Tag Archives: Closet Core Patterns

some odds and ends

05/06/2024 12:45 pm \ 1 Comment \

Just recently I took part in me-made May again, and had a month of taking my own photos once more.  It feels funny to go back to this, since I’ve completely got out of the habit of taking daily photos, but I do enjoy joining in with me-made May.  It helps me to take stock of the items in my wardrobe that I really like and those that I don’t! and also identify any gaps in my wardrobe…

So these are my daily outfits for the month… there are 32 outfits for 31 days because we had one evening out for my sister-in-law’s birthday party for which I wore a separate outfit from during the day (pic5).  I made every item of clothing I’m wearing in every outfit, except for my black hiking boots and white sandshoes.  I did make the sandals in pic14 though!

Thoughts; (warning; skip this bit if you find wardrobe analysis boring!). I liked all my outfits although there are 1-2 things I pinpointed as being shabby and maybe not really up for public consumption any more (overdyed blue dress and the tomato cardigan from picture 1).  I also resurrected a few things from storage to wear again, and was reminded how much I love them really.  (chambray top from pic26, overdyed dress from pic12, jeans from pic 25, jeans from pic32, the shirt I made for Craig in pic16). Surprisingly (for me) I hated nothing, which is good, and makes me think I might need to retire those things I chose NOT to wear during the month!  I conscientiously tried to wear something different every day and only discovered that I’d doubled up on a few things after the event.  I wore my pink Pinjarra cardigan twice (pics 10 & 23) and also my little raspberry jacket twice (pics 9 & 25), and my brown knitted cardigan three times (pics 7, 13 & 24).  For the last few years I’d got into the habit of not wearing jeans very often since I became convinced that I look terrible in them.  However, lately I’ve found to my surprise that I don’t mind how they look on me.  So, I’m planning to make a new pair of jeans, surprise surprise!  Wardrobe gaps: well, sorry to sound like a broken record, however as old pocket-less items die they are only going to be replaced with pocket-equipped items!  This is absolutely not negotiable.

In the end, me-made May is a bit biased in that I don’t get to wear my truly summery things nor my truly wintery things either.  It’s all the middle ground, trans-seasonal things that suit middle ground temperatures.  I mean, this is fine; because the majority of my wardrobe is obviously middle range things weather-wise… however sometimes I think I should do this sort of analysis privately for a hot month and a cold month too.

I also kept a pictorial record of my purple hair wash too! just for fun. :). The colour was quite intense to start with and had washed out to a shade I REALLY love after 2-3 washes.  I took the 6th picture today, the colour is quite subtle now, but it still noticeable, I think.  In a good way!  However, this is a lesson to me that if I ever use a purple colour wash again to just use maybe a third of the tube, at most!

I made something else last month; a new pair of winter jammies…  I used the Closet Core pattern that is my namesake of course, the Carolyn pyjamas for the bottoms.  The top is vaguely similar to my usual pattern Burda 10/2009; 121 that I’ve used for winter pj tops in the past, but I’ve somehow managed to lose the pattern I’d traced out.  I didn’t feel like re-tracing it, so instead I just laid down last year’s top and traced around the outside, haha.  I added oversized pockets to the front, because I always need pockets.

I had to buy new fabric thus breaking my no-buy rule… but it was a necessary sin since I had no flannelette in my possession!  I bought as little as I dared and managed to use the entire amount, so I’m forgiving myself!  The bunny print cotton flannelette is of course from Spotlight, and I bought a small amount of white to give some contrast because I always like a bit of contrast.  To be honest, I searched and searched for some garishly cotton candy coloured unicorn print flannelette which would have been my absolute ideal… and was extremely disappointed to find nothing like that.  These sweet blush-pink bunnies are reasonably cute enough so they will do.  For now!

In closing; a favourite moment from me-made May was the day when Cassie, Theo, Gilbert and I visited the Subiaco Flower festival together… we had such a lovely afternoon!

