The "Stealth Pyjamas" Knit Skirt

A few weeks ago, just when we were starting to get a taste of what winter in Canberra was likely to be this year (answer: freaking cold and windy and OMG get me a hot toddy STAT) I rocked up to my local fabric store and spotted some gorgeous red faux quilted ponte stuff. Except it was snuggly in ways that ponte could never be. I resisted that day because all I could think to make was a self-drafted elastic-waisted straight skirt and that's just boring. So I bought some other fabric for other projects, and put the thought of the red quilted snuggly knit out of my mind.

Until a week later when I went back and bought half a metre of it because I couldn't get it out of my mind, like the insane woman I am.



I sat on the fabric for a couple of weeks while I quilted quilts, until my friend Amanda made and blogged her Moneta/Violet Frankenfrock from the same fabric (but in black) which she described as "stealth pyjamas". Are you kidding me? Get me on the PJ train!

The first day I had free from quilts (oh blessed day that was) I made this skirt. To be honest, it would have taken me less time to buy the Colette Mabel pattern, print it out, stick it together, cut out the fabric and sew it. Except I don't really like the Mabel pattern, and I'm a bit stubborn.

First I measured my hips, and sewed up a back seam using those measurements for a snug fit. I realised then that the bulk of the skirt with an elasticated waist would end up being mega bulky, so I created some side seams and shaped them to be less bulky at the waist.



My only problem with this method is that I should have switched the single back seam to a side seam and created another side seam on the other side. That would have done away with a back seam altogether instead of having a knit skirt with three seams. I can be such a sewing noob at times...



I constructed all the seams with my overlocker, and they bubbled like crazy to the point I couldn't even steam out the wonk. That's when I realised my new overlocker had a very close stitch. I lengthened the stitche length to 4, and redid the seams (no I didn't unpick them - I just took another run and made the skirt a little, ahem, slimmer.



I absolutely adore this skirt. It's comfortable, and it really does feel like I'm wearing stealth pyjamas. I can see me wearing this every single day through winter - it's warm and cosy and I'm not forever pulling my skirt up like I do with non-elasticated ones.



The fabric gets a lot of comments because it is quite unusual and begs touching. And did I mention comfortable? I can see me getting another half metre in the black and pulling another skirt out of the hat, except without a back seam next time, and maybe less waist again.



Because a girl can never be too comfortable when it's freezing cold outside.

Merry Kaftanmas

I decided not to travel anywhere this Christmas, because travelling at Christmas is nuts and we always do it. It involves hours in a plane, and then hours in a car or train, or else 8 hours in a car south or 15 hours in a car north, and last Christmas we did BOTH families over 7 days both north and south which was just ridiculous, so this year I stayed home and spent Christmas Day with my Spoolette friend Amanda and her husband.



Amanda recently made a kaftan - and it was fabulous, and not in a hippy, folk singing, creepy, key-swapping way either. When it was decided that I would gatecrash Christmas, she declared Christmas to be Kaftanmas and holy crap what's a girl to do but join in? I mean, in Canberra it's likely to be hot and sunny and we are both originally from Queensland so a kaftan is all shades of perfect for Christmas attire.





I fully embraced the concept of making the kaftan, and then realised that any shapeless kaftan on me could make me resemble Demis Roussos without the beard and the eyebrows, and a lady can't have that for Kaftanmas. Luckily I realised that Simplicity 2929 (and here I go again) View B is perfect for kaftanning it up, so I bought some blood orange tropical voile from Remnant Warehouse and I was off.



Whoo! Kimono sleeves!

I cut the dress out on Tuesday night and I sewed it up on Wednesday afternoon after I'd finished work. It took me exactly 2 repeats and 4 songs of the latest Hilltop Hoods album which would be, I don't know, about 2 hours? Except for the slash at the centre front neckline, this view is a lot less fiddly that my usual version D or E.



Look I'll be honest here and tell you that I don't think this is really my style. Especially not in tropical prints. But on Christmas Day it was perfect to wear - we had a very hot, extremely humid day, and if it hadn't rained so much we'd have been sitting in the park across the road so the cover up on my shoulders and arms was a lot better than my usual sleeveless style. This dress was very cool to wear, extremely comfortable, and we managed a lot of eating, drinking, more eating and even did a jigsaw puzzle before I went home and collapsed in a hot sweaty heap. And then jumped up again and got the tripod out and took photos of my kaftan for Kaftanmas. Hence the wrinkles. But it's held up pretty well I think! I wore it out to dinner with friends on Christmas night and it was still going strong and the elastic around the waist got a good workout throughout the day with all that food.



