Saturday 30 September 2017

Wrap Trousers 11/2016 #106


 

I decided to make yet another item form the Burda 11/2016 magazine.
No idea why but its my go-to mag for just about everything it seems.
I cut these out back in January and it took absolutely ages to work out what was going on with them. In the end I got up at 3am because I could not sleep cos it was bugging me why they just would not work. They kept going together all twisted. Well, as usual the Burda instructions are wrong.

Well its because the line drawing is wrong!

Or at least by missing out the outside back yoke I made these work.

So maybe its me but I reckon the line drawing is wrong.

Who knows?


Burda gets you to do the darts, front pleats and then the inside leg seams. Well fine to here but then I just could not work out the waistband. I unpicked the outside legs must have been 4 times over a period of several months and kept just giving up and making something else.

So there I am at 03:00 and I cannot sleep and I have light-bulb moment when it hits me!
 If you miss out the back yoke, but still use the inside part, you have a facing for the back. So my trousers have a lovely wrap-over front with yoke and inside facing and a plain back (no yoke) and inner facing. 
Back with no yoke but with inner facing
It means you have 2 extra bits cut out that form the two halves of the outer back yoke as shown in line drawings that actually you do not need.

The pattern also says to use an invisible zip. That was my original excuse not to finish them, back in January, because I did not have one. Then I bought 3 but ended up using them for these trousers I made.
http://brackencrafts.blogspot.co.uk/2017/08/navy-blue-work-trousers-from-burda-7122.html
So still I did not get round the finishing these.
But summer is over and its starting to feel cold and my trousers made using these zips are not warm enough so I need to finish these and I decided stuff it I will finish them and use a normal zip. Its actually recycled from something years ago but is a perfectly good zip despite being second hand.

Lapped side zip
Side zip
And suddenly everything lines up, the legs are not twisted and these trousers are not only finished but they are very usual and I love wearing them. The massive pockets are a dream for slouching around and for keys, phone etc. So they are definitely not quite like the Burda pattern but they do work.

 


These are lovely warm, slouchy, but smart trousers,  but I did feel they were a little OTT when I wore them to work. Someone did comment on them and I would rather be ordinary at work. So I think these will be really nice weekend trousers despite being made from suiting which normally I would avoid for my days off.

Still that's the point of making your own clothes.

You change the rules and make it fun.


Thanks for visiting my blog,
Bracken










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Sunday 24 September 2017

Goth graveyard lace T shirt

I bought this fabric some time ago with some money I was given for my birthday. Well what else do you do with money?
Its kind of the right time of year for this (as in its nearly Halloween) although I bought it to do this in July. But I wear this kind of stuff all year round. You can buy the fabric here




Its a very 1980s style square T shirt similar to these tops I made using a Burda draft it yourself pattern so its a very easy, fast to make top which is what I need this week because I am stressing out over my corrections.

There is one pattern here:
http://www.burdastyle.de/burda-style/schnittmuster-unter-1-eur/longshirt-u-boot-ausschnitt_pid_1519_7181.html

There are a few variations of this pattern on various Burda sites with short and long sleeves and Hi-Lo hemlines but they are all basically the same pattern.




My previous versions of this top are here:
http://brackencrafts.blogspot.co.uk/2016/05/mmmay16-day-20-i-feel-very-punk-today.html
and here:
http://brackencrafts.blogspot.co.uk/2016/05/mmmay16-sunday-22nd-may-my-green-scarf.html
and here:
http://brackencrafts.blogspot.co.uk/2015/12/8-dark-navy-top-with-step-by-step.html
if you do want to have a read.

Yes, I really do like both making and wearing this pattern!



Really though you do not need a pattern for this. You need about a meter if making the short sleeved version. Cut it wide if the fabric has limited stretch like lace. Its two identical rectangles for front and back and two more for the sleeves.

Slightly shape the front neck if you want to. Or if you want wide and off the shoulders look you do not need to shape. If you add a neck edge like I did here you need a strip long enough to go round where you want the neck to be.



To make: sew one shoulder, sew on neck, then sew the other shoulder and the neck as one long line of stitching. Then add the sleeves. Sew up the side seams and hem or not as you wish.

Sorted! One basic baggy Tshirt.

If you have stretch lycra or even 100% stretch cotton jersey you can make them tighter. I overlocked the hems just to neaten but you could add another strip at each hem if you wanted so its a bit more Tshirt-like.