(photo taken by a kind lady passing by)

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an assortment of sewn things

11/12/2023 4:50 pm \ 6 Comments \

hello!  Once again I am presenting an odd assortment of disparate things made recently…

Items 1 and 2; two completely identical new Booragoon tops.  Both from a pink cotton jersey from stash, originally Spotlight from ages ago.  I’m wearing one above with my newly dyed Closet Clore patterns Mitchell trousers… the trousers used to be a paler pink and I felt like a colour change though I fear I overdid it a bit!  never mind…  the other pink Booragoon has gone to my niece T.  It really suits her!

Love this cute and yet chic little pattern!  I know it’s mine and I shouldn’t be too self-congratulatory, but I really really love it so I just have to gush occasionally.  I’ll stop now.

Items 3, 4 and 5, or should I just call this item 3?  I’m never quite sure…

anyway, I made a new set of one Watson bra plus two pairs of matching undies.  I used some of the leftover pink cotton jersey, from those aforementioned pink tops, and some striped jersey, that I’ve had for a long long time (actually made this striped shirt from it). And whipped up a mixed fabrics set… actually I want to make more things like this at the moment, mixing up different fabrics.

Fronts and back of the knickers are contrasting, the strap elastic, rings and sliders, and hook and eye closure are all recycled from an old bra.  The other elastics are all from the stash, by which I mean they’ve not been used before even if they’re not actually new.  A free set!  Yay!

Items 6 and 7 (or 4 and 5?). some matching clothes for Cassie’s two; T and G…  Oh, I’ve just realised I haven’t introduced my newest grandson here yet… I did over on instagram but this is his first appearance here…Cassie had baby Gilbert a few weeks ago, and here he is!

Isn’t he sweet!  This is the first thing I’ve made for him and I made a matching T-shirt for his older brother too.

I’m quite sad that this next one has zero hanger appeal, or should I say floor appeal, and even on the body it doesn’t look particularly chic; which is pity because the fabric is absolutely beautiful.

Mum wove this length of beautiful lilac/blue fabric with her own two hands many years ago, and had partially made a dress or tunic or something out of it.

I cut off the bottom, hemmed, and reattached the cut off portion as sleeves.  I’m wearing it as a summer dressing gown.  So that was item 8, for those keeping count, and now for number 9….

my new summer nightie!  So I really really love this and it feels so lovely to wear!  I used a short length of silk from Le Stash, originally from (I think) Tessuti fabrics of Melbourne, from years ago.  With some clever pattern placement I managed to cut a Closet Core Simone slip.  I French seamed the side seams, and was very careful to match stripes all around.  It feels incredibly luxe!  Why have I never made silk sleepwear before?!

 

 

Ok, I think that’s all for now!  See you later!

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some new sewn things….

24/06/2023 10:08 am \ 9 Comments \

Hello!  I’ve been busy; making lots of things, but not so busy posting them!

Firstly; Cassie is expecting again, so I’ve whipped up a few new maternity outfits…

Items 1 and 2;

this is the Closet Core Ebony tee combined with the Burda 7023 maternity skirt pattern.  This is such a great maternity combination; I’ve made it as a set for both Cassie and Kelly in the past and it’s worked so well.  This set is made with navy blue merino and a navy blue/red striped cotton jersey; both have been in the stash for at least a year.  I’d bought 2m of the merino from The Fabric Store and made one single tee; I’d been planning a cardi from the remainder but never got around to it… I’d bought the striped jersey to make baby things but again not got around to it yet…   Right now I’m totally over saving things for that imagined planned project but am just of the mindset to use what I’ve got, when the mood for a project strikes … it’s a much healthier mindset in my opinion!  After all, I can always buy more fabric if I don’t have something appropriate, right?

Items 3 and 4;

the same pattern combo as above, in a mossy green/grey stretch stuff.  I have no memory of buying this, and I’m pretty sure it’s another from Mum’s stash.  I didn’t have quite enough to cut the tee full length so it’s about 10cm or so shorter than the pattern.  Still looks pretty nice imo!  I think the sombre colour makes it look a bit more sophisticated and smart.

Item 5;

this is a Burda pattern; 2/2015;107… I’ve made it for her once previously and she absolutely loves that dress.  Thus why she requested that I make this one, using fabric from her stash.  I think she bought it from Tessuti? when we were in Melbourne, and yes I know I know; I’m trying to use my own stash, why on earth am I accepting commissions from other people’s stashes, hmmm??  Madness!  But she’s my daughter so of course I acquiesced.  She’s pretty busy, after all!

