So. It's been 6 months, or there abouts since I last posted. I'm a bad blogger...
But, in my defence, 2012 was a busy year for me. I finished the course I was doing, while working full time, and also dancing two or three times a week, going hiking ever third or fourth weekend, and taking an extra class. I also applied to four costume schools. And made a wedding dress and 2 bridesmaids dresses.
Makes me tired just thinking about it.
The outcome of all of that in 2012 was that I got into WAAPA!!!! For those of you who don't know, WAAPA is the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts. (I also got into 2 of the other schools that I applied to... but WAAPA was the one I wanted). So, I moved across the country.
So now, I'm stupidly busy, and it's amazing. I really love it.
Oh, and the wedding was beautiful, and the dress looked stunning on the bride. By the end of the process, I think the pattern was more mine that it was the original Vogue 1095, and it was stunning and perfect. It has the button on the back to allow her to dance, and fitted so well - the first time I did a fitting on her where I could actually touch her was a week before the wedding, so I was so relieved. The bridesmaid dresses are my original pattern.
For the same weddings as I wore my strawberry shortcake dress, I made my Mum's outfit. I need to get more photos of it, and photos of the individual garments, and there will eventually be a jacket out of the skirt fabric, but here it is so far:
The jacket and shirt are made from green chiffon, the undershirt is made from a green satin, and the skirt is a gorgeous embroidered silk.
Perhaps the most amazing thing about this outfit is that it was finished. Eleventh hour sewing if I ever did it, it was finished the day before I flew across the country to Perth for the first wedding. I'm really happy with the skirt, undershirt and skirt, although the jacket still needs work. The silk one is going to be perfect. It doesn't have a choice :P
The skirt has a hand picked zipper and a hand picked hem - two of my favourite elements of this outfit. All the tops are finished with self bias binding.
Oh, and I'm counting this as my 'Mum' challenge for the sew weekly. (I decided to make the challenge my own, and rather than sewing something inspired by mum, I sewed for mum).
I made some cushion covers as Christmas gifts this year.
Four sets of three cushions were based off an idea I saw on a blog (although I can't remember which one - I more saw the picture and made my own version).
I made it months ago (seriously), and have worn it to a dance party, to my mother's graduation and not one but two weddings so far. And I really hadn't gotten any good photos of it to blog about. But, at the last wedding, it was perfect weather, and we got some good shots of the dress (although I did forget to photograph the shrug I made to wear with it that is the same pink as the midriff band... next time I guess).
This is another version of the burdastyle drape dress, and it's one of the three dresses I've made from the pattern so far. I'm very happy with this one - each of the pleats in the midriff band are basted into place to get them to stay though. I'm really happy with how well I lined them up. They match almost perfectly across the right hand side seam.
I didn't put the invisible zipper in perfectly on the left hand side seam, but I'm okay with that. I've worn the dress enough times that it's not really an issue any more.
I also made the fascinator that I'm wearing in each of these photos for a dance routine a few years ago, and I'm happy to be able to get a second chance to wear it.
The Details
fabric: lining 3 m poplin $4.55/m total $13.65; red band 5.m$16.60/m total $8.30; pink and silver fabric from stash; cheesecloth: 1.5m dark pink 1.5m dusky pink 1.25m light pink at $5.00/m total $21.25
notions: thread; zipper from stash
pattern: Burdastyle drape dress, used previously
total: $43.20
All up, this is one of my favourite creations. It isn't the cheapest thing I've ever sewn, but it's also in no way the most expensive. It's comfortable, and pretty and makes me happy every time I wear it.
First off, I have to apologise about the bad photos for both of these. I was slightly restricted for time for both of them - I gifted them the same day I made them.
Both of these dresses are being counted towards my Sew Weekly challenges for the year. In fact, I am using the dress, skirt and top to check off three of the challenges.
Firstly, a red dress for my friend D. I visited her in Perth recently, and ended up giving her the red and black lace look dress. This one.
