Grease Inspiration

I've just put up my bad girl inspiration post for the Grease sewalong on the Sewcialists blog - head on over a have a read here!

Me Made May wrap up

So it's all over!

Here are my final few days of outfits.  Picmonkey isn't playing ball today so no pretty collage I'm afraid!

29th May - the Bowling dress

30th May - Burda cowl neck tee

31st May - Rose print Maria Denmark kimono tee (unblogged).

So I did it!  I didn't wear a few of my most summery dresses that I love since the weather didn't really play ball - it was definitely tights weather for most of the month.  I was hoping to wear them the last few days but we went camping for the weekend and pretty dresses + campsite really don't go!

I'm pretty happy with how I did.  I didn't feel like I wore things I wasn't keen on just because they were me made.  Yes, there were days I would have put on something different (or a vintage dress rather than a me made one) but generally it went well.  I think having a definite colour palette worked as I have lots of things that match and work well together.  Like everyone else, I need some me made trousers and jeans, so I'll be joining in with Lizzy on Jeans in June (thankfully she's extended it into July!).  I'd also like a couple more me made tees, including another couple of Renfrews.

I also pledged to get through my mending/ alterations pile.  I mended split seams on 2 dresses, replaced a zip on hubby's jacket, fixed the zip on my Flora which was coming away and shortened the sleeves on my Blackberry dress:

I loved the sleeves but i wasn't happy with the way they were finished and it made the dress harder to wear with a cardigan - as you can probably tell from my month of pics I am a die-hard cardie wearer!

I also pledged to make some knickers and managed to make up a muslin of the Measure Twice Cut Once Jane knickers.

Eek, weird colours, but they are actually pale blue not green.  I adjusted the pattern following these but didn't get a chance to make up any more.  It's on my list for this weekend!

If you are missing Me Made May, come back tomorrow for news on something we have been plotting on Twitter!

Me Made May week 4

We're nearly there!

22nd May - another outing for the Swirly Smoke Mortmain
23rd May - Polkadot theme and one of my first makes, the Gertie gathered skirt
24th May - Gertie Portrait blouse and Kate Davies Deco cardigan
25th May - not yet blogged Deer & Doe Sureau (will be blogging next week but couldn't wait to wear it!)
26th May - boat print top which is a rub off from RTW (unblogged)
27th May - teal and black Red Velvet (unblogged)
28th May - purple Tiramisu

Just a few more days to go.  How are you doing?

Me Made May weeks 2 and 3

Oops, well this post is a bit late!  Real life and work have got in the way of blogging about Me Made May, but I have been participating and uploading to the Flickr group.

Week commencing 8th May:

8th May - the Route 66 Flora
9th May - unblogged blue twill Kelly Skirt, also unblogged Maria Denmark Kirsten kimono tee
10th May - Mad Men dress from 2013 challenge
11th May - navy Pavlova wrap top and red denim Pavlova skirt (unblogged)
12th May - Maria Denmark Paula pleat skirt
13th May - another outing for the Dolly Clackett nautical Emery
14th May - Red red velvet Meta dress

Week commencing 15th May:

15th may - buttonless Kelly skirt and grey Maria Denmark Kimono tee (unblogged)
16th May - red Cabarita tee (unblogged)
17th May - Pensive Betty Mad Men challenge 2014 dress for NyLon
18th May - Swirly Smoke Gather Kits Mortmain dress
19th May - Carmine jacket, striped Maria Denmark Kimono tee (unblogged), Autumn Kelly skirt
20th May - the Almost-Anna Flora tank version
21st May - Blackberry dress with sleeves shortened

I haven't been finding it too difficult this year.  Last year was a bit of a struggle even with the jacket wildcards I gave myself, but this year I can see that actually with relatively few wardrobe additions, I could wear almost entirely me mades (although one of those would need to be jeans - gulp!).

I'll be back with the final week tomorrow, and then summarise the last few days plus a round up of the other parts of my challenge next week - I also pledged to get through my mending and alterations and make some knickers!

Pledging for Me Made May

I've been thinking a lot about my pledge for me Made May this year and how I can up my game from last year.  I didn't find it too hard, but I was actually on holiday for part of May, which of course makes photo taking a bit easier (and also the option is there for 2 outfits per day)!

