Simplicity 2226 strikes again, I make a start on Simplicity 2591, and I realize I need to start attending FBA (Fabric Buyers anonymous)

Simplicity 2226 review (again) The autumn edition

Pattern Description:Simplicity’s Learn to Sew pattern collection. Misses’ skirt in two lengths and tie belt.

Pattern Sizing:6-18. I cut and made a straight 10. My measurements are 36, 26, 36. As usual the measurement suggested I made a size 14 which would have been huge. I made a toile waist band (nothing else) and decided the 10 would be a good fit. I suggest you do this very simple step (pattern pieces 4 and 5) so you can see which size will be appropriate to how you like your skirts to fit.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes, following the instructions and choosing the correct fabric will make you a very wearable skirt that looks as good as the picture.

Were the instructions easy to follow?   As this is the second time I have made this project I initially used a sew along by noodle head, but this time I followed the simplicity instructions and found them helpful and usable.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I really liked the pockets, and small amount of material needed to make the skirt. I used 1m of main fabric and 50cms of contrast fabric. Good cheap project.

Fabric Used: I used a one way printed fabric that I could try to match up neatly, as I will be using a plaid fabric on another project and wanted some experience now. The fabric used is a quilting weight cotton for a warmer Autumn skirt- Amy Butler’s passion Lilly in Mulberry. I bought 2m in the sale from John Lewis for £6m making this project an under £15 garment all together with thread and binding. I lined up the pattern at the back seam, which worked to a point. As the pattern is on the grain the back seam is not totally straight but it looks perfect from a meter away- its only really close up you can see the alignment.

Happily enough the pattern repeat and the size I made meant that the side seams which I was not worried about also aligned up!

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:  Of course every project I make I have to challenge myself just a little and this skirt was no exception. This version includes finished side and pockets seams using the ‘French seam method‘ which does give a really lovely neat and long lasting seam, and eliminated the need for bias binding. The binding on the pockets on my last version was a little bulky at the end- the French seam worked perfectly. I also took 2 inches of the shortest pattern suggestion as I am so short.  Although I did not use the carriers on this project, I did use bias binding just to finish the waistband facing. Keep it neat

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?  This is the second make from this pattern (3rd in you include the version I am helping a friend sew up) and I am just as happy with this one as I was the first. I will make another one of these again- it is now in my ‘go to’ collection.

Conclusion: I am slightly struggling with what to wear on top with these skirts! Nightmare! I have been wearing my trusty boden shirt but as it is slightly to large on me I think my silhouette is slightly swamped. I have invested in a new black jumper from Boden’s new range ‘the 60′s jumper’ which is not super fitted but should skim me and keep me warm. I want to wear this skirt with tights and brogues for winter. Let’s hop the jumper sorts out the issue’s… or a totally plain version could also work…. Thanks to my two friends who took the pictures for me.

Finally a simplicity 2591 Muslin

Firstly- sorry about the mess in the picture and the picture quality but I was on my own, it was 2am and I had just finished two projects in a day. Studio is gonna be messy.

This said, this muslin has been a long time coming! I went on a hunt for this Out of print pattern when I read Stitchywitch’s review in early 2011. I managed to swag a copy from ebay for about £10 and then got excited, bought loads of different fabric ‘for the dress, traced and cut a straight size 10 on to pattern paper and then life got in the way. I moved house, lost a job, lost a boyfriend, gained a stone, lost two stone, bought a dog, moved house again, had a major operation and then remembered about two years later how much I wanted to make this dress.

So with all that life in the past I sat down and sewed up a muslin in 5 hours.

This is made from 1.5m of brown sheeting cotton that I seem to have 10 meters of from god knows where. It actually made a lovely dress! If the fit had been right, I had not sewn the back seam on the outside of the dress and if I could figure out what the instructions meant!

Of course this is the point of a muslin and I am very happy I made one. I need to make a size bigger- a size 12 would give me more room over my waist, and I can grade the bodice to a size 10 when sewing up the seams. This muslin does not have a zipper mind! I was able to sew up the back and then yank it over my head. I also took a whole 4 inches off the length and think I could make it 5!

The main issue is that wrinkling on the bodice front. Not because its too tight, but because I do not understand instructions 6-7. Not at all.

I have emailed simplicity with no joy- the person who replied did not even read the body of the email and just assumed I was making a request about an OOP pattern. I have now messaged a few of my favorite bloggers who have also made this dress to see if they can shed some light on what the heck I am doing wrong.

This is the offending part of the dress. It is where the bodice, skirt front and pocket facing is attached to the bodice sides. I have no idea how to get it all to fit without bumps and lumps. I am wondering if I went wrong at the pockets when you are meant to under stitch… think i may have top stitched. Also looking at the pockets on the instructions those dots have me confused. ANY HELP OUT THERE?  I will be making another muslin so hopefully I will make more progress…but any help would…. help. I did take time with the pattern markings with this project. After reading the Colette handbook I decided to actually machine baste the darts in. I have to say, taking the extra time to do this really payed off. Who would have thought?

