Fabric Epiphanies

Me Made May Day's 13-16

2013-05-16T19:30:00.003+12:00

The weather has been unseasonably warm, so before it breaks, I have been taking every opportunity to wear my transeasonal garments. This Vogue peplum top is one such garment, as are my black linen Colette Clover pants.

Sometimes in the working week you just need a little pick me up. This cheerful Simplicity floral dress is just what the doctor ordered on a very busy Tuesday (day 14)

On Wednesday, day 15, I chose a little more subdued outfit. This is actually one of my favourites at the moment. I love the pop of yellow in my upcycled blouse made using Simplicity 4589. The skirt, is a lovely lined wool flannel, made using Colette Meringue and although we had a rocky relationship at the beginning, I find this skirt a good neutral when I am tired of black.

I am finding it increasingly difficult to decide what to wear of a work morning lately. We should be waking to temperatures of 0-4 degrees, rising to a high of around 13-15 degrees. Instead this morning, I awoke to 11 degrees and while I was standing in my wardrobe staring blankly at the rack the sound of birds singing made me decide on this incarnation of Vogue 1247 in black wool knit, and my current favourite blouse, my summer version of Sewaholic Alma in silk metal.

That just about wraps up another week, a week that has been manic to say the least. I haven't had much sleep but I have managed to squeeze in some sewing time on a very special project. Who need's sleep! It's overated!

Me Made May Day's 11 and 12

2013-05-14T18:42:00.000+12:00

Day 10 was Saturday, which mean't a very casual day of kid's rugby followed by some shopping. For the rugby, I swapped the ankle boots for a pair of Teva insulated boots because the park is getting very muddy.

Today, I am wearing my latest version of Sewaholic Renfrew. This time I have made it in a 80% wool 20% nylon sweater knit bought from Cotura Fashions at the end of last winter at the princely cost of $6 per metre. I added an extra 1cm to both the side seams and the arm inseam because I wanted to wear it over another layer. I also omitted the hip band in favour of a twin needled hem.

On Sunday, Mothers day, I started out in the same jersey for a day of housework (yes I know it was Mothers day but with a chaotic week ahead, I had to get a running start) but this time with Anita Ponti printed pants and white Maria Denmark tee. The wool jersey lasted, well maybe half an hour after this photo was taken and by 10am was discarded as the temperature rose to a very warm 25 degrees celcius.

You can just see the reflection of my son in the glass doors as he waited patiently for me to take the photo so he could sweep up all of those leaves!

Autumnal Sewaholic Alma and Me Made May Day's 9 and 10

2013-05-13T14:26:00.001+12:00

No, this is not a bad photograph, just a very foggy morning! This photo was taken at 8am and I was going to wait until later in the day for the sun to shine, but hey, keeping it real people!

Day 9 was another work day so I wore my linen frankenpattern dress and for added warmth in the morning, because this dress has short sleeves, my black merino cardigan.

On day 10, I remembered to participate in the mini challenge which was craft space related, although I can't remember the exact words now...see that is what happens when you post so far after the fact! Anyho, here is part of my craft space. The area where my machine lives as well as my coverstitch machine. My commercial overlocker lives in our garage which can be inconvenient especially in the dead of winter.

You might have noticed the blouse which hasn't appeared here

before. This is another Sewaholic Alma made using some lovely cotton from an op shop fabric haul that I seem to have neglected posting about...woops! This time however, I have made the sleeves long instead of short. I did have to shorten the length by about 5cm but other than this, it was made a straight size 6 as per my previous versions.

My one complaint with this sleeved version, is that the sleeves make the blouse feel a little tight across my back and chest. I perhaps could have gone up a size, or maybe because it lacks back pleats like most long sleeve blouses, it is just the style of it. On the whole though, I am really happy with it and it goes beautifully with my new green and pink striped pencil skirt that I wrote about last week.

Happy Mothers Day!

2013-05-12T19:59:00.001+12:00

It started out as a very simple Mothers Day. All I wanted was not to have to do any housework and perhaps the chance to do a little sewing. My reality was very different! Courteney made me a new dressing gown. In the school holidays, she made this somewhat secretly while I was at work. The trouble came when this fabric shed from one end of the house to the other, and no amount of vacuuming would remove the evidence. I knew something was up, when she picked me up from work with blue fluff all through her hair!

