Are you ready for DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER 2018?

Have you picked out your Designer Original and the fabric you need to make your Designer me-made COPY? Or are you just in the planning stages – don’t worry … there’s lots of time to sew before DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER 2018!

Ever since the first DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER (2015) I’ve seen many fabulous garments in stores, magazines, online, on social media, on runways … so many beautiful garments! And I say,

“Why buy when you can make it yourself – better and for less money?”

I’ve seen plenty of fabulous Designer Originals, like this dress from Oscar de la Renta Fall 2018.

Which led me to this tunic and trousers, again Oscar de la Renta Fall 2018 … which I want so bad! Perhaps not in pink (I’m not a pink type of girl!) and perhaps with a tunic that is a bit shorter (so I don’t look stumpy!) and perhaps with sleeves a bit shorter too (so they don’t get caught in the filing cabinets at work). Where AM I going with this?

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McCall’s M7323 – In Stripes!

I’ve had this striped fabric in my stash since my visit to my sister a summer or two ago. It’s a heavier weight knit than what I usually have and I quite like it. The red stripe is quite bright too, which brings the grey, blue and black to life for me.

I had always planned to make this skirt, Vogue 1292, a “Today’s Fit” by Sandra Betzina, and I purchased this striped fabric for that sole purpose.

But you might already know from personal experience how easy it is to get led astray by fabrics and patterns. Continue reading →

Vogue V1336 – The Day and Night Dress Challenge, Part 2

I did it! I completed The Day and Night Dress Challenge organized by Elizabeth Made This! You can read about her Challenge details here. I completed my Day dress – my “Coffee” dress last week. I used New Look 6803 and this 100% rayon. It was an easy pattern and I would happily make it again.

I finally had a chance to take some photos. It is too cold outside still so we are stuck with these inside shots.

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But I can do this!

I was all set to cut and tape my Itch to Stitch Lisbon Cardigan. You probably know the one. Almost everyone has already made one!

I was all set to cut out this beautiful knit print that I purchased last August. Yes, it’s a few months old, not my oldest fabric though! This is called a Topaz Print – 85% polyester, 10% rayon, 5% spandex. I have high hopes for this combination of Lisbon Cardigan pattern and fabric – hopefully this project turns out so well I will never purchase another knit cardigan again – another win for my RTW fast!

Then I realized that it is February … and February is popping over at “Elizabeth Made This” because it is time for her Day and Night Dress Challenge, Coffee & Cocktails edition! #dayandnightdresschallenge on Instagram @elizabethmadethis

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The battle is over!

It started off bad. I wanted a dress like my mom and aunt. I wanted it out of this fabric (100% Rayon, which I love) and I thought I could alter this pattern to what I wanted. That’s when my problems started. If you missed it, you can read about it here.

So forget about the dress! I managed to salvage as much of the fabric as I could and I made a top instead. Continue reading →

A long drawn out battle with beautiful fabric …

and I’m not quite finished yet!

Let me tell you what’s up …

I have been searching for a pattern and fabric to make a “replica” of my mother’s and aunt’s dresses in this photo. My Aunt was a seamstress back in Europe and she not only sewed for clients but also for herself and my mother. She used no patterns and could make anything! I thought I had the magical combination for this dress with this 100% Rayon Denim Challis I had in my stash – a favourite fabric of mine!

I still think this pattern, Vogue 1395, might work but it doesn’t have the rounded neckline that I want. Being lazy, I thought I might just make two bodice backs and use those to make the bodice instead.

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Giving it another go …

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”.

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Again … I say better late than never!

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.

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Jungle January and I made it just in time!

Technically speaking, it is still Jungle January here. Hop on over to Pretty Grievances to see all the WILD garments that she has rounded up! In the last few waking hours of the day I would like to show you my second Jungle January garment – something that I am very happy with… even if I got off to a bad start. Let’s just say that I still haven’t learned the lesson: Read the instructions first!

I have this pattern, Vogue V9107, which is not meant for knits, but who am I to follow the fabric recommendations! (Surprisingly enough, this time it worked!) I decided to make view A, the top.

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It’s DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER! And I’m So Pleased!

It’s done! And I’m so pleased! For a while now, I have been eyeballing this outfit from Marina Hoermanseder. I just had to have it! Of course, it’s not my style to wear short shorts to work, so instead I opted for the longer look of wide pants, or culottes. Here’s Marina Hoermanseder’s ORIGINAL…