A Week of Giveaways - Day 4

Todays giveaway will hopefully appeal to vintage fans.

A gorgeous 1940s pattern for pantie and vest. Two version, one plain and one with a lace insert. Size is a  37 bust. Which is exactly the reason I am parting with this gorgeousness. You might recall a few months back I shared I was going to attempt this pattern first on cotton poplin for a plain version and all going well a second version then on satin(ish) with lace insert. The fact the pattern is unprinted was a bit daunting but I pressed ahead and didn't let that deter me. However when I got my head round the pattern pieces I realised the size was way too big for me. And even though I really like this pattern I don't like it enough to try and resize it. There you go, up for grabs!

To enter this giveaway is simple:

1) You have to be a follower on my blog

2) Leave a comment on this post telling me your experience with unprinted patterns.

3) Very important, leave your email address. I had trouble in the past contacting people because not all profiles allow access to email.

The giveaway is open to my readers all over the world and deadline for entry is Sunday 26th June 2011, 6pm GMT time. Winner will be announced the following day.

Good Luck!!

Kimono Sleeved Jacket...Buttonhole Nightmare

What a nightmare it was to do these buttonholes! I'm going to stay clear of pattern requiring lots of buttonholes for a some time, since last night I almost lost the plot doing these.

I started at the bottom and my machine had no problems doing the first three buttonholes. But then it changed the buttonhole size completely. The difference wasn't huge so I continued but the remaining two were disastrous. One of the other things it did was to complete the buttonhole programme stitch without having stitched the hole thing. Have you ever tried to unpick a black machine sewn buttonhole on black corduroy? No, not possible. I tried but ended up ruining a bit of the lining inside. 

I fudged it and managed to have a finish garment that is usable.

I can honestly say I'm a bit traumatised with buttonholes and would rather insert invisible zippers for future projects. But button looks so lovely and I definitely don't want to go off them, just because I had a bit of trouble.

So what is your experience with buttonholes/ buttons? Have you had any problems? Do you have any techniques, tips or hints that help make it easy? I look forward reading them.

In Construction:Kimono Sleeved Jacket

I am half way doing the kimono sleeved jacket from Vogue 8604 and this is what is looks so far:

I'm using the left over from the black corduroy fabric I used for my Winter Dress. The jacket has 6 buttons at the front (which I confess I'm not looking forward to sew) and is fully lined. The shell was pretty quick to assemble and I could have finished it last night, but I paced myself so as to distribute the different tasks between my different projects. The last thing I want is again having nothing to sew but 4 patterns to trace. I will probably have it finished by the weekend so will share the finished thing then.

This jacket and the next 4 or 5 projects I have going under the sewing machine are all part of my plan to use my existing pattern, fabric and habby stash. Not to say I won't buy anything new but I do want to get rid of some existing fabric remnants, etc.

Tonight I will trace!

Very Easy Vogue 8476 - The wearable muslin

Some time ago I purchased two Very Easy Vogue shirt patterns but only recently decided to have a go at one of them. I have to say shirts scare me more than trousers. I think it's all the buttons!
The decision to make it now came after one of my attempts at organising my fabric scrap stash. I found some green cotton remnants too narrow to do anything big. I thought I would check pattern pieces size for the shirts and voila, it fitted perfectly well.
Initially I wanted to do view B as I love the puff sleeves but my fabric didn't stretch that much and I went for View A, the sleeveless one. I treated it as a muslin/ toile that if good enough I could wear. If not I would probably learn something new.  I think I managed both things.

Things went a bit wrong with this shirt right from the beginning. And all due to me not reading things properly.
After all cutting and marking I realised that this pattern asks for loops instead of buttonholes. I know I said I'm a bit afraid of the latter but that's exactly why I started the shirt. I decided to try to insert buttonholes instead. When it came to stitching front facings I hit a wall. I couldn't understand how the instructions where asking for front facings when there were no facings pattern pieces! After asking here and there, lovely folk at The Sewing Forum noted that the front piece acts as facing and I should have cut 4 pieces. How embarrassing it that! As I had run out of green I had to improvise with other fabric and went for a red (which you can see peeking out in that first shirt photo). After all this I became a bit careless and the buttons are not perfect. I finished with a narrow hem (with a narrow hem foot I got recently) and boy do I need practice!
I will probably wear this shirt as it is wearable but already plan on try again, this time with Vogue 8557.

How about you? Do you have experience sewing shirts? Have you ever tried? Any tips?

Trousers Sewalong: Conquered

I am over the moon for having finished my trousers as part of The Cupcake Goddess Trousers Sewalong. The sew along is still ongoing but as I was working on a different pattern I decided to crack on and finish them off.

They are super wide which, with this pattern, doesn't look too bad. They are also very hight waisted, which was one the main reasons I picked this pattern. I spent yesterday hemming and opted by mid high suitable length. By the way, don't you find annoying that you always have to choose beforehand, if you going to wear high heels or flats with your trousers?

The corduroy I used (purchased from the great The Fabric Loft) is very soft so bulk wasn't an issue for most of the part. The only part where it gets a bit bulky is where the waistband (with facing) meets the pocket and the outer fabric. Using my newly found and already much loved overlocker foot I treated all my seams that way. It takes a whole lot of thread but it looks so pretty.
I mentioned in my fitting post I wasn't 100% happy with the zipper length but because the trousers are quite snug waist wise and high, I couldn't put a shorter one. I don't have a photo os my back but it doesn't look as bad as I thought it would.

