SHE PLAYS UP TO YOU… Clairy, a Frocktails Dress

Posted on September 3, 2013 by sewbusylizzy

Frocktails is nearly here. I’m off to Melbourne on Friday!

I had planned to post this post-Frocktails but she’s busting outta the wardrobe… she’s as bad as Jungle Anna… perhaps worse…Meet Clairy…

… She plays up to you
pouting lips
shaking hips
and flicking her hair…*

Clairy Dress - pouting lips, shaking hips...

Someone decided she couldn’t wait…

I had grand plans for Frocktails… something classy… and then Clairy just appeared. Completely unplanned… she’s a party girl… she doesn’t wait for an invite…

This is my third pattern hacked dress, and the pattern gets more hacked each time. The back is shortened, the length is shorter, it’s much tighter…

I love how this dress fits and am always amazed that just two pieces of fabric can manage to look so damn fine.

I took a couple of daytime shots – while the dress was still in progress… as I wasn’t 100% convinced the vision I woke up with was going to deliver…

Back view of the Clairy – there is a seam from the lower back to the hem, a seam across my lower back and side seams from the armholes to the hip, extending slightly below the back waist seam.

Daytime view of the Clairy – less sparkles, more detail. I hadn’t finished the armholes at this point – I just wanted to see if it looked OK. I think the answer from ELH was ‘YES…’

Just a one more shot – because Clairy needs to shake her hips, pout her lips…

One minute she’s chilling
the next she’s sweet talk dealin’
when you gonna wake up and see…*

OK you can't see the dress detail but I love the mood of this shot...

No dress detail in this shot but I love the mood as the sun sets…

Confessions…

Clairy is not immaculately finished… she’s a rough & ready gal. I am ridiculously busy at the moment with little or no spare time… it’s frustrating but this is the busiest time of the year for me. Work, kids, family, drama, dance, gym, trips away. It all happens from September until December.

Shhh.. I didn’t line it – no, I’m just wearing a slip. I know, Clairy won’t last forever – she’s here for a good time not a long time – I don’t feel bad. I scored this fabric – which is usually around the $40 a metre for $4 a metre. So this cost me about $6 to make… and I have enough fabric to make another…

I’d never sewn sequins and had been a little scared of the fabric. In the end I just chucked in a heavy duty needle, denim and used a stretch stitch… seems to have worked…

* Wondering where the inspiration for the dress came from & those lyrics? It’s Clairy Browne & the Bangin’ Rackettes and their song She Plays Up To You… you must listen to this…

And then listen to Love Letter. Awesome song.

’tis all… mwah…

Crazy Barbie Doll Dress (Vogue 8280) & Abakhan fabric giveaway

Posted on August 9, 2013 by sewbusylizzy

The £15 Pound Aussie Returns

Hi there! After the By Hand London Anna Trilogy weekend (Rose, Blue, Jungle) I dropped off the face of the earth! Thank you for the overwhelming positive feedback – you sure know how to make a girl feel good 🙂 mwah.

Today I bring you the Crazy Barbie Doll Dress, courtesy of the £15 Abakhan Challenge project. I’ve been running so behind with everything lately. I should have blogged this a couple of months ago – I’m sorry Will. Life seems to have been so out-of-control chaotic this year, I seem to be running at full pace and the finish line never gets closer…

So to atone for my blogging sins, I’ve decided to give away the piece of Abakhan fabric that I have left from this dress, it’s about 1.5m. So this dress actually only cost less than £7.50 in fabric – I’ve smashed the £15 – together we can make a £15 Challenge. BARGAIN!

I totally get that this is fabric that will have you squealing or groaning in horror. Me? I’m of the squealing variety… wait for it…

Awesome fabric from Abakhan Fabrics

I know. All kinds of awesome. It’s a collision of plaid, paisley & floral – visual madness but it just sings to me… it’s like grandma’s rocking chair on acid.

