Vogue - Easy Sewing

Today I thought I'd recommend this fantastic book which I discovered quite by chance in the library of the college where I have been doing my pattern cutting course. There was a really good selection of sewing related books but this one stood out for me A) because of the word easy and B) because of the subtitle 'Time-saving techniques, shortcuts, tips and tricks for today's busy sewers'. I don't get a lot of time to sew and I'm very impatient. When I do have some free time the only thing that puts me off getting cracking is the fact that (especially as I'm still very much a novice) it can be such a long time before you get a result. Certain aspects of the process take me far longer than I think they should, or at least than I'd like them to so any time saving tips are very welcome around here! And full of said tips this book is indeed!

The book was written in 1987 and yes the beautiful images in the centre of the book certainly reinforce this point! Just check out this happy looking ladies summer to autumn wardrobe!

However, dated as the artwork may be the advice is not. Yes perhaps the tips on equipment may not be the best resource nowadays as many advances in fabric technology and notions have advanced but for advice on how to finish seams, deal with collars, cuffs and hems you just can't beat it. Everything is explained clearly in basic terms, step by step with matching diagrams. Sometimes descriptions of a sewing technique can leave me thinking 'huh?' but every guide in this book gave me a clear picture in my head on how to do it.

The book takes the novice dressmaker through the entire garment making process. Right from which equipment to buy first, through looking after your sewing machine, fabric choices to laying out and cutting the pattern, assembly and finally finishings. One of the most useful pages I found was about how to read a vintage pattern envelope. Not only did it guide you through all the complicated information in tiny writing on the back and what are the most important bits there but it also suggested what to look for in the line drawings and illustrations/photographs on the front when purchasing a pattern. Not just things like the style and shape for your body, but aspects of the pattern which may make the sewing process more complicated or lengthy, the number of pattern pieces, the fabric suggestions and how challenging they may be to sew with; all really useful advice when considering the important factor of time.

Because of this holding your hand throughout the entire process layout this is actually the first sewing book I have sat down and read cover to cover. However the book has been SO useful to dip in and out of as I've been sewing and reached a point where I'm not quite sure of the best way to proceed. The second and largest part of the book breaks down the various parts and features of the construction of a garment. For example cuffs, seams, buttonholes, inserting zips, elastic casing...all the bits and pieces of which one is bound to be any given sewers biggest fear. Each section includes a number of variations on how to achieve the best results for that aspect, how to achieve different styles and recommendations on when to use which technique and which are quicker/easier. Literally everything you could need to know is in here; well I'm yet to find anything it hasn't been able to help me with!

If you can manage to get your hands on a copy (I've spied a few used versions on Amazon) I'd highly recommend this as a dressmaking 'how to' A-Z. I've been renewing it since the first day of my course nine weeks ago and think it might be about time I purchased my own!

Sewing Related Things to See

There's a few of events advertised at the moment which I'm quite excited about and thought some other bloggers may find interesting too.

First of all are the Creative Stitches exhibitions which this year include an exhibit of the actual Downton Abbey costumes (which the above picture is of). Until I wrote this blog post I thought I'd missed the exhibitions at my end of the UK but I've just discovered there's one scheduled in Brighton for the 10th-12th May. Woohoo! It's also on from 26th-28th April in Liverpool so if that's your neck of the woods get on over there because I'm sure it'll be a real treat!

There is also the Antiques for Everyone antiques fair which is held three times a year at the NEC in Birmingham. The next one is from the 12th-15th April. I've never been to one and you may also think 'this is a sewing blog what have antiques got to do with it?!' but the main feature of the exhibition this time around is Downton Abbey themed, showcasing furniture and decoration from that period. I've also heard a little rumour that the exhibition is going to include costume from the period. The mannequin's exhibited will unfortunately not be the actual costumes from the programme but other similar examples of dress from that era (possibly including some from my work!). However, I'm sure these will be equally as fascinating to examine the construction and decorative detail of.

