Morzel

Swapping again

2011-12-20T14:13:00.006+01:00

This years SWAP rules is about creating TNTs and therefore perfecting fit. Great idea!

Here's my storyboard for this year:

All patterns but the cardigan will be self drafted. There will only be two dresses instead of the four shown, I wasn't decided on what it should be.

As always, we are allowed to include items sewn previously, that is before December27th. Though I am desperately in need of pants, I started off with a dress - I wanted something fun first!
After consulting with my husband, I decided on a sheath dress - a first for me, as I never had a fitted dress with a straight skirt part before. Sure enough I encountered fitting problems I had never before, but they were easily solved. Thank God I made a muslin!

So here's garment #1 for 2012 SWAP:

The fit is good, though there's still a little tweaking neccessary at the front: the curved princess seam line is located very much at the side of the skirt part. That means the dart of the skirt part (within the seam line) points towards the hollow next to my tummy, where the extra of the dart is not needed. There's too much fabric there. So, even I like the design that way, because of fit I moved the princess seam more towards center front in the pattern. We'll see how that turns out in fabric once I sew a second version.
I feel really comfortable wearing the dress -though it also feels odd. The dress looks so "grown-up"! Which is okay for a soon-to-be 42 year old. Just unusual for me.

Drafting info:
For better comprehension I include a photo of the pattern parts:

I took up the shape of the side seam line to create the princess seam line, curving the seam towards CF/CB underneath my hipline. To create a smooth line it is important to keep the edge of the inner pattern piece (CF or CB) smooth - this is the line you are going to see. The outer pattern piece can be "crooked" according to the darts you insert. Even so, it shouldn't be too weirdly curved as this can cause trouble when sewing the two edges together. Eg. originally the front side would be pointed at the bust point. The pattern pieces would touch, but curve apart from each other immediatly beyond the bust point, with the bust dart pointing toward the shoulder and the waist dart pointing down. I rounded the front side pattern piece right at the BP, leaving a little 3mm gap between the pattern pieces. But these 3mm less ease won't show!
The gaps between the pattern pieces are the darts which I created for fit. To show off the bust, I take the fabric in right underneath the bust. In the back I increase the intake gradually, as there is no "bump" to fit. The darts should end lower in the back than in the front (just where they end for a skirt, for me that's about 9cm below waist in front and 13cm in the back), but I was forced to elongate the front dart to let the to seams curve into each other nicely (you don't want to have the side pattern piece too wavy). This way the two darts are appr. the same length (though the front looks longer in the picture - not so in reality).
Looking at the front pattern pieces, you can tell where I had the original princess seam in the skirt part - more towards the side with all the tape on it. I drew in a new one, cut it open and closed the old line. You need to check if the changed dart takes up as much fabric as the first, else you must redraw the side front seam.
Funnily I found I had to do a sway back alteration with this sheath dress - something I've never done before. But it seems as this dress is very fitted on top AND bottom, this brings out body/posture issues more prominently.

Back

2009-09-29T17:54:00.003+02:00

I am back at sewing - slowly, but sewing. After 8 weeks of abstinence I was ready to get at it again. I started by drafting a simple shirtdress. I used some wonderful blouseweight linen in dark blue that I got from Michael's last year. The skirt part is lined, the bodice not - I figure when it is getting too cold I will wear a cardigan with the dress. So bit I bit I made progress with the draft and then the dress itself and now it is finally finished.

I feel good about having finished a garment and it fits well, but don't think a shirtdress will be the most practical thing ever for a new mom. Being realistic I got to admit I am a pants girl. That's why I drafted a blouse with the same measurements I used for the dress (but different design lines) and will use the same dark blue linen to sew it.

Road tested

2009-07-31T14:08:00.004+02:00

Just a quick post to tell you how the nursing shirts work out:
The altered Jalie #2804 is great for the nursing mom. I must say, it works well! Next time around I would enforce the front neckline with some clear elastic. The fabric I used has a lot of lycra (8%), nevertheless the crossover section does sag a bit when being worn a few hours, from pulling it aside to nurse. The big plus on this shirt: The modesty panel can function as a burp cloth as well! ;)) Just in case you don't want your baby spitting up into your decollétage...

The Henley-shirts are also great. They were just perfect in the first week at home, when I and Rieke were learning how to nurse - just like Elizabeth from Stitcher's guild said, it is great to be able to see your child in the very beginning. I tried a regular shirt once, by pulling it up. Awful, the fabric kept falling onto the face of the baby and I wished for a third hand. However I would say the henleys are rather for home wear. When opened up, they reveal the whole upper body, as the jersey is soft and doesn't have the body to stay up by itself, like blouse fabric would. So if you want one side open for nursing, the other side falls open also, giving yourself a cleavage down to the belly button.

So I guess there will be some more Jalies in the future...

She's here

2009-07-17T18:15:00.004+02:00

Our adorable daughter Rieke arrived on a warm and rainy summer Sunday evening, 18.50h. 3360g, 51cm, looots of hair.

3 days old

Everything went well and smooth- before, during and after birth and we are presently getting used to life at home as a family! Being happy and overwhelmed. And overtired.

While waiting...

2009-07-10T14:47:00.013+02:00

While waiting for the baby to arrive, I am doing a little sewing (it's sewing and reading now, as there is nothing else planned). I am slowly working my way through the skirt suit for my friend. I have to admit it is going slowly as I don't like sewing the jacket - I don't feel very confident about my jacket sewing abilities. Well, it is coming along, the outer shell is finished and I just have to do the lining and bagging. I am contemplating about a fitting together with my sewing teacher...

***

Sewing for myself (much easier stuff, extending that nursing wardrobe that I started with the JCC) is going much faster. I sewed another Jalie#2804, the empire cross-over top. Great pattern. As I plan on nursing (hopefully in VERY near future), I changed the modesty panel into a nursing panel by doing cut outs. I also lengthend the upper cross-over bodice. I find that in the original cut the empire line rides a little high. Not so much as to bother me, but doing changes to the pattern anyway, I added 3cm (1.25") to the upper part (I forgot to shorten the lower bodice accordingly and had to take the extra off at the hem :0 by now the pattern is corrected). Lengthening the cross-over results in a few pulls at the bust. It is not too bad, as it corresponds to the lower gathered bodice (you can't tell in these pictures because of the belly, but believe me, there IS gathering in the lower bodice). With the next version, I will shorten the cross-over as to not have it cross over that much. Hope that helps. As you can see, I keep with the colour choices I made for JCC - I plan to have everything I sew for now coordinate at least colour wise (if not style wise). As I have to sew for a bigger bustline now, I don't have much stuff to wear. So starting off with coordinating things gives me the most possibilities of mix and match. Who knows how long I will be wearing this bigger size? Could be as long as I wore my maternity stuff, could be longer. Time will tell.

***

I have some great cotton-lycra sateen in seagreen in my stash- in the very beginning of my sewing career I sewed a nice little blouse from it (it was the reason for buying all that coordinating fabric which I never sewed up). As the fabric has a little more body than the usual blouse fabric, I wore that garment sometimes as a blouse, sometimes as a jacket. I like this "double-agent" thing, and as this first blouse doesn't fit right now (no remote chance of closing it-I gained 10cm/4" in bust circumference), I decided to sew a bigger one. Drafting the pattern, I kept the bodice simple (princess seams), but added a lapel that is a bit on the dramatic side as it is big! The neckline I kept simple with no collar. Regarding the sizing I have 12cm (4.75") of ease in this to my "now" measurement and hope this will be okay when nursing.

I experienced a small mishap when cutting the front - I didn't realise, that the fabric was not cut straight across the grain, so there was a bit missing at the shoulder of the lower pattern piece. As I really like the fabric and there's enough left for a skirt, I didn't want to recut the front completely. So, remembering that the sewist is the designer, I cut off 4cm off the front shoulder and added a yoke. This way I only used left over scraps... and nobody will ever know!

Every seam and the edge is topstitched. I also made a few little pintucks at the sleeves, for them not to "wing out" so much. The sleeve being straight and the fabric being medium weight I didn't like the look of the hem just turned up. You can see the difference in the lower right hand photo- on the left is the pintucked sleeve, the sleeve on the right is just straight.

There are no buttonholes/buttons yet, as I want to wait adding those until I slimmed down enough to close the front and determine the placing. I am happy about this little summer item, which I can wear as a stand alone or instead of my usual cardigans over tshirts. Best of all- it is easy wash. Something I guess I will be in need of around a newborn...
The review is here.

JuneCC continues into July

2009-07-03T21:41:00.007+02:00

I didn't finish all required items for the JCC in June. Just too much other stuff still going on here. But I did sew two things right at the beginning of July - another shirt (the same Burda shirt as the first henleys), this time with a V-neck, and a shirred skirt. For the skirt I used a poly crinkle chiffon (matching the placket of the first Burda henley shirt) and my TNT 6-panel gored skirt (same as this maternity skirt). This time I cut the panels straight up from the hip. After sewing the fabric and lining together at the top I pulled the skirt in with elastic cord. I sewed over the elastic cord with zig-zag stitches and then pulled in the ends of the elastic till I had the desired circumference. This way the skirt will fit me whatever my waist size will be this summer - it even fits me now (only theoretically - it makes me look huge)! The hem of the skirt is a rolled hem - this was a quick and easy project, apart from cutting this wiggly fabric and getting the hem even in the end...

Somehow, even though I wanted seagreen as the main fabriccolour, I ended up with rose and burgundy mainly. Hmmh. I see a seagreen blouse in the near future.

Just for fun

2009-06-29T13:06:00.005+02:00

Are you looking for additional storage space? I found an at least temporary solution:

UFO finished and working along at JCC

2009-06-27T19:22:00.003+02:00

I got a half finished skirt for JCC lying on the work table. It is a trumpet skirt in chiffon with lining. I cut the top very large (almost 120cm waist) and want to add shirring to the top, pulling the fabric in quite a bit. I figured this way I will have a summery skirt, nonregarding the size of my waist/belly after delivery. Thus far the theory, I am curious if it will work out...

The fabric was a pain to cut out, it slipped this way and that (you can tell I never worked with such a fabric before, can you?). Luckily it is a crinkle chiffon, so I am counting on the fabric to hide the flaws. It is poly chiffon and I got it together with a matching jersey in my early sewing days, three years ago. The jersey was used to make a shirt, but I since discarded it. I did learn a lot about sewing since then... ;) A remnant of the jersey I used for button placket of the burgundy henley shirt, so I tought a matching skirt would be fun.

I also finished a UFO today - a jacket that only needed buttons. I am not into buttons that much. I think I sewed the last stitch on this blazer in March... Now I am happy, as I really like the garment. It is a self drafted pattern, fitted (well, fitted for my old self, before pregnancy) with a yoke and wedges as design details. The fabric is a seagreen corduroy with a burgundy sorto paisley/flower pattern. The designlines I topstitched in dark red. In my current state I cannot remotley close this jacket, but the fit in the back is great. AND it goes with the JCC stuff! Well, at least the accessory and the shirts. Not sure if the style/length of the jacket and the skirt will go together.

Opening up

2009-06-13T08:07:00.007+02:00

These are the first shirts I constructed for "after birth". I plan on nursing the baby (and hope it will work out), so I need top suitable for that. Alas, my pre-pregnancy tops are too small (I sewed pretty fitted stuff for a smaller bust measurement), so I really have to sew shirts and blouses!
I will try to keep to a colour theme for now. Seagreen will be the base colour. I got quite some seagreen fabric of light and dark value in stash. And it coordinates well with colours, like midblue, dark blue, burgundy or pink.

I also entered the JCC 2009 at Stitcher's guild, to start me off. I'll just try to sew as much as I can before the baby arrives.

The shirts are Burda WoF 10-2006-114, a very simple tee that has a (for a knit) unusuably high cut sleevecap. This results in a great fit! The shirt is fitted but not snug (like Jalies), I guess they constructed it with zero ease (instead of negative ease like Jalie). Just the type of tee I like. And as the style is completely basic, it is a great base for all kinds of design changes! Some ideas are given in the issue itself, like Mod. 114A or 115.
I made a henley shirt with a placket and snap closures- this way I can open it up for nursing. I don't know yet how far down I will have to open the shirt but to better be safe then sorry I made the placket really long - down to my belly button, that is. The snaps are great, they don't open unintentioanally but open up pretty easily- ideal for nursing, I guess! For the placket, I used the instruction of my Burda sewing book (sadly only avaible in german, as it is really nice). There are several methods shown, the one I used is for contrasting fabric. Great way to use leftovers of other projects! I used all knit fabrics, but I guess you could use woven fabric for the placket as well. Here's the review.

Finally here are the shirts together with the "orphan" I will use for JCC, a greenish-teal scarf that I only wore twice (or three times?) since buying it three years ago.

Getting married

2009-06-03T11:51:00.009+02:00

This weekend my wonderful boyfriend and I went on a 5-day trip to Norderney to get married. It was just the two of us! We couldn't have chosen it better- the weather was great, the island was beautiful and we felt so happy and content!! It was a wonderful wedding trip to be remembered.

Even though we didn't regret the decision of getting married without our families and friends, we did miss them. And it was nice to have them call, wishing us all the best!

This is what we came home to:

Friends of ours decorated the door and my youngest brother brought the banner and the fake cake (decorated with shaving lather- originally all around, but it soaked into the cardboard so he had to redo it with the rest of the foam), which were the decoration of the little gathering my youngest and eldest brother's families held on saturday in honour of our wedding! There was also a fun photo album with photos of Stefan and I and lots of smart notes to go with it. Boy, my sister-in-law (wife of my elder brother) and my little brother sure had fun making this!! :)) We had a good laugh.

So Stefan and I really enjoyed this weekend - I guess the last weekend in quite a while for just the two of us...! Baby is due in 5 weeks.

(And to make this post sewing related: The white pants are from Swap, the grey top I sewed after Swap. It is again a self-drafted pattern and I used a beautiful grey cotton damast with Kois (the fish) woven into it that I got in Japan in Jan 2008.)

Speechless

2009-05-15T13:21:00.004+02:00

I am speechless, I still cannot quite believe it- but I am one of the winners of this years SWAP!! I am even allowed to display this nice little thingy:

Thank you sooo much!

Grand prize goes to the wonderful, all self drafted SWAP of Audrey. She has awesome clothes and used the Japanese Magazine Lady Boutique for drafting her patterns. AND, what I thought was particularly neat, she presented her garments with photos of her in everyday situations! "Guys, help me with the groceries" and asuch, showing off this years twist: the wardrobe has to represent a week in your life.

Second prize goes to Mary, who "finished with only moments to spare" - and has this beautiful, classic wardrobe. I love the colours and fabrics, the elegant and sleek lines. This wardrobe looks extremly versatile, and I would gladly take it, as it is really wearable. Alas- it wouldn't fit me...