The pattern Courteney used was the dressing gown from Simplicity 3696. I hadn't made this up before, but had had great success with the pyjama pattern. Courteney didn't like the band at the neckline and redrafted it to match my existing dressing gown which had a proper collar. She came a little unstuck when the fabric stretched out of shape but after a quick tutorial on the merits of iron on interfacing, the project was completed smoothly. Both Courteney and I are really happy with the way this project turned out. Now I plan on returning the favour with a little project involving satin and organza.

I was a little spoilt today. The boys bought me chocolate, including white chocolate which is my favourite but I also gifted myself a new laptop after the mother board on my current one decided to fry earlier in the week. This has rather hampered my Me Made May efforts but rest assured photos have been taken and a catch up post is eminent. Oh, and in case you were wondering, I never did get my sewing time today!

Predictably.......

2013-05-09T20:13:00.000+12:00

No, it isn't that I made a skirt, more the pattern that I used. It

should come as no surprise that I used Vogue 1247 as the basis for my new skirt. The fabric that I chose is a quality piece of dark olive green fabric with a pink/red pin stripe, bought as part of this op shop fabric haul. What makes this fabric so special is that it is a lovely 60% mohair 40% wool fabric made in England. I know this because it was woven into the selvedge. I really wanted something special for this fabric so Vogue 1247 was the obvious choice. I absolutely love the fit of this skirt. I now have it drafted in made to measure size so minimal fitting is required. From my draft this time though, I redrafted it to a pencil skirt. After piecing the pattern pieces together and straightening the sides, I added a back vent copied from an old 1980's pattern that was in regular rotation in the day.

I lined this skirt in a piece of green taffeta lining from Lincraft.

If I had one little criticism of this skirt it would be that the fabric creases quite easily as you can see in the above photos.

I got a little side tracked while taking this photo. I found a nice little supply of the last of the seasons strawberries in the garden so stopped for a quick snack before the kids discovered them.

Me Made May Days 6,7 and 8

2013-05-08T18:33:00.004+12:00

Day 6 was raining, hence the colourful accessory. Today I wore 3 me made items, Vogue 1247 favourite skirt, another favourite in this rescue blouse, and merino cardigan.

Day 7, and the first frost of the season saw me wearing 3 me made outer layers. Did I also mention that there are me made under layers most days as well! My dress is another favourite, made using New Look 6071, and written about here.

Because we had the first frost of the season on day 7, I brought out my winter coat for the first time to get to work warm and toasty. This has proved to be another favourite. I love the warm claret red against the grey. This was made using Simplicity 2508 and I like the shape so much, it will be my go to pattern in the future. I also wore a hand knitted by me scarf in feathers that pre dates my blog.

Today, day 8, my coat came out to play again because of another frost. Today I wore it with a recent addition to my wardrobe, Vogue 1027. It is actually a summer dress but with tights and a cardigan, is very winter appropriate.

A Mini Dress/Me Made May Days 4 and 5

2013-05-05T20:13:00.001+12:00

No, I didn't make an extremely short dress for myself but a dress for a tiny little person. The intended recipient of this new dress is my niece who will turn two years old tomorrow. The fabric I chose is a lovely soft cotton stretch velvet. Because I have used the pattern before with great results, the pattern I used was Burda 3179. The last time I used the pattern was for this dress.......

Yes, this is Courteney, aged about 4 years old wearing a Pumpkin Patch knock off, complete with matching headband. Father Christmas in the photo was actually her grandfather, who moonlighted at the local mall, a fact she was unaware of at the time.

I made a size 18mths for my neice. It is a lovely roomy dress, perfect for an active toddler and because it is nearly winter also perfect for accomodating extra layers of clothing.

For mini dress making on Saturday, I wore, Maria Denmark tee, and Sewaholic Thurlow capris

Today, I cheated a little by wearing rtw black jeans and another Sewaholic item, this time a Sewaholic Renfrew for an uninspiring but satisfying day of housework and a trip to Bunnings.

