Passing along the good word...

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Thanks.

My sewing wish-list.

You know how there are always those little things that you forget you want/need until you could use them? Well this list has some of those items on it, and then some bigger items that aren't really necessary, but I would like all the same.

1. Rotary cutter and mat

2. A nice cream coloured dress form. (I have a dress form, but it is 2nd hand and broken. And red.)I don't really need a new one, but I would like one anyway.

3. A new pair of scissors. I think my current ones are dying. Perhaps they have cut too much tulle.

4. Electric scissors for cutting tulle.

5. A good supply of different coloured undie elastic.

6. An endless supply of thread and needles of all kinds (I know, I know, I will never get this because it doesn't exist. Does anyone know magic? Can you hook me up with Harry Potter?? I like Gutermann, Harry...)

7. A new cutting mat. Mine is dying.

8. A new chair. Mine is an ex-computer chair and is not conducive to sewing. And my cats always steal it.

Apparently they think it is quite lovely.

9. A whole range of sewing-related books. Too many to post really.

10. Some new dressmakers chalk.

11. One of those wax things that you put thread through to stop it tangling when you are doing hand sewing.

12. Some dressmakers rulers. I shall be more specific, Metric Dressmakers Rulers. Do they exist??

I can't really think of anything else at the moment. If I do later, I'm sure I will post them up.

What is on your sewing wish-list?

Now open for business!

Am I crazy?

I just put something up for sale on Etsy.

KIRAPH

Come and check it out.

More items for sale soon!

The party is over...

Well for a while anyway.

And what party am I talking about? I'm talking about the "sew-stuff-for-me-only"party. It was fun while it lasted and I'm sure that now I have been biten by the self-sewing bug again (I'm wearing one of my own creations as I sit here typing this entry) I will surely make time for more self-sewing in the not too distant future.

See the thing is I kind of have this little side gig of sewing costumes. I get paid for it - otherwise there is no way in hell that I would be doing what I'm doing - and a little extra money does go a long way doesn't it?

Anyway, my boss who is a lovely soul, asked me if I wanted to sew some tutu over the holidays. They will be needed for May so I have a while to do them, but May will be upon us in no time at all really...

So I said yes. I said yes to making 16 little mauve tutus.

I know, I know. You are thinking "Is this woman nuts?"

Sometimes, yes I think I am nuts.

Anyway, I have only just now decided to start the project.

16 pairs of pants have been cut out in 2 different sizes. Size 6 and size 8.

The top layer of tulle (net) has been cut.

Thread has been purchased today. Elastic for gathering tulle has been purchased today.

3rd and 5th layers of tulle will hopefully be cut today.

2nd and 4th layers of tulle are on their way as I had to order another colour to get the tone right to match the leotards the skirts are going with. Does that make sense??

So anyway, good news is that they are for little people and won't be nearly as difficult to get through as bigger ones.

They are only having 5 layers in the skirt and each layer is only have 3 widths of tulle to the skirt.

I'm hoping to have the pants sewn and marked up by tomorrow.

So yes. The party is over. For a while at least.

Maybe I can motivate myself to get through the tutus quicker by making a deal with myself. Such as "When you have sewn the top 2 layers of skirts on you can make that blouse/skirt/dress that you want to make."

Hmmmm, that could indeed work very well.

What did today's adventures yield?

This Metalicus-Inspired cream knit dress!

I would have liked to make the skirt out of some sort of circle - half circle, 3/4 circle, full circle would have probably been too full - but I didn't have the fabric to allow for it. So I got the a-line skirt that was slightly gathered at the top. The hem is finished with a narrow overlock stitch.

I didn't have the wonder fabric that Metalicus use for their clothing so I had to make do with this knit that I found in my stash. As I wasn't sure if this dress was going to be wearable, I didn't want to expend money on buying fabric.

The bodice has princess seams, and a seam down the centre front - again cause I didn't have enough fabric to cut that centre panel out on the fold. As it is the top is lined with white cotton lycra instead of a double layer of the knit fabric. There is also a gentle gather in the front.

So yeah, not the most in-your-face of fancy-type dresses, but I already have a few of those in the old cupboard that only get trotted out every now and then. This dress, well it's a bash around the house and then dress it up to go out dress! Perfect!

This is the 'before styling' photo.

As you can see, quite the blank canvas.

All in all, while it's not the prettiest of dresses, it is functional, cool to wear (temperature wise) and comfortable. Dressed up, it is moderate on the stylish meter I guess. For no money expended (Fabric that has been in my stash for so long I can't remember when I bought it is considered free) it is a pretty good result.

Tiny Flowers Cami

I made this sweet little cami yesterday and I am really quite taken with it...

It is based off New Look Pattern 6164, however I have had the pattern for quite a few years so I doubt that you can get it anymore. It comes with a skirt as well.

Now, according to the pattern and my bust measurment of yesterday I was supposedly a size 16. I don't think my boobs are anywhere near size 16 size, so I cut out a size 12. And thank whatever you call holy for that decision!

It is cut on the bias but you can cut it on the grain as well.

I kept the side darts in. This was a good move.

I decided I could do without the 2 funny little tiny pleats they had happening on the front and the back at the bottom.