I could say nice things about every single other SWAP but will leave it at that: I had a real hard time deciding whom to vote for. Even narrowing it down to a few was almost impossible. I didn't actually check but have the feeling that there were less entries this year than last, but the quality of the entries were throughout high. I feel good sewing alongside such a bunch of great sewers! The ladies of Stitcher's guild have a very high motivation factor... which is why I am in possesion of a great maternity wardrobe that really work out for me. I would have probably sewed a few items, but not the whole set. So, thank you everyone!!

Last but not least I want to thank the sponsors for giving out prices! Have a look at Gorgeous fabric, Hot patterns, Sew organized, Michael's fabrics and Fine fabrics. They are sooo generous!!

Jalie #2787

2009-05-12T19:34:00.006+02:00

First of all I want to thank you all for all those wonderful compliments I got from you concerning my SWAP. It has been such a motivation boost!! Thank you very much (little curtsey inserted here).

Even after Swap I keep on sewing maternity stuff - I drafted a tunic (empire line, sure enough) and have two version almost finished. Still in need of buttons for the second, the first needs some special fiddling. I'll have photos of those as soon as they are done.

I also thought about what I would need after the birth - some nursing tops or nightgowns. I had tried my hand at this Jalie pattern (#2878) quite a while ago but wasn't satisfied. Even though the size was okay, the side seam kept pulling forward and the crosspanel was gaping underneath the bust (see purple shirt). Now, after the Swap, I was decided to tackle this pattern. I made a wearable (nightgown) muslin. I did my best but am still not satisfied. I came to the conclusion that this pattern is only suitable for a small to non-busted figure. I will not proceed with this pattern for myself, but will keep it for a childs version. I really like the style. The complete review is here. I guess I will just modify a regular tshirt pattern for a nursing acess via Empire waist, I guess...

On another note:

I am in the process of painting our old baby bed that was used for my brothers and me. My mother had offered to paint it and did a wonderful job of sanding and preparing it for the varnish. But somehow the paint I gave my mother for this (childrensafe stuff) wasn't good, it came out all streaky and was easy to peel off. My mother felt soo miserable... So I took over (she rather wanted to buy a new one for me, but I am determined to have the old one. You know how it is when a woman has her mind set on something...), took it apart again and started sanding it. I asked around amongst my friends about a childrensafe, good, eco-friendly (and harmless for me) varnish and found the perfect stuff. I tried the paint out on one side panel of the bed and it looks great. So now I am preparing the other three elements, sanding them and painting them one by one. To be able to paint it and let it dry I hung up the side part on my balcony. So here it is, drying until tomorrow, waiting for a second paintlayer...

Final Swap pictures

2009-05-10T21:17:00.007+02:00

Aah, Ann from Stitcher's guild was sooo quick in getting everyones Swapphotos sorted out - Thank you!! You can have a look at everyones entries here. They are awesome - so full of great styles, great ideas and great details. And everyone seems so content with their clothes! That is the best part of the whole contest. You sew 11 garments, because others do it too. And in the end you have a big wardrobe extension, lots of stuff for you to wear. Wow.

This is an overview of my entry this year:

We were supposed to make a wardrobe that represent a week in our current life. What can I say? I started this maternity wardrobe from scratch and (besides long camis I like to put underneath everything for temperature reasons) have only these things to wear! Above wardrobe plus two more pants and two shirts is all I have (one each sewn and one each RTW from a neighbour), so I wear the stuff constantly. I guess makes my collection qualify for everyday life...

If you want to have a more detailed look at the photos, have a look at my photobucket account.

Something funny for last:Yes, this is obviously how I look like when I change clothes. Wait, gotta pull up those pants first!

Use your white balance feature

2009-04-29T10:44:00.003+02:00

This is an example of how the white balance feature of the camera can improve the picture. See how my camera turns the purple to blue, together with the whole background.
I made a whole series of photos that turned out well, when on this last shots the camera couldn't picture the colour correctly. So I went to the white tablecloth on the terrace, adjusted the white balance with this white surface and went back into the garden to make the right hand side picture. Much easier than having to work it out later with a picture editing software.

I needed something white

2009-04-23T18:13:00.002+02:00

As spring comes along (it has been beautiful weather here for almost two weeks!), I feel the need for a white pair of pants. Last year I made up a pair, and I liked (and wore) them a lot. They were made of RPL (well, rather the other way round, Poly/Rayon/Lycra). I know I already praised this fabric type, so I wont repeat myself here. I just went out and got some more white RPL (it is the same fabric as for the grey maternity pants) and whipped up another pair of maternity pants today.

I am soo happy, I think I really needed those white pants in my Swap wardrobe. The teal pair I don't like because it wrinkles so badly, the jeans I wear but don't think ideal with the Swap because of its colour. The fabric was originally purple (and has a purple wrong side), but it looks more and more blueish. The white ties in well with the teal and purple tops and together with the grey garments gives a neutral look. Here are some more bump pictures:

Reducing the pink stash

2009-04-22T14:30:00.002+02:00

As my elder niece and my goddaughter are getting older, they are not "into pink" anymore. My younger niece (and soon my own baby girl) is still too young to want pink. I have to reduce stash and will not be able to store that much fabric. So I like to use up fabric I will not be likely to use within the next two years. So what to do with the pink fabric? I decided to sew another of those Burda-flounce dresses for my goddaughters little sister. She is three and she LOVES pink. So here comes a dress for her:

I didn't have much of the flowerfabric left, but it matched the solid so nicely that I decided to do a solid dress with a flowered flounce. I again used the Burda 03-2006-138. I altered the upper flounce to an asymmetrical one. For more details, read here.

I am happy to get rid of some pink fabric. And I hope Jula will be happy also getting a dress from her sisters godmother.

Use what you have

2009-04-20T16:02:00.004+02:00

This is my childhood bath towel. My mother and grandmother bought this in Zurich and my mother claims it was expensive and of good qualtity! Well, she must be right, as 39 years later it still exists. It is worn, though. There are a few tiny holes and then there is this corner where it is badly torn. It still feels nice though, thick and soft, so I decided to use it to make a bath towel for my child. Fortunatley my mother had not only the old towel, but a matching pink face-cloth and a small white towel as well that I could use.
This is what I did to the towel this morning- I cut out a fish application and sewed it onto the badly worn-out area. I cut a triangle from the white towel to serve as a hood and hemmed the whole towel with a white biasstrip. Voilá!

Flounces, flowers and butterflies

2009-04-16T15:47:00.006+02:00

When I started to sew a few years ago, I made this dress:

This is my niece, she was 5 1/2 back then. The pattern is BWoF 02-2006-138. I used loosely woven stiff Ikea bedding that had been on sale (very cheap!) and it was intended as a muslin. But because of the flounces AND the flowers she liked it sooo much she wore it. It got soft and nice with washing, and she wore it until last summer (8 years old). The waist kept rising higher and higher, it becoming an Empire waist (which she doesn't really care for), but my niece insisted on wearing that dress. Yes, she is a slim girl, when growing she just stretches...

Just today I finished the second version of this dress:

It was done for my 6 year old goddaughter. Her mother gave me the fabric (last year! I am slow in catching up). She originally bought it to make a canopy for the cradle, but then my goddaughter entered the world 5 weeks early - no time to make things for the cradle... So it is now a girly twirly flounce dress! The butterflies are fun and besides, she doesn't want *pink dresses anymore*.

Review of the dresses here.

Wearing the stuff

2009-04-15T07:31:00.004+02:00

I am constantly wearing my sewed maternity stuff. So here's a picture of me in the botanical garden during the Easter weekend:

It is the Jalie empire waist tunic, #2793, and my selfdrafted maternity pants, made up in stretch denim. Also on show: My belly; it has grown a lot over the last three weeks!

Carmen

2009-04-11T20:04:00.002+02:00

This is a photo of my baby niece Carmen (6 months) in one of her new tops. Just like I hoped, it is short enough for her to be able to crawl around in it in summer.

Summer dresses for baby niece

2009-03-23T18:12:00.007+01:00

This is Burda WoF 7-2008-134 - a dress-top and bloomers in size 74 (6-9 months). These are summer combos for my babyniece- she lives in a warmer part of germany and can use something light for summertime.
I used cotton fabric from Japan (left light purple eyelet, right:print cotton and very light purple cotton for the bloomers)- I try to sew from stash. In this size the top uses 50cm (20 inch) of fabric, the bloomers 40cm (16') of fabric if you use 112cm (44') wide fabric. So a great pattern for this one-meter cuts I have in stash!
I like this pattern, as it is a girlish style (dress) but short enough for a kid that crawls around - which will be the case in this size/age range the pattern comes in. Burda wants you to sew/stitch some embellishment on the front yoke, but I find it too small for that. Besides, I used patternd fabric, so nothing else needed.
The back is buttoned up, instead of a facing I made a button placket- I like that better. The bloomers have a cut-on tunnel for elastic at the waist and legs.
Pattern review here.

Maternity blouse #3

2009-03-22T18:19:00.003+01:00

I finished another version of my maternity blouse pattern. This is supposed to be the "city-safari" version... I topstitched the violet thin cotton fabric with white thread and also used white buttons (I got lots of those white shirt buttons - I cut them off when a work uniform blouse is worn out. They all have my company´s name on it, but too small to be noticed). I again made front pleats (they hang much nicer on this edgestitched version than on the non-stitched grey version) and used the all-in-one collar. The bust dart I did not gather but just did three folds by eye. I shortened the sleeves a bit and sewed a tap on. Lastly I added front pockets. These were a bit tricky, as they sit on this shaped area. I more or less pinned them first on myself (well, onto the blouse being on me), then nicely on the ham (I gave away my sewing dummy). By this I secured the bust folds. I am really happy with this version!

Learning experience:

remember to FIRST do the hem, THEN topstitch the pleats.
Try to cut the sleeve a little longer at the front hem, a little shorter at the back hem. Just like with cuffs.
Sleeves could be a tiny bit longer.

Here are all three versions together, details are pictured here.

It fits her!

2009-03-18T11:28:00.002+01:00

Just a quick photo of my Sister-in-law with the blouse I talked about here. It fits her well and I am even happier that she likes it!! Well, she chose the fabric.

I had issues...

2009-03-18T10:42:00.003+01:00

I had some issues with this fabric. It is a wonderful thin grey cotton that I got in Spain about two years ago, embroidered with little black and white dots. Well, those dots caused a few problems- they are really thick and my sewing machine and serger didn't really like going over these dots. So I had to lower the foot pressure and do some gentle pulling to sew a seam. Serging the seams didn't go as easily, as I didn't want to pull so much at the fabric so it doesn´t stretch. But in the end, I really liked the result.
I used the same pattern as for the grey plain blouse, this is my TNT maternity blouse now! I did a few changes to the pattern: I changed the facing to a buttonplacket, lengthend and gathered the sleeves for a ruffle, omitted the pleats and gathered the waist line with an special elastic I got in Japan instead and did a shirt collar. This collar has a cut-on stand, I used a template that I got from my sewing teacher. I just had to adjust the length according to my neckline measurements. This collar is a little softer than the usual shirt collar with a seperate stand. I really like it for a blouse and it is faster to use. So I will use this type of collar again! I also lengthend the front a little more, it is now 5cm (2.5 inches) longer than the back - I guess that's enough length for the belly for quite a while.
There are more pictures here and the pattern review is here.

How nice!

2009-03-13T10:58:00.003+01:00

How nice! Diana sent me this sisterhood award. I feel good about it, as I really appreciate and learn so much from this sewing sisterhood on the internet! It is nice to know others who to sew, who share their knowledge and above all are such a great source of inspiration. And not to forget the cheering on with certain projects. I love it!

It's plain

2009-03-06T10:04:00.002+01:00

Here's a maternity blouse, again a self drafted pattern. It is similar in design to the jacket I made... Again, I determined where I want to have the empire waist and how much ease I want for the pattern at bust line. This latter was a bit difficult, as I find my bust measurements increasing currently - I used my "now" measurements (up 6cm from former size) and added 12 cm ease (4 3/4 inch) of ease all around. That should give me enough ease for whatever is to come... Next I had to decide how tight (or loose) I want the empire waist to be - I went with only 6 cm ease to my current circumference at this stage. Don't think I am gaining too much weight there. I had to take in the waist a bit and also pivoted the bust dart towards the waist line. As this made a really large dart I decided to not sew a dart but gather the fabric. You can see the size of the dart here (it is as wide as the lower two blue lines). The gathers I distributed underneath my bust, along a stretch of 9cm (3.5inch).
I created a V-neckline (and found out, that it is better to slightly curve the V, as it is too narrow otherwise) and sandwiched a straight rectangle (collar) between the blouse and the facing. I tried a curved pattern piece before, but then the collar would lean towards the neck at the sides and that felt uncomfortable. This way it "stands up" around the neck and leans inward at the front.
For the lower bodice, I put a flare into the pattern piece (cut up the pieces and spread at the lower edge). I added 3cm flare in the back (that is 6cm total, everything is mirrored at CenterBack) and 2cm in the front (in the pattern picture the front flare is not yet added: I cut the edge of the pleat and spreaded the pattern to the blue line, resulting in a piece that is outlined in red) Additionally (yes, I DO need more space in front than back, you wondered already, didn't you) I added a pleat to the front, taking into it also the dart that would technically be there (the waist dart). So all in all there's about 10cm (4 inch) in that pleat. The front is 3cm (1 1/4) inch longer than the back. And at last I cut the lower body pieces on bias.

If you want to do something similar, but do not draft, you could use Simplicity 2732 and alter the lower part of that blouse to accomodate your belly.

Changes

2009-02-27T18:56:00.003+01:00

This is my latest pair of maternity pants, and my favourite so far, because I changed the measurments of the leg. I decided I want a slimmer leg and measured a RTW pant of mine. It had 64 cm legwidth at crotchpoint, 52 cm at kneeheight, 62 at the hem (a bootcut jeans). So I bravely took off width from my pant pattern - 1cm at the inner leg seams, ca1.5 cm at the outer seams. That was less than needed to get a 64cm leg, but I couldn´t have done a nice new hip curve otherwise. At the knee I took off the required width equally from the inner and outer seams. For the bottom I had to flare out the leg. This is how I cut up the pattern to achive a flare:

I cut up the leg at kneelevel and through the fold line and spread it. This worked well and I am very pleased with the resulting pants!
The fabric is a stretch fabric (poly/rayon/lycra), which sewed up great and feel good. It doesn´t wrinkle at all, but that also means it doesn´t iron well - so I topstitched the seams for the seamallowances to lay flat.
This was sort of an experiment - I didn´t know if just setting the leg width and adjusting the pattern accordingly would work out, but it did. Good lesson for myself (so I can adjust a pantdraft to wanted measurements).
I think I want another one of those pants - these are sooo comfortable and look great! The fabric has a darker side, which I used now, and a lighter side which I will use next, as there is just enough fabric for another pair!

