Laurel

So... I'm not breaking any news by telling that Colette patterns newest pattern is a little shift dress. I have to admit that my first thought was of disappointment. It is a really simple design, after all. And a shift dress? I never wear a shift.

Image from the Coletterie

But I have to say the idea of it grew on me. I never wear shift dresses because they never fit me. If they fit in the shoulders, then I cant pull the dress down over my hips. So I actually do not know if a shift could be a good style for me. I like to showcase and define my waist, but the idea of a more freeflowing garment is very attractive from a comfort point of view. I also quite like the idea of this dress being a blank canvas. I like clothes with simple lines and fun details and this pattern offers me just this. It is the perfect pattern for creative embelishment.

So I ordered a copy. A paper copy, despite the offensive shipping costs, because I avoid having to spend an hour taping together a zillion paper pieces if I don't have to. And a Colette pattern is such a pretty object in itself... It was shipped today, so I probably have a couple of weeks to scheme while the pattern travels from the other side of the world. I have this idea of combining appliqué and cut-out to create a pattern in a contrasting color at the neckline.

I see this as an experiment in style. I'm actually quite curious to see if I can pull of a shift dress, when it actually fits. We'll see!

My machines

I thought I'd introduce my sewing machines, as I would not write this blog if I didn't have them. Well, one of them, at least!

First, my trusty Elna.

When I moved to Sweden 5 years ago, my boyfriend's mother asked if I would like to have her old sewing machine. I wasn't really sewing clothes at that time, but I thought it would be perfect for sewing all the curtains our appartment desperately needed. I've become quite fond of my Elna, and she does everything I want quite nicely, except for buttonholes. She doesn't like buttonholes. Or maybe it's me who is afraid of buttonholes... She is a Elna Special, from around 1974.


Last fall, I became quite obsessed with having a vintage sewing machine. I was quite into the little machines in a suitcase from the 50s, but also dreaming of having a threadle. So after scouring Blocket (the swedish Craig's list), i found my Husqvarna.  I like to think that I have a living piece of swedish history...

This machine is a Husqvarna CB, and from what I can tell from my research, from around the 1910s. It was the machine of the grandmother of the man I bought it from, and you can tell that she used it quite a lot, but also that she took good care of her. She produces a beautiful stitch, but is quite hard to threadle.

And then last week, this one arrived and stole the show...

She had lived, forgotten, in the basement of my boyfriend's parents until they realised I might like to have it. Eh, yes, please! I was not quite expecting for her to be so beautiful... She is a Singer 66K and the serial number tells me she is from 1916. The singer 66 was a very popular machine, so my machine is by ne means rare, but she does have a less common decal, called "Lotus" and inspired by egyptian flowers.

I had to take her apart and clean out 90 years of dust and oil her, but she is working like a charm. She also produces the most beautiful stitches, and the tension is perfect. She is in much better condition than my Husqvarna, which is quite worn in places.The stitches are quite long, though, and I am not quite sure how to adjust that. I'm also not quite sure I threaded her accurately... I wish I had the manual. But hopefully the internet will not disappoint!

So now I promised my boyfriend to make an entire project on each of my threadles. I'm a bit scared, as they are not really easy to control, but quite excited at the same time. A part of me says I should sew a vintage pattern, but that would also be a first. Maybe I should start with something simpler. I do have the pencil skirt from Gertie's book cut out from a burnt orange cotton twill, but I has lost interest as the color is so "fally" (yeah, I just made that word up). Wouldn't that be a good first threadle project?

What are your machines?

I am a finalist!

I surely didn't expect that much, and I am much excited about it! There are some seriously awesome dresses amongst the finalists and I feel quite honoured to be one of them!

Go have a look and vote for your favorite!

The little black dress

Every lady should have a little black dress.

