Sewing Bits

Moving....

2011-02-08T12:00:00.000-08:00

I just realized I haven't written in about a year. A lot has happened and a lot has changed. And together with all the changes, it's time to leave this blog in the past and move forward with a new one.

My new blog will still be about sewing and pattern drafting, and also about random adventures and bits of my daily life.

I hope I'll see you at my new blog : Powder Pink World

On saying goodbye ...

2010-02-17T07:32:00.000-08:00

Lately saying goodbye, one way of another, has become a really huge part of my life.

This month, I had to say goodbye to one of the important men in my life. On February 1st my grandfather lost his battle with cancer. He was a great and wonderful man, very inspirational, although strict, tough and stubborn (I take that after him). He would have been 86 years old this May. He lived a full and fruitful life and left a great legacy behind. He did a lot for his community, he even wrote and published a book about the history of his village. Even though we had our share of differences, he taught me some valuable life lessons like importance of self-discipline, having beliefs and sticking to your guns, and, most important (well, for me at least), that being stubborn actually gets you somewhere. He was a dear dear man and he will always have a special place in my heart.

Saying goodbye sucks, regardless how you look at it. Dealing with death is something we all have to do, but we're never really ready; and no matter how well you prepare yourself for it, it still comes as a shock, still rips your heart out and leaves you hurt, empty and confused. But, nevertheless, you can get something positive from dealing with loss. Awareness of life and mere shortness of it for example....
For me, all these goodbyes and letting goes made me even more aware of the fact that life really is too short not to live it to the fullest extent and taking chances actually pays off. So from now on I decided to throw myself into opportunities, love, friendships, give it all, give my best, and surely something wonderful will happen. Like they say, if you don't go, you don't have a story....

And I really do have to mention another great man who lost his own battle this month... Alexander McQueen, a genius, an innovator, a huge talent that will be greatly missed by the entire fashion world. His work will continue to inspire generations to come.

Looking Forward and Happy New Year

2009-12-30T14:20:00.000-08:00

The last day of 2009 got me thinking about the past year. And despite all the obstacles and set-backs, it actually was a pretty good year, especially the last month was absolutely wonderful.
Just to name a few things that marked my 2009:
- found some truly wonderful friends
- figured out what I really want to do with my life and stopped caring how that fits into other people's expectations and plans
- started exercising regularly
- danced at the belly dance performance, sober :)
- started learning Italian
- became less self conscious about sewing, my body and my abilities in general
- ended a long-term relationship
- got a new job and got promoted soon afterward
- made a huge step towards accomplishing my dreams by enrolling in a designer course

I do feel like 2010 is a sort of a new beginning for me. I'm starting the year single, with wonderful friends, with a new promotion and enrollment papers for Milan in my hands. Pretty good, huh? Now if my closet was full of designer shoes, I could easily be the fifth friend in the Sex in the City. lol
For me, 2010 will be about following my dreams and passion.I'm determined to improve my sewing skills, my pattern drafting skills and produce some original designs of my own. And all that before I go to Milan.

So motto for the 2010: Just do it! Not very original but indeed words to live by. Sometimes you just have to do the things that scare you.
Probably the only thing I dread about 2010 is one thing I will have to do and that is: turn 30. But I guess I'll survive.

I wish you all a Happy 2010 and be sure to live each and every day to the fullest! May all your dreams and wishes come true and most of all I wish you all health and happiness.

Happy Holidays Everyone

2009-12-24T01:08:00.001-08:00

Hi guys,

[Warning: some cheesy emotional lines coming up]
Life has been so good to me lately it's unbelievable.

The greatest news is that I have applied for the Fashion Design Summer Course in Milan, got accepted and already paid the admissions fee; so it's official... I'll be spending July in Milan, one of the fashion capitals in the world. Now, how exciting is that?

Then yesterday, I received a new contract at work, got a promotion and from the January 1st I'm officially the manager of the brand.

Probably the most important thing I have realized lately is how incredibly lucky I am. I realized that I'm surrounded by the most amazing and wonderful friends, I could ever hope and wish for. People I can truly count on and who I love deeply.
It also seems like all the pieces of the puzzle are coming together, I feel at peace and at ease with myself, everyone I meet is willing to help me in some way on my road to achieving my dreams. I feel truly blessed and happy.
[end of cheesy lines]

Anyhow:

Happy Sewing everyone!

Patrones 07/08-2007 #64 - Review

2009-12-09T11:58:00.000-08:00

I made this dress for the New Year's party at work. This was one of those Project Runway moments when you race to finish the dress at 1 a.m., go to bed, wake up at 6 a.m., work all day and party half of the night.

Pattern Description: Dress - top is a tube top ending in V-shape; bottom part has ruching on the hips.

Pattern Sizing: The pattern comes in sizes 40, 44 and 48. I started with size 40.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes, except I intentionally omitted the applique on the top.

Were the instructions easy to follow? I didn't follow them, because the only word I understood was 'vestido' :-)

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I love everything about the pattern. I had a few issues with the V point, but I knew that was going to be the most challenging part of the pattern.

Fabric Used: rayon-lycra knit

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: First I took in the pattern. As I wrote above, I started with size 40, but ended up taking the pattern in quite a lot. On the top part I took in: 3cm at the center front (the V part), 2.5cm at the side seams and at the back 1cm on every seam. The back consists of 4 parts. I then changed the skirt part accordingly.
I also omitted the applique part, mostly because I didn't have anything appropriate at home.

Sewing: I've sewn the entire dress on my SM, no serger. I did the ruching by sewing with the largest seam length and gathered it by pulling the thread, I then pinned it and slowly sewed it to the top.

For the upper part of the tube top there is a facing pattern piece. I used the facing, but reinforced the seam with clear elastic. It worked perfectly. I minimized the slipping of the dress. I only had a few of those pulling-up the dress moments :-)

The only part I didn't like is sewing the V-part. The fabric kept stretching and the V didn't look good at all. I finally managed to put it into a satisfactory state. I'm not entirely happy with it, but oh, well.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? I probably won't sew it again, but I do recommend it.

Conclusion: Great party / evening dress.

Dress on me:

Btw, did you notice I made a white cover up for Mimi. I like it better than the red one she came in.

I have some more great news, but I'll share them in my next post. Until then....
Happy sewing everyone!

Let Me Introduce You to My New Friend...

2009-11-20T22:19:00.000-08:00

Hi guys. My life has turned upside down in the past month. In a nutshell: my long-term relationship ended; a few other people also left my life, new ones entered; a few doors closed, new ones opened. Everything made me re-think my life, my goals and my priorities. I finally feel I'm doing things right and I feel awake, alive, my creativity is through the roof, and I feel a sense of peace and calmness. I guess sometimes in life you need one huge shake to get back on the right path.

