Oh Vogue You Did It Again
The Spring patterns are out. As usual, I’m a huge fan of the Donna Karan/DKNY patterns:
Vogue 1280, that looks like a better, more wearable Vogue 8705
Vogue 1281, though I’m not sure I’d color-block it…
But my fave in this series is V1282. I could see myself with that knit pencil skirt in several colors and I’m sure it’s super comfortable.
Otherwise, I like this top, that kind of reminds me of Fehrtrades’s Manequim big shirt:
I like this basic top:
And I like the collar on this Tracy Reese dress:
What are your favorites?
Second Time Is A Charm
I sew something yeah! I decided I’d rather not wait for my pelvis to get back to normal to get back to sewing. From what I read, this could never happen. I still opted for a slow start and decided to reuse a pattern, the pattern magic twist top. Of course, I couldn’t find my previous draft and had to start from zero but this is so easy I was able to draft it with DN on my lap at times. I learned from my mistake and chose a knit with more give than the first time around. It’s a 85% polyacryl 15% mohair knit. Soft, warm, comfortable. I like the way the stripes showcase the play with the grain. I feel self-conscious about my bumps and lumps on these pics but hey, DN is only 3 months old and my name is not Heidi Klum so it’s all good.
Happy Forever After
Pics of the wedding and dress are now available here.
The hem facing was finished with the same satin bias the belt is made of, secured by hand with a catchstich and reinforced with horsehair braid encased between the facing and the outside fabric. The Hong Kong finish with black satin bias and the black horsehair braid create a faint double band on the hem that’s more or less visible depending on how the light falls on the dress. It made me panic a bit and I was mentally prepared to strip everything out and finish the hem otherwise but as it turns out, the bride loved it! The reason I used bias satin on the hem is to match with the belt when she swirls around while dancing.
Thank you to Gertie for her posts on horsehair braid and Tilly for her bow belt tutorial!
Looking Back on 2011
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog.
Here’s an excerpt:
The concert hall at the Syndey Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 21,000 times in 2011. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 8 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.
Click here to see the complete report.
What I made for myself:
- Pendrell top
- a pair of Marlene high-waist pants (FO not blogged but worn as long as my bump fit in)
- a Vogue 8706 dress
- 2 Novita tops
- a drape drape flower top
- a pattern magic top
What I made for DM:
- a reversible Avalon
- a Hermosa top with matching Redondo skirt
- an Elodie dress
- a paisley summer dress
- a coat
- a Willemientje dress; we cancelled our trip but this will still fit come spring/summer 2012. The dress earned me the random prize in the Sewing for Children pattern review contest.
I also knit some.
But the major project in 2011 was the wedding dress. The first project for an adult with fitting issues other than my own. The first project I muslined. The bride was happy and got compliments, I was relieved. I’ll post some pics as soon as I have them.
I admit, this isn’t a lot. But truth be told, it’s more than I even expected. And it’s somewhat in accordance with my main goal for 2011, which was to reduce the proportion of Burda patterns sewn. 2011 has been rather nerve-racking. My company closed down after months of uncertainty, while I was pregnant and so not placeable. I have to mention that I’m a legal alien in Germany and at the time my status was very much dependent on employment. The pregnancy also took its toll on me. However, all worked out for the best and 2011′s best project now lies here by my side:
And here a couple more, just because:
Let’s see what 2012 has in store. Thank you for sticking around!!
Happy New Year!!!
Here in Germany one is said to “slide” into the New Year so I wish you a nice slide and the best for 2012!
Merry Xmas!!!!
Holiday baking
I thought I’d share some of the recipe I’m baking this year, at least the ones I like so far:
I make them with DM when DN is asleep or in the baby sling.
I’m also experimenting a limoncello that I plan on using for a limoncello tiramisu.
What are you baking/cooking?
Wedding dress project: last stretch
As I mentioned in my last post, the deadline is approaching and it’s more than time the wedding dress comes to an end. I made another muslin since the last one I posted about and I and the bride then agreed that the fit was good enough for me to cut into her textured wool/silk Escada fabric.