AND finally the fabric. ALL the fabric.

I am a sucker for printed fabric. A real sucker. I love cute prints and it is causing me hording issues. I have so so many cotton quilting weight fabrics that I do not know what to do with them. I buy them as I think ‘that will make a beautiful dress’ only never to find the perfect pattern to work with it. I have come to conclude that unless the fabric is silky, and has drape that quilting cottons can cause fitting issues- but still i buy them.  Any way, here are a few of my latest buys.

1.  Little Red Riding Hood in icing is from the Walk in the Woods fabric collection designed by Aneela Hoey for Moda. 100% cotton  from Cotton patch @ £11.40m Planned for a dress
2.  Foxes in icingis from the Walk in the Woods fabric collection designed by Aneela Hoey for Moda. 100% cotton from cotton patch @£11.4om planned for a dress
3. Underwater sisters if from the the Mendocino fabric collection designed by Healther ross for Spoonflower. 100% cotton poplin from Spoonflower @ $2om planned for a dress

If you are reading this post solely for the underwater sister’s tag- you will be asking ‘where did she get that from, it is all sold out!’ but you would be excited to know….it’s not! Woop. Although the original colours are not being reproduced, Heather has lovingly adapted the Under water sister’s to a mix between blush, natural and Ivory. WOOP!!!! I had considered spending £50 a meter at one point. Madness! I am not bothered it’s not an original but I MUST find a pattern to make a lovely item out of it. I bought 2 yards for $47 (about £30) on the cotton poplin and will a) review it for others b) panic about custom charges until it gets here. I would have bought 3 yards but I am concerned it is gonna rack up the charges. Kind of a test!

1. Petite odile in Oyster from the French general collection for moda. 100% cotton from bedecked @ £14m planned for another 2226 skirt
2. Cocoon Butterfly by Valori Wells for freespirit. 100% cotton (very silky) planned for a special  dress
3. Carline in red by Liberty of London, tana lawn from Fred Winters @ £10m planned for a dress

I am afraid I can tell you were I got the butterflys from as it was an amazing Birthday gift.   Well that is the fabric wind up- I am off to spend all day perfecting 2591! Have an awesome weekend people

Doryon #6045 Burda Jumpsuit Part two! Finished item alert

As I mentioned in part one of this post (which can be found here for context) I attended C.O.W’s advanced jumpsuit workshop this Saturday. The pattern we used was Burda’s Doryon, of which now I can review.

Take a look here for my Facebook page (more photos)

Review!

Pattern Description: We’re in love! The Doryon romper is right in time for hot summer days. With sharp tailored details like the pleated shorts and the demure hand-sewn inset, this romper is calling for your special touch. You can accessorize this look with a contrasting belt or by tying a sash through the belt loops. Basically this is a playsuit with one pocket at the seam, a long zip and a shoulder that opens to enable you to get in and out of it when nature calls!

Pattern Sizing: 32-44 (With my measurements being 34,27,37 suggested would have been 8-10 but I made a straight size 12) This size is a little big for me around my waist, but the the ease on my bust and hips is great. Playsuits are not meant to be skin tight so I am happy with the sizing.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? I believe it looked better, which is simply down to the choice of fabric rather than my sewing ability.

Were the instructions easy to follow? I had help as this was part of a workshop, but I have downloaded the instructions and they are a little confusing at times. Watch out for the arm holes (yes, it DOES tell you to trim the already cut arm holes by another 1cm- which seems fishy to me) Another issue was the V yoke front. Me and the other person making this item got some weird lumps where the V attaches to the bodice…. Only lots of stitching and ironing flattened it out but not perfectly.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?: I actually really like the pleats and the shorts! Who would have thought? They are flattering and the length perfect. I really dislike the annoying V yoke where it will not lie flat. I do like the fact that you can ‘personalize’ the yoke because they are separate.

Fabric Used: I ordered 2m of lovely plaid brushed 100% cotton from Croft mill at £5 per m, which was perfectly soft and is extremely wearable. I struggled with sewing it a little as it is quite stretchy, but this is my issue and I learned as I went! Very pleased with the fabric and how it feels on the skin. I have not lined it. I used all 2m of the fabric as I was matching plaids but 1.5m would suffice for designs without plaids. For the pocket I used a contrast piece of cotton fabric with a French script print.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: I omitted the belt and loops. On my wide hips, extra detail is a BAD idea and I also did not have time. Instead I would use a thing tan belt around the thinest part of my waist.  I did not change the size or modify at all- just watch the yoke V, and if you get it to sit flush… tell me how!