Teal

2009-02-26T16:20:00.002+01:00

In really like teal! And more over, I like it together with dark purple!!

Got another pair of maternity pants done. And am posing for summer- short sleeved and in sandals. But- it is cold and rainy outside... Well, planning ahead, I am!

Japanese bag

2009-02-25T11:18:00.003+01:00

Last year, when in Sapporo, Japan, I bought a bag pattern in the fabric store. The store has its´s own line of patterns, and they display sewn samples of it throughout the store. Very good advertisement!

A few days ago I happend to stumble across some left over japanese fabric (the dress I made of it was an UFO, as it didn´t suit me at all). I got the same pattern in two different colourways, turquoise and black. So I decided to combine the fabrics with the pattern to make my first bag. Instead of the appliqué (the sheep) I tried myself on a circular pocket as described in Roberta Carr´s book "Couture -the art of fine sewing", which went well and I want to do a summer skirt with such pockets soon. I even managed to match the pattern inside and out of the circle fairly well... I interfaced the bag with quite stiff iron-on interfacing to give it stability, as the fabric is regular (quilting) cotton.
As I couldn´t read the instructions I did the strap differently from their picture. Didn´t have enough fabric for any other solution anyway...

Two of my list

2009-02-24T08:17:00.011+01:00

I got two things of my sewing list, one of them has been promised for a loooong time... (shame on me).

Left is Simplicity 3515 , a Hannah Montana design. My niece likes H.M. very much and had wanted a brown dress. Well, didn´t find suitable (summer) dress weight brown fabric, so she went with this brown/blue paisley fabric I had in stash. Review is here.

The second item is a blouse I promised my wonderful Sister-in-law (mother of my niece) OVER A YEAR AGO. We went shopping in Japan (when they still lived there) for a fabric. She chose this dark blue cotton print, I took her measurments to draft a blouse. Well, only one year later I finally managed to get this baby done! I basted the thing together first, doing a fitting (at above meeting) - which was good, as the measurements were old. So yesterday I made the adjustments and finished it. I am modelling it for the picture, as my SIL is home again. Well, she is a much different size/bodyshape from me, but I think a photo of me in it is still sufficient to show of the piece.

Another one done

2009-02-16T12:51:00.002+01:00

Another Jalie #2804 Empire cross-over top done. This time around in a stretchier fabric. I also added 1cm to each side seam, so 4cm (ca. 1.5inch) in total. This shirt is very comfortable and will work well during pregnancy and hopefully aterwards also. But - there´s still pulling at the armscye, though I cut the elastic for the modesty panel same length as the panel. So next time around I got to adjust the modesty panel itself.

Much better

2009-02-13T09:15:00.004+01:00

The other night I read a blog which I hadn´t checked for quite a while. Its called Fashion for Nerds and the writer, Audi, features her daily outfits. She dresses quite unique and fun and special (well, she doesn´t work in a conservative enviroment, lucky her!). Anyway, last week she did a little "special" on how to wear/combine clothes, featuring Martha, a reader of Audi´s blog. This entry is about A-line tops, and reading the article, a light bulb went off inside me!

Having a big, figure-hiding shirt/jacket on, you should balance this out with a bottom that gives you "back your feminine curves". So, choosing a slim skirt/pant below the hem of an A-line/oversized/tunic shirt lets the others believe the slim thing continues on upward underneath the top. Illusion is everything...

Remembering the maternity skirt I made last week, I knew back then there was something wrong with the whole suit thing. I like the jacket, I like the skirt. I didn´t like them together that much. Why? Now I know- the combi makes me look big.
So I went ahead and sewed a skirt with a slimmer shape - and like the result very much. Lesson learned!

The skirt is an old TNT, Neue Mode 23092. It has a very subtle A-line and a yoke. I added the maternity panel (just like shown previously) and sewed the pattern up in a wool flannel plaid. The skirt is also lined. Click on the tumbnail to see the stretch panel.

Maternity pants

2009-02-09T17:20:00.003+01:00

This time around I tried my hand at maternity pants. I basically used the same technique for creating a stretch panel for the pants as for the skirt. I used a TNT pants pattern. I also created a stretch panel for the upper back.

Sadly I didn´t find a good knit fabric in black that would be good for this maternity panel. It should be stable and stretchy, and believe me, such a thing is hard to find here. I ended up bying a regular tshirt knit with looooots of stretch (8% lycra- I figured I´ll need that for the growing belly) but a bit thin.

Wisely I cut the side seams with a wider seam allowance -when trying on the basted garment, I was glad I could let out the side seams 1cm each at through my hips and thighs. So I guess I am not only getting bigger at my belly...

Well, having the pants assembled, they wouldn´t stay up. I had to take off the back panel, planning on inserting a woven yoke instead. To cut a long story short, because of nightly stupidity I recut the whole back pant in good faith(no stretch panel this time), only to find out later I wouldn´t have had to. Now I have pieced back legs due to fabric shortage. In the end I also inserted buttonhole elastic to keep everything where it is supposed to be.

I made welt pockets at the back (first time on my own!) and lined them with contrast fabric for a tiny bit of colour-though they are so high up that they will be covered by a top most of the time, I guess. If you want to see details, click on the tumbnails beneath.

Maternity skirt

2009-02-03T08:59:00.006+01:00

I finished my maternity skirt yesterday!

Please ignore the lightning - the flash reflected in the mirror at the side.

The construction was very easy and I am happy, that my theory on how to create a maternity panel worked out.
[As you can see, extending the front patternpiece upward doesn´t make a straight waistline on the body. A straight waistline on the body is created by a curved patternpiece (like the yoke piece I had in the beginning).]
The panel goes smoothly over my belly and the panel is juuuusst low enough to allow the skirt to fit over my wide hips (I usually need rather long zippers, as the difference between hip and waist is large. Here, no zipper is needed). The back of the skirt is according to the regular zipper. There´s a thumbnail of the side view and of the skirt waist, to view a larger size, click on it:

I lined the skirt, as it is made of wool fabric. To be able to adjust the fit at the side seams, I sewed and serged the lining to the front and back seperatley, then sewing the back and front together. This doesn´t give an ideal finish to the upper side seam at the waist, but I will wear longer tops over the skirt anyhow (don´t need to show the maternity panel off too much). Unfortunatley I didn´t have enough fabric to make wider side seams. I had to do my usual 1cm. Well, that leaves me with 2cm for adjustments in case my hips widen...

I originally planned on inserting an elastic in the stretch panel. This was to be buttonhole elastic and you have to leave open the upper side seams as to be able to button it up with buttons inserted at the inner side of the back yoke. But the fabric I used has very good stretchy knit with body, so a support through an elastic is not necessary.
Here is the skirt together with the matching maternity jacket.

Aha!

2009-02-02T11:41:00.004+01:00

My machine´s manual taught me to open up the buttonhole with a seam ripper. Well, using the seam ripper that came with the machine, I was never satisfied with the results. The buttonholes stretched during ripping, the ripping just didn´t go smoothly. So I rather cut the holes open, always hoping to not cut into the threads...
The other day, my seamripper broke (well, I broke it - I poked it into the needleplate of the machine to get out a pin and the top broke off - luckily the tip didn´t fall into the inner mechanics below!) and I bought a new one. I don´t know what got me to try ripping open the buttonholes of last weeks project, but - it worked! The seam ripper cut rather than ripped the fabric (three layers of corduroy!) and the buttonhole didn´t stretch. Well, I guess the first seam ripper just wasn´t really sharp. Lesson learned...!

Presents

2009-02-02T11:08:00.006+01:00

For her birthday this year (beginning of January) I send my goddaughter a letter. In it were fabricswatches, together with linedrawings of dresses. She was to choose a dress she wants me to sew for her. I coloured the line drawing with the fabric samples (it is amazing what you can do with some programs today), as her imagination lacks a little in terms of matching fabric to a pattern.... (she is too young for that really, though she turned 6 already!). Well, she really liked the idea and chose a purple babycorduroy, embellished and with sequins which sparkle in all the colours of the rainbow under artifical lightning, but just look silver in daylight. The style she chose, however, was rather ment for a light summerfabric (She matched pattern and fabric herself - so she might not be that unimaginative after all!). So I made her a dress with a similar shape. Instead of a skirt with three big flounces all around, I made a tiered skirt for the dress. It swings well, as it is a 3/4 circle skirt - and that (and the right fabric) is, after all, all that matters. Here´s the pattern review.

I had fabric left, so I made a matching skirt my goddaughters little sister. I used a Farbenmix pattern, it is called EMELY. And because I was in the mood to sew childrens clothes and the pattern is so wonderfully easy and versatile, I made another set, for my goddaughter, this time with the top. The top buttons up in the back, but you can also wear it as a vest with the buttons in the front. The skirt I sewed twice - one in patterend corduroy, the other in plain purple cotton. The patterend skirt serves as upper layer, I omitted the flounce and did a rolled hem. She can wear it also by itself. The cotton skirt has the flounce and is therefore longer, I omitted the pockets. It can we worn as underskirt or also on its own. This EMELY Pattern is great! You can vary it soo much AND it is easy to sew! Patternreview is here. There are more Farbenmix patterns to have - just look here!

Maternity jacket

2009-01-24T19:25:00.011+01:00

I finished a jacket yesterday. The fabric is a wool woven and the jacket is unlined. I drafted the jacket with 16 cm (ca. 6.5 inches) of ease (taking my original bust measurement). It has princess seams and a empire waist, the lower pieces are flared and cut on bias. The shawl collar is a first for me - my Burda sewing book helped me through the process. The sleeves finish with a wide cuff (9cm, 3.5 inch) in which I inserted a fold (exactly opposite of the seam - either there or further backward is a good placement).
Somehow the waist sits higher in the front - I will have to correct the pattern, cutting the back shorter (I don´t want to lower the waist in front - the belly will come up high enough, I guess). Also, my bottom didn´t fit into the jacket, the lower back was not flared enough... I had to rip open seams (serger seams!! AAArrghh!), cut up the piece, insert a new piece and (having now more fabric beneath the waist) gather it to the upper back bodice. At least I matched the seams (there are also princess seams on the back, not noticeable on the photo). The jacket now has enough room to accomodate my backside, though it doesn´t have the original designline. Well, it looks good to me anyhow! But regarding the pattern, I will cut up the lower back and spread it. I also plan on elongiating the front (at the seam) a little - a belly will have need a little more fabric there, I guess. And lining it next time will also be nice...

How to create a maternity panel

2009-01-21T12:38:00.010+01:00

Almost two years ago I drafted a 6-panel skirt, just like the one above. It sits slightly underneath the waist and has a 7cm yoke (a little less than 3 inch). I want to use this pattern now to make a maternity skirt for myself.

I decided to leave the back as it is. At the front I want to insert a stretch panel that includes the yoke (of 7cm) and goes 9cm into the front. Here´s how I changed the pattern:

1. I taped the center front and side front panels together and marked the stretchpanel.
2. I taped the front yoke to the skirt panels, cutting the yoke where needed.

3. I measured the size of the darts, adding up.
4. I glued an underlayer of paper under the darted section for stability. This closes the smaller darts, so I created a new dart (the size of the total of the smaller ones) at the panel section. With the underlayer I also straightend out the top of the skirt (it needs to be straight, as the stretch panel will be a folded over double layer).

5. I slashed on leg of the dart. I also cut along the line for the panel up to the dart point.
6. I matched the dart lines and taped. The dart is closed and transferred to the side seam.

7. Before cutting the stretch panel off make sure it is at a right angle from the foldline.
8. Now I cut the panel off and removed the tape that held together the skirt panels.

9. The stretch panel will be folded as double layer, so I need to create a "mirrored" part. For this, the CF line is extended upward, until it meets in a right angle the height of the side seam.
10. The piece is mirrored along the CFline and so a new pattern piece created. This will be cut on fold at the upper edge. The double layer of the stretch panel will be handled as one when inserted. This fold gives the waist edge a neat finish and more stretch - a seam there or hem) would limit the stretch.

Pictures on the "real stuff" will be up soon!

A whole new experience

2009-01-21T12:17:00.003+01:00

This years SWAP started on November 1st, ending end of April. I started planning, tossing ideas around in my head and found out - I am pregnant!
What a great opportunity- I will not need too many maternity clothes, as one doesn´t wear them long. So, just the thing for a wardrobe of 11 pieces. This SWAP suggests itself at being a maternity swap...

I started by sewing Jalie shirts, as the owner was pregnant herself recently and used the patterns.
Its Jalie #2793, #2804 and #2788. (links go to Patternreview.com)

The purple one is a muslin, as it hasn´t got much stretch. But all three patterns are great, be it for maternity wear or not.
I went for larger sizes and enlarged the sleeves, as Jalie drafts are very close fitted. You can read more at Patternreview.

Jeans finished

2009-01-21T12:06:00.004+01:00

Well, it was finished a while ago but I never got around to put photos up. So here it is.

It fits well. I am not sure if any tweeking is possible to reduce wrinkles in the back. I guess rather not, as the lenght is needed to bend the leg. I took in the inner leg seam, it was too wide. I narrowed it all the way from knee to hem. From the crotch to the knee I tapered it in, as I need the width at crotchheight.

Next time around I will change the angle of the yoke- it needs more at the side seam. And the back pocket will have to be moved towards the CB.

I got a jeanspattern!! Yeah.

Jeansdraft

2008-10-19T21:38:00.004+02:00

I most often wear jeans. Even though it is very hard for me to find a decent fitting pair - if they fit me at my bottom, they are usually much too big at the waist. So I really wanted to learn about drafting a jeanspattern. And just when my teacher, sewingbuddy and I decide on this, there´s a jeans-sew-along started on Stitcher´s Guild. So I happily jumped in!

Today I want to show you an approximate of my jeansdraft. The black lines are the front pant, the pink lines are the back pant. The back is drafted on top of the front, you have to copy it off afterwards. I wanted a bootleg jeans.

As you can see, the back leg is wider than the front, 2cm on each side. As its a jeans, there are no waistdarts in the front (in a regular pant I would include darts). I have two darts in the back, which later go into the yoke (well, with my curves not the whole dart goes into that yoke, but I will do the rest in one dart about where the backpocket sits). The CB is much more on the bias than the CF. The back crotch is deeply curved, the front rather flat. The lines going at 90°angle from CB are just auxiliary lines (as are some of the black lines, but I hope you see the pantshape). I didn´t adjust the width of the jeansleg yet. I measured a RTW jeans I liked accross the leg at the crotch point. My draft is wider. I divide the difference by 4 and take this amount off each side of the pant (front and back, inner and outer side) and then redraw the lines between waist and knee.
Please excuse the lack of detailed information on this draft. The instructions I wrote down for myself (teacher doesn´t have anything written down -it´s learning by doing with her) are long and complicated and in german. Just don´t have the time right now to translate...
I start working on these jeans next week in class, it will surley take some time until it is finished. Only then we will see if this draft really works... ;)

Long time no see

2008-10-15T18:54:00.015+02:00

I have been hibernating this summer - from sewing, that is. I just don´t get to sew in summer, there has been so much going on that distracted me.
But slowly slowly I´m getting back to the sewing room. I worked on a dress back in August, but I wasn´t satisfied. I thought I could work out a fitted dress with a wide midriff that is cut in one piece (the midriff, that is). But it just doesn´t work out. Now if I wouldn´t want it fitted... anyhow, I lost interest.

