McCalls 6828: Owl Jacket

I'm calling this an Owl jacket but I actually think its meant to be a fox!

Lots easier to sew the second time around, I followed my own tips from last time plus used the accufeed foot/walking foot on my machine to make it sew up even easier!

One thing I didn't really notice last time it that the front button band is a bit offset, its meant to be topstitched onto the front as a separate piece of fabric but I like the look and neatness (plus the ease to bag out the lining) of a proper sewn on band. I unpicked and changed this one and have adjusted the pattern for next time (taken some off the fronts and added a front band on both sides instead of just the left side.....Hope that makes sense!)

This is another gift, its for the 1st birthday of a little girl whose Grandma I work with. Happy birthday Rubee!

Sewing room update

Its been awhile since I did a sewing room update and I have a couple new finds to share!

My Janome Décor Excel is nearly 15 years old now, the bobbin winder barely works plus the stitch selector doesn't show up properly either. I did upgrade to a Janome 6030 back in the middle of the year but was quite honestly underwhelmed and a bit disappointed. Its a nice basic machine but it just wasn't the workhorse that I wanted. So I bit the bullet and have had a Janome MC8900 on layby for months now and finally picked it up!

Its a lovely machine, massive and strong. I bought from the local Janome dealer and got to trial it first and fell in love with it. It wasn't worth trading the 6030 in but I can use it as a travel/sewing bee machine.

Other additions to the sewing room is the zipper stand and zippers and a pattern drawer I picked up at a deceased estate sale, I also got a proper clapper and a wooden sleeve board (so fancy after using a lump of timber for the last couple of years!) plus a couple of books and about 8 years worth of Burda magazines (she had every magazine from the 1950's through to 2010!)

I didn't get much fabric (it was all polyester, honestly I went through about 40 plastic containers and loads of bolts of fabric and didn't spot a scrap of cotton/wool/rayon) but am really happy with what I have and I doubt I will need to buy a zipper for the next couple of decades!!

The cutting table is an old cupboard that my Dad made me years ago.I put caster wheels under it and a door on the top. It's so nice to be able to stand up and cut instead of leaning over. 

This is all in the other side of my shed (which is mostly storage and usually a huge bit of a mess!).

(Its a hard life being a kitten!)

Top 5 of 2013: Hits

I actually really like these top 5 posts (started by Gillian at Crafting a rainbow)that have been popping up lately, its a nice way to reassess what we sew and actually wear.

So the Top 5;

1.Vogue 8774: Jeans

I wear these so much!

2. StyleArc: Palazzo pants

I've actually made 2 more pairs of these in a black ponte (unblogged about) and they are my go-to work pants, comfy and smart and so easy to wash and wear!

3. Colette 1020: The seaside dress

I wore this as my Christmas dress to both my Dad's and the in-laws.

4. Cake 0144: Tiramisu Dress

The fabric has worn/pilled/stretched out a  bit now but its still such a comfortable dress, I really have to remake it once I find the right fabric!

5. The copycat dress: Newlook 6048 vs Cake 0169

I love this dress, it just all came together perfectly.

 I've sewn less this year, but made more wearable garments (still had a few wadders or garments that I just don't wear though, but I think we all get that even when you buy all your clothes). I made my first Men's coat and made a lot of quilts but most importantly I'm still really enjoying sewing!

Newlook 6243: The Sailaway dress

Another copy cat dress!

 (Source)

This fabric was the closest I could find (from Lincraft) and I'm still using up all the red piping I got for my copycat Hellbunny dress!
Adjustment wise: I cut a sz 20, and adjusted the princess seams using the Colette Éclair bodice (basically a 1" FBA). The bodice has about 1" taken out in length. I added seam allowances to the skirt on centre front and back so I could cut it on the chevron.
The fabric wasn't really the best choice, its a bit too thin and stiff at the same time and the piping was a bit too stiff so I redid the bodice about 4 or 5 times I reckon trying to get it to not stick out and sit smoothly....in the end I had to leave it a week before I could look at it again!

