September 2013 – THORNBERRY

adult's clothing, sewing

StyleARC Marie jacket – again

My first attempt at the StyleARC Marie jacket was always intended as a wearable muslin. I actually made notes about how I’d change the construction order when I was making it, and it was much simpler when I sewed it up the second time around!

The fabric is a textured light ponte from Darn Cheap Fabrics. Because of the texture it was slightly challenging to work with in places, but putting a new needle into the sewing machine and basting and using vliesofix tape occasionally seemed to do the trick. I used a 45 cm long chunky separating zipper, remembering to fuse it in place before stitching it. None of the front princess seam topstitching was done until the facings had been attached, and I did remember to finish the entire facing edge before attaching it to the rest of the garment

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This is a relaxed jacket, but the topstitching and seams take it up a notch. I didn’t alter the length or make any changes to the shaping – boxy is okay for me. It can be worn open, but I tend to wear it zipped closed.

Anne noted that the new StyleARC Harper jacket pattern is a little like the Marie jacket, except simpler. I have a mesop jacket in the same style as the Harper, and it gets frequent wear. Something for me to remember for a future order, maybe! By the way, I think that Anne is a queen of StyleARC patterns – she has made a huge number of them, so if you’d like to see some of the designs photographed on another person instead of as pattern illustrations, pop over to her blog.

Sunday, 29 September, 2013 by thornberry

adult's clothing, Lekala, sewing

Lekala 4163 knit jacket

I had quite a surprise a week or so ago when I was scrolling through my feed reader on the tram and discovered that fellow Australian Suzy had just made Lekala 4163! I had the same pattern already cut out, just waiting to be sewn together. I haven’t seen this jacket on other other blogs, so it was surely serendipity. I was straight into sewing it that night once I got home.

As with my Lekala dress, I had ordered this pattern with seam allowances included. It didn’t take terribly long to tape together, and once again the pattern pieces looked as though they would take my height and waistlessness into account.

The fabric is a checked ponte, medium weight and quite soft and drapey. If my memory serves me right I bought it as an end of roll at Spotlight last year, but I have noticed the same fabric being sold at Darn Cheap. Because it was a check, it took me a considerable amount of time to lay out the pattern pieces. I used a single layer to cut it out, with more of an emphasis on matching the stripes horizontally than vertically. The sleeves are two piece, and the back has a centre back seam as well as side back princess seams. The ties insert into the side seams, and the front pieces are one large piece. The back neck and front are faced – I decided not to use interfacing on those pieces, despite the instructions suggesting that I should.

For a first try, I think that the fit isn’t too bad! The pattern was certainly petite-ed enough for me, and the back neck seemed to fit where it should. Why didn’t my husband tell me that the white tag of the top I was wearing underneath was sticking out in every one of these photos?

I was quite happy with my check matching, actually. I didn’t have to worry about it at the front, because it’s mostly on the bias, but I did get it right across the shoulders, the back seams and the two-piece sleeves. Not perfect, but good enough for what was intended to be a wearable muslin. I did have to re-cut one of the under sleeve pieces when I realised that I had cut it out on completely the wrong part of the check. Luckily I had enough scraps!

There was also enough fabric to make a StyleARC Fay skirt to match. I really like this outfit for work – because it’s ponte and the jacket is unlined it is comfortable to wear sitting at a desk all day, but I also feel that it is rather smart without being a traditional suit. I am not a traditional suit person any more. Which reminds me – Anna had a terrific post the other day about finding your style. I’ve been ruminating on her thoughts ever since, and think that I am better at knowing what my style is not than what my style is! I’ll see if I can come up with a similar blog post at some stage.

So, my Lekala verdict after my second make? I think that I still need to include more ease through my waist – those rolls are really showing in the photos of my back – but otherwise, I think that I am a convert! I also like that many of the styles are a bit different to what is found elsewhere. And wouldn’t you know it, I already have another four of their patterns in my possession. Which shall I make next?