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? I would sew this again, but probably will not as I actually love the one I have made. I thought about using the short pattern pieces with the waist band from simplicity 2226 and making a pair of shorts…… probably end badly

Conclusion: I really like my playsuit. Sewn up in about 6 hours it does not take forever and the end product is cute and unique. What do you think?

Credit to Francine of Creative open worshop for the photos.

Doryon #6045 Burda Jumpsuit preparation. Part One

This weekend just gone was my Birthday. I wanted to cover up my birthday suit by wearing a new dress that I had made, but sadly the chance to sew up something suitable never presented itself. Do not worry, I wore a bought outfit so no birthday suit was on show   The realization that I now have only one item in my wardrobe made by me that fits got me thinking about this whole sewing shenanigans. I really want to be able to join in with the various ME MADE challenges that crop up from time to time, but this means making items that are actually wearable. Tilly and the buttons made some very interesting comments surrounding the issues of sewing with quilting cotton, which I realized most of my fabric stash is made up of. My major issue is that I get over excited about a fabric, buy way to much of it, use a inappropriate pattern, do not make a muslin because I am to impatient and then end up left with one of three situations:

1. A garment that is very well made but does not fit me
2.  Something very under finished that will not last because I did not launder the fabric or serge the raw edges
3. A lovely wearable item, but it simply does not suit my other clothes so therefore gets worn very little.

Really these issues need consideration because what is the point of spending hours on a project that you will never wear? None. Wearability is a very important issue when designing and making your own clothes.  Sometimes using quilting weight cotton can be successful. My latest project for instance Simplicity 2226 is a wearable addition to my wardrobe. The pattern did not call for drape of movement so quilting weight cotton worked well in this case.

Had this been a wiggle dress the results would have been disastrous. This is a mistake I have actually made. I do not want to make these mistakes again. So what am I going to make next? A dress? A top?…. a cuddly toy? Nope! I am making a onesie, a romper, a play-suit, jumpsuit…call it what ever you will! You either love them or hate them, but I have got one of these babies and I love wearing it. Of course mistakes have been made. I friend of mine laughed copiously into her drink, whilst telling me about her classic school boy error of wearing her play-suit to a festival. Porter loos are not made for onsies people!  (they should be mind because playsuits are meant to be played in!

The pattern

Burda Doryon #6045             Difficulty: Intermediate

Description

We’re in love! The Doryon romper is right in time for hot summer days. With sharp tailored details like the pleated shorts and the demure hand-sewn inset, this romper is calling for your special touch. You can accessorize this look with a contrasting belt or by tying a sash through the belt loops.

Recommended Materials

Silk, wool, cotton blends

Amount of Fabrics

1 1/2 – 1 5/8 yards (1.30 – 1.40 meters) self, 1/2 – 5/8 yards (.35 – .45 meters) inset.

The inspiration

Partly because I got some birthday money, have had enough of sewing in silence and because help is always helpful I am undertaking this project at a workshop at Creative Open Workshop. C.O.W run many different types of classes and mine will be run by the lovely Francine of Framboos who made my lovely crochet horseradish necklace and can me seen modeling the Burda project above. I am not as slim as the Francine so can not hope the item looks like that on me, but I love her fabric choice.

Montage! Starting on the far left you can see Burda’s representation of the pattern. As this model is probably 6’2” I will not worry to much about mine not looking the same on me. I dislike the colour, and wonder why Burda have their models act so oddly? The next picture of eunnyjang’s make is darling. I love the plaid fabric and the yoke. She has also raised the waist line, which is flattering. The blue stripped version by wzrdreams has the contrast yoke, and I have to say it is not for me. Although the make is well made (this lady cleverly reworked the zip to the back) I think stripes and contrast would be to over powering on my short frame. I love the plain blue version by laramossler. The yoke has been removed for a lower cutting fit, and the simple fabric drapes well. The very end is made by figamadood and I love the adaptation of the shoulder clasp. Apparently it does up on one side with press studs, but I can not help worrying that I will sit down with force and they will open up…..

Adaptations to consider

1. Fabric choice is going to either make or brake this project. I am leaning towards a very plain cotton/linen mix with some drape but structure too. I hope I have such an item in my stash….
2. That closure on the shoulder.  Other ways of finishing it could be to have tie’s like figamadood. Maybe I could adapt the pattern like Butterick 5708? That has tie shoulder….
3. I am not going to have time to raise the whole waist line but make omit the belt loops or make them sit and the natural waist?
4. NO contrast yoke! Maybe take ideas from the plaid version…. i really like that version.

Update

After pulling ALL my fabric out of my stash I realize that it is mostly quilting cotton fabric I have one suitable linen/cotton mix but it is very red. Not sure it would be that wearable and I already have a summer romper so a thicker one would be a better idea. In the end I decided brushed cotton would be suitable and have ordered this awesome fabric from croft mill.

