Mixing and matching

finished project
As mentioned in my last post, I've been working on a bunch of mix and match garments - a response to the need for some basic and easy to throw on outfits, but also a part of a conscious effort to make things that get maximum wear! I thought I'd share them all here in one post. 

Just some of the combinations I managed!
The garments are:
  • Culottes - a hack of the Casual Trousers from Great British Sewing Bee: Fashion with fabric
  • Self-drafted side split skirt - made in black crepe, but it's the same as the green velvet one I posted about here
  • Detachable bib - made using the same method as this tutorial I posted 
  • Papercut Patterns Rise Turtleneck x 2
Pattern hacked Culottes turned into overalls with a detachable bib
I made the detachable bib for the culottes shortly after I finished them a couple of months ago, and really liked wearing them together as overalls. The only problem is, the culottes became pretty unseasonal pretty quickly! So I hunted down some of the same black crepe, and made up a second version of the split side, self-drafted skirt (to be worn with tights!). I sewed buttons on the inside of the waistband so it could be worn with the bib too, as a pinafore dress.

Trying to show off the split in the side...
Continuing with the intention of being seasonal, I made up a couple of Papercut Patterns Rise Turtlenecks, that got a brief mention in my last post. I already owned a few high street incarnations of this style, but after seeing some fab versions of this pattern sewn up by Katie from What Katie Sews and Rachel at House of Pinheiro I thought it was time to brave the stretch fabrics and give them a go.

The Rise Turtleneck worn with self-drafted skirt and detachable pinafore bib
A grey Rise Turtleneck worn with Culottes and bib
I liked the pattern so much that I made it twice over a weekend. The Rise Turtleneck was really easy to sew, and the pattern has dispelled any fear or anxiety I had around sewing with stretch fabric. It's also perfect for layering, hence it's inclusion in the mix and match bunch - I really love it worn underneath this Kielo Wrap Dress.

Papercut Patterns Rise Turtleneck worn with Named Clothing Kielo Wrap Dress
I think my favourite combination is the Rise Turtleneck worn with the Culottes and bib. It feels super comfortable and relaxed, yet sort of cool at the same time. I'm thinking I could get away with this on a night out with some heels - I've practiced dancing and posing for the camera in it at least...

Winter culotte outfit!
I think these garments should see me through Winter to Spring as 'basics' - maybe even a bit longer if I leave the tights at home and swap the turtlenecks for a lighter blouse! They're definitely going to make packing for Christmas an easier task. Speaking of Christmas, I think the bib works quite nicely with last year's Christmas Lottie blouse...

Bib and skirt with my party Simple Sew Lottie blouse
Hope everyone's feeling as festive and sparkly :) And that's quite a lot of sewing in one post, so it may be my last for the year! Merry Christmas everyone!



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Casual Trousers to Culottes

Culottes
I love a midi length skirt, but flowing fabric with added the added practicality of protection from the wind? I'm talking about the culotte craze, which gets a definite yes from me. And look at all the beautiful versions that keep popping up on Pinterest...
Culotte inspiration gathered from Pinterest

One very big encouragement to make a pair was seeing the Mimosa Culottes released as a part of the new Named Clothing collection. Aren't they GREAT?!

Mimosa Culottes - Named Clothing
I'm not quite ready to brave the fly front fastening yet - I'll get there eventually! - so I decided to test the water with a hack of a tried and tested trouser pattern. I've already made a couple of pairs of the Casual Trouser from Great British Sewing Bee: Fashion with fabric. They're so comfortable and easy to wear with everything. I even made a detachable bib and braces for one pair to turn them into overalls (I wrote a tutorial here). The fit on the waist/hips/bum is perfect, so it was just a case of altering the shape of the legs.
Culotte reference: McCalls M7131
I looked up a few culotte patterns like the one above as points of reference on altering the leg shape. I found that they generally have a straight inside leg, and it's the outside leg that extends out from the hip - in an almost A-line fashion - to give that voluminous shape.

A rough look at how I hacked the casual trousers
Apologies for the pretty crude drawing (my hacked pattern looked so messy that I didn't take a picture of it) but the dotted line gives a rough idea of how I adjusted the legs. Of course I made matching alterations to both the front and back trouser legs, and took a fair bit off the length too. Et voila, culottes!