Me Made May; Days 1 to 3

2013-05-03T20:10:00.000+12:00

The weather has been a little blah this week so warm clothing has been in demand. For day one of Me Made May, I chose this dress in black hounds tooth knit and bright pink tights to brighten up an otherwise dull day. Dull you may say! But the sun is shining! Don't be fooled...today we had the worst rainstorm I have ever experienced. It was like someone turned the tap on and my poor earthquake damaged roof did not cope resulting on puddles of water forming on my carpet....grr!

Day two, was still grey and cold, hence the Sewaholic Thurlow trousers, New Look 3/4 sleeve blouse and black suede wedge booties. Please excuse the wrinkles, these have been worn all day when this photo was taken.

Day three was still cool and autumnal. After a busy day at work and then rushing to get the kids hair cut before school goes back, I completely forgot about my photo until the sun was setting. Today I wore my Megan Neilsen Kelly Skirt in stretch cotton sateen, Sewaholic Renfrew, black boots and tights.

Just looking back at last years photos, only one thing in the above photos appeared in Me Made May 2012 and that is the hounds tooth dress. It had it's first wearing in May last year and I don't believe it has been worn much since then. With the bright tights, I like it a lot more so it may be shown more love this winter.

End of April Round Up

2013-05-01T20:01:00.000+12:00

Totals For The End Of April

Floral & Black Sewaholic Alma
Fabric $0.00
Pattern (used before) $0.00
Zip $2.99
Total $2.99

Beige Sewaholic Thurlows
Fabric $12.00
Pattern (used before) $0.00
Zip $1.99
Total $13.99

Burgundy Blouse
Fabric $0.00
Pattern (used before) $0.00
Buttons $2.10
Total $2.10

Floral Vogue Dress
Fabric $12.00
Pattern (used before) $0.00
Total $2.99

Printed Tessuti Anita Pants
Fabric $13.00
Pattern $0.00
Zip $2.99
Total $2.99

March Me April Total $25.06

RTW Purchases $70.99

On the topic of Me Made May...well I am participating but did find daily blogging last year a huge effort so this year, I am going to post my photos weekly instead of daily. Yes, the photos will still be taken daily but weekly posting will hopefully mean my readers will not loose interest and neither will I.

Printed Pants

2013-04-28T21:18:00.000+12:00

I made some more new pants. Not just any pants, but a departure from my usual style. Yes, I have joined the printed pants revolution. I am not usually a fan of anything with an elastic waist until I made these.

I downloaded the Tessuti Anita Ponti Pants pattern on Friday night and printed the 34 odd pages on Saturday morning. By lunch time it was taped together, cut out and ready for sewing. I did have one small problem with this pattern. My measurements dictated that I should cut out a size 6 but after pining the pattern pieces together, it quickly became apparent that this wouldn't fit. I then read on the pattern that the sizing was Australian sizing which is also the same as New Zealand sizing. Right, I am a size 10 here at home so this is what I cut out. I think the measurements and the seam allowances in inches causes confusion. An Australian pattern in my opinion should be in metrics, and not a combination of metrics and imperial. Right, gripe and confusion out of the way, these went together pretty easily.

The fabric I chose is a lovely light weight ponti from Lincraft which I picked up in their 30 percent off sale. The only change I made was to run the ankles in by 1cm.

Anyho, I was determined to wear these today despite the 25 degree air temperature. Today, for our walk around the giant buiding site which is our city centre, I am wearing my new pants with my white Maria Denmark tee.

And the verdict.....well there will definitely be more!

Beige Thurlows

2013-04-26T21:38:00.001+12:00

I have made some new pants, Sewaholic Thurlows to be precise. This is my first attempt at the trouser version of this pattern and I don't mind admitting that it wasn't without it's trials. Not that I had any problems with the fabric, or the sizing or the cut for that matter. The problems came with my quest for perfection. Now when I buy rtw trousers, perfection is the last thing on my mind. My usual requirements are, they have to be comfortable and fit well. These trousers did all of these things, so why was I so frustrated? Well, I will get to that!

