Handmade by Carolyn

An casual edging for knits

05/02/2012 3:29 am \ 32 Comments \ Carolyn

I used this great edging for some of my latest T-shirts. This is a nice casual look for thin floppy knits that don’t fray very much. It works really well on those fabrics that want to curl up spontaneously… and it’s always a good idea to listen to what the fabric wants to do and work with it rather than struggling to force it into submission…
Firstly, when you cut out the sleeves, cut them about 2.5cm longer than you want, and then slice off this extra length.
(Oh, for the neckline, you have to measure the finished length of the edge of your neckline, and cut out a 2.5cm width strip (with the length going the stretchy way, natch) the same length, plus 2cm for seaming. I didn’t take any photos of the neckline finishing, sorry…. maybe next time 🙂 but it’s essentially the same process from here on)

With right sides together, sew the sleeve seam, and the seam of the strip to form a ring.

Take your sleeve edge strip and fold it wrong sides together in half along its long length, over and enclosing the raw lower edge of the sleeve.

Pin in place.

Using a twin needle on your machine, stitch the strip down, keeping the stitching a perfectly even length from the folded edge.

So, you end up with this, which doesn’t look particularly… wow. In its ironed, just-been-neatly-sewn state. But wait…

…after washing, the raw edge of the knit will curl up nicely, creating a tight little ridge over the stitching.

Then I dyed the T-shirt using iDye in Crimson, which throws the blue stitching into focus. Of course, if you don’t want contrasting top-stitching to show up as a feature on your garment; you must choose a thread colour that is going to blend in with your final colour after dyeing, as I did for my “bat” shirt. In that case, I top-stitched with a black thread, since in that design I wanted the top-stitching to blend in, and the shirt was going to become a deep deep brown. But in this case I like the tiny accent of blue on an otherwise very plain shirt. And the way the raw edge of the edging has curled up and over the lower row of stitching is very pleasing. I think it looks a little bit like piping.

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: seams, tutorial

Some basics…

04/02/2012 1:35 am \ 30 Comments \ Carolyn

Nothing in this post is write-home-about exciting, but I have been laying down some handy layering basics for the cooler days that will be coming up …. sometime? … 🙂 I’m thinking ahead, to autumn. Planning, you know. Being organised hehehe 🙂

Remember this dress? I put it on recently and my husband announced kindly but firmly that he thought it was weird. His words sounded its death knell. I have put this on once or twice since I made it and each time felt sorta… well yes, now you mention it, weird is exactly the right word. I finally acknowledged that the fabric was wrong for the design, too thick and heavy and with too much body to drape gracefully enough.
My bad. I now know that with a lot of the Pattern Magic 3 designs you do need reeeeally drape-y fabric (hmmm, I think I’ve said that before; once or twice, or ten times…) On the plus side I still like the bodice part of the dress and I had also used the leftovers of the same fabric to make a successful little T-shirt sooooo;
bit of ~~butchery~~ re-fashioning later…

and now we have…
I added waist bands and armbands.

and…

not from the dress, but squeezed from the fabric leftovers …

T-shirt 1: I added waist bands and armbands to the bodice of the dress.

T-shirt 2: dyed with 1/4 tsp iDye in Crimson. I’m very happy with this Tshirt, both its shape and the lovely cranberry colour.

T-shirt 3: dyed along with the “bat” Tshirt in iDye in Brown, then in the leftovers of the iDye Crimson dye-bath of T-shirt 2. I love the tawny port colour it turned out, but there’s something “funny” about the proportions. I wish now I had scooped the neckline a little more than I did. Maybe this will just be an “underneath cardis and jumpers” kind of a Tshirt…

Tshirt 4: the first T-shirt made from the leftovers after the dress, using the same fabric and the same pattern as these other T-shirts, and it hasn’t been shown it here before…. It has a banded neckline and sleeve bands, and a turned up, hand-stitched hem.

I also made this using the last leftovers of bright cobalt blue fabric (same as the “bat” shirt) and it went into the iDye Crimson dye-bath simultaneously with the cranberry T-shirt 2 above. I love the deep royal purple colour that it is now; will layer well with the jewel tones of the other T-shirts for some groovy colourful winter layering, when the time comes 🙂 The texture of that cheap n’ cheerful fabric has to be one of my favourite knits ever. I just wish it had come in ivory, rather than that intense blue colour. Just think of the dyeing possibilities. They would have been infinite 😀

Apart from the first Tshirt pictured, which is the original bodice of the dress on p18 of Pattern Magic 3 by Tomoko Nakamichi, the others are made up using the pattern formerly known as Burdastyle 06/2011, 120 first written about here. In order to get a nice fit that pattern has been shaved and sliced and diced and completely and utterly altered until each and every seam-line is different from the original. As well, I don’t use the neckline facing pieces at all. As for the zip?? well forgetaboutit ….So I guess it can’t lay claim to being Burdastyle 06/2011, 120 anymore.
But my carved-up version is a great fitting T-shirt pattern now… 😀 Yay for that!