Checking out my new culottes
I made them up in a medium weight black crepe, and they feel super luxurious. I love how they move when I walk. Again, like the original casual trousers, they're really comfy thanks to the elasticated waist, but the fabric gives them a bit of a smarter feel. I'd like to get a bit more adventurous with fabric choice and make a second pair.


If you'd like to try out some culottes but are unsure if they'll suit you then I'd definitely recommend altering a TNT trouser pattern. It was really simple and guarantees you the good fit on the waist and hips. I feel comfortable shopping around for a more challenging culotte pattern (I'm talking fly fastening!) now I know I definitely like the style.

Culottes in Amsterdam!
And as a final note, my culottes got some good wear on a weekend in Amsterdam. There was a lot of trawling the fabric shops... more on which to follow soon!

What do you think of the culotte trend? Has anyone else jumped on board and made a pair?


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GBSB casual trousers: a pair of pairs

finished project
A strange thing is happening - I'm currently sewing at a MUCH faster pace than I can blog. I've had the sewing bug for a long time, but it's like since I caught an actual bug (glandular fever eurghh) my sewing output has massively increased. It's been good to get on with some sewing in the moments when I've had some energy. And this was such an easy sew that I managed to make two pairs...

...the Great British Sewing Bee Casual Trousers.
This pattern is from the 3rd GBSB book Fashion with Fabric and it's one of the many 'pattern hack' options - it's the bottom half hack of the jumpsuit. The casual trousers are made up of just 3 pattern pieces - front leg, back leg and waistband. 
The 'look-I-made-trousers' selfie isn't an easy one to capture!
Both fabrics are Hebden Bridge WI Rag Market wonders from my stash. I made pair one up in an evening using a paisley print brushed cotton. Pair two were just as quick, and I think they really suit the blue drapey viscose - from the same batch I used for my Kielo Wrap Dress (yep I had that much!).

True to their name, they are super casual; nice and roomy and have an elasticated waist. I cut a straight size 12. You don't really have to worry about the fit as it's all determined by how tight you cut your elastic for the waist. I found that they sit on my natural waist, which is great for me, though they look like they might sit a little lower on the model in the book.
On my way out for pizza - loving the elasticated waistband
I been avoiding button holes for life, particularly after a difficult session trying to add them to my slippy polyester Mimi, but I managed the 2 on the waistband pretty well! I think the fabric must make all the difference. Also I did them manually rather than using the automatic buttonhole function on my machine. The first pair are a bit wonky, but I think I improved on the blue ones (yay!).

I bought a longer length of cord for my second pair. The recommended 1 metre fits perfectly in the paisley pair, but the ends try to escape back inside the waistband every time they're taken on and off, which is a bit of a pain. I took a few inches off the leg length of both pairs, so they're a bit cropped. Judging by the pictures, I'm thinking I might have took an inch too many off, but oh well.

At first I thought they'd just be comfy pants to wear around the house, but they're also pretty smart depending on what you pair them with. I've never made trousers before, and I'd say this is a great introduction to making a garment that can be quite daunting. I'm spurred on to tackle a more tailored pair of trousers next and luckily I managed to grab the Sewing Indie Month Pattern Bundle 1, which contains the Sew Over It Ultimate Trouser pattern! Watch this space.

P.S. speaking of Sew Over It, I love the new Anderson Blouse pattern! I'm wearing the same Topshop blouse in 2 different colours in these snaps and it's quite similar in style, so might have to whip up my own version! Has anyone else bought/made the Anderson Blouse yet?

Fabric Pilgrimage

dressmaking
I went on a trip to London last weekend. I don't know if you could quite call it a fabric pilgrimage as there were alternative motives for the visit, but I did travel via Megabus, and then caught the tube to the end of the Victoria line - and it was HOT! - so it was a mission of sorts. But when my friend suggested it, I just couldn't turn down a trip to the quite unexpected fabric haven of Walthamstow. I'd heard good things, and it's also listed on Tilly and the Buttons as a London fabric hot spot. Anyway it didn't disappoint - bargainous fabric galore!


