Carme blouse

Pattern: Carme blouse by Pauline Alice, size 36, graded to 38 at the hips

Fabric: Light heatered grey cotton/poly/viscose from A-tyghus (local fabric store in Malmö)

I made this blouse a few weeks back, after finding the perfect Carme fabric while browsing my local fabric store in search of a fabrics for another project. It was among shirting fabrics, but it is much drapier than your average shirt fabric, which works wonderfully for this lovely blouse. It presses very well, which is a must for making this blouse without tears. I love this pattern, Pauline never ceases to impress and inspire me (and have you heard, printed patterns are coming!!). This blouse requires precision sewing, though, and there are a few more advanced techniques involved in the making of this. But I enjoy this kind of sewing, everything matched up great and the explanations were clear so making this was bliss. I really appreciate the fit of the blouse, slim but not tight. Next time I'll lower the darts a centimeter or so, but otherwise it's perfect and I have already worn it several times. I think a version in two colours, with a sheer, non-pleated yoke would look awesome!

Meissa Blouse

Pattern: Meissa Blouse by Papercut Patterns, size M
Fabric: blush pink cotton from Stoff och Stil and black cotton shirting from Moods

Oh Meissa! It was love at first sight when Papercut released it's latest collection. I already had a vision of a light pink blouse and I spent a few months looking for the perfect fabric. I finally found this cotton at the big box fabric store here in Malmö. On the bolt, it was deliciously soft and light and had a nice sheen to it, but it became quite crisp and dull after washing. Still not sure what happened, but it is now not quite drapey as in the vision I had. My boyfriend expressed serious doubts about the color, saying it was the same colour as my skin, so I decided to break it up with some black for the collar and cuffs, which I am so pleased I did. It gives an interesting contrasting element and prevents me from being washed away by the pale color, which is, let's be honest, not my best colour.

What is there to say about the pattern more than it was a joy to work with? Everything, from the beautiful packaging to the lovely details in the style, is just so well thought out and nicely put together. I didn't make any adjustments except than shortening the sleeves, which is standard for me. I am pretty sure the gathering in the front yoke provides some bust shaping and the side seams curves in nicely at the waist, which makes for a very nice fit. Unlike everybody else, I am still on the fence about Grainline's Archer. Don't get me wrong, the Archer is a wonderful pattern, but I just feel that it is not the most flattering on me, because of the boyfriend style (which looks great on everybody except me it seems). I need to figure out how to put darts in the Archer for a more fitted style... Anyways, back to the Meissa, which has the more fitted look I prefer. The gathered details, the double buttons and the rounded collar are so feminine, too, and exactly the kind of details I love. I am now dreaming of another version, in silk, because I still want a flowy Meissa, no matter how much I like this one.

Also, May is approaching quickly, and May means Me-made-May! I participated last year for the first time and struggled a bit because I didn't have that many me-mades that I loved. But it is different this year, as I have been quite productive and learned to make things that I actually love and want to wear. So this year, I am challenging myself to wear at least one me-made item everyday, and to take a picture daily. Eek!! So:

 'I, Joëlle of thehandstitchedfiles.blogspot.se, sign up as a participant of Me-Made-May '14. I endeavour to wear at least one me-made item (handstitched or handknitted) of clothing each day for the duration of May 2014, and to record it daily on Instagram. '


P.S. All the pictures in this post are taken by my friend, Somayeh. She was kind enough to let me play model for her and I now have these beautiful pictures to share. Quite an improvment from my usual set up in my living room... Hopefully we can make these photo sessions a recurring thing!

Denim Thurlows and a cotton blouse

Patterns: Sewaholic Thurlows, modified to a straight leg and Stil 8271
Fabrics: black denim for the trousers and a cotton lawn for the blouse

Another double today, with two items I am especially proud of! First up is a little blouse from a vintage swedish Stil pattern. What really makes this bouse really is the fabric: a soft, flowy cotton I purchased at Moods in New York during the holidays. It is probably the nicest fabric I have ever worked with, which made sewing up this blouse a real treat. The drape of the cotton works very well with the cap sleeves of the pattern, and the geometric print makes it very easy to wear.

The second make I have to show off today is a pair of denim Thurlows. People, I made a legit pair of pants. With a working fly and beautiful welt pockets and everything. I did get very friendly with my seam ripper while trying to sew the fly, but I got there in the end. The fit is far from perfect, but these are straight from the envelope, apart from the obvious modification to the width of the legs. I am pretty happy to have these as a starting point to perfect the fit in future iterations, and will happily wear them. The fit is actually not worse than RTW pants, so I am pretty pleased.

Early Fall Sewing #3: Archer

On to project number 3: an Archer!

After seeing all the beautiful Archers popping up on the interwebs, I decided I wanted one of my own. After making a shirt for my boyfriend, I knew I could tackle a shirt...

I cut a straight size 8. In retrospective, I should have cut a size smaller, but mostly because the style is more casual than what I had in mind. In a flowier fabric, the fit would have been quite nice, breezy and soft. But I used a crisp cotton, and it would have benefited from being a bit more close-fitting. Also, I apparently have very short arms... Note to self: measure sleeve lenght before cutting fabric. Oh well, rolled-up sleeves works well with the look of the shirt.

The pattern is beautifully drafted and everything went together smoothly. I'm quite smitten with Grainline! I think I'll put the Scout tee on my list, once I get through with my fall sewing. I hear Jen is working on a blazer? I would buy it the second it comes out. Anyways, back to the Archer. It has all the details I want in a shirt, and will work in many fabrics. I think I wand a flannel plaid one!

