Tilly & Gertie

Just before my summer holidays I made the Cleo pinafore dress by Tilly and the Buttons but had to order buckles as the ones I could get in the local shops were too big.

It's a perfect dress to wear in the autumn and winter as you can layer it, and on those last few summer days, a t-shirt looks brilliant.

I made this with charcoal denim which has a little bit of stretch. I had just about 1m left after making my first ever pair of jeans. I bought the fabric at B&M in Leeds at the Sew up North event back in June. I had the buttons in my stash.

I'd made a wearable muslin of this dress back in January in a thick green cord - but it's not really my type of fabric or colour. I graded up a size at the hip but found my first version tricky to get on due to the small waist. I'd decided that a zip or fastening at the side seam was needed. I drafted a button fly and used some of my jeans buttons. It makes getting this dress on so much easier.

I've also been working on a dress from Gertie's Ultimate Dress Book. I'm making the surplice dress with sleeves. I haven't decided which skirt pattern to use yet as I'm just at the muslin stage. (not great photos I'm afraid)

I'm so glad I made a muslin as there are a number of changes I need to make.

The armscye is tiny and needs lowering by about 1.5cm. The sleeve is also minute and I could see it would be an issue once I'd set it in. I had to cut it so I could move my arm.
The back is pretty much ok.

I need to widen the shoulders just a touch - I'm finding I have to do this a lot; especially with Gertie's patterns.
I need to lengthen the midriff pieces by about 1 inch at the front, grading to nothing at the back - that accounts for my swayback.

There are then a couple of adjustments to the bodice front. Pinching out along the neckline and removing some fullness - nothing too major. Then it will be on with muslin no.2.

My First Pair of Trousers

I did it - I made trousers and they are wearable!
Way back in the early part of the year I make a muslin of trousers from Burdastyle magazine. They did not fit! Way way too tight,  and the back rise and crotch curve were just wrong.

So I set out on drafting and making my own. I like the high waist cigarette pants from Gertie's book, but was not sure that they would be any better as I'm pear shaped, have along torso and fairly chunky legs - years of skating and dancing have left me with well developed thighs and over extended calf muscles.

My initial draft was OK, but there was lots of excess fabric in the back leg. The waist was also too low and too wide.

Changes made were: Raise the back by adding a wedge into the CB seam; lengthen the back Crotch seam and scoop out more. scoop out the front crotch seam a little; Narrow the legs and then take a wedge out from under the butt. I also found the fabric was catching on my calf muscles so I made a extended calf adjustment on the back pattern piece and finally drafted a curved waistband. I also made the back pockets a bit bigger than the original draft.

I used the Ginger Jeans sew a long to help with the construction order and found it very helpful. I added stable cotton for the pocket linings and tacked to the front seam. Top stitching was done in self coloured thread. The fabric behaved beautifully. I bought 2m at B&M fabrics in Leeds at the #sewupnorth event in June. I had enough left over the make a version of the Cleo dungarees dress by Tilly & the Buttons.

These trousers are completely wearable, but they are not perfect.

This was my first time sewing with a stretch woven and I'm a convert - the comfort and stability of the fabric was brilliant.

So verdict - I'm really happy with these for my first pair of trousers. I will make some adjustments for the next pair. I wore these for 2 days and the fit was great to start, but as with all denim, it slackens off when you wear it. I was really happy with the back waistband and the fit at the back - it's the first time I've had trousers that don't gape!

Adjustments for next time:-
Lengthen the legs slightly - about 3cm and add more hem
Taper the back leg at the hem, below the calf - I'm sewing with stretch there is no need for flappy hems!
Take a small wedge out of the back inseam under the butt - just to help with those wrinkles.
Take a pinch out of the front at the pocket edge to make them lie flat.
Take a small wedge amount out of the front crotch seam and check the curve.
Pinch out excess on the front waist seam to abdomen (where you would put a dart) as this is where I found the draft gaped quite a bit and I found myself pulling them up a lot, especially on the second day of wear. I do want to keep the comfort and not make them too tight.

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!