BRIXTON ELISALOTTE (with bonus jet lag)

I promise I will blog about my travels – however today I was a little excited to finish my ‘nearly’ Elisalex… she’s a fickle lass. She woke up on Saturday and announced that she was going to be Elisalotte – thank you every much.

The gorgeous girls (yes they seriously are gorgeous – I met them at the EPIC London meet-up – more on that soon) from By Hand London contacted me in January and offered to send me a copy of their Charlotte & Elisalex patterns. Remember my Charlotte skirt?

Charlotte The Second: By Hand London

I saw several gorgeous Elisalexs at the London meet-up including Dolly Clackett and Taracat. This made me more determined than ever that I WOULD make this dress! Then Oopbop posted a floral delight very soon after I hit Aussie soils. ARGH – time to start sewing!

I’m a little OCD about fabric and pattern matches and sent myself barmy looking since January for Elisalex.

Turns out I needed to head to downtown Brixton, London to find my match. For the non-UK residents, Brixton is located in south London, it has sizable African & Caribbean populations so it’s little wonder that I discovered African wax fabrics there!

And I found this…

African wax fabric from Brixton.

I had made a bodice muslin in January. I decided to re-purpose the muslin side panels into the new dress. I love the colour block effect. I think it just enhances the visual impact that the princess seams of this dress create.

I made up the Elisalex skirt in all its glory. It is a gorgeous tulip shape – however I just looked like a scrawny toothpick arising from a circus big top. I just don’t have the ‘oo la la’ to carry it off. So I became reacquainted with the seam ripper and scissors – and ‘lex’ became ‘lotte’.

I was happily amazed at how easily the Elisalex bodice and Charlotte skirt went together, I simply changed the skirt seam allowances to 10mm instead of 15mm. I was amazed at how beautifully the entire dress came together!

and well… this is how Elisalotte looks…

Elisalotte dress – bodice

Elisalotte dress – front view

Elisalotte dress – back view. I think what makes this dress gorgeous is the wide neckline and back. It creates shape, balances out hips and chisels the waist. Love it.

My pattern matching is slightly askew. I blame the jet lag – which has been rather hideous! I admit, I quite like this creation, it’s striking, ’tis all I have to say on the matter…

oh, and you really should give this pattern a whirl. It’s fun to make, easy and packs a punch. The bodice is well drafted. My back does gape just a little – I’m not sure of the pattern fitting fix for scrawny upper backs.

Note: the By Hand London girls have just put their rather fabulous Victoria blazer on sale… waiting, waiting, waiting for it to hit Aussie soils (and you can buy your Aussie ones from SewSquirrel!).

and one more just for fun (thanks ELH for the pictures xox)

Elisalotte dress – action shot

PS forgive me any spelling errors etc I blame ket lag (how long can I use that excuse?)

PPS just noticed I typed ket lag instead of jet lag. So hilarious I’m leaving it as is!

MOMENTARY LOSS OF MOJO

Thank goodness I am on holidays for a month at the end of this week, I am dead on my feet from exhaustion!

I have been super busy making/knitting things but need to take some pictures and finish some projects off in the next couple of days. I’m working on two skirts – one of which is my next Abakahan Fabrics 15 Pound Aussie project. The other I’m hoping to wear to the meet-up. How fabulous does this day out in London sound?? Thank you Rachel of House of Pinheiro who has done all the organising – can’t wait to meet you!

The gorgeous Rachel of House of Pinheiro (IRL I probably only come up to her kneecap)

CONFESSIONS OF SEWBUSYLIZZY

Like all truly hopeless marathon runners, I hit the wall of exhaustion hard after the Tessuti competition.

TESSUTI GRIDLOCK – sleeves rolled back.

I thought it was a pretty neat entry. Thought out, well executed, highly wearable and stood out from the crowd, an imaginative use of the fabric. The photos were well styled and the backdrop was awesome! Unfortunately Tessuti did not agree – or at least not in a winning or honorable mention kinda way. The winner was an outstanding creation and they also decided to award five runners-ups with $100 Tessuti vouchers. And no, I didn’t make that short list either. They are all great projects, there some in particular I really liked right from when they were posted.