In September I was on vacation, trekking in the eastern Alps (Austria). One week of only hiking from alpine hut to hut. Beautiful landscapes, lots of wild animals, very few people, many meters up and down. Wonderful! Afterwards we drove south into Switzerland. My boyfriend had planned something "sewing related" for me, so he called it. You will never guess what it was: Piz Bernina, the epotoponym of the sewing machine company! Well, it was beautiful and I was content.

Coming home to northern Germany, fall had started. Just like last year I am in the mood to wear dresses with tights and boots. Last year I made a brown wool jumper. This year it was to be grey, as I want grey to be my basic colour for the time being. So I finished two grey wool jumpers (self drafted pattern) and love wearing them! It is so versatile. If it is warmer, I just have a longsleeved tee underneath, turtleneck or roundneck. If it gets cooler, a knitvest or a cardigan on top looks great. I get to show off necklaces or a scarf with this. And its either boots or heels.

I don´t have a photo of the first jumper yet, but of the second I made. I wanted to do colourblocking (just not with colours! grey has to do) and wanted a curved silhouette. It turned out to be a nice line. Its just that I would make the midsection less wide at the bust point next time. And make the shoulders narrower. But apart from that, I really like that jumper!!

After that and with grey thread in the serger, I made a skirt for my mother. It is Burda 8213 and I have made it once before. She is really content with the fit and was begging for a second one. How nice, someone who appreciates my sewing!

Right now I am working on a white blouse. Up to now I have never owned one (light blue, light pink, yes, but white?). I wear uniform at work and usually jeans/tee/sweater at home. So up to now the need for a white blouse never occurred. But the jumpers just scream for the like of it. So here´s a sneak view of my latest project.

And the best for last: My parents are in town (our old house is being renovated) and my mother brought me loads and loads of pattern. She got them from a friend, who worked at the pattern department of the KaDeWe (Kaufhaus des Westens), probably the most famous german departmentstore, in Berlin. If a pattern was discontinued, it was too expansive to send the envelopes back to US/UK. And so the staff could take them! Oh, those golden times...

The patterns are all from the end-70s and 80s. In smaller sizes (34-36, 10-12). There are Vogue, Butterick, Simplicity, Burda, Neue Mode and Ullstein patterns. I was surprised by the Simplicity patterns, as those are only sold here via Internetsources nowadays. Well, I will need some "me"-time at the weekend to look through those boxes!

All theory, dear friend, is grey

2008-07-21T11:51:00.009+02:00

A few days ago I ordered a book called "the Lucky shopping manual", a wardrobe guide book. It is quite fun to read through. They have a chapter on every item to wear (skirts, dresses, pants, bags, shoes, underwear, jackets etc) filled with their thoughts and ideas [of how (not) to wear, who should (not) wear what, how to wear this item in winter/in summer/for weekend/for evening/for work]. They also have a page in each chapter called: "you are totally covered if you have...", giving the type and number of garments that is sufficient to own. For example: "You´re totally covered if you have... 2 all-season work skirts, 1 day-to-night skirt, 2 summer work skirts, 1 denim skirt, 2 summer weekend skirts."

Now, this "being covered with" got me thinking... What is essential to my closet? What do I wear again and again? What am I constantly missing? What kind of weather do I have to dress for? What occasions do I have to dress for? What do I feel comfortable with? You know the type of questions.

Well. I do not need any work clothes as I wear an uniform. I seldomly go out to places I have to dress up for (rather casual surroundings), so no need for a big evening wardrobe either. This leaves me with "Weekend-clothes" more or less. I like comfortable stuff. Easy to throw on, not too chic, not too sloppy, easy care. Weather is rather unsteady here in northern Germany, so I need clothes with a little to a lot of cover up that can be layered. Basicly, I mostly transitional clothes (spring and fall takes up most of the year).

This is why I made a list for "lighter items" and "warmer items" rather than a seasonal list...

Light items:

2-3 skirts (all A-line, mid-kneelength)
1 day-to-night skirt (I´d love dark grey satin)
3 pants (Linen, RPL, cotton)
2 jeans
4 simple shortsleeved tees (2 black, 2 white)
3 colored/non-simple tees
3 tanktops (I am not sure yet, I seldom wear those; if so, 2 coloured, 1 with lace at hem/neck
1 sleeveless top (for evening)
2 shortsleeved blouses
2 longsleeved light blouses
2 summerdresses
1 Partydress
1 Eveningdress
1 thin sweater (v-neck)
2 zipperjackets (knit, velveteen)
1 cardigan
1 Denimjacket
1 longer Cottonjacket (for pants)
1 short jacket (for skirts; I find that it is hard to find a jacket that looks good with skirts and pants, as they ask for different lengths)
1 Blazer
1 raincoat

Warm items:

2 Skirt (wool, A-line)
1 long evening skirt
3 pants (wool, RPL)
2 turtleneck tees
4 longsleeved tees (black/white)
4 undershirts/tanks (2 wool, 2 other)
3 longsleeved blouses/shirts
1 Eveningdress (wool)
2 daydresses (wool, at least 1 sleeveless)
1 turtleneck sweater
1 thick cardigan
1 warm zipperjacket (woolknit, fleece?)
2 V-neck sweaters
1 short jacket (for skirt/dress, wool)
1 longer jacket (for pant, wool)
1 woolcoat (kneelength)

With these items I should be able and have enough opions to dress year round.

To simplify things, I am thinking about one neutral base colour (grey) and a few accent colours (purple, teal, french blue, black, white). If I keep the key pieces (most bottoms, outerwear) in neutrals, things will match (I hope).

There are a few things on my list that I already own, and lots of things I don´t have yet. Or they are existant, but not in the right colour. I am not planning on completing these lists anytime soon, but will work my way gradually towards it. I started by ordering a (hopefully) chic raincoat (my goretex jacket is practical, but not the least chic or a colour that goes with anything in my wardrobe) that I kept missing a lot. And I have some stuff on my sewing table or to-do list. So off I go!

Not much

2008-07-12T14:34:00.005+02:00

Last month I really didn´t sew a lot, I just never got around to it. All I finished was a waistcoat (vest) for myself and a dress for my mother. I gave it to her for her 70's birthday. I drafted it just the way she wanted it, a princess seam shirtdress with 3/4 sleeves and a long skirt (it is 85cm from the waist down). It is made from linen (and does wrinkle very quickly). In the meantime I have also made a self-fabric belt my mother wanted to wear with the dress. I made a muslin first, checked the fit and altered the pattern a bit. The result is a good fitting dress in a style that is absolutely my mother!

New drafting tool

2008-05-31T22:29:00.004+02:00

I got a new ruler for drafting my patterns. Until now I used the metal ruler. It is okay, but I didn´t like it too much. I have lots of dents from it´s corners in my table from when I turned it to the other site and it hits the surface with a corner (and I don´t even have any children I could blame!), it is heavy and unwieldy. The new one is light weight plastic, doesn´t destroy the table, has a less distinct inner curve (which suits me better) and has a grid for drawing right angles. And its see-through, now I am able to measure from both sides. And it also has these neat little cut outs in it to serve as curve rulers. Great stuff. You can get it here.

Purple... again

2008-05-29T14:48:00.008+02:00

I can´t seem to stay away from the colour purple of late years. I used to wear it almost exclusivley in my teens. But after finishing school, I didn´t wear purple at all . I got the idea of being an autum coloured person. I have slightly red (auburn) hair and freckles. Then 3 years ago I went to a colour consultant. Turned out I am a winter person... So here I was back in with purple!!! Yipeeh! (as an aside: Those winter colours really do suit me better. What was I thinking, wearing those beige and browns, looking even paler than I already was??!!)

Back over at PR they have this Mini-Wardrobe contest running, ending May 31st. I wanted something sporty, safari type. Well, it is not too safari-style, but still classic, I think. Here is my purple Mini-Summer wardrobe:

I just love those colour combination! The patterns are all selfdrafted (and please, bear with me and my looks -I just can´t smile at the self timer!)

The blouse pattern still needs a little more tweaking, princess seams are much easier for me to draft than darts. You can see a few drag lines here and there, but it is definitley wearable. I made a bust dart and two waistdarts in front and back. If I want something to be small at the waist, I need two darts, as the differce between waist and hip is enormous (40cm, 16 inch). Reference to the safari idea is the little band at the sleeve. It doesn´t really hold up the sleeve, this is just for looks.

Both pants are made of an older TNT pattern, but worked on to find even more favour with me... made a 7cm yoke and added pockets. These I placed by eye (which resulted in too far apart pockets on the white pants. But that´s just detail). The white fabric is an RPL (rayon/poly/lycra) and it is a dream!!! It easy wash, quick dry, no iron, comfy wear, non-wrinkling, good looks. I will be on the lookout for more RPL, as this seems to be the perfect stuff for traveling. As I travel alot for work (flightattendant) this is what I prayed for! The purple fabric is a rayon and sadly wrinkles quite a bit. It is okay for a top, but pants... well, I´ll wear them anyhow. I used buttons for the purple pants and snaps for the white - the snaps are much better. They look so much neater.

The shirtjacket I drafted after my fiasco with the Vogue jacket. Instead of 20cm ease it now has 14 cm ease (5.5 inch). There was a small dart in the Vogue jacket that originated at the collar, I changed this to a shoulder dart. Pocket are much smaller, no pockets at the lower jacket. I made simple sleeves but put a band on. On these and as jacket closure I used the same snaps as I did with the pants. I have to be carful now opening the jacket, as the snaps have a good grip and the fabric is much thinner than the pant yoke. Don´t want to rip it...

The shirtjacket I can also wear without a belt, as a sort of tunika:

Pictures are all here.

Not my size

2008-05-28T07:02:00.004+02:00

I love it when I get to learn something new. Even if time is wasted during this process. It really isn´t wasted if I learned something!
With this wonderful OOP Vogue 2635 pattern I learned, that very loose-fitting really MEANS very loose-fitting. I could have payed more attention to the pattern itself, as it states the width of the finished item across the bust, waist and hip. But all I did was look at the pattern envelope, where the jacket looked just fine to me.
I cut a size 12, as I have a 86cm bust (34 inch; Vogue gives 87cm as size 12). The pattern has 107cm across the bust (42 inch), which is an ease of 20cm (8 inch). That´s a lot, and it is exactly what the (not quite) finished jacket looks like. It is HUGE!!!

I didn´t bother to finish the jacket off, hence all the needles and a RTW belt.
The shoulders are much too wide (they are supposed to be a little overcut, but not as much, I think). The proportions are not right, this jacket is too wide for the upper body. The armhole is cut low, so I can´t raise my arm more than shown on the photo, as the jacket is belted. And belted it must be. Also, the jacket is quite long. If you are a tall woman, this might look good. On shorty me, it is just a weird length. The pockets in general look too big. And I think I should omitt the lower ones at all costs, it lays on my anyway largest bodypart. The same applies to the lower backside. All this fabric being held together by the belt is not flattering for the behind.
BUT: the pattern is very well drafted, there are lots of marks and notches that make matching the pattern pieces very easy. And there´s a nice collarpiece included. The collar and the stand are one patternpiece, which allows for quick and easy construction. I had that kind of collar in my collection, but hadn´t tried it yet.

Note to self/Conclusion: Go for a size 10 in Vogue pattern. Don´t use very loose-fitting styles. Never trust the picture on the envelope. Check the finished measurements given in patterns, or measure them. Go for smaller pockets. DRAFT YOUR OWN STUFF. ;)

Books lying around

2008-05-19T08:58:00.002+02:00

Karen and Elaine tagged me. It´s called "literary meme" and asks me to pick up the nearest book, turn to page 123, and post the 6th, 7th and 8th sentence.

The two nearest books are big enough to have more than 123 pages (in fact, the two books are huge!), the first about the world history of clothing, the other about the Graves of the Skyths (a exibition catalougue). But - they are written in german. Looking for the nearest english book I walk over to my bedroom and find, on my bedside table as I am just reading it, Pauls Austers "Mr. Vertigo". I really like Paul Auster, and this book is no exception.

"When I asked the master why he kept studying that one book over and over again, he told me it was because you could never get to the bottom of it. The deeper you go, he said, the more there is, and the more there is, the longer it takes to read it.
'A magic book,' I said. 'It can´t never use itself up.' "

Henrika

2008-05-13T10:59:00.003+02:00

When I visited my goddaughter last week in southern Germany, I collected ideas of what to sew for her (and her little sister) when back home. I got some childrens fabric that has to be made up as long as the girls (and my niece) still like pink! So I set out to make two Henrikas, a dress pattern from Farbenmix with a lowered waist and a part-circle skirt. I had never done it before but am an instant fan. This pattern is so easy to whip up! The original design comes with a back button closure, two lengths of skirts (the shorter is supposed to be an overskirt for mixing fabrics) or there is the option of integrating ruffles into the skirt side pieces. The pattern features a short and a long sleeve (the long one with a flounce) and they even suggest you to combine both sleeves for a double layer look. On the farbenmix-page they have lots of design examples which show how absolutley versatile this simple pattern is. I guess that´s just it: the simpler the source, the more options you have for your creativity.
I omitted the back closure as I made the body from terry. I simply sewed a tshirt from the pattern and attached the skirt to it. All four skirt pieces were cut on fold. I left off the seamallowance from the neckline and sewed a 1.5 inch wide, folded in half, neckband on with a 3/8 inch seamallowance. I hope this works to get the heads through, but it looks as though it will, as it is all knit fabric. Finally I cut out flowers from the leftover skirt fabric and sewed them onto the body of the dresses.
Now off to the postoffice to send it to those little princesses!

Burda magazine

2008-04-28T08:18:00.004+02:00

For some time I had been a little disappointed with what Burda came up with in their magazines. The patterns were just not up my alley.
This changed with last month´s issue (There are about 7 things I´d love to make) and when I got the Mayissue yesterday, I was again happy! I LOVE the safaristyle they had in Aprils magazine, and this time there are 5 items that really caught my eye! Hmmh, when am I ever going to sew all this??!!

I am planning on a little wardrobe, Safari style. Based on patterns from Burda April 08 and OOP Vogue 2635 (from 2002). I want to do the Vogue jacket and the blouse. Pants will be self drafted. And there are some tops in BWoF and a skirt that will hopefully work with it!

There is some other stuff I want to sew: I desperately need jeans. And my godchild and her sister are on the list for dresses. I also need summer dresses. And a travel wardrobe. And jackets. And and and...

