So it's time for my skirt tutorial. It's once again...um... fairly basic, but I really struggled with ideas for this one. Lizzy loves the finished product and has named it the lollipop skirt. That's probably because of the lollipop bribe that I had to give her so that I could take some photos.
Like Maryanne, I also decided to 'create' my fabric, then make up the skirt. Unlike Maryanne (who is the mathematical genius of the family) my fabric creation requires no maths. I sewed lots of strips together and then went crazy with the triple stitch on my machine. Complicated, huh?
The only real addition that I made were some cute (and useful!) pockets. Both my kids love pockets....
The buttons are just pretend, though. See?
If you'd like to learn how to make your own, just click on read more...
So, I have called my A-line dress re-make the Last days of Summer Dress. I like this little dress so much I really wanted to call it the "I hope she doesn't grow too much before next summer because I really hope she can where it then dress" but maybe that title is just a tad too wordy! Interestingly, today is the first truly hot day we have had in Sydney all summer, so maybe there will still be lots of opportunity to wear it.
I would like to say there was no bribery involved in this photo shoot, but a picture tells a thousand words. It took a lollipop and a play with a favourite cousin to get these pictures and even that was pushing my luck!! If you would like to make the dress that Lizzy is wearing, Caroline's tutorial is
here.
In today's tutorial I will show you how to:
- draft up the placket and front gathering
- draft up and sew the collar
- line the top of your dress for a simple but very neat finish
Apologies and WarningsIn this tutorial I use the term "Master pattern" This is just your original A-Line Dress pattern that has no seam allowances include. Trace this off and make all your alterations to this master pattern. It makes the whole drafting process much easier to not have seam allowances included. Once you are happy with the changes you have made, add back your seam allowances before cutting. I will say this over and over in this tutorial. Boring and repetitive I know, but so much better than realising you have cut out your pattern without seam allowances (I know from experience!)
Caroline apologised for her photos in her last post, I can only admit that mine a worse. As the tutee progresses you will have many insights. Among other things - I sew day and night and when desperate regularly use my flash, I am terrible at trimming threads as I go and my lawn needs some tlc and a good mow. There is photographic evidence to support all these statements! So I am really, really sorry.
Another warning. I am bilingual and ambidextrous when it comes to the whole inches/centimetre thing. I concretely use a 1cm seam allowance but in some places my brain just works better in inches. I will point this out as I go along. Sorry for any confusion!!
If you are brave enough to read on, click on the read more button...
Maryanne
So this is my take on the a-line dress. It's really simple to make up. So simple, infact, that it barely qualifies as being 'beyond the basics'! That's why I've called it the 'just' beyond the basics dress...
It has a gently gathered neckline and some waist ties to give it some shape. I really like inserting ties into the side seams. They stay on nicely and you don't lose them in the wash!
If you're a regular reader of our blog you'll know that my four year old Lizzy has an aversion to wearing anything other than dresses. This dress is so comfy it's our 'wear instead of shorts' substitute. It's summer here in Sydney and it's perfect for hot days - it's baggy, loose and cool.
Here's a similar one (no gathering around the neck) that I made ages ago.
I made this one up in Liberty. Every time I sew with Liberty I fall more in love with how beautifully it sews up. It's the most amazing fabric ! That said, if you want to go at having making one of these dresses, don't forget our golden rule of pattern alteration. Repeat after me 'Don't use your favourite/most expensive fabric the first time you alter a pattern.'
If you'd like to make one of your own, click on read more to find out how you can do so. It's really easy... promise!
Have you got your bodice pattern ready? Today we're going to use it make this...
If you need some more information about bodice patterns, have a look
here.
This tutorial has quite a lot of assumed knowledge - it's not for the complete beginner but for someone who feels reasonably confident with the basics of sewing and wants to experiment with their basic patterns a little more.
Through this tutorial I hope that you come to understand a few things about pattern alteration -
- Pattern alteration is not an exact science - there is a lot of tweaking involved. For that reason, don't use your favourite/ most expensive material the first time you make up an altered pattern. Ask me how I know!
- Know what the seam allowance is on your basic pattern is and keep it consistent with any pieces that you draft.
- Bias tape is your best friend! It's so much easier to use and so much more flexible than drafting facings and gives you a lovely finish.
- Gathered sleeves are very forgiving and perfect for the beginner.
- Most things are fixable! See how the placket in the picture is a bit wonky? It's because I made the buttonholes too big. A few stitches on the end of each button hole and voila - a placket that sits much better!
If you'd like to see how I took a basic bodice pattern and made it into the modern vintage top then just click read more.
Oh... and before you start sewing - don't forget we have a
giveaway on at the moment. If you'd like to enter, the odds are definitely in your favour!
Maryanne and I have been scheming...
We've been planning to do a blog series for ages and finally we are on track for doing just that!
While we're not pretending that we're draftswomen, we do spend a lot of time tweaking, changing and modifying patterns to make exactly the outfits that we want for our children.
