Tag Archives: Daily Outfit

Bared ankles and showcased shoes

26/09/2012 11:00 pm \ 53 Comments \

O hey peeps!
Today I am sporting new capri trousers, and a pair of new ballet flats!  This may not seem a particularly momentous thing to announce, but aack-choolly… I am recklessly smashing through two new-to-me fashion ceilings in one fell swoop!  
Whoaomigoshholdthephone!
I used to worry that I was too tall and not cute enough for the capris/ballet flats look.  But y’know what?  I’m kinda newly loving this look quite a lot lately…
My capris are made using Vogue 1115, and the fabric is a pale sand-coloured stretch sateen remnant from the Alannah Hill fabric outlet in Melbourne, bought during a visit two years ago….  hmmm, high time it was made into something, non?  Well, I think this fabric was just waiting for this very pattern, like Cinderella waiting for Prince Charming.  Or was it that she was waiting for the glass slipper?  Hmmm, not sure the analogy is holding itself together there…  anyhow, the remnant happened to be exactly the right size to just perfectly fit the pattern pieces.  And they all lived happily ever after  😉
I love the top stitching details, with the little bar tacks.

I chose this Chado Ralph Rucci pattern partly because it is rated Advanced/Plus Difficile, and I just love trying out challenging patterns.  However, a seamster of only a few years experience should not be put off by the Advanced rating; it only takes one quick scan of the pattern sheet to realise that this only applies to the matching top …. the pants could hardly be simpler!  Particularly if one chooses to leave off the full lining.  I live in Australia.  It gets hot here.  One chooses.  🙂
The only other change I made was to cut the legs pieces longer, to enable me to fold up a deeper hem and so therefore to sew the side seam slits to be longer.  I really like the look of the hem slits, I think they are really cute and I wanted them to stand out!
I might be a teeny bit disappointed that the pattern posed no challenges, but I am not disappointed with my new capris.  According to the fashion mags, trousers this season are falling neatly into two distinctive silhouettes; either over-long and flared 70’s style (tick!) or with higher hemlines to expose a slim ankle a la Audrey Hepburn.  Tick!  And a nice thing about capris is that the higher hemline beautifully showcases the shoes.  Like these lovely colourful little ballet flats from Misano.  
These are soooo ultra cute, yes!?

Details:
Capris; Vogue 1115 with the lining left off; sand-coloured stretch sateen
Shirt; my own design, made from an old pair of white linen pants, details here
Scarf; knotted strips of jersey, first shown here
Shoes; a gift from Misano

Following is my review of the pattern, if you’re interested  🙂

Pattern
Description:
Lined,
tapered above ankle-length pants, have seam details, side slits, zipper and
back yoke.
Pattern
Sizing:
American
sizes 6-12; mine are a size 10
Did
it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you had finished
sewing it?
Yes.
Were
the instructions easy to follow?
Very
easy!
What
did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
There
is nothing not to like!  I love
absolutely everything about these pants…  I really like the curved seamlines down each leg, and the double topstitching detail with a little bar tack.  I adore the hemline side seam slits.  Subtle, classy and cute!
One of the reasons I chose the pattern is because it is an advanced/plus
difficile pattern, and I love challenging patterns.  However that rating must only apply to the matching top, because the
pants are super easy!
Fabric
Used:
Stretchy sateen
Pattern
alterations or any design changes you made:
I
left off the lining because the climate I live in is not conducive to lined
pants!
I cut
the trouser legs a little longer so I could fold a deeper hem and therefore sew
the side slits to be longer, because I really liked this feature and wanted
them to stand out more.
Would
you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
Without a doubt;
and highly!  I am looking forward to
sewing up the top sometime too.
Conclusion:
A
very nice pattern; easy, with classic lines and a very current silhouette.  I am very happy with my new
capris.  Seriously, I cannot
believe now it has taken me this long to hop onto to the capri bandwagon…
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B-Day

23/09/2012 10:00 pm \ 74 Comments \

Hmmm.  It’s my birthday.
Yes.  Well.  I’m too shy to go into sordid details, like giving an actual number or any nonsense like that.  OK, so maybe I just don’t feel like it.  But here is a hint; one of my favourite bloggers Yoshimi, and I share the same birth year.  So if you are familiar with Yoshimi, then you know!
Whoo; I haven’t done a random daily outfit picture for a while, so I thought what the hey.  I must be missing those me-made months…   on which note, it’s occurred to me that if there is ever another one, then I will be able to go into it having made my entire wardrobe, including all the underpinnings!  (nerdy woot)
ahh, the small things that amuse small minds….  😀
Walking along the beach with my dog is always high up on my list of favourite daily activities, on my birthday as well as any other day!  I’m also looking forward to being showered with gifts spending quality time with my family, hehe.  Tea, and quite possibly cake, will be consumed sometime during the day with my girl friends too.
Naturally, I must wear something fab.
Tootles, friends!

