Gertie in green

Well, spring decided to retreat again before really arriving, so sewing for cooler weather has been easier to think about as summer still seems so far away!

Woollen skirts and knee high boots have long been essential items in my winter wardrobe, however I've not tried to sew one until now. I can attest to the winter warmth of wool and leather (and the yet to be blogged leggings underneath) as I braved a windy Ballarat* day to celebrate my grandma's 90th Birthday celebrations.

My green wool skirt is from Gertie's New Book for Better Sewing and is her pencil skirt with a drafted back flounce variation, and a drafted waistband.

I hadn't sewn with any of Gertie's patterns before, and I over did it a little with my safe seam margins ;)

Gerties Sizing: 6:waist 28", hips 40". 8:waist 30" hips 42". 10:waist 32", hips 44". 12:waist 34", hips 46".
For my 40" hips and 32" waist, of course I cut a size 12 ;)
I have side seams of 1 1/2" (each), having narrowed the skirt considerably in stages.

The vintage metal zip is machine sewn to the seam allowance, then hand picked to the main wool fabric. The hem is also hand picked after having bias tape sewn to the hem and turned under.

I've never been the neatest handsewist, though trying to keep my stitches loose did help immensely with minimising their appearance on the right side. The hem is much more subtle than the zip.

Pressing the skirt brought back many memories of classrooms filled with wet woollen jumpers and standing close to heaters to dry.

The skirt is lined in a green lining material, attached at the waistband. Both fabrics are from Rathdowne Remnants and the green wool was a delight to sew and press. 

*For those unfamiliar with the oddities of Australian weather, Ballarat is commonly accused of being the coldest non-alpine city in the state - a claim encouraged by those who guard their gold rush history closely.

1940's blouses

I'm not sure how many Simplicity patterns now include the finished garment measurements ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE ENVELOPE - but I really, really appreciate it!!! It made choosing which of the sizes to pick easy and saved me from making a top with 10 INCHES of EASE!!!

(ok, enough yelling now ;)

This is Simplicity a 1940's reproduction top, view c, that I purchased while waiting (rather impatiently) for a vintage pattern to fly over from the USA. (I had the most wonderful of times at the Vintage Martini clearance sale and now possibly have more vintage patterns than I have time to sew)

Gorgeous vintage buttons from the Polished Button

Lovely fabric button loops

Pattern Review: Simplicity 1692

• I chose view C and cut a size 8 for my 34" bust
• I extended the bust darts a further 5cm.
• I lowered and widened the neckline, losing two of my lovely vintage buttons but also regaining the ability to breathe.
• I converted the facings provided with the pattern to a complete, or all in one facing - well, ok, I chose to fully line the bodice - with the aid of Jenny's wonderful series of tutorials on making facings your friends (you can find the entire series here:)
• I should have done a sway back adjustment, left the back darts in and inserted the side zip  (especially as the side zip was the reason I chose the pattern…)

The evidence supporting my need to do a sway back adjustment - to return the additional back pleats, and not leave out the zip next time.

Dachshunds, Dinosaurs and dabbling in spring sewing

This weekend was the last of the September school holidays here and after some gale force winds earlier in the fortnight, spring decided to make an appearance.

So, we ventured out to a magical place from my childhood and introduced the dinosaurs to the next generation ;)

The dreaming dachshund of this blog has been asleep during the last few photo shoots, but he played happily with his kin while the human puppies attempted an obstacle course...
... and there was coffee requiring roasting, of course..

Spring sewing so far has been two versions of Disparate Discipline's Dandelion dress - with a post of its own to follow - my first review is here, and the grey ponte/ponti version fits and is nearly ready to share.

And another of my comfort sews - a heavy knit maxi skirt with a yoga/maternity waistband in navy & red stripes.
There are maxi skirt tutorials scattered across the internet. This spring I've enjoyed glancing at The pretty chevron one (although the waist seam will be on the outside & the waist measurements are too big for me; it is a pretty tutorial) and elizabeth avenue (which has a fabric layout & dimensions that work for me) for a reminder.