The high street is home to an unbelievable number of fabric shops and there are many more fabric/craft/haberdashery traders to be found on the stalls of the outdoor market, which runs down the same road. It's brilliantly overwhelming. 


These pictures are from just one of the many shops. I'm not entirely sure how they can even make profit on £1 and £2 a metre fabrics - but hey, I'm not complaining! For once, could it be possible that London was CHEAPER than the North?! I have to note that not all of the fabric was great quality and it does require a fair bit of rummaging. But if, like me, you're not after anything too fancy or you just want to buy a bundle of 'practice' fabric, then you can't beat it! You'll probably even spot a few familiar prints if you still frequent the bigger high street shops - there were definitely a few fabrics I recognised from a recent trip to Primark.



I went home with 4 metres of the nautical looking blue/white/yellow stripe fabric (priced at £1 per m) and a couple of metres of the lilac flowery (still only £2 per m). Me and my purse are very happy!

So now, and in other news, how am I going to put it to use?
Well I also had a very good post day. A little bit late to the party I know, but I finally caught up and bought Love at First Stitch, the first book by (as mentioned earlier) sewist, blogger, GBSB contestant and all round, super stylish Tilly Walnes.


The beautifully designed book has seven different patterns and easy to follow guides and tutorials that take you from complete novice to proud, confident sewist. The thing I really like about the patterns are Tilly's suggestions of simple changes that make different variations of the garments. Do you remember when Gok Wan was all into that capsule wardrobe of twenty pieces or something? No? Well I do... and it's like that, only so much better. There are so many options that you could probably make them all and spend a month (or a Me Made May) hardly wearing the same combo twice!


I knew which projects I wanted to make before I'd even opened the book. I'm going to use my bargain blue stripey cotton to make a nautical-chic summer Lilou dress - I'm thinking the scalloped neckline variation...


And I have just enough of the lilac flowery to make a pretty Mimi blouse, maybe with a contrast white collar. This one will be on hold for a while until I get a new sewing machine that can handle button holes - though Tasha from By Gum, By Golly has a handy tutorial on making them by hand here for anyone who is patient enough (sorry not me!)

A good week for sewing. Must get going if I want the Lilou to be finished before my holidays!

Double Denim

box pleats
Well, not quite double denim - though I'm definitely not opposed to it - but I made a second skirt from the MASSIVE amount of denim that I accidentally purchased. Unfortunately I've used it all up now, so I won't be recruiting members for a B*Witched tribute act.

I decided to make a second version of the box pleat skirt from the Sewing Bee book. And I did something that I know I shouldn't have done really... I cut against the grain. Rather than matching the selvedges when folding like you're usually meant to, I had to fold the fabric the other way to make the pattern fit. In fact, there was enough to lengthen the skirt a bit, and in my defence, it was more economical - waste not want not etc. NOTE: I wouldn't normally do this, but as it as I already have a skirt made from the same denim, (which you can find here) I thought why not? If it goes wrong it goes wrong, and then I'll have learnt my lesson.

Final  fitting, pins and all
I added 3" to the length - I'm going for the demure look clearly - and after causing my sewing machine some serious stress with a few too many layers of denim, I had a finished skirt, pretty much all in an evening's work! I just had to slipstitch the inside of the waistband rather than machine sew due to the thickness of the denim. The pattern didn't have a lengthen/shorten line, which probably suggests that I wasn't supposed to go altering it, but oh well, I gave it a go anyway! I actually quite like the length, I think it makes the skirt look completely different to my first version.


In hindsight, denim really wasn't the most suitable fabric to use. I can't decide whether to say it sticks out, or just holds its shape very well...

The waistband however, is much sturdier and less likely to crease and bunch up when sitting. I'd definitely recommend using a thicker interfacing (or a couple of layers of lightweight) if making the skirt with a thinner fabric.

The box pleats hold well, but I wasn't really sure where they should stop. In the poly cotton, they fell much more naturally, so in a fairly robust denim, it was quite difficult to make them look like they naturally fade out.


