Twins

Seersucker is one of my least favourite fabrics. The texture is just weird, like it's constantly in need of an ironing. The print of these fabrics won me over the weird bobbliness. 

This is the same pattern as my Christmas dress. I didn't want to make the two dresses completely identical though. The red reminds me of a vintage table cloth, so I decided not to use it for the skirt. Nothing says sexy like a dress resembling a table cloth.

The skirt is cotton drill, which is one of my favourite fabrics to sew with. No stretch, nice and firm and it holds a structured shape very well.

The blue version is my favourite of the two. I don't wear bright red a lot as I don't think it's terribly flattering on me. The cooler blue is lovely. This one is actually lined, because the skirt is very sheer.

The neckline of this pattern is cut straight across, but I altered it for this one into a slight sweetheart neckline.

I do like my new posing couch.

If you're wondering where my new tattoo went, I made these dresses a little while ago.... this is a catch-up post from my blogging break last year.

 

Wide leg jeans

Jeans or trousers are something I don't make very often. I don't wear them often and/or I prefer skinny leg styles. 

Saying that, I do love high waisted, wide leg styles but I find they're not so easy to come by or terribly flattering. 

This pattern is Vogue 8751. I've been wanting to make some good quality denim trousers and this is a great simple pattern to start with. I'll get to things like studs and pockets when I'm more familiar with such a heavy fabric.

I used a mid weight denim with no stretch for these in size 12. No alterations required. I used a narrow hem at the lower leg edge so I can turn these up into nice cuffs (although they'll hover above my ankles if I do so that option probably won't be taken).

I only have two issues with these. One is my fault; I placed the lower hook and eye closure too far out and you can see it. No big deal but annoying enough for me.

The other issue is that these make my backside look really flat! I mean I'm no Coco Austin but this is not a good look! I don't like this photo much but you can see what I mean here. Possibly I could take in the seam a little around the back but I'm not going to touch these now that they're done. I'll experiment with another pair.

Also, how cute is my top!? It's a Rock Steady top from Mod Cloth but I got it a while ago so I think it will be sold out now.

Anyway, there you go. Jeans. Now I just have to wear them.

The end.

 

Headscarves!

This was supposed to be a post about a pair of wide-leg jeans I'm making, but the zip just broke and now I Hate Them. So here are some headscarves instead.

I really like this look but I didn't just want a rectangle or triangle of fabric wrapped around my head. After trying out some pleats and gathers I've settled on this design. It's a rectangle, with a centre pleat or fold, and attached tie ends. 

The pleat means there isn't a heap of fabric bunched up around the knot, which is specifically what I wanted to avoid. 

 

These photos were taken in a hot sewing room so my hair is getting more and more frizzy as these photos go on.

So far I've made a few, and I have a heap of leftover fabric to make more. I also want to make some with long tie ends, to wear more as a headband with the ties hanging down, and some in silkier fabric.

I'm thinking of selling these but I'm not sure what the interest in them would be. If anyone has any suggestions for design or fabric I would love to hear them.

Cherry bomb

Yikes. How early did I get up to take these photos? Too bloody early for someone on holidays.

Hence the protective face furniture.

I've wanted a cherry dress for a long time, but finding quality fabric has been a problem. (see what a hard life I have? Waaah...I can only find CHEAP cherry fabric... darn it all to heck).

Poor old Doris is looking a bit worse for wear; all these photo shoots really take it out of a gal.

The only thing I'd like to change about this dress is the low cut at the sides, resulting in rather more bra-displayage than I'd like. So I saved my modesty with a little cardi at a pre-Christmas picnic this weekend.

And yes, that IS pink in my hair. I'm getting a bit bored with my hair; it hasn't changed in a while so I'm testing some options before I do anything drastic.

Pink hair, Very Cherry lips, and cherry gingham shoes... you'd think I was a girl or something...

Ah, the delirium of an early morning...

Pattern: Vogue 8766 

(View C with modified neckline and straps)

Shoes: Modcloth

Dress fabric: Spotlight

 

Sack bag experiment

When I first saw this piece of fabric, I immediately knew it could make a perfect circular bag. It's much brighter than it appears here - it's actually a bright lime green.

I think it was originally a tea towel or something. 

Anyway, I cut it into something vaguely resembling a circle, and then used it as a pattern to cut out some lining. In hindsight, I really should have used a lining fabric which, you know, doesnt clash so hideously.

I sewed the almost-circles together, leaving an opening to turn them right side out. Before I sewed up the opening, I stitched a single button hole in the outer fabric, and used the buttonhole width as a guide to sew a channel all the way around, through both pieces, several inches from the outer edge.

Through the channel I threaded a ribbon for a drawstring, and attached some buttons to the ends to stop the ribbon disappearing inside the buttonhole.

Then I added a couple of handles which in no way match the outer or lining fabric.

And there you go. One sack bag. As experiments go, I think this one was fairly successful! The next one will look slightly less multiple-personality-disordery.

Op Shop Tops | Black & White Wednesday

I've disliked gingham intensely ever since I was made to wear the ugliest gingham skirt EVER for a school concert when I was 10 years old. Lately I've been starting to get over my revulsion. This little blouse is really helping! I must acquire MORE GINGHAM blouses. I MUST!