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: Burdastyle magazine 06-2011-120, dyeing, Pattern Magic 3, top, Wardrobe Refashion

Top; Gone a bit Batty

01/02/2012 7:04 am \ 23 Comments \ Carolyn

My latest project. Do you like the name? I know, right? I could get a job at Anthropologie, thinking up delightfully poetic tag-lines for the clothing, for sure. I am sometimes capable of romanticism, and dreaming up evocative monikers, conjuring up a magical wonderland way of thinking and engaging the senses in a positive way. I could have gone with something along the lines of Black Magic, or Chocolate Swirl or Liquorice Twist. Nicer, yes? But a twisted sense of humour prevents me from behaving all “delightful” all the time.
Besides, have a look at it, spread out on the lawn, recovering from its dye-job. Decidedly bat-like, I think.

So, this is one variant of the design from p47 of Pattern Magic 3, by Tomoko Nakamichi. Like much of Pattern Magic 3 so far, I thought this a very easy project. My thoughts with this one, a very drape-y knit is essential to allow the pointy bits to flop down into each other attractively; and when you put it on you have to pull and fold the layers to sit just so or it can look a bit weird.
Side views:

It started out its life this colour below, and then subjected to 1/4 tsp iDye, in Brown. I initially bought 2m of this brilliant blue fabric which as well as being very cheap had the added advantages of being very light, very drape-y and 100% cotton. However I only have room in my life for one bright blue top and so dyeing was always on the cards for anything made out of the leftovers.

And yes, I have been doing a lot of dyeing lately. Actually, to say I have run a dyeing marathon would be no exaggeration. I’ve been on a fair dinkum dyeing bender!!
But results of the exciting dye-fest will have to wait until pictorial evidence has been collected. You have been warned…
I finished the neckline and armholes by simple turning under the raw edge and topstitching with a twin needle. This is a great and very easy finish for knits, not as polished a finish as the banded edge, but the perfect choice for something like this top where bands would have visually been too much detail on a top that is already chocka with textural detail. Those little shark fins at the hips are as much detail as the eye can take in my opinion, and the plainer the rest of the garment the better.

Details:
Top; from Pattern Magic 3 by Tomoko Nakamichi, bright cobalt blue cotton jersey dyed with iDye in Brown
Shorts; modified Burda 7723, of yellow embroidered cotton, details here
Sandals; Misano, from MarieClaire shoes

Over-exposed and super highlight-ed to show up the folds better… and doesn’t this make the sky look amaaazing??

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: daily outfit, dyeing, Pattern Magic 3, top

Tracing through the years

31/01/2012 4:54 am \ 25 Comments \ Carolyn

I have a small collection of Burda magazines from the late 70’s and early 80’s. These were bought new back then by my mother for her own use and I have them now for safe-keeping. I loved looking through these magazines, and still do! These were absolutely fascinating to my younger self, and part of the inspiration behind my decision to sew for myself. Along with, naturally, my mother herself; hugely influential to my creative self. A very inspiring lady who was always either spinning, weaving, dyeing, knitting, sewing, or all of the above; magnificent creations for her own wardrobe. And still does today!
Something that interests me now is that the very garments that I loved the most back then are still my same favourites today. What does that say about me? That my tastes have not changed much? I would like to think I am so happily consistent and not all over the place like a dog’s dinner which is how I sometimes feel sums up my tastes… Looking closely at my chosen favourites I can see I’m attracted to a simplicity of line, an absence of clutter in the silhouette, and a certain… something else. I guess what that nebulous “something” is; is my “style” that I am still trying to define today. I did notice that something made up in neutral colours and particularly in white, always attracts my attention, and is almost guaranteed to be one of my long-term “favourites”; LOL! That predilection has not changed!
Back then, the patterns came in one size, or two if you were lucky. The patterns did not come in all sizes, nested together like they do today. So, say one might see a dress that one simply had to have. Looking at the small print, one would then either be transported with joy to discover that it was indeed blessedly in one’s own size, or at least close enough to enable one to fudge-fit it to oneself; oh happy day! One the other hand, one might be plunged into doom to see that the one dress you loved the most was only available five sizes too big. Darn!
Another thing; the pattern sheets themselves. You think today’s Burdastyle patterns are difficult to trace? Take a look at this!

