THE CHERUB

Posted on July 30, 2012 by sewbusylizzy

Giselle’s confirmation – she is doing well not to shiver. It was freezing and they made us wait outside in a cold wind for 20 minutes! Lovely!

She loves this dress and proudly told everyone her Mum made it and didn’t use a pattern. Bless her.

She is correct to a degree, I did use a McCalls bodice which I then shortened, added a waistband, added underlining to the skirt and bodice and sewed the entire thing without instructions. It was lots of fun! We made it up as we went along. Oh AND it was fully lined.

I pulled out my never-been-used darning foot, dropped the never-been-dropped feed dogs and secured it down by stitching in close to the roses. Then I trimmed the netting back, leaving a tiny frill around the edges. Worked beautifully!

Confirmation dress, adding the trimming

In other sewing news: I have a healthy pile of my husband’s shirts that have been put out the pasture. A few are in perfect condition. Should I just cut the buttons off or does someone have a brilliant idea to re-fashion these?

I’m considering some tops for the girls. They adore their dad and would probably love anything I make for them from Daddy’s clothes!

Men’s shirts and a mini muu-muu

Oh yes, my mini muu-muu pattern has arrived. Happy hand claps.

However I have another project that I’m committed to… more on that soon!

Giselle – the crazy monkey.

WOEFUL WELT, PUCKERED POCKET & WONKY WAISTBAND

Posted on July 29, 2012 by sewbusylizzy

I’ve had a shorts disaster and I’m thrilled to bits! Today was a sewing fail but a pattern win and thrown up a host of new things I need to master. Hooray.

Sewaholic Thurlow front view. Wonkiest waistband ever!

Last week I posed my third Sewaholic Cambie. This dress was near perfect. The waistband met perfectly at the zip. The lining was immaculate. I was proud.

Pride comes before the fall.

I could have not posted this and you never would have know what a shoddy stitcher I could be. At least this way you know I’m an honest one 🙂

I was stitching by the light of my old bedside light as the main lights were switched off as my husband and father-in-law installed some new light fittings downstairs. Stitching black fabric in very dodgy light conditions is very difficult. Good thing I did no unpicking. So the horrid fabric combined with very poor light did nothing to encourage a happy ending!

As soon as I went to sew my Sewaholic Thurlows I realised the fabric as a disastrous choice. It frays, it stretches quite randomly and is just plain old cheap and nasty. Even trying to finish the edges was a joke. The fabric just fell apart more.

I had a moment where I thought about ditching it all together and starting again.

However Thurlow involves a whole lotta cutting so I wasn’t keen to start again. So I decided to treat this as a fit test for the pattern.

I did not finish the seam allowances (why waste cotton on a wadder?), when the stretchy fabric resulted in a wonky waistband, front fly and hideous welts, I just sailed on. In fact the cheerful abandon with which I sewed was quite liberating. “Oh look one side of the front is longer than the other. How funny.” “Oh look that’s the worse welt in history. *giggle* and I kept sewing until the bitter end.

I have never made pants before, sewn a front fly, made a welt pocket so the entire project was a newbie for me. I learnt a lot and know what I need to practice before I spend decent money on respectable fabric.

My first welt pocket was such a disaster I decided to dump the second welt pocket on the back as I was purely making the shorts up at the point as a muslin to check the fit. I even resorted to sewing across the ends of the welt on the outside to get it to lay flat as the fabric was fraying so badly on the inside.

Once you pick yourself up off the floor after laughing at the welt pocket of woe, can you please let me know what you think about the fit across my derrière?

Sewaholic Thurlow – back view and the worst welt EVER!

I think the welt pocket perhaps needs some interfacing behind it. Only the welt bits were interfaced and I think part of my welt of woe problems was that my material was a bit too soft and floppy. If you are a welt guru, please let me know if that helps.

The front fly was much easier than I thought. I did a bit of puzzling, pinning and flipping and I managed this part quite quickly.

I got a bit over-excited about sewing on the waistband and seeing if they fit. I sewed the waistband and the waistband lining to the trousers, instead of just the waistband and leaving the lining free to tuck over the raw edges. Stoopid. So the inside of the shorts are a hideous mess but I really don’t mind. I should have known better as the waistband is attached the same way as my Vogue 1247 Tardis Skirt.