I never ‘expect’ to win these comps. I’m fairly uncompromising person at times, I make something I will wear and suits the fabric – that’s not going to win me accolades – but I’d rather be ‘me’ and someone else’s version of ‘me’. At some point in our lives we all get caught up in being the someone other people want us to be or think that we are, I’m past being that person. I simply am who I am. Take me or leave me. I’ve never been a fan of reptiles of any shape or size – so my chameleon qualities are non-existent. My conclusion was that either:-

1. my stitching is not up to scratch; or/and
2. my fitting is not top-notch; or/and
3. my style is not ‘Tessuti Style’; or…
4. it actually doesnt mean much at all…

I admit, I felt quite despondent about entire process. It was one of those ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ moments. The feeling you get when you know it doesn’t matter what the dumper says to the dumpee, it’s simply a sugar-coated version of the truth.

Then I came back and read all the comments on this post, read the comments on the Tessuti post, the Twitter feedback and realised that to humble old me it’s your opinion that counts more. I might not be a stitcher to attract Tessuti applause but you gave me a standing ovation.

Thank you.

I’m annoyed with myself for being distracted by the Tessuti project and thinking about the outcomes and what that meant about me, my style, my ability. It took me a few days to realise it meant precisely nothing. I’m just me and I’m happy with that. $1K would have been nice or just a pat on the back – but you gave me truckloads of encouragement and admiration. That’s more than enough for me. I sew & blog because it makes me happy. That’s all.

My disappointment is no criticism of the Tessuti winners, the judges or anything else. It’s simply an interesting reflection about me & the process. And I’m tired, very very tired and that never helps.

It even manged to stop me stitching (it can and does happen LOL) while I gazed at my bellybutton in long sorrowful moments of self reflection & doubt. So much so that I lost faith that I could make my pink jacket. Stupid I know.

Burda 03/2013 jacket. A pretty wool blend.

I have these wonderfully perfect buttons from Buttonmania in Melbourne - thanks to the ever-wonderful Rachel of My Messings. I could finish the jacket before I leave but I would botch the finish. And that’s not worth it. So it shall now wait for my return. I feel really bad about as Rachel made a huge effort to get them to me on time. Thank you Rachel you are fabulous.

I had a go at making my own buttons, they were horrendous. The fabric was thick and frayed awfully. I wish I’d taken a picture of my efforts but I tossed them aside in disgust and outrage! This buttons are perfection. You need buttons? Check out Buttonmania in Melbourne, Australia. Go on spoil yourself. I know you want to.

Perfection: Buttons from Buttonmania

Me? I’ve gotta go. Sew & pack for London, Paris & Madrid. Yes, sucks to be me.

Thanks for hanging around with me and putting up with my random rumblings and sewing creations.

Love Lizzy.

Tessuti Gridlock Pop – mission complete

This project has been an endurance sport. I feel like that little athlete from an unknown country who staggers into the Olympic stadium about 3 hours after the winner of the marathon has crossed the line. A little nobody with no energy but simply determined to finish.

GRIDLOCK POP

The original post from Tessuti was to “design an outfit incorporating this fabric. Make it up however you like but make it just for you! Our brief is simply to create something stylish and appropriate as day wear.” That later seemed to morph into ‘garment’ but I had this ‘outfit’ concept stuck in my head.

I spent ages looking at this fabric. It sat next to me on the lounge some nights and I draped it over myself quite a bit. I learnt about the fabric, how it draped and felt against my skin. This fabric is hot to wear – it’s 21% cotton, 77% poly and 2% polyurethane – there is no way I would make this to wear as a ‘daywear’ dress in my climate. I would ‘glisten’ terribly at any time of the year (that’s sweat in ladylike terms). It’s ‘breathing’ properties are limited. It’s a great jacket fabric though.

I chose my trusty Fashion Star jacket in the end. Like everyone I loved the Burda Crossover Blazer and Burda 7491 came in a close second (I even traced Burda 7491 and purchased the Crossover Blazer pattern). Those jackets are lovely but I don’t think Gridlock would have done them justice. Thank you Trish & Felicity for their advice.

The fabric had arrived wrapped in an old McCalls pattern – it seemed like fate.

The colour, while being a very beautiful blue, looked dead against the cream background. It needed a ‘pick-me-up’ so I decided a burst of colour was required.