Thursday, 26 September, 2013 by thornberry

adult's clothing, Lekala, sewing

my first foray into Lekala

When I first heard about Lekala patterns, I was impressed. Patterns printed to MY measurements! Patterns that hopefully wouldn’t need loads of alteration for my short and thick waist or for being 5’2″ tall. Maybe this would be the way to make a fitted dress that would actually fit me without a ridiculous amount of faffing around! I ordered a few Lekala patterns via their website, including Lekala 4199. They ask for your height, your bust measurement, your underbust measurement (presumably to get an idea of cup size), your waist measurement, and your hip measurement (although they specify that the hip measurement should take into account “all protrusions” such as your stomach etc). And they’re cheap. Really cheap. Around $2.50 per pattern. The patterns arrived via email less than 24 hours later. Yes, they are pdf patterns, so you do have to tape. But they are sensibly tiled.

I had ordered my pattern with seam allowances – you can also order them without. When I took a look at the pattern pieces, I was quite impressed. They did look as though they took my shape – especially my lack of waist – into account. So I taped, cut and sewed! The instructions are translated from Russian, so to an English speaker can be a little confusing at times, but once you work out what means what they are pretty sensible and are certainly adequately detailed.

This dress is drafted for stretch fabrics, and I used a thick poly/spandex knit from Darn Cheap Fabrics in the printed section, with ponte also from Darn Cheap as the plain contrast. I was hoping that the overall effect of the blocks of print and plain would be slimming.

I eliminated any closure at the back, having tested the neck band to see if I could get it on and off. I figured that the stretch of the fabric would take care of getting into the dress, and I was right. Most construction was done on the overlocker, with just the occasional bit of machine basting. So, how was it when I put it on?

Well, um, NO. Yes, it fits – Lekala definitely got that part right! But the style? Shorter than I am used to, and much more fitted than I anticipated. I should have remembered that as a broad generalisation Russian women do appear to wear their clothes very fitted, and that might translate to the ease built into their patterns. I feel that every lump, bump and roll is just screaming “look at these extra 7 kilos” when I’m wearing this dress.

That said, it’s not too bad in the photos. I think that the placement of the print and plain panels is quite flattering. I don’t think that the high round neckline does me many favours, especially with black so close to my face. It’s also rather tight through the arms.

So, my overall verdict for my first venture into Lekala? Despite my initial horror when I first wriggled into this dress, I suspect that it will get a little bit of wear in winter with a cardigan and scarf layered over it, as well as thick tights and boots. And overall it fits much better first time than many other patterns I have tried in the past. I would need to tweak this dress if I made it again, allowing more room in the sleeves and making it a little longer. But really, my problems with it are about the style that I chose rather than the pattern. So it is actually a thumbs up for Lekala – and since making this dress, I’ve made something else that worked very well.

Wednesday, 25 September, 2013 by thornberry

bags, sewing

another slouch

Apparently I’m back into using big bags. I thought that I’d downsized a little with both kids at school, but instead I keep on trying to jam a crochet project into my bag as well as everything else that I “need” to carry. By the way, for me I “need” to carry my purse, change purse, glasses cleaner, phone, kindle, little first aid kit, lipstick, spare phone charger and headphones, tape measure, swiss army knife, and hankies. Plus a crochet project. And often other assorted items.

One of my favourite big bag patterns in the You Sew Girl! Large Slouch by Nicole Mallalieu. And after a quick blog search it looks as though I have made this six times before! This version was made in pretend leather (it’s bonded to a stretch fabric) from Darn Cheap Fabrics. And you have seen the fabric before – I used it as the contrast in a pair of April pants – but the bag is what I actually bought the fabric for in the first place!

The fabric was surprisingly easy to sew, even in the bulkier parts. I just made sure that I used a fresh sharp jeans needle throughout. I used a chunky zip as the closure, and added some rings to the strap for a little bit of shine. I wear this across my body – I love to carry my bag hands free – and made the strap length to suit.

