Sewn: Tan Silk Top

Meet my new wardrobe favourite.

This top is based off Simplicity 5092 which is courtesy of the Op-Shop. I used the pattern for a shirt previously and it's proving to be a versatile pattern. 

I shortened the sleeves considerably to make it suitable for Spring/Summer, I also did a slash and spread on the back to add some fullness and swing so it's a nice fluid shape. In the process of doing this, I decided to make it a hi-lo hem shape which I quite like. 

The pattern has forward shoulder seams with gathering. Once I did this and tried it on, I decided the gathering was a little too formal looking so my "design feature" came along in the form of epaulettes.

The fabric is some kind of silk mix that I cant recall, it has a small amount of stretch to it but I've treated it as a woven. It has a lovely fluid drape to it so has lots of movement when it's on.  Another great buy from the Fabric Store in Brisbane.

Because the hem has both convex and concave curves to it, I had to be careful with hemming. I used this tutorial from Grainline for the hem and went super slow and it turned out a treat. 

I used the same technique on the neckline so I didn't have to worry about any fiddly bias facing. 

Welcome to my wardrobe, I'm sure we'll have a great time together!

I'm going dotty!

I finished this top a few weeks ago, been so busy I haven't had the chance of taking photos of it earlier. 

It's pretty safe to say that I really love this top. It is made from a silk (maybe a blend cant remember) which I brought from the Fabric Store last summer. The fabric was surprisingly easy to sew up, apart from the hem which gave me so much grief due to my insistence on having a curved hem. 

This is a self drafted top, based loosely on an item that I already had in my cupboard. The back is slightly longer than the front so has some decent butt coverage.

I intend to make many more of these, probably in a cotton so the hems don't drive me so crazy!

Till next time!

What's on the sewing table!

Here's a little sneaky peak on what I'm working on at the moment. 

I took advantage of the long weekend and started sewing up this baby. I'm in love already!

Ahhh....finally some new clothes

I didnt realise how long it's been since I posted last. In between being trying not to annoy the crap out of everybody with the persistent cough I picked up from somewhere (not Woolies), I've been sewing up a mini hurricane. 


I took advantage of the Easter Break to make up top no. 4 from Drape Drape 2 book (available here from Tessuti Fabrics).

Tracing the pattern and cutting the fabric took the longest. This top literally has 2 seams and then the rest is hemming. Super super easy and super super comfy, made from a white & grey stripe Marc Jacobs knit which I spoke about in my last post. 

I love how it sits at the back and how the stripes twist around.

This is how it looks sitting on the hanger. The Drape Drape patterns are truly works of art, dont think they are all as easy as this one though.


Next up is a self drafted top. I wanted something that was fairly boxy, perfect to go with skinny jeans whenever the Brissy weather decides to get cool enough for me to wear them. 

I'm in love with the way it turned out, was super easy to draft and sew. This one will be a repeat performance for sure.

The fabric was another knit by Marc Jacobs from the Fabric Store (how do they get all this designer stuff?). Lovely and soft, the stripe is a very light pink. I also used my all new favourite binding for knits, I've tried the foldover technique with pretty poor outcome so I'm now going for the t-shirt band style. Comes out much better. I'm thinking about doing a mini tutorial for creating this top as I took heaps of photos along the way.


I paid another visit to the Fabric Store (can you tell by now I kinda love that place). Spotted some silk panels of this DKNY fabric, kind of a leopard print with pink a black stripes. Dont know what it's going to be yet.

What I really went to the Fabric Store for was to get some merino knits to make up some more tops or possibly a dress. First one is a gorgeous dark orange, it has a blend of lyrca and is so soft and drapey. I've never sewn with Merino before, I figure it's just another knit and I'm game to try anything once.

This one is a black & white stripe a blend of merino, tencel and lyrca. I think this is going to transform itself into a tunic dress, I have an old top from Country Road that is begging to be copied. Starting work on it this arvo super excitment!

Phew that was quite a catch up! I'm also participating in The Perfect Nose's One Cool Thing/One Strange Thing swap so I need to get my goodies packaged up and on their way to my swap partner. Time for a stash raid.


Till next time!

