Ninot in gold

Pattern: Ninot, by Pauline Alice, size 36
Fabric: wool blend lightweight coating from Minerva Crafts and silk recieved as a destash gift

Just in time for spring, I finally made myself a Ninot jacket. I bought the pattern the minute it was released and I was already then picturing it in this gold wool fabric I had previously bought with no plan in mind. The fabric is amazing, with gold lurex strands, so it actually sparkles! It paired wonderfully with the Ninot, even though I probably would choose a fabric with a bit more body for next time. It holds the deep pleat in the back wonderfully though, and it has a pretty texture, so I am happy anyways. I paired it with a silk lenght for the lining (it seems extravagant to use silk as a lining, but it is a colour and a pattern I wouldn't have use as self, so win-win!) and some gold buttons. The fabric frayed badly, so I chose not to make bound buttonholes and went for keyhole buttonholes on my machine.
I love, love, love this pattern. The drafting is great and everything goes together perfectly, the instructions are clear and the sizing is accurate, comparable to ready-to-wear. But what really makes Pauline's pattern so unique are really the details. This jacket has an eye-catching feature in teh back, with the deep pleat, but lots of great little details like tabs, yokes, a collar and a lining. I'm really disappointed every time a jacket pattern doesn't come with pattern pieces for a lining. I would much spend the extra effort and have a lined jacket, but maybe that is just me. Speaking of the collar, I decided to leave it out, which is quite shocking for me, considering my love of collars. But I loved the retro-but-updated the collarless version had and decided to give it a try. I'm really pleased with the result, which is decidedly more modern and polished. Another great pattern from Pauline! The Carme blouse is on already all prepped, but I need to find the perfect fabric first...

Teal Anna

Pattern: Anna dress by By Hand London
Fabric: teal polyester, bought in India

So, I'm late to the party (I am always late to the party), but Anna is my new love. I suspect Flora will soon be, but I believe in polygamy when it comes to sewing patterns! This is the first of two Annas so far, and I see more coming, probably with skirt variations. I would be wearing this dress all the time if it wasn't for the fabric. The colour is gorgeous, but it is a flimsy, almost see-through polyester. It's a shame, but it clings to my legs despite me wearing a slip underneath, which is really annoying. It was also very difficult to work with, being so shifty, and the finishing is therefore not my best work. Other than that, it is a beautiful dress, very classic and feminine.

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...