Projects in progress and finished

It seems I’m quite attracted to doing more difficult or time consuming projects in the past months. Do you remember the coat I was working on? It’s not finished yet but I did make some progress. I stopped working on it a few weeks ago because I was not completely happy with it. In the meantime I concluded that my choice for the pattern/fabric combination is not the best one. It’s a classic coat and the fabric isn’t. With hindsight I think a wider/shorter coat would have been more appropriate. Too late for that now. I intend to finish it, but it still could take me a while. I was not happy with the idea of flap pockets in this fabric (it is thick!) and even though I sewed them with lining fabric on one side, I decided to use in seam pockets. It still needs sleeve heads, lining, finishing of the vent….

 

  

In the Canterbury weekend I started working on a jacket with a quilted lining. It’s more or less in the same state as when I went home. There hasn’t been a lot of time for sewing this week. On this I still have a lot of hand sewing to do. Having black lining does not make that task easier in the days with short natural light.

Another project I worked on but haven’t shown yet is completed. A blouse from silk that I bought during a meetup with Nancy.

 

I can’t remember the last time I worked with such a slippery, thin fabric. I started out without any pre-treatment and got crazy. I bought a spray starch then and used that, hoping it would all wash out without visible effect. It did luckily. The inside are all French seams (take my word for it). The pattern looks a lot like a Knip Mode pattern I have with this neckline. Also StyleArc’s Brenda blouse has a neckine like this. I did not use a commercial pattern but drafted my own, like I did for a blouse earlier this year. For the interfacing I used the perfect interfacing from Pam, Pro Sheer elegance. Highly recommend that for a silk like this (not affiliated, just a happy customer).

There might be some easy sewing in the next week or so, I feel like some instant gratification projects and gradually tackle my more difficult projects I have around.

Enough for the moment, have a lovely weekend all, and a good “Sinterklaas” to my Dutch readers.

A quick dress – Vogue 8946

Two weeks ago I made this dress. It was very, very quick to make and I would classify it as an instant gratification project. Bought the fabric, washed and dried it on the same day as cutting and sewing the dress. I’ve worn it a few times since already, definitely a winner for me.

Initially I planned to make it from a plain fabric as I thought the pattern lines would be more obvious which probably is true, but I chose to make it from this printed fabric anyhow. I can always make a plain version later.

I did not line the dress and did not use a zipper. It’s a stretch fabric and a wide neckline. No need for a zipper. If I were to line it I would most likely use a lining with stretch too, with no need to insert a zipper.

I made the neckline a bit deeper and finished it with a strip of fabric as is usually done in t-shirts. By experience from former Vogue patterns and a bit of measuring I cut out a size 12 in the shoulders, tapering to 14 at bust height and adding a bit extra to the hip to the size 16. Which is all smaller than the sizes I should have used if I would have taken the size chart. Then I should have started with a size 16 for the bust. It would have been a sack on me. This is just right and I even used a two way stretch fabric instead of the recommended four way stretch.

I’m quite pleased with the result and might make another one soon.

Would love this scenery in the background every day!

 

Back home

Of course it feels good to be back home again, but it was almost sad to say goodbye to everyone this morning. These were wonderful days with a fabulous group of ladies. To finish off my blog posts about this event a few of the garments as they were this morning, finished or almost finished.

Definitely doing this again next year!

Back to work tomorrow, catching up with others and back to my (ir)regular blog posts and sewing, I have so much inspiration now.

 

  

Canterbury – part three

Our sewcation together is almost over, one evening to go and tomorrow morning it’s an English breakfast (by tradition), cleaning up and going back home.

Who would have thought November 29 would be such a glorious day.

 

A photo from outside in, it’s quite a sewing ‘mess’.

Marta in a top she’s not happy with. a Vogue pattern that did not work as expected/hoped. Several of us tried it on but it díd not do a lot of good on any of us. Unfortunatuely trashed….

I’ve been working on a jacket again. This time I’m using a bouclé fabric I bought years ago and has been waiting in my closet as I was too afraid of sewing it into a wadder or to the amount of time it would take to make it. I always intended to make a more or less French (Chanel) jacket from it which as most of you know is taking a lot of hand sewing and a huge amount of time. Recently I realised that I’m not that much attracted to follow the exact construction of such a classic jacket, nor do I want the classic neckline or trim. It just does not suit me and I would not wear the jacket. No use putting that amount of time into it then. Being me I am using my own vision on how I want it to be and how I want to construct it. Basically I wanted to try the quilted lining, not all the other details.

I decided early on I wanted a lapel collar and drafted the pattern I used for my brown jacket slightly. The muslins collar is more narrow than the final garment. The sleeves are changed to a 3 piece sleeve. In this way the vent will be more visible.

 

Front piece interfaced (quilted) with silk oranza, added roll line and a stay tape at the edge.

      

The collar, one side done with the trim showing between the layers. It has a little sparkle that’s a bit outside my comfort zone but I quite like it.

 

It won’t be finished today, though I hope to at least sew the other collar. I did quilt the lining and most of its seamlines still have to be sewn. That I will do by hand.

I can heartily recommend a sewcation like this, spending a few days with likeminded people. You should have seen a couple of us this morning: risen early and cutting patterns, sewing in our pj’s. No one but sewing friends will understand that. No photos of that though ;)

Canterbury – part two

We are having such fun. There really is nothing like spending time with friends with the same hobby.
Here is Viv, our style icon :), working on a coat inspired by a Burberry one. I can tell you hers will be a great knock off.

Van Gogh in the background, Breughel on the skirt. Lista helping with pinning the hem.

Other projects in progress. Valerie, if you want a fashion show, be sure to be there next year!! I will post a few more pictures though during the next days.

I got stuck in my project this afternoon and before continuing I thought it best to take a run. From the place we are at to Canterbury cathedral and back (about 5 km in total). With this gorgeous sight just after dusk.

Yesterday evening, part of the group.

And one of the highlights of the weekend: the ugly fabric swap. The fabric Joana is holding got the ‘prize’ for the ugliest fabric. If you could only feel the texture and material….