Perfect Pattern Parcel #7: The Daphne Bag

It feels to me like the Perfect Pattern Parcels have come thick and fast this year, but this is the final one of 2014 (umm, where did this year go?!). If you don't know what the PPP's are, let the organisers themselves explain: How Pattern Parcel Works: Here at Perfect Pattern Parcel, we believe in supporting independent pattern designers. It’s our opinion that indie patterns are just, well, better than big box patterns, and we’re pretty sure our customers think so too. So, we allow customers to show their support in naming their own price for each Parcel. We also encourage customers to allocate part of their Parcel price to the charity Donorschoose.org in order to help classrooms in need. Pattern Parcel donates all profits after expenses from Parcel sales to the charity as well. Its our goal to raise over $20,000 for Donors Choose this year.

The patterns in this parcel are:

Barcelona Bag and Wallet by Pat Bravo 

Butterfly Sling Purse by Emmaline Patterns 

Evelyn Hangbag by ChrisW Designs 

Midtown Messenger Bag by Betz White 

Betty Bowler by Swoon Sewing Patterns 

BONUS PATTERN: Daphne Bag by Clover & Violet 

When I was invited to take part in the promo tour of Parcel #7, I was really excited when I saw that it consisted solely of bag patterns. In terms of the ratio of 'sewing-time : amount-worn', bags have got to be up there with jackets and coats when it comes to useful things to spend your time making. And yet I've only made one bag from a purchased sewing pattern (RIP, vintage curtain bag), having previously only used self-drafted patterns. When I see bag sewing patterns though, I must admit I usually get a bit turned off by the fabric choice. I tend to wonder what the bag would look like if it wasn't made from Amy Butler quilting cotton (no offence, Amy Butler or her fans, it's just not my aesthetic), but instead in something, oh I don't know, nautical perhaps? Time to find out...

The Pattern: I chose to make the Daphne Bag by Clover & Violet which is the bonus bag if you choose to pay at least $32 for the parcel. It looked casual enough to suit my everyday style and it had a zip closure which I wanted for security because I travel round London a lot. Plus, the pattern looked like it might have a couple of features that I haven't tried before. I feel my sewing has got in a bit of a rut in recent years, so I wanted to try out some new-to-me techniques, as well as use some bag-making notions and hard wear like plastic canvas stuff for the bottom and sliders (?) and rectangle rings (?). 
The Daphne bag isn't a pattern as such, it's a list of cutting instructions (it's all rectangles) and constructions steps with clear photographs. It was very easy to follow, which is handy coz my brain is in a bit of a fog these days. I made a couple of changes: I omitted the little pleats on the bag body because I wasn't a fan of them, and I didn't bother making the internal zip pocket. I did bother making the 'slip pocket' inside so I can easily access my phone, but this bag isn't exactly cavernous so I didn't think I'd need both the pockets.

The Fabric:

The checked nautical fabric I used was a scrap left over from a curtain my mum bought. She'd picked the curtain up in a charity shop to make cushion covers for my dad's boat and gave me the rest. There was just enough to make this bag (as long as I made a join in the strap section). Seriously, there's virtually just dust left, so I feel this fabric and pattern combination were meant to be. The base section is made from some navy blue faux-suede I've had lurking in my stash for a while. I'd been hoping to use it for a bag somehow, and there's still a lot left for more projects. The lining is some tomato-red and white polka dot poly-cotton that I've had in my stash since before the dawn of time which, quite frankly, I'm pleased to get out of there.

Techniques/notions/hard wear:

This project did provide me, as I'd hoped, with some learning opportunities. It was interesting to see how the zip closure was dealt with, for example. I really enjoyed using the plastic canvas stuff. It gives a fabulous stiff-but-flexible base and I'll definitely use that stuff again. I bought it, along with the slider and rectangle rings from U-handbag.