Anyhow, meet my new sewing buddy Mimi:

I got Mimi a few days ago. I think she'll be a great help with sewing, fitting and detail work. Plus, I'd *love* to learn draping. I'm planning on getting some draping books. After reading reviews, these two ended up on my wish list: Draping for Apparel Design and The Art of Fashion Draping.

I did manage to get some sewing done. I have two small craft project to show. First one is an eye-mask I made for my ex-BF's mom:

It's made of fashion fabric which I interfaced with Pro-Tricot Fusible interfacing from SewExciting. (Btw, don't you just love her interfacing.) Then I sewed together two layers of black jersey to make the inside of the mask soft and so that no light comes through.

And the second one is an sunglass case for me, since I lost the original one. I lined it with some white jersey, so my sunglasses don't get scratched.

Next on the sewing table is a dress for my work's New Years party, so stay tuned.

Happy sewing everyone.

Just a Quick Note

2009-08-28T00:13:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone!
I just realized I haven't posted in a month. There are a lot of wonderful things happening in my life at the moment. I'm meeting and re-connecting with lots of wonderful people who are all somehow connected with my interests and who are offering me wonderful opportunities. For example, my best friend's cousin is belly dancing and would like me to sew costumes for her. I'm really scared to do this one, though. Then, I re-connected with a friends from elementary school (gotta love the Facebook) and he's a yoga master and his club needs someone to sew tunics and pants for them. Talk about coincidences and opportunities.

Then, the best news I've had in a long time: I found a wonderful fashion summer course in Italy, I want to attend next year. It's a fashion design course and involves everything from designing to pattern drafting to sewing on industrial machines. Plus it's designed to meet the needs of individuals and to the level they are at. It's not cheap, so I'm saving all my cents, because this would be a dream come true for me (well, one of the dreams anyway). I started learning Italian and I'm getting the basics down pretty fast. The classes are available in English, but I'd like to shop (did I mention the school's in Milan) and order food in Italian.
Consequently, I applied for a position at a multi-brand store and I'm waiting to hear from them sometime next week. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for this one.

As for the sewing, I'm working on the Vogue 8386 dress. I've cut it out and sewed the bodice parts. I'm planing on finishing it this weekend.

New Addition to My Sewing Room

2009-07-28T10:39:00.000-07:00

This is the newest addition to my sewing room. It's an old Singer Hartley machine. I bought it off from a friend who wanted to throw it away (!!!!).
I have no idea which year it is from. It's still working though. I haven't tried it on the fabric yet, I still have to figure out how to thread it :)

Here are some detailed shots:

Isn't it pretty?

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Update on my machine: It's working perfectly. Apparently it can't sew with the thick denim thread. I took it to the shop and they checked it and it sewed perfectly. It wasn't until I got home and tried it again, that I discovered that the thread was the problem, not the machine. Knowing that before hand would have saved me some time and an embarrassing moment in the shop. But hey, it's working and I saved some money.

Plans and a Request

2009-07-25T05:45:00.000-07:00

Today while I was trying to hem some RTW jeans, my machine got jammed, well actually the jeans and the thread got jammed, and while I was trying to save the jeans, I must have moved something inside the machine. My machine is a bit off now and doesn't sew nice stitches. I'm taking it to the shop on Monday morning.

Anyway, this leaves me time to do some planning. I made a promise to myself that I will try to sew as many summer fabrics as I can before the summer is over.
And the other promise I made myself is that I will try to incorporate more dresses and skirts into my wardrobe.

First thing on my list is the Vogue 8386 dress that I will be making in this brown and white knit fabric:

Then, I'll be making the Vogue 8489 using this off-white knit with red dots:

Then there are two fabrics I don't have patterns for yet. The white cotton eyelet will definitely become a skirt. I'm leaning towards wide gathered-at-the-waist style.

And then is this knit fabric:

This fabric has been in my stash for 2 years now and I love it. I'd love to make a dress, but I'm having issues with the print. The print is quite big, so I'd need a pattern with minimum seams, but a style that would complement this sort of tribal print. Any ideas for the pattern?

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As for the request: Would anyone be interested in making a swap? I have this Patrones Ninos magazine. It's spring/summer 2009 issue. I'd like to swap it for the new Vogue 1119 dress pattern.
Here are some photos of the magazine:

Anyone interested in a swap can contact me at: aikkam [at] gmail [dot] com

Hot Patterns: Weekender Sunshine Tops - Review

2009-07-11T13:48:00.000-07:00

Pattern Description: Relaxed scoop neck tops gathered onto a deep neckband, choice of short, cap or no sleeves and 2 lengths plus banded finish.

Pattern Sizing: Multisize 6-26. I made my muslin in size 8, which should be the right size for me according to my measurements. I found it to be too big, so I made my final garment size 6.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes, except mine looks ore gathered at the front.

Were the instructions easy to follow? I actually followed the instructions on Pam's Off the Cuff blog.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I love the style of this top. I, however, don't like the gaping neckband at the back. I had to re-draft the neckband piece.

Fabric Used: Rayon - lycra knit with a wonderful drape.

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made: As I mentioned before, I first made this top in size 8. First thing I did, in order to fix all the gaping parts, was I went down a size. That solved everything except the gaping at the back. I took some scraps and made a neckband piece and played with it and slashed it until I got the desired effect. Here's how my pattern pieces look like:
The red lines are alteration lines.

This is the neckband piece looks like after using my pattern alterations.

You might be wondering where did this brown come from... Well, I wanted to have a contrasting neckband, but the final look was just not what I had pictured in my mind :)

As you can see, due to all the alterations, the neckband piece turned out quite pointy. The red lines on the right are the stitching lines (except less wonky, I can't draw with my mouse). I went in 2cm on the inner edge of the neckband because I found the original too wide. On the outer edge, I just smoothed out the pointy part.

I interfaced the inner neckband piece with Sew Exciting's Pro-Tricot Fusible interfacing and I truly cannot say enough good things about this interfacing.

I also didn't use the ribbing on the waistband. I used my fabric and made 2 bands 14cm wide, folded them in half and sewed them to the top using a narrow zig-zag stitch.

Back of the top:

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? After the alterations I made, I will definitely sew this top again. And I do recommend it to others.

Conclusion: I have to admit I was a bit frustrated with the neckband, since I didn't find any reviewers who had this problem. But, as they say, all's well that ends well. All in all, this is a great top and I'm sure I'll be making a few more.

Hot Patterns: Weekender Sunshine Tops

2009-07-06T08:37:00.000-07:00

photo credits: Hot Patterns

I just made a muslin for this top. It was supposed to be a wearable muslin, but I have some fitting issues with it, so it ended up being just a muslin.

The front view:

First of all, I had to sew the side seams 2cm wide (instead of 1cm), to eliminate the gaping at the armhole. That fixed it a bit, but unfortunately not entirely, as you can see from the photo.
Also, you can see that the neckband doesn't lay completely flat.

