Uncategorized Archives - Page 147 of 177

Tobacco wool sheath

16/06/2010 4:49 am \ 6 Comments \ Carolyn

I made this tobacco wool-mix dress using Burda 8511, with fitting modifications about two years ago. The modifications were namely creating two long and deep front darts, deepening and lengthening the back darts, and bringing in the side seams.
I think this is a great sheath pattern, obviously as I’ve used it four times already (to see the other versions I’ve made click on the Burda 8511 in the labels below), but it does suffer from being a bit shapeless. Every time I’ve made it I’ve modified it quite a lot, just to get some shape into the thing. I guess though this is why we buy these paper patterns or attend workshops to make up our own slopers or whatever; so we can get a basic workable shape to start us off, with which we can then play with from thereon. Add our own exciting details as the whim strikes us. The joys of dressmaking, no?
I made this for a winter dress, so the top half of the bodice is self-lined, with bemsilk lining the rest of the dress; super warm… This way I’m wearing it today is the way I was customarily wearing it two years ago and I think maybe it’s time to dress it up a little differently? Yeah well, we were all into pinafore dresses back then but perhaps it’s time for a new interpretation? I’m not sure if I look “hot”, or just “not”. Thus the long shot above, as I have a sneaking suspicion this tree is a much nicer aesthetic prospect than me in this outfit…
To be honest, lately in the dressing department I’m feeling very mojo-less and need something to boost me out of this flatness. Any styling suggestions, anyone?
This morning my husband and I went out to breakfast together, which was real nice. We don’t do this sort of thing very often… It was quite cold then, but now I’m roasting as I’m looking out at bright blue skies again, and had to smear on the old sunblock before I went out for my walk later. btw, how do you like my random picture for the day? Pelicans are usually such somnolent birds, so I was lucky to catch this one wheeling away from the shore on his ungainly take-off; his huge wings flap flap flapping ponderously to get his big heavy body off over the water… He was a beautiful sight.

Details:
Dress; Burda 8511, with some modifications, brown wool mix
Skivvy; Metalicus
Tights; Kolotex, David Jones
Boots; Sempre di, from Zomp shoes
Belt; Emu leather
Bag; Gucci

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: Burda 8511, Fabulous fabrics

Adding a lining to a finished skirt

15/06/2010 4:16 am \ 4 Comments \ Carolyn

My bottle green basic skirt has had an update! Well, not one you’d see, but one that will make it tons more wearable in my winter repertoire; I’ve added a lining.
The first few times I wore this in autumn I wore it on its own (see left) and all was hunky-dory. Then as the weather turned brisker I started donning tights to keep the pegs warm and an immediate problem reared its ugly head… barely half a day had gone by before the skirt sticking to my textured tights as I walked and riding up in a most unladylike fashion became an issue… something had to be done and fast before I could decently wear this thing out in public again!! So the next time I visited my favourite fabric shop I bought 70cm bemsilk lining in emerald green.
The pattern I used for this skirt Vogue 7303 is ordinarily an unlined skirt with an internal waistline facing and a centre back zip, which is how I made it up for this skirt (this pattern has been used a multitude of ways as followers may have noticed!).
So to line it, this is what I did… I cut out a front (on the fold) and two backs (laid on the selvedge to get a ready-made finished edge for those centre back edges) from the lining fabric (here the skirt is inside out to show the turquoise facing band, this is invisible when the skirt is right way out);

I made up the lining skirt identical to the pattern, leaving the centre back seam un-sewn, and serged the side seams to finish;

Then the precision measuring bit (not being facetious here, it is pretty important to get these measurements as spot on as possible for a good fit). I laid the lining skirt onto the finished skirt, so the seam allowance (1.5cm) is overhanging the top of the skirt. In the picture the red pin is marking a point 1.5cm (5/8″) above the bottom edge of the facing, this will be the stitching line where your lining will be joined onto the facing of the skirt. The yellow pin is marking a spot 1.5cm (5/8″) above this point; this will be the cutting line for where you can cut away the top of the lining skirt. Mark both of these lines on your lining skirt all the way around with pins or tailors chalk. Carefully cut along the cutting line (yellow pin line) around the top of the lining skirt.

