Monday 31 December 2012

My New Year's resolution is to get out of black! lol But then again I got Simon Henry's "Little Black Dress" book for Christmas and I'm going to draft the Greta wrapdress pattern and  make it up out of French Crepe!    

Saturday 24 November 2012

Remake an old favourite garment

The other project I did was to pull apart a nice over-jacket that I had bought.  It was in a stretch knit fabric with a chiffon gathered trim.  It was very cheap and as a consequence didn't last the season without terrible pilling which I couldn't remove.  So I cut it up and used the pieces as a pattern.My trim didn't sit the same as the old garment so I edged  it with satin bias binding and it looks fab.  I sewed two buttons on the front but you could also clasp it with your favourite broach.




Saturday 17 November 2012

Let me catch you up on the projects I have sewn since my return to sewing this year prompted by a very nice commercially made straight skirt at $(NZ)179.  For a simply made skirt it was an unjustifiable cost, so the sewer in me told me to try Fabric Vision.  Who would have believed it, that same fabric waved to me as I entered the shop. My material was $(NZ)20.  It was when I got it home that I discovered it was one way stretch but I remembered before cutting it out to put the stretch across the skirt. Phew!  I used Burda Easy 8155  .
I sewed a size 12 and thought the measurements were out on the packet but then remembered the sizing has ease added.  (Apparently its about 2 inches on the bust, one inch on the waist and 2 inches on the hip.) But Gertie's New Blog for Better Sewing will reveal all.  Thanks Gertie.  I've ordered your book and I'll wrap it up for my Christmas present which is the best way to get the present you want!
Then I got confident and some lovely dotted fabric beckoned to me - even though it was more like carpet bag material I purchased it.  Foolishly, I failed to consider the material and made up the exact same pattern in the exact same size as the previous effort.  It fitted perfectly, except I couldn't sit down in it!!!  lol
I was determined it would not be a failure (and hence a waste of money) so I went cruising the internet for ideas.  On Sewing Pattern Review dot com (scroll down to Angela Wolf's video) on exposed zippers.  This was the solution.  I got a chunky zip and put it in the full length of the skirt.  I also did a bias binding waist edge instead of a waistband.  A lot of unpicking and resewing but it was worth it. The waist could have been taken in a bit if I had taken the time to try it on before beginning the waist hemming. Patience is a virtue as a sewer but when I am on the home straight I tend to rush so I can wear it.

I can sit down in it now and I've got a snazzier skirt than I would have had without the visible zip !!  I used a jacket zipper so the skirt can be zipped completely off! lol








Saturday 10 November 2012

Welcome to my sewing blog

Welcome to my bobbincat sewing blog!  I am returning to home sewing after a 10 year drought and have decided to document the journey and share with others who might be in the same position.

Hardly anyone I know sews these days so for support I have been trawling the internet and have found a whole active global sewing community offering extremely helpful advice. Pattern Review.com is amazing.  You can see how others have done with sewing commercial patterns and you can see how the pattern looks on different body types. Gertie's New Blog for Better Sewing has also provided great inspiration and free sewing lessons.

I have also discovered Colette patterns and I got a great little book out of the library by Simon Henry called The Little Black Dress which helps with drafting a pattern made to fit beautifully.  I have decided to buy my own copy of this little book with its overview of sewing techniques and its explanation of using the block method.

The team at Fabric Vision has been fantastic.  The materials have changed quite a lot in 10 years and I have a lot of catching up to do.  For example; how to hem stretch knit fabric that is as slippery as an eel and how to use bias binding instead of facings.

When I was 11 years old my lovely mother gave me a basket of sewing items including some fantastically sharp singer sewing scissors which I still use today decades later.  She also gave me a tape measure and pins, a quick unpick (which today is called a seam ripper and come to think of it I have been overly frustrated on several occasions and did actually rip the seam instead of the threads!) Patience is a virtue when it comes to sewing.

Anyway the basket of sewing items was just in time for me to start sewing class at 'Manual Training" and I made a skirt which I wore a lot since we didn't have school uniform.  Then my mother bought me some more material and I made another skirt up at home to get more practice.  From there I sewed all sorts of clothes from tops, to dresses to trousers and wore them all.  I even made (actually it was more  of a build) my own wedding dress out of taffeta.  Thanks Mum for hand hemming the lace on the 5 metres of hem since I had run out of stem by then!

I have two boys, so in the early years I did lots of pyjamas, dressing gowns and dungarees as well as the full range of super hero costumes for them. They tend to be t-shirt kids so the sewing slowed down.

Anyway the sewing projects I am embarking on are for me.  I have decided that I can make skirts for $20 rather than paying $180.  Wish me luck.