Knipmode White Patchwork Tunic .

  

Happy New Year ! I`m off to a flying start finishing off this white tunic and I have cut out two further projects as well.  All of which satisfy my own little resolutions / challenges which I set myself last year.
First off the tunic came about as a combination of using an old but unused knipmode magazine I have been mulling over for ages and my personal competition  to use up smaller scrappy pieces . I had a bingo moment when I realised this dress  pattern from October 2010  would be perfect for my remnant challenge as it is made up of several small pattern pieces. Win/win !

The dress has a front yoke , cuffed two piece sleeves and the lower front is divided into central and side front pieces with pockets . There is even a separate lower front . In other words the front of this dress has 8  pieces ! The back too has 6 pattern pieces so perfect for using small fabric scraps . There are no zips or other closures in this dress.
I used a total of 4 different white fabrics . The front yoke and front side pieces are made of dotted swiss cotton. The back and lower centre front is made of a pintucked , lacey cotton and the sleeves are constructed from  a self patterned white paisley design. The facings uses a self checked cotton. All fabrics were remnants from long ago projects but  just too good or sentimental to throw away.

I made a few  alterations to the pattern , the main one being that I did not make the dress  but left off the lower front/ back pieces and made a tunic length garment . The front slit was quite low so I stitched this up another inch but the tunic is still quite easy to put on .  I also deleted the pockets concealed between the side and central fronts but this is a nice little detail in the original design.  Finally I elongated  the front yoke facing piece to be same length as the front yoke because the dotted swiss is quite see through and a shorter facing shadow would have annoyed me. Otherwise as per usual the knipmode pattern is well drafted and all the pieces went together well. I used a kwik sew pattern to help me with the sleeve vents and this was the hardest part of the whole project. 

Overall I am very happy with my new tunic - a great way to start the sewing year. I extend my wishes for everyone to have another safe and healthy and happy 2017 . 

Happy Sewing Janine. 

Battle of the Kimono Patterns.

This beautiful burnout velvet was offered up at the sewing group I attend and as no-one else wanted it I snaffled it up as I had bought a kimono pattern earlier in the year and then realised I had no suitable fabric .
But then I had a closer look at the pattern and became unsure because I really love the fabric and did not want to muck up.
I do not sew muslins unless for very good fabrics or a special occasion outfit . If I was expected to sew a muslin for everything then I would just quit sewing . So it really is a testimony to how much I liked the fabric that I ended up making three muslins of different patterns.

From left to right is a Knipmode jacket from March 2014 ,  jacket pattern  110 from Burdastyle April 2016 and finally Simplicity 1588.
The Knipmode kimono jacket was too large  and tending to look like a potential  dressing gown , not the look I was going for . I sewed up the the size small kimono from the Simplicity pattern which corresponds to size 10-12 . I am usually a size 12 in Simplicity but the kimono was too small . Also it takes 3.00 metres ( 3 1/4 yards ) of material which I did not have .
The Burdastyle pattern was just right ( perhaps I should call this blog post Goldilocks and the Three Kimonos ) !  However I did make changes . The jacket comes with an extra flap in front and welt pockets which I eliminated . I added 10 cms in length as well but otherwise the slightly loose fit and dropped shoulder and wide sleeves were what I was imaging. The sleeves in the burda pattern are separate and not incorporated with the body pieces like the other patterns but I again I preferred this as there was no puckering under the arms .

I finished the front bands with some slightly contrasting silk and added the same width bands to the end of the sleeves ( another change ! ) . The jacket was very easy to sew .

Well I am very happy with final product and would highly recommend this pattern . In fact this particular issue of Burdastyle is really good . I have already cut out two patterns . Thank you so much  Bruna for your gift. Now I just need somewhere to wear it !
PS Bruna , your husbands xmas present is done. I will bring the goods next visit 😜

Knipmode December 2013 Vest - A Wadder Saved.

I almost forgot about sewing this long line vest last month . It was almost a wadder and  I felt a bit blah about it so put it aside . However I have a policy of trying not to have UFOs . This stems from my childhood and seeing my elder sister with all her UFOs . My sister is 12 years older than me and started on several magnificent projects which as far as I know are still not finished - a huge zebra cross stitch just in black and white ,  an embroidered table cloth with dancing partners in European traditional costumes and a long length burda wool coat just to name a few . So I try to finish up what I am sewing or out it goes  ( having said that I have a handbag cut out from October last year ! )

I used the vest pattern from Knipmode December 2013 . It has dropped kimono type sleeves finished with bands at the sleeves, front and bottom hem.

