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.

Chardon and Audrey

An old project and a new one, today. First is the Chardon skirt, by Deer and Doe. A super cute, easy skirt that I made in black linen-look cotton from Minerva to fill a gap in my wardrobe. A skirt that I reach for everyday, with it's shape that flatters me and neutral color. The second is actually my fisrt make of the year! I startedknitting it around Christmas and finished it yesterday. So it took me exactly a month to knit a sweater, which i think is a record for me. I did a lot of knitting during the holidays and my sewing machine is packed up as i redecorate my sewing room, so i have been compensating my desire to sew with knitting. This little cardigan is Audrey in Unst and it was a fun knit with a pretty bib detail. What i like the most with this cardigan is the yarn, though. I used a merino/cashmere/silk blend from Sublime my dad bought me as a late birthday present. It feels very luxurious and the color is just amazing. Ravelry project notes here!

Pencil skirt à la Gertie

This is my third iteration of this pattern. I can safely say it is my most repeated pattern... There is something so satisfying in sewing a pencil skirt. Once you have the fit sorted out, it goes together very quickly, especially if it isn't lined and it is such a wardrobe staple. At least for me! Even paired with a simple long sleeve tshirt, like here, I feel polished and grown-up. And what can I say more about this print than I love it? It's just gorgeous. It a slightly stretchy cotton twill. I bought it a while back at the sewing and craft convention here in Malmö, and I got 2,5m thinking I would make a dress out of it, but it felt a bit overwhelming. So it became a pencil skirt, and now I have enough left for another item. I'm playing around with the idea of a bag... So that I could have this print with me all. the. time. Ha.

The pattern is the pencil skirt from Gertie's New Book for Better Sewing. I really need to crack on the other patterns in this book. I love them all! But I think the shirtdress has to be next. Shortly followed by the coat. Ohhh.

Also, I turned 30 (!!) two week-ends ago, and I received the BEST birthday present from my boyfriend and his family...

Belladone

I have been sewing up a storm, but I don't have much pictures to show. Days are getting increasingly shorter and finding daylight is proving more and more challenging. I have also been quite absent from Instagram and blog commenting, although I am always avidly reading and getting inspired by all of you!

I haven't quite followed through with my sewing plans either. I am one skirt, a shirt for Erik and two refashions short. But as I have completed 7 of the 8 garments I had originally planned, I'm going to call that a success and make the skirt later. I did make a little Chardon that I hope to share soon!

So here is my Belladone. I'm really late to the party, as usual, but better late than never! I'm really liking this pattern, simple but with a striking feature with the open back. It was fun to make, quick (as it is not lined) and it's really easy to wear. I made a straight size 38 and other than lowering the bust dart a little for my next version, there is not much adjustments needed. The back opening is gaîng a bit depending on how I stand, but I'm afraid I'd restrain my movement ability if I made adjustments there. I did sew strips of selvage on the bias edge, so I'm pretty sure that they did not stretch. About that, the pattern instructions suggests that you sew strips of bias to prevent the bias edges of the back opening from stretching, which I find really odd. Any thoughts on that?

The fabric is a cotton from Minerva Crafts. It's a bit stiff, which works well for this style, and well, dots! Makes me happy. Also, it seems to me that Minerva has lowered their shipping prices, which makes it that much more fun for me to order from them, and the selection is huge, and I loove the blogger network. It's just so great seeing the fabric in action and getting some thoughts on it. 

Early Fall Sewing #6: Floral Cambie

It isn't much early fall as actual fall anymore, but I am working away with my plans. This Cambie has been finished for a while, but I find taking pictures very challenging. I found a set-up that seems to be working, but it involves a pile of books on my ironing board and the timer on my camera, so it is not optimal. But at least I don't have to drag my boyfriend to a nearby park and coax him into taking pictures of me. Plus, you get my vintage Husqvarna in the background. Next time, I might even think about removing the cover so that you can actually see her. Ah, well, at least there is a pretty dress to look at!

This is Sewaholic's Cambie, and a truly wonderful pattern. It's really nice to sew a bodice that is not just a variation on a sloper, if you understand what I mean. The shoulder pieces gathering into the sweetheart neckline are just enough sweet for my tastes, and I surprise myself liking the cap sleeves they form. It works wonderfully on it's own, and will look just as good with a cardi on top to keep me warm in the winter.

 Construction-wise, everything went together smoothly. It was a bit akward to go and sew the sleeves in with all the bulk of the finished dress in the way, but it is such a clever trick that I didn't mind too much. I handpicked a regular zipper instead of inserting an invisible one, because honestly I'm still a bit scared of zippers and I don't have an invisible zipper foot. I like the control I have when stitching a zipper in by hand, and the result is almost invisible.

Even more wonderful than the pattern is the fabric. A soft, floaty, swishy rayon in a small-scale floral. Pink and white on black. How can it be better? Rayon is such a great fabric. Easy to work with, presses well, drapey and doesn't wrinkle too much if the quality is good. It does tend to shrink a lot, but I always prewash my fabrics so it isn't much of an issue. I found this fabric in copenhagen, in a small store kept by an adorable arab lady. I speak swedish fluently, but my danish is rubbish so we had quite some communication issues... I kept fondling the fabric and draping lenghts on me asking my boyfriend what he thought about it, and the lady kept saying, in english: cheap! very high quality! a dress for you. you need 3 meters! i've been meaning to go back and get more wonderful rayon in pretty prints...