One even bigger issue I have, is the gaping at the back:

I think making it in size 6 should fix these issues. Even the gaping at the back, or should I make additional alterations. What do you think?

Burda 06/2007 #119 Skirt

2009-07-04T11:08:00.000-07:00

There's a funny story behind this skirt. I made it yesterday and only today while I was writing my review on PR, I realized that the pattern was in fact a bubble hem skirt pattern. Well, I'll be darned..
However, there were some clues along the way, but I guess my mind was off yesterday. First clue should be that the pattern called for lining and that the lining was a lot shorter than the skirt. Then the fact that I had to shorten the skirt length by 20cm should be another.

However, I love my new skirt:

I wore it to lunch today and I got compliments on it; so it's all good.
Anyhow, lesson learned: it's ok not to read the instructions once in a while and that mistakes truly are design options.

Here's another photo where colours are more true:

For more information and more pictures check out my review on PR: click

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On a different note, there are a few sales going on: Sew Exciting is having an interfacing sale; then Ann at Gorgeous Fabrics is having one and also Hot Patterns have one.
Make sure to check them out :) Oh, And I'm not in any way affiliated with any of them

Cleaning Up

2009-06-29T11:56:00.000-07:00

I finally had some time off to clean and organize my sewing room. I re-folded my stash and organized it according to fabric type:
top shelf: knits
bottom shelf: wovens

Here are my nicer and more expensive fabrics:
top shelf from left to right: knits, wovens and miscellaneous fabrics
bottom shelf: wools and coating fabrics and my mom's fabric

As you can see I don't really have much of a stash; at least not as large as I've seen them online.

As for the patterns, I do have many of them.
I keep my patterns in brown manila envelopes which are then placed in plastic bins: (these are not all the bins I have)

I store my magazines in these magazine holders from Ikea.
(from left: Japanese magazines, Patrones - 2 holders, Rundschau Damen magazines and Threads magazines)

I don't save Burda magazines as they take too much space. I cut out the fashion pictures of the patterns I like and store them in 4-ring binders according to pattern type:

These binders also hold my envelope patterns together with their traced versions:
(yes, I trace all my patterns)

Every binder is labelled according to the type of pattern it holds.

I do photocopy Styles at Glance pages and keep them in a separate binder and I mark the technical drawings I like:

Traced magazine patterns and self-drafted patterns are stored in sheet protectors with quick reference and pattern number:

This is how I organize my stash. It took me a few days to get it done, but I really like having all my patterns stored in binders. I tried different storage options before and this one takes up least space and is the cleanest, at least for my taste.

Belly Dance Costume - Skirt Finished

2009-06-29T06:18:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note on my belly dancing skirt...

Here is the photo of the finished skirt:

The performance was great, it was loads of fun. I honestly cannot wait for the next season to start. I also got to see the other performances at the rehearsal, and I fell in love with bollywood and tribal fusion. Next year I'll be taking one of these classes as well.

After the rehearsal, we, the performers, had a small Arabic food dinner, and it was delicious.

Here's the link to my PR review where you can read more about the pattern and the construction of the skirt.

Belly Dance Costume - Skirt

2009-06-16T12:36:00.000-07:00

I have a belly dancing performance on Friday (wish me luck). It's a production at the end of the course where every group will perform one dance to show what we have learned.

I drafted the pattern for the skirt following the instructions from the book Skirting the Issues. I made a full circle skirt with two panels. Usually it's three, but I bought the whole fabric from the bolt and there wasn't enough to make three panels.

This is the photo of the pattern piece, it's 1/2 of the circle and it's huge:

The skirt is made of two different layers, the darker one on the outside and the lighter one on the inside, to lessen the see-through quality of the fabric.

Fabric used: 100% polyester
The fabric gave me lots of problems. I had so much puckering, I managed to get it almost to none at the end, but still... I was so mad. I tried using starch on the fabric, but it didn't wash off completely, so I decided not to use it.
Using the sharp microtex needle helped. I let all the seams dry and cool off flat after pressing, which also made the difference.

Construction: I used the French seam on the side seams. The skirt is not finished yet. I will let it hang over night, add the elastic at the waist and hem it with rolled hem.

I'll post the pictures of the finished skirt tomorrow.

Harem Pants - Self-drafted

2009-06-07T23:16:00.000-07:00

This is the final trial version of the harem pants for my belly dancing class before I cut into the pretty fabric. These pants are wearable, I already wore them to a class last week and everyone absolutely loved them. I already received a request from another girl.

I followed the instructions from the Pants for the Dance book I wrote about in my previous post. I started with a pattern for yoga pants, morphed together both, front and back, sides to eliminate the side seam, widened the pants and dropped the crotch. The book encourages you to start with a commercial pattern so there are no actual measurements, except recommendations for widening the pant leg. Which means that everything I did was pretty much an educated guess.
Two days later I found this diagram on the internet:

credits: http://www.zilltech.com/FAQCostumeHP.html

I measured my version of the pattern and realized I was off by mere 0.5cm = 0.2in. (Sweet!)

The pants really simple to put together. There are 2 inside seams and a crotch seam. For the waistband and the ankles I folded the fabric and inserted the elastic and voila! my own custom-made harem pants. It took me less than an hour to put together.

Fabric: I used a gauze-like cotton fabric I had in my stash for a while.

Here are a few extra pictures:
front:

back:

Here you can see the width of the pant leg:

Detail of the elastic at the ankle. You can also see the fabric here:

I'm planning on making the same pants from this polyester fabric:

The darker fabric will be on the outside and the lighter will be used as lining.
Construction wise, these pants will be more challenging because of the see-through quality of the fabric. Although I have seen the seams on the store-bought pants simply serged together, I'm leaning more towards the French seams... I'll try and see which will work best.

Books and Sewing Plans

2009-05-26T12:04:00.000-07:00

First of all, I took some pictures from the All About Silk book I wrote about here. I cannot tell you enough how pleased I am with these books. They are worth every penny IMHO.

Here are 2 pages from the book. Click on the pics for the larger image.

Also, I bought the Adele Margolis' The Complete Book on Tailoring. It's a wonderful book and I deeply recommend it to everyone. I bought it over eBay and I found a wonderful surprise inside. I found an article on suede written by Sandra Betzina. It's from a newspaper, the bottom of the page says: 1982 Chronicle Publishing. I was 2 years old when it was published. Finding it was such a wonderful surprise, for some reason it seems I own a piece of sewing history - hehe I'm such a nerd sometimes.

Now for my sewing plans:
My sister is begging me to make this kind of a maxi skirt Nicole Richie is wearing on this picture:

credits: NicoleRichie.org

The pattern for the skirt is pretty straight forward, long wide A-line. I'll be using some mid-weight black viscose knit I have in my stash. I think with this kind of skirts it's all about the drape and weight of the fabric.