She also mentioned that she really liked the style, but couldn't find anything like it in the shops. And that she was looking for a red dress. So, I made her one. I counted it as my "Do Over" item - it's exactly the same pattern, no alterations made, just made a second time around.
The dress is made from a red fabric I had in my stash, using thread from my stash and a pattern I'd used previously - meaning that it essentially cost me nothing.
Next, for my housemate C, who has vowed that she isn't allowed to buy any more black clothing, I made a skirt and a blouse. The skirt is counting towards the "Orange" Sew Weekly challenge, and the blouse is counting towards the "Patternless"challenge (although both of them are patternless).
C has been lusting after orange skirts, and mullet skirts (which I keep referring to as tulip skirts). I remembered that a while back, I had pinned this tutorial (which was featured on craftgossip) for a fishtail skirt.
Using that as my basis, and some thrifted orange cheesecloth in my stash, plus some new pink bias binding for the hem and waistband, I created a gathered waist version for C. For the top, I again used something that I'd seen on craftgossip, a tutorial for a wrap top. Which was inspired by the vintage photo below.
Between the two of them, I'm very happy with the result. Both of them are adjustable enough to suit C, and allowed me to not need to surreptitiously gain any of her measurements.
The top used new fabric, bias binding and satin binding, and the skirt used new bias binding. All up, it cost me about $15 to make the outfit.
I used a double layer of warm white rayon, with a white cotton bias tape for the thin tie, and cream satin blanket binding for the thicker tie. Although, I may have to shorten each of the ties. But, that can come later.
I've wanted a 1950s style dress for a while now. Like, a full on, over the top, puffy skirted party dress. So, I decided to make one. I frankensteined the pattern together, and tried some new techniques. For the first time, I used horsehair braid, and pick stitched a zipper.
The dress is my Sew weekly, week 6 'Seeing Red' Dress, and I wore it to a Frocktober dance party, which was held to help raise money for Ovarian Cancer Research.
Fabric: Thrifted red with embroidered flower crepe from stash; red organza from stash; red poplin lining from stash, free, additional 2.5m red poplin, $11.40 Pattern: Burda Style Draped dress pattern, used before, free; Butterick 5457, thrifted, 50c Year: 2011 Notions: Thread, from stash; 8m thin horsehair braid $9.60; 8m horsehair braid $14.40; 2m velett ribbon $4.40 First worn: October 2011 Wear again? Yes, it was super fun to wear :) Total Cost: $40.30
The inside photos show the colour much better - it's a red, I promise!
I'm a little in love with this dress. It was really easy to make, and didn't take long - all made on the overlocker!
The only change I made to the pattern was to shorten the sleeves and not include the ruffles. Otherwise, I actually followed the original pattern.
This dress is for the At the Races (Ascot) sew weekly challenge.
The Facts
Fabric: .5 metre Black knit $12.95/m, 2 metre black and white knit $12.95/m Pattern: thrifted McCalls 5408, view C $1.00 Year: c. 2007 Notions: Thread Time to complete: 2 hours First worn: September 2011 Wear again? YES! It was super comfy Total Cost: $33.40
Although I'm trying really hard not to buy any fabric, and to use the things in my stash (unless I'm buying things like linings and underlinings that I need in order to finish something from stash materials), I have to admit that I bought new fabric for these shorts. Or at least, I bought thrifted fabric, with the sole purpose being making a pair of denim shorts. I had seen the denim in the thrift store closest to my house, and had left it there, because I didn't really have a use for it. And I'm not adding to my stash, remember?
Then, I was looking through the challenges for the Sew Weekly. In particular, I was looking at the 'And the Winner Is...." challenge, celebrating the costume designers nominated for an Oscar. I went through the list of all the nominations, and discovered that I have seen a very small number of the films listed. And even fewer of them spoke to me in any sort of way. The list was narrowed down to Moulin Rouge, Across the Universe and Pleasantville. A nice cross section of styles, wouldn't you say?
