I started this dress last week (read the prequel right here). I love this pattern. It’s a remake of a classic dress pattern, Butterick B5920 “Retro ’51”. Comfortable and easy to make. The fabric is lightweight and soft, an Ellena Rayon Twill Print, 100% Rayon. I even found the perfect buttons for my fabric.
Now I did make some changes – no heart shaped pockets on the chest, no waspish waist, no corset, no crinoline.
One important change for anyone wanting to try this pattern for themselves – I made the sleeve-less version but the shoulders seemed too long at the top seam. I actually cut the armholes to a gradual inch shorter at the top shoulder point. If I am making a sleeve-less top – it’s going to show all of my arms!Continue reading →
Yes, I had a bit of a set back. As soon as I returned from my lazy holiday in Mexico my back went out. Walking is fine, standing is fine. That’s about it. So … no sitting in my sewing chair. 😦
I couldn’t help but dream, browse, and plan my future projects though … and I started seriously searching for my DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER outfit. I know DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER is far away yet, but I am not the type of person to leave anything to the last minute.
I started my search looking for designer fashion on Pinterest. I managed to “pin” quite a few favourite dresses and jackets to my DESIGNER FASHION board.Continue reading →
I started the year with the #2017makenine Challenge – pick nine patterns and get ‘er done during the year! So far, I am not too sure if I have been successful though. I started with the dress pattern in the bottom left hand corner. It was Vogue 9202, but it turned into a top, McCalls 6896 – actually rather successfully!
Last weekend I started my second garment of the #2017makenine Challenge. Pants/trousers in the middle row, left side – Vogue 7881, described as “Claire Shaeffer Custom Couture Collection”. How’s it going?
Well I took a good look at that pants pattern again and decided that I wanted to forgo the “couture” techniques just for now – I just don’t have the interest or energy! I just want some pants, quickly, like now. So I switched to another pants pattern of mine, Vogue V2532. A simple pattern – fronts, backs, pockets and waistband – described as a “basic design”.
I have a closet full of handmade garments and I’ve lost my inspiration to get dressed in the morning … I have nothing to wear …
So the other day, I started wandering through my fabric stash and patterns and my Craftsy courses to be inspired, and I remembered I had purchased this one a while ago – Sew to Flatter: Plan your Best Wardrobe with Nancy Nix-Rice – when it was on sale. I only buy Craftsy “on sale” and if you sign up for their emails then you get notice of their sales. 😉
This course talked about colour, fabric, patterns for body type, wardrobe planning, etc. Just the thing I needed to re-discover my wardrobe! Continue reading →
I managed to get my FIRST Jungle January – #junglejanuary5 – finished prior to the deadline, but my second animal print just wanted to fight with me. It is a lovely fabric – a cream, black and brown 100% Rayon Challis. Just beautiful to the touch. But as I was discussing it with Curls n Skirls I realized that it would be a perfect weight for a top, but perhaps not a perfect weight for a dress. It might need a lining. But then if I was planning to wear it in the warmer months – would I want lining?
So I changed the plan … instead of making a dress, Vogue 9202, I would make a top, McCalls M6896. I’ve made the McCalls pattern before – it was my FIRST Jungle January – with good results. Of course the Vogue bodice pattern pieces were too short. They only reached to the pink line I drew on the McCalls bodice pattern pieces. So I would have to add an extension onto every Vogue bodice pattern piece.
Seriously, I never wore animal print until I “met” Pretty Grievances on WordPress. I always thought that animal prints were used for those lycra tops and pantsuits that Carol Burnett used to wear on her show! (Do you remember Mrs. Wiggins?)
I was wrong! So wrong!Pretty Grievances, and her JUNGLE JANUARY Challenge, has bought me out of my shell, or should I say skin. If you would like to meetPretty Grievancestoo and find out all about JUNGLE JANUARY 5, head on over to her bloghere. Continue reading →
I was so pleased to see TEN lovely Designer Copies entered this year! I thank you all for planning and sewing and joining in! I also thank those who followed along and voted too!
Well you have had plenty of time to look over the Designer Originals and Copies on my blog and Instagram so let’s just get right to it! Everyone had the opportunity to get two votes, one on my blog and one on Instagram. The IG “likes’ were easy to see, but the blog votes were hidden from everyone. I only just looked myself tonight!
So who do you think was most successful in making a COPY of their DESIGNER ORIGINAL?
With the most votes, the answer is: @heheheplusshe
Congratulations, @heheheplusshe, you are the DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER 2016 WINNER! Please send me an email ( imadeit362436 at gmail dot com ) with your mailing address and I shall mail the “Five in One Sliding Gauge” and these water soluble pencil markers” to you.
HOLD ON! You didn’t make the entry deadline? Let me know when your have chosen your DESIGNER ORIGINAL to copy and your DESIGNER COPY is completed (anytime during 2017!) with a comment on my blog or hashtag it #DESIGNINDECEMBER on Twitter and/or Instagram and I will share it on my blog right away. I’ll be saving your DESIGNER ORIGINALS and your DESIGNER COPIES throughout 2017, for the DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER 2017 CHALLENGE!
REMEMBER: Just by participating in DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER you are already a WINNER because you have a Designer Original – better and for less money!
I think I am going to mosey on over now to Pretty Grievances. She has her Jungle January #5 Challenge going on ( #junglejanuary5 ) and I have just finished cutting out my first fabric!
“Why buy when you can make it yourself – better and for less money?”
My daughter did one of those quizzes on Facebook – “Do you know your mother?” One of the questions was: What does your mother usually like to wear? Her answer: Anything she has sewed. She knows me well.
For an incredibly long time I have been disappointed with the choices, quality and sizing of ready-to-wear. Now my idea of shopping, online or in the stores, is to browse or fondle and get ideas on what I can make for myself.
