pattern ~ scissors ~ cloth

OK, I Do Have a New Year's Resolution...

2012-01-26T21:34:00.000+13:00

Despite leaving comments on several blogs that I don't really have a New Year's resolution, and that I chop and change my mind so much that I would never stick to one anyway, I have discovered three weeks into the new year that I actually do have one:

"My New Year's resolution is to save as much money as I can on fabrics"

Well - I am pleased to announce that so far I am very successful in sticking to my resolution!

At the Global Fabrics sale I saved about $160 - yay!

Here's what I ~~bought~~ saved money on:

Purple peacock feather print - silk/cotton - future dress
Turquoise brush stroke print - silk/cotton - future dress
Yellow floral - 100% cotton - future sundress
Amythest/black print - silk tafetta - future skirt
Rose lace - future shell top
Dark brown/pink rose print - 100% cotton - future dress

Mmm...I see a lot of dresses in my future! I can't wait to get started on the rose print one, but maybe the sundress should come first before summer leaves us. What do you think?

By the way, I did suffer from some post-purchase guilt, so thought I better get started on something I bought in the last Global sale - here's a sneak preview:

Ruby Slips Around the World

2012-01-25T22:50:00.000+13:00

I love seeing all the Ruby Slips popping up on sewing blogs right around the world, and it gives me a real buzz to see what a great job everyone has done! Following are some awesome examples, and you can click on the links to read the story behind each one.

Kristen at K.Line made two! One in navy silk with the daintiest lace:

And another in rose pink - can you believe this was the test version?!

Yvonne from Handije Handges made one using a pretty print:

A sassy purple Ruby was made by Chris at Cuada Designs:

Melissa at Fehr Trade made a gorgeous seafoam green slip, and even managed to make some cute panties from the remnants too!

Suzy from Suzy Sewing has just posted about her peachy-pink version with black lace:

Raquel from Florida sent me a photo of her sheer version in my new favourite colour:

Elle from It's A Sewing Life is making a grey version - it looks beautiful even half-finished, and Elmo from "Adonising" Dressing for Dinner made a camisole version - what a great way to use up those smaller pieces in the stash!

Would like to make your own Ruby? Just click on the Sew-Alongs tab above for the free pattern and all the details!

Or have you already made a Ruby Slip? Do leave a link in the comments so we can admire it too!

Tangerine Tango Top

2012-01-23T21:28:00.001+13:00

I finished this little button-back shell this week:

You might recognise the orange spot fabric from this post!

It's in that "new" shade of "Tangerine Tango" that according to Pantone is going to be in fashion next year...but quite frankly I thought it was in fashion last year. Well all the chain stores were full of it the summer before this one - I remember because I went shopping with my sister and tried some things on and that was when I decided I liked orange - the more intense the better! So either Pantone is a bit behind the times, or New Zealand is still catching up with the last time orange had it's day!

Either way I really don't care or pay attention to these things, I wear whatever takes my fancy when I get up in the morning. And if you need cheering up, try orange!

I used a pattern from 1964 - Simplicity 5441 - previously owned by Moire McCallum from 3H whatever that is. She had very kindly and neatly annotated all those perforations for me, so I knew which ones were straight grain and which were buttonholes - I would have rung and thanked her if the phone number had been current!

This is it straight out of the packet. It is quite boxy, and my modern instinct is to take it in at the waistline, but my vintage instinct is to keep to the authentic 60's silhouette - oh, what to do?!

This fabric is a cotton voile, so I underlined it with Bemberg for opacity. I also turned under the edges of the facings as per the pattern instructions, a nice finish that I rarely use for fear of creating an impression on the outside, but the voile is lightweight enough to escape this.

I edged the hem with some lightweight lace:

And raided the stash for some buttons, in this case settling for some undyed tagua nut ones:

Do you like my lovely buttonholes? I haven't told you about my new toy yet have I? Actually there are two toys.....but that is for another day!

Happy Sewing!

Fix-it Friday - Nerdy to Nice Top

2012-01-21T18:31:00.000+13:00

I bought this top just for the fabric!

I've been looking for some Breton stripe in red or blue for ages without success, so I snapped this top up for $6 when I saw it at the Red Cross Shop in Sandringham Village, with a view to reworking it at some stage. That was three months ago...

It doesn't look like it has ever been worn, in fact I think it is a sample that has been rejected because the front facing doesn't work and the labels are cut off! It does fit me, but looks a bit nerdy in my opinion. And it bunches at my back waist too:

I removed the front facing and the armhole binding:

...refitted the shell to me (shortened the back, lowering back armhole and neck):

Then I tried it on and pinned a new neckline and armhole shape:

After chopping off the excess, I bound the edges in the remnants from my 1950's red spot dress:

It still looked a bit boring, so I added a 'corsage' to give it a vaguely nautical feel:

I made the corsage by gathering up a piece of selvedge and whipstitching it in place:

I added an old button, a torn strip of fabric for a ribbon, and secured a safety pin to the reverse:

Then photographed the finished result, because every Fix-it Friday needs a Before and After!

What do you think - better or worse?!

Have you got any things in your wardrobe that you never wear because they are not quite right? Try Fix-it Friday too! I've fixed up three things now that I probably would never have got around to doing had I not set a goal to do one every week. Now I'm on a roll!

Grainline vs. Printline

2012-01-18T21:23:00.001+13:00

I'm sewing with this charming spot fabric in the fabulous shade of, ahem, Tangerine Tango this week. It is a printed cotton voile from Global Fabrics*, and I thought it was an ideal opportunity to demonstrate another thingamajig.

I have levelled the horizontal grain across the piece by cutting along a weft thread, and because my cutting usually wavers a bit no matter how hard I try to follow one thread, I then pulled out any partially cut weft threads until I could pull out a single thread all the way across:

Now look at the print - see how the dots are not aligned with the grain? This can be a real problem with prints!

For a small all-over spot like this one, the off-grain print is not going to be very noticeable in the finished garment, so I am going to ignore it. It would be nice if the spots were straight at the hem, but that is only going to happen if it is cut off-grain.

Larger geometric designs that are printed off-grain could create a real issue as it may be noticeable in the finished garment. Just another thing to watch out for when selecting your fabric!

*in typing that, I just remembered they have a VIP discount week, ah oh...

Take my Patternmaking Class!

2012-01-16T21:59:00.000+13:00

I have an exciting announcement - I'm going to be tutoring a patternmaking night class this term! Well sort of patternmaking - it is titled "Patternmaking from a Garment you Love" and will go through all the techniques to obtain a perfect pattern from a favourite garment, without having to take it all apart!

The classes will be held on Wednesday evenings at Western Springs College in central Auckland, and will run for four weeks starting mid February. I'll show you all the tricks of the trade for turning a garment into a proper pattern, and tons of practical patternmaking tips along the way. Plus, you'll be able to ask me anything - you know how I love sharing info!

You can find all the details here at Leisuretime Learning, and there are sewing classes and other hobby classes available too.

I'm so excited to be tutoring as it is something I have always thought I would do eventually. I thoroughly enjoyed teaching the fashion students who came to me for work experience, and you know I like making tutorials - so I imagine this will be equally fun!

Fix-it Friday - Downsizing a Shirt

2012-01-13T21:01:00.000+13:00

Yes I'm wearing my 40's floral dress today - I wore it to the supermarket!

For this week's Fix-it Friday I am downsizing a bodyshirt in a printed chain design that I found in an op-shop for about $20. I purchased it around January 2011 from This is Not a Love Shop in K Rd, so those creases are a year old! The fabric is a nice cotton modal knit, the catch being it is a UK size 20 sized for a 107cm/42" bust - three sizes too big for me!

I did the same thing to this as I did to last week's Fix-it Friday, and since you asked I've done a short tutorial! This should work for a set-in sleeve, but not one of those drop shoulder shirt sleeves.

I wouldn't recommend downsizing too far, three sizes is about my max. Even then the collar is large and the bust dart too low. Just as well I like large 70's collars!

1. Remove the sleeves, and try it on again to pin the side seams - I am going to remove 4.5cm from each piece (18cm total) which is 3.5 sizes. I'm also extending both darts to a better position for me:

2. Taking in the side seam also raises the underarm level, which is good. Ideally you want it about 6mm higher per size.

3. Take in the sleeve seam about 6mm per size, and taper it to zero at the cuff.

4. Grade the sleeve head down - this is basically 6mm per size off the shoulder cap, and 3mm per size about halfway down the cap, and zero at the underarm. I chalk this as I undoubtedly alter it a bit later.

5. Grade the armhole down - this is basically 6mm per size off the shoulder seam to about halfway down the armhole, tapering to zero at the underarm. Chalk this bit too!

6. Pin the sleeve into the armhole matching the chalk lines - start at underarm point, pin halfway up each side, ease the rest in. I notch the top of the sleeve cap, and make sure it is placed at the same point on each sleeve relative to the shoulder seam.

7. Try it on and check. Fiddle around pinning and repinning until it sits nicely, then sew it in for good, and chop the excess off with the overlocker!

And here it is finished - yay, new cool shirt!

PS - Mmm, it doesn't look that different does it? I promise it does in real life - next time I will try and take the photos with the same lens in the same position for better comparison shots!

Are you keen to adopt Fix-it Friday too? I know lots of you were last week, so I've whipped up a badge to help provide motivation. Stick it on your blog sidebar and every time you log in you'll be reminded to fix-up some of those botch-ups, hehe!

What's Your Decade?

2012-01-12T21:00:00.000+13:00

When I sewed my Red Floral 1940's dress recently, I sort of knew I was pushing my usual personal style boundaries. I had never tried a genuine forties silhouette on me, but I thought it might suit my figure - and it did. But did it suit my personality? Not really.

I am sure I could pull off this style under the security of black, but a dainty floral in fire engine red is another story! Why then can I feel confident and at ease in an equally vibrant colour - my Fuschia Brocade 60's Shift?

It is because the 1960's are "my decade"!

Although my look is generally modern, I have always had an affinity for the sixties and it has influenced my dress sense ever since I can remember. My mini skirt days are over, but I still regularly wear skinny ribs, shift dresses, tights, boots, A-lines, skinny pants, pinafores, geometric prints and architectural details...sometimes all together!

That's not to say I don't like any other decade - I do! I love 50's full skirts and cardigans, adore 20's flapper dresses, and much more. But over the years, whatever tangent I take off on, I keep coming back to sixties style for some reason.

Is there a particular era that you frequently reference in your wardrobe - one that really suits your style aesthetic? Are you a fifties fan, or do you have a seventies sensibility, or are you mad for anything modern? What's your decade?

All illustrations in this post are from
"Fashion Illustration 1930 to 1970" (Marnie Fogg, 2010, Batsford, London)
It is a beautiful book - lay your hands on it if you can!

Vintage Find: Fuschia Brocade 60's Shift

2012-01-10T22:34:00.000+13:00

I had no hesitation putting this into the changing room when I found it on the racks at my favourite vintage store:

I whisked it on over top of the dress I was wearing and gasped OMG it's perfect!
Even though it was a size too big.
That's easily fixed, I sew - right?
Even though it was a fabric composition resembling Crimplene.
That's alright, I can still wear it in spring, and autumn, and winter...
Even though it had a stain on the CF chest.
That is not good.
That's not exactly where you could put a brooch either.
I wonder if it will wash out.
Risky....
Mmm $45...
Very risky...
I took the risk.
The stain came out with a quick rinse in Wool Mix.
And I'm so happy with my new dress!

Now fuschia is my new favourite colour - to be precise this is the colour of Dark Pink Geraniums! I intended to photograph it in front of our neighbours awesome pink geranium hedge, but it rained and rained and rained and all the geraniums fell off. Which helps explain why our garden is looking so green at the moment! And the umbrella!

I removed the sleeve and took it in a bit, took in the side seams down to my high hip area, then reset the sleeve - basically taking the bodice down a size to fit me. Looking inside you can tell why Crimplene was so popular with manufacturers - they didn't have to finish the seams!

The thread used in the making of this dress must be pure cotton, and very near the end of its life as it snapped so easily. There is an amateur-but-cute repair in the CB seam where this must have happened to an unsuspecting wearer:

Oops!

I even found a rusty old pin holding up part of the hem!

It has an old-fashioned lapped zip with a hook and eye closure, and look my Canadian friends - it's Made in Canada! It also has this union label sewn to the CB seam - I presume this indicates that the manufacturer met union imposed regulations or something.

If you've ever read my post on darts you might be interested in seeing some real drill holes. You don't often notice them but they are quite noticeable on this synthetic fabric - you can just see the one above, and this one at the shoulder dart has a scorch mark indicating a hot drill was used:

I'm thrilled with my new find, - isn't it great when you find something that is really 'you'? Have you found any gems lately while op-shopping/thrifting? Do share!

"My Mum Makes....."

2012-01-08T20:02:00.000+13:00

Sonny Boy is away for a couple of weeks staying with his grandparents in the South Island, so I am taking the opportunity to spring clean his room.

I discovered some old schoolbooks, and was soon curled up on his bed reading his stories from years ago - a real insight into the world through a child's eyes!

Life events both big and small, and important things like birthday cakes, ice creams, and lollies that feature mysteriously regularly - are documented in the way only kids can.

Things like:

"I lost my sekend tooth when I was eating my brekfast this morning"

"On sunday I went to Raglan. I went in a car. I got some lollies. they were different colours. They were soft. They were yummy."

(No mention of the magnificent scenery or beach!)

"yesterday I took my cat to the vet and she died of cancer when the vet was going to give her a inggeksn. (an injection)

(Aww...)

But this is the one I really wanted to show my sewing friends:

"My mum can make dresses from paper to fabric....."

That has to be the cutest job description, don't you think?! Sonny Boy was my 'assistant' when I worked from home, and he always thought it was like magic the way the paper shapes became dresses!

(I know. I'm missing him terribly...!)

Fix-it Friday #1 - Remodelling a Baggy Blouse

2012-01-07T17:18:00.000+13:00

My pile of items that need fixing or refashioning is shameful. This is an area where I readily admit I procrastinate - badly. I look at them, groan, and move onto something else!

Some things need a major refashion, some things just need a button - whatever, there is a whole pile of garments that are just waiting to be worn. Wouldn't it be nicer to have them hanging in my wardrobe able to be worn?

So, every Friday I will aim to repair, take in, let out, refashion, hem, sew on buttons, or do whatever is necessary to transform each item from unwearable to wearable. Now this is not a resolution - it may or may not happen, but I'll give it a go!

Today I am starting with this baggy black blouse that I bought for $3 from St Vincent de Paul in Kingsland:

It is a couple of sizes too big and looks like a sack, but I bought it with the intention of taking it in. Yeah, right - it has been sitting in The Big Pile for nearly a year...