The fabric is a very lightweight silk?  I think… so lightweight I deemed it necessary to underline totally with a creamy coloured, very drapey drill, also used for that visible tie.  This was from the stash, yay!  It was all finished and I was pretty happy; however when she tried it on it looked way too heavy.  When I’d made the first one I’d simply lined it, not underlined; and I realised this was the problem… the simple fix was to cut away the underlining from the side seams and resew the underlining side seams separately to make it a lining.  Sounds kinda slapdash but it worked pretty well.  The silk hangs quite nicely now!  This is not really a maternity pattern but Cassie has found it works just fine in early pregnancy.

Item 6; another self-drafted tee for Arthur.  This was cut from one of the last of Tim’s old tees from my T-shirt bag!  Feels good to have those all gone now!

bragging about careful stripe matching ahem, particularly on those very small sleeve bands!

Item 7; a kinda silly hat for Cassie.  I cut this from the scraps from hers and Theo’s matching pj pants; blogged here.  The fabric is of course her own design, from her Spoonflower shop.  The hat is a little funny but you know, the fabric was too nice to throw out.

The pattern is the Elbe Textiles Sorrento bucket hat; this used to be a free pattern but now has a small price on it.  Which is fine, imo.  Designers should be paid for the work they do!  Did I ever tell you the story about the sewist who sent us multiple emails trying to not only get our patterns for themselves for free, but also to donate them as prizes for her followers?  All to “support us and help promote us”?  No?  One for another time, maybe!

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dressing like a tomato

25/05/2023 2:23 pm \ 6 Comments \

Hello!

So, I’ve alluded to this ongoing project previously; the mission to “use up a rather large length of tomato-red jersey”  I am pleased and just a little lot relieved to report a successful completion of the mission, ahem…

I originally bought this “remnant” from a Morrison seconds sale… it was very cheap… when I had the chance to check it out properly I realised it was at least 6m in length, possibly more if I’m honest.  Phew!  Just a few weeks ago I dedicated myself to remove this from Le Stash.

Item 1; a dress for Cassie… this is the Ebony pattern by Closet Core patterns.  I don’t have any pictures of her wearing it, but it skims her knees and the sleeves are elbow length.  This will be a great little dress for winter for her; worn with tights and boots, over a turtleneck, and with her denim jacket, it looks super cute!

Item 2; a little T-shirt for Theo (previously posted)

yes, he looks cute

Items 3,4 and 5; a little T-shirt for Arthur, plus the sleeves for two more (previously posted)

here he is on Mothers Day.  Cassie is wearing this dress I made last year, and Tim is wearing a hoodie I made for him yeeeeears ago.  I’m thrilled he still loves it so much!  Also, yes, the dress is still mine but I’ve lent it to Cassie for a little while because she wanted some more work-appropriate dresses and I don’t have the time to make new ones for her just yet!

 

Item 6;

a cardigan for myself… I’m in the midst of planning to make a pattern for this design this year.  I’ve made multiples for myself and it’s such a useful little thing to have!

wearing it during me-made May

Item 7:

a little top for myself.  This is our most recent pattern the Booragoon top, available in our etsy store here  #shamelessplug

Item 8;

a little winter skirt for myself.  This is the Paprika patterns Jade pattern; one I make up usually once a year.  Well, I really like it!  Again, pictured during me-made May…


there’s even a failed Item 9!  I cut out a skirt for Cassie too, but as I was pinning it together for its first seam I noticed a fault, a few holes right across a line of the grain.  By this time I was well and truly over the tomato fabric so it was with some joy that it got tossed into the bin.  No regrets!

So wow, yes that’s still a lot of tomato!!

I may or may not wear all three of my own tomato items together like this; on the one hand I really love this colour.  On the other hand…. well actually there is no other hand really.  I love the colour, so I most like will!  btw, not pictured; but the three items I made for myself each has a “circa 2023” label on it.