That is a pattern sheet from the May, 1977 issue. Compared to Burdastyle magazine today. 05/2010, to be more accurate…

I’ve put my tape measure in there for an idea of scale….
I think we’ve got it easy today, girls!
Just for fun, here are some of those 70’s styles. I would welcome these two garments happily into my wardrobe.

Some other lovelies from the Spring/Summer 1977 issue…

Finally, I have decided to go ahead with putting out here my wardrobe addition costs, as outlined here. So, completing my summary for January… I think doing a monthly overview will be better than giving a cost each time… a better distribution 🙂

My Darling Clementine top
Fabric $34.60 (includes a portion of the shipping cost)
Pattern; Vogue 1247, first time used $7.00
Thread; $3.20
Total cost: $44.80
A Sludgy Little Skirt
Fabric; all leftovers
Pattern; Vogue 1247 used before
Zip; $1.00
Dye; $7.77 (bought during Spotlight’s 40% off sale)
Total cost: $8.77

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: accounting, random life stuff, tracing

A sludgy little skirt

28/01/2012 3:02 am \ 46 Comments \ Carolyn

Hooo boy. We are having an insane heatwave right now… been 37C or above for over a week now. Australia Day was 42C, phew… We all spent the entire day in bathers, in and out of the pool. The fireworks teetered on being cancelled because of the fire risk, but luckily at the last minute some clouds rolled in, the temps dropped and we even got a few fat raindrops! And then the fireworks competed with an amazing lightning display (pictured below) Today is supposed to be another 42C-er, so I am in my bathers … again!
But unable to resist a smidge of sewing, as can be seen. And dyeing.
I’ve made a skirt. Now, it probably doesn’t look very exciting, but I know this will be a wardrobe staple that I will wear into the ground…. You see, part of building up a wardrobe that is well-suited to each individual woman, that you enjoy wearing and is versatile and comfortable, is recognising items of clothing that are indispensable for you and your own particular style. For a while now I’ve been wanting to replace an item that I determined long ago is one of my own indispensables; a short straight sludgy coloured skirt. I was pretty sad when my old khaki corduroy one finally died, it got all stretched out around the waist in an ill-fitting and ugly way, and for the last six months of its life I could only wear it with long shirts hanging out over the top, which was an utterly ridiculous state of affairs, so I finally said goodbye to it. I tried to move on, do without it, but eventually conceded I really wanted another skirt just about exactly like that old one, and soon!
That skirt was thisclose to perfect, but of course a skirt does not qualify as actually perfect in my opinion unless it has pockets. When I checked out the line drawing of the skirt in Vogue 1247; I was pretty excited … Little skirt; check! Plain and basic; check! Pockets; check AND check!!!! These are all the features adding up to the perfect little skirt in my book… and it also has a waistband, something I am currently into in my skirts…. WIN!
I made the skirt from purple stretchy denim, the leftovers from my plum jeans here. The waistband is black corduroy, with its wrong non-fluffy side out, leftovers from these jeans, and instead of folding the waistband in half so it is self-faced as suggested in the pattern, I pieced the waistband in half horizontally with a lightweight cotton (shot cotton in Ice, also a leftover) to reduce bulk around the waist… just a personal preference. The pockets are lined with the same lightweight cotton.

The waistband is a contrasting black; for the following reason…. usually I add a bit of length to my pattern pieces, but I was working with scraps here and could only cut all my purple skirt pieces to their pattern-stipulated length… and this skirt is short! Now, I like my skirts short it is true, but this one was going to be really short… even by my standards. So I didn’t hem, but instead enclosed the lower raw edge of the skirt in the same black bias binding used for the HongKong finishes on all the other raw edges inside the skirt. And cut a new black waistband, so as to have the colour of that black edge picked up somewhere else in the garment.