Nearly everything that we make is based on five very simple patterns...
- a basic bodice
- an a-line dress
- a simple lined jacket
- an elastic waisted skirt
- simple unisex pants
For the next couple of weeks we'd love to share some of our ideas and tips on how you can take each of these basic shapes and pattern and make them into something completely unique and amazing.
There will be round-ups, lots of tutorials and maybe even a giveaway or two. Come along for the ride...It's going to be lots of fun!
Caroline
I have had a long and busy crafting season - Christmas sewing followed by Mum's 70 squares (She loved it!). Over the last two weeks I have really enjoyed aimlessly wandering from crafty project to crafty project, just playing. Sewing for no other reason than because it is what I feel like doing right now.
Here's a few things I've been up to...Nova's Liberty Scrap ChallengeI used the no sew bunting to decorate the girls new writing area.
And the Liberty wire words for our new "work in progress" sewing area.
I have also really enjoyed playing with the new Prints Charming fabric range. I would describe it as a light home dec weight. Perfect for bags and cushions but I have also seen a beautiful quilt made with it too. Beautiful colours and simple designs make it perfect for embellishing with hand embroidery. I call this my bath supervision project!
I've also been dabbling in patchwork.
If you have ever wondered about online courses you can try out the Craftsy Block of the Month which is free. The format is great - video tutorials, an opportunity to take notes, ask questions and display your finished block. Here is the January block I did:
I have also been playing with a great technique to make a Lone Star from
Quilt Smart. I am still very much a beginner quilter and this technique is so easy to get fabulous corners every time.
One day this may be a centre piece for a new quilt for Rob and I. But right now, I'm not too fussed about that...
I'm just playing.
Maryanne
Do you have a collection of craft stuff that you never use in the back of the cupboard? For me, they are the 'seemed like a good idea at the time purchases'. I am the queen of the impulse crafting buy and this project is a result of trying to use these supplies up...
What do you get when you take some felt in garish colours, some chalkboard fabric, some eyelets and the scraps of fabric left over from last week's serviette sewing class?
Reusable gift tag gift bags of course...!
They look like gift tags, but are actually little reusable felt bags with a chalkboard fabric front for the perfect message that can be used over and over again...
and of course, I had to be seasonally appropriate...
I think they'd make really cute party favour bags, too...
Want to make your own? Click read more to find out how....
And so I continue in my obsession with
Project Run and Play. I love the way that it makes me sew outside my comfort zone and make things that I'd never usually get around to.
This week the brief was special occasion. I wanted to achieve a look that was sweet and girly, but not too sickly.
I found some amazing fabric on a remnant table at a l local fabric shop - it was marked as having 6% metal in its content. I have NO idea what that means, but it's gorgeous! It's kind of shimmery, but not shiny and crushes beautifully.
I went for lots of unfinished seams and raw edges to make the look a little more edgy and a little bit less saccharine sweet (my apologies for the pun... I have no idea where the vocabulary part of my brain has gone!)
Lizzy did her own styling this week (I can't believe that she didn't choose a tiara and a feather boa to accessorise, but there you go...) I think her fresh hibiscus works well - especial for a hot, steamy summery day like today!
Overall, I love the dress- now all we need is a special occasion so that it can have an outing!
Caroline
Or as Will would say "Dum, dum, dum!!!!"
Mum's 70 Squares is off at the framers and I can pick it up next week.
My Inspirations:
- Firstly my Mum - every square will mean something to her. Spending all the time I have on this project has been a lovely way for me to focus on her, think about her life, her childhood, my childhood, her friends and family.
- My family and Mum's friends - it was great to ring up my Aunt, my Mum's cousin and her friends. I don't do that very often and I heard family history and stories about my Mum that I have not heard before.
- My tin of embroidery thread dictated the colour range! My theme was bright, clear colours with lots of blue.
- I drew most of the designs myself. If I got stuck, looking at clipart images helped me break down the idea into its simplest form (like the VW beetle - I found that really tricky) -
This was the very sweet tutorial I used for a Christmas tree.
-
These great books: - And finally the original
39 squares project When I first discovered this stitch along I was a bit disappointed I missed it. I am glad I could sew along in my own way and in my own time.
I thought I would end my 70 squares project with one last story. Anyone who knows my Mum would be surprised to see a tennis racquet among her 70 squares. She is the least sporty person I know. (She would be OK with me saying that because I am the least sporty person she knows!) But Mum's life really began with a tennis racquet. My grandfather was a very good tennis player. His family was poor and so one day he asked if he might practice his tennis on the court owned by the slightly wealthy family who lived in the neighbourhood. That family was my grandmother's. A dashing young man in tennis whites and an elegant young lady meet on the tennis court...The rest is history.
Maryanne
PS Mum's a real softy. We gave her a silver bracelet with all her grandchildren's names on it for Christmas and she cried. Dad thinks she might need intravenous rehydration when we give this to her next weekend. I'll let you know how it goes!
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