Tribal art

I've been missing in action a while.  Most of my sewing has involved unpicking and resewing skirts that were newly made but no longer fitted.  Thanks for your encouragement - your support helped me shed 7 kilos in 8 weeks.

I completed this jacket recently from a linen silk blend purchased in Lincraft last summer.  The pattern is a self draft cloned from an old Ignazia silk jacket that I bought second hand and wore to death...literally.  It is lined with white cotton batiste and has an interesting three quarter sleeve.  The original sleeve was masterfully drafted, pleated into a narrow band that attaches to the pleated lining sleeve.  Clever and very comfortable.

I love the side inseam pockets and I'm very pleased with my pattern matching, especially the centre back which is a seam finish.

The fit is somewhat aspirational at the bust.  I could do with an extra centimetre ease but I am still 6 kilos from my goal weight.  
 
I'm quite sure where my sewing is taking me next. I moved my sewing area into my eldest daughter's abandoned bedroom and in the process I found a blouse I started a few years ago which I'm now finishing.  Next up I think a tailored shirt is on the cards having just finished the excellent Craftsy.com course.

Meanwhile happy sewing!

Evolution blouse

My sewing seems to have a back story lately.  Don't get me wrong I love my new blouse, but it evolved in order to survive.

Nature intended for the blouse to follow Anne Klein's design Vogue 1294.  But somehow I didn't get the instructions and couldn't figure out how the collar worked.  It was also a little low cut for my liking.  So evolution stepped in and the blouse metamorphised into a necktie blouse with a ruffled front that extends around to the back.

By the time I got to sleeves I was feeling a bit smug and creative and added a fringe trim cut from the fabric selvidge.  Not so sure about the evolutionary benefits of this stage, so perhaps the wings will be clipped!

The best thing about the blouse was that I was able to cut the pattern straight from the pack without my usual 3cm fba and large adjustments.  Weight loss is a beautiful thing.  5 kilos down and more to go.

Not sure where my sewing is going next.  I have the most beautiful cyclamen wool to match this blouse but tailoring will have to wait for the 'new me'.   So happy sewing while I go upstairs and decide!

'Rom Com' dress

 

I'm calling this my 'Rom Com' dress.  You know the story.  Boy meets girls, initial attraction, boy displeases girl, misunderstandings are overcome, girl loves boy and they live happily ever after. 

Translated into sewerlese the story goes.  Girl is instantly attracted to fabric which is not conventionally handsome but definitely attention seeking.  Fabric does not behave as planned.  There is not enough of it for starters, forcing girl to sew shoulder panels across the cross - not recommended for silk faille.  And to the definition of silk faille...Heavy in weight yet maintains a shallow, graceful drape...we must add ##@@!! slippery and full of static, beware of cutting error!  Pattern Butterick 5415 runs large and long.  Much snipping and trimming and repeated unpicking brings dress into a loveable state.

Getting to know my rom com dress better.  We quite like each other now, but remaining static electricity in the fibres (is it actually silk?) leaves me unsure about any happy ever afters.  Worked well for Casual Friday.  Not casual I know, but not corporate is the best a suit can do.

Weight loss is progressing well, 3 kgs lighter and 2cms smaller.  I've finished my daughters lace skirt, but won't have a photograph until the weekend.  Next up...something with princess seams as I think this might be the easiest garment to downsize.

Love to hear about your own "Rom Com" dresses.  Happy sewing.

Just like a sailor

 

 

 

 You know the old saying about sailors having a girl in every port, well I'm a bit like that too.  A sewing pal to meet up with wherever I roam.  On my recent holiday to Tasmania I had the pleasure of meeting up with Carol of Sew I've been thinking over a few glasses of wine. 

I've included a shot of my new beaded kaftan dress, worn under denim in chilly Launceston. 

 

I made the white cotton voile top seen on a beach in the Freycinet Peninsula for a trip to Israel and Jordan in 2010.  Its a very practical traveller.

 

Throughly recommend Tasmania as a holiday destination, especially for those needing to recharge the batteries and get in touch with nature.  Walking in Cradle Mountain was a highlight, and I'm proud to say I climbed the peak in the right hand corner of the shot.  Hobart has much to offer especially the MONA gallery.  I've visited many galleries around the world and rate it among the best.  This is largely due to the interactive technology used, creating a very different intellectual and sensual experience than simply viewing images.

 

Sewing?  A little tricky at the moment as I've rejoined Weight Watchers in a bid to shed 10 kgs.  So tailoring is out for several months.  I'm making a loose fitting silk dress to wear to a party in a few weeks, finishing my daughter's lace skirt and then will reevaluate my plans.

Heat beater

Sydney has experienced its hottest day since 1939 and Australia is sweltering from bush fires and off the gauge temperatures.  So my  sewing year has begun with a heat beating cotton tunic dress using my go to kaftan pattern Simplicity 2696.

After completing the machine sewing, the finished garment looked too much like a nightdress, so I gathered up some plastic beads that my daughters used to play with when they were younger and set to work on some Indian style beading.

Totally therapeutic and much quicker than you imagine.  I completed the beading over three nights of watching television.

I also have been working on a gorgeous lace mini skirt for my daughter which is waiting on zipper and hemming.  I've also finished a simple bamboo tshirt for my daughter and new black skirt for myself - an exact clone of one I sewed here, but this time will more sewing expertise.

I'm not sure that I'll get much more sewing done this month as I'm going down to Tasmania for a holiday and have booked my machines in for servicing while I'm away.

I plan to cut a knit top and piece together a muslin for a jacket to keep me occupied until the machines come home.  Thanks for all you encouragement about my huge to do list. 

This current offering is both a kaftan and a dress.  Do I deserve two ticks?!

Happy sewing.

Forward thinking

I once heard a song with the lyrics "time is a slippery fish, now".  Doesn't that perfectly describe the plight of the avid sewer who does not have enough nanoseconds in day to finish their projects? But I  have high hopes for sewing in 2013 and to have something to tick off at end of the year.

The two patterns that I'm putting on my 'why haven't I sewn this yet?' - get on with it list are Vogue 1090, a stunning Michael Kors tunic and a Burda jacket that I've admired since June 2008!

My aspiration list includes
• A chambray shirt

• A blue lace skirt

• An heirloom wool jacket

• A quality wool coat

• A trouser suit

• A tuxedo jacket

• A sporty parka

• Versatile lightweight or unlined jackets for work and play

• More knit tops

• More dresses, including a black dress

• More kaftan tunics

• Cargo pants

• Fancy pants

• A winter evening coat

• A few sweatshirts for early morning walks and winter exercise

I also have some special needs this year:

• Daughter’s 21 birthday party (DD & me)

• Nephew’s wedding

• Daughter’s valedictory dinner (DD & me)

• Daughter’s end of school cocktail party (DD & me)

• Daughter’s Year 12 Formal

If I can tick off half of this at the end of 2013, I'll be a happy seamstress.

2012 in Review

When I look back 2012 produced quality over quantity.  Transferring from a work from home consulting business to an executive role in the city certainly has dinted my productivity and influenced my wardrobe needs. What do you mean I can't work in my pyjamas anymore?

My top five for 2012 were (clockwise from top left)

• My polkadot Kay Unger dress Vogue 1303
• My paisley silk voile kaftan Simplicity 2696
• DD's white silk party dress, self-drafted
• My ponte art panel skirt Butterick 5566
• My ponte jacket and matching skirt (not shown) Burda 04/09 116