Leather

Again apologies to the vegans.

My birthday is in November.  So is my Mother's and Gran's.  A family full of Scorpio's.  Anyway Friday my Mum and I dressed up to the nines and took each other out to high coffee.  Like high tea.  But with delicious coffee instead of gross tea.  I did try and wake up my BF and get photos of the dress.  Friday is his sleep in day and I didn't want to piss him off to much.  If this photo taking thing is too painful he will revolt.

We hit NSW leather Co on the way.  Surreal experience. Let me set the scene.  Friday afternoon, super trendy hipster suburb, two generations of women stumble in, with wide eyes, mouth open dressed in cocktail dresses and heels.  I sure they thought we were nuts.  Not super warm or welcoming.  I get it. I stole this photo from Waffleon.  I was not going to ask the staff if I could take a photo.

They price things in square foot.  WTF.  I don't want to get all metric vs imperial but my brain does not work in feet.  This did not help the staff's impression of me.  It seemed reasonably priced though.  I only looked at the single sheep leathers on the table pictured.  They were priced at $4 something a square foot.  It gets cheaper the more you buy.  They very much cater to local designers and manufacturing.  They have a scrap box priced at $2 a square foot.  Lets open the haul I got for $47.

oooohhhhh

They said this was a sheep skin.  It is very soft and thin.  I was looking for something to use as a detail on a jacket.  I wanted something that felt really nice but doesn't add bulk.  Jacket sewing AND sewing with leather.  Very intimidating. Cue sewing stress.  Wish me luck.

I wanted something to make next years school bag.  I have been using the Madrid I made this time last year.  It boosted my mood everyday at uni using a bag I made that didn't look super handmade.  No becky homecky here.  So I want to incorporate some leather into my next bag.  The colour is really nice, not sure if it comes through in this picture, and it feels substantial compared to the black. 

Some samples.  The most beautiful red cowhide and a super soft piece labelled as distressed fudge.  This made me laugh. 

cotton and viscose Italian fabric from Tessuti

silk kimono fabric from Kimono House

We also went to Tessuti and Kimono House.  Tessuti the store is very intimidating.  I have been there several times before but I still get the heebeegeebees there.  I have never been to Kimono house before, it look's like it caters to quilters more than people who sew clothes.  The lady was really nice though.  It was a breath of fresh air after the misunderstanding's at NSW leather and the Prue & Trude skit at Tessuti.

Faking Breton

I am finished uni for 2015.  My placement which should have me busy and stressed until the start of December was cancelled due to lack of spots.  I am relieved but feel lost.  I am once again working nights and scrambling for something to do the rest of the time.  My sewing mojo is very confused due to being contained for so long I guess. Melbourne is coming into Summer but I can't stop thinking about outwear and wool and leather. Leather!.  My apologies to all the vegans out there.  I found a lead on a leather distributor, hoping to check it out tomorrow.  I have been sewing random bits and pieces.  A lot of underwear.  I made 7 pairs in two days.  Very boring.  But sometimes a girl just needs to fill out holes in her wardrobe.

Telling my BF to get down real low to make me look taller.  Stubborn that one.

I made this top weeks and weeks ago.  I dug out these photos from August to put them up here.  Another Salme Kimono top.  I got the fabric from Darn Cheap at some point.  Found it on the $2 table.  A really soft cotton feeling fabric with more mechanical stretch than usual.  I cut it using the selvage as the hem because there is a single strand of red along it.  Couldn't make myself cut it off.

Bad sewing person.  It doesn't have much structure in the hem, obviously, so it's kindof floppy. Stupid sewing person.

I was very pleased with my exposed bias binding.  I add a solution I found in spotlight called Stiffy (! always makes me smile) to a length of fabric that I then cut up into bias binding.  That's a technique that I have hodge podged over a couple of years, reading American how-to's, but being restrained by Australian products.  

Puss come to be centre of attention again.

I will get back to you about the leather!

Day Tripper Top

A short post today.  I made a short sleeve jumper.  A useless garment really but I needed some short sleeve jumpers for my nursing tutorials.  

This is technically a wearable muslin, I bought this fabric from DarnCheap Fabrics a couple of years ago it has stamps from the manufacture on the right side which I was told would wash out! Yeah right lady.  Because of this I used the wrong side of the fabric for the body and the right side for the bands.  It sheds in the wash but it looks cute.  The BF enjoys teasing me that my clothes are inside out.

This is the Day Tripper pattern from Shrwin Patterns but I found it on the PatternAnthology. A simple shape with a high low hem, pockets and a wide neckline.

I made the largest size, and the longest length.  I added 4 inches to the hip because the sizing sounded very slim hipped to me but that may be the look.  There wasn't any markings for the pocket placement, I double checked the flat pattern.  I placed the pockets 2 inches from the hem seam but I think I put them to low.  When I put my phone in the pockets they hang to low below the edge of the binding.  I did purchase and download the pattern several months ago so that might have been fixed by now.