Inside there are pockets. A zippered pocket right down one side, and four patch pockets on the other. This gives me loads of room to keep the loads of stuff that I “need” organised inside the bag. And I can squash a crochet project right into the middle. As always, I added a little key leash so that my keys will always be easy to find.

This is a great pattern, and surprisingly fast to make. It’s even faster if you make it with a webbing strap, which I have done in the past. Once again this pattern is high on my list as a contender for one of this year’s teacher-thank-you-bags, since this year I have to make two, one for each of the girls’ teachers! And speaking of my girls, they have both been away for the past few days. My husband and I have gone out for dinner THREE NIGHTS IN A ROW! Unheard of! I’m off to collect Stella later today – she’s been away at her grandparent’s house – and Clare isn’t back until Saturday – she’s on Guides camp. I have missed them a lot; the house is very strange without them. But at the same time, it’s been lovely to spend some time with my husband, eating lovely food! And of course, during the day we’ve both been at work. But now for me the school holidays really do kick in! I wonder if I’ll get some sewing done?

Wednesday, 25 September, 2013 by thornberry

some sewing (and crochet) related reading

There has been a little bit of reading lately. Not as much reading as I’d like, but I don’t do as much of many things as I would like. My crochet output has slowed down quite a bit recently, and I am focusing on getting my sewing UFOs completed. Maybe it’s due to being well and truly in the last part of the year – school holidays have just started, and I can see that the last few months will rush to a close. I’d like to freshen my slate a little. But back to the reading!

Convertible Crochet is Doris Chan’s latest book. There are a number of lovely projects in it, most made by reconfiguring motifs and attaching them in different ways. I enjoy the technical aspects of Doris’ books; the fusion of creativity and mathematics and shape and structure. Not sure what I’ll start with from this book, but in the meantime it is lovely to peruse.

The Hundred Dresses by Erin McKean has an illustration and an exposition of an iconic dress on every two-page spread. The illustrations are delightful, and Erin writes in a way that is humourous and insightful. She has obviously done her research, but his isn’t an academic book. It’s a light read that is easy to dip into and out of, and worth a look at for anyone interested in women’s fashion.

Clare Schaeffer’s Fabric Sewing Guide is SUCH a worthwhile purchase for anyone who sews! Someone asked me recently if I could do a blog post about choosing and sewing with different fabrics – seriously, I point you in the direction of this book. I was lucky enough to buy it half price at a recent craft fair and am so pleased that I now have it as a reference. It is divided into sections, with titles such as Fibre Content, Fabric Structure, Fabric Types, Interfacings and Linings, Sewing Techniques. I think that this book is a must have.

Nowadays I do a fair bit of reading on a Kindle. I am half-way through Mel Campbell’s book Out Of Shape: Debunking Myths About Fashion and Fit. It’s an interesting book too. From Mel’s website:

This volume of literary non-fiction explores the histories and cultures of clothing fit and size. It seeks to cut through the often confused discussions in the Australian and international media over whether we’re in an ‘obesity crisis’; issues of body image and self-esteem; suspicions of exclusionary fashion marketing tactics; and the contemporary passion for all things ‘vintage’ and ‘retro’.

Ultimately, it sets out to answer the question: “Why is it so tricky and unpleasant to find clothes that fit properly?”

Framed as a lively, accessible work of investigative journalism, Out of Shape is explicitly not a ‘fashion’ book. It’s geared to a general audience who don’t necessarily identify as fashion-conscious, and who struggle to feel good about buying and wearing clothes. It represents a unique and exciting investigation into a daily practice everyone participates in, which has a fascinating, sometimes bizarre relationship to commerce and pop culture.

