Simplicity New Look Competition

Hi everyone! Long time no see! I haven't had much time for sewing lately as I've been concentrating on getting myself fit and healthy, but I saw this competition mentioned in the latest Love Sewing magazine and just knew I had to enter! Unfortunately I only saw it on the 19th of May, and the competition ends on the 31st so I knew I had to get my tail in gear to get it done!


There were three categories for the competition - Dressmaking, Vintage, and Newcomer. Each category had a different pattern, and as I picked the Dressmaker challenge, I received a New Look 6145 shift dress pattern on the 24th May and got to work straight away!

I had some gorgeous ticking fabric in my stash that my lovely friend Emma gave me, and I knew it would be perfect! 

I decided to play with the pattern a little, so I chose to make view E without the collar, and thought it would be fun to quarter the front of the pattern, cut the ticking on the bias, and make a diamond shape pattern! (I know, with 5 days to get it done and the small one on half term holidays from school - I *might* be a little crazy!)

So I traced, and cut, and pinned like crazy...and this was the front - I breathed a HUGE sigh of relief, I can tell you ha ha!

On the back I decided to quarter the pattern to continue the waistline round, but I didn't do the same pattern with the fabric, deciding instead to just chevron it down the centre back. 

Now came the easy part - sewing it together!

I'm really pleased with how it turned out, especially as it was such a fast turnaround, and my first attempt at pattern matching stripes! Eek!

I think I'll be making quite a few more of these, although perhaps next time I'll just use a plain fabric! Ha ha!

I'm just glad I managed to get it finished today in time to enter it!

Thanks for looking

Lisa x

Of camera bags and hoodies.....

This week, I FINALLY finished the camera bag I've been working on for MONTHS. Literally.

The first draft can be seen here...and this one is a LONG way from that! There's been drawings, and calculations, and yes, I'll admit it - some swearing lol!

But it's finally done. It's by no means perfect, being only the second thing I've ever sewn with oilcloth (steep learning curve isn't the half of it lol!), but I love it, and as it's for me, that's all that matters. I was so close to giving up on it and throwing it in the bin a few times, and I'm so glad I didn't! I finally have a bag I can get ALL my stuff in - my lenses, macro tubes, filters, manual (ha ha!) and of course my camera!

So here it is. Blood, Sweat and Tears.....but I did it.

I've also made my first girly Imke this week....not quite as exciting as the camera bag, but I love it and I'm really pleased with how it came together. It's made from fleece, with an applique that I upcycled from a girls RTW tshirt, and binding made from an old adult tshirt of mine that matched the colour perfectly!

I also added a long custom 'curly' hood with a pom pom.

Please excuse the 'model'......poor boy ha ha!

 So there you have it. Not much sewing, I grant you, but I'm happy!

Thanks for looking

Lisa

xxx

Superman, Custom Feliz, and a sneaky peek!

Hi all!

Thought I'd show you my latest creations....

Russ had this tshirt for ages, and loved it, but it got a little tight for him lol! So I rescued it from the trash, and turned it into a shirt for Jamie.

Jamie decided he needed to do some of his 'posing' shots.....

Then I made this Feliz today...it's a little different to the usual style I make. It has no overdress, no frills, but it does have the sash ties still, with grosgrain ribbon straps and a giant applique flower. I love the way this turned out!

and finally....a sneaky peek at the oilcloth camera bag I'm working on...it's going ok so far lol!

Thanks for looking!

Lisa

xxx

Retro Long Shorts...

Jamie needed some new 3/4 length trousers (or long shorts, jams, whichever you prefer!) so I decided to have a go with this old pattern (it has copyright 1972 on it lol!) I have for some long trousers and just change it up! Aren't they awesome? I really am considering making the whole outfit, waistcoat and all ha ha! 

I used an old shirt of Russ's for the fabric, and added white bias tape trim on the front pocket (the front panel was cut from the front of the shirt, so I didn't even need to make a pocket - it was already on the front of the shirt lol!) and as tabs on the bottom cuffs, just as a contrast accent.

He seems to like them!

Thanks for looking!

Lisa

xxx

Kung Fu Panda, Thomas, and Swing Birds.....

As we're off to Pandamonium in the Park on Saturday, I told Jamie I was going to make him a new shirt to wear and he said he wanted a Kung Fu Panda one lol!

So, one modified Imke hoody later - here it is! 

I added a custom curved yoke...and Panda ears.

He loves it.

I also made another Thomas back pack - this time in red - for my friend Jane's little man. I think it looks great in this colour!

and finally, a self drafted camera strap cover with a lens cover pocket...I actually need to make myself one of these now lol!

So all in all a productive day here at SMM Towers lol!

Thanks for looking

Lisa

xxx

Hot hot hot!

Wow, the weather has been glorious here for ever.....long may it continue lol!

I haven't got a lot of sewing done, but thought I'd share what I have made.....

I needed to make up a Romance bag for the tutorial I'm doing to go with the pattern pieces I've already put up, so this is what I came up with! It's the Big Romance pattern....and a phone case I self drafted to go with it!

then, as my lovely man bought me the 'Sewing Clothes Kids Love' book, I thought I should get some more use out of it other than just the Feliz! I decided to have a go at the Imke hooded top for Jamie. I upcycled it from two of his Daddy's tshirts - the stripey one had a huge logo/pattern on it that would have been cut through and looked odd if I had left it, so I self drafted a square yoke for the shirt that eliminated the problem nicely!

Jamie likes it, and I'm pleased with how it turned out, so that's good - I'll definitely make it again.

and finally.....yes, it's been in the 80 degree range here....but sometimes, a boy just needs to make fairy cakes.

So we did.

I love to bake with Jamie - he's so enthusiastic, and gets so annoyed every time we have to actually COOK them before we can eat them - he's so funny!

Thanks for looking

Lisa

xxx

Cath Kidston again......

I know, I know.....but I finally got some time to make up the bag kit that came with my 'Sew!' book! 

I'm not too keen on the unlined look, so I changed it up a little and added a lining - and not blowing my own trumpet at all, but I think it looks rather good! I think the red gingham works pretty well, don't you?

It does help that it's already all cut and marked out for you - all you have to do is sew it up.