I really like long line vests - this is now the third one I have - because they are easy to throw on as a top layer , give a little more warmth in winter and are great for covering up bits you want covered up . I used some fabric given to me by a sewing group pal - she had brought in a few pieces to give away from her mother`s stash . This piece was quite long and I liked the gentle blue-grey wavy pattern with a hint of maroon. It is a knit fabric but with no recovery but I thought it would be good for muslins. 

Initially when I sewed up the vest one front side was much longer than the other -wah ! How did that happen ?  I had tried to be careful sewing on the front bands and not stretching anything out of place . I was ready to toss it because it followed on from my other knipmode wadder . However I put the vest aside and a bit later just chopped off the hem band and evened up the bottom . I applied some iron-on stabilizer to the hem and sewed it up.  Ah much better ! So I continued to finish adding on the lined pockets , button holes and buttons. I have since worn it a few times and like it now !

I am now currently working on a Burda vintage Style Coat which has an interesting and quite different flounce at the front . I have sewn the flounce and hoping once this is set into front coat piece that all will go smoothly . Happy Sewing Janine. 

Costings - Fabric - free ! Pattern - Knipmode December 2013 -free ( used before ) . Notions - buttons , thread , iron on hem stabilizer in stash . Total  - Free ! 

Scrap Sewing - Winners and Wadders .

  I might have mentioned I do not like waste and might be a bit of a hoarder when it comes to fabric scraps . Sometimes Mum also gives me little pieces like the blue patterned  cotton voile  fabric above. There was only 80 cms and I accidentally found an even smaller  piece of blue in my scrap bag which matched really well when I was searching for something else  . It was left over stretch cotton from making my husband a shirt for Christmas 2 or 3 years ago .

I really wanted to make New Look 6187 after seeing some versions on the internet and was able to squeeze this  top out using the two scraps . I used the plain blue for the yoke and tunic back and the pattern for the front yoke and sleeves.

I altered the pattern slightly - 3/4 sleeves because I did not have enough material for the full length and I extended the yoke pattern so I could make a button placket instead of a button/ loop closure. Also instead of using a facing for the yoke and tunic back I managed to eke out some bias binding to finish off the neckline.

Always times for pats in our house.

OK onto the next scrap busting project.  One late insomnia filled night I was perusing Pinterest ( not very good for actually helping one to get back to sleep BTW ) and saw a picture of a sewing machine pocket pad . Brilliant ! If I had a dollar for every time I have knocked my tape measure behind my sewing table then I would  have lots of dollars . I was seriously considering making another scrap top with this checked / little Japanese girl fabric but again only had 80 cms . Well for this project I had plenty of material and I also managed to save myself from making a dubiously appropriate shirt and I have a place for my errant tape measure ( and quick unpick /  little scissors/ glasses /secret chocolate stash ) . I was pretty happy with the result so I sewed two more for my Mum and a friend using all stash fabric, wool wadding and bias binding .

Well they are the winners :)
Now for the wadder :(
I had lots of black based scraps ranging in age from just last year to 10 years old . I wanted to use my Knipmode magazines and found a windcheater where the fronts and backs  consist of  3 pieces each  . I had enough of the various scraps but did not have a good feeling from the start of the sewing . I got the point of the hems and adding a neck band but OH in capitals . Gosh seriously ugly.  Too many fabrics  ,  too many differing textures and thicknesses  , too big , sleeves too dropped .  Most of the failure is my fault but the sweater is seriously oversized and the sleeves very low .

This photo does not do justice to how ugly the top is . Oh well  , I gave it a try and no big loss. However Bruna I do think you are right and these scraps should have been in the bin long ago.
I am off to lick my wounds now and have cut out a Kwik Sew camisole pattern - quick , easy, needed  and made before so I know it will be a success .
Happy Sewing Janine. Costings : Fabric remnants free in stash. Pattern - $3.00 . Buttons and thread in stash. Total - $ 3.00

Hello Hi-Lo Jumper - Knipmode December 2013.

I am really giving my Knipmode magazines a workout now .  I have been slow to jump on the uneven hem  bandwagon ( which is nothing different from usual ) but I like how the front gently curves out to meet the side seams and a lower back hem hides a lot . 

