Colette Patterns Laurel Dress: my shrubbery develops

Posted on 29 April, 2013 by scruffybadgertime

The Colette Patterns Laurel Dress contest was genius, not only to create a buzz about the new pattern from Colette, but that it was this particular pattern: a simple shift dress. Take this simple shift dress & see what you can do with it…fabric variations, trimmings and clever design can create countless sources for others to get inspired. Me? I needed something to get my teeth into in April & that was really the only reason I really bought the pattern. As mentioned earlier, I am sure I have a few examples of the shift dress pattern in my collection of patterns, so didn’t really need another. Not that I feel that I am in with a chance of winning, this was most definitely something for me that the taking part was the prize. I have deliberately kept away from seeing what others have created so far, but I cannot totally avoid some peeks on blogs that have started emerging.

But back to talking about the Laurel Dress, yes it is a simple shift dress, however, when making it up just fits SO well. I find this with Colette Patterns: each time I make them (Ginger, Beignet, Violet) I make more than one. I think there is something of real “quality” and style about the drafting. So, this is yet another Colette pattern for which I have to admit that I have an addiction – fuelled initially by the contest. Once I started thinking about how I could interpret the Laurel Dress & make it my own, I couldn’t stop with one. Even making two was not enough. No, once the ideas started to visit me I made three in a matter of weeks, mainly snatches of weekend sewing too. And each time I try a completed version on, I LOVE the way it fits & how easy it is to wear & think I could cope with having a Laurel dress for every day of the week!! You see this dress is simple in design but also in making up. Once I’d made the top & got the fit how I liked, each dress came together in a few hours – you could make it even more quickly if you didn’t fuss with some of the detail I added. It takes a small amount of fabric too- the top even less. Every dress I made used fabric from my stash. Folks, I’ve gone Laurel crazy! Now are you comfy? Have you got your feet up and a cup of tea?

I wasn’t sure whether to put them all in one post – three dresses, three variations & three very different looks. I have camped it up for you folks….you’ll spot a new addition to my wardrobe & we’re not talking about the three dresses!! There will now follow quite a few photos with the odd bit of narrative. Not quite a photo story – sorry – missed opportunity – make one up in your head if you want. It’s hard to know which one to start with – it’s like someone asking you which child is your favorite. I shall therefore resort to chronological order.

Version One: The blue Laurel dress with a contrast yoke & some crochet trim.

It’s made from a printed cotton with a polka dot contrast yoke. Drafting the yoke was easy & I like how it has worked out. I used crochet trim like piping between the yoke & the main dress piece, as well as edging the sleeves with it. The buttons I’ve used are almost the same as the flowers in the dress print!

I used crochet trim like piping between the yoke & the main dress piece, as well as edging the sleeves with it.

The bias facings & underside of the Peter Pan collar are also polka dots wheeee!

Oh yes! Red loves it! It’s now hanging up ready for the temperatures to rise a tad.

Version Two: The Elephant ric rac Laurel dress

Now if anything could be described as a Scruffy Badger signature it is 1. Ric Rac and 2. Elephant fabric. This combines the two in one awesome dress! The fabric was sent to me by Sonja from Ginger Makes (at last, I’ve put it to a perfect use, thank you so much you sweetie!!!)

I have used some solid white as a contrast & the irony! We all say how much we detest facings, so Colette make a style that uses bias for facings & here I go & draft a facing to use on the outside! It catches the egg-yolk yellow ric rac at its edge…

I took the pocket pattern piece that came with the dress & lengthened it so that I could line my pocket piece & fold over the top. If you look very carefully you’ll see that the elephants are perfectly place in alignment with the dress fabric. That my dears is no accident. I used Mrs C’s genius methodology & have elephant scrawled tracing paper to prove it.

And here’s where it gets even more exciting….the new wardrobe addition. Both my friend & I are in love with it. It hasn’t got a name yet, but we’re working on it. (It seems to respond well to “Bouffy”)

Can you see how exciting it is to have such a perfect barnet to go with such a cute dress? I’m trying to show off my fluffy pink ring (also new) but was clearly to fidgety to get it in focus!

I did try to make sure the elephants kept to their rows….not quite perfect matching at the vertical on the centre back, but that would have been quite tricky. All of my dresses use lapped zippers (tutorial here), I haven’t got a local source at reasonable prices & anyway, lapped zippers are how I’ve always sewn a zip.