The fabric I chose is a stretch cotton drill with a bit of something synthetic for good measure. It came from Cotura fashions, just like the sparkle dress I made earlier in the month. It is lovely quality fabric, but I do not know the exact composition. I cut the trousers to size 6, the same size as my shorts made during the summer. I made view A but narrowed the leg on both the inside and the outside. I wanted a pair of pants suitable for work so they needed to be narrow without actually being tight.

Now that I am no longer suffering from debilitating tiredness, I was able to put all my energy into the finishes on these pants and literally snatched half hour blocks to complete these pants. Because the fabric is super stretchy, I was concerned about the back pockets gaping. Some strategically placed buttons and button holes took care of this risk.

To make sure my waist band didn't stretch out, I found some matching beige embroidered cotton from my summer shorts to make the inner waistband. The pocket liners were made using some white dress lining so as not to add bulk.

Now, I am pretty happy with these pants. Yes, they do have the odd wrinkle but it is hard to not get these when you have worn them all day sitting at a desk. Initially though, I did have that, could have done better feeling. Why? Well, I over analysed them. I trawled through blogs and fit tutorials until I was eating, sleeping and breathing pants fitting issues. You can imagine my disappointment then, when I looked in the mirror and saw a couple of wrinkles in the back leg of the pants. For the next pair of trousers I now know what I have to do, but actually, now that I have worn these a few times, I am pretty happy with the fit.

This photo was taken a couple of weeks ago. It has taken me that long to get motivated to post about these. I actually don't have much I can wear with these pants but my Vogue 1247 top will do nicely for now!

Anzac Day

2013-04-25T20:56:00.000+12:00

For anyone reading this who is not from New Zealand or Australia, today is Anzac day. A day when New Zealand and Australia stop and remember our soldiers, particularly those lost in World War I and World War II. The day starts with dawn parades across both nations. I admit I didn't attend but I did make a batch of Anzac biscuits this morning which is something I don't think I have done before. The kids approved so I suspect there will be more. Anzac biscuits were common in care packages to soldiers because they are both economical to make and if my memory serves me right also because they were robust enough to survive the postage.

Because everything was closed this morning, we took the opportunity of a bit of free entertainment this morning in the form a walk from Victoria Park to the Sign of the Kiwi and down again. The view was outstanding from the hills bathed in sunshine, across the sea fog covered plains to the mountains beyond.

It is still way too warm for any sign of snow except on the very caps, thousands of metres above sea level. These mountains will be blanketed in white in a couple of months. The western side of the city is hiding under that blanket of cloud.

The eastern suburbs and out to sea, sparkle on a sunny day. My boys can be seen in the foreground.

And just so we can talk about the clothing, a keeping it real shot of me, wearing Maria Denmark tee, black lycra cropped yoga pants that predate my blog, requisite back pack and Jalie hoody tied in a most practical way around my midriff with all three of my kids posing waaaay back there in the background.

Fabric Buying and Musings

2013-04-22T16:47:00.002+12:00

A week or so ago, I had the urge to check out the fabric bin at my favourite op shop for fabric. Of course when one has an itch, it really must be scratched, so scratch I did and this is what I came away with.

In this haul, there is some brick red linen, matching striped cotton lycra, also matching cotton woven shirting weight, very funky satin, a piece of lining for an upcoming project and two pieces of taslon, also for an upcoming project. One of these pieces has already been made into something for autumn but I am yet to get a photo.

Oh and a little housekeeping..................

'I, Andrea, sign up as a participant of Me-Made-May '13. I endeavour to wear at least one me made item each day for the duration of May 2013'

Yup, I am participating again. The incessant photography last year, did not deter me from participating again. In fact, I find it quite handy at this time of the year, looking back and seeing what I wore last year on those no inspiration kind of days.

Has anyone else outside of the UK been glued to Youtube watching "The Great British Sewing Bee". It got me thinking. How would I cope with time constraints and the pressure? Would I cope with creativity in the face of cameras or would my brain turn to mush. I suspect the later might be the case!

I admire Ann. She is so unflappable and just gets on with the job with outstanding results. Her no nonsense approach reminds me so much of my late grandmother who still remains my sewing idol.

