Winter clothes

When I went home to New Zealand in June, it was mid-winter there and the shops were full of lovely cosy winter clothes. But knowing of my new-found sewing obsession, instead of exploring the world of wintery RTW, my aunt took me on an outing to the most amazing fabric shop. Oh that place. I could have spent days (and many many hundreds of pounds) in there. It was massive, and had such wonderful things - different than a lot of what I see in Britain. But the best part was that they had loads and loads of gorgeous merino and wool-blend fabrics, in all sorts of patterns and types. I got a beautiful petrol blue merino wool sweatshirt fabric - looks just like a normal fleece-backed sweatshirt but it's WOOL so it's freaking toasty as can be. I heart it. I just knew it would be perfect for another Astoria jumper...and so it is! Ta da!

This time I added a good couple of inches to the length, so it's perfect now. It sits just at the top of my jeans/trousers' waistband - no unfortunate stomach flashes, and just ideal for wearing around home. I'm in absolute love of the colour and I'm pretty much already living in this. Next time I go home, I will be bringing back a bloody suitcase of merino sweatshirting I think!

I also got some crazy teal wool with ducks on it. That sounds mad. It is a bit. I'm not really quite sure what to do with that. I love it, but it's quite bonkers. I think a wee capelet or something would work, but I may not have bought enough. A winter skirt, perhaps. And I got some super soft and drapey jersey wool fabric in purply grey colours. I desperately want to make another Moneta out of that, but no matter how I place the pattern pieces, I cannot make it work. I bought too damn little *sobs*. Until I can reoncile myself to making something other than a Moneta with it, it'll stay in the stash too.

But I have had one more NZ winter wool fabric win...and that's with this new dress!

I love this so very much. It's a thick tweedy sort of fabric with wide woven colours in blues and purples and foresty greens. It frayed like an absolute bastard, so I decided to underline it straight away. I had initially thought I'd line it normally, but the underlining worked really well - made the fabric so much more usable. There were still stray threads ALL over the house before I was done, but hey ho!

The pattern is a Colette Laurel although it doesn't really look it. I really need to revisit my sizing on that pattern because I always seem to end up taking out about 3-4 inches overall. Hm. Anyway, when removing the excess width, I decided to add a bit of waist shaping and flare the skirt ever-so-slightly, and I'm glad I did. I think the shape works. I had to do my normal back dart adjustment (all the way up to the neckline) but I think it looks ok and it fits bloody perfectly! I asked the kind folks on Instagram about this excess shoulder fabric/zip ripple business I keep getting and the advice was to stabilise my zip allowances. That may well prove a winning tip, but I'm unconvinced that was the problem in a dress like this. The wool fabric here is the thickness of a coat, and I underlined it so it's really really thick and stable. I think in the new year I might sign up for a fitting class somewhere and see if I can't find some more answers to this...

Anyway. I also added cap sleeves AND...(drumroll please) I finished the neckline and armholes BY HAND!! Boom! *does victory dance*. This is seriously noteworthy because hand-sewing anything gives me a freaking headache and I loathe it with my ever fibre. The loathing stems from my total incompetence, but still, the hatred is real. However, I will begrudgingly admit that the hand finish really does look better. DAMMIT!! Now I'm going to have to hand finish everything aren't I? Doom...

So. Those are the main things I've made lately. Doesn't seem like much, and it's not but that's because work has been craaazy this past month. I don't have huge plans for December, with the exception of Christmas bunting (which I failed to do last year), and a dress of some description to wear on Christmas day. I have yet to decide on what that dress will be...will I go all out kitsch-festive, or be a little more classy? Who knows...tune in soon to find out!

Last weekend's projects

I fancied some quick makes last week, so I decided to have a day of super-speedy sews! Fun!

First up was an Astoria Cropped Jumper from Seamwork magazine. I've discovered cropped cardigans are particularly useful with the dresses I've been making and wearing lately, so I had it in mind that the Astoria jumper would be equally great. It promises to be a 1hr sew. Seamwork patterns can all be made in 3 hours or less, and while I've only made a couple of them so far, I'd have to say that they really are true to that. The jumper took me a little over an hour. I found hemming the cuffs to be a total pain in the arse. Next time I'll hem them before I sew the sleeves up...it was impossibly hard to fit the tiny sleeve into the machine! An easy enough thing to deal with next time though.