I really really love this trousers and will definitely do a summer pair, with a few alterations:

• I like them wide but for the next pair I will try to remove some of the wideness. Not much though, as I do believe this style suits wide legs.
• I am quite petite so will probably cut one inch off top/ waistband
• I have already cut the smaller size for these but will try and reduce that for my next pair. These are great winter trousers and fit perfectly with a jumper tucked inside. But if I'm to wear a thin summer blouse, they are not so snug.  

Trousers Sewalong: The first muslin

I have completed the first muslin from the Vogue 8604 Trousers I'm making for the Sewalong hosted by The Cupcake Goddess. I am really liking the shape of these trousers and have identified a few fitting issues and potential alterations to make. I am very new to fitting so I welcome any feedback, comments, opinions from you all!

Front view

Side View

Back View

Issues identified (trying not too sound too rude):

• I have thin legs so the back is quite full and straight. According to my recent book purchase, Pants for Real People, I might need to take in the back inseam to add more shape to it.
• The crotch length my be too big. It's about 2" longer than me (if that makes sense). However, it doesn't feel odd or uncomfortable and possibly when I take back inseams it might change.
• The trousers are too long but that is something that I am used too as I am short.
• The pattern asks for a regular zip but I am contemplating an invisible one, as it will look much nicer. Either that or I will put a shorter zip. I don't like how the bottom of the zip goes ...err...on my bottom and would probably get away with a smaller one.

What do you think? I'll be posting this photos to the flickr group to get further feedback and also appreciate your comments, fitting related or not!

Double Knit Dress - New Project

As if I don't have much sewing related activities going on I'm starting a new project this weekend. This time a double knit dress which I will hopefully finish in time to wear this winter. The pattern is Vogue 8413 and I'll be using a lovely turquoise double knit.

I first started thinking about double knits when I read Gertie's post on a quick dress she had put together at the time of the Lady Grey Sewalong. In fact she made another one shortly after. Afterwards I saw Mrs Exeter had also embarked on a double knit adventure with a gorgeous red number.

The dress idea came back after seeing some gorgeous double knit on sale at an online fabric shop. I decided there and then to do something and ordered about 3 metres. There were many colour options but I quite liked the turquoise and it's a colour I do not have in my wardrobe. After that I hunted for a pattern that asked for double knits and this was the only I found that had some long sleeve versions. I will probably do view D or E.  You can see an example of view D here. (I couldn't find a blog for this talented lady).

If you have sewn with double knits and have some advice or tips I'll be more than happy to hear about them.

Vintage Patterns

So far I have steered away from vintage patterns not because I don't like them but because I'm a bit scared to attempt making them. I still feel I need to build my dressmaking and fitting skills before I tackle an original vintage. However I have taken the first step towards sewing a vintage pattern and that is buying some. These were all found in a recent rummage through local antique and charity shops.
Without further ado here they are:

I googled Weldons sewing patterns as I wanted to find out more about these but found nothing. Are you familiar with Weldons? It looks like a 40s pattern but I can't be sure.

Style Patterns was another that I googled and found nothing. This also looks like 40s to me.

Next a mix of Vogue, Butterick and McCall for women and children. No idea what year again. Any ideas?

I also bought some 70s patterns. I like the dress in the middle below and the following pattern came as a bonus.

Finally a Simplicity skirt pattern from 60s, 70s?

Let me know what you think of my purchases and if you know anything about these or know where I could find more information about them please let me know.

Trousers Sewalong by The Cupcake Goddess

A few weeks ago I discovered the excellent blog by The Cupcake Goddess and also found out it she was hosting a trousers sew along. I initially hesitated, as I'm still a bit traumatised by my last experience but then changed my mind. Maybe this is what I need. A sew along full of tips and advice to help me conquer trousers. And dear friends, I do want to conquer trousers. In risk of repeating myself here but I am a trousers girl really. Love dresses but rarely use them.
I'm not overly keen on the Burda pattern they're using so have picked up one from my existing stash. The Vogue 8604. The illustration is gorgeous but like many illustrations often very different from end result. However on my research I found Miss Dandy sew them and they look gorgeous. I thought of using the Burda 8488 I used in my previous trouser attempt. I really like those sailor slacks and love the way they look on great fellow bloggers like Bea from Butterflies and Hurricanes and Zoe from "So, Zo...". But I'm still a bit weary of them so will leave it for another time. Decided to go with a soft corduroy fabric which I purchased from the awesome The Fabric Loft. 

This sew along is due to start in January so it will overlap slightly with the Crepe one. And talking about it, I better get offline and work on my bodice alterations.

Vogue patters on my way!

After reading this blog post by Julia from Sew Curvy Corsetry  and learning that Vogue was having a 50% off sale on all patterns I couldn't resist to take a peek at Jaycotts website and... the rest is history.

I got these two blouse/shirt patterns, Vogue 8476 and Vogue 8557. I was undecided so ended up getting both.

Nothing out of the ordinary but I quite like this Vogue 8295 skirt so ordered it too. I think what made it for me was the wide waistband and the fact the skirt seems to sit quite high at waist. I used to hate high waisted stuff when I was younger but love it nowadays and don't have that much of it.

Next is Vogue 1092. I looove the sleeves in this suit and liked the overall look with buttons et all.

I order two patterns from vintage section. The first is this beauty, Vogue 8615, which Gertie has sewn and looks amazing. Hope I could do a good job with it.

And I cannot begin to tell you how excited I am with this lovely Vogue 1044. This is the one I might tackle first (after my corduroy dress and the sew along). I have high, high plans for it and already have fabric chosen. Literally so excited with it I might start it before I finish the other ones.

Do you have experience sewing any of these and have any useful tips and advice? Would love to hear them :)