Camelias and Crinolines

Blue lace, her gown was blue lace

2012-02-13T21:23:00.001+13:00

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

2012-02-06T22:37:00.000+13:00

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

2012-02-01T19:50:00.001+13:00

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

2012-01-20T18:45:00.001+13:00

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

2012-01-19T10:57:00.002+13:00

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?

Leather, Plastic and Flowers

2012-01-14T12:45:00.000+13:00

My new camera finally arrived. I have been taking pictures of stuff around the house all day.

My ever expanding collection of bakelite bangles.

A new pair of vintage gloves I bought at Ferry Antiques. It's a co-operative shop with different sellers so there's loads of amazing things. I love antique shops that are chock-a-block with stuff.

Fabric I'm using to sew a 60s style dress.

A Picnic and a Check the Technique

2012-01-10T20:23:00.000+13:00

Picture pilfered from the fabulous Helga

On Sunday Georgia and Ayesha organised a wee blogger picnic in Hagley Park. It was so nice to meet Christie, Laurel and Ayesha and see Georgia and Helga again. The weather was perfect and the rain that was forecast never arrived. It was great to chat about blogging, vintage and op-shopping while enjoying snacks and drinks.

I didn't take any photos because my camera is broken and I'm waiting for my new one to be sent but you can see more pictures at Georgia's and Helga's blogs.

Picture pinched from the lovely Georgia

I wore a skirt sent to me by the very generous Brians an unusual name for a girl. She sent me a whole package of lovely stuff including a fabulous 60s lingerie set and some great dresses which I'll show you in another post. The skirt fabric is a gorgeous floral cotton. It was too long and needed a waistband and a zip so I cut some of the bottom off to make a waistband. I didn't have the right coloured zip in my stash so I made a placket and used some snaps and a hook and eye at the top.

I decided to use some horsehair braid in the hem which is on my Check the Technique list. Horsehair braid (not actually made of horsehair, it's kind of plastic-y), is used in hems to give them a nice shape. I followed the technique from Gertie's New Blog for Better Sewing. You sew it like a facing, then flip it up and topstitch it. As you can see from the above picture my machine didn't really like the horsehair braid. It looks okay on the outside but the inside's a bit wonky. When I use it again I think I'll sew the hem up by hand rather than topstitching it. The braid I used wasn't very wide (about 2.5cm) so the effect is quite subtle. It makes the skirt stand out sort of like I'm wearing a crinoline which I like.

It's only rock and roll

2011-12-24T10:15:00.000+13:00

We had a few more big earthquakes yesterday. Not really what we needed two days before Christmas. Luckily, no one was seriously injured. Since there's not much you can do in these situations except keep calm and carry on, we spent Christmas eve eve eating blue cheese stuffed olives and pepperdews and watching telly (which was still sitting on the floor where it had fallen during the quake).

I'm not heavily into the whole Christmas thing (we don't even have a tree) and I hate Christmas songs but Tim Minchin's White Wine in the Sun pretty much sums up all my feelings about it. I hope everyone has an enjoyable holiday however you celebrate, and manages to drink some white wine (or other beverage) in the sun (or snow if you live in the Northern hemisphere).

Australian Home Journal 1955

2011-12-03T16:55:00.001+13:00

Sorry about my absence. It's been busy. I got a job as a research assistant for the summer. Fun, fun, fun! No, seriously. I love doing research.

Anyway, I would like, if I may, to take you on a strange journey. All the way back to 1955. This is the cover of an Australian Home Journal from April 1st 1955. I have a few of these which all used to belong to someone named Watson (she wrote her name on the top right). Sorry the pictures are taken with my camera. My scanner died. Hopefully you can click on the pictures to make them bigger. ETA: If you right click and go to 'open in a new tab' you can make them bigger and see the text. Apparently, blogger now has a weird thing where you can't make the pictures bigger by just clicking on them.

Inside they have pictures of the patterns that you could order by mail. I want all of them.

Alongside the patterns are little paragraphs about the lastest trends. Example:
"The New Line? The question in every woman's mind just now is, 'What is going to happen about Dior's 'H' line and his even newer 'A' line, and how much will they affect styles out there?' As yet no one knows the answer. The matter is controversial."

Controversial? If you say so.

How amazing is that dress on the left with the buttons and the pleating?

Aside from all the pretty dresses there are also some ads that make my feminist self nauseous. There are a disturbing number of these for laxatives/diet pills. This is only a small sampling.

'Tonic reducing globules' sounds way scary.

Least you think these were only aimed at adults, here is one for the kiddies. The ad actually says, "They're not habit-forming". Oh, that's so reassuring to know little Joan won't become addicted to laxatives.

On a less scary note, this ad on the back cover tickles me because you can still buy Arnott's milk arrowroot biscuits here. They are yummy!

Sail away with me honey*

2011-11-22T21:41:00.001+13:00

I'm pretty sure I've expressed my love of novelty prints about a million times before on here. One of the best places to get vintage style novelty prints is in the children's section. Ages ago, I found some awesome sailboat printed fabric in the kids fabric section on Trademe for $7. I was going to use it to make a skirt but then I saw this sailboat print shirt by Milly (it costs US$230 which is like NZ$300!!!).

Image from here

I wanted a more 50s style than the Milly shirt so pulled out Butterick 9405. I've already made this pattern twice so it went together pretty quickly. I made view D.

What on earth is that woman at the front doing?

I did darts at the front instead of tucks but that's the only change I made. I did french seams where I could because I am obsessed with them.

I actually finished this a little while ago but the print made it a total nightmare to get an okay picture of it. I tried three times to take photos but the bright white background of the fabric made all the pictures blurry.

I used some vintage buttons that I love but haven't been able to use until now because there are only three of them. It closes with a snap at the top because there's not enough room for a button.

So my fabric + notions cost less than $10 vs the $300 Milly version. I think I win.

*Incidentally, I don't like sailing or going on boats because I get seasick. My face turns green and I think I'm going to die.

Well, you must tell me, baby, how your head feels under somethin' like that?*

2011-11-08T18:22:00.001+13:00

I love leopard print. I'm sure it started when I was about seven and my Mum made me a little black jacket with a faux fur leopard print collar. I wore that thing until it fell apart. I have been seeking the perfect leopard print jacket ever since. I do have a faux fur leopard coat, that was given to me by a friend, which I love. The only problem is that I can only wear it in the depths of winter because it's so warm. I wanted something that could be worn in spring, summer and autumn so I could have leopard print for all seasons.

I bought McCall's 5525 on sale. If I hadn't seen a few versions of it on the internet I never would have got it because I think the fabric/styling on the pattern envelope is hideous. This is why I don't like modern patterns. I can't look past the ugly pattern envelopes. Vintage ones are so much prettier. I also found the perfect leopard print cotton sateen at Fabric Vision (which is now gone). I think the fabric cost me $45 for 3 metres. I almost didn't get it because I am so miserly and that seemed like way too much money. Then the pattern and the fabric sat in my stash for about a year. I'm not really sure why I didn't have the motivation to sew it up but I'm glad that I waited. My sewing skills have improved exponentially in that time.

I started this the other week and even though it has a lot (over 100 I think) of steps it went together pretty fast. I followed almost all of the instructions and only changed a couple of things. I raised the pockets because, I don't know about you, but I don't find inseam pockets starting at my thighs to be very comfortable. I also made them bigger because they were teensy. It's like they don't actually want you to use the pockets or something.
I also used the sleeves from view D because I like wearing bangles and full length sleeves are not very conducive to this.

I made the tie belt (I'm wearing it in the above photo) but I probably won't use it because I quite like the A-line shape you get without it (top photo). I used a red lining fabric and I like the way you can catch a peek of it when I lift my arms or put my hands in the pockets.

Argh! I'm losing my hat

I had some fabric left over so I thought a matching pillbox hat was in order. I made a pattern from one of my vintage hats and used a combination of the instructions here and guesswork.

I made a frame out of buckram which is a stiff fabric used for hatmaking. I then covered it with the leopard fabric and lined it with the same red as the jacket is lined with. I haven't quite finished. I need to attach some elastic so that it actually stays on my head.

I'm so happy with the way they turned out. I love them. I think they look really 60s. I've already worn the jacket twice and will be wearing the hat once I buy some elastic.

*Under my brand new leopard-skin pillbox hat? Pretty good, Bob Dylan, pretty good.

Polyoxybenzylmethylenglycolanhydride

2011-11-02T21:33:00.001+13:00

Or as it's more commonly known, bakelite. To me, bakelite, sounds like some sort of weird diet cake mix or something but it's actually one of the earliest plastics, developed in 1907 by Leo Baekeland. It used to be used for all sorts of things, from radios to fittings, but most importantly jewellery. I'm a little bit obsessed with bakelite bangles. The carved ones are especially swoonsome. No diamonds or gold for me, I'll have plastic, thanks.

Because they can be ridiculously expensive, I only have three bakelite bangles (the top ones). The carved orange one is my favourite. The colours have food related names like creamed spinach and pumpkin. They do look good enough to eat, after all.

Fun fact: if you rub bakelite it smells like a science lab because it's made with formaldehyde.

I had my last exam yesterday so now I have some serious sewing/reading/relaxing plans. My sewing plans may or may not involve a leopard print jacket.

Lilac Wine

2011-10-24T22:28:00.001+13:00

I bought this early 60s dress from Dashfield Vintage a while ago to make myself feel better about all my tests and essays. I don't own anything lilac because pastel colours don't suit me but I loved the gathered neckline.

Image from Dashfield Vintage

It's a little bit big, but nothing a belt won't fix. The print is of leaves, which is a slight departure from my usual flowers.

One more exam to go and then I'm free, for a little while anyway.

Sewing Lingerie Part 3

2011-10-17T14:55:00.000+13:00

Remember, ages ago, when I said I was going to try making my own underwear? I didn't forget, I just got distracted by other things. I bought the book, Kwik Sew's Beautiful Lingerie from Trademe a while ago. Some of the patterns in it are questionable and they are all sewn in some pretty dreadful late 80s/early 90s fabrics but I tried to look past that and found some of the patterns are actually quite good.

I had been thinking about drafting a pattern for a pair of high-waisted knickers (I refuse to use the word panties. It makes me shudder.) because almost everything I wear is high-waisted and modern knickers always sit way too low. All the high-waisted knickers you can buy here are granny type ones that are beige and usually made of something synthetic (double shudder).
This pattern from the Kwik Sew book was pretty much the exact shape I had in mind.

I made them from a stripey stretch cotton from the cheap table at the fabric shop. The edges are bound with fold over elastic which was $8 for a bag with 20 metres in it (bargain!). They were so quick and easy to put together. I used Zoe's tutorial for the construction. I've made three pairs and they have fast become my favourite underwear. They are really comfortable and they look cute on.

I wanted a matching bra so the sew-along at A Few Threads Loose was perfect timing. The pattern is the Pauline Bra from Anna's Etsy shop, Mrs D epew V intage. It's a pdf copy of a bra pattern from the 1940s. I used the same stripey cotton and some black stretch cotton of a similar weight.

I used the unfolded fold over elastic for the straps because it looks similar to the wide ribbon used on my vintage bras. There's no underwire or anything but, let's face it, I don't actually need it.

I'm really happy with the way it turned out. They kind of look like a bikini but a cute one, so I don't mind.

Sort of Spring

2011-10-10T17:14:00.001+13:00

Sorry about my lack of posting. Uni is kicking my butt at the moment. I have two tests and an essay due this week. Anyway, it's sort of Spring here now. By 'sort of' I mean we get a couple of sunny days and then back to gloom again. This is typical of Christchurch. I'm not complaining mind you, I like gloomy weather. I quite like Spring too but I don't like what comes after. Summer means hayfever and constant sunscreen application for me.
In honour of the start of Spring I thought I would make a weather appropriate skirt. I actually finished this a couple of weeks ago but was too ~~lazy~~ busy to take pictures of it.

