Print Charming

In the weeks leading up to Melbourne Frocktails I had grand delusions of sewing myself a whole new casual wardrobe to wear while in Melbourne - some denim culottes, a cool top, a skirt in a great print and a vintage swing jacket. Of course there wasn't time for all that sewing, but I did manage one thing on that list: a cool top which I wore all day on Saturday before the party.

I think the colours are pretty true in the above photo - I don't normally like butterflies but the flowers and lovely orange, teal and pink are right up my alley!

I bought this fabric from Tessuti's Chatswood store a couple of months ago, within about a day of seeing someone in Melbourne post their purchase of the fabric on Instagram. Instagram is just terrible for making you realise there's a fabric you need, but it can also get you on the case quickly before a fabric sells out :).  This fabric is a digital print ponti, and it came in two colourways - both sold out very quickly so unfortunately I doubt you'd still be able to get it anywhere.

I only bought about a metre as from memory it was quite expensive - I think it's an Italian fabric, and it is a beautiful quality, but I don't like spending too much on stretch fabrics for some reason! Anyway, I soon had buyer's remorse and wished I'd bought more - I would really have liked to be able to make something like Kirsty's dress.





Oh well, with my little metre it had to be a top or a skirt... I thought I'd get more wear from the fabric as a top, given I spend my weekends in jeans and weekdays in a fairly conservative office, plus the colours seemed pretty good on me when I held the fabric up against myself, so a top is what it became!

I can see in these close up shots that the top had wiggled to one side - oops :). When it's not moving off to the side the shoulders actually fit very nicely!

And what pattern is it, you ask? Well this is very boring, but for a basic top, these days I seem to be using the same pattern over and over... and that staple pattern is Vogue 8916. I've made the top pattern before both as a t-shirt (my Splat! top) and with lengthened sleeves as a sort of sweatshirt (this pink / striped top).  It's very simple, but I really like the fit - it's about a million times better than the Papercut's raglan-sleeve Undercover hood on me!


As usual I sewed a size 14 in this pattern as it runs a bit smaller than the Vogue designer patterns. I cut the body to hip length according to a bit of tape measurement work (shorter than the pattern) and lengthened the sleeves based on my arm length. The neck band is a simple addition; a rectangle of fabric folded in half lengthwise, and pinned to fit to the neckline with the excess length trimmed away at a small centre back seam.

I think I have the fabric at 90 degrees to the right way up, but the fabric stretches in both directions so this direction feels fine on. And this orientation allowed me to place the flowers and butterflies where I wanted - an orange flower with a starring role in the front, pink flowers on the shoulders, and butterflies positioned to be less noticeable on the front. I know there are butterflies up high on the back, but as I can't see them they won't creep me out :).

In terms of sewing techniques, this was dead simple - I used a straight stitch on all the seams (yes, heresy, I know, but I think a straight stitch works perfectly well on a stretch seam so long as that seam isn't under stress!) and then used the overlocker to tidy everything up. The hems are top stitched with a single line of coordinating teal straight stitching at a stitch length of 3. Easy peasy!

I've come back from Frocktails incredibly inspired to sew and blog - in terms of sewing, the denim culottes are still on my radar but they're now competing with some really fun fabrics from Darn Cheap Fabrics and a couple of Named pdf patterns I bought in their recent sale. Where to start!!! And blogging - well I still need to get photos of my frockails dress and cape (sorry, I had too much on this weekend!) but I've also got a bit of a backlog of basics to blog (maybe consolidated in a single post so I don't bore you to tears) and a new top made over a couple of evenings last week with some of that Darn Cheap Fabric...


See you soon!

- Gabrielle xx

StyleArc Philippa: Camera, I Beg to Differ

If the camera never lies then it's certainly true that mirrors lie. But maybe both do?