I have not hemmed them. There is no button etc to hold them up – just a grotty old safety pin. Yes, I’m all class today.

Right from my first seam I saw these as a rough sketch for a future pair of trousers and very much a learning ground for a whole bunch of techniques I had never done. Welts, flys, and ‘grown-up’ pants!

Sewaholic Thurlow side view. That welt does not get any better in profile!

Despite my disasters and wonky pants Sewaholic Thurlow gets the thumbs up from me. As ugly as these shorts are, I think there are some nice trousers hiding in the envelope for me. I really like this pattern. Thurlows would make excellent work trousers. I like trousers that fit my derrière and then have long loose legs and these fit the bill perfectly. I think they would make cute denim shorts with contrast floral or polka dot pockets and lining.

Laugh all you like – I certainly have! But if you have any pants fitting tips I would more than pleased to hear them. I saw a pants fitting book at the library and I think I will borrow it, although I don’t think these are too bad at all for straight out of the envelope, size 0 with no alterations – other than my horrendous sewing! LOL

But Thurlow and I will return to the sewing machine once I have more obedient fabric for View A trousers!

Check out Lladybird’s gorgeous gingham Thurlows – now that girl can sew!!

Pattern purchased from Sew Squirrel!

IN OTHER SEWING NEWS… the daughter’s confirmation dress is finished! It’s big and it’s pink and she’s wearing it tomorrow night!

SEWAHOLIC CAMBIE POX and some SELFLESS SEWING

Posted on July 26, 2012 by sewbusylizzy

Sewaholic Cambie No. 3 – Don Giovanni inspired!

After a severe bout of Renfrew-itis I’ve now come down with the Cambie Pox. Yes I’m absolutely dotty about Cambie.

Sewaholic Cambie No.3 – the inspiration

This dotty Cambie was inspired by Opera Australia’s Oz Opera’s production of Don Giovanni coming to our theatre next month. When I received the costume sketches, I immediately thought, I gotta make that spotty one. It’s on display in our theatre foyer in the lead-up to the production. This production by Opera Australia’s Oz Opera has been set in 1950s Italy, there are leather jackets, 1950s frocks, sunglasses and flower-pot hats. I’m not a huge opera fan but my girlfriend (almost ‘not an opera fan’) saw it last week and called up to RAVE about it. She said it puts the soap back into opera. It’s fast, funny and the costumes are divine – you can see all the costumes sketches here – beautiful!

Can’t wait. Really! I’m busting to see an opera!

The polka dots only cost me $9 and I lined it with white homespun rather than batiste as the polka dots are very flimsy and I wanted a big skirt and plenty of structure in the bodice. Plus the polka dots are also rather see-through! So I also omitted the pockets as I did not want to see the pocket outline through the skirt fabric.

I’ve posted the back view, guts and hem at the end of this post – just in case you are sick to death of my Cambies! I understand I really do.

You might recall I’ve been rattling on about having to make a dress for Miss 7.

I admit it… I am a selfish selfish selfish stitcher. I want to stitch for others… but then I do and it just ain’t so much fun as stitching for me… I reason that I sew to relax and dealing with other people’s expectations is not relaxing.

Yes even when it’s my kids… bad bad mummy…

After several false starts, I nearly finished Miss 7’s confirmation dress. We were told to dress them in something they might wear to a restaurant. hahaha. So I imagined what I might dress Miss 7 in to take to a restaurant and chose this pattern… and pink flowerly fabric with lots and lots of holes.

And it was all going swimmingly until I realised… yes the dress may be lined but with all those darn holes I was going to have to underline the dress as well! Ok. Deep breaths. Laid out the patterns pieces and discovered the pink fabric is more like 140cm wide, not 150cm as I thought, and there was not enough for the circle skirt.

