Tag Archives: Use30

a vanilla skirt, a periwinkle robe and an adorable little onesie

I’ve been making things!  btw I have to apologise profusely for my terrible blogging lately, I feel like I’m neglecting my poor little blog so badly.. the thing is that Cassie and I are working like mad on our newest pattern and we are so so close now that I can taste it!!  well, ok I did nibble experimentally at a corner and it tasted just like paper… but you know what I mean.  It is going to taste a billion times sweeter when it is finally out in the world!

I’ll discuss that a bit more in a minute, but in the meantime I’ve made a few things other than samples….

item 1:

a little skirt, to match this jacket I made fairly recently… I had a scant 50cm or so of leftovers, just enough for a little mini.  The fabric is the wide wale cotton corduroy in colour vanilla, bought in Potters Textiles a few years ago.  I utilised my skirt block, and a closure method that I wrote a tute for once before on my blog; a button closure over a pocket so you don’t need to do a zip.

And this time I got creative and added a full lining too.  Bias binding to hem because of the severe shortness of the skirt otherwise!  You may or may not recognise the bias binding as being cut from the last leftovers to this robe I made recently…

It’s not perfect on the inside but I’m pretty confident I can polish up the method to be very neat and tidy for the next time.  I’m also quietly working on this one as a pattern for our company too.. shhhh!

item 2:

a sweet little onesie for a new baby; our friends L & L welcomed their darling new little baby, and of course I had to make something sweet… I used my  own pattern, developed for my own grandchildren, and a short length of cotton jersey from Spotlight.  It’s beautiful stuff, isn’t it?

item 3:

a robe, for my dear sister in law for her recent birthday.  This lovely periwinkle raw silk was in my stash, I’m about 80% sure it was from Mum when she cleaned out her stash; but honestly when and where I got some of my older fabrics is sometimes a bit of a blur.  Anyway, I washed it up, measured it and had just enough for another Closet Core patterns Veronik robe.. I just had to run into Officeworks to print up a new pattern in her size.  I gave it to her just before the long weekend, and she seemed very pleased!

So where am I with the whole #use30 challenge….?  Well, the little vanilla skirt used 50cm of corduroy, plus another 50cm of lining; the onesie was about 50cm, and the length of periwinkle silk was 3m, and I used every single scrap.  That’s 4.5m of fabric.

And guess what?!  That’s my 30m of stash fabric… DONE and DUSTED!!! Actually 32m!  As per my own rules for the challenge, I am now “allowed” to buy new fabric if I want to… but now I’ve started down that path I really want to sew up as much of my older stash as I possibly can.   And actually; I did fail a bit, since I bought a small amount of souvenir fabric when we were in Melbourne recently.  Whoops!!!  But I HAD TO! It’s Melbourne.  Yes, ok I am a little upset with myself for “failing”, but not too much.   At least I did use up that 30m eventually, even if I jumped the gun on my “reward” a bit early.

One thing I’m relieved is that I can (legally) buy new fabrics to sew up the samples for our new pattern though!  I thought I’d mention a little more about our newest pattern, since we’re this close!  It’s a skirt and top… the skirt is one Cassie designed, and wore; to her cousin’s 21st birthday last year.  The one I made a cake for here, and I made a dress for myself for the occasion too… well Cassie’s skirt was so lovely we both decided it had to be a pattern.  And it has a matching top, one that I’ve already made several for Cassie, that have all appeared here on my blog before; plus a few for myself that have not yet appeared here on my blog yet!  The skirt and top look really nice together, so we’re releasing them at the same time as each other, but they can be bought separately, to add a bit of flexibility and choice to our customers.  I’m so excited that they are about to get out into the world, and cannot wait to share more very soon!

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a punnet of raspberries

I recently made a whole bunch of raspberry things … three, to be precise.  One of the large pieces of fabric that Mum tossed my way when she cleared out her stash was a length of raspberry stretchy stuff.  three and a half metres!!  I have vague memories of the particular pattern she had planned to make with this and I’m almost certain that she bought way too much, but anyway that’s a moot point.  I was even with her when she bought it in Fabulous Fabrics, and remember it quite well.  Mum has always been in the habit of buying too much “just in case”.  Not something I’ve ever been guilty myself, of course, ahem!!