It's the same self-drafted circle skirt pattern I've sewn a million times, because you can never have too many circle skirts. The fabric is from my stash. I bought 4 metres of it at Spotlight a few years ago. I was going to make a full skirted 50s dress but then I thought the combination of full skirt, pink, roses and spots (there are little cream spots on the fabric) would be too girly even for me. I am not much of a fan of pink in general so it must have been a moment of temporary insanity when I bought 4 metres. I do like it as a skirt though. With a skirt I can tone down the pink with a black top and docs.

I lined it with some white cotton because it makes the colours stand out a bit more. I also added some petersham ribbon to the waistband because it looks pretty and it probably strengthens it or something. All the seams are french seams. Even though you can't see them because it's lined, I don't care. I just love how neat they look.

If you squint you may be able to make out the spots on the fabric. The camera washes out the colours a bit. They are brighter in person.

I have a ton of Spring sewing projects in my mind and hopefully after this week I'll be able to start working on them.

Garage Sale

2011-09-30T16:54:00.001+13:00

Last week, I went to a garage sale at Brumby's place. She had an assortment of fabric and vintage clothes (my version of catnip). I came away with two bags of stuff including a gorgeous 50s bag and two pairs of vintage shoes. Since I have trouble finding new shoes in size 5, I always snap up any vintage ones I find in my size. A salesperson at the shoe store once told me that if by some miracle they actually make a particular style of shoe in size 5 the store only ever buys one pair. Weirdly enough, I quite often find vintage shoes in size 5 or smaller. They seemed relatively common in the 50s/60s. I find this fascinating. Did people just have smaller feet then than they do now?

I also got some fabric. See the two different red vinyls? Perfect for making some more bow belts. The mint green gauze-y fabric is so pretty and there's enough to make a dress.

I got a dress and a wicker basket too but forgot to get a picture of them.

I actually made something and I bought a dress

2011-09-20T17:41:00.006+12:00

I've been wanting to make a bow belt ever since I saw the tutorial over at Casey's Elegant Musings. I loved the original patent leather belt that the design was based off. I looked for some vinyl at the fabric store but they only had thick furniture weight in matte colours. I also kept a lookout when opshopping for a leather skirt or something which I could cut up and use. I didn't have much luck until the other day when I found the skinny patent belt in the picture below. I had bought the large patent belt ages ago but I didn't wear it much because it was too bulky. The colours were a perfect match so I figured I could use the small belt as the base and cut up the big one to make the bow.

I cut a strip along one side so it had one of the rows of stitching from the original belt on it. I planned to do another row of stitching along the other side but after sewing some practice bits with a leather needle and a teflon foot I wasn't sure that my machine (an 80s Brother) would cope with it. My Elna is in getting a service at the moment otherwise I would have used that. I have read that people use Supermatics to sew leather shoes together. I am impatient and I didn't want to wait the 10 or so days it will be before I get my machine back so I just decided not to do the other row of topstitching. Once I folded it up into the bow it wasn't actually that noticeable that only the top edge was stitched.

Peg to hold it while the glue was drying

I used some random glue we had at home that said it could be used on leather. Since I didn't actually have do any sewing, it was simply a matter of gluing all the pieces together and letting them dry. I glued a button in the middle because I tried a tab but the thickness of the material made the bow look all squashed and funny.

The flash on my camera makes it look like there are marks on the bow but it's just the light.

I expressed my love of toile a couple of posts ago so when I saw this dress at Small Earth Vintage I just had to buy it. The exchange rate is actually quite good at the moment (for once) so browsing Etsy is dangerous.

I really need to stop slouching

I forgot to take a close-up of the toile fabric but you can see it and the belt slighter better in this picture.

I'm really pleased with the way the belt turned out. I want to make a ton more in all different colours. Maybe red next time?

I'm still working on my purple wool dress at a snail's pace. I can't seem to work up the energy to sew it quickly because, with the warmer weather, I'm probably not going to be able to wear it until next Autumn anyway.

How many is too much?

2011-09-10T15:50:00.000+12:00

I recently bought a small lot of 11 vintage patterns for $25. It was a bargain that I couldn't refuse but it got me thinking about whether it's possible to have too many patterns. I have about 45 vintage (1930s-60s) patterns and a few more modern ones. This seems like a lot to me. I wouldn't really say that I'm a collector. I buy patterns with the intention of making them. Don't get me wrong, sometimes I pull out my patterns and gaze adoringly at their pretty envelopes (oh..you don't do that?) but I'm usually planning what kind of fabric I want to use to make them up. I wouldn't buy a vintage pattern that I didn't want to sew.

Another recent purchase

Probably three quarters of my patterns are for dresses. While I do wear dresses almost every day I'm not sure I need another thirty-something dresses in my wardrobe to add to the ones I already have. So, I'm going to make a rule. For every vintage pattern I want to buy I have to get rid of one from my collection. Hopefully, this will mean I can keep it to a manageable size.

How many patterns do you have? Do you think you can have too many?

Two Squirrels Vintage Opening

2011-09-02T18:22:00.000+12:00

Today, my Mum and I went to the opening of Two Squirrels Vintage pop up shop in Rangiora (a wee town about half an hour from Christchurch). The owners of Two Squirrels had two lovely vintage shops in the CBD but sadly they were both destroyed in the February earthquake. They have now set up a gorgeous little shop at their home.

The shop is filled with some amazing treasures. The dress I'm holding above was lovely. The picture doesn't do it justice. It has pintucks on the bodice and buttons and loops down the front. I didn't buy it because it was beyond my poor student budget but I will probably have dreams about that dress.

I did, however, buy some lovely fabric and a pattern. Mum got some fabric too.
I love the collar on the pattern. You can't really tell but the polka dot version is scalloped.

We bumped into the always immaculate Helga von Trollop there but in my excitement at all the vintage I didn't get a picture of her.

If anyone in Christchurch wants to visit Two Squirrels pop up shop they are open Fri/Sat/Sun 10am to 5pm and they are situated at 63 Ashley St, Rangiora. They have lots of lovely stuff and the prices are very reasonable.

On the way there we stopped at a few other shops. I got the toile fabric above from Femme de Brocante. It's actually furnishing fabric (because that's what they sell) but I could not pass it up since it was on sale at $10/m. I love toile but hardly ever see it in fabric shops and when I do it's ridiculously expensive. I'm going to make a skirt out of it. I don't think it will be too bulky. I have a dress made of furnishing fabric and I like the way the skirt sits.

We went to a couple of op shops too. I picked up a black lace back button blouse. It doesn't look that great in the photo but it's really cute. The lace is sewn individually in strips onto a cotton bodice.

I also got this old army bomber jacket. Whoever owned it must have been quite small because it actually fits me.

Follow the yellow brick road

2011-08-28T20:48:00.000+12:00

I was going to try and finish my dress yesterday but then the weather turned out glorious. I didn't much feel like sewing a wool dress while the sun was shining so, instead, I did something that had been on my to do list for a while. Glittery shoes! I have wanted to try covering a pair of shoes in glitter ever since I saw the tutorial on Rhia' s blog, Evil Dressmaker. I sat on the deck in the sun (gotta get that vitamin D) with some paint, glitter and glue. It was like being back at primary school. Playing with glitter was just as fun as I remember.

I was going to give these brogues to the op shop because I don't really wear brown shoes but I thought they would be perfect for covering with glitter. I had to paint them red first so the brown didn't show through.

I did four layers of the glue and glitter letting each layer dry before doing the next. They dried really quickly because it was so sunny.

I added some ribbon as laces.

The picture below is closer to the true colour. I love the way they turned out. I want a pair in every colour.

Check the Technique: Bound Buttonholes, Baby!

2011-08-21T11:58:00.001+12:00

I was going to buy some organza to do my bound buttonholes on Monday but then this happened...again.

Cue three days being stuck in the house. It wasn't like that just in Christchurch either. It seemed like pretty much the whole country got snowed in. Even subtropical Auckland (way up north) got a tiny smattering. I finally got to the fabric store by the end of the week, so I spent yesterday practicing my bound buttonholes and then doing the real ones on the bodice of my dress.

Bound buttonholes have always seemed to me like some sort of scary monster that only expert sewers tackle. I think the most terrifying thing is that you have to cut into the fabric before you know if they're going to work. If you screw them up you've ruined your whole garment. I was determined when I started Simplicity 5098 that I would finally do some. The pattern suggested doing bound buttonholes and I thought they would look neater because the button detail is a focal point of the dress. Also, because they are rarely seen on ready to wear clothes these days, they always seem vintage-y to me.

I used this tutorial from Gertie's New Blog for Better Sewing. I've seen many different techniques for doing bound buttonholes but I definitely think this is the best. I think it gives you a lot more control and consistent results.

The tutorial says to use silk organza but, let's face it, I wouldn't even know where to buy that in Christchurch. The few fabric stores that would possibly sell it were destroyed in the quake and even a small piece would probably be way more than I am willing/able to spend. I just bought some cheap (about $5/m) polyester organza from Spotlight and it worked just fine.

These are a couple of my practice ones.

Not so Good

Better

The first one wasn't that great because I used pins instead of basting. If you're going to try it I would definitely recommend basting everything.

These are the real ones.

I'm not quite sure why my camera made the fabric look lighter around the buttonholes but it isn't like that in person. They're not perfect but I'm pretty pleased with them. You can see the purple organza I used in the corners slightly but it's only noticeable if you look closely. It doesn't actually matter if they're not perfectly uniform because once the buttons are done up you can't even see the buttonholes.

Verdict: Not as difficult as I thought they'd be and definitely worth the effort. I see myself making lots of clothes with bound buttonholes in the future.

Check the Technique

2011-08-14T18:16:00.003+12:00

Sometimes I feel like I have plateaued in terms of my sewing. While I have been trying to sew with different fabric (it is so hard for me not to make everything in florals or polka dots), I haven't really picked up any new techniques lately. Enter Check the Technique created by the super awesome Reana Louise. Basically, you create a list of techniques you haven't tried, try them and then write about your success/failure.

My list of techniques (some stolen from Reana Louise):

Scalloped Edge
Pintucks
~~Bound Buttonholes~~ - posted here
Raglan Sleeves
Sew with leather
Sew with faux fur
Make a belt with a belt kit
Dye Fabric with tea or coffee
Draft a lining
Boning
Sew with laminate/oilcloth
~~Use horsehair braid in a hem~~- posted here

I will probably add to this when I think of some more.

Incidentally, the next pattern on my list has three new techniques; bound buttonholes, raglan sleeves and drafting a lining. I'm sewing Simplicity 5098 in a textured purple wool with bright pink lining and green buttons. The purple is actually richer than it looks in the photo.

Sorry for not having more substantial posts lately. I have tests and essays and research projects all in the next week so I haven't been doing any sewing.

It's in the bag

2011-08-07T16:14:00.002+12:00

I found these two wooden beaded bag handles at the op shop last week. They were mine for the ridiculously low price of 50 cents. I went digging through my stash but didn't really find anything that grabbed my attention until I happened upon a barbecue themed novelty print in my Mum's stash (her stash totally rivals mine).

It was only a small piece, but the perfect size for the type of bag I had in mind. Luckily, Mum was generous enough to let me have it. To continue the outdoor eating theme, I decided to use some picnic style peach gingham for the lining (also from my Mum's stash). Since both fabrics were thin quilting weight cotton and were slightly see through I underlined with some white cotton.

