planning

T-shirt Block. Again. (aka Burda 2012-09-123 part 1)

Leave a comment

So while Saffy’s at the sewing machine hospital, I decided to tackle fitting for my upcoming projects…By way of a detour of course!

I needed to get to grip with Burda sizing. So I’m using Burda 2012-09-123 as a basic T-shirt block.

bs-2012-09-123_tech   fabric-gold-lycra-wrongfabric-gold-lycra-right

The plan was originally to use the muted gold lycra from Tissu Fabrics / Tia Knight as muslin. But I’ve since fallen in love with it. Especially after seeing Dolce & Gabbana’s Fall / Winter 2013 collection…


Photo credit: Style.com

I loved Byzantine art when I took art history in college. All that old muted gold. Yum.

So the new plan is to make a proper version of Burda 2012-09-123. After much deliberation, I’ve decided to use the shinier side for the shoulder detail pieces and the darker, more muted side for rest of the body. I want to avoid my trunk from appearing thicker than it is.

Then play with the different tones of gold fabric paint to create mosaic design or Byzantine icon of some sort on the front. Hopefully one of the gold fabric paint will match the shade of the fabric’s shinier side. I might also add a line painting of something like this on the back!

(Machine embroidery design from Urban Threads.)

If I only had an embroidery machine…Though it still wouldn’t help on a stretch fabric like this!

Next up fitting alteration & muslining…

Franken-patterning

Leave a comment

So, winter has returned to London again after a week’s break. And despite my recent ‘achievements’ I still feel like I have nothing to wear when I dress for work in the morning.

With that in mind I decided my next projects need to be practical winter tops that I’ll be able to wear immediately. I have a light weight wool jersey and a sweater knit I want to use up.

fabric-lt-wool-jersey-001I’ve been eying Burdastyle 2011-11-114 for the light-weight wool jersey ever since the pattern came out. But I’m not convinced by the weird upper back, the dropped shoulder with skinny sleeves (is that a weird bump I see at the shoulder tip seam?), nor the length (seems like it’d only be good with skinny pants and pencil skirts). But I love the wrap front drape. So I’m thinking of a Franken-pattern with shortened Burdastyle Blumarine 2011-06-139 bodice and sleeves (what I originally planned for the turquoise leopard print fabric – I might still make it yet) + the front neckline of Burdastyle 2011-11-114.

bs-2011-06-139_tech-mod + bs-2011-11-114_tech-mod = goal-lt-wool-jersey ?

fabric-sweater-knit-001And for the sweater knit, I’m thinking of a silhouette like this Jigsaw sweater I got from a friend during a cloth swap.

inspiration-jigsaw-sweaterI loved that sweater. I didn’t think I would. But its 60ish vibe worked really well with both skinny pants and this A-line skirt I also got during the cloth swap. Oh how I cried when I accidentally shrunk the sweater. I was considering knitting a replacement, but knitting takes too long and my knitting skill is unreliable.

So, I’m thinking of using Burdastyle 013-02-121 Flared Tunic as the base, drop the front collar slit, tame the sleeve flare a bit, shorten the tunic, and add a wide tube collar.

bs-2013-02-121_tech-mod  =>    goal-sweater-knit   ?

What do you think? Would either of these mashups work? Or am I mad like Frankenstein? 🙂

And you, do you do much pattern mashing / Franken-patterning?

Fashionably Late Of Course

Leave a comment

Hurrah, I finally have my cutting table back. For over a couple of months now it’s been the dumping ground for our bathroom bits while the room was getting a make over.

Pretty Grievances's Jungle January Party

So that’ll be my official excuse for not arriving at Pretty Grievances’ Jungle January party on time. Not that I’m there yet. But finishing that Plenty Good Enough tote bag has emboldened me to get on with my Psychedelic Leopard projects.

20121111_112221.jpg

Projects plural I said. For I’m ambitiously trying to squeeze 2 tops and 1 skirt out of 2 yards of the 60″ wide turquoise leopard print fabric. Remember, this is the fabric that if I were to follow instruction obediently wouldn’t even be enough for 1 wrap dress. But tweaking the McCall 6078 view B cowl neck top I made last summer, I discovered I can go way down in size, especially with these stretchy spandex jersey. So I’m hoping that by going down to a size 4-6/XS and then some (from a recommended size 12), then throw in industry standard narrower seam allowances for knit, I just might conjure up a miracle.

But just in case, I’ve already purchased another 3-1/2 yards of this lovely from B&J Fabrics. Just need to hop on a plane to pick it up from my brother’s across the pond. Going by my sewing rate though there’ll be plenty of time to pick it up. (Speaking of stashes, OMG, have you checked out Modern Vintage Cupcakes and Mercury – Handmade Fashion‘s stashes? Big sigh of relief that I’m not alone.)