Anyway, I set to and used it all up; and usefully, I think!

Item one, a pair of leggings.  I was planning to make tights, but realised the fabric didn’t really have enough stretch to be successful as tights.  Even leggings is pushing it a bit, to be honest!  but I love the colour and was determined to make it work.  Pretty simple, and just using my self-drafted pattern, just with the feet lopped off.  This picture is pretty bad, sorry, the light was not good at the time.  If I get enthusiastic, I’ll take another photo in better lighting conditions.  We’ll see!

Item two; a little cardigan with a built-in scarf that is an extension of the collar.  I’ve made a few of these in my time; three actually and none the same.  Al utilised slightly different construction techniques, and this latest, version four was yet another.  I made a slight boo-boo when I attached the bottom band to the inside of the cardigan, and then slip-stitched it closed on the outside, but it’s only something you’d notice if you looked really closely.  I think my hand-stitching is pretty neat nowadays, if I say so myself!

still love these labels… I’m going to need to buy more!

I really love this cardigan and already know I’m going to wear it a tonne.

Item three; a little mini skirt for winter.  This is an old favourite pattern; the Paprika pattern Jade skirt.  I think I make one of these every year?!  This one has no zip at the back, and this time I fitted it quite carefully to myself first, removing a good two inches of width at the waistband from each side.  This means I have to squeeze into it head first, but that’s ok!

I have decided a pocket is absolutely necessary for my life nowadays too… really it doesn’t have to be fancy.  It just has to be there! and only big enough for my phone and a credit card.  Because I had the Claremont pattern out already to make my yellow shopping tote, I just used the phone pocket piece from that, and attached it to the waistband inside.  I know this sounds like a weird way to put a pocket in but actually it is surprisingly unobtrusive and I wore it with my phone it in all day, quite comfortably.

Very very happy with how this turned out! and I am sure this too will get worn to death this winter!

I’m also very happy with how much this has taken off my #use30 challenge!  three and a half metres brings up my total to 27.5m!  I only have 2.5m to go, and I already have enough things halfway done already that is going to be knocked off in no time!

HURRAYYYYYYYY!!!!!

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pretty pink and lace simone

Here’s something I made recently… a rather lovely, if I say so myself – slip dress that I feel is perhaps almost too pretty to even wear!

This is the new Simone slip dress pattern by Closet Core patterns, I was lucky to be picked as a tester and I also luckily had a short length of pink satin in my stash already, plus a very short length of cream coloured lace that was fortuitously the exact and perfect length for the project…  one of those projects where it was all just very lucky and fell happily into place.

I initially wasn’t going to post pictures of my actual self wearing the slip, these are the fitting pictures I sent off to Closet Core for pattern feedback… but I think they’re ok really.  One of my all-time goals with this blog in the first place was to get over my awkward attitude towards photos of myself, so I shouldn’t revert now, hmmm?

The slip was of course quite easy and fun to make; I love testing patterns and trying to make things carefully.  I was very careful in lining up the edges of fabric to my table before cutting out and I measured the bias with scrupulous care; and I think that paid off.  However, despite great care in stay-stitching the back top edge; I must have stretched that bit out just a bit because it flips out against my back, so *shrug*

Anyway, it’s certainly turned out quite lovely in my opinion  🙂 and of course the satin is beautiful to wear; so I’m very happy with this useful edition to my wardrobe.  I’ve already worn it a couple of times underneath other things; which feels like a very swish thing to do!  I always feel like this when I wear my ivory Ruby slip too….  maybe I should make a few more!

I finished off the bottom edges with a skinny triple-stitched hem, and the side seams using french seams.  btw, I just love this (above) picture! these finishes look so lovely in satin. The stronger pink colour in the close-up pictures is much closer to its real colour than the slightly washed out colours in my modelled shots, I don’t know why it’s like that!

