Sunday, January 28, 2018

Black Rib Cotton Turtle Neck

I bought this wonderful rib cotton jersey in my last trip to London, in MacCulloch and Wallis. It was a circular bolt, with a deep black colour. Gorgeous.

I used my eternal "Universal T-shirt" pattern, because this jersey claimed raglan sleeves. And a turtle neck. 
 The result is just perfect. I do not understand how could I live without it until now. Everybody needs a black turtle neck, it goes well with every skirt or pant you have in your closet, and it plays every dress code, from sporty to very elegant. Of course, it must be cotton, to keep peace with the planet and with our skin.



Wednesday, January 17, 2018

Love Boat Hat

Hello there!
I bought this kit from Wool and The Gang one year ago. It was a sale I took advantage of, because with shipping costs and pounds, WATG products are expensive to me.

 I wanted to test their jumbo wool and patterns and this seemed a small project to test the brand. Plus, the hat looked gorgeous on pictures.

Finally I decided to insert this make along another (two cushions I've just finished now) during my Christmas Holidays, because I did not want another winter gone by. 

But this takes only a couple of days to knit! Glory Alleluiah for jumbo wool!!! If I had known, I had done it before.

As I explain in my Ravelry Project page, I love the wool (I will repeat), but the pattern was all wrong, in terms of sizing. So I will buy WATG wool again, but I don't trust their patterns, sadly. On the other hand, I wrote to them to ask for care instructions and they never answered. Bad attention to client. Me don't like it.
But the hat is just gorgeous. And so nice to wear!


Saturday, January 13, 2018

Red Wool Coat

 I bought this wonderful cashmere and silk fabric at Unique Fabrics, in Goldhawk Rd., London. I confess the salesman totally sold it to me, he observed and chatted with me while I was drooling over their silks (OMG!!!!), and he showed this beauty to me, I couldn't resist, a red coat came to mind and nothing could stop me, not even the 200Eur I paid for the motherfucker! Totally good value for money!


Two weeks before Christmas I decided I absolutely needed it for then, so I started sewing in another of my typical stupid deadline frenzy madness (as if I did not have a coat to put on my back!).

I wanted a coat with an imperial waist and I found this cute pattern at a Burda magazine (from the library), which patterns I totally and absolutely trust.
I followed my usual method:

First, I traced the pattern in white sheer paper (these patterns do not include seam allowances, as I prefer).

Second, I true the pattern over my dress form. It seemed OK, so I proceeded to (third) arrange the pieces over the folded fabric, secure them with pins and cut them.

Fourth, I marked all my fabric pieces with tailor tucks, including marks, and everything. 

This seems the reincarnation of boredom, but it is totally worth it, since you have your pieces exactly marked, and you can made slight or important variations (provided you leave generous seam allowances in dangerous places like waist, hips, bust, length).

Fifth, I started minor items constructions, since it is better to do them with the pieces not attached together. I made the buttonholes (following Shaeffer's steps) and pockets.

Sixth, a applied thermofusible interfacing to the whole bodice and sleeves (a thinner one for them).
Seventh, I basted all the beast together and ready myself for the crucial moment of the first fitting. I always sew faster and faster as the moment approaches, and hand-basting is thus more bearable with anticipation. In this case I saw it was too big and the waist, and sleeves were also to big oven the shoulders, but I decided to machine stitch it and press it before making it definitely smaller at those places.

I also finished the neck piece and the frontal facing before trying it on again and confirming I had to take one cm off each side and also at the side back panel seams, at the waist. I also reduced the sleeves over the shoulders, and it was then almost perfect.

I carefully pressed on the wrong side with a cotton cloth over it. I played The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (gosh, what wonderful dresses!!!!), and pressed and pressed, since it was crucial to make it patiently and well.

I cut the lining and put it together with pins. I machine-stitched it and pressed it well too. I made the buttonhole openings and pressed them too.

Then, I secured by hand all the seams well open, and hand-sewed the bottom and sleeve hems.
I put the coat on the dress from, on the wrong side, put the finished and pressed lining over it, secure it with pins and hand-stitched it to the coat.

Finally, the night before I applied the buttons and done!