Details:
Dress; Vogue 1355, polyester chiffon lined with cotton voile, details here

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Wedgwood blue damask, with brass zips

21/09/2012 12:05 am \ 50 Comments \

A new dressy-wess!  This is dress 109 from the
Burdastyle magazine issue 09/2008, part of the Pattern Pyramid spoils that I had my clutches on for One Glorious Week!  I did manage to trace off a couple more of the treasures within (hehehe) before sending it off on its way to gladden the hearts of
new and eager seamsters….

Brocades and damasks rich in surface texture have been popping up on the runways; and exposed zips have been hot hot
hot for a few years now… so my new dress is fabulously current, ticking two
trend boxes in one neat little package. 
Trendiness doesn’t usually power my wardrobe choices, I tend to do my
own thing….  but it does feel nice
to have something that is the dernier cri every so often, oui?  Oh oui!
above: at left, glossy gold damask at Marchesa; at right; Balmain damask jacket and shirt,  heavily textured Azzedine Alaia skirt.  both pictures from Vogue Australia magazine

The damask from Fabulous Fabrics was a gift to me from Sam, for last
Christmas.  The delicate lace-like figuring
against a rather divine background of pale Wedgwood blue whispers “luxury” to
me; bringing to my mind the type of expensive upholstery that would fit right
into a chic Parisian salon.  I
think it contrasts beautifully against the slightly industrial feel of the heavy brass zips that I used for the pockets and the front opening.  Shimmering luxury and tarnished toughness: together in one dress.  I love the clash.

The dress is completely lined with coffee-coloured
polyacetate lining also from Fabulous Fabrics, and I bought the heavy-duty brass zips in Spotlight, of lengths reasonably
close enough to those stipulated in the pattern.  Initially I was disappointed I could not find zips with pale blue tape
to match the colour of the fabric more closely, but in Perth you take what you
can get, haberdashery wise.  I
counted myself super lucky to find four matching ones! And I came to like the white; how it holds its own; clean
and fresh against the delicacy of the blue and the gleam of the brass. 
The three pocket zips are all jeans zips, and a touch
longer than called for in the pattern, dictating that I cut my pockets all a bit wider.  That long centre-front, open-ended zip is 10cm short, but I opted to not hem my dress correspondingly 10cm
shorter, ahem!  I hemmed the skirt
to my tastes, longer than the zip.  I’m OK with that!
I left off the belt loops, so I can choose to wear it with or without a belt, whichever I so desire  🙂  I like it equally both ways.

The three pockets are all perfectly functional, but
the zip
teeth on those hip pockets are on the scratchy side against my tender skin. And the breast
pocket would look strange with anything bulkier than a credit card or maybe a
single slender hanky inside.  That
one is pretty much purely decorative, although I have completed it to be a
perfect self-contained little pocket. 
I cannot bear fake details in clothes, like zips that go nowhere and pockets with no pocket bags that are sewn shut.  Loathe that.

I liked the instruction to topstitch closely along each side of each seam, and followed it.  A subtle detail, and adds a bit of extra something…

The fabric is gorgeous, but I found
during construction it is the sort that finds snags on fingernails that you
could have sworn were perfectly smooth! 
:S  so I will just have to wear and
wear and wear my dress and thoroughly enjoy it for as long as I can!
Later edit: I added a full-length zip placket to the centre opening… those zip teeth are sharp against the tender tummy skin!

Details:
Dress; Burdastyle magazine 09/2008, dress 109, in a pale
Wedgewood-blue damask
Belt; Country Road, from yonks ago
Shoes; akiel, from an op shop

