Mum modelling her Mimi blouse!

I've already given all of the essential details of this blouse in a previous post. So just enjoy looking at the pretty pictures! 

She's redecorating and she had far too much fun taking these! 

These are the trousers she'll be wearing it with at goodwood.

All in all I think she was pleased! 

In fact she's asked me to make another! 

Much love

Frankie

Xxx

Unselfish sewing

Momma knitwit liked my Mimi blouses, in fact she liked them so much that she asked me to make one for her to wear to a vintage festival (the goodwood revival) they go to every year. 

Anyway we started by looking at fabric and she finally settled on a red gingham check in cotton. When I went to abakhans to buy it, it looked a bit more sheer than I was expecting, so I took the executive decision to buy a similar check in the same colour but this is a polycotton blend! 

It doesn't look quite right on my mannequin (because of the size) I'm hoping the fit on my mum will be good though. It does need a good press ,But my iron is currently soaking following an incident with the interfacing! 

It's a tilly and the buttons, Mimi blouse,  and I cut a straight size 8, I could have graded down at the waist, but it's going to be worn with high waisted trousers so I didn't see the point. Plus because momma has some fairly hefty bosoms I want to make sure there was some wiggle room.... So to speak! 

Construction wise it's the same as the others I made, but I did add a couple of inches to the bottom of the blouse pattern pieces because both me and my mum are both quite long waisted. I also ignored the buttonholes on the pattern and placed my own closer together. As I said before momma is rather bosomy so I wanted to minimise gaping as much as I could. These buttons are roughly one short side of a credit card apart. Yes I used a credit card to measure button holes! It worked didn't it? And actually it wasn't a credit card, it was a build a bear factory card! STOP JUDGING ME! I like teddies okay! The buttons are from my stash, I have no idea if they are vintage but I think they are pretty cute! 

Sleeve wise I decided to omit the pleated sleeve and just gather the bottom. I love the pleated sleeve on the original blouse, but it's a pain in the bum bum to iron and me and my mum are both pretty low maintenance ironers! I also left the sleeve facing down and top stitched it in place. The instructions call for you to turn it under so everything's neat but I like it down!

My pattern matching is a bit hit and miss, but I think I get away with it because it's such a busy print! I was really tempted to cut the yoke on the bias, but I thought it might be a bit risky! Next time eh? 

I used French seams in the yoke and bodice seams, and regular seams with a finishing stitch on the sleeves. 

All in all I'm very pleased with this make! I love the fabric and now I just hope it fits! Prepare yourself for pictures of momma modelling it herself! 

Much love

Frankie

Xxx

P.s would it be really sad if I made one of my own? 

X

Mimi blouse pattern hack!

I'm a great lover if the mimi blouse from love at first stich, so much so that I thought it might make a nice shirt dress.

Now sadly I've got no pictures of the altering process, but I'll definitely take some when I make my next one! 

First a got my pattern pieces and added about a foot and a half in length. 

Then I altered my collar peice so I'd have a round collar not a point one (FYI, I prefer the pointy one) 

Next I cut two pieces of grosgrain to act as belt loops (I sewed these directly into my side seams) 

I used a sheer lace as my yoke, I think it makes me look saucy! Although I did have to topstitch the seams down so they wouldn't peek through! 

I also had to trim my collar placket so it wouldn't peek out. 

Here's me trying to show you the lace and not just give a cleveage shot.

 

For the tie belt I just made a rectangle although I think I might switch it for a proper belt next time. 

All my button holes went in smoothly! which never happens so YAY!

I think it's a good summer dress length although I can see me wearing it in winter with tights and a long sleeved top! 

All in all I love it! Everything came together nicely! Next time I think I might try and flare the extension from the hip for a more 50's feel! 

Much love

Frankie

Xxx

Broderie anglaise Mimi blouse

I'll start off by saying I'm sorry if that's spelt wrong, my spelling is hideous as is and I'm pretty sure that word isn't even English so I've decided to forgive myself, I hope you'll do the same. 

Anyway grammar aside here's my Broderie anglaise Mimi blouse. This is my second mimi blouse and comes from the now legendary love at first stitch book by tilly walnes.