Argh. Another week of procrastination. Decide to alter pattern by shortening bodice, adding a waistband and attaching a gathered skirt in the style of Cambie. I made up a very rough muslin (no zip) and decided to risk it. Not my finest production but she is thrilled. “Mum I LOVE it”. The next problem is getting her to stop twirling so I can take a picture – so you will have to wait for now. And I still have to hem and do a few decorative bits and pieces before I’m finished.

However I will share the now Miss 9’s first communion suit ,yes suit, because everyone else wore a dress she wanted a suit – she looked so stylish and very Jackie O – my mother made this and it’s perfect).

Zoe’s first Communion (Miss 9)

Hopefully one day I’ll be as clever as my Mum!

Sewaholic Cambie No.3 – the waistband

Sewaholic Cambie No.3 – the lining and hem, trim inspired by Scruffy Badger, the champion of trimmings

Sewaholic Cambie No.3 – the guts. I love the Cambie lining, it just makes the dress perfect.

Sewaholic Cambie No.3 – this will make a lovely market day dress! I also think this will look cute as a button with a denim jacket.

Now I’ve got a vision of a denim a-line Cambie with that little red polka dot waistband. Now wouldn’t that look cute!

SUFFERING FROM SEWAHOLIC RENFREW – ITIS

Posted on July 20, 2012 by sewbusylizzy

Yes it’s true, Sewaholicism is catching. I am currently suffering from a new strain called Renfrew-itis

hmmmmmm, now let me think… how much do I love Sewaholic Renfrew View C….? Lots! This was just after I had sewn on the bands and came racing downstairs with it on, hugely excited and thinking it was the best thing EVER. I even wore it out to the supermarket before I machine neatened all the seams. Naughty!

Of course being me I just had to try out another view of the pattern – you know… just in case… so I made this one…

I’ve never stitched a knit fabric in my life. Ever. I know lots of people say “you don’t need a pattern – just trace around your favourite t-shirt.”Absolutely, except I had no idea how to attach the self-fabric bands or neck edge. I wanted some instructions and just the proportion of bands to body/sleeve. My mother is a great stitcher but she is a pattern lady and she sewed knits for me in the 80s that had ribbing, so I was short on advice. When it comes to knits I cheerfully admit I’m stooopid. However, thanks to Sewaholic I’m feeling a little smarter on that front. I don’t think I need to trace anything, Renfrew and me are BFF xoxox.

The downside is that I really wish I had an overlocker/serger so I could power through these Renfrews even faster! View B took me about an hour. View C a little longer as the sleeves are longer and the cowl is quite large.

ELH (ever lovin’ husband) likes View C best – and so do I. I have a cowl neck obssession, they are not always in the shops and now I can make them – in every colour!! I really adore this one as there is no possibility of any sneak peek when you lean forward. Rockin’! I like this View B too, it’s very practical.

ELH says View B is ‘nice but just looks like a t-shirt you would buy’. Exactly, it’s just a t-shirt – I love that! I could fly under the radar with this one and all of my friends are going to think this is RTW! Ha! Trickster Deluxe!

I still have no idea which stitch would be best to use on stretch fabric on my machine.

Suggestions anyone?

stitches on my Bernina sewing machine – which one works best for knits?? My instruction manual was not the most helpful document in the world…

My other major triumph is I managed to get both of these shirts out of less than 2 metres. I’m a Sewaholic Size 0. It was a bit of a squish but I managed.

This is a nothin’ fancy mauve knit. I looked everywhere for stripes and could not find anything I liked. The only stripes I found were either poo-tones or a wide black-and-white stripe which I also thought would look too harsh against my skin. Finally I found this, I asked for 1.5 metres and when they unrolled it there was an extra 20cm or so. Usually they ask if you want it (making you pay for it of course) or they chop off the paltry amount for the remanents bin – which is just ridiculous. However I struck it lucky with a tired and cranky shop assistant who just shrugged and gave it all to me for the price of 1.5m. I nearly fainted. I quickly recovered, paid and ran for my life! I’ve never been so happy to be served by a surly shop assistant.

