To going against the grain, going insane, going mad

Uni has been really busy since I started back but I have managed to get a little bit of sewing done. I finished Simplicity 3911 a couple of weeks ago but didn't have a chance to take any photos of it until today.

I used some stripey cotton I got on Trademe over a year ago. The fabric had some stains on it which I tried to cut around where possible. I couldn't avoid them all so there's some on the skirt but you can't really see them because of the gathers.

Sewing this reminded me why I love stripes but hate sewing with them. I managed to cut one of the front bodice pieces backwards. This was after I'd made extra certain that the stripes were matched up. Luckily, I had enough fabric to cut it out again but it did cause me to utter a fair few expletives and throw my pincushion across the room.
I cut the skirt on the cross-grain because I wanted the stripes to be horizontal and it meant I could cut the whole skirt in one piece. I didn't do the tucks in the hem that you can see on the pattern envelope because I pinned them but you couldn't really see them because of the stripes.

It has pockets and not those stupid, tiny pockets you find in modern clothes that you can't put anything in for fear of it falling out. These pockets are huge and about 30cm deep. If I put my hands in to the bottom of the pocket they swallow half my arm.

I could've taken the side seams in a bit more but I really couldn't be bothered.



I made the bow belt too with millinery petersham/grosgrain from LuluDeux. It's really stiff so the bow sits nicely.



It closes under the bow with a big snap.

I wasn't sure I'd get to wear this dress much since it's autumn but the weather's all over the place. Today has been really sunny so it looks like I'll still be able to wear my summer dresses for a little while yet.

Captain Underpants

I haven't posted about my quest to make my own underwear for a while but I have actually been making (and wearing) some.

When I saw Zoe's leopard print knickers that she made I instantly wanted a pair.
I found some cheap stretchy mesh leopard print fabric at Kutwell. It's the kind of thing I'd usually avoid like the plague because I'm not generally a fan of wearing synthetics but I planned to line it so it didn't really matter. I used some thin black cotton lycra for lining and fold over elastic (the best elastic ever) to finish the edges. I used the same high waisted 80s pattern I used last time. I gotta say, I think they are pretty awesome but then again I love anything leopard print. They fit similarly to these in terms of high waisted-ness.

For some reason I've had real trouble finding stretch cottons with cute prints here. All I can find is solid colour t-shirting fabric. Maybe I'm the only person around here weird enough to make her own underwear. This may actually be the case. When I told the woman at the fabric store that I was using the fabric I was buying to make knickers she laughed nervously and looked at me like I was crazy.
I bought this flower and bird print off Etsy. It's a cotton interlock type knit which isn't as good as cotton/spandex for making knickers but I loved the print.

These are a completely different style to the other ones I've made. I love the look of American Apparel's unisex brief but I would never buy from them for a variety of reasons including their super creepy CEO, gross company policies and this. I used a pattern meant for a 12 year old boy and some neon cotton/spandex. They fit well and are really comfortable.
Making knickers is strangely addictive. Once you get the hang of it they come together quickly and you can make multiple pairs at a time.

Blue lace, her gown was blue lace

A couple of weeks ago I went to the closing down sale at the Two Squirrels shop, the Nest (don't worry, they're opening an online store). I got four dresses and two purses. I had to get four dresses. They were only $10 each!


One of the dresses I got was this lace 60s one (err..I actually already have a really similar one). It had a couple of little stains on it and there was some fading on the shoulders but I was convinced I could do something about that.

I bought some Dylon dye in a colour called Ocean Blue. I've always found using dye a bit hit or miss. Sometimes it turns out great, sometimes you end up ruining whatever you were dyeing. I decided to take the chance with this dress though.

I'm really happy with the way it turned out. The stains and fading are unoticeable now and the colour is really bright. I did manage to momentarily dye my thumb blue because I didn't realise there was a hole in one of the gloves I was using. It washed off after a day or so.


I got this crochet purse from an op shop a while ago. It was in good condition apart from some dark stains around the top. After my success with the dress I decided to try dyeing it. I used black but it turned out more of a navy blue colour. The stains are gone though.