Version three: the Gingham un-sailor dress

This is the reason I’m posting my Laurels (hahaha - rather than resting on my laurels!) so near to tomorrow’s deadline. I have literally finished this one tonight. The light had gone by the time I took the photos, so they are all indoors. Ahem, sorry, back to the dress. The fabric was from Walthamstow the first time I went to a blogger meet up. It’s cotton & almost like a light flannel. I had in mind creating a version of Laurel with a sailor collar. Here it is ..

Da na! The collar is completely separate & has been taken from New Look 6808, as used by Zoe recently (thanks Zoe for reminding me I have this pattern!) Now my creative processes for this dress were continual. I knew I wanted a splash of red piping, maybe a couple of red buttons too. But I didn’t start by knowing the effects I was going to implement. How much piping I was going to use & where was whirring through my mind long after I’d started to sew it. I had in mind piping the outside of the collar, but clearly didn’t as I felt less is more.

Pockets? I didn’t have these in mind until I’d already sewn the front & back darts. Whilst I opted to make them on the bias to add a nice touch I stabilised by lining them with fabric on the straight grain – so much easier than a. sewing a straight seam with bias cut edges and b. pressing the pocket seam allowances to include a curve. The pocket flaps are those that came with the Laurel extras, perfect for a pop of red piping. I tried to use my overlocker’s piping foot to attach the piping because peeps it is *awesome* & gets right up close to the piping. However, not so good when going around curves, hence the not as perfect as I’d like finish!

There was clearly a need for piping somewhere in addition to the pocket flaps. I’d thought about the neckline, but at that stage was not sure how the sailor collar would look with it. I’d then thought of piping the sleeve hems, but with a cut-out. This idea came to me when I was on the phone to my Dad – thanks BG – you didn’t know it, but you somehow helped my design process, also shameless inspired by these leggings at Sweaty Betty. Getting the piping with tie effect was fiddly & involved hand-sewing in front of Sunday night TV. I also had to draft a facing for the sleeve hem & its cut-out.

So that’s the back…here is the gingham version in a number of guises ….

This will be how I wear it for real folks!

It’s just such a comfy dress to wear – I reckon perfect for a Sunday dinner – you can hide a lot in that shift shape…

I could belt it in if I wanted to, although that does mean that it gets ever shorter …

Showing the pocket flaps in action…

Good for a giggle, but it’s just *too* dressing up to be taken seriously! Oh well! There’s something of the dib dib dib about it too!

So as I said at the beginning I have really enjoyed the challenge this contest brought me at a time when I needed a focus for my sewing. I am not expecting to win, & [cough] feel I already have the prize: three new quirky dresses! Roll on summer so I can get wearing them!!

For those of you who made it this far- well done! I have to say you have staying power….talk about shaggy dog sewing! Now I’m going to add them to Flickr and admire all the other versions! What fun. Good luck to all you fellow contestants.

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My Colette Laurel top

Posted on 21 April, 2013 by scruffybadgertime

I’m just going to plunge in & reveal my affection for Colette Patterns’ newest addition to the awesome collection: Laurel

I know it’s a shift dress & I undoubtedly have plenty of shift dress patterns. But. Look on the website there are some rather nice mods to this simple style. For some reason (might it have anything to do with the competition? ) I opted to give it a go.

I compared the pattern pieces with my tried & tested New Look 6000 which is my “block” now & from experience I know that Colette patterns are usually too big in the back for me & usually bust darts are too high. How fantastic to have a pattern “block” I tell you! It makes fitting & anticipating what might need to be done so much easier …

I thought I’d make the top. But you can see that as I’ve already started with the pics. By the way, excuse the “slicked ” hair look – I’d just come back from a run, showered etc & the hair is still damp. It is not a look I take out onto the streets, honest.

Ahem. Back to the top. Laurel. It is such a quick make , even when there are all these stripes to match. The fabric came from Mandors in Edinburgh & is a buttery glazed cotton. Such a delight to sew with, but I didn’t want to make any mistakes (who ever actually wants to make mistakes :-s ?) as it seems to be a fabric with memory & I worried it would show any holes left by misadventurous stitching.

Side seams look pretty awesome to me! The back has a centre back seam, but joy of joys, this top has a big enough neckline for not requiring any zips or buttons (unless of course your hair is too huge to fit)

Look – there is a seam down the centre back – honest! So it has bust darts & rear vertical darts for a touch of shaping. Whilst I am wearing it out-tucked it might appear a bit more tube-like than my usual fitted styles, but it’s a casual top & tell you what it looks adorable with my new red Chardon skirt, tucked in. Sorry no pics, you’ll have to take my word for it.