I will start off with the wardrobe. There is a mini-wardrobe competition going on over at PR in May, so I will enter there and hopefully do the four items required. Gotta decide on fabric...

Swap at Timmel

2008-04-26T15:41:00.003+02:00

Uuh, the official Swap 2008 page is published! I am very excited, as there are a lot of wonderful entries. There are great colourschemes and great styles. I took note of several pattern numbers, as there are quite a few interesting ones shown (as someone put it) on real people!

On another note my serger´s back, and it wasn´t even expensive. Monday I am off on vacation for a week, but after that it´s back to the sewing room!

By the way...

2008-04-15T10:37:00.004+02:00

...here´s a pic of the ex-dress-now-blouse on me. Fits perfectly.

Oh my!

2008-04-13T17:06:00.003+02:00

Just as I am finished with the Swap, my serger breaks down! Now, did you ever see something like this? (Do click on the photo to see the picture in large)

I´m at a loss how the needle could possibly "curl" through this tiny hole...
It happened when all I did was try an innocent little rolled hem. The needle thread kept breaking, me trying everything humanly possible to prevent it from tearing. Rethreading, cleaning, oiling, new needle -and just as I was thinking something must be wrong with the thread and changed spools, THIS happenend! It was a Schmetzneedle (good brand), it was set in correctly, I didn´t pull the fabric as I had JUST SLOWLY started the maschine. Well, I will bring it to the shop before work tomorrow, see what they say.

But believe me, I am in a very, VERY bad mood today.

Yes and No

2008-04-08T08:30:00.006+02:00

I like this. It is again the Jalie Sweetheart tshirt. But just as I read at a PR review, I raised the neckline (2.5cm) and omitted the front ruching (would have been to high up). And I made it two-coloured. (Originally I only wanted to do the yokes in purple, but I also wanted to make long sleeves and their wasn´t enough teal jersey, so I had to piece the sleeves). It has a sporty look to it, a style I like a lot.

I don´t like this. I drafted the pattern myself, and it there is just tooo much ease in the pattern. This makes the neckline rather wide and so if I bent over, everyone can see down to my bellybutton! I did manage a small "correction" by sewing the buttons on inside the Center Front, but it still isn´t to my liking. Not sure what to do with this blouse yet. At least I am finished with my Swap!

Finished

2008-04-07T22:30:00.004+02:00

I´m done!!! Here´s a quick overview:

transmutation

2008-03-27T22:04:00.005+01:00

It´s not always a frog, that being kissed turns into a prince. Sometimes it´s a wadder, that being ripped, cut and altered turns into a beautiful piece.

You cannot tell from the picture, as it hangs strangely, but the blouse up front is the prince! I mentioned earlier I wasn´t happy with the dress. Well, the skirt part wasn´t right, somehow. So I ripped it off and drafted a peplum (the jacket has a peplum, so I thought this would be a nice repetition). This I cut from the skirt pieces, sewed it on and finished is a wonderful piece! It fits like a dream! I will even leave on the long sleeves. They didn´t work with the dress, but as a shirt it looks good. And with the print being so busy (a peplum? Where) noone will ever notice I sewed in the sleeve placket reversed... :o

Two more

2008-03-26T19:54:00.003+01:00

Got two more tops done!

The blouse is basicly the same self drafted pattern as this, but instead of a button placket and a collar with collar stand I used a facing and simple collar. As I don´t yet know how to draft such a collar (it probably is not too difficult, I just don´t know) I used the collar of the Burda 8287 blouse, as I knew it matches the jacket. Even though I like plain and simple styles, I decided to add a little detail to the blouse. I topstitched it with two rows of blue thread. I also used this for the buttonholes and got some matching blue buttons. And I like it!

The other top is again a Simplicity 4076 shirt. Instead of using unique styles (no time left), I decided to go for more colours. Last weeks skirt has purple, teal, bordeaux and bright blue in it. So this bright royal blue jersey I bought last week (at the shop that sells the Burda WOF fabrics - they had a whole collection with these blues in their last edition, I love it!) fit the bill perfectly! Here are a new combinations:

So, theoretically I am done!!

Only theoretically. I don´t really like that dress I made (I feel like it is a botch-job, I did some bad mistakes), so I plan to replace it. Right now I got a silver cotton fabric lying here, screaming to be made up for Swap. If I get around to sewing that up, it´s in. If not, I´ll go for the dress.

Poooh, sewing without deadline!!! ;))

Progress

2008-03-23T10:39:00.003+01:00

I made some progress. I finished three tops, all Tshirts, and the last bottom, a tiered skirt.

The two upper shirts are Simplicity 4076 View C. I did a rolled hem on the flower print and shortened the sleeves on the purple one. The pattern is wonderful! It is easy to sew, fits me and looks good. I did take advice from others, though and lengthend the bodice 2 cm and widened the neckband 1,5 cm on the second (purple) version. The rolled hem on the first was supposed to be turned up- tooo short for me! I am still not sure if I will keep the flower shirt for the Swap. It fits in okay, but not totally perfect. We'll see.
The third shirt is the Jalie 2793 Sweethearttop. Another great great pattern. Karen's version inspired me to get this pattern, luckily a german online shop had it in stock - could take long to ship here otherwise! The Sweetheartshirt is very flattering and stylish, especially (I think) when done with contrast bands, and it is easy to do! No pattern alterations, other than lengthening the sleeves to full length. I am an exact size S and it fits just right.
The tiered skirt I "drafted" myself, except that there's not much to draft about. I took the upper part of a fitted pencil skirt for the upper yoke and folded out the darts (cutting it open underneath the darts of the front pattern pieces and taking that opened bit off at the sides). Then I just cut straight panels and gathered them and sewed them on. The fabric is a beautiful cotton with a subtle shine. It was sold as leftovers of a designer, Hugo Boss I think it was. The skirt introduces also blue and teal into the palette, colours I was going to use for next Swap stage. But as I am very limited with the types of tops I can use I might go for different colours instead of different styles for tops... So far on "planning" your sewing!

I also finished a dress, self drafted. The print is sooo busy, you cannot tell any design details (yoke, button placket etc). I made long sleeves which I don't like, I guess I will cut them off eventually. I wanted a touch of 50's with this dress, which is why I need a petticoat for it. As the fabric for that is only on order, I meanwhile use the tiered skirt instead!

I also read recommondations on taking photos over at PR , so I installed a "background" in my sewing room. Basicly it is a curtain rod that I can take off, screwed onto my cheap IVAR IKEA shelves. Very simple, very cheap (the rod was 1€, the fabric is the muslin you can also get cheap at IKEA) and easy to put away!

Vogue 2925 skirt

2008-02-29T15:04:00.003+01:00

I finished the matching skirt for the Vogue jacket. It is also made of black wool crepe from Julie. What a beautiful fabric! The skirt hangs and swings just wonderfully. Here it is together with the jacket:

I took out some flare of the skirt, by cutting off the side seam gore of the side pattern piece, 17cm (6.5 inch) wide. I tried this on the muslin first, changing just one side. My boyfriend couldn't tell the difference to the original side. This way I only used 2,1m fabric (instead of 3m) and the skirt is less heavy than the first.

Instead of grossgrain ribbon I used the selvage edge of the woolcrepe. This is cheaper and nicer, as the selfmade ribbon is softer. I serged the edge to the right width.

Vogue 2925 jacket

2008-02-25T10:18:00.006+01:00

I finally finished the Vogue 2925 jacket. It is made from black wool crepe from Timmel, a wonderful fabric.

The instructions were easy and clear, the sewing straightforward. I only made few changes: I shortend the bodice about 1cm above the bust point. This brought the bust point and the waist up to were they actually are on my body. This correction had to me made allthough I have a regular body length.
Shortening the bodice within the armscye, I had to correct the sleeve and lower lapel as well.

I also decided to add a button placket. For this I added another 1,5cm (5/8 inch) to the front. I did not extend the lapel or placket to this new front.

And finally, I adjusted the sizing of the peplum. As I differ two sizes between waist and hip, I had to increase the lower peplum to fit. I added a little at the side seams (going from size 12 to size 14) of both the front and back peplum pieces. I also added another cm at the back by cutting and spreading the back peplum.

But somehow I am not yet friends with this jacket. First of all, the waist has much less ease to it as does the bodice, especially underneath the sleeves. It looks like being designed for a swimmer! The back is very broad. Well, to be honest, this isn´t something a "normal" person would notice, and as soon as arms are down, you can´t really tell. But I know it´s there... Secondly, the jacket has a "neckline issue". Karen stated this before, and she´s right. I went through my closet and tried to find out what does and what doesn´t work with the jacket. Well, here´s what I came up with:

Regular collarstand shirts don´t go with the jacket. Polonecks don´t go with the jacket. The Jalie cross-over shirt doesn´t go with the jacket (left is the Jalie, right a poloneck).

What does work are tshirts with wider (and preferably not too high cut) round or V-necklines, shirts with turtleneck and blouses with a lapel (left is the Jalie mock turtleneck, right is Burda 8287).

So there will be "slight" changes to my Swap plan now! Don´t know what I will come up with yet...

Why... 2

2008-02-07T07:37:00.000+01:00

Why I like Hamburg...

Sunday late afternoon at the old Övelgönne harbour

First combo

2008-02-06T21:44:00.001+01:00

Today I finished the first top - a shoulder princess seamed shirt. The pattern I drafted at 3.30h one morning, when having returned from Japan I was plagued with jetlag and needed something quiet to do. I used cotton batiste that I bought in Sapporo, one of the very few fabric I bought this time around. I obviously hasn´t been the right time yet to put out those beautiful cotton prints they usually had for sale... The fabric store has been very specific about winter/summer material. I am almost content with the pattern. I will only move the sleeveplacketposition further (towards the underarmseam) and shorten the placket.

The pants I made just before leaving for Japan. They are made of wool with a full rayon lining. They have a side zipper and are also selfdrafted. Very comfortable and wearable. Only dislike are the wrinkles at the front crotch - either I have to experiment on the front crotch curve, or let out the inner front seam. Or wait for weight loss- I went on a (small) diet (just 6 kilos), as I saw a number on the scale I don´t want to see again soon.

Also today I made a muslin for the Vogue 2925 jacket. Hope I got the fit right now, it is next on my list. But only after I return from a trip to Munich, to visit my second brother´s family.

Birthday present

2008-02-06T18:37:00.000+01:00

I am one lucky girl. I have a wonderful boyfriend. I got an iron for my birthday.
I GOT AN IRON!!!! WOW!!

It irons like a breeze and holds 1,4 liter tabwater. So no more constant running over to the kitchen. I am thrilled! I know, there are many, many women out there who would seperate, if there boyfriends gave them an iron for their birthday. But they probably aren´t sewing.

For Myra

2008-01-04T15:38:00.001+01:00

This outfit is for my niece Myra, whom I will be visiting next week. She lives in Sapporo, Japan. I do hope she likes it!

It is Farbenmix Kim pants with a Studio Tantrum Hermosa shirt.

Dresses, Dresses

2008-01-04T13:46:00.000+01:00

Did I already mentioned I LOVE dresses? I just wasn´t able to wear any. I differ two sizes from top to bottom. So trying on a dress that fits me at the top looks like a sausage on the bottom (IF I manage to close the zipper), a bigger size fitting my bottom lets the top slide over the shoulders. But now that I am patterndrafting, I can create my own dresses! It is fun and I have done a few so far, got more on the line (but not enough time!! boo-hoo). So here are my latest creations:

This shirtdress is made of dark purple crash rayon/cotton mix. Self drafted pattern. Mother of pearl buttons. This was a pain to sew as the fabric raveled just by looking at it!

Brown wooljumper I designed a bit tight at the armholes (I didn´t want anything showing. I´ll leave a bit more room next time around). But I love it anyhow and it a great fall/winterdress.

This is a knockoff of Simplicity 4267 , a pattern I saw at an online source. I made it for chrismas. I failed at the cowl neck, the first one was too small, the next too big and then I ran into timeline problems. So I finished it off with a non-cowl yoke and like it alot. My sewing teacher gave me an old remnant mink trim to sew around the sleeves. This gives it an extra detail!

Projekt: Wardrobe pattern

2007-11-28T13:28:00.000+01:00

Pattern: Vogue 2925, Top and Skirt

Fabric: Top: Jersey, Polyester, with shine (3€/m)
Skirt: Rayon Garbadine (12€/m, Lining 4€/m) (ca. 2,6m needed each)

Cost: Top ca. 3€, Skirt (incl. zipper, grosgrain ribbon) ca.44€

As I am going to use this wardrobe pattern for the Timmel Swap 2008, I thought should try it out. During the summer PRwardrobe contest, Irina used this pattern and I instantly liked it.
The shirt is very easy to sew and uses only very little fabric (0,7m), which is nice for leftovers. I have a 86cm (34inch) bust, so I used a size 12 (this is for 87cm). It turned out too big. The shirt was very loose fitting and the neckline much to big. I cut 1,3cm (1/2 inch) from the foldlines in front and back, so the whole bodice is less wide now and works much better. As a seam finish, you are supposed to make a narrow hem at the armholes and neckline. It did work, but I won´t repeat this finish. I ironed soluweb (a waterdissolvable stabilizer) at those seams and it was difficult to do the narrow hem, put the soluweb inbetween fabric layers and not get it to stick to the iron. Next time I will try serging clear elastic to the fabric (I just couldn´t find it,I really wanted to try out that technique - next time!) and just turn and topstich. Or just use a foldover elastic. Leaving the seamallowance on, as I think the neckline is still a bit big - sometimes the brastraps peep through.

The skirt was a bit more work, though it is still easy to sew. I lengthend the pattern 10cm (4 inch). The original length (75cm, 29.5 inch) hangs mid-calf - rather unfavourable. I cut the pattern apart at the "lengthen/shorten"-line and inserted the 10cm. Doing a muslin told me two things: I need more circumference (I cut a size 12, as I am a 12 waist. But I am a 16 hip. I thought the skirt might be more flared) and the straight part didn´t look good, it needed curves. So I added appr. 1cm at each panel side (excl. CF and CB).

This worked out nicely! The skirt is a little timeconsuming, as it has a VERY long hem (ca 5m). You bet I didn´t do a narrow hem with the lining! I did a rolled hem with my serger. And with all this hem, the skirt has a great twist!

Projekt: Faltenrock/ skirt with pleats

2007-11-15T09:05:00.000+01:00

Pattern: self drafted skirt with four front pleats.

Fabric: black linnen, 5€/m. 1,3m.

Costs: €6,50 plus thread.

My goal was an A-line skirt with yoke and four front pleats, asymmetrical. One pleat along Center Front, two on the left of it, one on the right. The back should be simple.