I've got a top to share with you today that proves that mirrors and cameras disagree - though in my opinion, cameras have happy days (everything is beautiful - that includes YOU!) and grouchy days (everything sucks, I hate you!). This particular top looked terrifyingly bad in the mirror, but looks a lot better through the camera lens.

UpSewLate: this top looks better through the lens than in the mirror! 

After a couple of StyleArc successes (mind you, just the one pattern - two Danni dresses blogged here and here) my confidence was strong. The style of the Philippa peplum top really appealed to me - slim line, attractive seam lines, understated peplum, and a sleek V-neck. Yes please!

StyleArc's Philippa Peplum Top

I had a beautiful soft pink ponte lined up, and I was on the verge of cutting it out when a nervous little voice in my head pleaded with me to make a muslin. [OK, OK, I'm sure it isn't necessary, but I'll humour you this time.]  Hence this cheap red ponte version of the top...

I sewed Philippa in the same size I'd used for those Danni dresses, and it looked small... a quick try on at the "nearly constructed" stage confirmed it - it FELT too small! I was going to scrap the top then and there, but in the interests of my own sewing education and the general documentation of sewing fails on the internet I thought I should finish the top and share it here.



So here you go.  At first glance I thought the top *looked* OK in these photos, so let me explicitly point out the fitting and sewing problems.

First of all, the whole top is too tight - I must need the next size up! The pattern is designed for ponte fabrics, but this top is so fitted on me that even a jellybean in my belly would be visible (these photos were taken many, many hours after lunch). It's fitted both above and within the peplum; clinging to rather than skimming over my hips. I envisaged this as a work top, but it's too fitted for the office - all my lumps and bumps would be on display; hello, mutton dressed as lamb! On the plus side, the shoulders feel like a good fit, so I guess they're a size smaller than the rest of me in StyleArc patterns (just like they are in Big 4 patterns).

UpSewLate: I need to go up a size or more for my waist! 

The bust darts are too high. The darts look to end a few centimetres too high on me, so either my sewing was very inaccurate or my bust is lower set than StyleArc's standard - or a combination of the two.

UpSewLate: A classic case of bust darts that are too high

The V-neck gapes. The V-neck is too deep for me. The gaping means I risk flashing my bra cups with the slightest movement, but if I pull the neckline taut the low apex of the V overlaps my bra strap - and I mean the strap that goes UNDER my bust! Given the height of the bust darts, it looks like the pattern is imtended to be very low cut - probably that looks fine if you've got some bust cleavage? but I hate the way it looks on me.

UpSewLate: Yup, that's what a gaping neckline looks like!

UpSewLate: so long as I leave a hand on my hip whenever I bend forward I'll be fine... but is that practical?

The back is too long on me - it desperately needs a big wedge removed. I guess this might be less noticeable if the top weren't so tight...

UpSewLate: A back bodice that needs a swayback adjustment

The sewing is sub-standard. My invisible zip is rubbish, with the fabric not lining up properly on either side of CB, and with the zip not really invisible. And my sewing is probably responsible for the facings popping out of the neckline - I don't think I was accurate enough in following the CF stitch line at the bottom of the facings. I have to say though that it's hard to do your best on something you already know you're getting rid of. 

UpSewLate: The blinding red hue hides the flaws! 

There are obvious solutions though, aren't there? Yes...

• I could go up a size or more through the body - either by having a crack at grading, or by using smaller seam allowances - and that would make the top a lot less fitted.
• I could lower the bist darts.
• I could raise the V, pinching out a dart from each side, though I'm not confident I'd get the upper bust CF line right...
• I could make a massive swayback adjustment.
• I could take a bit more care with my sewing :-P.

UpSewLate: it's too late for this Philippa! 

Yes, I could do all that, but this particular top has already been donated to charity, and for now I don't think I'll have another go.  Philippa is a winter top, and it's now summer, but more importantly, my mind has already wandered off to other patterns.

I hope your sewing is going well!


See you soon
- Gabrielle x

Blue Danni

I made another Danni!

