Another 3 Bite the Dust!

Sorbetto's that is.  And really, here are two as I gave you a sneak peak of #5, but nonetheless, here are Sorbetto's #5, #6 and #7 . . . . .

#5 SockBunny

This is made from a super soft cream fabric that I blogged about here - I hadn't taken any proper photos though, so here they are:

#6 - Candy Stripes Sorbetto

This fabric is cotton with a little lycra.  It also has a finish like seersucker.  Very nice!  Due to the stretch I thought that I might have a problem with the bias binding, so I chose a co-ordinating fat quarter with I think is rather cute!

#7 Lilac Sorbetto

I have this fabric since 2000.  I distinctly remember buying from a bolt end fabric shop in Walsall (UK).  It is 100% cotton and is slightly thicker than shirting as it is actually sheeting.  I bought some to make a duvet cover and matching pillow case - that never happened, but it keep smiling at me from my stash, beckoning me to stitch it up into some loveliness.  So I did.  I thought that the fabric would be too thick for the bias binding, but I pressed the heck out if it and it looks just great!

 

So there you go - 7 Sorbetto's for the One Pattern Many Looks contest.

And here is my final compilation photo courtesy of Picasa Collage:

I love all the different fabrics and these tops will be fabulous for the summer.  I think my favorite is the blue polka-dot version with the cute buttons, but as with your own children and dogs - I love them all!!!!  I will certainly make some more - some plain colored ones will go down a treat.  I will also use the pattern, along with my straight skirt (that featured heavily in all these photos!), morphed together to to make a dress for the RTW Designer Knockoff contest that I blogged about.  My PatternReview review is here.

Phew, well now that these are completed, I am going to finish off my tartan skirt, and then I think I need to make a couple of cardigans to work into my 2013 SWAP!  No rest for the wicked!

Pattern Review Contest - RTW Designer Knockoff Contest 2013

I have sooo been looking forward to this challenge on PatternReview! I am just finishing up my Sorbettos for the 'One pattern Many Looks' contest, and my mind is flitting over designs for this one!

Here are my top three contenders:

1.  Oscar de la Renta shift dress. I have some lovely herringbone fabric (wool and silk I think).  the original is all silk.  The outline is a simple one but it would certainly be better fitted fo my 'not quite model' shape! FBA, forward shoulders, swayback, length etc. I actually saw this for sale in a local high end department store (Holt Renfrew) for CAD 2000 and I thought that it looked better on the hanger than on the model . . . . if this is the winner then I may have to sashay through the shop and see if any of the salepersons comment (prior to me being arrested for sashaysing of course!!).  I should also mention that I am totally inspired by Carolyn and the fabulous dresses that she makes!

Source

2. Haider Ackerman Jones Coat.  This really appeals to me, and having the option to mix fabrics and make a semi-fitted cardigan sounds like fun.  This is online for sale for an eye-watering CAD 4165!  For the pattern I would use my McCalls 4462 pattern fitted to me in my Fit Sew Well class from last year.  It appears to be made of cotton with 'silk trim'.  Mine is likely to be suiting of some kind.  I have not thought too much about fabrics yet - maybe even a ponte knit.  mmmm!

Source

3. YSL Dress.  how cute is this?  I love a flirty skirt, and this certainly has one!  I saw it on the www.mytheresa.com website but as it is all sold out, I cannot find a proper link or further fabric details.  I really should be more diligent - but I guess this gives me more artistic licence!  It was for sale for USD 1829.  I do have some tartan in my stash from my Mother's collection and would probably consider velvet rather than shiney stuff around the hips.  The rest?  I am not too sure yet.  As far as a pattern is concerned, it will be the same as mentioned above.  

So there we go - what do you think?  Anyone else taking part?

SockBunny Sorbetto . . . . . . . . and Giveaway Winner!

I only managed to finish off one more Sorbetto this week (stinking cold and packing up the house to move) for the PatternReview 'One Pattern Many Looks' contest.  By the time the top was finished, it was too late to model and photograph it, but I managed a cheeky 'straight off the machine' shot - artificial lighting an' all!:

The fabric for this top is a supersoft 'something' It has some stretch and is a little thicker than other shirting/quilting cotton so I thought that I would probably have a problem using it for the bias binding so instead I used a quilting fat quarter that I had floating around,  The colors are very pretty and immediately reminded me of some buttons that I received in a Secret Santa that I took part in on Ravelry.  This is what the generous SockBunny sent me:

I used three of the buttons that she sent me - the top one on the Sorbetto is the large green one that you can see above.  The color is a bit off on the photo of the actual top.  It so happened that these buttons were a perfect match for my fat quarter, hence choosing it for my binding.  I am really pleased with this top, it will go perfectly with my Ikat Winter Collection Cardigan and is very fresh and 'zingy'!!  I love it!  Incidentally, the yarn was specially dyed for me by SockBunny after I mentioned that I loved beach colors - blue/green sea, sand etc.  And this is what she called it:

 

Ah, she knows me well!  The yarn will make some gorgeous socks!