It is one of those permanently pleated designs that were quite popular a few years back. Unfortunately to get such a cool effect the fabric has to be polyester, but for this price I'm not complaining!

I removed the sleeves and took in the side seams. The new location of the underarm was perfect.
Then I reshaped the front and back armholes, taking about 4cm off the shoulder length.
Then I reshaped and shortened the sleeve and set it in again.

Much better - a cute little blouse that fits and goes with almost everything:

Why didn't I do this sooner? I feel better already!

Do you have A Big Pile too? If so, join me on Fix-it Fridays!

The Ruby Slip #8 - Finishing!

2012-01-05T21:49:00.000+13:00

Today is the final instalment of the Ruby Slip Sewalong! If you still need to download the free pattern or catch up on previous sewalong posts, check out the Sewalong tab above for all the links.

By now you will have assembled the bias skirt and the lace bodice, so it is time to sew them together! Place the bodice inside the skirt with their right sides together - you will notice a double notch at the centre backs, so line them up:

Then start sewing with the lace on top and satin on the bottom. The satin will feel slightly larger than the lace but it isn't - this is the cut edge of the satin spreading out because it is on the bias. Slip your L hand between the layers and adjust the satin so it lies flat, even, and the notches match:

I didn't mention this earlier but when I sewed my lace bodice I topstitched the side seam forwards instead of back, but the skirt side seam will still face to the back like so:

I often do this to reduce bulk, and it also makes it easier to align the seamlines perfectly without doglegs - you know how they always want to shift a millimetre or two? Well problem solved:

If you are using contrasting fabrics, you might need to change thread colours when you overlock this seam. For my red Ruby I overlocked the skirt sides in red and the underbust seam in black, as red overlocking would have shown through the black lace as a contrast.

Straps:

To make spaghetti straps, fold the strap lengthwise right sides together and stitch 3mm from the fold:

Stretch the tube slightly as you sew, so the stitching doesn't pop when it is stretched!

I use a tapestry needle and a few strands of thread to turn my tube through, but everyone has their own method. There are a few tips in this previous post.

Sew one end of the strap to the front seam - I sewed a rectangle to flatten the strap as well as secure it:

Now try the slip on, and pin the straps to the back. Pin them to the highest point of a scallop nearest the dot. The underbust seam should remain horizontal to the floor, the bust point should be in the correct place, and the skirt should lie smoothly:

You are probably thinking by now that you should have sewn the straps to the back first, so it would be easier to pin the correct length at the front - and you are totally right! That is a much easier way to do it if you are trying it on yourself. With a dress form you can do either, and with a client it is more appropriate to pin at the back.

Remove the slip and check they are the same length:

In ready-to-wear, they should be the same length. In your custom version they may well vary - most of us have one shoulder lower than the other, one breast larger than the other, or something! If they differ a lot, it would pay to try it on again and double check.

Sew the strap to the lace as before, I trimmed the end to a point so it looked neat:

You're finished now! Oops, not quite:

Don't forget a little trim! I am blown away every time how much the right little trim enhances the final result - it is like putting an angel on top of the Christmas tree!

One more thing - I did start a Flickr group for the Ruby Slip SewAlong, so feel free to join up and post photos of your fabrics, your work in progress, and the final result - I can't wait to see them!

Happy Sewing!
Sherry

1940's Red Floral Dress

2012-01-03T20:58:00.000+13:00

Today I finished a red floral dress from a 1940's pattern - Academy Patterns 2029 to be precise - and I love it!

Well I love it from a fashion history perspective, but I'm not sure I love it for me personally. Maybe I would in a less obvious fabric, but in this I feel like I've just walked off a movie set and I am no longer the character! I do think the dress suits my shape and colouring, etc, but a dress has to be your personality too doesn't it?

Anyway, I decided to "play forties" for this shoot. I did 40's makeup, but you really can't tell in the glaring sun. I thought my straight hair looked odd (did no-one in the 40's have straight hair?!) so I pinned it back with hair combs - something I haven't done since I was fifteen! My fringe wouldn't co-operate as usual - ah well, if my hair was perfectly coiffed that probably wouldn't be a true representation of self. And I have a perfectly matching vintage snake bag that I planned to use as a prop, but I left it on the kitchen table. So basically I look just like I usually do!

In case you haven't already noticed, this dress has shoulder pads! They look very wide, but are actually located no wider than my outer arm - which is where you would normally place them on a tailored jacket. The shoulder width on this style is cleverly accentuated by the close neckline, line of the shoulder yoke, and sleeve head darts. I need to insert some sleeve head wadding because they look so sharp, but my shoulders are quite square anyway and I'm scared of them taking flight! But if you look at the pattern, they are rather pagoda-y:

This closer shot shows more of the detail - the midriff and shoulder yoke are piped with gathers.. I first sewed it as per the pattern without piping, but thought the gathering detail got lost in the print. After a long procrastination and a couple of glasses of wine I finally set to with the quick-unpick. Then I panicked because all I had left was some disjointed scraps to cut piping from, but then I discovered some red piping in stash that was the perfect colour red - some things are just meant to be!

The back view - it was a little breezy but the skirt hangs really beautifully:

I'm going to show you the details whether you like it or not, because finishing this dress took a whole day! Hemming the sleeves, neckline and hem by hand, making and inserting the shoulder pads...

Each sleeve head has four darts.

...covering and sewing on the buttons:

...making the belt
:

I was going to use an invisible zip in the side opening, but the more I did handwork on this dress, the more I thought I should to do handwork, so I did what the instructions asked and made a placket with a hook and snaps:

This fabric is one of those ubiquitous viscose prints - you know, 80's, faux Laura Ashley, probably came in navy, bottle green and plum..... I found it in Miranda last year for a few dollars and after washing it I discovered it was dotted with moth holes! Some careful single layer cutting both ways was required to squeeze it out of the narrow moth holed yardage.

I also thought the sewing instructions were cute - hand drawn and labelled - and do you remember the typewriter?!

So - lovely dress, but not quite me. I should focus more. Perhaps I will remake the longer sleeve version in a wool crepe for winter to wear with boots - now that is me.

Ah well, at least I used up some stash!

The Ruby Slip #7 - Lace Bodice Variations

2012-01-02T09:23:00.000+13:00

If you are sewing the Ruby Slip and would like to use a narrower lace on the bodice - here's how! I'll show you how to adapt the bodice pattern pieces, and also how to convert the princess seam into gathers under the bust - like this one that I whipped up in honey coloured silk satin:

Before you jump into altering the pattern though, check out Chris's brilliant solution for using a slightly narrower lace at Cuada Designs - it might be ideal for your lace too!

Adapting the pattern for a narrow lace:

Start by tracing around your bodice pattern pieces:

Rule a line parallel to the centre front neckline, preferably intersecting the underbust seam at the CF:

Add 1cm seam allowance and cut it out:

While you are here, add a grainline to the lower front, parallel to the CF line

Do the same thing for the Side Front...

...but the seam lengths will differ because of the different angles that they meet, so adjust the Side Front to fit:

The dot is where the stitching lines intersect

Redraw the new line, and cut out the upper Side Front piece:

This new line will be the widest part, so the lace needs to be this wide.

Repeat for the back, once again checking the side seams match:

A small adjustment was necessary here.

Here are the final lace pieces, it is a good idea to add some notches for easier assembly:

To make the lower bodice parts, cut around the remaining pieces, and trace them out again:

Then add 2cm seam allowances to the upper edge (that is, 1cm seam allowance plus 1cm that was removed from them before):

Add some grainlines too!

Here are the final pattern pieces:

And the cut lace pieces - I ended up sewing a CF seam rather than an overlap because I thought it looked better:

CB and CF marked with arrows

Adapting the pattern for underbust gathers:

To make the version with underbust gathers, line the Lower Centre Front and Lower Side Front up as below and trace around them.

Draw a guideline 2cm from the cutting line to help you line them up accurately

Draw a smooth curve to join the lower edges:

Mark the original dart legs, 1cm in from the old cutting lines:

Mine are 6cm apart, make a note of this amount

Smooth the curve at the upper edge too:

Divide the 6cm-or-whatever-your-number-is into two, and mark this either side of the original dart legs:

My total of 12cm will be gathered to 6cm:

Mark the grainline and notches too!

Sewing it all together:

Sew the Centre Front and Side Front lace pieces together, then sew them to the Lower Front. I overlocked the seam at 1cm, in retrospect I would chop off half the seam allowance as it shows on the outside too much:

Sew the Back Lace to the Lower Back, overlock, then sew the side seams:

I egdestitched the seam allowances between the lace and satin down so they would stay nice and flat.

I also decided a CF seam looked better than an overlap - I sewed along the CF line, trimmed the excess seam allowances to 5mm and edgestitched them open.

Sew a couple of rows of gathering stitches between the notches:

Hint 1: sew the gathering stitches 1cm past the notches so you can gather right up to the notch.
Hint 2: Backstitch at one end so the gathering threads co-operate!

Because the gathering will be sewn to a bias edge it will stretch, so I decided to secure it. Why use ugly stay tape when you have beautiful silk selvedge?!

Cut two 1cm wide strips, the length of the finished gathers plus 2cm for either side - mine were 10cm total
On the raw edge, notch 2cm from either end.

Sew the strips to the wrong side of the gathers matching the notches, and distributing the gathers evenly:

I tapered the end 2cm of the tape towards the edge like this:

When sewing this part to the skirt, the centre of the gathers (marked with a pin) will match the skirt notch

Overlocking neatens it all up on the inside:

Ta-dah - another Ruby Slip!

Next up is the last Ruby Slip Sewalong post - on Finishing! I'll give some tips on attaching the skirt and making the straps.

Is there anything else you would like me to cover? Are you having problems with anything?

Or have you finished already? Share it with us by posting a link in the comments!

The Ruby Slip #6 - Sewing the Lace Bodice

2011-12-30T13:44:00.000+13:00

In #6 of the Ruby Slip Sew-along we are going to sew the lace bodice - isn't it pretty?!

Let's start at the centre front. Lay the R and L Centre Front Bodice face up, then lap the R side over the L, matching the CF dot at the neckline, and the CF notch at the underbust seam:

Machine baste the two layers together along the underbust seam:

Then stitch following the outline of the scallops on the R side overlap to attach the two layers together:

From the wrong side, carefully trim away the underlap of the L side piece:

Now admire how pretty it looks - see how the CF neckline is a mirror image on both sides?

Stitch the side seam. For this lace I decided to do French seams because it is very fine and overlocking would have shown through. To French seam, place wrong sides together and sew at 4mm:

You can see the lace border will match perfectly at the at the stitching line when it is sewn at 1cm:

Then turn the panels so the right sides face together, and stitch at 5mm:

When you press the seam allowance to the back, you might have a bit of seam allowance sticking up:

Fold it down so that it is hidden between the seam allowance and the shell and tack it in place.

Because this lace is so sheer and the seam allowances are visible, I like to topstitch the seam at 4mm - you can hardly see the topstitching, and it holds the seam allowance in place so it doesn't flip to the other side and always looks straight!

Now French seam the Side Front to Centre Front:

Because the scalloped edges meet at a sharper angle here, you end up with a bit of a knob at the top edge:

Turn it back on itself and tack it in place between the seam allowance and shell, as neatly as you can:

Topstitch the seam as before. You should end up with a continuous scallop shape around the upper edge:

Here's the completed bodice, all ready for straps and skirt to be attached:

If your lace is thick in parts, then a French seam is not suitable. For my black embroidered net I sewed a normal seam:

Matching the scalloped edge perfectly:

I overlocked the seam allowance, trimming it to 5mm:

Leave a tail:

Back at the sewing machine, turn the overlocking thread tail down and tack it in place:

Tack it so that it is enclosed between the layers:

Ensure no parts of the seam allowance show above the top edge:

I topstitched my seam at 3mm:

Topstitching makes the seam really flat, so you won't need to press it every time you wash it!

If you have chosen to use a heavy weight lace, it will need to be open seamed to reduce bulk. I would overlock each edge, trimming it to 5mm, then sew the seam at this narrower width, and edgestitch each seam allowance open. (Heavy weight laces are often not as suited to cut and sew techniques like I've demonstrated, but are usually ideal for cut and overlap techniques similar to the CF seam. However each lace is totally unique and it takes some experience and planning to do this - I am probably not going to be much help from my laptop!)

We're almost finished - remember you can ask questions in the comments if you have any! I hope to have the post on variations to the bodice up next. In the meantime here is a summary of Ruby Slip Sew-along posts so far:

The free pattern, sewing instructions, and sew-along badge

#1 - Materials

#2 - Cutting the Bias Skirt

#3 - Cutting the Lace Bodice

#4 - Full Bust Adjustment

#5 - Sewing the Bias Skirt

Happy Sewing!

Gone Fishing!

2011-12-29T07:38:00.000+13:00

We've taken a few days out to go camping on the Coromandel - a peninsula of bush-clad mountains and sandy beaches just 90 minutes drive from Auckland.

This is gorgeous Whiritoa Beach, just south of Whangamata on the east coast - on Boxing Day before the hoardes of holidaymakers arrive!

I'm sure you can understand that sewing isn't really on my mind while I'm here, but I'll be back with the rest of the Ruby Slip Sew-along soon! Hope you are all having a wonderful holiday season too!

The Ruby Slip #5 - Sewing the Bias Skirt

2011-12-23T07:08:00.000+13:00

Let's start sewing the bias skirt pieces together! I'll show you how I do this - along with a few tips and some troubleshooting.

Assembling the Bias Skirt:

With right sides facing, sew the skirt side seams from the hem up, matching all notches:

I recommend using the flatbed of your machine to do this as it prevents the fabric slipping all over the place.

Stretch the fabric slightly in front of the needle as you sew, so that the finished stitching is not tight. Tight stitching will prevent the side seam dropping, and cause the seams to hang shorter than the CF/CB at the hem.

I like to press the seam allowance so any ripples are flattened, but I don't press the seam open at this stage:

Check the hang of the skirt on the stand.

If you don't have a dress stand or a helpful friend, you will need to leave this step until the bodice and straps are attached, or you could try pinning it to a slip you are already wearing.

Pin the skirt evenly around the top and examine how the fabric falls naturally. You can already see how the R side wants to curl to the front, and the L side to the back. This is minor though, and within my acceptable limits.

My hem looks fairly level all around - hey, this fabric is behaving! My black version - in the same fabric quality - wasn't nearly as obedient. With most bias skirts I aim to get the hem level to within 1cm - trying to get it 100% level will drive you crazy!

I leave the skirt hanging for 2-3 days like this to let gravity do its thing, before levelling the hem. Usually the CF and CB drop slightly, but any skewed seams will become more obvious too - which is why it it best to sort them out first (see below), so the dropping happens evenly.