Pattern
Description:
Fully
lined, sheath dress with high stand-up collar, princess seamed front with a
centre front opening by full-length, exposed, open-ended zip, inseam hip pockets
and single slanted breast pocket all with exposed zip closure.
Pattern
Sizing:
European
sizes 34-42; I made the size 38
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, in
my opinion the instructions are absolutely excellent!
What
did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
The pattern as is … there was barely any shaping, and when I tried on the basted dress and looked at my reflection in the mirror the words “Easter Egg” popped inexorably into my mind.  I looked like an egg!  Not the image I really wanted to evoke, so I made alterations so the dress skimmed closely to my figure.  I’m very happy with the shape of the dress now, though  🙂
I really love the look of that double topstitching on either side of the seams.
The
instructions on lining the dress are really excellent; an elegant and tidy
solution to lining a dress that I am sure I will refer to for other lined
dresses in the future.
Fabric
Used:
Damask
Pattern
alterations or any design changes you made:
There
was re-fitting aplenty necessary to transform it from a cocoon to a shapely dress …
The instructions direct you to topstitch closely to either side of the seamlines; I was glad I delayed this stitching until after basting all the seams up to check the fit, and I recommend to anyone else to do the same!  
I did
not transfer my fitting alterations to the lining pieces.  Since it is quite blousy on me, there is a bit of extra
wearing ease in there, always a good idea in a lining.
A
minor consideration, but one you have to take into account before cutting the
pocket pieces: since the zips are fully exposed, the length of the zips you buy
strictly dictates the size of the pocket openings.  There were only a few limited zip lengths available to me,
so I cut the pocket pieces in sizes to exactly fit the zips I bought.
I
made the belt carriers, but ultimately left them off.  I thought they made the dress look tacky with no belt, and I
wanted the option of wearing it beltless.
I added a full-length zip placket in underneath the central opening zip… (here) my industrial strength brass zip looked awesome but those teeth are sharp against the tummy skin!  Ouch!
Would
you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
I
think I will sew this again.  I
know I always say this and then I pounce joyfully onto the next new-and-shiny
pattern to cross my path  🙂  but I do think this will have an encore.  The pattern has classic clean lines and I think has the
capability to change its personality depending on the fabric chosen.  I do recommend this on-trend little
number, if lengthened a tad it would make a lovely smart little dress for the
office.  You just have to locate a
long enough front zip!
Conclusion:
Well,
now that it fits me, I just love it! the high collar, the simple, sleeveless, streamlined silhouette.
The exposed zips are very on-trend and the rich damask fabric I chose
ticks off another trend I have noticed cropping up in high-end designers this
season…

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Full Moon, restyled

19/09/2012 9:01 am \ 37 Comments \

Wow!  As soon as I saw the re-styling suggestions in my comments I realised how right you all were… thank you!  I can see now my outfit was a wee bit on the frumpy side.  I guess I was being a lazy blogger; trying to kill two birds with one stone by forcing the two new things; the top and the skirt, together in one outfit and one post when they did not really want to be together… so I have taken your excellent advice to heart.
I agree, the Full Moon top does seem to appear far less weird and look a whole lot better worn with no Tshirt and a little skirt  :))
Thank you again!

Details:
Top; the Full Moon top, drafted from p12 of Pattern Magic 3 byTomoko Nakamichi, various lightweight black fleeces
Skirt; my own design, charcoal jersey knit, details here
Shoes; akiel, from an op shop

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Full Moon, from Pattern Magic 3

19/09/2012 12:13 am \ 22 Comments \

I have made a new …. er, thing.  A top?  Yup, I think I have made a new top.  Maybe it’s more of an experiment than a top really.  One of the drafting exercises exploring how the placement of apertures governs the drape of the circular pattern piece…  from p12 of Pattern Magic 3 by Tomoko Nakamichi; Full Moon.  The companion piece in the same vein is the Crescent Moon top, posted here.

I made it using some more of the fabric stash given to me by my friend C from her late mother’s stash.  Two different black fleeces; slightly different shades of black and slightly different degrees of fluffiness, and I joined smaller pieces together in unobtrusive places to get pieces big enough to make the top.  One of the pieces I used wrong side out since it closely mimicked the right side of the other fabric.

Here is the thing… it may not get worn a whole bunch.  I have prepared myself for no one reading my blog to like it.  It has suffered some knock-backs already: no one in my family likes it.  Actually, everyone loathes it  😀  I put this on the first time a few mornings ago and wandered out into the kitchen… and my mother, staying with us, asked incredulously if I planned to wear this out.  I replied in a small voice, yes… and well, to cut to the chase I have been forbidden to wear this while I am out with my mother!  Yikes!  I can’t believe I’m middle aged and am still wearing stuff that my mother doesn’t approve…  I’m still a fashion rebel, yeah!!