Now you may well be thinking, 'Zoe, where are the sliders and rectangle rings then?'. Well, I ordered them, they arrived, and then I promptly lost them. I spent (wasted) a whole damn evening trying to find them, to no avail. Ordering another set and waiting for them to arrive would have meant missing the deadline for my scheduled blog post slot. I was really looking forward to using them and I think they would have taken this bag up a notch, but it didn't pan out that way so I just chose a fixed strap length and went with that.

Further notions dramas ensued... The pattern calls for a 14" metal tooth zip for the main closure. I ordered one from eBay that had swanky gold teeth and red tape for contrast, but when it arrived I realised I'd ordered a 14 cm one instead! DUH. Back on eBay, I couldn't find a comparable one the correct length, but found this chunky nautical plastic one instead. Eventual-WIN.

Thoughts:

I really enjoyed making something different to my usual projects and am very grateful to the PPP organisers for providing me with the push to do it. If you could use a new bag, then this parcel would give you a lot of great options. Plus with Christmas just round the corner, you could use them to make some very special presents.

Charity Shop Scores in Darlington

A week at the end of October spent at my in-laws proved very fruitful in the thrifting department. Well, fruitful for Dolores anyhow! Want to have a look?

Spotty long sleeved T-shirt, 50p. Mustard zebra print T-shirt, 99p. 

Spotty knit dress, £1.75.

Nautical playsuit, £1.75. This has the original tags in and I'm tempted to sell it on Ebay in the Spring because it just looks so damn white. As in, won't-be-white-for-more-than-five-minutes-if-Dolores-wears-it. 

My favourite, geometric jumper, £1.

So the total sum: £5.99. All these items, aside from the jumper, are for sizes larger than she is now. She is more than fine for clothing at the moment and it's good to have some nice things 'in the bank' in preparation for the inevitable and unpredictable growth spurts! 

We're going back to Darlington at Christmas, so the town has a while to replenish it's charity shops... Have you had any awesome thrifting scores recently? 

Denim Hopscotch Skirt

If you'll permit me, I'd like to elaborate on the denim skirt I made Dolores as part of the Kid's Clothes Week challenge (the result of which I disclosed the other day). I didn't get round to sharing my creations on their site, but their blog well worth a gander for highlights of other participants inspiring creations. 

I must admit that this skirt took up the vast majority of my time during the Kid's Clothes Week sewing sessions. In fact it probably took way longer than it should have done, but I guess that's what happens when you try to sew at the end of a busy day spent dealing with a crazy baby. But it was the promise of seven whole hours of sewing laid before me that lead me to make this skirt. I knew a woven item would take more time than the usual knit leggings I whip up for her. 

Pattern:

I was very kindly given the Oliver + S Hopscotch pattern, among others, by the very generous Jenna. I'm still on the fence about the knit top/dress part of this pattern, but every version of the skirt that google could rummage up looked awesome, IMO. Seeing as Dolores is well stock for clothing for the foreseeable future, I decided to make the Size 2 (years), even though she's currently only 13 months old. That should have the bonus of lasting her a bit longer than if I'd made a smaller size, which helped justify the extra time I spent on this project. 

Cleverly, the front skirt sections are gathered into the waistband, but the back skirt section folds over at the top to form an elastic casing. With the back part elasticated, I'm wondering if you'd need to use the buttons at all to put this skirt on and take it off. I really like how this pattern is drafted, and the instructions are nice and clear. I did spend a whole evening constructing the pockets as per the pattern, only to decide to remove them the following morning, but that was my fault not theirs! 

Fabric:

Now here's the issue: the fabric I used was too thick for this pattern. I really wanted to stash bust this small piece of soft pale blue vintage denim. It reminds me of the 70s and the film Dazed and Confused! The colour in the image at the top of the post isn't very accurate, and I couldn't' get the tweaks right. The above button close-up image is more accurate. If I'd used the recommended weight of fabric (something like a quilting cotton), this project would have been a breeze and the pockets would have looked ace. The thing about children's clothes is that they are small. And the thing about smaller pattern pieces is that it's more difficult to get a super clean, crisp finish when using heavier fabrics than if you were making an adult's sized version. However, I battled on and I actually think the final outcome looks good! Phew! 

