56:00.000-07:00

Becky nominated me for an "Honest Scrap Award". Hhmm do I want to reveal 10 honest things about myself. Well why not - afterall I enjoy reading about my blogging friends.

The rules are as follows:
I must thank the person who gave me the award and list their blog and link it.I must list 10 honest things about myself.I must put a copy of The Honest Scrap Logo on my blog.I must select at least 7 other worthy bloggers & list their links.I must notify the bloggers of the award and hopefully they will follow the above three requirements also.

So here goes...

1. I grew up in a working class suburb of Brisbane (Australia’s Little Rock), one of six kids. My home life could kindly be called "dysfunctional".
2. I first left home at 16. By the time I was 19 I was working in London. Two years later I drew Israel out of a hat. I didn't want to go there, but it came out of the magic hat three times in a row. Rather than heading for Africa (where my heart was sending me) I went with the fates and met my future husband there.
3. My husband and I spent two years hitchhiking across Europe and Asia to Australia. We maintained a long distance love affair for several years before settling in Sydney. We did not marry for 11 years.
4. I did not realize that I was a high school drop out until I met Americans in Europe who told me that I was. I knew that I was smarter than them so I did something about it. I now have more degrees than a summer’s day.
5. I am no longer a hippie and am embarrassed about some of my youthful ideals. I did inhale.
6. I am a bit of a helicopter mother, overcompensating for my own childhood and youth. I want my two girls to have a better start than I did. Sometimes they don’t appreciate my concerns about making the most of your opportunities
7. I love New York. No I LOVE New York.
8. But I also love the feel of the sand between my toes, and swimming in warm, clear seas so Australia is not a bad place to live.
9. I dislike religious fundamentalism of any creed, but I am religious. I find racism and jingoistic patriotism abhorrent.
10. I’m worried that I don’t read as much as I used to.

11. I am a rule breaker...so rather than nominating 7 particular bloggers, I invite all my followers to have a go at this. I promise to read with interest!

Ethical fashion - a rebuttal

2009-08-19T19:55:00.000-07:00

Somehow I know that I am going to regret this post...but here goes....

Recently I posted a comment raising reservations about anachronistic 50s fashion on Gertie's blog that brought forth an avalanche of comments making me feel like the judgemental and humourless boiler suit feminists of my university days. The jist of my comment was that I am concerned about the return to 50s fashion because it was not a great time for women and why would we want to go back there. While these fashions are extremely glamourous (and presented so in the equally ambiguous Mad Men TV show), they are also physically restricting and convey messages about women as frivolous, decorative and perhaps submissive. A theme among the retorts was that women still experience discrimination today so why focus on 50s fashion.

My instinctive response is why make it worse for ourselves? Virtually all of the women who wear these frocks in Mad Men are wives, secretaries, models, or waitresses. The one professional woman in the piece, Peggy, is at the bottom of Sterling Cooper’s white-collar hierarchy and knows it. Today's professional woman didn’t merely reject this world. She burned it to the ground and danced on its ashes. But there are many who would welcome 1950s values and discriminations to rise phoenix like from these ashes.

Then there are those who took the view that whatever feels good is ok. But is it? I've been mulling over this last point for a week now and have concluded that it is not. I'm not confining my thoughts to vintage fashion. Rather than doing any more 'tub thumping', I just want to put forward some questions that I've been discussing with my daughters and my friends.

How can we enjoy fashion and glamour without being overtly sexualised in what we wear?
Are stratispheric stilleto heels or wedges the modern equivalent of foot binding?
Should we consider not just what a store bought garment looks like and costs , but where it is made and by whom?
If we make garments, what should we know about the environmental and social impacts of the fabrics that we buy?
How many clothes do we really need? Just because we make them ourselves is it ok to be so acquisitive?

On the last point, I read an interesting piece in the Herald about a New York girl who wore the same dress every day for a year. Apart from the obvious questions of hygiene, it is a little bit thought provoking about how much we really need.
http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/fashion/one-dress-365-different-looks-20090819-eqcw.html

Well that's enough for one day from the old boilersuit. And if you don't agree, don't kick too hard...It hurts.

Boho start to spring

2009-08-18T00:10:00.000-07:00

I can't believe the weather we are having in Sydney. It is blue skies and 26 degrees celcius. I'm having a week off in between contract work, so went over to the Remnant Warehouse and bought loads of fabric. This dress took one and half hours to complete. It is made from mesh fabric that cost $3.50 for a 3 metre roll. If you have any ideas for the metre I have left post a comment.

I used the same self-drafted pattern that I made for my navy t-shirt. This time I added bell shaped sleeves. This picture doesn't show the details well. My daughter took it while talking to her boyfriend on the phone, so you can image who received the attention. The entire garment is serged, with a double layer of contrasting fabric for the hems.

I guess this dress is part of my overall experiment with colour. I like it, but don't love it.

