Gone the sparky, the fiddly and the girly route

So, it took me a half day mulling over what to make next over the last weekend after the quilt top, and home dec-y stuff. That's a short mull for me coz I can really get sidetracked (how weird that word "mull" sounds now).

I chose the sparkiest, fiddliest and imo girliest fabric in my stash, the one that I've bought online (Gorgeous Fabrics) more than a year ago, at least, not knowing what to expect. While loving it upon receipt, was at a loss at what to make of it... Plus was kinda intimidated to cut into it (which was the same story with most of my "precious" stash, all waiting for the time I feel that I'm a bit ahead in my learning curve, and nerve). It's a mint and gold velvet burnout on silk (chiffon), and I have a lil over 3 yards of it.

I think the fabric in different lighting/or day and night will look different as the above pictures.

A simple design that can showcase the fabric. I wanted something like a kimono style or a duster jacket/long coat style, if you may. Which I think a style that would suit me when I think along the lines of Sarah Liz's Body shape style guide for oval/diamond. My interpretation is to wear this open over a skimming/or a lil loose sleeveless hip length top and skinny pants for example.

The quick mull also lends to a rather (surprisingly) quick rummage in my unorganized pattern stash. I unearthed Simplicity 7406, apparently an OOP pattern, that I thrifted back in Iowa for 25 cents. :) The description says that it's a loose-fitting jacket with front band, has full-length sleeves from dropped shoulder line. Comes in size 8-20. I think it's a good base for what I have in mind.

Continuing with the adventurous spirit that seems to come in abundance in this project, I cut a size 20 to ensure fit over my middle and bottom half, and then work it out from there on. My reasoning is that after all, it's a dropped shoulder style anyways, and my fitting issues was always with the shoulders running big, but it should cease to be a problem with this style.

The only change I made to the pattern was to change the sleeves to be straight and a lil wider, in line with the kimono-esque feel I desired. And I cut the fabric. Then I remembered that I never washed/pretreated the fabric before. Duhhh... Yikess! Do I sew and then wash? What if they shrink on me? Sob sob... 

I ended up soaking the cut fabric in a tub with tap water+fabric softener, lightly squashing and thoroughly rinsing them, something I used to always do when washing my silk traditional clothes back when I was in boarding school (high school) and we had to wear traditional clothes or blouses with dressy pants/long skirts during prep classes (I suppose it's like homeroom time in schools here in US? Except that this is in boarding school, so it's a few hours at every weeknight. We have afternoon prep hours too, after lunch and rest, but we have to wear school uniform for that. I guess in uni (lived at home) and then work, my mom and I just send them to the dry cleaners.) Here, I guess I've been lazy and put everything in the washer! Note to self: I really should handwash all my me mades........

Thankfully, it didn't shrunk or anything like that, so the next morning I was able to iron on and proceed. The instruction was easy breezy, very short. I french seamed all seams (not in the instruction, but I've made enough french seamed projects to remember to add the step this time).

Oh, by the way, I saw that the selvage is kinda nice and I wanted to use that as a hem feature on the sleeves and the jacket's front band. For the sleeves, I just made sure that I cut the sleeves pieces with the selvage on the hem edge. ;)

So after the front bodice pieces sewn to the back piece (and french seamed), and then the sleeves attached to the dropped shoulders (and french seamed), I pin and basted (i do a lot of pin and hand basting in all my projects) the sides  together and tried it on (before stitching and then french seamed). Man.... It was too big around the chest area. Now, looking at the pattern pieces, am not sure if this is because I cut a size 20 straight (probably more coz of the style), coz usually my bust go with size 16, and my shoulders go with size 14. Usually. But worry not. In true Far fashion, I just pinned and marked to where I want the sides to be (sewn in one time from sleeves to sides). 

Now its a better skimming to the bust and flowy from there on down. Rather than a kimono style, it's kinda resembled a loose kebaya (another variation of the traditional malay dress). Which is not a bad thing. After all, the month-long Eid celebration will commence in early August after we're done with this fasting month. Now I have something festive to don, in case I don't have time to work on my intended dress (tunic and long skirt) in the fabric I planned for that to match with my boys (my extended family is big on matchy colors for our many celebrations, it makes for fun photo session).

Okay, I'm jumping the gun here by posting the finished outfit. But I forgot to take picture of it while it was baggy (coz there was frenzy of stuff around the house as well as this project related) and I was trying and pinning and basting and so on. Oh... did I tell you that the gold part sheds so much? From start to the end, and I know it will keep on shedding! I've never had to sweep and vacuum so many times in my life, esp for just one project! Last time my clothes shed so much was the fully beaded (again on chiffon!) wedding solemnization dress of mine. (Nope, didn't shed during the ceremony (didn't notice anyways LOL), but I've worn it a number of times up to early pregnancy (mainly events like Eid party) and I shed tiny glass beads everywhere! Hmmm... I wish I can fit into it again. No, it wasn't a me made, but I love the fabric! Refashion it? Hmmmm.... Not yet I guess.)