Now; to be honest, there is a problem with all of these new makes, well more accurately there is a problem with the fabric… I realised that it was cheap and plentiful for a reason.  The fabric is super stretchy, as in it’s stretching out quite fast and it’s clearly not going to last very long.   Like, probably not longer than this year.  Beware a bargain!  You can see in my miniskirt how the folds do not look super stable and a little stretched out already.  Oh well, just gong to enjoy it while I can  🙂

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pj’s

02/05/2023 8:13 pm \ 6 Comments \

Oh man!  I have been unable to post here for quite a while and was starting to wonder; could this be the end of Handmade by Carolyn…?  Fortunately my clever husband worked the problem out.  Then I wrote a whole post and posted it, and it just disappeared, poof! into the ether.  So upsetting!  I’m going to try for a second time, so hopefully this time it will not!

Pj’s.  I’ve made a few.

Firstly, for me, I used my namesake pattern, the Closet Core Carolyn PJ’s for my pants and a Burda pattern, 10/2009, 121 for the top.  Sometimes I think I should make the Carolyn top as a pj top too, but I really prefer my pj tops to be buttonless. As well as saving buttonholes for a shirt that I will wear awake, and out of the house.  Well, buttonholes are an effort!

I know I pledged to not buy any new fabric until I’d used up my stash, and I had to buy some flannelette for these, which is a little bad but not really because I really needed new winter jammies.  I managed to use up every last scrap by slapping some patch pockets on the front of the top; which makes me feel very thrifty and virtuous, so it’s all good in the end.  The white flannelette was already in my stash, leftover from a previous jammie-making venture.  Both from Spotlight.

Next up; I made pj pants for Cassie, and mini matching ones for Theo.  So cute that they can match each other!  Cassie’s are the Closet Core Carolyn pattern, and I left the front open at her request, just in case she decides to go though another pregnancy in the next few years.

I added a press stud at the waistline and a drawstring so they can still be closed easily.  The drawstring is attached to a bit of elastic threaded through the back of the waistband.  I cut out and stitched in her Spoonflower label… oh I forgot to mention!  The print on the fabric is her own design in her Spoonflower shop, printed on fleece from their range.  We were using this small length as a cot blanket for when the kiddies slept over, but it’s outgrown that function and needed up cycling.  So now it’s pj’s!

Theo’s matching pants are Burda 9436 modified slightly to be pj bottoms by eliminating pockets and adding elasticated cuffs, and his little red raglan T-shirt is self drafted.  It’s cut from a massive “remnant” that I bought from a Morrison seconds sale, once upon a time.  When I say, remnant, I mean about 6m although I’ve been too depressed to ever actually measure this.  I don’t know what I was thinking, buying it; honestly.  I must have been mad.  It’s my current intention to use up this remnant as soon as possible… I’m making good headway too, results to appear here soon.  I hope!

Next up, for Arthur.  For the pants, I used the same Burda 9436 as for Theo, lengthened because he is much taller; and grey sweat shirting fabric from the stash.  The two little T-shirts (same self drafted pattern again) are made using his Dad, Tim’s old T-shirts.  Yes, I still have some of these left! and actually it’s getting quite hard to cut Arthur sized T-shirts from adult-sized T-shirts, believe it or not; so I’m planning to power through all the T-shirts pretty quickly now.

Lastly, and completely random I know; I made some lemon macarons because I had lemons, and because I kinda wanted to prove to myself I was still capable.  Very very pleased with how they turned out!

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it’s curtains for you! otherwise titled; why should windows have all the fun?

03/12/2022 1:21 pm \ 6 Comments \

This year, my friend Raina gave to me a couple of bags of fabric that she’d been hoarding for years, finally sensibly throwing them out… or should I say.. throwing them my way?  I really should throw out a lot of my fabric too but not only am I not sensible, I’m also such a sucker for a lonely, unwanted piece of fabric that is just screaming out to be made into something wanted and loved…  *sigh*

Anyway; amongst the odds and ends and bits and bobs was a length of really beautiful curtain fabric.  Samarkand by Sanderson, no less.  I thought it was lovely and had lots of potential.  Interestingly, I’ve just searched online and can find not even one picture of this print?!  Weird!