Hopefully it will arrive in time to wash and iron- i asked them to sprinkle fairy dust on it. Fingers crossed. I know it is not a plain fabric……  but i have made a mood board to help prove that it will fit in with my existing wardrobe With a pair of black/grey tights in winter i think we are on to a winner!

Mood board

Bella Swan’s wedding dress and The Pippa middleton Bridemaids dress.

I try to hide it from most people, because I am meant to be a well-educated and respectable young woman but I have watched and read the twilight series. Yes, all of them. What did I get from them? A dark insight to one woman’s personal belief that to be happy you need a rich, dead husband who can provide for you eternally. Other than that, I am not sure. I would love a husband who is eternally faithful to me and able to run fast between engagements to get back to me…. Coming back to reality what I did like was Bella’s wedding dress in the latest film. I am all about vintage lace things, and think weddings are the only time I could wear something so extravagant. (also, do you think filming this scene was weird for the couple in real life? I mean, there must have been that uncomfortable moment where one of them asked ‘are you sure that minister is an actor? or ‘this could be us in the future’….WEIRD)

Now did you know this dress was designed  by Carolina Herrera, which was custom fit for Kristen Stewart, took Ms Herrera and four seamstresses six months to complete? Made out of  crepe satin and French Chantilly lace, 152 buttons line the back of the dress, with 17 additional buttons on each sleeve, this dress is now available to all brides! You can have a hand crafted, fitted to your body Bella dress and made by the designer for a mere $35,000. Wow. Personally I would not want the same dress- this seems very stalkerish in my opinion but a similar dress, taking elements from the design….yes! Any way the point I was going to make before I started researching this dress (that I knew nothing about previously) was that Butterick have released a pattern that is very similar to the Herrera design.

This is Butterick 5779. To be legal and not be charged with copy right infringement garments have to have 7 major changes made to them (need I mention the Harry potter fleur delacour wedding dress issue). Can you see what these could be? I know which one I would want, but i also know which I could afford. I would like this dress in dark navy without the train. I wish I had some balls to go to…I might actually consider making this.

The other dress that I stumbles upon (and have actually bought the pattern) is Pippa middletons Bridemaids dress.

Now, I had not thought about it but it very similar to the Bella Swan dress. Designed by the lovable Alexander McQueen this dress reportedly cost around £20,000. Just like the Bella dress you can get replicas all over the net at much lower prices but Butterick have struck again with a very similar pattern.

Butterick 5710 is a wonderful alternative. I bought this pattern the week it was released- not because I am a royalist, getting married or even making a wedding dress for anyone else. No, I have a surplus of vintage velvet and I thought a short version of this would be a lovely evening dress. One of my favorite seamstresses has made this dress from scratch already. Julia bobbin’s sister looks every bit (or is it Butt) the Middleton.

After making another version of this Skirt and designing a wiggle dress that actually fits, then I may turn my gaze on to this pattern….. watch this space.

Simplicity 2226, the perfect skirt pattern. A homage to the Cath Kidston Guard Skirt

A while back Cath Kidston released a Jubilee inspired range called ‘London calling’, which included this lovely guard skirt @ £35.   I had full intention of buying one but they sold out in about 2 days. I was sad about this, but life goes on and you can not cry over spilled milk.   This year I visited the NEC’s creative craft fair and bought quite a lot of fabric, as well as participated in a few demonstrations. One of my favorite stalls does not sell their merchandise online, so I always look forward to buying their well sourced fabric. This year they had a lovely Jubilee themed selection by makoweruk. This is the same company who designed that lovely Brighton fabric that I am hording. One of their fabrics jumped out at me.

So it’s not exactly the same as the guard skirt, but Cath also did a ‘London sites’ fabric that had the London eye on it, and suddenly I was imaging owning my own guard skirt after all. I bought 1m for £11. Bargain. Then all I had to do was find an appropriate pattern. The Cath version has side pockets, elasticated contrast waistband and it is lined. The fabric was pretty thin so it needed to be. I looked around but then I had an operation and all thoughts of sewing went out my mind.

In May, Cath Kidston reissued their Guard skirt. Edward bought it for me, as a present. I kind of forced him into it, but he knows how grateful I was and still am. We were going to a friends wedding over the Jubilee weekend in Bournemouth and I wore that lovely skirt 2/4 days we were away.

It really is a beautiful skirt- and it sold out very quickly again so I am very lucky. The only issue I have with it, which other people have blogged about as well, is the amount of excess fabric. Having an elasticated waist band means the fabric can bunch up under things and I have to wear a top over it to rain it in. I know this is the reason it was £35 and not the usual £60 you may expect to pay. I still love that skirt.

But I had the Makower fabric not being used and my good friend and bully Pilar suggesting I needed to sew something. I had bought a skirt pattern with the high hopes of using it, but then stored it away with all my other patterns. That pattern is Simplicity 2226. There are lots of versions of this skirt all over the Internet.