Here’s a reminder of the original dress:
And here’s how my version looks:
And with a simili belt:
The changes I made:
- shortened the bodice
- added sleeves, which also meant changing the armscye to accommodate them, making it higher and less indented in the front
- changed the neckline, which is not as high as on the original
- skipped the pockets
- rotated the darts from the bust to the waist, making sure that the resulting darts correspond with the skirt pleats
- added a full lining. Wool is itchy to the bride and she doesn’t like man-made fibers so we chose a cotton lining. Lining the dress also meant not to forget details like understitching the neckline. Who would want a facing rolling out on her wedding dress?
Here’s what’s left to do:
- the right dart needs to be corrected. Do you notice what a difference half a centimeter can make on a dart here?
- the zipper needs to be inserted, with some taking in in the center back seam
- hemming to cocktail length
- making the belt
I’ll make a final post when all is done. The bride-to-be is thrilled and I must admit, I’m relieved. Retrospectively, it was daring to accept to make a wedding dress as the first project done for another adult person and I’m learning a lot of things through the process (eg the benefits of muslining) but I think the most important is that I should be more confident in my sewing abilities. So I’m glad she trusted me with this project.
Hippie Style Coat
This is the attempt to not make DM (formerly named DD on this blog) associate the birth of DN with mommy sewing less stuff for her or giving up sewing altogether. I have no plans of sewing for DN yet because 1) I got a LOT from the family (I have 3 nieces) and 2) I don’t think sewing for babies is worth the time and effort considering how fast they outgrow their clothing. I will definitely make things for her when she’s grown a bit, though.
This was also a test to find out 1) if I still know how sewing goes (it’s been an eternity!), 2) how to fit it in my new life schedulewise, and 3) how well my body and especially my pelvis bears with this activity. So I’d say 1) I still know how sewing goes, 2) it’s too bad I don’t have a permanent sewing corner where I could effectively use any spare minute without having to pack out my sewing machine and tools first, and 3) if I listen to my body and stop when my pelvis and back call for it, it’s all good.
Here’s the result:
The fabric is the same as in the magazine (outdoor outside fabric, thin interlining and fleece inner fabric, all 3 quilted together) but in cream i.e. it is the jacket is warm without the need of a lining or interlining. I made a size 116 with the pockets of size 146 because the pockets seemed on the small size on the magazine pictures. I’m happy with them, though I think the size 116 pockets would have been fine too. I skipped the snaps in the front. Also, because the instructions for applying the zipper are incomplete, I had to improvise the finishing in the front, which I did with bias as seen on the pics. No further change other than the embellishment, which I made after sewing the hood to make sure it would be visible at all times. It fulfills all of DM’s current wishes: a mermaid, a princess, blonde. DM is happy and so is mommy.
Since the deadline is approaching fast and I’m not inclined to sew for my weekly changing shape, the next post should be about the wedding dress…
Another non sewing-related post – Blame it on the hormones
It was 5:30 am. I woke you up. Told you that time had arrived. The baby, “your baby”, which you didn’t know was to be your little sis, had decided to come. It was still dark outside. But you didn’t protest. You didn’t turn around and mutter you wanted to sleep some more, like I would have expected any 4-year old. You woke up and started getting ready to go to friends while daddy and I would be in the hospital. You were so cool, so collected. I know we had been preparing you for this moment for months, but I was impressed. 4 years old and so grown up already! How come? Am I doing something wrong? Do I let you be the child you should be? I was trying to keep it together as well, though one stronger contraction did have me lose it and raise the voice at you for not putting on your shoes fast enough. Somewhere in the back of my mind, the thought emerged that I didn’t want you to associate you little sis with the one time mommy screamed at you the loudest. “Doing something wrong again” is what I thought for half a second. There are so many of these thoughts when you’re a parent. They strike like a blitz and stick like a plague. But I digress. We went outside. On the way to the car, daddy was still in the apartment taking care of our luggage, another contraction seized me. I stopped walking and leaned against a wall, trying not to moan too loud not to frighten you. You looked at me kind of curious, eyes filled with compassion, asked me what was wrong. I told you my back was aching. You started massaging my lower back the best you could, just like I massage you when you ache. To be honest, your little hands didn’t help with the pain much, still I had to smile. Then and there, in the dawn, in the cold, in the empty front yard, I knew I must be doing something right. I’m so proud of the little girl you’ve become and hope you never doubt my love for you.