Since I started belly dancing, I'm in desperate need for some costumes. So, second on my plan are a long circle skirt and a pair of harem pants. My class is having an end-of year show in July and I need a skirt to wear. I wanted to buy one, but everything I found locally was a rip-off. Everything was made of cheap, and I mean really cheap, polyester, poorly made and over-priced. Plus all the colourful skirts had black lining, which killed the vivid colours of the over-skirt.

I bought two belly dance costume booklets online: Skirting the Issues and Pants for the Dance. They cover a variety of belly dance skirt and pant styles used for costumes; as well as pattern drafting diagrams, sewing techniques, embellishment ideas, etc. They are wonderful additions to my sewing library and I'm sure I'll be using them a lot.
Here's the photo of the booklets:

So, off to sewing. I'll post pics of my fabrics tomorrow when lighting is better.

Jalie 2445

2009-03-20T09:09:00.000-07:00

I needed pants for an oriental dance classes I started taking, which are, by the way, so much fun it's unbelievable. I'm loving it! I was looking around in stores and all the pants I liked were considerably over-priced. So, I decided to make them myself.

I used this Jalie pattern, which turned out to be another winner.

Pattern Description: Women's loungewear pants and shorts - The comfortable pants you have always been looking for! Easy-fit stretch pants or shorts, with drawstring wasistband for incredible comfort, straight for a flattering look.

Pattern Sizing: All sizes from children to women. I made size R without alterations.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes.

Were the instructions easy to follow? Very easy.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I love this style, it's very comfortable and straight leg is very flattering. I love the fact that I made the pants in less that 2 hours from tracing the pattern to the final seam.

Fabric Used: Cotton - lycra knit. This knit is quite heavy in weight and has amazing recovery. It's perfect for this type of pants.

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made: I omitted the drawstrings in the belt and made the waistband from a simple band, that I cut 3cm shorter that the waist. This way the belt is stretched just enough that is comfortable and makes the pants stay put.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? I'll sew it again very soon and I do recommend it to others. I've seen pants made from this kind of fabric that are priced around 30 or even 40€. I definitely saved some money on this one.

Conclusion: Great loungewear, yoga pant pattern. Very easy and fast to make. Another winner in my book.

Here are photos of the finished project, front and side view:

Now I Know What Everyone's Talking About

2009-03-18T08:11:00.000-07:00

Brocade, chiffon, double knit, satin, taffeta, organdy, poplin, seersucker, etc.
I've been reading these and many names of types of fabric for years, but never knew exactly what those were. Fabric stores here only label fabrics by their fiber content, so I never knew exactly what I was buying. I simply relied on the feel of the fabric. And, that's also one of the reasons why I was afraid to shop online.

I heard a lot about the All About series, and I decided to order the three books: All About Cotton, Silk and Wool from the Rain City Publishing. And let me tell you, this was the best decision I ever made.

(pics taken from the Rain City Publishing website)

Books come with numerous helpful information about different types of fabrics, their care, sewing guidelines and, my favourite part, fabric swatches. Now I can feel different types of fabrics with my hands and recognize the fabrics in my stash.

This was by all means one of the best purchases I ever made. These books are a treasure. And taping swatches into books was really fun.
I probably don't even have to mention what a Doh! moment feeling all those swatches was for me.

Vogue 8379

2009-03-15T13:10:00.000-07:00

First of all, let me just state that I'm still alive and well. I've just been preoccupied with life.

As for this dress....

I needed a dress for my BF's grandmother's 80th Birthday party. And since I found nothing appropriate in my closet, I decided to make a dress. This turned into my own little Project Runway moment. Naturally, I decided to make the dress the last minute and ended up hemming it minutes before I had to leave home.

All the rushing aside, let me tell you I LOVE this dress. This pattern instantly became one of my favourite patterns.
I made size 10 straight out of the envelope, I made no special alterations to the pattern, except shortened it.

Click here to read my review on PR.

More pics of the dress. Please excuse my choice of pictures. I don't have any decent ones, so I'll just post the ones from the party :-)

(ignore my smile, my lips tend to spread without limits)

I also made some really nice sewing-related purchases lately and I'll share them in the next post in a day or two.

The Winners and Sewing Plans for 2009

2009-01-03T07:51:00.000-08:00

First of all let me wish you all the best in 2009. May this year be filled with creativity and sewing; and most of all success, happiness, prosperity and health.

And boy am I glad 2008 is over. This year has been quite tough on a lot of people. The absolutely worst thing for me was that both of my pets, my bunny and my dog, died in 2008. I still cannot fully understand and believe it.
But, I refuse to focus on the bad, and I'm really looking forward to everything the new year will bring for all of us.

Now for the winners: the winner of the La Mia Boutique is Tany; and the winner of the Patrones magazine is Alicia. Congratulations to the winners!
Please send me your mailing addresses on: aikkam at gmail dot com. All the magazines will be sent on Monday.

A lot of my favourite bloggers have written post about their sewing resolutions. I, too, have been thinking a lot about the last year's projects and what I want to accomplish in 2009 with regards to sewing.

First thing I will start doing is I'll start sewing wovens. Lately, I've been stuck in the rut sewing knit tops.

Second thing I promised myself to do is, I will get rid of the fear of making a mistake. This one is the major reason that I kept sewing knit tops. I've fallen into this comfortable zone with sewing knits.

Third resolution is, I will stop sewing basic garments I can easily buy. I will instead focus on making garments with more interesting design features, designer-inspired clothes, etc. Those are the thing I actually want to have in my closet.

And last but not least, I'll make at least one coat/jacket this year. It just breaks my heart to see how many wonderful outerwear patterns are in my stash and I have sewn none. Same goes for pants, dresses and skirts; but jacket and coat patterns hurt the most.

This is it for the first post in the 2009. Until next time...happy sewing :)

The Winners And the Last Giveaway

2008-12-27T02:48:00.000-08:00

Winners of the Patrones Kids magazines are: Lory and Elizabeth. Please send me your mailing addresses on: aikkam at gmail dot com.

I'd also like to ask Sharon, the winner of the first giveaway to send me her address.

In the last giveaway of this year you can get the Patrones Pleno Verano or the La Mia Boutique June 2008. Both are spring/summer issues.

As usual, I'll send magazines to any part of the world. Put down which magazine you'd like to have.
Closing time for the giveaway is December 31st 24.00 EST. Good luck :)

Happy Holidays

2008-12-25T03:35:00.001-08:00

I wish you all happy holidays...

Magazine Giveaway No.2

2008-12-17T05:36:00.000-08:00

Ok, next giveaway.....

Here are two Patrones kids magazines. The first one is Patrones Ninos Fall/Winter 2008 issue; and the second one is Patrones Disfraces, which is kid's costumes issue.

To enter, please leave a comment below. Closing time is Monday 22nd 24.00 EST.
Please put down which magazine you'd like to win.

I forgot to mention in the last giveaway that I'll send the magazines anywhere in the world.

