Uncategorized Archives - Page 70 of 177

Keeping the lace pure and undarted in a fitted skirt

20/11/2012 11:00 pm \ 28 Comments \ Carolyn

My lace design has regular repeating rows of curlicues, scrolls and flower motifs that I felt would have been spoiled by waist shaping darts; also the lace fabric is quite thick and darts would not have sat nice and flat on the inside. Plus, they would have been visible through the wide holes in the lace.

SO, I aimed to eliminate the darts from my skirt and maintain the integrity of the rows of repeating motifs in the design.

Thank you so much to Robyn and Sharon who asked 🙂
And I should mention straight off that I learnt this process from using Tomoko Nakamichi’s Pattern Magic books of course…the point of which is to learn how to manipulate a sloper and fabrics in order to achieve a desired effect. I probably say that each and every time I mention the books, so please forgive me for repeating myself. I guess I just love this sort of thing since I am a bonafide maths and fashion and sewing nerd; three, not-irreconcilable passions that are wrapped up together and catered to in one neat package. Working through the exercises has taught me loads about pattern manipulation.
Anyhow, without further ado…

I chose the skirt pattern Vogue 1247 as a starting point because:
a.  I have used it a few times already and am happy with the fit.
b.  It has only one shaping dart on each side of the front and the back, and obviously one dart is way easier to eliminate than two.
c.  It has a high straight waistband that I could transform into a yoke fairly easily. A waistband or yoke was an essential component to stabilise the lace at the top of the skirt.
d. It is a reasonably straight little skirt, enabling me to easily match up the lace motifs down each side seam as well.

I am showing the process using the front pattern piece only… exactly the same process applies to the back piece.
I usually use old newspaper to make up my pattern modifications, but just in honour of taking photos today I have used some nice plain brown paper instead. Yah I know, so classy 😉

Draw the pattern piece with the dart marked.

Mark a horizontal line from the point of the dart extending out to the side edge.

Cut along the outside edge of the dart.

Cut along the horizontal line from the side edge to the point of the dart.

Rotate the top side edge into the centre to close the dart, and tape it closed.

Just to visually simplify the next step I’ve traced off a new paper piece from this new, dartless skirt front piece….

Now, my lace had straight, horizontal straight rows of motifs.. to indicate how this appears on my paper pattern piece I have marked some horizontal straight rows in red…. Now, see how the sides of the skirt curve up quite dramatically from the centre front? The visual effect of the curving row of lace, even though it is apparent curving and not actual curving; is rather unflattering imo and would look messy and chaotic. So, I wanted the top of the skirt to be cut in a straight horizontal line, to preserve the straight line of the lace design.

Cut off that top side curve.

The lower skirt piece remaining is your new skirt front piece. The curved piece cut off the top is used to create the waistband/yoke section as below…

The waistband of Vogue 1247 is a straight waistband; trace a new waistband including seam allowances.

Transfer the top side curve markings to it.. this will be the new curved side seam of the waistband/yoke.

Extend the curve up to the top of the desired yoke/waistband height; then freehand draw it a bit higher and then curve it down to join onto the waistband top, to square off that top corner.

This process results in a dartless skirt with a straight top edge that preserves the horizontal rows in the lace… and with a straight waistband shaped into the side edges.

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: Pattern Magic, skirt, tutorial, Vogue 1247

All laced up with nowhere to go

18/11/2012 4:01 am \ 67 Comments \ Carolyn

I’m joking… of course I’ve got lots of nice places to go 🙂
I’ve made a lace skirt.

My very luvverly, very perceptive friends again gave me a Fabulous Fabrics voucher for my birthday. Ohhh, they know me so well 😀
I try to do justice to their annual awesomeness by adding something appropriately beautiful and worthy to my wardrobe… last year’s voucher became the red dress, my favourite cocktail number; and then the spiral leggings. Ok, the leggings were not-so classic but nonetheless a very designer-y perennial and something I am still pretty pleased with.
Anyhoo, I’m returning to the classics with this year’s birthday voucher … ta da.

I used my voucher for this pale latte coloured, heavily configured lace and a length of caramel coloured silk charmeuse for the lining/underlining. For the waistband I used a piece of grey/beige handkerchief linen leftover from a little something else I have made very recently; that has not appeared here on my blog yet … it’s kind of a secret for the moment. To be appearing in due course 😉

The shapes of the pieces in this skirt are kind of based on those of a beautiful Chanel skirt I checked out while we were in Milan. I saw a skirt of heavily configured lace like mine, fitted but with no waist shaping darts, all the shaping in the side seams so as to minimally disturb the lace design, and a shaped, narrow yoke/waistband. I saw and I liked. I took note.

