Return of my sewing mojo (sew-jo??) - Vogue 8555

The pink Burda dress horror was doing my head in - I decided to put it to one side and get on with something else. I was inspired by a recent trip to Joel's Fabrics up by Edgeware Road (more on that in another post - I am still recovering from the BEATING my AmEx took that day) and I bought a load of patterns (with the awesome Sew Today 50% discount - huzzah!) which got me all enthusiastic again.
One of my amazing purchases from Joel's was some gorgeous purple floral cotton. This stuff is cotton the likes of which I have never seen, it feels so smooth and almost silky - and as it was a bolt end (at two metres!) it was in the 50% off section (which was frankly just as well as I think at full price it was about £25 a metre - that place is NOT cheap)... then when some of the patterns I had ordered came at the weekend, I spotted Vogue 8555 which I thought would be fab for my lovely purple cotton. I am making view B (the yellow dress in the link). The dress is lined and I had some beige silky lining which is perfect. On Saturday I did a quick muslin of the bodice in size 10 which seemed generally ok though might need taking in at the centre back when I put the zipper in.

I have so far finished the bodice which looks good so far - I really like the pleats on the neckline and the sweetheart shape at the front is pretty cool. I am really keen to finish this dress as professionally as possible - and I wanted to understitch the lining to the seam allowances as per the instructions (which say to understitch 'as far as possible'). The annoying thing is that the instructions said to do that after I'd sewn the lining and the fabric together at the neckline and armholes - and the curves just wouldn't let me get the sewing machine all the way around. I couldn't just go part of the way and stop - it would look odd on the inside surely??

What is the best way to do this properly?? Advice please!

On the length, I was going to have it above the knee (the is the most flattering length on me) but now I'm thinking if I taper the skirt in towards the hem a bit more to make it a bit more pencil-y, it might be ok just over the knee... hmmmm. To be continued.

Next up...

I have been talking about making some nice blouses and skirts for, like, AGES... so now is the time I think. There was a nice pattern for a blouse in this month's Burda which I am going to make up. I have been a subscriber to Burda for - wait for it - three WHOLE MONTHS now, and I haven't made anything from their patterns yet. I really like this blouse though - I think I am going to adapt the bottom slightly so that instead of tying with those long ties it just has a lapped band at the bottom with nice pearl buttons or snaps or something. That is much easier to tuck into a pencil skirt....

I cut the pattern out one night earlier this week. I have to say, the whole tracing palaver wasn't as traumatic as I thought it was going to be. Though I guess this pattern only has five pieces... anyway, having my nice new expanse of table top certainly made the whole procedure easier, despite the kitties trying to 'help'. I am hoping to eventually make this up in the lovely blue silk I got from gorgeous fabrics (and loads of others depending on how I like the pattern), but first I am going to make it up in some nice flowery fabric I had in my stash, a piece of Rose & Hubble cotton which I bought from the shop just down the road from me which sells ex Liberty fabrics (it is like an Aladdin's cave in there). I really like the fabric so don't want to mess it up but I reckon the pattern is pretty straight forward so hopefully relatively low risk... and inspired by the AMZINGLY neat work of Amanda I think I might try French seams on the inside - no thread to fray, woo hoo!

Speed the likes of which has never been seen before in my sewing room

Last night I managed to escape from work awesomely early and so when I got home I was desperate to start a new project. Ripping off the 'Dream' dress seemed like too difficult a place to start, and so I thought I'd crack on with the lovely Vogue 8511 (which A Sewn Wardrobe has just finished) – a dress with sleeves. Dresses with sleeves are so glam at the moment. I haven't quite decided which fabric to make it in… maybe some of the lovely Loro Piana wool I got recently, which would be nice for work? But in any event I thought I'd make a toile of it first. All this London College of Fashion stuff has really gone to my head! The main reason I wanted to make a toile was because I wasn't certain which size to cut… I think probably a ten would be right but the measurements on the envelope put me at a pattern size 14 (I am a UK dress size 8 or 10)… so I cut out a 12 and we'll see how well it fits.