The main issue I have with the jumper is that I'm really not at all sure how to wear this!! While I love the fabric, the colour and style are wrong with my dresses (with the exception of one plain black Coco Dress) and it's too short to wear with jeans (because - belly! No!). So, um, yeah. I don't know?! I'm going to make another one, but I'll add a couple of inches to the length so I can wear it with jeans. It's really comfy and it fits well, but it's just too short (which is fair enough - it's cropped. Maybe I'm what's wrong?!). Not sure whether to chalk that up as a win or not? A maybe...

The second make was a super fast Mabel skirt using remnants from my first Moneta. I have actually already made a Mabel in a plain black jersey that's sort of flocked or something. I have no idea what that fabric actually is, but it works really well as a Mabel and I wear it a lot. Looks v cute with tops tucked in and a blazer over for work - a mini pencil skirt. So, yeah, this is my second Mabel. I love the look - the fabric works well pattern-wise (I had to cut with the stripes vertical because I didn't have enough left to go the other way, but I think it works). It's a bit more clingy in the butt-area than the other Mabel, but it'll still get worn. I don't think my butt isn't that big, so it's probably ok if my skirt clings to it!?

And finally. My favourite make of the day is another (yes, I know. I'm addicted) Emmeline Tee. I luuurve it. The fabric is some gorgeous drapey viscose I got at an outing with my girlfriends at Guthrie and Ghani (and apparently Hobbs has garments in the same fabric, so aren't we posh?!) Anyway, normally the pattern uses binding made from the fabric, but I thought that black edging might look cute with this - sharpen it somehow. So I just used some store-bought black bias binding I had in my sewing box (also a big win for laziness!), and I'm really pleased with the look. I've already worn it to work with the original Mabel skirt, in fact.

All three garments were made one Saturday - although I did the cutting out the night before. I reckon three garments is a pretty good outcome for a day of sewing! Happiness! 

Moneta Mark III

I know this is technically the second Moneta I've blogged about, but actually it's the third one I've made. The second one...well...I'm not that enamoured of. It's the fabric that was the problem with it I think - it stretched in the neckline and it just clings in places I don't love. It's totally fine for wearing around the house, but that's about it.

But. That did not deter me from trying again. I bought this fabric AGES ago on Goldhawk Road. Actually, I'd seen it (I thought) on Guthrie and Ghani yonks ago, but never got around to buying, and then I saw it on Goldhawk Rd and finally splashed out on 1.5m. I had a feeling it would be perfect for Moneta - it's a super stable, medium weight knit that is just soo soft and cosy. Plus it's cute - creamy grey/black but with teensy tiny splashes of pink and yellow and navy throughout. But try as I might, no matter how craftily I placed the pattern pieces, I could not squeeze a Moneta out of my metre and a half. I'm a short-arse, so usually I can make a dress from 1m if it's a wide fabric. But Moneta usually needs 2.5m (or 2m in my case). So 1.5m just was not going to 'cut it'. By now I was obsessed with making Moneta in this fabric. No other pattern would do. SO annoying. I had to buy an extra metre from Guthrie and Ghani online...and when it arrived, I ripped into the packet ready to get sewing. But it was a different colour!! COMPLETELY different. Like, my original fabric is essentially cream with black patterns, and the one I'd bought was black fabric with silver patterns. How did I ever imagine they were the same?? I now had 2 pieces of fabric that were insufficient to make Moneta. FFS.

Anyway, we had some more guests here a while back and they fancied a day in London. Naturally for them that didn't involve hauling ass across to Shepherd's Bush, but I raced over and praised the sewing gods that there was still some of the original fabric left. I bought another 1.5m - JUST IN CASE.

And so...my third Moneta was finally born. She was a long time coming, but I love her every bit as much as the first one. Quite a different style - shorter (how? Same pattern? Same hem length. What weirdness did I do to end up with a shorter dress??), funkier I think. But still so comfy and able to be dressed up and down which means I love it doubly. I'm not wholly sure I love the neckline (mostly because I had a tiny top stitching wobble when I did the neckline so there's a bump) but the pockets totally outweigh that wee niggle.

So. The dress that almost didn't happen has been made at last and it's going to be worn to death I think! Yay Moneta Mark III.

I really need to find a better place to take pictures...and learn to smile more! 

My First Moneta!

So, I'm about a year behind the sewing 8-ball on this (because everyone else in the whole sewing world has long since realised the amazingness of the Colette Patterns Moneta Dress) but hey - better late than never!

I present - my most amazing Moneta Dress!

I sewed a straight-up medium based on boob measurements, and it fits perfectly (hurrah knit fabrics and no need for FBAs and pesky things like that) and it was really easy to make. The hardest part was having to order clear elastic online and wait for the delivery!

