Mind your eyes, I give you the stripy ensemble!

  

Oulàlà! My fabric just doesn't photograph well! Warning, this post might hurt your eyes!

So let's make it quick. Rapid reminder of the weather here: HOT!!! It's a bathing suit only kind of weather, but I managed to jump into a few of the things I have made lately and cornered my husband into taking pictures, the things that blog makes me do...

 As usual I bought the fabric at TOTO soldes, it was a coupon, 3 meters for 15 euros I think, I can never resist those. It's a light cotton, I think it's good for shirt making, so of course I made shorts with it.

 

The pattern of the shorts is the same as usual, except that I changed the shape of the pockets, can you see that they are not Italian for once?

I top stitched the pockets for a more casual look. 

 Patched pockets.

I had fun trying for the first time flat seams. I don't know why I didn't do that before. Maybe because it's not traditional to women's attire. But luckily we can wear almost anything that we want now, and men's wardrobe is a part of women's repertoire. So here we go for a quick explanation on how to realise flat seams. 

Start like you normally would: stitching right sides together. Then trim one of seam allowance. Fold the other side over, so that it will hide the trimmed one. And stitch on the edge of the fold. That's all! The finish is really clean. The picture on the left is the inside and on the right the outside. 

It's perfect for light, non transparent fabrics. Don't you find sometimes that even if your machine does a nice zigzag or other finishing stitches it doesn't look good, it's too bulky.

I'm happy I finally tried this technique. I am totally using my sabbatical years in the best way!

 The top has interesting sleeves. They are kimono like, minus the insert under the arm. I have to say that part didn't go as well as the flat seams.

It's a bit too narrow. The principal is simple: prolong the shoulder line, and lower the underarm 5 cm under it's normal place. 

I think I made a mistake by trying to have fabric under my arm. 

Let me explain, in the picture below the sleeve is short on the shoulder and nonexistent under the arm. This should have been my design.

Or I should have lowered more the beginning of the underarm seam.

The top is still wearable though, it's just not a good outfit if I plan on lifting things above my head!

 Waouh!! Those stripes hurt!!

I feel this ensemble goes in the the same category that of my crazy ensemble of last year. I really have no idea why I chose to make a top and short in the same fabric. It's feels a bit bold to me. And elegant as well, is it just in my head? Maybe. 

Anyway, I learnt two new things making it, so it's a win. 

I love so much making things for summer, and being able to wear them! 

Look at where I worked yesterday:

Isn't it the most beautiful office? The weather is so nice I just can't stay inside cutting an sewing. It even inspired me to make a new bikini. Pictures will come when I can wear it at the beach.

Cheers!

A cute sailor's outfit

Sock season is over!! Youhou!

You know that I come from Brittany, and there, stripes are a must, it's always in fashion and everybody wears them. It's why last year I bought a bunch of stripy jersey at the Stoffmarkt Holland market.

 

I wanted some stripy shorts for some time, it seemed a good idea: it's cute, comfortable, perfect for summer.

Stripy shorts

I made the pattern last summer during the only warm days we had here! It is now one of my basics, it's the third short I've made from that pattern. 

It seems that this year I spent all of my sewing time matching stripes or plaid!

The pattern has just two pieces: front and back, it is just folded at the waist, hiding an elastic and stitched with a zigzag stitch. 

I used to not want to use zigzag, because it's not a very clean stitch. You can see it, it's not hidden. But I have decided to stop being silly and I have used it and I like it ! Because it works! It's just like my obsession with no darts, come on Kate, be smart!

I added a cute bow at the front because I couldn't distinguish the front from the back! Now it just needs a small pocket, I might add it inside.

boxy top

I love the top, it has that clean elegant look that I like, plus it's white. I love white for summer. The shape is a little boxy, plenty of room for the tummy. It's a nice balance to the little shorts.

 I bought the fabric in Rennes at TOTO soldes last year I think. In French we call it "nid d'abeille". It's structured and olds itself very well.

I added a military detail at the shoulders, although after checking on the website of the French marine military it seems that this kind of detail does not exist in their actual wardrobe... Maybe it's just in my head.

Anyway I like it, I even congratulate myself for this good idea :-)

The buttons are from my stash, I chose them big so that they would make a statement. The statement being: "I like gold and shinny buttons".

Thumbs up for spring! I have so many ideas, but I try to stay focused and to make only clothes that I "need". Yeah, let's be real, I already have a lot of clothes. But what can I say, I love designing clothes, making them and wearing them, I just can't get enough of it! 

Sewing rocks!

cheers

Good bye Summer

Hi everyone !

I thought I ought to have a last post before Autumn to make a little review of my very sunny Summer.

As I spent most of my time outside to enjoy the marvelous weather, I don't have a lot to show. Just a few basics that I thought would be very useful, and they were.

Lazy girl!

 So, there we go, summer sewing:

A little walk on the wild coast

We had really few days without sun. During those I wore my bermudas. But they seemed too long, so I chopped them of 3 cm. And they felt immediately younger.
I also made a long sleeved T-shirt inspired by a local manufacturer: Armor Lux. It is so popular, that we almost look all the same with our striped t-shirts, it's really silly when  you think about it: villages full of striped clothed, bad haired people! Yes we tend to have our share of wind, hence the impossibility to keep a perfect hairdo.

After I cut them, better no?

Do you have megaliths as well ?

Then, I made a few things for those incredibly warm days:

A bathing suit! Well, in fact two, but I am waiting for my mother in law to send me the pictures of the other one. Not a big loss thought. It's basically the same model. This one is the second I made.

I prefer to wear it without the tie in the middle but it's more practical for swimming.

The first time I wore it, I had my parents in stand by with a towel in case I had a major shameless incident while going out of the water :-) I am very pleased to report that the lining did it's job.

