All posts tagged: indie Pattern

My Leopardy Francoise Dress

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Last month Tilly released her latest pattern – the Francoise Dress.   I bought it the first day it was on sale and couldn’t wait to get started. I really couldn’t decide which fabric to use so got to work on making a muslin.  Then Tilly announced a competition!! So here’s my entry!  If you need some inspiration for your Francoise there’s loads over at Tilly’s pinterest board. I was a bit stumped at first deciding which dart lines to follow I was blending different sizes from the wait and hips. The cat helped!  I really don’t know how other cat-less sewers out there manage.  They always like to get involved! I made the muslin, complete with sleeves, using an old cotton sheet with no stretch.  I wanted to know how it would be with a not very forgiving fabric.  The only adjustment I decided to make was to alter the position of the darts. (photos of my muslin are floating about in the cloud somewhere and unfortunately I can’t locate them at the minute!) I ummed …

The Hudson Pants #PatternParcel6

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Back in October I bought Parcel 6 from the Perfect Pattern Parcel.  This is the 3rd parcel I’ve bought but I’ve not gotten round to making anything until now. The Hudson Pants, although for a lady, looked a great style for my 12 year old son. I initially made the 3/4 length style but he felt they were a bit too tight so i chopped them to above the knee and just overlocked the hem. I’m pleased with my button holes.  My one step button hole on my machine is a bit iffy so I just did it by twiddling a few dials as I went! They were really easy to put together. I made each pocket a different colour. Not because I was feeling particularly creative, it was because I didn’t have enough fabric! I can’t persuade him to wear them inside out. He doesn’t quite get how good they look on the inside – all his clothes look like this!! On one leg front piece I had to use the fabric vertically as …

My Colette Albion #2

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Remember the ARRRHHHHHH moment in the first installment? I eventually pulled myself together, and several deep breathes & days later I had a plan.  Here’s some more pix of the Albion: VERDICT: This is the best casual jacket I own, but also the most expensive.  When I was 3/4 of the way through making it I ran out of thread (soooo much stitching to do – buy 2 spools if you intend to make the unlined version).  I called into Boyes in Brighouse, about 7 miles away, for a second spool.  On the way home I had a bump in my car (my fault) which ended up me paying an excess of £400 to the insurance company!! Hence the very expensive coat. It’s not put me off it though.  It’s roomy enough to wear a thick jumper underneath, but looks equally good withjust a thin top underneath. I’ve lost count of the number of  “No! You didn’t make that!?” moments that I’ve had. Not including the cost of my car, and the pattern, this jacket has …

Deluxe Coco – with sprinkles & cream

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Deluxe Coco coming up! Not quite with sprinkles and cream, but does have lots of topstitching and a smattering of ric-rac. Remember earlier when I was trying to squeeze a coco from just 1m of fabric. A remenant I bought last time I visited Fine Fabrics of Harrogate.  I wanted the funnel neck.  I wanted cuffs on the sleeves.  I wanted more fabric! Eventually I opted to add a colour blocked top after rummaging in my scraps in my stash. Even though this is a simple make I took my time and tried to add the finishing touches to this garment. I’ve made 2 already (unblogged). The first one was black in a cheap double knit.  Its pilled up but I’ve worn it loads and everytime I wear it someones always asks if I’ve lost weight!  Result!  I need one for everyday of the week! I usually use ribbon for reinforcing the shoulder seams, but used this bright blue ric-rac instead:  When it came to the hem I’d already managed to squeeze a couple of inches to …

A Challenging Coco

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I have a 1m piece of fabric that NEEDS to be a Coco. I’ve walked away for a break, it’s like trying to do a jigsaw with pieces missing when there’s not quite enough fabric. So here I am, slightly exasperated, but not defeated drinking coffee and sharing my dilemma. I will not be beaten! This fabric was an absolute steal, it’s from Fine Fabrics of Harrogate – worth a visit if you’re going to the knitting & stitching show. It’s so soft, and the colours are different shades of grey (not quite 50) with an aubergine sort of purply colour. Coffee drunk, back to the drawing board, or maybe a rummage in my stash to see what might work with it…