Finish the seam allowances

I usually overlock them together and press them towards the back. Take care when overlocking that you don't stretch the edges and cause excessive waviness - I usually get some minor ripples like this:

...and they should be pressed flat, following the shape of the pattern:

Now for the hem

My favourite hem finish is a handkerchief hem, so that's what I'll demonstrate here. Turn the hem to the inside as narrowly as you can (about 2-3mm) and edgestitch the fold:

As you sew, try not to stretch the hem - try to keep the fabric in the hem area flat as you sew.

You also need to be careful as you cross the side seams that the fabric is unstretched or you could end up with a kink in the hem.

Press this first fold of the hem to flatten any ripples, and trim away any corners of seam allowance protruding above the raw edge, so the second fold will turn evenly.

Fold the hem up again 2-3mm and stitch around once more, in the line of previous stitching:

You are done - it's that easy!

Bias Skirt Trouble-Shooting:

If skirt does not hang properly it could be due to the following:

It was not cut on the true bias, ie the grainline arrow was not parallel to the selvedge
The grainline was not square throughout the piece, this often shows as little disobedient flippy bits at the hem corners!
the stitching line is too tight, as mentioned above

These three things we can prevent by taking care when cutting and sewing. However the next two are beyond our control, unless you are prepared to do multiple samples. Most home sewers don't have that luxury, so I'll show you what to do instead.

The fabric weave is not even - I mentioned earlier that most dress fabrics aren't evenweave - usually the lengthwise grain is more dominant. If you study the grain of your bias skirt, the lengthwise grain is pointing upwards at 45 degrees on one side, and downwards 45 degrees on the other side - this can result in the sides dropping by different amounts when they hang. Most often this results in the side seams twisting around the body with a slight curl at the hem. My sample above is doing this to a minor degree, but more severe cases will need to be fixed.
The skirt is too small - this is very frequently misdiagnosed as too large by the untrained eye! If you are experiencing a horizontal 'bump' or series of bumps down the side seam, then the skirt is too small. It will not feel tight like a straight cut skirt would, but this is the nature of bias cut fabric. A small skirt could be caused from choosing the wrong hip size, or because the fabric has dropped excessively on the bias. When fabric on the bias drops with gravity, it gets longer and narrower - therefore smaller in size. Loosely woven fabrics cut on the bias will drop to a larger extent, and consequently you may need to cut a size larger to get enough finished width in your skirt.

When the fabric weave is causing the side seam to twist, it will look something like this:

Unpick each side seam and let it fall naturally:

If your side seams are unbalanced, the front will drop more than the back, or vice versa. Pin them together so they sit correctly and resew. The notches and hemline won't match but ignore them - and that is about the only time you will ever hear me say ignore notches! For now we pay attention to how the cloth wants to fall instead.

We start sewing the bodice next - exciting - I love seeing how the lace comes together!

If you still want to join the Ruby Slip Sew-along it is not too late - you can download your free pattern and instructions here, and check out all the previous sew-along posts too.

How are you proceeding with your Rubies - do you have any questions, and are you getting any pre-Christmas sewing time? I had hoped to have most of the posts up by now, but this time of year is not called The Busy Season for nothing!! I promise to keep on posting as fast as I can write...

Cheers, Sherry

The Ruby Slip #4 - Full Bust Adjustment

2011-12-18T16:06:00.000+13:00

The Ruby Slip bodice is drafted for a B cup, and in this post I'll show you how to enlarge the cup size for a larger bust.

For each increase in cup size, you need to add an inch to the front. Because the pattern pieces are only half a front, we need to add half an inch total to the pattern pieces per cup size. If you regularly do an FBA, you are probably already aware of how much to add!

Altering for a full bust involves adding not just width to the pattern, but length as well. This is because a larger bust has a longer Neck Point - Bust Point - Waist length than a smaller bust.

Here are the pattern pieces:

I've cut my pieces directly from the pattern sheet, so excuse all those lines! You can ignore all lines except the Centre Front Line.

On the Bodice Centre Front, square across from the Centre Front Line to the notch at the bust point (red line):

Do the same thing to the Bodice Side Front, this time squaring from the side seam:

Mark the 1cm seam allowance at the side seam, and slash to this point from both sides:

Spread the pattern the amount you need to add vertically to the cup, and tape in place:

About 1/2" per cup size should do it.

The next step is to add some width to this piece:

Add 1/4" per cup size to the bust point, tapering to zero at the upper and lower edges.

The same amount of width is now added to the Bodice Centre Front:

The last major step is to increase the Bodice Centre Front length. Determine the amount it needs to increase by first lining the pieces up at the lower edge as if you are beginning to sew...:

...then pivot the pattern along the seamline (not cutting line) - I press down with a pen on the stitching line as I pivot the upper pattern piece along the seam:

When you reach the end, the difference in length of the stitching lines is the amount we need to increase the CF length by - in my case 15mm:

Slash along the red line and spread the pattern by this amount:

Square a line up from the slashed line (arrow) so you don't move the piece sideways as well

Redraw the CF neckline, starting at the upper stitching line, and intersecting the CF dot - so this point on the body does not change:

Notch the Side Front at the bust point:

And pivot along the seamline to determine the notch position on the Centre Front:

Here are the final pieces:

The angle at the side seam should really be filled and smoothed into a gradual curve - this example only needs about 1mm but larger increases will require more.

Sidenote 1:
Now, if you are enlarging by more than a couple of sizes, the new shape of the seam on the Bodice Centre Front will start to look too accentuated. The shape of this seam is important as it will be how the seam appears on the body. If this is starting to look too curvy for your liking, add the 1/4" not just to the bust notch but to the upper edge as well, like I have done in green:

To retain the same fit along the upper edge, you will need to shave this additional wedge off the Bodice Side Front. Yes, this piece gets even curvier, but that is cool - it is your shape!
Note that this also widens the strap placement, so consider that if you have narrow shoulders.

Sidenote 2:
Another important point to mention for larger cup sizes is that the underbust seam has to be large enough to slip over your bustline.
To check this, measure the pattern from the Centre Front Line to Centre Back Line, omitting seam allowances, and double it.
Wrap your tape measure around your under bust area and holding it fixed at the pattern measurement, slide it up over the bustline. If it doesn't go, you need to add more to the underbust line!

To add an extra 1" total to the underbust, add 1/4" all the way down to the underbust seam, as shown in red here:

If you do this you will also need to alter the Front Skirt by cutting the part above the waist in the next size, and tapering the side seams gradually to your true skirt size at the waist/hip.

Well, that must be one of the most colourful patterns I've produced!
Don't forget you can whip up a quick bodice calico if you want to check the fit before cutting into your lace - it will only take a few minutes and will ease any lace-cutting nerves.
Good Luck!

The Ruby Slip #3 - Cutting the Lace Bodice

2011-12-15T22:50:00.000+13:00

Welcome back to the Ruby Slip Sew Along! Today I'll show you how to cut out the border lace so that the scalloped edges line up perfectly at the seams and other important points.

Just in case you are wondering, I took these photographs while I was cutting the lace for my pale blue knee-length version - here is the finished result:

I used a polyester crepe backed satin for this version, and it has sewn up really nice on the bias.
(You might notice the bodice is larger on this version, I have altered the pattern since.)

It is best to run through the process of planning your layout to make sure you have enough lace before you do any cutting, then you can make any adjustments as necessary.

Lay your lace out right side up.

Starting with the Centre Front Bodice piece, lay the neckline edge (scallop edge) along the edge of the lace. Place the cut edge of the pattern piece in line with the inner concave part of the scallop for each piece:

When the Centre Front Bodice is sewn to the Side Front Bodice, the scalloped edge needs to retain a good shape where it meets the strap:

So careful placement is required at that point. I chose to place my seamline at the inner corner of a scallop (remember we are aligning the stitching line, not the cutting line):

Now check where the Centre Front Line meets the scalloped edge - this is where the two Centre Fronts will overlap. Mine conveniently corresponds to the inner part of a scallop, but most positions will look fine. In other words let the strap end determine the exact position:

Now (unless you are still planning your layout) you can go ahead and cut this piece out:

Before we cut the Side Front, let's look at how the pattern pieces are sewn together:

At the point on the scalloped edge where the stitching lines meet, we need to match the lace pattern. On the Centre Front Bodice this point was placed at the inner corner of a scallop, so the Side Front Bodice stitching line is placed at the same part of the scallop:

Once this is done you can cut this panel out. I've laid mine together here as they will be sewn - now we are starting to see how it will look:

The next piece to cut is the Back Bodice. Place the seamline in a position where it matches the Side Front Bodice seamline. For my lace that is the outer convex point of the scallop:

It is important to stop here and check where the Centre Back is located. Whoops - it is not quite centred on a scallop here! This is a good reason to run through the layout briefly beforehand - so you can plan the best outcome.

I choose to centre the Centre Back Line over the nearest scallop:

The side seams still match closely enough - this is the least important join as it is under the arm, the Centre Back takes priority:

I cut half the back piece, then fold it along the Centre Back line - ensuring the scallops align perfectly - then cut the remainder. Even though your pattern has a full back piece, I still recommend doing this.

Check your cutting by laying your pieces together as they will be sewn. My side seam scallop is slightly smaller, but the run is smooth:

Now for the opposite Side Front Bodice. Lay the one you have already cut face down on the lace, ie right sides together so that you have a pair. Arrange the top piece so the pattern matches along all edges:

Every lace is different - notice I am using the opposite edge of the lace to get a perfect mirror image. If you are unable to do this just match the scallops. Notice also how some lace is wasted because of the large pattern repeat.

Carefully cut around the piece - now you have a perfectly matching pair:

Do the same thing for the Centre Front Bodice - cutting right sides together so that you have a pair:

And finally - I like to lay them all out and double check everything lines up and the patterns match, and generally admire!

At this stage I usually can't wait to get to the machine! I really enjoy cutting lace and seeing how it all comes together. Don't forget to ask questions if you need to, and let me know how your skirt cutting went too!

Next up I'll show you how to do an FBA, and then an alteration for using a narrower lace.

And shall I start a Flickr group so we can share pretty pictures of all our fabrics? It could be helpful for lace cutting queries too. Let me know in the comments!

The Ruby Slip #2 - Cutting the Bias Skirt

2011-12-14T21:44:00.000+13:00

Let's move on to cutting the skirt portion of the Ruby Slip. If we want the bias skirt to hang nicely, accuracy is paramount here! In this tutorial I am cutting my black Ruby Slip, which I thought I ironed especially for the photo.....

The best way to cut the skirt is in a single layer right side up, and I've provided full pattern pieces so it is easy to do this accurately. By the way, if you don't have your free Ruby Slip pattern downloaded yet, all the details are here.

You will need a cutting area the size of your fabric - if you don't have a large cutting table then use the floor (I do!) If you do use a table, it is important that there is no cloth hanging off the end - this will drag the grain out of alignment and cause distortion in the hang of the skirt.

I've read all sorts of things about tissue underlays and tissue overlays, but I get the best cutting results the old-fashioned way - by chalking around the pattern piece with tailors chalk, and this is the method I will describe. To do this you will need to transfer your pattern onto stiff paper or card - chalking is impossible to do with tissue or copy paper.

When you spread your fabric, it is imperative that the horizontal and vertical grainlines of the fabric are square across the whole piece.

The selvedges and lengthwise grain should be parallel for the full length of the cloth - my floorboards came with a handy grainline! They are nice and slippery too which makes the cloth 'float' into position.
The horizontal crossgrain must be perpendicular to the selvedge across the piece, examine the grain closely. If you have plenty of cloth you can tear it into two blocks, one for each skirt piece, to assist in squaring the crossgrain.
There should be no 'bubbles' - gently smooth them out so the grain remains square.
At this point the cat usually comes along and has a lie down!
Place some weights on the fabric so it stays in place as you work, you could tape the edges in a few spots too if that will help (use Magic Tape), but remove them when you start to cut.

Lay your pattern pieces on top Right Side Up, taking care not to disturb the grain. The grainline arrows need to be parallel to the selvedge, so measure from each end of the arrow to the selvedge, and adjust until the distances are equal:

Lay a couple of weights on top and start chalking around the pattern piece. Chalking takes a bit of practice to become skilled at - and to be honest doing it on the bias isn't the easiest place to start - but once you have the knack it is really proficient. No more pinning and unpinning, and no more little wavers where the pins created a bump! Here are some random tips:

Place some pressure with your fingers near the edge of the pattern, and the fabric will be held firm by the card as you sweep with your (sharpened) chalk.
Press in towards the pattern piece as you chalk to form an accurate outline (this is why tissue is no good).
If the cloth starts moving you are pressing down too hard, remember you don't need a bold line.
Sweeping in some directions is easier than others because of the grain - changing direction can help, as can shorter strokes.
You can see brief glimpses of the real thing here in this video to give you the idea.

Don't forget to chalk the notches at this stage - once the panel is cut and lifted it is hard to remark them accurately, and they are really important for attaching the bodice correctly and sewing a nice side seam.

Also remember to chalk the strap pattern piece now - the measurements for this are provided in the sewing instructions, and a metre rule will be helpful for this.

The great thing about chalking, is that the cutting lines are marked directly on the fabric so you know exactly where to cut, even if the fabric subsequently moves - and lets face it, if you are cutting a single layer of slippery fabric it is going to move the moment you slip the blade of your shears under it!

You can remove the weights for cutting, it doesn't really matter if the fabric moves a bit once it is marked - in fact you could pick the whole piece up and turn it around and your chalk marks will still be there all nice and accurate!

For the record, you cut the inside line of the chalk, where the edge of the pattern was. Clip the notches 3-4mm into the seam allowance with the tip of your shears.

Once you have cut a piece, fold it in half right side in and place a small chalk cross on the reverse so it is easy to tell right from wrong sides. Try not to overhandle the pieces and distort the grain, and don't hang them up either, just leave them lightly folded for now - ok, you can quickly hold the front up against yourself to admire how your new slip is going to look for a moment!

A few miscellaneous notes:

Quite a few of you are asking about an FBA, and yes I will show how this is done. If you are forging ahead yourself, keep in mind that the underbust region needs to remain large enough to slip over the bustline, so the skirt will need altering also.
I don't recommend using this pattern for a stretch fabric if you plan to cut the CF/CB on the lengthwise grain, the skirt is designed for a bias cut and will not hang correctly. However you could try a lightweight blouse fabric with 2% lycra in it, like my cherry silk/lycra pictured below - cutting this on the bias would still work:

I might just change my plans for this fabric now!

