Summer Sew Along Complete x2 :)

Well it makes a change for me as I actually completed a sew along in time! Here is the finished products: Yes I done two (and a half if you count the jacket I started which in now in my ufo pile)

    

I have done these properly, all seams were serged and finished in a French seam. So they look as good as the real thing. The rose print top has a plain black back as I felt the print was a bit too much for me.

The pattern was self drafted. I literally took an old favourite and traced round it. First time I have ever done it and now have a stack of simple summer tops to try it with!

    

 

Here is a few more in construction pics and I now have two more summer tops. Yay me.

 

           

I’m really pleased with the turnout inside and out, I even added a little pocket on this one.

        

 

Hope everyone has a great week sewing. xxx

To Serge or not to Serge :)

Its been so long since my last post and for that I apologise but every time I throw myself into a project life seems to get in the way.

Well Last weekend end my mother came to see me………and she brought me a gift.

 

   

She found it on the gumtree website and picked it up on the way down to see me. The only thing it didn’t come with was the correct manual.

I popped into Romford and got some thread (quite reasonable 8 cones for £19 so I got 4 black and 4 white). Rushed home to then spend god knows how many hours (and I honestly do mean hours) trying to thread it correctly and get it to work! I swear I could have pulled my hair out. I have never used one before and had NO idea how it worked but with the wonders of YouTube and Google I got there in the end….I think

 

 

 

 

Ladies please help….is this how the stitching should look? xxxx

This is what happens when…..

In the middle of tracing my 11 piece pattern (biggest one by far....very nervous) for SESA 2012 and the doorbell goes. I answer the door, pay for my takeaway and come back into the front room to see this.

   

My daughters bloody cat had obviously decided to skid across my table and tissue paper pattern :( :( One day I will catch her and string her up! Bit of sticky tape and all is ok but I like my patterns to stay like new.

Note to self.... Take cat with me to the door next time!

 

Finally finished the tracing & cutting….now onto the fabric….Gulp!!!

Hope everyone has a great weekend.

X

Summer Essentials Sew Along (SESA) 2012

 

1 MONTH: In the month of June, sew one fabulous garment that you plan on strutting all summer.

1 GARMENT: Your choice!

1 GREAT LIST: http://www.flickr.com/groups/sssa/

1 FABULOUS PRIZE: 2.5 YARDS OF SUMMERY COOL SEERSUCKER & you could also win an indie sewing pattern of your choice from Ali!

For more details, to join in and to grab the badge please head over to the gorgeous girlies that are hosting the sew along: Sarah of Rhinestones & Telephones, Ali of The Wardrobe Reimagined and Alessa of Farbenfreude.

 

I am definitely taking part in this. I have been debating all day about what to make.

 

I have decided to go with Simplicity 2446. I know it doesn't look very summery but year after year I look for light summer blazers and never find any. I have a few modifications in mind to make it more summery (colour, material, 3/4 length gathered arms, different collar) so in theory it will be lovely, light and summery.

 

I have some black (I know I know stupid colour but I cant help it) cotton sheeting for the muslin as this will be my first jacket attempted so I am anticipating many muslins so I went for the cheapest material to hack into . I am off now to find my pattern and work out what size to trace. Happy days. xx

Yay Yay Yay Jersey Dress Finished

**DISCLAIMER** The following pictures were taken with the aid of my 4yr old daughter so please excuse the poor focus in some and I also HATE having my picture taken :o)

 

This dress has been in my to do pile since I brought the fabric back in February and I am so please its finished.

The fabric itself is a very very stretchy jersey fabric. I had to use a pattern specifically for knits/jerseys as I have never sewn with it before and was unsure. I did run into a few problems but needless to say it turned out ok in the end.

I used Project Runway 2883 and after reading the reviews and doing a bit of research I decided to modify the pattern by adding 2.5 inches to the bodice and shortening the skirt so the gathering was on my waist not under my bust (it really would have looked like a maternity dress on me).

   I paid less than £1.60 for this little beauty on eBay!

My biggest problem was gathering the fabric. I don't have a gathering foot yet so I done it using two lines of long stitching. This part was fine but trying to stitch the gathers in place was near on impossible for me and bloody well frustrating. I ended up going round the skirt/bodice join and tried to manually gather as i stitched which got most of the gathering secured. Then I tried the dress on and realised that the stitching would not hold with the stretch of the fabric…I wanted to cry by this point!

so I decided to use elastic….