My first choice was dusty pink but when I visited the fabric store this cerise cotton linen leapt from the pile of bolts, saying ‘Whattaboutme?’. It made the Gridlock POP so I found some matching lining and away I went.

Tessuti Gridlock – POP

I think the temptation with this competition is to clad yourself from head to toe in Gridlock. I decided to create a statement piece (the jacket) and a dress is to complement the statement piece. They complement each other without being ‘matchy-matchy’. The items can be worn by themselves or together as an ‘outfit’. I wore the jacket today with my jeans for a TV interview!

That was the EASY PART.

THE JACKET – MCCALLS 6611

The optional extras that I inflicted on myself:-

• Continuous bias binding
• Made-by-me piping
• Topstitching. Not just the jacket shell but also the lining – in contrasting thread (pink on blue and blue on pink)
• Covered buttons

THE DRESS – MCCALLS 6699

As I prefer to make my life as difficult as possible, I made up Fashion Star pattern (6699) to pair with the jacket. It’s got cute contrast pockets, skirt vent and waistband. The Gridlock fabric is quite bulky so I chose to add strips of it to the pocket lining.

To the dress I added:-

• Topstitching to the neckline and armhole.
• Piping to the waistband (self made as for the jacket). I’ve really proud of the zipper as the piping is pretty close to perfect.
• Underlined the skirt, I was concerned the pockets would show through the skirt.

I will write up a post later in the week about how I did a few things with this project – right now I’m too tired and over it to say much more (except I want to make a t-shirt for therapy).

There are some seriously awesome entrants now for this competition – which you would expect with $1000 on the line.

SHUT UP LIZZY & SHOW US THE PICTURES.

OK. Let the pictures speak for themselves. A little creased due to car travel – no ironing facilities at the lighthouse!

I can’t help but point out – how perfect are these shoes for this outfit!!?? The right colour and even a bit ‘Gridlocky’, it was pure luck, I’ve had these for years!

Even the ominous clouds seem to be the right colour. I have not colour altered these pictures at all.

TESSUTI GRIDLOCK

TESSUTI GRIDLOCK – alternate view

Tessuti Gridlock. The dress – Cerise with contrasting Gridlock elements

TESSUTI GRIDLOCK – sleeves rolled back.

TESSUTI GRIDLOCK – back view

Tessuti Gridlock – back view. Alas cotton linen is very ‘crushable’.

Some detail pictures…

Tessuti Gridlock: lapel, button, piping, topstitching

Tessuti Gridlock – pocket

Tessuti Gridlock – zipper

Tessuti Gridlock. Shell – construction

Tessuti Gridlock. Lining – construction. Please note I’ve top stitched the lining with contrasting thread!

THANK YOU!
Thank you in particular to Trish, she endured regular random emails from me – which I am sure made little or no sense some days – I even inflicted progress shots on her. Thank you, thank you, thank you. This stopped what was a hard project from also being a long & lonely project.

Thank you also to the Tweeples who checked on my progress and cheered me on, especially Bimble&Pimble with her derby cheers and pom poms.

Good Luck Tessuti Gridlock contestants…

ALL AT SEA WITH TESSUTI & SCRUFFY BADGER…

Hello it’s me – world’s most boring sewing blogger (at least at the moment, Tessuti Gridlock has me in a headlock).

I am STILL working on the never-ending project. I WILL (must) finish soon (I pray). I have nothing of interest to show off today, however all is not lost! You can check out my Desert Island Sewing post over on the ever-delightful Winnie of Scruffy Badger… who I will meet in IRL very very soon!

Desert Island Sewing with Scruffy Badger (aka Winnie)

My epic Tessuti Gridlock project continues. I swear it’s not that epic or amazing but it is taking ages… I don’t know why… I wish I did know… I just want it to be over… (sob)

Tessuti teaser

Ah, I need a holiday… hang on… I seem to recall I am jetting off somewhere soon… London? Paris? Madrid?

SewTiredLizzy… but on the Tessuti train!

Yes, this is all I have to show you today! My scrap pile!

I’m staggered towards the end of my Tessuti project. There was much umming and ahhing along the way but all shall be revealed soon.