The HongKong seaming does constitute part of the pattern instructions and there is a pattern piece to aid you in constructing your binding. I dutifully cut this out and make up the continuous bias binding as instructed. However it was too skinny to work effectively on my thick denim fabric, so I ended up cutting a whole new new lot of 50% wider bias binding in black quilting cotton. Which means I have 6.5m of skinny off-white bias binding now, to use in some other project 🙂

I dyed the finished skirt using 1/4 tsp of iDye in Brown. I’m very happy with this final colour. It is very satisfyingly muddy and richly sludge-y, wouldn’t you say? I would describe it as eggplant, rather than either brown or purple. A sort of deep n’ dirty purple, that reads as a strong chocolate brown on first sight, but still recognisably has that warm purple-y base underneath when you look at it more closely.
(at left: front, before dyeing, at right; the back after dyeing)

Inside the skirt: at left; the front, before dyeing, and see the pale blue waistband facing? and at right, the back view after dyeing the skirt… that 100% cotton waistband really picked up the brown dye beautifully compared to the denim, which having some synthetic elastane in it didn’t pick up the colour quite as vividly….

Details:
Skirt; Vogue 1247, purple stretch denim and black corduroy waistband; dyed with iDye in Brown
Top; top “a” from Unique Clothes Any Way You Like by Natsuno Hiraiwa, of white cotton, details here
Sandals; Micam by Joanne Mercer, from Hobbs shoes, details here

Pattern Description:

Short straight skirt with deep front pockets set in a horizontal seam.

Pattern Sizing:

6-12; I cut the size 10

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you had finished sewing it?

Yes, except that mine is 5cm longer because I did not hem, but finished the raw lower edge with black bias binding.

Were the instructions easy to follow?

Yes

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?

I just love this skirt pattern; the slight A-line shape with a minimal flare, and the pockets most of all. The smaller pattern pieces also enable you to make use of smaller leftover pieces of fabric, which is a big plus…
I like the HongKong seaming in the skirt and the French seaming in the top; that the instructions are encouraging users to finish their garment to high standards.

The skirt is very short as it is, but that is the easiest thing to alter in a skirt pattern…

Fabric Used:

Medium-weight stretch denim, corduroy waistband, lightweight cotton for the waistband and pocket facings, quilting cotton for the bias binding.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:

I finished the lower raw edge with bias binding instead of hemming; this skirt is short! In stead of the self-faced waistband, I pieced the waistband horizontally in two halves; the outer half is the fashion fabric and the facing half a thin lightweight cotton. I thought this a better choice to face the thicker denim I chose for the skirt fabric. Likewise the pockets are lined in lightweight cotton.
Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?

I will definitely sew this again sometime! Probably lengthened… 🙂

Conclusion:

A short straight fitted skirt, AND with deep pockets? it doesn’t get much better than that!

For interest: the lightning vs. fireworks over Perth on Australia Day…

photo by Matt Titmanis; source

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: daily outfit, dyeing, pattern review, skirt, Vogue 1247

Australia Day

25/01/2012 4:32 pm \ 15 Comments \ Carolyn

Today is Australia Day, and what better cuisine to enjoy than a meat pie and sauce served on a paper bag. Mmmm mmmm.
Fabio approves.
Wishing all a perfectly wonderful day!

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: Fabio, random life stuff

My darling Clementine

23/01/2012 9:39 am \ 45 Comments \ Carolyn

I have made a new top!
A nice floaty loose top perfect for our fiercely hot summer days. And we’ve sure had a few stiflers lately :S so I will be wearing it immediatemente.
I used Rowan shot cotton… again. This colour is Clementine (and please note I am wearing it with my little lime-print skirt, hehe! gettit?)
I am so addicted to this fabric! It is gorgeously light, an almost not-even-there type of fabric. Which is great for this particular pattern. Why? Well, the pattern specifies French seams throughout, and has a number of convergent seams. Like where there are pleats on both front and back, joining together at the shoulder seam, and particularly! that centre front bit, where there are six French seams all converging to a single point in a star-shape, and themselves all being joined in a final French seam too… if your fabric was even a little bit bulky I would class this a quite a tricky area to get looking nice, and particularly situated where it is, right boom in the centre front of your top it pretty much has to be perfect! Luckily this shot cotton is so marvellously light it wasn’t too horrible a job, and I think I got it looking quite neat and tidy.
Of course you don’t have to do the French seams here if you wanted to make life easier for yourself… which I stubbornly do not 😉
I used a newbie-to-me pattern Vogue 1247. This was a Christmas present from Sam; but I’m still adding the cost of it to my little 2012 personal-clothing-expenditure ledger, since in reality I chose, sourced and bought it myself!! and he just “gave” it to me. We are very practical when it comes to present-giving in our family…
This pattern is classed as Average; a rating which was a little head-scratching to me. I guess maybe the instructions for finishing throughout with all French seams made them decide to up the difficulty rating a notch, since I can’t really think of any other feature that could make this pattern anything other than a very easy project easy imo!
The neckline is finished with a narrow self bias strip… Noice, no? at right; that convergence of French seams from the inside view

I really like the bias-cut facings, folded out over those kimono sleeves….