So here’s Plan A:

Burdastyle Magazine 2012-05-113 skirt
BSmag_2012-05-113B_tech.gif

Donna Karan Vogue Pattern 1282 cowl-neck top
1282-top-line

Burdastyle Magazine Blumarine 2011-06-139 wrap dress
shortened to be a 3/4 sleeve wrap shirt
bsmag-2011-06-139_tech.gif

Next up:

Tracing out & adjusting the patterns. And pray, pray, PRAY that I won’t need a Plan B.

Honey, really, I don’t have enough…

Leave a comment

The Spring Coat(s) have fallen by the way side of course. My next project(s) of fantasy desire will be fashioned from this gorgeous turquoise leopard print jersey from B&J Fabrics. Drool.

turq leopard print jerseyturq leopard print jerseyturq leopard print jersey

My initial thoughts were a cowl neck top and a wrap dress.

Actually, this fabric looks a lot like the one Assorted Notions used for her Burda Blumarine wrap dress (Burdastyle Magazine 2011-06-139).

bsmag-2011-06-139_tech

I don’t think it’s exactly the same, at least from what I can see of her close-ups. Mine has short strokes in the turquoise area presumably to simulate the furriness of leopard skin. Anyway, I love her wrap dress. But I’m not sure it would work so well on my rectangular figure – you need a bit of VaVaVroom to bring this preternatural creature to live. But at least it’s an option.

Then there’s Vogue 8379, a classic DvF style wrap dress that everyone seem to rave about.

V8379B_line

Or the slightly straighter Vogue 8784, though that’s designed for woven rather than knit so might have too much ease.

V8784B_line

And for the cowl neck, I think McCall 6078 view B can be pressed into service again, maybe with an extended collar to up the drape quotient.

M6078B_line

Then I thought this cowl neck might be a good accent to build a wardrobe sewing plan around. Looking through my other swatches there are a few that would be a lovely combination with this. Hmmm…maybe I should make that wrap dress a separate 3/4 sleeve top and skirt to up the mix-and-match possibilities.

Maybe Vogue 8790 for the top and Burdastyle Magazine 2012-05-113 for the skirt. I’d probably line the skirt with a power mesh for a bit more heft – this knit is a bit on the thin side. And I’ll have to insert a zipper because the fabric doesn’t really have enough stretch.

V8790C_lineBSmag_2012-05-113B_tech

I was getting quite giddy from the thoughts of all these possibilities. So imagine my dismay when I discovered that my 2-1/4 yards are not even enough for one of those wrap dresses.

With all my expensive fabric habit, I failed where it counts. Am so regretting not getting more. Now I can’t find anything as nice. 🙁

It’s always the case. I’d find some heavenly but expensive fabric. I’d think to myself if I only get a yard or two it’ll still be somewhat affordable. And then I’d find myself afraid to make anything because I have so little of it that I can’t decide what to make. Where as the uglier cheaper stuff I’d get yards and yards, but then not be inspired to make anything.

I’ll have to wait until my brother’s gone home to spread out the fabric and see what I can possibly squeeze out of it. Wish me luck on that!

But what do you think? If you have 2-1/4 yards of this fabric, what would you make? And if you find a gorgeous fabric what’s the minimum you’d usually buy?

A month of wishful thinking

Leave a comment

No sooner had I come back from holiday than my brother announced he’d like to see just a little bit of Old Europe. He had never been this side of the pond. And being a new graduate with no job lined up yet, could I please put him up for 3 weeks. How can a big sis say no right?

So the sewing room is to be sacrificed to an airbed and the cutting table to computing and dinners. (We never eat at the table ourselves, what being couch potatoes and all. But when you have guests, it just doesn’t seem proper!)

Another week is given up to tidying and scrubbing it all down. I suspect there’ll be very little – if any – sewing done in Nov 🙁 All I can do is a bit of planning at best. Or more likely wishful thinking.

Or a bit of that perennial British hobby: moaning (complaining). This time about the dearth of fancy lining and interlining for the Spring Coats. Where are the Kashas / Sunbacks (flannel backed satin lining) and the lambs wool interfacing? I thought the Great British Tailoring would translate into a wealth of tailoring knick knacks and supplies. Obviously not.

I envy those in NYC who can pop down to my favorite B&J Fabrics where they supposedly have Sunback / Kasha lining in “oodles of colors, even a print or two, at $10.95 a yard!” according to Meg of Shop The Garment District blog.

And lambs wool interfacing…where are people getting these? I see it mentioned left right and center. But the only source I see mentioned is the now defunct Greenberg and Hammer in NYC. And the only other one I can find on Google is Bergen Tailors & Cleaners Supply Corp, again in the US of A.

Maybe the native Brits are made of sturdier stuff, so no need for warmth and insulation to keep out the damp cold. Not so for this Tropical Baby. The search continues. Maybe a trip to NYC? Now that’s really Wishful Thinking!