But my feeling is that it is not that bad.   As a top: the pouffiness presents a dressing challenge, true; it is a sihouette that is not particularly figure flattering, which in our body-conscious world translates to not very fashionable, and so is rarely seen.  Except in circles who are really interested in sartorial innovation.  But I think that over-blousiness on a top half can be successfully counteracted by wearing a long and slim-line lower half.
The diagonal drape-lines achieved by skewing the waistband and the neckline is interesting and quite attractive, and I can imagine this concept being incorporated beautifully into a skirt design.
Oh, and btw my skirt is kinda new, to me anyway.  My mother made it for herself but it has shrunk in the wash, so I have inherited it.  I had to take the waistband off and take it in at the side seams to fit me, but I think I can allow myself to wear it since it is handmade by Mum.  The pattern she used is Vogue 8561; the fabric, a stretchy lightweight denim from KnitWit.  Coincidentally, also used inside out!  Cute, yes?  I really like the one lone little asymmetrical, disproportionate shield-of-arms pocket.  That is a very nice detail.
Thank you Mum!

Details:
Top; the Full Moon top, drafted from p12 of Pattern Magic 3 byTomoko Nakamichi, various lightweight black fleeces
Tshirt (under); self-drafted, white cotton jersey
Skirt (made by Mum, altered to fit by me); Vogue 8561, blue stretch denim
Shoes; Perrini, had for yonks and yonks

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White-y tighties

06/09/2012 12:05 am \ 49 Comments \

hai there  🙂
oh sorry, were you expecting some fashion??
My set-up photo with just one lonely loyal dog sitting there really made me smile, so I had to put it in here.  For fun.

I’ve made some new jeans  🙂
These are made in a thick but stretchy denim from Spotlight in a lovely warm vanilla ice-cream shade, and using Burda 7863.  This is the seventh pair of jeans I have made using this pattern; it really is such a winner in my book!
I thought and thought and thought about the legs, whether to go skinny this time or not.  Whilst I looovee my khaki skinnies, I really do think that a slightly flared leg is actually way more flattering to my figure type.  And the reason we sew is that we can have clothes custom suited to our figure type and not be needlessly restricted to the silhouette being forced on us by the fashion powers-that-be for that season, yes?  Yes!
So I cut the legs based as closely as possible on my purple flares, which I have to confess are (whispers) my favourites.  Shhhh!  I never say so out loud, for fear of hurting the feelings of all my other pairs of jeans, but yah… my purplies really do make me feel extra specially good about myself every single time I put them on.  I can’t exactly put my finger on it; what is their secret.  They just work.  I am hoping these new ivory ones will be just as successful.
I cut my new jeans with the legs about 10cm longer, and with the slight flare, about 5cm in total from the knee out to the hemline.  I did a small alteration to pull in the waist at the small of the back also, a standard adjustment for me in jeans, and made very easy with the two-piece, shaped waistband in this pattern.

For the pocket decoration; there are two intersecting curves of closely-spaced zig-zag stitch done in mirror image on each pocket.  It’s hard to see them in the picture, white on white is hard to photograph! but I super highlighted the picture so it shows up as much as it does in real life.  It does, btw.  Show up, I mean.  The pure white top-stitching thread I used throughout highlights the warm, slightly yellow-y creaminess of the ivory fabric.
Oh, and yes, in case you’re wondering; it is quite difficult to take a photograph of your own be-hind, oh yes indeedy  🙂
I washed the fabric before cutting, then I made the jeans; then I washed them again before hemming to really guard against shrinkage.  I want these jeans to be plenty looong enough.  I think all the washing really helped with the fit too.
I added a coin pocket and a zip placket and also slightly altered the order of construction of the jeans, as outlined in this post for my purple jeans; which results in a more ready-to-wear look.  The pocket lining and waistband lining are cut from a sturdy but lightweight white cotton.

windy? o yeah…

Details:
Jeans; Burda 7863 with minor modifications, made of ivory stretch cotton denim; my review of this pattern here
Top; based on top “a” from shape shape (or Unique Clothes Any WayYou Like) by Natsuno Hiraiwa, made of blue shot cotton, details here
Cardigan; “wearing a square” from Pattern Magic 2 by Tomoko Nakamichi, blue/grey knit stuff, details here
Shoes; Francesco Morichetti, from Zomp shoes

