Dressmaking with Stitches- Volume 20

Here is the Index for Volume 20 for Dressmaking with Stitches (formerly Australian Stitches), please take a copy if you want.

I have also sent a copy to Lynn Cook, Editor of Dressmaking with Stitches.

Enjoy

Bra sew-along

I have finally succumbed to the inspirational posts from Carolyn showing us her gorgeous bras and have signed up with Amy from Cloth Habit for the Bra Sew-along.

Back in 2005, I did try and make a bra at the first ASG Convention I went to in Adelaide, and I still have the partly made bra and the adjusted Booby Traps B003 pattern.

I will start with the Booby Traps pattern and with Spotlight having half price patterns at present I have also purchased KS 3300 which is another style I like.

On the way to work last Thursday I called into Metro Fabrics at Tempe to purchase some underwires and check out what other goodies he had, major overload of all sorts of goodies!

So I have taken my measurements and worked out what size I should make and next up is to make a test bra to see how it fits and of course what adjustments I need to do.

I am wondering what I have got myself into!

Tangerine Alma Blouse

When Sewaholic announced her new pattern, the Alma Blouse, I was very tempted as the cute neckline on View A had me intrigued so when the special was on, I jumped at the chance to purchase this pattern.

Due to the fitting issues I had with the Minoru and not being a pear shape, I realised that the Alma Blouse is very similar to my very modified TNT blouse, Vogue 8572 (OOP).  I traced off another copy of my TNT blouse pattern and then added the neckline detail from the Alma Blouse as well as drafting the facing pieces.

Next up was what fabric to use.  I've had this piece in my stash since 2003 so thought it would be a good time to use it as it was one of the 2012 Pantone colours (better late than never).

I'm not sure what the fibre content of this fabric is but polyester seems a very good choice, it takes a lot of pressing to get reasonable looking seams or darts using steam and a clapper and it frays like mad.

However after all of that I am rather pleased with this blouse.

The creases are from wearing this top all day.

This is my 2nd piece completed for SWAP 2013 - Everyday Collection.

It wasn't until I typed up this post that I seem to have a bit of a citrus theme going on, so do I continue it with the lemon blouse or make the brown denim style skirt out of linen?

I wonder which it will be 

Another year has disappeared

and my sewing highlight of the year was to be announced as the winner of the Stitcher's Guild 2012 SWAP Competition, I still get a thrill when I think about this.

Interestingly with all the sewing focus for the first 4 months of the year, I felt that the remainder of the year wasn't as productive, lets see:

1 x Pants
3 x Skirts
8 x Tops
3 x Cardigans
1 x Jeans
2 x Dresses
1 x Jacket
1 x Vest
1 x Hand knitted garment
3 x Jewellery pieces
3 x Craft
5 x Bags

Wow that is a total of 29 items sewn, however the craft items are listed as 3 when each of those had a least 3 pieces to each of them, so not a bad year at all.

I never thought I'd make a bag, now I have made 5 in 1 year, a bit scary!

Patterns used:
Sure Fit Design - 1
BWOF - 2
Simplicity - 1
Vogue - 2
Jalie - 3
Kwik.Sew - 1
Moonshine Bags - 1
Nicole Mallalieu - 1
Hot Patterns - 1
Sewaholic - 1

Favourite Me Made Items

This would have to be the Minoru jacket, I love it, it gets worn every chance I get and the Jalie Jeans are still in high rotation.

The other item is my Leather Handbag, I'm just loving this bag.

2012 Sewing Goals - How did I go?

• Complete 1 garment a month - 20 garments means I have certainly done that.  I think I am going to reword this goal, I manage to do the sewing but not cut out and sew that garment in the same month.
• Complete at least one competition either at Stitcher's Guild or Pattern Review - I definitely achieved this one, SWAP 2012 at Stitcher's Guild, and I entered in the Handbag, Best Pattern and Jeans contests at Pattern Review.
• Play with the binders for my Coverstitch machine and get comfortable using them - Oops this didn't happen.

2013 Sewing Goals

• Complete at least 22 garments (20 in 2012, 24 in 2011).
• Play with those binders!
• Complete at least one competition either at Stitcher's Guild or Pattern Review 

And finally, a collage of the pieces I made in 2012.