June was the second annual Indie Pattern Month over at The Monthly Stitch, and the inaugural Indie Pattern Month (announced here, and blogged all over the place). While I'd disagree strongly with the sentiment that the only good pattern is an indie one (of course no one said that, it's just the impression I got from some very passionate pro-indie blog posts), there is undoubtedly much to love about indie pattern companies. Personally I love how they engage with, encourage and promote the people who sew their patterns, and I appreciate the different aesthetics and body types (I'm paraphrasing Mari here) they cater for.

Most of the bigger name indie pattern companies aren't really for me though. I'm waaay too old for cute or mini, I'm not short or particularly curvy, I don't exercise, I'm not a hipster and I'm not a beginner sewist.  I have a huge pattern stash ranging over many decades, so I've probably already got something similar to any straightforward pattern that gets released. Oh, and the Big 4 patterns already fit me pretty well when approached with a standardised set of adjustments.

Having said that, I'm as enamored of beautiful branding as the next sewist, and I really like the idea of supporting local companies. So this June, although you didn't see any indie blog posts from me, I was doing plenty of local indie sewing using StyleArc and Papercut patterns: Danni in stripes, my Denim Pleated Pants, and this Blue Danni:



The Danni Dolman dress is described on StyleArc's site as follows: "This Dolman sleeved dress features a slight boat neck, there are 4 tucks falling from the left side seam softly over the hip line making this dress easy to wear and such a simple dress to sew. Suitable for all seasons." 

That mural in the first photo is fun, but I know you couldn't really see the dress against the blue background. I've lightened these photos taken against a less exciting concrete backdrop to try to better show you the way the tucks look in the ponti fabric, and the way the dress flatters rather than flaunts in a ponti, but dark blue is hard to photograph.

I liked the look of my Danni in stripes, and jersey IS the recommended fabric for the pattern, but I don't feel confident wearing something that feels so clingy, so pretty much as soon as it was sewn, I started Danni #2, with a nice firm ponti di roma from the stash. I think this fabric is 2 or 3 years old, and bought at Lincraft before I knew much about the joys of fabric shopping (that's why it's such a sensible fabric). 

Switching to a ponti fabric, the dress loses the super cling factor; much more suitable for corporate life, and becomes warmer (yay! cosy!). However, when I sewed this up initially the ponti looked loose rather than drapey in the top, so I took the dress in from the waist up (side seams from the waist to the dolman sleeves around elbow level, also centre back seam from the waist up) to make the top more fitted to my curves. It clings to my tummy, but I do have a tummy! The dress was also lengthened a few centimetres (I'm about 5'8").

I think I showed you the pattern last time, but to save you flicking back here they are again:

Yes, I like this one, it's a keeper... 

Thanks for reading, and see you soon.


- Gabrielle x

MMM Days 4 - 10

Here goes - more Me Made May documentation, taking me up to Saturday the 10th of May:


Day 4

Day 4 was a quiet Sunday at home, with a park playdate in the late afternoon. My house is freezing, so even though it was a lovely sunny day I absolutely rugged up - in my Tessuti patterns Anita pants in "Bleach Boys" ponti (pants blogged here). Rachel has a matching pair; did anyone else make Bleach Boys Anita pants?

Photo taken by me with camera on a tripod, on 10 second timer, with camera on continuous burst mode.


Day 5

Day 5 was a day of annual leave for me, but I couldn't just laze about in ponte pants all day because I had to go visit a school and make a good impression on the staff.  I basically dressed as I would for work: my recent floral silk twill top coupled with black RTW trousers, black shoes and a lightweight black RTW coat (not pictured).

These pictures were taken on my way home from the school. The top is really hard to photograph for some reason, even up close!

 

Photo taken by me with camera balanced on my car using the gorillapod, on 10 second timer, with camera on continuous burst mode.