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With Military Precision

29/08/2012 7:43 am \ 68 Comments \

My most recent creation: a jacket! made using pattern 104 from the Burdastyle magazine 09/2008 from the Pattern Pyramid giveaway.  Uber cool, yes?  I think so.
Flicking through the magazine; the military style of this jacket with the double breasted front, the rows of buttons, the high collar and the little buttoned-down belt really caught my eye, but not until looking at the fine print did I notice the cool knitted wristbands that are attached to the sleeve lining inside the sleeves …  sold!!  I immediately knew this was The One.  I totally love it; even though there is hardly any winter left here… shhh.  I should be able to squeeze in a few more wears at least, and I’ve always found it fab to have something sorta new-ish in the wardrobe for next year, the next time winter starts to creep up and you’re not quite ready  🙂
Even better, I made the jacket using all leftover fabrics and yarns from my stash; small-ish quantities that were too titchy tiny for any one thing alone, but still too much and too good quality to even dream of ditching.  I’ve noticed a few smartly tailored jackets in Vogue magazine lately, made from combinations of very different materials and the idea of following suit really appealed to me.

Above: both these ads taken from Vogue Australia.  At left; Burberry Prorsum, at right; JBrand. 

I used a browny-grey polyurethane laminate, originally from Fabulous Fabrics and leftover from this skirt, and a grey wool, originally from Spotlight and leftover from this coat.  Whoar, it felt gooood to use up that fabric!!  The knitted wristwarmers are knitted from Jo Sharp Silkroad DK Tweed in colour Peppercorn, the leftover yarn from this cardigan.  I didn’t have quite enough of the wool to knit the full length required, but I think they turned out quite long enough anyway.

I cut the back, sides and fronts of the jacket from the PU laminate: and the centre fronts, shoulders, collar, sleeves and the belt from the wool fabric.  Even though I did not have enough of either fabric to cut the whole jacket, I did have enough of both together to make the jacket 15cm longer than stipulated in the pattern, which suited me to a T.  I prefer a hip-length to a cropped jacket, particularly when in a very fitted style like this.  I left off the gathered peplum, and instead cut the back piece as one long piece.
The pattern directs for two short belts to be sewn in with the side/back seams; instead I made mine as one completely separate longer belt.  It still buttons onto the lower two front buttons, just like in the pattern.  I like the way the belt pulls in the back of the jacket, and gives me more of a “shape”.  I think it might have looked a little boxy for my tastes otherwise.
I topstitched onto the wool portion of the jacket, but avoided any topstitching on the PU laminate; because I know from brief experiments when making my skirt from this fabric that topstitching looks tres hidous on this stuff.
The collar is faced with a lightweight elephant-grey cotton rather than with self-fabric; this is because that wool is thick!  It was pretty hard to get all those double thickness shoulder and collar seams all sitting down on the inside nice and flat as it was, without the extra bulk of a woollen facing… for that reason I did not button the collar ends back on themselves as suggested in the pattern because the grey cotton facing fabric would have showed.  Instead my collar just crosses and buttons right end over the left.

The jacket is lined completely with a coffee-coloured polyacetate lining, from Fabulous Fabrics.  This, along with the buttons, also from Fabulous Fabrics, are the only things I had to buy!

Details:
Jacket; Burdastyle magazine 09/2008, 104, with minor modifications; made of wool, PU laminate, Jo Sharp Silkroad DK Tweed
Jeans; Burda 7863, khaki stretch gabardine, details and my review of this pattern here, and see these jeans styled in 6 different ways here
Shoes; Francesco Morichetti from Zomp shoes

Pattern Description:
Masculine, lady-like or sporty?  This jacket fulfils all three requirements!  The front in severe military style, the back with a feminine peplum, and the sleeves with long, hand-knitted cuffs that are attached to the lining.
Pattern Sizing:
European 36 to 44,  I made the size 38.
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you had finished sewing it?
I made mine 15cm longer; but otherwise yes
Were the instructions easy to follow?
They’re ok.  Burdastyle are well known for their challenging pattern instructions!  The instruction to sew the facing pieces together seems to be missing so if you have not made a lined jacket before you might get pretty confused in this section.
What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
I just love the style!  Very interesting and quite unique.  I was particularly drawn to the knitted wrist-warmers feature; I just love combining different bits and bobs together in one garment like this!!
Fabric Used:
I used a combination of several fabrics; a PU-laminate and a charcoal wool for the jacket pieces, and Jo Sharp Silkroad DK Tweed for the wristwarmers.
Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:
My jacket is 15cm longer than stipulated, and I left off the gathered peplum and instead cut the back as one piece, as per jacket 105.  I made the belt as one long and completely separate belt, that encircles my waist so it nips in the back of the jacket, and gives me more shape.  My wool fabric used for the collar is very thick, so I faced the collar with a lightweight cotton.  For this reason I did not fold back the collar ends to button on themselves, but instead laid them over each other, so the ends button onto each other.
Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
I might sew this again! and I definitely recommend this interesting and fashion forward pattern to others!
Conclusion:
Well, I’m completely chuffed with my new jacket!  I really love trench coats and military style jackets, which is why I fell for this one; a nice combination of the two styles.  The double breasted front and high stand-up collar look smart and will be nice and cosy on a cold day.  I really love the belt, to nip in the waist.  I particularly adore the knitted wristwarmers.  All round a unique and very cool little jacket, and a really good choice for a cold weather jacket.