I am really looking forward to the next installment and if TVNZ are reading this....could I please have a New Zealand version? It would make a pleasant change from all of those reality cooking shows!

A Cheeky Red

2013-04-19T21:03:00.000+12:00

I am really loving the oversized shirts that the shops are full of this season. As much as I love the idea of these shirts, anything too large can overwhelm a 160cm tall person such as myself. I tend to suit a leaner silhouette and a shirt with some shaping. That is where New Look 6050 comes in. This shirt has darts in the back and bust darts as well. I also really like the second version with the inverted pleat which I might try next.

The fabric I have chosen is a burgundy coloured mystery crushed crepe of some sort with a cotton feel to it. It was donated to me by my Mum who used to sew for herself a bit but has generally retired her sewing machine except for the odd fix it job and curtain making. I have heaps of this fabric, so it will make a reappearance again some time in the future.

As per my previous versions here and here, I cut the shirt to a size 10, grading to a size 12 in the hips. I cut the length halfway between version A and version D which I found to be a happy compromise between mini dress length and short like in the photo on the envelope. This gives me the option to wear it over leggings should I want to (and I will but more on that later).

I actually nearly retired this pattern prior to this shirt in favour of more current patterns, and there are some lovely ones around, especially amongst the indie pattern makers, but with a little creative drafting, there is life in this old girl yet! I particularly like the v neck shape and I have plans to work with this and an old 1980's shirt pattern for another version.

Because autumn has struck with a vengeance, my summer clothes have been retired in favour of warmer attire. Today I am wearing my new shirt with my favourite pin striped skirt made using Vogue 1247, my grey leather brogue boots by Bellini and a necklace I purchased using a voucher given to me by my in laws for my birthday in September last year, and I only just got around to spending. Yes, I am as organised at spending my birthday vouchers as I am at posting my makes on this blog!

A Bit Of Sparkle

2013-04-12T17:27:00.000+12:00

I am getting a little behind on my posting. This dress has been completed since before Easter but only now have I written about it. The fabric I chose for it, came from Cotura Fashions which sell off their fabric after they have completed their manufacturing runs. I paid a very reasonable $5 per metre for this fabric. The fabric is a synthetic knit but I can't remember the exact composition. The grey in it has quite a sparkle. I bought it at the end of last winter with no particular project in mind. I originally thought it would make a nice Renfrew but on closer inspection, I felt the print was too big. Inspiration struck one day while shopping my fabric collection and the idea of Vogue 1027 was born.

Now this project was not without it's issues. I cut into the dots on the sash incorrectly and ended up having to repair it....grrr! That is what you get for sewing when you are tired. I have made this dress before so I should have been more careful. Like my previous version, I cut the skirt 10cm shorter than the pattern.

I tried to get a photo of the sparkle in the skirt but it is really hard to photograph.

I was even happier with this fabric when I saw it in grey at Fabric Vision for $29 per metre!

Okay, so a short sleeve dress is not entirely autumnal now is it? But, by layering it with a light weight merino cardigan, it is just perfect for cool mornings and much warmer days.

In case you were wondering about all of those pears! I have been cooking and freezing them as quickly as they fall. I have to, or the dog will eat them!

Making It Work

2013-04-10T18:19:00.001+12:00

Autumn's arrival has thrown up a few challenges in my wardrobe. My usual wardrobe at this time of the year has involved jeans in every shape and form but not so this year. I am currently surviving on a couple of skirts, 2 3/4 sleeve shirts and a few dresses. Needless to say, I am sick to death of all of them and desperately trying to reinvent new ways of wearing them all. I am, however, determined not to add any more rtw to my wardrobe.