Here are a few of my favorite Blogged here, here and here. I love how the skirt can be made as quirky or as simple as you like by manipulating small details. I have been struggling with the idea of sewing something new because after loosing weight ALL the items of clothing I painstakingly and lovingly made no longer fit me I will be reluctantly selling these items on ebay (or if you are interested contact me) but I decided it was time to accept I am slim enough and clothes can be made without worry of them being to big/small anytime soon. My body has completely changed and I have found committing the fabric, and time needed to get to know it quite scary! Usually I make dresses. I hardly ever wear dresses strangely enough. I tend to wear jeans and tops, or skirts with shirts. With this in mind I concluded a skirt would be a good compromise. No worry about talking the top in/out and only half the amount of fabric needed. Win, win! With some research I found that a very awesome person had done a Sew along for this pattern! I am year to late, but It helped boost my lacking confidence and it was very well explained, which we can all agree most simplicity pattern instructions are not. More sew alongs please!

And here we are, me prating about in Stratford Upon Avon wearing my fully finished Simplicity 2226 view c with bias binding finished pockets, contrast pockets and belt loops and added contrast bias binding waist band for detail. I call it, Alice underground. As the pattern calls for 1.5m of fabric (short length) I had to use contrast pockets, which I would rather have not done. I used 0.50m of my Cath Kidston for Ikea blue with red spots to give it a more ‘Cath’ feel.

Because I have been sewing for some time now, I always try to add something a little harder to the pattern and finish the inside as neatly as the outside. Here are some close up pictures of the finish and detail. I used Bias binding where the pockets ended to give them some strength as I know I will be shoving my hands in and out of them all the time (like the child I am) and I serged as I went (really helped by the sew along) to make sure all the seams are neat. Next time I will use the `French seam’ method on the side seams as suggested by Noodlehead in the Sew along. There of course will be a next time- it is already on the sewing table This skirt is so wearable and needed no alterations making it a very quick project. I cut a straight 10. I worried about it being to small because of where is sits on the waist, but after making a mock up of just the waist band I realized a size 8 would also have been okay. I am 36, 26, 36 for all you ladies wondering what size to make.

Cost:

Main fabric £11, Contrast fabric £2.50, Bias binding £2, Zipper £2

£17.50 seems very reasonable to me compared to £35 for a unfitted skirt….

Which one do you like? (the answer for me is both)

A gift of time gone by, from a family member I will always remember- a blog promoted by Pilar to cure procrastination.

I have an Uncle.

Me and my awesome Uncle….

He gave me a tin full of vintage sewing crap. My heart (all ready brimming with joy) exploded into a raptures display of star-dust and kittens when the tin turned out to belong to my Auntie Cath (his mother in law) and my Granny (his mother in laws sister).  I loved both these women more than I can express, and every day I miss them. My Granny is the reason for my love of sewing, vintage and methodical logic. She is my Hero.

I could not express in words how much I appreciated this gift. I kind of did the same twitchy nod and bow I once gave Prince Philip when he visited Touchwood Shopping center and exclaimed his excitement that we sold Brassieres! Not that my Uncle is Prince Philip….before someone sues me for perjury. No, he is just a fantastic human who does interesting stuffs.

The point of this blog, is not as you may believe to be boasting about my Uncle but to be sharing the goods! Most, if not all the items were vintage and had some packaging that needed to be enjoyed my all who like such crap. If this is not you, look away now as some packaging was hurt in the making of this documentary.

Gütermann vintage packaging I use Gütermann threads all the time in my sewing so this little bag made me smile. It means my Gran also used the same brand. It is a great brand….just in case you did not know

Elasticated thread at 19p you say? This reminded me of the maths tutor my mother forced me to have so I passed my GCSE’s. The work books we used always had 1/2 pence values and things cost ridiculously small amounts. I liked to day dream (when I was meant to be working) about how life would be if I could buy all the shoes I wanted for 2p a go. Then I became a feminist. Feminists are not meant to think about these things…….

Walker and Ling- Weston super mare still exists I have never visited it because until now, I did not know my Gran and Aunt made special trips to get notions only they stocked! Next time I go I will pay a visit to browse this shop- just because my Gran visited it.

Some more bags…. these are from Solihull’s department store Beatties, which is not called House of Fraser. Before Touchwood was built this used to be the one stop shop for all my sewing needs. They stocked pattern books. which they placed out of the reach of small little me. When I could I’d get my mum to pass a book down and dream about what I wanted to me. A mermaid, A vet or a Doctor….. The collection show the graphic design changes of the brand over a few years.

Some sumptuous buttons and other things. I have to come up with some projects for these items……

So alongside the bag of odds and ends there was a tin of 100s of spools of thread. All the colours of the rainbow but also on lovely vintage spools What can these be used for after the yarn has disappeared? Suggestions welcome…..

