Cascade Skirt: a cape for your bottom

My delightful sister gifted me the Megan Nielsen Cascade Skirt as a Valentines day/time off work present. She bought the paper pattern from Indie Stitches (because I keep harping on about them!). Valentines afternoon I went to Darn Cheap and found this floaty slippery soft pinkish fabric with blue 80's inspired splotches and lines. Perfect for the Cascade Skirt AND a contribution to Blue February. 

I set to work tracing the pattern at social sewing which took all of ten minutes. There are only three pattern pieces! But, the skirt pieces are huge and took up a good 3m of fabric. I cut a medium with the extra long waist ties. 

From cutting out the fabric to completing the skirt the project only took a couple of hours. But I spent a good hour or two in between figuring out how to use my rolled hem foot and procrastinating. The very kind Renee photographed and emailed me some instructions, what a gem! Using this special foot was such a time saver, but my fabric was pretty slippery and I need practice so my hem is far from perfect. Otherwise, the skirt was a breeze to put together. I made up the pattern as instructed.

I've been wanting to make this skirt for a while but it is quite different to my usual style (or lack there of). Not to mention the fabric is pretty out there. I was stoked when I realised that my skirt goes perfectly (imo) with my favorite brown strapy wedges. I will be entering this little skirt/shoe combo in the Project Sewn 'If the shoe fits' sew-along challenge. 

The skirt is SO fun to wear! It is so full and floaty. Tim was rather amused at me running around our unit last night looking back at my skirt tail floating around like a cape. I declared this skirt a cape for my butt.

I'll be sure to make this skirt again. Next time I'll modify the length to be shorter in the back for a less dramatic cape-like skirt. Okay, one more photo of the shoe-skirt combo.

Sew Cheap February Free Pattern Review: Garden Party Dress

For my Feb Sew Cheap: Free Pattern make and review, I chose the lovely Garden Party Dress by Honig Design. Elise has spoiled us by making her multisize dress pattern freely available. This is a short or long sleeve dress with a fitted bodice, an optional neck line slit, and a pleated floaty skirt with hem variations. It looks great in winter and summer variations so fabric choices are broad. Instructions for lining the bodice are included.

I chose to make the short sleeved version with a neck line split.I cut a size 10 chest grading out to a 12 from the waist down. I also adapted the sleeves as I had read that they for very narrowly drafted. I used a Wool/Rayon blend for The Fabric Store which is light but lovely and soft. Tim originally chose this wool to line his Albion coat but there wasn't enough on the bolt. After standing in line at The Fabric Store for 20 minutes I decided I wanted it anyway. I managed to get the dress out of 1.3m by 1.5m wide.

I followed the instructions mostly but got a bit unstuck when trying to add the sleeves. Even after widening the sleeves, using a smaller S/A and easing them in twice, the sleeves just didn't fit right. They were so tight around my bicep that they poofed up at the sleeve cap and pulled the bodice. The sleeves had to go, but the lining was already attached to the bodice, but not the sleeves, and the bias binding just wasn't the look I was going for. Thus, I unpicked the lining and reattached it to the bodice AND sleeves using the instructions from my Colette Truffle dress. This gave the sleeves a clean finish. I also top-stitch around the sleeves and neckline to flatten out the wool and stop the lining peeking out.

Once getting over my sleeve and lining drama the rest of the dress went together easily. There are three pleats in the front skirt and just 1 in the back skirt so its not too fiddly. After attaching the skirt I checked the fit. There was excess room in the bodice and I took the side seems in 1/4"on either side. The dress is still a little wide for my upper frame but I've decided that could work in my favor as it's a winter dress and I'll be layering shirts, slips, long sleeve tops etc. 

When it came to inserting the zipper I couldn't get the waistline to match on either side! I ripped and re-interested the zipper twice and ended up getting some unevenness at the neckline in my attempts to improve the waistline. I'll always wear the dress with a belt so I guess it's not a big deal. My other issue with the dress is that its near impossible to undo by myself. I have reasonable shoulder/arm movement but I really have to wriggle to reach and pull the top of the zipper. If I lived alone I probably would avoid wearing this dress.

Overall, I really like the dress. I'm not sure that the wool is really my colour but it makes a change from my vastly grey and black winter wardrobe. I love the fullness of the front skirt as shown below. Even though I had a few issues with the fit (particularly the sleeves) this is still an awesome freeby! The instructions are written-only (no diagrams) and were occasionally brief so I probably wouldn't recommend this as a first dress project. But, if you've made a lined dress or blouse with a zip closure then you'll be comfrotable putting this together.

If you like this post, check out my January review, Sew Cheap: Top Tips and Sew Cheap: Free Patterns posts. 

Butcher Orange Colette Iris Shorts

I love wearing shorts in summer to bum around the house, go for walks and do all those things where a skirt/dress will get in the way. But, I only own TWO pairs and they are on very high rotation. I've set out to find a TNT shorts pattern so I can make myself at least a weeks worth. I love my Monochrome Tania Culottes but they're not quite everyday enough for me. Others have had success with the Colette Patterns Iris Short, so that's where I begun.

