Sunday, March 17, 2024

Cotton Tartan Saraste Shirt

 I bought this fabric in the Utrecht textile market, when we visited it almost one year ago. It is a thick, checked cotton, in beautiful red, black and white tones. 

I decided to use again the Saraste shirt pattern from Breaking the Pattern book by Named, as I did in this other checked shirt I made. The only change from that project was to make the sleeves longer, as they ended up being in the short side then. 

Everything was going smooth, the fittings were great, until I realized the bust darts were beginning in different places of the checked pattern. At first I thought the problem was the darts, but finally I learnt the sad truth: I had cut the pattern pieces on the folded fabric thinking one of the white lines run over the one in the bottom, but it went 10 cm down, to the next white line. I made this huge mistake when cutting the fabric because I rushed the process, in my rush  to get things done. This is one of my sins as a seamstress, sometimes I rush and speed the process, and these are the consequences: the shirt is totally askew, the plaid goes down unbalanced instead of being horizontal. It is a disaster. 

When I realized my mistake I considered the possibility of throwing it away, but by then it was almost finished, and my partner said it was unnoticeable to the unknowing eye. So I decided to finish it and wear it. It is nice and comfortable to wear, but I will always know it as the askew shirt.

Errors are an opportunity to learn, and I have learnt to cut the patterns on unfolded fabric, matching the checks carefully in this kind of fabric. 






Sunday, February 11, 2024

Non Glamourous Sewing Projects



Sometimes one has to make necessary items that are not that special. Recently, I've been making some of them, like a pair of work trousers for my boyfriend, replicating an old pattern in thick corduroy. Sadly, I lost the back pattern piece, so I had to make a new back pattern by the rub-off method. Either I did not get it properly, or he gained some small weight, but they are too tight and not comfortable, so I will have to make another pair soon. 

I also made some sateen silk pillowcases for our bed. They are supposed to be a real game changer for your hair, and they might be. My hair used to become more and more rough and entangled between washes, and now it is soft and loose for days... so they were worth it, even at 70 € the pair, and eventually I will need another pair...

I also made some dress as lounge-wear. I love wearing long jersey dresses at home, and this pattern, an old one I hacked from Burda magazine, is perfect, and it will probably get more renditions. 

Sunday, January 28, 2024

Grey Silk Pussy Bow Blouse

 This is my second rendition of this wonderful pattern. 

I got the fabric 7 years ago in Goldhawk Road, London. It has been all this time in my stash waiting for the right project, and this sure is a perfect match. I needed a thin blouse for my Mitchell trousers and also for under smart jackets, and this is spot on. 






Sunday, January 14, 2024

Pink Sweater and Pirate Jeans

 

I found this pink sweater fabric in Guthrie and Ghani, a fabric shop in Birmingham that we visited last summer. It has a small white thread that gives it a lighter shade, beautiful. The denim, I bought online in Denimlab. It has 2% elastic in it. 

I used my old Coco pattern for the jumper bodice, and then I hacked the sleeves using Aldrich's book method. 


For the pants I used an old pattern from BurdaStyle that I love, my Concert Twill Pants, although I had to take 1 cm off the external seams (x4!). Still, they kept falling down when I wore them, so I had to undo some self encased seams and take some 2cm more at the waist piece and the top of the sides seams. 


This is a wonderful pattern, the perfect crotch length, tight at the hips and straight wide from the hip down, I really love this pattern and I will use it again. 







Sunday, January 7, 2024

Tartan Minishorts Suit



I bought this fabric online and it was adisappointment, because it has quite  a lot of a sparkle, although cameras do not take it. The sparkle also meant it was not 100% wool (as advertised in the website), so I wrote to them, and they confessed it had 20% plastic in it. They also offered half a refund, so the sin was done, although unintentionally, and the cut fabric was on my stash. 

Being that the given situation, I chose to go for it and make some tacky thing for christmas time, where a sparkle might be forgiven. 


Well, the pattern of the jacket is from Burdasyle magazine. The construction is fun enough, but I am not a fan of the bust-armscye shaping I got... the jacket is acceptable, but the pattern is not a keeper. 


The pants are another matter. I made them before, but I forgot to take the seam allowance off and it made not sense… I am proud of having kept the pattern with some intuition of further use... and then here I discovered I had to take the damn seam allowance off. PERFECTION. 


I have always wanted some classic chino-like pants, with pockets. These are perfect, and can be made in slim or wider legs. The book was worth it only for this pattern. 

Well, all in all, I don't think I will wear it too often, but the fabric was not what I expected and i think I made the best I could out of it. 

Friday, December 8, 2023

Clio Dres Replica

I am proud of this make! 


Fabric and pattern are an excellent match, it is very wearable, becoming and comfortable, versatile, and a free pattern after a good inspired design. 

Some time ago I bought this gorgeous viscose by Mind the Maker, and it sat in my small stash for more than a year waiting for the perfect project. 

Then, one day I saw this wonderful Clio dress in The Fold Line and I loved the wide, feminine silhouette... I searched the Burdastyle website for similar dresses and I found just the perfect one. I only had to eliminate the straps in the back, and add a flounce at the bottom. I took the magazine on loan from my local library and there: a free pattern!

Right on the first fitting, with paper pattern pieces over my dress-form, I realized the shoulders were too wide, so I modified the front and back bodice arm scythes, taking 2.5 cm from the shoulders' width at the top. I like my sleeve caps to begin in my shoulder tips, no down in the middle of my upper arm.

For the flounce at the bottom, I cut two rectangular pieces 1,5 times bigger than the skirt of the dress where they were attached. 

The final result is perfect, a copy of my inspiration Clio dress. I can wear it over some black tights and bodysuit or for warmer weather, with nothing underneath, showing my good old cleavage. 

Saturday, November 4, 2023

Alpacino Hat


I received this kit by a mistake from Wool and the Gang. They most kindly let me keep it, and sent me the correct order. 



This kit incluted a ball of Alpachino Merino and the pattern for the Viva Hat. 


 
I followed the instructions precisely, except that I made it on the round. I also added a pom pom on the top, since I still got yarn left. 



The result is lovely, and this is not the last time I knit with this yarn.