Last year I went for 7 days a week, but a maximum of 2 days a week could be my Anise jacket.

I am giving myself a wildcard each week just in case I need it, but will try not to use them.  If I do I will try to wear thrifted or vintage items.

I am also planning to get through my mending pile - I have a few things which are perfectly wearable apart from a hole in the pocket, broken zip or torn lining, so I am going to mend those, and a thrifted skirt to shorten.

In terms of sewing plans, I am going to carry on with my existing plans, but I am going to try and make some me made knickers.  I have the free So Zo pattern printed and ready to go (to use up knit scraps) and I recently bought the gorgeous Measure Twice Cut Once Jane knickers to use up my leftover wovens!

So this year:

 'I, Joanne of Sew Little Time, sign up as a participant of Me-Made-May '14. I endeavour to wear at least one handmade item each day for the duration of May 2014. I have 4 wildcards which I can use if I have to, but ideally will be vintage or thrifted items. I will also get through my mending/ alterations pile and make some knickers'

Mad men challenge - the Pensive Betty dress

After much debating over fabrics and discussion on Twitter, here's my entry to Julia Bobbin's Mad Men Challenge.

Pensive? Grumpy? Miserable? You decide.

I posted about my inspiration dress here. I used vintage Simplicity 4766 from 1954. I had originally planned to use the Anna bodice cut off at the bust pleats with a midriff panel added, but when I saw this pattern it looked perfect (and doubles up as a Vintage Pledge item!).

I loved working with this pattern. As it is a single size, there's so much information on the pattern sheets. I traced the bodice pieces to alter with my usual 1/2" FBA (and I did use a ruler this time!). I lengthened the bodice by 3" but I think that was slightly too much. 2.5" would probably have been fine. I made a muslin and other than needing a slight square shoulder adjustment it was perfect. I needed that after my Emery fitting fail!  Oh i also added 2" at the waist. Damn you slender 1950s ladies!

 

The fabric is a quilting cotton (I know, gasp in horror, but it's good quality and softened up really nicely after prewashing). It's Moda from the Vintage Modern collection. Although it's not a rose print, I think the red and pink flowers capture the feel of the original dress pretty well. It's surprisingly hard to find rose print fabric that's not just red.

It came together really easily. There was no mention of interfacing the facings but after consultation with Twitter I did (I guess convenient fusibles weren't around at the time). 

The pattern suggests using seam binding to stabilise the waist seam. After talking to the ladies on Twitter (again!) I decided to add a waist stay. It's just seam binding stitched to the waistline seam allowance and topstitched, fastened with a heavy duty corset hook and eye. I may add this into other dresses as it's really comfortable.

I used a side lapped zip as per the pattern and sewn by machine.

I made the skirt as per the pattern length but when it came to hemming I chopped a huge 5.5" off. Since I am tall I didn't think it would need shortening by that much! Worth checking if you are shorter and have limited fabric available as you could save a lot! I hemmed it to just below the knee as it was the most flattering on me.  The hem was hand catch-stitched - well you need something sto occupy your hands while you want Sewing Bee!

I love this dress and wore it to my sister in law's birthday party this weekend - I got lots of compliments!

Did you make a Mad Men dress?  Show me!

Sew Dolly Clackett - Are you in?

As I'm sure everyone has heard by now, the latest fun sewalong in town is Sew Dolly Clackett, organised by the lovely Sarah in honour of the impending nuptuals of Roisin and her partner Nic.

I have had the pleasure of meeting them both, and they are one of the nicest couples you could ever hope to meet, as evidenced by the amount of love floating around the blogosphere for them.

The challenge as outlined here is to make up a Dolly Clackett style dress before 23rd April and post it to the Flickr group.  Roisin herself will judge and award a range of fab prizes, from vouchers for fabric to patterns.

I've been thinking about the patterns I could use.  I've made up Simplicity 2444 and By Hand London Anna before, and have plans for Christine Haynes Emery and Gather's Mortmain.  If I can get a good fit on the Emery I will probably use that as it's a great blank canvas for the key thing which is the fabric!

