SweetMyrtle

channeling my inner hepburn

a few years ago i was seduced by this dressmaking pattern from Hot patterns. i love 1930's and 40's fashion and loved the period vibe of the trousers or 'pants' as they are called, so ordered the pattern from Susan at Sewbox. The following post shares my inital thoughts when making the toile over 2 years ago, leaving it as i thought they would never suit me and then my revisiting the pattern and finishing the trousers a few months ago.

Hot patterns is an independent  pattern company that i had not previously used . Based in the US, it was set up  in 2005 by Trudy and Jeremy, both originally from London who focus on easy wear high fashion styles plus some lovely vintage inspired styles.

I was looking forward to trying the pattern. It came in a useful large envelope with the multi-sized pattern printed on durable strong pattern paper. I have to admit that i was a little disappointed that there were no illustrated instructional steps and only wording as i am a visual learner as are many of my students. Sewbox do now mention this and advise that the patterns are not suitable for complete beginners. On looking at the hot pattern website it looks like they are addressing this and starting to add illustrations too. The pattern is rated advanced beginner, and details a fly zip, some easy to make belt loops,  a curved waistband and the turn ups.

When i make patterns usually freestyle and check up on techniques i am less confident with in one of my sewing books. The instructions state the process of putting the garment together and anticipate that you had already made a muslin (toile) before starting to check for fit; this is something i would definitely advise, especially when using a new pattern company.

One mistake in choosing this pattern was to think that my legs were as long as the drawn models on the front, not so, i'm afraid! My advice to my students is to always do an image search for the pattern you are wanting to make as this gives a real version of what the pattern looks like made up on real people with real proportions. it can also help with showing variations in different fabrics.  Sadly this search didn't throw up many images so i started with my toile. (still thinking my legs would look fabulous and long!)

Since making more clothes for myself these past few years (before this i made for others mainly whilst working as a costumier), i have learned more about my own proportions; my natural waistline is actually very high (and my crotch very low), which can make it look like i have short legs! I am still working on being objective about my figure and trying to enhance the good bits... it is a learning curve and so much harder to do on oneself. i think i much prefer to make for others. having said that i would love a totally  me-made wardrobe.

The toile (made to a size 14) showed that i needed to add 5cms in the crotch length to accommodate my high waist. As i also have a hollow back i needed to shape in at the waist and took 2cms out of the centre back.  I made the toile in calico and have some terrible pictures which i am not sharing.... i  then recut the garment in some linen which i had brought really cheaply as light damaged stock from a mill shop and set to making it up.

I then got to a stage where i thought that they just didn't suit me and what was i thinking. The design is a full leg with large turn ups but they felt like clown pants... i got disheartened and put them to one side and there they stayed for hmm, about 2 years.

A few months ago i took them in the the dressmaking class i co-teach, for a laugh really, and also to illustrate that we all get it wrong sometimes . I put them on and my teaching collegue said she liked them, i was shocked. She fitted them on me and she agreed that the turn up was too large so i reduced it to 2.5cms and set about completing the alterations, adding the waistband and finishing them. I have to say that they are so comfy and i really like them now ; )

 

I found a lovely belt which finishes them off perfectly and they go well with my new Jasmine blouse from Colette patterns. Here i am unleashing my inner 'land girl' digging the spuds in my brother in laws vegetable garden. I now want to make some in a harder wearing cloth so i can wear then for veg volunteering at my local CSA. maybe i will make some proper land girl dungarees too?

I am learning more about my own figure and starting to find clothes that suit me and 'feel' me so my advice to myself is to keep on making and to use my friends experience to gain a more objective perspective and also to be my 'fit buddy'.

the prom dress ~ part 4 Prom Day

prom day arrived and after a trip to the hairdressers with her friends, she put on her dress...

it really was a perfect colour for her as it was young and fun.  her hair had been styled naturally and looked pretty. i was so pleased that she was happy and felt great.

here are a few more pics...

