More TG Love!

I have been on a bit of a Tina Givens splurge recently - no surprise, right?!  And have some Violets and Holly Pants to share with you.

Firstly, I was really taken with this tunic from the TG Couture website:

I thought that it looked quite similar to the Violet, and as I have some similar coloured linen mix fabric, I made one up!

Mine is certainly different - I really can't get on board with the un-ironed look.  I really wish I could, maybe one day!

Some of the contrast linen and some printed cotton makes for a fun patch on the back!

I added a couple of ruffled strips to the back to breakup the expanse of fabric, as well as the fun patch on the back.

I've also made about three pairs of TG jeans, this time using the Oprah pattern, which is very similar to the Holly.  And I cut out the wrong size (the pants are cropped and they would have been a bit snug around my calves) etc, etc, no spare fabric.  Argh!  I had just enough leftover to cut a couple of 2" strips so I decided to make them into 'Holly's'!  As the strip was not long enough to run the full length of the pants, I pieced them together and highlighted the error with contrasting thread!

I do like my 'butt labels'!!

The legs finish just above ankle height and look great rolled up.  I serged the inside seams so the thread can be seen.  It's not really noticeable except for when you take a close-up!!

The fabric is a really lightweight denim, 97% cotton, 3% spandex and drapes nicely.  They have a dropped crotch - not too pronounced and are really comfy to wear!  The pockets are large patch pockets sewn on top of the fronts and caught in the side seams.  I lined them with 100% cotton fabric for strength and stability and they are rather lovely!

I do have some more goodies to share and make notes on - I just don't want to overload the photos.  I also noticed (or perhaps it just appears more obvious) that I have steadily been putting on weight.  Sigh.  I know that these designs are not conducive to 'flattering/slimming' and I really don't mind that at all.  What I don't like is my chubby face and arms so I will need to work on that . . . . .

How is your summer sewing coming along?

Buses

I don't post for over a month, then loads of posts turn up at once.  Yep, that's the way it is right now.  I have been knitting and sewing up a storm, but not got round to taking the photos.  Well now I have, so would you like to see what I've made?

Firstly, some Tina Givens love :)

I made another Violet tunic and some Oprah jeans.  Please excuse the glasses but it was very sunny outside and I was determined to take some photos!!

I used some coral linen that I also made a tunic from last year, and some leftover grey linen from even longer ago . . . . . . . The grey frills are bias cut again, and the bottom, attached, gathered, coral piece is separate from the rest of the side panels.  The designer has you cut the the side panels and the centre bottom piece all in one, but I thought that would cause problems gathering, and I like how it looks if is attached.

The Oprah's are made from a light(ish)weight black denim with a bit of stretch.  The only difference between these and the previous ones I made is that I made the legs slightly wider at the bottom, other than that - they are as per the pattern.

I took a few close ups as well . . . . .

This pattern does have an exaggerated balloon shape around the hips which suits me as I am rather cylindrical.

You can see the vertical seam (above) where I attached the coral frill as a separate piece to the centre panel.

And, of course, a patch on the back with a cute heart.  Love it!

How about you?  Do you stall when it comes to taking photos?  Any top tips?!

Sweet Violet - with a Side of Oprah

The new Tina Givens patterns are gorgeous and with some new shaped pants and a 1920's styled tunic, they had my name all over them!  The patterns released released with 'money off', so Violet and Oprah made their way to me via the intertubes.  They are pdfs, and I have to say that unlike a lot of other, I rather enjoy the process of taping paper together, tracing off the pattern parts . . . . call me crazy (CRAZY!!)

This is the Violet tunic made from leftover linen/rayon fabrics.  These fabrics are from last summer's makes!  I didn't have enough of any of the colours for the binding so used some leftover patterned fabric.  And I love it!  I made this pretty much straight from the pattern - I made the largest size and my one alteration was to piece the front gathered skirt.  The original pattern has the front sides and gathered skirt (seen here in white) as being one piece.  I just knew that I'd have an issue attaching the front panel (in blue) to the one piece sides and skirt (all that clipping into corners, not my idea of fun!), so I just cut the fronts all the way down to the hem and cut the gathered piece separately.  I was then able to sew the blue panel to the white gathered skirt, then sew the two side panels on to the centre panel - I don't think you can see the difference, and if you can, it really doesn't matter!

The natural coloured trim are bias cut gathered strips - so no finishing required there and the back is solid natural.

Naturally there are pockets.  Most useful!  I bound the neckline, arms and bottom of the tunic with bias cut strips, 1 1/2" wide, folded in half and attached with a three step zigzag.  It gives a lovely 'finished finish' if you know what I mean!

It's rather boring on the back - then what would you expect with beige?!  I did attach a scrap of fabric (same fabric as the bias binding) to the back, and on the inside in the exact same place is another scrap with my label on.

It looks a little wonky, but it is a 6"x3" rectangle.  Honest!  I didn't add the gathering on the back as the guidelines are right were I have my rounded upper back and that would have looked awful.  I am happy with it being plain.

This is a little shorter than I thought it would be be - it is certainly a tunic rather than a dress.  I did lose a couple of inches in length due to my seam allowances on the blue panel - I must have used deeper ones than the pattern suggested, but I have adjusted my pattern and my next version will be that little bit longer.  (of course there is another version already cut out and partially made . . . . !)

I am really pleased that I made this up - I wanted to try the dropped/extended shoulder and I am pleased with the look on my 'not a stick insect' figure.  I will likely try some of the other TG tunics with cut on sleeves.

The jeans are the the Oprah pants. cut from a lightweight denim with 3% spandex.  I cut the medium size but extended the crotch curve to the largest size so that the legs were wider for my chunky pins!!  I made regular in-seam pockets using the Jacqueline pocket (I used that on the Violet tunic as well) and finished off the crotch seam and inside leg seam with top and edge stitching in regular thread that is the same amber colour as regular jeans top stitching.

Yep, the crotch is dropped (and it is quite 'pouchy' and the front) - and that may not be your thing, but who can tell under tunics?  They certainly are comfy!

Oh yes, well spotted - that is Noddy fabric inside the pockets!!  And why not?

The fabric looks more grey here . . . . I think that the picture is a bit over exposed.  For the hem, I serged the edge, pressed that to the right side and then folded up and inch (to the right side) and edge stitched the hem down with the same amber coloured thread that I used for the edge and top stitching.

And of course I had to add a label - especially as the front and back pieces are the same.  The brown fabric is Kraft-Tex and is also known as 'vegan leather'.  It is the same fabric used by Levi's and other jeans makers after they stopped using leather on the back of their designs.  I sewed it to the right side of my right butt cheek - no-one can see, but I know it is there!

And here is my 'Merchant and Mills' inspired photo!

Talking of Merchant and Mills, I ordered the book from Amazon after seeing the gorgeous garments that the lovely Ruth had made and featured on her blog, Core Couture.  It was supposed to be a Christmas present to myself, but will finally be here in a couple of weeks.  I know that there was a later publishing date here in Canada, but still! 

I picked up the shoes from my local outdoor shop, Mountain Equipment Co-op, reduced from a stupidly high number to $39 on the label, and just $19 at the till!  Woohoo!  They are canvas and have rugged sole - yet are as light as a feather.

So here we go - my first Spring outfit.  As the tunic is made out of leftovers from last year, it will go with lots of the cropped pants that I made, and of course the jeans will work with the slips and jackets that I have in my closet - lots of combinations waiting to be worn!

How is your Spring sewing coming along?