Monday, May 21, 2012

New Look 6808



I actually made this top a couple of months ago, but I wasn't happy with the fit. Three minutes at the sewing machine today to add 1.5cm to the waist darts worked like magic and now I'm proud enough to take photos of it.


I really liked the look of this pattern when I spotted it in Spotlight. I had some really cool quilter's cotton in my stash and thought it would suit the view D top perfectly.

It was very easy to sew up, but I didn't alter the pattern at all so of course the fit was terrible. Usual problem- too big around the bust, too tight around the waist and hips. I fixed up the tightness issue but thought I could get away with the poor fit around the bust due to the busy-ness of the print. I wore it once and did not like it one bit- apart from the cool fabric.


 


The top has a side zipper opening, which I've never seen before. It was a bit tricky putting in the zipper in the side seams, especially after I did my alteration and made the seam even curvier, but I got there in the end.




My favourite element of the design is the super adorable collar and bow. 

Pattern used: New Look 6808

Fabrics and notions 
Quilter's cotton
16" zipper
Some pink cotton from my stash for the sleeve lining

 
Pattern alterations or any design changes
Added 1.5cm to the waist darts. Increased side seams at the waist and hips.

Did you use any new skills?  
I think this was actually my first attempt at a lapped zipper. And the first time I've made a bow!
Cost
Pattern: $4.47
Fabric: $4/m...I used just under 2m, so I'm guessing $7
Zipper: $1.50
Thread: Stash
Hook and eye: Stash
Total: an amount that I can't be bothered figuring out

Wearability factor
Very high now that it actually fits properly!

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Another New Look 6078




So here's the blouse I mentioned I was working on! I was waiting until I could get a few more closeup pics but I haven't been bothered to do that yet, and the desire to blog may not come upon me again for a while. So I'll edit the other pics in when I finally convince Jane to put on the blouse and let me photograph her.

This is my third attempt at this blouse and I've ALMOST got it  perfect. Almost!!! I just can...not...get...that...collar....right!!!!! Argh! However, I think the cuteness of the ricrac disguises the messiness of the collar.


 
 
I think I have got the fit pretty much perfect now. I made the bust darts 1cm longer and the fit issues seemed to magically disappear! Hurrah!

I love everything about it...the sweet little sleeves, the cool purple buttons ($1 from an op shop), the awesome print, but most of all the cutesy wutesy collar! I just wanna wear this EVERY DAY!

I wore it to work yesterday with my favourite skirt of the moment- I picked it up from an op shop a couple of months ago and I love the shape and colour. The boots had to be thrown in the bin last night- I hadn't worn them for a few years and the crappy fake leather was flaking off.




Friday, May 11, 2012

This week's purchases


I just thought I'd share some crafty bargains I picked up this week.
First up I got this single bed sheet and a long slip from an op shop.
The sheet will be used to make a summer frock and I will be chopping the bottom off the slip so I can wear it under my unlined dresses/ skirts.


I went to Spotlight on the weekend and they had some bargains. I picked up this lovely sage cotton at $5 per metre. I think I will make a top or even a dress with it. Or both!


This cute cotton was $2.40 per metre! I will use it to make something for Elizabeth and maybe a summer top for myself.

This is boring as bat poo, but it was under $4/m and I bought it to make some work pants.



My favourite! I got 4 metres of this gorgeous quilter's cotton and it was a ridiculous $3/m!!! I can't wait to make myself a pretty summer frock with a gathered skirt with this stuff.

I've nearly finished a blouse I've been working on this week but it's very clow going as I only have been able to snatch 10 minutes at the machine at any one time.

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

New Look 6000!!!

Back in January when I first started this blog, I surfed the Internets for sewing blog inspiration, and it wasn't long before I stumbled across the New Look 6000 Frock Fest. As I drooled over the creations that the participants came up with, I decided I had to get my hands on the pattern and give it a go. So every time I went to Spotlight (huge Australian craft chain store, which I visit almost weekly) I looked at the pattern, but stupidly wouldn't buy it until it was on sale. The pattern was only $10.95 but I have this annoying inability to pay full price for anything. So I waited and waited until they had a half price sale on all New Look patterns...which ended up being four months from when I first started looking at it! Dumb, huh?! But not so dumb, because I had a $10 voucher, so I got two New Look patterns for 95 cents! Aw yeeh!

A few weeks ago I decided to have a crack at it. I originally wanted to make the longer sleeved one in a wintery fabric, but decided to test out the pattern on some cheap fabric, in the short sleeved version as it's still quite warm here. I chose some unknown fabric from my stash- it is quite heavy and is possibly a cotton drill.

I cut out the size 8 and the first time I tried it on it had the usual result- too loose around the bust, too tight around the waist and hips. I'm really clueless and lazy when it comes to altering patterns, so I just put the dress on inside out, pinched out and pinned the areas that were too big, marked where it needed to be let out on the waist and hips, then got out my seam ripper. I made the waist darts 1cm higher and increased the side seam by half a centimetre, tapering it out to the waist where I decreased it by the same amount. I tried it on and it fit like a glove.


I'm pretty happy with it. It's not the kind of dress I would wear on a daily basis- to me the shape is more 'work-like'. I did wear it to work the day after I finished it and it looked great.

Now I want to make a lined one....but I have never made a lined dress before and am positive I will balls it up in my usual way. Can anyone link me to a tute?



I love the little sleeves!

Look- a lapped zipper!


Don't know why it's saggy at the back there...


Pattern used: New Look 6000
Does it look like the drawing on the pattern/ envelope?
Yes
Were the instructions easy to follow?
Yes, very.

Fabrics and notions
Some kind of drilly fabric. 
22 inch zip and a hook and eye.
 
Pattern alterations or any design changes
Just the usual alterations for my silly body.

Did you use any new skills?
Yes, two! I've never been able to do a lapped zipper properly, but it's easy when you just follow the instructions!
Also, I sewed a blind hem!!! Again, I've tried before but gave up after about 2 seconds. It's actually really easy. (Note: Of course, I did it on the machine...I HATE hand sewing....)

Cost
Pattern: $4.47
Fabric: $4/m...I used just under 2m, so I'm guessing $7
Zipper: $1.50
Thread: Stash
Hook and eye: Stash
Total: $13 something...it's late and I can't be bothered doing maths....

Wearability factor
I will wear it to work or maybe a fancy lunch...not sure if I will ever wear it as a day dress.

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Am I as cool as I think I am?


This is what I wore to work yesterday (it is a dress- I was wearing a grey cardi with it).
One of my students walked in for his flute lesson and exclaimed, "Are you SERIOUS? Those shoes DO NOT go with that outfit!" I was not offended in the slightest; I just laughed and told him he had no taste.

So I posted that conversation and the photo on Facebook last night. One friend commented that one should never wear tights with open-toed shoes. She kept going on about it- apparently it's a 'rule'? the point I was trying to get across to her was that my concern for the 'rules' is non-existent. If I think it looks good, why does it matter if I break one of these so-called rules, which change from year to year? She suggested I wear these shoes with footless tights, to which I replied, "Yuk!"

But then that got me to thinking...am I just a big laughing stock, instead of the cool and funky chick I think I am? I would like to think that anything goes these days...heck, if girls can wear fugly mullet skirts, boot/sandal thingies, and short denim shorts with the pockets hanging out, surely I can wear tights and open toed shoes!

Either way, I'm still going to wear whatever I want...anyone who doesn't like it is probably just jealous!