Spring!

 

Oh, yeah!! Spring is officially here!
At least here at Ephémère couture anyway.
In reality it's raining and cold. Barbie graciously  volunteered to launch this new season, the best season!

She is so spoiled!  Her coat is from Tara Jarmon, one of my favorite brand. I have to admit I never buy anything there because it's too expensive, but I surely find a lot of ideas!!

It's lined with a beautiful Liberty fabric, and of course has golden buttons. They are from my forgotten dress.

But as it is intended as a gift for a little girl, I also had to make a dress.

Simple and pink. I didn't want to steal the coat's thunder!

I wish I had enough fabric to make myself the same coat! I made the pattern myself, It's not perfect yet, but I'm getting there.

Voilà!! I already have made a few Spring/Summer outfits, I just wait for some sunshine to take pictures, and to wear them of course!

Cheers.

Comfort sewing

Bonjour tout le monde !

Last week I tried to make a bra, but instead of following the instructions of my book I tried to make my own pattern, and let me tell you it was NOT a good idea.

So I decided to comfort myself by making something easy and nice to look at.

Some lavender bags! I have left overs pieces of Liberty fabric, too small to make a garment out of it and too big to through away.

Isn't it lovely? 

It's the easiest project ever. I took a rectangle of 26 cm x 9,5cm. Folded it in two, sew each side with a straight stitch. Used my zigzag scissors to cut the three edges turned inside out the bag. And that's all! Added some pretty ribbons to close them, and it felt so good to achieve something so easily.

Now my closet smells amazing and look super romantic!

Have a good week-end everybody.

DIY: Christmas gift, a Liberty notebook

Bonjour tout le monde !

Today I am giving you a grate idea for a Christmas present, or just a cool present for yourself, that's the option I chose...

A beautiful notebook covered with liberty fabric.

But first let me talk of my little trip in Germany. I have been living there for a year now, and it's the first time that I go out of my city. Shameful I know, but for my defence, I don't know of any French person who has already been on vacation there. Apart from high-school trips... And last year, well, I visited other places :-)

As you can see my trip was beautiful, lots of mediaval and renaissance houses and castels, and lost and lost of sausages!!! this is NOT a cliché, Germans really love theirs wurts, and bear, and wine. Did you know that? Germany produces wine, you can even find viniards inside the walls of small cities, very lovely.

Anyway, now that everybody knows that Germany is beautiful, let's dive in this week post: a gorgeous and inexpensive Liberty notebook for Christmas.

Ah, Liberty... Love those fabrics. Last year during a trip to London I bought a notebook for my mom at the Liberty shop.

But I found that although it was a nice gift it was still a bit expensive, and didn't buy one for myself. What a sad story, I know.

Then, looking at my stash of fabric the other day, I noticed some Liberty remaining from previous projects. The pieces left are really too small to make anything other from them than pockets OR: a splendid notebook! And it's so easy to make!!

First of all, excuse me for the blurry pictures, sometimes my camera just doesn't feel it, you know: "Blah, tired of taking pictures."

What you need: 

 

a note book

cissors

glue

fabric(not to light so that the pattern of the notebook won't see through)

Cut a piece of fabric large enough to cover your book, adding 1,5 cm around to fold it to the exact size of the book.Iron it like in the blurry picture.

 

Then glue like a mad person, all over the first outside cover. Do not leave a piece of it without glue, or the fabric will rinkle. Then put some glue on the inside edge and fold the fabric over it.

For the bidding part: cut your fabric up to notebook, on each side of the bidding. fold inside, and glue like a mad person...

 And again, glue the other cover, remember that there shouldn't be any wrinkle anywhere. Arrange the corners as you wish. My notebook has round corner, but I made them square. It's just easier.

Now you should have a beautiful on the outside notebook. But your work is not finished. Seamstresses know this: your work has to be as beautiful on the inside as it is on the outside.

So, you have to glue the first page of the notebook to the inside cover, to hide the fabric that you glued on it

In my case I had to cut the first pages who were partially glued (not by me but by the manufacturer) to the cover. And then glue a page over this mess.

See, does it make more sense in picture?

Et voilà!! It's so easy I don't understand why I never made that before!!