Thank you to fabulous readers – all your comments were enormously helpful. In particular thank you to Trish who has been become an excellent email consultant/sewing buddy, we have had lots of emails as I dragged myself through the creative process and having someone to bounce an idea off has been fun.

I find people’s creative processes really interesting. I thought I might write up a post on how I get/drag/inspire myself from A to B when I sew. I’m sure we all have different ways of thinking and doing things.

I feel like I’ve been neglecting the blog – this project is just taking up all of my spare time. It’s amazing how much I miss the comments and writing to you. My sewing IRL is a very individual pursuit, no-one really to talk to and throw ideas around with. I can’t tell you how much I’m looking forward to the London meet-up on April 20 (Wow that’s come around fast!!). It’s funny that I haven’t met an Aussie sewing blogger but I am about to meet a huge bunch of UK gals! A huge thank you to Rachel of House of Pinheiro who has been organising the meet-up. Thank you gorgeous girl!

The gorgeous Rachel of House of Pinheiro (IRL I probably only come up to her kneecap)

In the meantime I need to get some sleep and try to finish Stage 1 Project Tessuti tomorrow. This is a fierce competition - there are some fabulous entries – check out the peplum jacket!!

I’ll have some photos soon of Project Tessuti, I promise! Were you the kid that tried to peek under the wrapping paper of your Christmas presents? LOL I was!

SewUndecidedLizzy… the Tessuti challenge

I really need to get started on my Tessuti fabric challenge.

I’m ‘almost’ settled on this fabric becoming a jacket – and I will make a skirt to pair with it.

I can’t imagine wearing this as a suit – that said, I think I Heart Fabric’s Tessuti outfit is fabulous – yup I never make any sense. I am shorter than average (yes really – there seems to be a wonderful blog mythconception out there that I am much taller than I really am, that’s OK people let’s stick with that). I tend not to wear too much pattern, particularly darker ones, as I think it visually shortens me – when you have an excessively tall husband you think about these things!

My original plan had been to make up a dress with a bolero. A Simplicity 2444 dress style and a figure hugging bolero using the reverse side of the fabric for trim around the neckline etc.  However after much fabric patting and excessive amounts of umming and ahhing, I just don’t think it’s ‘me’. I just can’t comfortably wear that amount of ‘matchy matchy’.

I think it’s going to be a casual jacket with a skirt with trim, I’m not participating in sewing challenges or competitions unless I can do them the SewBusyLizzy way, I’m interested in makign things which are ‘me’, a reflection of my style, taste and lifestyle. Anything else feels like a sellout.

I’ve narrowed it down my jacket choices to four. Yesterday it was two, the indecision is killing me!!

The contenders

Burda Style 7401

I’ve had a crush on this pattern ever since Handmade by Carolyn made it for her daughter – I love the slouchy style of it. I can imagine wearing it and loving it – with a short skirt or coloured skinny jeans. I’m just worried the fabric is a bit ‘busy’ for it, then again sometimes those visual conflicts work a treat. Love the soft flippy peplum. Would make the long sleeve version.

McCalls 6611

I’ve made this before and really love the jacket. I like the peplum and the cropped style.

Burda Style 7495

Clearly I’m developing a peplum obsession (and excuse me that chick looks like she wielding a riding crop – so stern!). I’m small and I like the shape peplums create, a bit of curvy illusion is good for a skinny wench. I like both the short-sleeved and long-sleeved version. Worried it’s a bit mother-of-the-bride in a so much pattern, not creating it as a suit.

Crossover blazer – Burda Style

Just love this one. Would have to buy it online and tiled it all together… and no seam allowances make things more complicated again…

I’m interested in your thoughts, I think ELH is sick of hearing about it…

I often find hearing people’s thoughts help me clarify my own. And quite frankly having mental conversations with myself has been going on for weeks, I’m getting quite sick of the little person in my head prattling on endlessly! Let’s shut her up.

Have you seen Karen’s (Did You Make That) fabulous Minoru in the Tessuti challenge? That girl can sew!

IN OTHER SEWBUSY NEWS

I’ve started this jacket. Looking nice… so far… I’m up to the fringing. I wish Burda Style had more patterns starting at 32 or 34. So many of them start at 36.

