WIP Wednesday: the one that should have been a Finish Friday

I got about 8 quilts off to the quilter, two did not have padding, but she was okay with buying it and charging me. That was a couple of weeks ago and she hasn't been in contact which seems a little odd. Usually she's done by the next week. Hopefully they didn't cause her any issues!

I completed the dress for the Blue Mountains Frocktails event and it turned out pretty well.

It was a stretch knit dress, sleeveless, with a cowl neck, pattern Simplicity 2580. I might have liked a bit more flare to the skirt since I don't like my hip-to-waist ratio (practically non-existent) but it turned out to be a pretty comfy dress to wear and not too difficult to make.

I'd use the pattern again, although this first time I had significant issues with putting the cowl together and ended up having to do a bit of unpicking. Twice. This is the first time I've made notes on a pattern for the next time I made it.

I've since cut out another pattern - "(It's so easy it's) Simplicity 2898" - another stretch knit, but just the top this time, although the idea is that it's a fairly long top, which will be a nice change from all the short ones I end up with.

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While peering around in the brick-and-mortar shop being run by one of the organisers of the weekend even, I spotted a book called Zero Waste Patterns by Birgitta Helmersson, which is designed to create loose-fitting clothing with Zero or minimal waste. I've been looking more at zero waste patterns, so this was neat.

They're all loose-fit but with a certain amount of structure to them. Should be comfortable, will certainly be interesting. I do need to try them in lighter cottons and linens - maybe a quilting fabric or two?

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So that's Finish 1 for the year! 11 to go, and it's the middle of February!

Frocktober: the wardrobe switchover

Every year I think I'm going to do one of those 'Frocktober' or 'Sewvemmber' things, but I'm never in time - like decently in time with enough space to make plans and be involved in any meaningful way. And then this year, I remember, but I plan to be away for most of October!

Hm. Maybe I should plan my travel wardrobe for October. I guess it's a bit like a capsule wardrobe? Certain pieces set up to mix and match, based on personal style and activities.

So my style is casual comfortable, with the ability to dress it up and look nice - neat casual, I guess. I'm not stylish and wouldn't need much by way of 'stylish' I think.

Most of the travel is going to be touristing, walking in autumn weather in Europe and North America but not expecting any big hiking. (Note: locations will be Turkey, Scotland/Wales, and the north-eastern US/south-eastern Canada, and in mid-to-late October, these are likely to get coolish - possibly cooler than I'm accustomed to for the autumn period, so long sleeves, jackets, and warm socks for sure.)

How To Pack A Carry-On Luggage. Also checking out Autumn Carry On Capsule for Europe

The 4 by 4 Wardrobe:
Core 1: 2-3 tops, 1-2 bottoms, all in neutral (probably black)
black swing wrap, black slim jacket, black pants, black slinky
Core 2: 2-3 tops, 1-2 bottoms, all in a different neutral
denim jeans, black longsleeve, navy padded jacket, blue shortsleeve
Core 3: 2-3 tops, 1-2 bottoms, in third neutral or filling up from previous neutrals
white shirt, white shorts/capris/wraparound, black leggings, black shortsleeve
Core 4: 4 tops, accent & variety
red slinky, blue shortsleeve, sleeveless pink top, sicily top
also: Swimsuit, PJs, trench/rain jacket, desigual travel jacket, sicily dress (in a dark), black skirt, 2 scarves (red/orange or purple/blue, and the butterfly scarf)

From this, I'm thinking I could do with sewing:
-one sicily slip dress in dark print suitable for day/night wear
-one culottes/trousers/capris in white linen
-one sicily slip top in blue/patterns suitable for day/night wear

Although really the only thing that I really need would be the Sicily slip dress.

Maybe this is all more for summer than autumn? Hm. Need to think about this, my tolerance for cold is rather less than your average European or even North American.

frocktails and clothing

Gotta work out a dress for frocktails. Either that, or lose weight to fit into my silvery party dress. (There's a lot of trousers I don't comfortably fit into right now, tbh.)

