Handmade by Carolyn

On tracing out patterns

07/12/2010 1:19 pm \ 18 Comments \ Carolyn

Technical stuff today…
Everybody has their own method of tracing out patterns; I thought I’d show here how I’m currently doing mine.
A few years ago our eldest had a Glitterati party where a “red carpet” was required, so I visited Spotlight and bought a 30m roll of red plastic tablecloth. Specifically a 122cm x 30.5m roll. Or 100 ft. Yes, last time I was in Spotlight I did go and check these dimensions for accuracy in reporting here. I’m that committed …
We used about half of this down our front path and along our hallway for the party. As well as being a fun prop for the theme of the party it was an absolute godsend when it came to clean-up time afterwards, just imagine; winter party, bit of mud and wet leaves being trekked in on people’s shoes, spilled drinks and food etc… fantastic to just bundle it all up inside the “carpet” after; bingo, clean floor! Highly recommended…
Anyhoo, I digress as usual; the rest of this plastic tablecloth roll just sat in the cupboard-under-the-stairs gathering dust… then I read a reader’s tip in Threads about using clear plastic to trace patterns. And wondered how well the tablecloth plastic would work for this purpose…

And imo, this stuff is perfect for the task. I would never go back to paper. Although the next time I buy some I think I’ll go for ivory…
Firstly it is translucent enough that tracing is quite possible, easy even. Far easier than the butcher’s paper I was previously using … It’s quite thin and very light. Cheap, another plus.

Yes, I admit; kinda tacky stuff when considered for it’s real role, but highly desirable for tracing purposes…
It can easily be drawn on, and as the plastic is tougher than paper it will not rip or shred as easily. Plus the folds don’t hold like they do with paper, making it easier to re-use the patterns again.

Once I’ve traced, cut out and used my patterns, I store all the patterns from the one book or magazine all together in one large re-cycled envelope, and keep the envelope along with the book, for future use.
What do you use for tracing? And what factors made you choose it?

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: tracing

Khaki scarf; a refashion

06/12/2010 5:18 am \ 14 Comments \ Carolyn

I took the Tshirt below and followed my own tutorial to make this new knotted scarf. Though for this one I cut the front in two pieces and the back in three…
Nothing earth-shattering, but will be a useful little thing to go with the other khakis in my collection…
I love khaki/olive, obviously; one of my best neutrals. This was my daughter’s old Tshirt, and when she gave it the heave-ho I baggsed it; immediatement. That last word is Franglaise, a form of butchered French/English, a language often employed in this household… er, by me mostly. I do have this bad habit of making up words and sometimes even talk in weird, vaguely European accents, particularly after a few drinks. I haven’t on this occasion. Had a few drinks, that is. So got no excuse, really.
Back to the scarf…
The Tshirt in its original form was one of those really badly constructed ones that would not lie straight, and developed strange twisted folds if you tried to fold it flat along the side seams when hanging it up on the clothesline. This is because the sides were cut and sewn just a little bit off. Grrr… my pet hate. Look how it used to be, below… soooo skewiff. So I was pretty elated to be given the opportunity to take the scissors to it.
Now it has a new lease on life, and will not cheese off this laundress ever ever again. Hehehe….

Details:

Top and cardigan; Country Road
Pants; drafted by me, white linen
Scarf; refashioned from an old Tshirt
Thongs (flipflops); Mountain Designs

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: own design, pants, scarf, Wardrobe Refashion

Burda 7767; a pattern review

04/12/2010 2:22 am \ 18 Comments \ Carolyn

Yesterday I surprised myself when I tried to create a link to the review I wrote for this pattern and found out it wasn’t even here!! I wrote this for Pattern Review; oh, months ago, and …er, forgot? to put it here on my blog too. I’ve updated the review here only slightly, to take into account the fact I’ve used it an extra five times since writing this review, and to note some of the variations.
I decided today to wear one of the earliest versions of this pattern I made for Craig; as an overshirt, folded over at the front asymmetrically and belted like a sort of coat. Please note my fabulous salon-styled do; this kind of glamourous hair doesn’t appear here often…

Details:
Shirt; Burda 7767, burgundy linen
Dress; Burda 8511 with fitting, neckline and zip placement variations, brown wool mix. oh, and fully lined too…
Belt; kept from a pair of old cargos
Socks; knitted by me
Shoes; Francesco Morichetti

So without further ado, here is the review:

Pattern Description:

Men’s dress shirt, one version with front pintucking option, the other plain fronted and with four collar variations

Pattern Sizing:

European 44 (US 34) to European 60 (US 50)

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?

I’ve only sewed version B without pintucking, but yes

Were the instructions easy to follow?

very easy

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?