Anyways, I am really pleased with this dress, and I can see myself making more Cambies in the future. I'd make three more right away, but there are so many other patterns tickling my fancy and that I want to try... I've worn it once and got complimented on it, wich is always a great deal for me. I was told the my dress looked like an evening gown and that I looked like I was going to a fancy party...

Early Fall Sewing #5: Shirtdress, Fall for Cotton

As soon as i read about the Fall for Cotton sew-along, I knew that this dress would be my entry. I was still planning it at the time, but everything fell togheter too well not to do it. I wanted a classic shirtdress with a full skirt, a very 50s silhouette but in a modern way, which is the style I try to develop. Feminine and classic, with pretty details but not fussy and with a silhouette that emphasize my waist. 

So a cotton shirtdress was made! I had this pretty cotton poplin I had bought in the beginning of the summer, and added a hem band in contrasting beige cotton. I finished all the seams by binding them with beige bias binding, as a little extra. I love knowing that the insides of my garments are just as pretty as the outside...  Working with cotton is such a joy. It doesn't shift, it presses wonderfully and this poplin has a great crispness to it, which gives a nice structure to the bodice. 

The pattern is McCall's 4769, with the 3/4 lenght sleeves and the cute little winged cuffs. I switched the skirt for a full dindrl, but kept the button band on the skirt. I made a straight size 10, and I'm very happy with the fit. I still haven't really understood how the collar gets sewn up... My collar turned out great, but I'm not quite sure how that happened as I had no idea what I was doing, other than blindly following the instructions. Oh well... I just feel there has to be easier ways to sew a notched collar? The instructions has you reinforce corners and clip into them, which is always scary.

 I leave you with a few more pictures. They were taken yesterday, which I fear was the last day of summer... I have my project #6 (a floral Cambie) finished and waiting for pictures and appropriate fabric for project #7 (a black and cream Chardon), so I am quite on track with my fall sewing plans. Project #8 is a circle skirt, but I can't decide on what fabric to use. A light black polyester that will twirl wonderfully, provided I have enough of it, or a grey/silver wool that is really more of a winter project? While I make up my mind, I cut into some navy batiste for another shirtdress, a Cami this time!

Earlly Fall Sewing #4: Anise

Just in time for the first chilly mornings, I completed the fourth item of my fall wardrobe. The Anise is the one Colette pattern I bought the second it was released. The clean lines, the peter pan collar and the little tailored details, such as the welt pockets, appealed to me. But then it sat in my pattern box, waiting for the perfect fabric.

When I was planning my fall wardrobe, I really wanted to include a jacket. Partly for the challenge of sewing a jacket, partly because I wanted a new jacket. I can't be bothered to go shopping for a specific item anymore... The Anise was given, and then I thought about the linen herringbone fabric I had bought in Paris with just a jacket in mind. I immediately envisioned this jacket, and I am pleased to report it turned out exactly as I imagined it. This Anise is probably the garment I am the most proud of so far. Good it's a jacket, so I get to wear it everyday!

I didn't do any changes to the pattern, apart from modifications to make it fit. I made a muslin (I was not going to gamble this one), and ended up taking it quite a lot in the princess seams in the back. I also remembered to shorten the sleeves. Now I keep thinking the sleeves are too short, when they actually are the right lenght, because I am so used to sleeves that are too long. Eh. The fit is really nice through the shoulders, and the lenght is perfect to wear with a dress. No long-ish cardigans, though. I like it's not too fitted, but not boxy either. As all double-breasted jackets, it looks much better when buttoned.

I changed the order of construction, and made the welt pockets first, so that the facings would not be in the way when making them. I also waited to have the facing attached before making the small windows for the bound buttonholes, so that they end up in exactly the right place. I made all eight bound buttonholes, but only opened windows in the facing for the four that are in use. I didn't see the point of slashing into my garment for a buttonhole that would be sewn close anyways. The buttons are leather, and utterly perfect. Worth every penny.

The fabric is a soft linen herringbone in blue and cream tones. From afar it reads grey, somehow, but it has a lovely texture. The weave is quite loose, but the fabric behaved quite well anyways. I was afrait the fabric was a bit on the flimsy side, so I underlined with a heavy cotton, which worked wonders. I underlined even the sleeves, even it was not called for in the pattern, which I'm glad I did. I regret not underlining the upper collar, as it is a bit shifty. The undercollar is fused, so it works anyways as it has a stable layer. Underlining was quite a revelation. It was fascinating to see how the fabric behaves completely different when attached to another, heavier fabric.


As I said, this is probably my best garment so far. It is one of the most technically advanced projects I have made, and it is of much superior quality than the other jackets I've made in the past. I'm really proud of what I have accomplished with this garment, and I think it really shows how far I have come in my sewing in the past year. So to celebrate that, here comes way too many pictures...

oh, and also:
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