I'll back up a bit to the part of the front band, and wanting to use the fabric selvage as a finish/feature. I cut 2 pieces of the band pattern with the selvage there of course. Then I join the 2 pieces to make one long band (this is as instruction) french seam style (my preference). Then I iron the band in half right side together, and sandwiching the staystiched front of the bodice (like in pic below) I hand baste and then machine stitch it down (making sure that the selvage part will be on the front).

Iron them. This is how it looks like after stitching down. Oh, and I stitch and fold/iron 1/4 inch of the raw edge of the front band:

Pin the band together and baste (the selvage part to the folded down raw edge on the inside):

 And topstitch down.

Iron iron..... Lots of ironing, and shedding, and sweeping, etc etc.

What's left was hemming the bottom part. But I let it hang on the dressform whole day, before I made a tiny (for me) hem the boring dirty way: stitch 1/4 inch at the bottom, iron and fold over on the stitchline, pink cut the seam to smaller, then fold and iron a tiny hem, and then stitch down approx 3/8 inch. Iron. Done. Phew.

FRONT

BACK: I dunno why one of the sleeves look longer than the other here. I assure you it's not so in real life. I think. LOL.

And that's that.

For my friends over at the 2013 Style the Stash Sewalong, I think I might have used 2 1/2 yards for this. :)

What's next? Quilt the baby quilt already! and then another shirt for hubby with some tweaks to be done from his first shirt during the June stashbusting. And maybe a button up shirt for the Bean too... Ah, plans... we'll see about that!

Smiles,
Far

Abstract Polka Dot Maxi Skirt with Hat

:) Today's photo theme for the Me-Made-May '13 is hat, and since I have pattern Vogue V8844 in the stash for months now, it's the perfect time and excuse to make it! :)

I suppose this is a refashion project, coz the main fabric used for the hat was what's left from the pants that I cut up firstly to up-size my linen blend jacket, while the contrast fabric was leftover from one of my sad skirt projects. (P/s: I made View A)

And, here worn for the first time my yoga waistband maxi skirt (a Simplicity pattern that I can't recall right now but will link later. Hey, it's Simplicity 1616!) done up in a bold print ITY knit called Urban Moon that I got from Marci Tilton's booth during the March 2013 Sew Expo in Puyallup. (They don't have it on their website in this color anymore, but there's one with black background with grays, taupes and teals which is quite lovely too). Mine is burnt orange with black, chocolate browns, beige, emerald green I think. :)

What do you think? Isn't it quite bold of me?

Really nice weather today. It was nice to walk a bit by the waterfront and then grab some shrimp and fries with the Bean. :)

Have a great weekend y'all! And happy sewing!

Far

2013 Refashion #2: Light Jacket Upsizing & Relining

A lengthy refashion project I started a couple of weeks ago: to upsize my old linen jacket and reline it.

• In order to evaluate how much to add to the too-small jacket, I unpick the lining and used that as my "muslin". I guestimated that I needed 3 inches added to each sides of the front bodice and under-arms of the kimono sleeves for wearing ease. I contemplated under-arm gussets for a while, but ditched that plan and stick to just adding panel insets. I added the same amount to panel inserts for the jacket.
• I used the matching linen pants to cut up panel inserts for the jacket.

• Using the old lining-turned-muslin as pattern pieces, I cut out new lining for the upsized jacket out of a set of thrifted grey and beige rayon blouse and skirt.

I am very happy with the outcome! The relining took 2/3 of the sewing time because I got side tracked by other ongoing projects and a sewing meetup I went to this recent Saturday (was the first actual sewing meetup I participated in, I had great fun and did not feel out of place! How could I not: talking to kind and warm adults other than my husband about sewing, fabric, crafts and whatnots without the toddler sitting on my projects or trying to pull out my pins? :) )

I did not re-sew the buttons and snaps back on (there wasn't buttonholes on the original, the self-covered buttons were just there for embellishment) because I kind of like it left open like that. Very casual. (I might consider adding some sort of closures in the future...)

~

Currently on my sewing table: 

• Refashion project of an ultrasuede skirt to a handbag (status: pattern adjusted and pieces cut)
• A white rayon-cotton knit V1261 alice + olivia vogue patterns view A (status: maybe 80% done, but man, i'm now thinking that at this stage of my sewing clothes I should consider getting a serger finally. sewing a light knit on regular sewing machine is a beast. Not looking for anything fancy, a lower end but can do good cover stitch, rolled hem, and whatnot. Using twin needles and this and that fancy detachable feet on my regular, cheap but beloved sewing machine is not cutting it anymore...)

Anybody have any suggestion on a good lower end (by that i meant $300 and lower) serger/overlock to start on? Are you using one currently?

Blog-anniversary Refashion!

My little blog is one this month. From my own personal history, it's quite an exciting feat to last this long and to finish any project... And I've finished quite a number of projects since starting (sewing), and have this space to document them. I think I still have 3 UFOs, but I think I can go back to those and get them done by end of the year.. :)

Anyways, I wanted to do a refashion to celebrate! The remainder of our boxes arrived the other day, and among the things I kept for this purpose is this:

Before

A black and white stripey knit blazer from Zara (Basics). I had it maybe 5 years at least, and have worn it about 5 times, max. The fit and cut are great (eventhough 5 years later wearing it buttoned up feels like I'm a stuffed sausage), but the stripes are too severe on me hence why I don't like to wear it out much. Maybe if the stripes are thinner and smaller? :) What a pity because I really do like this princess cut blazer.