Sewaholic Renfrew – View B on the tiny wife! This apparently how I look from my husband’s height. The other photos he crouches down from his 6 foot 5 height to my 5 foot 4 which makes me look normal (or him not so freaky tall…)

After another late winter’s night out I came home pulled on my Tardis Skirt (Vogue 1247) over my leggings for these photos. I swear this skirt just sighs when I pick it up – “she’s going to wear me again! Doesn’t she own anything else!?’ I love this skirt, it’s not ‘cake’ as Sewaholic’s Tasia described the more sensible everyday sewing projects – this is bread! I think Renfrew is headed for bread status too.

I find the fit a little baggy around the middle – I’m used to wearing quite fitted t-shirts but I love this shape with my skinny jeans, it provides a nice balanced shape.

I’ve got some ‘smile’ lines radiating out from over my armholes. I’m not sure what makes armholes smile, my fitting book doesn’t explain that (perhaps they are happy because they don’t stink?). I’ll have to check my RTW t-shirts and see if they do this – and indeed if it’s just my posture in these I’m totally exhausted pictures. Either way it’s not a significant eyesore so me to be tossing it in the disaster pile.

I bought this pattern from Sew Squirrel. I’m trying not to buy the Minoru jacket pattern. I’ve been strong so far. Maybe next winter (I keep telling myself winter 2012 is nearly over!! Wishful thinking…)

Sorry for the less than inspiring backdrop for the pictures but ELH is away fishing for four days and I could not wait that long!

Now I have to, have to, have to make my daughter’s confirmation dress. Fortunately it doesn’t have to be white – that’s first Holy Communion next year!

SIMPLICITY 1880 – a Pastel Princess

Posted on July 15, 2012 by sewbusylizzy

Simplicity 1880 shirt dress – windswept and finished! Material: printed linen from Lincraft.

I’ve been a bit absent from my Sew Busy Lizzy blog. It’s been frustrating but sometimes you just can’t do everything. In the last week I was lucky enough to be featured on Tilly & the Buttons for my teapot picnic blanket skirt and also for my Sewaholic Thurlow WIP on didyoumakethat’s great new post about WIP and people trying to guess what they are. So visits and comments have been ticking over while I have been otherwise occupied taking children to Sydney, museums, dance shows, libraries and more!

I’ve nearly finished my first Sewaholic Renfrew but will show you later this week 🙂

This week’s sewing news is I’ve finally reached the end of the road for A Fashionable Stitch’s Simplicity 1880 Sewalong.

SIMPLICITY 1880 SEWALONG WITH SUNNI

As you know I committed to sewing along with the 2-in-1 Shirt Dress Sewalong with Sunni @ A Fashionable Stitch. I’ve really enjoyed the experience. While I love to pick my own patterns and ‘do my own thing’ being part of this sewalong has shown me new ways to do things and taken me outside my comfort zone. That’s a good thing.

I’ve also enjoyed the community feeling of this project, posting in the Flickr group, posting questions at A Fashionable Stitch and being part of something bigger than me and my Bernina. That’s really why I started blogging after all – to have conversations!

FUNNY STORY ABOUT THIS PROJECT FABRIC

I was going to make this fabric out of a rose print rayon cotton. Unexpectedly I was in Sydney CBD for work and popped into Lincraft on my way to the airport. I discovered this printed linen at 30% off. I picked out some matching trim and buttons and trotted off to the counter. They measured out my trim, counted out my buttons and then unrolled the linen. Disaster – there was barely 2 metres. Distracted by numerous beeping text messages from work on my phone, I told the sale assistant not to worry. I purchased the buttons/trim and left. While standing on the pavement outside and replying to all my work text messages, I looked down and realised I was clutching trim and buttons for a fabric which I had not purchased! Ridiculous. I have no plans to make the Emperor’s New Clothes so I marched back in and said ‘I’ll risk it’. She looked somewhat bemused as she had just finished rolling the fabric back onto the roll. Oops.

I did manage to squeeze the dress out of barely two metres. I could not make the full tie belt. I just cut the longest piece available from the bits and pieces leftover once I got the dress itself cut out.

THINGS I LEARNT (OR CONQUERED!)