The Tulip Top

So finally I got to finish my top that I previewed in my very first post. Seems like it took forever, in all reality it was finished over 3 weekends but when you get to sew for only a few hours a week everything seems to take forever. 

I have to admit that the fabric was a bit of a bitch to work with but I'm totally thrilled with how it turned out. It's based on the lovely Tiny Pocket Tank available here from Grainline. I wanted something with sleeves, saw this sleeve pattern which is for the Sorbetto Top and thought I'd give it a whirl. Turns out the sleeve is a tiny bit bigger for the tank pattern but I just put a pleat in the top of the sleeve and happy days! 


I put in an exposed zipper in the back, my first ever.

In another first, I didn't know what to do about french seams on the curve of the armsyce so I just zig-zagged over the raw edge of the seam. I've since learned that I can in fact french seam this area, booooo!

I'd love to make this up next in a silk, just to challenge myself even more. 


Now I have no more sewing projects on the go. I've been putting alot of thought about what to sew for the cooler weather, well as cool as it gets in Brisvegas in Winter. I really like this Cropped Blazer Pattern from Salme Patterns on Etsy but cant find anyone who has made up this pattern. Maybe I should quit being a wuss and just give it a bash, what do you think?


Till next time!

Here's one I prepared earlier.....

Apologies in advance for the cheesy title - makes me think of an old school cooking show. Anyone remember Peter Russell Clark? No just me hey.....(silence). I'm sure you're not reading for some random chit chat about cooking, so onto the topic at hand which is one of my recent creations. 


I brought the Tiny Pocket Tank Pattern from Grainline a little while ago after seeing it on various blogs including Little Betty who has made several versions now. After making some adjustments such as a Full Bust Alteration and a Full Back Adjustment (not even sure if that's the proper name!) I was totally happy with the fit and thought the next step is a dress. So here she is (me and the dress)

Please excuse the 35 degree crazy lady hairdo. So alot of the adjustment were achieved thanks to Mr Google & Co, but basically I just lengthened the tank down to knee length and slightly flared it out to allow for some hip room. 


I added an elastic casing on the inside, first time doing it ad turned out fairly well. 

Did my standard french seams on the inside, 2 thumbs up to the genius who invented french seams!

So the whole thing was pretty easy to put together. Fabric is courtesy of Spotters, a lovely light cotton voile. I'm not usually a flowery type of person but this really caught my eye, plus the lines of flowers create stripes and well I'm a stripe addict. Already worn it a few times but now it will probably start migrating to the back of my closet for winter, alas poor dress I still love you!


On another note, has anyone heard about the Craft and Sewing Show which is getting around Australia? I've never heard of it before so I might have to get along to check it out.


Till next time!

Hello and welcome to my little corner of the Blogosphere! I brought my first sewing machine about 2 years ago, only for taking up hems and alterations, one of the curses of being vertically challenged. Gradually I got more interested in construction of my own garments after getting so frustrated at what's available in retail stores, now it's become a real passion and a way to escape the boredom of being cooped up in an office all day. I mainly sew for myself but have done a few little side projects of home decor and quilts, I think I prefer making clothes.

 

Mother Nature has not played nice with our normally sunny and warm Brisbane, we've had really no summer here but regardless my focus of late has still been on light summer tops and dresses. I know before too long that I'll have to start thinking about constructing garments from more cool weather appropriate fabric, I am holding off as long as I can because I'm really not that experienced in these kind of clothes. Summer clothes is more my thing, all nice light floaty fabric in beautiful colors. So I still have an item or two in the planning/production stage that are Summer appropriate, hopefully these can layer up easily when the weather does turn cold.

 

So this weekend was spent drafting and sewing a summer top, based on the Tiny Pocket Tank by Grainline which I absolutely am in love with! So far I've made a tank out of some light seer sucker and a dress from a coral voile. I wanted something with sleeves so nothing like giving yourself another challenge when you've never done sleeves ever! That little puppy will get a brand new post all of it's own, but for now here's a teaser of the fabric.

I brought it from the lovely Fabric Store in Brissy. I cant quite remember the fabric content, I thought it was Linen & Cotton but it is quite floaty, I sense there may be some silk or rayon in there as well. 

Till next time!