I had planned to make an Elisalex from this fabric, it had a little more drape than I expected so I pondered what to do. Yes excessive amounts of fabric patting followed. I did so love patting this one…

Then suddenly I thought “I know Lizzy, let’s make us a sexy dress – a nice fitted one”. Note: I sometimes talk to myself like there is another person in the room – simply because I’m beginning to suspect there are two of me! – ‘normal’ Lizzy and the mad obsessive sewing Lizzy who owns a drunk monkey that does exceptionally bad topstitching some days… and when he’s not doing that he’s throwing empties at the wall and howling for popcorn… he’s a very naughty monkey but immensely entertaining… if you think I’m being delusional – it’s simply my excuse when sewing does not go as planned – it’s the drunk monkey in my sewing room taking control – never me – never…. I digress…

If you follow my blog regularly you will probably notice that I don’t wear/sew fitted dresses often, I feel very self conscious – rather like I did in my Gertie’s Littlest Wiggle Dress. I’m just awkward. Yes I know I can hang my legs out of a By Hand London Anna – not just once but twice! I can’t explain why, I know I’ve got the figure for a fitted dress but I just don’t feel like ‘me’ in them (maybe it’s the drunk monkey sniggering at me in the corner as I sew “Lizzy, oh Lizzy, people are going to ‘look’ at you in that *snigger*”). I like to think I can choose to find my legs in a maxi – but in a fitted dress – there is nowhere to hide! Perhaps it’s lack of opportunity or confidence because I’ve always been the small skinny girl and not felt I had curves to parade… fret not, I’m OK with it. In fact blogging has made me more confident about ‘me’ – me as a person (albeit a slightly loopy but actually happy person) and my appearance. This dress was more than a £15 challenge – it was a body confidence challenge!

Which sexy dress did I try? *deep breath* I chose this one… the Vogue Options 8280, the infamous Galaxy-style dress.

Vogue 8280

OK I know it’s not actually ‘out there foxy lady’ but it’s a departure in style for me. I do actually have some sexy girl dress patterns stashed… I’m just building up the confidence… be patient people… I’m still bashful when I look at them…

I’d read several reviews about the puffiness of the sleeves – and since my arms transform into toothpicks when topped with a puffball, I decided to make the sleeveless version…

Vogue 8280 – sleeveless

And since it’s a tribute to Grandma’s rocking chair on acid, I decided to pair it with a little swatch of upholstery suede I had hanging around. Perhaps not the ideal choice but it seemed fitting… and that trim on the neckline? It’s upholstery trim as well 🙂 and the belt? Op/charity shop my dears.

Vogue 8280 front view – bodice

So what do I have to say about Vogue 8280? It is all dead easy with the exception of those sleeves – or ‘flanges’ if you like fancy words. They are NASTY little fellas to stitch in – beware. Read the instructions carefully and go SLOW. The drunk monkey was in stitches (the laughing sort) watching me trying stone cold sober attach them to the bodice.

Vogue 8280

I don’t mind how this looks on me. I’m not completely in love (except with the fabric) – I wish I had made the flanges (that word makes me feeling like I’m going to flap my arms and fly away) in the rocking-chair-on-acid fabric instead of the contrast fabric. Ah, you live and learn.

Things I don’t love about the pattern:-

Only the bodice is lined: easily fixed, lining a skirt is easy.
The skirt doesn’t have a kick pleat: easily fixed, just needs some basic drafting.
The skirt could do with being pegged: easily fixed.
The flanges are not stitched down to the bodice so they flap a little when you move your arms about: easily fixed – just gotta keep the drunk monkey busy with popcorn for a bit.
I should have put in a longer zip: I never ever learn, I make this mistake ALL THE TIME. I think it’s the proportions of my waist to my shoulders & hips but I need a long zip, everything is a wiggle to get in and out of! Or perhaps I should make less fitted things?? Maybe sack dresses are me?? Maybe my bone structure IS trying to tell me something.

Vogue 8280 – back view

Things I do like…

I do like how this design has the potential to broaden the shoulders, particularly with the sleeves (just need to figure out how to minimise the puff). It reminds me of the effect of the Elisalotte back – which makes my shoulders look like an Olympic swimmer!
It makes my waist look smaller which in turn increases the appearance of other… lady lumps…
Once you figure out those ‘flanges’ it’s a easy sew.

