2015 Wardrobe–Waratahs & Wombats

overview.jpgAutumn is giving way to winter so I wanted tops I could wear by themselves, or under a jacket. The pants I wanted to be suitable for winter wear. I also wanted the items to fit in with at least two of the jackets that I made last year, and all to work with the leather jacket as I wear it so often.
I started with a wishlist of possible choices from surfing Polyvore. If I found an item I liked, I looked at other sets using the same piece, slowly putting together a mix-and-match set of options. From there I went through my stash looking for fabrics that I could use to make one of the items. A few of these, like the black wool & rust cotton were high on the priority list. Unfortunately there was one in particular, a printed cotton sateen that did not go well with the rust cotton, that I couldn’t work into the mix. Continue reading “2015 Wardrobe–Waratahs & Wombats” →

Pattern Review: Patrones Magazine 339 #3 (Pantalon Lasserre) in heavy cotton twill

brown_pants.jpgI made these pants in a very heavy, tightly woven cotton twill. The fabric is still a little stiff but should soften (I hope).  The style lines of this pattern a great – a bit more detailed than most pant patterns. The princess seams make fitting much easier too.

I may sew this again in the future, possible in a summer weight stretch fabric. The construction, particularly with the pockets, is a little tricky and you will need to be able to grade between sizes. So I’d recommend it for advanced sewers only. Continue reading “Pattern Review: Patrones Magazine 339 #3 (Pantalon Lasserre) in heavy cotton twill” →

Pattern Review: KnipMode Magazine 03-2014 #108 (Blouse) in Raw Silk

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Ever since this edition in the mail, I’ve had this pattern high on my wishlist.  Love the deep V neckline and partial standup collar!  Last year I made a test garment up, in long sleeves.  For this version I, I made a few changes, especially to the neckline depth, and added bust darts.

The fabric is a hand-dyed silk noile.  (Landscape dyes Pacific and 10% currawong).  More about the dying process can be found in this post

I love the neckline on this top, especially the partial collar.  The changes I made to make the top more fitted and adding the shirt-tail hem worked well.   I’d like to sew this again with long sleeves and a plain yoke. Continue reading “Pattern Review: KnipMode Magazine 03-2014 #108 (Blouse) in Raw Silk” →

Pattern Review :Lekala 4177 ( Peplum blouse) in black silk

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This pattern is a 1 yard wonder!  The peplum takes up most of the fabric, but it is possible to lay the bodice and sleeve pieces around it.

With a number of peplum patterns coming out lately, I decided to give this a go.   I love the way the peplum sits.  It doesn’t have as much fullness as the BMV patterns I’ve looked at and this suits me much better – skims rather than flounces. I wasn’t sure how the hi-lo hem would go as side-on they can just look ill-fitting ( like the hem is being raised because you need an FBA) but it doesn’t look too bad. The length on the front and back is very flattering.  I also like the custom fit on this pattern, as I normally have to make a lot of adjustments for being short with narrow shoulders. It is so nice just to trace out the pattern and sew.

I may sew this again with a variation in the collar or sleeves. Continue reading “Pattern Review :Lekala 4177 ( Peplum blouse) in black silk” →

Lekala 4167 (Jacket in Military Style) in Textured Wool

2015_02_c.jpg I love it! It feels so nice to put it on and I know I’m going to wear it a lot!To my amazement, there are no wrinkles, the sleeve hangs perfectly, and doesn’t bind when I lift my arm up. I’ve also really surprised myself with the construction. 12 months ago, I could only dream of sewing a jacket as well as this.

This jacket is a combination of Lekala 4167 (main silhouette) and Lekala 5548 (dart configuration and sleeve fit). Continue reading “Lekala 4167 (Jacket in Military Style) in Textured Wool” →

Lekala 4425 (Blouse with ruche) in raw silk

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I found a photo of this top somewhere on Polyvore last year. It can’t remember the designer, but I loved the top. I was going to try drafting it, but on a whim I submitted the photo into Lekala’s “Suggest new style”. It got the most number of votes that week and a couple of weeks later, the pattern was it up on their web site- made to your measurements – and only for a couple of dollars . The kind of thing you only dream about. Thanks Lekala!!! Continue reading “Lekala 4425 (Blouse with ruche) in raw silk” →