Take 4 - the pants edition

Pinstriped pants and matching cat!

During a de-stash last year, (which saw me sell 4 boxes of fabric no longer "sparking joy" at Fabric-a-Brac) I came across three trouser length pieces of lightweight wool - one black, one navy, and one brown with blue pinstripe, each $3 at the Sallies some years earlier, and 5 metres of $5 per metre "fire-damaged" grey wool/cashmere from Pete's Emporium.  (A good wash and line-dry in the wind shortly after purchase got rid of a faint damp/smoky odour).

Desperately needing to replace my black work pants after 6 years of wear, I grabbed my favourite self-made trouser pattern, and promptly cut all four fabrics, plus lining to the knee for each. 

Then they languished for months, until my sewing bee a few weeks ago.

Since returning to work this year, they've all been worn at least once, and will be fabulous when the seasons turn towards the cooler months again.

Each a welcome addition to my wardrobe.

The Kelly Coat – vintage Style 1671

As soon as I saw the coat fabric in The Fabric Warehouse, I snapped up a few metres - that green! What a colour! At that stage I had no idea what style coat to make, but just HAD TO HAVE IT. However, it shrank badly in it's pre-wash (a good 20cm+ per metre), and of course by then the store had sold out of it. With the right pattern and some carefully cutting I knew there was still just enough to make a coat, I just had to be patient until things fell into place. So, into the stash it went for some years, to be admired and fondled at regular intervals, with dreams of what it could become.

Finally, with some tricky edits to vintage pattern Style 1671 (from 1976), the dream has been realised. The length is about half way between the jacket and coat illustrated on the pattern cover, but unfortunately I had to eliminate the centre back pleat. There are side seam pockets and the belt is cobbled together out of scraps, with joins cleverly disguised under belt loops. And I used the Spanish Snap Buttonholes technique again.

If I were to use this pattern again I'd repeat the yoke shaping on the front, as I really like this detail, especially topstitched. Also I'd modernise the collar shape from it's the classic huge 70's style. For it to stand up as pictured it's tacked down around the back from shoulder seam to shoulder seam, otherwise it falls flat and is really wide!

Buttons are from Buttonmania in Melbourne bought back in 2013, lining from The Fabric Warehouse.

NB. I've replaced the shoulder pads with smaller ones since the photo shot - could only find mens pads late on night I was doing the finishing touches, and of course I wanted to wear it the next day!

But it's my colour, Mum!

Vintage McCall's 3932 and the Purple Rain Dress

Y'know how sometimes something starts off a bit wrong, and then just gets progressively worse? Well, that happened here.

Mistake No.1 was buying fabric on TradeMe I had an inkling wasn't quite what it seemed. When it arrived, instead of being a lovely rich burgundy, it was a shabby dusky pink. Inkling had me ask "Is colour true to image?" before I purchased (assured it was – it wasn't). Don't get me wrong, dusky pink is a gorgeous on the right complexion; however it's my 'nude', thanks to a good smattering of Irish in my bloodline. So, the ghastly thing went into the pot with the next round of dyeing—purple. Success – a much better colour for my skin tone.

Fitting was Mistake No.2. This pattern is a little too small all over for me, but I must have carried the 1 too many times while working out how much extra to add because it ended up 10 cm too large. And of course I'd put in the pockets before discovering this – oh joy, more to unpick!

Finally, thought it was all finish, and tried it on to check everything looked ok, turned around to see the back view – and instead of the bodice blousing nicely at the waist, I had an ugly poochy back roll. ARRGH! The back neck to waist measurement needed to be shortened by 3.5cm – yet more unpicking.

So at the moment, I'm feeling a little ho-hum about this dress. Can't even be bothered taking decent photos of it. It might have to hang in the naughty corner of the wardrobe for a while until I forgive and forget. Sigh.

On the plus side, I'm chuffed with the belt I made for it using the wrong side of the fabric, topstitched in black thread. One little spark of genius in that big gloomy cloud.

Wish I could join Snaggle-Puss today, it's so dreadfully wet outside. Awww, isn't he sweet.
Had issues imbedding this video of Prince singing "Purple Rain" from the movie into the post, but click on the link if you'd like a trip down memory lane. The costumes are fabulous!

Update 04/12/14: forgiven and forgotten. Incredibly practical dress - always looks elegant and polished with minimal effort - just slip it on, step into shoes and I'm on my way!

Merino cardigan from a snagged jersey

One of my cats is a “Hemingway cat”. Amazing as his big paws are, he has problems shedding the claws on his extra digits. If they haven’t been clipped in a while, he snags soft furnishings, carpets, clothing. Demonstrated here.

Unfortunately, a fairly new jersey of Sunny's fell victim to a loving cuddle with snaggle-puss, and was rendered unwearable by a big hole and ladder down the front.

Too good to throw out, I recut it into a bolero style cardigan for myself. The pattern is one of my own, adjusted to fit the confines of the original jersey, including extra seams in discreet places (like the facings) because there was only just enough fabric. I’ve got no idea where the fastenings came from, they've been hanging out in "the trims stash" for so long.