As you’re used to if you have sewn Colette before the instructions are just right, but then remember this is a simple make. And peeps, no facings, yes, did you hear me there are no facings, just plain old bias binding! (Or handmade self bias binding which is what I used & boy it looks cute with those diagonal stripes! oops – again I’m teasing as I haven’t taken any photos of that either!) My version, sleeve length, top length etc is just about out of the packet as designed, except (& you can see this a bit on the rear picture above) I did not gather the sleeves but made a few tiny pleats as this fabric is so lovely I didn’t want to create any puncture marks through extra gathering stitches. (Oh & remember I made adjustments to fit, as expected – narrowing the back & lowering the bust dart)

I am won over by this pattern, seriously. There is a lot of scope for individualising it (who me?!) & if the dress is anywhere near as lovely to make as the top….(hint hint, it is! ) I will come back & show you my next Laurel soon …..

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A deadline looms….

Posted on 11 June, 2012 by scruffybadgertime

I’m feeling the pressure peeps, I have a list of gifts to make & I should be sewing like now.

But you know the expression “More haste, less speed”. Well, I need to breathe deeply & thought a quick blog post the best way to do this. So not much talking here, a few pics, & I will explain the barrage of unuttered curses that went through my mind just now….& reveal this week’s most pressing sewing deadline.

Can I show you my scalloped blouse – Colette Violet?

Here is the Boden blouse that triggered the thought of a scalloped centre front (Oh Roo, you have such fantastic knowledge of what’s out there!)

Source: boden.co.uk via Scruffybadger on Pinterest

So last time there was the potential disaster of da da da (cue dramatic music) yellow wax edges to the scallops. the The good news? I used tons of Vanish to work at the aforementioned yellow traces of dressmaker’s tracing paper before slamming it in the washing machine & it worked! Yip yip ay yay!

Revealing the back first – I do so love the gathered yoke. I wear it with a cotton camisole underneath but dear Barbarella is rather an exhibitionist it has to be said. See that black top hanging on the radiator? That’s another gift that I shall write about some time (as there were more discoveries with making this!) It’s another Vogue 1247 made with Rag Market viscose.

But onto the front view & the scallops…

See what I mean about the facings showing? I really hadn’t thought that through. Mrs C gives some advice on sheer fabrics, facings & seam allowances in the comments to this post here. I shall revisit them when venturing into using some of the chiffon I have in my stash.

….So why does the idiom, “More haste, less speed” become relevant? Well after thinking that I had ruined this blouse with yellow waxed tracing paper markings & managing to save it, I rushed to give this lil’ blouse an iron for the photo shoot & gah ….I hate even writing it so annoying is this….the iron was too hot & melted (yes melted) the left front collar. It has a crispy holeyness about it. I have never done that before. It doesn’t show in the above picture, but believe me it is there ….& why?

Well., as I said at the start I am feeling the pressure. I have only a couple of sewing hours this week to make up a gift for a special little girl & have made a good start …

However will I really manage to find the time? Recently there has been a squeeze on sewing time due to lovely visitors (in the guise of my grown up boys). Funnily enough whenever they stay not only do I feel the urge to cook more & clearly need to spend time with them, but their laptops completely screw up my internet access – hence less blogging & blog commenting becomes problematic. And it also puts the dampeners a little on outfit pics, well those in which I make more of an effort, & believe me I have some planned….but as you know I prefer to have my privacy when letting loose the inner Badger ….

So writing this in some way has not helped my sewing stress. Although I am now poised to sew, I have burnt my new blouse so badly that I will at some time have to replace the collar, & my much needed beauty sleep draws closer. Just how much might I have sewn had I not written this? Oh well,

“After all tomorrow is another day” to quote my heroine.

I think I just might call it a day & go to bed & read!

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Red hot chilli: Colette Patterns Ginger skirt

Posted on 17 May, 2012 by scruffybadgertime

Hurrah! Pop the corks this post will have links (& many!) Following all my issues with shockwave/flash crashing in Chrome I have moved across to Firefox & it’s great. No more problemos & very user friendly for a webnoob like me. Just thought you’d be glad – no more moaning on that front! So, sewing it is. PS The giveawaywayhay post (deliberate typo!) is being penned & just need some photos to launch later it this week, sorry for stringing you along.