First I cut out the pattern, and then dug out some cheap cotton I had bought months ago for this sort of thing and started pinning and cutting out the fabric. To be fair the pattern is a very simple one and there aren't many pieces (I think there are seven?) but I WAS SO QUICK! I'm not sure if I'm just getting a little faster at doing things because I've had a little more practice, but in three hours I had cut out the pattern, cut out the fabric, and sewn the front and back bodice sections together. Some of you reading this are probably thinking "that took her three hours?!", but it has been known for cutting out the pattern alone to take me longer than that… Tonight I am hoping to get the toile finished and then I can assess what I need to change (I am hoping nothing, other than maybe cut it out in a smaller size!) and maybe even cut out the fabric… whoa there, don't want to get too carried away.

Next project(s)?...

Now that the end of my jacket is in sight – along with the end of my course at LCF (only two Saturdays left to go!) – I have started to think about my next project.. So far I have been quite good and have only had one project going at a time. But I think I can probably handle more than one thing at a time… as long as one of the two is pretty straightforward...

I have been thinking about sewing a coat, but like Gertie I am concerned I might be biting off more than I can chew. I ordered McCall's M5766 (pic right) which I think would be lovely in the peachy pink flannel I got from Gorgeous Fabrics] (did I mention a giant box arrived all the way from the US of A last week – MOST EXCITING!), and armed with my recent jacket-making experience (and a new book - 'Tailoring: The classic guide to sewing the perfect jacket') I have a little more experience. But taking on a coat is still pretty daunting. I think that it might have to be my 'in the background' project. Though I'd like to get it finished in a few weeks so I can wear it during the increasingly freezing weather we are having here in London. And it would be sorta Christmassy. Oooh, maybe I could have some fur trim..!

Something else which has inspired me is a beautiful dress I bought from a shop we have in the UK called L.K. Bennett. They are selling some beautiful clothes at the moment – I always considered them a little old-fashioned but they appear to have really upped their game in the last couple of years (or have I just got older??). Anyway, in a massive rush last week I had to find something to wear for a party and tried on a gorgeous dress called 'Dream' (see pic left, though it doesn't do the dress justice) in a pewter / silver silk. It was just so amazing on! It fit beautifully and is brilliantly made. With the festive season looming and numerous 30th birthday celebrations (three in the space of eight days) on the horizon, combined with the fact that the dress was WELL LUSH, I took the plunge… The thing is, I suddenly started thinking how actually this is quite a simple dress and.. would it be possible… could I?... rip it off?!

'Simple' dress. Hmmm. Then I started looking at it in more detail. The fashion fabric is silk and it is self lined for the top half and with a different lining for the skirt. There is a side zip at the hip and a little opening (for getting it on) covered by a panel of fabric that has a tiny stud, to tuck into the seam. It has tiny thread loops on the inside at each shoulder seam for attaching to your bra strap (genius) which close with the same tiny studs. The front is cut from one piece of fabric and has two darts at either side. The back is made up of four panels, and has a slit at the bottom. The front waistline is, I think, actually slightly curved. The top half of the dress has a cowl front and slightly lower cowl at the back, plenty of ease around the middle and then gathers in at the waist. I thought it would look lovely in the black silk jacquard I got from Gorgeous Fabrics (the circles on which are actually translucent black, not grey – but maybe with a grey lining I would get the desired spotty effect?).

So – where do I start drafting a pattern for this?? Start from scratch (holy bejebus)? Even though I have a fantastic book on pattern drafting (which I posted about here) I've never had the time to try it out. Or should I try and find patterns with the elements I want and mash them together? Am I punching way above my weight here??

Back to school!

