Elegant minimalism

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.