Pink Floral Sweetheart

This dress was fun but challenging at the same time. First the fun ... I found this fabric by accident while on holiday in Rarotonga earlier this year, and immediately knew it would make a lovely summer dress while still keeping within my wardrobe comfort zone ... because it was black? probably!

The challenge ... to mash together two separate patterns into one dress that looked like it was meant to be. The top is the Sewaholic Cambie pattern and the bottom is the Billy Jean pattern by Bluegingerdoll.  Both dresses I've made before quite a while ago, and well, the body has changed a little since then.

Refining the Granville

Third time lucky ... well so the saying goes anyway.

This is my third Granville Shirt. The first was HERE and the second HERE.  But even though this was the third I felt that there were still further adjustments I needed to make to refine the fit.

For this version I left all the previous adjustments in place, you can get that list here, and then made the following tweaks

• Added 1/4" to front side seams
• Added 1/4" to the side back side seam - both these adjustments were so I could get more room around the body.
• Added 1/4" to each side of the sleeve under arm seam, tapered to existing wrist edge - again giving me more room around my arm.
• Added 1/2" to the length above the waist.
• this time I added 1" to the original pattern length of the sleeve.

Although minor, the fits feels better and I'm much happier with the length of the shirt.

Channelling my inner Olivia Pope!

I'm not gonna lie, I was completely inspired by a winter white coat worn by Olivia Pope, while I was engrossed in a Scandal watching marathon!  Would it fit in my wardrobe and would I have anything to wear with it - who cared, I was making it anyway :-)

The coat itself has been a bit of a marathon make.  I already had the Robson Coat by Sewaholic Patterns in my stash. My first attempt at this pattern had been a complete disaster, for a couple of reasons but anyway if I was going to make this one work I needed to get a muslin sewn up and work out the fit issues. So that happened in February 2015.

Granville Shirt Muslin

Shirts haven't really been a thing that I've been busting a boiler to make - not something I have in my wardrobe either. Maybe because I haven't really found one that fits comfortably. When the Sewaholic Granville shirt was released I was instantly drawn to the shape that it gave the body ... and the best thing about sewing is that there's the opportunity to tweak the fit if it's not working.

Rather than make a true muslin, I picked up 2.4m of cotton voile for $14.00 to make a wearable muslin.  To begin a took some measurements of the pattern, checking that the darts weren't too high, that the body length wasn't going to be short.  I did length the arms by 2".  I cut a size 8 and narrowed to a size 6 at the hip on the side seam.

I'm happily sewing along, following the instructions and feeling pretty pleased with myself and how fantastic the seam allowances looked on the inside with a french seam finish.

Belcarra Tunic

When I purchased the Belcarra from Sewaholic I knew that it would be such a versatile pattern that I could manipulate to get multiple looks. This is my third look from this pattern.

This time a tunic!  I walked into The Fabric Store on 12 September 2014 and immediately fell in love with this border print.  I was there for another quite specific purpose, that alludes me just as this moment - coz every trip to the fabric store is for a specific purpose right!!!

It wasn't cheap at $36 for 1 length which was 1m x .95cm, but it was crepe de chine and felt soooo nice. After wrestling for some time with my inner voice I gave in a bought a metre. The border print is filled with pretty dresses in pretty colours ....

It's been sitting in the cupboard for a wee while because I couldn't decide what to match it with, until a few weeks ago, when I was back at The Fabric Store, I found some black crepe de chine on special for $10p/m.

Silk Granville Shirt

After finishing my wearable muslin (which I haven't blogged yet, oops! but will explain more soon...) I immediately made the following changes to the pattern pieces of the Sewaholic Granville Shirt:

• moved the side dart and waist down 1/2" using the cut and slash method above the bust on the front pieces and the two back pieces.
• I didn't want to change the length of the shirt, so I removed 1/2" at the high hip on all three pattern pieces.
• I added 1/8" at the waist by the front and side back pieces, created an additional 1/2" of ease all round.
• I added 1" to the original sleeve pattern piece.

This shirt is a little difficult to get a true read on fit because the silk is so mobile, but it is feeling like the changes worked.

Inspiration Station

It's not often I copy a RTW look to the tee.  Usually I troll through Pinterest or designer websites for inspiration on styling and the detail that leads me to what I pull together.   On one of my 'internet window shopping' sessions I came across this dress...

I thought this dress would be the ideal, easy wear, summer, work appropriate addition to my wardrobe - simple but classy.  Immediately the Belcarra top pattern came to mind - how easy would it be to simply add some length to make it a dress.

The Great WSBN sewing room tour

It's probably really well known around the sewing bloggers that the WSBN are always up to something either in real life or in cyberland - gee I can barely keep up with the FB Group we have!  But then one of our lovely members (Gemma at 66stitches.wordpress.com) suggested we should do a sewing room tour to get us out of our winter slump and ready for spring - oh yeah, who wouldn't want to do this! 