Here it is, my second Colette Patterns Ginger skirt. I had intended it to be a quick & dirty affair making an unlined version using a red linen/ cotton mix, perfect for summer. But then I saw Karen’s holiday Ginger, & saw that she had taken the trouble to line it & thought “Come on Scruffy! Make an effort!”

I’ve lined my previous Ginger, & found that it could have done with a bit more ease in the lining. So this time, cutting out the lining I added an extra cm to each side seam to allow for ease of wearing. I also cut the front on the fold rather than create an additional seam which isn’t needed inside. Just used gathers to ease the lining to fit at the waistband at the appropriate point in the making up.

I think I’m a bit into petticoats at the moment … look at how I’ve finished it off (& some secret rick rack also! Makes it feel like Christmas!)

The Waistband

This I think deserves a bit of space all to itself. To avoid the gaping at the top, I referred back to my first Ginger & the alterations I made to it. Luckily I had transferred these to my pattern pieces & was therefore able to line up & transfer these with the sweetheart waistband that I wanted to make this time.

The top piece is how it is before I made adjustments – the bottom two pieces show the weird wedge I need to take out of this waistband side seams.

** Post edit – please refer to the comment left by Mrs C below to develop this alteration to the next level & make a rounded waistband translating the adjustment evenly across the pieces – it’s a good read!! **

It was weird sewing it though – it seems counter intuitive seeing the angle that the three pieces make when sewn up together. But it worked, it fits my clearly counter intuitive body shape.

So, to detour again from the “quick & dirty” I felt obliged to add some detailing, to invest some more love into this skirt. It was worth it I think. I cut some strips of the skirt fabric on the bias & made piping. Nothing too obvious, as this skirt is going to be a basic colour blocker, but the piping just makes me feel it is a bit more special.

Since reading Roobeedoo’s note that the waistband in this version can wrinkle I wasn’t sure what I was going to do. My interfacing, although medium, had already ironed on a bit awkwardly & therefore became my waistband facing (oh, I wasn’t going to admit to that!) I didn’t want to risk it on the waistband proper in case it ironed on all gunkily again. All through the construction the need for stiffness (stop sniggering) was niggling me. Was I going to risk the quality of the skirt for lack of thought & effort? My fix in the end was to create a template of the space inside the stitching, ie the finished waistband & create a buckram duplicate in the hope that it keeps it standing up right. It seems to be OK…. but makes a crinkly noise when you move around sitting!

My invisible zip went in fine, piping just about even both sides if you squint. It’s just the top didn’t finish as neatly as it could, but looks like a design feature. Perhaps it is because of the piping.

I think this is going to be useful. I’ve already discovered LOADS of tops that it goes nicely with & today I wore it with my Vintage Vogue jacket no less (it’ll appear in a Me Made May roundup)

Worn here with an old New Look 6808 top in linen…

The perils of long damp grass of a morning ….

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Pink elephant Violet Blouse

Posted on 7 March, 2012 by scruffybadgertime

Am I hallucinating? Is it real? What have I taken? Is this blouse a figment of my imagination, am I in danger of living the “Emperor’s New Clothes”?

New Ellie Violet with my Meringue. If only I could go to work dressed like this!

But look! It doesn’t quite look like a little girl’s pajamas. The Violet blouse has made these elephants grow up, pull their socks up & wipe their long noses.

Rewind a bit – this is the pink elephant fabric from Ditto fabrics and it’s so cool. I love it also in the navy, but opted for a bright option. I have a feeling I may go back for the navy though…

It has got piping around the collar & along the right front edge. (Love piping!!) I chose extra large buttons & used bold thread with triple stitching to hem & buttonhole as I thought it aged it even more.

OOops! Didn’t think about the collar & look! Upside down drunken ellies at the front (but they are walking the line behind!).

I found with this fabric that the ellies were not printed on the straight grain- I had to rip across the width to get the straight grain & was shocked to see how far out the ellies were. This is why the yoke is skewed.

I only had enough for the short sleeved version, but have to say, having worn my other one lots with elbow length sleeves I do like it lots, and would make it again, but am loving the short sleeves too. It’s funny, every time I cut this pattern out I have an urge to cut another. I can see myself making even more of these & have a few ideas lined up.

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Lining my Colette Patterns Meringue skirt

Posted on 18 February, 2012 by scruffybadgertime

This is the inside of my Pinstripe Meringue.