The fabric is a thick-ish black knit that I got at one of the shops on Goldhawk Road (next door to A1 I think, although honestly so much fabric was bought that day, it's hard to remember!). I *think* it's a ponte, but I'll admit I'm guessing. It's got this overlaid/embossed black pattern over it which I just love. It looks sort of fancy, but it's jersey, so it's the biggest cheat ever.

The reason it's taken me so long to make a Moneta is that I was certain this was going to be one of those patterns that streaks through the sewing cybersphere like a bat outta hell with rave reviews, but that is not actually something that would suit me. One of the things I'm slowly getting better at with sewing is learning what fabrics and patterns are things I'll actually wear (and that will suit me). I never wear gathered skirts and so I was sure that while Moneta would be comfy, I didn't think I would like it on me style-wise. I am delighted to say I was wrong. If anything, this might be my new fave silhouette! It gives me a tiny waist!! (in fact, the friend I had visiting when I finished it and tried it on asked if I'd lost weight because I looked "tiny". HA. My summer of gorging on booze and fried stuff says otherwise, but I'm happy as hell if the dress disguises it!).

And finally - how on god's green earth have I gone so long without having pockets in my dresses?? No more! From now on, everything must have pockets!

I have already made another Moneta made, bar the hemming and top stitching. It's turned out quite different to this one, as it's a much softer, drapey knit, but it's also super cute. I will post on that soon! (I fear this is going to be my new sewing obsession. Bring on the army of Monetas!)

Cherry, cherry baby...

A new dress! Cute, no? It's another Tilly Buttons Megan dress, and its making has not been without its drama! But the finished product is cute, I think. Just what I had in mind...

So, the first issue I had making this was that I cut the bloody fabric up the wrong way! I had it in mind it was a random pattern, but nope. Once I opened it out, I realised the pattern was very directional. Oy. I had thankfully bought enough to squeeze another skirt and bodice out, so it was all ok in the end. 

Then, somehow, I lost the sleeve pieces. They just vanished. Poof! How can you lose pattern pieces?? (actually, I shouldn't ask this, because this is the second Megan dress that I've lost the sleeves for. The first is a UFO that I got in a hissy fit over trying to pattern match, and when the sleeves vanished, I gave up!). My OH reckoned he'd seen fabric looking very similar to my cherry dress lying on the ground down the street. I scoffed. How would it get there? No. We must have thrown them out as scraps. But then yesterday, I had to walk to the shop for milk. And what should I see on my travels than a very soggy, very muddy sleeve!! HOW DID IT GET THERE? Seriously. It's been missing at least 10 days! SO weird. And where's the other one?? 

Anyway, I washed it when I got it home, but it was a lost cause. Thankfully becasue of the earlier cutting out issues, I had a front skirt piece I'd cut up the wrong way that was big enough to squeeze another two sleeves out of. Oy again! 

I do have some fit issues though - this wavy back zip thing. It happens with all my dresses that have zips up the back. It's like there's too much fabric. I'm sure there must be a standard fit alteration I can make to stop this - maybe it's a sway back adjustment? I don't really think I have a sway back though, to be honest. I'd LOVE suggestions/help on this if anyone has ideas. It drives me crazy. 

But, now, after all that, I have a new cute dress and I really like it. We're coming into winter so I'll just wear it with a cardigan or blazer and no one will see the wavy zip thing! 

Made Up Challenge Complete!

So...it's been a while. Like, a long while. I have been sewing, but just haven't been blogging. I have, however, been travelling (to NZ) and hosting almost all my family from NZ over the summer. It's been wonderful, but I've been properly lax on the communications. I've had curtain-making lessons from Mum, knitting lessons from Grandma, and have made a number of things. But finally I am blogging about something...my first ever pair of trousers, made in honour of the wonderful 'Made Up' initiative, by Karen at 'Did You Make That'. Such a wonderful cause, and a great motivator to push me to try something totally new.

Making trousers kind of scares the bejesus out of me. Having made a pair, it still does! But still...I did it. And while they are FAR from perfect, they do resemble trousers and when I wore them outside, no one pointed, laughed or stared at me, so I'm guessing that's a good indication that they do at least pass as trousers.

So. Here:

Apologies for the truly terrible pictures. I forgot this needed to be blogged about today, and so had to take pics indoors at night. Please excuse the poor lighting, unfinished floors and walls and the photo-bombing cat. Keepin' it Real. 

