Hello Norma Jean

Time to catch up on some of my sewing, and of course I have being using my favouite designer, Tina Givens.

With Summer approaching it was time to make some light-coloured jeans, and Norma Jean looked to fit the bill.

Source

Not such a good photo from the designers web page, but trust me . . . . !

I used an off white linen/rayon mix, some quilting fabric patches, and whoosh, I was off!  No changes to the pattern - it is oversized and baggy, and as I didn't want to change the fundamentals of the design, I left everything as it was.  Oh, I may have left off a patch or two, but other than that, no changes.

I have some hanger photos to follow, but this is how 'Norma' looks in action with a linen Jacqueline slip and a trusty McCalls 6168.  

The pockets are interesting - they are sewn into a cut in the front pattern pieces - they feel a bit like a kangeroo pouch to me!  I'm not sure if I'd bother using these pockets next time, I'll probably add some in-seam pockets or patch ones.  Nonetheless, they are quite fun.

Ah yes, a couple of cute patches!!!

I'm going to wear these a few times before I decide whether or not to dye them - I'm not quite sure if this off white is too bright.

Here are some hanger close ups!!

One of the 'kangeroo' pockets above!

A few patches . . . 

And my label!  The front and back pattern pieces are the same, so I always like to add a label.

These really are quick make and I'll be using this as my 'go to' for woven pants/jeans.  Love them!

How is you summer sewing coming along - or winter sewing for my 'downunder' sisters?

Undershirts - Hits and a Miss or Two

I mentioned a short while ago about shirt extenders - or undershirts as I like to call them.  Made from cotton jersey on top with a lace trim that hangs down beneath a top or cardi.  And I love them so I made some more . . . . want to see?

White cotton/spandex jersey with a rayon print trim.  Yep, regular fabric works just as well as lace.  I made the skirt 3" longer on most of these.

Grey cotton/spandex jersey with a brown checked fabric.  I also used some pink trim on the arm and neckline.

A 'tartan' check on grey jersey with a little bow on the neckline (shorter skirt).

Apparently this is Royal Stewart tartan.  I think that it looks very dramatic and I have matched it here with black cotton/spandex jersey and black arm and neckline trim.

Charcoal cotton/lycra jersey, charcoal lace and an organza ribbon trim.  For this version I used different lace and it frayed a bit so I edged the bottom with black organza ribbon, folded it up and sewed it to the right side.  Done.

And sometimes I add a lovely little patch on the back:

Please excuse the Merchant and Mills type photography.  The weather is pretty cold right now, and I didn't fancy lots of costume changes!  I think that you can see the details a bit better as well when the undershirts are flat.

Well - how do they look as part of garments?  Let me show you :)

Here is the Royal Stewart version with a charcoal grey McCalls 6168.  I would wear this with black Peg Legs or some Tina Givens jeans.

And it works equally well with the cardi open, a pretty necklace and a scarf.

This time a burgundy cardi and my undershirt is under a light grey linen drapey top.  Pearls and a short infinity cowl made from rayon fabric and done!

I think I will be wearing these two outfits to work next week.  I remember that Carolyn from Diary of a Sewing Fanatic used to plan out a week's worth of garments including accessories (I can't find the posts now) and they were very inspirational, and such a great idea.  No pondering what to wear in the mornings.  Bonus!

So, what were the misses?  Well, with one version I used some different black lace that I think had lycra or spandex in it.

Can you see all those little threads?  I think that they are the spandex/lycra/elastane/whatever and washing and wearing had made them degenerate.  That's a shame, but I'll take this lace off and add something else so not all is lost.

Here is the other one:

It is a little hard to capture in a photograph but the neck trim doesn't lay flat (this is one of my pet peeves).  It is a matter of lovely trim, wrong application.  It looks great on the neckline of a bra, but does not have the stretch for this jersey.  Oh well.  I'll cut this off too and add a different trim and this will work too!

I'd like to think that I am 'undershirted out', but let's be realistic - that's not going to happen!

Layering Up

As I have said many times before, I really enjoy layering up, and this time of year is the perfect time to do just that.  This is what I wore today:

The cardigan is McCalls 6168 from a few years ago and the jeans are Tina Givens Holly Pants, that I mentioned here.  The white top is a Seamingly Smitten Draped Top and I love it!  I've made three or four of these, they are perfect under a cardi.  And the lace peaking underneath? This is my 'new best thing'!  Let me tell you a little more.  

A few months ago I was told about a website called 'Farmhouse Frocks' - lovely Lagenlook styles made by Amish ladies in Ohio.  Very much my style.  Anyway, I filed this away and promptly forgot about it until a post popped up on Facebook and I took another look.  Oh boy, what a treat!  There are a number of styles that I like the look of, especially the 'Shirt Extender' and I thought how well it would go with my wardrobe.  

For the basic body of my version I used Kwik Sew 2766 an OOP nightgown pattern.  It is quite a simple sleeveless nightgown/petticoat and I cut it mid hip length.  The pattern is designed for wovens (on the bias) and knits, I used some very soft oatmeal coloured cotton jersey and some matching cream stretch lace for the trim at the bottom.  The jersey is actually a fitted sheet that never really fit our bed, so some great re-purposing!  After making up the top I pleated it and serged the lace on the botton edge, and done1  For the neckline and armhole edging I used lingerie lace trim at 80% of the measured edge of the openings and it is lovely!

I left the bottom edge of the lace raw after cutting it with my rotary cutter so that it is nice and straight.

I have already cut out a black version and a (OK, and a couple of) white ones too!  So not only will I be warm as the weather gets cooler, but I'll also have some pretty lace peeking through my layers as well!