I used a combination of this tutorial and this one, plus a bit of make-it-up-as-you-go-along. The construction was really easy until I came to attaching it to the handles. I tried the technique in the tutorials I linked to but the gathers at the top looked really messy. Mum (what would I do without her?), suggested I make a smaller machine stitched casing at the top. This worked way better.

I'm really pleased with the way it turned out. The fabric reminds me of a fifties novelty print which I love. Now all I need is warm weather and some TVP sausages and I will be set to barbecue in style.

The inside

The Snowdrops Blouse

2011-08-01T21:07:00.000+12:00

The snow last week provided me with a couple of days off uni and some time to sew up McCall's 3776. I probably should have spent the time off studying but after a snowball fight, I couldn't muster up the energy to hit the books.

This is sort of my test version. The fabric is a merino wool knit which has two way stretch. It was relatively easy to make. I used my overlocker for most of the construction. I wasn't sure how much ease the pattern had so I erred on the side of caution and only cut it one size smaller than my measurements. It ended up a bit too big but I don't really mind. It means I can fit a thermal underneath it.

It err..doesn't look like the pattern envelope very much. The neckline is quite a bit lower and the pleats aren't as visible. It has some cute details though, like three darts at each of the elbow and a little dart at the shoulder seam in the back. Strange dart placements get me every time.

Here is a not very good shot of the elbow darts. Those aren't marks on the fabric. It's from my camera (I don't think it liked playing in the snow as much as I did).

The buttons down the back are only decorative. I put snaps underneath them because I have no idea how to do buttonholes on a knit. In fact, I pretty much know nothing about sewing knits but I blunder along anyway.

It's really warm and comfy. I will definitely be making a few more of these in an array of colours. Next time though, I'll sew the pleats in the front down and take it in more.

Baby, it's cold outside!

2011-07-25T12:15:00.001+12:00

I woke up this morning to a thick blanket of snow. This may not seem that exciting for some of you, but we rarely get snow like this. When we do the whole city grinds to a standstill. Only the foolhardy (and those with important jobs, I guess) try and get to work and all the schools are closed. Luckily, uni is closed, because I don't fancy getting the snow off my car.

I'm going to make the most of the extra day off and work on McCalls 3776 in a blue merino wool knit. Something to keep me warm, I hope.

Back to School Skirt

2011-07-18T21:19:00.001+12:00

I started back at uni last week. I did all my classes from home last semester because of the earthquake, which I actually quite enjoyed. Before I started back, I realised that there was a gap in my, admittedly rather substantial, wardrobe. I didn't have a plaid circle skirt. While, I pretty much only wear prints I seem to have overlooked the amazingness of a good plaid. In order to rectify this oversight, I quickly whipped up a skirt.

The fabric is some unknown fibre I got on trademe for cheap. It's probably a synthetic blend but it drapes really well. I used the circle skirt pattern that I drafted ages ago.

I'm holding my new hatbox. I bought a set of three of them on trademe the other day. They fit inside one another, which I love. I have an obsession with hat boxes but they are usually hard to find and expensive in NZ. Of course, I don't actually keep hats in them (that would be crazy right?), I use them for sewing patterns and notions.

The gloves are also new (to me). The lovely Helga von Trollop sent them to me to keep my mitts warm. I always have cold hands and feet in the winter, but they keep my fingers nice and toasty.

I have some more plaid sewing projects in the works, including a dress. I went slightly crazy buying plaid fabric to make up for lost time.

Tutorial: Basic Fabric Bow

2011-07-10T21:59:00.001+12:00

I was asked a while ago to do a tutorial on making a bow. Sorry it's taken me so long Selina. Bows are pretty easy and they're great for beginner sewers.

This is how I make fabric bows but there may be other, better ways out there.

You will need:

Fabric
Scissors
Needle and Thread
Sewing Machine (you could do this by hand but it's much easier with a sewing machine)
Pins
Iron

1. Cut two rectangles of fabric the same size. The size depends on how big you want your bow to be. My rectangles were about 20cm x 12cm. Also cut a smaller rectangle. This is for the tab in the middle of the bow. Mine measured about 9cm x 5cm. At this point you can finish the raw edges by zigzagging or overlocking them. I didn't because I am lazy.

2. Pin the two large rectangles right sides together. Leave a small section at one of the bottom corners free so you can turn the fabric right side out when you've sewn it. You can see the section I haven't pinned along the bottom left. Fold the small rectangle in half, right sides together, along the longest side.

3. Sew together the two rectangles where you have pinned, making sure to leave a small section free in the big rectangle. Use a relatively small seam allowance, about half a centimetre.

4. Trim the corners of three sides of the large rectangle, not trimming the corner which you have left open. Turn the rectangle to the right side. Use something, like the end of a crochet hook or a knitting needle to poke out the corners but be careful not to poke a hole in the material (sometimes I use my scissors which I don't think you're supposed to do but oh well). Push the edges you left open inside the rectangle so they cannot be seen from the outside. Turn the small rectangle to the right side. Don't worry about the raw edges because they'll get tucked in.

5. Iron both rectangles so they are nice and flat. Iron the small rectangle so the seam is in the middle of one side. This will be the back. Handstitch the opening in the big rectangle closed making the stitches as invisible as possible.

6. Hold the large rectangle between thumb and forefinger, like below, and wrap the small rectangle around the middle. At the back tuck the ends of the small rectangle in to make it neater and stitch closed. It doesn't matter if it's not really neat though, because this is the back.

You've finished. Now you can stick bows on everything. If you want to stick a bow on clothing it's best to add a safety pin to the back and attach it that way, because then you can remove it when you want to wash the item of clothing.

My bow isn't particularly even because I was in a hurry, but hopefully this gives some idea of how to make one.

If you have any questions or something isn't clear, just ask in the comments.

June Challenge Dress Three: The Wanda Dress

2011-07-05T21:56:00.000+12:00

Image found here

"I wouldn't be caught dead in a full skirt." Well, okay, I would. I love a full skirt but my favourite wing tipped eyeliner sporting, wiggle skirt wearing drape, Wanda Woodward, wouldn't. My third dress is in honour of her. Wanda is a character in the John Water's movie, Cry Baby, played by Traci Lords. She's a total badass and has a killer wardrobe to match.

I used Simplicity 1411 and some cotton sateen. Admittedly, I kind of cheated with this dress. It was a UFO for ages because I wasn't happy with the fit and I thought the June Challenge would be a good opportunity to finally finish it.

Glaring a la Wanda

The darts sat weirdly so I had to change their positioning and take them in, as well as take in the side seams, and finish the seams and the facings. The fit isn't perfect but I have made peace with it.

Smile? Drapes don't smile

I'm actually pretty happy with how this turned out and I totally think Wanda would have worn it.

Okay, maybe I wouldn't be the best drape

For those who haven't seen Cry Baby (you should definitely watch it), a drape is like a greaser. Drapes are the opposite of squares. You dig?

Op-Shopping and a sneak peek

2011-07-01T17:37:00.000+12:00

Today, I went op shopping with the lovely Helga von Trollop. This time I remembered my camera but forgot to take any pictures. I'm useless.

I managed to score some stockings in their original packets. I love the cute packaging. One of them has a price sticker for 55 cents on it. I wish they were that cheap now.

I got (another) waspie. I also got a hat and some spoons. My mother promptly stole the hat but it's alright because it looks better on her than it would have on me.

I have finished my final two June Challenge dresses. It got a little Project Runway with me hemming the last dress at 11.30 last night. I always leave things until the last minute. It always seems to work out though. Here's a sneak peek of the two dresses. I haven't had a chance to take some pictures with me wearing them but I will do a post about them when I do.

June Challenge Dress Two: Je voudrais un cafe*

2011-06-22T23:01:00.001+12:00

I am lucky enough that my local library has Burda magazines that you can get out on loan. I get them out but hardly ever trace the patterns because it seems like too much work. I actually liked this dress so much that I did get around to tracing it. The dress is called the Parisian dress for whatever reason. I think it's meant to suggest that it's super classy and elegant, much like Parisian women (stereotyping much). Maybe it will make me classy and elegant, but I doubt it considering most of the time I can't be bothered wearing makeup or brushing my hair.

Unlike the last dress I made, this one is actually winter appropriate. I said I was going to make winter dresses for the June Challenge and then went ahead and made a summer dress for my first one. I blame it on 'earthquake brain'. Apparently, it's a thing.

The fabric is a poly blend double knit. It's fairly thick and stable. This is pretty much the first time I've sewn with a knit and it was surprisingly easy. I sewed it on my lovely green Elna supermatic. I wasn't sure how well she would sew it since, being made in the 50s, she wasn't really meant to handle knits. I needn't have worried. She sewed like a champion.

I look really annoyed but this is just how my face looks.

As per usual, I took no notice of the instructions because Burda instructions and I are not friends. I think it's the lack of diagrams. Luckily, it's a pretty basic dress, so I didn't have any trouble.

I love this dress. It's so comfortable. The fabric is lovely and soft. It feels like I'm wearing a sweatshirt but looks slightly classier.

Thanks for all your sweet comments on my last post. Some of you were surprised that I kept sewing and blogging through all the earthquakes. Much in the same way that, in Christchurch, we have to laugh otherwise we'll cry, I have to sew otherwise I will go insane. Amid all the chaos and weirdness, it helps to do normal things. Not to mention the fact that I have been so fortunate. There are so many others here that are having a far tougher time of it that I am.

* Pretty much the only things I remember from 3 years of high school French are related to food and how to order it. Obviously, I have my priorities in order.

June Challenge: The Earthquake Dress

2011-06-16T12:05:00.000+12:00

I meant to do this post on Monday but we had two more big aftershocks. The power was knocked out again but thankfully we got it back on in the evening. We're back to boiling all the water too. Luckily, the house wasn't really damaged further. The cracks (including the one above my door which reminds me of the crack in Amy Pond's room) all seem to have got bigger but apart from that there wasn't any significant damage.

I was actually wearing this dress at the time of the big 6.3 magnitude quake. I was also wearing a pair of relatively high heels, which is something I would not recommend.

Nothing about this dress has really gone to plan so maybe I shouldn't have been surprised that my attempt at posting on Monday was thwarted. Do you recognise the pattern? I thought not. That's because the dress looks nothing like the pattern envelope. It's the peplum dress pattern. Once I'd cut it out and started sewing it I decided that I didn't like the way the peplum sat so I got rid of it. The neckline looked funny as well so I folded it back and added two buttons as decoration.

I swear it looks more even in person.

I did lots of handstitching on this. The hem, the armholes and the zip were all done by hand. Usually I hate hand sewing but I found it strangely relaxing this time.

I love the print. The fabric is a thin cotton I've had in my stash for ages. The buttons, zip and cotton were all from my stash as well.

I look slightly stunned. It's probably the lack of sleep.

After all the drama, this dress is kind of...meh. It's okay but I don't love it. Don't get me wrong, I will wear it because I didn't spend all that time hand stitching to just discard it.

I have started on my second dress. I am pretty behind on the June Challenge but, since I (thankfully) don't have any exams, I can hopefully catch up.

Sewing Lingerie Part Two: I made a vintage lingerie set

2011-06-08T20:10:00.001+12:00

I posted a while ago about my plan to delve into the world of lingerie sewing. I have (finally) dipped my toes into the pool, so to speak. I wanted to start simple so I made a bra type halter top and matching french knickers.

I used Simplicity 3250, which I have made before, for the top but I lengthened the bottom pieces so that it's more a midriff style. It looks way cuter on than in the photos (I know, I say that all the time), but you're just going to have to trust me on that because I am too shy to put pictures of myself wearing it on the internet.

The fabric is some vintage silk I got for $7.00. It was my first time sewing with silk but since it was relatively thick and stable it wasn't too much of a problem. I didn't have any bias binding that matched the fabric so just used some black for contrast.