An event which I've just managed to miss this spring but is scheduled again for 17th-18th October this year is the Textile Forum. This is a fantastic fabric show with many exhibitors displaying unusual and new lines of fabric. The event is mainly aimed at the fashion industry and wholesale buyers so the minimum orders are usually around 10m rather than the 2 metres you need for that dress but anyone is welcome and I've always found it fantastically inspiring and a way of really expanding my knowledge of fabric by talking to the exhibitors about the qualities of certain samples. It's right in the middle of London near Bond Street so easy to get to and best of all is free entry, just sign up on their website for an e-ticket.

Finally the event I'm most excited about and already have my ticket purchased for...the V&A's Hollywood Costume Exhibition opening on 20th October this year. The exhibition aims to 'explore the central role costume design plays in cinema story telling' which in my opinion is the most exciting part of costume design. What do those clothes say about that characters personality? What does how they are worn tell you about what is happening to that person right now? The exhibition is set to include over 100 of the most famous movie costumes of all time including Holly Golightly's little black dress (!), Dorothy's blue gingham dress, Spiderman, Jack Sparrow, Darth Vader and Scarlett O'Hara to name just a few. So the exhibition is going to include the work of some of the most important ad skilled costume designers and makers of our time. From the exhibition outline it sounds like it's going to guide you through the creative process of a costume designer and I think that's such a fantastic way to look at it and make people aware of the importance of costume in film or theatre. I can hardly wait! If only it was slightly earlier to tie in perfectly with the Sew Cinematic challenge!

Contenders for the Mad Men Dress Challenge!

Hmm so I may have been doing a bit too much research and planning and not enough sewing for this challenge! I think it's highly unlikely that I'm going to make the end of March deadline for this but I'm still ploughing on and think I finally have my plan! Kinda...

When I first heard about the challenge my immediate thoughts were drawn to the outfits of Betty as my tastes veer towards her feminine full skirted look and it is a shape which suits me. I particularly love the dress in the centre image below with the wide fitted waist section and one of may favourite styles of sleeve. However I could make a dress of this style and completely love it, wear it to a wedding or similar occasion and then never wear it! Or at least not wear it as much as I'd hope too because dresses of this style are completely impractical for my day to day life.

I am still tempted to make a summer shirtdress in a nice cotton or rayon in a similar style to the pictures either side above. They have a slightly less full skirt and do not need to be worn with a petticoat to still look nice thus making them much more suited to public transport in the British drizzle. The collar and buttons to waist are a lovely details to enhance any simple dress shape I think.

I love love love this butterfly blouse which Betty wears at the end of season 2. I think that's more to do with the print than the actual blouse though so maybe this image is just suited to some fabric inspiration!

Joanie, Joanie, Joanie. She's just such a fantastic lady I don't want to just dress like her I want to be her! But it's just dressing like her that I must be content with. There are so many brilliant choices within Joan's wardrobe I have spent hours scouring images. One thing I have picked up on is her use of colour which is quite apparent in the series of photos of her in this post. She must wear every colour of the rainbow throughout the course of the show and every single one of them looks utterly amazing with her red hair! I think I can be quite shy of colour in my wardrobe, veering towards safe neutrals or a splash of colour in an outfit of predominantly safe neutrals. For this challenge I'd really like to make a dress of entirely one vivd colour in the style of Joan.

Nearly every dress of Joan's begins with that fantastic shape and structure that makes the most of those womanly curves. She's clearly a woman who knows what suits her and sticks with it which is something to admire.

However it's the little details on each of her dresses (whether that be a matching belt, button back or length of sleeve) which truly make her stylish and her clothing choices never boring. One aspect I have picked up on is the design of the neckline of her dresses. Just look at the variety within this selection of images, a revere collar, a tie to the side, simple pleats and a pleated flounce.

This final image of Joan is one of my absolute favourite outfits. The contrast facing on the pleated flounce around the neckline makes this a real stand out detail. Plus just look at those lovely cuffs, also with contrast facing. They give a really ladylike, glamourous and soft edge to and otherwise very structured dress in a very solid navy. In saying this I don't think I can pick just one of Joan's dresses to replicate but instead would prefer to use all these little details and colours as inspiration for future self drafted projects or even  just as adaptions to patterns I already own to give them that little extra edge.