The centre front slash I did is not perfect, but the print hides a million sins. I also slightly pressed down the neck opening because I can't stand shirts that flap around and can't make up their minds as to whether they are open or closed. Or both. I'm tempted to put a closure on the neck for future sun protection - and it actually looks quite nice closed up.

I think this is the last Simplicity 2929 I will make for a while - time to try some new dress patterns. Although I will always end up going back to this one I think. It's so versatile.



Merry Kaftanmas!

Knitspiration

So since I semi-conquered the knit fabrics as part of my Me-Made-May challenge, I've been hankering for some more knit fabric sewing action.

I've purchased the Avocado, the Moneta, the Tiramisu, and (I can't believe my feminist self is admitting this) the Henley.  Admittedly I offered, and he reluctantly accepted. I also downloaded the Kirsten Kimono Tee, and Tessuti's Mandy Boat tee and Our Fave Top. Oh - and after realising I was using the Tonic tee with a Tonic 2 sleeve, I finally printed off the actual Tonic 2 tee with it's crew neck variation.  I'm all set to sew up a storm.

Except for one little thing.

I somehow hurt my back. My days over the last week have been filled with constant pain, a stooped-at-the-waist posture (attractive!), muscle relaxants, and gentle exercise in a heated swimming pool. But I'm seeing a bit of a glimmer of hope on the horizon. Tonight I was able to do a little cutting, compiling and taping of print-at-home patterns (not while sitting on the floor either - I'd never get back up!)



I can't wait to feel more on top of the world. This lack of sewing - of doing anything, really - is starting to bore me. I am enjoying going to the pool every day though.  Mmmmmm.  Spa jets.

So while I wait to heal, these wait for me.



And perhaps last night I bought a little of these online.

    

(Photos all from Tessuti fabrics)

Because it seems I have more patterns that I want to sew than I have fabrics.  Well, that's my story and I'm darn well sticking to it.

I'm also reading the Colette Guide to Sewing Knits. It seems a pretty perfect fit for a relative beginner like me.  Do you have it? What do you think? I probably should give a review once I finish reading it and get sewing again.

Adventures in sewing

I had a written challenge in my Me-Made-May pledge this year.

"I will also endeavour to make at least one new thing that challenges me and restores my faith in my sewing abilities, that is not a tried and tested pattern, even if it is just a muslin"

I also had an unwritten challenge - to try or learn a new technique, or a technique I had forgotten over the last 20-odd years of sewing my own clothes.

I am happy to say I met both my written and unwritten me-Made-May challenges. And I only missed one day of Me-Made-May itself.

First of all I learned to insert an invisible zipper. 

And secondly I got my confidence back with knits. And I made five versions of the same t-shirt in 7 days and OMG now I can't stop.

Version 1 - a cheap but very nice quality cotton stretch fabric from Canberra Sewing. Badly made even though it was my first attempt, and it has some fit issues like length and neck, but very wearable (and I did wear it on more than one day during May.

Version 2 - made with combed cotton (not much stretch) from Spotlight. The fit is a lot better (I took in a size at the bust and shoulders) and I raised the neckline and made the body 3 inches longer than the pattern. I loved it, but felt it too bright for winter wear, even for me. So I cut the sleeves off for a summer shirt. Perfect.

I'd been sewing everything on an old three-spool Janome overlocker for years. Boy was that machine a workhorse! I lost count of the number of bags and clothes it made. But I had been looking for a four-spool replacement for years, and a night after I made my second Tonic 2 tshirt, I found and bought it.

(The new one is on the right, in case you couldn't work that out from the yellowing plastic of the early 1980s model.)

From that night on, I've been unstoppable. Everything has been sewn with the overlocker.

Version 3 is a striped cotton from Spotlight. A little more stretch than the combed cotton. I loved this version so much I wore it two days in a row and it might be my favourite tshirt ever.

Version 4 is another combed cotton from Spotlight. Gosh they've had some nice prints this year!

And finally version 5. This is a slinky sparkly striped Gorman knit from the Clearit centre in Fitzroy. It is freaking brilliant and beautiful and I love it to death. I had fabric left over that I gave to my Spoolette buddy Myra for her birthday - knowing her she will make something sensational out of it.