My maxi skirt variations include:

• Sewing the waistband in a >=< bow shape so it doesn't sit out from my waist (one of my standard sway back adaptations)
• Using 1~2 inches less than my waist diameter (depending the stretch of the fabric)
• and pockets, pockets are important ;)

For this one though, I'm (im)patiently waiting for my non-.pdf version of the Cake Red Velvet Collection so I can try Steph's hidden zip pocket (yes, I'm being good and waiting rather than hacking a version!)

And I've been happily drafting my summer woven maxi dress/es ;)
(...... and ignoring the Bombshell fabric & notions glaring accusingly from the corner....)

in fact, I'm ignoring the summer sews so much that I've just added the SewFab e-pattern bundle to my collection ;)

I've finally embraced Instagram and Twitter and caught a glimpse of where all the cool people are hanging out ;)

I can be found @Maci_Nic if you'd like to lurk with me ....

I do like Tiramisu

Happy Birthday Tiramisu - Cake's pattern was released a year ago and being the early adopter that I am (not), I waited until winter to buy and sew it up ;)

I was heavily influenced by the masses of online reviews (mostly positive), and that regardless of their body shape, women liked wearing it ...
I really wasn't sure about the style on me though.


I was still hesitant as I traced, cut & sewed my grey version - and even more so when I tried it on and thought "'blurgh' my hips so don't need that pocket" ... It was comfortable though... and over the next few weeks, I realised I'd worn it more than any other item in my wardrobe ...

It was comfy, and it had pockets ;) It had become the outfit to reach for on early morning kindy runs and general mum days - even the Royal Melbourne Show ;)

(Check out that pattern matching on the skirt seams!)

 Details! The 30minutes a day Cake Tiramisu sewalong is highly recommended - the details can be found here: The grey fabric is a textured knit from Darn Cheap Fabrics and the red/grey stripes is a soft lightweight knit from ClearIt (The Alannah Hill/Dangerfield fabric source)

The grey version was sewn with a narrow zigzag then the seams overlocked (in red, of course).

The red version was entirely constructed on the overlocker, with the exception of the side seams which were basted first, them overlocked.

I held the red stripes in place by ironing some light fusible web in the seam allowance before overlocking the seam (Do you know the stuff? it's sold as hemming tape, but never actually holds a hem longer than the first wash?)

Neither version is hemmed ... They seem to be holding up well ;0

So, I did what I'd wanted to do from the moment I saw Cation Design's version - I made a maxi and swirled ;)

Pattern Review:
Pattern Sizing: I chose the 35A for a 34" bust (both my high and standard measurements are the same, so the A cup was the clear choice over the 30D)

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes, in both versions - especially with the red stripe like the pattern picture ;)

Were the instructions easy to follow? Very - particularly if used in conjunction with the 30min a day sew along found on Cake's website

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I had some difficulty with following the fabric layout for my first version, but really appreciated the 'stripe matching lines' to get the chevrons without thinking too hard about them. And as an aside, wider stripes are more forgiving then narrow ones ;)

Fabric Used: Firstly a widthwise stretch grey cotton with a raised design, then a thin cotton blend jersey for my maxi version

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: The grey version is straight from the pattern. For the red & grey stripes, I extended the skirt length to maxi, used narrower seams on the bodice and shifted the pockets down off my hips.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? I've made 2 versions and will most likely make a few more in both lengths. And yes, I do recommend it to others, of all shapes and sewing levels ;)

Conclusion: A fabulous bit of comfort sewing, not unlike it's cake namesake. I do like a Tiramisu ;)

Everyone needs an LBD!