I pondered using my red corset, full circle skirt, can can petticoat and calling it Moulin Rouge inspired. But although I sewed that outfit as a costume for a Moulin Rouge dance party, it seemed lazy somehow. Which left Across the Universe and Pleasantville. For Pleasantville, it would have been fairly easy to make the walk away dress, but for the life of me, I couldn't find my copy of the pattern.
So, my decision was made. Across the Universe it was.
I did a quick search for images and realised that while I loved the film, a lot of the costumes were too much part of the era for me to comfortably wear them. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against wearing vintage and vintage inspired clothing. But I just didn't think I'd wear anything that was inspired by the film. It was almost back to the drawing board for the challenge. I decided to give Across the Universe one more chance, so I youtubed a bunch of clips from the film. And realised that for the most part, I was right. I wouldn't wear most of the costumes.
Until I got to the 'Dear Prudence' scene. Lucy is wearing a plain white tank, and denim cut offs. And my mind strayed back to the denim I'd seen in the thrift store.
I went back, (and as three days had passed, and decent fabric tends to get snatched up) hoped the denim was still there. And, just my luck (or perhaps, luck was on my side for this one?), it was!
You get a good view of Lucy's outfit at about 55 seconds. It's a really simple outfit, but I like it. And, there is the contrast between the simplicity and normalacy of the costumes and the surreal sky they end up in.
The pattern for these shorts are another one of my love-hate relationship with BurdaStyle magazine patterns. On one hand, the patterns usually end up looking fairly good. On the other, the instructions suck and they don't always include seam allowances (luckily this one did). For the ruby shorts, I read and re-read the instructions, and I'm certain that at no stage did they talk about how you attach the placards and facings for the buttons. But the do give fairly long and detailed instructions about how to put in the bound picket (which I decided not to to put in).
I added a second patch pocket on the back. I use back pockets usually for my keys and phone, so I like having two of them. I lined the patch pockets with a paisley fabric - I still love this fabric, and even though no one else will see the lining of the pockets, it makes me happy to know it's there :) .
I also didn't include the belt. I folded the hems up to the outside, so the overlocked edges were exposed. I graded the pattern so that the hips were a size 40, and the waist was a size 36.
I'm happy with the way these turned out, but they are just a touch tight. I should probably have made a 42 hip and 38 waist. But that's okay, I'll just make 1cm seam allowances next time I sew it.
Fabric: Thrifted denim, $9.00
Pattern: Burda Style Ruby shorts pattern $3.00
Year: 2011
Notions: Thread, from stash; Thrifted Buttons, $3.00
One of the most recent challenges for Sew Weekly was the Autumn palette challenge. As it's going into Spring here, it seems a bit silly to be putting together a Autumn palette, so I've put together a Spring palette. I have been buying three colours lately: oranges, pinks and reds. So, I have three palettes: Burnt, Rose and Blood
I've been thinking about making a bias tape skirt for a while now. I've seen them worn by people a few times, but I've never seen one for sale. So, I thought I would make one myself. I fell in love with the fabrics I used to make the bias tape while standing in line at Spotlight. It's quilting cotton, and were pieces designed as 'stash builders.' And, perfectly suited to my 'burnt' palette. I ended up making 44m of bias tape for this skirt, and used almost all of it - I think I have about 2 meters left.
I used my A-Line skirt pattern for the basis of this skirt, and just held the bias strips in place as I sewed. I sewed the bias strips on closer together near the hem, and further apart as I got higher. (Please excuse the rumpled shots: I had worn the skirt on Friday night, forgot to photograph it, and it spent the weekend crumpled at the end of my bed)
The Facts
Fabric: for bias tape: 3x 110x70cm pieces@ $7.00 each, total $21.00; remnant of orange poplin, $ 3.50 Pattern: Self drafted A-Line skirt pattern Year: 2011 Notions: Zipper, $3; thread from stash. Time to complete: 4 hours First worn: September 2011 Wear again? Yes