So, after procrastinating by logging, sorting and finding homes for these items I have to admit I am meant to be sewing a project, because I pledged to a very dear fellow sewing friend Pilar (of pilar bear)  that I would get my act together. I have been, for want of a better phrase ‘fannying about’ since my operation. Although I have been ebaying some of my wears, my crafting has come to a halt. Things need to change………  I promise they will

Dear Elationcreations, What are you sewing?

Oh the weather out side is frightful!

I had a lovely message yesterday from a blog follower wondering what I am currently sewing, saying how much she missed my informative reviews and hordes of fabric.

It was great to know that my reviews are being missed and someone actually logs in to see what I am up to  But sadly the answer is nothing. Sorry to disappoint but I have been learning to knit and crafting small items instead of dress making. It’s been so cold in England that I wish I could knit a jumper a day! I have been keeping an eye on the new spring/summer patterns coming out and I will be back to sewing very soon. Promise :)

Getting knitty with it.

Putting down the bolts for the yarn.

So it has been what seems an awfully long time since I have blogged here, Which may be interpreted by others as me being lazy or not crafting anything to blog about. You pessimists could not be more wrong! It is because I have been super crafting that I have not had the time to blog. As it’s still a little bit Christmas (until tomorrow when I am back in my apartment) and I have eaten ALL the mince pies, sang ALL the Christmas songs and opened way to many presents from Cath Kidston (I am not complaining) I thought a small catch up with the crafting world would be a cure for my full tummy. Here goes….

This Christmas I did the unthinkable. I MADE ALL the gifts. That’s right. Made. ALL. Now, if you are a crafter (and if you’re not what the hell are you doing on my blog other than stalking me) you probably made a ohhing sound as you will know and have gone through the same painstaking journey of self discovery and time-consuming panic that is, making gifts for others. Those of you who do not craft, sew or knit will have no idea how long I thought about making you a knitted tea cosy and the trouble I went to actually learning to knit 2 weeks before Christmas day. I will give you a hint, as not to deprive you….it was not the same time spent on a day shopping in town. Of course it was much more pleasurable than spending 2 hours in a car queuing for a parking space, 1 hour trekking to the shops because the only spaces available where in the park and ride and the bus was full, 4 hours going to all the shops looking for the one item you know you need but can not get, the further 3 hours spent hanging about waiting to pay in all the different shops for items you do not really want or the subsequent month working for the pleasure of buying other people said gifts. No No No. I started planning in September who was getting what. I looked into what items I could sew up in a few hours or an evening and made a mood board of colours that people I know would love. I also put aside the amount I could spend on each person so as not to go over budget and any money I had left I used to give extra or pay to learn a new craft.

The new craft I have learned is….knitting. If you had not already guessed, and if you have not you are in need of a holiday to relax that tired mind. So knitting, yes. I have wanted to knit for a long time now, but sewing was thrust upon me like motherhood to a pregnant women. I did not ask for the baby to be put back in, I sewed like everyday could be my last.  The thing is, sewing can not be taken places with you. You can not put a half cut project in a bag to take to your boyfriends to finish off whilst he plays the xbox, and there lies the biggest issue I have with sewing. Sometimes I want to go out and be sociable but using someone elses sewing machine feels a little bit like cheating on a loved one. I get home and my machine knows no matter how many times I wash my hands, because she can smell the lubricant and ginger biscuits. Knitting on the other hand can be done anywhere as these people here well know. Although I do not plan to do a skydive whilst knitting (I dread to think what kind of accident I would have) my life has become very transient over the last few months so having a project that can come with me would make my life better.

This is Stitch perfect in Birmingham. They are lovely lovely people who run workshops at their bricks and mortar shop at very reasonable prices. I signed up to the beginners workshop and with the help and patience  of Clare me and my new friend Kit learned all the basics in 2 hours. I left with my needles and yarn to conquer the new and wonderful world of loops and knots. Of course it was not that easy I forgot how to cast off almost within minutes of walking out the shop. Lucky Bec who also works there has been a star and let me sit in the shop cursing and getting into messes. She always knows how to get me out of them I started small and using a pattern in issue seven of Mollie makes I knitted up some cosys using reds, creams and ambers. yummy.

Here are the finished enamel mugs covered in hand knitted goodness, filled with tea and cookies. I did not make the cookies- they were handmade by honeycat cookies for a very very reasonable price. I tasted quite a few of these cookies, purely for quality control purposes of course and I have to say they are the best cookies I have ever tasted. I bought Edward a special reindeer/santa combination but sadly Santa did not make it as I ate him. The deer got eaten too.

Not only do they taste like the bomb, they also look amazing. Seriously. How does she get these cookies to look so good! The snowflakes were perfectly iced with base white and then topped with crystallized sugar. Simply amazing. I would have liked to have pretended I made them, but all my family would have known it was lies. I can not bake for buttons.