I will show you how to make adjustable lingerie straps for too, using bra rings and sliders, and you could use fabric straps or purchased ribbon. If you would like to try this instead of cutting the bias spaghetti strap, cut two straps about 60-70cm long and 4 times the width of the ring/slider, on the lengthwise grain.

Tomorrow we get stuck into the lace - Happy Cutting!

The Ruby Slip #1 - Materials

2011-12-12T19:47:00.000+13:00

If you're planning on doing the Ruby Slip Sew-Along you'll be itching to know more about the materials you need - so let's talk fabrics! (And if you haven't downloaded your free pattern yet, here are the links!)

Bodice fabric:

For the bodice you will need some lace or embroidered net with a pretty scalloped edge/border, and it needs to be a minimum of 18cm wide (wider if you intend to do a full bust adjustment). I've included a few examples that will work here - you will notice mine are very bridal (funny that!) but they are often available in black and other colours. Lace is often made of cotton or nylon, so may be dyeable if you can't find the perfect colour.

Be aware that pale colours are very see-through, and black is far more discrete. There are a couple of alternatives - underlining the lace, or adapting the pattern to have lace along the upper edge only - and I will show how to do this in the sew-along.

This is a dainty nylon galloon lace. A galloon is a narrow width of lace with a border along both edges, and can be divided into two lengths by cutting carefully as below:

Look carefully at the pattern, and you can see how the floral design can be separated into two pieces. Separating is often a lot simpler than this one which is quite intricate. If the galloon is wide enough it can be more economical. If it is not wide enough you can often use it 'whole' too, which is what I did for the pale blue version above.

You need to be very accurate, and it takes a while to do!
Once I hand cut and hand sewed 26 metres of this lace to a net overskirt for a wedding gown, and the bodice was also draped in it - it was beautiful (once it was finished lol!)

Here is an example of the same lace design, but with cording. The cording makes it a bit easier to cut around and couch the edges.

While I'm on a lace tangent, let me show you this gorgeous vintage cotton Chantilly - this is also a galloon that has been separated

A close up - isn't it just gorgeous?
I do have photos of the gown this was used on - must post them one day!

This is what I used on my first red/black Ruby Slip, it is a nylon net with viscose embroidery

You can also use a wider lace fabric, but we will only use the scalloped border for this design, so make sure you buy enough to cut a shell top or something out of the remainder!

How much lace do I need?

This depends entirely on the pattern repeat of your lace. Study the design and you will notice that the pattern repeats at regular intervals - I've marked one pattern repeat on this black net so you can see what I mean:

Note the length of the pattern repeat:

This embroidered net has a pattern repeat of around 5cm

The repeat doesn't always coincide with the scalloped edge - see how every third scallop in this one is different? The pattern repeat here is designed to trick you and is actually the length of three scallops!

The smaller the pattern repeat, the less meterage you will require if you want to match the lace pattern at the seams, which you do. For this pattern I have calculated the meterage you require per size, plus the number of additional pattern repeats required to ensure you can match the seams on the pattern. For example - I need 1.40m plus 4 pattern repeats, my pattern repeat is 5cm, so I need a total of 1.60m.

If your lace is wide enough and has a double border, you may only need half of this amount. It is a good idea to take the pattern to the store and lay it out to check. I always err on the side of too much rather than too little!

The ideal border lace has:

a shallow scallop shape - deep scallop shapes will fall or flop away from the body when worn
a small pattern repeat - for economy
a degree of opacity - darker in colour, or heavily embroidered
strength - we will be attaching the straps directly to the lace so it must be able to take some strain. Most laces look deceptively delicate but are actually quite strong - but I wouldn't use the antique stuff off your great-grandmothers wedding dress just in case!

Skirt fabric:

For the skirt, you will need a soft drapy fabric - practically anything slinky will do! Here are some fabric suggestions:

Silk - charmeuse, crepe backed satin, crepe de chine, double georgette
Viscose - plain weaves, double georgette
Polyester - charmeuse, crepe backed satin

If you are unsure, unroll a couple of metres and hold the fabric up against yourself so that the true bias hangs down your centre front - this will give you an appreciation of how the fabric will handle in the finished garment. If it feels gorgeous and slinky, you've probably got the right stuff!

Because the skirt is bias cut, the most suitable fabrics are evenweave, that is, the weave is relatively even in both warp and weft directions. Unfortunately with dress fabrics this is not usually the case! If you were to cut a long rectangle of your fabric on the true bias and hang it for a couple of days, one side will often end up longer than the other because of the different weave directions.

Every fabric is different - it depends on the looseness of the weave and heaviness of the cloth as well as the weave. Satins like the ones recommended above are usually ok, but there can be some distortion of the side seams and I will show you how to deal with this as we sew - don't worry, it's easy! I used to design a lot of bias georgette dresses and I'd determine this adaptation during pre-production, but for one-offs it is easier to do it as we sew.

It is best to avoid napped, diagonal and twill fabrics in bias designs, as the pile and lines go all over the place.

Thread:

If your lace and main fabrics are contrasting, you will need two colours of thread!

Trimming:

I recommend a small trim to add the final finishing touch:

I pinned this cheapie flower in place and it transforms the whole bodice.

I've used mainly stash flowers and bows that I had, but you could be more adventurous and recycle a trim from some old lingerie, or have fun making your own from some ribbon and some beads.

Have fun selecting your fabric, and don't forget to ask any questions in the comments!

I hope your pattern downloads all went OK too, if there were any problems please let me know, and which method did you prefer - Google or Scribd?

Sharpen those shears, because we'll start cutting next!

The Ruby Slip - Free Pattern and Sewalong!

2011-12-10T21:19:00.000+13:00

The free pattern for the Ruby Slip is now available - yay! I have uploaded it to Google Docs and Scribd, so you can decide which is more convenient for you. Don't forget to download the instructions too, where you'll find the sizing and yields, cutting and sewing instructions.

Google Docs:

RUBY SLIP Instructions

RUBY SLIP Pattern

Scribd:

RUBY SLIP Instructions

RUBY SLIP Pattern

I designed the pattern sheet with the pieces overlapping "Burdastyle style". I'm not sure if this was a great idea or not - it does mean less printing and sticking of pages together, and preserves the grade nest for further use, but it also means having to trace your size off.....do let me know what you think!

I also forgot completely about the strap on the pattern sheet so I've given you a rectangular measurement to cut to - you might want to be aware of that if you want to whizz ahead and cut it out this weekend without reading the instructions!

Here's the sew-along button - you can copy and paste it to the sidebar of your blog, and then link it to my new Sew-Along page (tab at the top) where I will assemble all the sew-along posts in one place for your convenience.

(By the way if you have a RTW Tailoring Sew Along link and want to keep it, you might want to change that to the Sew-Along page too as I thought it would be easier to combine them together - the RTW Tailoring one will disappear soon.)

So get out the tape and start printing and sticking this weekend, as the Ruby Slip Sew-Along starts on Monday - you can start sewing along any time of course!

Cheers
Sherry

Blogoversary - and a Special Treat for My Readers!

2011-12-04T21:14:00.000+13:00

Doesn't time fly? I can't believe that I've reached my second blogoversary. I'm not really sure why I first started blogging - part of it was to rejuvenate my interest in photography, show off my latest knitting project, and share some recipes - the whole spectrum, lol! Can you believe my first post is three shy lines about a knitted gingerbread man finger puppet I made for my son?!

He now graces the Christmas tree every year!

Shortly after discovering Ravelry and knitting blogs, I discovered sewing blogs - and my blogging niche was found! I'm glad to be part of the online sewing community - the international inspiration, sharing, feedback, and camaraderie is something I look forward to every morning and every evening. (OK, lunchtime and frequently during the day too, if I'm honest.....!)

Unfortunately after all my years working in the clothing industry, sewing had become work for me. But the enthusiasm of other sewing bloggers quickly rejuvenated my pleasure in it as a hobby - so I owe you all a big thank you!

I also thank blogging for making me pay more attention to getting a good result - if something is getting photographed for the blog, it has to fit properly without any wrinkles as the camera never lies! Too often in the past I'd get lazy and settle for second best when "it's only for me", but now I frequently catch myself muttering "I can't post it like this" as I reach for my quick-unpic. Better quality can only be a good thing!

I thought it was interesting to note that there are no photographs of myself early on - all my life I have preferred to be behind the camera:

As evidenced by this shy entry in a 'self-portrait' competition on Flickr 3 years ago!

Garments look so much better on, so I began to reluctantly photograph myself wearing them. And as I became braver I started to show my face, because the headless shots look so, err, faceless, and I noticed on other blogs that it added personality and I felt more connected with that person. Now I am a lot more relaxed on the other side of the camera, even if I do tend to use the same pose all the time!

Look - no more photo-phobia!

***

Now, for all the lovely readers who have followed and supported and commented on my blog over the last two years, I have A Special Treat for you!

You might notice I've been relatively absent of late - well I've been busy making a PDF pattern of my Ruby Slip so you can download it and make your own version. I've made four Ruby Slips now and they are really lovely to wear to bed, or even just lounging around the house in. One would make a great gift for a lucky sister or friend also - there is still time to whip one up for Christmas!

Plus, I thought we could do a Ruby Slip Sew-Along - even though this is a simple garment to make there are lots of tips and tricks to share about sewing with lace, bias cutting, and also some variations to the pattern to explore - so let's do it! I hope to have the pattern uploaded very soon with all the details, and in the meantime you have permission to start fabric hunting!
Are you keen?
Cheers, Sherry

Latest Vintage Pattern Acquisitions

2011-11-19T21:15:00.000+13:00

Do you love looking at vintage patterns? I do! Here are some that I've bought recently - in reverse chronological order:

1970's Vogue Paris Original 2627 Molyneux, Misses Dress
Mid-knee length dress has fitted bodice with bias front and dropped back waistline. Self or contrast bias notched collar, slightly flared skirt (no side seams) with bias front panel forming side front pleats, short or full length sleeves with self or contrast slit bias cuff and button and buttonhole trim. Purchased contour belt.

And look what was inside - A Vogue Paris Original label:

1967 Simplicity 7265 Misses Suit with Two Skirts
The skirts have side zipper and waistband. Skirt V. 1 is straight. Skirt V. 2 is A-line. The lined, double breasted jacket with princess seaming has collar, long set-in sleeves, front button closing and pockets concealed in side front seams. Jacket V. 2 has fur fabric collar sewn over jacket collar or a purchased fur collar may be worn.

It is quite plain, but I bought it from the same supplier to "save postage" haha! And I just love a 60's suit.

1966 Vogue Couturier Design 1797 Jo Mattli, Two-piece suit
Jacket has scallop and top-stitch trim at neckline. Seven-eighths length sleeves and pockets in side front seams. Straight skirt with contour waistband and side back zipper closing.

1966 Vogue Paris Original 1918 Givenchy, One-piece dress and jacket
Loose-fitting straight dress with high V-neckline, has cap sleeves; contour buttoned belt. Pockets in side seams. Slightly fitted double-breasted jacket with bias collar, has seven-eighths length kimono sleeves with gussets.

I'm looking forward to making this one, but have no idea what fabric I will use yet - perhaps I need something new?!

1940's Academy 2029 Dress
This Academy pattern has no description, but the illustration is self-explanatory:

I didn't realise that Academy Patterns were manufactured here in Auckland! Unfortunately I haven't been able to find out much about them so if anybody does know more about them please share - it will be an interesting slice of NZ history. I did find some sewing patterns from "NZ Cutters Academy" from the same era at Te Papa museum, but there were no images to confirm if this was the same company. I feel a quest coming on...!

I've already cut the Academy Pattern out in some stash and will reveal all soon...

In the meantime, which ones are your faves, and what shall I make next!?

Polyester - It Ain't All Bad!

2011-11-10T11:43:00.001+13:00

Are you a "polyester snob"? Do you avoid any fabric that has the slightest amount of polyester in its content?

I have to admit that I rarely buy polyester, but I do have some pieces that have made their way into my stash through other means! It is really uncomfortable to wear in our humid summers, and I can't sew or press it as nicely as viscose or natural fibres. Oh yeah, and the static...

But it's not all bad - polyester has some great inherent qualities that other fibres lack:

It can be machine washed
It absorbs little moisture and dries quickly
It hardly needs ironing
It doesn't shrink
It is hard wearing
It doesn't fade
It is wrinkle resistant
It retains its shape
It can be permanently pleated
It is lightweight
It maintains it's loft, ie fleece
And it's cheap!

I won't say it is environmentally friendly, but if you consider it requires little if any power usage for drying and ironing, and garments made from it have a longer life therefore less manufacturing/shipping processes are required per wear, it could be a lot better than we think. Just think of all those 70's polyester shirts in the op-shops that haven't worn out yet!

Polyester is often combined with other fibres like wool, cotton or viscose to utilise the ideal qualities of both. For instance :

Wool/polyester - cheaper and harder wearing than 100% wool, but not as warm or easy to tailor.
Polyester/cotton - compared to 100% cotton this fabric will shrink less, be more wrinkle proof, faster drying and longer lasting, but not as comfortable next to the skin. This is why it is commonly used for such items as trousers, travel wear, and things like Dickie's workshirts!
Polyester/viscose - polyester adds crease resistance to this blend, and viscose allows the fabric to breathe better for more comfortable wear.

So it really is a practical fibre - its wash 'n wear qualities are very popular. In today's world where natural fibres are considered superior by many, polyester often gets the thumbs-down - but as you can see from the big list above - it does have it's place. However I still haven't forgiven it for being so uncooperative while making my Red Spot Dress!

What do you think - do you use polyester in your sewing regularly, or only when nothing else will do? Do you have some favourite wardrobe items with polyester content, or do you avoid it like the plague?

Dream Job: A Sewing Lounge?

2011-11-09T21:01:00.000+13:00

Do you have a sewing lounge in your area? I had never heard of these until last year when Tasia blogged about Spool of Thread in Vancouver, and since then I have seen quite a few online references to similar sewing lounges.

Spool of Thread, Vancouver
image from www.spoolofthread.com

They are sewing places where you can pop in and use workspace or equipment that you don't have at home, where you have access to essential supplies, maybe take a few technique workshops, and enjoy the company of other sewers as well. I have to admit I can't get the idea out of my head - wouldn't it just be the best place to ~~play~~ work?!!

Sew Over It, London
image from www.sewoverit.co.uk

I think I would be the first to arrive and the last to leave if this was my job - I'd love helping others out all day with tips and tricks, helping with construction and fitting issues (we all find another pair of hands useful here don't we!), making patterns and meeting like-minded friends - just like I do on my blog purely for fun, but in real life - I'd definitely be in my element!

Spool of Thread

Although I'm not sure I could do the patchwork thing...

