All posts tagged: Denim

STOP Everything for Cleo!

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I couldn’t help myself.  I know I was supposed to be getting on with making blocks, especially stretchy ones, but I just needed a Cleo so badly after seeing them popping all over IG and the blogasphere! And I had these shoes which I recently purchased, and had nothing to wear with them!  And a Cleo or 2 with opaque tights would be just perfect! So I whipped it up in an evening (I’d already traced off my size). The only measurements you need to take into consideration are your hips and waist.  I’m a tilly size 5 on the hips (I like Tilly’s sizes – they make you measure.  As they are sized 1 to 8 you can’t just go with your ‘normal’ size and be lazy. I would be a size 6 waist, but looking at the finished garment size I knew there should be enough ease in the size 5 for it to fit my waist. And it did.  Perfect!  No muslin!!  Not even One!  Which is a miracle as I think …

Vogue 8805

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“Why oh why did I leave it so long!!??” We’ve all said it. More than once. But we never learn. It’s not that often is it that we unearth a UFO, finish it and aren’t please.  I mean, if it was that bad in the first place it would’ve ended up in the bin not chucked in the corner. So a while ago I borrowed V8805 of my real life sewing buddy Jeanie. Jeanie’s the one who got me going again, so to speak.  She’s made umpteen versions of these. For my first I used up some left over denim.  The dark blue was from my GBSB capri pants and the raspberry was from my Mexican dress and also a peg bag.   You might even recognise pinky red denim from other blogs – I’ve seen Jeans on The Prolific Project Starters blog and also a cute little dress only a couple of weeks ago on Making and Markings blog.  (I’ve just looked and Minerva still have it in stock).  In fact it was Camilla’s recent post that reminded …

GBSB Capri Pants – converted to an easy elasticated waist

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I need more pants!  No not knickers, I mean trousers! Cropped ones for summer.  I’m living in my jeans and when we have the occasional warm day I’m stuck at just what to wear.  So I decided to make the Capri Pants which are in this years series of the GBSB book. The pattern looked straight forward.  Side invisible zip and facings instead of a waistband. I chose a denim with some lycra content.  Not sure how much, but they had a definite stretch rather than had ‘give’.  I sewed them up without the darts (i marked them but waited to add them) and basted the left side seam – but sewed all the others with a normal stitch length and overlocked all the edges..  I also stay stitched the waist band. I tried them on and apart from taking in the centre front seam I thought they’d be ok. I made 2 new rows of stitching for the centre front seem before I was happy with the fit. After adding the darts I then found …

Georgia, you were only supposed to be a muslin!

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For TMS’s first weekly challenge of #IMP15 I decided to make The Geogia Dress from BHL. It called for a fabric with a little stretch to help with the close fit.   As I’m trying to sew more quality than quantity I knew I needed to make a muslin. I traced the size 14 (U.S. Size – I like being 2 sizes smaller so sticking with it!!), then rummaged in my stash. I couldn’t find anything suitable, so delved into my ‘clothes to be refashioned’ box. I found a pair of my hubbies old jeans, and then after further searching in another box I found a gorgeous piece of Egyptian cotton. The latter had been chopped off my mum in laws duvet cover when she wanted it making smaller. Neither had any stretch but it would give me an idea of the fit and also enable me to check out the construction. The dress went together really well.  I didn’t take any pix when making it up as I only ‘threw’ it together to get the fit right. …

One Cap Many Looks

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Last week I read about Sth’s Grandma’s Cycling Cap: How cute is this!  I really needed one, like needed one and bought the pattern straight away and printed it off before the money came out of my paypal account!  And it sat there for a week.  Then it took me all of 60 seconds cutting out the pieces and before I knew it I was a hat maker! I woke up early and I’d made most of it my 8:30 am – I was so pleased H was awake and I could get a move on and make a bit of noise before before I got dressed.  I seem at my most productive when I’m in my dressing gown. I needed to find some firm plastic to stiffen the peak and chopped off part of a plastic folder.  There was enough for 2, so I chopped the extra one ready for hat no 2 (should it occur!). The hat came together in no time.  The instructions were really easy to follow.  I could’ve done with using …

Little (ish) Denim Dress aka Lekala 5963

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Ok, so it’s not that little, but it fits.  And it fits kinda well to say there’s not modifications to the pattern since printing it.  So I’m fairly pleased. Thanks for your help in deciding whether or not the Liberty bias trim should be hidden or on show.  Hidden won – mainly so I can wear my orange wedges (my favourites) and dress it up if needed. The trim was simple and I added it to all raw edges including the hem.  Here’s a few photos of how I did it in case you’re interested.  I used single folded bias binding (home made!).  Before pressing it was just less than 1 1/2 inches wide. I stitched it to the right side with a 3/8 inch seam allowance.  It needs to be less than what is left of the bias trim than will be turned to the inside. I pressed the bias tape on the hem but didn’t bother on any of the other edges and it made no difference.  It probably looks worse at the hem looks …

Maria Denmark’s Yasmin Yoke Skirt

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Introducing my new favourite pattern……. The Yasmin Yoke Skirt I’ve made 3 in the last week.  It’s rare I ever make 2 of anything never mind 3.  The last time I made more than one of anything was when I made my Bridesmaid’s dresses almost 14 years ago! I stumbled across Maria’s patterns when browsing the different Indie patterns I’d never heard of after reading various blogs promoting  Indie Pattern month.  The Yolk is designed to disguise “tummy fluff” (as she describes it).  I’m all for that!  Since I stopped smoking just over 12 weeks ago (pat on the back…) I’ve put on about 7 lbs.  This feels to have been distributed very unevenly – bust 1 lb, waist 5 1/2 lbs, hips 1/2 lb. It’s driving me mad – the extra pounds more than the no smoking.  Most of my clothes are too tight and as I’ve joined Goodbye Valentino‘s 2014 RTW Fast I can’t nip out to buy anything new and stretchy to tide me over til I loose these new found inches. …

Refashioning my Diesel Jeans #1

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I splashed out on a pair of Diesel Jeans around 5 years ago. They were quite low rise and at the time looked great. But over the last year or 2 my tummy has grown a couple of inches and the jeans are now not so flattering and have been laying dormant in my bottom drawer. During the last week I’ve given a lot of thought to my sewing plans for 2014.  As I have joined the RTW Fast I think I need to put more thought how I spend my sewing time.  Usually I’ll knock together something easy and quick but it won’t necesarily be a wardrobe staple. I’ve now decided that I will: Take my time planning every garment. Make a muslin (if it’s a new pattern). Try not to buy any fabric – use fabric and notions from my stash, or dye fabric/clothes. If I wake up with the urge to sew and have nothing planned and ready to sew, I will make a bag with scraps from my stash – hoping …