Sparkly Pencil Skirt (or another New Look 6128)

Hello lovely people,

I've been at a meeting in Carlisle today for the new job. I get that for other people the travelling for work thing becomes tiresome very quickly, but I'm riding the wave of 'a day out of the office?' Woooo! We got the train (love trains) and I got a chance to chat to more of my new colleagues, and I had m&s falafel and hummus followed by too many sausage rolls. So a winner all day really.

I've been a bit tired recently due to the new job, I think it's just tiring using your brain a bit more, trying to get your head round a lot of new concepts, even chatting to new people. It all adds up, so sewing has been more of a difficulty this week, just because I'm so tired when I get back that I want to veg out. But I have managed a couple of gifts, two of which need to be posted,,,, now! So I'll be wrapping and finishing things this evening (once I drag myself off the sofa).

Otherwise, I'm very much feeling the festive cheer. I'm looking forward to catching up on my blog roll (I'm so behind due to aforementioned work tired), plus I follow so many now that keeping on top of it can be hard when I've got a good book. But I refuse to remove anyone dammit!

So anyway, here's another New Look 6128. This is my fifth version of this skirt, so there isn't a lot to say except only that three of these now exist 'cause I keep making them out of wool, which I then shrink in the wash. So I'm glad this is 100% washable (apart from the sequins).

This is one of my favourite outfits, I love the shape of the jumper mixed with the straight skirt. I wear this to work, and at the weekend, and any other day I can get away with basically. It feels smart, and comfy, and I love that this material has been recycled. 

I could possibly have ironed this.... ah well! I bought this fabric back in the bygone days of my working at Abakhan in Manchester. It's lovely stuff with white sequins on the fabric. I originally made it in a dress, but in standard style for back then I made it up as I went along pinning on my dummy (that isn't even the same size as me, pinning and adding straps as I went along in hope of making a well fitting dress. 

It did fit ok... but I had so little knowledge of sewing then that it was a bit of a mess. I loved the fabric though so I took it apart, and made a new skirt from the leftovers.

The pattern matching... almost works! And if you squint it works perfectly

So that's it! Hope you're feeling festive now, and have everything ready and are laughing at poor fools like me who thought we could have it all!

Stars in their eyes interview dress

One of my goals for this year is to develop a 'work wardrobe', staple dresses and skirt/ shirt combinations that I can throw on in the morning and feel smart. I want to able to show my unique style, whilst feeling like a boss (not for sensitive eyes).

This dress is the first step on that road! I love this dress, I feel smart and stylish, I can wear dramatic tights of all colours and shapes, and I got to stretch my embroidery skills on something other than home projects which was cool. I might try and do some more of this, maybe some flowers like the one from this cushion on the bottom edge of a similar dress? I feel the need for a bit of a spring make.

The dress is a combination of the pastille bodice, and New Look 6128 (shocker of a skirt choice). I made a christmas party dress last year (yet to blog about) and I love the neckline for a night out, but for work it's a bit on the low side. I altered the neckline of the bodice by lying out the pattern piece on some medical paper, drawing out my adjusted pastille bodice and free-handing a scooped look with my french curve.

I then cut out my lining in black linen-look cotton from Minerva, which I bought to make another New Look 6128 (never blogged... hmm sensing a theme), which I made last year for something light to wear in the summer months. I've got loads left and have been using it to muslin dress bodices, and then using this muslin as a lining for the actual bodice.

I am very proud of the finish of this dress, it is fully lined, with black bias edging on sleeves and the bottom of the skirt. It really picks out the black of the embroidery.

I went for a non-static generic lining for this project. I like the way it swishes when I walk, and I know my tights aren't going to get stuck on it. Probably should have ironed the lining for this pic but you get the idea.















In order to do the embroidery, I completed the bodice, attaching the lining to the neckline, and under-stitching. I then tacked on some silk organza to stabilise the fabric, and to give a white surface to draw on. I then free-hand drew on the design I was after with a water soluble pen, and stitched with black polyester thread the outline of the stars so that it would show through on the right side of the dress.

I then filled in these stars with a combination of backstitch, french knots and brick stitch.

In order to create the design, I pinned some images of stars on my pinterest board, to give me an idea of what I was looking for. Originally I was planning on creating a pdf which I could use as a template, but once I reached that point, I found it easier to draw the stars on by eye. It was easy once I knew what I was looking for. I thought about doing free-hand machine embroidery for the stars but after some practice realised I liked the control of the hand-stitching.

I even got to match my pockets to the star-theme, with some stitched together very last scraps of my planet fabric.

And now, for making it through all the techie bits... me and an umbrella!... and yes, I chopped off all my hair! :-D

Red Checker Skirt

I'm back to some proper sewing posts! Hoorah! Though if I'm honest I made this skirt last Summer so this post is a bit long in the making. I loved the process of making this skirt, and was so excited while in the process as I thought it would be gorgeous. And then I tried it on.. and though it fit very well, and I was really proud of the finish, it just didn't really suit me (not to my mind anyway). 

I think choosing to make an a-line skirt with this material was where I went wrong. 

When I was making it, the material looked all flowing and lovely, but obviously as I made a slim a-line skirt, the flowing loveliness disappeared.          

In order to make the skirt I adapted New Look 6128, using a combination of the original width of the straight skirt, and overlaying the a line version over the top to add extra fullness.

I then added a placket down the centre based on the back placket on Tilly's Mathilde blouse.

Some of you may recognise that I made Mr T his tie from this skirt material. On the bodice you can see how I wanted it to look, and below is how it looks on me. Not quite right, it catches on my hip and then kicks out, not a great look.

I know how to fix it though. I think I'm going to add a panel in the sides of the skirt in the shape of a trapeze between the side seams, add another couple of pleats, hopefully that will give it back that flowing loveliness like on Betsy!

Don't forget to join my pattern pyramid competition. Time is running out! 

MMM'13 Week 2 Day 1

Apologies for the delay in last weeks posts, I have no excuse except extra special tiredness and Mr T's birthday... in order to keep some element of interest I'll post these once a day over the next three days, and resume normal service on Sunday.