So go buy some of those cookies….but leave some for me. Even better buy them all and them give them ALL to me! I have ALL the cookies! Honeycat also has a flickr page that has loads of wonderful pictures of her wonderful cookies. Go look!

I shall go now, to watch Adventure time but will be back with a new sewing review, more knitting talk and talk about boobs. All great things.

What shall I make next and new New Favorite seller alert!

Violet pattern

So my next project is under way, just as the last project has just been completed. (blogged here.)  I am just loving Colette patterns and can not get enough of them it seems. It’s the cute little booklets they come in and all the inspiration their website offers. My new patterns arrived this week. Violet and Beignet. So very very excited.  I ordered these patterns off ebay as they were a little cheaper than my usual Ray Stitch supplier. Mostly because Ray Stitch works out better if your buying fabric AND supplies, but as I am planning a trip to their new shop I just wanted the patterns. I have never ordered from the two sellers I came across before, and had no problem with either of them- but one of the sellers stood out like a fat man on a catwalk.

fabricsandfancies Supplies, cat not included.

I could hardly believe how well this little beauty was presented. Neither can sooty. The seller is called fabricsandfancies and they sell a range of sewing lovelies.  This pattern was very reasonably priced and with free p & p, they encourage flicker pooling pictures of your makes and stock lots of things I now want. They have been added to my where I buy stuff page for future buying

  This is the fabric I plan to use to make violet up in. I bought this sarong for making purposes as my mum owns the skirt that came pre-made from seasalt and I hate having the same clothes as my mum. It just seems wrong. It has a lovely textured feel to the fabric like seersucker so really is a summer fabric, but I will be wearing many layers this winter season so I feel it will be suitable. Also I just really like the print. So there.

As for Beignet I have found some wonderful duck print fabric at my local fabric store. Yes, I said duck print. The inspiration comes from the duck jumper from joules I love so much but know I can not afford- I did splash out on the skinny Mustard Boden jeans in the end. Had to.  I also purchased some mustard jersey for unknown purposes….maybe another Violet? Not sure how that would work. I have never got to grips with jersey. Do you interface the whole lot and then remove it after cutting and sewing? I know the answer is no, but I have tried all the suggested ways and never got a nice finished project.

Anyway, Here is a picture of said duck material. Currently its in the washing machine, which I have accidentally left on whilst staying in oxford. Lets hope it does not shrink by the time I get back… it’s kind of a twill type cotton with a soft feel to the pile. I shall be looking for some lovely buttons to go on the front…maybe some mustard buttons? I really need to stop the mustard loving. It’s becoming an obsession.

DUCK!

So off to bed with little me, going shopping tomorrow and I am very excited about it….Oxford has a very large cath Kidston store. I may not come back!

John Lewis simplicity pattern sale!!!!! We are ALL special.

So I was innocently searching through the pattern books at John Lewis today (partly because I have been really inspired by other sewing blogs this week, but mostly because I love wasting time rifling in dark corners and dreaming of the endless possibility’s patterns create) when I noticed that the Simplicity pattern book had a obvious mistake on the front of it. Patterns that are usually £8.15 were £2.58 and some of the lower priced patterns were down to £1.89. My face looked a little like this.

"hell yeah, dog foo...I mean patterns"

Of course all the patterns I had found and contemplated buying where either vogue, butterick, Burda or New Look. I then relised New Look is simplicity and asked if that meant they were also on sale. The women I asked gave me a ‘what are you talking about face’ and informed me that someone had changed the pattern pricing tag on the book around, as patterns cost more than £2.50 to print.

My face looked a little like this.

'but I wanted to buy some stuffs'

Seeing my disappointed sad rejected face, she offered to appease me by letting me have one pattern at said price. She went into some long winded shop keep rant about consumer rights and customer satisfaction, where in which I lost the point of the conversation and drifted off into a sewing wonderland called my brain. Anyway, the jist of the matter was I could have one pattern at £2.59. Woop!!! She left me to peruse the book, whilst she went to tell the man at the till I was special and therefore got special price. Turns out we are ALL special and either John Lewis have gone mad or I am the butt of a very welcomed joke. ALL SIMPLICITY PATTERNS AT 76% OFF!!!!! I am doing a little dance of joy. You should be too- whilst getting in the car/bike/bus and getting down to John Lewis.   Here are the patterns I purchased.

Simplicity 2593 £2.58

http://kestrelfindsandmakes.blogspot.com/2011/05/finished-object-simplicity-2593-cynthia.html

There are a lot of lovely makes of this top and its variations if you search google. I love that a few people have adapted the pattern and made it into a mini dress. I am banking that idea for later, but for now I promised to make some tops as I have sooooo many dresses. This pictures is taken from http://kestrelfindsandmakes.blogspot.com

Kestrel used a lovely dark mustard check fabric to create a beautifully versatile top. I can see this working with my skinny black jeans and brogues or Laura skirt and over sized cardigan.  Yummy. Click the link above for kestrels blog and more pics.