RTW just doesn’t stand up to Handmade anymore. I made my husband a coat over 25 years ago … he only just gave it up as it was worn out. (I guess I will have to make him another.) How many RTW garments do you have that have endured over 25 years? The landfills are full of broken clothes.
Handmade can be intricate in fabric and design, or a basic style with a simple fabric. Handmade can be made to fit. It’s all in your power!
So now we have the DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER Challenge – find something you like, a Designer Original, and COPY it.
Here are our DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER Challengers, in no particular order, with blog links:
Who do you think was most successful in making a COPY of their DESIGNER ORIGINAL? Let’s pick the DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER 2016 WINNER, and along with the Title, her prize will be this “Five in One Sliding Gauge” and these water soluble pencil markers.
Poll results will be hidden until the winner is announced. The polls will be open until Saturday, January 7, 2017 at 12:00 midnight (PST). One vote per person on WordPress and ONE LIKE per follower on Instagram. On Instagram I am going to post each of the 10 photos separately – so wait until they are all on and then make your ONE LIKE.
HOLD ON! You didn’t make the deadline? Let me know when your DESIGNER COPY is completed (anytime during 2017!) with a comment on my blog or hashtag it #DESIGNINDECEMBER on Twitter and/or Instagram and I will share it on my blog anyway. I’ll be saving your DESIGNER COPIES throughout 2017, for the DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER 2017 CHALLENGE!
REMEMBER: Just by participating in DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER you are already a WINNER because you have a Designer Original – better and for less money!
It’s been a busy day for a few sewists. Today I have …
Felicia of older babe sews clothes. Felicia spied a $448 skirt from Trademark in a fashion magazine and thought what the heck! Check out her blog here, for all the deets and more photos too of her DESIGNER COPY.
older babe sews clothes
Over in IG land, we have @akathimberlina, who decided to challenge herself by making a DESIGNER COPY of this Harvey Nichols’ skirt (I just had to show you the photo of the Designer Original here too). @akathimberlina confessed she did raid her husband’s tie collection.
@akathimberlina
Next we have@amshinaof IG, who made a DESIGNER COPY of a dress worn by Lupita Nyong’o. @amshina’s fabric is fantastic – frankly, I think better than the DESIGNER ORIGINAL!
Only one day left ladies, so far I have DESIGNER COPIES from, in no particular order:
ellegeemakes.com
@remakeremodelrecycle
kloonpatrone.wordpress.com
@creationsbypaulamu
@heheheplusshe
fadanista.com
@akathimberlina
olderbabesewsclothes.wordpress.com
seenitsewnit.wordpress.com
@amshina
NOW’S YOUR CHANCE TO HELP ME OUT – if I haven’t mentioned you here right now and you’ve got a DESIGNER COPY to share, please let me know in the comments below. I’ve so many sewing dreams buzzing in my head lately, I doubt I can even remember my own name! 🙂
After collecting all your makes, I’ll do a post on this WordPress blog with the names of all the Challengers and their DESIGNER ORIGINALS and DESIGNER COPIES and also post on IG the DESIGNER ORIGINALS and DESIGNER COPIES. Followers will be able to vote on either WordPress or IG, or even both, for the sewist who was most successful in making a COPY of their DESIGNER ORIGINAL – the DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER 2016 WINNER! Along with winning the “Title”, there will be a small prize donated by “Nice dress! Thanks, I made it!!”
Although, just by participating in DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER you are already a WINNER because you have a Designer Original – better and for less money!
REMEMBER:
“Why buy when you can make it yourself – better and for less money?”
another Challenger! Seen it Sewn it has thrown her hat into the ring … er … or should I say her Christmas eve/New Years top!
She has copied CLU’s Net-a-Porter jersey T-shirt for a ridiculous savings $$$$. Head on over to her blog for more details and photos of her Designer Original and her COPY – and perhaps give us some tips on how to wash feathers!
Seen it Sewn it is also on IG at @etalbot1291, if you prefer to look there.
Seen it Sewn it
Don’t forget – If you want to throw your hat in for the DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER Challenge, leave a comment on any of my posts during DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER that you want to join in or have finished your COPY of your Designer Original OR hashtag it #DESIGNINDECEMBER on IG or Twitter and I’ll share your photos and story on my blog!
In January, after collecting all your makes, I’ll put them out to my readers for a vote on which is their favourite and they’ll pick the DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER 2016 WINNER! Along with winning the “Title”, there will be a small prize donated by “Nice dress! Thanks, I made it!!” Although, just by participating in DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER you are already a WINNER because you have a Designer Original – better and for less money!
Give it some thought, there’s an abundance of inspiration out there, and join in on the DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER Challenge.
“Why buy when you can make it yourself – better and for less money?”
If you want a designer garment too, join the DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER Challenge! In DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER:
On your blog post a photo of your Designer Original and YOUR COPY of your Designer Original, mentioning DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER in your post with a link back to here so other’s can join in.
Grab a DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER button. The code on my side bar can be copied and pasted into a Text Widget on WordPress, or download the image and then upload it onto your blog.
Leave a comment here on my blog and I’ll post your Designer Original and YOUR COPY for you on my blog in DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER, with a link back to you – whether you have made it already, are in the process of making it, or plan on making it… let me know!
Don’t forget to share a comment or few with your other DESIGNIN’ DECEMBERcohorts. Everyone loves comments!
Other ways to participate:
Send your email address to me at imadeit362436 (at) gmail (dot) com and I’ll send you an invite to join the DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER Pinterest board so you can add your Designer Original and YOUR COPY to the board.
Post your Designer Original and YOUR COPY on Twitter or Instagram, using the hashtag #DESIGNINDECEMBER.
Don’t forget to “grab” a DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER button on your way out!