I used a white cotton poplin with tiny white dots. The print is very subtle, but I quite like the effect. As said, I think the fabric is a bit too stiff for the style, but it kind of works. Like I stole my boyfriend's shirt... Which is not at all a bad style. But I'll choose something else next time. While I was sewing it, I was thinking a chambray would be nice, but I'll have to find a very soft and drapey one.

Up next:

Early fall sewing #1: Datura

  This Datura is the first garment in what I hope will become an early fall wardrobe. I sketched grand plans that involves sewing 8 garments plus 2 refashions and a shirt for E in August/September. Well, we'll see how that goes, but I like having a bit of structure in my sewing. And let's be honest here, the planning is almost as fun as the sewing! I have to hem dress #1 and I'm just finishing up an Archer so I'm on the right track so far.

It is no secret by now that I have a pattern crush on Deer and Doe's Datura. this is my third version, and I keep thinking if new ones. I like the simplicity of the design and the clever details. The contrast yoke allows for endless fabric combinations and the collar options for variation.

For this one I traced a size smaller (36) than the previous ones, and the fit is much better. I wasn't too noticeable in my first Datura because the fabric was quite drapey, but the fit across the bust was an issue in the stiffer cotton of my second version. Now, there is no gaping at the armholes and the fit around the bust and shoulders is better. I made view B with the Peter pan collar, obviously. The collar turned out very narrow and there is a gap at the center front, where the two collar pieces should meet. I'm not quite sure of what I did wrong, as I did not encounter that issue on my first Datura. It's bothering me a bit... Maybe the seam allowance on the collar is only 3/8"? Oh well, it's not going to stop me from wearing it.

I used a beige satin for the yoke and collar and a navy cotton voile for the main pieces and facings. The satin was a leftover from other projects and the cotton is a coupon from Paris. I'm glad I went with the cotton for the facing as it is nicer to have on my skin than the ployester of the satin. I've had this colout combination on my mind for a while now, so I'm pleased it's finally made it's was into a garment. I have lots of the lovely navy cotton left, as it was a 3m coupon and the Datura doesn't eat much fabric. I think I'll turn the remaining 2m into a dress with som colour contrast. Or an Archer... I'm quite liking sewing shirts!

Datura 2.0 (the Art Deco Datura)

Oh Datura. Such a perfect little summer top! I am considering drafting some sleeves  for it. Wouldn't it be a wonderful blouse even in the wintertime?

This is my second version, and I made the first view, in size 38. I think I need to go down a size, as it is a bit big. I could take in the size seams, but I did french seams, and I am a bit lazy... It is the same size as my first version , but the fabric is stiffer, and the size issue is more noticeable.

The fabric is a pretty floral cotton which I think has a nice art deco vibe to it. I had to resort to quilting cotton for the contrast yoke, and while it was super easy to work with, it is a bit too stiff to drape nicely. I am really into the cut-outs, and they echo the geometry of the print nicely.

Again, I just sewed the buttons through all layers without doing buttonholes. I'm not really friendly with the buttonhole function on my machine... I placed the buttons quite high. I see now that I need to work on my patternmatching skills, but really, it's not bothering me. It may bother someone walking behind me on the street. Not that I care. I also finished the hem with bias tape, and I LOVE the result. There is a nice weight to the hem, and the curve is perfect. Now I want to hem everything with bias tape!

A detail shot of the neckline. It would be really easy to mess that bit up. You have to pin the bias tape quite perfectly, not stretching it, and not too loosely either. The cotton I used was helpful for that part because it really stayed put, but I can see this being really fiddly. And then you have to be very precise with the topstitching. I am still working on that skill, but practice makes perfect!

Another detail of the pretty fabric. It had been in my stash* for a while, because it was horribly off grain and I didn't quite know what to do about that. So I pulled and thugged and in the end I cheated and cut the pieces off-grain. I'll probably have to pay for that after a few washes, but it felt better than having the pattern at an angle. So, all in all, I'm really happy with how this top turned out. There will be more Daturas to come, but I really need a skirt to wear them with!

* Is about 10 lenghts of fabric a stash? hmmm, I guess it is... it does, however, feels like my closet in the morning. Full of stuff, but nothing interesting enough!

A spring Datura

Let me introduce you to my latest pattern crush: the Datura blouse by Deer and Doe!

Spring has finally come, and I cannot sew only dresses, so I expect I will be sewing many more of these adorable little tops! The pattern, despite looking quite simple, is not for beginners. It is labeled "advanced", and I think it is quite right. It is filled with great details, like the double yoke, the detailing at the neckline and the buttons in the back, and it is great fun to sew.

I did not quite understand the instructions for the yoke. I am quite convinced it uses a very smart technique, but I couldn't wrap my head around it, so I solved my issues with a few handstitches at the shoulders. There are not many problems that cannot be solved with a few handstitches... The main fabric is a mystery fabric I bought in India last november, and the yoke is some satin. The wole thing is quite clingy of static electricity, but I do my best to ignore it, because I really like the fabric, and it is really soft on the skin. 

 I also changed the construction a smidge and did french seams on the sides. It makes for a bit of bulk at the underarms, so I don't know if the was really so smart of me, but I couldn't resist. The clever construction with the faced yoke means that all the seams are enclosed, so I wanted to enclose the side seams as well. There are no raw edges at all inside this garment! I was a bit lazy and topstitched the yoke instead of handsewing it, but I quit like the result.

The buttons in the back are such a pretty detail. I omitted the buttonholes and stitched the buttons through all layers. Yes, I'm lazy. Also, I turned the hem twice and stitched instead of facing with a bias tape as instructed. I wanted to to a narrow hem, but miscalculated and the hem ended up being much wider than I expected. But it worked out very well, without puckers despite the curve of the hem, so I let i be.