I used Vogue 1247… ! yah, you’d never have guessed, right? 🙂 The pattern has been fairly drastically altered: with the pieces spliced together, minus the pockets and re-configured to eliminate the waist shaping darts. The dart allowance has instead been removed from the side edges so as to not spoil the lace design; also the pattern normally features a high straight waistband, and I have lowered this a touch and shaped it into the waist also, so it is more like a narrow yoke than a waistband.

This is a great solution to the dilemma of fitting a lace skirt with minimal marring of the lace design.

The top of the skirt sits lower, at my natural waist. The centre back seam has the invisible zip closure, and is a straight seam with perfectly matched lace motifs. I hand-basted the zip in place, and the seam before machine stitching, in order to match up the lace motifs as well as I could.

The silk charmeuse underlining/lining skirt has all French seams. Instead of sewing the darts in place I folded the dart allowances into pleats which are just folded at the top and stitched in the seam allowance. This is a better way of treating the darts in a skirt lining; less strain on the fabric. This is another feature I’ve seen in high-end skirts.

I wore it for its maiden voyage here in a formal ensemble to go to a Christmas function; showing it off, tizzying it up y’know 😉 but I will also treat this as an everyday little thing, grunge-ing it down with casual loose tops. I’m picturing it with my khaki army shirt, or my billow-y white shirt. I’m very partial to that high/low look y’know. Very me. 🙂
Toodles, friends!

Details:

Skirt; Vogue 1247 heavily modified, latte lace with caramel silk charmeuse lining and linen waistband, my review of this pattern here

Blouse; Vogue 1170, ivory silk charmeuse, details and my review of this pattern here

Shoes; Misano

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: daily outfit, Sienna, skirt, Vogue 1247

A Public Service Announcement

16/11/2012 11:00 pm \ 20 Comments \ Carolyn

We interrupt our normal blogging schedule to bring you an important public service health announcement…
Please read carefully. This information could save lives.

Recent clinical trials have shown that daily ingestion of one (1) lime macaron with lime curd filling is beneficial to health and quality of life; providing a plausible intervention in cases of starvation, sadness, scurvy and … er, starvation.
This is a clinically proven treatment, effective and simple to self-apply. It is palatable to children and adults alike.

Please note; do not take more than the recommended dose as this product may be addictive. Other possible side effects of overdosing on this product include making yourself sick and loss of appetite.

Lime macarons with lime curd filling

100g egg whites, allowed to sit covered at room temperature for 3 days
30g castor sugar
5g powdered egg white (if you can’t get it, Pavlova Magic works)
125g almond meal
200g pure icing sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tblsp finely grated lime rind

Sift the icing sugar, baking powder and almond meal. It takes a long time to sift the almond meal and you have to push it through with a spoon but it should mostly pass through the sieve eventually. Discard the small quantity of lumpy bits that do not pass through the sieve. Combine castor sugar and powdered egg white (or Pavlova Magic) in a separate little bowl.

Whisk the egg whites until firm and stiff enough to keep its shape when you turn the bowl upside down, I prefer to whisk by hand. Gradually add the castor sugar/powdered egg white mix whisking continuously and vigorously after each addition.

Add the icing sugar/baking powder/almond meal mix in five batches, stirring until mixed each time. Lastly, stir in the lime rind.
Transfer mixture to a piping bag and pipe rounds onto a baking sheet or baking paper, leaving an inch between each round, and let them sit on the bench for one hour or until they have developed a “skin” and do not feel sticky to the touch.
Bake at 120C for 6 minutes, turn the tray around, bake for another 6 minutes then remove from the oven. Slide the baking sheet off the tray and onto the bench; partly so you can cook the next batch, but also the cold bench stops the cooking process in its tracks. When they are completely cold, peel them carefully off the paper.

for the filling: (this recipe has appeared here before)

rind and juice of 5 limes
6 eggs
1 1/2 c sugar
125g butter

Lightly whisk the eggs and sugar together in a saucepan, then add the other ingredients. Whisk continually over a medium heat until the mixture has thickened to a custard-like texture then allow to cool in the pan. Decant into sterilised jars and refrigerate until set completely.

Spread a little onto a macaron like spreading jam thickly on bread, then stick another macaron on top.

Disclaimer… this actually isn’t a public health announcement at all, and it’s extremely unlikely to save any lives.