I will choose two winners, of course, if only one person enters, that person gets both magazines :)

Good luck...

And the Winners Are....

2008-12-17T05:16:00.000-08:00

I decided to have two winners, so each one gets one magazine. My sister drew the names from the bag.

The winner of the La Mia Boutique is Sharon.

And the winner of the Burda Easy Fashion is Dawn.

Congratulations to the winners. Please send me your snail mail addresses. My email is: aikkam at g mail dot com.

Another giveaway coming right up......

Magazine Giveaway No.1

2008-12-12T08:27:00.000-08:00

Since it's December and the holidays are around the corner, I decided to give away a few magazines and patterns.

This weekend it's time for Burda Easy Fashion Fall and La Mia Boutique May 2008.

(click on image to see bigger size)

Anyone interested leave a comment to this post until Monday 15th December 24.00 EST and on Tuesday I'll randomly pick one lucky winner :)

La Mia Boutique 09/2004 - Top #12

2008-12-05T08:28:00.000-08:00

This is a pattern for a non-fitted turtleneck with dropped shoulder-seams and wide waistband.

Fabric used: 4-way stretch cotton jersey. I didn't use the rib knit as pictured in the magazine, since I couldn't find any locally.

The pattern: The pattern has 5 pieces, only 3 (the front and back bodice and the sleeve) are included in the pattern. You have to draft 2 rectangles for the neckband and the waistband yourself, according to the instructions: 40cm X 18 cm and 38cm X 20cm respectively. The measurements are for the Italian size 38, which corresponds to European 36.

What bothered me the most about this pattern is the fact that the photo in the magazine doesn't correspond to the given pattern pieces.
First of all, the neckline. The neckline (on the bodice) on the magazine photo is wide, so that the turtleneck is quite loose and not tight around the neck. Well, on the pattern pieces, the neckline is drafted as if it would be on a basic T-shirt pattern. And the neckband comes quite tight around the neck.
Since, that was not the look I wanted, I lowered the neckline by 1 cm all the way around. I should have lowered it a bit more. In addition, the length of the neckband is, according to the instructions 40 cm; but if measured, the neckline is 44 cm - that was prior to my alterations. That makes the neckband even tighter and certainly not loose as shown on the photo.

Second issue was the waistband. The instructions have you cut the 38cm long waistband. However, those 38cm correspond to the width of the bodice and when you attach the bodice, you don't get that loose bodice with fitted waistband as pictured. I had to take in the bodice by 4cm to approximately achieve that look. I know I didn't use the rib knit for the waistband; but even if I did, I still wouldn't get that gathered look.

Here are some photos of the finished garment:

Construction wise, the top went together easy. I first joined the front and back bodice at the shoulder seams, attached the sleeves in flat. Sewn the side bodice seams together with sleeve seams. I then attached the neckband and the waistband.

I really like the idea of this pattern, and I will make this pattern again with some major alterations. I'm not disappointed with the results, but I wish my top looked more like the photo in the magazine.

Jalie 2449

2008-11-25T13:21:00.000-08:00

Pattern Description: From Jalie website: Easy-to-make stretch top with crossover neckline and choice of short or 3/4 sleeve.

Pattern Sizing: Pattern includes 22 sizes. I made size R - women size 4.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes.

Were the instructions easy to follow? The instructions are clear and easy to follow.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I like everything about this pattern. The style is wonderful and versatile. The only thing that I found strange was the neckline on the back because the fabric is simply folded and stitched. I'll probably change that and add a neckband next time.

Fabric Used: Jersey knit.

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made: I wanted long sleeves, so I lengthened them by approximately 30cm. I also found the top to be a bit short, so I added a band, approximately 5cm wide, to the waist. I would have simply lengthen it, but I forgot to check the length before cutting the pattern out. Ups.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? Definitely.

Conclusion: Wonderful and easy to make top. I had this pattern in my stash for quite some time and I really regret not making it sooner. This pattern's a real winner.

Here's the picture of me wearing it:

Notice the drag lines across my bust? Those weren't there while I was trying on the top during construction. I was however wearing a different bra, so that could be the cause.

Here are photos of the back and close-up of the waistband:

WOF 08 / 2004 #142 top

2008-11-11T13:28:00.000-08:00

I made a muslin for this Burda top. I made size 34, but as I see now, I should have made it in 36. I'm still quite happy with the results, except that my muslin knit fabric turned out to be too stiff for this top. As you can clearly see in the photo of the back the fabric should have more drape.

Here's the picture of the muslin:

As far as the construction goes, it wasn't as difficult as it looked on the first sight. My instructions were in German - not my strongest suit. I tried to make sense of it, but I couldn't quite get it. Finally, I just wrote the numbers of notches on the fabric and placed them together accordingly. And it worked.

The only thing I don't like is the waistband part. It came out too small. The problem could be the fabric, or I could have made a mistake in construction or that I made it one size too small. I'll figure it out until I make a real version of it. Btw, there's a seam on the front of my waistband that shouldn't be there. I had a limited amount of this fabric and I couldn't cut it on fold.

Also, I noticed that this top is really short.I thought it was longer based on the one on the model. But again, this could be solved with a bigger size.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here's another top I made. Inspired (or shamelessly copied) by Adriana's version posted here.

Sewing Plans and Inspiration

2008-11-05T10:40:00.000-08:00

Lately I have been inspired by draping features in both tops and bottoms and oversized looks.
Here are some of my inspirational pieces for fall/winter tops:

Robert Rodriguez and Revolver tops:

Design History & Rick Owens tops:

(All pics taken from Bluefly.com and Net-a-Porter.com)

I'm completely inspired and in love with Design History looks. Here's a link to their looks on Bluefly.

I'm also inspired by Adriana's creations over at The Princess Seam blog. Adriana is genius in my book, superbly talented and overall gorgeous.

On my sewing table:

Ever since I saw this top made by Adriana, I couldn't stop thinking about it and I had to make my version of it (Adriana, I hope you don't mind). The top is almost finished, I still need to hem it and then I'll post pics.

On my cutting table:

Burda WOF 08/2004 #142 top

Progress:
I've traced the top. The pattern pieces are a bit unusual and my German is quite poor; so there will be a lot of guessing involved with this one.

It's been a while...

2008-10-06T02:35:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I haven't posted since July. Time sure flies. A lot has happened in the past months.

On September 8, I had to say good-bye to my pet bunny Aika. She died of a stroke. Luckily, she didn't suffer much. She truly was the best bunny in the world and she's greatly missed every day.

Second major event/change in my life is the fact that I decided to quit my job. I figured that working 10 or more hours a day, having no free time and having your personal life reduced to eating and sleeping was not exactly my cup of tea.

So now while I'm on a search for a new job I finally have some time for myself and sewing.

Happy sewing everyone!

P.S.: I promise my next post will be sewing related :-)

I'm Officially Fluent in Business English!!!!!