The pattern was Sew Over It's Ultimate Trousers, and in the pic I'm wearing them with yet another Emmeline Tee (yes, I admit it, I have a problem! But it's my fave tee, no question!) I made up a test version in calico first, made loads of size adjustments, and then went ahead (with time running out!) with these in a lightweight stretch black denim that I got on Goldhawk Road. I am bigger in the waist than the hips and arse, which frankly makes sizing a pain (it's so much more normal to grade up to a curvy hip/butt shape than to be fat in the stomach area and scrawny of arse). My practice run was miles too big, so I took it down a size, but I think I could have gone even smaller because I ended up taking out quite a bit in the side seams and legs. They look ok if I pull them up, and stand still. See:

Excuse the bum pic, but I think they actually look like they fit quite well in the behind.

But. Well. There are lots of issues with these, and to be honest, I'm not at all sure how to fix them! I think the next pair I might shorten the crotch? There's a lot of bagging/wrinkling, and if I move or walk (quite important in life, generally!), then they slide down and I get a saggy nappy situation. See:

It's actually even worse than it looks here. I reckon they hang below my crotch by a couple of inches.

But they also sit pretty low on my waist, and I'm not sure if that's normal? And the facing at the back, despite having understitched it, it flips out when I move.

So, yeah, not a wild success. I think I need a higher waist, a shorter crotch and probably a few other alterations in my next pair of trousers.

BUT. I have learned that I can make trousers in one form or another, and that's pretty cool! I'm so glad I gave it a shot, and that I did it for a great cause! It's a pretty amazing thing that the sewing community has managed to blow Karen's target out of the water! Great work all round chaps! x

An Emmeline Tee problem

I tried to be clever with (what seems like) my zillionth Emmeline...this pretty cartoony blossom fabric is a lovely fine crepe de chine and I thought that french seams would be the way to go. I also altered the neckline to make it higher. Somewhere along the way I seem to have made the top ever-so-slightly smaller - I'm sure I was careful with the seams to stay within the total allowance, but whatever has happened, I'm sad to say that this won't become a 'most-worn'. That'll teach me to attempt cleverness...

Me-Made-May 2015

I started sewing last year and couldn't imagine at the time I'd ever have enough wearable clothing to do the challenge! But, now, a little over a year on, I'm proud to say that I can do this!! So...

I, JessB, sign up as a participant of Me-Made-May '15. I endeavour to wear at least one hand-made garment a day each day for the duration of May 2015.

For more info on Me-Made-May '15, see: http://sozowhatdoyouknow.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/me-made-may15-sign-up-here.html 

Colette Laurel

April 2015: This was intended as a wearable muslin - to see if the shape/sizing worked. I actually sort of like it! I've ended up putting two small tucks in the front to give a bit of wait-line definition...otherwise because of the boob 'cliff', a shift dress can look a bit like a maternity gown on me. And no one needs that. 

I decided to try my first ever collar by self-drafting one. I also decided to edge it in lace because i thought it would look cute. It does, but I forgot to factor the need for a smaller seam allowance as a result of the lace and so the stupid collar is too big and overlaps. Oops! Ah well, still cuteish. Plus I think this is super cheapo polyester fabric anyways, so I don't imagine it'll have a long wear-life. In the meantime, with a cream cardy, it'll be a cute enough summer dress

Sort-a Lottie Blouse

April 2015: I had enough of this gorgeous crepe de chine fabric to sneak two wee tops - the Emmeline Tee, and this one. This is meant to be a pussy-bow blouse, but I had a feeling it would look cute as a key-hole sleeveless blouse instead. And I reckon it does! Sadly, this looks cuter on the mannequin - once again real bodies and real boobs are causing issues here - the keyhole is like a sneak peak of serious cleavage and it's a tad indecent. I'm sure some people would wear it but I feel uncomfy (like, 'hey, here's my boobs') so I will probably try to wear a cami underneath, or perhaps think about stitching in a wee bit of black behind the keyhole. Won't look as cute, but I'll at least be able to wear it!

Postscript: My Mum has been visiting from NZ and wanted to go shopping for some summer tops, but neither of us could be bothered with the hideousness of shopping. So I suggested she try this on - and it looks SO much nicer on her than me! How fun to be able to give someone a handmade top to wear that looks really good on her! 

Oh, another Emmeline Tee you say? Well ok...

April 2015 - this gorgeous fabric was out of stock when I tried to buy it. Thankfully after tweeting with the wonderful Josie of the Fabric Godmother, I found she had 1.5m left she would sell me. Hurrah! It's a crepe de chine and is so pretty

Another Francoise

April 2015: Bought this gorgeous light denim in a tartan print months ago in Glasgow (like, August 2014), intending to make another Tilly Delphine skirt. But it turns out I had just enough (praise my short legs!) for another Francoise instead. I haven't been to work since making this, but I can't wait. Love love love it.  

