Simplicity 1252 "Jiffy" - Red Tartan Dress

This make is so old I remember wearing it with jumpers underneath it during that really harsh winter spell we had. 

Yeah, what can I say I'm behind on my blogging!!! 

Now this isn't typically something I'd choose to make but I was demoing how to make one at abakhans so I needed to make up a sample.

As it goes I was a Muppet and didn't pattern match my side seams but hey ho we can't be perfect all the time.

The pattern is simplicity 1252.

And surprisingly for simplicity the samples aren't made up in horrible fabrics! I'd actually wear all of the versions on the pattern envelope.

Its a really simple pattern, the back is cut with the fabric doubled [like normal] but the front is cut out on the flat so its a BIG OLE pattern piece. 

Its also a great pattern for practising darts. The centre front has a long dart as well as bust darts and the back has two darts as well to give shape. 

I'm not a huge fan of the centre front dart, especially with a tartan pattern like this as it distorts it. Plus it just feels a bit weird to me having a dart right under my chin. Next time I think I'll rotate the dart out because I'm just not a huge fan of it. 

The arm and neck facing is all in one. Which is my favourite kind of facing, I mean I'd much rather line something but if I do have to do a facing I'd rather it was all in one and not flapping around. 

I took about 1 1/2 inches off the length and I probably could have taken a fraction more.  

The backs got a lapped zip which I can happily report went in first time with no issues. I did pin the absolute heck out of it though to make sure that all the tartan stripes lined up. [unlike those pesky side seams!]

All in all I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out. Its a nice blend of smart and comfy and it looks really nice with a black turtleneck or a jumper of some sort under it. 

In other news!!! 

I've done a bit of sewing recently. I've made an outfit for my friends wedding next month and I am buzzing to wear it!

I've not done any knitting but I've been tidying my knitting and sewing stuff so I'm hoping to get back into the swing of things soon. Especially seen as I have a lot of baby booties to knit! I know 3 people who are pregnant right now!!!!! Which also means I have three baby blankets to make!!! Eek!!!!!

Much Love

Frankie 

xxxx

Liberty Pencil Skirt

Guess who's camera battery arrived? Yes mine so I spent a good half an hour today photographing the various things I've been making for the past two weeks!

This is the first thing I made. I had some of this liberty cotton cord from abakhans left over after I made my liberty Sunday dungaree dress. I had intended to make a nice circle skirt but after taking a look at the fabric I realised that it would have been a bit short, almost indecent really.  

So I settled on making a pencil skirt. This is the same pattern I've used for pretty much every pencil skirt I've made. But what can I say The pencil skirt pattern from the 2nd GBSB book just works for me!!!  

I added a waistband with a little lapped part that closes with two press studs. So the lapped zip only comes to the waistband, Its a great way of using a slightly too short zip in a skirt!

Its hemmed by hand because that's my favourite way of finishing these types of skirts! The inside of the waistband is also finished by hand, I just can't get on board with the whole stitching in the ditch thing. I also did a lapped zip because its fast becoming my favourite way of doing zips! 

This isn't a great picture of the back because its hard to get decent pictures because of the print. But you can see the zip only goes up to the waistband. This gives me a great chance to use my shorter zips but still be able to get the skirt over my backside!

I didn't quite have enough of the liberty cord to line the waistband so I used this burgundy upholstery weight stuff. I actually think it helps support the waistband because its slightly thicker!

So yeah all in all I love this skirt, I just have no idea how to style it? I've got a lace crop top I could wear? Maybe with a leather jacket? or I could try and style it down with a band tshirt? The difficulty is whilst the background looks white on these pictures its actually a sort of cream? So it looks kind of strange with white tops!

In other news! 

After feeling pretty rough over the weekend I feel much better now

I am still ploughing on with Me Made May and trying to wear as many different things as possible.

Much Love

Frankie 

xxx

Owl Print Box Pleat Skirt

First of all the quality of these pictures is just not good, please don't blame me... blame the muggy, awful weather we've been having. 

Anyway recently my sister and her lovely husband sent me some of this awesome owl print fabric because they saw it and thought of me!