Dahlia – My Christmas Dress

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 After my frenzy of downloading, sticking and gluing, and sewing which lasted 2 days and resulted in my most favourite dress to date, things slowed down.  Well, not so much as slowed down, things came to a grinding halt. I was daunted, to say the least, by the hemming of this frock.  I’d not ever hemmed anything with an kick pleat, or any pleat if I come to think of it. After much googling, I gave up for a few days and made a Coco for my sister instead.  After all, this Dahlia was only intended to be a muslin, hopefully wearable.  I was a little disappointed as it is a bit tight around the tartan band, but, and this a a BIG but, I woke up on Tuesday morning, put on my bestest M&S underwear and tried on my Dahlia.  Whoop Whoop! It zipped straight up without so much as me having to go blue in the face breath in. So that was it, I decided to bite the bullet and get hemming! I’d read Colette’s New Guide to Sewing …

Matchmaker – Dahlia meets Mr Zip

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Whilst inserting my zip today into my Dahlia dress I decided to take some photos of how I match everything up when inserting zips, as it can make or break a garment. This is just how I do it.  There might be an easier way out there, but after making 5 Yasmin Yoke Skirts I feel practiced and competent enough to share my way with you. Firstly, buy a decent zip!  I learnt the hard way today: This post will not show you how any special tricks to inserting a concealed zip, there’s loads of fab tutorials out there and even a free craftsy class (I always refer back to this if I’ve not inserted one in a while). Insert one side of the zip. Zip up the zipper and mark the important seams that need to match: Unzip and place where it needs to be.  Pin if you like but it doesn’t make it any more accurate!   Stitch in place – long basting stitches just near the seams that need to match: Now, zip it …

4 Espressos, with Cake Please

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Whilst lots of you have joined in the OWOP challenge (one week one pattern – wearing the same pattern every day, Carolyn being my favourite with her collection of Archers), I’ve subconsciously been having my own little challenge – OSOP – one sumner one pattern! My wardrobe staple this summer has been the Yasmin Yoke skirt. I have my 3 denim ones (light, dark and black), my leopard print and my linen one.  Joining the RTW fast has (and putting on a few 20 pounds stopping smoking) has made it difficult to find something to wear in my vast wardrobe. That’s when the Yasmin Yoke Skirt came to the rescue. On fat days she sits on my waist and on thin not so fat days she sits more on my hips. Now Autumn is upon on, I’m now needing a little more leg coverage. I’ve worn Yasmin 5 with woolly tights and boots, But I stumbled across Cake’s Espresso leggings and read the wonderful reviews, and now 5 pairs later I’m loving them!! I also made a pair …

Selfies and Sorbettos

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Late to the party? Crikey, I don’t think I’ll ever get there, late or otherwise! So, what have Selfies and Sorbettos got in common?  ……A year ago I’d heard of neither. My mums only just learning too.  Whilst taking this selfie at cricket she said…… Whilst most of you have perfected and hacked this well known (free !) indie pattern from Collette Patterns i’ve just about managed to get to grips with bias binding and made 3 this month!  Even though I’ve used bias trim before, I’ve recently invested in the Craftsy Class ‘sewing on the edge’ and have learn a lot, including a super easy way to make my own without one of the fiddly binding makers where the tape has to be just the exact size, or else. My sorbetto pattern has been stuck together and hung up since last year, and for some unknown reason I’ve not bothered to sew it. All this changed when I was umming and arrhing over this ill fitting maxi dress and tuck the plunge with my first …

Mum does a runner with my New Victoria Blazer

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I’ve spent most of the weekend making my 2nd Victoria Blazer from By Hand London. (Link added in case by some crazy chance you’ve not heard of those talented London Girls who make fab patterns!). As usual I was struggling to find a photographer so I called at my mums. Before I could hand her my camera iPhone she had my jacket on and was away down the garden! She gathered speed when she realised I was hot on her heals: So here’s my mum modelling MY new Victoria Blazer: I did eventually recover my blazer, but I think when I get round to making Victoria No. 3 it will be for my mum! Back to the nitty gritty…..’how did I find this pattern?’, and ‘what changes did I make?’ LOVE the pattern! Who couldn’t or wouldn’t?!?!   I bought it (only a month ago) after spending the last 8 months drooling over all the Victorias around the blogosphere I really didn’t know what to make it with. I wanted a soft denim one, a …