I drafted a straight skirt, two centimeters below waist (3/4 inch). Two short darts in front, four longer darts in the back. The yoke is 8cm wide, the front darts are integrated there (fold out the darts, the yoke gets curvy). I then cut the front patternpiece apart for the pleats. The pleats are 6cm wide (2.5inch), and I added 8cm pieces (3inch) in between (to be folded). To get an A-line skirt I also added 2cm at the side.

At the back after cutting of the yoke, there are still darts left (as those are longer in the back). I cut into the darts to the tip and cut up the pattern from below also up to the point. I then spread both slits apart 2cm at the seam (those are the 2x2cm I added at the sidefront).

I pleated the fold into the front piece, sewed on the yoke, sewed the yoke to the back, closed the sides (Invisible zipper at the side). Then I finished the seam, sewed on the inner yoke and then topstitched the yoke and the pleats with white regular thread.

The top is Neue Mode 23489 Tunica.

Projekt: Knotenshirt

2007-11-09T19:46:00.001+01:00

Pattern: Burda WoF 04-2005-113

Fabric: Polyester Stretch, 6€/m

Costs: ca. 4,50€

I guess about everyone has done this shirt in the past. I didn´t own this issue of the Burdamagazin, as it was published before I started sewing. But as sewers are so positive about this pattern, I aquired the issue via ebay.
To keep this short: The shirt is great! Especially for a smallbusted figure like me. The gathering adds visual size. BUT: it is rather a bit too fiddely for me. If ever I do it again, than longsleeved.

Projekt: Secretary blouse

2007-11-09T08:56:00.000+01:00

Pattern: Burda WoF 09-2007-101

Fabric: Rayon jersey (59´´), 1,3m. I got the piece at the dutch fabric market for 3,50€

Cost: 3,50€ plus thread and fusible tape.

The rayon has a very soft hand and a wonderful drape. I wanted to try out this pattern and thought this 70´s style fabric would work well with the secretary style pattern- that is also 70´s to me. The shirt went together well and feels great.
I made the smallest size, 36. I raised the neckline 2,5cm/1 inch (which happens to be the neckline of the largest size). It is still VERY low! People larger than me (everyone that is, as I am rather small) can tell my bracolour. Burda wants you to finish the centerfront neckline first. If I did the shirt again, I wouldn´t cut the seamallowance until I get to the part of attaching the collar to it. It pulls otherwise. Not that anyone will ever see (the bowties are covering), but YOU will know it doesn´t look neat. The shirt originally is very baggy (and loose fitting), so I took out 2cm / 3/4inch of the sides at waistline (that´s 8cm in circumference), tapering to nothing at armhole and seam. It does look more fitted in Burdas pictures...

All in all I am having fun with this shirt, as it is much more stylish than my usual stuff. I like the fact that it is not fitted, this way it is more blouselike with the soft drape of a knit. But it is also very distinctive, so I don´t think I will do another one just like it. Maybe a twisted version?!

What to wear

2007-11-07T08:48:00.000+01:00

I just received the seasonal newsletter from Palmer/Pletsch about the latest trends in fashion. Now, I am definitely not a trendy person, but having a look at what´s "in" never hurts...

Here´s a short resumée for my body (triangle) and color (winter) type:

Winter’s Colors:
Your best neutrals are black, ivory, and graphite gray. This season’s hottest hues of lipstick red, fuchsia, lemon, emerald, aqua, cobalt blue, purple and orchid add bold color to your wardrobe and are best worn with black accessories.

Your goal in dressing is to balance your body shape by adding width to your shoulders and
visually diminishing the size of your hips. You will appear slimmer if you accentuate your waistline with fitted or semi-fitted silhouettes.

Luxurious details dress up the most classic separates this season. Tucks, folds, twists, pleats, ruffles, rosettes and bows are handled by the most experienced seamstresses, as well as embellishments of graphic appliqués, metallic embroidery, sequins, beading, studs and fur trims.

Start with woolens and gabardines for your tailored pieces. Choose them in solids, tweeds, pinstripes, plaid and houndstooth. Knits are a favorite of the season, in double knits and soft jersey for dresses or heavier weaves and textures for pullover tunics, jackets and cardigan sweaters.

Suits: The new feminine suit is matched to a skirt or pant. Look for sophisticated tailoring, new lean looks or strong shoulders with a nipped-in waist reminiscent of the ‘40s.
Tops: The new look for fall is the soft secretary bow-tied blouse and soft full-sleeved blouses worn with everything from pencil skirts to jeans. Feminine empire-waist tops continue to be strong favorites.
Skirts: The pencil skirt is the skirt of the season followed by the pleated skirt worn at knee length or mid-thigh.
Pants: Look for skinny pants, jeans, classic trousers and wide-legged pants.

So what does this tell me? Well, my Swapplan works, more or less. Black (and gray, I am thinking of adding a grey woolpant) is my neutral. The accent colour of purple and orchid I have. I am planning on a jacket with widening lapel and an accentuated waistline. I match skirt and pant to that jacket. I will have a wide-legged pant.
What to think about? Maybe I will lookout for the other accentcolours, like emerald and cobalt blue. I will think about a pleated skirt. And I just finished a knittop that has this secretary look.

Booties

2007-10-23T11:29:00.000+02:00

When in Bhutan, I was delighted with the wonderful fabrics people wear! So at one point I insisted on visiting a fabric store. And this is what I got:

Mostly it is stripes for women,plaid for men. The women wear a rectangular piece of cloth, kira, 2,5m x 1,5m, that they wrap around their body and secure with a belt.

I am not sure what to sew from that material. They bottom row though (the orange ones) I didn´t bring for myself but for fellow sewers. I´ll keep the teal colorway...

Planning stage

2007-10-22T19:07:00.000+02:00

Well, rules are up for the new TimmelSwap. This years "twist" is to use a wardrobe pattern for at least three different pieces of your wardrobe.

As I have only two wardrobe pattern, the choice was not too timeconsuming. I will be using Vogue 2925.

I ordered black woolcrepe from Julie and will use it for the skirt, the pants and the jacket. Initially I wanted to do a black/white Swap, to have basics in my wardorbe that can be combined with almost anything. But then I drifted again towards purple (I tell you, I got lots of purple in my stash! Such lovely purples...). That made me take out most of the white, as I think, black and purple is a better combination than white and purple. I did like the idea of white pants, though, and kept those.
So here is my storyboard:

Besides the four Voguepatterns I will use a Neue Mode Tunica and a NM skirt. The white pants, the Shirt and the Shirtdress will come from a selfdrafted pattern. And I will make a purple turtleneck (again), this time longsleeved.

I´ve got lots more fabric that would work together. Maybe I will get around to sewing a few items before the contest starts (only on Jan.1, plenty of time till then), just for a warm up. Two items pre-Swap-sewn may even be used in the contest this year!

Happy sewing everyone!

Projekt: Wanderhose

2007-09-06T11:43:00.000+02:00

Ich brauche eine Hose. Eine Hose, die reißfest, verschleißfest und unempfindlich ist. Knitterarm, schnell trocknend, schmutzunanfällig. Eigentlich suche ich eine Wander-/Trekkinghose. Jedoch: für mich gibt es da draussen kein passendes Modell! Ich habe kurze Beine. Normale Hosen kommen für mich also nicht in Frage, da Wanderhosen meist Abnäher an den Knien haben, um dort mehr Raum zu bieten. Diese vorgeformten Knie hängen bei normalen Hosen mir irgendwo zwischen Knie und Knöchel. Also Kurzgrößen. Da ist das Knie schon meist dort, wo es hinsoll. Allerdings ist die Auswahl an Hosen sehr begrenzt. Jetzt noch die richtige Paßform... Fehlanzeige. Was an meinen Hüften paßt, ist mir in der Taille meterweise zu groß. Oder die eingearbeiteten Reißverschlüße (Hosen zu Shorts) drücken. Sie sind unbequem.
Also habe ich mir bei funfabric Supplexstoff bestellt. Diesmal "normales" Supplex, kein Solarweave. Es ist etwas dicker als Solarweave und hat wirklich Baumwollcharakter. Das hatte ich beim Solarweave vermisst (denn das wird als eine der Eigenschaften von Supplex angeführt). Bestens geeignet für eine Wanderhose!
Ich habe einen erprobten Hosenschnitt genommen. Diesen habe ich vorne am Knie auseinandergeschnitten und 1cm verlängert, an der Seite Abnäher eingezeichnet. So ist das Hosenvorderteil am Knie einen Zentimeter länger (Raum zum Knieabwinkeln), verjüngt sich zur Seitennaht hin durch den Abnäher aber und hat so an der Seitennaht die gleiche Länge wie das Rückteil.
Die hinteren Abnäher habe ich nicht genäht. Ich habe den Bund hinten um die Abnähertiefe verlängert und ein Gummi eingenäht. So hat der Bund hinten ein wenig Spiel für Bewegungen. Der Bund schließt mit einem Prym "Anorak" Druckknopf. Das habe ich das erste Mal ausprobiert. Funktioniert im Grunde sehr gut. Dennoch landete ein Druckknopf im Müll, aber das war eher meine eigene Unachtsamkeit geschuldet als der Technik.
Dies war die tragbare Probehose (die eher keinen Wanderhosencharakter hat - die vielen Taschen fehlen!), die "Echte" folgt.

Warum...

2007-09-03T07:45:00.000+02:00

...ich Hamburg mag:

Bhutan

2007-08-30T10:08:00.001+02:00

Unsere Visa für Bhutan sind endlich erteilt. Jetzt geht also die ganz konkrete Reiseplanung los. Womit fängt eine Näherin an? Mit der Reisegarderobe.

Es heißt, man solle für Tempelbesuche etwas ordentliches mitnehmen. Rock, Kleid oder Stoffhose (die Trekkinghose muß draussen bleiben). So habe ich mir dieses Kleid erstellt. Es besteht aus acht Bahnen, die oben in einer Passe (2-teilig, eine eigene jeweils für vorne und hinten, wegen der Höhe) münden. An den Ärmeln habe ich einen Dachschlitz ausprobiert: sie sind zwar nur Ellbogenlang, aber dennoch wie ein langer Ärmel designed. Der Dachschlitz sitzt hinten. Dies ist das Probemodell, aus einem Baumwoll/Polygemisch für 4€/m. Er ist ähnlich dem Stoff, den ich eigentlich für meine Reisegarderobe nutzen will: Solarweave aus Supplex. Supplex ist eine Nylonfaser (was Technik, Chemie und DuPont alles möglich macht!), aus der Funktionsstoffe gemacht werden. Solarweave hat eine Sunblockerhöhe zwischen 40 und 50 UFP, viel also. Es ist schnell trocknend, abriebfest, farb/lichtbeständig, knitterfrei, atmungsaktiv, wasserabweisend, schmutzabweisend und angenehm weich und leicht zu tragen. Jack Wolfskin fertig Outdoorkleidung daraus an. Tja, da dachte ich mir, das wär was für mein TrekkingUrlaub! Zu bestellen gibt es solche Stoffe hauptsächlich in den USA, da habe ich es auch her. Insgesamt (mit Postgebühren und Zoll) habe ich 10,50€/m bezahlt. Leider sind die Farben nicht genau meiner Vorstellung entsprechend, nächstes Mal bestelle ich vorher Farb/Stoffproben!

Bei dem Probemodell ist mir die Passe für meinen Geschmack etwas zu hoch gerutscht, eigentlich wollte ich nur Tascheklappen einnähen. Das sah aber merkwürdig und unproportioniert aus, so habe ich noch Taschen darunter genäht. Beim Supplexmodell werde ich die Passen 3cm vertiefen.

Dennoch gefällt mir das Kleid sehr gut, vielleicht nehme ich es auch noch mit in den Urlaub?
Mal schauen, wie es mit den anderen Nähprojekten für den Trip vorangeht: einen Rock habe ich schon aus Supplex. Und ganz dringend brauche ich eine Wanderhose. Die zu kaufenden passen mir irgendwie nicht. Ein einziges Modell saß rundrum gut, nur der Bund stand meterweit ab. Wäre die Notlösung...

Nähwetter

2007-08-30T09:10:00.001+02:00

Ist dies nicht bestes Nähwetter?!

Habe fertig

2007-08-18T16:23:00.001+02:00

Es gab keine Zeit zum Schreiben, nur Zeit zum Nähen. Drum wurde die neue Klamottenkombi zwar zu Ende Juli fertig, hier aber nicht mehr besprochen. Hiermit reiche ich ein Photo nach.

Die Puffärmelbluse (2te von links) gefällt mir sehr gut, habe noch ein wenig am Schnitt rumgebastelt und möchte noch so eine nähen. Irgendwann...

Projekt: enger Rock mit Tüdelüt

2007-07-12T10:09:00.000+02:00

Schnitt: Burda Magazin 12-2006-117

Stoff: 55PE/40WO/5EL; 2,50m als Reststück und halber Preis für 4,50€

Kosten: 1,10m Stoff+ Reißverschluß= 3,80€. Futter (60cm) aus Altbestand.

Zwischendurch dachte ich schon, das dieser Rock mal wieder ein "Fehlprojekt" wird. Aber schließlich und endlich (und vorallem nach Einsetzen des Futters) ist er doch recht akzeptabel. Eigentlich mehr als akzeptabel, er sitzt super, ist total bequem (durch den Stretchanteil) und paßt genau in meine "blaue Phase" und damit zu anderen Sachen im Schrank. Allerdings kann ich mich noch nicht so genau entscheiden, ob ich den Stil des Rocks mag. Ist doch etwas "formeller" als meine üblichen Sachen. Vor allem figürlicher... da kann man die Hüftkurven/Reiterhosen besser erahnen als bei den Alinienröcken! Mal schauen, die Zeit wird´s zeigen, ob ich den Rock aus dem Schrank hole oder nicht!
Bei diesem Projekt ist mir erstmals eine Merkwürdigkeit aufgefallen, die wahrscheinlich schon lange besteht und mir bisher nur nicht ins Auge stach: Ich bin Oberkörper- und Taillentechnisch eine Burdagröße 36, Hüfte/Oberschenkel 42. Dennoch würde ich mich nun nicht als "beleibt" bezeichnen. Ich dachte bisher, ich habe eine durchschnittliche Figur. Nun mußte ich feststellen, daß ich an der Hüfte bereits die größte vorgegebene Größe nehmen mußte. Und die ist auch noch 2cm zu klein... Heißt das, daß ein Großteil der ebenfalls normalen Frauen, die einem auf der Straße niemals als übergewichtig auffallen würden aber dennoch größere Maße haben als ich, alle bei den Plus-Größen schauen müssen??!! Hmmmh. Ich hätte gedacht, Burda entwickelt die regulären Modelle auch in regulären Größen, schließlich sind die Dünnmodells, die dann ihre Mode für´s Shooting anziehen, nicht das Maß...