The back is shirred, I ran out of fabric so had to piece the side back pieces. The original pattern pieces are quite curved at the sides and I wanted them straighter.

I added pockets using my trusty Simplicity 2588 pattern piece and lined the bodice with cotton poplin.

Its a tad loose, especially on the waistband but should make a nice cool summer dress. I'm hoping a couple of washes will make it softer too.

The Seaside Dress: Collette 1020

One of my favourite sites is citychic.com.au to go virtual window shopping which is where I saw this dress and fell in love with it!

Source

 

 I couldn't find any fabric close to it online but managed to stumble across this cotton voile in Spotlight. Its a lot darker and the pattern isn't quite as random but its close enough!

 

Pattern modifications - I started with the bodice from Colette 1020 Lily dress and shaped the centre front to give a sweetheart neckline. I added to the side back piece (about 2") and then shirred the centre back pieces. I had to shape the bodice band to match the new sweetheart neckline. The straps are adjustable one, which I really like and are surprisingly easy to make. The bodice is lined with a stretch cotton poplin.

 

Skirt wise, its a straight dirndl gathered skirt, I cut 2 rectangles the width of the material (which was roughly  double and a bit the size of my waist), cutting the back one up the centre so I could add the zip. The pockets are drafted on, though I should have made them a lot deeper, they are a bit shallow!

 

I wasn't sure if it was flat piping or binding around the pockets and bodice bands but went with white bias binding (because that's what I had!)
 

I wasn't sure what the gathered skirt would look like but I think because the voile is so thin and I ironed down the gathers, it sits really nicely. I have a couple of pull marks at the bodice band but I think that's just because I fitted it wearing a different bra. Bring on summer!

McCalls 6844: Peplum cardigan

After having such a frustrating run of wadders I finally made something wearable! I'm still not completely over peplums yet so even though I like the basic cardigan version of this pattern I had a go at View C first.

I found the sizing quite generous, according to the finished measurements I should have been in between XL and XXL but this is a L with some adjustments. I narrowed the shoulders by about 1/2", widened the upper sleeve by 2", shortened the bodice by 1.5" and lengthened the peplum by about 2" and took in the back  waist seam by a couple of inches (more about that further down). I got a few metres of this plaid ponte from Spotlight awhile ago on clearance so I made a quick muslin to check sizes and I'm glad I did with how much I had to take the original one in and shorten/lengthen it.

I changed the front band, originally it was about double the width of this one and is meant to create a bit of a folded over collar effect but I didn't like how it sat so I replaced it with a straight band (no curve at the neckline like the original) and made it half as narrow, very much like the band that's on McCalls 6408.

Lastly, I added some elastic to the back waist seam.  When I'd finished it, it was still a bit big around the waist and I found it wasn't very flattering when it was meeting in the middle (could have been because I used plaid instead of a plain fabric). I'd already hemmed it and didn't want to add a centre back seam so I sewed elastic about 3" shorter than the seam and stretched it to fit, zigzagging it to the seam (I pinned it all first to get the right length for the look I wanted). No sure if I'd bother taking in the back if I made it again or just use elastic again, it makes that back waist seam nice and stable and I don't mind the extra gathering it does.

 

I sewed it all on the serger and twin needled the hems. First time I've sewn something just on the serger without sewing it first on my sewing machine first, makes it so much faster!

All in all I'm really happy with it, I wasn't sure if I'd like the peplum look on me especially in the plaid. I think its quite flattering and doesn't need a belt or anything to stop it looking shapeless.

I wore it today and its very comfortable to wear, the pin on the lapel is a red poppy for Remembrance Day (which is today in Australia) , Lest we forget.

Christmas sewing: Circle pouches

I made a start on my Christmas sewing this week - namely these great little earbud pouches. I followed the tutorial here and used a lot of scrap material up!

I should mention they aren't just for earbud headphones, my daughter uses one in her schoolbag to hold panadol and lipbalms, plus they can be used to hold anything like Nintendo DS games or guitar picks.

Ninja's and Gnomes

Cat's in converse

 

Lots of chevrons

Hedgehogs and Dots

Great for a stocking stuffer and as little gifts for friends!