I got up this morning to the autumns first frost. Minus 2 degrees celcius was rather a shock, especially when I was putting out the washing in the early hours. The one thing you can be certain of with a frost, is a sunny day and today, I knew, would not disappoint. It is not uncommon for the day to climb into the early twenties by mid morning so layering is a must. Today's outfit started with new leather boots which conveniently arrived in the mail yesterday from Amazon. The brown in the boots matched the brown in my favourite upcycled blouse. Rather than stick to my normal black Vogue skirt with this blouse, for some reason today, I reached for this rather under used Colette Meringue skirt. I am not sure why it is rather unloved and forlorn in my wardrobe because, actually, I quite like it! Because it was frosty and I work in a glass house (I kid you not, my office is 75% glass), I also began the day in a charcoal coloured light weight merino vest by Maya which was discarded as the day warmed up.

The verdict....I actually quite like brown and grey worn together. It is not something I have ever done in the past as far as I can recall. I guess that is one benefit of blogging, stepping out of my comfort zone.

On a side note, I am contemplating joining up with Me Made May but I am not sure whether I will have the time to take daily photographs. If I do it, I think I will need to post photos weekly. What do you think?

Alma Lichen It

2013-04-07T17:31:00.002+12:00

Yes, my jokes are corny and my kids remind me of that all of the time! Not that they aren't prone to the odd one themselves mind you!

This is my latest Alma and was made in response to a whole lot of leftovers. The lovely floral piece was left over from Courteney's dress, the black light weight linen was left over from well, a lot of things I have made recently including the last Alma and my favourite Thurlow shorts. The zip was left over from a project that I changed my mind on at the last minute. All in all, I didn't buy anything for this project.

I cut this blouse to a size 6, like the previous versions but because I only had the tiniest piece of fabric, I made the sleeves and the collar in black. It all nearly ended in disaster when I cut the little triangle out for version A, when I was talking and cutting at the same time. After a brief melt down, I recovered my composure and managed to rescue the situation by making the neckline slightly lower than the pattern and reducing the seam allowance to minimal. Phew!

Now the weather has changed considerably since this photo was taken last weekend. Autumn has well and truly arrived so unless it warms up considerably, this blouse will not see a lot of action until spring. Oh well, never mind. I may still be able to wear it in my over heated office for a few weeks yet! In case you are wondering, I am planning another more autumn suitable blouse using this pattern.

Here is the rest of that lovely waterfall that my photo was taken in front of.

End Of March Wrap Up

2013-04-02T20:21:00.001+13:00

Motivation to make seasonal clothing has been a challenge this month due to the continuing summer weather. Not that I am complaining, mind you! Starting a new job 20 hours per week has been a hinderance to the production line as well. I am hoping though, that once the new routine beds itself in, that semi normal programming will continue. I did however, manage a few projects as seen here and a few more that I have yet to write about.

Totals For The End Of March

Pink Linen Jacket
Fabric $1.99
Pattern (used before) $0.00
D Rings $0.00
Interfacing $0.00
Total $1.99

Colourblock Dress
Fabric $8.00
Pattern $0.00
Zip $1.89
Total $9.89

Pink Jeans
Pattern (used before) $0.00
Fabric (left over) $0.00
Zip (recycled) $0.00
Button (from stash) $0.00
Total $0.00

Rockin Grey Alma
Pattern (used before) $0.00
Fabric (left over) $0.00
Zip $2.99
Total $2.99

March Me Made Total $14.87

RTW Purchases $30.00

Rockin Alma

2013-04-01T17:24:00.000+13:00

Given today is 1 April (a pinch and a punch and all that), I should be posting a roundup of all my makes for the month. Life has however got in the way this month and I am a bit behind on the posting front. Better that, than behind in the making front, I say. This top has been made up for over a week and has been worn several times in between. It is yet another example of one of those makes using left overs that I actually like better than the item I bought the fabric for.

The fabric is a lovely silk metallic fabric that I bought for this party dress last year. I initially ear marked the remnants for a tunic type dress for winter but had an epiphany last week while shopping my own patterns and Sewaholic Alma was what I came up with.

Like my last version , I made a size 6 and view A. I didn't have enough fabric for the facings, so used some black linen that I used for the waistband on my floral Sewaholic Thurlow shorts. I had a small remnant of grey stretch suiting and this was used for the armhole binding. It isn't quite the right grey but because it is under the armpits, it really doesn't matter.