The french knickers have little bias binding bows because well...I put bows on everything.

I'm pretty pleased with them for my first try. It's given me more confidence to try something a little bit harder.

I have started my first June Challenge dress but I've got two essays due on Friday so I probably won't have time to finish it before then. I have the rest of June off after that though, so I will (hopefully) have plenty of time to do all four dresses.

Sartorially Ambitious

2011-06-01T20:26:00.000+12:00

My love for floral prints is well documented on this blog. Pretty much every second thing I sew or buy has flowers on it, but I also love vintage novelty prints. I have a few, but I'm afraid to cut into them in case I spoil them.

This vintage barkcloth is the newest addition to my collection. It's actually a curtain. My Mum bought it for me last week from the Painted Room, one of my favourite shops. Unfortunately, their shop was destroyed in the September earthquake, they re-opened somewhere else and then lost that shop in the February earthquake. They have opened for a third time though, at 407 Selwyn St. If you live in Christchurch they are well worth a visit.

This is a border print which I plan to make into a skirt at some point.

Why yes, those are tiny bottles of booze. I'm thinking of using this to make the peplum dress that was in the previous post.

I have two versions of this gorgeous Japanese scene fabric. The other one has the same print but has more green tones.

I think this is from the 50s or 60s. It has a stamp on it saying, "Passed by inspection house. Japanese Government", which is strange given the print is a New Zealand one and I bought it here, on Trademe.

I haven't started on my June Challenge dresses yet because I have an exam tommorow, as well as two essays due next week. After that I'm on holidays though, so I'll make a start then.

June Challenge

2011-05-28T09:18:00.007+12:00

I've joined Stephanie's June Challenge. The goal is to sew four summer dresses during the month of June. Being in the Southern Hemisphere, where we are well on our way to colder weather, I've changed it slightly to sewing four winter dresses. I'm hoping that having a deadline will be the kick up the backside I need to actually use the patterns I've bought and some of the fabric from my ever growing stash. I am usually good with deadlines (by this I mean I leave everything until the last second and then scramble to finish it on time, but I always manange to finish). I have a fair idea of what I want to make but will probably change my mind halfway through.

I've had this pattern and two different fabrics to use for ages but I haven't worked up the courage to try it yet. The first fabric is a heavy cotton knit with one way stretch. I haven't really sewn any knits before so I'm approaching this with a feeling of trepidation.

The blue is a merino wool knit that is really stretchy, which could be a problem.

I would love to sew Butterick 8459 (on the right) in a bright red. With some of the main fabric stores in the city having been destroyed/damaged by the earthquake my fabric choices might be pretty limited, so I may not be able to find the fabric I want. I've made the full skirted version of Butterick 8459 twice before so this time I want to make the slim skirt and use some thicker wintery fabric.

I bought the pattern on the left recently because I am obsessed with peplums (if you click to make it bigger you can see the peplum more clearly). I would quite like to make it in a solid colour, maybe a navy blue or grey.

Back in Black

2011-05-20T18:47:00.001+12:00

Thanks for your comments on my last post. It was interesting reading. Unfortunately, blogger deleted some but I did get to read them before that.

When sewing I tend to use fabrics I think are pretty (florals), not practical (black). I used to scoff at the idea of sewing 'basics'. I didn't want to waste my time sewing boring things. It became clear this was somewhat of a problem when I briefly considered pairing a top covered with tiny pink roses, with a bright red poppy print skirt. I decided I needed to make some neutral clothes that would actually go with all the clashing separates I have made.

I made this blouse using Butterick 9405, from 1959. It's made of black broderie anglaise with vintage flower buttons. I realise that its not exactly plain but ~~I am ridiculous~~ this is my idea of neutral.

I also made a black pleated skirt out of drill cotton. It has buttons down the back because the zip I had broke just before I was going to put it in.

Sorry about the bad pictures. Black is hard to photograph.

I wore both the blouse and the skirt today. I actually really liked this outfit when I put it on but the photo makes me wonder about that. I also remembered why I don't wear black very often...every stray bit of fluff or cotton within a one mile radius seems to instantly stick to the skirt. I should've just stuck with the florals.

Sewing Lingerie Part One

2011-05-12T09:25:00.000+12:00

I've been reading 'Sewing Lingerie that Fits' by Karen Morris. In the introduction she talks about how many people that sew their own clothing don't sew lingerie. I found this really interesting because I think she's right. I read a lot of sewing blogs and while a few of them have tackled lingerie the vast majority seem to stick to clothes only. I wondered if it was because lingerie was too hard, but I've seen these women sew difficult garments like winter coats and jeans so I don't think that's it.
I'm curious. If you sew have you sewn lingerie? Why/why not? Is it something that you're interested in?

I think I've mentioned before that I want to start sewing lingerie. This is for several reasons. Most of the lingerie that I like is ridiculously expensive and I'm not really in a position to spend that much on underwear. I'm sick of the poor quality of fabric and construction that you get with cheap underwear. I try to avoid buying things made in countries that have questionable human rights records. This is relatively easy with clothes. Most of my clothing is second hand or made by me. I very rarely buy anything new these days but underwear (and hosiery) is probably one of the only things I do. I do own some vintage lingerie; slips, girdles and long line bras but I wouldn't want to buy second hand knickers.

I have a few patterns and plenty of vintage lace and notions to use up. I thought it might be interesting to do a series on sewing lingerie. While I probably have more of a vintage style lingerie bent, I'm also interested in sewing comfortable, everyday type underwear. My goal is to sew some french knickers and soft bras out of silk, some regular cotton boyshorts, sew a vintage style longline bra and sew a swimsuit (I know it's not really lingerie but it uses similar techniques).

I know they're terribly 80s but I think I could make them look vintage

Some links that may be of interest:

Frilly Bits has instructions on how to draft your own french knickers/tap pants. I don't think there are instructions on how to sew the pattern up, so if anyone is interested just let me know and I can do a tutorial on it. I'd also recommend looking at their other posts because they make the most beautiful vintage inspired lingerie.

Zoe has a great tutorial on how to make undies with a serger.

New Vintage Lady is pretty much my hero of lingerie making. Check out the foundation garments page on her site. She has made everything from her own garter belt to tap panties to crinolines to mens underwear.

Threadbanger has an episode dedicated to making womens underwear. The pattern used in the episode is here.

Gertie's New Blog For Better Sewing has a tutorial on how to make a vintage inspired half slip.

If you need some inspiration or would rather buy lingerie than make it, Ohhh Lulu makes gorgeous bras, panties, rompers, swimwear and camisoles and sells them in her Etsy shop.

Miss Mod

2011-05-07T16:37:00.000+12:00

I finally finished my Summer Coat. Only problem is that it's now too cold to wear it. I guess I will have to wait for Spring.

I tried some of the suggestions you guys left me about how to get the dye stains out and they worked. Thanks so much to everyone who left comments. If it hadn't been for you, this would still be sitting in the unfinished pile in my sewing room.

The pattern is one I've made before, Simplicity 1411. It's actually a 50s pattern but I think it looks more Mod than New Look.

I think I need to put a little snap just behind the last button to keep it from gaping open.

This is my ridiculous 60s model pose. Can you tell I'm trying not to laugh?

The lining is tiny pink and white stripes because I sure do love pretty linings (and it was only $1 a metre).

The collar does sit properly at the back. I just forgot to check it before I took the photo.

I'm so happy with the way it turned out. I love it. Now, if only we had some fine weather so I could wear it.

Purple haze all in my brain

2011-05-03T19:51:00.000+12:00

It's finally getting cool enough to start breaking out my coat collection. This is one of my favourites. It's a crimplene dream with purple and white stripes. I'm pretty sure it's 60s. It has a Mod sort of feel to it. I found it in a tiny op-shop on the West Coast for $5. I bought the purple tights last week so decided to channel my inner Violet Beauregarde today.

I've been so busy at uni I haven't had much time to do any sewing lately but hopefully I'll be able to show you something by the end of the week.

A Motley Crew

2011-04-23T16:16:00.000+12:00

(um..I really need a haircut)

I bought this lovely summer dress off Trademe a few weeks ago. I have a bad habit of buying/making things that are completely weather inappropriate. I do tend to wear my summer dresses in Winter though. Of course, I usually pair them with thick wool socks, thermals, cardigans and coats.
The dress originally came with a plain light blue ribbon threaded through the bodice but I didn't think it really went with the dress. I made a bow out of some black petersham (my favourite kind of ribbon). It threads through slits in the bodice and closes under the bow with a couple of snaps.

The lovely Reana Louise from Curves, Patterns and Pins has passed on the I am all that! blog award to me.

This is the description from Beangirl's blog:

The recipients of this award are asked to answer the following questions, link to whoever awarded them and then pass it on to five, no six people (who they think will actually be willing to answer these totally intrusive and possibly inappropriate questions). Feel free to snag the badge too, right?

Questions:

1) What size shoe do you wear? If you wear a size 7, can I borrow your shoes?

US 5/UK 3. I have freakishly small feet. Everyone thinks small feet are cute but let me tell you it's a total pain finding shoes that fit. Most shoe stores here start their sizing at six so I pretty much wear vintage shoes or too big shoes. Sure, you can borrow my shoes...if you can squeeze your feet into them.

2) 30's or 60's?
I don't own any clothing or patterns 30's because it's so hard to find here. I just bought this cute pattern from 1960 though, so I guess 60's.

3) Have you ever kissed someone you shouldn't have?
Yes.

4) Have you ever been poisoned? Was it by the girlfriend of the person you kissed?? That is awesomely "Knot's Landing".
No. The closest I've come to being poisoned is having an allergic reaction to a nectarine. My lips swelled up and I got a rash on my face. It was not pretty. I guess if you want to poison me you now know to feed me lots of nectarines though.

5) Who's on your "Celebrity Free Pass" list (top 5)?
Patti Smith, Janelle Monae, Ellen Page, Beth Ditto and Joan Jett.
So now I'm going to pass this on to:
Kat's Creations
Helga von Trollop
The Velvettes
Sew Darn Tired
The Evil Dressmaker
Sewing and So on
By the way, thanks so much for all your suggestions on my last post. I tried a few and it looks like the bleeding has faded quite a bit so I can finally finish it. Hopefully I'll be able to show you it soon.

Disaster (this time of the sewing kind rather than the natural)

2011-04-12T22:21:00.000+12:00

I am not a follow the rules kind of sewer; sometimes I don't pre-wash my fabric, I don't like making muslins, I use the word sewer instead of sewist (badass, I know). This is why it's all the worse when I try and do everything right and it still doesn't work.
Let me start at the beginning. I saw the fabric in Spotlight and I had to have it. It was the perfect weight and print for a Spring coat. I knew the perfect pattern to use. Simplicity 1411. I wanted three-quarter set-in sleeves so I redrafted the pattern to have those. I made a muslin. I kept faithful notes of all the changes I made to the muslin. I pre-washed the fabric.
Everything came together perfectly until it came time to do the buttonholes. I noticed a tiny stain on the fabric so I put a little bit of stain remover on it, rinsed it off and then washed my almost finished coat. I have used this stain remover heaps of times, even using it on my precious vintage dresses and it's been fine.
When my coat dried the blue dye had run in several places all over the white dots. It's strange because it ran in places that were nowhere near where the original stain was.

It doesn't actually look that bad in these pictures but it's pretty noticeable in person.

So, now it sits on a hanger in my sewing room. It's too stained to bother finishing it but too pretty to just throw away.
Moral of the story: don't be seduced by cheap and pretty fabric from Spotlight.