You can even add some ribbons. Just place them between the inside cover and the first page, and you know the rest: GLUE LIKE A MAD PERSON!!!

 I am so in love with it I want to carry it above my head in the street so that people can worship it! What can I do? I have a thing for Great Britain and Liberty fabrics is just it for me.

I hope I find some time to show what I am currently working on, maybe a photo-shoot in France would make up for the lack of posts this month. What do you think? 

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!

Grandma shorts and Peplum top

I have a problem with shorts.
It's not fare. I do love shorts, it's almost all I wear during summer. So why can't I get the fit right? Let me show you:

  

This is my inspiration. An elegant short with pleats and pockets, I love pockets. The only change I had to make was the length. I very often have to go through the University, and it seems that the students find my shorts a bit, well short! Hence the staring. I don't really mind, but, I thought that maybe I could wear something that shouted less beach and more city.

So I made my shorts longer and it turned out like that:

If I hear one of you laugh... They are horrible!! Actually the fit is great, very comfy, but the length, the length, berk!

So, off to the sewing machine. I've shortened them and made an adorable top to go with them:

Much better no? The shorts are still a bit too long for my taste, but the top is perfect.

Can you believe I don't own any peplum? It seems that everyone who loves clothes and fashion has one.

I made it with a marvellous Liberty cotton print.

I love Liberty fabrics. They are a bit pricey compared to what I usually buy, but La droguerie in Rennes has a huge collection and proposes little bits of fabric, 70 x 150 cm, that I can hardly resit to.

I had to line it. I had in my stash some very light cotton in a bright pinkish orange:

I should remember to buy some more. I was so happy with myself for buying it! It definitely a good thing to have a basic stash of lining, thread and zippers when you live a bit far from your favourite fabric store. Caroline of Diary of a sewing fanatic who is an amazing sewist, has the biggest stash ever, and she is so right. When she wants to make something, she can, because she already has everything home. you can read all about her planning here.

As usual I made all the patterns for this outfit (I'm pretty sure no one wants my shorts pattern :-). There are a few options for the peplum part. It can be pleated, gathered, flounced. Ouf, that's a lot of options,witch is great, it means you can choose whatever style you prefer.

I chose to make it simple, no pleats, because of the loud print of my fabric.

The pattern is quick to make:

 First I cut my pattern at the waist to create the peplum.

 Then I divided it in three parts, creating two new darts, and allocated the width of the original dart between the three new ones (there are 2 in the middle, and one on the right side).

 Then I cut the pattern.

Closed the darts, and prolonged in a straight line the left side of panel 1.

There it is, the peplum. It is also the base for a moderately flouncy skirt, you just have to prolong your  middle front and side to the length of your choice.

Isn't this lining pretty? You can see in this picture the two darts on the front bodice. It's the first time I do that. It really gives a good fit, very tight, I like it.

 

I was concerned with how this would turn out after I wash it. I thought maybe I should do something to help me with the ironing. You know, so that the lining would stay in place and that I would not have to fight with it so that it would not peek on the outside. So while watching The Borgias, I hand picked around the neckline and armholes. But just on the inside. I don't like it when too much is happening on a garment.

 

I used a clever technique to sew by machine my lining to my the rest of the garment, I am very proud of it, it's really clean. Look, admire! 

 

I'll explain it to you later. Come on, my holidays are coming, I don't have so much time left to made me an awesome wardrobe for this summer!!

Lapped zipper. Because, I don't know. I don't have the right foot for an invisible zipper. And every body seems to make those, so, why not hey? It's nice. I'm such a copy cat. Just a very very late one :-)

My photographer seems to finally have mastered the non blurry pictures, next step, taking more!! Who does he think I am? Kate Moss? I need a tone of pictures taken to have one where I stand straight, smile and most important where you can see the clothes!!

 Haa, straighten me this top!!

flounce baby baby, flounce!

joli !!

So far, I have not had many occasions to wear those. But I believe that when I'll go back to work this peplum will make many appearances, with a nice straight skirt or some very tight white pants. And for the shorts, well, a good five centimetres less and they will look exactly like those Alberta Ferretti ones. I guess that the students at the university will have to bare with their not very clothed neighbour! Na, who cares? Long shorts sucks!!

Salut!

Next, some more short shorts and print and maybe some sun, maybe...