Raina tells me this was the leftovers from the bedroom curtains in their old house in England, and since they left England more than twenty years ago that should give you an idea of how long this has been kicking around!  I’m so happy it’s finally been put to good use!

I made a skirt using my own skirt block pattern, that I’m developing to be a pattern for our pattern company actually, and this time I managed to remember to add seam allowances, hurrah!  Yes, I finally got my matching top and skirt set, yay!

For my top I used the Closet Core patterns Cielo pattern.  I didn’t have enough of the curtain fabric to cut everything, so the sleeves and sleeve cuffs are a co-ordinating grey linen, which was given to me by Mum when she cleaned out her own stash.  I know, I seem to be using everybody else’s stashes at the moment and not much of my own!  I really should remedy that for the remainder of the year… if I can!

I lined the skirt with a leaf green lining fabric, also from Mum’s stash. Later on, I also noticed that the lining of the skirt peeped out a bit in a few of my photos so since then I’ve gone back in and shortened the lining by a few centimetres.  Always telling myself; it’s really worth me doing this sort of thing properly because otherwise it would bother me forever.

I finished off the raw edges inside the top and skirt with bias tape cut from dark olive poplin.  Now, this is actually from my own long term stash!  I also finished off the neckline facing with the same poplin; it makes the inside look so nice and neat, as well as being far more comfortable and soft against my skin.  I try to do this as much as possible nowadays.

 

I really love this new ensemble!  the beautiful bird print on the fabric is so elegant.  I’m so happy I was able to pattern match quite close to seamlessly everywhere.  I kept and incorporated the colour legend from the selvedge on the waist band of the skirt, because… well just because I can!  I love it, and I believe that a print with such a lot of colours in it like this is the mark of a really quality print.

I wore this to morning tea with Raina this past week because I knew it would give her a laugh, and she was satisfyingly very happy to see it too!  Gave me lots of warm fuzzies to see how much she loved it actually.  Very satisfying.  It’s very comfortable, and a style that makes me feel really good too.  I’m going to get lots of wear out of this outfit, for sure!  I only have a few more of those “circa 2022” labels left now.  Hmm… what label-worthy things should I make to finish up the year?  Better put my thinking cap on!

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22/10/2022 8:31 pm \ 3 Comments \ \ Quote

I made a pretty new top… isn’t it gorgeous?  It’s a slight different style that I might usually go for, and I absolutely love it!  So elegantly feminine and floaty and chic.

This is the new Nicks pattern by Closet Core patterns; it comes as both a dress, a blouse, and a tunic top, which is the view I chose to make.  It also comes with two different sleeve choices, a slightly puffy long sleeve, and the short sleeve.  I really like the mix and matchability potential that this pattern has, I really reckon you could play about with the different bits and pieces and come with a whole tonne of different garments that could look quite distinct from each other.  It’s not pictured on the pattern cover, but the blouse option does not have the buttons, nor any frill, so it stylistically looks quite different from the sweet V-neck buttoned front of the dress and tunic pictured there.  I’m quite excited to try some of the different options out!

My fabric is actually the leftover ivory crepe from Kelly’s wedding dress!  I had just enough to cut the tunic out, and not much more!  And fortunately I still had buttons leftover from when I covered 100 for her dress too… phew boy was that a project and a half.  I think I still have a little ptsd from all that.  But excellent that I still have the buttons to use for other things like this!

 

I think I’ve pretty much decided to only make white or white-ish tops from now on actually.  I’ve realised that during warm weather in particular, whenever I go to select a blouse or top from my wardrobe, I hone in on the white ones; they go so much better with all my more colourful or patterned skirts and other bottoms.  Or maybe it’s just a mood I’m in at the moment.  A sorta boring mood.  Or maybe just in need of streamlined, uncomplicated comfort dressing, which to me means the visual peace and clarity of white tops.

This may very well be a mood that changes in the next instant, but for the time being; that’s the plan. Or maybe it’s just because the last time I sorted through my stash discovered I have a small mountain of white fabric that needs to be productively dealt with? To assuage the guilt?  Either way!

