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 a magazine, a pattern, and a dress. . .

A few weeks ago I saw a new magazine that was being launched called Love Sewing, and it looked good so I decided to give it a try - it's fantastic! Lots of projects, new fabric lines, interviews, helpful articles, free gifts and patterns...what's not to love? I'm now subscribed so I don't miss an issue! 

The free pattern in this issue was a downloadable one from Simple Sew Patterns - the Brigitte dress.

I thought it was really pretty, and fairly simple which is good as I don't often make things for myself!

They suggest in the magazine to use cotton or jersey, so I decided on cotton as I already had a couple of metres of this gorgeous Makower beach huts fabric from Ditto Fabrics and thought it would make a pretty summer dress.

Printing out and assembling the pattern was pretty straightforward - after measuring myself and checking the sizes on the pattern I made a size 16 (I wear a 12-14 in 'shop bought' clothing) so make sure you check your sizes...however this is quite the norm for sewing patterns!

I also decided to make the sleeves shorter, and to add a lining as the cotton I chose was a little see through!

I'd never made a lined dress before, so I chose a thin cotton (from an old bed sheet!), cut all the pieces as I did for the actual dress, and tacked the pieces together like for like - from then on I treated each piece of matching tacked lining and dress fabric as one piece, and then sewed it all together. It worked really well doing it that way!

This is a 'halfway stage' picture...

The step-by-step instructions were really clear and simple to follow...even for the invisible zip, which I'd never done before! Mine didn't turn out QUITE as invisible as I would have liked, but that was down to my sewing skills and not the instructions lol! 

Overall, I was very impressed - I will definitely be getting more patterns from them! Actually, Issue 2 of Love Sewing arrived on my doormat yesterday (3 days before it's available in the shops - the benefits of subscribing!) and it has a paper pattern for this beautiful top and skirt from Simple Sew Patterns as a free gift, so I will be blogging those makes shortly! I love the vintage styling of them and can't wait to get sewing! 

So anyway - here's a pic of the *almost* finished dress...I hadn't hemmed it here lol!

And one of me wearing it (over jeans, it was chilly lol!) - excuse the photo, I had to rope in the Mr. to take it!

 I've worn it a few times since and had lots of nice comments - people even asking me where I bought it! Nothing better for a sewer than to hear that!

Well, I say nothing better...

I opened the above Issue 2 of Love Sewing yesterday, and what should I see but MY DRESS! In the magazine! I was over the moon!

Although next time I take a picture of something I make and post in on Facebook, I'll make sure to not have my ratty old ironing board in the background ha ha! Oops! 

In the next couple of days I will be sharing some thoughts on my new sewing machine with you too, now it's had a good road test!

Thanks for looking

Lisa

xxx

A jacket for Jamie

I've had this black and white check fabric sitting around for a while now. I just couldn't make up my mind what to make with it...a dress? Skirt? Bag?
I decided to look through my sewing books for inspiration, and suddenly came across a lovely pattern for a reversible jacket for Jamie in Sewing for Boys!
I had seen it in there before when using the book for other things, but had never made it....I thought it would be perfect for the fabric!
I teamed it with a beige ripstop, patch pockets, and some chunky self cover buttons...and voila!
A lightweight, reversible jacket for Spring!
He seems to like it...haha! (apparently the sunglasses were NOT optional!)

Thanks for looking!

Lisa

And here it is . . .

Jamie's wardrobe for the Sewing Mamas Ottobre Sewing With a Plan contest!

(I got all the patterns from one issue - 1/2011)

It was awesome fun, and I think my favourite thing of the whole contest were these photo poses I got while trying to get 'proper' shots for the composite picture above - this boy REALLY loves the camera!

Here are some 'detail' shots - there was a LOT of stitching lol!

So wish me luck...we find out on the 8th November who has won!

Thanks for looking

Lisa

xxx

Shwin&Shwin 'Maxwell' Shirt - pattern test

Last week I was lucky enough to be chosen to test the new 'Maxwell' shirt pattern from Shwin&Shwin. I have never sewn a 'proper' shirt before (basically one with a collar lol!) so this would not only be a good test of the pattern, but a challenge for me too!

I was very impressed...the pattern was easy to assemble (it comes in downloadable PDF format) - instructions were very clear, the pictures and diagrams easy to follow, and the shirt is adorable! What more could you ask for?

Here's how ours turned out...I've had lots of compliments on it, and will definitely be making him more before the summer gets here...although this week it feels like it's already arrived ha ha!

Thanks for looking!

Lisa

xxx

Sewing for Boys!

I ordered my copy the other day from Amazon, and it arrived yesterday! I can't wait to get sewing from it, there's some gorgeous things in there for Jamie, from trousers and jackets to hats and brick bags!

I'm also going to be taking part in the Boy, Oh Boy, Oh Boy! Sewing for Boys sew-a-long (wow, that's a lot of boys in that sentence lol!) that starts at the beginning of January - you'll see the button over there on the right, under 'My Inspiration' >>>>

I'm an impatient sort, though, so you might see a few projects rolled out before then....ha ha!

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

Sorry it's been quiet here....

But I have a lot going on right now personally, and I don't seem to have been able to find the spare time or energy to get on here and post.

But today, I decided if I don't start updating it now, I never will...so here goes. 

Firstly, you'll see the new look...I decided it was time for a change, and I wanted something fresh and different - hope you like it! 

These are a few things I've made lately(yes, I've still managed to make time to sew - if I didn't, I'd go bonkers!).

Firsty - here's a (little bit) better picture of the bunting I made.

here's another Imke for Jamie - this one made from linen with a button fastening yoke.

a couple of camera strap covers - one for a friend, and one for me!

a Farbenmix Insa skirt...

and a pair of Farbenmix Dortje pants changed up a little for a boy (it's a girl pattern!)

Jamie seems to like them...lol!

and finally...a first attempt project - I followed this sandpaper crayon transfer tutorial here...it's fantastic.

Now I know it works, next time I'll make it a little neater ha ha!

Jamie's nickname is Monkeybum, so he's my little surfin' Monkeybum - bet you won't find another tshirt with that one anywhere lol! 

 Phew - that was quite a lot of stuff - thanks for looking!

Lisa

xxx

Romance Bag Picture Tutorial - at last!

Well I've been promising it since I put up the pattern pieces...and I've finally done it.

Blame the sunshine...we've been out enjoying it as much as we can, it doesn't happen too often here lol!

For the tutorial I used the 'Big Romance' pattern, but the process is the same for both. If you haven't already, you can pick up the PDF pattern pieces for both the Romance and Big Romance bags here.

OK, here we go......there are a LOT of photos (that's not like me, ha ha ha!) so bear with me - you WILL get to the end eventually! 

Take a deep breath.....

Firstly, you need to cut out your fabric.

You'll need:

2x bottom pieces

2x top pieces

2x handle pieces

2x lining pieces (bottom and top combined)

2x interfacing (I use heavyweight iron-on, but you can use whatever you prefer!) at the lining piece size.
2x interfacing at 2 inch square size.

A clasp

Ribbon for decorating if you so wish.

Take one top piece, and one bottom piece, and sew them together, right sides together.