I dont know what made me think of it but I thought it would be more secure, give the waist line more definition and help with the gathering issue. It did thankfully (I would not have want to unpick all that zigzag stitching lol)

  This is the view from the front so I was relatively pleased with the outcome.

The seams were nice and easy. I just used a basic fold over hem on the neck, arms  and hem  being careful not to stretch the material and the great thing is you can hardly see the stitching.

Below is the front and back as the dress is un-accessorised.

 

And me being silly because my four yr old was getting the hump with pressing the shutter button lol!

Presenting my first Burda (SS 2012–425)

Well I never! This was a first for me despite I having brought all issues of Burda Style since January I have yet to use the patterns. This is top 425 from the Burda Plus magazine, Spring/Summer 2012.

            

I love the fact its asymmetric with different length sleeves and the collar is unusual. The only thing I am upset with is that the fabric I used (a fantastic silky feel bi-stretch from Ashley Brook Fabrics) did not drape as well as I expected. Next time I will use a much thinner and a better draping fabric. My bad.

The biggest thing that scares me about the Burda patterns that come with the magazines is purely this:

            

It is the reason I am yet to use any of their patterns. It was hard but I managed to fins all the lines and pieces, I will admit there were a few minor errors but hey-ho. I did make a quick muslin just to check the sizing and to see if it suited me.

What I am most please with is the fact I was so very good on this project and made sure I finished off all the seams. I don’t have a over-locker and I really did want to try French seams (but thought I should leave that to a pattern I am more confident with) so I finished all the seams as I went with fake French seams:

    

I have to admit I am pleased with how my techniques are coming along and how much more professional this garment looks compared to my last. I cant wait to get started on my next project.

This is also the first time I have used Live Writer to compose my blog and am finding it very good and easy to use especially with the layout of pictures.

Mini Me: Summer Dress

I got this great New Look pattern from Ashley Brook Fabrics during their pattern sale thinking it look nice and quick!! :)

I must stop reading the pattens before I cut the material as I nearly had a heart attack and didn't have a clue what some of the instructions were saying and started to panic! Time for a muslin!!!!

I cut the pattern in a 4 as Louise is quiet small for her age but I know it will still be way too long for her! The style I went for had 5 pieces so was nice and easy to cut.

Once I got sewing the guide made sense and the process moved along quite quickly. I was very impressed. Gathering took a long time...Note to self to invest in a gathering foot.

Here is the finished muslin, I basically used an old sheet. I used contrasting cotton to see where I made mistakes and it worked a treat as there are a few things I need to make sure I don't do on the final dress.

The gathering turned out well which I was pleased with. I must remember to snip the inside of the seams on the bodice, I did remember to grade them though!

The back was a bit tricky as I have never done this type before, but in all fairness I let the thinking confuse me and should have just followed the guide without trying to work it out before hand! All I need to do is the button holes (I am so dreading that).

I must say I am looking forward to Louise trying it on in the morning :)

Its been so long!

It really has. I had a bit of a slump whilst trying to do my Truffle dress as it needs so many alterations (guess you cant slim into a "commercial" body shape) but I have now moved that to my to do pile for the time being.

So I decided seen as though the summer seems to be on the way here and I desperately short of tops I will make some starting with the highly acclaimed Sorbetto Top by Colette which can be downloaded here.

Now this has been out for nearly a year and there are some really wonderful versions and great variations on the Colette flickr group. I thought it would be a dream to sew and a great addition to my wardrobe.

Learning from the truffle dress I thought I would make up a quick muslin just to be sure of the sizing.

:( :( :(:( :( :(:( :( :(:( :( :(:( :( :(:( :( :(:( :( :(:( :( :(:( :( :(:( :( :(:( :( :(:( :( :(:( :( :(:( :( :(:( :( :(

Loose neck, roomy shoulders and very gaping armholes was the results of the first muslin, so I done some research, found this and thought aha job done.

 This is after the gaping armhole fix and I moved the dart as it was too high (and is now too low). It still gapes and I am at a loss.

My bust measure 41 at the widest so as per the pattern sizing I cut a 14. I have read somewhere to cut the upper bust/chest measurement which is 39 (and typically its halfway between a 10 and 12). So I am thinking I may do that and try a split and spread FBA (if I can understand how to do it).

Ladies any help or tips would be greatly appreciated on this one. I am going to recut and have another go at a smaller size. Fingers crossed :)