How to attach a collar.
Simplicity 1880 shirt dress: inner collar seam bound

I had never done this so was rather chuffed when it all came together so beautifully – thank you Sunni for some great step-by-step collar instructions. I’m quite sure I would have been knocking on my mother’s door without them. I did wish I had stay-stitched the upper collar as it was all kinds of huge compared to the under collar piece which I had interfaced. I panicked but then used the under collar as my stitching guide and that ploys seems to have worked. I also used bias binding to neaten the collar seam. Hopefully I will get neater with this method!
Insert a sleeve in a different way.
Simplicity 1880 shirt dress: inner sleeve seam bound with bias binding

Usually I would have sewn the bodice side seam and the sleeve seam and then inserted the sleeve – which always involves lots of jiggling and wiggling and twisting to get it through the machine. Instead Sunni provided a great set of sleeve instructions and links to insert most of the sleeve flat and then sew up the bodice side seam and the sleeve seam. So much easier and I got two perfect sleeves with no puckering or unpicking!
Sew the skirt first and leave it to hang/stretch while you make the bodice – rather than doing it last as per the instructions.
Go slow (sometimes!). I enjoyed doing this project as the posts went up. It halted my usual sewing frenzy and provided some structure.
Try something different. I probably would not have bought this pattern however I’m glad it’s in the stash. I would like to make the wrap dress now!
Gold never tarnishes. I took the finished dress to show my mother. She immediately said ‘a shirt maker dress! Does it have a zip in the side seam as well? That’s exactly what I made when I was learning dressmaking! I love it!’.

WEIRD THINGS I DID

Press my gathers before stitching.I often get a little cross at gathers as they don’t always feed through nicely, the gathers can shift and become uneven. So once I was happy with my bodice gathers… I pressed them flat and then sewed the yoke on. I found this worked beautifully. The gathers are very even as they were pressed into their ‘proper place’ and stitching was easy-peasy.
Gathers, trim and beads!
Beading to add interest.I stitched beads to the centre of the flowers. The print is quite big and random so they are quite scattered. I’m not very good at wearing fussy details so I like that you only see the beads if you are ‘looking’. I also choose to randomly bead only the bodice (not the skirt) as I’ve seen this done on designer dresses.
Collar, trim and beads
Trim to define a design. I stitched a trim onto the collar and the bodice. I’m really glad I did this, it provides definition to the design and saves the dress from descending into bland pastellness – I’m sure that’s a word… I do love to hand stitch and enjoyed every minute of the trimming.

CONFESSION TIME

Forgive me bloggers, as I lost my way a little… I really started to panic sewing this dress. Usually I fall more in love with a project as I sew. This project was the opposite. The more I stitched, the more disenchanted I became. I enjoyed every minute of the sewing process but as the dress emerged from the pile of fabric, I wasnt’ sure I ‘liked it’.

The dress just did not feel like ‘me’. The combination of pretty pastels and a very ladylike floral was not my usual territory. I felt it looked matronly and a bit Queen Mum. We all want to look as fabulous asthe ever-stylish Kate Middleton and I felt like I was veering off into old lady territory – at least the late Queen Mum liked quality champers and I can relate to that – I thought I needed some to drown my sorrows.

However looking at the pictures we took at the lookout this afternoon I’m starting to think it’s a pretty dress after all. Not as old and fuddy-duddy as I thought. I think it’s growing on me. Not like fungus, more like petunias. Perhaps I am a pastel princess after all…

I would like to make this dress again. In a black swiss dot with white piping and buttons – and lengthen the bodice about an inch. I think that would look scrumptious!

Here are some more images of the Pastel Princess… the tie belt is a bit puny – do you think I should ditch it?

Finished Simplicity 1880 shirt dress with belt

Finished Simplicity 1880 shirt dress without belt

Simplicity 1880 shirt dress front. Just had to share this one I told my husband to just take a picture of the dress front not thinking my head was going to be in it. Check out my weirdly huge head and a red AND an orange eye. WTF??

Simplicity 1880 shirt dress. At Tacking Point Lighthouse – all those people on the hill are looking the other way at migrating whales!!

Thanks Sunni! 🙂

Could just be me – but this flared skirt business is rather a ‘hip’ highlighter??

Sew Busy Lizzy

she sews by the seashore…

Category Archives: Sewing Projects