I started getting a tattoo yesterday. It's a Chinese-style dragon on my back, and yes, cue all the jokes about "girl with the dragon tattoo". I've wanted this tattoo for the last twenty years, which rather predates the book. I just never found a tattooing style I particularly liked.

What this means, though, is that backless dresses are going to be a thing going forward. Which could be a problem for my breasts, since I am easily a size C/D cup.

Anyway, the Portia Party Dress by Rebecca Page looks promising, although I don't know what fabric I'd use for it. Not that I have a shortage of fabrics available...

Alternatively: YT vid for cowl neck halter dress - straps around the back.

Another YT vid for cowl neck halter dress with zipper

...or I could just go the Sicily slip pattern. Which worked really well, actually.

To do clothing-wise before summer:
- Tea House dress
- finish hemming Sicily slip
- make the garden party dress from Pretty Woman

Clothing Posts (tag)

clothing post

This post is going to be about clothesmaking, trying to keep track of the patterns I have and what I want to do with them. I may need to sort them into a spreadsheet, with a picture of each. It would make keeping track of what I've done/haven't done easier.

An asterisk beside an item means I've made it and it works for me. A cross beside an item means I've made it but it didn't work for me.

Plantain Top - deer and doe - shapeless, long-sleeve top
Hemlock tee - Grainline - very simple, long sleeves
Helmi top/dress - Named patterns - blouse and tunic dress

Avenir Jumpsuit - Friday - easy comfortable fit, woven fabrics but a stable knit, too.

Adrianna dress - Friday - pull-on, a-line, shift dress, large statement sleeves - probably good for a
matilda - megan neilsen - shirt dress
patsy party dress - rebecca page - fitted bodice, and swirly skirt
portia party dress - rebecca page - v-neck, long or short, slit back, knit and woven versions
*Sicily Slip Dress - Sewing Patterns By Masin
wear everywhere - sew sew easy - loose knit-related dress
Sunny Dress/Top - Friday Pattern - scoop neck, knit
Sweet Spring Style Dress - making pretty - jersey wrap dress
*eva dress - knit - made before, could make again
lucida dress - Friday Pattern Company: nice simple dress, a line skirt, loose fit

Lourdes Jacket - Named Patterns - Cropped jacket
Gemma sweatshirt & maxi dress - Named Patterns - one with the fancy cross pattern, dress is long sleeves, high neck, long fitted skirt

Noelle bralette/panty set - Madelynne
Sierra Bra - Madelynne
Harriet bralette - Cloth Habit

Veronika Skirt - Megan Nielsen

Paper Patterns
Tea Dress/top - Sew House Seven
Butterick B5499 top/tunic/dress and pants
McCalls M5115 - lined jacket, coat, top, skirt, and pants
Sew Iconic: Pretty Woman Dress - loose fit with belt waist

Contemplating buying:
- Calvin wrap dress/top - True Bias
- Lulu Sweater
- Tabor V-neck sweater - Sew House Seven (purchase paper pattern here)
- Ogden Cami
- Kielo Wrap Dress

Things that I need:
- casual pants, loose and comfy (thai fisherman's pants) - note: wraparound pants, but would need a nice flowing fabric for it, also reasonably thick.
- shorts, solid and comfy
- culottes (have at least one paper pattern)
- long sleeved tops: Plantain and Hemlock, Helmi blouse?
- loose pull-on dresses with longer skirts: Sunny dress, Lucida dress
- light jackety type things

Things that need doing:
- v-necking all the crewnecks

I have at least one Sicily slip dress in pieces, and the Tea Dress in pieces. I should see about making a light jacket.

WIP Wednesday: the one with summer dresses!

It has been a busy and not-busy week.

The busy has been in general sewing activity. The not-so-busy has been in general quilting activity.

WIP

Butterick 5317 in Heirloom

I took it into my head to make this dress back in, oh, January. It would figure that I only start making it once it gets too cold to wear it!

Ignore the mess of my WIR! *facepalm*

I like the design, I like the way it looks on me, and it goes beautifully with the Joel Dewberry Heirloom range in voile!

However, I will be travelling to the US in August-September, specifically San Francisco, Estes Park in Colorado, Raleigh in North Carolina, and New York City, and so I am hoping for sunny skies, warm weather, and the opportunity to wear this in temperatures above 20C!