Would you visit a sewing lounge if there was one in your region? Maybe you have already been to one and can share your experience. Or would you rather just stay at home and sew by yourself for free? I suppose it would be a slight inconvenience getting there with your gear (I guess you can bring your own machine!) but once there, the lounge might have better equipment like cutting tables and professional irons for use, and hopefully a nice social atmosphere with good coffee and inspiring magazines! Sounds like the place to be don't you think?

Sew Over It

I'd love to hear what you think of sewing lounges - so fire away!

...just like we did on Guy Fawkes, hehe:

DH let off tons of sky rockets!

Sonny Boy lit tons of sparklers!

(and I sat on the verandah with a glass of wine and admired the view!)

Finished - Red Spot Dress!

2011-11-03T23:51:00.000+13:00

I've officially finished the Red Spot Dress that has been consuming my spare time this last week!

As a reminder, here is the pattern - Simplicity 3858, from sometime in the 50's:

Here's a close-up of the bodice - it fits fine now that I have underlined it:

I'm not that happy with the way the roll collar is sitting, despite doing it about three times - and then it changes whenever you tie the bow! If I was the designer, I'd separate the collar and bow to avoid this problem. Then you could exchange the bow with something else when it takes your fancy.

This shot shows the skirt gathers better - they're not too unflattering despite the fact I have quite a large ~~muffin~~ high hip, in fact they hide it rather well!

The gathers sew into a piped waistline which is a lovely finish that I must remember:

And I used some yellow ribbon this time for the inner waistline:

And here's a detail of the facings catch-stitched to the underlining:

After all that work I'm not sure I'll wear this dress much - I can't pinpoint what I don't like about it, but it just doesn't feel right. Maybe it is the prissy bow neckline, or maybe I don't have the right shoes, or maybe it is just that fabric that has been telling me to leave it alone since day one. I'll hang it up and see how I feel after a week of no Red Spots!

And just in case you haven't been following the Red Spot Dress story, here are the links to previous posts!
On Hitting the Wall and Not Giving Up
Underlining the Bodice
More Machine Underlining Tips

Happy Sewing!
Sherry

I only popped in to buy a zip...

2011-10-30T23:28:00.000+13:00

For my Red Spot Dress I needed a red 60cm invisible zip, and after rummaging through my zip stash to find everything but, I popped along to Global Fabrics to get one.

The big problem with Global Fabrics is that the counter is situated at the rear of the store, so to get there you need to pass through aisles of fabric laden tables. Highway robbery really...

#1 - ecru silk/elastane cherry print
#2 - navy silk/elastane anchor print
#3 orange cotton voile spot
#4 berry/amethyst/chocolate silk/linen floral print
#5 black/ivory wool spot
#6 blue/turquoise/white cotton print

In keeping with my rule of buying one new fabric per two stash fabrics used, this means I need to have used up twelve stash fabrics recently. I haven't. Obviously that rule needs changing!

Are you a fabricaholic too? Do you have a large stash that you are trying to sew your way through, but occasionally need a rewarding splurge on something new?

More Machine Underlining Tips

2011-10-28T23:00:00.000+13:00

Once underlined, the only alteration I really had to do to the bodice on my Red Spot Dress was shorten the back waist. A lot of the original wrinkles appear to be caused by Polyester-Vs-Skin static rather than the actual fit. I've reattached the skirt with a lining and here it is so far, although it is a size too big for the mannequin:

I interfaced the facings with calico as well, partly so I could demonstrate what I mean by folding when I am machining the underlining as some of you asked. Although I am technically interfacing these pieces, the same principle applies.

Here's the L neck facing, and you can just see that I have machine basted the neck edge. I lightly pinned the two layers, as the spot fabric wiggles all over the place:

Now I am preparing to sew the free edge of the facing. It is important to remove any pins from the area that you are going to sew, as it defeats the purpose of what I am about to do next:

I fold under the neck edge - this emulates how the fabric layers will sit when the facing is sewn to the garment and pressed. Notice how the spot fabric pulls over slightly, so it can wrap around the calico at the neck edge?

That is how it wants to be - always listen to the fabric! Now sew the edge, removing any pins before you near them and folding the edge under as you go.

To prevent the layers shifting, a bit of sewing technique is necessary. Go slowly, sewing a few stitches at a time. Smooth the layers as you go - a flat bed on your machine is better - and as soon as you start to see any shift raise the presser foot and let the fabric lay flat again. Use an awl or quick-unpick in your R hand to hold or ease the top layer as you go (I'm using my L hand here so I can photograph!). Some fabrics may be better sewn the other way up, against the feed dogs (in which case your neck edge will fold to the top):

I folded my fabric at the shoulder and CF edges too:

Once you are done lay it flat again - see the bubble in the upper layer? It looks wrong, but really it is perfect!

See how when the neck edge is folded under - as it will be on the assembled garment - the bubble disappears?

You can still see slight bubbles at the shoulder and CF edge where I haven't yet turned them under, but the rest lays perfectly flat, which is what we want.

If you don't accommodate this ease in your upper layer, then you can get a yukky crease in your underlining or interfacing around the finished seam line. Some fabrics need more ease than others, and my folding method eliminates the guesswork by giving you the exact amount of ease for your fabric combination. You may not get a crease in more forgiving fabrics that meld into shape with the iron, but they will always lay better if you allow extra for the cloth folds - ever had The Case of the Flipping Out Facing? Well your problem is solved!

OK, back to work. Hopefully I'll get this ~~thing~~ dress finished this weekend so I can move on...
To more stashbusting!

The Red Spot Dress - Underlining the Bodice

2011-10-24T20:40:00.000+13:00

Do you remember the Red Spot Dress that wasn't going too well? Well I have been busy with my quick-unpick and now have the bodice underlined with calico. I haven't fitted it yet, but here it is on the mannequin and it is looking a lot better:

As well as eliminating static and giving the fabric more support, I thought backing it with calico would make it more comfortable against the skin in summer - this polyester stuff* is quite plasticy!

Here's what I did:

I preshrunk the calico in a hot wash, then cut it to the pattern piece. It is best to cut the shell and underlining together so they are exactly the same, but of course my outer fabric was already cut. Because it had already been sewn up, and clipped, and pressed, and unpicked, it could also be slightly distorted, so I took the calico to be the correct shape.

I machine basted my underlining to the shell, one edge at a time. Purists will say this must be done by hand, but I've never found that necessary. But you probably already know I question a lot of things in sewing books!

The dart was sewn before basting the edges together - first baste the two layers together up the middle of the dart, then sew and press the dart itself. This means the cloth allowance around the dart is accounted for before you start on the outer edges.

Next I sewed the CB edge, then the side seam/armhole with the fabrics folded lengthwise - this gives you the cloth allowance needed when the seam allowances are turned back. You will notice that the raw edges don't match exactly - that's the idea.

Then I basted the waistline, followed by the neck/shoulder, in the same way. Usually some areas, like the corners, need unpicking and rebasting - just listen to the cloth and do what it says! It's a bit hard to see, but in the above picture there are a few stops and starts where I've ripped and reset - that's OK because the stitching all gets removed in the end. That's why you've used a long stitch length and didn't backtack - oops, did I not tell you that earlier? - hehe!

The right side should show slight looseness, evenly all over, to allow for the cloth folds and body curvature when the garment is sewn up. You'll see that some cut edges don't match - that's OK, the important bit is that the ease in the shell is correct.

To check that you have allowed the correct amount of ease in the shell, lightly press the turnings in. Press just inside your basting, which should be well within the seam allowance, so no creases are pressed in the part that will show:

The two layers should behave as one:

There should be no pulling in the layers like this:

...unless you want your garment to look like that when finished! I noticed I've got a small dimple at the side waist - I could probably leave this, but I will fix it because it is in an easy spot:

...and in the competition between me and this dress, I am going to win!

Just like the All Blacks!!!!!!!!!!

Today's Victory Parade - I was one of the 270,000!

Some fabrics are easier to work with than others - this polyester is non-forgiving, but the washed cotton presses to shape well. Together they are quite compatible and I am liking the resulting fabric. This is what underlining is all about - changing the properties of your fabric to be more suitable for your design. In making my Totally Unnecessary Cocktail Dress, I even underlined the stretch satin with silk organza to eliminate the unwanted stretch.

That's all for today - do you have any favourite underlining tips to add? Do you swear by hand sewing your underlining to the shell - or do you get just as good results by machine? And what is your favourite underlining combination?

*Can you believe this fabric is from my very first job in the garment industry?! My employer used to allow us to have the roll ends - unfortunately they made what I used to call "old ladies clothes" (notice I don't call them that now - lol!) so there weren't a lot of suitable choices for a 24 year old. But I did acquire this piece and later gave it to my mother. However it sat in her sewing cupboard for years, until I reclaimed it last Christmas. What goes around, comes around - it's very true!

The Fan Trail T-Shirt, by Sonny Boy

2011-10-21T22:30:00.000+13:00

Last weekend while we were walking the Rugby World Cup Fan Trail on the way to the All Blacks v Wallabies semifinal, Sonny Boy was obviously contemplating something...

"Mum, you know that black T-shirt, the one that is too small for Dad, but too big for me?"
"Yeah"
"Do you think we really need it?"
"Well you will grow into it, but no, we don't really need it, it's only a T-shirt"

We walk up the road a bit further, with flag-flying cars tooting their horns as they drive by, past some colourful Wallaby supporters wearing kangaroo hats, street drummers, and a bus shelter with a local band playing garage music...

"Mum, do we have lots of sellotape at home?"
"Yes, I bought some the other day, and unless you've used it up already, it should still be there"
"Oh, cool."

Onwards we follow the growing pilgrimage to Eden Park, past the overflowing pubs, the face-painters, and through a patriotic sea of black flags, silver ferns and black rugby jerseys...

"Mum, do we have any white paint?"
"Err, yes," I said hesitantly, realising these three well-spaced questions were ominously connected. "What do you want white paint for?"
"I want to make an All Black T-Shirt!"

And he explained the idea that had been brewing in his mind during our walk. Quite simple really, and quite effective - now I want one!

All you need is an old t-shirt, sellotape, and leftover fence paint!

By the way, if you can I really recommend walking part of the Fan Trail on Sunday - it winds it's way from the waterfront downtown to the stadium at Eden Park where the final between NZ and France will be held - with a fantastic atmosphere all the way!

Go the All Blacks!

It's Mistake Week!

2011-10-20T23:00:00.000+13:00

Lately I've been beavering away on a Tatiana Pullover by Marlaina Bird from Interweave Crochet W2009. I thought all was going smoothly until I laid it out to admire from a distance - I'm glad I did because one underarm is higher than the other:

Does your cat like to walk on your projects too?!

Honestly - how did that sleeve zoom up a whole pattern repeat to get way up there? Anyway, I've unravelled the naughty sleeve and started a new one in the correct place. This mistake comes hot on the heels of my post on this disaster red spot dress so I'm half expecting another errata this week, because don't things like this run in three's?

One great thing about crochet is that it is so quick, and this crochet lace is really enjoyable to do as each row is different. I find it more intuitive than lace knitting too, where I practically need the chart with me at all times. After a couple of pattern repeats, I had this one memorised and was soon experiencing chart freedom!

Oh - and don't ask me why I am crocheting a jumper when summer is almost here - sometimes I just need to make something!

On Hitting the Wall, and Not Giving Up

2011-10-18T23:22:00.000+13:00

"Fail - The Red Spot Dress" was going to be the title of this post, until I realised I was already thinking of the best way to fix this mess of a dress, and I promptly reminded myself that I don't do failure! There is almost always something that can be done to fix disasters, I think most of the time it is just a matter of overcoming the mental obstacle. It is no longer a 10k you are running - it is the marathon instead!

So, here's the mess so far:

Too small in waist, too long in bodice, one side of collar is misbehaving (it's in shadow here, but it's twisting)...

See through, highly static polyester that sticks to your skin like a wet t-shirt...

On Hitting the Wall, and Not Giving Up:

I think most of us are resistant to unpicking our work. I am definitely guilty of settling for second best because it is 'only for me', but this is unwearable.

"Ouch - that wall is hard!"

I've learnt - and it took me a surprisingly long time - that unpicking mistakes as soon as they happen is the quickest and easiest option. Sometimes I go into denial and need to force myself to do this! Leaving mistakes and hoping for the best involves compromise all the way down the chain, and usually compounds the problem. Which only means extra unpicking!

Not giving up makes you a better sewer too, because you learn. You learn methods of avoiding mistakes in the first place. You analyse and learn why the mistake has occurred, and you learn how to remedy it. Often you need to learn new techniques to overcome new problems. By throwing the project in the bin, you learn nothing.

And of course by not giving up you eventually succeed - you end up with a garment you can happily wear so you can swan around like these ladies:

Hopefully that's me next week! Now, where's my quick-unpick?...

Finished (at Last) - Lace Trim Cardigan

2011-10-10T23:17:00.000+13:00

If you are a regular reader of this blog you might recognise this item already, you may even have helped me to choose the colour of the buttons - if so, thank you for your input! I started knitting it about a year ago, and finally have all the ends woven in, and attached the lace, and sewn on the black-rather-than-lilac buttons.

My mother gifted me this yarn a couple of years ago when I was at the height of my knitting frenzy, and I struggled what to make in such ludicrously coloured 1980's 4ply crepe Kaiapoi (remember that anyone?!) wool. Honestly, in real life it is brighter than it looks. I like to think that even the worst materials can be turned into something wearable - which seems to be what my blog is turning into actually - so I decided to emphasise the kitsch factor rather than fight it. Now it is finished I think it looks very Alannah Hill!

The lace has featured on my blog before too - it was a gift from one of my bridal clients that she purchased on honeymoon in Paris. It is incredibly beautiful, very old, and I am terrified that I will rip it every time I take this cardigan on and off. I have stitched it on with some ease to try to prevent this happening. I had mixed thoughts on using the lace at all, but decided it's beauty was better appreciated by others rather than just me and my trims box!

The lace trim idea came from Vogue Knitting Winter 2009/10 (#20 Lace Edge Cardi) and I used that pattern along with a similar pattern from VK Holiday 2007 (#21), added some waist shaping, and a moss stitch band rather than rib. I was very careful sewing this one up - I used mattress stitch and lined up the side and sleeve seams stitch by stitch. It took ages but I've decided this is worth the effort and I'm very chuffed with the result, so you get to see it here!:

In the past I have knitted a few garments in the round which avoids side seams altogether, but for this cardigan I switched back to straight needles. There is something just nice about using them, they seem more balanced than the short circular needles for some reason - maybe it is just because I was taught on them as a kid!

Do you knit too? And if so do you prefer circular or straight needles?

The 1956 All Black Dress - More Pics!

