What a satisfying week. It's much more fun when I have actual finished projects to admire at the end of the week, instead of pattern pieces and cut fabric! This week I finished Diane's two denim skirts, the corsetted pencil skirt and a regular pencil skirt with funky material. I'm very pleased with how the corsetted pencil skirt turned out, which is a good thing because I had to work hard to get it right:
I want to make myself a version of this, and I think I'll use a thread with more color contrast on the topstitching to really make the corsetted seams stand out (Diane wanted something more subtle). I also hope to get a tutorial in the next week or two for those of you who want to try it yourself (I need the tutorial myself so I don't forget what I did!).
The fabric for Diane's second denim skirt is a heathered grey denim. I don't think the photos do it justice (they didn't on the website where I first saw it). The fabric has a lovely sheen and feel, and looks almost metallic when it moves. The heathering creates interesting vertical streaks and is very slimming. I found it at MoodFabrics.com and last I checked they still have some here.
I also finished my coat muslin this weekend, thanks to a visit from Grandma Polderman (she spent hours and hours playing with the girls. I now feel that I have a chance of finishing the real coat on time for the competition (the deadline is next Monday at midnight). I'm so glad I did a muslin for this. It gave me practice with the in-seam pockets and pocket flaps (not in the original pattern, so I had to figure this out and draft the pieces), it showed me where the coat needed to be altered for a better fit (hips), and I now know what changes I want to make to my additions (collar, pocket flaps). I don't usually do a muslin for skirts unless I'm making something unusual (like the corsetted skirt); instead, I follow the guidance of a costume-maker friend of mine who suggests making the skirt with a 1 inch seam allowance so that it is easy to make adjustments. I always do a muslin for dresses, or at least for the bodice, and now, for jackets/coats. Here's a sneak preview, although I didn't finish the sleeves, hem, or add the buttons (not needed for the muslin):
The fun surprise of the week was receiving a box of (free!) fabric and a dress from my husband's Aunt Wendy. She has a friend returning to Malaysia who is downsizing her goods and Wendy told her she could find a home for the fabric. I received YARDS of beautiful silk. Some lightweight, like these:
I think they'll make lovely scarves or flowing summer dresses. And then there were a couple heavier brocades:
I love the grey/purple brocade with dragons and I'm already dreaming up what I can make with it. Also in the box was a Chinese-style red dress. Wendy wasn't sure it would fit, but here it is (and here's me, vamping it up with Cora):
This week I'll be finishing Melissa's skirt and then working on Jen's dress. And I also hope to finally get my finished bags up on Etsy. And then I'll rub my tummy and pat my head.
I want to make myself a version of this, and I think I'll use a thread with more color contrast on the topstitching to really make the corsetted seams stand out (Diane wanted something more subtle). I also hope to get a tutorial in the next week or two for those of you who want to try it yourself (I need the tutorial myself so I don't forget what I did!).
The fabric for Diane's second denim skirt is a heathered grey denim. I don't think the photos do it justice (they didn't on the website where I first saw it). The fabric has a lovely sheen and feel, and looks almost metallic when it moves. The heathering creates interesting vertical streaks and is very slimming. I found it at MoodFabrics.com and last I checked they still have some here.
I also finished my coat muslin this weekend, thanks to a visit from Grandma Polderman (she spent hours and hours playing with the girls. I now feel that I have a chance of finishing the real coat on time for the competition (the deadline is next Monday at midnight). I'm so glad I did a muslin for this. It gave me practice with the in-seam pockets and pocket flaps (not in the original pattern, so I had to figure this out and draft the pieces), it showed me where the coat needed to be altered for a better fit (hips), and I now know what changes I want to make to my additions (collar, pocket flaps). I don't usually do a muslin for skirts unless I'm making something unusual (like the corsetted skirt); instead, I follow the guidance of a costume-maker friend of mine who suggests making the skirt with a 1 inch seam allowance so that it is easy to make adjustments. I always do a muslin for dresses, or at least for the bodice, and now, for jackets/coats. Here's a sneak preview, although I didn't finish the sleeves, hem, or add the buttons (not needed for the muslin):
The fun surprise of the week was receiving a box of (free!) fabric and a dress from my husband's Aunt Wendy. She has a friend returning to Malaysia who is downsizing her goods and Wendy told her she could find a home for the fabric. I received YARDS of beautiful silk. Some lightweight, like these:
I think they'll make lovely scarves or flowing summer dresses. And then there were a couple heavier brocades:
I love the grey/purple brocade with dragons and I'm already dreaming up what I can make with it. Also in the box was a Chinese-style red dress. Wendy wasn't sure it would fit, but here it is (and here's me, vamping it up with Cora):
This week I'll be finishing Melissa's skirt and then working on Jen's dress. And I also hope to finally get my finished bags up on Etsy. And then I'll rub my tummy and pat my head.
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