I used a thin slubby jumper ( sweater ) knit from Darn Cheap bought at the end of 2014 from the $2 table  .  I love the colour but the fabric is a bit delicate so I will have to be careful about snagging . It was also a bit stretchy so I was as careful as possible while sewing it . I was worried the neckline would end up near my navel. 

Knipmode December 2013 . 

The pattern is very simple V neck , slightly dropped shoulder , front centre seam , hi- lo top with pockets . It looked a bit loose fitting on the models so I did NOT add seam allowances to any of the pattern pieces . In retrospect I should have added seam allowances to the neckline but as I will always wear another top underneath I got away with that . I also did not add any hem allowances because I am discovering that Knipmode patterns are quite long . The only other changes I made were to use some navy satin bias binding on the neckline as the pattern uses a facing here  and for the curved hemline. 

I lined  the pockets  with matching scrap satin and finished the pocket tops with more navy binding . Using lining and the bias binding on the pockets actually made it easier to sew the pockets because of the fine stretchy nature of the knit. 

I used steam-a-seam on the sleeve hems , clear elastic at the shoulders but just overlocked and stitched the body hem . I was very careful applying the bias binding to neck line which I think also adds some stability to the stretchy knit as well as a nice contrast. I used a ballpoint needle and the inbuilt walking foot on my sewing maching so making the jumper was not as hard as I worried it would be.

Despite the knit being a bit see through I am happy over all with my new jumper and if the world or I gets tired of hi-lo hems then I can just chop off the back portion. 

So I have now sewn just over 1/2 of all my knipmodes. Just over a year ago I made a resolution to 

sew up garmets from my unused new pattern envelopes and pattern magazines . Unfortunately those pattern piles have increased . 

 Recently Spotlight had a great sale  - all patterns except Vogue were 3 for $9 if you were a member so I bought 6 new patterns . Also the majority of my burdas pictured here were a lucky find -10 for $20 so how could I not be greedy and scoop them up !So lots here to keep me busy for a long long time.  Happy Sewing Janine. 

Costings- Fabric from Darn Cheap $2.60 , Pattern - Knipmode $15, Notions - new ballpoint needles $4.30, thread $2.00, other notions - clear elastic, steam-a-seam, bias binding , pocket lining from stash. Total cost - $23.90

Fresh New Start and Dresses for 2016.

Last year while I was just sitting at my sewing table, my dress form spontaneously fell over - no-one knocked her , there was no wind , she just fell over.  It might have had something to do with the mending and altering I have been piling on top so I took this as The Sign and vowed I would do something about this. I made a list of what needed doing and  for the last couple of months I have been gradually working my way through the pile and crossing off that list - so satisfying !

Fixing up a wonky hem on my dress ( has been waiting for  three years !) with the help of my best friend .
Moving buttons on two of my jackets.
Shortening a silk crepe dress for my middle daughter ( absolutely gorgeous fabric )
Shortening one of my old dresses for my older daughter.
Making a cushion cover for my eldest daughter .
Sewing up some underp@nts  that I had cut out months ago .
Fixing a torn chiffon top for my eldest daughter .
Changing the buttons on some pants for my middle daughter .
Shortening the sleeves on an liberty shirt from the op shop .
Making dishcloths out of old hand towels .
Mending a silk dress for my eldest daughter .
Adding ribbing cuffs to a top I made in 2015 .
Making another pair of underp@nts from a knit dress that would otherwise have been thrown out .
Finally cleaned out my little sewing basket and threw out some rubbishy bits and bobs.

I can now move forward in 2016 without my dress form and my sewing basket making me feel guilty.
Well I do have one cardigan left to alter but I need assistance from a sewing buddy for that as well.
The only thing is that my mending did conceal my very sad looking Daffy duct tape dress form . ( Perhaps I can get a new fancy one in the future ? )

So with all that terribly boring mostly for other people stuff out of the way I have sewn a couple of new very easy dresses.

I used a pattern from Knipmode supplement from March 2014 - Dress 103 .
A really easy pullover scoop neck dress with dropped shoulder sleeves with sleeve bands.
The first dress is made from a present of  Indonesian Batik bought in Singapore by a friend ( who helped me with the hemming ) . It is 100% cotton  . I made the pattern up exactly as shown. I did not hem the dress to make full use of the border print. I also used the darker borders for the sleeve bands and tried to centre the pattern at the front and back .  I wore it during out recent heat waves and the dress was so comfy and cool.

