Monday 31 May 2021

Upcycled suede Elf coat

This is a McCalls Cosplay pattern. Its called Sentinel. 
 

I bought this pattern by (very expensive) post from the US ages ago because at the time it was not available in the UK. I think it may be now.
 
I never bought this for Cosplay but because I liked the shirt pattern and I actually intended to make the shirt as every day wear, but have yet to do that. 
 
 
 
Then I started on my upcycled leather thing and this was made from several very cheap second hand suede skirts. All but two I still have the original skirts but they were made more wearable or repaired when damaged by chopping off the bottom so made shorter than they started out because they were long and are now more wearable as mini's. Then that gives me loads of bits of suede in various colours.

Since I had some A-symetric brown skirts I found in charity shops so I used them for the skirt of the jacket but I never cut the pattern to make it pointy like the McCalls one is. I used the existing uneven edges of the skirts as they already were. 
 
 So the pointy bits at the bottom edge, which is the major part of this look is two New look skirts. One a size 16 and one a size 8 so the sizing made little difference. Thats the skirt of the coat. 
I bought a purple/pink patchwork ankle length skirt which ended up becoming a mini I can wear and the rest of it is the front outside panels of the jacket.
 
I used a quite dirty purple mini ( probably 80s by the colour) for the inside of the front panels. I did wash it in the washing machine and then turned it inside out to use as the jacket lining because it was cleaner but still looked worn, Suede is two sided so that works OK.  he dirty worn side is now inside my front panels. The inside of the skirt is still vibrant purple too.

The pattern size says I am a 12 so thats what I cut. It came out very big so I added scraps of a green suede  from a second hand jacket sleeves (I am going to make the body into a cut-off at some point to ear with jeans) and then I used thonging to lace it tighter. I also used the same method as closure for the front.
Bodice is two skirts a burgundy mini and a brown one that started out ankle length so again I cut the bottom off and made a mini and used the bottom for the bodice panels. This means I now also have several suede mini's in my wardrobe! Since suede clothing is usually made in defined panels its pretty easy to chop off the bottom by just slicing through the stitching. Then cut the now short skirt lining shorter, hem it and you have a mini skirt as well.
Collar and neck are bound in gold leather left over from my upcycled flame skirt. I am actually unsure about that bit. Might have been better in another bit of suede but I was starting to scrat around for bits by now. The armholes are bound in green suede same as the lacing loops I added on the side backs and front closure so it all kind of goes together.

I just had to buy elf ears as well!

These are from Amazon. I did an investigative search and it was so funny to find these. Once I realised they can be bought how could I resist?


I will add to this post at some future date because I am now making the gauntlets and will evetually complete this with the shirt too so then I will have a cosplay outfit as well. What fun! Never thought I would get into cosplay but why ever not. The skys the limit with my sewing these days!

Leggings are stretch faux leather and have been around for quite a few years now, top is actually a sports top but what the hell - I am a sporty elf! I think the jacket will look far better once I make something more Elf-like but I just had to show you this.

Till next week

Bracken

Monday 24 May 2021

Summer Hoody Dress, matching hair band, and oodles of undies

 I decided to do what I have been threatening for a while now, and make some undies. I have already made a few items in all of the underwear patterns I used - Noelle which is a free bra from Madalynne and Acasia which is free knickers from Megan Neilson. I also made the Rebecca Page bikini top and a self drafted vest top/bralet to use as underwear as well. They are very stash busting in that they are all made from small bits left over from various projects and its amazing how much space the bits take up especially when you have really not got any space. 

At the same time as doing this - well most of the last couple of weeks!I made this dress.

I had this lovely stretch velvet printed in a tie dye star scape pattern which I love very much but have really struggled to make into anything I will wear. Its one of those OOOH SHINY SHINY things you buy!

 The fabric would be perfect for a festival but I want something I will wear a bit more often because it was not a cheap fabric. Of course this will still very much work as a festival dress if ever I go to one again. In the end I like those sweatshirt dresses that are all over the High street so aimed for something like that. I say something like that because this is definitely a bit festivally regardless!

I am still confident I will wear it as a summer dress though. So I cut out a my dress which is actually a top and skirt pattern but I pinned the pattern pieces together. Its Burda Young 7148. But the hood on this top pattern is weird. I chucked out my last hoody I made from this because it never hung right and was not comfortable, so this time I used the hood piece from the Burda hoody I made last which is 103, 01/2017. I like the way the front of the hood wraps over.

I used the top pocket for this not the skirt pocket ( because the pattern has two different pockets. One for the top and one for the skirt). Also because I ran out of fabric I had to add a CF seam to the pocket and the pattern does not match. I am happy with it though because at least it did get a pocket.

To position the pocket I went by the top markings not those for the skirt despite that really I made a very long top. Once together I tried on and it was quite long. I am after a summer mini dress so I shortened the dress by about 4 inches and used those bits to make the sleeve bands and my hair band. I actually preferred it without the sleeve bands but will remember that for the next one. I think if I remove them now I could end up with too-short sleeves so they are best left I reckon. It seemed a good idea at the time!