The next pattern up is Simplicity 4044.

Simplicity 4044 £2.58

http://www.flickr.com/photos/47879654@N06/4569734314/in/photostream

Now I have been lusting over this pattern for a while as it completes my simplicity vintage reprint collection…until they print more. Anyway, I never make skirts so thought this pattern with the cute waistband may be a good start. I also want to make trousers but recognize my sway back bum may cause issues.

The picture of the lovely smiley lady came from miss Jane’s flicker page. She gives a good description of making the skirt but mostly I just love the finished product. I think a plain fabric would give me endless versatility with my wardrobe. I can imagine my brogues making yet another appearance and my lovely Cath Kidston shirt. Scrumptious.

Next up is a baby dress/romper!

simplicity 4711 £2.06

http://www.flickr.com/photos/36376839@N03/6049844412/in/pool-446441@N24

Cute cute cute! After the success of the baby cord dress I made for my niece I really wanted to make another baby outfit, but could not find a retro pattern that fit the bill. This is not a retro reprint but is good enough. The cute little romper makes me wish they did it in my size….

The baby in this picture does not belong to me although I wish it did. SOOOOO cute. This picture has come from here. Check it out. This baby has so much cuteness I can not even begin to explain.

Moving on to another pattern.

Simplicity 4055 £1.79

I am not going to add a found make of this dress because I can not find any I really like, and I do not intend to make the full length dress without adaptation. I am aware that almost every year the regency dress comes back into fashion- or at least the silhouette does so thought at under £2 It make come in handy for a later date. I also make costumes for shows ect so maybe I will be called on by Mr darcy. One can only hope.

Simplicity 2180 £2.58

http://marthaonfive.blogspot.com/2011/06/simplicity-2180.html

ANOTHER dress I hear you say. Yes I KNOW! To many dresses. I have 100s of dress patterns and mostly wear separates. Opps. Anyway I Actually thought this dress would make a cute top with the back cut out. How I am going to wear a bra one does not know. Lets worry about that later.

I just LOVE this version of the dress variation B which has been shortened. I would agree that it looks very cute when short. I have now lost 5 stone and 7 lbs!!! So i think I can get away with having my back on show like this lovely lady is doing, but she is doing it better.

Now the last of my pattern spree consists of this baby.

NEW LOOK 6808 £2.58

So if you are astute….or just plain picky you will not this is not a simplicity pattern. It was NOT on sale and should have been full priced, but it seems the man on the till decided I was very special and counted it as a reduced item. I pointed out it was New Look, he pointed out I was special. I shut up. I think this may have been backwards flirting, and when half price patterns are involved bring it on!!! That’s the kind of guy I would marry. So the reason I bought this is because I came across a certain blog that talked about up cycling. I used to up cycle back in the day, which mostly this meant sewing Emo stars on everything. Now I want to try a little more refined version that “So, zo” has inspired me to try. A top made from a old mans shirt. Not that the man would necessarily be old…but I do love older men. I have fallen in love with this guy from the skate shop near me all over again.

http://sozowhatdoyouknow.blogspot.com/2011/08/tie-collar-shirt-blouse.html

Here is zoe and her up-cycled old mans shirt. Love it. She used the pattern for the collar and I believe she just used her talent to make up the rest. I wonder if I can pull that off…probably not. I do have a few shirt/dress patterns that could work. I am still making the adaptation of Collette ceylon dress into a cowboy type shirt so maybe I could breed the two patterns together…..watch this space on that idea

So I also bought issue 27 of sew magazine today that had yet ANOTHER Cynthia Rowley dress free with it. I quite like it when you get an actual brand sewing pattern with an issue, as I have made the patterns  they draft- they are not on here for a reason. The size 8 dress I made could of fit a elephant…maybe I will blog about that disaster.

Free with issue 27 sew magazine £5.99

Yeah I am not crazy about this one, specially not that jacket. I mean did they just get a life jacket and cut it up, draw round it and claim its fashion? Add a whistle and some buoyancy aids and it could be pan air chic! Maybe if our plane goes down and your wearing this and I’m not you could laugh at my fashionable drowned body floating past you as you escape out the door Or maybe it would come in handy to stop rhinos from attacking. If I go on safari I’ll consider it…but till then lets move on.

Making magazine issue 12 £4.99 mod dress

Not a complected pattern but a cute one. I love MOD style and this could make another cute top. I very rarely buy this magazine as its a bit…lame, but maybe it will be better than last time. You never know. I like to try things at least twice before I proclaim “never again” a bit like kissing boys