Howdy.. I have been stupid-busy at work for the last week or so and have barely had a chance to do any sewing other than on Saturday when I had my first session of the London College of Fashion course I've started. SO MUCH FUN! All we really did was measure ourselves, learn how to thread the industrial sewing machines and sew in straight lines, but so exciting! And WOWZERS those industrial machines are speedy... I had to barely press my foot on the pedal to get a speed I could manage.

We have to bring a pattern to class this week which will be what forms the basis of our course; we make it up as a toile in calico and then in the fabric we have chosen, with Hilary (our lovely teacher) teaching us 'professional fit and finish' on the way. I think I am going to choose a jacket - to get my money's worth! I've never made a jacket (or, as you may be aware, anything with sleeves) and so it would be good to make my first one under supervision. I think I might do the Burda jacket above - it looks like a nice shape and I could really do with a new jacket for work. Though I note that I might never actually want to wear the product of my labours... But looking forward to adjusting my pattern and stuff all the same.

Speaking of patterns, I must mention a book I bought on the advice of commenter Arielle - it is called 'Make Your Own Dress Patterns' by Adele P. Margolis. It is absolutely brilliant! It has loads of simple explanations and illustrations of how to manipulate a basic bodice sloper. I have so far just been reading it, but can't wait to get some pattern paper out and start slashing and spreading! Oh, I also need to make a sloper first..... I made a skirt sloper a little while ago and posted about it here but to be honest I'm not sure it is a perfect fit. Watch this space!

Happy birthday to me!

Today is my birthday! Another year older, not so sure about the wiser bit... Anyway, out for supper to my favourite restaurant tonight with my lovely finance which should be awesome.

What about the sewing, I hear you say. Well, I recently received in the post a Burda pattern I ordered ages ago but which was out of stock - pattern 7576. It has a simple top similar to those I mentioned in my previous posts here and here, but appeared to be a bit less complicated (and at the time I couldn't be bothered with tracing out the free Burda patters from the magazine...). It actually only has three main pattern pieces - woo hoo. I have cut it out in a sort of crinkle crepe in black which I got on sale in Peter Jones (mental note - crinkly fabrics = annoying to cut), with the idea of wearing it for work. Is it just me, or does getting the fabric ready, pinning the pattern and cutting it out take ages?! I think I might be particularly slow...

We are away this weekend for our first of two engagement parties so won't get to do any sewing, but am hoping to finish it next week; need to have done a bit of sewing before my course starts next Saturday! Speaking of which I need to make sure I have all the bits and pieces I am supposed to have on my first day - scissors, rulers, chalk... think I have most of it but might give me an excuse to buy some new sewing stuff. Really hope I'm not too out of my depth....

Fab fifties

It seems that fifties fashion is back - AWESOME! Maybe my most favourite fashion period. This month's Burda magazine has a feature on 50s inspired clothes, and I already have quite a few vintage patterns waiting to be made up... in fact Jackie was based on a 1950s stle pattern. I love the fitted bodice and wide skirt style - so flattering (as long as the skirt is the right length of course!), though I'm not sure I'd go FULL 50s and wear the full petticoat / crinoline, it looks gorgeous. Again, born fifty years too late (I reckon nicest to be in your early twenties in the fifties to make the most of the gorgeous clothes!). On that note, we have just started watching the first series of MadMen, the series from the US about advertising in 1950s Manhattan. It's AWESOME. Not least the clothes. Office politics in those days... wowzers. Anyway, work wardrobe then was great. Pencil skirts, silky blouses, tight tops, 3/4 jackets. So flattering. Which brings me onto my next project I think - the skirt and blouse from August's burda issue, and maybe a second frilly blouse. They both look fairly easy, and the blouses both have sleeves (eeek!) but as they're not set in they probably don't count for my Virgin Sleeve Challenge...

Wondering whether I need to bother making a toile of the top or whether it is easy enough for me to just crack on... hopefully the latter, although I don't have any chiffon-y type fabric (though I do have some spotty satin stuff which might pretty cool for the one without the frill). Wonder if chiffon-y fabric will be hard to sew with... and cut out... maybe I will try and get to Goldhawk Road on Saturday morning.