I don't feel I have conquered knits by any means. I have so much to learn still, but at least now I'm not scared to try. Next on the cards is a Kirsten Kimono Tee by Maria Denmark. I have the Colette knit sewing book on my bedside table, and the Moneta pattern patiently waiting by the overlocker. I still have another three Tonics to make - two out of a merino blend which will be perfect for lounging wear (i.e will go perfectly with trackies) and which I'll probably made with an even higher neckline.

Let the adventure continue!

Me-Made-May - the red dress dream

A few weeks ago I had an idea for a nice winter dress. Not in grey or black or any of those other typically-Canberra-in-winter colours. Oh no. I wanted to make a red dress.

I had no idea what pattern I would use, but I in my mind I knew what it would look like.

Lucky for me I have finely honed computer graphics skills.



And on the iPhone Sketch app, I'd be right up there in the artistry stakes if it were not for my clumsy fingers.



Today I discovered there is a crayon brush in Paint. Fun! And I added text. Oh, I am so the business!


Luckily for me I don't have to draft anything from these superbly drawn sketches. Because this afternoon my patterns arrived from Sewingpatterns.com.



Although I am not too sure about the V-waist in Simplicity1914 - I really wanted a straight waist so I could wear this dress with a belt.

Never mind - I'm going to have fun sewing whatever with this fabric, which is of questionable blend. It's been in my stash a long, long time.



The question is - will it be made and worn by the end of Me-Made-May 2012?

Linen and Gingham - executive summary

* I made another Simplicity 2938/Not Sorbetto in linen.

* I also made a red and white herringbone linen skirt. No pattern.

* My goodness I can give the Julie Bishop Death Stare a good go early in the morning, can't I?



* Really, I was very happy with my outfit. Happier than my face reveals.

* It's supposed to be a casual outfit for weekends but today was hot, so I thought I'd dress it up and wear it to work.

* I'm not too sure what is happening with the sides of the top. I might have to take it in and up to avoid the skirt pleats messing with the fall of it.



* I stitched the pleats down, just for something different to the nine (NINE!) other variations of Simplicity 2938 that I've made.

* I can confirm that I will be participating in Tilly and the Buttons' challenge.

* The challenge is called OWOP (One week, one pattern) where we wear the same pattern for 7 days from 24 March.

* Should be a complete doddle.

* I expect there are at least another two Simplicity 2938s in my immediate future.

* Mainly because they are already cut out. Since January.

* I have a vintage Skipper outfit which my Blythes wear that looks very similar to this outfit.



* My choice was not to deliberately to dress like a bubble headed doll from 1972.

* Honest.

* But yet, it happened.

The 2011 Christmas frock

As I explained last year with the making of the Christmas Skirt, making something to wear on Christmas Day is a tradition I decided to bring back from the days my mum used to make me a new Christmas, or school break-up free each year.

This year was no different. When I picked up this gorgeous soft cotton drill from Mood Fabrics in New York in late October, I knew it would be a Christmas Dress. It was summery, light and cotton, and if I made it in a Not Sorbetto tea dress style it could look quite classic and wearable.

Question: What does this photo tell you?



Answer: I need to find a red vintage handbag to wear with this dress.

Question: What does this photo tell you?



Answer 1: That it was fortunate I didn't end up with a rose motif over each boob, a la the Jesus arms butt skirt.

Answer 2: That I don't do blond surfer streaks in my hair very well.



To be perfectly honest I'm getting a teensy bit tired of the Not Sorbetto (Simplicity 2938). Not wearing it mind you - just making it. I have quite a few versions of the Not Sorbetto in top and dress form hanging in my closet. It's a brilliant pattern, but enough might soon be enough. So I decided to change the neck details on this dress - instead of the inverted pleat at the centre, and the two knife pleats on the outside, I gathered the neck instead. I like the effect. If the facing actually decided to ever sit where it is supposed to, I would totally LOVE the effect.



I felt this dress needed something at the waist. I toyed with the idea of making a red belt to go with it, but then realised that all it needed was a little red trim.

Besides who needs to be wearing a belt on Christmas Day when your brother has cooked an amazing feast? Belts out a notch, anyone?

Luckily I had the perfect amount of red baby ric-rac in my stash from the Blythe clothes-making days to embellish my dress with. And I discovered that baby ric-rac is quite the little bastard when it comes to attaching it by machine. I tried three times, and ended up with a wonky mess each time. In the end I hand stitched the ric-rac down which took a couple of hours, but the result was worth it.



I did my third ever hand-picked zipper. I love doing these. I actually find them easy to do, and they are so accurate too. Much better than sewing in by machine and I love the look of those tiny little stitches.

