Ottobre fall/winter dress 2015

 

I made this dress last year and wear it a lot, it´s warm comfy and since I now can see it like this in need of an FBA. still no smile and the kitchen remodeling is not finished either...This is actually the second dress from this pattern, the first one is a burgundy in something called Courtelle jersey, this one is the same kind of fabric but this one is double face så I used the leopard print for the body and the plain grey for the sleeves. The pattern is really nice, it has a square neckline with the facings attached and a split back. If you havn´t tried Ottobre´s pattern I think you should, especially the ones for jerseys are quite nice but if you complain about Burda´s patternsheet you should be aware that Ottobres are worse.....

 

 

 

 My third attempt with this pattern is a Tom Ford stripe bought at Skipper Stoffe in Copenhagen, it´s a much thinner fabric and I made it shorter, since I think it works well with black stockings when it´s cold and looks summery with summerlegs later.  thought a lot about matching stripes here but it did not really ended up how I planned so I decided to add piping . The hardest part with this dress was to match the stripes in the back seam but on take three after some hand basting it looked good. So good I actually smiled at the picture...

 

Closeup on the sleeve and body:

 

 

Kind of retro dress Onion 2064

I like Onion patterns a lot and since I live close to Copenhagen it´s easy to pick one when I´m on a daytrip there. This is a really easy dress to sew, I don´t know where I got the fabric...probably Copenhagen... I made the view with the straight sleeves and added piping to the collar and lapels. I also added an extra button since I decided this was not a dress for cleevage. The cut dividing the upper part from the lower part both on the back and front make the dress really easy to sew at least if you use a fabric that does not have to match

I also added an extra seam since I had a little accídent with the serger.....I´ve been sewing for a lot of year and this was actually the second time that happened, but since the fabric is very busy I just serged the hole together and it does not show unless you know where to look.  I´m a pretty happy person so I guess I have to try laughing or at least smile for the next session....and I don´t wear this dress with orange shoes.
I have to talk about the pink bag on my right side in the picture. It´s a Hinza bag. It´s a reproduction from a design from around 1950 made from recycled plastic, you can buy it in 2 sizes and in a lot of different colors, It´s sturdy, easy to clean and fun. I use it all the time!

Cascade kind of cardigan

Yesterday I invested in a tripod and I have obviously a lot more to learn on how to use it, At least I got pictures of me wearing the garment and I saw at once that the dress could have improved with the use of FBA. This blurry picture is from my kitchen and yes! I have a pink fridge!

This pattern is from a Burda Plus and the fabric is from Bologna, and contains a little bit more synthetic than I like to admit. The cardigan was a part of my winter plan as was the dress, There is nothing wrong with this cardigan really... but...as beautiful as the fabric is, a kind of jaquard knitted fabric in black, grey and brown, it does not show the nice cut that this cardigan have and it does not really match anything in the plan.... The cardigan was easy to sew and I decided to hem it by hand and I think that was a good decision I also omitted the pockets

 

 

 I think this is a really good pattern and it should be done in a solid to show of those nice lines, I have a grey college melange fabric that I think will be an excellent choise...but not this week.....

Closeup on the fabric, the back side is brown

All in one facing and installing zippers

I like sleeveless dresses and tops and I like all in one facings! I´ve been thinking for a long time to do a tutural but since I´m unable to get the clothes I´ve sewn on a photo, this has been put on hold too.
Then I discovered that Threads had an article about it and even made a video and they are so much better at it then I ever will be so here is a link to Youtube.

The only thing I do different is that I leave about 5 cm at the armholes of both the facing and the garment and and after doing the side seams I sew the lower part of the armcycle together. I like the finish of this so much better

or

Since my weight is going up and down I might completely finish the armcycles and sew the sideseams with the facing and all as one seam carefully match at the top, this makes it easy to alter the fit

 A thing that is asked a lot of times in sewing groups is how to install a zipper and especially an invisable zipper. Here is my advise on this: First you should buy an invisable zipper foot, yes you can use other feet for the job but this one really makes the difference!!!!!!
Second, I was going to write that you should head over to Craftsy and look at the free install zippers mini class that was sponsered by Bernina and was so good, but it lookes like it´s gone so chances are that if you did not "buy" it earlier you can not get access to it..... really pity!....

Swedish Stockings

You heard of Swedish tracingpaper and now I´m telling you about Swedish Stockings. If you read this blog you must have notised that I wear a lot of dresses and skirts, and since I live in a cold climate I need pantyhose and I used a lot of different brands with very different result. It´s weird when you buy a brand and it´s kind of roomy and then you buy another pair but in a different style and they are simply too small, way too small....and when we have this thing with nags and honestly most of the time they are ready for the trash before I need to wash them, then I discovered this brand, they are made from recycled nylon and comes in a few different styles, some with patterns, I´ve tried a 60 and 100 denier and I´m in love! day after day they last and look good on. They cost more to buy but counting how long they last they are much cheeper and so much more comfy.