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Sparkle-osity

19/08/2012 11:28 pm \ 73 Comments \

I had some fabric; fabric that I loved but that intimidated me with its gorgeousness.  It is beautiful and luxurious, and I used to take it out of my stash periodically and smile and sigh over it, admire its intricacy, its texture, bask in its golden glow, and dream of the beautiful garment locked away inside it.  I wanted it to fulfil its promise but I was frightened of ruining it.  I wasn’t sure that I had the skills to make something worthy of it.  Finally I got the courage to release it from years of imprisonment in the stash and allow it to shine…
And now it is: a gold sparkly cardigan!
The fabric is light stretchy jersey knit, that has been fully sewn all over with miniature gold sequins.  It has been in my stash for several years, ever since those happy golden sparkles seduced me during Fabulous Fabric’s annual 50% off all sequinned and beaded fabrics Christmas sale …
The shell of the cardigan is entirely hand-sewn, since very shortly into the project ie. the cutting stage; I realised that no sewing machine needle was ever going to cope with those little metal sequins.
Whilst I was sewing it I found myself chanting in my head a pointless monotonous mantra “I am my own sweatshop; I am my own sweatshop” with a mixture of wonder and disbelief that I was even going down this path.  I mean, I don’t mind hand-sewing.  I even would say I like hand-sewing, I like it a lot! but I have to admit this was a very time consuming project.  A labour of love  🙂

The sequinned fabric was quite scratchy and uncomfortable on the wrong side; so I lined the cardigan completely with a soft, primrose yellow cotton jersey.  This was much quicker to construct, being entirely run up on my overlocker! in fact I had a little chuckle to myself at the difference in time to make the two  🙂  but attaching the cardigan to the lining was also done completely by hand.  They are sewn together around the neckline, the front edges and lower edge, and the two sleeve edges.
Stitch techniques:
Sewing the shell; I stabbed the needle up and down for each stitch in a quilting stitch configuration (two stitches forward, one little stitch back), searching with my needle each time for a gap between sequins or a hole in the sequins.
Sewing the shell to the lining;  the edges of the sequinned shell are turned in over the edges of the lining, encasing it, and slip stitched in place, again searching for the holes in the sequins for each stitch.

For the entire hand-sewing component; I would do a triple stitch repeated in the one sequin for every 5cm of stitching or so, to lessen the chances of the whole thing unravelling if (heaven forbid) a thread does break.  This is not a completely unlikely scenario, since the fabric is, of course; very heavy! which does place strain on the seams.
I have been working on this cardigan on and off for a full month… and I have a massive re-awakened respect for the hand-sewing and beading specialists of India.
Both the cardigan and the liner were cut using my own custom-fit Tshirt pattern, cut with a centre front opening and with a deep Vneck.
I hand-sewed brass press-studs down each front, so I can close the cardigan so it looks like a little Tshirt or jumper, if I want to.

Some might think this a silly and frivolous cardigan, in fact I am a bit nervous about the reaction it is going to get… the last time I posted a sparkly garment on my blog here I received a very back-handed comment  🙁  but I love it and it is going to be a lifelong player in my wardrobe.  This might sound nerdy; but I feel quite exhilarated that this super-exotic thing is now hanging in my wardrobe.  To have something as impractical and fabulous as this in my possession… I feel like an exotic butterfly has flown in through the window and chosen to alight on a hanger in my wardrobe…!
I just hope I can live up to its gorgeousness!

Details:
Cardigan; self-drafted, made of gold sequinned stretch fabric, lined with pale yellow cotton jersey knit
Tshirt; self-drafted, actually the very same pattern as the cardigan! made of white cotton jersey dyed red and brown, details here
Skirt; Vogue 1247, of purple stretch denim dyed brown, details and my review of this pattern here, and this skirt styled in 6 different ways here
Tights; Kolotex
Boots; Sempre di, from Zomp shoes

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