new pattern PARTY DRESS

 

Draped, quilted and  beaded, roomy through the body with a super short hem.  Wear tested and dance floor ready the PARTY DRESS sewing pattern is finally complete.  

The pattern is available in Australia sizes 8-14 from my Esty shop.  For international customers a size conversion chart can be found right here.

The Zebra print silk was found at Tessuti in Melbourne and the contrast yoke was cut from some left overs.  I purchased my beads from Maria's Beads and Trims in the Nicholas building.  If you've never quilted fabric or stitched with heavy top stitching thread you'll find a HOW TO here and here.

new pattern CLASSIC COWL

The CLASSIC COWL sewing pattern is now available from my Etsy Shop is Australian sizes 10-16, for international customers a size conversion chart can be found right here.

 The pattern is suitable for light to medium weight jersey fabrics and I recommend cotton, cotton/elastane or viscose/elastane blends like the example shown here.  The hem, cuffs and neckline were all finished with twin needle stitching, detailed instructions showing you HOW TO hem jersey using a twin needle can be found right here.
 

 
Leaving the hem edges raw so they roll works best in 100% cotton and an example can be seen here.  The raw denim jeans, with all the pocket stitching removed, are by Nudie and the reading glasses are retro Gucci.

Pocket circles GIFT SHOP

 I recently added a bunch of pocket squares (circles in this case) to my Etsy shop.  Suitable for both men and women they come in all sorts of fabric/print mash-ups.  My model for the day was the always jovial @jfnolen aka @fashionfanaticjames, many thanks my friend.

The bound edges are hand stitched, in this case a gingham edge with a delicate printed floral in silk cotton voile.  For more information you can view the listing right here.

 

new pattern TANK TOP

A TANK TOP with ties.

 I cut this example from leftovers, a linen for the yoke and a printed jersey I'd been saving for the body.  The striped bias binding came from Luccello, one of maybe 50 different options sold in pre-cut lengths or by the metre.  

The TANK TOP sewing pattern is now available from my Etsy shop in Australian sizes 8 - 14.  For international customers a size conversion chart can be found right here.

As an added bonus you can also cut the back twice and make the back and front the same.  Equally as cute it would look amazing in a combination of dramatic dark colours/ textures for evening...off to do some sewing.

PAOM Crazy Flower

I clearly remember the night I downloaded some GIF making software for the first time...and then it was morning.  Similarly yesterday I fell down a Print All Over Me rabbit hole and 6 hours in the only thing that stopped me was having to go to work.
 

  A couple of versions of my Crazy Flower abstract are shown below and garments/ objects you can actually buy can be found right here.  I also added a greeting card to my Etsy shop.

 

Great way to support emerging designers, find unique items and lessen the impact of unwanted stock on our precious world.  Need a print?  I love making them, email me.

Silver Lining pt 3

At the top of the pile a 57cm long piece of the Liberty print Ciara Grey plus, in what can only be described as an extreme cutting event, a slightly modified APRON TOP pattern were combined together to produce a highly wearable version of one of my favourite patterns.
 

The APRON TOP sewing pattern is available from my Etsy shop in Australian sizes 8-14, for international customers a size conversion chart can be found right here.  There was no fabric left for the collar so I replaced it with a narrow bias cut tie and step by step instructions have been included below.

1. Follow the APRON TOP instructions to step 8.

2. For this example I've used a pre-cut/folded 3.5cm wide bias binding in 100% cotton sourced from Luccello.

3. With right sides together stitch the binding to each side of the neck making your stitching line just to the right side of the fold line.  For my APRON TOP I allowed 19.5cm for the back neck and 45cm for each of the front ties.

 

4. Clip the seam as required and trim away the ends of the binding from the underarm.  Slip stitch the binding in place on either side of the neck.

5. Bring the free folded edges of the binding together, tuck in the end of the ties and topstitch through all layers to secure in place.  Trim any excess threads, press and you're all done.

Silver lining, it's all about me sewing bee continues...

Silver Lining pt 2

The silver lining sewing bee continues with a rendition of a sleeveless top from HAPPY HOMEMADE vol 1.

I've made it before not realising the seam allowances weren't included (no English text) so this time around it'll be slightly larger and a bit longer.

Cut from 65cm of the Liberty print Gemma with no front frill and contrast polka dot armhole bindings found at Luccello.  It's shown together with the cardigan Martha, from Rowan Magazine 37, and a linen skirt of my own design.

 

If you've never used bias binding to finish an edge I've included two examples including detailed step by step instructions here and here.

Take care of yourself, solidarity sisters.

Silver Lining pt 1

My knicker making class got cancelled funk came to an abrupt, silver lining stop, when I saw this...

Surprise! (insert that feeling you get when you discover a piece of really beautiful fabric you bought years ago, packed away and then promptly forgot about...fabric stash amnesia) suffice to say, I started plotting an, it's all about me sewing bee, immediately.

PART 1 - PRETTY BLOUSE

From only 60cm of a Liberty Print called Emma & Georgina I cut myself a PRETTY BLOUSE.  As I write Strawberry Thief still has stock on hand but I did originally purchased my fabric from Luccello.

For this version the elastic casing was deleted from the waist, 5cm was added to the length and then the hemline was curved to create a shirt-tail shape.  The bib at the front was the scrap of fabric left after the front neckline was cut, bagged out with another leftover and trimmed with vintage buttons.  The neckline and hem edges were finished with a pre-cut/folded gingham bias binding found at Luccello in 100% cotton and only $2.00/mt.

It's shown here with a cardigan called Chicago from Rowan Magazine 37, more shots on Ravelry.

 

The PRETTY BLOUSE sewing pattern is available from my Etsy Shop in Australian sizes 6-14, for international customers a size conversion chart can be found right here.  Detailed instructions showing HOW TO bind an edge with bias binding can be found here although in this case it was machine stitched in place.

new pattern BIG BUNNY

It's as though I took a BUNNY BAG and like a balloon just blew it up a bit.  I've changed a few things, added some quilting, altered the proportions but it's still cute, just a little more sophisticated and grown up.

   

BIG BUNNY fits snugly up under your arm and features a comfortable quilted shoulder strap and base, inner pocket and of course big floppy ears. 

Select medium to heavy weight woven fabrics, upholstery fabrics will also work as would suede...project for the future.  This example was made from leftovers, a textured canvas for the outer and two contrasting feed sack fabrics previously used for a POWDER PUFF cushion...never throw anything away!

If you've never quilted fabric or stitched with heavy thread a HOW TO can be found for each here and here.  The BIG BUNNY is worn here with the BATHING SUIT TOP made up in a Japanese seersucker previously featured way back when.  All sewing patterns are available from my Etsy shop.