Meet my LBD - my Little Black Dress that is also my Lace Block Dream ;)

I was delighted to be invited along to a Melbourne Sewists' function of fabulousness on Saturday night - Frocktails was a gathering of several dozen incredibly talented women who all wore an amazing dress of their own making - everyone was wonderfully warm and welcoming and I admit there may have been some squealing as I met bloggers who inspire me with their makes, for the first time ;)

Thank you SO much Kat for organising the night - amazing food as well as the fabulous company.
There will be photos from the night appearing on some of the other girls blogs - The fabulous Mel Poppykettle has added us to her flickr steam, so you can find us all here.

So, what to make for an evening with such talented women.... Kat gave us plenty of notice, I RSVP'ed at the start of May!
I was very tempted by a piece of awesome emerald digitally printed chiffon silk in my stash, but couldn't bring myself to cut it - does that happen with anyone else?

The essentials for a fabulous frock IMHO involve fabulous fabric, design & fit. I decided to start with the fabulous fit and booked a session with Tessuti's SewInn.

In preparation for my class, I reread "Successful Dressmaking" from my stash of sewing texts and with new measurements, drafted a bodice block and made a muslin in some duckcloth cotton.

The lovely Vanessa was my class facilitator and she fitted my block with pins & texta markings, then supervised my transferring of these changes to my paper pattern.



I must say, I do like drawing patterns and manipulating darts is such fun - yes, I'm kind of weird like that ;)

Vanessa also walked me through how I planned to construct the dress, from placing the pattern pieces on the lace, through the order of sewing, choosing a zipper and finishing the seams.


Did I mention that the class was a mere week before Frocktails?


I'd fallen for my black lace at the Alannah Hill Clearance outlet earlier this year and wanted to make a sheath dress that I could subtly adapt with different slips underneath.

My inspiration dresses are from Dolce & Gabbana's spring 2012 collection - they have some amazing jewelled tones - and being 'old collections' can be picked up for a song - $839 rather than $2095 at Barneys New York if you're interested ;)

This is my best Scarlett pose - Peneloping and Erin of IHeartFabric are hosting a CopyCat Challenge2 until 30th Sept and this is my entry ;)

Armed with my freshly drafted block pattern, I laid out my pieces and cut my lace - with newly sharpened scissors for a change - Winter has seen me almost exclusively using rotary cutters for knits and silks.
I had forgotten how lovely sharp scissors and woven fabrics were ;)

The dachshund did his usual pattern weight impersonation and escaped unscathed.

I loaned mum's more modern machine to insert my invisible zip, with a foot that fitted! Yay! Unfortunately, in my excitement of having such modern niceties, I forgot to stabilise the seam... My impersonation of a ridgebacked lizard was salvaged with some unpicking, much steaming and stabilising the seam - lesson learnt.

The next lesson learnt was that black polyester thread on black lace is next to impossible to unpick, even with head lamps and sunlight... Ask me how I know... Go on... ;) - two front skirt darts, somehow they didn't line up with my bodice darts, sigh.. After unpicking both of them and part of the zip, I changed to a very dark green thread in my bobbin - almost undetectable, but enough to spot in the lace, which I do admit, was quite forgiving of being unpicked; if I hadn't cut any actual fabric threads.

I faced the neckline, hem and armholes with bias binding using Grainline studio's pictorial here. I like the design feature of the black banded edges with the lace and dress shape.

The inside seams aren't french, rather they're narrowly overlocked. I did have lovely inch wide seams, but I'm not going to need to adjust them again... right?

I love this dress, it's turned out as I imagined and is versatile enough to get a lot of wear. Best of all, I now have a block pattern that works for me - so bring on some spring sewing!

The Batwing Dress of Awesomeness

Well, "The Batwing Dress of Awesomeness" was it's running title and check out that pattern piece - yes, a 1m metal ruler fits across the bodice...

Some of you may recognise #7 from Drape Drape 2, one of the cult of Japanese Sewing Books.
There was much amusement as I tried to explain why I wanted to sew anything from the book and my fashion police looked on in bemusement, as well as a touch of concern...