Oh! my #use30 pledge came into play again, hip hip hooray!  I managed to polish off another 1.5m with this here lovely bit of frippery; so I’m up to 17m down, and with 13m to go!

I’m back on track!

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nani Iro Encounter dress

Hello!  I’ve made a new rather beachy little dress!

I bought this beautiful fabric over two years ago, the last time we were in Japan and Yoshimi took us to her favourite craft store; Yuzawaya in Kichijoji, it’s quite close to the Studio Ghibli museum and we popped in on our way.  It is a nani Iro double cotton gauze”Encounter”; and it’s so pretty! but in a sparse, painterly way that I think it’s not too pretty for me.

I used a pattern from the Stylish Dress Book by Yoshiko Tsukiori; dress F which I have made several times before.  It’s my favourite from the book, because it is so subtly stylish in a very quiet and cute way without tipping into too cute (for me).  My favourite thing about it is the shaped, open sleeve design, with little ties.  I squeezed in seam side pockets, of course;  and actually used up practically every scrap of my 2m of fabric.  I have enough left for a face mask but didn’t get around to making that yet.

I’ve been dreaming about finally wearing this beautiful fabric for so long, finally cutting into it and making something that I know I am going to love was a joy; I almost feel like I’m cheating on my “use30” pledge?!  But of course it’s not really cheating.  Adding this 2m to my current tally of 8; and I’m up to 10m for the year… 20m to go!!

For the facing, in the past I’ve just tended to overlock the edges of a facing like this… however I’ve often found an overlocked, interfaced edge to be quite irritating when it’s rubbing against soft skin all day long.  So this time I went to the effort of finishing off the facing with a strip of self bias-binding.  I can already attest that this tiny little innovation is a huge improvement!

I also added a fun new label, that I bought to treat myself at the beginning of this year…  the idea of a time stamp on my clothes just took my fancy!  Yes, I am indeedy a bit of a nerd about things being orderly and documented/tallied in a well organised fashion – obviously! What is this blog if not just a further manifestation of my obsession?! These cute labels are from Kylie and the Machine; the coolest of cool label makers out there. I don’t mind being cool occasionally, if it fits my current fancy.

This is the first outfit in my “make 12”.  It’s a bit quick and casual, but I’m so happy I finally cut into this precious, very loved fabric; plus it could not be more perfectly suited to my current lifestyle, so all is good.  I hope to be making more exciting and involved things for future contenders.

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Cassie’s work wardrobe; finished!

Phew! I’ve finished the capsule work wardrobe that I’ve been making for Cassie over the past few months…!  Most of these things have been previously blogged, and I’m just rounding up here with the last three pieces…

item 1; limoncello top; based upon NewLook 6483, with widened shoulder line, and slimmed down body.  I did have a small amount of leftovers that I hoped would be enough to get a skirt out of, but actually it wasn’t…   *sad face* but hey, the plan was just for a top and it is a pretty one after all!  Fabric from Spotlight, button from stash.

I finished the armholes and neckline with pink cotton voile cut on the bias, simply because I had no yellow or even yellow-ish fabric that would do…  The same pink voile was used to make the little skinny button loop in each of these two tops.

item 2; pale pink top; same NewLook 6483 pattern, but a narrower shoulder line, same body as pattern.  Fabric from Spotlight and the same pink cotton voile used to finish the armhole and neckline edges.  btw, I did a tutorial on how to do a bias binding finish like these, here

item 3; pink “banksia” skirt; based upon my heavily modified Vogue 8363.  I know I always cite this pattern, but I think I really shouldn’t because I really have modified it so extensively that you couldn’t make this skirt using the pattern, actually.  Fabric is a beautiful Jocelyn Proust print from Spotlight, and it’s lined using a pink lining fabric from my stash.

We bought these fabrics together last year, back when we first started planning her back-to-work wardrobe as a new Mum, and I estimate that with the lining, and not including a small amount of leftovers that I *think* I can squeeze a little skirt out of, or maybe “something”: I used 2.5m to make these items; bringing my yearly total up to 4m at this point;

but in addition to that….!

