Saturday 14 January 2012

Christmas Clothing Creations

I've got some creation house-keeping to catch up on. There's still quite a few things I made as Christmas gifts which I have yet to document on this little blog. Today's batch are all the garments that I have made for some of my nearest and dearest, aside from Patty's Rockabilly bowling shirt and the baby togs that I've previously documented.

This skirt above was made for my best friend using some Autumnal toned vintage fabric that has been in my stash for longer than I can remember. Suffice to say, that fabric finally got busted right out of there! Having previously used this pattern to make a skirt for Vic, I knew that the shape and fit were a success. Making people garments, particularly to a deadline, is stressful enough. A tried and tested pattern made in a different fabric with a different hem length may feel like a vague cheat, but is likely to assuage the seasonal stress a little!

Next up are some cheeky high waisted pin-up shorts made for my pal Kirstin. She is a petite little lady and that combined with the fact that these shorts take very little fabric anyway, meant I was able to make them from a small piece of soft tweedy fabric that was leftover at work. The most time consuming part about making these shorts was grading my original pattern down from a size 14 to a size 6-8. It was a good exercise in grade rules, and in developing patience, but remind me not to try that kind of thing again in a hurry!

I'm sad to say that these shorts weren't exactly a surprise. I had to ask her to try them on in Novemeber so I could adjust them and give them back to her all wrapped up at Christmas time! I needed to take them in a fair bit over the hips and taper in the side seam towards the hem as the original pattern is best suited to particularly curvy girls, i.e. those with a significant different between their natural waist and hip measurements. But I'm glad I took the time to then transfer those alterations back onto the pattern, so now I have a good template for more shorts for Kirstin in the future.

The last garment I have to show you today is another version of the batwing dresses and tops I've been into making recently. This gift went to my mate Rehanon, who is making waves in the online sewing community herself these days with her inimitable sense of style and fun. Check out her alter-ego, Miss Demeanour's, new blog. Although relatively new to this old sewing game, she has been relentlessly producing wonderful and oft-fabulously kitsch garments at a frankly alarming rate!

Anyways, this dress is a combination of the patterns for the batwing dress and the collar batwing top. The main part is made from a weightly slinky black jersey which has lurex flecks. The contrast collar is made from polka dot cotton. I always find it tricky when creating the first garment for someone, as you have yet to gleen feedback from previous creations in order to get a (non pervy) feel for their proportions. Having been made in jersey, you could say that making this dress was a safe bet. But I know that Rehanon is more than capable of adding her unique stylistic flourishes to make this wholely her own!

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dude, I want all of these! (but especially that skirt at the top).
Ps.thanks so much for your message - trying to get my sh!t together enough to make it down for the meet. x

charlotte said...

oh the skirt is just wonderful, great cut amazing fabric.

Judith said...

Love the skirt - fabulous fabric!!!
Jealous of the friend who now possesses the high waisted shorts!!!
Dress is to die for - particularly the collar!!!
All-in-all three brilliant Xmas pressies -your friends will all be putting in request for 2012 pressies very soon...

House of Pinheiro said...

Great skirt xx

EmilyKate said...

Yeah, I want all of these too.... lucky friends! I particularly like that skirt fabric...

Geri said...

Seriously impressive! And I wish I had the patience to grade down a pattern that many sizes!

Unknown said...

I LOVE those shorts and am in serious awe/envy at your pattern making skills!

Clare said...

All complete winners! Lucky friends - especially the one who got the skirt, that print is amazing!

Tilly said...

Ooh Zoe, what lucky friends you have! You're such a darling stitching up these gifts and they're all so delightful. How on earth did you last so long without using up that Autumnal fabric? It's amazing!!! x

sandra said...

Oh, I love that skirt fabric - what fab colours! I don't think I'd be able to give it away...

Anonymous said...

Those shorts are adorable but the skirt is lovely. I'd never have been able to part with such amazing fabric! How did you get so much gift sewing done along with everything else?!

jesse.anne.o said...

You have some pretty lucky friends! I'm envious.

Rehanon Mackenzie said...

Hey there,

I'm the proud recipient of the bat wing lovely :) It's gorgeous and has already had plenty of mileage teamed with my red skinny jeans and big hair. You're a sweetheart Zoe and I love the other gifted items so swish!

Re xxx

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