On Sewing, Sustainability and Style

SOI Eve dress - All the spots. I love this one

I began sewing back in 2011 as part of my recovery from a stress-related illness. At the time it was one of two creative outlets I had, one was my art and the other was sewing. I sewed to make things that fitted and helped me feel good about myself. I really needed a sense of accomplishment.

My first make

Over the last few years, I continue to sew to make things that fit and I know that my self-image and esteem has improved as I no longer feel the need to fit into the box that the world would have me believe is in 'Fashion' or 'Style'. As a beginner sewist, I made simple clothes in nice fabrics and I have challenged myself to try more challenging things. However, recently I have felt uncomfortable that the sewing world is becoming just like a high street shop - just with better made and fitted clothes. I see the same patterns again and again as each new indie pattern gets an outing. Does every sewer in blogland own a Keilo Wrap dress, Ogden Cami, Kalle Shirt, Ginger Jeans or Lander pants, to name but a few!!!!!

I love this dress and I still wear it - even if it's a bit faded

Don't get me wrong - these are all great patterns (and I have a couple of them) and that's why they are popular. I thought quite a lot about buying the Ogden Cami and the Kalle shirt but have made my mind up that I don't want to jump on that bandwagon. I like the designs, sure I do, but they're not really me and I have other patterns that are similar but don't get as much airtime as these patterns. I still love the Colette Sorbetto and I hardly ever see it made in blog land these days. It's actually my go-to sleeveless top and I love it.

Eyelet Sorbetto top - still in rotation.

I think the point I'm trying to make is that we consume pattern after pattern and make constantly  - whatever is the next new sewing thing. The stash of fabrics increases and we create boatloads of waste pieces. I'm as guilty of this as the next person and I'm trying to fight against it. So I cancelled my subscription to Burdastyle Magazine - I have 6 years worth of magazines - more than enough to keep me going for a wee while. I also don't buy a pattern as soon as I see it. I like to consider if it's really me and if it's something I'll actually wear or I can make for others and I'll make more than once. Recently this means I didn't buy a pattern, which I really did like and now need to source as it's a foreign company and not easy to get here. Procrastination does bite me sometimes.

Pigs might fly - same style lines again. great print.

Big bold prints

I'm also more considered about the fabric I buy. I make a lot fewer trips to the cheap fabric stall on the local market and I buy less synthetic fabric than I used to; I take time over my makes (when I rush they go wrong anyway); I try to use patterns that I already own; I piece my scraps at the end of a project to make patchwork yardage - I'll be using these for some zero waste projects over the coming months. I'm trying to upcycle pieces that are a little unloved (i've just finished a Cambie dress refashion) and I'm trying to make only what I'll wear or make for other people.

A bold print and a full skirt

Then there's the other thing - Style. My style has changed a bit and I do sew more basics than I used to as I wear nearly all me-made clothes. However, I have an aesthetic I'm drawn towards, yet I find myself making things I just won't wear or that actually don't fit my style. I also make far too many occasion wear pieces and don't wear them very often.

One of my many party dresses - I've worn this twice, but love it.

This summer I've also found myself wearing slobby clothes, combat shorts and t-shirts - nothing wrong with that, but it's actually not my style.
I'm determined to identify shapes that work for me, colours that work for me and be willing to embrace the slightly odd side of my character a little more. After all, I'm an Art teacher I can get away with it.

I always get lots of compliments when I wear this one - It might be black but I love the style, nipped in waist and full skirt.

So here goes:
Dresses/ skirts - Fitted waist with either a full skirt or pencil skirt at knee/ midi length. Shift dresses Knee length.

The dress that nearly didn't make it. the fit was off and I lost patience with it.

Trousers - cigarette pants or wide-legged trousers - 50's style. Shorts not shorter than mid-thigh, culotte styles work well.

cigarette trousers - still need to perfect the fit.