2011-10-07T21:54:00.000+13:00

So many of you asked to see some closer photos of last weeks 1956 All Black Dress on me to see more detail, so I took some today! Here goes:

front neckline notch - R upper bodice welt - kimono sleeve

L lower skirt welt - L side invisible zip

Look- new fence pickets! I've been priming and painting these in my ~~spare~~ non-sewing time, this is only a fraction of what is to be done and they take forever!!

waistline - there is a CF bodice seam and double darts on the skirt providing additional waist suppression

I looovve this pattern because it gives me a waistline that really doesn't exist!

double proof!

I've worn this dress a few times already, and although it is really comfortable the sleeves have some drag lines from my [square] shoulders. However if I eliminated this on the pattern there wouldn't be much underarm length, so perhaps kimono blocks suit sloping shoulders better anyway. The draping doesn't bother me really - and probably disguised the looseness in the upper chest that I did not even notice until LinB (thanks Lin!) clarified the difference between Junior Miss and Miss sizing - the bustpoint is high and the waistline is almost perfect on my short waist! I will run the front neckline-to-bust darts a bit longer when I have black thread on the machine next.

OK, I will never get around to it, if I'm honest...

Happy sewing weekend, my friends!

My Vintage Pattern Crime

2011-10-05T21:30:00.000+13:00

I knew I should have put it away into it's envelope...

Where it had been safely stored for the last 56 years...

I thought it would be alright, balanced carefully on the back of the sofa for a moment...

But it had no chance when an impromptu gun battle broke out between father and son....

It fluttered to the floor unnoticed as frantic to-ing and fro-ing ensued...

And was later found in this rather sad state:

I gulped guiltily as I slipped the two pieces gently back into the envelope...

I can't say I am that precious about the vintage patterns I own - I would much rather see a pattern used and enjoyed, than left laying untouched in factory folds in a collector's cupboard. And I usually cut around the pieces. Maybe I should trace them first, but my thoughts are that although cutting might devalue it from a collector's point of view, they are still usable for the next sewer who comes along - and after all this is who they are intended for. Otherwise I do care for my vintage patterns and don't like to see them damaged unnecessarily, like - huh hmm - my one was.

How do you treat your vintage patterns - do you treat them with kid gloves, or just shove them back into the packet like this one?!

(by the way - I didn't do this!)

At what stage does a pattern become valuable enough to deserve The Special Treatment anyway - age, fashion relevance, or the ferocity of the bidding war? I'd only ever pay a few dollars for a pattern because making them is my day job, but there are some very simple designs that command very high prices as The Selfish Seamstress notes today.

Don't you think it is interesting that the perceived value of vintage patterns varies so widely? If 1 is trash and 10 is treasure, where on the scale do you sit?

The 1956 All Black Dress

2011-09-28T19:08:00.000+13:00

I live in the middle of Rugby World Cup mania, so what else do you expect me to call my new black dress!

I've had this vintage pattern for a while now, but couldn't decide what to make it in. However during a clean-out-under-the-bed I discovered a long forgotten roll of black polyester knit that ticked all the boxes! I normally avoid polyester but this is actually quite nice - it is matt, firm like a double knit, and sews and presses well. So you can see I'm not a total polyester snob, particularly when it involves using up old fabric. Although I bet this dress will be relegated to the back of the wardrobe as soon as the humidity arrives!

The pattern is Simplicity 1714 from 1956 - I liked the clean lines of the sheath, the raised neckline with a front notch, and the quirky pocket placement. This must have been the height of the sloping shoulder era, as I don't think I have seen illustrations this exaggerated before! Here's the description:

"Two silhouettes, the sheath and the graceful flare, highlight this simple town-going basic with 3/4 kimono sleeves. High neckline may be opened at centre or stitched. Welts detail the bodice at right and the skirt at left sides."

I've decided I want to stay true to the original design when sewing vintage patterns, so nothing was altered except the size - I'm afraid I am no longer a 33" bust! The pattern is a Junior Misses', I'm not sure what the difference is to a Misses' but it fits me well straight out of the packet.

One of the suggested seam finishes was pinking - and this fabric was perfect for that so I pinked wherever I could:

The sleeves have triple darts at the elbow - a nice detail don't you think?

The instructions call for fake welt pockets, which suited me in this fabric. I made the welts from a piece of silk satin that happened to be lying in the right place at the right time:

The raised neckline is darted and has a rather cute split at the CF (which is more visible when it is worn), along with a CB neck zip:

The pattern instructions said to finish the facing, then attach the zip, turning under the zip tape at the edge like this...

I always think this looks a bit huckery, so I inserted an invisible zip and faced it using my usual method. I inserted an invisible zip in the side seam too.

The pattern called for bias seam binding to edge the neck facing - I didn't have any of that, but I did have some stretch organza foldover binding which did the job nicely. I also used it to bind the hem edges of the sleeve and skirt, although the sleeve hem really needed bias binding.

Some electric blue grosgrain discovered in my trims was used to fix the waistline. I enjoy surprise touches like this - they make me smile every time I put the garment on, plus it uses up all those strange colours in your stash!

What else? You can see the reinforcing stitching at the underarm point:

Another thing I did is fusetape the endpoint of the skirt CB seam at the vent. On the L side I continued this down the inside fold of the pleat so it would press to a crisp fold:

Overall I'm really happy with this dress, it's very flattering and I think I'll wear it lots. I may taper the skirt (after I've lost a couple of my winter kilos!), as it is actually quite straight and not tapered as the illustration indicates.
I'm even thinking about making the "graceful flare" version just for fun - what do you think?

Bound Buttonholes - Some Refinements

2011-09-13T21:42:00.000+12:00

I've already posted a tutorial on bound buttonholes, but I've made a few refinements to my technique while sewing the buttonholes on my cape so I'll share them with you here. There is a small amount of hand sewing involved, but it does reduce a layer of bulk around the buttonhole edges so it is worth it!

This time I machine tacked the buttonhole positioning - I tacked a horizontal line through the centre of each buttonhole, and vertical lines marking either end:

This gives an accurate guideline where to start and stop stitching. It is especially helpful when doing a line of buttonholes - it helps to keep that line straight, and to achieve parallel buttonholes of equal length at an equal distance from the front edge - I won't skip this step next time!

Next cut a square for the buttonhole welts - I have decided it is better to cut a slight rectangle, or mark the top edge or something, to avoid this! I like to cut mine on the same grain as the front, so the buttonhole is most inconspicuous. You can cut them across the grain so they contrast a little more, or cut them on the bias which is nice if you have stripes, or whatever - just cut them all the same way!

Cut length of welt = button width + button thickness + 2cm
Cut width of welt = (finished width of welt + 1cm) x 4

ie:

My buttons are 28mm wide and 4mm thick, so I need to cut my welt square at least 52mm long

I want my finished welts to be 3mm wide, so I need to cut my welt square at least 52mm wide

I am working on the collar stand, which I have blockfused. This helps prevent a) a frayed disaster, and b) frayed nerves! I fused the welt too, but you don't have to.

With right sides together and the square centred over the soon-to-be-buttonhole, tack it into position along the horizontal guideline:

Shorten your stitch length and stitch the top and bottom edges of the buttonhole. Start with the needle exactly on the vertical line, 3mm (1/8") above the horizontal line (this is half a foot width for me):

Stitch parallel to the horizontal line, finishing with the needle exactly on the opposite vertical line:

I avoided backtacking and and left long threads to weave in, however next time I will sew a few reverse stitches instead - threading in the ends by hand is too labour intensive with negligible benefit:

Stitch again on the other side of the horizontal line:

Now you should have two perfectly parallel lines 6mm apart, that start and finish at the vertical guidelines (which happen to be horizontal in this picture, just to confuse...)

You can remove the horizontal lines of tacking now as they are no longer needed, keep the vertical ones though:

When weaving in the thread ends, but be sure to weave the ends away from the soon-to-be-clipped area or you will cut them, and your buttonhole will start falling apart!

I usually do all my buttonholes to this stage, then check they are all the same size/shape/parallel/etc before the cutting stage.

Cut through the width of the buttonhole welt between the stitching lines:

I found it beneficial to press the welts (but not the ends) toward the buttonhole at this stage:

Now cut the buttonhole opening - cut to within 6mm of the ends:

...then clip into the corners. I found this is where those vertical guidelines are of real benefit as they mark the exact point to clip to!

Turn the welts through to the wrong side, taking care not to strain the corners:

Fold the welts around the edges you have just cut, so they 'bind' those raw edges:

The reverse will look like this:

It is tempting to press at this stage, but don't! Instead stitch in the ditch to position the welt evenly 3mm all the way across:

I used a hand backstitch so my stitching was invisible, manipulating the layers between my fingers as I stitched to form a firm and even 3mm wide welt:

You could probably machine this part if you think your thread will be well disguised, like in a tweedy fabric for instance. Here is the reverse after stitching in the ditch by hand:

Now close the ends, by folding back the front edge, and stitching across the clipped triangle. Give the triangle a slight tug to square the corners:

Here the advantage of cutting your welts in one piece is revealed - make sure the cut ends of your welt line up for a really square end, like the picture above and not the picture below! I like to stitch across the triangle once just to check everything is square, then backtack across it to secure more fully - having to unpick backtacking at this point is no fun!

See how the seam allowances at the ends (the green bits) unfold to become a single layer - this reduces bulk at the ends so they are flatter. The finished buttonhole should be square at the corners:

I hand overcast the welts together for pressing. Sometimes the welts can look slightly wider in the centre than at the corners, and you can draw them in a teeny bit with hand overcasting to correct this before pressing - this improved the squareness of mine:

Alternatively you can trim 1mm off the inner raw edges before binding - this might be necessary for thicker cloths.

I gave mine a good press, then trimmed the reverse like so - you could pink the long edge if you like:

That's it!

Well, almost - you will need to make holes in the facing to make the buttonhole operational. I made windows using an organza patch and slipstitched them to the inside - this method is demonstrated in this tutorial (scroll down to 'Facing the Buttonhole' near the end):

This is my favourite bound buttonhole method because it has produced my best results to date! It is a 'true' bound method where the raw edges really are bound, rather than turned out. I particularly like how flat the finished appearance is - both the buttonhole welts and the area around the buttonhole have a similar finished thickness. This equalising of bulk helps to reduce pressing impressions, and makes this method suitable for heavier weight fabrics.

Hope this helps for happier sewing!
Sherry

The Last Gasp of Winter Cape!

2011-09-08T20:53:00.000+12:00

I've plucked this title from Tanit-Isis's post on her Last Gasp of Summer Dress, except of course we live in opposite hemispheres so I've made a Last Gasp of Winter Cape! My sewing queue just gets more and more delayed during each season until sometimes it is almost too late, and I'm glad I'm not the only one, hehe!

I was prompted to "whip it up" about three weeks ago before the anticipated polar blast, but decided it was worthy of bound buttonholes, and therefore thought I should really wait until the buttons arrived so the buttonholes would be the right size. Three weeks later...

The pattern is from a Burda magazine that I got out of the library - it is #101 from August 2008, and I chose to make the long version A:

I may shorten it (the B version is 15cm shorter), but it feels quite elegant this length. Plus I wanted to avoid the 'shorter than wide' look, as well as the 'fingertips sticking out the bottom' look. And then there is the 'chop me in half' look and the 'hey look, my thighs are widest right here' look to watch out for - as you can see many Gemini-like indications and contraindications were tortuously considered to come to this non-decision..... as usual second opinions are welcome :)

Here's the back - there is an optional half belt in the pattern which I intended to add, but it meant sewing another two bound buttonholes, funny how it suddenly seemed unimportant!

And some all-important detail shots:

I do love the generous collar, but the collar stand doesn't really need the extension. If I was making it again, I'd leave the extension off, as it doesn't look as great with the top buttons undone trenchcoat style. That would be handy in our warm temperate winters - I'd chop it off now if there wasn't a buttonhole in the middle!

And on the inside I pickstitched the lining/facing seam, because I'm just loving this hand-touched look at the moment! The seam is actually machined and the stitching is purely decorative.

I've only made one other cape in my life, and the first thing that comes to mind when you slip one on is: "what do I do with my hands?!". It takes a little getting used to!

I did get into a bit of a kerfuffle with my handbag and gloves and arm openings when I boarded a bus and hurriedly tried to find some bus money - lucky it was just me and the bus driver! But I do hope to eventually be able to make it through a Cape Day with elegance!

Do you own a cape, or plan to make one soon? How do you find the movement factor - can you manoeuvre your arms OK, or are they outmanoeuvred by the cape?!

Grey Goes With.....

2011-08-29T21:18:00.000+12:00

This winter I've been wearing my grey scallop skirt a lot - it just seems to go with everything!

Like the complete rainbow, for instance:.....

Pink

My pink jacket:

Red

A future coat

(OK, I admit that I haven't been wearing this much because it is still in the imagination stage!)

Orange

Also, imaginary at this stage - an orange top. Currently I only have a summer tank, but I am hunting for the perfect orange ponte for a winter top!

OK, onto something that isn't imaginary...

Yellow

My $1 bag from Some Shop Without A Name:

My boy was taking the shots today - and was enjoying snapping me in silly positions!

I think a good canary yellow bag is worth serious investment - I've used this a lot as it is so handy to brighten up a winter's day!

Emerald:

My emerald silk georgette top:

I've been wearing this over a plain black top for winter - as a loose top it is definitely more flattering with a pencil skirt than an Aline, but you know what, I really don't care! One of my commenters gave me the idea of wearing it with grey a la Paul Smith - thanks Anne!

Teal or Turquoise:

A burda T-shirt:

This turquoise is a bit summery for this skirt, but wouldn't teal be a nice winter option?

Cobalt:

Cobalt tights with net tights overlaid:

I love to mix and match tights, and this is one of my favourite combos at the moment!

Plum:

My soon to be finished cable cardigan:

I still need to sew the sleeve seams, sew on the buttons and weave in all those ends....

I better hurry up as spring is imminent!

OK - that's enough changes of outfit for today - I think I have given you enough proof that grey goes with almost everything!

What's your favourite combination with grey - is there anything fabulous that I ~~need~~ haven't thought of?

(And for those of you who wondered what was wrong with my buttonholes in the last post, I have cut the welts in a different direction to the fronts - they look fine front-on at 90 degrees, but from the side on they appear darker or lighter depending on which way you look at them. Luckily the four on the front are in the same direction, but all the others (done the night before) are running in the opposite direction!)

Why you shouldn't sew Bound Buttonholes at night...

2011-08-25T20:26:00.000+12:00

Seven perfect buttonholes,

Sitting straight and square,

Of even width,

And equal breadth,

Completed without fear.

Seven perfect buttonholes,

Beautifully aligned,

Laying true,

None askew,

I'm proud to say they're mine!

But what is this?