I’m finding it very hard to contemplate making a skirt without lining it, especially something that will be winter weight & very much dry clean only. I’ve lined a few skirts so far, & through wear & sometimes even in tear I have learnt along the way. Undoubtedly it is recommended to use a shiny slippery lining fabric for any skirts that you will be wearing with tights. My cherry red Beignet (wool) is made with a cotton lining & it drags on tights – & on long walks into town actually ends up spun around & hiked up round my pants- not ideal & actually is more comfy with a slippy slip. And then I’ve made the mistake of not allowing any extra ease in the lining resulting in the inside seams pulling/ fraying a bit when the fabric is a bit delicate. And that’s such a shame.

So, I have Edinburgh & the Crafter’s Ceilidh to thank for a. putting me in touch with Alanna from Lazy Stitching who recently posted about lining her skirt with some extra ease & slightly gathering the lining to the waistband. That was such a well timed post, thank you Alanna! Edinburgh also provided me with the opportunity to purchase a couple of lining fabrics, with a wonderful emerald green shiny lustrous poly lining & the magenta version you see above.

Hoorah!

But making the Meringue with a lining was not straightforward & required a few attempts & a little bit of brain work. And think I did. Should I cut the hem facing, or should the lining duplicate (with extra ease) the skirt pieces? I opted for the latter approach, although I think this was the possibly the route less travelled. But, cut skirt pieces I did in lining adding an extra couple of inches to the width. I did not cut a hem facing.

More thinking was then undertaken – the sawdust was smouldering I tell you – to work out the order for sewing, trying to understand the feasibility of being able to get at the hem + lining to attach both through scallops as well as being able to attach the invisible zipper & machine sew the lining to the zipper (using the Colette Patterns approach). I’d worked out that it would be possible, if a little skirt contorting, to insert the zipper before the hem. Sewing the invisible zipper worked out fine – I could attach the lining via the machine stitched route (as shown in the Handbook & on the Colete Patterns website). This was done before attaching the lining to the skirt at the hem.

But it was the length of the hem that was the problem. Alert!! Lining this skirt is tricksty this way! If it wasn’t for my Valentine, Barbarella I don’t know how I would have managed. Getting Barbs to model it I could see that the length of the lining was pulling up the hem in a minor (but unacceptable) pseudo puffball effect along the scallops.

I would not have seen this very well when wearing it – possibly only noticing it as I was taking photos to post on the blog (how frustrating would that have been?!) The picture above shows the first attempt at a finished skirt before I recast the waistband. It was actually complete & wearable (if you go for puffballs that is!) What is happening is that the lining & the skirt were hanging at slightly different lengths & the lining, being a bit too short was pulling the skirt to “bag” at the scallops. Usually with a lined skirt the skirt & lining are only attached at the waist (& zip) & from there hang interdependently of each other at the hem. With this skirt, the lining & the skirt are attached at both waist & hem & if their relative lengths are at odds with each other this happens.

Gosh was it an effort getting this right. I tried hanging it upside down by its scallops to get the length equal. That resulted in some of the hem being OK, but not all, so it ended up being worked as a three phase hem. What worked best for me was to use Barbs & to work my way up from the hem to the part of the waistband that needed shifting. Working on a 3D form was more successful than the coat hanger approach above! But – hoorah! Barbs was most helpful, & as I said, she saved my Sewniverse.

Now, it made me think how should I have done this? What if I didn’t have a dress form? In the comments to the last post lovely Lauren from LLadybird (whose awesome piped Meringue I remember gushing over) let the secret slip out. Avoid all the pain of this by 1. using the hem facing as usual & 2. lining the skirt as normal with an inside lining attached at the waistband but loose at the hem. You can of course make the facing out of lining fabric to gain that splash of oo la la should you wish. Should have checked that out before I started. Simples.

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My pinstriped Meringue Skirt (Colette Patterns)

Posted on 15 February, 2012 by scruffybadgertime

So following on from explanation of my inspirations last time which would have made a single post overlong, it’s time to see what I did with the skirt of many curved edges, that is the Meringue skirt.

This Meringue is such a pretty style that I wanted to mix it up a bit & use a masculine pin stripe with the very feminine hem detail. I’d bought some wonderful wool pinstripe, a very dark navy, from my local fabric shop last year. This fabric was a bit more expensive than my usual cheapness & I wanted to do it justice.

And do it justice I did (in terms of reworking bits that didn’t cut the mustard first time around.) Yes, I actually unpicked the finished waistband, replete with buttonhole & button sewn on to correct the hem & the waistband seam that slightly missed the straight edge of the pinstripe. But I am not expecting any praise for this, don’t get me wrong. It’s the kind of thing any decent sewster covers off every make. I am just usually lazy!

