Get in my stash!

Brisbane girls, if you have not visited The Fabric Store recently, you need to get yourself there tout suite! They have got some lovely summer silks in plains & prints in all colors of the rainbow. I also spotted some beautiful linens and they even have leather, I don't know how I restrained myself from not buying any of that.

This is what I did buy and also some inspiration for their final destination. 

A lovely black silk twill, very lightweight and super drapey. Inspiration is this skirt from Country Road, basically a straight skirt with a fluted hem. 

Green silk, this reminds me of cheesecloth texture. Inspiration is from this draped shirt from Topshop, I have a pattern drafted and ready to go.

A lovely sandwashed silk in stone, a little thicker weight so would be great for something with a little more structure. Inspiration is this tank from Country Road which has panelling detail on the side seam and shoulders.

Silk twill print (yes more silk!) this has a lovely sheen and beautiful drape. Inspiration is Tessuti's Suzy Pants Pattern.

It's funny how quick my mind changes though, I will probably look back at this in a months time and wonder what the hell I was thinking. Women's prerogative I guess.

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!

A new wardrobe favourite - Vogue 1247

As usual, time ticks away before my eyes. I've had little sewing time recently but I did manage to finish off my version of the Rachel Comey Top pattern from Vogue 1247.

I have to admit that I am in love with this top, really hard. It's perfect for the Brissy winter and also fills a wardrobe holes of a black top that was loose and flowy. I had muslined this back in Summer and knew that I wanted to change the neckline from a v-neck to a more rounder neck.

I also widened out the sides of the top, I think I cut a size 8 or 10 but I'm not that in hips so ended up drafting a new bottom hem to boot. I also left off the cuffs, who needs em. Check out all those intersecting seams!

Fabric is a cute viscose from the Fabric Store (a.k.a Fabric Heaven). Everything is french seamed so has a lovely finish on the inside.

Now i've got the pattern perfected, this may also be a good pattern to replicate for the warmer weather, in a light silk maybe. 


I have so many more plans of sewing running through my mind as always, but so little time. I think I need to seriously start creating a more visual way of cataloguing the ideas that come into my little head, maybe a mood board or notebook or some sort?


In other news, I've discovered the joy that is Pinterest. I am here, come follow me.


Till next time!

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!

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!