AND THE CRAZY BARBIE DOLL?

So why have I called it the Crazy Barbie Doll Dress? Well the fabric is definitely slightly mad I think you will agree.

Vogue 8280 – Crazy Barbie Doll

“LOOK DAD!!! Mum looks like a Barbie Doll !!!” is what my youngest daughter shrieked out when I walked down the stairs in this dress. I asked her why (given I’m currently a brunette and not very tall – nothing Barbie doll about me). “Well because you look skinny and your boobs stick out”.

OK thanks for the clarification my darling child – I shall not feel self conscious at all when I wear this…

MORE ABOUT THE FABRIC

Ok the fabric is from Abakhan Fabrics. Remember they sent me that massive box of ‘stuff’ to give away at the Epic Bloggers’ Meet-up organised by the gorgeous Rachel of the House of Pinheiro.

I know. Huge right? This box came up above my waist!

If you went to the Epic London Bloggers’ Meet-up in April, you probably went home with something from Abakhan Fabrics (huge thank you to Will) – and a huge thank you to all the lovely girls who helped me get all of that stuff to Goldhawk Road!!

I have about 1.5m left, enough for a sheath dress, a cropped jacket, a waistcoat – lots of options. I’m crazy about this fabric but I think the love must be shared… it’s 50% polyester, 50% cotton. It doesn’t press crisply – so keep that in mind when choosing your pattern.If I was to keep this, it would become a By Hand London Victoria blazer (with a contrast lapel) or a Charlotte skirt with the hem frill. However I’m handing its fate over to you!

So if you would like to be in the draw – leave a comment and let me know.

Fret not if you don’t win – you can pick this fabric up from the Abakhan Fabrics website for just £1.33 a metre now! Go on, I know you want to *nudge nudge wink wink*…

I think I need to sew some more fitted dresses.

And tell that drunk monkey to SHUT UP.

Fabric: Floral Printed Check Jaquard Brown 145cm
Pattern: Vogue 8280

To win the fabric: just comment below, letting me know you would like to try some of this crazy fabric (you can just comment about anything and let you know you don’t want the fabric – I’m nice like that). Open internationally and closing on August 18, 6pm (my time, Sydney Australia). Winner has three days to respond, otherwise a redraw will take place.

Can you hear that drunk monkey laughing or is it just me??

My Shirtdress… and the 15 Pound Aussie Project…

Posted on February 26, 2013 by sewbusylizzy

I’m no supermodel but I can sew!

Vogue 8028 mash-up – and the Shabby Apple inspiration dress

The hemline doesn’t look even but it is – it was just BLOWING A GALE! More on that later…

I fell madly in love with this dress when I spotted it on LLadybird’s blog for a Shabby Apple promo months ago. Unfortunately when Shabby Apple do promotions via blogs they are only ever for USA residents so I needed to make this myself.Then along came the RTW Challenge on Pattern Review and I could think of no better excuse to make it.

I had grand visions of my blog photo for this dress. Alas, the Blogs Gods were not smiling upon me. In my little corner of the world it has been raining forever (not really but it feels like it!) and we are recovering from one of our biggest floods in decades. I’ve had to ‘make do’.

I’m SoSadLizzy as I really really really wanted to win this competition. First prize $200 Mood Fabrics voucher, second prize $100 Mood Fabrics voucher. My lust is insatiable – before this was announced I had been drooling over my dream Anise fabric. Alas our river is in full flood, our jetties surrounded by flood debris, our glorious beaches are trashed and the rain continues to fall. Boo. Sob. Howl. Life can be so unjust!! If that’s the worst I’ll ever suffer in a flood I can live with that.

Many of the entries so far are fancy – and I respect that and no doubt they will smash me in the voting stakes, lace and couture stuff is sexy. That’s OK, I love this dress, I will wear it alot and I’ve been dying to make it for months. I’d rather make a dress that I love and wear often than a statement piece that I wear once. Oh dear I’ve become so practical…

I think my dress is similiar in spirit but (ahem) better than Shabby Apple’s. When I really really looked at the Overboard dress, I really didn’t like the collar – it had no band, it wasn’t notched. The button placket makes my eyeballs cranky as the pattern matching is poor. I also didn’t like how the skirt pleats created a visual mess at the waistline. My alterations addressed this, don’t we always gloat that made-by-me is better, so why slavishly copy an original? Improve it!

