What I Do

I’ve taken to pinning my pattern instructions to the wall behind my sewing machine. I find this a lot easier than having to keep unfolding them on my sewing desk to read.

What do you do to make your sewing space more ergonomic?

Inspiration: Sewing with Oilcloth

Sewing with Oilcloth
by Kelly McCants

This book has some lovely crafty ideas for things to make around the house, gifts or for yourself. I really liked this make up bag and thought it’d be nice as a birthday present too.

I thought this Chalk Cloth Table Runner was quite a cute idea if I owned a cafe (hopefully I wouldn’t feel the need to label my food at home.)

And I thought these were totally sweet and homely too:

I’m also quite keen on this tote bag:

Just a couple more things on my wish list….

ISBN: 978 – 0 – 470 – 91232 – 4

I’m Making a Cape!

The other day when I was choosing fabric with my sister for her birthday dress (link here) I saw these in the end of roll basket.

I know – white wool – what an extravagance!!! …and how impractical…

A long time ago I blogged about Capes, Yay or Nay? after I first fell in love with Erica’s Camel Cape. Since then I’ve seen some lovely capes that other bloggers have made. The overwheming response was that people in blogland think that capes are awesome. And who am I to argue with bloggers? (A very opinionated lot!) So I guess I’m making a cape.

I think I’ll go with the same pattern Erica used – Vogue 8776. I love that this pattern is loose fitted and has the high collar so snuggle my face into when it gets cold.

So more opinions please – shall I go with this pattern and this fabric?

Blue Dress: Finished!

Here’s a photo journey of the Blue Dress (here’s where we left off from):

I sewed the facings to the bodice:

I pinked the edges around the arm and neck holes:

I finished the side seams:

Shortened the straps by about 3 cms:

And slip stitched the facing down:

Bodice finished:

I folded and pressed 1cm, then folded and pressed an 8cm hem.

Pinked some more:

Sewed the hem down:

And then the dress was finished:

                  

HOPE YOU LIKE IT SISTER 🙂

Vintage Pattern on Sunday

I love how vintage patterns show the pieces on the back – so you know why you’re getting yourself into! I also adore how the characters wear gloves, it’s so dainty.

Bunting Tutorial

All my friends are leaving. Well not quite. [Another friend has just confirmed she is also leaving.] But two of them are. One is doing a university exchange to the UK (London) and the other is doing Camp America (New York state). Pretty much I’m quite jealous of their travels and will miss them both.

But enough of me and on to sewing – what this blog is REALLY about. I decided that as a going away present I would make them each some bunting. This way when they get to their, respective, new accomodation they will have something to put on the wall and make it a bit more homely. I must give due credit to {re}purposed mind for this gift idea.

I decided to go with a green gingham (I heart gingham) and fabric with Pohutukawa blossoms and Tui (I also heart kiwiana).

You will need: scissors, a ruler, some bias seam binding, some card board or paper, thread, some fabric, pins and a pen.

1. Using your ruler measure a triangle. This will be your template to mark your fabric with. Remember to include a 1.5 cm seam allowance. I made mine 13 x 18 cm.

2. Trace around your template to mark your triangles. Cut them out. Remember you’ll need twice as many triangles as flags.

3. Pin your pieces together.

4. Sew them together.

5. Trim off the end of the triangle and the excess on the sides at the end.

6. Press the seams open. This will help the flags to lie flat.

7. Turn the flag inside out and give it another press.

8. Count your flags and measure the length of your seam binding. Decide on a distance that you wish to spread the flags out by. I decided on 4 cm between each flag.
Pin the binding over the raw edges at the top of the flag. Sew together.

9. Hang and enjoy.

I’ll post some photos of it finished when we have some good weather here!

 

Vintage Pattern on Sunday

Prettiest ways to bare your shoulders – in the sun – after five. Blouse in all views smooth fitting.

Suggested fabrics: linen, pique, cotton broadcloth, shantung, faille, taffeta, velveteen.

Skirtsandme

Now that I’ve finished my velvet dress I’m thinking about the next thing I want to make. As we’re heading into winter in the Antipodes (the ends of the Earth) I was thinking of making the wool I bought in Wellington into a pencil skirt. So these are my pattern options:

From top left: Very Easy Vogue 7101 c.1987, view A (brown); New Look 6274c. 2003, view A (floral print); or Butterick 6662 c.1993, view C (yellow).

And here is the wool. It is woven out of thick strands (?) of cream, brown,and dark pink, almost fuchsia. Its a bit on the thick-side, and does not have any stretch. My first choice of pattern was the Very Easy Vogue, however I wonder if the pleats, belt loops and the pockets will make it look too bulk? So my next thought was the New Look pattern. This is a very simple two piece pattern (plus facings). It would be simple to put together and and definitely not bulky-making. The third option, the Butterick pattern was a bit of an after-thought. I thought that making it with the split to one side could make it a bit more interesting.

Can anyone offer any suggestions? All much appreciated!

Florence + the Pre Raphaelites

Ok I know- I’m a terrible student. Last night I, again, missed my sewing class. But I have a far better excuse this time. I went to see Florence and the Machine!!! In my defence I booked these tickets months ago. Far before I booked myself into Sew, Sew, Sew! And in case you were wondering – Yes she was amazing!

In honour of her amazing-ness I thougth I’d wirte a post about Florence Welch. To me Florence and the Machine is a lot like a Pre-Raphealite painting. She is fair skinned, has red hair and many of her songs, like the Pre-Raphaelite paintings, are deep and moving.

This is my favourite right now:

Sometimes I’m not sure whether it is just me that sees these things or if her stylists have modelled her look on a particular theme. But I can find at least one other blogger that has also seen this connection (here for link to their blog post).

Here’s an example of what I mean. Below is Florence Welch and under that is Beata Beatrix by Dante Gabriel Rossetti (who had a pretty interesting life if you’re interested in reading about it) and then another photo of Florence. Both are fair, have red, thick wavy hair, soulful expressions and are in mystical settings. The women are in sharp focus in all images with the backgrounds blurred out.

Can you see it too, or is it just me?

Wow I got so distracted that I didn’t even get to tell you that I wore my Blue Velvet Vintage-inspred dress to the concert! Will have to blog about it tomorrow!

Vintage Pattern on Sunday