Folks would kill to fill your shoes

2011-04-03T12:53:00.001+12:00

A source of great frustration for me is the fact that I can't make everything. I would really love to learn how to make shoes and hats (obviously making hats is a more realistic goal). I am always on the lookout for shoe lasts or a hat block. I had never thought of covering shoes with fabric until I saw the tutorial on Burdastyle. I wanted to cover some shoes as soon as I saw it but it took a while to find the right shoes and fabric. Although, it isn't quite making your own, it's still a fun way to personalise your shoes.

I started with a pair of second hand wedges that I got off Trademe for $10 and a skirt that I had bought at the op-shop. The skirt was made of gorgeous fabric but didn't fit me very well.

I did a few things differently to the Burdastyle tutorial. I didn't have any self-adhesive fabric so I just used some fabric scaps and attached them with double sided tape to make the pattern. It seemed to work. I used Mod Podge glue to glue the fabric on and then did another layer of glue over the top to seal it. I left the shoes overnight to dry and then cut off the excess fabric around the sole with a craft knife. There was some dried glue bits on the thin strip of sole that you could see around the bottom of the shoe so I used some black nail polish to cover it.

It was quite difficult getting the fabric smooth around the curves, especially on the toes. The glue also makes the shoe very stiff so I wouldn't use shoes that are a little bit tight. These fitted me perfectly before and they still fit me but they are a tiny bit snug. I think next time I will use shoes half a size bigger than I normally wear.

I'm really pleased with the way they turned out though. I can't stop thinking about the next pair I want to do.

Tengo ganas a vivir. Ya comencé a pintar*

2011-03-28T22:09:00.000+13:00

I wanted this Frida's Garden fabric to make into a skirt for ages but I couldn't justify spending that much per metre on material (about $30). I am, after all, a poor student. Luckily, I found it cheaper on Etsy (even with shipping and currency conversion).

I love Frida Kahlo's paintings and I think the fabric captures her style pretty well. I wanted to make the most of the print so I tried to place the pleats so as many of the Fridas could be seen as possible. The skirt is really basic and easy to make without a pattern. It's just two rectangles with pleats and a waistband. I also put inseam pockets in because I do love a skirt with pockets.

Thanks for your nice comments on my earthquake post. I'm glad to be back doing some sewing because it makes everything seem slightly more normal.

* I desire to live. I have already begun to paint.
It says this on the fabric, as well as, "Pies para qué las quiero, si tengo alas pa' volar" (Feet... what do I need them for if I have wings to fly with).

Gather ye rosebuds while ye may

2011-03-24T15:53:00.001+13:00

While I was away staying with my Grandma I managed to squeeze in some op-shopping. To be honest, there wasn't much else for me to do except wander round the shops and hang out in the public library.

I finally bought this amazing wool coat. I had already seen it in a second hand shop the last two times I visited my Grandma but had resisted the urge to buy it. I decided that if it was still there a third time I would get it. Luckily, it was.

The label is Windsmoor. They started making coats and other clothing in 1933 and continue to do so today. At a guess I would say this is from the 50s. It's in almost perfect condition and is made of lovely worsted wool. I thought it was a bargain at $79.99 but my Grandma thought that was a ridiculous amount to pay for a second hand coat. Different generations, eh?

Speaking of bargains, on my way home to Christchurch I stopped in Ashburton and went to an op-shop there. That's where I picked up this little beauty.

An Elna Supermatic...for $15. I probably would have paid $15 just for the cool metal carry case. According to the lady at the shop it does work, but she said I can bring it back if it doesn't. I haven't actually tried it yet because I'm a bit scared to plug it in until my Dad brings over one of those cut-off plugs that cuts off the electricity if there's anything wrong.

I'm kind of in awe of how well designed it is. The carry case folds over to become a work table that slots into place. It didn't come with a manual but I managed to find two different ones online that people had scanned. Apparently vintage Elna machines have quite a following.
I also think it's the cutest sewing machine I've ever seen. I love that vintage green. It's not really a colour that you see around much any more.

It did, however, come with all manner of different feet, including a darning foot, a buttonhole foot, a hemming foot, and some I can't identify. It also came with the discs which are used to sew different stitches. Based on the number of discs that fit in the accessory box I think that this is from the Elna Supermatic series made between 1952 and 1956.

As you may be able to tell by now, every time I buy something old I obsessively research the brand to see when and where it was made etc. I like to think of it as honing my research skills, something which is always handy for the research papers I have to write.

Earthquakes and Heartbreaks

2011-03-20T21:51:00.000+13:00

Sorry for my absence. I went to stay with my grandmother for a while after the earthquake and she doesn't have the internet.
The above picture is what I came home to on the 22nd of February. Almost the entire contents of the kitchen cupboards and the fridge were on the floor.
I was at uni at the time of the earthquake. It was my first day back after the holidays and I was in my first lecture of the day. I remember the darkness and the screams and struggling to get under the lecture bench. At the time I had no idea how bad it was but I knew I had to get home. Within 15 or so minutes of the quake the city was gridlocked. The usually 20 minute drive home took me three hours. I listened to the radio the whole way home. Once I heard that people had died in the CBD all I could think about was the people who I knew for sure were in town. My nephew, who goes to school right in the central city, and who I had seen that morning because he had stayed at our house the night before. His mum, who works just down the street from his school. My aunty and uncle who both work in the city.
Thankfully, as I found out a few hours later, they were all safe and unhurt. I was so lucky. My family and friends are okay and my house is still livable. I am so incredibly sorry to those who lost their loved ones, homes and businesses.
Last week, I watched transfixed with horror at the news coverage of the Japanese quake and tsunami. Although it is hard for us to imagine what the people over there are going through I think the people of Christchurch have a special sympathy for all those in Japan at the moment. I know I have at least one reader in Japan so I hope that Birdie, who lives in Okinawa, is safe and well. My thoughts are with all those in Japan.

If you've read my 'About Me' you might have noticed that I collect old religious icons. Although I am not religious at all, the antique mirrored Saint Therese of Lisieux I got for my 20th birthday was one of my favourite things (now you know just how odd I am). She was badly damaged in the earthquake. My Dad (who you can actually see reflected in the bottom of the mirror) thinks we can probably get it fixed but I'm not so sure.

When a major disaster happens it almost feels like everything normal stops but I take comfort in the fact that the garden has taken the shaking in its stride. The morning glory plant (above) is flowering gloriously.

Normal posting should resume shortly. I've been doing some sewing which I will post next week. Below is a sneak peek of the fabric I'm using.

Sorry for the delay in drawing the giveaway. The winner is Louise from The Princess Prudence Diaries. Congratulations Louise. I will email you shortly.

Just a quick note

2011-02-28T10:30:00.002+13:00

I just wanted to let you know that I'm okay after the quake on Tuesday. I'm incredibly lucky, my family is all accounted for and my house is still standing which is so much more than other people have. I'm so pleased that my fellow Christchurch bloggers Brumby, Helga, the Velvet Bitchez and several others are all okay. If you live in Christchurch or have family and friends that do I hope you/they are all safe. I'm still pretty lost for words at the moment so I'll leave it at that.

100 Followers Giveaway!

2011-02-18T18:08:00.000+13:00

I thought it was time that I had a giveaway to thank all the people who read my blog. I love blogging and reading all your blogs too. It's so nice to know that there are other people out there that get excited about vintage patterns and floral prints and lovely old dresses.

Up for grabs is an Australian Home Journal from 1954 (there is still pattern pieces in it and I think they are all there), a pair of vintage gloves, a beaded collar, some peach lace, 10 vintage buttons and a belt buckle.

To enter just leave a comment on this post with some way for me to contact you. I'll post anywhere in the world. I will draw the giveaway at this time next week so you have a week to enter.

Good luck and thanks for reading.

A Green Gown

2011-02-15T11:21:00.002+13:00

A while ago I found this lovely vintage dress on a quick op-shop trip while my car was being fixed. It is not wearable as it has quite a few moth holes and some stains but I was happy to get it simply so I could look at the way it was made. The style instantly made me think it was from the forties and on closer examination I'm pretty sure it is.

I absolutely love the scalloping on the collar, sleeves and peplum.

When I first saw it I wondered about the buttons because the colour and the style seemed slightly off. I'm sure they are not original because the cuffs have double buttonholes (four buttonholes total on each sleeve) which means that there were probably double buttons there originally.

The buttonholes are handworked.

There is a series of snaps and hooks and eyes down the side seam and on the peplum as a closure.

The inside seams are pinked and there is handsewn bias binding on the collar.

I would love to someday make a copy of this dress or at least one in a similar style.

Simplicity 1411 take two

2011-02-04T09:40:00.000+13:00

It's been hot here..like 32 degress celcius hot. I realise that for some of you that may seem quite mild but for where I live it is hot. I don't like hot. It makes me slow and unmotivated. Last week my heat-addled brain decided the only sensible course of action would be to make a wool jacket. Madness I know, but I'm kind of hoping that it will magically bring on the cooler weather so I can wear it.

I have actually made this pattern before but this time I changed the sleeves. Instead of the kimono that came with the pattern , I drafted an armscye and added three quarter length set-in sleeves. I did this by tracing the armscye and sleeve from another pattern. It's not the most precise way of doing things but it seems to work.

This was originally meant to be my muslin to test the sleeve. I was only going to cut out the bodice and the sleeve and not bother making the peplum but I had enough fabric left over from some wool trousers I made so I thought I may as well use it.
And then when I'd finished the outer shell I realised that I liked it so I thought I may as well finish it properly.

I used some navy blue buttons I got for 70 cents at the op-shop.

And the fabric I used to line it I got on sale for $1.20/metre.

So, including the wool fabric, which I had left over, this jacket cost me around $10 to make (the wool was $5/metre and I got 2.5 metres which I managed to get a pair of trousers and this jacket out of. It was realllly wide).

I love the peplum and the three quarter length sleeves. The sleeves are the perfect length to show off gloves (which is lucky since I have 20+ pairs).

Now, I just need some cold weather so I can actually wear it somewhere.

Pattern Mad

2011-01-20T10:31:00.002+13:00

.

I went slightly pattern buying mad the other week and bought three more vintage patterns. I realise that for some people that is probably not that many but I only own about 20 patterns so three in one week is kind of a lot. In my defence, (to myself that is. I am ah...defending my own actions to myself because justifying my purchases is what I do for fun), all three were on my List.
I'm sure I can't be the only one that has a List. You know, a list of vintage items I want to someday buy. My List is quite strict. It does not contain any passing fancies or fads. Most of the things on it have been there for a year or longer. The things on my List and I are in a serious long distance relationship rather than having just a quick fling. I wanted a vintage hatbox for over a year before I got one. Even now almost two years later I still get a quick jolt of joy every time I open it to get out a pair of gloves (Yes. It houses my vast glove collection rather than hats). That is the sign that something was List-worthy in the first place.

On my List (that I can now cross off) were patterns for a one-piece bathing suit, french knickers and a dress with a midriff inset. I can't wait to find the perfect fabric and make these up but who knows, that may take me a few years as well.

Bra top circa 1950

2011-01-15T14:48:00.003+13:00

I have always wanted to try my hand at making some vintage style lingerie but patterns are, from my experience, difficult to find and expensive. More common though are 1940s and 50s beachwear patterns that often include bra-like tops. I figured making some of these would be a good way to ease me in to sewing lingerie.
I got the above pattern from old2newmemories on Etsy.

This was my trial run version. I used some left over vintage seersucker I had. The whole time I was sewing it I was sure that it wasn't going to work so I was surprised when it actually turned out alright. Obviously it's not perfect but I'm pretty pleased with it overall. It fits me really well. The only alteration I would make next time would be to take in the centre front a tiny bit as it gapes slightly.

The pleats at the front and the slight gathering at the sides make it really flattering on. I plan on making a black one out of swimsuit material to go with a vintage style high waisted bikini I have. I love the bikini bottoms but the top it came with is a bit too skimpy for me and is uncomfortable to wear.