~ 0 ~

So, without further ado, I have a winner for my 'Sandra Betzina why buy one pattern when you can buy a duplicate' giveaway . . . .

Congratulations Scenic Route - drop me an email (see the link on my profile) and the pattern will be mailed out to you early this week.  And thanks to the other participants - this has been fun, and I know that I have a number of duplicate patterns in my collection, so they will be up for grabs in the near future!

Wedding Dress- 1920's inspired

This is not a new 'make', I actually made my wedding dress way before blogging was even a passing thought in my (or many other peoples') consciousness.  In September 2005 in fact.  However, as we are getting ready to sell our house, I came across my dress whilst packing and thought it would be fun to comment on it as it was an interesting and fun make.

To start off, and set the scene, I love the 1920's and really wanted a dress that would reflect that period in time.  McCalls 6948 fit the bill perfectly and I chose to make view 'A' (top right) with the cape sleeves and dipped, rear hemline.  I remember that the pattern size was a 16 and I made a few adjustments from there - no FBA or swayback or anything like that as I did not even know these adjustments existed.  Nonetheless, I was happy with the fit.

I used a lot of fabric with this dress - there were many layers!  There is an simple 'V' neck sheath, under-layer of charmeuse, then an over layer of charmeuse, chiffon and embroidered lace.  Under all of that I added another charmeuse 'lining' as I did not want any seams touching me - I wanted luxury!  I am glad that I had the extra layer as when it came to having the photos taken it was getting a little chilly!

I bought some gorgeous beaded lace for the outer layer and yards and yards of different beaded & lace trimming for all the raw edges.  I don't think I turned under and hemmed any edges!  The pattern calls for 11yds of fabric in total, and I know that I bought at least twice that amount just in case!!  The pieces for the skirt are very full and a lot of fabric was used-up there.  This is a dropped waist style with the bodice being beaded lace and the skirt being chiffon,  Where they both joined I added a beaded trim (some of the trim was taken from the beaded lace itself as it had a finished selvedge).  There were also tassels, beading around the neckline and beaded motifs - I didn't go for understated, but as the design itself was pretty simple, these little touches finished it off beautifully.

The little capelet is a single layer of chiffon with a lace edging and is soft and 'flippy' echoing the skirt of the dress.

The dress has an invisible zip in the back (my favorite zipper application), bound armholes (although not bias binding.  Tut, tut!!).  The seams were serged with a narrow seam that did not show - the joy of white on white!

It was a comfortable dress to wear - no boning or worrying if the top would fall down (strapless wedding dresses are great for other people!) and I didn't even get any food or drink down it!

It was not a difficult dress to make and I gave myself plenty of time - I actually made my two bridesmaids dresses out of chiffon as well - they were so cute, and are now grown up young ladies!  Their dresses had invisible zips - I can't get the hang of lapped zippers - and had detachable overskirts and arm warmers that made them look little like 'Little Bo Peep's.  I can't remember the pattern, but again, it was a very simple one.

And to finish off, this is probably my favorite wedding photo - the mountains in the background are the Three Sisters in Canmore in the Canadian Rockies, and this sums up the majesty and beauty of this land we call home.

I would certainly consider this to be my greatest sewing achievement, even though now I would probably do some things differently - FBA/swayback adjustments, French seams etc., but ignorance was bliss, and this was/and still is my dream dress.  So, how about you - what would your greatest sewing achievement be?

Oooh! A Giveaway!

You know, all the kool kids do this so why can't I?  I guess the real question is why?  I haven't been blogging for long, I have not reached any major milestones - in fact there I was, happily plodding along here in my own little blogland, and then I put in a BMV pattern order and guess what . . . . yep, I ordered two patterns exactly the same.  Sigh!

So behold . . . . . Vogue 1292 the fabulous Sandra Betzina skirt that has received such great reviews on Pattern Review.  So do you fancy some of this?  You do right?

 

Source Vogue Patterns 

The pattern contains all sizes (see the link above), and has not been used (factory folds, non-smoking household, no cats, yadda, yadda!) 

OK then, pop a quick comment at the bottom of this post so that I know that you are interested, and I will announce a winner late Sunday evening (my time, I'm on Mountain time), and I am happy to mail it anywhere (well, anywhere where mail can be delivered, you get my drift!)

Sorbettos 2, 3 & 4

I am happy to say that I completed another three Sorbetto tops, and I couldn't be any happier with them!