Anyway when I first saw it I had to have a good think about what to make. I thought this might be a bit too twee for a skirt and I had almost convinced myself to make a full set of bags for when we go away. I was about one step off cutting out when I thought to myself, jeez Frankie don't be a massive bore! Just make a fricking owl print skirt for the days you want to pretend to be a 1940's housewife! 

So I did! [as it goes I had enough for a makeup bag as well!]

I used the box pleat skirt pattern from the 2nd Great British Sewing Bee book, and to be honest I was pleasantly surprised it's a pretty good fit straight out the bag and with only having three pattern pieces to trace its not overly mind numbing.

Its actually a pretty quick sew, and I think I'll make it again as I love the look!

 However!

I did encounter my biggest pet peeve. Side zips. 

eurgh side zips I just hate them, I really can't explain it more than that they just suck and make me feel wonky! So I'm going to alter the pattern for a back zip instead! 

I've already took an inch off the length, which is pretty standard for my short lil legs!

I''m not sure what type of fabric it is? Its not heavy enough to be upholstery fabric but its got sort of a canvas feel to it? It works nicely for this skirt though and it sewed up really nicely too. 

I always struggle to style lighter skirts but I think this top works pretty well. Actually that's a lie, I struggle to style anything lighter because I'm a messy person and I know Its inevitably going to stain.

I think the two box pleats at the front and back are pretty flattering for my shape. 

Construction wise there's not much to say, it went together pretty quickly. I didn't baste my pleats in I just pinned them. Its a lapped zip with a button tab. Although I think the pattern calls for a hook and bar but I thought it would be a nice opportunity to use one of my single buttons [sounds a bit like a personal ad doesn't it really, single button seeking fabric for fun, fashion and maybe more?] 

I stitched in the ditch the waistband down, its not perfect but its not awful so I won't be getting my seam ripper out. 

I didn't bother pattern matching but I did spend a long time trying to work out which way to use the fabric. I'm pretty sure I've got it the right way but the owls are pretty random so I'm not sure it matters.

And I whacked a lil label in right at the end!

I'm trying to put these in all my me made clothes, every time I iron I seem to be sewing one in!

Much Love

Frankie 

xxx 

Self drafted blue velvet circle skirt

I made this after drooling over a few different velvet skirts on pinterest. I mean what's more perfect than a velvet skirt in winter?

Now originally I was going to use the Clemence skirt pattern from love at first stitch but after the success of drafting my first circle skirt for my gingham dress, I thought why not ill just crack on and go patternless again. so I drafted my circle skirt based on my measurements again and made a simple waistband by measuring my waist and adding a seam allowance.   

Due to either the stretch of the of the circle skirt or a miscalculation the top of my skirt piece was slightly too big so I had to gather it but it still looks awesome. Also in the spirit of trying new things [ I know I've been very adventurous recently I hope I'm not having a mid life crisis] I put in my first ever lapped zip........Yay? And I've got to say I'm not a lover of the lapped zip, its just not that great to be honest saying that I will be giving it another go but this time I'm going to use a cotton in case it was the thickness of the velvet that's putting me off.

Its a really full skirt but I think its really flattering and I feel kind of awesome in it, like one of those girls who looks all adorable and chic in the winter instead of like a walking poof ball of wool and padding. 

It's got great twirlability too! 

So as a quick project that took me about two hours to make from cutting out to sewing up I'm very pleased, and it was nice to be able to use some more of the velvet I was given.

Now what do we think if the length? I didn't want anything too short but I also didn't want to look like a nun? I think its pretty spot on.

Eurgh I've just realised how rough I look in these photographs, I woke up this morning with the most dreadful stomach cramps and I actually had to get out of bed to heat up my wheat bag, funnily enough it reminded me of before I had lil knitwit when I lived at my mums and I used to wake up with stomach cramps and run a bath a three in the morning and then watch Gavin and Stacey! and naturally my running the bath would wake up my mum so she'd make us hot tea with a dot of brandy [well a couple of dots]

Well now i can't have the brandy because I have a little boy to care for!

Much Love

Frankie

xxx