Burda 03/2013 jacket. A pretty wool blend.

So I searched the Burda site again and found this jacket which could be contender No.5.

Stop looking Lizzy and sew something!!! SOMEBODY STOP ME.

HONEY, I SHRANK THE SHIRTDRESS…

Am I suffering from maker’ s bias (unintentional pun!) or is this totally twee AND squee at the same time? This is the Oliver + S Jump Rope Dress.

Oliver + S Jump Rope Dress

I made this for Aislinn, my one & only niece (I have four nephews). The fact it’s so cute will hopefully make up for the fact her baptism was last weekend. Oops.

This is a downloadable pattern – I believe it is no longer in print. That’s a shame as it’s a lovely age-appropriate (ie not old-fashioned daggy) dress for little girls. This is a size 12 months-18 months. Tiny! The pattern is sized 6-12 months to 3 years and you can also download it as age 4-8. My daughters both want shirtdresses now, fortunately I won a magazine from The Perfect Nose and I have a shirtdress in the queue from that.

Unfortunately I could not find a shop that would print the large format sheet on the weekend (it provides a tiled pattern as well as a large format pattern sheet) so I tiled the pages myself. The logic of the PDF layout of Oliver + S is outstanding and putting them together was a breeze.

This itty bitty little shirtmaker dress has a Peter Pan style collar and a button placket. I had never constructed a placket before but the instructions are very clear and it was easy. Fiddly but easy.

The one thing that threw me was the 1/2 inch seam allowance – instead of 5/8 seam allowance. I chanted it to myself every time I went to the machine LOL.

I stuck to the pattern with just a few little SewBusy touches…

Oliver + S Jump Rope Dress sleeve tab

• I used press studs rather than buttons on the placket. They seemed more practical and less swallowable than buttons.
• I attached little white flower buttons on the contrast sleeve tabs and pocket flaps (with some little bits of green contrast stitching)
• Added a little lace trim to the hem, cos a gal can’t be over-trimmed.

Oliver + S Jump Rope Dress pocket

And the finishing touch? My own little label – courtesy of ELH, the Ever Lovin’ Husband. It seemed appropriate to use the first one on his god-daughter/niece’s dress.

SewBusyLizzy Label – the slip stitching is a bit messy – I was excited at this point!

It’s actually our 13th wedding anniversary tomorrow.

One of my friends once said I should blog my wedding dress. I didn’t make it but she said it’s so lovely I should share it with you. It’s fairly simple in style. What do you think? It still fits

Pattern Review RTW Competition
The RTW Pattern Review competition voting is about to close. I’m pretty confident that I’m not going to win in fact I think one of my blog followers will! when I saw her dress I thought ‘yup that’s the winner!‘. That’s cool. I realised when I decided to make the dress that it wasn’t the ‘showstopper’ ‘prize winner’ type, it’s too ‘everyday’ however I wanted to create an everyday dress that I would adore wearing and that’s exactly what I did. I continue to wear my gingham 15 pound Aussie shirtdress a lot and it always receives high compliments, in fact my hairdresser complimented me. I mentioned I had made it and she laughed “I was just thinking… I should get some fabric I think I could make that“. It really is the best knock-off yet – people want to knock-off my knock-off! LOL

And back @ SewBusy Headquarters…
I’m thread-tracing my jacket pattern. Yes, it’s time-consuming and intense… but it’s relaxing & fun… yes, I’m not kidding! I don’t joke about sewing. This is serious stuff.

Burda 03/2013 jacket. A pretty wool blend.

Jump Rope Dress details
Pattern from here.
Fabric: Japanese lawn from Spotlight (Australia).

Focus Lizzy… Focus!

I tend to talk and write a lot. What can I say I talk, I type and words just come out!

So I’m attempting to rattle on less tonight, it’s getting late and I need to sleep otherwise I end up SewCrankyLizzy.

