line up

line up

22 May 2013

A summer dress finally!

Where is the sun??
I am completely lost. What should I sew? the weather is so grey and cold, it fells wrong to sew anything for summer because I'm obviously not going to wear it now. But I don't have anymore winter fabric. I just re-stashed my home with some flowy, light fabric for those supposed warm spring days. It's sad.
Still, last week I made a nice dress. In my mind, it is perfect to lounge, to go to the beach or to go shopping in the small village where I spend my holidays.

dressed up
 dressed down

The fabric, is viscose with bouquets of blue flowers. I lined it, except for the sleeves because my book says not to, and I agree with it, if I am cold I 'll put a sweater on.
I got lucky while cutting it. I was soooo pleased to finally make a dress for summer that I forgot to think about the flower's placement, I only realized it when I put it on :D
I don't always switch on my brains when I sew, eh, what are you gonna do? The flowers are in the right place no? Thanks to randomness...


I added some sleeves because summer is not that warm in Brittany, and because it's cute. Oh, and pockets, I always like to have pockets in my dresses. They are simply sewn in the side seam.


I added some pipping to the neckline, I didn't know if I should put some on the sleeves or at the pocket opening, but then I sewed everything and forgot about it, and I could only put it at the collar. I told you, here in Germany my brain in on vacation!



I used some bias I bought at the Stoffmarkt Holland market, and some cord. At first I sewed it to the dress without sewing the bias and the cord together, but it was sticking too much out of the neckline. So I made a proper pipping like in the image above. Sometimes I try to take short-cuts, but it doesn't always work. And it usually ends up by taking much more time.
In that spirit I lined the dress (with my new lining fabric) thinking I had made a good work. Turns out this dress has a life of its own. It took me quite some time to get it right, and looking at the pictures it might not be perfect yet. What do you think?

 

See, I wanted to hide the hem of the lining but the length didn't seem right although I cut it at the exact same size as my dress. It's a sewing mystery.

That's all for construction. Only two darts for the bust, no buttons or zipper.  Had I not made some mistakes it would have been super easy to make. It will be better next time.

More picture? Maybe you would be interested to see if it works for the beach:

  
looks totally appropriate!


And what about Venice?

Or at lake Como?

What do you say? I have to much free time? Nah, there's nothing like too much free time.
Besides, it makes me feel really good seeing myself on vacation in Italy and on a marvellous beach. I miss you sun, come back, I've made some shorts too!!

cheers.

14 May 2013

Fabric shopping

Dear readers, bless the Stoffmarkt Holland market !


No I didn't take this picture, for the simple reason that I totally forgot my camera... I'm such a lousy blogger, I know. But hey, that was a "me day", and I only thought of bringing money, a list of things to buy, bags to carry my precious, and my husband to be my slave of course.

I was overwhelmed! "fabric, cheap, must buy everything!!"

I arrived there by 11, the place was completely packed. Women everywhere, pulling fabric from piles. I could barely see what was on display, but then by the time I had walked around a little to have an exact idea of what I was dealing with, people begun to leave for lunch, and it was PARADISE.

Knits, printed cotton, this is what you will find the most. Merchants are specialised. You can choose by price. Some booths only sell fabric at 2, 5 or 10 €/m, some of them are a bit more expensive, but not that much. 

This is what I bought:

Those are simple fabrics, it's not a fancy fabric market, but it's enough for what I do.

Knits:

I got a little bit carried away by the navy print. I'm Briton and it's really a basic in our wardrobe. But not in Germany apparently. There was a big pile of those in different colours, but no one touched them! Unbelievable! It got buried under other fabrics, but I came to the rescue, and it felt so weird, in Brittany, this pile of fabric would have disappeared the minute it would have been put on display! And now I think I should have bought more :D


Your eyes don't fool you, It's the same colour, but the stripes have a different size. Don't judge, I'm away from home, I will buy everything I can find here, that reminds me of Brittany.

Lining for my summer dresses. It's a nice soft and light cotton, I took 3m.


Solids:


It wasn't planned, but I thought I could make myself some mini dresses or whatever, it was 2,50€/m, how could I resist ?

drapey fabrics:


I thought I could make myself some sexy soft tops for those beautiful summer days I'm sooo longing for.