Projekt: Tasche mit Dresdner Teller Motiv

2007-07-10T13:58:00.000+02:00

Schnitt: Vintage Violets Handbag by Debbi Beaves, Connecting Threads

Stoff: verschiedene Reste; Japanische Baumwollstoffe und Hemdenjeans

Kosten (ohne Garn): 4,50€ für Flauscheinlage. Stoffe sind alles Reste aus den letzten Nähprojekten. Knopf ist ein Einzelstück aus dem Bestand.

Für den Wettbewerb bei Patternreview wird auch ein Accessoire gefordert. Drum habe ich mich an eine Tasche (eher ein Täschchen) versucht. Eigentlich hätte ich nie an das Nähen einer Tasche gedacht, obwohl ich nur selbstgemachte besitzte. Aber die sind von meiner Mutter (Patchworkerin) und von der Mutter meiner ältesten Freundin gefertigt. Also bin ich für Taschen nicht zuständig... Aber, dafür ist ja so ein Wettbewerb gut, man probiert Dinge aus, die man sonst nicht machte...
Im Blog von Heike habe ich die Anleitung für diese Tasche gefunden (Heike hat Anleitungen für viele Dinge!). Die Stoffe sind Reste der Nähprojekte der letzten Zeit. Als Einlage habe ich Vlieseline H640 genommen, die ist aufzubügeln, so mußte ich keinen Steppstich machen. Den Knopf habe ich in meiner Knopfkiste gefunden. Und alles zusammen ergibt eine Tasche, die zu meiner "Japankollektion" paßt.
Nur ein bißchen klein ist sie.

Projekt: Hemdbluse

2007-07-10T13:39:00.001+02:00

Schnitt: Burda Magazin 02-07-108

Stoff: Japanischer Baumwollstoff (2,50€/m)

Kosten (ohne Garn, Einlage): 6,90€ (Stoff, Köpfe)

Schon länger bin ich auf der Suche nach einem guten Hemdblusenschnitt. Einfach, mit klarer Linie. Etwas, daß zu einem Basisschnitt werden kann. Dieser Schnitt hat gutes Potential! Der Brustabnäher ist nach unter rotiert. So kann durch einen Abnäher Platz für den Busen geschaffen werden und Taillierung vorgenommen werden. 2 in 1, sozusagen! Na, das gefällt mir doch. An den Seitennähten habe ich noch ca. 2cm vorn und hinten zugegeben, um die Bluse passend für meine Hüften zu machen. Die Ärmel habe ich verkürzt. Und schließlich noch einen anderen Kragen rangebastelt: am vorgesehenen Kragen bin ich gescheitert. Also ist es nun der Kragen von den letzten beiden Blusen, Burda Magazin 03-07-107, der gefällt mir nämlich gut. Und so bin ich mit der Bluse zufrieden. Werde den Schnitt demnächst nochmal ausprobieren, ich möchte eine langärmelige Variante machen und schauen, wie das ist. Denn der Ärmel scheint mir doch etwas knapp. Immer dasselbe Problem...

Projekt: Bluse

2007-07-06T16:25:00.000+02:00

Habe noch einen Japanstoff verarbeitet. Es ist die der gleiche Stoff wie der, aus dem das "Durokleid" gemacht ist. Statt Sternen sind aber Wellen/Fächer aufgedruckt.

Schnitt: Burda Magazin 3-2007 Mod. 107

Stoff: dünner Baumwollstoff aus Japan, 2,50€/m

Kosten (ohne Garn und Einlage): ca. 4,50€ (1,5m Stoff, Gummiband, Knöpfe)

Habe ein zweites Mal diesen Schnitt probiert. Dieses Mal wollte ich ganze Ärmel einsetzen, habe die Ärmel des BurdaMag. 02-2007-108 genommen. Paßt zwar, ist mir aber als Dauermodell zu eng. Statt einem Durchziehtunnel für ein Band zum Raffen habe ich 2cm breites Gummiband aus Japan benutzt, welches extra zum Raffen gedacht ist. Grundsätzlich bin ich mit der Bluse zufrieden. Werde aber noch mal in mich gehen, ob ich das Gummi ein wenig verlängere. Am Rücken ist die Bluse jetzt doch sehr bauschig... Vielleicht nähe ich die Bluse nochmal mit Puffärmeln? Ich glaube, das würde gut passen.

Projekt: Rock Vogue 7910

2007-07-04T19:49:00.000+02:00

Seit längerem schon liegt dieses Schnittmuster bei mir herum. Ich mag den einfachen Schnitt und die Linienführung. Auch wenn ich mir nicht sicher war, ob der halbrunde Seiteneinsatz nicht etwas merkwürdig aussehen wird. Schließlich sitzen genau da auch meine "Reiterhosen"...
Also ausprobiert.
Der Schnitt ließ sich super an, es ist ansich ein ganz einfach zu nähendes
Schnittmuster. Gescheitert bin ich allerdings an dem Seitenteil - ich habe es einfach nicht flach eingenäht bekommen!

So habe ich also kurzerhand auf die tolle Linienführung verzichtet und das Seitenschnittteil an die Rockteile rangebastelt. Einfach in der Mitte durchgeschnitten und aufgeklebt.

Das hat super geklappt, ist noch einfacher zu nähen. Den so enstandenen Schnitt werde ich bestimmt noch vielfach nutzen.

Schnitt: Vogue 7910

Material: 1,10m dünner Jeansstoff (Hemdenjeans, 140m breit), Stück für 3,10€

Kosten (ohne Garn und Einlage): ca. 5€ (Stoff, nahtverd. Reißverschluß, Bundhaken)

Wieder erkannt

2007-06-12T12:55:00.001+02:00

Am Samstag war meine älteste Freundin mit ihrem Sohn zu Besuch. Und worauf liegt er da? Auf meiner Kindheit!!

Die Decke hatte meine Mutter langlang vor ihren Patchwork- und Quiltanfängen genäht, für den kleinen Bruder meiner Freundin. Sie hat die Decke nun unter den Puppen ihrer Mutter wiederentdeckt und gleich in Benutzung genommen.
Ich sehe meinen alten Turnbeutel, die Küchenvorhänge, die Strandtasche. Meinen alten Rock. Mamas Bluse. Noch ältere Küchenvorhänge. Undundund...

Projekt: Kleid mit Empiretaille

2007-06-12T10:08:00.001+02:00

Schnitt: Neue Mode 23467

Stoff: gemusterter Bauwollstoff aus Japan, 2,50€/m, Verbrauch 0,7m; dünnes Leinen, 10€/m, Verbrauch 1,7m

Kosten (ohne Garn, Reißverschluß, Einlage): 18,75€

Dieser Schnitt eignet sich, so finde ich, hervorragend zum Benutzen verschiedener Stoffe. Wurde also gleich in meinen "ich verbrauche Stoffe aus Japan"-Swap eingebaut. Das Kleid trägt sich gut, gerade jetzt, wo es so heiß ist, freu ich mich über ein hübsches Sommerkleidchen! Geändert habe ich drei Dinge: Ich habe das Rockteil um 4cm verlängert und es von einer 36 (an der Taile) auf eine 40 (and der Hüfte) erweitert. Außerdem habe ich den Ausschnitt erhöht. Bei der unteren Ausschnittlinie habe ich nicht die 36, sondern die 44er Linie genommen (2,5 cm Erhöhung). Ach ja, und anstatt von Futterstoff habe ich das Oberteil mit dem Leinen gedoppelt.

Nächstes Mal (wer weiß wann?) will ich aber doch noch einiges ändern. Aus Praktikabilitätsgründen. Und damit es mehr so wie die Promodkleidchen aussieht. Zum Beispiel stören mich ein wenig die oberen Rockteile. Geht man etwas schneller, neigen sie zum flattern (sie sind in die Seitennaht eingefaßt, der Hinterrock ist nur eine einfache Lage). Ich werde die "Rockschöße" einfach weglassen und in den Vorderrock eine breite Kellerfalte einarbeiten. Die kann ich dann entweder komplett anschneiden (wie bei den Promodkleidern) oder auch den Faltenboden in einem Kontraststoff annähen. Zum zweiten werde ich den Ausschnitt seitlich auch noch verkleinern. Bei diesem Modell muß ich die BH-träger doch sehr weit an die Seite schieben. Und schließlich muß ich das Rockteil noch weitere 2cm verlängern! Auch muß ich mehr auf die Stoffauswahl achten - das Leinen eignet sich gut, der Baumwollstoff ist allerdings etwas zu steif für dies Modell. Beugt man sich nach vorn, bauschen bei diesem Empirekleidern ja die Vorderteile überm Bauch etwas, steifer Stoff ist da nicht geeignet. Auch ist das Taillenbandschnittteil gebogen, was dann auch zu sehen ist, da das Muster regelmäßig gerastert ist. Wieder was dazugelernt!
Fazit: Ich freu mich auf die nächste Version! Dann werde ich allerdings die Rockschöße durch Kellerfalte ersetzen und durch und durch weicheren Stoff nehmen.

Ich hätt so gerne...

2007-06-12T09:48:00.001+02:00

Diese Kleider habe ich bei Promod gesehen und finde sie einfach toll. Hätte gern solches, selbstgenäht.

Dies ist der Schnitt, den ich dazu gefunden habe: Neue Mode 23467

Projekt: Jeansrock

2007-06-12T09:23:00.001+02:00

Schnitt: 6-Bahnenrock, A-linie.

Stoff: dicker Jeans, 10€/M; Verbrauch 70cm. Innenbund Rest japanischer Baumwollstoff.

Kosten (ohne Garn): 7€

Ich wollte mir endlich mal einen Jeansrock nähen, weil der zu allem paßt (bilde ich mir ein)! Habe dazu einen ganz einfachen Schnitt genommen (6 gleiche "Bahnen"), den ich schon mal in einem dünnen Cordstoff realisiert habe. Mußte allerdings nun feststellen (hört das mit dem Lernen denn nie auf?! Nein, zum Glück nicht!), das ein dünner, weich fallender Stoff besser gewesen wäre als dieser dicke Hosenjeans... Nun "knickt" der Rock ein wenig vorne, unterm Bauch. Hmmh. Nicht ideal, aber tragbar. Und so durabel!! ;) Den Fahrradtest hat er auch bestanden, es fährt sich mit diesem ausgestelltem Rock deutlich besser, als mit meinem gekauften, engen Jeansrock... Werde kommendes Wochenende nach dünnem Jeans Ausschau halten um noch mal einen "universellen Rock" zu nähen, der besser fällt.

Obenrum kann man die "Karobluse" mal in Akion sehen, sie trägt sich super und ist für die gerade anstehenden heißen Tage bestens geeignet!

Projekt: Bluse mit Halbärmeln

2007-06-04T08:26:00.000+02:00

Schnitt: Burda Magazin 3/07, Modell 107

Stoff: Bauwolldruck aus Japan, 2.50€/m (115cm breit); Verbrauch 1,5m;

Kosten (ohne Garn und Einlage, mit einfachen Knöpfen, Ripsband): 6,92€

Der Schnitt ist schön und sehr einfach. Gerade geschnitten, nur ein Brustabnäher, das ganze soll dann per Bindeband auf Figur gebracht werden. Einziges Manko des Schnittes: Die Ärmel gehen gar nicht!!! Sie sind sehr breit (Ich meine mich zu erinnern, der Armausschnitt maß zwischen den Ansatzpunkten 29cm, der Ärmel 49cm), man muß/soll ordentlich raffen (ist schließlich ein Puffärmelchen!). An der Saumkante des Ärmels soll dann ein Gummi eingezogen werden, um auch die untere Kante zu raffen. Das Gummi geht allerdings nicht über die gesamte Ärmelbreite, sondern nur ein Teilstück. Der breite Ärmel und die nur teilweise Raffung läßt statt einem Ärmel einen breiten "Auswuchs" entstehen - es erinnerte mich an ein Roboterkostüm, was 2006 in der Burda erschien...
Ich habe den Ärmel also angepaßt. Leider hatte ich nicht genug Stoff, volle Ärmel zu machen. So bin ich bei den Halbärmeln geblieben. Habe von der Schultermarkierung aus von beiden Seiten jeweils 5cm rausgenommen. Übrig blieb sowas wie ein Dreieck, welchem ich die Spitze abkappte, um es wieder halbrund zu bekommen. Schnittteillänge (Schulter-Saum) ist jetzt 10cm. Das mittlere Drittel der Armkugel habe ich wieder gerafft und dann in die Ärmelöffnung (ursprüngliche Markierungen) eingesetzt. Jetzt ist das Ärmelchen ein Tickchen kürzer als ursprünglich, allerdings sieht es dafür jetzt fast so aus, wie auf der technischen Zeichnung. Allerdings muß ich feststellen, daß so kleine Halbärmel für mich nichts sind - ich trage lieber ein langärmeliges T-shirt drunter. Dann kann man sie auch offen tragen und die Bindebänder (ich habe mangels Stoff Ripsband genommen) baumeln lassen.

Projekt: Durodress

2007-05-31T17:00:00.000+02:00

Das Kleid ist fertig, der Stoff hat genau gereicht (das Muster läßt ja verschiedene Zuschneiderichtungen zu!) und ich bin zufrieden. So zufrieden, das ich beschlossen habe, meinen Bhutanswap zu vernachlässigen und einen kleinen "Japan-Stoffe-verbrauchen" Swap zwischenzuschieben...
Ich habe hier einige dunkelblaue Stoffe liegen, die ich jetzt zu diversen Blusen und Röcken vernähen will. Vielleicht auch noch ein Kleid...
Auf patternreview.com läuft gerade ein weiterer Swapwettbewerb. Ich habe mich angemeldet, das motiviert mich wieder, wirklich zielgerichtet zu nähen. Mal schauen, wie weit ich komme. Ich habe diesmal nicht wirklich vorgeplant (Schnitte), sondern nur die Stoffe daliegen. Das ist momentan planmäßig genug!

Schnitt: Simplicity 4072

Stoff: Baumwolle; Sternchenstoff (2,50€/M) 2m, uni-Baumwolle (8€/m) 0,8m;

Kosten für Kleid (ohne Garn und Einlage): ca. 11,40€

Laut Maßtabelle brauchte ich für meinen Oberkörper Größe 12. Diese habe ich dann für das gesamte Kleid genutzt, obwohl mein Hüftmaß Größe 16 beträgt - das Kleid ist dort weit genug. Das "Taillenband" sitzt wirklich genau unter dem Busen. Ich verlängere die oberen Schnittteile das nächste Mal, glaube ich, um 2cm. Damit die Empiretaille ein wenig tiefer sitzt. Die Bindebänder (das Kleid wird ja nur übergestülpt und dann mit Bändern hinten auf Figur gebracht) sind einlagig vorgesehen, mit umgenähten Kanten. Nächstes Mal (ja, ich denke,es wird wirklich ein nächstes Mal geben, das Kleid gefällt mir wirklich gut) werden die doppelt geschnitten und mit Einlage verstärkt, das gibt garantiert einen besseren Look. Das war´s auch schon mit Ideen, den ansonsten ist dies ein toller Schnitt! Einfach zu nähen. Schön zu tragen. Und mein Sternchenstoff kommt gut zur Geltung!