PATTERN REVIEW RTW

Voting is now open on the Pattern Review website for the RTW competition. I’m quite sure that there are a few entries there that are going to smash my humble little gingham shirtdress but I’ve decided that if by some miracle I do win the $200 Mood voucher, I’m going to buy something (in addition to my dream Anise fabric) to giveaway on my blog. I figure you all want something from Mood Fabrics just as much as me – so part of being happy is about sharing it around You are all so generous and kind to me, I would like to give a little back in the form of Mood fabulousness if possible. I guess that would be interpreted as an enticement but it’s not intended that way. A lot of what I have achieved has been inspired by your kind words and encouragement, you are all as much a part of my sewing as me. Maybe I should have wait til after the competition. Ah, I prefer to be upfront and just say things like they are. It’s just something I want to do & it’s not an afterthought Read more about this project here.

My Shabby Apple RTW inspired dress – I love it with my dark red belt, patent red slingbacks. I have worn this A LOT. Making it a sewing win regardless of Pattern Review competition outcome.

VINTAGE DRESS

I’ve also made up a vintage pattern – see if you can pick which one…. Thank you SuzyBeeSews! The bodice of this is very much like the Peony but it fits without alteration. I made this from an old doona cover from a charity shop – I as nervous about the fit but it fitted perfectly. The skirt is a little too gathered for the dress, I just used all the leftover fabric once I cut out the fabric. I didn’t have enough doona cover for the flared skirt in the original. I love this bodice. I want to make the dress again – sleeveless version.

Vintage McCalls. That’s one of my beloved pieces of furniture, a early 1900s settee, from my childhood bedroom.

DISTRACTED

I’ve been distracted by Sewalongs. I can’t help myself. I have almost finished my New Look 6000 for Scruffy Badger’s Polka Dot NL 6000 sewalong. It’s more splodge-a-dot but I like it. I love this pattern. I confess I had been put off it because the envelope was so thick LOL. The neckline on this is not playing nice, it looks smashing but the facing does not want to stay put – damn you drapey fabric… although the pleats look lovely… I want to make it in a ponti fabric for work. Love this pattern.

New Look 6000

Despite having the perfect pattern for the Sew for Victory Sewalong…

Sew for Victory. An original 1044 pattern.

YEAR OF THE JACKET RESUMES

I’ve decided that my London trip is too close and I would like to attempt to make a jacket to take. Hmmmm, I know ambitious….

Burda 03/2013 jacket. A pretty wool blend.

I also got this raspberry stretch lace and would love this little cardigan from the latest Burda magazine. Don’t you think it would look fabulous with a black Charlotte skirt and a skinny belt…

Burda 03/2013 lacy cardigan

Focus Lizzie. Focus!

Oh and my Tessuti competition fabric arrived…

Tessuti package – how awesome is that packaging!!

My Shirtdress… and the 15 Pound Aussie Project…

I’m no supermodel but I can sew!

Vogue 8028 mash-up – and the Shabby Apple inspiration dress

The hemline doesn’t look even but it is – it was just BLOWING A GALE! More on that later…

I fell madly in love with this dress when I spotted it on LLadybird’s blog for a Shabby Apple promo months ago. Unfortunately when Shabby Apple do promotions via blogs they are only ever for USA residents so I needed to make this myself.Then along came the RTW Challenge on Pattern Review and I could think of no better excuse to make it.

I had grand visions of my blog photo for this dress. Alas, the Blogs Gods were not smiling upon me. In my little corner of the world it has been raining forever (not really but it feels like it!) and we are recovering from one of our biggest floods in decades. I’ve had to ‘make do’.

I’m SoSadLizzy as I really really really wanted to win this competition. First prize $200 Mood Fabrics voucher, second prize $100 Mood Fabrics voucher. My lust is insatiable – before this was announced I had been drooling over my dream Anise fabric. Alas our river is in full flood, our jetties surrounded by flood debris, our glorious beaches are trashed and the rain continues to fall. Boo. Sob. Howl. Life can be so unjust!! If that’s the worst I’ll ever suffer in a flood I can live with that.

Many of the entries so far are fancy – and I respect that and no doubt they will smash me in the voting stakes, lace and couture stuff is sexy. That’s OK, I love this dress, I will wear it alot and I’ve been dying to make it for months. I’d rather make a dress that I love and wear often than a statement piece that I wear once. Oh dear I’ve become so practical…

I think my dress is similiar in spirit but (ahem) better than Shabby Apple’s. When I really really looked at the Overboard dress, I really didn’t like the collar – it had no band, it wasn’t notched. The button placket makes my eyeballs cranky as the pattern matching is poor. I also didn’t like how the skirt pleats created a visual mess at the waistline. My alterations addressed this, don’t we always gloat that made-by-me is better, so why slavishly copy an original? Improve it!