I liked everything about this pattern, nothing to dislike. It’s a basic men’s shirt!

Fabric Used:

Linen

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:

The first time I made this pattern up it was for a birthday present for my husband and I had to make it in secrecy with no fittings! Luckily it fitted fine, however the subsequent times I’ve used it I fine-tuned the fitting to accommodate my husband’s measurements perfectly. Namely by deepening the armholes and correspondingly widening the sleeve at the underarm point. Obviously this wasn’t the pattern’s fault, that I couldn’t perform progress fittings, however!

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

Yes, I’ve sewn this up eight times now; for my husband, our two sons and even for me, and plan to use it many times over again in the future. Would highly recommend to others as a simple basic shirt pattern.

Conclusion:

What’s not to like about this pattern? Men’s shirting needs are often simple and uncomplicated and this pattern serves the purpose exceptionally well. Being such a basic pattern means you can add your own variations such as pocket flaps, welt pockets and fancy topstitching variations as much as you wish. You could also shorten the sleeves to make a summer button-up shirt too. The times I’ve used this pattern I’ve varied the pocket slightly each time, and played around with contrasting topstitching details. It’s a simple matter to lengthen the body pieces to create a curved lower hemline if this is desired also. An advanced seamstress could also play around with varying the yoke.

For the versions for my teenage sons I added tabs inside the sleeves that button back on themselves on the outside of the sleeves to hold up the sleeves when rolled up; I also used press studs in lieu of buttons; sewed on two breast pockets with flaps and angled the pocket flaps and cuffs to give a funkier look to suit a teenager’s tastes. This is only one variation of many one could try out with this great pattern.

Later edit; looking at the other reviews of this pattern I was reminded that the yoke pattern piece had “cut 1” printed on it by mistake instead of “cut 2”. I think this is a simple typo, and not really a problem as the pattern instructions clearly require for there to be two yoke pieces cut, and the pattern cutting layout also illustrates two yoke pieces laid out.

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: Burda 7767, Burda 8511, dress, mens shirt, pattern review

The B1,B2 shirt

03/12/2010 5:41 am \ 23 Comments \ Carolyn

Hehe, I realise only Aussies are going to get that reference. My daughter suggested the name at first sight, and the similarities had up until that moment escaped me. But mean wife that I am, I informed my husband that he still has to wear his new shirt, nonetheless…
To explain; Bananas in Pyjamas is a favourite Australian children’s television show, starring (of course) B1 and B2. My kids all adored this show as littlies…
As the Bananas are always “coming down the stairs” I just had to make my husband come down the stairs for this photo…!

Prior to my daughter’s brilliant observations, I was pretty pleased with this latest addition to my husband’s wardrobe. Oh, OK, I still am pretty pleased… particularly with the buttonholes. They are on the diagonal!! Cool, no? I had seen a shirt in a very expensive menswear store with diagonally placed buttonholes, and decided they looked pretty interesting; a tiny little twist on an otherwise standard shirt, so I decided to incorporate this feature in the shirt. And I do like to experiment with different effects, even in something as basic and potentially unexciting to the home seamstress as a men’s casual shirt.
To draw attention to this feature I also placed the buttonholes in pairs, and used bright contrasting buttons. Well, they deserve to be noticed, right?! My husband had put in his boring request for white or navy buttons, but has conceded now that the yellow buttons are a bit more fun and casual. And definitely more interesting.
I had also used contrasting fabric for the collar and cuff lining, a feature I’d seen on other shirts in the same expensive store, and had decided the yellow buttons were sort of necessary to tie in somehow with the yellow fabric I’d used here. I just felt the shirt needed a little zing to it, as the fabric was so… conventional. I had bought the striped fabric about a year ago always with the intention of making a men’s shirt, but had not got around to it. I think now I just felt uninspired with the prospect of a kinda blah end result, but with the slightly off-kilter extra details I’m now very happy with it and don’t feel it is at all boring!
And yes, my husband likes it too!