Something's amiss!

What has caused this blight?

That darned wool cloth,

With it's grain amok,

If only it was oriented right!

They say the great,

Learn from their mistakes,

So what do you think I might?

When the light ain't great,

You should always wait,

And never sew bound buttonholes at night!

Paper Buttons, and Help Me Choose!

2011-08-12T16:59:00.000+12:00

I've finally found some suitable buttons for my trench coat that has been awaiting these necessary items for about a year now. They needed to be a neutral stone horn style (not warm but cool toned), available in size 36 and 40L or close enough, and come with a matching 50mm buckle - I didn't realise it would be so hard!

But what's that imprinted onto the reverse - shall we have a closer look?

Yip - they are made from recycled paper! I hope they don't dissolve when I get caught out in a spring shower!

So there is actually hope for getting my trenchcoat finished. Finally.

.....

Now I need your advice to help me choose - if this was your cardigan, would you choose lilac buttons:

or black buttons:

I got both dyed up just in case, but I'm thinking black, don't you? Share your thoughts, or forever hold your peace!

.....

Next on the sewing agenda is a cape - I was going to leave it as winter is practically drawing to a close, but DH showed me this last night:

If you live in the Northern Hemisphere you might want to turn this picture upside down to get an appreciation of the polar blast coming New Zealand's way - snow has actually been forecast for Auckland where it hasn't snowed since 1939! I think this is a good enough excuse to whip up a quick cape, don't you?

.....

Also - A big thanks to Beth and the Textile students at Sancta Maria College for having me to talk today - it was a lot of fun to share my experiences in garment design with you all, and I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did! My email is in the sidebar as promised if you have any more questions.

Happy Sewing!

Order of Construction

2011-08-05T06:31:00.000+12:00

For the jumpsuit I just made, I read through the sewing instructions thoroughly - like all good seamstresses should do - but I chose to totally ignore them!

I thought the order of construction for these* was a bit of a challenge. Now I love a challenge, but there is no need to make things harder when you don't need too! The instructions said to attach the pockets and front band after the shell was sewn together. If I followed this plan I would have put my quick-unpick to good use trying to topstitch those all pockets on, or finishing the lower end of the placket, and I am sure a relative beginner would have struggled too.

The order of garment construction can make a big difference in the ease of sewing, and whether or not a garment looks amateur or professional. In business I had to specify the best order of construction for the sewing contractor - writing sewing instructions was part of my day job. Although in the trade these are considerably briefer than the instructions included in a commercial pattern - no pretty diagrams or anything!

Anyway, I thought it would be interesting to compare some of Vogue's methods with the ones I used. Below I've listed five things that I did differently, and I've listed Vogue's instruction in brief, then described what I did, and why. It will be interesting to hear what you would have done too - we all have our favourite methods!

1

Vogue: Stitch and clip inner corner of front.
What I did: I applied a small square of lightweight fusing to the corner. I clipped when I was ready to turn the front corner.
Why: Fusing is quick and reinforces the whole corner not just the stitching line. Clipping into the corner several stages before you are ready increases the risk of fraying or stretching.

Vogue: Assemble shell.
What I did: Attached front pockets. Next I partially sewed the front crotch seam and completed the front band, before assembling the full shell.
Why: Sewing pockets (neatly) is much easier when the front is a single flat panel, compared to a front with attached pieces that pull in all directions. Likewise sewing the front band is easier when the back has not yet been attached.

The only reason I imagine Vogue get you to assemble the shell is so that you can try it on at this stage. I thought I should mention that this is a good way to stretch all those raw edges (neckline, CF, armholes, clipped corners) out of shape! Even when I make a calico, I fusetape those raw edges to prevent stretching. Most of the time. At least I should do...

Vogue: Sew long edges of front bands, then staystitch neckline and assemble/attach collar, then finish bottom edge of front band.

What I did: Sewed long edges of front band, clipped into corner, then finished bottom edge of front band. Then I sewed the shoulder seams and attached the collar.
Why: Finishing the front band while the fronts are flat is easier than when they are attached to other pieces.

Vogue: Staystitch neckline
What I did: Nothing
Why: If my neckline edges stretch a little during handling, they will soon be unstretched when they are sewn to the collar! I would only stabilise a very unstable/loosely woven fabric here, and my method of choice would be fusing, unless the fabric was sheer.

Vogue: Attach collar
What I did: Much the same as their instructions, except I wrapped the collar around the front band rather than the front band around the collar, because I inserted a lining at this stage. I also turned under the CB neckline like in my convertible collar tutorial rather than hand sewing it into place.
Why: This made it easier!
But I did make things harder for myself by using the large (1.5cm/5/8") seam allowances of the pattern around the collar - I tried, and will not try again. It is too fiddly to sew the opposing curves accurately, and I spent about ten minutes clipping and trimming it all - I think 6mm/1/4" is the only way to go here!

I also did a lot of minor things differently - I blockfused all interfaced pieces, pressed the side bust darts up rather than down, and understitched the facings by machine rather than by hand. I do love hand understitching though, ever since doing it on my totally unnecessary cocktail dress. I might adopt this as my method of choice for my own clothes - when I have time!

I suppose we all develop our favourite methods of construction with time, and inevitably this means varying from the instructions. But don't you think beginners be shown the easiest way to put a garment together - the way where the best possible outcome is obtained? i don't think that was the case with this pattern. Do you often see things that you would do differently in pattern instructions? Do you even read them?!

*And when you refer to a jumpsuit, do you talk about these or this?!

Finished - My 70's Midi Jumpsuit!

2011-07-31T20:35:00.000+12:00

Well I've finished my 1970's midi jumpsuit, and I quite like it!

I don't think it will be my "go to" outfit, but reserved for those days when I feel like being a bit quirky. I have to say I would not have made this had I not been captivated by the brown tweed version on the envelope,with it's 60's/70's polo neck and boots styling - I can't think of any other way I would wear this. Polo necks and boots are a bit of a winter uniform with me, and therefore are the perfect (and secure) base for something a bit different!

I used a charcoal wool that I purchased from Global Fabrics in May, and some black wool remnants that I had from stash were put to use for the collar, front band, pockets and armhole facings. I added a fourth pocket because I like symmetry - and after looking at all those Chanel jumpsuits in my last post I was on a bit of a Chanel symmetry tangent.

I fully lined the jumpsuit. I used the original pattern pieces less the armhole facings, plus 3mm extra on each seam allowance and 25mm added to the crotch length. It slips on easily and is so comfortable to wear.

I made a few fitting alterations:

back neckline was bunching up, so I lowered it 5mm tapering to zero at the shoulder point.
front armhole was gaping, so I swung the excess into the side bust dart.
totally redrafted the pant portion! Finally I have got around to redrafting and fitting a trouser block, and I have transferred this to the pattern. Essentially the high hip is wider, the rise is way longer, and the leg angle is altered.

And I need to off-centre the buttons a bit - the buttonholes are quite large and stretch open slightly when being worn - see how the front bands don't line up properly in the photo? Don't let me forget to do that...

The thing with jumpsuits is you need some extra length in the centre seam for everyday things like reaching up, bending over and sitting down - you need to allow an extra 2cm in the waist to hip/crotch length to enable comfortable jumping around in your jumpsuit!

I'm reasonably happy with the back appearance. I'm not really standing evenly here, but the below the hipline it does sit better when I shorten the back waist by 1 cm, however I need that extra ease for bending so I've compromised. Plus looking backwards into the mirror gives me a tension headache after a while!

The pockets and collar and front bands were topstitched in Nr 80 weight thread, and staying true to the instructions I topstitched the pockets with an X - which I think is rather groovy:

And speaking of staying true to instructions...I have a few comments on that for my next post!
Happy sewing!

Jumping into Jumpsuit Territory

2011-07-24T15:34:00.000+12:00

I've been twiddling my thumbs on this 70's jumpsuit for a while, thinking will I, or won't I? I've even alluded to it in a couple of posts, and readers have either a) laughed your head off at the silly styling, or b) remained tactfully silent!

But still this vision remained in my head of a cool jumpsuit - for some reason I have images in my head of Gucci in the 70's, or Carnaby Street in it's heyday. I think with the right styling this one has the potential to be quite edgy.

Rather than the slinky black/bright Studio 54 style that is popular at the moment, I'm after more of a wintery 70's utility style similar to this Zara one:

or this one from Chanel:

Actually the Chanel Autumn 2011 collection is full of cropped jumpsuits with low slung patch pockets (notice they are all virtually the same pattern but in different fabrics - which I thought was cheating a bit!):

Anyway I have decided to run with my gut instincts and proceed. I mean if Peter was considering making a jumpsuit in sequins - why am I worried about making one in conservative charcoal wool for?!!

The final deciding factor was that, if I lay up carefully, I actually have enough fabric for the-jacket-I-originally-intended-to-make, as well as the jumpsuit. Nothing to lose then, right?

So I whipped up a quick calico out of an old sheet (which promptly ripped down the CF when I tried it on - hopefully that is not an omen):

Only the ~~craziest~~ most dedicated post images of themselves online like this!

It's not too bad - it just needs a bit more room, some major lowering of the back rise, and minor lowering of the back neckline. And a tuck out of the front armhole. Obviously my vision of cool is not yet realised.....

Can you tell I'm not entirely sure about this one? I like the overall design, just not sure whether I have the aplomb to pull it off. Stylewise, it's definitely off on a tangent for me, but I've already cut it out so there's no going back now!

Enough waffle - how about you - do you like to take style risks occasionally - step out of your comfort zone and into something new? Do you dress seeking the security of peer approval, or do you knowingly accept that many will think your choices are weird?

Sewing Gadgets - Are You a Minimalist or Maximalist?

2011-07-15T18:32:00.000+12:00

Are you a sewing gadget minimalist? Do you have few tools and sew on the smell of an oily rag - with a secondhand machine, a pair of scissors, using the kitchen table and a household iron?

Or are you a maximalist - with a dedicated sewing space, a machine with all the bells-and-whistles, an extensive assortment of presser feet, and a different cutting and pressing tool for every possible occasion?

I guess most of us probably lie somewhere in between, but I've decided after a year of dwelling in sewing blogland, that I'm definitely at the minimalist end of the spectrum - some of you guys are better equipped than my workplace! In contrast, I actually have very few tools despite working in the industry for 20 years. I put this down to a few things:

Entrepreneurial poverty - when I was in business there were always more important things to pay for than fun new tools - like suppliers, or funding the next collection
The Kiwi number 8 wire mentality - outside New Zealand this is something like 'make do and mend' - there is usually an alternative cheaper way of achieving the same result, even if it takes longer!
I am also a bit of a scrooge!
Ignorance - I never knew some of these things existed
I had access to industry contractors with specialised equipment - pressers, buttons/buttonholes, fusing, etc

That's not to say I haven't seen a lot of cool things I'd love to own! I've always wanted a proper sleeve board, an industrial iron, and a dedicated sewing space at home. And constantly seeing lots of your covetable gadgets online is really tempting my want buds!

Anyway, here's my sewing gadget arsenal. Warning - it's pretty unglamourous and uses a lot of ordinary household items!

Sewing things:

second hand industrial plain sewer

presser feet - plain foot, R zip foot, teflon foot, invisible zip foot (that I never use as I get better results with an ordinary zip foot - if you look closely it's a little rusty!)

bobbin box with broken lid
machine oil
quick-unpic - never far from my side!
machine needles, I have plenty of handsewing needles too
thimble - used to stop beading needles wearing holes in my fingers and getting blood on almost-finished wedding gowns - yes, it has happened! I used this trick to save ~~my life~~ the dress
screwdriver - time for a new one, don't you think?!

Brother Homelock 3-thread overlocker - my Mum's actually - when I was a student I kept borrowing it, until eventually she went out and bought a new one for herself!

Mum's old Elna Supermatic. When I get it fixed I'll use it to do buttonholes and zig-zag at home, otherwise I just get these done at work.
I almost forgot my new lamp - now I can sew at night!

Cutting/Marking things:

Shears - standard issue Mundial ones from school - reverted to after my expensive Wiss ones 'disappeared'
Snips - also standard issue, rarely used - why didn't anyone nick those?!
Weights - I got these from school too - the welding class made them especially for us! The artwork on them is my son's...

New - a Seam Allowance Guide!
The kitchen table for cutting, or the floor for cutting big things
Chalk pencils
Tailor's Chalk - I love how the box is so neatly packed and organised inside, although it's getting a bit empty now:

I do have some pinking shears somewhere too...

Pressing things:

Ironing board - this is wobbly after a failed light-bulb changing incident...(not me!)
A Sunbeam domestic steam iron
Scraps of cloth for pressing - old pillowcases, lightweight wool, silk organza, or the cloth I am working with
Water

Patternmaking/Fitting things:

Paper scissors
Metre rule (metal)
Grading square
Tracing wheel
Pattern notchers
Pens and pencils
Magic Tape
Pins
Tape measures - I have several lying all over the place so there is always one on hand - theoretically!
Button size/conversion card - this freebie from a button company is surprisingly handy

Two Mannequins - one for fitting, one that now decorates the hallway
Roll of pattern paper - 120gms kraft:

That's my list, I think I've included everything - let's just say if I've missed something out it is stashed away and never used!

Now why am I showing you everything I own? Because I was browsing sewing books in the library the other day and noticed quite extensive lists of equipment being recommended. I thought a lot of it was quite specialised - and although nice to have, not what I'd call necessary for the average home sewer. If I was a beginner I would think it so expensive to start sewing I'd take up knitting instead!

I suppose I'm a firm believer that you don't need all the latest gadgets to sew well - perfectly acceptable results can be obtained with a few basic tools - and a little bit of number 8 wire!

Would you agree? What's in your sewing toolkit - are you a maximalist or minimalist? Do you have a few basic essentials, or is collecting sewing gadgets another one of your hobbies?!

The Thing I Like About Buying Vintage Patterns Is...

2011-07-08T19:12:00.000+12:00

...what you sometimes find within them! Those little touches of sewing history that pop up now and then inside the pattern envelope never fail to make me smile.

For instance, this pattern piece complete with silky red tailors tacks:

Not to mention the chance to learn a foreign language!

And this one that came with the receipt still tucked inside - in 1963 Miss Humphrey lived not far from where I live today:

These relics personalise a pattern and make it more valuable to me, so I'll be keeping them in place. Except maybe this one, that was "unchecked and in vintage condition" - I might give it some much needed TLC!

Or there is the opposite extreme - "still in factory folds":

Untouched inside. Is that a bad sign - did they regret an impulsive purchase? Did hubby say: "No honey, you are not making that!" Should I take the hint before I cut into my expensive wool? Mmm...I know this one is risky...