Tops - boat neck, jewel neck or shirt neck. T-shirts, fitted with a curved hem, short or 3/4 sleeves. Sleeveless shirts and tops that can be layered or cap sleeves/ extended shoulders.
Knitwear - cardigans - lots, waist length, semi-fitted and 3/4 to full sleeves.
Casual - jeans - skinny or bootcut, mid to high rise. Hoody tops/ tunics. Black leggings.
Accessories - Tights -  as many different colours/ patterns as I can find - opaque; Jewellery - chunky and bright; scarves;
Footwear - mid-height Mary Jane style shoes - Bright colours. Flat ballerinas. Doc Marten boots - the chunkier the better. Converse all stars or similar.

Summer - it doesn't get much wear but I love it.  Self-drafted.

Fabrics - natural where possible; bright or black; unusual prints; no ditsy/ chintzy type prints; All the spots - every time. I try an avoid neutral colours except for black and white. and my colour palette is "spring" so most pinks and blues look good on me along with some greens. I have to be careful with reds near my face and orange is a no go unless it's part of a design with other colours.

In light of my list, I need to have a wardrobe clear out - time for a clothes swap.

Another Sorbetto top and this summer's winner - Burdastyle culottes with fabric gifted to me by a friend.

Sewinspiration - I need your help.

I've just had a delivery of the most gorgeous cornflower blue poly slinky jersey from Minerva Crafts.
I have 3m of it.
I was going to make a Kielo wrap dress, but now I'm not so sure.

Damsel in a Dress from John Lewis

The fabric is of a similar drape and look to this dress. I LOVE THIS DRESS, but something like this would just show off every lump and bump.  So I want something that shows the lovely drape of the fabric, but is not too form fitting as it's polyester and I sweat!

Here is where I need your help. I just can't make a decision would you help me make it? I've narrowed it down to a short list of options - many are from Burdastyle as I have loads of magazines. I'm also a fan of Vivienne Westwood's draped dresses and this could be a fantastic fabric for one of these.

Are you ready? Here we go?
(Don't forget to vote for the one you think I should do in my poll - It's in the sidebar!).

1. (the original idea) Kielo wrap dress  - Named Patterns

Named Patterns

2. The bowfront dress from Pattern Magic

3. Long Sleeve flounce Dress Burdastyle #112 01/2017

4. Gathered Blouse Burdastyle #123 09/2016

5. Gathered Tube dress Burdastyle #101 06/2013

My other options require me to do a bit of drafting.

6. My asymmetric dress. I made this in a woven and it will need a bit of work to make it succeed as a knit dress.

The rest of my options are based on pattern puzzles from Studio Faro - these really do lend themselves to a drapey dress.

7. The Drape shift  dress from Studio Faro

Studio Faro

8. The Wrap Drape Tunic from Studio Faro

Studio Faro

9. Cowl Tee from Studio Faro

Studio Faro

Which would you make - don't forget to vote!

My blog posts are like buses, non for ages...

Siouxsie Sioux make up practise

...and then this, and plans for more!
I last posted at the beginning of June and have every intention of writing at least one post a week, but life got the better of me. It's been a super busy couple of months. In fact, this year seems to have been the busiest summer term i've had in years!

It has been non stop! I was determined to make Pilates a regular thing on a tuesday eveing, but even that hasn't happened as I've had all sorts of work/ family and church commitments since the end of May and I haven't been at all. I really do need to get into shape and I think I might have to resort to my trusty fitness DVD's, I have a pilates one and a workout one, but they haven't had much use over the last couple of years.

The last 8 weeks have been full of good stuff. My hubby did some much needed work on the house at half term and me and the kids were his helpers - moving furniture etc. we still have a little bit of plaster work to tidy up, but that will get done over the holidays.

My Hubby and I went to his end of term college party in early June - it was 80's themed. He went as Morrisey and I went as Siouxsie Sioux. That was a lot of fun!

I joined the throngs of sewists up in Leeds at  Sew Up North - it was a great day and I came away with some great patterns and fabrics - and I won a prize in the raffle. I've also been running a Crafternoon once a month on a Saturday, in the school where the Church I'm part of meet. Through it I'm getting back into the crocheting!

I've also been on a school residential to a PGL centre with year 5 & 6; did the scenery for the school production, with the help of art club; written loads of risk assessments for our school trip to London next term. Had visitors over and made art; Joined in Northern Baptist College's community day at the start of July... and that is only half of it.