 

her shoes were pale pink suede wth a small bow, her clutch bag was made to match and the earrings were carved mother of pearl roses which were a birthday present from her sister from highland angel at not on the high street

a great time was had by all  so it was worth all the work. it kind of made it more special too that we worked on the dress together though i am in no rush to make a wedding dress for a good few years!

 

the prom dress ~ part 3 putting it all together

this is a follow on to part 1 and part 2 of the process of making my daughters leavers prom dress.

once the bodice was completed i was happy as this was the most challenging part. Next it was the skirt...

the skirt was made  of three layers. the first being  in the lining fabric. this was constructed with darts at the waist for shaping and to keep any bulk to the minimum. it was then cut as an A line to create some foundation for the fullness at the hem of the top two skirt layers so they didn't hang around the ankles.

The next layer was the satin which was lightly gathered at the centre waist and sat over the lining with a little more fullness at the hem.

the top layer was the beautiful silk chiffon which was also gathered at the waist but kept flat at each side to contour the hips.

once all three skirt layers were joined they were attached to the waistband. we used my very old overlocker to neaten all the seams; here is my girl overlocking, it was great to teach her how to  do this.

An invisible zip was attached to one side seam and then the linings were stitched in with a slip stitch  to keep everything neat from the inside

 

the final job was the hems and we had 3 of them!

initially we were going to roll the hem by hand on the chiffon but if frayed so much that the turning was greater than i had anticipated and my girl wanted the skirt to be as long as possible. As i had already cut the length i decided to try a roll hem on my overlocker. it sewed beautifully much to my surprise so it was the perfect answer. the other two hems were also hemmed on the overlocker.

overlocking hems to me seems to feel like it's unfinished or just lazy, but it really gave the best finish in this case.

here are my samples on each of the fabrics...

when she tried it on we were both very excited and also very relieved that it had all come together.

i also made a little chiffon flower for her hair and a sweet bow clutch bag using a tutorial i saw in Love Sewing Magazine issue 1 . i found the fabric for the outer bag in my stash and it matched her little suede shoes, which also had a bows on. the bag lining is a patterned silk  which was passed on to me by a special aunt so it felt perfect using it  for this occasion.

much to mine and my family's amazement the dress and accessories were finished with days to spare. as i am usually an 11th hour girl this felt a little strange but good at the same time!

now  we just had to wait for Prom night.

 

17 years

today i have been married for 17 years, it seems amazing really,

amazing and good!

after this long coming up with a gift idea to celebrate the occasion gets harder. 1 - 15years of marriage  all have well documented traditional gift ideas as well as a  modern ones if you do a quick google search.

but really now, apart from the main ones, with a 5 or 0 on the end then there isn't much suggested. the only reference i could find to a gift to celebrate 17 years together was furniture! yes, really, i thought it odd too.

so as that didn't excite me i decided to make a bag for our bread.

my beloved makes bread everyday, it's his thing.

so an anniversary present to us both that means something and will get lots of use.

we are both happy : )

and i was allowed to make the bread today x

ideas for a homemade/handmade christmas #3

 

Morsbags

Have you heard of Morsbags?

 

Morsbags is a not for profit organisation set up in 2007  by Claire Morsman who was so shocked by the devastating effect plastic bags have on marine wildlife that  she decided to promote the making and giving away  free of reusable cotton bags to show that there really is an alternative to plastic.

I first learned about Morsbags through Emma and Rachel at That little bit greener  and in 2009 made my first Morsbag. I wrote about it here and i gave some away on my blog. i also made some for my family as Christmas gifts.

They are really so easy to make and the Morsbags site even has a great animated tutorial to show you how.

If you get addicted to making them you can even join together with friends and set up a pod to create and distrubute them within your community. Many pictures of bags created at pods can be seen here.

i shall be making and gifting some more bags to friends as gifts this year. (best get to it though as it's only 5 weeks till Christmas.. eek!)

ideas for a homemade/handmade christmas #2

Home made preserves

I am very lucky to have a man who makes jam. we have enjoyed many different jams from blackcurrant to gooseberry made by his fair butch hands over the years.

one year we gave some strawberry jam to family as presents. I found a gorgeous  tutorial by Amy from Lucy Kate Crafts for this felt strawberry pot cover so made a few up for our gifts. Amy has some great free tutorials on her blog as well as patterns for sale too so it's well worth a visit.