 I had my viva on 12th and have absolutely loads of corrections to get done in 3 months. If I do not do it I will not get my PhD and having studied for nearly 4 years I want it. It is making it difficult to keep up with my blogging though.

I have not done anything to my shirt dress this week as yet but will post about it once I do the cuffs and button holes. The previous posts are here:
http://brackencrafts.blogspot.co.uk/2017/09/shirt-dress-part-2.html
and
http://brackencrafts.blogspot.co.uk/2017/09/burda-easy-shirt-dress-part-1.html



So what is there to say really about this project?

It was fast - took about an hour including working out the best way to cut it out. My lace has a direction - otherwise I could end up with upside down skeletons!
I added a strip of the same fabric for a T shirt type neck rather than just overlock it like the previous versions. I still just overlocked the hem and sleeves but I think this will get worn a lot and not just for Halloween. I absolutely love this fabric which is from Ebay ( link at the top of page) if you do want to buy some. Very affordable and came really fast. there are two colourways as well. It would actually make a very nice scarf but I wanted a lace T shirt that I can wear over black slip dresses or tuck into trousers. A success I think

Thanks for visiting my blog,
Bracken

Sunday 17 September 2017

Shirt dress part 2



I have not done very much to this since my last post. Life just got in the way but if you are reading this then you probably read my previous post.
http://brackencrafts.blogspot.co.uk/2017/09/burda-easy-shirt-dress-part-1.html

All I have done so far this week is attach the collar. I did this three times trying to get an even collar. Lots of frustrating unpicking!

Then finally it went together. Looks good thinks me.



What do you think? 
Have you seen the MASSIVE ERROR?

 I have not got a placket for a button hole!

The collar is NOT MEANT TO BE CENTRAL!

So thats something to do better next time anyway. This is meant to be a learning shirt so a muslin but I was hoping to be able to actually wear it as well. As it happens yes I still can. It is just now meant to have an open neck not a proper shirt neck.

Well the whole point is to learn I suppose!

So since making this big error I kind of gave up for a bit and then life was rather hectic etc etc.

When I came back to sewing which is a bit later than usual this week, I made my black top instead since it was supposed to be easy and winter is coming and I think that will be a great top for winter.

It was easy to make but not quick!


I mean I can see Halloween, Christmas, parties..........................just vary how I wear this. If you want to read more about my black top thats here:
http://brackencrafts.blogspot.co.uk/2017/09/black-top-from-pattern-sew-and-sew-b5940.html



So back to my shirt:

I have pinned the cuffs into place and put pleats in at approximately where they should be.


I cannot say much more yet. I will try to make time to continue sewing this later today.

First though I have lots of other boring stuff ( like cleaning, cooking, washing etc) that I just have to do.

And I need to press this collar and button stand to make it flat enough for making button holes.

Thanks for reading 
Bracken

Black top from pattern Sew and Sew B5940

I cut out the rest of my satin backed fabric for this top. This is the same lovely fabric I bought for a song from Ebay and made my cullottes from:
http://brackencrafts.blogspot.co.uk/2017/08/now-thats-what-i-call-cullottes.html

I am not too sure exactly what this type of fabric is called but it has a serious amount of drape to it. I really do love this fabric. I will have to keep a look out for some more although I suspect it will cost me quite a bit more than the 99p I paid for this piece.

This is the pattern I used. I made view B.


So..... I cut out my top and started to make it. Its meant to be an easy pattern and has no zips or fastenings. The buttons on the front are just a decoration.



I thought this would be a quick wearable top to make while I keep on fiddling with my shirt dress:
http://brackencrafts.blogspot.co.uk/2017/09/burda-easy-shirt-dress-part-1.html
I have done a bit more to that which you can read about in my next post here:

the inside showing facing with overlocked edges
The right side bodice front and back joined at shoulders
I decided to overlock all edges because this fabric frays like mad. I overlocked the inside of the front facing aswell and caught it into the final seam where the peplum attaches. You are meant to hand sew this down. I works fine though.

The inside back with the yoke sewn by hand
I did actually hand sew the back facing into place and it does give a nice neat finish but so does overlocking and it was taking me too long to finish this.

I have had such a busy few weeks honestly you would not believe.

Well actually maybe you would😊. Anyway I have not done much other than work.





