Catching up with Myself

Hi Everyone,

Very sorry I haven't posted in so long. I have been sewing, sometimes life just slips by as you all know. I have been enjoying all of the new Spring fashions and I'm hoping to get into spring prints and colours soon. Above are outfits and tops I made in February and March.

The navy and ivory striped top in the upper photo is my most recent addition... I totally love it! It was a Burda magazine pattern  2010/10/112. I liked this pattern very much because it is a classic sailor top. It fits so well and the fabric is more of a sweater knit with a tiny slub in the ivory. I found the fabric in a second hand store, I couldn't resist it and best of all it only cost $4.00. I really like the long sleeves too. Makes me feel like more of a recycler and very environmental. The grey black and white jersy knit was the first top I made with this pattern from a couple of remenants because I just wanted to try out the pattern but I ended up liking it very much. The grey and tan stripe was the second top I made of the pattern, didn't buy enough fabric for long sleeves..raglan tops always take more fabric. The grey strip was from Fabric.com and it is rayon and a stretchy component. It is so light and I really have enjoyed wearing it too.

Below that I'm showing a two piece dress that I made for Valentine dance we enjoyed. What a difficult time with the top. It is a Burda top 2011/10/137. It is supposed to have a straight neck line, but after I put it together the front opening was so low that my bra showed, not a good look for me!!
I had to redo the front and bring up the facing so that it was a height that would work and then of course it draped but I liked the softness of the drape and just added a seam down the back to get rid of the extra fullness, the pattern really did seem to large. I honestly haven't a clue if I did something wrong with the original pattern since my directions were in Russian, literally, LOL,  Since I've wanted many of the more recent Burda's I've been fortunate to find quite a few internationally. I thought I could figure out the simple pattern and I'm sure I did but it really didn't work. Anyway I ended up loving it and made a skirt of my own design with just a wide elastic waistband. The skirt worked great with a deep red top I had in my wardrobe too for another dance.

The bottom photo shows a skirt I made two weeks ago to go with a top that a Couture Seamstress had made for me that I love. She very kindly sold me extra fabric for the skirt and I used pattern
2009/10/137 from an older Burda magazine. I really liked it. The top was made by my friend Alida's Gowns, you might like to check out her beautiful website. She really inspired me to start sewing again. I love the top and skirt together and it looks much like a dress. I also made a couple of pairs of pants in navy and black. I have many more ideas I want to make so I hope it doesn't take me a long to get back to blogging next time.

Hugs, Jean

Pink Flair Top

I finished this knit top and I love it. The knit fabric is so soft but very stretchy... I had to make the V neckline higher. I made the maroon necklace a couple of years ago from a vintage necklace and dark amythist bead chunks. I love the vibrant colours with such an artistic swish of design.  I like the diagonal line of the pink. (diagonal lines are supposed to be slimming). I did lengthen the body and the sleeves. I have bought quite a few tops from Olsen's and really like the way they fit, so I have been adapting most of the patterns I have made to be the same size as their knit tops. I have made this pattern before and enjoy wearing it dancing because the lower neckline is cooler. We line dance (19 years now) and ballroom dance so keeping cool is important to me. I also have this fabric for a top in aquas so I'm looking forward to making it.
There is a small amount of fabric left over and I'm thinking a small cowl might work well on the top.

Burda 8082 pattern... I really liked the different way the sleeves were set in, they go to a V at the upper shoulder.

Sewing Inspirated from Antique Postcards and Thrifty Environmental Sewing

Every time I look at some of my antique postcards I think how wonderful they would be for fashion inspiration today. The special fabrics with their fine attention to detail are so lovely. These postcards are some of the digital downloads I sell on Etsy.

My own sewing has been going really well. I'm working on a fifth pair of pants, all the same pattern but I keep varying it is different ways. It is an older slim Vogue by Sandra Betzina and fits really well. Because we do a lot of Ballroom dancing I wanted some good quality pants for practices. I even found a beautiful deep navy crepe from my mother's stash that will work well too. Heaven only knows how old it is but it prewashed beautifully. A piece of fabric I got yesterday was from a thrift shop and it is a lovely very dark teal crepe so I'm making them today and it washed up well too. Thrifty, recycling and getting new clothes!! Doesn't get better than that.

Tangerine Tango and New Sewing Form

I have recently received an email from Pantone with the photo above mentioning that Tangerine Tango was chosen for the colour of the year 2012. Wonderful to start off the New Year with such a vibrant, exciting colour!! For those of you who might not be following Pantone's predictions and great colour palettes with 175 new colours, their web site is
http://www.pantone.co.uk/pages/pantone/index.aspx
Here is a link to Pantone's Spring Colour predictions too, very interesting and inspiring and a great tool when shopping for new fabric.
http://www.pantone.co.uk/pages/fcr.aspx?pg=20910&ca=4

I'm thinking I might look for a scarf in this colour or fabric to make an infinity scarf, there is a free pattern in with the Simplicity news letter that I found before Christmas and they are fun and very quick to make.

Recently I have started sewing again. I get such enjoyment from making my own clothes... from picking out the pattern to wearing what I've made. The clothes just feel that little bit more special and it is a chance to make clothes that really suit me and fit! Sewing also makes me feel more in control compared to trying on 12 pairs of ready made pants and not having any of them fit exactly the way I would like.  I received a dress form for Christmas which was something I always wanted and it has been very rewarding to make the patterns fit the form. I hope to share some of my experiences with you and show you some of the items I've made. It has been a wonderful time looking at sewing blogs and seeing the exciting outfits and crafts everyone has been making. I hope to add my favorite sewing blogs to this site soon.

I should add that I really try to be environmental so I love finding wonderful patterns and fabrics in thrift stores for a bargain and seeing how I might use them but I do love buying new patterns and beautiful fabrics too so it all balances. Another good value is the Burda Style magazine I just found today in a local book store with so many great patterns in it to trace. I collect vintage patterns, antique sewing magazines and notions so I just love all the sewing retro blogs that are out there too.

For 2012 I would like to sew up the fabric I have and do more of my own designing by mixing patterns and adding my own touch. 

Hugs, Jean