Grayson Perry and the frog people

I've neglected this blog horribly over the last five months, as well as my poor lovely sewing machine. I've been experiencing a severe case of sewists block while attempting to plough my way through Liz, another of Burda Style's blouses with almost incomprehensible instructions! (Some major studying might have contributed too, but hey...)

Thanks to some help from the forums, a fair bit of swearing and a long long time, Liz and I are finally done. Excitingly I absolutely love it, even the collar works better than my ill-fated attempt at JJ (perhaps I've actually learnt something?)

Anyway, I spotted this fabric designed by the potter Grayson Perry at Shaukat back last summer, and kept hold of it trying to figure out a plan. Since then I've had a bit of a read of cult-horror writer H.B. Lovecraft's books, and for some reason I can't explain, to me, those faces are those of his infamous frog people from the Shadow Over Innsmouth - I think it's something to do with the headpieces, rather than the faces themselves!

In the end I chose Liz because it looked like a comfy shape, a slight vintage feel to it, and the possibility of using the shape for either work or weekend.

Unfortunately after carrying the buttons with me in my wallet for half a year I lost one, so when I got round to finishing there was the opportunity to look again... As if all the fabric wasn't enough I decided it needed one last finishing touch - a contrast button.

I do feel a bit busty in the finished product, but overall think it looks pretty unusual, and think it'll be really wearable.

What do you guys think? Love or find it unutterably loathsome?

The Metropolis Project

A while ago I invested in an order from Decades of Style which included a 1940s blouse pattern, redrawn. Shortly afterwards a good friend of mine @LovesNMacarons happened to mention on Twitter a fabric she liked from Liberty, inspired by the film Metropolis...

Well, an idea was born, and the rest is history.

This was by far the most difficult project I've attempted to date and I had weeks of feeling so intimidated. At one point I thought I'd lost a pattern piece (I hadn't). Once it was done it seemed remarkably easy - what was I worrying about? It's a really fragile blouse due to the dodgy sewing but hopefully it still turned out looking vintage and yet modern enough to be wearable!

I'm still awaiting a photo of her in the finished project (she's just about the busiest person I know) but will update this blog post as soon as I get one!

Me Made (Saturdays in) May: Week 3

Only one more Saturday to go in the 'Me Made May' month! I have to say I'm a little relieved - really running out of clothes!

This week was a surprise birthday party for an old friend Tammy, a meal in an Italian at lunchtime. I went pretty casual with my first New Look 6963 blouse, a thrifted Mango coat and jeans.

 

This is absolutely my most worn self-crafted piece but I think it's time to break free! I've got my eyes on a nice wide collared Vogue number next :)

Me Made (Saturdays in) May! Week 2

Well it's Week 2 of Me Made May. Today's been spent mostly essay writing and sewing, however there's only so much of one room I can take before I go a little stir crazy! So here's Week 2's entry, shots taken in my local park. The blouse is my JJ goes girly blouse, based on a Burda pattern. This shirt has so many problems, straining at the bust, random creases - luckily you can't see any of them in these shots. Time to finally fix the issues I think!

What do you think - how would you wear this blouse?

Japanese blossom: New Look 6963

So I've been busy making another New Look 6963, this time with a Japanese style blossom print by Tanya Whelan - Millie Moon is selling a version at the moment (not a recommendation, I've never shopped there). 

I love how wearable this shirt is! To me it's a pattern that works well with turned up jeans for a slightly retro weekend feel, but it can be worn smartened up too. At the very last moment I swapped to some pink buttons picked up at John Lewis, I think it really helps the blossom colours stand out.

Here's the sleeve detailing that drove me mad the first time around - this time it was super easy!

 

Do let me know what you think, how would you wear it?

New Look 6963

This is my New Look 6963 shirt - finally! I've actually been wearing it lots, but haven't had one of the great shots that I like to use on here. There's more details on the process of making it over on this post here.

 

 

I've been wearing it so much I've decided to make another version of it. So far it's going much easier than the first time around but I know I'm procrastinating until I get to those damn sleeves again!

Just before I go, here's a little plug again for my map of fabric shops in the UK. I was inspired by other bloggers who tended to focus on one city, but as I'm a bit of a traveller I thought I'd do my own version ;)

JJ and I

After a lot of blood, sweat and tears of frustration JJ is now done! I've mentioned the fabric before, but the buttons are silver heart shaped ones from Coats, aren't they lovely? I bought them at HobbyCraft.

I'm so relieved that it's finished, and in the end I think it looks pretty nice, though there are a few little issues: strange collar creasing, bust straining etc. But given that it was a real nightmare to make I can cope!
 
I've worn the shirt for university and a couple of meals out so far, both times with jeans. I'd love any suggestions you have about how to style it up!

Next project

So, I've already made one of the items on my list, a gift for my friend's little girl. Details will have to wait though as her mum may come across this little blog!

I've started to work on my next project, a blouse based on the Burda free pattern JJ #6009. I bought this beautiful fabric from Shaukat back in November last year, and I've been eager to find the right pattern ever since! It's a beautiful poplin in pale blue, with cream flowers. Hopefully this fairly weighty cotton will be ok...

I've decided to stick fairly close to the pattern, but I think I'm going to drop the ruffles because there's just so much detail in the fabric. I've left enough fabric though, just in case I change my mind later.
It's taken me a whole day to cut the pattern, stick it back together and cut out the fabric. Hopefully sewing will go more quickly than the other blouse I've made! (Photos will come at some point)