Peg Legs - or 'the Day I Became a Pirate'

I have really been embracing my Lagenlook/Tina Givens style and have enjoyed wearing my me-made clothes this Spring and Summer.  Being able to wear sandals/summer shoes means that I do not need to worry about socks/tights (pantyhose to my American and Canadian buddies) - although to be fair, I really detest tights.  I'm a stockings kind of girl - but have you seen have you seen any on sale recently?  They are like gold dust.

So, with Autumn and now Winter fast approaching (oh, and we had our first fall of snow last week.  Really), what is a girl to do?

I know that a lot of people make their own leggings, and I thought that may be the way to go.  I can still wear my slips, a pair of winter boots, a cardi/jacket.  Perfect.  But what leggings? I have a few patterns (Espresso, Style Arc Laura), but for some reason I wasn't feeling the love.  And then I came across Peg Legs by Patterns for Pirates.  Oh my goodness, they are fabulous!  When you get the pattern they look really weird.  They have a a very low rise at the front, and are one piece - no side seam.  They are designed to have a wide band at the waist rather than an actual elasticated waistband, so I made some up.  It turns out that if you have a similar waist/hip measurement, then this sort of design doesn't work too well (think yoga pants), and they were soon heading south, taking my knickers with them!  Other than that, they fit like a dream.

I know the pictures aren't very clear, but really, this is all about the view!  This is outside Banff Springs Hotel before going in for Sunday brunch, we really are very lucky to have this on our doorstep.

So, I played around with the pattern, worked out I needed to add 3" to the rise front and back, serged some elastic on and voila - I am all Peg-Legged now!

Here I am wearing a Tina Givens Jacqueline Slip (linen), McCalls 6168 (I've made one or two of these.  Cotton/Lycra mix) and a spiffy poppy scarf.  I have dual British and Canadian citizenship and am proud to wear poppies.

Here is a close up of another pair of Peg Legs.  You can see the lowered front rise.  I really thought that they wouldn't be comfy and not cover my tummy, but they are fab!

So if you fancy being a Pirate - try out some Peg Legs.  if you join the Facebook group there is code to get the pattern for free.  Bargain!  They do have quite a following on FB, and this is how the cool kids photograph their 'Pegs:

For you own safety it is not necessary to see my feets, so here are some hand-knitted rainbow socks instead!

Incidentally, as far as sizing is concerned, I did the old 'wrap the fabric around your body to see how much it stretches' trick and that determined the size that I cut out.  By tightening and loosening the fabric, I could get the 'look' I wanted before cutting out.  Perfect!  If you have a small hip/waist ratio, you may wish to wrap the fabric around your waist, cinch it in, and then see if you can pull it down over your hips.  If I use fabric with a different stretch, then I would do this to see if I needed to change size.

Can't stay - need to make some more Pegs!

Tina Givens with a Side of Krista Larson

I managed to get some good sewing in over the last couple of weeks, and have some goodies to share!

I am a big fan of Tina Givens - although I do need to make a number of alterations for the patterns to suit me.  Having said that, once those alterations are done, sewing them up in very quick and easy!  I also follow a Facebook page for Kati Koos - a shop in San Francisco that stocks TG ready made clothes as well as a number of other designers including Krista Larson.  Lots of eye candy happening there . . . . including this ensemble:

Source Kati Koos

I really liked the plaid skirt, and had seen versions (check out the Nikki skirt) that looked like the TG Patrica skirt.  So I though that I would make one . . . . . The TG Patricia skirt is essentially a deep yoke, with the main skirt attached in gathers to the bottom and gathered at the hem.  I have made a few versions of the skirt, and have added a binding at the bottom about 54" wide.  I can walk quite comfortably in this but could do with a little more stretch.  So I thought I'd try a version with a narrow 1/2" elastic in the bottom hem.

The fabric is a very lightweight 100% cotton - a lawn/hankerchief weight but not sheer.  The plaid is printed rather than woven, but the colours were lovely - a deep burgundy red, cream and teal - a bit like a dirty turquoise.

Worn here with my cream linen Zelda.

And a new cardi . . . . . I know!  This is view C from my much used McCalls 6168.  The cardi is a raised neckline - the shoulder seams continue up the side of your neck.  No facings.  I cut 1.5" strips of fabric, folded in half and pressed, and sewed them all around the neck/front/edges.  This is the same process that I use for a lot of my slips and jackets.

The fronts are really long!  I think I cut them on the cross grain instead of the straight grain and they have stretched a little.  Not a problem - but I think that explains why the front tips are longer than the pattern indicates!  The fabric is a very lightweight rayon that holds a press.  My corners were not the best, but a good pressing and they look better than they have any right to do!

There is quite a lot of fabric in this cardi - close on 3m.  I like it but I'm not sure if I'd make another.  I think I prefer the waterfall cardi's where the front pieces are extended to wrap around the back.  This will get a lot of wear though!

The fabric matches the skirt beautifully though!  And this is with a Sorbetto that is lot shorter in length.

I also finished a pair of chocolate linen Plinkas.  This is a free pattern from TG.  I was totally inspired by this version, and so I went to work!

There are lots of pleats!

These photos are taken with my TG Cara in cream linen.

I did make a few changes.  I actually mostly used the pattern  that I had adapted from the Phoebe pattern.  Basically, rather than have a one piece trouser leg, I have standard front and back pieces that fit me comfortably, and no dropped crotch.  This allows me to have side seam pockets :)  The leg widths are the same as the pattern though, as are the various horizontal pleats and the attached pleats.

I have to say that these trousers are yet another design that I enjoyed making, when I put them on I was a little unsure of the design, but now I can see photos of them being worn . . . . I love them!  I am somewhat wary of looking like an extra on 'Little House on the Prairie'.  I'm not sure if I would wear these to work - but I'd certainly wear them out and about!

So, what have you been making?