Project: Sorbetto { Surprise }

I thought I'd show you the latest muslin of something I've been working on for, oh, about a month now. I've joined the ranks of Sorbetto lovers, and quite rightly as it is just another example of brilliant pattern making from Colette Patterns. This is a Sorbetto with a twist, however. A Sorbetto Surprise if you will ...

Whilst I love vest tops during the summer, we're rapidly heading in to Autumn here in Wales and I was after something with sleeves. Easy enough, I thought, as Mena at Sew Weekly had posted a cap sleeve pattern. I wanted something that came in around the ¾ length mark, so I just continued on the side seam lines until I'd reached the 13" I'd decided on. The ruffle edge came about due to a picture I've had saved for around 5 years and I really just wanted to see what they looked like in real life.

The big headache has been the collar. It's still not right; despite multiple drafts it still has a small gap at the front that you can't really see the full extent of in the above pictures. My sewing of curves still leaves much to be desired, but I assure you, that is a peter pan collar. I'm tempted to continue fiddling, reduce the neckline of the main pattern pieces by a seam's width so as not to lose anything from the original line perhaps. Overall though, I really like it and am planning on making a version in red gingham, probably without the ruffle on the sleeve as I think that has a more summery and floaty feel than the current weather requires.

If people want it, and I can find a scanner, I'll make the collar piece available. Just be warned it's not perfect and could probably use some more fiddling by someone a little better at pattern drafting than me. Even Gertie's tutorial couldn't help me get it completely right. I should also admit that after four drafts I gave up on making the undercollar that tiny bit smaller as I could never get it to work when sewing it together, so it's a small one piece deal. Hopefully with a little more practice I can get the collar looking right!

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Dawn Skies to Dusk

Dawn's getting later and later. Just last week the sky was light when I got up to take the dog out at just shy of 6am. I took this picture this morning as we headed out the back lanes to the old coal tip for his morning constitutional.

The mountain the sun is rising behind in this photo means that the sun doesn't properly hit my house until about 8am at the moment. It makes photographing my outfits a little difficult!

I'd had a yen to straighten my hair for a while now, just to see exactly how long it actually was without the curl. Other than highlighting just how bad my split ends actually are there doesn't appear to be that big a difference in length, either way it's nearly at my waist, the longest I've ever grown it!

I love this skirt, despite the fact it's too big for me. For some strange reason I felt like a Spanish horse rider from yesteryear in this outfit, possibly due to the combination of an embroidered skirt and a short bolero style cardi. The Nora Batty socks have made a come back (they're just so warm) and I bust out the tan version of my Hush Puppy T-Bars because T-Bars are my favourite style shoe evah. And these ones are just so comfortable!

In comparison, I took this photo when I got home at about 4pm. Totally different light! The entire family's in the photograph, they were hoping I'd give them food and kept following me around!

Dusk up the Old Tip, I love it up there when it's quiet. You can just see the moon peeking out of the cloud. Beautiful.

Skirt: La Redoute
Shirt: Miss Selfridge
Bolero: La Redoute
Sock: No idea!
Shoes: Hush Puppies via Amazon

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Project: Style Print 1421 { Notes Pt II }

Firstly, apologies for my absence. I started a new job and combined with my current Merlin obsession I'm having trouble fitting in anything else at the moment.

I wore my Style Print 1421 shirt in white polycotton, my first ever homemade item of clothing from a vintage pattern. You can't really see it in this photo (sorry, the only full length mirror I currently have access to is in the work bathrooms) as my little cardi covers it up (due mostly to the fact that I've yet to sew buttons on the cuffs and it was the only way to stop the sleeves from flailing about like mad things) but I promise you it's the same shirt.

Problems that have come to light after wearing this shirt for the day is that 1950's shirts were short. Seriously, how did anyone not flash their bellies whilst wearing these? Every time I reached up I'd pop out the front, every time I bent down I'd pop out the back. I'll definitely be adding a couple of inches to the bottom of this pattern the next time I make it because I can't be going around with bits of me hanging out, it's just not dignified!