I used the top of Vogue 8028 (this is out of print, I got it on ebay for about $5). This pattern is a full shirt dress, buttons to the hem – Overboard is not, it’s a shirtmaker dress – buttons just to the waist with a zip under the arm. This Vogue pattern also does not include a pleated skirt. In the end I just used the top pattern pieces.

I changed the construction order to suit my alterations. I made up the front and back as instructed and attached them at the shoulders. I inserted the sleeves flat. I did not sew up the sides at this point. First I created pleated skirt panels. Pleating gingham is super easy – you just use the checks as a guideline. I pleated so the navy gingham check forms a visual waistband – the pleats point inwards. I then attached skirt panels to the tops. Without the sash my dress looks like this at the waistline…

Vogue 8028 mash-up – waistline

I then inserted an invisible zipper under one arm (which broke the first time I tried on the dress! Growl!). I sewed up the sides and hemmed the dress. Yes, it really was that easy!

I only made the top button a ‘real’ buttonhole. Shirtmaker dresses are great if buttonholes and buttons scare you. I sewed the buttonholes through all layers of the fabric – with the exception of the top buttonhole so I can leave it open & casual. The buttonholes secure the front, there is less chance of the buttons pulling and gaping. I simply sew the buttons over the top of the buttonhole, noone can tell and the dress front sits nice and flat. You escape the dress via an invisible zip under your arm!

I made the sash from scrap red lawn I had. Buttons were $2.99 at Lincraft.

I think my check matching was reasonable, not perfect but better than Shabby Apple by a long shot.

: Vogue 8028 mash-up – sleeve details

: Vogue 8028 mash-up – shirt front

: Vogue 8028 mash-up – collar back view

So in a few days I will probably be back, begging, crying, pleading for your vote on Pattern Review… I’m totally cool if you are not a fan or you prefer the other entries (I may cry for weeks but sewing therapy will get me through – and there are a stack of other things on Shabby Apple I want to make up). You can only vote if you are a Pattern Review Member for at least the last 3 months. I like Pattern Review and use it a lot, it is a good solid resource to check any potential pattern purchases against – it’s the first place I check out. (Note to self: get over there in the next two days and load up your review, images and entry – stop talking about it and start typing!)

What makes me most proud is that I modified pattern significantly – I never imagined I could achieve this sort of customised result when I started blogging last April.

THE 15 POUND AUSSIE

In January I was contacted by Will of Abakhan Fabric via Twitter, he asked if I would like to be part of a budget bloggers’ project. Invited bloggers can select goods to the value of 15 pounds from their website once a month and make anything they choose. I pointed out that I lived in Australia but Will said that was OK. I have quite a lot of UK readers/followers so it made sense to me – and what a fun challenge!

This is great project for me, I’m a budget stitcher. The majority of my makes come from the bargain table, yes I’m picky and they are often beautiful voiles and lawn, but I freak out at paying a fortune for anything. Must be my ancestral Scottish blood (or the Welsh or English bits of me – or it could just be the cheeky cheapskate Aussie) can be blamed (or credited) for this!

Ten Pound Poms is Aussie slang to describe the British who migrated to Australia after the Second World War under an assisted passage scheme run by the Australian Government. Adults could migrate for 10 pounds sterling and children for free. So I’ve called myself the 15 Pound Aussie. Any of these Abakhan Fabric projects I’m going to tag as 15 Pound Aussie on my blog. Keep an eye out for them and if you are in the UK especially, don’t underestimate their range, it took me DAYS to choose! When I’ve over in the UK in 1 month and 17 days (not counting, really I’m not) I shall be buying up their bias binding range!

I made this dress from fabric sent to me by Abakan Fabrics in the UK.