Chose my own length of band. I was meant to leave and opening in one of the side seams (a bit hard when you are doing french seams - or I just don't know how to do it) and buttons on the band but I decided to option out of those items.

Decided that their idea of putting a 3cm or so facing on the inside was a dud option, so I made my own bias tape and away I went. I sewed the front section first and then made the second lot of tape a lot longer and it continued up into the straps.

After trying it on I decided it was a bit boxy and if I held it in at the back a little it looked nicer.

So I made 2 little ties and sewed them on.

I was happy to find out that I had made them long enough so that I could go all the way around my waist with a comfortable amount to tie with.

And, voila! I have a gorgeous little summer cami that can be dressed up or down!

Quite pleased really. And incidently, I really like how the top photo came out. Love that backyard fence!

A new dress for me!

This dress is very similar to the one I posted previously. But I get to keep this one!

I have had the material in my stash for a couple of year and always intended on making a simple summer dress with it. So, when I decided to do a tutorial for Burdastyle I made this one so that I could take pictures of the process.

I will post my tutorial on here as well.

Basically it is a 6 panelled skirt sewn onto a bodice which has been gathered in with rows of Elastic.

TUTORIAL

1. Cutting the Bodice.

Fold your fabric in half across the width.  This fabric was 150cm wide.

Measure down 20 cm (you can do longer or shorter if you wish) and mark. Do this all along the width of fold fabric.

Cut along marked line.

*note                                                                                                                                           

If you are lining your dress, the lining fabric may not be as wide as the main fabric. If so, cut your main fabric in half so you have 2 lengths and measure the dimensions. Cut 2 pieces of the same dimension out of your lining fabric.

2. Cutting your skirt.

The beautiful thing about how this dress is made, is that you can have any sort of skirt that you like.

If you don’t have a lot of fabric you can do an a-line or a straight skirt.

If you want a full skirt but don’t have quite enough to do a full circle without lots of seams, you do a panelled skirt, like I have here.

You can do short, medium or long.

My skirt is a 6-panelled skirt that is fairly full. The pattern for my panels looks like a blunt nosed triangle. 

It measures 20 cm at the top and 56 at the bottom. It is 80 cm in length.

Cut the skirt whichever way you choose.

If you are lining your dress, or the skirt portion of your dress, cut that as well. This can be cut the same way as your main fabric, or differently. Just make sure that the upper circumference is the same as the main skirt. The lining does not need to be as full as the outer layer of your dress.

3. Sewing the Bodice

Roll hem, zigzag or standard overlock around all 4 edges.

I like to use a rolled hem as you don’t need to do anything else to the edges and the finish is neat.

If using a standard 4 or 3 thread overlocking stitch, turn the overlocked edge under and stitch down with a straight stitch. You don’t need to do a big hem.

If you don’t have an overlocker, a narrow zigzag on a short stitch length will do much the same thing as a rolled hem. Look in your manual and then experiment on scraps of your fabric until you are happy with your finish.

**If you are lining your dress, pin your lining and main fabric together and finish the edges the same was as above. Just make sure your main fabric is right side out. 

If you had to cut your main fabric in 2, now is the time to stitch one side seam closed. 1.5cm seam allowance is fine.

If you want to add any embellishments such as lace, ribbon or braid along the length of your bodice, do that now.

4. Gathering the Bodice

Mark where you want to put your rows of gathers. I used 5 rows.

If using gathering elastic, mark on the right side of the fabric. If using flat elastic mark on the wrong side.

If using flat elastic, cut to your desired length. Whatever your full bust measurement is would probably be a good place to start.

Quarter your elastic, and your fabric as well. I use pins.

Stitch on your rows of elastic.

If using gathering elastic, you don’t need to quarter your fabric.

5. Finishing the Bodice.

Once you have sewn on all rows of your elastic, sew your final seam.

You should have a tube that looks something like the one in the picture.

6. Sewing the skirt

Sew seams and finish the edges.

Do this for the lining as well.

Finish the top edge of main fabric and lining.

Use a zigzag or 3 or 4 thread overlock stitch. You can use a rolled hem also but this part of the dress is not going to be visible.

Hem the bottom of skirt, and skirt lining.

Again I used a rolled hem. You can hem whatever way you like.

If you are lining your skirt, sew the lining to the skirt, wrong sides together.

Sew lining to skirt, wrong sides together.

10. Attaching the skirt to the Bodice

Measure finished circumference of your bodice. Cut another piece of elastic to this measurement and quarter it with pins.

Quarter the top of your skirt and attach elastic.

11. Attaching the skirt to the Bodice part II

Fold under and stitch again.

12. Attaching the skirt to the Bodice part III

Pin the bodice onto the elastic at the top of the skirt. The bottom row of elastic on the bodice should be on top of the skirt. Stitch.

13. Straps

Cut 2 strips of fabric to your desired length and width. The width needs to be 2 as wide as your finished width. 

Fold in half and stitch. Finish edges.

Turn the right way out and press.

Attach your straps to your dress!

You can add belt loops or side ties or whatever you like.

I have cinched in the dress with a belt as I thought the pattern needed breaking up.