So, chop chop. A special refashion for my blog-niversary is in order. I want a slouchy clutch-y bag for me out of this blazer! :)

Retained the blazer front. Cut it out the size of 2 A4 papers taped together

Manipulated the back piece a bit, some pinching darts, added some fabric on the side, and then cut out the size of 2 A4 papers taped together like the front

Play around with different look with fabric from my stash, and this is the winning look

It's a faux leather fabric, thrifted for $3 back in Iowa

Here I was applying self-fabric piping to the edges

Found this thick satin-y hot pink/fuchsia fabric from my stash (in one of the boxes) that will be perfect and loud for my lining

Sewing lining onto the inside of the zippers (thrifted). Lining pockets are sewn before that.

After!!! My slouchy clutch-y bag

View of back of bag

Sewn rescued metal snaps

View of the inside of the bag

So there :) After making clothes from scratch for a stretch, it is quite satisfying to go back and do a pretty involved refashion. I feel like I am getting in touch with my roots somehow. LOL.

*****

Anyways, I think I've mentioned before our huge move back in May that I want to do a giveaway of the patterns I am hoarding. I do have a lot of nice patterns (mostly thrifted) that I am sure other people will find better use for than I would. I'll have to sort through them first before putting them up (wasn't able to do it before the move), but it will be soon before the month end for sure.... (once I know how to do a giveaway of course...)

2 sweater dresses

Ok. I've completed my 2nd sweater dress (refashion project) and it's time to post them both. I am not so thrilled with the end results - they look severe/a little too formal - but I will still be wearing them this winter with chunky belt and boots. And since I can't function when it's cold, you can usually just only see my face under layers of scarves, and extra large down jacket, I suppose it doesn't matter. I am not hating them. Just not loving them.

Sweater dress #1:

The top part of the dress was made from a thrifted merino wool sweater that I bought for my husband. He loved it, wore it once, and then poof! I accidentally shrunken it! Oopsie. The bottom/skirt part is from thrifted XL men's cotton sweater. It's very heavy and warm.

Firstly, I cut off the sleeves, side seams and the bottom band of the merino wool sweater (The sweater was all wonky now that it's shrunken). It was smaller than before of course, but the fit at the shoulder for me was not right too. Hence the reason why I chopped it off. I used probably one of my TNT bodice and sleeves pattern to scale it down and shape the sweater and sew. I cut off the sleeve bands and just left them as they are.

The picture above is of the cotton sweater I used for the bottom/skirt part. Because the sweater is thick and heavy (and because I always wear tights), I chose not to line it. I cut off the neck area straight across and also the sleeves. I made sure to zigzag the areas where I cut into the sweater as they unravels, unlike with the shrunken merino wool top. After that, I stitched the sides to close where the sleeves were chopped off, making sure that it will fit my waist/tummy area.

Then I just sew the top part to the bottom. And thus I have sweater dress #1 done (last week). I wore it once when we went to the mall. Dress, belt, tights, boots, and a black leather jacket. I was a little warm that day in the mall, but perfectly fine when we were walking outside. It is getting colder and colder this week though.

Sweater dress #2:

This project was a lot of work. The "raw materials" are a thrifted plaid wool jacket, a thrifted sweater and a thrifted black cotton knit skirt.

Here is the picture of the plaid wool jacket before I took the seam ripper through it:

It is actually my size, but it was too long so looked a bit dated on me. I did purchase it (and a few others) to be refashioned anyways, so I don't have any qualms about "harvesting" fabric from it. And there was a lot of fabric from this jacket! So I decided to make a tie front top with bust darts. (I've made a tunic with this kind of neckline last month from a thrifted cotton plaid set - i love plaids- of top and skirt from Land's End brand. Initially I thought they were pyjama set, but probably not with the pleated skirt.)

I started this project with the sweater that was to be the skirt of the dress. It is acrylic material, super soft and unravels a lot. I cut off all the seams and sleeves, and used the thrifted cotton black knit skirt as a lining to the skirt (My thought is that it will add structure and warmth). I used an A line skirt I have as a pattern guide to shape the skirt pieces.

I used the sweater's sleeves as the dress' sleeves after adjusting the size a little. I attach the sleeves to the bodice, then attach the front of the skirt piece to the front part of bodice and the back piece of the skirt to the back part of the bodice. Then I just sew straight on from the sleeves to the bodice to the skirt, both sides....

I had to baste and handsew a lot for this project, so it took all week to complete. I work on it when I can - when the baby naps, and when I am not distracted by the internet.... I can't say how long it would have taken me if I work on this straight :) I like this dress better than the first one. I like the color better on me, and it's looser fit too, which I prefer.

-----

I will still be making more sweater dresses in the future I'm sure. With a more casual style that suits my life. I have some ideas, but will have to see if I have all the materials I needed to make them. We'll see.