I ordered the pattern from Indie Stitches and went to find some suitable fabric that same day. I found this silky smooth red orange linen blend from Darn Cheap Fabrics. The fabric frayed quickly but was otherwise easy to work with. The Iris shorts were SO EASY to prepare with only 6 pieces to trace, all on only 1 half sheet of tissue paper, using just 1m of fabric! Not having to wrangle sheets of tissue paper was a nice change.

I made version 1, cutting a size 8 but extending the length down to a size 18. I followed the instructions and the shorts came together in just a morning.

I've called these my butcher orange shorts because, simply, I butchered them! They look OK from the outside but the inside it a hot mess. I went a little crazy pinking the the crotch seam and with the fray factor I'm worried I will have a hole in the crotch within a few wears. I attached the waistband facing by stitching in the ditch which is fine for the outside, but an uneven mess on the inside. I couldn't find a red orange invisible zipper, so say hello to my very visible white invisible zipper.

I also have two fitting issues. 1) The waistband is very lumpy and bumpy! I think this would be improved by trimming the seam allowances. 2) The crotch is VERY high. I don't thinks it's too noticeable from the outside as the fit in the bum and front seems good, but next time I will definitely need to lower the crotch curve just for comforts sake!

Looking past the mess, I like the shorts very much and can see myself making another pair or two. Overall the fit is reasonable, the length is perfect. The shorts are high waisted and I  love that they look good with a blouse tucked in or out (see below).

So far, making shorts has been fun and I'd like to try more. I'm thinking about the Pattern Runway Scalloped hem shorts or the Sinbad & Sailor Raven shorts.

My Monochrome Tania Culottes

I'm taking some time off my studies and work for a bit of 'me-time'and self-reflection. I will no-doubt have a lot of sewing time which is an added bonus! My first make of my time-off are the Megan Nielsen Tania Culottes. I used a monochrome 95% cotton 5% stretch fabric from Darn Cheap Fabrics called 'Angus' and bought the PDF pattern from Indie Stitches. I'd heard a lot about the culottes, in particular that they were very short, and loved how they looked on others.

 

My measurements fell between the small and medium. I ended up cutting the medium to allow for food room. The fit around the waist is perfect. In terms of overall comfort, I'm still getting used to them. I'm constantly pulling the excess fabric from between my legs and when I sit down I feel as if my skirt is stuck between my legs, which, I guess, it is. 

While I knew that the culottes would be very short I only had enough fabric to cut the original length. So these are my risque culottes. I actually like the length and think they are flattering. I will make another pair at some point and probably add 1-2" to the length for a more work-appropriate look.

This was my first time using a Megan Nielsen pattern and the instructions were very easy to follow. The pattern and fabric were quickly cut out, with only four pattern pieces, and the culottes came together in a breeze. The most time consuming part of this make is hemming the giant leg holes. I didn't make any changes to the pattern but suggest the following instruction adaptions: 1) at step 1, sew the crotch seam before the pleat so you are able to press the crotch seam open ; 2) at step 7, rather than hand stitching the the sides of the waistband facing to the inside of the waistband, after sewing your facing to your waistband pivot your needle sew down the facing (inside out) along the zipper, snip corner and turn waist band right way in. The only other change I made was to top stitch the facing to the waistband 1/4" from the bottom of the waistband and 1"4 from the top of the waistband. 

This was my first time using an invisible zipper foot. In the past I've used a regular zipper foot. The foot certainly makes this easier and my zipper is mostly invisible. I didn't make any attempts to pattern match with these short, but my right side seam is a lovely accident!

I love how these shorts turned out and hope to get a bit of wear out of them. I need to make some simple block colour tops to go with them. Unlikely to happen anytime soon though, I love prints!

Pink Floral Rigel Bomber Jacket

The Papercut Patterns Rigel Bomber Jacket is amazing! My favorites from other bloggers include The Quirky Peach's Floral bomber and Cirque Du Bebe Scandavian polka dot bomber. It seems like the rigel has been slow to infiltrate the sewing / blogging world. I think, like me, many people are tempted by it and planning to make a version up eventually but just a little nervous about the welt pockets and lack of lining. Thanks to peer pressure on Instagram I got my act together. I bought this fun pink floral twill (from Rathdown Ramnants and Fabrics) for a Grainline Studio Moss Skirt, but my lovely Instagram friends overruled me and it was decided that this fabric would become a Rigel Bomber.

The Papercut Patterns packaging was so beautiful and it inspired me to get started straight away. I decided to make up version 1 as I think version 2 would only work in a more subtle fabric. I cut a size XS bust grading to a S waist and hips which matched my measurements. It ended up quite big from my waist down and next time I'll cut a straight XS.  I really like the fit in the front but you can see in the photo below how much excess fabric in the back there is.

To begin with I cut out the main bodice and sleeve pieces as I hadn't completely decided whether I would end up lining the jackets and potentially changing my mind about the most appropriate ribbing. I know others have lined their jacket or wish they had. My jacket insides are far from perfect but I was happy enough not to bother with lining. I used an old men's shirt for the pockets and while I would have liked to bias bind the edges I couldn't be bothered thinking through how to do it. I did bind the edges on the facing to give it a smooth finish. 