I’ve also just read Already Pretty, by Sally McGraw. I have been dipping in and out of Sally’s blog Already Pretty for a while. From the website:

Structured as a fun and accessible self-guided makeover, Already Pretty: Learning to Love Your Body by Learning to Dress it Well is the antidote to cookie-cutter style guides. Instead of dumping you into a body type category and restricting what you can and cannot wear, this friendly, funny, body-positive book presents a highly customizable regimen to help you define and hone your own personal style. A true guidebook to crafting personal style, Already Pretty teaches women to love their bodies, dress impeccably, and embrace the philosophy that dressing well is key to living well.

I have always been a bit of a sucker for a makeover show, right back from spreads in Dolly or The Women’s Weekly to television makeover segments or programs and books like those of Trinny and Susannah. Reading both Already Pretty and Out of Shape at pretty much the same type has been quite a juxtaposition, although Already Pretty is definitely not a traditional make-over book full of “musts” but rather is about being true to yourself and how you feel in your clothes. I have also been reflecting on how these books intersect with some of the material I studied back when I completed my Women’s Studies degree, and how my own thoughts and behaviours intersect them all of them. Hmmm.

And there are a couple of new to me blogs that I’ve been enjoying and would like to share!

Fabric Tragic – a local girl who I’m now waiting to bump into at Darn Cheap Fabrics one day

Sew Manju – an English woman who makes divine dresses for herself and her daughter

He Cooks, She Sews – great garments and some mouth-watering recipes.

Saturday, 21 September, 2013 by thornberry

adult's clothing, sewing

Vogue 1130

This post needs a huge sub-title: not everything that I make works out. Every now and then I like to push myself out of my comfort zone a little with the styles that I sew. Just because something did or didn’t suit me once, it doesn’t mean that it won’t suit me (or not) now! So I gave Vogue 1130 a go. It’s a DKNY jacket, recently out of print, and it only has two reviews up on Pattern Review.

I rather enjoyed sewing this. The fabric is a knit jacquard from Darn Cheap Fabrics. The overall shape is loose through the shoulder and body, but fitted across the bust and through the empire waist. The skirt pieces are given fullness with loads of tiny tucks.

There is also super clever shaping that incorporates front and back princess seams with underarm gussets. And the front and neckline bands are very nicely shaped too. It is unlined, other than the inside waist piece, and closes down the front with snaps. I used my overlocker for most of the construction, but basting and stitching in the ditch done by machine.

Overall this was an enjoyable sew. I really liked the jacquard fabric too, although it wasn’t in my usual palette. Once I finished it, I put it on. Yes, it fitted. But I looked SO middle-aged and SO dumpy and SO frumpy! Absolutely not the style or the colour for me. So I gave it to my much taller friend Rachael (who has been the happy recipient of some of my other makes in the past) who also has quite different colouring.

Despite not feeling very comfortable with modelling for the blog, she really likes her new jacket, and I have seen her wearing it in public more than once! The blue/purple colour is just perfect for her eyes and skin and hair tone. So I’m glad that I did give something out of my usual comfort zone a try, even if it didn’t work for me.

Saturday, 21 September, 2013 by thornberry

adult's clothing, sewing

New Look 6071

This is my third go at New Look 6071 – which is still well behind Andrea’s tally of five! There is a lot to like about this pattern.

Like the previous two versions, I cut this out at size 12, but did remember to make the side seams just 1/4 inch – and actually cut it out a little larger than the pattern through the waist. Cutting out took a while because I needed to make sure that the stripes would line up properly when I started to sew, and I did lots of basting of the centre back and side seams to ensure that the stripes all matched up fairly well (albeit not perfectly). But check out the armhole seams – there is a definite “design feature” happening there.

Yes, those stripes do line up beautifully, don’t they! It’s just a pity that the navy stripes on the sleeve line up with the cream stripes on the body and the cream stripes on the sleeve match up with the navy stripes on the body. Hmm, got that one entirely wrong…

The v-neckline and centre front twist is my favourite thing about this dress – although I do like the overall shape as well. It’s quite easy to do, especially in this beautiful quality cotton/spandex knit (thanks again for that Karen)! I used a strip of binding to finish the neckline, rather than just turning it under. I did take the dress in a little at the centre back neckline too, making the seam about another 5/8″ larger to take my rounded upper back (also known as a “dowager’s hump”) into account.