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: macarons, recipe

A pretty little thing

14/11/2012 11:00 pm \ 26 Comments \ Carolyn

Cassie made a top.
I know, yes; it really does say handmade by me at the top of this blog and I did not make this lovely, but wait; there is a logical explanation…
I am posting it here mostly to show the fabudabulous Merche, because a short while ago she very generously sent Patrones no. 7 magazine over to me; muchísimas gracias Merche! And Cassie’s top is the first cab off the rank… The pattern is number 20, a little camisole blouse with a shirred back and a shoestring strap threaded through the top of the bodice to gather it up. It closes with an invisible zip in the side seam. Cassie elected to cross over the straps at the back, but otherwise the blouse is made up just to pattern.
She used a very lightweight cotton from Potters Textiles; thank you to Vanessa for alerting me to the Potters sale last year! This is the first time a Potters Textile has appeared on my blog here. Ack-choolly…. 🙂 this is the very first Patrones magazine I’ve got my clutches on, and the very first make from it, using the first piece of fabric I bought from Potters Textiles and the first time a Potters fabric has appeared here on the blog…
So this pretty little top represents a veritable avalanche of firsts… woot!

Cassie also made her own skirt, using Butterick 5488 and cotton denim from Fabulous Fabrics.

below left: t’ back view, and below right; her invisible zips are looking pretty fantastic imo…

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: Cassie, Patrones 20-7, top

You little ripper

12/11/2012 11:00 pm \ 32 Comments \ Carolyn

Recognise this thing? 😀
And something else looks familiar too… oh that’s right, I have shown this dress here before already. But there has been a small but significant alteration… can you spot it?
No?
I wore this dress for the first time on the day I photographed it for my pattern review with a little camisole on underneath; and all was hunky dory. Didn’t notice anything amiss. Then the weather warmed up more, and the second time I wore it out without any insulating, protective layer on underneath… and woooaaatch-y! Those tough-guy industrial-strength brass zipper teeth might look super cool but they turn nasty when scratching up against soft and tender tummy skin!
Urgent action was required… fortunately I had a strip of leftover fabric.
I’ve added a full-length zip placket. Actually, I think it was pretty dumb of me not to think of this in the first place, hehe. I concede that. Doh. Well, I’ve thought of it now. Better late than never, no?

Much more comfy now!
I’m amending my review; and most importantly: must remember to tick that box “minor update only”. It’s embarrassing when you forget to tick that, yes?? Your review shoots right up to the top of the heap, and it’s like there is no. Going. Back.
Woops. Oh sorry about that, people; I’m not really trying to force the same review on y’all twice. Really. I’m not. Hehe. (cringe)

Details:
Dress; Burdastyle magazine 09/2008, dress 109, powder blue brocade with exposed brass zips, details and my review of this pattern here
Sandals; akiel, from an op shop

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: Burdastyle magazine 09-2008-109, daily outfit

Kitchen witch

10/11/2012 11:00 pm \ 29 Comments \ Carolyn

Some kitchen couture!!
With all the gorgeous aprons popping up in the sewing blogging world at the mo’ I thought I should show why I did not take part in the big sew-along this time… you see; I have a very nice little selection of perfectly lovely handmade goodnesses to choose from when it comes to cooking-related apparel; already!
All of which are of quite high sentimental value to me since they were hand-crafted by my two favourite ladies in my life; my Mum and my daughter Cassie.
I own two aprons and one pair of oven mitts. Actually I have one other pair of oven mitts too, cruddy old ones which I actually use. The ones Cassie made are too good to muck up 🙂 But I do wear the aprons.
They are both quite simple in line and style BUT the divinity is in the details.
Firstly; the striped apron above was handwoven and made by my mother, and I have been using it all my adult married life.
It is all cotton; the fabric handwoven by Mum on a big floor loom in a plain weave; and has twill tape attached for the neck bizzo and the waist ties.

I just love the colours Mum chose 🙂

Secondly; I have an apron and oven mitts set; made by Cassie when she was in year 11 for an Art assignment.

This was term project, culminating in this apron and oven mitt set, a framed painting, and a whole portfolio of sketches. The name of the project is Eve’s Temptation… thus the sprinkling of cherries (innocence) and apples (temptation) over the textiles. The fruit is all embroidered in three different reds, plus yellow and black, and is richly textured.

The embroidered bits were all created by Cassie devoting hours to madly feverish back-and-forth sewing on my daggy little sewing machine, that ahem, does not do embroidery. It overheated and broke down during the saga, which was pretty devastating to both of us, for entirely different reasons!… but we won’t dwell on that melancholy time; my machine was repaired, Cassie finished the project with a fresh perspective on respecting other people’s property, and we remained friends …. happily ever after etc etc!
The black designs are screen-printed and with some random areas of machine embroidery for a bit of added texture, and Eve’s red lips are embroidered too. Also all done on my very ordinary non-embroidery machine.

