T" Shirt

Tims Burda Shirt.

       When we were first 'going out'  I made many shirts for Tim.  In   'those days'  my Mum would buy cheap cotton from Woolworths in 2 yards "dress lengths" in plain colours.   I had a simple mans' shirt that had a few different collar variations that I would sew up on my $100  straight/zigzag  machine.   I remember Mum buying both of us  (my sister  deceased)  a machine,  but cannot remember for what occasion.  I think it may have been her 21st.  I was the sewer and think Mum felt sorry for me and gave  me one also to take to college.   I made so much on that machine.

    This was not sewn on that machine and is a newer Burda 6/2011 pattern  made in a light blue cotton.

SWAP 2013 Colour Cocktail.

2013   SWAP  PLAN  

Colour cocktail

     This is the first draft of my 2013 SWAP plan.  We are required to sew two smaller capsules of either 4 or five garments and one linking item.  The completed SWAP could be 9,  10 or 11 articles depending on the mix of garments.   We have about 4  months to complete.

 I first thought of Ying and Yang:  dark and light
                                                       day and night
                                                        work and play
                                                        emotional and practical
                                                        good and bad
                                                        leather and lace

The problem for me was the linking item.... I could not  get a jacket to work with both collection if both collections were really different and for different purposes.  (unable to make a jacket in the individual collections)  So I had to change my thinking.  I have collected a lot of fabric,  patterns and ideas,  so  I decided that I wanted to use some of my 'nicer fabric' and some of those 'get around to it ideas'.  I want  a few silk shirts,  shells,  a simple dress  and a 'killer'  jacket/coat.   I  think I can make most pieces from silk, with an exception or two.

Aims of SWAP 2013  : smart casual collection
                                     : made from beautiful fabric  (silks)
                                     : bold and bright
                                   

Top ideas and patterns.

Hot Pattern Jacket.  
I have intended to make this jacket for a while... The thick navy silk has been with me for  10 years!

   

Home Dec Sewing

Xmas day 2012


A quick pic of the Xmas table .  Sewed the hot pink Thai silk place mats  and used my first dinner set  by Johnson Bros.  for the occasion .   I realised on Xmas Eve that that I needed more white linen napkins and  whipped up another 12.  This is the advantage of having a stash...  

More Dresses

Purple linen 

I liked this dress because of the unusual cut of the skirt,   of the sectioned skirt.   It was a bit of a fiddle to make  the section seams of the skirt seemed to groooow.   As it does not have facings,   the seam allowance  around the neck are  folded over and top stitched down.  The sleeves are finished with 'liberty ' biased bindings.  I think there will be only one these dresses.  Not that keen on really long dresses.

  I have styled it with a Mela Purdie wrap rayon top and these 'funkis'  wooden sandals.  

The pattern is from  Burda Magazine 5/2007 issue so it is about five years old.  

Ultramarine Jacket

This is my new ultramarine jacket made from gaberdine with a chiffon shield.   Another Louise Cutting  Design  'In The Trenches ' and the most time consuming pattern of hers' that I have attempted to date.  It has  concealed buttons,  French Cuffs and a drawstring.  I took inspiration from this silk jacket  (my daughter's) from the Socialite brand.

    As with all LC Patterns this had great instructions,  and sewing tips.   No other patterns are as detailed as LC Patterns.

MY FABRIC

I had to clean out the stored fabric from the adjacent bedroom.... reminded me off how I loved to arrange  coloured pencil.

Josie's London Fashion week video

My daughter is a keen fashion photographer.    Her room has been littered with fashion images (camera parts)  since she was  a young teenager  and  has used many of her friends (and my vintage clothing)  in her work.

 Now at 20,   she makes her living creating fashion photographs and short videos.

  Imagine our surprise when we found her London Fashion Week video on Yahoo  lifestyle 
fashion.


http://josephinewillcox.tumblr.com/post/33408992032/london-fashion-week-2012

Josie leaving for London

I made this coat for Josie to take to London.  This Soho coat  a pattern from the  'The Sewing Workshop'   is made from red/orange wool and lined with silk. http://sewingworkshop.com/

Josie's Soho Coat

The finished coat was just fabulous,  it was sort of like 'Little Red Riding Hood'   The cut of the hood framed her face elegantly.   I  made the large and raised the pockets,  Josie did not want any closure so it sort of just hung....