I was lucky enough to recieve the fabric in a giveaway on handmade janes blog. The fabric is from dragonfly fabrics (the same place my butterfly fabric came from for my skinny clemence) however unlike the butterfly fabric I ordered 2metres of this lovely stuff and not a teensy amount.

Now I'm gonna level with you, it's got holes in it and it's pretty sheer in some lights. But I'm lazy and I used to be a bit of an exhibitionist (back in the day) so I didn't let it slow me down (read- I really couldn't be bothered to line it, if the police end up involved for public indecency I'll just put a  vest top underneath) 

Anyway here it is, I used the same size as before. 

But for reason I instantly liked it better? The gathers seemed to work better? And we're more pronounced than my first version? 

I did have two difficulties however :

1- I set an entire sleeve in the wrong way and had to unpick it, not much fun! 

2 - my interfacing just wouldn't attach! Seriously It took some ironing magic to make it happen. I used a lightweight interfacing that's available by the metre from Minerva fabrics and I've never had any bother with it until now? I am starting to wonder if all the stitching across the fabric and the holes might have been a factor? 

The buttons are from my stash and all my button holes worked first time! Yay! 

I'm calling this a success! I feel like I want to make one more for myself in a darker colour and momma Knitwit has hinted that she might like one of these in a similar fabric for herself! 

Much love

Frankie

Xxx

Finished Mimi Blouse!

Okay so I know it seems like I'm cranking out the projects at the moment! And that the blog is becoming very clothes sewing heavy but I've got a massive backlog of things I've made to photograph and I'm really enjoying sewing clothes at the moment! It's nice to learn new skills and see yourself improve! 

Anyway today's finish is the Mimi blouse from love at first stitch! Are we starting to gather that I'm working my way through this book pretty steadily? What can I say the patterns are young and pretty and the instructions are clear! 

I think I finished this about a month ago? And to be honest when I put it on I thought "well here's something I'm never going to wear!" But looking at the photos I actually think it's quite nice! 

I should probably mention that momma Knitwit styled me! After I made it I sent her some pictures because I couldn't find anything it looked good with! I'm actually wearing my high waisted denim short shorts , but I've cropped my legs off! Nobody needs to see that pastyness first thing in the morning! 

The fabric was given to me by my nan and is a lightweight cotton, with a floral ditsy print on it. 

And the buttons are taken off one of Mr knitwits shirts that went funny in the wash. 

I'm super pleased that my collar points are even I was stupidly worried about them! 

And the whole thing is French seamed! (Apart from the sleeves, could not get my head around it, I blame tiredness)

It's a comfy blouse too! I know that some people said the arms were tight but I don't have that problem. 

And I love it with my denim jacket! Makes me feel like a 90s kid! (Can you tell I idolised my siblings in the 90s?) it makes me want to run off and climb through Dawsons window, and declare my undying love! That's a lie I'm a Pacey kinda girl!

Much love

Frankie

Xxx

P.s what do we think, is it appropriate for the mother of a three year old to wear high waisted short shorts? X

Piling on the pressure

Okay so I have been doing things, I just haven't been able to blog about themyet because my amazon order hasn't turned up yet!  (Oooh cryptic!) I've actually made to mimi blouse from tilly and the buttons and I've nearly finished my megan dress! Although I am having to take two inches out of each side seam, and I have no idea why? When I made my muslin it fit beautifully and now it's like a sack! Can't win! 

Anyway other than that I've been drooling over crochet projects. 

Amigurumi Crochet Cuties Pattern via Etsy’s AnaPaulaOli

http://bouncingbonbon.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/bright-and-fun-crochet-projects.html?m=1

http://www.lbyarnco.com/2010/11/kureyon-crochet-blanket-2/

(I'll add the links to these as soon as I've found the original sources) these have now been added! 

I love the look of crochet especially the blankets! But sadly I can't do it! I just can't do it! Seriously it's a problem! But this year I am determined to learn! I will master the art of crochet or die trying! (Wow I am having an optimistic Tuesday morning arnt I! 

I just hope that this time I can crack the crochet code! 

Much love 

Frankie!

Xxx