Party Dress

I do appreciate the sewing.patternreview.com  fraternity with their support and helpful comments!  I also joined the Sewing Down Under which as they pointed out is for Aussies and Kiwis not knicker construction.

I have finally had time to make my Christmas dress - just in time for my mother's birthday last week (February). Congratulate me because it is not black nor even dark.  But floral - my hubby was very impressed and went so far as to say I looked sexy in bright colours. lol

I used the Burda 2943 as a foundation but I used my brand new dressmaker's dummy to make it fitted, rather than loose.  I set up my dummy to my measurements and then realised that my nipples are closer together than my dummy so I changed the dials to narrow the chest and expand the sides and back.  The one measurement I overlooked was shoulder to nipple which at my age is lower than my perky 'Flora'. 

The material had a bit of a stretch in one direction but sewed like cotton and seemed like no trouble. I think it was cotton sateen. However, the front gapped once I put in the facing around the neck so perhaps I stretched it a little when I sewed it even though I staystitched it.  To fix this I did a gather by using a stretched piece of elastic at the centre front and it shaped it nicely.

It feels really lovely to wear.

 What do you think?

Dress Makers Dummy

I should mention that my fabulous mother gave me a dressmaker's dummy for Christmas.  My next project is to be a floral dress and I will fit it on my dummy.  I'm going to give Simon Henry's LBD book method a bit of a go but I will use my dummy instead of a t-shirt.  Wish me luck because it is a non-stretch fabric.

Kimono Dressing Gown for Summer- Simplicity 9319

I've been sweltering in my winter velour dressing gown so I decided I needed a new summer one.  I also like to water the garden in the morning before I get dressed so I needed something for that, just in case the neighbours look over:).

Choosing the material was the hardest bit.  I spent hours going through the American Craft Cottons - I love them so much and chose an expensive one with gold cotton in it and sort of Japanese looking only to find when I got to the counter that there wasn't enough left on the bolt.  Just my luck. In the end I went for a cheaper Voile from Sportlight which was only NZ$9 per metre.  I did french seams to make it look tidy.   I love the lemon ribbon sash for a belt and only put it on by chance when one of my Xmas present came wrapped with it.  Next time I would make the gown a little longer.  (I didn't show you my knees!) The pattern is one I bought on TradeMe (a whole box of 60 patterns for $5 and $18 for postage. lol). But worth it since patterns here can be between $10 and $20 each. Voila with my Voile! A garden gown for the garden!

Superman Boxer shorts for Bed

I have to admit that my 12 year old son got this lovely comic superman material for Christmas with a note "To be continued into a pair of cool boxer shorts for bed!"  I managed to get them made on 13th January.  The fabric is from ThumpaCat in Arrowtown. (They sell on Trademe)  R loves them! (especially since I made a crouch adjustment so they don't hang down too low!)

My New Year's resolution is to get out of black! lol But then again I got Simon Henry's "Little Black Dress" book for Christmas and I'm going to draft the Greta wrapdress pattern and  make it up out of French Crepe!    

Remake an old favourite garment

The other project I did was to pull apart a nice over-jacket that I had bought.  It was in a stretch knit fabric with a chiffon gathered trim.  It was very cheap and as a consequence didn't last the season without terrible pilling which I couldn't remove.  So I cut it up and used the pieces as a pattern.My trim didn't sit the same as the old garment so I edged  it with satin bias binding and it looks fab.  I sewed two buttons on the front but you could also clasp it with your favourite broach.

Let me catch you up on the projects I have sewn since my return to sewing this year prompted by a very nice commercially made straight skirt at $(NZ)179.  For a simply made skirt it was an unjustifiable cost, so the sewer in me told me to try Fabric Vision.  Who would have believed it, that same fabric waved to me as I entered the shop. My material was $(NZ)20.  It was when I got it home that I discovered it was one way stretch but I remembered before cutting it out to put the stretch across the skirt. Phew!  I used Burda Easy 8155  .
I sewed a size 12 and thought the measurements were out on the packet but then remembered the sizing has ease added.  (Apparently its about 2 inches on the bust, one inch on the waist and 2 inches on the hip.) But Gertie's New Blog for Better Sewing will reveal all.  Thanks Gertie.  I've ordered your book and I'll wrap it up for my Christmas present which is the best way to get the present you want!

Then I got confident and some lovely dotted fabric beckoned to me - even though it was more like carpet bag material I purchased it.  Foolishly, I failed to consider the material and made up the exact same pattern in the exact same size as the previous effort.  It fitted perfectly, except I couldn't sit down in it!!!  lol
I was determined it would not be a failure (and hence a waste of money) so I went cruising the internet for ideas.  On Sewing Pattern Review dot com (scroll down to Angela Wolf's video) on exposed zippers.  This was the solution.  I got a chunky zip and put it in the full length of the skirt.  I also did a bias binding waist edge instead of a waistband.  A lot of unpicking and resewing but it was worth it. The waist could have been taken in a bit if I had taken the time to try it on before beginning the waist hemming. Patience is a virtue as a sewer but when I am on the home straight I tend to rush so I can wear it.

I can sit down in it now and I've got a snazzier skirt than I would have had without the visible zip !!  I used a jacket zipper so the skirt can be zipped completely off! lol