This was my first make using Barbarella. She is stellar. She is already saving my sewniverse. The fit on this skirt is perfect & it if it wasn’t for her I think I would have really struggled to get the lined hem right.

I plan to follow up this post with a post devoted to lining this skirt as I found it quite a challenge & think it deserves discussion. This post will be purely a show & tell. But Barbs, I LOVE YOU!!!! You are my valentine

Look, it’s got a satiny cerise lining – coo!! Do you like the vintage button?

It slightly peeks out at the hemline in a slightly flirty (tarty?!) way…

I wore it to a Senior Board meeting at work (in a supportive role, I am really not an important work person) & inside I trilled to think I was unconventionalising my pinstripes. The conversation might have been *very important & strategic* but I was wearing a secret bird of paradise.

And this is the waistband that I recast. I had to spend a lot of effort on the hem (more in the post to follow on lining this madam) which meant unpicking the waistband. Which was actually a good thing in my efforts to be a more perfect sewster, as you’ll see the waistband is sewn on the crosswise grain & the first time the stitching didn’t quite follow the pinstripe. It was obvious. It had to come out. How did I get it right this time??

Well, in a similar way to sewing piping I machine basted along the line of the pinstripe on the outside of the waistband piece with bright thread so that when I came to attach it to the skirt I followed the basting as my stitching line.

Now whilst I made this to wear to work, I do like the look with theMorrissey Tshirt. I reckon this could be dressed down with the right accessories & look kind of artsy. Shame I’m too old to wear such a tight fitting rock tshirt! (You’ll see I’m holding back on converting into pants! In deference I think to the Moz)

[Sidebar: Apologies for the pictures .... don't you find you get bored trying to get the self timer shots right? Sometimes one just has to entertain the cat. He was there, trying not to watch me. In fact, I think I was expending far more energy than he was. Such is a cat's life. You know, come in to a warm house, leave a massive dead rat in a secret place for days while the underfloor heating's on ..... we are not on good terms at the moment. Meow indeed. Sorry. Needed to sound off!]

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Very lucky Clover trousers of a paranoid pudding eater

Posted on 15 January, 2012 by scruffybadgertime

After months giving the appearance I was all signed up for the Colette Patterns Clover Sewalong, I finally got my now 3%-lycra-mix snuggly covered butt into gear to explore the feasibility of Clover pants & Scruffy Badger’s potentially quirky waist down.

There has been much emphasis on making a muslin for these trousers, so that’s partially what stopped me. I had my fabric (£4/ m from Birmingham Rag Market) but nothing more expendable. All the wonderful fitting fixes prepared by the sewalong also convinced me that I was going to have to get heavily involved in “issues”, therefore I wanted some cheaper fabric to mess up. Hard to find. I thought I was really clever dismembering an old pair of trousers to harvest their fabric that had lost its colour, but still had an element of stretch. When finally coming to position pattern piece on the separated pieces of fabric I was scuppered simply by there not being enough there. (Despite appearances, Clover pants, although slimline amazingly still require ample fabric for one’s butt. Get that! There was I thinking that slimline meant “smaller-on-me” & therefore, the low rise wide legged trousers that I took apart would surely suffice. But no. Remember these babies go up to one’s waist & fit nice & snugly around one’s rear. That does not mean that they utilise any less fabric, or enable one to shed any inches in that area. Sadly. Shame I didn’t engage my brain on this before the unpicking.) Therefore, with no other choice I opted to make what I hoped would become a “wearable muslin” out of the grey.

Strangely enough, however I cut it out, by complete chance, sort of merging between two sizes, and it seemed to just about work out. I took photos at the first trying on stage.

First try on- last time you see this view of me- only in the name of science

First try on

There was some runkles at the back hips, suggesting that I needed to allow a little more at the hip seams. But try as I might, I could not for the life of me see any “smiling crotch” or, even worse a “frowning crotch”. (Heaven forbid!! The very idea fills me with dread…. Nothing untoward down there, let me assure you!) Eeeking out a 1/4″ at both sides I came to try on again. Now, I might be blind, there might be some other area that could do with better fitting, but I could not see it therefore it did not take much convincing to continue with the making.

I adored the style with cute little waist pockets & used some leftovers from my pussybow galore blouse. The only deviation I made from the pattern was to sew a lapped zip, as I did not have an invisible zip.