So you can see I’m pretty right in the apron department. I am so lucky to have such clever creative women in my family!

(I am also wearing here my Bamboo shoot top from Pattern Magic; and my curtaining skirt from Vogue 1247)

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: apron, Cassie, daily outfit, embroidery, handwoven, Mum, printing, weaving

Thank you

10/11/2012 3:00 pm \ 22 Comments \ Carolyn

I just wanted to say a very big thank you for all those kind comments … I read them all with so much pleasure and felt very much supported and loved by everyone. You are all so lovely!
It is so very silly how the smallest drop of vitriol in amongst a whole crowd of sweet and kind comments can somehow be so disproportionately effective in bringing one’s spirits crashing down, intellectually we know it should not be so but we humans are sensitive creatures and it is just so. So silly!
So, I thank you all from the bottom of my heart and wish to send you all a big big beautiful bouquet of gorgeousness right back at you!

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: flower arrangement, random life stuff

feeling blue

09/11/2012 6:19 am \ 121 Comments \ Carolyn

I took this photo during our holiday on Rotto but never put it in with the other travel wardrobe photos… the blue skirt was appearing too often. But I still think it’s a nice photo so I decided to post it after all.

Details:
Raincoat: self-drafted, of non breathable nylon ripstop, details here
Top; top “a” from shape shape, formerly known as Unique Clothes Any Way You Like, by Natsuno Hiraiwa, of white cotton, details here
Skirt; Vogue 1170, blue corduroy, details here, my review of this pattern here, and see this skirt styled in 6 different ways here
Thongs; Havaiana

I’ve been a bit sad and have lost some of the blogging joy over the past few days… thanks to a very sarcastic nasty comment on my blog I discovered recently. A few might have seen a recent blog post I wrote about it … but probably not many because I deleted it soon after publishing. I also deleted the mean comment too eventually; Craig told me I should have left it to allow everyone to read it, but rude comments upset me. I just don’t want hurtful stuff on my blog. I usually prefer to be all Positive Pollyanna.
The commenter took exception to my review of Natsuno Hiraiwa’s Pattern book Unique Clothes Any Way You Like, or shape shape, which she interpreted as a personal attack on her character. Apparently she was an author of one of those scathing reviews on amazon about Natsuno Hiraiwa’s book. Of course it goes without saying that she had nothing nice to say about my own makes from the book! She outlined her alleged long sewing history, I guess as a means of “proving” her superior level of sewing expertise, thus granting herself the authority to override my positive review of the book. Despite admitting again she hadn’t even used the book. She classed me a “spoilt Anglo Saxon sewer” (and btw I have used Burda magazine patterns a lot too), and very sarcastically dissed the skirt I had made, skirt “d” pictured at the top of my review.
So.
I don’t like to drone on about my own history since I prefer for my handiwork to speak for itself… plus one thing I’ve learnt from the internet is how lots of people can talk until the cows come home about how utterly expertly fabulous they are at something without ever offering any evidence to support their claims; so I will not. I have posted about some of my really old stuff under the label ancient history.
However, for the last three years I upped the ante to the max and took on sewing my entire wardrobe; and this has been documented pretty thoroughly here on my blog. I have not bought any clothes in all that time. In my real life, I am literally the only person I know who sews all my own clothes. I really enjoy doing this; I love clothes and I love the challenge of creating them myself, and it gives me something to do in my spare time. I’m a busy person, and don’t like to be still, so sewing keeps me happily and productively occupied in the hours when I am not doing my official work in the office, cooking, housework, and on the weekends when my husband, who works very long hours, is on call or at work.
Blogging about it started out in a small documentative way; but has built up to become so much more to me, a community of wonderful like-minded people, with whom I share a common love.
Of course, I know I am very lucky and undoubtedly I am spoilt in many many aspects of my life BUT …. I’ve still put in many hours to get to the level of sewing expertise I am at, and I put in quite an effort to make things the best I possibly can.
I also put in quite an effort to present my creations in a fun, lighthearted and interesting way here, and to make my blog the best it can be. I’m not the sort to make a half-hearted effort. And I prefer positivity over negativity.
Anyway, I don’t even know why I’m baring my soul defensively in this way… just feeling a bit down I s’pose. I hope I am not over-sharing in an embarrassing way.