Grrrrr Wrap Dress

April 2015: New Look 6674 Wrap Dress. This was meant to be a wearable muslin (i have the most gorgeous navy patterned crepe that will make a fantastic wrap dress if I can only find a pattern). It took several frustrated days of yelling at the terrible pattern instructions to make - this is what comes of someone who is used to the wonders of Indy-designed patterns attempting to use a Big 4 pattern. Couldn't have been made harder if they'd tried. In the end it looks ok...except...it only looks ok on the mannequin. On a real human with actual boobs and a body that moves, there is a serious gap-age situation that renders the dress pretty unwearable. I suspect I can strategically apply some poppers to keep things tucked away, but at the moment this has been resigned to the UFO pile 

More Emmeline Tees

March 2015

March 2015

Tilly Francoise Dress

February 2015: I knew I wanted to make Tilly's latest design when it was released late 2014 - it's a shift dress with raglan sleeves and a pronounced A-line - super versatile and great shaping. This gorgeous fabric is quite heavy - almost a brocade - and I just love the dress. I wear it to work at the moment with opaque tights and often a black long-sleeve merino tee underneath, but I reckon in summer it'll be a winner too. I do need the belt for a bit of waist-line definition, but that's a personal 'look' preference. This is easily one of my most-complimented and most-loved sews!

A second Emmeline Tee

February 2015: This is the sleeveless tee (which does actually have sort-of sleeves) in a knit fabric and you can see how different slight pattern and fabric alterations are. I love this v much - the fabric is again doing all the work, but it's a great top with jeans and a blazer

Emmeline Tee Mk1

February 2015: My first version of the Emmeline Tee by the Little Tailoress. There are 3 styles in this tee pattern (one with raglan sleeves as seen here - another with regular sleeves and a sleeveless version. It can also be made in knit or woven). I messed up the neckline and I'm pretty sure the sleeves should be shorter, but I still wear it and like it. So much so that there are many many Emmeline Tees still to come...

A trio of Delphine Skirts (another Tilly pattern)

Summer 2014: All made with Ikea curtain fabric. Sadly (happily?) I've lost weight since making these and they have since been donated to a charity shop. I'll have to get making some new ones for this summer

Self drafted drapey top
(and my gorgeous new sewing machine in the background. A new Janome - fully digital with loads of bells and whistles)
Summer 2014

Quattro Cocos

One pattern, 4 dresses
Summer 2014

Tilly Megan Dress

October 2014: First dress with a bodice and skirt and I really love this one. It's quite shoddily made in terms of the zip, and I used a crepe instead of the cotton the pattern calls for, but it's a dress I wear a lot to work. I wear crazy teal tights to match and a navy cardigan - it's super comfy and fun and no one has one like it! 

Tilly Coco Dress

July 2014: One of my fave makes. The fabric is doing all the work, but I'll still take the win.
Can't wait for summer so I can wear this again! 

Bow Belt

May 2014: Accessorising a store-bought dress with a home-made bow-belt

Cat's Pajamas

July 2014: Another Tilly pattern, from Love at First Stitch. I love everything about these cutesy summer pjs!

Sorbetto Revisted

May 2014: A vast improvement on my original Sorbetto efforts. I inverted the pleat, lengthened the top, added a tie back to give me better shaping and added some cute buttons. I still wear this top a year later and still get complements about it. #FTW

Tilly Mathilde Blouse

March 2014: I was oh-so proud of this top. It has two sets of pleats at the front, button back, in-set sleeves, cuffs and french seams. Not bad for someone who had been sewing about a month! 

I removed the pleats and shortened the sleeves in V.2 which I liked much better

Tilly's patterns are just a wonderful learning resource for a newbie sewists. These blouses were the garments that made me realise how vastly superior many indy-designers were for new sewists compared to the Big 4. 

Burda Young

February 2014: Burda Young Tops. My first garments with zips. These were made before I realised that Burda patterns don't include seam allowances....which went quite a ways to explaining why they were so tight! Also pre-realisation that I have a long torso and need to add length to every top I make. 

Sorbetto No No

Feb 2014: First Sorbetto. Hideous fabric, far too big, far too short (this was before I discovered that despite being only 5'2", I have an oddly long torso and need to add 2inches to every top I make). 

Made matching shorts. Not certain why. 

PJs

Feb 2014: First ever garment. #photobombingcat

My First Janome

The machine that started my crafting adventure