Unpick where you’ve previously joined the facing to the zip tape, and with right sides together and using a seam allowance of 1.5cm (5/8″), sew the lining skirt at the stitching line (red pin line) to the facing. Serge to finish and press down. Now sew the centre back seam of the lining skirt to finish at the base of your zip, iron down the seam allowances of the lining and pin to the zip tape. Hand stitch lining to your zip tape…

Cut away the lining level with the base of the skirt…

Fold up 1cm, then 1cm again, press, pin and stitch as normal for a lining.

Finished! Now I can wear my skirt with tights and no more constant re-arranging of the skirt to hang properly.

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: lining, skirt, tutorial, Vogue 7303

Splitting up a suit, 2

14/06/2010 6:07 am \ 8 Comments \ Carolyn

Here finally is the jacket from the suit I made a few years ago (see here and here)… made from free fabric and using Simplicity 4698 … again. Yes, I do re-use patterns a lot, glad you noticed!
We had some very welcome rain last night. Welcome because it’s been so dry lately, and whilst I rejoice in endlessly sunny days with open arms and no complaints we do need the rain so much too… No doubt by the end of winter I will be complaining nonstop about wet weather but for now we are happy. Looking back over my blog I can see it last rained on 21st May… and it is supposed to be winter! Actually it’s been quite handy having this little daily snapshot here to remind me of each day’s doings and yes, the weather too. My gosh, I can hardly believe I’m stooping to talking about the weather, so stiff, but in a fashion blog it is an immediate and relevant factor in one’s apparel choices for that day, so consideration of the weather is quite appropriate so here we go; rain this morning, but fine the rest of the day and not too cold. I’m as warm as toast in this get-up here and happy to have found a way to put on this white elephant of a suit jacket, so all is well… My friend A paid me a compliment on the jacket this morning (without knowing I’d made it, bonus points!) so perhaps it deserves more airings?
Today’s random picture below; seen on my walk this morning

Details:
Jacket; Simplicity 4698, grey and black cotton
Jeans; Burda 7863, khaki stretch gabardine
Jumper; Cue
Boots; Andrea and Joen, from Uggy’s in Dunsborough

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: Burda 7863, Fabulous fabrics, jacket, jeans, Simplicity 4698

Family room curtains

13/06/2010 4:42 am \ 4 Comments \ Carolyn

Boring curtain alert: As previously warned I do have a preference for the simple and uncluttered look in my house, so my curtains are not going to win any awards for innovation here… that being said I feel these curtains are perfect for our family room. It’s not so much the curtains themselves that are interesting (they are not) but the ability they have through their translucency to transform the feel of the room and provide another ever-changing moody ambience to the room; if I could work out how to put a gif on this blog then I would, because this static first picture cannot adequately convey the shifting shadow play of leaves that is cast into the room, nor the liquid rippling of the pool reflected onto the curtains like a colourless abstract moving work of art; its a spectacle that I can never tire of.

When we wish to have sunlight in the room we can open the curtains to look out on our pool and on the backyard trees with the never-ending avian aerial display that exists therein…

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: curtains, home wares, Spotlight

Retroswirly tights

12/06/2010 4:07 am \ 17 Comments \ Carolyn

So I made myself some tights! What do you think?! Pretty chuffed myself actually; self-drafted, and I did make up a paper pattern for next time although of course not all stretch fabrics are created equal and I think each fabric would have to be judged on its own stretch factor for this purpose before using a pattern…
I didn’t get enough fabric to go the whole length from toe to hip and initially was kicking myself for this frugality, but then realised that, of course! no one is going to see above hip height anyway! so not necessary to have an unbroken length of fabric all that way anyway… so made the above hip part of the tights separate to the leg part of the tights and joined them together after. So all turned out beautifully as this meant I used the whole width of fabric and had no leftovers, yay! As all seamstresses will agree; leftovers can be handy occasionally, but can also be a fiddly nuisance filling up one’s available fabric storage space…
The leg seam goes from little toe around the front of the toes and up the inside leg, there is a centre front and centre back seam on the above-hip portion (no side seams at all!) Then the round-the-hipbone seam joins top to bottom, and finally the top is folded over to form a casing and 2cm wide elastic inserted.
(OK, so I’m wearing them here to show them as full length as possible, but in reality I will probably wear these with boots and longer skirts…!)
Today’s random picture below; witch’s hat with a view, seen this morning

Dress; Body & Soul, it’s so long since I bought this (approx 12 yrs ago) the label is washed white and unreadable
Tights; own design, stretch print jersey
Shoes; Nina, from David Jones

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: Fabulous fabrics, own design, tights/leggings