I wonder whose job it was to rubber stamp all these:

And this one shows signs of spending years in Auckland's humid climate - or maybe it was Monaco ;)

Actually damage like this is something I don't like, but it happens.

This one has rusty old dressmaker pins welded into place during the decades:

What about the 3mm wide cutting lines on this one - depending on what side of the line you cut, in this princess style you could end up with a size 12, or a size 16 - perhaps it is just as well it was never used!

But that wouldn't have mattered for this seamstress who wasn't the best at cutting along the cutting line anyway - or maybe she was rushing because she had to wear her new dress out that very night!

Most of these details are relatively nondescript, they just catch my eye and give a small connection to the person who used them before me. To me this adds value. And the poor unused ones in factory folds leave me a little sad, even though that apparently adds to their commercial value.

Have you found any interesting little details hidden amongst your vintage patterns? And do they give you the warm fuzzies too?

And the Gadget Giveaway winners are...

2011-07-02T20:45:00.000+12:00

Today I printed out all 86 names and folded them up into a pile:

Then my 12 year old picked out five - this important decision took quite a while!

Do you recognise any of these?

So the five winners of Hollie's Seam Allowance Guide are...

Fran!

Jodie!

lakaribane!

Samina!

and Tanit-Isis!

Congratulations all - I'll be in touch tomorrow, or you can email me directly at the address in the sidebar with your postal address, and I will send them on Wednesday.

Thanks all for entering - I wish everyone could have been a winner!

If you didn't win but would like your own handy-dandy Seam Allowance Guide, do check out Hollie's website for more information:

http://seamallowanceguide.com/

Happy cutting!

Tricks of the Trade: Sculpting the Perfect Scallop

2011-06-30T20:54:00.000+12:00

Let me show you how I did the scallops on my Scallop Skirt - this way is quicker, easier, and gets better results than the methods I've seen in sewing books.

First of all you cut a straight hem, not a scalloped one! Cut your hem and hem facing about 1cm longer than the finished edge of the lowermost part of the scallop:

It might pay to apply some lightweight fusing to the hem and/or facing to reinforce. Some fabrics (eg loosely woven ones) will need this and some may not, and make sure the fusing does not cause unwanted stiffness.

Now chalk the outline of your scallop directly onto the wrong side of your cloth, using sharp chalk for an accurate line:

My pattern is made of card so this was easy, but if you have a tissue pattern you could make a card template from it. Or use another transfer method like a tracing wheel and Simplicity tracing paper - do they still make that stuff? What we are interested in is the stitching line, not the cutting line:

With your hem and hem facing right sides together, stitch along the chalk line - or more accurately, stitch on the inner edge of the chalk line right where the edge of the pattern was. Check your stitching is accurate and that your scallops are all the same size and shape, now is the time to adjust them if they are a bit wonky!

Once your scallops are stitched the seam allowance can then be cut down to 6mm (1/4") around each scallop.

Clip into the point between each scallop with sharp scissors. Clip to within 1mm of the stitching, or further away if your fabric is loosely woven and fraying is a concern. You need to clip close enough for the point to turn properly though:

Now - most books will tell you to notch into the seam allowance of each scallop several times, just like I've done above - but that takes forever. Which is OK if you have forever, but when you are impatient like me it is not. I tried that technique to compare with my method - I found that I needed to cut tons of notches to prevent the scallop looking angular, and even then it was fiddly to turn and press to maintain the curve between the notches, and to avoid steam burning your fingers. If I did my skirt hem that way it could take a couple of hours!

Trying again with tons of notches...

Instead I chose to do what we usually do in RTW production for convex curves - I trimmed the seam allowance down to around 3mm (1/8") at the height of the curve, it takes 2 seconds:

The quick and easy way!

I only trimmed where necessary, leaving the full seam allowance intact near the clip. As you trim hold the shears at an angle to automatically bevel the edges.

When you turn the scallop through, the curve practically forms itself and is smooth and angle-free. The raw edges of the smaller seam allowance mould themselves evenly into position. Pressing is quicker and less hazardous. Time taken was ten minutes.

Spot the difference:

The two scallops on the left had their seam allowances notched, and are angular in appearance. The two on the right had their seam allowances trimmed, and are smooth.

Try it next time you do scallops, or any convex curve for that matter - collars, cuffs, jacket front hem curves - and hopefully you'll have better results like I did!

Fraying isn't usually a problem on enclosed seams like this, but the risk can be even further reduced by understitching or topstitching. Understitching by machine isn't really possible on small scallops, but can be done by hand. I chose to topstitch instead!

Some readers asked for topstitching hints - but I don't really have many! My main tip would be to sew at a speed where you have good control. For these scallops I sewed slowly and used the handwheel a lot! For 5-6mm topstitching like this I line the edge of the fabric up with the edge of my presser foot, and watch the fabric edge rather than the needle. It helps with straight feeding and speed if I place a finger up next to the foot/fabric edge and hold it there while sewing, a bit like a compensating foot.

Maybe some readers have topstitching tips that would help me - if so, be sure to leave them in the comments below!

And happy scallop sewing from now on!

By the way, Mother Nature has got back at me after I noted we were having a warm winter in a recent post - we awoke this morning to a chilly 6C and most skifields now have enough snow to open for the season, plus I'm now wearing my ski socks around the house...

And have you entered the Seam Allowance Guide giveaway yet?

Gadget Giveaway!

2011-06-28T19:28:00.000+12:00

I'm sold! Hollie sent me one of her Seam Allowance Guides to review, and for someone who operates on minimal equipment and has very few sewing gadgets to their name, I have to say I love this clever little tool!

For those of us who trace Burda patterns or any other pattern system that omits seam allowances, it is perfect - this tool automatically measures the seam allowances for you while you cut. It simply attaches to your scissor blades by a magnet, and you cut using the small black ring as a distance guide.

For those of us who find cutting the least appealing part of the sewing process - this is going to minimise your time at the cutting table and get you to the sewing machine sooner!

Hollie is an accomplished seamstress herself, and in designing this tool she has thought about all the important details. I was impressed with the power of the magnet - it certainly won't fall off or shift when you are cutting around curves or anything! The black ring can be moved incrementally along the guide, so you can cut anything from 6mm seam allowances to 3cm hem allowances:

There are spare rings enclosed and I placed two on the guide at once, partly to avoid losing one (!), but also because I cut my garments with varying seam allowances. And if you have shears with a sloping blade Hollie hasn't forgotten you - there's an extra guide in yellow with a slanted edge - it fits perfectly on the right side of my shears:

It is even great for picking up pins! In these pictures I am demonstrating it being used on a pattern from an Australian Home Journal which has no seam allowances - normally I would trace this onto pattern paper, add seam allowances, cut out the pattern, then lay up and cut the fabric - I can see Hollie's invention is going to save me a lot of time!

And the awesome news is that Hollie has sent me an additional five Seam Allowance Guides to giveaway to my readers around the world! I will draw five names out of a hat on the 1st of July, unless I can figure out that random number generator thingy....

Here is all you need to do to enter:

1. Become one of the fabulous folk following this blog.

2. Leave a comment telling me why you'd love a Seam Allowance Guide in your sewing arsenal.

3. Either leave some way of contacting you (google profile, blog, etc) or check back on the 2nd of July to see if you are one of the lucky five!

Thank you Hollie for your generous offer. And have a great sewing week all - I'm off to cut something out and play with guess what!

The Scallop Skirt

2011-06-25T20:30:00.000+12:00

I've been wanting a scalloped hem skirt for ages but never had the 'right' fabric - until I rummaged through the stash the other day and found a metre or so of some grey marl mystery fabric that I thought would be ideal. It is quite scratchy though, I fear it is some sort of polyester-made-to-look-like-but-definitely-not-feel-like-wool. But beggars can't be choosers - it was a free acquisition, plus has the double bonus of reducing the stash. I thought if I lined it in silk satin that might counteract the negative, and I'll just avoid touching the outsides!

It is a basic A-line with curved waistband that has a curvy inset piece highlighted with topstitching with scallops stuck on the bottom. Initially I imagined a giant buttoned patch pocket three scallops wide, but it was so big it didn't really look right anywhere, so I abandoned that idea. Consequently the skirt is plainer than originally intended, even with the stitching detail. At 55cm it's a bit shorter than my usual length too, but this is a winter skirt and I kid myself I can get away with it wearing tights!

I've been onto DH all week not to mow the lawn, so I could photograph this skirt with all the fallen ginko leaves, which match my tights and new $1 bag perfectly! The top is a Nouveau Top from my Winter 2002-ish collection - it still fits!

Here are some details - a topstitched waistband with tab detail, I wish I placed the front tabs slightly closer to the CF:

A scalloped hem with topstitching - coming up next I have a post on how to sew perfect scallops, quick and easy!

Tagua nut buttons ex some other project, and a silk satin facing/lining:

Now that I have more colour in my wardrobe, I'm really appreciating how versatile grey is. I've usually only worn it with black, or maybe red, but it looks pretty cool with yellow, orange, pinks, purples and plums, and even emerald, cobalt and turquoise - almost everything! I'm on the lookout for some nice orange jersey, or an orange polo neck, or maybe I should knit something orange, whatever, something orange to warm up this winter we are having. Actually this winter is pretty warm so far, we've been hitting 20C recently and the skifields have no snow, but that doesn't stop my orange craving! Maybe orange and purple...

Do you wear a lot of grey? If so, what are your favourite colours to wear with it?

Tricks of the Trade: A Handworked Thread Loop

2011-06-22T15:51:00.000+12:00

For the closure on my emerald silk georgette blouse I hand worked a thread button loop:

Handworked thread loops have a nice discrete, lightweight finish and are great for delicate fabrics and areas where there is little stress placed on the closure. They can also be worked in a straight line to form an eye for a hook, or made longer to form a belt loop at a side seam, but I'll demonstrate the loop version here.

Thread your needle with an arm's length of thread and knot the ends together so it is doubled. Insert the needle a short distance from where you want the loop to be, exiting at one end of the loop:

Pull the thread to draw the knot between the layers, then take a couple of small stitches to secure the thread where it exits:

Insert the needle at the top end of the loop and exit at the bottom end - try to pass the thread through multiple thicknesses for extra strength, without catching the front layer so it remains invisible from the right side:

Do this 2-3 times to make a loop, stick the needle in the centre of the loop and wiggle it so all threads are the same length, and check that it fits your button. You can still tighten or loosen it at this stage:

If you are making a bar for a hook, make this 'loop' so it lies flat on the cloth with a slight gap for the hook to pass through.

Now we blanket stitch around the loop to make it firmer - bring the needle up through the loop:

Then pass it through the loop that you have just formed:

And slowly draw up the thread being careful not to twist or knot it:

Tighten the stitch and at the same time slide it to the very start of your loop:

Repeat:

And keep repeating....

Keep the blanket stitches as close together as possible without overlapping. If your thread gets twisty, drop the needle and let it swing - it will spin and untwist the thread itself.

Keep going until you get to The End:

Zig-zag the needle and thread a few times through the seam allowance between the layers to finish off, exit again at a distance from the loop, then clip the thread close to the cloth. If your loop is the correct length, the edges at the front should butt together when buttoned like so - no overlapping or gaps!

Finished - Emerald Silk Georgette Blouse

2011-06-16T18:29:00.000+12:00

With little practical sewing progress to report lately, it is good to accomplish one thing and feel a hint of achievement - in the guise of a new emerald silk georgette blouse:

This is the one that I hand rolled the hem of the flounce on - Burdastyle August 2009 #117 Blouse. The fabric is sheer so I chose to cut the blouse double, with the hem on the fold, with the inner and outer side seams are sewn in one complete pass. It is certainly opaque now - I'm even wearing a black bra underneath and you can't tell!

While the needle was threaded I hand overcast all the internal raw edges together to prevent a fraying and pressing disaster after washing - it was fun and surprisingly quick. I blame Marina and her gorgeous blouse for inspiring this sort of behaviour in me!

Once I started hand sewing I couldn't stop, and after attaching the neck binding by machine, I understitched it by hand using a prickstitch, then fell stitched it down. Georgette is great in that the thread disappears into the crepey crinkles so the binding almost looks like it is there by magic:

Well, until you see a close-up photograph...

I found a mis-matching-but-close-enough flat button from the button box, and worked a loop at the neck edge for the inner closure:

Then I tried it on....and it was huge. I think this was due to my fabric rather than the pattern - it was originally hand dyed, so the crepe texture had contracted a bit, and when it was pressed it flattened out a bit and grew.

Anyway I took 2cm off the armhole and side seam from the waist up, and also raised the side seam 1cm at the underarm to cover my bra band. At this stage I was regretting all my handwork! However it was worth it - it's feeling a lot more like the top I originally envisaged.

I have given up on the flounce ever laying symmetrically - this fabric is so light that the slightest wisp of breeze rearranges them in an instant. The top part is actually quite symmetrical despite how it looks in the photo, but the lower part is definitely cut slightly off grain and lays asymmetrically. Honestly, whoever cut this should get the sack...

Maybe if I keep moving no-one will notice?!

Adding to the Procrastination Problem...

2011-06-05T23:14:00.001+12:00

I forgot to mention in my Weekend Progress Report, that a little blue "Place Bid" sign stared back at me from the screen - three times would you believe - and I clicked on it to make it go away. Funnily enough, look what turned up in the mailbox a couple of days later:

Yes, you would think I had enough projects, but they say you should always have a Five Year Plan, and I think that is advice worth following.

First up - Miss Vogue 7882 - a rather quirky jumpsuit pattern, still in factory folds - well it was:

I'm not sold on either of the pink jersey versions (although I do need pyjamas...), but what caught my eye was the wool herringbone sleeveless midi version. I can actually see myself wearing this, being a polo neck and boots kind of girl. Or I could just be having a middle-age-moment?

Second up - Simplicity 1714 - a 'simple town-going basic with 3/4 kimono sleeves in two silhouettes, the sheath and the graceful flare":

The sheath version is the one I would make, currently I can only picture it in black or another dark neutral - any suggestions? I would probably insert a zip at the CF, rather than a short CB zip that will only get my hair stuck in - ouch - and I would make real welt pockets rather than fake ones.

Third up - Australian Home Journal, December 1957 - with two pretty dress patterns. How could I not?

At first I thought I had been conned, as it appeared all the pattern pieces weren't there.

But a closer inspection revealed that several were either doubled up or hidden within other pieces - such as this skirt yoke, which is outlined by dots on the back pattern piece sort of like elementary Join-the Dots:

There we have it - what do you think of my, err, - new new projects? Will a midi-jumpsuit make me look like a dweeb in a tweed, or will I look like I'm straight off a Gucci catwalk!? (Or fallen straight off, maybe even pushed...) Help me, clearly I need steering in the right direction!