The wooden flower buttons were from my stash from an un-recall-able source. I stitched the centre of the flowers with yellow thread. I was tempted to do yellow topstitching on the skirt as well, but considering the difficulties I encountered in getting a neat outcome, I'm glad to didn't. In fact, now I think about it, this little skirt's colour scheme reminds me of Tilly's 70s feel Beignet. 

Thoughts:

I definitely intend to use this pattern again, probably in a larger size and DEFINITELY in thinner fabric. I'd like to have another go at the pockets, as they add something special to this fairly standard skirt pattern. I promise I'm not wishing anyone's life away, but I CAN'T WAIT to see Dolores running about in the outfit above (t-shirt charity shopped from Leigh-on-sea) in a year or so! 

KCW: Results Are In...

A couple of weeks ago I took part in my first children's wear related sewalong: KCW. Largely because it had the most relaxed rules of any sewalong I've ever heard of. I simply made sure that I sewed some children's clothing for at least an hour a day for a week (more or less). Want to see what I made? OF COURSE you do! You're not mental. Are you?  

I rustled up a denim skirt, a knit dress and finished up a UFO which took the form of zebra leggings. I'm going to post separately and more thoroughly about the first two. For the zebra leggings, I used the playful kitty leggings pattern in the next size up (Size 80). I have no idea when Dolores will fit them, but we put her in leggings A LOT so it's good to have these 'in the bank' for when she grows out of her current leggings stash. 

The fabric was a gift from lovely sewing lady Catherine, which I received when Dolores was still at the stage when her age was measured in weeks, rather than months or years. Like I did for the smaller size, I redrafted the waistline so that they are a bit lower at the front. Plus I stitched a loop of rainbow grosgrain ribbon into the centre back so I can tell at a glance which way round they need to go whilst wrestling the octopus/baby. 

I actually made two pairs of these leggings exactly the same and gave one to Dolores's friend Naomi to congratulate her on acquiring 12 months of age. I still have a small quantity of this stuff left in Le Stash, and I have a plan...

Perfect Pattern Parcel #6: The Bronte Top

Stop me if I've told you this, but I bloody LOVE the Perfect Pattern Parcels! And Parcel #6 is a real beauty! I think it's their best yet in terms of how useful and varied the patterns are. But let's back up a bit and let me explain what the hell I'm talking about if the are new to you...
The organisers of the Perfect Pattern Parcels put together a package of indie designer PDF sewing patterns along a theme. You can then purchase the pattern parcel for a price of your choice for a limited time only, and then ALL the profits go to supporting a charity called Donors Choose which funds and supports educational projects in the US. Parcel #6 is an awesome set of potentially mix-and-matchable womenswear patterns and is on sale here between 17th and 31st October.

Parcel #6 includes the following sewing patterns:

• Bronte Top by Jennifer Lauren Vintage  - Such a clever pattern, I'm pretty sure that it's impossible to make a version I wouldn't love to wear.
• Julia Cardigan by Mouse House Creations  - I'm totally making this at some point, it looks like such useful layering garment.
• Hudson Pant by True Bias  - Although they are way more 'urban' and contemporary in style than I'd usually make, I actually have a pair of these cut out and ready to stitch together. 
• Zsalya Dress by Kate and Rose - There's a dress and tunic/top version included in this pattern and both look lovely. I would definitely make this for mild-to-mid maternity if I ever found myself preggers again. 
• Syrah Skirt by Lauren Dahl (exclusive release!) - Not really my style and I doubt I'll ever make this but it could be a total staple garment pattern for many wardrobes. 

If you choose to pay $32 or more for the parcel, you will receive the BONUS PATTERN:

• Odette Dress by Bluegingerdoll - A really clever take on a standard fit and flare dress, IMHO. 