Olive and grape

11/06/2010 5:20 am \ 4 Comments \ Carolyn

Hilariously I started out this morning dressing with a view to wearing my suit jacket I’ve been talking about. But it didn’t look as good over this dress as well as I’d envisioned in my head, and a few discarded variations later and with time running out before I had to be somewhere else I settled on this outfit; without the jacket! Nuts! I’ll have to put a bit more thought into an outfit next time, perhaps when I’ve got more time. Been a bit hectically busy this morning (as obvious from my weird facial expression here, sorry).
This dress is a favourite from last winter, made using Burda 7897 and out of some lovely fabric that is a mix of bamboo and cotton. This pattern is now discontinued, and I’m not surprised. The bodice is … funny. I should have got a clue when the photograph on the pattern envelope depicts the model with her arm folded firmly in front of her chest, I suspect now to disguise the … funny … bodice. Actually I love this dress, in spite of the bodice. It’s nice and warm (because I lined it fully) and I love it’s dark olive green/grey colour. It’s a smudgy muddy colour that goes well with so many brights and other winter shades. I always wear it with something over the front though, hiding that “funny” bodice…
I also made the skinny self fabric belt using a buckle I picked up in an op shop.
I totally love these Metalicus tights (and am so glad I got them before the self-imposed Wardrobe Refashion shutdown on shopping!) I’ve worn the navy ones a few times and this is the first time this winter I’ve worn these mossy olive green ones. Love! Actually I’ve been playing with the idea of making my own tights… got some fabric and I’ll keep you posted…
Today’s random picture below, I think this little fellow thought I might feed him, he came right up beside me!

Details:
Dress; Burda 7897, olive green bamboo/cotton
Scarf; Alta Linea, a gift
Tights; Metalicus
Boots; Andrea and Joen, from Uggies in Dunsborough

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: Burda 7897, dress, Fabulous fabrics

Flowerpatch socks

10/06/2010 3:39 am \ 4 Comments \ Carolyn

Knitted to use up the leftovers of this colourful wool, and also using some Patonyle’s sock wool in airforce blue; the colours on these socks remind me of a springtime flower bed against a stormy blue sky. Such a pretty mix of crimson, white, coral, primrose, apricot and green. Very sadly the blue Patonyle’s wool doesn’t stand up well to washing in the machine and these shrank when once I hadn’t taken care to switch the machine to a cold cycle. (head slap) Grrr! Usually I remember this very important step in washing my hand-knitted socks! (Did I mention the twenty hour thing? Not lately? Then let me just slip in that fact again, yes, twenty odd hours of knitting…you would think I’d be more careful)
They now perfectly fit my daughter, who accepted them into her sock drawer and is modelling them here today. Can you tell she did ballet as a littlie? That pointed toe!
Today’s random picture below; little abandoned green jelly man, seen on my walk this morning

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: Knitted, Patons knitting book C11, socks

Splitting up a suit

09/06/2010 4:44 am \ 4 Comments \ Carolyn

Challenging myself to wear everything in my wardrobe: I’m still coming across old winter skirts that have seen more fashionable days, but are still perfectly good. Today’s is another one. Do you remember this skirt? I had got a lot of this grey cotton fabric for free from a local designer; free because the large-scale black floral screenprint on it was pretty scrappy in parts. I just went over the scrappy bits with a felt tip pen (Sharpie) which fixed it up fine… I had challenged myself to make a suit; thinking every woman needs a suit in her wardrobe “just in case”. So I made a suit of a jacket with two matching skirts. Of course in the three or four years since I made these I have had zero occasions for a suit. Even my most corporate of office moments are still too casual for a suit. Well, (shrug) it’s there if I need it. I haven’t shown you the jacket yet, but I will…
This is natch the second skirt belonging to the suit. I really struggled to find a way to wear this skirt this morning. I’ve fallen out of the habit of wearing it. And it’s that awkward length again. Naturally I’ve fallen back on my beloved neutrals to try to coax it back into my heart… I quite like the gentle neutrality of beige oyster and charcoal together; with the rich brown leather of the shoes.
Today’s random picture below; seen on my walk this morning

Details:
Skirt; New Look 6509, view A
Top; Metalicus
Cardigan (under); my own design, coffee and white net
Cardigan (over); MNG, found in a secondhand shop
Scarf; bought in Venice
Shoes; Betts & Betts Brazilian Collection, had these for about 20 years