Roisin is known for her fabulous novelty prints - it wouldn't be a true Dolly Clackett dress without at least a polka dot!  I'm looking for something that fits my wardrobe (no way to I have time to sew up things I don't wear!) and I'm not sure I can pull off pin-up girls or cowgirls on a daily basis.  Nautical? Paris-themed? Maybe!

In an attempt to actually narrow down all the fabulous prints available I have started a Pinterest board here.

These are the front runners at the moment but I'll probably change my mind a million times before I decide!

Makeower Washday in Blue (Source Rainbow Silks)

Henley Studio Birds on Clouds (Source Hawthorn Threads)

Hmm, clearly there's a cloud thing going on in my head!  Other possibles are retro geometric prints like these 2 - both from the Art Galley Carnaby Street collection, both from Hawthorn Threads.  Perhaps less Dolly Clackett but more me?

Carnaby St 60s Waves in Midnight

Carnaby Street Retro Pop in Mint

Are you joining in?  Have you picked your fabric/ pattern?  Let me know in the comments!  Any favourite prints I should look at?

The Vintage Pattern Pledge

Do you have a lot of vintage patterns that you haven't sewn up?  But they are so tempting and so pretty right?  But then they get bumped for a new indie pattern all the coolkids are sewing up.

This is exactly what I am like and Marie from A Stitching Odyssey feels the same!

She has started the Vintage Pattern Pledge here and I am joining in!

During 2014, I, Joanne, will sew up at least five garments from vintage patterns.

I haven't gone for 5 patterns as I am not sure if that will work for me - if i find ones that work well, I may make more than one version!  But I'll probably choose at least 5 patterns to give myself a choice.

I'll be posting over the next few days with the patterns I am planning to use.  And if you are up for this challenge, stay tuned for the Pattern Pyramid and you can grab yourself a choice of more vintage patterns!

Are you in?   

The meta dress - a red Red Velvet for #sewredoctober

Oops, so I'm late blogging this one (there's a surprise!) but I did actually sew it in October! 

And another surprise (not!) is that I am in love with Red Velvet, one of a raft of new patterns StephC from Cake Patterns has released. As a total Cake fan girl, I love how easy she makes it to get a great fit off the bat with no muslin, and how you can get lots of different looks from the same pattern.

As I generally need extra length, I started with a tape measure.  This pattern conveniently has the bodice length and skirt length marked.  I lengthened the bodice pieces by 2" and the midriff pieces by 4". I cut the skirt with an extra 2" length. As usual with Cake, you use your own bust and waist measurements to make your own pattern pieces and choose bodice pieces based on cup size.

This version used a lovely crepe jersey from Minerva Crafts. I spotted it when Winnie used it to make her Victoria blazer and promptly ordered it in a few colours including this lovely bright red.  It's pretty stretchy with a 4 way stretch and super comfortable to wear. I would definitely recommend nabbing some of this jersey while they still have it in stock as you can't beat it for the price!

For the first version I decided not to add the collar. I also didn't add the invisible pocket as for me, pockets are for my hands!

It was really easy to make and fit as ever. At the fit check, I took an inch off each side seam to account for the stretch in the fabric. Later I took another inch off at the waist. I also removed some of the extra midriff length I had added once the skirt was attached.  This was due to the amount of stretch and the weight of the skirt pulling it down.

On this make I realised the importance of using decent thread for topstitching! The first thread I used was part of a box that came with my machine. It's fine for seaming but the topstitching round the neckline looked terrible. I knew it would bug me so I unpicked and redid it with thicker thread. 

All the seams are sewn using a long narrow zigzag and then overlocked.  Beware of overlocking the pleated waist seam if you have a lightweight (as the repair man put it - he was too polite to say cheap!) overlocker.  They are not made to go through that many layers and I badly bent the upper looper. That's not a cheap fix, believe me! Hubby managed to get it going again but it's not quite right.  I may have knocked out the timing or something.

For the hem i used fusible stay tape and then twin needled and it looks great.

But the dress is fab and I got lots of compliments!

And of course Steph is having a sew along so I had to get all competitive and join in! Go Team Esme! This dress doesn't qualify as I made it before the sewalong started but I have more to show you over the next few days.