It's not my biggest success, but then it's not a disaster either. It might not be holiday wear, but that's because it's quite heavy and I'm only taking hand luggage (ha!), but I imagine it will get a bit of wear over the summer.

Next up is the Simplicity 2154 blouse version 2. I can see me being the type of sewist (sewer?) who tends to stick with patterns I like once I've found them...


A bloody big bow (and the Simplicity 2154 blouse behind it)

bow
If you walk past me in the street, you'll probably see the bow before you notice me, because I finished the Simplicity 2154 blouse. I had great fun with the pattern and love pretty much everything about the finished garment - I'd wear it every day if I could!


It was frantically finished on the morning that I wanted to wear it. I spent my train journey picking out all the tacking and basted stitches and did a bit of a rush job with the zip. I was in such a rush to get leave the house that I didn't get chance to take a picture of it. So the first picture of me in my dream blouse ended up being a badly-lit, slightly tipsy toilet selfie (sorry!). I cropped the toilets out for everyone's sake, but my elbow does seem to be resting in one, that's just my natural stance...


And sshhhhhh it's a secret, but it wasn't actually finished - I didn't have time to hem the blouse, very bad of me I know, but it was tucked in so who was going to notice?

After it's first wear, I finished the hem, did a few adjustments and took some proper photos:


THE BOW: It's big, so big it overshadows the blouse, and probably me, but I don't care because I LOVE IT! I can totally understand why both Bimble and Pimble and Handmade Jane chose not to interface their versions, but I really do love the structure it's given mine, and it also sits really nicely when worn with a cardigan. I used medium weight interfacing rather than light weight, and the bow sits a bit differently to how the pattern intends it to, but that's fine by me. I'd suggest skipping the interfacing altogether though if you wanted more of a drape on it, particularly if you're using a 100% cotton that already holds its shape quite well like this one.



There's no underestimating the amount of satisfaction you can get from a tiny button. I managed to find the perfect little retro match for the blouse. The back had a bit of a tweak after the first wear - it didn't quite sit right at first, so I got my flatmate to do a temporary safety pin fix. I ended up just moving the button over so there was a slight overlap at the top of the back opening. I was also meant to make a thread loop for the button, but I was being lazy and opted for an elastic loop instead. The thread loop is one to try in the future though - I'll be following this tutorial when I get around to making one.


And here it is worn with my denim Sewing Bee pencil skirt, and my pale and holiday-ready limbs. I made a straight size 14 with no adjustments, and although it fits perfectly on the bust, there's a bit of excess fabric around the waist. Luckily, I tuck most things in anyway, and the high waist of the pencil skirt works great. I had been a bit uncertain about having a zip in the side, but it's lapped and barely noticeable. I might consider putting one in the back instead to give a bit more flexibility with adjusting the side seams, but I should probably just pluck up the courage to take in the darts instead.


I've been planning the next version(s) already. I'm thinking of making a couple of simple collared versions without the bow, to have as throw-on wardrobe staples. When I'm a bit more confident with different fabrics (and hopefully have a better sewing machine) I'd like to try it in a thin, body-skimming fabric with a better drape too! 

 But for now, goodbye from a very happy me and my bow!

Fitting and finishing

denim
I'm well on my way to a denim wardrobe - I did used to know someone who was partial to wearing triple denim, so I may have to take some tips!

Constructing the skirt was really simple, especially as I've made it before. It's just the fitting that takes a while. A lot of trying it on inside out and pinning to get the shape just right.



*Note - If I was making something fancier I would've probably asked for some assistance with the fitting. It's pretty awkward to fit a garment properly whilst twisting, turning and pinning!*

After I'd got the fit down - and made sure I could sit down in it this time! - it just needed a few finishing touches.


Since using bias binding for the hem of a full skirted dress, I'm a complete convert. Neat and speedy to do, and I even managed to accidentally match it to my nail polish. I chose a nice contrasting colour for any little flashes of it that you might catch through the kick pleat. 



A bit of slip stitch to secure the waist facing in place and it's all done. 

Despite being one of the simplest garments I've made, I'd say it's probably the best in fit and finish. 


Almost holiday ready now! Just need to have a go at making a blouse to go with it too - well I do have enough denim...