I also really like Jane's style, as much as I do NOT want to be her in contrast to Joan. This little number has made it onto the short list for two reasons. Firstly because I think it has style yet is very wearable and I think i could get a lot of wear out of a dress like this. Secondly because one of the vintage patterns my Nan gave me is for almost exactly this same dress! I'm not sure about the colour though and instead have a deep purple wool crepe which is much more of a Joan colour to use.

So I thought I was all set with making Jane's dress...until last week I watched the episode in season 2 when Don meets Joy and she emerges from the hotel in the dress above. I love dresses which show off the shoulders in summer and think this is a really flattering shape to boot. I fell in love with it on first sight and my mind was made up. However this change of plan comes with a couple of issues. I don't have a pattern anything like this dress and am not feeling confident enough to draft that neckline for myself plus I don't have any printed cotton which I'd deem suitable for it.

Perhaps I would be off better sticking with the Jane dress as I already have everything I need?

Super Successful Sewing Shopping Spree

Last Saturday I could no longer resist the temptation of getting myself set up with the fabric and notions for my newly purchased Salme patterns so I spent a very enjoyable day shopping for supplies. It turned out to be one of those days where everything seemed to be falling in to my lap just perfectly!

First stop was Sew Over It in Brixton/Clapham. I'd only ever very briefly popped into this shop/sewing school very briefly as I used to live around the corner. However my wonderful Mum gave me a gift voucher for Christmas and I could not be doing with it burning a hole in my pocket any longer. They stock a good number of Colette patterns so I knew I was on the look out for one of those. The Rooibos dress was top of my list after seeing Lauren's version and first result of the day it was in stock! The second massive result was the little bias tape maker. I'd been looking at the Colette tutorial on making your own bias tape a few days earlier and was stumped by their suggestion to use a Clover Bias Tape Maker. Where on earth do I get one of those or something similar?! Turns out it was Sew Over It! My final purchase was this beautiful printed silk crepe de chine (at least I'm fairly sure that's what it is!). It has a beautiful drape and I think will be perfect to make up the Salme Gathered Top. The only disappointment was the fact that the lady who cut the fabric didn't snip and rip like usually but got down on the floor and cut right the way along, starting off at 1m and veering off to about 90cm at the other side. I couldn't really see what she was doing when I was in there so felt a bit embarrassed asking to check but when I got home I realised I should have! It should still be enough to make this top but I do feel a bit had considering the fairly considerable amount of money I paid for it. There was a class going on at the back of the shop and I was made to feel a bit like I was being a pain by being there so I felt bad taking up time even though there was a shop assistant separate to the class. But then when I left I thought, hey I am giving you my money here!

Anyway, moan over. I then hopped on the Victoria line all the way up to Walthamstow again. It's so worth the journey up there. First up I bought 2 metres of the fabric I wished I had when I last visited. It's the floral printed cotton above which has a lovely drape and will be perfect for the dress I am working on drafting in my pattern cutting lessons at the moment. I love the flecks of purple in amongst the other warm colours of the pattern. I also went on a notions spree in one of the tiny little shops filled with trimmings and ribbons. I managed to resist buying anything pretty that I didn't have a purpose for and simply got the zips, elastic and thread I needed for various projects I've got planned. All at absolute bargain prices of course!

Next stop was Saeed's which is a wonderful shop half full of more structured upholstery fabrics and half of a wonderful range of dressmaking weight fabrics. On my last fabric shopping trip I really struggled to find jersey's which I thought were of a good enough quality not to be completely see through on a sunny day. This time I just went for it and decided I wouldn't know until I tried! The navy polka dot is a jersey which I'm planning to make a wrap dress from, with little cap sleeves and a grosgrain tie belt. I want it to be a classic contemporary style but I always think a navy/white polka dot combination gives a fun vintage twist! My impulse buy of the day was the magpie print jersey, I spied it hidden away under a counter behind multiple other rolls and just couldn't resist! I don't really have a purpose for it and I only bought a meter so I'm thinking a simple t-shirt using the Blank Canvas T pattern or maybe a wrap top to break the pattern up a little as it's so bold which is unusual for me. The lovely green fabric feels like a lovely brushed silk haboti but I'm fairly sure it's not a £2 a metre! This has a lovely drape but I think would hold a pleat so is ideal for the Salme Patterns Sleeveless Dress.