This is my first project from this blogging challenge. An enormously wearable dress which used less than 2 metres of fabric at the princely sum of £3.35 pounds a metre, so £7.70 for the fabric plus $3 Aussie for the buttons. The RTW dress is currently on sale for $US 86. Bargain I say.

15 Pound Aussie win. Thanks Abakhan Fabrics!

Images credits: Shabby Apple and Sewbusylizzy.

#SewingDares complete

Posted on January 9, 2013 by sewbusylizzy

So things gotta little outta hand on Twitter the other day and the sewing Tweet Peeps started to throw #sewingdares around the globe – nothing scary – just little challenges to shake up our sewing worlds. So what dares are floating about out there? And who is to blame for such craziness? Gillian of Crafting a Rainbow of course – she who threw us into the Top 5 of 2012 frenzy! Read more about #SewingDares here… perhaps you want one?

What was my #SewingDare?

Hack a favourite pattern into something new. And Ooah suggested I hack Maria Denmark Day/Night Cowl top into a dress.

So I did.

Some suggested I just lengthen the top and turn it into a dress… however I had just cut out the Dress of Legend – Vogue 1250. It occurred to me that the way this dress is constructed is the secret to it popularity and flattering shape. I decided I could use that as inspiration to hack my beloved cowl neck pattern into a dress which had similar properties to The Dress of Legend.

If you haven’t made Vogue 1250 – The Dress of Legend (I think I was the last blogger ever to make this) – it had just three pieces… a front piece, and upper back piece and a back neck facing piece. “but what covers the junk trunk SewBusyLizzy??” I hear you cry. The front piece wraps around from the waist down to cover the junk trunk (consider them junk trunk flaps). There is a centre back seam over the junk trunk and your back is covered by just one pattern piece.

My rough muslin make up of Vogue 1250 looks like this…

The famous Vogue 1250 – sorry a very tired SewBusyLizzy picture after work and drinks.

I lengthened the Maria Denmark Day-to-Night top in a similar manner – adding junk trunk flaps. I shortened the back piece and scooped it.

The hacked Maria Denmark Day to Night dress – forgive the messy side, I haven’t trimmed the side of the pattern piece which sits on the fold. Messy Girl!

As my pattern pieces require no back neck facing as I simply finished the back neck and armholes with invisible elastic – so there are just two pattern pieces. Vogue 1250 has three.

I got some super cheap fabric to experiment with. The front piece is not quite perfect, I need to fiddle a little with the angles of the side cut-out area. From pattern re-draft to cutting out to sewing to wear – about one hour (loving that overlocker/serger). Yes really. This is what I ended up with…

The ‘hacked’ Maria Denmark Day to Night dress

Maria Denmark Day to Night dress- back

How do the two dresses compare? Well I like the blue fabric of the Vogue better – however I prefer the construction of the Day to Night dress, the overall shape, the cowl is much easier to construct and it’s also got more fabric in the cowl and the inside edges of the cowl don’t peek out the way they do in the Vogue. Plus this is a better size for me. The smallest size of the Vogue just feels too roomy across my shoulders and I feel a little swamped.

I think I might re-make my pattern hack again. In the blue fabric, fiddle with the side pattern pieces, shorten the back piece a little. This is more my kinda dress than the Vogue dress. It feels younger, funkier and less fiddly than the Vogue. The fit is much better.

And is it a Day to Night Dress? Yes. I wore it to work the day after I made it and to drinks that night with colleagues. Oh and I got lots of compliments… and lots of oogling looks…

#SewingDare WIN.

I’ve told you before – you NEED this pattern.

Quikc post tonight – not sure if I’ve left out any vital info, just ask questions if any of the above is not clear 🙂

Top 5 Favourite/Most Worn 2012

Posted on December 17, 2012 by sewbusylizzy

Gillian at Crafting a Rainbow is posting her Top 5 hits/misses/reflections/inspirations/goals for 2012. Great idea.

I think it’s always great to sit back and reflect on hits & misses – celebrate your moments of joy and absorb what you have learnt from the ‘minor’ hiccups.