Cassie and I are working on a new pattern right now, and I have used another extra 4m of some of my “junky” fabrics recently in sewing samples and testing garments.  I may or may not actually wear some of these at some point, but I hope to wear them a few times, at least!   Anyway; even though I haven’t blogged those things, my real “fabric used” total is actually up up to 8m and in my #use30from stash challenge: I have 22m to go!

Thoughts!  I have some… this is more like a diary entry, more than anything else…  so I know this is besides the point really; but I popped into Spotlight the other day to pick up a zip and was sorely tempted to buy some fabric!  It was really hard to just walk out with my zip!  but I’m determined to use 30m first.  Ideally; I would love to get my stash down to a very small amount of beautiful fabrics that I’m really excited to use, rather than being full of donated fabrics that I didn’t choose for myself, or buy, and really don’t “want” to use at all, to be perfectly honest.  I don’t want to just toss things out willy nilly though, and am really keen to use the 30m from my stash gainfully.

That’s it!  See you soon!

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“autumn tree swirl”: lingerie set

Hello!

I’ve made a new lingerie set for myself, using the very last remains of this gorgeous autumn tree swirl cotton jersey.  It’s pretty special, since it was designed by Cassie; and is actually available in her Spoonflower shop, should you be interested…  I’d made a romper for Theo out of the original 1m piece late last year, and this is squeaked out of the leftovers… there is zero left now!

I used my MakeBra pattern, which has been renamed I think since I bought mine… it is now DL 03.  At the time I saved myself money by buying a single size, and since then I’ve gradually tweaked the sizing a smidgen here and a smidge there, and finally have the absolutely perfect fit at last.  Namely, about 1 cm has been shaved off the “rise” of the cups, each side of the centre seam of each cup, and also the position of the cup cut-outs has been moved about 0.5cm further away from centre front of the band.

The undies are Ye Olde Faithful; the Cloth Habit Watson brief pattern, with my usual mods, outlined here.

I was cutting these from scraps so couldn’t do much creative in the form of pattern-matching, but I did cut out and hand-applique on a couple of extra trees onto a bra cup to continue the visual look of the little trees in the print.  It just looked a bit chopped off without them and I couldn’t stand it!

I bought all elastics from Homecraft Textiles as well as the rings and sliders…  and the underwires, underwire channelling, hook and eye tape, and the foam I used to construct the cups were all from the original “ivory” colourway MakeBra basic kit that I bought a few years ago.

I have a sorta funny story regarding zig-zagging the foldover elastic… it was extraordinarily difficult and messy this time and I had so much trouble.  It wouldn’t feed through the machine, and when I did manage to drag it through as gently as I possibly could it became horribly stretched out.  As well the stitches looked all jagged and uneven, and the tension was all over the shop.  I painstakingly unpicked way more hideous zig-zagging than is good for anyone’s mental health, and tried so many different settings on my machine… none of which seemed to work.  I was near despair and at one point seriously considered actually hand stitching ALL the foldover elastic.  You REALLY know you’re desperate when… !!!   I actually DID hand stitch it along the top edge of the bra, and it looks really pretty too so I didn’t even re-do that bit when I finally worked out the problem.  Oh, what was the problem? I hear you ask?  Well, I finally noticed that I was using a denim needle to do the job.  I substituted a stretch needle, and whammo; perfect zig-zagging immediately ensued.  Who knew, eh?  *facepalm*

The fabric I had already of course… and since I originally had 1m from which I’d cut out Theo’s romper, I’m counting this lingerie set took maybe 50cm.  Meaning, so far for the year I’ve used 1.5m from stash, and I have 28.5m to go in my little #use30 challenge for this year, yay!
Oh, btw, I’ve given some thought to my “thing” for this year… other than the aforementioned #use30frommystash; which I optimistically to have achieved fairly early on?! I hope!  Anyway; I’ve decided to just go with something that extremely open-ended and that’s to simply make 12 things.  No other criteria necessary other than to put it plain and simple; I am hoping to make 12 pretty and/or interesting outfits of some sort for myself this year!  Pretty achievable, I think!

I’ll be filling up these little dummies as each new outfit transpires…  🙂

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