The last purchase are a small amount of two lovely lightweight silks. the colours don't show up particularly well here but the top is a nice neutral pale taupe and the bottom a deep rich purple. These are intended for the Salme Colour Block T-Shirt for which I just loved her original colour combination too much to play with! This should make a lovely lightweight top for (the British) summer to be worn with dark skinny jeans and be just smart enough for work but very comfortable to work in.

Possibly the most boring photo on a blog ever...

But yet one of the most exciting buys of my day! And well worth the extra little trip to Ikea. This paper is meant to be used on their kid's easels but is perfect for tracing/drafting/copying sewing patterns. At £3 for 30m it's an absolute bargain as well. it's just a shame it's such a trek to get some!

After this little expedition and after seeing my rapidly growing fabric stash on my return I had imposed a fabric buying ban on myself until I'd actually made some of it up into the projects they are intended for...but then that perfect pattern for the 'An Education' dress arrived and I may have to buy a little more!

A Sewing Treat

I recently took out a trial subscription to Sew Magazine. It was £5 for 3 issues which I didn't think I could really go wrong with even though most of the projects inside are little crafty things that I probably won't make. The first issue arrived through my letterbox yesterday and let's just say it has definitely paid for iteslf a few times over already as this was the free pattern that came with it!

A beautiful dress to make up in a number of variations for summer I think you'll agree. However I was doubly excited to have this free gift land on my mat as it is just the perfect pattern to make up a replica of the dress I've had my eye on from 'An Education' for the Sew Cinematic project!

I'm thinking the third view in from the left on the second row with the fitted skirt is going to be ideal. What a wonderful sewing conicidence! It just about made my day!

Sew Cinematic Dream Plans!

So now I've thought about what I can actually achieve I thought I'd share some of those iconic movie costumes that I wish I had the skills to make/a reason to wear. Just for fun! And to make all those hours I spend pinning completely inappropriate ideas a little bit worthwhile!

There's so so many of Audrey Hepburn's but here's my favourite few. The Sabrina evening gown is possibly the most exquisitely elegant costume she ever wore in my opinion and the My Fair Lady Ascot dress is just a wonderfully intricate costume. Two for the Road is a particular favourite film of mine and the mini dress of silver discs is so different and modern to all her other costumes it really stands out for me. I don't think I could be doing with sewing on all those discs though!

Grace Kelly is another icon of mine for such a classic, elegant and timeless style. The black and white 'Paris' dress from Rear Window is probably her most well known movie costume and the fact that it is simply black and white with that extra little detail blurring bodice colour into skirt is soo classy. I remember I had a dress very similar when I was young but the skirt was emerald green taffeta and the bodice black velvet...very 1980s and not quite so classy! The blue evening gown is the first thing you see her in in 'To Catch a Thief' (a brilliant film by the way if you haven't seen it). It's also probably one of the first costumes that on sight I've sat up and gone oo at and remembered ever since! The variation in colour in the chiffon overlay because of the way it is gathered across the bodice is such a lovely detail plus that drape across the shoulders is just the epitome of elegance.

The red dress worn by Julia Roberts when she makes her transformation in Pretty Woman is one of the most iconic movie outfits of all time. It was a genius costume design, a classy evening gown on the one hand (especially in combination with the long white gloves) yet the red colour, revealed shoulders and plunge at the centre of the neckline give a hint at her past and her not so prim and proper character. The gathered detail to the hip shows of the drape of the fabric even when still.

The entirety of Kate Winslet's wardrobe in Titanic is just gorgeous. I'd love to design for a wealthy character who could have had her pick of anything and obviously had so much style. Peaking out from under the brim of that huge hat is when we first see Rose and she certainly makes a first impression in that monochrome number. The way the pinstripe is used in the panels is so clever to flatter the figure and I love the way the buttons switch to white as they cross the black waistband. The shirt collar and tie worn underneath give a hint to Rose's desire not to conform to what is expected of her as it would be a fairly controversial thing at the time for women to so directly imitate men's fashion. The evening dress is made quite a feature of in the film as she slips on the beading on the hemline as she's climbing back over the rail of the ship when she first meets Jack. I loved that scene for how tangible and real it seemed  because of the jangling of those beads and the crunch of them under her delicate satin shoe.