In order to nail the top part, I used an old skanky jersey dress as a muslin. I took it back here with me to try other forms. And for the bottom I just copied an old one I love.

I also made a pair of shorts based with the same pattern as this one. It is very rare that I use the same pattern twice, but shorts are essential to me during summer, and I always need a white one. It's fancy and it enhances my tan! I know, I'm shallow when it come to my clothes!

It is made of a stretchy fabric. Don't know what exactly. I think I found it in a box of pre-cut fabrics at my favourite fabric shop in Rennes: TOTO SOLDES.

Because of the stretch I omitted the zipper. But added two velted pockets at the front and two at the back. But only the front ones are real. The back ones are just for show.

Then, I used a small piece of liberty fabric I had for a year in my stash to make this so cut top:

A simple V shape for the front. Diagonal darts for the bust ones. The house in the background is so lovely don't you think?

 

 

Can you see the crocheted curtains on the windows? They are traditional on the island of south Brittany, and so sweet. 

And finally, the best part: the bare back! I just made tiny bias straps and attached them under the arm to prevent any gap. This is a great top for warm weather. I think that using liberty fabric makes is more romantic and elegant. Had I used an other fabric, it may have come across as vulgar. Maybe I should try :-)

To finish the edges I also used some self made bias of the same fabric. I wondered if I could have used a contrasting fabric. It could be a good idea for a black and white one. Could give it a bit of a Chanel edge.

 The pattern posed a small problem. It was too large on the sides. I think because it was not hanging from the shoulders it was necessary to remove 3 cm on each side to have a good fit. Not too hard to do, except when the side of your garment is not straight. A picture is always better to understand no?

The red line are my new side seams, see the problem? I had to trace a new underarm line, it made this part of the top a bit lower than I wanted to, but hey, who knows? And I think it looks good anyway, so, I don't care.

That's all for summer. A bit short isn't it? Finally we had this kind of weather for only two months. Now I have to put my mind into Autumn sewing.
The change of seasons always makes me wondering for a few days. For Autumn, I like to think about the UK, you know, miss Marple, Downton Abbey, that sort of things. And eventually my pattern making mojo comes back, and I run to the store to buy plaid fabric!!

Anyone still in summer mode or is the weather so terrible where you live that you are already wearing socks? I know I did last week!

Cheers!

Flower madness

What is wrong with the weather? Seriously?

Let me explain. For weeks I complained that the sun wouldn't show, hence I couldn't wear my beautiful dresses or trot around in shorts. Then the sun came and it was so warm outside that it was impossible to walk in the street because of the heat, let alone wear a dress.

And now it's cold again... I will complain to Germany's tourism office!

You can easily understand that if it's difficult to know what to wear, it's even more difficult to know what to sew. Gives me a headache. So, last week, while I was liquefying myself in the hot weather coming from the Sahara. Yes, you read right and during winter we have winds coming from Siberia :-), I made a crazy ensemble.

Inspiration came from Giorgio Armani:

And Tara Jarmon:

I wanted to have a super fashionable ensemble, that I could wear as well in the city as at the beach. Shorts are a basic in my summer wardrobe, I wear them more than dresses because I have very long holidays and walk and ride a lot during those, so I need something comfortable and breezy.

Here is what I came up with:

Look, flowers!

Pretty bold no? It's made with a light cotton print I bought before leaving France, 6 Euros for 1,50 cl, not bad hey? Pattern self drafted of course. I complained in this post that I had difficulties making simple shorts that fit well with the perfect length. Well this is it, I finally managed to make them!! I am so happy, love shorts! A round of applause for me!!

 

I made some fancy velted pockets. Two real at the front, and two fake at the back:

front

back

I had to scramble a little to find how to make the front pocket's "bag". This is how I made it, basically just by playing with my lining. It turned out fine, and it didn't take too much time to make.

 See, on the first picture, I placed my lining above the opening, pined it and cut the fabric around. Just living enough to stitch them together. Then I put my second piece of lining and a piece of my flower fabric just where to pocket opens, stitched and voilà:

 

I didn't bother to make real pockets for the back, it's just for show:

From Giorgio Armani, I took the idea of the "goutte d'eau" opening. It's a nice detail, and it was not hard to do, it just needs a good press to lay flat on the torso. Maybe I could have made it bigger. But I don't like to touch the shape of a garment when it's already stitched, if it fits right, I just follow my pattern, point.

Made some self bias for the neck line, love it, It's clean and very practical. I could have used it for the opening but I don't like to put too much stuff on my pieces so instead I used facings:

 

And I stitched by hand around the opening, basting the facings inside only.

The top is closed by a lovely vintage button that I used in this previous garment.

 

And the shorts are closed with buttons because although I bought a bunch of zippers last time I went to the city, I didn't have one with the right color or length, and because I'm crazy lazy, I just did with what I had, which is buttons...

 

I would have never wear such a crazy ensemble a few years ago, but prints are growing on me, clearly. I think it's super fashionable and totally appropriate for my way of live now. Just not for the weather, on the pictures it's already more than 25°c (77°f) and it's not ten o'clock yet.

My only concern now is the weather. Maybe I should make myself a rain coat and some long sleeved T-shirts. It seems more appropriate for the kind of weather we are currently experiencing. Sad, I just want to make bathing suits and dresses and more shorts and cute tops. This is why a women's got a have an extensive wardrobe! Because you never know what kind of weather you're going to have and clearly, I am not going to wear plaid in June, even if it's cold!!

I also made a pair of white ones, just because. I am now making a super bright top to go with the shorts, and I plan on making bikinis! BIKINIS!!! Give me some sun!! Lots of it !!

Cheers everyone.