I had been dreaming of a lace dress for some time. With a full skirt and sheer lace sleeves... And then there was this black lace fabric on sale at the fabric store. I bought 3 meters of it, along with some black satin and began scheming. After lots of hand stitches, i now have a new favorite dress. Anyone want to go party with me so that I have a reason to wear it?

I incorporated a few "couture" techniques in the process, just because I love how it looks. The dress feels so luxurious because of all the time and attention I put in it. The facing is understitched by hand with a prick stitch and the zipper is inserted by hand. I binded the waist seam with self-fabric bias tape and added a waist stay, as the skirt is quite heavy. I am also happy with how the "hemming" of the skirt and sleeves worked out, with the decoupage of the lace. I love the scalloped effect!

I am really happy with the dress! The skirt is less full then I envisioned, but I think it makes the dress more modern.

Back view.  Yes that is ice on the pond.

I love the V in the back. Also notice the guys posing on the other side of the pond. You think he also has a sewing blog?

The fit is also quite good. A tad big in the waist, maybe. The waist stay need to be a little tighter.

Pleats in front and back.

Detail, showing the understitching and the fell stitching on the facing.

The hem, inside out. Yes, I pinked the SA, it makes me happy!

Inside out, showing the waist stay and the all in one facing.

The zipper was inserted by hand. The stitches completely disappear in the lace.

This dress is also my entry for the Burda style Sewing vintage modern contest. Hop over there and vote for your favorite frock!

Miette

I am so proud of this make. I mean: I knitted a sweater!!

I had always wanted to knit, and had learned, but never got past the stage of the scarf. I was convinced that I did not have the skills and/or knowledge to knit something more intricate, which was what i actually wanted to knit. Scarves are a little boring (no offence to all of you who like knitting scarves)... I was also quite jealous of the skills of knitters, and of what they could accomplish. And in thruth, I really loved the idea of sitting in front of the tv, with a cup of tea and knitting. Mysigt (that's cozy in Swedish...).

So I just dived in. Ignored the fact I knew very little about knitting, signed up on Ravelry, downloaded the Miette pattern (which I have seen so many lovely versions of, including Lauren's, who was very inspirational to me in her approach to knitting...) and bought yarn. Then I just starting knitting, following the pattern and looking up Youtube and my Craftsy class Knit Lab, which was fabulous by the way, when I stumbled on something I didn't know.

And I knitted a cardigan! It's not perfect, but nobody will ever know, and I LOVE it! I wore it to work, and nobody asked me the dreaded question "Did you make that?". I hate that question. Makes me feel like it is obvious I made the garment, and that it shows in the poor quality. Now, I do think that I make nice things, and I pay attention to the finishes, but maybe others see my makes with a different eye. Well, maybe it's something I need to learn to take as a compliment?

Now I'm totally hooked to knitting and I ordered new knitting needles and accessories. And I bought yarn for my next two projects, a beanie for my boyfriend and the Chuck sweater for myself. Oh my, cables.

Detail of the lace pattern. It's most visible at the bottom. 

Close-up of the button band and collar band. The buttons are mother-of-pearl in a creamy color.

My labels. I had them printed, so they are unique (well, all 200 of mine). The text and drawing are actually woven, so am really pleased with the quality of these. I sew in one in every garment I make!

Project details:
Pattern: Miette, by Andi Satterlund
Yarn: Drops Alpaca, 8 skeins
Knitted on 5mm circular bamboo needles and 5mm double-pointed bamboo needles.
Link to my Ravelry notes.

Work in progress - burdastyle LBD

I spent the week-end working on my dress for the Burdastyle Vintage modern sewing contest, and I made lots of progress.

I made the final adjustments to the muslin as I was not quite happy with the sleeve. I have to say I totally hacked the sleeve by tracing a sleeve from another Burda pattern and adjusting the bodice armhole accordingly. I sewed a muslin (ok several) and adjusted from there until I was happy with the fit. I know it is absolutely not the proper way to do this, but it worked well enough. I am not quite ready to dive into block-making (too much maths involved, ha). I then ripped the muslin apart and used it as my pattern pieces. I was the first time I did that and it was quite a revelation. The pattern doesn't move at all on the fabric, and it solves the problem of what to do with muslins... I don't muslin quite as much as I probably should, so maybe this is another argument in favour of muslins?