I did make a few changes this time round - french seams for one, and I also finished the binding as per the designers instructions by sewing it onto the wrong side first and then pressing it over and sewing it down onto the right side.  Not only do you get to see the lovely bias binding but it somehow eliminates the slight gaping around the neckline that I have on the first version.

So, without any further ado, I present you with the Pansy Sorbetto:

I absolutely love the colors of this fabric.  It is so cheery and summery!  I saw the fabric on the cutting table at my local fabric store and couldn't resist . . . I brought the rest of the bolt (there were only two or three metres left).  I can't believe that by pure serendipity one of the lilac pansies ended up situated 'slap, bang' in the middle of the front pleat.  Perfect!  I will make a short pencil skirt out of the same fabric that will make an unusual two-piece suit.  This skirt is my black corduroy skirt (from my last post) and I have re-stitched the lining so that it did not pull on the main fabric.

Next up is my Dotty Sorbetto:

 

The Broderie Anglais trim is from my stash.  It is cotton and is from my Aunt who was in Hong Kong for a number of years as my Uncle was with the RAF and was stationed out there.  She brought me some trims back, and this is one of them.  Thanks Maggie xx

For this version I actually sewed the front pleat down, catching the trim in the seam.  The buttons are a burgundy color (I am not sure where I rescued them from) and look really cute.  This fabric is cotton with a little stretch.  It is a little thicker than the others that I made and so the bias binding was not so crisp.  I think if I make more out of thicker fabric then I will use some other cotton for the binding.  I need to make more pencil skirts . . . . .

And finally for today, the Yellow & Black Sorbetto:

Again, the three buttons, and this top is cute, cute, cute!  Although these tops will mainly be worn during the summer, they will also work under cardigans and jackets throughout the winter and Spring.

I have three others cut out and they will most likely need contrast bias-binding due to the nature of the fabric (a bit thicker and also stretchy).

So this is my sewing for last week - how have you all been doing?

Edit:  Well, I had some issues with the first photos that I posted, and I have updated most of them on this post . . . . call me vain?  Sure, but I happy with these!!

One Pattern Many Looks - Sorbetto

See, one sew-a-long completed - now it is time for another!!  I am entering the Pattern Review 'One Pattern Many Looks' contest.  This runs for the month of January and is pretty straightforward:

The goal of this contest is to take one view of a pattern, and create multiple garments with distinct looks from that view, without needing pattern drafting skills.

I can do that!  As I mentioned here, I have wanted to make these tops for quite some time, and I was really pleased with my wearable muslin (black serger thread and all!!)

The skirt is my straight skirt version of Butterick 4877 and the orange cardigan is from McCalls  4466.  Both are from my Ikat Winter Collection.

 

The PR Review is here.

I love it!  So I thought I'd cut out another one or two or seven.  Ah yes.  Seven.  And why not???  I have decided to sew these next ones with more care and precision including french seams and self-made bias binding.  I picked up a bias-binder-maker-thingy at the weekend but couldn't get the foot for my Pfaff.  The lady in the sewing shop said that it was hard to get feet for my machine as it was so old (I bought it in 2004).  Cheeky madam.  I've ordered one from Etsy so we will see how that works out.  The other option was to clean up one of my vintage Singers as I have the attachment feet for them.  And a ruffler and lots of other whizzy, whizzy feet!

I am at the stage of attaching the binding, and as this will be a lot of work for 7 tops so I thought I'd take time out and audition some buttons.  This is what I have come up with:

I like the simplicity of the off white buttons (above) but I also like the wooden ones below.

Oh yes, and these grey buttons (below) looked good too!

As did these deep burgundy ones - but I have another shirt for those!!

Three mismatch buttons looked rather funky too.  I think I will just have to make a few plain white/cream shirts to showcase all the buttons!

 

 

I'm liking these dark brown wooden buttons (above).  Plain but effective.  This fabric is a cotton/lycra shirting and there is some texture to the fabric .  It is a pain to hold a crease though so I will probably have to sew the pleat along its length to hold it.

I love the contrast of the black (above) with the yellow - so I think that they are a keeper.  The last one I would like to show you this evening is the polka dot fabric below, with cotton trim and the burgundy button from above.

Finally, cut out a tartan skirt using my straight skirt version of Butterick 4877, using this gorgeous tartan fabric:

I bought the fabric about 10-12 years ago from a booth at the NEC Sewing Show.  I remember it was not cheap - possibly GBP 15-20, but it is a lovely fabric.  I've no idea how much wool it contains, but I hand-washed it gently and it seems good.  I did a bit of research and I believe that it is Stewart Dress Tartan.  I plan on using a red invisible zipper - the pull tab will show but I think it will look fun.  Oh, and of course it will be lined.

So there we have it - this should keep me busy this week (I am back to work tomorrow) so my sewing time will be limited.

How about you - what do you have planned for the week?