Still seeing red

2009-07-30T18:00:00.000-07:00

I've been on a t-shirt binge. I purchased Melie Purdie (absolutely the best quality) jersey in red, navy and khaki from Tessutis. Each colour was carefully selected to match skirts from my collection. So far I've finished the red one, which goes with absolutely everything, and the navy which I love with my silk sarong skirt. I'm still finishing the khaki which I plan to wear with a very unusual brown embroidered skirt I bought in Paris about four years ago. The t-shirts pictured are self drafted. For the khaki I'm using Vogue 8546.

Unfortunately the navy one is just a little bit tight - an incentive to shed those excess kilos I've been lugging about all winter.

Speaking of seeing red, I pulled the red dress out of the magic cupboard and I hate the top half more than ever. Toting up the cost of the fabric and realising that I will never wear it as it is, I am remaking it into something else, so watch this space.

The Missoni coat has been worn three times now. I absolutely love it. Last night I wore it over the red t-shirt and my vogue black skirt (which I've worn to death). It felt great to be wearing a complete ensemble made by me.

What's next? I need to make my daughters and husband (if he will let me...prefers the ragged hobo look) some clothes and then I will get on with my spring/summer wardrobe. Sydney is hot after November so I want lots of white and beige linen, cotton tees and dresses. I also need some special occasion dresses as my daughter is in her graduation year and there are a few gladrag functions to attend.

Colour me red

2009-07-25T04:56:00.000-07:00

Here is the first of my new coloured items to wear with the Missoni coat or on their own. I plan to wear this outfit with my Kenneth Cole chocolate brown suede boots that I bought in NY a few years back. I also like it with the brass belt that I bought at the thrift shop recently for $8.

This dress is based on BWOF 07/08 106. I did not include the gathers in front or on the sleeves as the fabric is quite heavy.

The pattern is quite simple to construct, but I had MAJOR problems fitting it at the neckline and shoulders. I've come to the conclusion that I need to work out a standard neck and shoulders alternation for Burda patterns because inevitably if I cut to the bust size I need (size 42) the shoulder seam is about half way down my arm! I also took about 1 and a half inches off the slope of the shoulders. The fit is now quite good, but something about it screams home made.

Perhaps I'm just being overly critical because I had such a hard time making it. Even my machine wasn't cooperating. The twin needling didn't work (missing stitches in one row) so I sewed each row of stitches on the hem separately.

Budding designer

2009-07-20T14:31:00.000-07:00

These are the products from Mini-Me's week at design school. We plan to make the green dress come summer using a silk screen. Given that she is only 13 years old, I think they are very good. Love the American flag dress... why not an Aussie flag!?

Coat of many colours

2009-07-18T14:34:00.000-07:00

At last I can report that my Missoni cardigan is finished. What took me so long? The hem and rolled bands around the collar, front and sleeves are all hand finished. There is an acre of fabric in this garment. Then I decided to unpick the pockets and move them up higher on the garments. I'd used the pattern markings and forgot that I'm vertically challenged ... only 5'2'' (156cms)tall. Unfortunately, I did not have sufficient fabric to run the banding in the same direction on both sides of the front. Given how wild the patterning is it doesn't seem to matter.

I love this garment. It is so cosy to wear. BUT given my usual palette of blacks and greys I wonder if I will feel comfortable wearing it out. I keep thinking that Joseph (of the many coloured coat variety) was left in a pit in the wilderness because his brothers couldn't cope with that coat!

Nontheless I charge on with my colour cravings. I've bought two pieces of red and one of green to make two t-shirts and a dress to wear under my coat of many colours.

That dress and those boots

2009-07-12T23:12:00.001-07:00

Mini me just arrived home totally inspired after her first day at a fashion design school holiday program. We couldn't resist posting another photo of the dress with those boots. She is definitely cultivating an individual sense of style.

Il mio Missoni non è rifinito e una distrazione

2009-07-12T21:11:00.000-07:00

My Missoni is not finished and a distraction...

But as you can see from this sneak preview, I've made great progress on the cardigan. I still need to hem and prepare facing bands for the neckline and front. I've decided not to include buttons but to wear it as a more free-form garment with an open revere.

Meanwhile I took Mini-Me shopping for some new basics - t-shirts, leggings and a jacket. She loves Sass & Bide and wanted to show me a dress that she liked ($179 you've got to be joking!). Stupidly I told her I'd make it that afternoon. And I did! She is totally rapt. The dress doesn't look much on the mannequin but it looks great worn with her black legging and skull and roses gum boots. Well, she has the kind of quirky style that works on girls under 25.

Missoni Verde

2009-07-09T19:07:00.001-07:00

***###***!!! Thats the sound of me unpicking for a third time! I have been working on a long cardigan jacket using wonderful Missoni wool knit from Tessutis. The picture uses the same pattern, but mine is "Verdi" which uses a rich palette of Autumn greens, rust and browns. This fabric cost a fortune, but I was smitten and had to have it.

The structure of the jacket is based on BWOF 04/08 125.

Given the knit fabric, I've made some changes to the neckline and front opening and have made my cardigan much longer. This pattern appealed because it allowed me to play with the directions of the stripes (a nod to Missoni) and to add contrast piping in burnt red wool to define the structure. It is the piping that created the fuss but it was worth doing. Hope to finish and post pictures of the garment this weekend.