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Project: Simplicity 1008

Simplicity 1008

I did it! In fact I actually almost did it yesterday but forgot I was having a girly night at the cinema so didn't quite finish it in time. This morning it was a question of finishing off the facings (top stitching them down which I've done rather well if I do say so myself!) and it still needs hemming but, I've done it!

There are several things wrong with it, most noticeably it doesn't fit (story of my life!) and, perhaps, even more noticeably the stripes on the back are upside down, the darts are in the wrong place and it gapes at the back of the neck.

But I love it. Really, I do. And I'm going to wear it to Tescos as soon as I finish writing my shopping list and this post.

I think in the case of ambition vs reality, reality is going to win and my list of four things to sew this weekend will go down to two. So next up is the trousers in blue (because everyone's bought me blue sheets and I have no other colours to choose from).

Notes to Remember

1) Facings are not my friends. Don't pay attention to what the pattern says and use your common sense, it'll mean you don't have to rip out all the neck facings, rip out the stitching attaching the two parts of the neck facings and start again.

2) Check where your darts are before you sew the bloody things up please.

3) If stitching in stripes please ensure back stripes point in the same direction as the front ones.

This was a simple pattern to put together and if I hadn't been distracted by Jason Bourne and dog walks and After Eight mints then it would probably have gone together a little quicker. If I wasn't so scatty. All in all a nice easy pattern to follow and I look forward to making it up as a dress as it's supposed to be.

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Project: Style Print 1421 { Notes }

Well, I finally finished my shirt (for a sane explanation on the pose please see previous post).

First Impressions of Sewing With A Vintage Pattern/ Sewing My First Piece of Clothing:

1) You are expected to have some modicum of common sense. Unfortunately, when it comes to sewing I seem to lose all mine. I had to recut the tie collar because I thought it would be best to sew the two pieces together after I'd stitched around the outsides. I know, I know, don't ask me what I was thinking, I obviously wasn't. Thankfully, the recut version went together perfectly.

2) Do not put anything with TV boyfriend David (Tennant) in it on the box to keep you company whilst sewing. This Does Not Help with concentration. Nor does anything to do with the Twilight Universe. Or Callum (Keith Rennie). In fact, steer clear of anything to do with brooding vampires or TV boyfriends (especially TV boyfriends with exciting clavicles and tantalising glimpses of chest hair*) whilst sewing. This should mean that you'll remember to sew the two collar pieces together before having to turn in the right way.

3) Follow the gorram instructions! That way maybe you won't have to recut the collar. Oh, and learn the difference between interfacing and facing please.

4) Listen to your Mother. She's usually right, you know this, why do you constantly fail to remember this?

5) Strangely, despite having made clothes before (albeit a long time ago) I think I was expecting to just go whizz whizz whizz, hey presto a piece of clothing that looks like something you could buy in a store but more to my taste. What I've got is a shirt that looks okay, I don't think you can tell it's handmade - which, frankly, is a miracle! - but to me it's obviously not store bought not because it's badly put together but because the size of the facing in the front that's clearly visible through the thin polycotton I used. Either I wasn't supposed to use such a thin material or the 50's had different ideas over facing sizes in comparison to today's cheapskate clothing companies.

6) Shirt's from the 50's appear to be a lot shorter than contemporary shirts, probably because they were more often than not going to be tucked into a higher waistband than today's bottoms. If I'm going to make any shirts that may not be tucked in on every wear then I'll have to remember to lengthen the pattern to accomodate that.

All in all I count this one as a win, despite the bad hemming, help from Mum, the too ripped top buttonhole (I got a little rip happy) and the neck facing I can't sew down. I don't think any of those things are really visible and I'm chalking this one up as a yay to me as a result.