Thick cotton:


For shorts and pants, goes with everything.

Haberdashery:



Bias, bias and some more bias. Can't find any where I live. I picked some in satin, mostly in white. And a selection of various colours I like. My head was so completely empty because of the choice of fabric and the crowd, that I couldn’t remember what fabrics I had in my my stash to match the colours. All in all I think I did well!



If you're like me and you are starving for fabric in your corner of Germany go to stoffmarkt holland, it's every week end in a different city. It's really worth the trip. You can also find there leather, fabric for your house or for quilting. Paradise I tell you. 
Be aware if you are utterly deprived from fabric shopping, that this experience can be dangerous, I had to fight against people cheating in lines an I also smashed  a charming lady on her forehead! I was diving for the floral knit under a big pile, but only had  one hand free, and I pulled too hard... She didn't seemed to mind, she must have done the same to someone else!

I am currently washing everything and I begun a little summer dress that I will line with my soft cotton. What a bliss. There is only one thing missing: the sun!


8 May 2013

DIY: a dress form made of fabric

Hi!

Last week, I took some time to make (for the second time) a dress form.
Yes, watching Project runway made me long for my old dress form I had to leave in France when we moved to Germany. I know, this obsession has to end, but I can't help myself :-)


It's not a long project, it took me a few hours, and although it looks a bit wonky in the picture it's perfect to make dresses. I always find it a bit hard to make my neck line directly on paper, the dress form is easier, and gives immediately an idea of how the dress will look like.

You will need: 
your block pattern
tracing paper
thick fabric
filling for cushions
a very long zipper
and maybe a kind hand to help you check the fit, I did it alone.

I had a bit of a Scarlett O'Hara moment. I used some curtains I don't need anymore. They are a 100% thick cotton, perfect for a dress form. It needs to stand so don't hesitate to buy the most uncomfortable fabric you can find.

Then you need your basic bloc pattern. 

I don't have a block pattern:

Well Lady, if you want to enter the fabulous world of pattern making but don't have time to waist you can buy this one : Butterick B5627 Misses' Fitting Shell

It's almost perfect, I would just not use all the darts, remove those who are in red, and you will have your block pattern. Also, stop your pattern 15cm below the hip line.


It has to fit perfectly You will have to make a muslin first, (OMG this subject would need its own post itself!). Make the necessary changes, report them on your pattern.

I have a block pattern: 

I adapted a bit the pattern to make the form. First, shoulder princess seam.
It has to fit like a glove. In order to do that reduce the ease under the arm by 1cm and raise it of 1 cm, add 1 cm to the neck line so that it will be as close as possible to your neck.
Don't forget the grain line.
Your pattern should look like this:

Or like this if you prefer:


 Assemble the pieces and place a zipper at the back because you will want to try it and fit it tight tight. Wear good underwear you would normally use, not your supper push-up you never wear, because it would change your figure, and don't forget to breath!!
Add a bustier dart in the middle front buy contouring your breast.

contour your butt:

Is it perfect? Yes? Well, remove the zipper, cut a piece of fabric for the bottom, attach it, and cut two others for the arm hole that you'll attach later, and fill your double like a cushion!


Warning: do it in front of a mirror. 
You will notice that with exactly the same measurements two persons can be very different looking. One can be very thin looking from the side and wider from the front or the other way around!
It can take a bit of time to have the perfect shape, but I found it funny. Measure your waist and bust as you fill, my form tends to be a bit bigger than me by 1 or 2 centimeters.


Add a ribbon at the waist to reinforce it, and because it's pretty!


The method to make this form is exposed in the two books I own on pattern making, although is better explained in Line Jaque's book as in ESMOD's.

Then you can make a dress form stand made of PVC, not very pretty, but with a bit of paint...Also the image is bad, I think I copied it some years ago from Thread magazine, but, I can't seem to find the article anymore. Anyway, you can find there four ways to make your own dress form. I strongly suggest thought, never to wear a T-shirt under your papier maché or tape, it's too thick, just use a trash bag that you can cut to fit yourself.


I think I might make one just for the bottom part, to make underwear and swimsuits. Because you know, I just can't live without a dress form for everything now!!