We coupled the pot of jam for my sister with the River cottage preserves book. Simple useful and edible.  The kind of gifts we love : )

As strawberry jam is out of season now to make,  it got me thinking. Perhaps some apple jam or apple sauce would be nice with the cover adapted and finished with tiny apples? Or maybe an apple chutney. This recipe from one of my new favourite blogs looks delicious. One year my OH made cranberry sauce to take over to family at christmas too, not sure if a cranberry would translate but if he wants to do this again maybe a plain hand written label and simple hessian fabric cover tied with twine would suffice?

Have you ever made or received preserves as a gift?  I'd  love to hear your  preserve gift giving  ideas

Gx

ideas for a homemade/handmade christmas #1

Knitted Dishcloths

We all need them as we all have surfaces to clean, dishes to scrub or you could you them to clean your body too (only don't do both with the same cloth!).

Even if you like me only a basic knitter,  a knitted dishcloth or wash cloth is not difficult to make, knits up pretty fast and makes a great gift. Tie a few up some ribbon, add some natural or homemade cleaning materials such as vinegar, lemons or bicarbonate of soda and you have a useful gift for an eco loving friend.  My old blog post on natural cleaning has a few suggestions and links on natural cleaning.

 

Alternatively wrap your knitted wash cloth with some handmade soap purchased from a local maker or made yourself.  There are lots of great  tutorials online for making soap too or you could go on a course. The lovely Sarah Harper from Rowan Tree Studios teaches one at her home in Devon. She also makes and sells gorgeous soaps too.

When making your dishcloth avoid wool and choose a cotton yarn. Dishcloth cotton is, as it states on the label, especially designed for dish cloths. Any cotton yarn of a meduim weight would do though. You could even make your cloths in lovely organic cotton in other colours to the basic cream or white that dishcloth cotton usually comes in. For a posh cloth in a beautiful shade this organic eco baby cotton looks lovely!  Washability and durability is important to consider though. Kate Carpenter has written an excellent article on choosing the best yarn for dish and face cloths.

 

There are so may great dish cloth tutorials online and free patterns that you are spoilt for choice.

The first cloth i made was using Deb's Waffle dishcloth tutorial on Homespun Living.

If you are a beginner knitter though this is the most simple method;

•   cast on 36 stitches (on size 6 uk needles)
•   knit a garter stitch. (knit each row in plain).
•   Knit till the cloth is your desired length.
•   cast off.
•   tie in the ends and you're done. (link for techniques here or try youtube videos or good knitting books)

Dishcloths are great for practicing knitting stitches. I rather like Moss stitch, so i found out instructions on how to do the basic stitch and then  knitted my dishcloth up rather like a sample.

If you need some inspiration then take a look at this wonderful Pinterest board by Tracy Settle or try Tipnut which links to some great free tutorials. Ravelry is a good place to go too.

Don't forget if you are handy with a crochet hook you can crochet them too!

Do share any good tutorials you have found, other dishcloth gift giving ideas/variations or send us a picture of your homemade cloths.

birthday gifts..

a few weeks ago i celebrated another birthday and this blog also turned 4

i would like to share a few of the lovely  gifts that i was lucky enough to recieve.

firstly a scarf made by my friend Sarah in the most perfect colour and in the softest yarn;

 

this fun button mug  from my girls; (CT look away now!)

a gorgeous card sent from a dear blog friend, you can find them via Jen's shop;

My lovely ceramicist friend and fellow tutor at the art centre Lucy Burley gave me one of her wonderful turned vases;

 

and my sister jacky made me this pretty spiral wire and bead necklace;

I received lots of other kind and thoughtful gifts including another beautiful necklace from my eldest sister and another wonderful scarf from my parents. I really was very spoilt.

I was also made 2 birthday cakes (the above one gluten free, made by R & the girls) and some cupcakes, all with candles.  So three wishes, lucky me x