This Halloween, my lovely said to me, why don't you whip up something for the Halloween party? You can make a dress in a day or so, yeah? ... Paraphrasing here of course. But that was the general jist of the conversation. Cue a trip to Spotlight where their Halloween fabric range was on special for $8.00 / m. Sign me up! Bought 4m in total - 2m for the skirt, 2m for the blouse. The fabric was pre-washed and then thrown in the dryer for ultimate shrinkage. I prepped the pattern at about 10.30pm and cut everything out. As the skirt is a collection of rectangles, I didn't cut the fabric but just did the ripping trick. If you have a rip-able fabric this is such a great and quick technique to get on grain rectangles. While working on the outfit, he kept saying this looks like my shirt from London... You know the one? I couldn't remember the one. He kept describing it in detail and I truly had no recollection. Turns out the fabric was a perfect match! Look at him remembering exactly what his clothes are. This is a Vivien of Holloway shirt that was purchased in London April 2019! We were all matchy-matchy for the party. It was fun. The skirt is a basic gathered skirt with side seam pockets and back lapped zipper. The blouse is the button back blouse hack of Simplicity 1692. I didn't use the little loopy ties for the neckline and cuffs. Ain't nobody got time for that. Seriously, I love this button back version of this pattern. I don't like side zippers at the best of times (especially with my shoulders) and invisible zips in side seams for tops is just plain dumb. Why make something so hard to put on with no give through the high bust / armpit to armpit section of the top? Silly. Button backs are great and the spacing of these tops mean I can get fully dressed myself. I'm a regular dressing wizard. As a side note, I also put the grey ribbon on his hat along with a little mottled brown feather for Guys and Dolls in September 2019 - he played Sky Masterson. Grey suit, black hat with matching grey ribbon. Perfect. The plan was that if I made separates then I might be able to split them up and get a bit more wear out of them. And so far, I have! All in all, a very successful hurried Halloween outfit. Please see the success of separates below. Blouse: Salme Patterns Kimono top in silk from Marrickville Skirt: Self drafted pencil skirt Shoes: DSW Blouse: Simplicity 1962
Skirt: Salvos Shoes: DSW
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What an overdue post! My draft of this post is from January 2019! These blouses have been completed for a while and in standard work rotation in the wardrobe. I think it's time for a blog post! These blouses were a long time in the making. I looked at them, I left them, I came back to them... . Rinse repeat! I am thankful that I finally just did it. I did the buttonholes, I did the finishing, I just got them done. And sometimes that is what life is about - just getting whatever done. Over the new year break between 2018 /2019 I decided it was time to tackle this blouse once and for all. To help along the way, I had two gorgeous 1930s replica print cottons in my stash from Spotlight. They felt really stiff and full of starch so I washed them to force improvement. Best idea I had all day! They turned into the softest cotton which feels like a dream against the skin. To say they have been a delight to work with just doesn't cover it! The pattern was cut out with only scraps left over. I think I would be able to squeeze in the pocket if I wanted. The collar points are just so... pointy. They take up space. Here is the blouse as a general shell so I could see the shape and the print. It's trés pretty. I always get excited at this point. It so early but you get the idea of what you're making. The sleeves are shaped with three darts at the sleeve cap to create that dramatic 40s look. The pattern says to use shoulder pads, but I tend to rely on my own naturally large shoulders. The blue blouse I made as directed with the pleats in the sleeve cap, and the simple narrow sleeve hem. It does make the sleeves sit just in the crook of my elbow which feels a moment too long for me. Workable, but not idea. Is it enough for me to take the hem up again?... no. After my success with the blue one, I barrelled straight along into a red one - same fabric but different colourway. This collar is just... POW! It pops right into your face and demands attention. Mods to the red blouse include:
10/10 would make again. Blouses - Simplicity 8243