So if you are still on the fence about whether or not to buy this pattern parcel, here's my version of the Bronte top that may sway you! This isn't the first time I've made this pattern. I was one of the testers for the Bronte top and I made a long sleeved version in navy and cream. Since the weather turned cooler, I've been wearing that top a lot and it never fails to score some compliments for me. 

When I saw the Bronte top on the list of patterns in this parcel I was reminded of how awesome it is. It may seem like cheating to make a parcel pattern that I already own, but I'd thought about making a 3/4 sleeved version in black and this was the kick up the bum I needed to make that happen. And as I mentioned above, I've cut the Hudson pants out as well, but KCW has got in the way of me actually sewing them together so far. 

The fabric I've used for this black version is a thin jersey knit. I wanted to see how this pattern worked  in something finer than the navy stuff I made the last one from (it worked fantastically). Actually, I think this black stuff isn't the greatest quality: it's a bit too thin and I have a feeling it'll start to go out of shape before long. But stash-busters can't be choosers! The red plastic buttons are from Le Stash. I'm not sure if they look a bit kiddie, but I'm happy looking like a children's TV presenter from time to time!

 

So there isn't much more I can add other than, if you like at least one of these patterns, then you really ought to buy this parcel! It's surprising how owning some sewing patterns that you wouldn't be immediately drawn to can open up your personal style. For example, I never would have bought the Staple dress pattern, but I have worn the dress I made for parcel #3 loads and I adore it. 

Which of these patterns is your favourite? 

Kid's Clothes Week Sewalong: October 2014

So, you may have noticed that I've been making more baby/child clothes over the last year or so... And in doing so and thinking about doing so, I've started to encounter a whole new (to me) subsection of the sewing blogosphere: the children's wear blogs. Holy shitballs there are some amazing kids clothes being made out there, let me tell you. Plus some of those blogs are sooooo beautiful. Like, stroke-the-pretty-pictures-on-the-screen beautiful. How any of these people have time to look after the kids they are sewing for whilst maintaining such amazing blogs, I have no idea! 

I came across a whole heap of children's wear (or partly children's wear) blogs when I took part in the promotion for the Perfect Pattern Parcel #2. My involvement with that and plundering Pinterest for my bloated though may I say amazing Kiddie Clothes Making board has brought a wealth of amazing independent children's wear pattern designers to my attention, along with the Kid's Clothes Week sewalong.

The Kid's Clothes Week blog can explain it all perfectly well, but in short it's a week-long sewalong that takes place four times a year along a theme which you are welcome to ignore. The only stipulation for taking part is that you sew kid's clothing for one hour a day for a week, and the latest instalment starts TODAY! 

The theme this time round is 'Storybook', but to be honest I'm going to ignore that and just dive in to the  stack of patterns (some of which are pictured above) and fabric I have been sewing together in my head but haven't actually touched in reality. The preparation for releasing the Dolores sewing pattern, a bulk order for my Etsy shop, making stock to sell at Christmas craft fairs and other sewing obligations seem to have got in the way. Plus, my recent charity shop hauls and bags of hand-me-down clothing Dolores has received of late has abated any new clothing requirements she may have had for a while. 

However, the joy of seeing her wear the recent baby blouse refashion has reminded me of how much I want to make the majority of her clothing, so I'm going to get stuck in next week and see how much I can make in seven hours. I'll probably make things for size 18 months or two years, as she has more than enough clothing for her current size. I'm working at the weekend so I'll have to spread those two hours of sewing into the other five days to make up my quota! I'll report back with my creations. 

Do you follow any children's wear blogs? Have you used any independent sewing pattern companies' designs? 

Refashion Friday: Men's Shirt to Baby Blouse

Oh it feels good to crack out a Refashion Friday post again! It's been an age. As has this garment in the making, actually. This was the last sewing project I touched before I gave birth. I hadn't picked it up again until yesterday when I finally got to finish it, over a year later! I remember cutting out the pieces whilst not really having a clue about what was about to happen to my life.... This is going to be an unashamedly picture-heavy post, BTW, for two reasons: 1) I am so happy with the final outcome, and 2), my little girl makes for cute pictures!