I used the top of Vogue 8028 (this is out of print, I got it on ebay for about $5). This pattern is a full shirt dress, buttons to the hem – Overboard is not, it’s a shirtmaker dress – buttons just to the waist with a zip under the arm. This Vogue pattern also does not include a pleated skirt. In the end I just used the top pattern pieces.

I changed the construction order to suit my alterations. I made up the front and back as instructed and attached them at the shoulders. I inserted the sleeves flat. I did not sew up the sides at this point. First I created pleated skirt panels. Pleating gingham is super easy – you just use the checks as a guideline. I pleated so the navy gingham check forms a visual waistband – the pleats point inwards. I then attached skirt panels to the tops. Without the sash my dress looks like this at the waistline…

Vogue 8028 mash-up – waistline

I then inserted an invisible zipper under one arm (which broke the first time I tried on the dress! Growl!). I sewed up the sides and hemmed the dress. Yes, it really was that easy!

I only made the top button a ‘real’ buttonhole. Shirtmaker dresses are great if buttonholes and buttons scare you. I sewed the buttonholes through all layers of the fabric – with the exception of the top buttonhole so I can leave it open & casual. The buttonholes secure the front, there is less chance of the buttons pulling and gaping. I simply sew the buttons over the top of the buttonhole, noone can tell and the dress front sits nice and flat. You escape the dress via an invisible zip under your arm!

I made the sash from scrap red lawn I had. Buttons were $2.99 at Lincraft.

I think my check matching was reasonable, not perfect but better than Shabby Apple by a long shot.

Vogue 8028 mash-up – sleeve details

Vogue 8028 mash-up – shirt front

Vogue 8028 mash-up – collar back view

So in a few days I will probably be back, begging, crying, pleading for your vote on Pattern Review… I’m totally cool if you are not a fan or you prefer the other entries (I may cry for weeks but sewing therapy will get me through – and there are a stack of other things on Shabby Apple I want to make up). You can only vote if you are a Pattern Review Member for at least the last 3 months. I like Pattern Review and use it a lot, it is a good solid resource to check any potential pattern purchases against – it’s the first place I check out. (Note to self: get over there in the next two days and load up your review, images and entry – stop talking about it and start typing!)

What makes me most proud is that I modified pattern significantly – I never imagined I could achieve this sort of customised result when I started blogging last April.

THE 15 POUND AUSSIE

In January I was contacted by Will of Abakhan Fabric via Twitter, he asked if I would like to be part of a budget bloggers’ project. Invited bloggers can select goods to the value of 15 pounds from their website once a month and make anything they choose. I pointed out that I lived in Australia but Will said that was OK. I have quite a lot of UK readers/followers so it made sense to me – and what a fun challenge!

This is great project for me, I’m a budget stitcher. The majority of my makes come from the bargain table, yes I’m picky and they are often beautiful voiles and lawn, but I freak out at paying a fortune for anything. Must be my ancestral Scottish blood (or the Welsh or English bits of me – or it could just be the cheeky cheapskate Aussie) can be blamed (or credited) for this!

Ten Pound Poms is Aussie slang to describe the British who migrated to Australia after the Second World War under an assisted passage scheme run by the Australian Government. Adults could migrate for 10 pounds sterling and children for free. So I’ve called myself the 15 Pound Aussie. Any of these Abakhan Fabric projects I’m going to tag as 15 Pound Aussie on my blog. Keep an eye out for them and if you are in the UK especially, don’t underestimate their range, it took me DAYS to choose! When I’ve over in the UK in 1 month and 17 days (not counting, really I’m not) I shall be buying up their bias binding range!

I made this dress from fabric sent to me by Abakan Fabrics in the UK.

This is my first project from this blogging challenge. An enormously wearable dress which used less than 2 metres of fabric at the princely sum of £3.35 pounds a metre, so £7.70 for the fabric plus $3 Aussie for the buttons. The RTW dress is currently on sale for $US 86. Bargain I say.

