Back in the Saddle, and a Japanese (Girl's) Dress

My last post was probably a bit surprising when it was supposed to be about a win! Thank you to all of you who commented; these questions had been getting me down and it really lifted me out of my sewing & blogging blues to read and re-read your perspectives and your kind encouragement. I've decided that even though I don't have definitive answers I should hop back in the saddle... after all, I find sewing tremendously enjoyable, and I so love the feeling of sewing community with you fellow sewing bloggers. My resolutions are to try to post better photos, to think before I post kids' photos, and to not veer too far off (sewing) topic. The bottom line is that I would like to make this blog something I would be happy for a friend or relative to read.

Back to the sewing topic :-)



Here's a little summer dress I made for my daughter just recently. It's pattern 'A' from the Japanese book Cute Clothes for Good Girls, and I've made many variants on this dress before but I do still love it! I think it's a very practical shape for a place with hot summers - the ruffles over the arms shield the shoulders from the sun, and the A-shape of the dress is nice and breezy. I also like that this is quite modest.

I made this in a length and width 120cm, which was a little wide (that's OK, extra breezy!). I swapped the button back for a zip - something I also did when I made this pattern into a little top not so long ago - becase although buttons are cute I think they're annoying for a little person to wear down their back.

And I added two little angled patch pockets on the front (pocket shapes from another pattern in the same book).

The fabric is something I "found" when I was tidying up my sewing space. I think I bought it from an online Aussie fabric shop - it's a cotton, but it's a medium weight and not as silky feeling as I'd expect for fabric for clothes so it's probably a quilting cotton. Regardless, my daughter adores the dress and is wearing it as many days a week as I'll let her - and that's success.

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I'm working on a recent Vogue pattern dress for myself and hope to be able to prpovide the show and tell in my next post - it's looking Christmassy!

Cute Top for a Good Girl

I was going to finish off V1158 but there was another distraction - the crazy (hot-cold-hot) weather over this past week.

On about Monday at my son's school the temperature reached 34C - the teacher said if it hit 35C the class could have icy poles from the canteen. My daughter was at her new nearby, mostly outdoors kindy that day, as opposed to her farther away, totally indoors and air-conditioned kindy, and she got rather hot and sweaty.  I decided she might need more summery dresses / tops to suit the heat and sun. 


























The fabric was one of the pieces I got at Tessuti's sale some time back - I just love it! I wish I could have gotten more of it (if anyone has some, can I barter with you?) It's a striped cotton in colours that remind me of the 70s, with lots of embroidery over the stripes. My daughter wanted it made into a dress but that was never going to be possible.

This top, made from pattern A in the Japanese book "Cute Clothes for Good Girls" is breezy enough for the heat and covers little shoulders. I received two criticisms initially: 1) it's not fair that the other hand will get cold, and 2) tops should have a straight shape (ie not used to the flare). But once on it stayed on all day, and it seems to have been very comfortable for a muggy Sydney day.

Sewing details: I made this pattern in a size 110 cm height but used the widths from the 120cm height pattern pieces, which looks to have been unnecessary. I made it as long as could with the remnant fabric I had, but it should normally be about knee length. I replaced the pattern's back buttons with a bright blue zip (quicker!) and free-styled the pocket somewhat, adding a little elastic to the top. As I've made this before in smaller sizes I didn't even look at the instructions - so I'm not sure if my bright orange bias bound neckline and sleeves were what was intended - I added the sleeve cap things after I'd sewn in the bias binding, so you get a peek of orange between shoulder and sleeve cap on the sides, a bit like having piping in there! Finally the hemline is a rolled hem as I wanted to lose as little length as possible.

 

26 & 27 March: with a nip in the air...

My me made pool of clothes not yet worn in March is getting more limited, but on weekends there's no corporate dress code to consider so everything is possible!

The weather today was cool and damp, so I decided to wear this summery dress with a cosy cardigan. The dress is from Vogue 1179 DKNY, made in a good quality jersey from Tessuti fabrics, and the cardigan is an ancient one from Witchery.  I was barefoot most of the time, but when I did go out briefly I wore the shoes pictured (from Wittner). I used to wear this dress a lot until the combined effect of "sack" comments from my partner and a large rear-view in a lift mirror put my off it. I think I did a good job with the dress, but the design may accentuate certain curves seen from behind :-).

 





And here's a photo that shows the dress better - taken when I'd just finished it:





Yesterday was cooler, and I was out and about a bit going to the GP, the shops and a family dinner, so here's what I wore...

Trenery jeans and jumper, camper shoes, Witchery sunnies, me made t-shirt and bag.

I blogged about the t-shirt back in December; it's a hybrid made from V1013 and V1128 that looks like this up close:


The sleeve shape means it layers well over a close-fitting long sleeve t-shirt too.

The bag was  made using a small piece of loose woven cotton from No Chintz in Sydney, with a layer of wadding then some interfaced thin cotton.

The pattern came from Ric Rac's blog, but I had to make a shorter strap - not enough fabric.  It nearly matches my jumper - near enough was good enough for me!




PS I should mention my daughter also chose a bit of me made today: she's wearing a Gap skirt, a Bonds singlet and blouse made from cotton voile using a pattern from the Japanese book "Cute Clothes for Good Girls" (or something like that). The original in the book is shown in a heavy cream linen, with pocket flaps, but my version is good for summer - and for building ponds in the garden beds.



Hope you have a good week!