Santorini Sun And Sky

I have otherwise been binding one of my quilt for the show - the Santorini Sun And Sky.

I still have to make the sleeve for the hanging rod. And one for the Eternity Quilt. This will be a new experience... *meeps*

things to be done

And there's the Blogger's Quilt Festival on this week and next, until the 31st May! So many pretty quilts! I'm going to enter a couple (eternity, and the new york cat mat) and we'll see how we go!

Short and sweet!

What have you been doing this week? Have you linked up at Freshly Pieced?

WIP Wednesday: the one with hexies

Back from Vietnam - it was a wonderful holiday. I even got a bit of handsewing done for the Sydney Modern Quilt Guild charity quilt!

Starting with on the plane:

At my dad's house in Vietnam - the red hexies:

And the red-purples:

And the green-blues - handsewing on the train going in to work this week:

I'm pretty sure I did the yellows and the oranges while in Vietnam, but I can't seem to find them anywhere. *grumble*

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quilting projects 2013

It's going to have to be a productive first half of the year, because the second half is going to be quite seriously disrupted by a trip to the US and Italy for six weeks.

Woodland by Natalie Lyman

I'm going to do something small and sweet with these charms squares of 'Woodland' by Natalie Lyman:

Probably a very simple rail-fence-like design.

Round The World

It feels like nearly everyone's doing the Round The World right now - it is a lovely, simple quilt to make - and great for scraps.

Not that these Kona strips are 'scraps' exactly. I cut them out while slicing strips from which to cut the Eternity Quilt triangles - I figured since I had it all out, I might as well make some strips for a project of unknown specifications. :)

We'll see how it turns out. I may regret using these strips for a RTW which looks like it would work best scrappy, but I guess we'll find out!

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Going to the US 2013

I need to make quite a few quilts this year - I'm planning to head over to the US and while there, I'll offload a bunch of quilts for friends with whom I've stayed through the years, and take back a HEAPLOAD of fabric. :)

I also would like to make some clothing for cosplays since I intend on attending at least one fannish media convention in 2013 while in the US. Think the Victorian-style dress I put together for Halloween, only based around a specific character.

Only perhaps more complex.

These are some lovely dress designs based on the characters in the Avengers movie and designed by Kelsey Michele.

I particularly like Thor, Maria Hill, and Hulk, although I suspect that, based on my figure, the Captain America dress is a better choice than the Thor one.

(I have broad shoulders, and a nearly non-existent hip-to-waist ratio, which means I need something that really nips in at the waist and flares out at the hips.The Thor dress would look best on an hourglass, or a girl with good hips.)

Over-ambitious, I think. Still. *sighs*

Anyway, a slightly scattered first WIP Wednesday for 2013! What have you been working on?

WIP Wednesday: The One With Victoriana

WIPs

It's All About Eternity

Ecclesiastes 3:11
He has made everything beautiful in its time.
He has also set eternity in the hearts of men;
yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

I have to say, I've been struggling with this quilt. There are a LOT of pieces to put together. Sometimes it feels like I can't see the end of it.

It makes it easier when I have some of it put together. Then I can look at it and wonder what possessed me to think I could make this in a month!

Although I've gotten a stretch on the deadline (it was never a very fixed deadline) there's still so much piecing to do! And arranging. And piecing. And more arranging, and pressing. So. Much. Pressing!

And so we reach the story so far. 7 rows out of 30 – with the rows due to get wider and wider and wider. It's not the best light, but good enough to see by, and to get a feel for what the full size will be and how the quilt pattern will look.

There are already mistakes in the layout, but I don't think they're too noticeable...

Steampunk Costume

Started for Halloween last year (until we had a heatwave of 32C and I decided against it), and finished for Halloween this year. All that really needed doing was the lace on the sleeves.

And the outfit, with everything finished but the buttons. I was wearing a corset underneath - and probably just as well or I'd never have fit everything in!

Unfortunately I don't seem to have pics of the party and me wearing the dress. Maybe later...

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What have you been working on this week? Have you linked it up at the linky party over at Freshly Pieced?