I really need a lot more tops and skirts for work so you may see a lot more of this pattern. My top has now been worn twice to work and once above and I love, love, love, it! The combination of a gorgeous fabric and a really good pattern is hard to beat. Sewaholic patterns are really good patterns and I am yet to find one I don't like.

Indian Summer

2013-03-31T16:28:00.000+13:00

While Easter still means copious amounts of chocolate are consumed in my family especially amongst the younger people, even though Easter bunny no longer visits, it is also a weekend that we try to get away before the autumn bites. It is the last public holiday weekend before winter so for every one's emotional well being it is something we try to do if possible.

This year we camped at Ashley Gorge. A gorgeous small camping ground surrounded by native bush on the banks of a lovely clear unspoilt swimming river. Even the kids commented on how quiet it was at night and the bird life is unlike anything we see or hear in the city.

We didn't actually think we would be swimming. The kids took wet suits but it was hot enough not to need them. The water of course being mountain fed was still frigid. The kids didn't need to walk too far to find beautiful secluded swimming holes.

I passed on the swimming action. My role here is as lifeguard. Coincidentally here I am wearing the capri's that suffered a inconvenient washing accident and were subsequently refashioned into shorts and Maria Denmark tee. I say coincidentally but actually given that most of my wardrobe is now me made, it is probably more of a given!

This is what a morning walk looks like at the Ashley Gorge. I don't know who enjoyed exploring more, the kids or my husband (seen above).

Here I am on my morning walk this morning, trying really hard not to slip and end up unceremoniously on my backside. It is still a little cool in the early morning so this Jalie hoody came in very handy.

Making It Work

2013-03-27T15:12:00.000+13:00

Because summer has decided to hold on for another month, today's wardrobe Wednesday post still showcases summer attire. I must admit to being a little tired of my summer gear and trying to put together office appropriate clothing after 3 weeks on the job is getting a little monotonous. Although winter is my least favourite seasons, I must confess to looking forward just a little bit to breaking out the boots and knitwear. My winter sewing appetite has not yet been wet, so there may just be room for a couple of more summer items.

Today's making it work top comes from one of my all time favourite patterns, Vogue 1247. I know it is so, because as I type it, I can remember the pattern number off by heart. Great! More brain sludge! The skirt is another favourite and fits beautifully which is probably why it is a favourite. Comfort and good looks are always a winning combination in my book. This was made in blue linen using New Look 6918. I have discovered that open toe shoes are allowed in the office (you can never be too sure these days), so today, I am wearing beige leather wedges by Clarks.

I do have one more item to reveal before the end of March, but managed to spill something on it before I had a chance to photograph it, so watch this space!

In The Pink

2013-03-25T21:03:00.000+13:00

After an unfortunate washing accident with the pants that I originally made with this fabric, I decided that there was just enough fabric left to eek out another pair of jeans. Not satisified completely with the fit to date of the jeans I had made using the Jalie jeans pattern, I in a rush of blood to the head, set about reinventing the wheel.

What I was hoping to achieve was a curvier hip area, narrow legs and a slightly larger rise at the front...hmm sounded easy in theory. The basis of my theory was a new pair of rtw jeans that I really liked the fit of. Now after much drawing and pinning and measuring, I now have a pattern that I am happier with but I don't think I am quite there yet. I love the rise, the ease in the hips but the legs do tend to creep up a bit and are a little too snug around the calves. The fabric does tend to grow quite substantially with wear, so I would be interested to see how this pattern goes with real denim.

I was lucky enough to have just enough length in the fabric to make pants for a vertically challenged person but there was not enough for pocket bags or for the waistband. My solution was to line the waistband with a more stable white denim which was probably a good idea in hindsight. The pocket bags were just made with some white cotton shirting and a pocket facing eeked out of the pink stitched on top.

Top to toe colour seems to be a reacurring theme this season, so I have teamed the pink Jalie (I say that very loosely now) jeans with the pink linen jacket I wrote about last week, pink ballet flats by Mia Paci and my favourite cotton top with tiny pink flowers, circa this time last year.