Narrow hem…

Since the neckline is quite wide I slip-stitched lingerie holders to the shoulder seams to keep those straps outasight, these were a gift from the very lovely Yoshimi… thank you so much Yoshimi!

Probably this top would be far more fabudabulous on a lady with.. er, more fabudabulous assets, but I’m still pretty happy with how it looks on me. I am planning to make the little skirt too, and will review that separately.
Ciao, bambini!

Details:
Top; Vogue 1247, shot cotton in Clementine, from here
Skirt; Vogue 7303 modified, lime print cotton
Sandals; anna, from MarieClaire shoes

And that colour? See below the happy marriage of a light pumpkin warp juxtaposed against a truly neon orange weft; giving rise to that beautifully citrus-y iridescence..

Pattern Description:

Very loose-fitting top; wide V-neckline, kimono sleeves with fold-back facings, the body of the top falling softly from shoulder pleats, interesting geometric seaming on the front creating a nice textural feature.

Pattern Sizing:

6-12, I made a straight 10 (Later edit in response to a comment: this is my usual choice, and I would say the sizing runs true to other Vogue patterns I have made up. It is supposed to be a loose-fitting top!)

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you had finished sewing it?

Yes

Were the instructions easy to follow?

Yes.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?

I really like the very loose and unstructured shape of this top, and the fact that it will be delightfully floaty and cool for our scorching summers. It’s pretty easy to make up. And one just slips it on over one’s head with no closure, making it soft and simple to wear. The interesting reverse-situation of the bust darts and the convergent seams at the centre front are nice subtle design features, and best showcased in a plain solid-coloured fabric imo.

And since I did choose a plain solid-coloured fabric with no nap this also meant I could lay the pattern pieces down either side up, allowing a far more efficient pattern layout and leaving myself with plenty of leftovers!

Fabric Used:

Lightweight shot cotton

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:

No alterations. I added lingerie holders at the shoulder seams; that very wide neckline means strap exposure would be a given otherwise!

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?

I will like to sew this again (I always say this and then it could be years before I do! however I would like a few more of these in my wardrobe, if not right this minute then certainly in another colour in another season.

My only advice is that if you are going down the path of French seams throughout as recommended in the pattern, then a thin and lightweight fabric is essential; all those French seams converging together are quite bulky on the inside, and would be difficult to get nice and neat in anything thick. Of course you could always leave off the French seam finish on that horizontal central seam if your fabric was not co-operating…

Would I recommend this to others? yes!

Conclusion:

I love it! The design of this top strikes me as very fashion-forward. Something about the spare minimalism of the silhouette, the sharp lines of that geometric seaming, the beautifully drape-y kimono shape. I could imagine this particular top design on a high fashion catwalk.

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: daily outfit, pattern review, top, Vogue 1247

Coming to my senses…

20/01/2012 5:34 am \ 25 Comments \ Carolyn

Employing that pleasing dichotomy of minimal with steam-punk in my outfit today… yeah?
Dichotomy.
Is good stuff.
Now, I’ve had a re-think. And thank you all for helping me to come to my senses! I did feel a little out of my comfort zone after posting yesterday, and after sleeping on it I felt even worse about it …
The specific cost of my personal things is, I have decided, personal. It feels very uncomfortable for me to be publicising it. That’s just the way I was brought up, so I’m not going to excuse that.
Even amongst my closest friends I would not dream of announcing how much an outfit cost. That would be like extreme bad manners… so why did I think I would be OK with doing the same on the blinking internet?? (face palm)
Besides, the numbers I put down here are meaningless to most people who might even read my blog, apart from other Australians. And only fellow Perthies will understand about the fabric and yarn limitations here… And I do not want to attract judgement, condemnation or pity from the inevitable comparisons, which I would certainly do if I really started publicising how much things actually cost here… so I will be keeping tabs on my clothing creations this year, in exactly the guidelines I laid down yesterday, but I will probably be keeping the figures to myself.
Unless I change my mind again 🙂
A woman’s prerogative, you know…. 😉

Details:
Top; top “b” from Unique Clothes Any Way You Like by Natsuno Hiraiwa, white cotton, details here
Skirt; Vogue 7303, ivory wool-mix suiting
Sandals; Micam by Joanne Mercer; from Hobbs shoes

Necklace; urbandon , here
Isn’t this the coolest thing?! My new favourite accessory…