The final try on to set the length was puzzling. I wanted to most definitely avoid the Miss Ellie look. Shoes? I know I NEED a pair of brogues. But will remain prudent. I found two pairs to mess around with lengths. Just above the ankle? Does that work out OK? I am not sure if I need to make them narrower though ….is that better Miss Ellie avoidance?

The first time I wore them I felt in heaven. Give me fabric with lycra in any day. Oh my word! But am I getting old before my time? Will the curse of Miss Ellie style never leave me? Am I destined to bulldoze my way through the throngs of more deserving grandmas for the navy slacks to be found alongside lilac acrylic turtle necks in British Home Stores?

And here continues my doubts about this particular trouser shape on me. Now I am carrying a bit of extra load following the festive season, which is bound to fall off once I start running again (huh! in my dreams!) I tried to funk them up.

(Apologies about the photo -taken in daylight, but inside- can’t wait for more light …)

The first time I wore them I went a bit “Audrey” daring to wear a neck scarf to the office. Engaging my inner doubt was the fact that no one, yes no one, commented on me wearing something pretty unusual. (Should I have mentioned that I also wore leopard fur loafers & stripey socks?) Paranoia is not an attractive trait.

Not to let negative thoughts prevail, I shall make one more pair. I am planning to make them in navy velvet needlecord, but silly me, I did not buy enough fabric. Don’t ask me how. I can be so stupid sometimes, as well as paranoid.

But hooked it seems I am on trying more fabrics with some S-t-r-e-t-c-h. Like these three from Croftmill.

Navy velvet needlecord

Light weight denim

Floral Bedford cord

There will be at least one more pair of clovers, maybe some 3/4 length for the spring as well. The floral bedford cord has a slight stretch to it as well, & I thought it could make a cute Pastille.

And no, I hear you hollering, but you cannot see more pictures of my finished butt. There are limits to the number of times I refer to my backside, let alone inflicting it on you, me, anyone, in its technicolour non glory. Even in the pursuit of science. Take it from me that the runkles are no longer there. You are not seeing my ar**e in lycra again.

So what have your experiences been wearing lycra mix garments? Does it make you feel fancy free, or does it pile on your psychological years? How has your Clover experience gone? Do share … no butt pics required…..

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Cartoon-esque Rooibos

Posted on 4 September, 2011 by scruffybadgertime

So I finished my Rooibos, just lagged a bit behind the Colette Patterns Sewalong, it being September and not August now.

I wore it out last night & I swear I have never been so embarrassed having my photo taken. I don’t know how Karen & Debbie manage others’ curiosity in their beautiful & interesting settings. I thought a photo “on the town” at the top end of Milsom Street would be a bit of a change from the garden. I tell you, it took courage. There was I grinning – but with an audience of bemused strangers. ”It’s OK” I wanted to pretend, “I’m a tourist too” (rationale there being that tourists have their photos taken all over Bath & no one blinks an eye). But that would have been a lie. I just felt vain & preening ….Oh well, you don’t know till you try! Perhaps if I was pulling a silly pose I would have felt happier???

Who does she think she is?

And yes, that it the Vogue jacket too – I will be writing this up in a later post. I am rationing you. Well me, actually, only having a certain amount of time. Perhaps it was the BRIGHTNESS of the outfit that made me feel so brazen amongst the dour tourists & sedate shop facades. And it’s possible shorter than I would normally wear a dress so that made me feel even more self conscious, although it looks OK in the pictures …

And here’s another – you know I have to add another one of the street views – you don’t think I’d go through that trauma for the sake of just one picture do you? And check out all the people behind (who stared at me on the way up) & that child, unable to tear his intrigued eyes away. (No you can tell I am not a model nor am I famous, I’m just trying to have my picture taken, right?!)

OK, onto business. There will be more photos, I’m afraid. I took others back in the safety of my own home.

Ah, that's more relaxed

It's going to be a creaser!

Roomy

I think mine’s a bit too big from the waist down really, that’ll teach me for only making the bodice muslin/toile & not the whole thing. The bodice I think fits well after a few tweaks (lowering the armholes & adjusting side seams) Anyway, it’s a totally different dress than I expected - it isn’t as tightly fitting as I thought it would be. This is the dress that will get pulled out of the wardrobe when the day is oh so sultry & promising thunder. The dress for sticky humid work days. The dress for skipping along a gravel path. I don’t know. It makes me feel cool (not “hip” but not hot) & should I say this, young?! That might have something to do with the fabric & binding choices. There is something childish about solid powder blue and red polka dots. I am relieved it went that way as opposed to looking like an air hostess uniform, which I felt it was in danger of becoming as I sewed the red satin piping to the blue pockets with no polka dot to be seen from the outside. However, don’t you think it’s like a cartoon character dress?