The construction of the jacket was relatively easy once I got my head around the instructions. The welt pockets went in without trouble. I adore the open ended zipper. It's so much easier to insert than regular zippers (in my opinion) and it looks so professional! The navy ribbing was easy to use but I'm not in love with how it looks. Perhaps next time I'd use a thick regular knit instead. I increased the cuff length by 2" (1" once folded in half) and my arms aren't especially long. I didn't end up top stitching or tacking the facing down and it moves around a little so I'll have to go back and do this when I get a chance.

 
Overall I really like the way the jacket turned out! I love the fabric I chose but it is a little stiff. Hopefully it will loosen up with time. This fabric would still make a really fun Moss mini. I'm definitely tempted, but my planned Liberty Moss mini is the priority for now. This jacket is very different to anything else I own and will take some time to integrate into my wardrobe. So far I've styled it with Jeans and a simple tank. As it's summer I don't think it will get much wear for a few months. These photos were taken at 9am this morning under a shady tree and it was stinkin' hot!

I will make another version for winter later in the year. For my second bomber I plan to make a lined version in a more subtle grey or navy thick but soft fabric, perhaps a knit or wool. I want it to be the jacket I reach for each day and live in on cool winter weekends. Let's see how I get on.  

Planning A Liberty Cord Moss Mini

I've been eyeing off this Gorman Secret Garden Skirt for an age. A few weeks ago there was a 60% off sale but I still couldn't convince myself to  buy it! Why? Well the awesome Libertyesque fabric is identical to that  on my Gorman Secret Garden dress (go figure!) and the skirt reminds me too much of a Grainline Studio Moss Mini. Epiphany: what I really wanted was to make a Liberty cord Moss mini.


 

Source: Gorman Secret Garden Skirt http://www.gormanshop.com.au/ 

If anyone has any tips for buying Liberty cord in Australia please let me know. I ended up purchasing Liberty Rossmore Cord - LRC03542256C - Lesleys from Sew Box in the UK. It was on sale and I bought the absolute minimum metreage I thought I could get away with (1m), so it only cost me $52 (AUS), shipping included. I'm a little stressed the nap will mean I should have bought more fabric. I hope it will be enough. The fabric arrived to my door within 7 days of purchase, so quick! It is ABSOLUTLEY beautiful. I've never used, or even touched, Liberty needlecord before and I was a little surprised at just how silky, drapey and thin it is. It would make the perfect Papercut Patterns Rigel Bomber Jacket!

Given my history with the Grainline Studio Moss Skirt I know to cut a size 8. Unlike my denim Moss skirt, I want this version to be super mini so I'll leave off the hem band. I have limited fabric so I might need to cut all facings and innards in an alternate fabric, but I hope to have enough fabric left over to create belt loops. I plan to use the same process I learnt making Tim's Jedediah Shorts to add the loops. I will also need to line or underline the skirt to give it a bit more structure. I will probably go with a dark sturdy fabric perhaps with some silkiness so I can wear it with thick tights in winter. Any suggestions? I really hope I can do this beautiful fabric justice.

I enjoy writing about sewing plans and progress as well as finished products. My aim for this blog was to write about my "learning to sew journey" not just the Ta-Da! pictures. I really enjoy reading about others sewing plants, too. I would love to know if others find progress/planning posts interesting, useful or a complete bore? 

Modified Colette Hawthorn Blouse

After sewing my first Colette Hawthorn Blouse I noticed that I could get it on and off without undoing the buttons from the waist down and also that the facing, fusing and buttons made the peplum a little stiff and heavy in the front. So I decided to modify my planned white seersucker version. I'm not sure if anyone else has hacked their hawthorn blouse or dress in this way, but it's such an easy mod I'd be surprised if they hadn't.

How I did it: Well, its easy peesy.
* Simply cut two back peplum pieces on the fold instead of one back and two front pieces, and don't cut the peplum facing interfacing.
* Make up the entire upper bodice as usual.
* Before adding the peplum, baste the left and right bodice pieces together at the centre front.
*As per instructions, sew the two peplum pieces together and then sew onto the bodice matching up the notches and side seams (below is what it should like like pre buttons).
* Create only five button holes and sew on the buttons.

And that's it! I think it took less time to cut and sew than the original version. And look at the flouncy bouncy peplum it makes for in the front. I only had 1m (45" wide) fabric to make this top and I was able to fit all the pieces needed for this hacked hawthorn blouse. But, I had to cut the underside of the back collar piece on the off-grain, but since its interfaced it wasn't an issue. Thus, this modified hawthorn is also a really great stash buster!

The top turned out a little tighter in the waist than my original version made from a cotton with slight stretch. It's actually a bit of a tight squeeze to get over my chest. Another great modification to the top would be to insert a side invisible zip to prevent stretching the waist taking it on and off.

This top was debuted at Melbourne Laneway Festival. My top survived the day but looks a little worse for wear. These photos were taken from a lovely friends balcony who supplied tickets, drinks and wonderful company! It was also really fun checking out all the weird and wonderful fashions people are sporting at the moment. Tim says it's the golden age for men's clothing. What do you think?