Day 6

Back to work. The days are getting cold on either end, but since I work short days I can mostly ignore that and dress for middle-of-the-day-in-the-city weather (which is up around 20 - 22C lately).  I wore this wild, floral jersey dress (Vogue 8511) that I don't wear too often - I worry that it's too exuberant for work, but when I posted this Me-Made-May dress on Instagram I got lots of encouragement, and I've decided the big colours can come back and stay. [Although I do need to take this dress in before I wear it again.]

Anyway, at lunchtime I took my exuberant dress for a walk down to The Rocks, to a lovely bright pink door I'd spotted last week. I attached my camera around a telegraph pole, and waited for people to pass so I could take some photos. While I was waiting I noticed a woman hanging around way past the end of her cigarette to watch me. I took a couple of photos and checked them, and then she approached. "Art project?", she asked. "No, no, it's me made May, which is a month when people who sew from all over the world wear things they've sewn and take photos to share what they've worn blah blah blah..." "Aha! Yes, art project!" And now satisfied, she was able to walk away.

Photos taken by me with camera attached to telegraph pole, on 10 second timer, with camera on continuous burst mode.


Day 7

On day 7 I wore my blindingly white Vogue peplum top (it's too white, I need to dye it - the colour is awful on me, though you won't be able to tell because it's apparently impossible to photograph) with THE pair of work pants that fit and my perfect-for-this-time-of-year unlined wool Donna Karan jacket. I love, love, love the shape of these clothes together, but they really do not want to be photographed!

My work day was hectic so I didn't have much of a lunch break to take photos. I found a simple backdrop in some shade, and found a railing to attach my camera to, but the photos I got were hopeless. I must have been making some pitiful faces as I reviewed my efforts, because a group of random passersby - fellow office workers - smiled and offered to help! Oh, the kindness of strangers :). They did a pretty good job too, considering the challenge of photographing both black and white together! 

First photo taken by passersby :) on continuous burst mode, second photo (earlier) taken by me with camera attached to a railing, on 10 second timer, on continuous burst mode.

Day 8

Day 8, and my son woke up feeling and looking ill so I stayed home with him and took the opportunity to tackle some challenging code while he read and did homework (that's right, staying home sick is not fun around here!).  I wore the orange/coral and cream merino wool top I made last year. It coordinates with the blue one with horizontal stripes, though obviously I'm never going to wear them together - but they're some of my absolute favourite colours.

Photos taken by me with camera on a tripod, on 10 second timer, with camera on continuous burst mode.


Day 9

I love Fridays! It's nearly the weekend, and my Friday workload is usually absolutely reasonable. The weather turned glorious and sunny in time for a walk at lunchtime down to the King Street Wharf before a delicious vegetarian curry at Peace Harmony on Erskine Street.

I wore my blue Anita ponti pants, found last night hiding under some RTW pants (I've been looking for them for so long!), with an ex-maternity top, the grey wool Donna Karan jacket I've been wearing nearly constantly, a colourful scarf and some equally colourful felt beads from a sale in a children's clothing shop.

 

 

Photo taken by me with camera attached to a handrail or pylon using the gorillapod, on 10 second timer, with camera on continuous burst mode.


Day 10

It's the weekend! Saturday started off busy with kids' activities, but the afternoon was lovely and quiet. I wore my Grainline Moss Mini denim skirt with everything else RTW - I was planning to wear more me mades, but was too tired when I woke up to sort out an interesting me made outfit.

Photos taken by me with camera on a tripod, on 10 second timer, with camera on continuous burst mode.

I'm aiming to wear 10 me mades each 7 days in May, and my tally for this week is 11 me mades in 7 days, including repeats (my wool jacket). And to date that's 15 me mades in 11 days. 

My wardrobe still has plenty of choice in it if I ignore fit, but the photo taking is becoming an impost and my Instagram pics are pretty dodgy. Anyway, time to head over to the Flickr pool and share these me mades with the group.


Thanks for reading!

Gabrielle x