Most of the construction was done on the overlocker, with the machine just used for basting in some spots and for top-stiching the hems down after stabilising them with vliesofix. Another recommended pattern!

Thursday, 19 September, 2013 by thornberry

crochet

OTT hats

A little crochet test that I took part in during July was the OTT hat by Addydae designs. The pattern for the coordinating cowl (LOL) is already out, and the hat pattern won’t be far away! Crocheted hats are a great project when you want something fast, want to use up a small amount of yarn, or want a nice hand-made gift. I crocheted a beanie for Clare (with added pom pom):

And crocheted a slouch hat for myself.

Both hats were crocheted in Bendigo Woollen Mills Murano (left over from the girls’ scooter vests, which I now suspect that I failed to blog!) which self-stripes as you work. I really enjoyed the simple stitch pattern as it really highlighted the colours in the yarn in addition to giving a lovely texture. Another great pattern from Deanne!

Thursday, 19 September, 2013 by thornberry

adult's clothing, sewing

Vogue 8825

Recently Spotlight was selling Vogue patterns at $5 per pattern. Mon dieu! That never happens in Australia, the land where a Vogue pattern is routinely closer to $30! So I rifled through the drawers and picked up a few. One of them was Vogue 8825.

I don’t think it will surprise any of you that I was attracted to this pattern. A raised waistline, cross-over neckline, and winter (and office air-conditioning) appropriate long sleeves. Vogue describe it as Pullover tunic or dress has front extending into back collar, fitted, front pleated bodice, raised waist, tie ends, two-piece sleeves with barrel cuffs, and stitched hem. There is also a pants pattern included, which I might try one day. The pattern (including the pants pattern) is designed for two-way stretch knits that include spandex.

After browsing online reviews of this pattern and checking the measurements printed on the pattern tissue I cut it out at size 14 (my weight is still up at the moment) and made petite adjustments at all the marked lines. I also turned up a considerably wide hem, making the dress around four inches shorter than the pattern. I narrowed the barrel cuffs too, by about an inch and a half, so that they fit snugly around my wrist. All that lower sleeve needed to gather up nicely to give that 70s sleeve effect!

Vogue claim that this pattern is “very easy”, and they’re pretty much right. Especially when most of the construction can be done on the overlocker. The ties are super long, and wrap around me a few times before doing up in a knot at the front. The fabric is from Darn Cheap Fabrics – and I think it was on the bargain table!

I recommend this pattern – Vogue think that it suits most figure types, and they are possibly right.

Wednesday, 18 September, 2013 by thornberry

crochet

lacy red scarf

Oh, for the day when I come up with creative blog post titles! Until then, easily searchable ones will have to suffice. From July 26th to August 23rd this is what I crocheted. It’s lacy. It’s red. It’s a scarf.

It is very difficult to photographs scarves effectively! Hats off to those people that do it professionally for crochet and knitting books and magazines. The yarn is Frog Tree Ewetopia, the most divine squishy and springy merino wool that I have ever had the pleasure to squish. I bought two balls from Prudence Mapstone’s stand at the last Craft Fair I attended, and got the scarf pattern with it. It’s called the Lacy Tunisian Crochet Scarf – just the sort of naming convention I like.

This is my first completed Tunisian project, and I’m very pleased with it. I might just have to get off my bottom and work my way through the Tunisian crochet class that I’m enrolled in! I worked on it in a piecemeal fashion on public transport, in cafes, and in breaks at work, which is the only reason that it took so long for me to do. I did persuade Clare to model it for me. I was a little worried that she might not give it back.

More details on Ravelry over here. And guess what – a new yarn shop has opened in my ‘hood! Shall be checking it out later this week….could be dangerous!

Wednesday, 18 September, 2013 by thornberry

Month: September 2013