December 15, 2011 by ginghamgirl
Pattern: Bodice from Colette Pattern’s Macaron, altered to be strapless, self drafted half circle skirt
Fabric: Red and white cotton gingham, from stash, white poly-blend lining, from stash, white polyester boning
I don’t think I’m the only one who finds the term ‘gingham’ synonymous with Dorothy and her adventures in the Land of Oz (for anyone deprived of a childhood I am referring to the Wizard of Oz). Personally I actually prefer the darker ‘Return to Oz’ with the crazy Wheelers, which gave me nightmares for years and caused an unfortunate aversion to rollerblades. Uh anyway, gingham fabric connotations aside, I made this dress several months ago, but due to living at the bottom of the world, summer has only just reached us.
I altered the bodice from the Colette Macaron pattern to be strapless, probably not my best move as, without the front and back yokes the dress was still a little low on the sides. I used boning for the first time, not nearly as scary as I had presumed plus I got bragging rights among my non-sewing friends who don’t know how easy it actually is. I drafted a skirt similar to this one but made it longer and err actually my waist size rather than my imaginary size. The bodice is lined in white poly-blend fabric and trimmed with gingham ruffled elastic trim, which I enclosed some self-made bias-tape. I plaited some scrap fabric to make the straps. Which would look great is I wanted it to look super scrappy. I did not.
But look, loveheart shaped pockets with bows. Much nicer/ridiculously girly. And now I’m off to finish the rather ambitious list of Christmas presents I’ve decided that I *have* to make this year. Plus a dress for Christmas, cos clearly I don’t have enough ; ).
Have a lovely day, happy sewing, Bry xo
Category Dresses, Sewing | Tags: Colette Patterns,dress,gingham,Sewing,stash busting | 1 Comment
November 20, 2011 by ginghamgirl
Patten: Sencha from Colette Pattens
Fabric: 1m of Mystery Green polyblend fabric
Yes I am quoting Kelly Clarkson (SINCE you been gone. Check THAT English out). I have been gone for quite a while. But do not fret, look, a top.
My second Sencha from Colette Patterns, I made version 1 again, but this time drafted a peter pan collar with lace trim and used 5 buttons instead of four (more back aerobics for me hurruah). Seriously sometimes I completely understand women who had dressers ‘back in the day’. My back can only contort so much before I realize I may actually have to go out in public with some of my bits on display. Oh the horror.
I really love this pattern. I think it is so versatile and looks so varied with different fabric and button combinations. This top looks both dressy and more relaxed, depending on whether I wear it untucked or tucked in. This time I chose to use this very odd green fabric I found at an op shop, it looks like cord on one side and is really silky on the other (the side I used). I think it’s a synthetic blend of some sort, I’ve had no issues with washing it so far so it is a champ in my mind. The lace was from my MASSIVE stash my Nan gave me, and the buttons are from a pile I brought from my local op shop last year. So that’s kind of stash busting…right?
I’m between a Colette Size 2 and 4 and I think I made this shirt a smidge too tight, but that hasn’t stopped me from wearing 5 times since I made it (OUTFIT REPEATER OUTFIT REPEATER). I had originally made it a size four but when I was fitting it, it was quite big so I pulled it in a bit. A bit too much but shhhh, and at least it makes me think twice before I have that second serving of cake.
I have actually already made ANOTHER sencha, a knit one, without closures (hello two hour top). If you are reading this and you don’t have a Sencha pattern, I think you should get one IMMEDIETELY, its one that you’ll want to make over and over again.
These photos were brought to you by my camera’s self timer. Be not afraid of pressing the button, running to approximately where its pointed and posing for the obligatory 10secs before you run back and realize you counted wrong and have instead caught yourself in flight. With a very odd face. This is what the delete button is for.
Have a good day, Bry xo
Category Sewing | Tags: Colette Patterns,Sewing,stash busting,Top | No Comments
September 21, 2011 by ginghamgirl
This dress a) doesn’t need nimble fingers to do up all 8 teeny tiny buttons which of course require ninja moves to reach my hands to and b) has pockets. Viva la wrap dress!
I made this using another pattern from Colette Pattern, the Crepe, a wrap dress that I made up using some synthetic/polyester/artificial/alien material that was my Nan’s. My father kindly remarked that I look like an advertisement for the Olympics. If this confuses you, you’re not alone.
This was the first time I’ve used this pattern, and it was more of wearable muslin than anything else. First thing I noticed was that is uses A LOT OF FABRIC. Luckily my Nan always over bought fabric so there was enough to make it, plus I rewarded myself for stash busting with a plate of cookies. Mmm. Next time I think I’d make it a smidge tighter, lower neckline, shorter and a tad cut out from the back pieces to make it lower there too. Oh dear- COVER UP WOMAN.
It was fun making a dress without any notions or closures (and less swearing at the sewing machine when I run out of thread halfway through making my last buttonhole), and I could see myself making up many a Crepe come summer. Maybe I could try for an Olympic Torch dress.
Have a good day. Bry xo
Category Dresses, Sewing | Tags: Colette Patterns,dress,Sewing,stash busting | 1 Comment
June 29, 2011 by ginghamgirl
Muslin. A bizarre word which I am certain I pronounce differently every time I say it. It’s an unusual concept, sewing an extra garment, a ‘test run’ before using your ‘expensive material’. Well, as I tend to buy most of my material from op shops, or find it on the streets (erm not actually a joke, I found a hoard of AMAZING fabric some bozo was throwing out in ‘hard rubbish’ on one of my jaunts around the neighbourhood once. I took everything that I could carry. I am a hobo. A practical hobo, but still a hobo.) . Uh anyway, due to my cheapness- I mean my resourcefulness- my ‘actual’ material often costs less than using muslin from the local fabric store. So instead of doing a test run in yucky cotton that I would never wear, I instead choose material that is slightly less lovely than my other stuff. That way when I inevitably cut out the bodice too big or make my bust darts too high (surely I am not the only person delusional about both the size of my chest and where it sits?) it is no big deal, I can still wear it (with MANY modifications and unpicking) but I know what to do with my ‘real material’.
This is the Sencha blouse from Colette Patterns, an amazing online pattern store based in the States that surely every sewer has heard of by now. This blouse was very easy to sew and features my first attempt at sewing buttonholes. I have so far avoided them as I am always eager to avoid accidently ruining a garment. I did not ruin it (completely) but learnt a helpful (and obvious hint). Always. Use. Interfacing. When. Buttonholing. I accidently errr made a GIANT run in the threads when cutting my buttonholes open. It won’t stop me from wearing the blouse, but it’s still tres annoying. For my ‘real’ Sencha I will need to make it longer to fit my giant torso, add another button on the back and to keep the dart as it is, DO NOT EXTEND THE DART HIGHER YOU SILLY GIRL.
Next up on my sewing list is a black silk Sencha with a keyhole opening, then maybe one with a peter pan collar, then a lace one and uhh yes, I like this shirt pattern. It looks very neat when tucked into a skirt, an odd experience for me, the Queen of tights with runs and mysterious coffee stains that magically appear on every single item of my clothing. Happy sewing and thankyou for reading 
.
Bry xo
Category Sewing | Tags: Colette Patterns,Sewing | 2 Comments