* Mmmmmmmmmm

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Project: Style Print 1421

Finally. Finally! This is finished. Due to my procrastination this has taken me far longer than it should have but I am no longer scared of button holes thanks to my fabulous sewing machine that does it all for me! Literally. All I do is put the pedal to the metal. I lurves button holes! These were my first button holes ever and have come out fabulously, I'm so pleased! 

Mum was right, sewing the sleeve and side seam all in one long swoop is infinitely easier. After making some tiny pleat/ gathers along the arm scythe to make the extra fabric fit I just whizzed along the sleeve seam, down the side seam and voila! one side done. Gorffen*. Finis. 

I'm not happy with the hem, I just rolled and rolled again and then straight stitched down as I wasn't sure what else to do and the instructions for the blind hem stitch on my machine were a little off putting. It's resulted in the two puckers you can see at the bottom front where I hit the facing and interfacing but as the shirt is designed to be tucked in I don't care! 

I still don't have a clue about gussets. Mum did those for me whilst I was ... well, I was rummaging in the fridge for more coke and making marmite on toast if I'm honest but that's what Mum's are for ;)  I think if I ever make anything that requires gussets I'll have to investigate a better way to do it than the method laid out in this pattern.

And finally, a note on my pose; I thought I'd copy the pose of the view that I sewed to make it easier to figure out which one is the right one. I'm desperately trying not to laugh in the picture so please excuse me and my glasses (I forgot to take them off first like usual).

This is the first completed item for my Sewing With A Plan. Woo and indeed hoo!

Notes to Remember

1) Attach the neck facing to the shoulder seams so the collar sits properly, but allow enough fabric at the back of the neck to ensure it sits flat. I didn't on this project and so I couldn't sew the facing down.

2) Don't bother with interfacing the front pieces next time, just stick with facing.

3) Get Mum to sew all your gussets as you still don't have a clue.

* I should probably mention my off and on habit of writing the odd word in other languages. I tend to write just like I speak and as I'm saying the sentances in my head as I write them, occasionally I'll pop out with foreign words. I don't know why, I just like it. The languages are Welsh and French. French I speak a little, Welsh I don't really know other than the odd word (hence why it's only bits and pieces here!). I'd love to learn Welsh but can't afford a course. My favourite words are probably pobty ping meaning microwave (bakery/ oven and ping for the noise it makes, this is slang not the proper Welsh name) and gwdihw which means owl and is pronounced much like the noise it makes (goid i hoi is as close as I can come to writing it down). Oh and the number 5: pimp (pronounced more like pump but I'm easily amused)

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My First Outfit Post

Wow, my first outfit post. I'm not sure this is necessarily something I'll do often, I hate how I look in photographs, particularly self-taken photos on my phone. But today I'm wearing something that feels very much my style and I wanted to show it off. Having two one hour walks a day with the wolf usually ensures I'm in jeans for the day, particularly as the giant puppy loves nothing more than jumping up at me whenever he gets really excited regardless of what's all over his paws. However, today I made an effort and this is the result:

Me and my vintage Aga (circa 1943 ... the Aga, not me). The skirt is a denim straight skirt I bought in New Zealand when I lived there 9 years ago. When I bought it it was a good size or two too big, I've put on enough weight around the middle in the intervening years that it now fits without needing a belt. I love it most because of the frayed hem and the stretch of the denim, there's no kick pleat or vent built in to this skirt ... walking can be a trial for someone used to walking quickly but the wiggle it adds to the walk is much appreciated!

My top is another item that's too big for me, I bought it on a shopping trip with my brother's girlfriend and loved the mechanic style of it and decided I didn't care that it didn't fit. It's faded in the wash as I've had it about 7 years now I think and I rarely wear it because of its size but I do still love it.

My shoes came from Peacocks, I blogged about them here, as you can see I managed to get inner soles that worked and they are now, once again, wearable - no thanks to the wolf!

Shirt: Matalans
Skirt: Portmans New Zealand
Shoes: Peacocks

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