Now the pattern is meant to have more of a gathered back piece. It just was not wide enough to do that so I added pleats. There was very little extra fabric for any room so this being a pull-over top I was a bit worried at this point but it turns out big enough anyway so thats OK. If you did want gathers though check your pattern piece first and adjust if necessary.
I attached the sleeves as described in the pattern ( forgot photos again), added the flared sleeve frills and I hated the over flouncy effect so I took the frills off. Since they were overlocked on rather than sewn with a normal sewing machine that took some serious careful unpicking. I just could nto see me wearing it with these over flared flouncy gathered frills though.

At this point I should have got some photos to show you but was so desperate to just get this finished I never took them. Sorry for that. If you do decide to make this pattern though be aware the sleeves are a bit OTT in view B. I have not made view A so cannot comment on that.

Its a shame because being two perfect circles means there was quite a bit of fabric wasted by not using the already cut out frills.

Then I neatened the ends of the sleeves by overlocking and added this nice crochet or possibly its meant to look like "tatting" effect lace onto the edge. Thats much more me. Even then the whole top is still a bit frilly. With the sleeves already being flared and puffed at the shoulders I really do not think I could handle wearing this with the flared bits on the end of the sleeves.


Shows the hand sewn pleats at front before adding buttons.
 I even added three gold buttons (from my stash of old buttons inherited from my grandmas and various great aunts). Though to be honest if I change anything it will be those buttons because I do not actually like them. They were available and I think you do need something because you hand secure the front gathers and the buttons reinforce that. Because the fabric is quite heavy I do not think my machine would be happy sewing through the thick fabric with added facing either so I did follow what the pattern says here.
I love the high low hem on most tops and dresses but this is something else. With a belt it can become a steampunk type of Prince Charming top but even for every day it is wearable with black trousers or skirt for the office.






The tail is just fantastic!

And without the belt it is just as wearable!





Yes, this top I reckon I am going to enjoy.





This is the inside of my finished top:









There was a lot more hand sewing that I really like to do because I am not neat at hand sewing so I find it very difficult to get a good finish. What I did do with this garment which is unusual for me is lots of presssing and ironing and steaming of seams which could be why it has turned out to good. So thats a lesson to me!


To do the edge of the peplum I decided it would be difficult for me to get a good finish with a folded over hem - not sure what the proper sewing term is here. I also did not want to overlock and just fold it once since you would be able to see the overlocked edge. I am sure some RTW stores would sell it like that but I really want this to lok as good as I can make it because seriously I just love this fabric and there are only a few scraps after making this.

So... I decided to have another got at a lettuce or rolled hem although because the fabric is not stretch it does not actually look like a lettuce but it does give it a nice neat finish.

Every time I have done this before I get something go wrong and although it eventually looks passable never has this worked for me before. This time I did not look at Youtube or the machine manual for help. I did it gradually. First I remember how to disable the bottom cutter. Change the lever from normal to R for rolled hem edging and then return to usual place and I remove the left thread. What I forgot was the fact the left needle must now be removed. I forgot that and it took a few runs to work out what was wrong. This needle must interact with the rest of the sewing mechanism despite not being threaded! I need to have a proper look at how this thing works but thats for later. Right now I need to finish my top.


So I have a serious shortage of tea towels right now. I was going to buy some but had an idea. I am still fidling here to make a rolled hem and seriously do not wnat to muck up this top since its looking good now. I decide to cut up some new curtain fabric. I thought it would come in useful when I bought it but still have no idea what for and its just there taking up room in the stash. So practice and make tea towels. The photo below shows the different edges until I got perfection. I eventually remembered to actually take out the left needle and finally found a good tension. Tried it out first on the two frills which I never added to the sleeves. (Incidentally my other half has now pointed out that they would give this a "Shakespeare" look so I may try making another top with frilly sleeves after all.)
I now think perhaps I shall use the spare frills on a different top so they are definitely worth keeping and now have a ready finished edge as well.

So here are my tea towels. You can see a gradual change to rolled hem and this was also useful to set the overlocker back up to overlock afterwards. And I even oiled it! Well it worked hard on this heavy fabric and I decided to give the poor machine a treat. I had to clean all the lint out after this anyway.



I think this has made a lovely top and will work really good for winter because this is a heavy weight satin fabric although I used the opaque side. I do like the final top. I reckon I can even wear it for halloween!



The black leather leggings are here:
http://brackencrafts.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/24-red-lace-hoody-burdastyle-012016.html

The bats leggings were RTW from H&M last spring. They would be easy to make though since ebay is full of "halloween" fabrics right now!

Thanks for reading. 
Bracken