A shortened version of this gown may actually be a future sewing project possibility. WAAAAY in the future though. All that fabric cut on the bias is a slightly scary prospect! I'm not a huge Keira Knightley fan but she does look pretty good in that green.

Marylin. Of course.

The red dress Nicole Kidman wears in Moulin Rouge was my favourite costume EVER when the movie first came out. I remember one of the girls I went to school with was dying to wear a copy of it to prom. That never happened and I'm not surprised looking at the skill of the construction in this gown. The cut and fit of it is beautiful and I absolutely love the back, kind of an exaggerated version of the pleats representative of the folds of petals at the back of Kate Middleton's wedding gown don't you think?

Finally a bit of an unusual choice. This hat worn by Truly Scrumptious in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. I loved this woman when I was growing up, I wanted her clothes, her car, the doll version of her and most of all her garden! This hat is always the image that springs to mind with her character, the sheer flowing pieces that fall from the band and wrap around the neck is a brilliant design idea.

Finished Project - Colette Sorbetto Mark 1

I really enjoyed this project. It probably took longer than it should of done but I really wanted to take my time over it and get it just right. I got this lovely printed cotton for the bargain price of £3 for the metre at Walthamstow market and I've still got a large chunk left over. The purple is actually slightly brighter in reality. I didn't realise until I made it up and put it on that from a distance it looks like polka dots! I love it! I'm very pleased with how it turned out although the fit of it could be improved. 

Firstly the arm holes are very snug! Don't get me wrong it's still wearable but it comes up quite high under the arm which after a day of wear might start to irritate. Although I'm surprised that I still have full range of arm movement and the blouse doesn't do that annoying thing of lifting up when you lift your arms and then staying there when you bring them down. I'm thinking the easiest way to combat this will just be to cut the top in a 4 rather than a 2. The rest of the top fits pretty well but I'm thinking a little extra room across the bust wouldn't hurt. I do think the armhole problem may be partly down to my inaccuracy when it comes to seam allowances. I might have made them slightly more generous than they were supposed to be when sewing so taking some of the armholes depth in the seam. I had a few issues with the fabric being so fine and trying to stitch so close to the edge line that it was getting sucked into the void under the needle. Has anyone else had this armhole issue? Any suggestions?

The second issue is with the length, it's a little short. Again the shoulder seam allowances may have had something to do with this but surely not a lot? At the minute as my jeans are fairly low waisted I'm wary of flashes of flesh between jeans and top every time I move and it's not really quite long enough to stay tucked into a skirt if I'm doing anything mildly active, like work! I've noticed other bloggers have mentioned adding some length to the pattern for their versions, is this a common adjustment for this pattern? I'll definitely do this next time.

Look at that smooth line of stitching!

One of the things I love most about this top is the bias binding on the arm holes and neck line. I love bias trim! I was worried my stitching in a straight line (or should I say smooth curve) abilities would let this aspect down and I'd have visible wiggly stitching everywhere but I took my time and am really pleased with the results. It looks so neat and tidy! Just from working on this top I can tell my sewing skills (particularly the sewing straight part) have improved and on the next version I really want to try some different techniques to improve even further.

The cutting and construction all went pretty smoothly, with the exception of one little hiccup where the centre front pleat got caught and folded slightly the wrong way on one side at the very bottom when I hemmed it. I'm so relieved that everything was fairly straightforward as I was dreading something being a real nightmare and really putting me off moving on to another project. But now I've got the bug! I still need to work on my hemming skills as it's slightly wibbly wobbly around the bottom but it's not very noticable. I am however really pleased with my seams! I attempted what I thought were french seams  from what I could remember from reading my Vogue - Easy Sewing book, but since I've looked at some tutorials on french seams I've realised they're not! I'm not sure what they are but basically I'm trimmed down one side of the seam allowance and folded the other over it, concealing the raw edges inside. Some of the stitching to hold this in place isn't as neat as I know I probably can do but for a first attempt I'm pretty chuffed! Perhaps next time I could try some actual french seams!