It was quite hard to photograph and it definitely looks better on but I wasn't brave enough to put photos of me wearing it on the internet.

The Christmas Dress

2011-01-07T14:54:00.002+13:00

I know Christmas was two weeks ago but I never got around to posting my finished Christmas dress. I actually finished it on Christmas morning just before we had to leave for family lunch. I was way overdressed for a barbecue but I think my family are pretty much used to my eccentricities by now.

I probably could've taken in the side seams some more but I wanted to be comfortable (and considering the amount of trifle and pavlova I ate, that was probably a good decision).
It's pretty much exactly the same dress as the muslin I posted about but I took the shoulders in a little more.

The picture above is most like the true colour of the fabric. It was kind of hard to capture with such terrible lighting and on a dull day.

Take a Bow

2010-12-16T13:14:00.000+13:00

Sometimes when I lose my inspiration to sew all I need to do to get it back is to make something really simple, quick and easy. Usually this involves refashioning rather than actually sewing something new. Since I've been lacking motivation recently I decided to give a cardigan that I don't wear very much a bit of a makeover.

I have quite a big stash of vintage sewing notions that I have picked up over the years at various op-shops. I hardly ever use them on big sewing projects but they are great for embellishing plain things.
Using some ribbon from my stash I made some really easy petersham bows and then hand sewed them onto the cardigan. I'm actually quite pleased with the way it turned out because I wasn't sure whether I would like it or not.
Now that I've got my sewing mojo back I'll have to get back to my Christmas dress otherwise it wont be finished in time.

A Christmas Dress Muslin

2010-12-04T19:36:00.003+13:00

I've just returned from being away for a few days and have realised Christmas is looming ever closer. I want to make a dress to wear on Christmas day. We usually have a pretty casual Christmas (I'm pretty sure my Dad wore stubbies last year) so I will probably be ridiculously overdressed but I don't care.
I have had some poinsettia printed fabric in my stash for a while that I got off Trademe. I'm hoping it looks slightly Christmassy but not so much so that I can't wear it at other times of the year.

For once I decided to do a muslin. I used a weird tablecloth type thing I had in my stash as muslin fabric.
I inadvertantly cut off the top of my head in the photo (which was in fact probably for the best because I couldn't be bothered putting makeup on this morning).
The details aren't very clear in the picture but the bodice is really basic with kimono sleeves and a slight scoop neck. In the poinsettia version I'm going to take in the shoulder seams and the side seams slightly.

The skirt front has four pleats on each side which face the centre front. The back has two box pleats. The skirt is based on a vintage dress I saw on Etsy.

Now I've completed a muslin hopefully I'll be able to make the final dress before Christmas.

Hello Sailor!

2010-11-18T12:16:00.000+13:00

I don't usually wear trousers being more of a skirt/dress type girl but I love sailor style pants. To make these I used this pattern from Burdastyle and modified it slightly.
I wanted a pattern that had a side invisible zip rather than a front closure and this was the only pattern I could find at the time. The waistband was really small and I wanted them to be high waisted so I made it about double the size of the one in the pattern. This was actually my second pair. The first are in navy wool with white buttons but I haven't managed to get a photo of them. These ones are made of some bright red drill cotton. The weight of the fabric is perfect but it is prone to wrinkling, as you can see in the photos.

The buttons aren't actually functional. There is an invisible zip closure on the left side. This was far easier than doing a button placket (not to mention the fact my machine hates doing buttonholes).
I also skipped the lining that was in the pattern because I didn't feel like they needed it.
Although it's too hot to wear them now, I wore the navy pair a lot when I first made them. They are really comfortable and have pretty much become my version of wearing trackpants (I abhor trackpants and would never own a pair so highwaisted sailor pants are the closest I'll ever get).
They aren't perfect but I'm pretty pleased as these and the navy pair were only my second brush with making trousers (I made a pair of horrible brown plaid baggy trousers in high school but let's not talk about that).
The photos aren't very good and I think they look better in real life. They also make me look taller which is always an added bonus for someone as short as me.
The top I'm wearing is another Port Elizabeth. I love this pattern. It's so quick and easy. At this point I've made five of them.

Ugh exams!

2010-10-30T19:04:00.003+13:00

Sorry about the lack of posting. I start exams in less than a week. After they are over I will be back- with a vengeance. I have so many sewing plans for summer which I'm looking forward to starting on. In the meantime here are a couple of my latest finds. The vintage buttons above were from the Shabby Chic market and are mounted on some gorgeous French wallpaper. The fabric below is actually a full length cotton nightgown. There's tons of fabric so I think I'm going to make a blouse out of it.

Frocktober

2010-10-18T21:34:00.003+13:00

On Saturday Frocks on Bikes held Swing into Spring, a market with food stalls, vintage clothing and bikes and a swing dancing demonstration. I picked up two lovely dress for just $35. Because of the escalating price of vintage I don't tend to buy much any more but one stall had really reasonable prices. The woman running it actually has a vintage store called Retropolitan which sadly, I think, sustained some damage in the quake and I'm not sure what's going to happen to it.

The dress above has a bit of damage at the back but someone has repaired it really carefully and matched the cotton they used exactly to the print. It's also on the back around the armhole so it's not very noticeable when it's on.

Both dresses are a little big but I couldn't resist the gorgeous prints. They will be perfect for summer I think.

Computer Problems

2010-10-05T12:27:00.003+13:00

Sorry for the silence lately. I have been having issues with the new power adapter I bought for my laptop. Namely it started smoking when I plugged it in. It means I'm now without a computer for about a week. Anyway, so this post isn't completely boring I thought I'd show you a picture of the kind of jacket I really want to make. I went to the Shabby Chic market on Sunday and there was this lovely short wool coat with a fur collar. The only problem is that it was brown (definitely not my best colour) and the fur was real. I don't mind if other people wear vintage fur it just creeps me out having it that close to my face (I am neurotic like that). It was a really good price and if it weren't for those two things I would have snapped it up in a heartbeat. I found a picture of a similar one from Dear Golden Vintage on etsy.

Obviously it's the wrong time of year here to be thinking about making winter jackets but I am definitely going to save this in my mental 'stuff to make' file. I think a red wool would be nice with perhaps a faux leopard collar.
Hopefully my computer will be up and running next week and I will finally be able to show you some pictures of the sailor pants' I've been making.

Beaded Cardigan

2010-09-26T21:44:00.001+13:00

This is actually the picture I took for day four of SSS but I never ended up posting it. I got the cardigan at an op-shop about a month ago. The photo isn't very good but the cardigan's amazing. It's made of wool and the bodice is lined which is something I've never come across before. I think it may be from the 60s. The beading continues around the back of the neck as well. I'm a bit scared to wear it too much just in case any of the beads come off.
I've been trying to get back to posting regularly but after the earthquake my laptop cord decided to stop working and I've only just got a new one.
I have a couple of pairs of sailor style pants that I'm almost finished sewing so I will try and get some pictures of them this week.

Franken-Dress (and earthquake update)

2010-09-11T16:51:00.003+12:00

Sorry I haven't posted in a week. Things have been a bit crazy around here since the earthquake. Thanks for all your sweet comments on my last post. We have continued experiencing aftershocks for the last week and they may well go on for the next couple of months. The damage to my house is worse than we originally thought but we got both the hot and cold water restored yesterday which was nice. The novelty of being able to turn on the taps, flush the toilet without a bucket of water etc, has still not worn off. I'm so incredibly lucky though. Many people, including some I know, have lost their whole homes or their businesses.
I don't want this post to be all gloomy so I thought I'd show you a dress I finished a couple of weeks ago. It was originally meant to be a wiggle dress, using the bodice of Simplicity 1192 but after I had cut out the skirt I realised the fabric had a big hole in it. The floral fabric, which I bought at Stash Rehash, had quite a few holes in it but I thought I had made sure to avoid them when I was cutting out. Obviously I hadn't. The bodice was fine so I decided to try and find some fabric that went with it to make the skirt out of. I spent ages trying to find a similar blue to the flowers but I had to make do with a sort of turquoise colour. It's not perfect but it's alright. The skirt is just a couple of rectangles with some pleats in it. I like that it kind of gives it an early 60s feeling.
The sash is made from a piece of left-over fabric and just ties around my waist.
While the dress itself is quite simple it took me months to finish because I couldn't find the motivation after so many hiccups. I finally had to impose a rule that I couldn't start sewing anything else until I finished it. This actually worked and I got it done if only so I could sew other things.
It's not my favourite dress but I probably will end up wearing it a bit because it is simple and comfortable.

Earthquake

2010-09-05T10:09:00.003+12:00

As you may know, Christchurch, where I live, was hit by a massive earthquake in the early hours of yesterday morning. Apart from being the single most terrifying experience of my life, we escaped with minimal damage. Our chimneys collapsed and there are cracks in a few of the walls but it is nothing compared to the devastation experienced by many. Self-stitched-September has, for the moment, gone out the window. At 5am this morning, in the cold and without power, I put on as many clothes as I could find. I'm happy that family, friends and my fellow Christchurch bloggers are all okay. Thankfully, at this point, there has only been one death in the city and mostly minor injuries.
As I write this we are still experiencing aftershocks and it will probably be a while before the city is functional again. I'm incredibly sad for those that have lost everything but so touched by the kindness of my neighbours, who came over at 4.30am, in the dark, to check if I was okay and who removed the chimney bricks that were in danger of falling off the roof.
I hope everyone in Christchurch is staying safe and warm.
xx

Self-Stitched-September Day Two

2010-09-03T12:59:00.002+12:00

I have, on day two, already run into a slight problem. Usually I wear an old pair of jeans and a hoody while dying my hair but when I went to dye my regrowth yesterday I realised I didn't have any 'old' clothes that I have made. I wasn't willing to wait until the month was over to get rid of my roots so that's how I found myself dying my hair in my self-made pyjamas. Miraculously, I managed to keep them free of dye.
After that slight hiccup I changed into my grey wool dress, made from the bodice of Butterick 5032 and a self-drafted skirt. Obviously I am on a purple kick at the moment. In the last three posts I've done I've been wearing purple.
The belt is the sash from another dress I made.
I tried doing a 40s style headscarf to cover my wet hair but I ended up looking more like a washer woman than Rosie the Riveter. It's strangely appropriate given I spent the day doing washing and other mundane jobs.

Self-Stitched-September Day One

2010-09-02T12:02:00.002+12:00

I don't think I have posted my pledge for Self-Stitched-September yet so here it is:

I, Camelia Crinoline, sign up as a participant of Self-Stitched-September. I endeavour to wear only handmade and refashioned items of clothing (excluding underwear, hosiery, shoes, cardigans and accessories) every day for the duration of September 2010.

Basically I will try and wear only skirts, dresses, blouses, pants and pyjamas that I have made. I briefly considered whether I should make some cardigans out of some knit fabric but I already own a lot of cardigans (like over 20) in almost every colour. It seems a waste sewing things I don't particularly want or need for the sake of being able to wear them for SSS.

For day one I wore my purple version of Burdastyle's Jenny skirt and also one of my Port Elizabeth tops from a pattern by Goldfinch and Eagle.

Pi

2010-08-21T11:40:00.000+12:00

Sorry for not posting lately. This week was the last week of the term at uni so I had a 30 page research paper and an essay to finish (sometimes I wonder why I pay money to torture myself like this).

When I did maths at school I used to like geometry, especially anything involving circles. Now the only time I use maths regularly is when I'm working out what something will cost with 20% off and when I'm sewing. Making a pattern for a circle skirt combines my love of sewing with the fun (totally subjective) of geometry. It's probably one of the easiest patterns to make yourself. Basically, it's just a big circle with a smaller circle in the middle the size of your waist. Mine's actually made up of four pieces, rather than two half circles, because I wanted the stripes to be in a chevron pattern. Sadly, I spent ages cutting out the pieces and matching up all the seams and you don't actually notice the chevron pattern when I wear it.