Then I made the hair band. This is a Rebecca Page pattern. Its actually a very nice pattern despite you would think it easy to make your own hair band without a pattern. I have made probably hundreds of hair bands since I started sewing at age 8, but none ever fit properly. This really does fit well and looks neat and RTW and its my second one. I made the first one around Christmas time. 

Well I had some small bits left over so decided to make Acasia knickers and a Noelle top so I can be totally coordinated when I wear the dress and I think this could be a way forward for me because I love the idea of everything matching.

Besides its stash busting, because you will never have any extra bits left if they get used to make matching knickers and bras, It just seems brilliant to me.

 Of course except for the cotton gusset these could be swimwear really. I did not bother to line this Noelle. Most I have made with a power mesh lining but I thought this did not need one being lycra velvet. Its turned out a little looser than the others though.

 

Then having started on my road to matching undies I decided to use my voodoo dolly scraps to make this top from the RP bikini pattern I made last summer, which of course will work with the Voodoo dolly dress and my voodoo dolly knickers!

Like most of these I lined this with Blue powermesh. this fabric is quite thin so better with a lining.

Then I made a green velvet thong a few months ago, so thought a green Noelle to match would be good.

I did not line this one and again its slightly large on me. Surprising how much difference to the sizing a layer of powermesh can make!

These are the matching thong with the new Noelle:

These two camo tops are a Noelle and a self drafted vest top made from scraps from my camo leggings. The Noelle has straps made from fold over elastic in the same bright green as the lace. I folded the elastic and sewed it so its double and used in place of regular bra strap elastic. I am not sure how well this will work yet, but thought I should try it. The other has regular bra strap elastic.



The rest are just knickers and Noelles for everyday life. 

Well I cannot quite (yet) get it all to match. 😁

Tho these do all have dresses made in the same fabric

From the top: Blue knickers for the blue dress


 

Middle knickers match the Black patterned dress

 

And the bottom ones match the Green goth dress

The front's quite plain but the back is different!

 So I can be matching with all of these. No matching bras though and no fabric left over to make any.

 

I have actually made one more Noelle in blue mesh which is 2 layers of power mesh ( above) and one in patterned mesh, but I have yet to get the bra strap elastic and I need white to complete the look, so thats going to have to wait until I feel some undies inspiration coming on again.

So I am set for summer at least as far as my undies are concerned and I have a nice new summer dress. 

Wow its been a busy week!

Bracken

Friday 21 May 2021

#MMM21, 21st May

 

I almost forgot to take a photo today and now its dusk. Inside photos never work very well for me.

Anyway, upcycled black satin short skirt which is simply a long RTW skirt bought from a jumble sale ages ago chopped off with elastic added round the waist. I made the gothic fairy from part of this fabric too. I think the dress was a ballgown type of dress. Whilst wearing today - its the first time I have worn this despite making it about 9 months ago - I realised this would also work as a petticoat so I will very likely wear it that way in future. 

 

With it my top which is a favourite made from this kind of shiny scuba with mesh sleeves.

Thanks for visiting

Bracken


Thursday 20 May 2021

#MMM21, 20th May

 

 

Black and cream leggings, stripey top and under that my first attempt at the Noelle

The top had a small edit a few months ago when I removed the tie neck and made a conventional Tshirt neck. I just found the tie too fussy. Not me at all though otherwise a nice top. I wear it more now.

See you tomorrow

 Bracken

Wednesday 19 May 2021

#MMM21, 19th May

 Today I worked from home so could wear what I want - as long as I look OK on Teams anyway!

So just the one me made item today:

My upcycled real leather leggings.

Till tomorrow

Bracken


Tuesday 18 May 2021

#MMM21, 18th May

 Today - its a Burda Style day: My white fleece hoody and black work trousers


and also a me-made top underneath, though you cannot see that. Its my black multi media top with mesh sleeves.

Bracken

Monday 17 May 2021

#MMM21, 17th May


Today I was told its also No-Mow-May as well as Me-Made-May. Its so the bees have the flowers they need. Talking of which I bought a lavendar plant. I saw it outside Morrisons and picked it up but when I came to pay it was more than twice what I was expecting! 
I still bought it cos its a nice looking plant and I want a lavendar tho I actually prefer the type with the smaller more fragrant flowers but this will look nice in my garden.

Today, I wore a set of work clothes that are me made but never photographed - mainly because I d not tell work about my me-made may stuff and had no one to take a decent photo. The pleasure of Me Made May is also in the taking part, as much as the blogging of the taking part. 

To relax after work I am wearing my pink yoga pants, and my black mesh top.

 

The belt is not me made. I bought it about 15 years ago from Tesco in a January sale. It has a purse attached so I reckon time to make use of that. I found it in my wardrobe during a tidy up session.

 

Till tomorrow

Bracken