Details:
Shirt; Burda 7767 with the usual custom fittings, navy and white striped cotton

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: Burda 7767, Craig, Fabulous fabrics, mens shirt

Floral floaty dress

02/12/2010 8:16 am \ 16 Comments \ Carolyn

Finished!
In sequinned and embroidered silk chiffon from the Alannah Hill outlet in Melbourne, and using Vogue 1152 again. This second time in making up this pattern I followed the pattern faithfully. Except to add about 5cm in length because I felt like my previous version is on the short side. And I hemmed with a handrolled, handstitched hem, so the dress is technically just a leettle bit longer than intended because of this too. I went with the original styling because I figured that the floppy sheer fabric would droop quite satisfactorily and thus work better for this “loose-fitting” pattern. And it does, too.
Note to self; when the pattern envelope says “loose-fitting”, pay attention.
For the piping I used the tiniest scrap of some leftover fabric that my daughter dyed in a shibori method, as part of a school project. And because I didn’t have any piping cord handy, I substituted boot shoelace; just as effective, imo.
Because the fabric is er, like, completely sheer and I don’t wish to make a spectacle of myself, I am wearing it over the champagne silk petticoat, made here using Burda 8071; and it couldn’t be a more perfect fit, cut or colour to work with this dress also. A very useful petticoat, indeed!!
To read my review of this pattern and the previous alterations to the denim version, go here.

Details:
Dress; Vogue 1152, sequinned and embroidered silk chiffon
petticoat; Burda 8071, champagne silk satin
Socks; knitted by me, white cotton
Shoes; Francesco Morichetti

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: Burda 8071, dress, petticoat, Vogue 1152

An unappreciated skirt

01/12/2010 2:58 am \ 8 Comments \ Carolyn

Rummaging around in my wardrobe I came out with this skirt which has only been worn a mere handful of times; poor thing. I was so pleased with it when I had finished it, so I’m not sure why I haven’t been reaching for it more often. I think, even though I’ve been trying to work my way through the wardrobe evenly, I still stubbornly and faithfully go for the same old favourites. I think we fall in a habit of wearing certain items. You know, you reach for the “safe” clothes time and time again, even though they may be looking a little shabby and past their best, and you fail to notice some of the new-ish clothes that you haven’t quite worked out how to work into your ensembles yet… exhibit A; this skirt. I’m going to ease it into circulation more.
Also these shoes, which I bought probably seven or eight years ago. They are really cute, but I haven’t worn them in about three years. I’d been looking for a new pair of flattish black shoes to fit my very strict shoe criteria. This is an annoyingly vague rule; shoes absolutely must excite me with some sort of “it” factor that I can only recognise when I see it. Also, preferably, to be manufactured in a country with ethical employment practices… but my search was failing dismally. Then I came across these tucked away at the back of the wardrobe.
Jackpot!!

Details:
Dress, worn under as petticoat; Burda 8071in embroidered cheesecloth, to see this styled in 6 different ways, go here
Skirt; drafted by me, made from leftover linen scraps from my husband’s shirts, here
Cardigan; Country Road
Scarf; made out of an old tanktop, here
Shoes; Jocomomola

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: Burda 8071, dress, own design, scarf, Sienna, skirt

What were we wearing in the early nineties?

30/11/2010 1:50 am \ 11 Comments \ Carolyn

I am wearing here an outfit I wore to death. I mean the outfit’s death, not mine, obviously…
This photo is marked in my album “4 1/2 months”, which is the age of our eldest son who I am adoring here; isn’t he sweet? Ah, the days when I measured the age of the children even down to the half month!!
I have no idea of the pattern I used… but it comprised a pair of very loose shorts with an elasticised waist, and a very oversized button up shirt with two large breast pockets. In the very best early-nineties tradition. I made this version in a cool light linen mix, in co-ordinating fabrics. It was comfy and easy to wear, and being so super-sized I managed to wear it during the best part of two pregnancies as well as when not pregnant, and still looked quite fashionable, believe it or not. Such were the days when the in-look was for HUGE clothing. Funny times. An elasticised waist is an anathema to me nowadays.
I wonder what will characterise the styles of today, when we look back in ten or twenty years time?

(Oh, and if you would like to see what this cute little tike looks like now, go here)

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: ancient history, shorts, top

Green quilt

29/11/2010 1:45 am \ 7 Comments \ Carolyn

Sometimes I forget that I set out to document all my handmade stuff here. Including the old stuff.
This is a quilt I made a few years ago. The fabrics are all green based, and all “floral” in the sense they all are leafy, fruity, and/or vegetable-y (I do like to make up words when I feel like it) I collected fabrics over about six months until I had found enough to satisfy my criteria, in both the quantity and in the prints. There was almost NO leftovers when I had finished, making the quilt “green” in a colloquial sense too… That’s the beauty of quilts based upon basic square shapes, you can plan them to be very economical with fabric.
The patch arrangement is based upon a Kaffe Fasset design from his quilt book. The edges are hand bound with bias binding, made using two of the fabrics. The top is all machine pieced, and I started hand-quilting the three layers together before I lost enthusiasm and finished the quilting on the machine.
Purists will shudder, but… meh.
It measures approximately 210cmx240cm (7ftx8ft) perhaps a little smaller, but not by much.