The fabric is a thin cotton with purple stripes. I used about three metres to make this skirt but that was mostly because it wasn't very wide and I needed to match the stripes.

(Also, I always seem to look unhappy in my photos. I'm not. It's just I feel weird grinning like an idiot when I take self-timer photos and they always end up looking strange and forced).

Caped Crusader

2010-08-08T21:07:00.003+12:00

Yesterday I went op-shopping with the lovely Annette from Helga von Trollop. She scored some great dresses and three pairs of shoes. She was also wearing the most amazing purple coat that used to belong to her partner's grandma.
I got this vintage cape which Annette dubbed the find of the day. We had seen a gorgeous blue velvet cape at the first op-shop we went to but I'm glad I didn't buy it because this one was half the price and far more practical. I got 5 cardigans, some zippers and two pairs of gloves as well. (I really must stop buying gloves but I wear them every day because I always have cold hands).

New Things

2010-08-05T22:19:00.000+12:00

(Or more accurately one new thing and two old things)

I said a couple of posts back that I wanted to make a faux leopard jacket. I had also mentioned this to a lovely woman I work with and the next time I saw her she brought me this jacket that used to belong to her cousin. I'm so pleased because it fits perfectly and now I don't have to make one.
The hat is a recent purchase from the op-shop. You can't really see it properly but it's a blue velvet 50's style.
I'm also wearing my new Melissa Vinyl shoes. I love them. They smell like bubblegum.

(I tried to make up for the terrible photo I took by playing with the fun effects on Picnik)

Port Elizabeth Top

2010-07-25T20:15:00.000+12:00

I downloaded the Port Elizabeth top by Goldfinch & Eagle from Burdastyle weeks ago but only printed it out this week because I don't like the cutting out and taping together. Making up for lost time, I ended up sewing three of these in two days. I really love this pattern. It's so simple and stylish. I only made one change- instead of using bias binding on the neckline I drafted facings. This was mostly because I didn't have any bias binding that went with the fabrics and I don't actually know how to make it.
I made the first one using some floral fabric my Mum gave me from her stash.

I made this one in about half an hour before I went to uni on Wednesday morning and then wore it. The fabric was the skirt of an ugly 90's dress I got at the op-shop.

I used an old gingham shirt my Mum was going to throw away for this one. I cut the front of the top from the back of the shirt and the back of the top from the front of the shirt (if that makes sense) so that the buttons were down the back. As you have probably guessed by now I have a slight obsession with things that button down the back. I had to put a snap at the top to keep it closed because I couldn't cut it so there was a button there.

I think I will be making a whole pile of these for Self-Stitched September.

Venus in Furs

2010-07-21T20:08:00.000+12:00

I found this faux fur coat in the op-shop last week and I couldn't resist. It's unbelievably soft and has gorgeous, dusky pink lining. I know fur (faux and real) can be very divisive. Some people think it looks tacky but I love it when paired with vintage style clothes.
I've been wanting to make a vintage style faux fur swing coat for a while but faux fur is about $90 a metre here which is well beyond my limited budget. I think this is a far more reasonably priced substitute.

Thanks for all your sweet comments about my hair in the last post. This is it unstraightened. It's gone even curlier since I've had it cut!

Jenny, Jenny, Jenny, Won't you come along with me

2010-07-15T21:22:00.007+12:00

I actually finished this version of the Jenny skirt a couple of weeks ago but haven't gotten around to posting it. This is my wearable muslin made out of $1.99 a metre bengaline. I quite like the pattern but I thought the instructions were terrible (it seems to be a common complaint). Since I've made a pencil skirt before it wasn't that difficult. Like some others who have made this pattern, I made my own waistband piece because I didn't like the fact that it was three separate pieces cut on the bias. I think in my next version I will taper the skirt more. I would have done on this one but the fabric has no stretch and even though there's a back split I was afraid I would have to take tiny steps if I did.

Tea for Two

2010-07-06T20:28:00.004+12:00

I've finished my second Sencha blouse. This time I made view 3 with the tie front. I also did buttons down the back on this one rather than snaps. I made it using some floral cotton from Stash Rehash. Sorry I haven't managed to get a picture of me wearing it. As my Mum said, "It looks much better when it's on."

The lovely Kat (who just got engaged- Congratulations Kat!), tagged me to answer some questions three weeks ago. I am really slack.

1. What is your favourite food?
It's probably a tie between cheese and chocolate.

2. What is your favourite childhood memory?
Spending three months in England when I was seven and meeting my Dad's family, most of whom I had never met before, was pretty amazing.

3. What is your guilty pleasure?
I'm not really one for feeling guilt about things that give me pleasure but I do indulge in eating homemade biscuits a bit too often.

4. If you won $1 million tomorrow what would you do with it?
Pay off my student loan (which is thankfully not anywhere near a million dollars). Actually go on the trip overseas that my Mum and I always talk about. Save some because I am boring and sensible.

5. Who is your biggest inspiration?
My Mum, who taught me to sew, bought me my first sewing machine and is always patient when I ask her endless questions about whatever pattern I'm currently making. She also taught me to be a proud and independent feminist.

6. What are you reading at the moment?
I just finished The Children of Men by P.D. James and I'm about to start Dr Adder by K.W. Jetter.

7. If you had a theme song what would it be?
I'm not sure I would say it's my theme song but I love Piss Factory by Patti Smith.

The fabulous Helga, also passed an award on to me. I'm meant to tell you five things about me.

1. I can't stand cooked peas. They make me gag but I love picking fresh ones and eating them raw.

2. I just got my hair cut and it's the shortest it's been since I was seven.

3. I like watching Doctor Who while I'm sewing.

4. My handwriting is terrible. I'm usually the only one who can read it.

5. I like making mosturisers and cleansers. I found an old book of my Mum's a few years ago on how to make your own cosmetics and haven't bought mosturiser or cleanser since.

I am a spoilsport and on holiday so I can't be bothered passing these on. Sorry.

On Location

2010-06-22T10:23:00.005+12:00

At the moment I'm on holiday at my parents place in the middle of nowhere. It's great because I can do lots of sewing and try and get some schoolwork done (it's also nice having someone to do my washing).

Yesterday, I finished Simplicity 1411, a short-sleeved jacket pattern from the 50s. Embarrassingly enough, I started this at the beginning of May but I abandoned it because it reminded me of doctor's scrubs. I'm glad I picked it up again because I'm actually quite pleased with the way it looks.
I made it using some sea foam green poplin and purple vintage buttons. The colour's actually greener than in the photo and the buttons are brighter. I didn't do the version with the detachable cuffs and collar so mine looks more like a blouse/jacket hybrid.

I'm also wearing my unfinished version of Burdastyle's Jenny skirt. It's still without a waistband and the suspender straps but I didn't bring any clothes with me that I could wear with the jacket. I will do another post on it when it's done.

Blueberry Bomb*

2010-06-10T20:27:00.005+12:00

I finally jumped on the Sencha bandwagon and I'm so glad I did. I knew I'd love Colette Patterns as soon as I saw the cute pattern booklet. The instructions were so well written even I could understand them.
I made view 1 using some printed broderie anglaise type fabric I got at Stash Rehash. The print is of little blue berries. They look more like cherries than blueberries though.
I'm definitely going to be making a whole pile of these in anticipation of Self-Stitched-September

*Cherry Bomb by the Runaways is one of my favourite songs

Me-Made-May Days 29, 30 and 31

2010-05-31T21:33:00.002+12:00

Today is the last day of Me-Made-May. I can't quite believe that it's over and that tommorow I can get dressed without having to think about whether I'm wearing something that I've sewn. It has definitely been a challenge and I'm excited about wearing whatever I want again. Visiting the Flickr group and seeing everyone else's take on MMM has been really interesting and I found some great new blogs.

Zoe (who is a genius) has already thought up the next sewing/crafting related challenge, Self-Stitched-September, so if you want in on the fun visit her post and sign up.

Me-Made-May Days 27 and 28

2010-05-28T17:38:00.003+12:00

It continues to pour down with rain. The sun porch is filled with buckets (at least it's the only room in the house that has a leaky roof) and right now I'm wearing a pair of tights with two pairs of socks over the top but I'm still quite enjoying the downpour.

On Thurday I wore my navy pencil skirt, and a navy cardigan, navy coat and navy gloves. There would have been more, if I hadn't put a hole in my navy tights and my navy shoes were appropriate for rain. Obviously, navy is my black. On a semi-related note, when I was in high school there was a girl who only wore one colour at a time. So some days she would be head to toe red and others head to toe green etc. I always thought she looked amazing and admired her dedication.

Today, I wore my grey gored skirt while doing some baking. Baking rivals sewing as one of my favourite things to do. I especially love making biscuits on rainy days. They're so delicious warm out of the oven.
My Mum made me the apron for Christmas (so I'm wearing something me made and something Mum made). It has polka dots, a pocket, vintage buttons and the fabric looks like a 50's novelty print with fish, flowers and shells on it. It's so perfect for me.

Me-Made-May Days 25 and 26

2010-05-27T15:47:00.004+12:00

It's now been raining heavily for four solid days which explains my boring outfits (since my main objective has been staying warm) and my even messier than normal hair.
I wore my grey wool dress on day 25 and my polka dot blouse on day 26. I didn't get a picture of day 26 because by the time I got home it was dark and I was tired (and I'm lazy). I have actually been doing some sewing but I doubt I will get anything finished before the end of May.

Me-Made-May Days 23 and 24

2010-05-25T13:31:00.003+12:00

I'm quite glad MMM is over in a week because it's getting cold here. It's been raining the past few days and it's hard finding me made things to wear that are winter appropriate. I've also been really busy and haven't had time to do any sewing so I'm pretty much just repeating my outfits. Don't get me wrong, I've really enjoyed doing it and it has been a challenge. I love looking at the MMM Flickr group and seeing what everyone else is wearing. I'm definitely more motivated to sew and wear more of the things I make. I really admire those doing MMM who have made all the things they are wearing.

Me-Made-May Days 21 and 22

2010-05-23T09:29:00.002+12:00

Having run out of clothes that I've sewn that I actually wear has made me dig up some long forgotten projects. The dress I'm wearing below I made over a year ago but have never worn. The bodice doesn't fit properly and I was too lazy to try and fix it.
May is going scarily fast but with only nine days left I'm starting to miss wearing my vintage dresses.

Me-Made-May Days 19 and 20

2010-05-20T20:45:00.002+12:00

I was actually wearing my green polka dot dress on day 19 but my camera died before I could take a photo. I also wore the above pyjamas. I made them in sewing class when I was 13. I don't know which is more embarassing; the fact I still wear these or the fact that I haven't grown at all since I was 13.

Day 20 or I like to ignore style rules by wearing clashing patterns and brown and black together.

Brumby, a fellow kiwi, has opened and Etsy Emporium and is hosting a giveaway to celebrate. Visit here to enter. I hope I win because I kind of love this dress , even though the colour would look awful with my pale skin.

Me-Made-May Day 18

2010-05-18T22:00:00.002+12:00

I wore my rooster dress today, plus about four other layers because it was rainy and cold. I'm smiling because I'm actually one of those horrible people that loves winter. Miserable weather makes me happy. I love rain, I love gloves and I love soup. I blame it on being born in July.

Me-Made-May Days 16 and 17

2010-05-17T21:01:00.003+12:00

Today I wore a pencil skirt that I finally finished yesterday. And just for a change I'm wearing polka dots. Taking photos of my outfits every day has made me realise I wear red and/or polka dots a lot.
It actually rained all day so this is what I was wearing under my coat.