So, what was ace about making this dress? Apart from the oft quoted quality of Colette Patterns’ instruction, of course. I actually supplemented the sewalong posts with the written instructions. I’ve never followed a sewalong before. This sewalong had just the right number of pictures and hints & tips. The only silly thing about sewing along following a blog once the sewalong has finished is that the “next step” posts are not next in a blog, as we all know, as they have not been written yet. The sequentially “next” posts are actually earlier posts you should have already followed. Navigating around the sewalong therefore involved a few extra clicks & scrolling. You all know that though!

So, apart from the excellent instructions, both online & with the pattern what did I love? I am very much taken with the style, & whilst I’ll make it smaller next time, & perhaps an inch longer, I do adore the collar with the contrast facing. I actually found making the choice for my facing extremely challenging. I’d picked the fabric from my stash (a Walthamstow linen) mainly because I had already bought the invisible zip to match it but the dress it was earmarked for is lounging in my “can’t face it pile” due to a far too tricky for now muslin failure. So having decided on the powder blue, & plumping for red piping, what would be the contrast? Eventually it clicked, I was enlightened with vision & I bought 75cm of the polka dots (25% off in my local shop ).

More design loves – any obvious opportunity for piping pleases me immensely, & this was no exception. I chose red satin bias binding, just to see what it was like, as other bias tends to be quite coarsely woven. The satin was fine (hope it survives the wash). And those pockets! Oh so cute! I know I’m stuffing my hands into more polka dots which will make me smile. I could have done the piping better, & didn’t read this part of the sewalong instructions which advised me to fold my piping at the “nicked” bit in the curve. So my piping is a bit straighter than it could have been.

Now, invisible zip sewing is a new one for me, & I also followed Colette Patterns online tutorial. It was very clear, but didn’t stop me messing it up first time. Never mind. I am really pleased with it- I followed up one of the comments to Jane’s post where she also was converted to invisible zips. A comment from Lladybird advised that getting an invisible zipper foot for her Pfaff made it all so easy. So I looked up my model & bought the invisible zip foot (as well as the pin tuck foot & the narrow hem foot ….. well, you have to make the postage worthwhile don’t you?). Wow, sewing with the right foot makes it SO easy (as long as you place the zip the right way!).

Oh the shame, a pucker!

My only yuk bit is the end of the zip & where it gets subsumed into the side seam. Lots of sewing, unpicking & sewing it’s still not right. There’s a little pucker that won’t iron out, but if I resew anymore I may wear the linen out, so it stays. Apart from that I have been revolutionised by invisible zips!

As the final design detail I took up the “design tip” in the pattern instructions & made a couple of self covered buttons from the facing fabric.

Another things that occurred to me when I was sewing this, was this: do cotton reels pack less length? What I mean by this is didn’t you used to get more on a reel of cotton ? Is there less metreage of thread being sold these days? I only ask because for making this dress I was very prudent, only using my blue thread for main seams. All finishing was done on my overlocker and I also changed thread for any tacking & sewing of facings. And the resewing of the zipper took place over the smallest distance. Despite this, I still ran out of thread – get this – less than 10cm away from finishing the hem.

Does any one know the answer? How many reels of thread do you buy per project? Is it worth buying two?

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Another Sorbetto Groupie

Posted on 22 July, 2011 by scruffybadgertime

Yep, I’m I’m a fan, just like everyone else. Having seen blogland (particularly during Me Made June) positively flooded with iterations of Colette Patterns’ most recent (& free to download) pattern, I went along with the flow & downloaded me the Sorbetto top.

First things first though, Sorbettos from these ladies particularly stick in my mind:

Miss P’s notoriously awesome threesome (follow the link here), Karen from Didyoumakethat also was not left far behind the starting gates, with her version here, and one of the first I think I saw made by Kerry at Kestrelfindandmakes, out of a vintage tablecloth. All these versions convinced me that Sorbetto is a top that is not only economical (both being free & using less than a metre of fabric, thereby lending itself to tablecloth refashions ) but with the Colette Patterns provenance it was bound to be beautifully styled and with great instructions.

I had some cute turquoise mini gingham seersucker in my stash that gave me the right kind of vibe, as this is a top with a 60s influence, & I had in mind a non work top.

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