2008-07-25T09:29:00.000-07:00

I passed the Cambridge Business English Certificate with A grade!!!!! Woohoo!

I'm proud as peacock right now :D

I'll leave you with a picture of my Hibiscus plant:

Quick Update

2008-07-18T13:52:00.001-07:00

Unfortunately no sewing done here. My JCC is still waiting to be finished; but you know how it is, sometimes life gets in the way.

So what have I been up to...
Well, I've spend 3 days in Spain on a business trip, previewing the fall/winter collection of the brand I work for. I had a wonderful time and I met some wonderful people.

While I was away, we were having some terrible storms in Slovenia. During one of those storms, the lightning hit somewhere near our house and a few appliances went dead. One of them was my computer. I had to go without it for a week, but I'm back online now. Thank god, none of my machines got hurt.
The weather has been completely out of control this year. About a week ago, the first ever tornado hit my country. Luckily, nobody I know got hurt. It was a small one, compared to those I'm used to seeing on TV, but even the thought that tornadoes are going to become a part of our climate is frightening.

On the more positive note; well, on the wonderful and exciting note.... I'll get a promotion. I'll be the store manager. I'm still on training, but once this becomes official (in a few weeks), I will have a fixed schedule of 8 hours per day (finally), my paycheck will increase. Which equals, more time and money for sewing :-) Woohoo

I've been listening to some audio books on my way to work lately. And one of them was Eat That Frog by Brian Tracy and I truly recommend it. It has some wonderful tips on how to stop procrastinating, which is one of my huge problems; and I've decided to incorporate those tips into my life. It's funny how you already know practically everything, but it's not until you hear them said out loud, that you become aware of them. I had a few light bulb moments while listening. So no more procrastination from now on, not for me.

One of the decisions and priorities I've set up for myself is also to write here more often. So keep checking back ;-)

Simplicity 4020

2008-06-15T10:56:00.000-07:00

This is my first top for my JCC.

Pattern photo:

My top:

Pattern Description: Misses pullover knit tops. I made view E; short-sleeved kimono style top.

Pattern Sizing: 4-20. I made size 10 straight out of the envelope and it fitted perfectly.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes.

Were the instructions easy to follow? I read through them, but didn't follow them exactly. The top is pretty easy to put together.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I like everything about this pattern: the kimono sleeves, the fitted bodice.

Fabric Used: Red matte jersey.

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made: Pattern alterations: As far as sizing is concerned, I made no alterations. Size 10 fitted me perfectly. What a pleasure!
I reduced the SA to 0,7cm because I was short on fabric. I left the 3,2cm hem allowance but only made 0,7cm hem. I found the top to be too short for my figure. I'm short-waisted with D-cup and I find longer tops more flattering.
I also shortened the neck band by about 2cm for snugger fit.

As for the construction, I sewed the entire top with my SM. MY serger refused to cooperate on this project so I used my trusting SM. Even if my serger did cooperate I would have sewn the back seams with my SM. I found that if you use your SM and press the seams open, you get more polished and less bulky seam.

I used a seam-a-steam alternative on sleeve hems. I found it at my local shop and I decided to try it. I'm satisfied with the results.
Sleeve hem:

Additional views:

See the Stitcher's Gulid page on my monitor :-)

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? Yes and yes!

Conclusion: This top is a wonderful addition to any wardrobe. You can dress it up or down, wear it with dressy pants or a pair of jeans. I definitely recommend it!

JCC Plan

2008-06-08T14:03:00.000-07:00

This will be a short entry.
Unfortunately, I haven't done any sewing. I had to work Saturday, so I only had Sunday left for relaxation and hobbies.

I finally decided on the plan for the June Capsule Contest.

Patterns from left to right:
Simplicity 4020
Jalie 2449
Burda WOF 5/08 #103
Patrones n.241 (February 2006) Chind trousers

Progress:
All patterns for tops are traced and cut.
All fabrics are washed.

I've been tagged....

2008-06-01T05:05:00.000-07:00

... by Marita at Paradise for Me

1. What was I doing ten years ago?

Ten years ago I was 18 (I feel so old now) and was studying for final exams to finish the Grammar School. That was also the first and the last summer that I had whole 3 months of pure freedom with no exams and no serious job. Those were the days.

2. What are 5 things on my to do list today ?

Today's an easy day. I'll go to lunch with my BF. Later in the evening I have to do some studying for my exam on Wednesday. I still have to finalize my pattern choices for the June Capsule contest.

3. Snacks I enjoy?

Fruit, dried fruit (I *love* raisins), nuts, wholewheat bread with cheese or tzatziki spread (yummy). And the not so healthy snacks: chocolate in any form.

4. Things I would do if I were a billionaire?

Travel the world. Buy a house with a huge walk-in closet and a pool. Fill the closet with designer clothes and shoes. Buy a small weekend house in Greece.

5. Places I have lived ?

I've only lived in Slovenia.

6. What type of work have I done?

At the post office counter
On the phone company's info hotline (for years)
As a simultaneous translator in the chiropractor's office
Now: as a merchendiser and window-dresser.

7. 6 peeps I want to know more about?

Everybody I want to tag has already been tagged....

June Capsule Contest and Great Finds

2008-05-30T11:30:00.000-07:00

I decided to join the June Capsule contest on Stitcher's Guild. One of the reasons being that I need a pair of nice summer pants and the second reason that I need garments that coordinate.

Here are the rules of the contest:
The contest will run June 1 - June 30.

Rules:

1. The capsule will consist of four garments and one accessory (purse, belt, headband, jewellery, etc). One of the garments must be a top, one must be a bottom, all the tops must co-ordinate with all the bottoms and the accessory must co-ordinate with them all.

2. One of the items can be purchased and one can be made before June.

3. All the other items must be sewn, knitted, crafted etc during June.

4. Twist: no black items.

5. Everyone who tells me they want to enter the contest and makes at least one item can vote on the winner.

6. At the end of the contest people can send me photos and I'll post them in sets on Flickr. We should have four photos - one showing all the garments (composite or hanging or whatever) and three of the wearer modelling the items. No flat photos of the clothes please.

Here's are my fabrics for the contest:

I'll be making pants (bottom fabric) from off-white stretch cotton; and 3 tops. I haven't chosen the patterns yet.

Click here for the official thread.

I did some unintentional fabric shopping this week. One of my favourite stores also sells bolt remnants by kilogram. These are usually plain knits wonderful for T-shirts, but sometimes dull and in strange colours.
Well this week, they had these wonderful prints and I bought a few.

These are small pieces from 60cm to 1m (0.6 yards to 1.1 yard):

But these ones are huge. The largest is about 3m (3.3 yards) and they were super cheap:

These will make wonderful dresses, won't they?

This weekend will be my last weekend studying; after that I'll be free. I can already hear my machines calling me.

Happy sewing everyone!