There aren't many occasions which call for the wearing of lace cocktail dresses in my life so I'll probably just wear it for everyday wear. I mean, it's always cocktail hour somewhere in the world, right?

Lemon Tart

These are the "real" version of the shorts I showed you in my last post. The fabric is a drill cotton with lemons on it from (where else?) the kids section at Spotlight. I wanted the lemons to run across the shorts sideways so I cut the fabric on the crosswise grain rather than parallel to the selvedge.

I forgot to mention the best part in my last post. There's a pocket! I love pockets.

I accidentally made this pair a smidgen too big. I cut the waistband extra long because in the last pair I had to do it in two pieces as I didn't have enough fabric. I can't be bothered unpicking the waistband to take them in though.

You can kind of see the buttons up the side. They're plain white ones from my favourite button op shop. Buttons are pretty much the only thing I ever find there, but they always have a good selection.

I wore these and the other shorts while I was in Wellington and I have to say, I'm a bit of a shorts convert. They were pretty comfy for walking around in and I didn't have to worry about flashing my knickers because of the wind.

Little Bo Peep

My nephew: "That's a nice...what is that? A skirt? Dress?"
Me: "Shorts. They're shorts."

It's probably unsurprising that my seven year old nephew couldn't quite figure out what I was sewing given that I haven't worn a pair of shorts for a few years. Shorts aren't really my thing. Until a couple of weeks ago I didn't even own a pair, unless you count my PE shorts from when I was 13. I decided that I needed a pair for my trip to Wellington because it's a notoriously windy city and I didn't want to spend the whole time holding down my skirts.

This is my wearable muslin pair, made from some vintage cotton that my Mum gave me. She op shopped the fabric years ago. It has a girl playing with a sheep or goat or some other animal on it. My nephew reckons it's a dog but I'm pretty sure you're not meant to feed dogs grass.

I used McCall's 5458 from July 1960. I left off the bows and used buttons up the side instead of a zip. There was only a metre of fabric so I had to do some creative piecing together to fit it all in.



Since I didn't have a top that matched the shorts (oh, the horror), I had to make one. I used the Port Elizabeth pattern, which is free on burdastyle and which I have made about six times now. The fabric is some apple green broderie anglaise with flowers printed on it.

I've also made my final pair but haven't got a photo of them, yet. They are bright yellow with lemons on them. I mean, you didn't expect me to make sensible shorts did you?

Two Lovely Squirrels

Today, Mum and I went to Rangiora to the Two Squirrels pop-up vintage shop, the Nest. The Nest is closing in a couple of weeks and the squirrels are going to open an online shop. They have lots of amazing stuff and the squirrels, Vanessa and Warren, are two of the nicest people you'll ever meet.



I bought this lovely shirtdress. The pattern is so pretty.



I didn't notice until I got it home that it has an unusual triangle shaped armscye. You can see it in the photo above. I've never seen ones like it. One of the things I love about vintage is the cute details like that.



I also got this lovely seersucker which I plan to make into a playsuit, maybe like this gorgeous vintage one but I will probably make a two-piece. I got some buttons too but I didn't get a picture of them (oops).

She's a Mod

You know how sometimes you forget how much you love something? Like, I forgot how delicious cream cheese is and then I had some the other day and now I keep slathering it on everything. I also momentarily forgot how much I love 60s style dresses. That is, until I saw the floral fabric I posted about in my last post. It's a textured cotton pique and when I saw it at Spotlight it screamed, "Make me into a 60s dress". It was $18 a metre though and that's more than I like to spend on fabric (yeah, I'm cheap) so I didn't buy it. About a month later I was in Spotlight again browsing the sales table and there it was for $4 a metre so I happily bought it.

I used Burda #104, after seeing this fabulous version. It has bell sleeves which I love. It came together relatively easily, apart from my sewing machine having a hissy fit. Luckily, I have two, so I used my 1950s Elna instead.

I made a couple of changes to the pattern. I couldn't be bothered doing a closure so I cut the back lower so that I could slip it over my head. I made the skirt flare out slightly more.
I'm really happy with the way it turned out and it's made me obsessed with sewing some more 60s style dresses.

P.S. I'm going to Wellington for a few days next week, does anyone have any vintage or op shopping recommendations?