Even though the fit of this Sorbetto isn't perfect it's still wearable and I'm fairly sure some slight adjustments I suggest will fix those issues and I can't wait to get started on the next version to see how it turns out. I'm looking forward to making more versions of this top in a whole variety of fabrics, colours and prints. I've also in my last two pattern cutting classes learnt how to draft collars and sleeves so I might try out a few combinations with these. I'm more likely to wear a version with sleeves and I've spotted a free pattern download for them somewhere out there!

P.S. Sorry for the non modelled pictures, no boy was home to take pics for me!

Sew Cinematic Plans

I am SO excited about the 'That's Sew Cinematic' Challenge that's going to be running over the next few months. In case you haven't heard about it all the details can be found here. I am a big film lover, especially if there are some decent costumes involved, and it is a wonderful resource to be inspired by in sewing so I am very grateful to the five lovely blogging ladies for providing us with the impetuous to go for it! The challenge is to make garments and accessories inspired by film costumes. There are various categories to get you thinking and you can make items from all or just one if you wish. After much scouring of my DVD collection and the internet I think i've got some rough plans worked out. Some of these may happen. Some of these may not. But here's the ideas:

FROCKS FROM THE FLICKS

The first thought that sprang to mind when I found out about the challenge was of course the beautiful Audrey Hepburn. There are unlimited choices of outfits to mimic from her wide range of films and as you will see a fair few have made it through the cut! First up a classic little black dress from Breakfast at Tiffany's. It's very easy to get carried away with this challenge and make up a whole load of garments which would look fantastic on the big screen but a little too much in real life. I really wanted to pick items which I would actually wear time and time again and the little black dress is definitely one of these. I actually have a pattern for making a replica of this dress in my Famous Frocks book so this was an easy number to choose! The pattern gives you the option of including the fringing at the hem or going for a more casual look and I'm still undecided.

The second Audrey dress is a little more outrageous in it's design so I think this option may be used as inspiration rather than an exact copy. I'm not really a pink wearing kinda lady but I absolutely LOVE the shape and the bow around the waist and am tempted to go for the pink anyway! I'm hoping to find some really amazing and unusual fabric to make this out of so I might make it a real stand out party dress.

I completely loved the costumes in An Education. They played such a key role in the story showing the development of Jenny (Carey Mulligan) as a person and the changes in her life, but firstly I loved them because they were just so gorgeous! These are my two knock out favourites and I just can't choose between them. The pleated excess fabric at the hip of the first is such a lovely detail providing shape to the dress and the neckline of the second really appeals to me. I think I will use them as inspiration to create a floral print dress from a pattern of the period.

TINSELTOWN TOPPERS

I am a big big fan of the 1960s look of Brigitte Bardot so really wanted to include something of hers in here. I want to make some simple every day wear items out of this challenge too and I think this top is perfect. Stripy tops are something everyone's wardrobe needs, I wear them with jeans or tucked into a skirt and I think this one could become a mainstay. Brigitte wears hers with a pencil skirt and cardigan and this is definitely a look I want to try. I think the original top is a stretchy knit but the neckline and lack of sleeves made me think of the Colette Sorbetto so I think I'm going to go with a printed cotton version of that pattern minus the centre front pleat. Simple yet classic.

Grace Kelly is another icon of the classic and elegant look. I absolutely love her beach look in to Catch a Thief (so uneccesarily glamourous for sand!) and the top right blouse from Rear Window is a similar halter neck style. I've had this pattern pinned on Pinterest for ages and would really like to give it a try to create this Grace Kelly look. I don't actually own the pattern but it looks fairly simple to work out! I'd like to make a few versions in some different fabrics and play around with it a bit to get variations in sleeve length e.t.c. I'm not sure how practical it would be to wear but we'll soon find out.

These images from the carnival scene in Grease I have posted for a couple of reasons. One being Marty's yellow halter neck, I'd love that in a similar style for summer and the second being Jan's gorgeous sundress. The sweetheart neckline with wide straps and the button detail is just exquisite on this and I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for a similar pattern to purchase. Anyone got any ideas? I may just make this up as a blouse but it may become an entry for the previous category because I love that full skirt too much!