Lesson Learned

2008-05-18T01:56:00.000-07:00

Lesson Learned:

Yesterday, we had a party at my office as it was one year since our stores opened. As usually, I had nothing appropriate to wear. After I decided on the pants and shoes, finding the appropriate top became a mission. At 6 o'clock PM (I had to leave home at 9), I decided to sew the sleeveless version of the Burda WOF Twist top. I've made this top before, I should be able to make it again in three hours. Well, apparently sewing under pressure is something I need yet to master. Everything went well, until it was 8:30 and I still needed to hem the top and finish the sleeves (not to mention shower, put make-up on, etc.).
I decided to do the lettuce edge on the hem - looks nice, it's fast. It worked well. I tried to do the same on the sleeves but it looked awful. In a panic, I decided to trim off the lettuce edge, leave it unfinished and finish it the next day. Here comes the lesson: don't use shears in a hurry and a panic. I trimmed off too much and made a complete and utter mess: gaping and uneven armholes, reveling seams and fabric; you name it.

As it was time to leave, I put on a RTW top and a jacket. The funny thing is that I spent an entire evening outside with my jacket on. If I had known that before I would've saved myself a lot of nerves and fabric. Oh well....

Closet Cleanout

2008-05-12T13:54:00.000-07:00

It is that time of the year when I usually take everything that has accumulated in my closet out, go through it with a critical eye and put everything in three piles: 'keepers', 'menders' and 'never-use-never-will' pile.

Ever since I started working in a clothing store my wardrobe became full of RTW pieces. Part of the problem is that my job requires me to wear clothes from our store. And since the store I work in sells mainly casual clothes, my work wardrobe is very casual - mainly jeans and T-shirts.
The other reasons for my wardrobe expansion are employee discount and sales.

So, after dividing everything into three piles, I assessed everything that was in the 'keepers' pile and realized the following:

CASUAL CLOTHES:
jeans - I have plenty - I get two pairs of jeans for free from my company every season
T-shirts - have enough
sweatsuit alternative (both tops and bottoms) - enough - I usually spend weekends and my free time in nature or doing somethings sporty, so I need and use plenty of casual wear
shorts - have a sufficient number
skirts - three
dresses - I have one single beach dress
outerwear - could use more, but it's not a priority

NICE CLOTHES:
In this group belong clothes appropriate for office work, interviews, parties, special occasions and events, etc. Basically everything that is not casual.
Now here I have a huge problem.

tops - I have two tops that could pass as appropriate
pants - one pair of winter pants
dresses - none
skirts - none
outerwear - one black winter coat

Quite bad, right?

My current job doesn't require nice clothes, but every now and then an occasion or event comes up where I need something nice to wear and then I sadly realize that I do own the perfect dress for the occasion, but it's still waiting to be sewn.

I need to focus on sewing nice clothes and I need a plan. I also decided to sew outfits instead of single garment pieces. That is because when I sew an individual garment, I have nothing to wear it with, so the poor thing just hangs in my closet waiting for better days.

I'm still working on a plan. I probably won't be able to focus on it until beginning of June due to my work and studies; but then I'll definitely start building a better, more functional wardrobe that won't allow me to find myself in one of those 'I-have-nothing-to-wear' situations.

I'm leaving you with a photo of a tulip I took on an annual tulip exhibition I visited recently:

Jalie 2682

2008-05-03T11:07:00.000-07:00

I haven't completed a project in over a year. So this would be my comeback :-)

Jalie 2682

Pattern Description: From Jalie's web-site: Stylish V-neck top, raised neckline at back, with or without sleeves. View A has a zipper at front neckline for more coverage.
I made view B without sleeves.

Pattern Sizing: I started with size R, but ended up taking in a lot.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes.

Were the instructions easy to follow? Yes.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I love everything about this top, especially the neckline.

Fabric Used: Green jersey.

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made: First I made a muslin and the top came out too big; not comfy big, but BIG. The only place it fitted right was across my chest. Since the fabric I used was thin and more on the fancy side and I also prefer my tops more fitted, I ended up taking over 3cm (= 1.2 inches) at the sides, but only on the lower parts, not the bodice. I also took in a little on back bodice part as well. If I were making it in a different fabric, especially thicker one, I wouldn't have taken in so much.

Second alteration I made was I lowered the bodice seams by 1.5cm (=0.6 inches) because with the original pattern, the seam came up too high on my bust. Naturally, I had to lower the back bodice seam also to keep seams in balance.

One thing I also noticed with the muslin was that serged seams came out too bulky, especially the ones between the bodices and the lower parts of the top. So I decided not to use my serger and sew the seams with my SM. I presses the seams flat and as you can see on the pics there are no bulky seams anywhere.

More pics:

Side view:

Back view:

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? Yes and yes. This just became one of my favourite patterns and I will definitely make it again.

Conclusion: As I said, I fell in love with this pattern. If you're looking for a quick and easy top that looks fab, this is the pattern you're looking for. And the best thing about it is that you can dress it up or down depending on the fabric you choose.
Big thanks to Leslie in Austin for sending me this pattern.

Blouse Sloper

2008-04-30T11:25:00.000-07:00

I've been working on my blouse sloper for a long time. Now, with some time off work, I've finally finished it.

I drafted the pattern myself using the Rundschau technique. The biggest problem I faced was my bust and measurements connected to it. For example, armhole width is derived form bust circumference. In my case, my bust is big (I'm D cup), but my arms, back and waist are small.
It took a lot of tweaking and re-drafting to finally get to this:

front:

side:

back:

On the photo of the back, please ignore the right side of the photo - I made adjustments only the left side of the blouse lol

I'm not entirely satisfied with it yet. Do you see the puckering on the top of the darts on the back? I still need to fix that.
And also if you look at the side photo, there are some lines at my waist. I'm not sure how to get rid of those. I've tried taking in the sides and widening the back dart; it looked fine, but I couldn't close the blouse anymore.

Still some minor details to figure out, but, overall, I'm happy with the results.

New Toy

2008-04-23T09:44:00.000-07:00

I bought this beauty today:

Isn't it pretty? It's an Olympus mju 840 in Candy Pink colour.

I'm off to play with it.

Inspiration

2008-04-14T13:14:00.000-07:00

My job has been hectic lately. I can't wait until Thursday when things will finally calm down and I will work normal hours.

I haven't done anything sewing-related this weekend. This weekend was all about spending time with my DBF and relaxation.

And what does a girl do when there's no time to sew? Shop and dream about sewing :-)

I'm in love with May issue of Burda magazine. The dresses are fabulous! These are my absolute favourites:

This one is my absolute favourite. This pattern would look as good in blue jeans as well as in some wool fabric for a winter version.

Second favourite. Perfect for summer. And I just bought the perfect shoes to go with it :-)

Love the detailing on the waist.

Gorgeous. I'd just make it shorter.