Making It Work

2013-03-20T14:18:00.000+13:00

I have a very large collection of casual clothes but not much suitable for office wear. The weather has changed to more autumnal in the last couple of days, so those summer dresses will either need to be paired with another layer or put away until next year. At the moment I am rather struggling with the what do I wear, problem, on a daily basis. I work in an office full of males, so actually working out the dress code is taking some experimentation. Thus far, I think my office sits somewhere between casual and formal office attire so suits are not necessary and jeans a step too far.

The outfit I am wearing today, consists of a Bendon lace tee which I picked up at the op shop, grey leather sling backs by Valdo which I bought from Street Legal, light weight wool lycra cardigan that predates my blog and a cotton sateen skirt made using Megan Neilsen's Kelly Skirt pattern.

I have nothing on my sewing table at the moment, but do have a stack of fabric and no inspiration...hmmmm! Did I mention that I have no energy either! It is not exactly conducive to productivity but I am determined that no rtw will be added to my wardrobe.

What you do for one.....

2013-03-18T20:44:00.000+13:00

you have to do for another!

When young J saw his brothers onsie, he decided he really wanted one as well. Initially I was hesitant but I actually came on board quite quickly. When J swims, he tends to come home wrapped in a towel which isn't ideal in the middle of winter. I have often suggested he take his dressing gown but apparently this is uncool. A onsie is the perfect solution. The fleece doesn't absorb water so he can simply towel off and throw the onsie on with a pair of jandals and is good to go.

Once again I used M'Calls 6251. I used the same size as J's older brother but had to downsize the pattern quite considerably because this pattern is a youth sized pattern and not child sized. I took a lot of length out of the body, legs and sleeves as well as running it in at the sides for this long slim child. The pattern did not include a hood, so I drafted one of these as well. The fabric is a lovely but very inexpensive textured polar fleece from Kutwell fabrics and the royal blue is left over from his brothers onsie. He felt it was a little boring, so was pleased when I suggested the J applique for the front.

Now, school camp is looming later in the week. His first ever. One of the activities is a pyjama party complete with movie and popcorn. I think he should be quite cosy in his new onsie.

A Frankenpattern Work Dress

2013-03-13T20:51:00.003+13:00

With the long dry continuing, I figured I had time for just one more summerish dress. This particular one does have sleeves so could be justified as an early autumn dress. I was going through my stash last week and was wondering just what to do with the pieces of linen I had amassed in my collection, when I had a bright idea. I really liked the Vogue colour blocked dress but really couldn't justify another pattern and knew I had just the colour combination for a lovely colour blocked linen dress.

My epiphany came in the form of Butterick 6933 which has been in my stash since before my blog. It is a preloved beauty that found itself in my collection for less than a cup of coffee. I used it way back when for this dress. I wanted my new dress to be spliced but also wanted the neckline to be higher and the dress to be A line.

The first thing I did was to redraft the pattern. I used Vogue 1247, my favourite skirt pattern, for the A line shape of the skirt. I really liked the neckline on my peplum top, so copied the neckline on Vogue 8815. I spliced the dress reasonably evenly but unlike the Vogue original dress, I incorporated the top splice into the bust darts which totally illuminated them. I then measured the skirt into two even sized pieces and this became my bottom two tiers. The back was then drafted so that the blocks measured up. I re cut the sleeve top because the original pattern had too much fullness and was actually more gathered than the pattern showed. The sleeves actually turned out to be more labour intensive than I had anticipated and even though I am happy with how they turned out, if I was to use the pattern again, I would definitely redraft them yet again.

This dress tuned out to be quite the fabric hog. I only had a small piece of the pink linen but two large pieces of the black and blue. I still have heaps of both of these left so this dress was probably not the best use of fabric.

I decided not to line the dress, simply because I didn't have any suitable lining in my stash and I really couldn't be bothered making a special trip to the fabric shop. I know it is a bit lazy but this week with the new job, this is exactly where my head is at. I also reasoned that if I didn't line it, I could wear it on a summers day without feeling uncomfortable and through the autumn I would just need to wear a slip.

This photo was taken today, after a full day at work. There are a few wrinkles in the seat which is consistent with linen but all in all it held up well. It is comfortable to wear but still fitting; everything you need in an office appropriate dress.