15 Pound Aussie win. Thanks Abakhan Fabrics!

Images credits: Shabby Apple and Sewbusylizzy.

The Little Red Dress (McCalls 6433) & the Pick My Pattern idea…

I enjoyed this project so much I’m feeling inspired to run a little sewalong/blog swopfest called “Pick My Pattern.”

What you talkin’ about Lizzy?

Well, here’s the story, Anne from Pretty Grievances sent me this pattern a little while ago. She thought it would look nice on me (clearly getting me into animal print wasn’t enough to satisfy her!). Apart from being the sweetest thing to do, it was lovely to have someone throw a dress into the virtual sewing change room to try!

from my personal stylist – the woman who got me into animal print!

Funnily enough I had looked at this pattern many times and not teetered over the brink with my online cart to purchase it. I suspect slightly more frivolous choices might have won the day… what me buy pretty dress patterns? Never! OK, only every other month…

This whole experience reminds me of going shopping with my friends, or rather when I used to go shopping with my friends! We would all troop into a shop, try on clothes – often trying on clothes that others suggested for us. And sometimes that’s when you find the best clothes of all – the things that you don’t think are you… but your friends know they are…

PICK MY PATTERN CONCEPT

I think maybe a bit later in the year (there are soooo many sewalongs on at present my head is spinning!) and after my trip to London  (did I mention I’m going to London soon LOL), it might be a fun activity. People nominate, I conduct a random draw aka Kris Kringle style and people pick a pattern for another person. One pattern is relatively cheap to mail internationally… compared to fabric anyway!

MY DRESS

I have not got around to hemming this Pick my Pattern creation yet but here are some pictures to share.

My Little Red Dress: front view

Next time around I think I will lift the neckline a little, as when I put this on I keep doing this…

My Little Red Dress – gape!

I think I need a cut the back a size smaller. It feels a little roomy across my back but fits reasonably well across the bust, waist and hips. I made this in a crepe-type fabric, it’s fairly bulky and I think this has caused issues under the arms, the seam is quite thick and heavy. The sleeves are double thickness – and this fabric is reasonably heavy – making for three fabric thicknesses in the armhole seam. That’s a whole lotta fabric to contend with.

My Little Red Dress: back view

I love love love the skirt pleats – how cute are they! I think next time I might make the sleeveless version in black. I think this is the most work-friendly pattern I’ve made up and I think black would be very practical. I made the very stupid mistake of inserting a slightly smaller zip than suggested (hey it was in the stash – I can hear you tsk tsking Winnie). It’s a bit of a wiggle to get off. Worse I made the mistake of trying it on one morning just after I got after the shower and it was VERY humid. The lining stuck to my skin (I had not catchstitched it down at the waistline, I know I know, more gross stupidity) and the lining tore along the zip as I pulled it off. Stupid weather!

Despite the fititng mishaps (hey not everything is going to be a winner first time! Plus the fabric was on sale so no tears there) I think this pattern is a great shape. I love the shape and the style. I have this tiny sneaking suspicion that the swayback poses of the model have something to do with the neckline of the dress being so low and how the shoulder pleats cause the sides of the neckline to gape a little. It could just be a SewBusyLizzy body flaw… I think having the back slightly more narrow and the neckline a tiny bit higher would alleviate this gaping problem. Then again I checked out the McCalls website and the models have similar fitting issues. I think the depth of the neckline needs to be raised. I don’t think this is a modesty thing. I honestly think the depth & shoulder pleats create an issue together.

I did really like the instructions with this pattern. They are very clear and better still they have quite a good outline of how to tissue fit the pattern.

So thanks Anne for picking my pattern. I think I will be making this one again – always a good sign that it’s a winner!

SEWBUSYLIZZY NEWS UPDATE

I feel like I haven’t had any time to myself lately – which is kinda true. I’ve managed to squeeze in the odd 15 minutes here and there (when you are fitting it in around dinner, bathtime, dressing for work and more it is very frustrating and exhausting) and made a muslin of a vintage dress pattern… out of a doona/duvet cover… and it’s actually not that bad! More on that soon…

Oh and I also made a gorgeous shirtdress… well I like it!

WHATCHA THINK?

And what to you think of the Pick My Pattern concept? Hot or Not? Would you be interested in participating?