I also love this top:

Speaking of dresses.. I added two Hot Patterns to my collection - my first Hot Patterns that is. I bought the famous Cosmopolitan dress and the Cha-cha-cha dress.

I also subscribed to Burda magazine and the Patrones. I cannot buy the Patrones here; I can get Burda at every newsstand, though, but I figured it saves me time to have it delivered to my home. Plus, nothing beats the feeling of coming home beat and discovering a package. Speaking of which, I just received the new Patrones Joven issue and I love it.

Now if only there were more hours in a day. Anybody know of a good website where you can order time?

Clothes: More for Less or Less for More?

2008-04-02T21:36:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had a debate with my co-workers on the subject of buying clothes. The main question was: Do you rather buy less, but higher quality and therefore more expensive? Or do you prefer to buy more clothes that are more affordable (not so say cheap) and of poorer quality?

I definitely belong in the first category, which made me the odd one in the group. I hate spending even the smallest amount of money for, let's say a T-shirt, that will lose it's shape after one wash. And buying it's replacement (more than once), makes you spend more money than you ever intended to.
I hate buying something I really like, wear it three times and realizing that the hems have raveled.
I don't need a closet full of semi-fitting garments, just so I can wear something new every day. I rather have less but better-fitting garments.
I, definitely, don't want to buy a garment that needs fixing and altering before I can wear it. If I have paid paid for it, it should be wearable.

And don't get me wrong, I LOVE clothes and my closet is anything but empty. But I hate wearing something that doesn't fit, or something you have to adjust every minute because it looks good only in one position, having seams pulling in all directions, loose threads hanging form every seam, etc.

I do understand that fabrics and garments have expiration dates, especially when worn frequently, but surviving the first wash shouldn't represent a challenge, even for a 5€ T-shirt.

What do you think?

On the sewing note:
No major progress. I am, however, trying something new for me. I always thought you needed at least half a day off, to get some sewing done. But lately I've been trying to do something sewing related in short 15, 30-minute intervals before and after work. And, so far so good. I never knew how much can be done in such short time.

Progress on the Skirt and More Fabrics

2008-03-24T23:31:00.000-07:00

I finally had some time off to start working on my skirt. I'm using this pattern:

It's pattern number 5 view B, from the Fall/Winter issue of Burda Quick and Easy.

Progress:
Pattern modification: The pattern has 4 pattern pieces: center-front, center-back (both cut on fold); and left and right sides cut 2 times each. Based on my muslin (sorry, no pic), the skirt was too long; so I lowered the waist by 6cm and shortened the skirt by 5cm. I didn't want to just shorten it, because that would cause the skirt to lose it's bell-shape. Plus, the waist was too high for my preference.
Since I lowered the waist by 6 cm, the skirt was too wide at the waist. To retain the ratio between the pattern pieces (the front pieces are wider than the side ones), I narrowed the side pieces by 6mm on each side, which gave me 4,8cm less on the whole circumference. I left the front pieces untouched. Clear as mud?

Here's a pic of the fabric and cut pattern pieces:

I would have assembled the skirt, but, unfortunately, I ran out of thread :-(

One more thing I did over the Easter holidays is I went through all my Burda WOF magazines. I photo-copied all the technical drawings, put them in a binder. Then I went through the WOF archive on the Burda web-site and marked all the interesting patterns based on the photo and technical drawing. I found lots of very nice patterns that fashion photos just don't do them justice. So many interesting details are lost when they make patterns in solid colours, especially in black.

And ... I also bought more fabrics:

knits:

shirt-fabric - I have no idea what it's called:

denim and striped-knit:

I apologize for the quality of the photos - they were taken with my mobile phone.

2008-03-11T12:31:00.000-07:00

Hmmm.... it's nice to be me :-)

What My Name Means

You are confident, self assured, and capable. You are not easily intimidated.
You master any and all skills easily. You don't have to work hard for what you want.
You make your life out to be exactly how you want it. And you'll knock down anyone who gets in your way!

You are usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection.
You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive.
You have the classic "Type A" personality.

You are fair, honest, and logical. You are a natural leader, and people respect you.
You never give up, and you will succeed... even if it takes you a hundred tries.
You are rational enough to see every part of a problem. You are great at giving other people advice.

You are incredibly wise and perceptive. You have a lot of life experience.
You are a natural peacemaker, and you are especially good at helping others get along.
But keeping the peace in your own life is not easy. You see things very differently, and it's hard to get you to budge.

You are a very lucky person. Things just always seem to go your way.
And because you're so lucky, you don't really have a lot of worries. You just hope for the best in life.
You're sometimes a little guilty of being greedy. Spread your luck around a little to people who need it.

You are wild, crazy, and a huge rebel. You're always up to something.
You have a ton of energy, and most people can't handle you. You're very intense.
You definitely are a handful, and you're likely to get in trouble. But your kind of trouble is a lot of fun.

You are well rounded, with a complete perspective on life.
You are solid and dependable. You are loyal, and people can count on you.
At times, you can be a bit too serious. You tend to put too much pressure on yourself.

You are very hyper. You never slow down, even when it's killing you.
You're the type of person who can be a workaholic during the day... and still have the energy to party all night.
Your energy is definitely a magnet for those around you. People are addicted to your vibe.

You are very open. You communicate well, and you connect with other people easily.
You are a naturally creative person. Ideas just flow from your mind.
A true chameleon, you are many things at different points in your life. You are very adaptable.

What's Your Name's Hidden Meaning?

Fabric Shopping

2008-03-06T12:25:00.000-08:00

I haven't done any sewing yet. I'm back to work and this week has been both physically and emotionally draining. To lift my spirits, I went fabric shopping. I brought home these three beauties:

I apologize for the poor quality of the photo. It was taken with my phone as my camera sadly died recently. The colours aren't 100% true, the reds are more vibrant and the true green is closer to the colours in the upper right corner.

All three are knits. I haven't chosen the patterns yet, but I know that both red ones will be tops. I love the red and white combo with jeans, or even white pants, for the summer. The green one will be a wrap-dress. Paired with brown leather bag and sandals, it will look perfect.

Thank God tomorrow is Friday and I'll be able to do some sewing during the weekend.

Back in the Game

2008-02-28T07:03:00.000-08:00

I'm back. Missed me?

Well, I'm getting back to sewing after a year. Since a lot has changed in the past year and since I have changed, I figured, it's time for a new blog.

I have missed sewing tremendously, and I have missed all my sewing buddies and friends.

With my sewing machines oiled, drafting tools ready and a new steam iron (how could I ever lived without one of these), I'm ready for the comeback.

My first garment will be a wool houndstooth skirt. I need something easy to start with.

On the drafting table: a sloper for a fitted shirt. I decided to draft a sloper from the scratch to brush up on my drafting skills and to achieve the perfect fit. I'll use it later with various commercial patterns.

Happy sewing everyone!