Another denim Ginger skirt

I really like my denim Ginger that I made last year, it's just that it's kind of big...

So I decided to make another one a size smaller, size 14 this time. I also added pockets and I made them like on these shorts:

The pocket edge is interfaced and then the pocket piece is attached by a visible seam. I read Sunni's post about her denim Ginger skirt, to figure things out about the pockets. Very helpful.

Aside from the pockets, nothing was really hard about putting the skirt together, which goes to prove that I have learned a lot since the last time I made this pattern.

This time I used an invisible zipper, which isn't very invisible since it's green and my machine doesn't sew invisble zippers that invisibly. But I'm fine with it, what's not to love about green?! :)

I also shortened this version since the other one feels a little matronly, and we all know (well, at least if you have watched Project Runway) that that isn't a good thing.

I had some top-stitching thread that I was going to use for a pair of jeans, but the fabric for those jeans is now said skirt and these trousers, so I felt it was OK to use it on my Ginger. :) Though I should have used another twin needle since my jersey (!!!) one had a hard time. But, that's how it is when you're too lazy to go to the store and get another one. At least it didn't break! :)

See you later,

Johanna

MMM '13 - week 1

It really is only half a week so far in MMM '13, but so far it's a breeze! My commitment was to wear at least one handmade garment everyday, so it's not very hard, but May has 31 days so we'll see how I feel towards the end of the month... :)

Wednesday 1 May

Burdastyle t-shirt,  recently finished Burdastyle trousers (to be blogged later) and Vacation head scarf. Free from work, celebrating May 1st.

Thursday 2 May

Cropped trousers. Normal workday.

Friday 3 May

Onion jersey dress and Ottobre cardigan. Visiting my sister's.

Saturday 4 May

Laurel dress. Celebrating mum's 60th birthday.

Sunday 5 May

Ottobre cardigan, Kirsten kimono tee (which I noticed right now I haven't posted about) and Burdastyle trousers (same as May 1).

I hope all the participants of MMM '13 are feeling as good about their decision to join as I do.

Bye for now,

Johanna

Laurel x 2

No, I didn't die.... Although I have been too busy to be posting on the blog. :)

I have sewn a lot, but also been working a lot and this weekend I worked, a lot, in the gaarden, which happens about once every year.

Here are two more Laurels, I finished the dress this weekend (after the gardening!) and the blouse was finished today.  I have entered both in the Colette patterns Laurel contest, but I have no chance of winning what so ever, not after seeing all the AMAZING Laurels on flickr.

Not much to say about the make, pretty straightforward. Look at the photos, no secrets there, what you see is what you get.... I really suck at details, I have to get better at that...

The blouse is made up from black cotton eyelet, really pretty, but it doesn't come though in the photos.I just turned over the hems and sewed, no bias binding.

The dress is linen/cotton, which was very easy to sew. I used bias tape to finish the hems.

 Here are all three of my Laurels. BTW, changed the size from US upper 12/lower 14 to US 12, which is perfect!

Have you sewn any Laurels?

Later,

Johanna

Meet Laurel and Violet from Colette patterns, they're really nice!

I shared earlier that I had ordered the new pattern from Colette patterns, Laurel, and another one I've wanted for some time, Violet. I gor them in the mail last week and I already had some fabric in mind for making up some kind of wearable muslins. So fairly quickly I traced the patterns and cut the fabric for both.

Here's Laurel:

Source: colettepatterns.com via Johanna on Pinterest

And here's Violet:

Source: colettepatterns.com via Johanna on Pinterest

I chose size US12 at the bust and tapered to size US14 at the hips for both garments. For the Violet blouse that was great, but on the Laurel dress I think it was too big. When I make the Laurel dress again (because I will!) I'm thinking of making the front size US12 and the back size US10 tapered to size US 12 at the hips. The upper back part was really big and I had to make two extra sort of darts in the back going from the neckline down to the actual back double darts. It doesn't look bad, but it shouldn't be necessary...

Here are some photos of Laurel and me. :)

Yep, that's me wearing a wig for once...

Don't tell me hair doesn't make a difference.... It does!

Used a decorative stitch for the neckline. Could not be bothered to handstitch the bias binding...ugh...

Decorative stitch on the sleeves too...

This is a first! I used my blind hem foot for the first time to make a machine stitched blind hem!

Can you see the back darts? No, I didn't think so... :)

Here's Voilet and me:

Here's Violet paired with my recent cropped jean trousers. And a different wig...

And a photo without the hair...

Ugh, do not like the neckline facing.... Have to try something else next time...

I'm quite happy with the two garments except for two things:
1. The size of the dress
2. The length of the blouse
Luckily enough, both issues are easily resolved. :)

BTW, the fabric I used for the dress is what I believe to be a 30-35 year old table cloth and the fabric for the blouse is a striped cotton sateen bed sheet often found in hotel beds! The first is a thrift find and the second is from my  mum.

What is the weirdest fabric you have used to make clothes?

Bye for now,

Johanna

Macaron 2.0

 

 

So, here's my second Macaron dress... Not quite like my first one, in several ways... Let me tell you...

 

 

I thought it would be a breeze sewing up my second Macaron, since the pattern was already cut out and fitted. I already knew what issues there might be and I had my mind set on a gorgeous knit fabric from my stash. I could use black thread for it, which I already had. So, it looked like a smooth sail, but oh no...

Since the fabric was patterned and I wanted to use the fabric pattern  a ccertain way, I had to cut out the pattern pieces the "wrong" way. This made the dress extremely stretchy lengthwise and for the first fitting, the waistband was on top of the hips. Not a very pretty sight. So I had to shorten the bodice about an inch and it doesn't look pretty on the inside, but OK on the outside.

The next issue was the fit around the upperbody, much too loose for was I had envisioned. So I had to take it in about an inch on each side, due to the stretchy/heavy fabric. I might to take it more, but I'll let the dress settle for now, wash it and then we'll see.

I also could have cut out the upperbody pieces as one front and one back piece instead of two bodice and two yoke pieces. That cute sweetheart neckline doesn't even show now...

A recommendation for anyone (especially me) who will make this dress is to attach the skirt pieces separately to the bodice before doing the side seams. It's just so much easier to make adjustments when the side seam goes all the way.

Did I make any other adjustments? Yes, I did. I lengthened the skirt by about 2 inches (not quite necessary since the dress stretched) and I omitted the zipper, since I don't need one to get in and out of the dress (streeeeetchy fabric).

I do like the dress, even with the fit issues and it was great to use the overlocker/serger for finishing the seams. It was very comfortable when I wore it for work today and I guess that's something to be happy about, even though it doesn't look like I had planned.

Bye for now,

Johanna