C'est La Vie!

denim
I'm soon to be visiting a place with a much warmer climate, but as a light-jacket weather sort of person, I face the small problem of having NO summer clothes. So with a holiday wardrobe in mind, I have a little bit of 'the fear' and need to get sewing!

My Sewing Bee pencil skirt has had quite a few wears, so I thought I'd make another, but one more suited to the season. At the time of making, I thought it would be great in a medium-light coloured denim, and it was quite an easy one to whip up, so I thought I'd give it a go.


I went to the local market with the right amounts in mind, but somehow managed to return home with enough denim to clothe B*Witched circa 1998...


I clearly have great ambitions to join B*Witched - hope there's enough denim to make a cowboy hat too!
I'd recommend this pattern for all levels of skill. It has real minimal pattern markings/tailor tacks and that's always the bit that I get most impatient with.


Just a bit of prep with basting the darts (4 in the front and 2 on each of the back pieces) and then you're ready to get sewing. I'm making it up in the size 12 measurements this time as I had to adjust the fit quite a lot last time.


Ready to get sewing... so C'est La Vie!

Work In (polka) Progress

DIY
I've been spending my evenings slaving over my sewing machine and a hot iron- and I've watched LOADS of the Sex and the City box set while doing so. I have an event in mind that I'd like to wear my (currently unfinished) polka dot dress to... and it's SOON.



Notes on making so far:
  1. The basic shell of the bodice was quite simple to put together, though I thought I'd cut the side bodice in the wrong size at first. It turns out, there has to be a bit of extra fabric to allow a bit of give in the shaping of the bust. After taking care to match all the pattern markings properly, my panic was over. 
  2. I attached my skirt before taking in the side seams and doing a bit of grading to make the waist a better fit. This is probably cheating... or cutting corners at least. In future, I know it would be best to have a bit of patience and work these adjustments out on the pattern before jumping into the making. Although I have a nice smooth side seam now, it would save all the excess fabric at the seams and the unpicking/re-stitching game.
  3. The bust was pretty tricky to shape, but not unmanageable. I must have tried it on about 10 times already, as well as accidentally pinning it to my bra/me (ouch!) You can still see some pins at the top of the bust on the picture above. Just a few final tweaks now the skirt is attached and I've got the zip in place. *I will make this fit!*


It took a bit of work, but it feels so good to have got the fit of the bodice pretty much spot on. I was a bit unsure about adding the sleeves, but once I had the fit down, I thought why not?! Apologies for the badly lit mirror selfies and my pasty legs - must work out a better way to take pictures.

All that's left now is a bit of sewing to finish off the arms and hem, both with bias binding. So nearly WIP no longer!



Box pleat challenge

box pleats
I'm continuing to thumb my way through the pages of the Sewing Bee 'Sew Your Own Wardrobe' book. I loved the box pleat skirt challenge that May and Patrick set early on in the series, so I thought I'd have a go for myself.
I went to Samuel Taylors (a fab haberdashery in Leeds, not too far from the Corn Exchange for those familiar with the city) to pick up supplies. They have a basement full of beautiful fabrics to browse and buy. I picked up a lovely medium-weight grey fabric for the box pleat skirt, and I have my eye on a few others for future projects. 
After last time's mis-measure I decided to make the skirt up in size 12 measurements, and luckily it fitted perfectly without needing any adjustments. A bit of tailors chalk and a hot iron sorted my box pleats, and I think I've just about mastered the lapped zip - though I did end up inserting it in the wrong side, oops! It only took me a Sunday afternoon and evening to make, and just a little while the next day to finish the hem.

I'm channelling my inner Daria here in the finished skirt with super chunky Dr Marten's (that I've yet to wear in).
I can do girly too! Worn below with a vintage silk blouse I got from Stockport Vintage Village Fair a while back. 
It's such an easy skirt to wear, and pretty simple to make too - I'd definitely recommend giving it a go. The only thing I'd do differently is to use a medium-weight interfacing on the waistband rather than the recommended lightweight - it squashes up and creases a bit too much when sitting down.

Ready for the next challenge... Perhaps it's time to try a top or a dress.

Thanks for visiting!

Thanks for visiting!