Sunday I spent catching up with uni work and cleaning. I wore the dress I finished last week.

Me-Made-May Day 14 and 15

2010-05-14T18:11:00.004+12:00

Things I have learned so far during MMM: Updating every day is hard and I should really sew more separates.
I wore this to uni on Friday. I know lots of people dislike polka dots because they are 'too cutesy' but if you couldn't already tell I love them (on that note I don't even know why 'cutesy' is an insult).

I wore this on day 15 to Helga's blogger meet up where I was my usual shy, socially awkward self. Groups of people intimidate me. The theme was red/white so luckily I had a red dress that I had made. I know it doesn't look like it but I did actually iron it before I went out.

Me-Made-May Days 12 and 13

2010-05-13T20:21:00.002+12:00

For day 12 I wore Simplicity 1192 for the second time this month. Please excuse the terrible picture, I had just come home and I was really tired.

Today I wore a blouse made from an old sheet. I don't really like it because the collar doesn't sit right, but I am fast running out of things to wear. It's quite good that I am being forced to wear things I don't normally because sometimes I spend ages sewing something and then don't actually end up wearing it.

Me-Made-May Day 11

2010-05-11T19:44:00.002+12:00

This is what I wore to uni today. It isn't a very good picture of it but I think this version of Butterick 8459 is my favourite dress that I've sewn. The colours are actually a lot brighter and there are two rows of fabric covered buttons down the front. Said to me by someone today when they found out I'd made this dress, "What? Even the buttons?"

Me-Made-May Day 10

2010-05-10T19:57:00.003+12:00

I finished this dress yesterday and wore it to uni today. The bodice is from Butterick 5032 and the skirt is just a rectangle with a box pleat in the front and four more pleats around the sides. I made it using some grey wool blend type fabric I got at Stash reHash. I left it a bit roomy in the bodice so that in the middle of winter (or now) I can wear a thermal and a jersey underneath it. I'm pretty happy about the way it turned out but mostly I'm just glad to have something slightly warmer to wear for MMM than summer dresses.

Me-Made-May Day Nine

2010-05-09T17:39:00.004+12:00

Today I wore my gored skirt (again). I can't think of anything interesting to say because trying to understand Karl Popper is making my brain melt.

P.S. This is a neenish tart, Helga!

P.P.S. Happy Mother's Day Mum!

Me-Made-May Day Eight

2010-05-08T18:38:00.003+12:00

This was my lazy Saturday outfit. I spent the day reading and baking banana bread and neenish tarts. The skirt is a simple gathered one I made a while ago using vintage fabric. I don't tend to wear it that much because the colour of the flowers seems to clash with most of the clothes I own. It might get some more wear during Me-Made-May though, when I start to run out of clothes.

Me-Made-May Day Seven

2010-05-07T15:34:00.003+12:00

For day seven I wore a me made back button blouse. After uni I went to Spotlight and the op shop. I was slightly embarassed at the op shop when I bought a back button blouse and blue vintage gloves while I was wearing um... a back button blouse and blue vintage gloves. I'm nothing if not predictable.
My thought process at the op shop went something like this: Look blue gloves. But I already have blue gloves. I'm actually wearing blue gloves right now. I don't have ones that are this exact shade of blue though. What if I need this exact shade to co-ordinate with an outfit? They are only $4. $4 is the same amount I paid for that horrible cheese scone I bought the other day. These are way better than a cheese scone. I must buy them.
I then found the blouse and repeated it again. This is how you end up with a drawer filled with gloves and too many cute vintage blouses.

Me-Made-May Day Six

2010-05-06T20:43:00.003+12:00

I wore Simplicity 3542 today. This was the first vintage pattern I ever sewed so it has the dubious honour of being the dress that turned me into a vintage pattern addict.
I wore it to uni and on the bus on my way home the bus driver said to me, "It's so refreshing to see someone dressed like that." It made me laugh because I thought I looked pretty normal today (in comparasion to what I usually look like) but apparently not.

The hem looks uneven because the crinoline I was wearing was all bunched on one side which I didn't realise until later.

Me-Made-May Day Five

2010-05-05T21:03:00.003+12:00

Today, I wore Butterick 5032 to uni and my volunteer job. I had a pretty good day because I got an old Ralta portable hair dryer for free.

I love the case, it looks like a hat box.

I tried it when I got home and it still works.

I think it's from the 60s based on the hairstyles in the little booklet that came with it.

Me-Made-May Day Four

2010-05-04T22:06:00.002+12:00

Today I wore a me made dress (Butterick 9826) to uni. I feel like I have it pretty easy compared to some of the other Me-Made-Mayers who are working because they probably have dress codes that they have to work around. None of my sewn clothes would be very work appropriate but luckily I can wear what I like to uni.

Me-Made-May Day Three

2010-05-03T20:44:00.003+12:00

Today I wore Butterick 8459 to uni. Sorry about the bad photo, I only managed to take one and then my camera promptly died.
I have lots of sewing plans but haven't managed to get anything done since the start of May. Hopefully I can sew a few more things soon so I don't have to start repeating outfits.

Me-Made-May Day Two

2010-05-02T20:03:00.003+12:00

For day two of Me-Made-May I wore a me made dress to the Shabby Chic Market. There was some great stuff there so I had to limit myself to only three things. I saw two lovely and really reasonably priced vintage swimsuits but I stopped myself from buying them because I already have a gorgeous one (and I hardly ever go swimming). I did buy a broderie anglaise back button blouse, some red shoes and a layered petticoat. I was quite surprised about how reasonable the prices were, these only cost me $23 altogether.

And so it begins

2010-05-01T20:04:00.000+12:00

My rule for Me-Made-May : Wear one me made item for every day of May.

For day one I wore a me made gored skirt. I had an exam on this afternoon so I wanted to wear something reasonably comfortable. Like always I was completely overdressed for the occasion, most people showed up in their trackpants.

Things I have learnt so far after the first day of Me-Made-May: My sewn wardrobe is made up almost exclusively of impractical and inapropriate clothes.

Please excuse my rather rumpled look in the photo. I had just come home from having spent seven hours at uni. That's my 'I'm so exhausted and relieved my exams are over I can't think straight' face.

The Mean Reds

2010-04-29T16:15:00.000+12:00

I'm in the middle of exams at the moment so I haven't been doing that much sewing or op-shopping. I have a couple of almost finished sewing projects but they will probably have to wait until after Saturday when my last exam is.
Above are two recently acquired items in my favourite colour. The bag is vintage and was given to me by a friend of my mother's and the gloves I got for $1 at the Sallies. I've been looking for a pair of red gloves for a while after buying a pair and then promptly losing them. They are a tiny bit tight but look like they have never been worn so I'm hoping that I can stretch them a bit.

Stash reHash

2010-04-20T11:48:00.000+12:00

On Sunday I went to the second Stash reHash fabric market. I managed to get some lovely fabric and some vintage buttons, all for about $25. Since I have used much of my stash fabric over the past few months I needed to stock up so I can make some more winter appropriate things for Me-Made-May. While I was there I also ran into the fabulous Helga von Trollop, who managed to score some great fabric too .
Now I better go and do some sewing if I'm going to have enough clothes to wear in May.

Simplicity 1192

2010-04-17T14:19:00.000+12:00

When I first contemplated sewing Simplicity 1192 I thought it looked fairly straightforward and fun...how wrong I was. The bodice went together perfectly until it came time to attach the ties for the bows. When I tried it on the bateau neckline was so high up my neck it looked like a skivvy* gone wrong. Since I (mostly) followed the instructions I'm going to tell myself that women in the 1950s had ridiculously swan-like necks and that is why the neckline came up to my chin. After a few small tantrums and a lot of unpicking I decided to remove the ties. I was determined to still use them somehow because they were bias cut and it had used up about a metre of fabric making them. I tried various methods of attaching them at the shoulder seams and sewing them to the facings but none looked quite right.

I finished the rest of the dress, including my first lapped zipper (which was easy compared to fixing the neckline). I decided that it would be easier if the ties were removable so I could wear a cardigan over the dress. In the photo above I've just tied them around the shoulder seams and then into bows. They look really uneven but that's mostly because I was in a hurry and couldn't be bothered playing with them until they were the same. Sorry about the wonky photo, that's what happens when you try and take a self-timer photo using a sloping bookcase as a makeshift tripod.

*Turtleneck if you're not a New Zealander

Andrea's Vintage Sale and Me-Made-May

2010-04-11T16:03:00.000+12:00

Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending Andrea's Vintage Sale. I got 2 dresses and a hat at a great price. It was really nice to meet Andrea and some other bloggers including Helga and Eva (who, it turns out, is in one of my classes at uni).

Peach doesn't really suit me but I couln't resist this dress.

I love the cute apple print on this dress.

This hat makes me think of something Dandy Gilver would wear in one of Catriona McPherson's mystery novels.

I also joined Zoe's Me-Made-May Challenge yesterday. She just finished Me-Made-March where, for every day of March she wore clothes that she had sewn (excluding bras, shoes, tights and socks). For Me-Made-May she's inviting others to join her, so if you're interested click the link above. I'm going to do the Lite version which involves wearing at least one handmade garment every day throughout May, because it's going to be Autumn/Winter here in NZ and most of the clothes I sew are light summer dresses.

Mellow Yellow

2010-04-08T14:41:00.000+12:00

I usually steer clear of yellow clothes because, as I am about as tanned as the Corpse Bride, they tend to make me look ill. I saw this yellow polka dot fabric at the op-shop a while ago but didn't buy it. When I went back the next week it was still there so it came home with me. I find it hard to resist anything that has polka dots on it.

It was only a small piece of fabric so I decided to make a short sleeved blouse even though we are heading into winter. I adapted a vintage blouse pattern I've made before and added a few tucks to the neckline because it was too wide. Even though it's completely inappropriate for the autumn weather I'm just going to wear it with a thermal and a cardigan and hope no one asks me if I'm feeling ill.

Gored Skirt

2010-04-04T15:40:00.000+12:00

Recently one of my favourite skirts (seen here) has started falling apart. Since I bought it second hand I couldn't go and buy another so I set out to sew one similar. The original skirt was made up of 10 gores so I made a pattern using its measurements.
Using some grey suiting type fabric I had in my stash, I sewed the gores together and added a zip and a waistband. This is my test version/wearable muslin. The hem sits slightly strangely which I think is due to the type of fabric I used.
For the real one I'm hoping to find some pink fabric in a similar colour to the original skirt. I think I will also try and find something a bit lighter weight than the fabric I used for this version so it sits better.

Finding vintage at the op-shop

2010-03-30T13:50:00.000+13:00

I got this dress at an op-shop thinking it was from the 80s but on closer inspection I think it may be older, possibly even from as far back as the 40s. I'm no expert at dating vintage but it has some details that you don't usually find on more modern garments. It has a metal side zip, bound buttonholes and a little hook by the top button with a thread loop. The label also looks quite old.

I love the scalloping on the sleeves and the decorative stitching details on the bodice and skirt.

I was really excited by this dress because I hardly ever find real vintage clothing at the op-shop.

Butterick 8459 take two

2010-03-22T18:18:00.000+13:00

This is my second version of Butterick 8459. I seem to have gotten in the habit lately of making multiples of every dress I sew.

The fabric is furnishing fabric I bought ages ago for $3 a metre. The print is kind of strange because if you look closely it has little ceramic bunny rabbit vases with flowers in them.
I think I like this version better than my first one because the fabric drapes in a much nicer way.

It was the first time I've made covered buttons and I was happy the way they turned out. I also made a belt using one of the belt buckles I got last year at Stash reHash.