Cheers

The not so black little jacket and holiday break

Hi everyone!

just a heads up to say that I will probably not be able to post anything for a month I think.
Want to know what I'll be doing all this time?

patisseries de Taman Café (ORANGE,FR84)

Oh, yeah!!! Patisseries, Easter chocolates, I'm going back to France for a few days and I intend to eat as much of this babies as possible!!

And then well,



 And after that:


Do you know Beatrix Potter's stories? This is where she lived.

On the subject of the little black jacket, it's going on nicely but slowly,




I have begun to attach the lining, I will have to do quite a lot of hand stitching, I might put to use my time in the train (more than 6 hours!). I put the pockets and a bit of my hand made trimmings to give you an idea of the final result. What got into me, when I decided I would be the next queen of Chanel's trimmings?

I have a lot of things to says on this jacket, can't wait to tell you everything I learned (and failed of course :-)).

Have a good time everyone, summer sewing is coming along, we should discuss that when I come back!

Cheers!

2 May 2013

Project underwear!

Please someone help me!!
I am addicted to project runway, I really am. I cannot stop thinking about it. I imagine what I would do if I wear a contestant (probably cry after 4 days with not much to sleep!).
How creative are this people! And also, can you believe the wonky seems they sometimes produce? It makes me so happy to see experienced people like them fail at basic sewing, hihi, I know, I'm horrible.

Anyway, it seems that some of them have not tackled yet all the challenges offered buy the sewing and pattern making world. Many of them really don't have a clue about men's wear, underwear or French seams (that one is unforgivable).

One may ask: and what about you, you horrible judgmental seamstress?
Well, let's just says this:

 OH YEAH! UNDERWEAR BABY!!!

I looove making underwear, it's so fast and easy, provided you have all the little bits and pieces required. I have made those in a few hours. Of course the pattern of the bra took some time to make, and it's my first, so perfection is not there yet, but it will come... I hope.
Most important it fits. The cups of the bra are the most delicate, you really have to give them a nice form, my first attempt ended a bit like that :

Pointy, pointy
It was not really the effect I wanted. But it' easily rectifiable.
I made the pattern for the bra with become a pattern drafter, women's underwear, from ESMOD editions. The explanations can be challenging sometimes, but I guess it's because the book is supposed to be used in class with a teacher who fills in the blank. The drawing in the book have names for the different lines of the pattern, like a,b,c,d... So, I have my finished block, I turn the page to transform it into a push up, and I don't see my a,b,c and d!!! It is full of k, g and h!! And I am supposed to have put the pieces of the cups together but it is not explained how. If you have the same problem, don't worry, they just changed the names: c becomes b, h3 becomes ff' etc.
 WHY????
I added some very small elastic to the cup, I felt I needed to do something to have the lace properly laying on the skin. This worked all right.

I also lined it , but realized afterwards that you should line with a non stretch fabric :-) But it's all right, I have worn it already, and it very confy!

I made a matching tanga.


I used the pattern I made with my other book: "la technique de la coupe" by line Jaque. I prefer her technique. Remember when I tried to make panties for the first time? Well I find that the Esmod looks are quite dated, a bit like that:


There is no hip line and I don't felt at ease working with it. 
My lace is 16 cm wide. I decided to use it entirely. Next time I think I will try to make a smaller hip band.I ruffled it a bit, it gives it a V shape, do you know the "butt puckered"? Well that's it!


I had panties and a brad next to me the whole time to figure out how to sew the elastics .
I was very happy with my machine, she made nice elastic seams, it's probably the only thing she sews correctly nowadays. I couldn't get her to make buttonholes for my Chanel jacket, and I thought it was because of the bizarre elastic, bulky fabric. Turns out it's all fabrics!! And let's not talk about the embroided stitches, what a mess!! Back to the shop missy!!




As a final touch, I cut out some flowers out of my lace and sewed them on. It's so much cutter and hum, hum it sort of hides one thing I messed up a bit! But I'm not showing you because now, no one can see it!!





What do you think? My opinion, is it's fun easy and really quick to make. underwear making is really a winner!!
Next time I'll make some bating suits. I used to buy some at Victoria's secret, but I find it so cool to just make my own version, or completely copy, just cause I can!
What about you? Do you sometimes make you own underwear?