Fabric:

This project started out life as a fairly bland second hand men's short sleeved shirt (see above). I was drawn to it though because it has a delicate red and blue check that appealed to me. Plus, the fabric is super soft and it was in really good condition, generally. 

Pattern:

Every month I have a nose at the Burdastyle magazine on sale in my local newsagent. But rarely these days do I find a pattern in there that I'd actually like to make, let alone several. The Sept 2013 addition (pictured below) was a real exception because I adored most of the patterns from the issue's baby section. For this project I used the blouse pattern, but I also used the baby dress pattern from this issue to make Dolores's Christmas dress (which she was wearing today, in fact). If you like either of these patterns, you can buy them individually here and here from the Pattern Store on the Burdastyle website. For both the Christmas dress and this blouse I used the size 74. Dolores is slightly taller than that right now, but she is a bit skinnier than the 'average' for that size and it seemed to work out fine. 

Refashion:

Whether you would classify this baby blouse as a refashion, remake, upcycle or anything else is of course a personal call. I would call it all of them! As well as making the most of the lovely fabric from an unwanted garment, I also utilised a few of the original garment's finishes, the most useful of which was the original button stand, buttons and buttonholes (see below) for the back closure. By cutting the pieces to include those, I side-stepped some serious faffing about, particularly because my current sewing machine is from the 1960s and doesn't have a one-step buttonhole function. The original shirt's button stand has been interfaced and looks so crisp and neat, I wouldn't have been (bothered) able to have created a finish that clean. 

Another element from the original garment was the sleeve hems. Because the shirt's sleeves were short, there wasn't enough fabric available to cut the blouse sleeves with sufficient hem allowance for the elasticated cuffs the pattern prescribes (which you can see here). So I kept the sleeves loose and used the deeper sleeve hem from the original shirt and I think I prefer the effect than the gathered version anyhow. This blouse has a less twee, more let's-go-to-work-wrecking-the-lounge look to it than the pattern intends. 

As I have done many times when refashioning men's shirts into women's blouses (see here for an example, plenty more on my Refashion Resource page), I used the original garment's hem. It has a pleasing curve that the blouse pattern didn't call for. To salvage the original hem, I stitched the side seams, then finished the seam allowance together as a closed seam, press the seam allowances towards the back and then made tiny bar tacks at the hem to encourage the seam allowances to lie flat as they wouldn't be trapped down by the hemming step (that was already done). 

Details:

I'm pretty much in love with this whole pattern and it's proportions, but my favourite parts are definitely the neck ruffle and bias binding neckline finishing. I was worried that the neck ruffle would might look a bit clownish. In fact, due to the restriction of fabric available in the original shirt, I had to cut the ruffle piece shorter, so it isn't quite a gathered as the pattern is meant to be. I'm hoping that helps side-step any circus associations that the finished blouse might have had! The self-made bias binding highlights the little check of the fabric, and the hand stitching that traps the inside edge down creates a neat finish which might have been difficult to achieve with a sewing machine on such a tiny garment. 

Conclusion:

It may sound like I'm blowing my own trumpet a bit in this post (I'm English and such things are NOT ALLOWED), but I'm just trying to express how happy I am with this blouse, which means so much to me as the creation of it spanned both ends of my daughter's first year of life. It's also refreshed my love of reusing existing garments for a pleasingly cheap and lower-environmental impact sewing project. Sewing clothes rather than buying them is awesome for many reasons, of course. One of main things that appeals to many is the ability to put your personal stamp on a project by making your own design, fabric and notions choices. When refashioning an existing garment, you often can or indeed have to use elements from the original garment or work around restrictions which in turn has the effect of making the final outcome even more unique.

Look away now if you are of a nervous disposition....