So here are mine. Can you guess Number 1? Sorry no prizes for guessing the obvious…

SEWAHOLIC CAMBIE – I’ve got THE CAMBIE POX
Well you are hardly surprised are you? I adore these dresses. Beautiful finish, fit and the two skirts produce two completely different dresses. I adore my floral the most, with polka dots a very close second and then the lovely black number (it’s very sensible which makes outrageous adoration a little pathetic).

Sewaholic Cambie, View B. The perfect sundress, pretty, ladylike but not ‘old & fussy’.

SEWAHOLIC ALMA – not squee or twee
The perfect woven top. No buttons, no buttonholes, no fuss, versatile, comfortable. Perfect. If I had to teach the world to sew in perfect harmony… we would all be making Almas. There is enough variation in that pattern to keep anyone happy.I would be hard pressed (no pun intended) to choose a favourite between these tops.

Sewaholic Alma – view A

Sewaholic Alma – not squee or twee… just me

VOGUE 1247 Skirt & top – the tardis skirt and top
Love, love, love this skirt. Amazing. Best casual skirt ever. I wear it all year round thanks to boots and leggings. We are BFFs.
Top is gorgeous. It could look big and boxy but in the right fabric it drapes beautifully. I wear the skirts and top… a lot.
This picture doesn’t do the pattern justice. However if you don’t have this pattern you really must buy it.

What I really wore all day… Vogue 1247 top and skirt…

VOGUE 1236 – not a sack of potatoes a frolicking frock!
This was one of my early makes. It’s not super flash but it’s so comfortable, nicely finished and I wear it quite a lot. A lovely simple pattern.

Vogue 1236 – Definitely not a Sack of Potatoes

SEWAHOLIC LONSDALE
I made this last week and worn it twice already. Great casual summer dress, flattering, simple to make and comfortable. Yes, yes! Pictures coming very soon.

Sewaholic Lonsdale fabric choice

HONORABLE MENTIONS

MARIADENMARK
I haven’t had a chance to take photos for the blog for my Yasmin Yoke skirts. Or make my final pair of Winnie Wide Leg Trousers. I suspect they will be on my 2013 Top 5 list!

Life intervened in a spectacular way late this year… work, family, you name it, was all going pear shaped. Casual clothes I find easy to photograph as I spend lots of time on the beach. Work clothes I am always racing out the door and the evenings are long and late and the light is bad. Great simple design, easy to wear and make. Although I did sneak in this picture when I had to pick one of my girls up (sent home from school sick – so I enlisted her to take a blog photo. Come on! She just had ‘itchy eyes’ which turned out to be an allergy and was better within an hour of medication and home!)

Sewaholic Alma – as a work blouse. I’ve paired this with Maria Denmark a-line Yasmin Yoke skirt!

I have only muslined the Winnie wide leg trousers, I suspect these are my perfect trousers. They fit perfectly, I adore the wide legs and they are really easy to cut out and put together. There are not a million and one pieces. Just a simple clean design. Love them. There will be a ‘real’ pair of these in 2013.

MariaDenmark Winnie Trousers: muslin back

Love the simple t-shirt and look forward to making more – I also printed out the Kimino tshirt pattern this week. I’ve also just purchased her brand new Day to Night top which I’ve just got to get some elastic for! It’s just $5.50 on Craftsy at the moment – special introductory price!!

MariaDenmark Birgitte Basic T-shirt – short sleeved t-shirt

SELFLESS SEWING
I adored making the Fishing Vest, it was trimmed with all manner of frivolousness, she admires it, I adored making it.

A Fishing Vest – this project was a blast, I loved every minute.

Confirmation dress. Not my most stellar make but again Miss 7 adores it and that’s the most important thing of all! I think it’s in her Top 5!

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!

APRONS
This might seem a weird choice but I loved making these – thank you Karen for a light-hearted sewalong that really got me to make something completely different! I loved photographing them – particularly when the tourists started taking pictures of me too! They are just fun. I’ve even made an amazing one as a Christmas gift. Yes, yes! You can see it soon!

Butterick B5474, view E: Strawberry Fields Forever. Oh and that? In the background? That’s coathanger – also known as Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Sew Busy Lizzy

she sews by the seashore…

Tag Archives: Vogue