Roll on the weekend - maybe I might actually get some sewing done, wedmin appears to have taken over (churches booked: 0, venues booked: 0, guest lists finalised: 0, minutes spent awake in the dead of night worrying about foregoing lack of progress: too sleep deprived to remember).

And I shall call her.... Lisa

Long time no post... I have been away on hols (hooray) but am back now and raring to sew... (geddit??). Jackie was a hit at the wedding - though annoyingly I soon found out that my strap adjustment was a little over-zealous... and the bodice wasn't as close fitting as it should have been at the back - forcing soldier-like posture to keep it all flat. Some pics to follow when I find some nice ones (could be some time)...

So today I wandered down to Goldhawk Road to buy some fabric for some of the millions of dress patterns I appear to have bought but been too nervous to try.... It's the first time I've been down there - happily it is only about 20 mins for me on the tube. There were some gorgeous Swiss voiles in one of the shops for £25 p/m, I was going to buy some but didn't have a good pattern in mind and am not yet feeling confident enough to draft my own.. but I managed to find a lovely maxi dress pattern which would be perfect for some of the bordered fabrics. Very Cavalli... I did managed to get some lovely blue cotton with a sort of woven stripe, and another blue cotton with a fine purple satin-y stripe. I thought it would make a lovely dress, but then realised loads of the patterns I have say 'not suitable for obvious stripes'. Goddammit. Also got a heavy woven cotton in lavender and a sort of aqua / turqoise colour. And some lovely wooly boucle type stuff of which I have grand plans to make a Chanel-style suit for the winter... Though given I have made about four things in total so far - none of them involving sleeves in any format - that may be a bit ambitious... Anyway onto the current project.

In a massive pattern splurge in Peter Jones on Sloane Square, I found Vogue pattern V8232 which I thought was a really nice simple design that I could make up in loads of different colours / fabrics. And it was in the 'Very Easy Vogue' section. Hurrah! I am going to make it up in the plain blue cotton (and think I will line it) and then maybe do some funky decoration-type-thang with grosgrain ribbon... And I shall call her 'Lisa'.

So far I have cut out the fabric - am about to start on the lining. I am sooooooo slow....

My first attempt

I was really excited when I was choosing which pattern to start with, though I feared the whole thing might end in a pile of shredding tissue paper and a load of wasted fabric. Thankfully I had bought a load of really cheap cotton in a few basic colours so I wasn't so fussed about cocking things up.

The pattern I chose to start with was from the 'Very Easy Vogue' section of the pattern catalogue... I chose the version in the top right of the picture, no complicated sleeves! It has no buttons or zips either, you just slip it on over your head. It has a yoke which sort of lines the inside at the back and the front. The tricky bits were sewing on the bias binding around the armholes in a curved shape (maybe I wasn't pressing the binding properly but it was a tight curve and there was quite a lot of slack), and hand sewing (DOOM) the shoulders together. That and following the pattern - it sounds so obvious but on my first attempt at using a pattern I really found it tricky to understand what some of the steps were getting at. Luckily this is where VogueSewing came in handy.

I made two of these in the end. The first in a mint green cotton with grey satin binding at the armholes, and the second in a Liberty lawn which was actually really nice to sew with and iron. They are both sweet on. I hemmed them both to a level just below jeans waist (which is actually quite low on me) as I didn't want them to be thigh length.

For the second attempt, I managed to get the yoke the right way around; for the first one, the curved yoke - which is actually meant to be at the back - somehow ended up at the front. Looking back, that perhaps explains why it was slightly too wide at the front and I had to put in a couple of tiny tucks to take up the excess... d'oh. The second time I managed to get the yoke right. I also bound the inside seams with seam binding for the second one, which looks so neat! Well - for me anyway, it's all relative.