I sewed the dress on the far left . 

The second dress is made from that  single knit where the edges curl up all the time. It was given to me from my Mum . The knit does not have much stretch or good recovery so I may have stretched out the neck a bit. Instead of using a facing I added navy ribbing to the neckline . I added an elastic waist with attached navy grosgrain ribbon by cutting the dress pattern at the waist level , sewing the skirt and bodice together to make a casing and sewing two button holes in the front for the ribbon to tie .
I made size 38 and it is quite roomy . I think the pattern would be good shortened to just a top as well.
These dresses will be getting a good workout soon as  I head up to Townsville with my daughter who is moving there to study - bittersweet times .

Costings. Pattern $15 averaged out including postage costs. Fabric - Batik a gift - Stripe knit free Notions- thread- stash - interfacing -stash - grosgrain ribbon -stash - 2cm wide elastic - 50c ( op shop ) - steam-a-seam - $3.00 ( for the whole new role from the op shop ) Total - $18.50 for the two dresses.

Birds and Blossoms Tunic - Knipmode March 2012.

I managed to sew one more garment before 2015 ends !

Here comes a dog !

This one is more like me - I am definitely a print girl and I love sewing button shirts especially with those front insert yokes .
The pattern is from another knipmode -the bonus magazine  to  the main March 2012 issue  . I could see myself sewing everything in this great little supplement .

Yes you can have a pat . 

I used a rayon print from Spotlight - I saw a top made up in an instagram picture ( no idea who because I get really sucked down into the abyss of instagram ) from this fabric and loved it but I was even more delighted when the owner said it was a recent purchase from Spotlight . I have wanted to sew a bird print garment for myself for ages but  have  never found anything suitable.
Again I found the knipmode  pattern well drafted.  It is a tunic with raglan sleeves and shoulder darts , lined front button up inset , long sleeves with slits and cuffs , sleeve tabs so you can roll up the sleeves and a curved hem. The neckline is finished with a narrow self fabric bias binding strip.  I made size 38 and this fitted well BUT the tunic was so long - almost a dress and I did NOT add the hem allowances.

Terrible photo  which is meant to show the details of the tunic. 

A better close up photo - still hard to see anything though.  I tried to match that upside bird . 

Using the markings on the patterns and closely looking at the garment line drawing and pattern layout I was able to work out how to sew this . I used instructions from a Burda envelope pattern and a Kwik Sew pattern to make sure I was on track with the insert yoke and sleeve slit . I removed about 13cm in length and it is arguably still a bit too long . I am 170cm or 5 foot 7 so the models wearing this tunic must be 6 foot tall !

Looking a bit nightiesque prior to cuffs , hems and neckline finishing. 

Knipmode biljage ( supplement ) March 2012.  Blouse 107. 

I was going to just use cream buttons but they looked insipid . Luckily I  found some buttons where the reverse side matched the blue blossoms and there was just enough !
I love my new tunic although it is too hot to wear it just now  . A great way to finish off 2015. I am not going to bloody miss you 2015 .
Here`s to a content , healthy and peaceful 2016 !

Thank you to my photographer who took an unwitting selfie !

Scrappy Skirt 2 - The Everyday Version.

This skirt came close to being a UFO which I have so far avoided in my sewing room ( piles of mending and altering tell a different story ).
I sewed two skirts several years ago using this peached cavalry drill from Spotlight. I dilligently followed the pattern suggestions for fabric allowances so had a large grrr  when there were generous remnants leftover  not enough for a garment .A couple of years ago I had a lightbulb moment when I realised that combining the fabrics would give enough material for a skirt and being the same drill and toning colours it should sew up well.

I used a pattern from my Knipmode supplement from October 2010 and finally decided dark on the
bottom , waist band and hips ( supposedly to provide an illusion of slimness) . But the resulting skirt was a bit boring for me. I like patterns, textures, any kind of interest . And this is why this skirt was almost a UFO because it took ages to decide on an embellishment. I found lots of beautiful inspiration on the internet but I currently don't have the time to fulfill those kinds of projects.
I checked out Mum's whizzbang price of a small car embroidery sewing machine and she had some really lovely inbuilt designs so I just went with that. Mum and I had fun choosing some colours and I helped snip the threads . We left the back just plain.