Pants with blue blouse - Retrospec'd Pants with red blouse - Simplicity 3688 in brown mechanical drill Amy Appel from Poison Grrls does it again. Cute, effective, easy, top down, no seams perfection! This top is part of the retro Pink Ladies Collection. It can be knit in short sleeve, 3/4 sleeve and long sleeve options. This is the long sleeve version and knitted in a Medium size. Honestly, I could have knit the arms a smidge longer and a touch wider... but it's okay! The yarn is from an Etsy shop called Trichromat Yarns, local Aussie shop, hand dyed, in a colourway called 'Flying Nipples'. It was a gorgeous yarn to work with and excellently priced for something handmade. I absolutely would work with this yarn again. The colour is a stunning apricot/peach/pink that is a dream to wear in my mid century wardrobe! Sadly, the colourway is no longer available. But there are some other inspiration colours for sale. I had some issues with the needle cable size for the lower arm section. I'm not great with magic loop method and didn't have DPN's in the right size. Drat! I bought a really short cable needle in the 3.25mm and just struggled through - some of the most joyless knitting I've ever done. A change in tension can seen on my right forearm. This is due to that change in needles. The second sleeve was better at that change point as I purposefully knitted at a looser tension. As usual, I added an extra row in each decrease set of the body to spread them out a bit and extend the length. Good idea. It a comfortable tuck-in-or-out length. Check my Ravelry page if you want some more info about mods etc. This knit makes me happy. Top: Beauty School Top by Poison Grrls Pants: Simplicity 3688 in a chocolate brown mechanical drill Shoes: Wittner Hair flower: eBay trawling depths Hello hello you beautiful 1940s reproduction pattern. What a delight you are! Welcome to my wardrobe, Simplicity 8736. It is a 1940s blouse with bishop sleeves into a cuff, button back, gathered front shoulders and gathered sleeve heads. I made self-covered buttons for the back and sleeves. They are small and flat so I cannot feel them when I am leaning against something. This pattern went together really easily, however there are quite a lot of fiddly steps. Gathering here, facings there, folding back facings and interfacing back there, cuffs, button holes, buttons, tucks, darts. You should have some skills up your (bishop) sleeve if you want to sew this one. Originally, the plan was to finish this on the June 2019 long weekend. I had cut it out, done the darts/tucks to start... and then my partner injured his knee on the Saturday (high grade ACL tear).... I became a full time care giver as he couldn't walk, bend, turn, step over high things, bend knees, reach up, reach low, carry things, pour things, balance. He could walk on crutches but that was about it. No more sewing for me! I also had to call my mum for her birthday while we were waiting in the medical centre! Not the best way to delay a birthday phone call! Most of my day was taken up by helping him hobble off the soccer field, up stairs, into the car, out of the car, into the medical centre, onto a chair, out of a chair. The whole lot. It was a busy weekend but not in the way I anticipated. Finally, a few weeks ago I stuck in and got it done. Then it sat on my dress form for a while to be admired. Next it moved to my wardrobe waiting for the perfect moment to come out and play. That day is today! It's a lot of fun to wear, it's pretty glamorous and enhances general swanning about. Which is what you do in bishop sleeves. Everyone knows that. If this pattern is languishing in your stash waiting for time to sew... then just do it! The time you invest is worth it. Notes: Made the straight size 16 - no alterations Fabric is a rust coloured rayon from Spotlight bought specifically for this project Self covered buttons from a Spotlight kit, 12mm Hand stitched down the back facings and neck facing to keep it flat No shoulder pads installed. I use my own shoulders. 1940s blouse: made by me - Simplicity 8736
Pants: Retrospec'd Shoes: Asos Simplicity 2154 has been in my pattern stash for ages but I always found an excuse to not make it. It's a mini capsule wardrobe pattern, 1960s reproduction. There is the bow blouse, a knit cardi, woven jacket and pencil skirt. While on a break from work for 2 weeks over Christmas/New Year, I was hit with some sewing inspiration. I didn't feel rushed or pressured, but interested. I ended up finishing three new items of clothing. Each one was cut out, sewn and finished in one day. Even though this blouse is small, it takes up a lot of fabric! The bow, knot, collar, neck binding and arm binding are all cut on the bias which eats up fabric. Not entirely ideal. The blouse itself can basically be made from remnants. But not all the little extra bits. If you were clever, you could use one fabric for the blouse and top collar, something else for the bow and knot, and then standard single fold bias tape for the arm and neck edges. It has the potential to be a stash-busting project. In my case, it was stash busting. I had an awkward amount of this pretty cheap and flimsy shirting poly left from a UFO project that is languishing in a box somewhere. It was meant to be. I have ordered some red poplin with which I plan to make another.... DETAILS:
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AuthorKnitter. Home seamstress. Dance Teacher. Archives
April 2023
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