So, there are some excellent versions of tops #4 and #2 around but not as many of #7 - I found four in my searches: TJ's, Ancien-Nouveau, Lisa of SmallThings and Oui Patrons two.

One of the main reasons I can think of - as in my humble opinion, it is one of the more wearable of the designs - is that it requests 165m wide fabric, and 2m of it at that.

I was also concerned about the straight front as it appears to give the model a tummy, and I already have one of them.

So... what else to do, but convert my 2 piece batwing dress to a 2 1/3 piece batwing dress ;)
So, the layout was:

In case you're curious, I used my 90cm wide tracing paper to trace the pieces whole rather than tracing each individual part and then taping them - not having taped paper when I can avoid it is a preference of mine.
The "back hem" left and right joining dots didn't line up for me, but the illustrations are clear enough to make it obvious which way each piece should go.

My fabric is a very light, translucent jersey with a metallic design that I picked up from the remnants table at Clegs - I have around 4m of it in total, so sacrificing 2.5 or so to this wasn't painful as if it didn't work, the pieces are would still be large enough for a top, or three ;)

I was concerned that it wouldn't like being sewn - it didn't like scissors at all, and moving the cutting mat to use the rotary cutter was entertaining, but the design is so forgiving, that a few deviations were negligible. I basted every drape as pins just slipped out, but that made trying it on easy and in the end, the extra width that I'd added across the centre front wasn't necessary and I removed it at the side seams as I overlocked them (4 threads; I used a narrow rolled hem on the open arm slits).

It does mean I have a more draped neckline than designed, but I feel that it follows the philosophy of the author: "The flow and volume of the drape will change somewhat with the material; this is something for you to have fun with as you make the garments!" - Hisako Sato

It was the work of an evening to trace & cut out, then the next evening for basting, sewing & fitting - Serging off the excess material was a breeze and very satisfying!

In summary:
Reviewed on Pattern Review
What did I sew: #7 of Drape Drape 2 in size XL with an additional 20cm across the CF - with one sleeve cut separately so it would fit on 150m fabric.

Does it look like the picture on the pattern - well, taking different weight fabrics into account, actually, yes, it does!

Will I make it again - personally, I don't need more than one bat wing dress of awesomeness, and I'm not tempted to sew a heavier version for me, but if I am looking for a chiffon beach cover up, I do think I just might ;)

What did I learn - That these books have a following for a reason - they have very clear instructions and this one at least, works better than first feared - and that I do love draping.

What do I love about it: It's actually really well designed - that hip hem doesn't ride up when my arms are in the air, or when I bend over to touch my toes - where was this design in my festival going youth!
oh yes, the 80's...

And not a pose I find myself in outside of yoga classes, but look, it doesn't ride up!

The makings of the Gatsby dress

I was having a few glitches with my photo uploading (why oh why does it not like Flicker & can't I just drag & drop?), but I've got a work around working for the moment (toes crossed), so here are the few 'in progress shots' that I had intended in the post.

I used the usual trick of placing tissue paper under all my seams - I find wonderfully drapey fabrics are quite resistant to being sewn in a straight line without it - it's the pink poking out in this shot - and can you see my bee? - there are four of them across my bodice and more hiding in the skirt.

This is the facing/lining of the shoulders - I had 'pinked' the seams after sewing (and yes, I really should have changed my bobbin thread to cream rather than black, but life's short...), however I didn't like the look of them under the lining. I was concerned about the shoulders eventually coming apart, so I turned the dress back inside out and overlocked them as well, pulling the entire dress through the shoulder seams is definitely easier with a fabric that can fit in your hands, rather than a non-slippery cotton or heavier weight fabric.

And most importantly, Dachshunds' are excellent fabric weights - really ;)

Thank you for reading my notes - they're my online reminder for next time I tackle a similar project ;)