I have been sewing, but it's been just a few minutes at a time. I made a halter top from some fab red gingham I got at the fabric swap at sew up north. I used simplicity 1365 view c. It's not a bad piece, but I probably needed to make a couple more adjustments. I was going to include bra cups but decided against it as they didn't really fit the shape of the pattern too well. It is a very cropped top and I was concerned that as the fabric has some stretch it would roll up on the sides, so I added some plastic boning at the side seams just to help keep a smooth line - it seems to work.

A couple of months ago I drafted my own trousers as I wanted some cigarette pants. I started with a pattern from burdastyle, but the fit on me was so way out I couldn't use it. I have large hip to waist ratio (big butt) with about 13inch difference so drafting from scratch really has helped. I used the hack from Gerties sews vintage casual to make shorts. I made the inseam longer as I don't really like very short shorts these days!

I decided to make these up as a wearable muslin in brown linen - also scored from sew up north! The fit seems to be pretty good, but I need to take a small wedge of fabric out at the CB (swayback) I wanted to check my waistband draft was ok but think that is a bit to deep at 6 cm (this also adds to the sway back issue.) When I make the trousers I'll redraft to about 3/ 3.5cm waistband. I've bought some charcoal denim with a bit of stretch and the trousers are one of my next projects.
If you've drafted your own jeans is it worth putting in a back yoke? I'm going for slant front pockets and back patch pockets?
Photos of the finished items to follow!

MMMay 2017 done

Well I successfully did MMMay. I wore at least one handmade item everyday. I did not blog or post much on Instagram as I just didn't have time. Here are some of the things I did wear - just not recent photos.

Gertie Sundress view B

Self drafted drape dress

culottes

refashioned skirt - 3rd incarnation

woven Keilo Dress

selfdrafted Frida Khalo dress

Skull Crop top

Re-dyed Mary Jane DM shoes

Crochet dress

cap sleeve sorbetto

Shirt dress

sorbetto with collar

self drafted dress

Black eyelet shift dress

MMMay has thrown up some issues with my wardrobe, namely being the type of clothes I have and what I wear. Work days were easy - I have lots of dresses. However it's more casual items that I seem to be lacking. I only wore one me made skirt and one pair of me made culottes. I do have plenty of skirts that I have acquired over the years, but I don't really have many shorts, trousers, jeans to wear. I wore lots of me made tops - mostly Sorbetto tops, I seem to wear these a lot in the warmer months. I also had a couple of pleat neck tanks from a Burda pattern - last summer's magazine.

So the outcome is that I need to make separates, things I can layer and summer wear as most of what I have is getting a bit tatty.

So on my to make list:-

cigarette pants
wide leg trousers/ culottes
Dungarees
shorts
Long and short sleeve t shirts
vest tops
blouses/ shirts

I might just have to take part in summer of basics!!!!

What did me made May throw up as gaps in your wardrobe ?

Trousers Toile Take 3

    

Do you like my fabric?

It's all I could find in the stash that I wasn't planning to use for anything.

Anyway on to the pattern making. As you can see I've made some changes and I hope this will be my final toile. My draft now sits just below my natural waist, which I think is much better proportioned for my shape. I have along torso and small waist compared with my hips. this can lead me to looking like I have short legs if the waistline is too low.

The side seam is true, I think there will always be a bit of excess fabric behind the knee as I have quite an extended calf. These still feel a bit snug on the thich and calf when I sit, which would lead me to allowing a few mm extra if making up in a non stretch fabric

The back is much better, I have added length to the CB seam and scooped fabric at the crotch seam to improve fit. there is still a bit of fabric under the butt so I've1.5 wedge now taken out here. I don't want to take too much as I need to be able to move in the trousers.

I now need to adjust my draft for design. I'm thinking that slant pickets on the front; welt pockets on the back; a front fly and curved waistband. I think this would be best in a stretch woven. They don't have anything I like at my local fabric shop.
I would like plain (exception for polka dot) and either red, navy or black for my first pair. I'm looking for a reasonably priced fabric as I know I may still need to make adjustments.

I don't often buy fabric online as I like to feel the fabric to assess handle, stretch and general feeliness!

Recommendations of good options for slim trousers gratefully accepted.