I really love this dress and I think it might be my favourite dress of all time. I love the softness and also the density of the fabric. And the print is amazing with its pixellated roses almost looking a little like camo close up. I wore it tonight to dinner with friends and on the walk to the restaurant I felt taller and straighter than I have in a while. It's almost like I feel I have to have a better posture in order to belong in this dress. And that's a really good thing.

I have a wedding in late April to attend in Bowral and I think it might be a contender against the White Flowers dress I made for my brother's wedding. Matched with the red silk/satin wedding stole from my own wedding, I think it could look pretty cool.

Sewing in the key of C minor

Are you tired and run down? Sick of remembering traumatic events in your life? Do you need an instant pick-me-up?

9 out of 10 health care professionals recommend SEWING to alleviate blue-coloured thoughts! *

Thanks to this medical advice, today I finished a skirt and washed it so I can wear it to work this week.

I sewed most of a Not Sorbetto top, bar the facing and arm holes.

And I've been studying this made-a-long-time-ago top to see if I can make it less Kamahl-ish. I'm thinking of removing the sleeves, adding in some waist shaping and fixing the dodgy hem. It would have gone to the charity bin but I love the colour and the neck stitching. 

For tonight's blue-banishing sewing activity, I'm going to baste this little wonky fella so I can hand quilt it.

What about you? Does sewing help you blow the blues away?

*Not really. But they should.

Fabric to fall in love with

I have few regrets about our recent trip. Most involve things we didn't get the time to do or see, and one in particular is not spending more time and money at the great fabric shops in the Garment District of New York.

We started out that day with good intentions and even had our subway rides planned out. Visit the 9/11 Memorial in the morning. Go straight to Mood and the other shops after. Go home and relax before an evening performance of Wicked on Broadway. But as is typical for travellers, you get waylaid by other interesting things, and then you have to eat lunch, and then someone (not me) gets a bee in his bonnet about needing a burger from the Shake Shack, and it must be the one in Madison Square Park and it must be NOW.





It was worth it. The day was a beautiful one to be lunching outside under the trees, the burgers and root beer were great, and the bee-bonneted one was happy.



By the time we got to Mood it was mid afternoon and I was very tired and very footsore. In the back of my mind I knew I couldn't go crazy as I had limited luggage space, and limited patience to carry said luggage. So I decided to buy one really nice piece of fabric from Mood, as a memento, and then move on to another fabric store. The fabric wasn't cheap - not cheaper than most places in Australia, anyway and that surprised me. I easily could have spent all day browsing all three floors, and then I could have spent another half day going through their button collection. I spent an hour there in total, but it was an hour well spent. I had engaging conversations with both my cutter and the cashier, and I had a lot of fun being in a store I'd only ever dreamed about.

This is what I bought. It cost me $18 a yard. See? Pricey. But it's lovely printed cotton, and I plan to use it for this year's Christmas frock.



We then moved on to Paron Fabrics which is about a twentieth the size of Mood, but a little bit more personable and cheaper. I fell in love with a few fabrics there, but again decided to be sensible and limit myself to one piece. It's a cotton sateen with a crazy print on it, and I've never seen anything like it. I'm planning on making a skirt for work, maybe with a couple of little pleats. I haven't decided yet.



And then before we knew it we were too wiped to go anywhere else, so we walked past Parsons, found the nearest subway and headed back to Harlem. I was actually satisfied with what we'd seen and done and was on a massive high from it all. And to be honest it was only after I'd gotten home to Canberra that I realised I may have missed a few opportunities. I wish now I had planned to spend the whole day in the garment district. Not buying necessarily. But watching and browsing. I'll be back, I'm sure.

A couple of days later we found ourselves on the Upper East Side and Lexington Ave, and we visited Pins and Needles NYC. It's a fantastic little quilting shop and the lady there was so helpful and friendly, jotting down other addresses of places we needed to visit in San Francisco, and also websites I'd find interesting. And they had excellent husband chairs, which we all know is very important in any crafting store. I really wanted to buy something at the store as both a memento and to repay the kindness that had been shown to us, and my eyes eventually fell upon the collection of Liberty Lawns. At much cheaper prices than Australia. Finally.



This might be a Not Sorbetto, or some other summery top. I haven't decided yet.

But something I did decide when I got back home was that I have to use these fabrics before I sew with anything else. They are special, and mean something to me. They have stories. It is only fitting I do something special with them.

Until of course I went to the Spotlight sale yesterday morning and came home with arms full of lovely embroidered cottons.



Must. Not. Be. Seduced.