I think I've said before, that in March my eldest daughter moved to Australia which meant for the first time ever, I could have my own wee sewing room, and return the dining room to it's original purpose.  When I say wee, it is really wee compared to others I've seen on the WSBN sewing room tour.  Only 3.25m x 2.25m with a window on one long wall and the door on the short wall...

I started planning before my daughter had even left home (sad I know!), well this is what I had finally settled on.  I purchased the furniture second hand knowing the dimensions of the room were limiting - then they sat in the shed while I renovated the room.  Yep, I decided that if I was going to have a new sewing room then it needed to feel sparkly new.  Let me show you a picture of the pre-renovation room ...

Belcarra and Elle

It's been a little quiet around the blog lately, but it's not that I haven't been sewing ... it's that I've been really really bad at taking photos.  Come the weekend and I really can't be bothered doing my hair or my face or going outside, because it is sooo cold!

With my hair freshly done, today was the day to get in front of the camera.  I'll start with a couple of wearable muslin ... the Belcarra top by Sewaholic and the Elle Pant by Style Arc.

Let's start with the Belcarra.  As soon as this pattern hit the world I knew I had to order it - I knew that this is one of those patterns that would be a staple in my wardrobe.

My body shape doesn't fit the Sewaholic profile, so I selected a size 10 based on my bust size and graded to a size 8 at the hips. 

Mission Maxi Hack

The month of May was not only Me-Made-May but it was also Sew Stretchy over at The Monthly Stitch.

The idea of a nice warm knit dress for winter has been brewing away in the back of my mind for a little while - but not anything as simple as finding a pattern and getting to work.  No, no, no!  This was a long-sleeve t-shirt dress which was a combination of the Mission Maxi by Jamie Christine, a Renfrew for the scoop neck (so I didn't have to calculate the neck band) and contrasting of the Ensis Tee.  Now put that on boil and stir occasionally.

PJ's Sewaholic Style

More sewing for my 'mini me' (don't tell her but I really wanted any excuse to make this pattern ... sssh).  It is winter here in NZ and there is nothing better than a warm pair of PJ's to hang around the house in.

I really love the piping feature of this pattern - I just think it adds a touch of class to the simple PJ.  Hey and who doesn't want to look their best when they go to bed!

I made the piping myself (using my new piping foot for my machine).  The only thing doing this is there is quite a bit of unused fabric.

My Cordova

I can't believe how quick this Cordova jacket has come together.  Here's all the deets on my preparation.

Usually I would sew a size 8 Sewaholic, but I decided to go with the finished measurement of the garment rather than the body measurement and have sewn up a size 6, although I could have gotten away with sewing up a size 4 - maybe next time :-)

Cordova Jacket on the table

As I mentioned in my last post I am constructing my first Cordova Jacket for Indie Pattern month.

I went along to the Fabric-a-brac in April and acquired this lovely reversible fabric, 2.5 metres for just $25!  I immediately thought jacket when I saw it and the Cordova was ideal, where I could use both sides of the fabric in the jacket.

Sewing Indie in June

This month I am joining The Curious Kiwi and Macskakat for Indie Pattern Month.

It just so happens that my next project was going to be the Cordova Jacket by Sewaholic - good timing girls :-)

I had purchased a piece of fabric at the Fabric-a-brac which I thought would be ideal for the Cordova - more on that later.

Quick Fix with Merino

Yay for quick fix sewing projects!  After the Burda Sew-Along in May and with by Robson Jacket hung on my "I'm not impressed" hanger I was looking for some instant gratification! 

First off the rank was McCalls 5006 which is a pattern I've had in my collection for a few years and never ever sewn!   I've had my eye on this merino for a few weeks now, specifically to pair up with my Cambie.  But for today I've paired it with my shirt dress and jeans. 

Robson Pattern

I'm sure by now you've seen the new Robson Trench from Sewaholic Patterns.  I'm so exciting my pattern arrived today in the mail (having a party on the inside!)

Super impressed with the delivery times from Canada to NZ - less than a week I think!  So I guess you will all know what I will be doing this Easter Holiday!

Cambie Couture

Earlier this year I enrolled in my first Craftsy course 'The Couture Dress'.  I watched all the videos before starting but couldn't wait for the course pattern to arrive, so decided to use the Cambie Sewaholic Pattern. This is my fabulous new dress which I have entitled my Cambie Couture.

My Minoru Jacket is ready to wear!

I recently completed my first Minoru Jacket (a pattern by Sewaholic).  If you have read by previous post on progress with my Minoru I wasn't that taken by the fabric BUT now my jacket is finished I am in love with it.  I can already tell that it will get lots of use over the spring and autumn months or that chilly summer evening.

My Minoru Jacket Begins

On Saturday I received my new Sewaholic patterns (all the way from Canada).  So excited, but unsure about which pattern I would sew up first, I decided the best way to make this decision was a trip to the fabric shop!