Flatterhaft

2007-05-23T23:34:00.000+02:00

Ach, Frauen sind flatterhafte Wesen, heute sagen sie dies, morgen denken sie das... (Was will sie uns damit sagen??!!) Nun, eigentlich nähe ich an meinem Bhutanswap (eine Hose ist heute fertig geworden). Uneigentlich ist das Wetter da draussen soo schön, daß ich unbedingt ein Kleid nähen möchte. Und da man ab und an seinen Launen stattgeben sollte und sich hierfür besser Gelegenheiten sucht, die nicht zu zwischenmenschlichen Unstimmigkeiten führen, nutze ich diese wunderbare Möglichkeite der Wankelmütigkeit!

Ich habe erst seit kurzem (genauer, zwei Tage) diesen Schnitt (Simplicity 4072) hier rumliegen:
Bei patternreview.com wird es das Durodress genannt, ein Designer dieses Namens hat es wohl vor einiger Zeit auf den Laufsteg gebracht und von dort trat es den Siegeszug an - alle großen amerikanischen Schnittmusterfirmen habe eine Kleider oder Tunikaversion, in eng, weit, für gewebte oder elastische Stoffe im Programm. Beim Stöbern in der Innenstadt (ich geh momentan gerne los und probiere alles mögliche an, um zu sehen, was mir steht und gefällt und dann sowas selbst zu nähen) habe ich ähnliche Oberteile aus Jersey in etlichen Geschäften gefunden...
Nun denn, es ist ohne Reißverschluß für gewebte Stoffe, drum also etwas weiter geschnitten und wird mit Bindebändern hinten per Schleifchen auf Figur gebracht. Ich erhoffe mir dabei kein so "schlankes"Aussehen wie auf obigen Photo, denke mal, es fällt weiter. Simplicity gibt die fertig Weite am Busen an, die liegt 10cm über ihrer Maßtabelle. Weiter eben...

Ich habe hier einen dünnen (aber undurchsichtigen) Baumwollstoff aus Japan liegen, mit traditionellem Sternmuster drauf. Kombiniert wird (ich will Kontrastbänder) mit einem samtigglänzenden einfarbigen Stoff, ebenfalls CO. Ich fürchte fast, der Sternenstoff reicht nicht- in dem Falle nehme ich noch ähnlichen Stoff dazu.

Gerne würde ich die Kimonoärmelversion machen, habe mich letztendlich aber für den eingesetzten Ärmel entschieden, weil ich nicht weiß, was man über so einen Kimonoärmel wohl drüberziehen kann wenn es einen fröstelt?

Projekt:Tunika

2007-05-19T16:01:00.000+02:00

Schnitt: Neue Mode 23489, B mit kurzen Ärmeln

Stoff: Viskose, 4€/m;

Kosten für Tunika (ohne Garn und Einlage): €4,80

Der Schnitt geht wunderbar einfach zu nähen, nur mit der Ausschnittlösung bin ich ein wenig unzufrieden. Man schneidet in den Bruch einen Schlitz und fasst diesen mit einem Schrägband ein. An der Schlitzspitze wird nur so gerade eben der Stoff mitgefasst, ansonsten der volle Zentimeter. Dann näht man an der Spitze innen einen Abnäher. Hmmh. Also, gehen tut es so, aber einen Preis für besonders schöne Verarbeitung erhält man nicht (gerade bei einem Streifenstoff, denn da fällt der Abnäher so auf!). Dazu müßte man wahrscheinlich einen Beleg arbeiten... ABER: sie ist bequem, schön und gut zu tragen! Gerade für Nähanfänger halte ich das Schnittmuster für geeignet. Ich habe keine Gummis in den Ärmel gezogen und auch keinen Knopf am Kragen gearbeitet, so gefällt es mir besser.

Neues Spiel, neues Glück

2007-05-19T15:19:00.000+02:00

Habe mich entschlossen, einen weiteren Swap anzufangen. Thema: Bhutan.

Im Oktober werde ich mit meinem Onkel dort urlauben. Von einem darauf ausgerichteten Swap verspreche ich mir natürlich ein möglichst kleines Reisegepäck! Und damit ich den Plan auch wirklich durchziehe, habe ich mich bei dem gerade laufenden Swapwettbewerb von Patternreview.com angemeldet. Bis Ende Juli soll alles fertig sein... Ob ich das schaffe, steht in den Sternen. Aber immerhin will ich voran kommen. Und die Hauptsache ist, ich habe etwas bis Oktober fertig.

Was stelle ich mir bisher vor?

In Bhutan werden die Temperaturen schwanken, im tieferliegenden Süden wird es wärmer sein als in den Mittel- und Hochlagen des Himalaya. Deswegen gedachte ich, Oberteile zum miteinander Kombinieren zu nähen. Lagenlook sozusagen...

Grundfarben sollen Blau und Braun sein. Eher dunkel. Highlights in mittlerem Blau und Fuchsia.

Vorerst habe ich zwei lange Hosen (Cargohose) und eine Shorts (Bermuda) geplant. Ich habe dafür dunkelbraunen Stoff, ein Viskose/Cuprogemisch, fühlt sich wunderbar an und wirkt wie etwas dickerer Poplin. Und dunkelblauen Baumwollstoff (von Marc Aurel? Oder Hugo Boss?Ach hät ich doch nen Hang für sowas...), relativ dick, eine Seite samtig angerauht (und dadurch unglaublich Fussel-/Staubverliebt!). Die Schnitte werde ich selber erstellen. Das vierte Teil wird womöglich ein Rock. Für Bhutan bräuchte ich ein viertes Teil eigentlich nicht (und ob ich überhaupt einen Rock mitnehmen würde, weiß ich auch noch nicht) und würde gerne gegen ein Oberteil austauschen, aber das geht nun mal per Reglement nicht.

Als Basisoberteile plane ich zwei langärmlige Tshirts, eines in Dunkelblau, eines in Fuchsia. Dazu ein langärmliges Hemd in Mittelblau (ein schöner Baumwollstoff, schimmernd, eher dünn). Eine kurzärmlige Tunika in einem beige/hellgrau/hellblau/dunkelblau gestreiften, verdammt rutschigen Viskosestoff. Eine Weste (aus einem der Hosenstoffe, entweder in braun oder blau, mal sehen, was über bleibt) aus einem Schnittmuster, die "Reisekleidung" herstellen- mit extra vielen versteckten und nicht versteckten Taschen. Für mein letztes geplantes Oberteil, einen Cardigan, brauche ich noch Stoff. Entweder Strick oder Fleece. Und schließlich die Jacke, sie soll definitiv aus Fleece sein. Liebäugle mit einem Schnittmuster, welches dann eine zu wendende Jacke produzieren würde, zweifarbig das ganze also...

Details kommen dann nach und nach...

Hier erstmal nur die Stoffe, in deren Besitz ich schon bin!

Mal was anderes/ Something different

2007-04-18T13:13:00.000+02:00

Nach dem "geswappe" habe ich heute mal was anderes genäht: ein Kleid für meine Nichte. Schlicht und einfach, da der Schmetterlingsstoff in sich doch schon aufregend genug ist... Ich habe den Stoff im Januar gekauft, als ich in Sapporo zu Besuch war, mitsamt allerlei anderen Stoffen. Meine Nichte schaute sich interessiert jedes Stück an, bei fast allen rief sie, davon wolle sie ein Kleid. Und am allerschönsten (nachdem alles ausgepackt und vorgezeigt war) fand sie den Schmetterlingsstoff. Genau der, den ich für sie gekauft hatte...

After finishing my Swap I had to do something different. I did stay somewhat in the color family though (this is green and lilac and purple), sewing a dress for my niece. It´s very simple, as the fabric with the butterflies is fancy enough... I bought this fabric in January, when visiting my brothers family in Sapporo, together with fabric for myself. My niece wanted to see what I shopped and with each piece being pulled out of the bag she cried for a dress from this. In the end she decided on the butterflies, luckily exactly the fabric I had bought for her...

Finished!!!

2007-04-03T20:34:00.000+02:00

I was thinking of sewing another pair of pants. But then I checked dates, realising, that I am away alot until the deadline, working. So I decided to quit sewing and start taking pictures. I also want to set up a storyboard for an overview. And have to model some of the clothes for the camera. But that will happen only after easter, as I am gone for work until monday (my 5-year-old neighbor said, I will still get chocolate eggs hidden in my house as the easter rabbit will not take a look into my bed, seeing if I am home asleep that night or not... am I glad!) For now it will only be the clothes on the hanger!

Shape

2007-04-03T11:42:00.000+02:00

Here you can do a figure analasys. It tells you, what kind of clothes and details flatters your figure. Of the seven featured bodytypes I am

Shape A
Women whose hips are broader than their busts and shoulders (Got that from my grandma!!).

So these are the recommondations for myself:

Fabrics
Plaids, bold prints and textured fabrics on the upper half of the body add a nice balance.

Necklines
Experiment with scarves and simple designs; focus on adding interest at the shoulders and neck line.
Boat neck, crew and ballet necklines are all beautiful; the idea is to add balance and shape that broadens the neckline.
Mandarin collars and wide pointed lapels and patterned blouses create focus.

Jackets & Tops
Cap sleeves and raised waist of a simple top pull the eye upward.
Tops with horizontal lines along the shoulders, 3/4 length sleeves, particularly if you are short waisted.
Jackets that fall either at or above the high hip balance your proportions.
Shorter, double-breasted and asymmetrical styles with interesting collars work well on you.
The wide lapels of a jacket that nips in at the waist and ends at or above the high hip keep the eye moving upward.
Patch pockets and set-in sleeves of a jacket create wonderful upper body proportions.

Skirts & Dresses
Simple A-line styles with a side zip smooth you out.
A paneled A-line skirt minimizes the hips.
Flat front or softly gathered (such as a broomstick skirt) can flatter.

Pants
Trousers with flat front with a side zip are ideal. Avoid pleats and extra details on the hips.
Slash or inset pockets on pants are preferable to side-seam or back pockets that gap or add width.
Slightly softened boot cut jeans are fabulous (not too low-waisted and with just a touch of give).
Leg flares that begin below the knee and heels add grace and length.

Pockets & Other Details
Patch pockets on top add a nice balance.
Three-quarter length sleeves also pull the gaze up a bit and away from the hip area.
Brighter tops than bottoms are the way to go.
Details by the neck or patterned blouses and jackets with wide, pointed lapels or mandarin collars create focus.

Resurrected

2007-03-29T16:34:00.000+02:00

Last week the knit top (Burda WoF 12-2006 Nr.118) I worked on ended up in the waist basket. The neckline had grown immense and the whole thing looked awful. I was unwilling to ever again work on it! Well, it is said that women are fickle beings... I pulled the top out from the bin this morning. I really wanted this dark purple knit to be part of my Swap. And there had been no such knit in the stores here in the city. So this morning I woke up (6 a.m., sunshine, birds singing) in a forgiving mood and felt fit to wake the dead! The knit top, having had a weeks time to think about its character and probably fearing of being turned in again, gave in and made a wonderful come-back. I ripped out the twin-needle stitches, steamed the neckline and used a watersoluble interfacing (soluweb- after rinsing it, the fabric is again stretchy) and restitched it. It is now a wearable top! The neckline is still rather long and deep, but that´s the pattern. I got a similar pattern for a woven fabric, that would be rather my favourite for a next-time wrap-top.

So, now all my tops are finished (instead of the second t-shirt I have the black blouse now), this is how they look.

Content

2007-03-28T16:13:00.000+02:00

Got my black pants done. They fit well and feel good and I am content, this will be a wardrobe builder. So now I am getting near the end of the Swap! Still one tshirt to do, the jacket will be finished on friday. And I will try my luck on jeans. If they don´t get done, it will be either a RTW or the silverblue "muslin" one.

Top #5

2007-03-25T19:25:00.000+02:00

The black blouse is finished, I finetuned the pattern. Because of the sleeves not fitting, with the woolmousslin blouse I cut the sleevespattern in the middle, spread it open until I had the width I wanted. But then the armhole was too short, so I deepend it and sewed in an triangle at the sides. That worked out for the blouse being already under construction. But for the pattern to be perfect, I wanted a higher armhole in order to make movement for this rather fitted blouse easier. I tried the sleeveadjustment that is described in the book "Fit for real people". You cut the sleevepattern up both ways, horizontally and vertically, and "reshape" it. That worked out and now I am content with the outcome of the pattern. I used a black cotton stretch and topstiched it with yellow. So here it is, together with (the yellow side of) the reversible skirt.

setback

2007-03-22T06:21:00.000+01:00

I wanted to sew these black pants. Well, somehow I decided on turning to the dark purple interlock instead. It was supposed to be turned into a cross-over shirt, Nr. 119 of the 12-06 issue of Burda World of Fashion. Hmpf. To cut a long story short - it didn´t. The neckline streched way beyond what could be repaired and it looked terrible. So it went into the waistbin... Too bad, it was a really nice interlock and a nice color - now I got to think about something to replace it. Because I really would like to have this dark purple color in the Swap. Meanwhile (to cheer me up) I started a black blouse, same self drafted pattern as mentioned below with the shoulder princess seams. And I will topstitch the vertical lines with yellow. Maybe also in lilac? I´ll try out.

In or out?

2007-03-20T20:32:00.000+01:00

When I showed my new pants yesterday to my boyfriend, he wasn´t to enthusiatic about it. He said, they were too wide-legged and would make me look heavier than I am (he mentioned something about elephant legs...). Couldn´t I try to make them slimmer?! Well, not those pants, they are finished and I like them (and he will have to show up in publicity with me in them) as loose summerpants. But I did alter the pattern, so as to have a different fit for the Swap. And again I did a muslin- too scared about the fit for cutting into the black georgette without trying the pattern (I got bumpy thighs, so slimmer legs do change the fitting alot!). I used poly/cotton fabric, jeanscolored on one side, silver-greyblue on the other. I decided on the lighter shade and after a few adjustments of the pattern to mainly the outer seams I am quite content with the outcome. Now, it does fit into my Swap (the lilac mandarinshirt is part of it)... so shall I use it? At least this is a finished piece! Hmmmh. I go ahead for the black pants tomorrow, then sew the rest of the tops. And if I still have time, have a go at some jeans. If those are not finished until the deadline, I might take these here.

Getting along

2007-03-19T21:23:00.000+01:00

Yesterday morning I spend time drafting a pants pattern. I sewed the muslin today and it´s a perfect fit! These are very wide-legged pants, so no wonder they fit below the hip. But they also fit like a glove between waist and hip. So I am keen on doing these over with the black Georgette. Got Stand by tomorrow, so as long as everyone turns up at work and nobody gets sick I might finish those then!