FEATURE FILM FOUNDATIONS

In this category we have two very similar entries. I have not attempted to make a pair of trousers/shorts yet and I have heard they can be a bit of a nightmare to fit so I am slightly apprehensive. However if anything is going to make me give it a try it is the prospect of a pair of cropped trousers a la Audrey Hepburn in Sabrina. This is such a classy classic look that always will look polished no matter what the occasion. I'm thinking the Colette Clover pattern could be the way to go here, the instructions that come with Colette patterns are so fantastic through every step of the process I think this could be an ideal make for a first pair of trousers.

Next up a very similar pair of pedal pushers similar to those most of the girls wear in Grease. These would be more fitted and cropped than the previous pair plus have the high waist. I have a pair of bought pedal pushers which I don't love so much as I find it difficult to find a top to pair with them. I love this Grease style look with them but they need the high waist to work, something which trousers produced nowadays just don't have. I love the sunny yellow pair on Cha Cha but think mine might be more along the lines of Rizzo's being dark in colour to make them more versatile to pair. I've also just spotted that Marty is wearing a fairly spectacular dotty pair in the drive in picture! Don't think I could pull them off somehow!

THE SWEATER GIRL

These two images I have included because I wish I wish I wish my knitting skills were better than none and I could make a copy of the iconic yellow sweater from Bonnie and Clyde or this absolutely gorgeous Bardot nautical number. Maybe I could cheat the Bardot by sewing a knit fabric and finding some stripy version for the neckline?

Instead I'm opting for another classic Audrey Hepburn Breakfast at Tiffany's look using view C of the Sewaholic Renfrew pattern with the cowl neckline. I think I'd need to make it in a large size and thicker knit than perhaps I would usually opt for for the Renfrew to create that snuggly sweater look but I think it could work.

So that's that for my plans. Well I don't want it to be but I've had to seriously rein myself in with other ideas as that's quite a lot already. Though maybe just one strappy little gingham sundress in the style of Brigitte Bardot in A Very Private Affair wouldn't go amiss....

Have you Mad Men-ed Yourself Yet?

O this is what Sunday mornings are for! Pointless activities such as making a cartoon Mad Men version of yourself!

Make your own here. Enjoy!

Discoveries: Independent Pattern Companies

I thought I would just quickly share with you some fantastic pattern companies which I have just discovered. You may well all know about these already but I think they deserve some praise anyway!

I am completely in LOVE with Salme Patterns. I think I would wear/use every single one of them. They have a very simple and classic design which is so exciting as these are just the sort of clothes I love to wear day to day and I could see me making many of the patterns over and over again until I have a complete wardrobe of Salme patterns! They also look fairly straightforward and quick to construct so ideal for me right now and are incredibly reasonably priced. I think I'm going to be going on a little spending spree later today. just which patterns to choose is the problem!

Next up Victory Patterns who I'm sure many of the sewing community have heard of and even used; I know I've read on some blogs recently various plans to make up their Hazel dress. These patterns have a quirky and contemporary edge to them with some really fun details in the design. I like these patterns because they look like you could really put your own stamp on them by your fabric choice or just some slight amendments to the pattern.

Pattern Runway sells through an Etsy shop and also has a great blog! They do classic designs with a bit of a twist which is great as you can use so many different fabrics to create something really your own. I particularly like the scallop hem shorts, very flattering on the short legged like me and also very unique!

Grainline Studio only has a few patterns available at the moment but I'm liking what I see so far! The patterns are again very classic, giving you a great scope for fabric choice. The vest and t-shirt patterns would give you such a great choice of prints and trims to work with the possibilities would be endless! I  love the above dress for the simple shape yet brilliant use of bands of contrasting colour.

I'm hoping the success of these new pattern companies is a sign of things to come; more companies producing simple and classic patterns that give the seamstress freedom of creativity when it comes to amendments to the pattern and fabric choice/embelishment. It makes pattern purchases so much more worthwhile and sewing so much more exciting when you can use your creativity to reuse patterns again and again. I also love how classic yet contemporary and youthful these patterns are - there's been such a rise in younger sewists appearing out of the woodwork over the last couple of years and I can only see this increasing when pattern development is heading this way.