I’m wearing my new top here with my Closet Core patterns Sasha trousers, still my favourite jeans.  These are getting a touch sad nowadays, which in turn makes me sad.  I think I should set aside a little time to make some more!

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pink trousers

05/10/2022 12:09 pm \ 4 Comments \

I’ve made some new trousers…

this is the new Mitchell trousers pattern by Closet Core patterns.  It has two views, view A is a pegged, cropped version and view B is an ankle length, more swishy wide-leg version.  Obviously I was always going to make the wide leg swishy leg version!  I love that 40s Hollywood, menswear inspired vibe… although this design was actually inspired by Joni Mitchell from the 70’s, and yes while the menswear look was definitely a thing in the 70s I think it definitely had its actual roots from trend setters like Katharine Hepburn in the 40s.

I unearthed from Le Stash a long length of beige linen with blue pin stripes; originally bought from the Fabric store during one of our very earliest trips to Melbourne!  I’m pretty sure I’ve had this for approximately ten years!  SOOOOO happy to have this finally gainfully employed into a (I think) rather gorgeous new addition to my wardrobe!

Soon after buying it I suddenly felt the tastefully bland colour totally uninspiring, and just could not for the life of me work out why I’d bought it in the first place.  But of course, an unexciting colour is never a problem when you can dye it… and it’s quite a thick, substantial kind of linen, really beautiful quality; so I hung onto it, confident it would find its purpose one day.  And it finally has!

I washed the beige fabric with a length of very very intensely red cotton corduroy.  This worked a charm straight off the bat and I got a length of beautiful blush pink linen which I absolutely love… hurrah!  I’m aware this colour could fade over time, but fortunately it’ll be easy to keep it up with a light wash of pink dye every now and then  🙂   The buttons were from Spotlight, once upon a time… and the zip I used is a bit bright but it’s not like you can really see it.  Both from stash.

The Mitchell design has two buttoned welt pockets at the back and deep, slanted front hip pockets peeping out from under deep front pleats, side ties to nip in the waist, and a waist facing as opposed to a waistband.  This does give a lovely sleek and smooth silhouette at the back of the waist, which is very nice, I think!  I couldn’t find the correct size of D-rings at Spotlight, so had to settle for a smaller set.  I folded in the ties to fit as neatly as I could and I don’t mind the slightly squeezed in resulting look here, but am thinking if I ever do spot the right size I’ll probably by them and switch these out.  Or not.  As I said, I do kinda like this look!

 

Very happy with my back welt pockets!  My stripes even match up perfectly, which is a pretty happy thing!  And yes, I admit I pinned each and every stripe to get that perfect match  😉

this colour closest to the true colour…

The Mitchell design has you cutting the pockets from lining fabric, and you add facings and patches so that you can only see self-fabric peeping out from when the pockets open up; but I opted instead to cut all pocket pieces from the self fabric in the first place.  It might make things a little bulkier but it’s a lot simpler and I don’t mind having the small amount of extra thickness; though this does depend a lot on the kind of fabric you’ve chosen…  I guess if you have chosen a wool crepe of something then you’d definitely want to go the extra effort of doing the pockets as outlined in the instructions.

Of course they are exceptionally comfortable to wear.  In fact I really enjoyed wearing them all day; and the fact is that I’m not usually very comfortable in trousers or jeans.  I mean, I wear them, but mostly think I look terrible in them so tend to go for a skirt or dress by default.  At this time of year though, I’m heartily sick of all my winter skirts, and yet it’s too cold for summer dresses yet, and so I find myself reaching for trousers/jeans instead.  You know, just for a bit of variety.  I’m a person who  craves variety, particularly in my wardrobe.. oh really Carolyn?  whatever gives you that idea?! *laughing at myself*…

Anyway, love of trousers amounts to a seasonal thing, for me.  The exceptional quality of this beautiful linen, combined with a truly chic design means I’m sure I’m going to enjoy wearing this a lot over this season, as well as well into summer!

In all my pictures, I’m wearing them with my white Booragoon top, available as a pattern here, and first blogged here… I am wearing this all the time at the moment.  It’s the perfect basic!

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