 Since finishing last week, I've wore it several times already, it's so versatile. A welcome addition to my wardrobe.

How to make Spanish Snap Buttonholes

Hey, you can teach an old dog new tricks!

I’ve been making bound buttonholes for years, but have often been frustrated at how large the “lips” are, no matter what I did to make them smaller.

Then last weekend I discovered Spanish Snap Buttonholes in a book I’ve had for ages “Couture - the art of fine sewing” by Roberta Carr. Now, I have to admit, I often overlooked this book in favour of others in my collection because of the photos inside - eyewatering 1980’s outfits (be aware!). I’m taking a fresh look at it now to see what other techniques it contains for future use.

I found these buttonholes were much easier to make than regular bound buttonholes. Here’s how:

First, make a oval template on a bit of cardboard 7.5cm (3 inches) by 5cm (2 inches). Make a rectagular box first, mark in centre lines and freehand the curves.

Find the true bias of your fabric (absolutely crucial to use the bias so the lips wrap correctly) and on the wrong side chalk the bias line, or use a basting stitch if you prefer. Centre your oval template longways on this line and mark up as many ovals as you need for buttonholes, plus one for a trial run.

Once you cut them out, mark the centre point of each oval, then measure and mark half the width of your button on each side of this centre point (longside). Mark out 3mm (1/8 inch) each side of centre point (shortside). These are the points you’ll stitch to in curved lines. You can chalk/baste the whole stitching line if you like.

Next, mark the position of the buttonholes on the right side of your garment. Centre each oval wrong side up over this line in the correct distance from the front edge for the size of your button; pin in place. In this example, my buttons are 28mm, therefore the ovals sit 1cm in from the front edge. (If they were much smaller, I imagine the ovals would extend past the garments edge.)

Now, using a small stitch length on your machine, stitch an ‘squinty eye’ shape with pointy ends. Slash through the centre and out to the points, being careful not to cut the stitching.

Turn through to the wrong side of garment, take hold of each end of the oval and tug once in a firm ‘snap’. Voila! The bias will wrap neatly around the seams and you have made a lovely buttonhole.

Press. I found I could press them to either have no lips or really narrow ones (which are demonstrated here).

If necessary, trim oval to sit back from the seam allowance.

(Ms Carr suggested pressing a little fusible web at each end to keep in place, but I didn’t bother, because once they’re stitched to the facings they’ll hold in place.)

As you can see, I’ve now sewn my jacket and attached the facings, but not the lining.

To make the buttonhole facings, place a pin in the corner of each buttonhole, right through the facing.

Flip the garment over and chalk/baste the buttonhole points onto the facing, using the pins as a guide. (If you look closely, you’ll see yellow-head pins pointing to my white chalk marks).

Cut retangles of fusible interfacing 7.5cm (3 inches) by 5cm (2 inches) – use those scraps you’ve been saving! Chalk/baste buttonhole markings onto the sticky side of the fusible, and pin to the facing, right sides together.

Once again, using a small stitch length on your machine, stitch an ‘squinty eye’ shape just past the chalked/basted points of the buttonhole. Before you cut, pin through the buttonhole to check again they’re lining up, then slash through the centre and out to the points, being careful not to cut the stitching.

Push the fusible through the hole, and trim to sit within the seam allowance. Carefully press fusible to the facing. (Of course a cat had to get in at least one picture!)

Line up your buttonholes and facings and pin and/or baste.

When you have finished your garment, slip-stitch the facings to the buttonholes.

Gorgeous!

Rain, rain, come this way

Wellington has been experiencing the most glorious dry, sunny summer its had in 66 years. However, as there has been no significant rain in almost four months, (and one storage lake empty for earthquake strengthen since spring) there's now a total ban on outdoor water use (eg, cleaning the car, watering the garden) and we've also been asked to reduce personal water use by about 30 litres per person per day - thats about three minutes less in the shower, or ten half-flushes less of the toilet!

All this nice weather has seen me spending a lot of time outdoors, away from the computer and sewing machine, trying to shape the jungle that is my backyard into some sort of usable space. I seized the opportunity on the one slightly overcast day we’ve had to cut out a new winter jacket - of course with a little help. Here’s Sootsta demonstrating the ancient technique of cattus in unguem configere posset in exemplar (cat-claw-pins-the-pattern) leaving me no option but to retaliate with also very old simulant ad legere in nuntius-papyrus (pretend-to-read-the-newspaper) distraction technique.

And thank you to cation designs for the Sewing with Cats blog award. I'm honoured to receive it.

My little helpers

Had to chuckle when I read of Erica at Recycled Fashion sewing under the watchful eye of Her Royal Catness. I have exactly the same problem help from my furry friends.

(Clockwise from top left - Madame Velvet Paws checks the pattern; Sootstar (x2) pressing fabric; Mr T (x3) making an adjustment to the thread tension.

Lazy Sunday Afternoons

What do you do when it's raining and cold outside?
Here's an idea...