Pinning pattern pieces to lace fabric.

 I then proceeded to cut the pieces for the bodice in both the lace and the underlining fabric, a black polysatin. I also cut pieces for an all-in-one facing. I debated wether I should line the bodice or use a facing. I thought the bodice was thick enough so the lining or facing was just to enclose seam allowances. I opted for the facing because I judged it would be easier to deal with, considering the thickness and body of the underlining. I always find it hard when a light and drapey fabric meet a stiffer one. Also, my fabrics are not fraying much, so a full lining wasn't mandatory. I did have concerns about the whole thing beeing too bulky, but it turned out ok.

I am treating the satin as a underlining for the bodice and a lining for the skirt, hopefully that won't cause any unexpected problems. For the bodice pieces, I hand-basted the lace to the satin, both facing up, and treated them as one piece of fabric for the rest of the process.

Basting the fashion fabric to the underlining.

 Then I constructed the bodice. The pattern has really lovely curved darts, which makes for a really nice fit.

Pinning darts. Front bodice at the top, back bodice at the bottom.

I setted the sleeves flat (another sewing first!), thinking it would make it easier to sew the facing in this was. I first basted the sleeve to the bodice, and then pinned the facing, and finally sewing the whole thing together. It was pretty akward, with the different curves, and making sure not to catch any layer in the seam. I did have to rip and redo a few times after sewing in the facing. Lastly, I sewed the facing on at the neckline and turned everything right-side out through the shoulders.

That is as far as I got. Here is the list of what is left to do
- understitch the seam allowance to the facing unit. I think I'll do it by hand, it's far neater and it makes the dress feel much more luxurious.
 - sew side seams and underarm seams
- pleat the skirt pieces and attach to the bodice
- bind the waist seam in some way
- insert zipper at center front. I am planning a lapped, handpricked zipper. I think it will really be invisible, considering the lace pattern.
- hem the skirt lining and hem sleeves and skirt by cutting the lace.
- if needed, sew in a waiststay.
Oh. That looks like a lot when I write down everything, but I think it'll be 3 to 4 hours of work. I'm really trying to take my time and make it well. Handstitching when it makes a difference, for example. I still have a few weeks before the closing date of the contest, so I am confident I'll finish in time to enter.

Now I'm off to do that understitching!

Scheming

I had something else planned as my next project, but there is a contest over at Burdastyle... It has the most amazing prizes so it seems like it's the perfect way to spark things up in my sewing room! I had ordered the book Sewing Vintage Modern even before it was available, so I'm all set.

Of course, I'm going to go with something 50's inspired, so the Elizabeth dress will be my starting point. I'm thinking a full skirt, fitted bodice and sleeves. I had picked up a few meters of black lace at the sales a few days ago, without have a specific plan for it. Well, now I have a plan! I'll make a litte black dress (I can't believe I wear black all the time and my closet still lacks a lbd!) with the lace as an overlay, and lace sleeves. I have this idea of cutting the lace around the flowers at the hems for a feminine effect. Hopefully, the lace won't ravel and it should work. I put together a Pinterest board (my username is joellestlaurent) as inspiration. 

I have a fair bit of drafting to do to get the bodice as I envision it, mostly around the shoulders. I want set-in sleeves as they will be in lace only. That means I'll have to draft sleeves too... hmm I'm in for quite a challenge!

The bodice of dress will be underlined in black satin, except for the sleeves and the skirt will be lined with the satin so that the lace can be free flowing. I foud a quite nice black satin with a bit of body, which should suffice to get a full skirt. 

Off to my desk for some drafting!