The knipmode skirt pattern came together really well . I even managed to use small cotton voile scraps for the waistband lining and inner pockets.

.

I have discovered that sewing up my scraps has been one of my favourite sewing activities this year. I have had to think of creative ways to make it work and  it feels good not to be wasting resources. 

Knipmode Scarf Top -October 2010.

This top really matches our rammed earth wall !

 I have been gradually getting through my unused magazine patterns . This is the scarf top from the supplementary magazine included with Knipmode October 2010. One of the delightful surprises I received when I first bought my Knipmodes was that sometimes they came with an extra small magazine with lots more patterns . I can imagine myself making every pattern in this booklet .
I was attracted to this pattern because I really liked the scarf neckline , the blouson shape and hip hem bands.

I used a mesh knit in purples and browns - the pattern states you need 1.7 metres but I only had 1.5 metres. I was just able to cut this pattern out but the scarf is slightly narrower than designed. The top was very easy to make except I was not exactly sure where to start the scarf attachment at the neckline . Initially I attached it at the right  shoulder but this meant the loose hanging end was too short so I had to unpick all my overlocking and stitching and  start again at the left shoulder. This was much better but I think I may have stretched the neckline because mine looks much lower than what is shown on the models. Ah well I am still overall happy with the top but it means I will always have to wear a camisole with it  and it  reveals more of  my bony chest than I would like  .

I have tried to capture a closer photo of the scarf . It is kept in place by a little loop of fabric sewn to the left side of the front. I discovered this top matches quite well with my faux suede skirt that I sewed over 10 years ago and have not worn !  The skirt was cut from leftovers of a suit I made that I did wear heaps and wore out but for some reason I have never worn this but also never took it to the opshop . So this is a double sewing win .
Happy sewing Janine.

Knipmode May 2012 -Amazing Technicoloured Dream Skirt .

 Hello , I have finished sewing a new outfit in February .

Pattern Used - Knipmode May 2012 - Skirt ( Rok 16 ) . Out of my 4 Knipmode magazines this is my favourite. There are heaps of patterns I want to sew and this particular one was not even on my radar.
I was inspired by a photo of Princess Mary wear a gently pleated colourful skirt with a cowl necked satin top . I finally chose this pattern - a semi-circle skirt with deep box pleats in the front  and in-seam pockets .
The pattern is well drafted and the markings on the pieces are all the directions you need if you have sewn heaps of skirts before.

Fabric - Liberty Tana Lawn - This was a special gift from an English friend posted to me 4 years ago . The print is called Ian Rhodes and was from the Spring/Summer 2011 collection. She suggested I sew a dress and I even bought a couple of dress patterns for this but finally decided I would get more wear by making a skirt and fabric like this deserves to be worn. It is an unusual  liberty print made up of rectangles of   muted  colours of aqua, rose, terracotta , indigo, chartreuse , ecru etc. The colours are so crazily varied but somehow it works ! This is the first time I have ever made myself a garment from Liberty and hopefully not the last. I lined the skirt with some blue whatever stuff that was in my stash as the lawn is too fine as is for a skirt.

 I was so hyped up from sewing this Liberty ( finally ) that I went and bought some - for  another  friend- paying it forward so to speak . She is turning 50 this year and is a seriously good seamstress ( like drafting her own designs, only using natural fibres, proficient at fitting  etc ) . There are hundreds of designs to chose from but the decision was really easy because I chose the one that has her  professional name - how seriously cool and weird  is that -having a liberty fabric name the same as your own .

Now I have so many tops that  match this skirt already but a project like this deserves a new one . So I also sewed a new top .                                                                        

Pattern Used - Simplicity 2418.
Fabric  - Navy charmeuse from the Clegs remnant sale in 2012 . If ever there was a way to slow down your sewing then charmeuse is it.
Slippery and difficult but beautiful. A real prima
donna of fabrics .






And then because I was procrastinating making yet another pair of New Look shorts for my eldest daughter I went and sewed yet another top to match.

Pattern - Simplicity Threads wardrobe  Pattern - 4368 . It includes patterns for a jacket , pants, skirt and top . I love the square neckline with three little pintucks . It only took one metre of fabric and it includes sleeves !
Fabric - lemon light weight silk look dupioni .

OK so now I really don`t have any excuses to not sew that fourth pair of shorts - sigh.
Hope everyone is having a great weekend . Janine.