Very Hungry Caterpillar pants

Oh hey, long time no see.  I made some more Hudson pants and a Kimono top (a good friend named my pants, she was pretty horrified).

been having some photographer problems,

For the hudsons I used some crazy multicoloured painted stripy neoprene from Spotlight for the main fabric and some bright blue neoprene from Darn Cheap Fabrics for the contrast fabric. Spotlight have been getting a lot of really lovely neoprene prints that I have been tempted by but at $24.99 I have to avoid.  These are the fourth Hudsons I have made, and unless I cave and buy some more crazy neoprene that's all I am going to make this year.

The reality of renting in Melbourne suburbia, important stuff in pots.  Weeds everywhere.  Broken fence.

I used some mystery black poly for the Kimono top.  It was leftover from some Christmas gift sewing, several years back I made a top for the mother of my then BF.  I actually made this one just to take pictures with these pants !blogger trap I fell in you! but I have no regrets.  I have made so many of these tops that I have lost count but this one has quickly become a favourite. I lowered and narrowed the neckline by an inch because I am not a huge fan of exposed bra straps all of the time, a big fault of the unaltered pattern in my size.  Used bias binding instead of the facings and cuffs, the centre back seam was a fabric saving endeavor.  I feel casual and put together in this top.  I may have worn if several days in a row the week I finished it.  More neutrals in my sewing to do list I think.

I am finishing this post with some pictures of me trying to explain to the photographer/BF how to take pictures

You are welcome to stand closer.  I will not bite.

I need you to frame where my ...

... hands are

Why do I have to standing facing the sun photographer man. Curse my blue eyes.

Hudson Tracky Dacks

A post with not that many pictures.  I made some Hudson pants.  I don't know if you can tell from the pictures but I am very pleased with this make.  I needed something to wear with them to take pictures and grabbed this Tiny Pocket Tank from the drawer.  You can all live with the wrinkles.  I put lip gloss on,  That is effort.

I made these with some random honeycomb knit from Darn Cheap Fabrics. They are calling it "password" and offering it in about 10 colours.  I used some scuba knit stuff they are calling ponte. The password is $7.95 a metre and the ponte is $19.  I lengthened the pattern at the ankle by 4" just so the ankle wouldn't be that pegged.  I drafted a pattern piece for the hem which was 14 6/8" by 2". I think this makes them look more "I am out to the shops" instead of "I am staying home today".  I omitted the tie just because I didn't want to do button holes in a knit. 

I wore these out to Doncaster! A shopping centre here in Melbourne with designer shops and a fancy attitude.  If any non-Australian readers do not know what tracky dacks are look it up on google or look at this adorable kid wearing trackies for charity.

Yeah these are really cool trackies.......

Geometry and Madrid

I made some things! I even managed to take pictures.  I made the Madrid bag from Seamwork magazine from the team at Colette Patterns.  I used all stash stuff including leather that I think originally came from my high school textile room (It has been many years since I graduated), and an antler button from the UK.  The patterns from Seamwork magazine are supposed to be 2 hour patterns.  Yeah not so much for this bag.  Maybe 10 hours.  Lots of interfacing and poly organza in this bag to give it shape.  Pretty happy with it over all.

I made the Geometry top from Katy and Laney.  I used size 14 because it had the right bust size, but it came out super boxy.  

It also came out as very christmas-ie.  I used leftovers from my stash, and I think this military green always looks really nice with red.  Not sure if it worked this time.  The green is a silk/cotton blend with one shiny side and one dull side.  Ignore the wrinkles I had just come back from lunch with a friend from "out of town". 

I used all french seams for the top and bias binding as a facing.  Came together easy.  Either choose a really drapey, annoying to work with fabric or have smaller boobs than me.  Otherwise you will be adjusting your clothes all day long.

adjusting....

adjusting....

Measurements

I was walking with a friend of mine the other day and I realised something and blurted it out loud "My BF and Jacqui have the same bust measurement". My friend reacted in horror and asked "Why would you know that?". I wasn't trying to freak her out I just thought it was interesting. That two large but very different shaped people could have the same bust measurement. I thought it said something about how we perceive body shapes, our body and others.  That silhouette and shapes confuse our perception and we imagine things as smaller and larger than they really are.

My friend was horrified that I knew anyone's measurements. She doesn't sew and wouldn't know her own measurements. I am not even sure she would know her weight at the moment. This I understand. Unless I am actively dieting I prefer to not know.  But I know my measurements. Off by heart. And my bf's, my mothers, my fathers and Jacqui's.  I remember at least their bust measurements from the last time I took it.  Why is this odd? I sew things for myself and sometimes for other people. It is pretty hard to do that if I don't measure first. 

My Ideal skirt length is always 69cm. Just thought you would like to know.

It is interesting the different relationship people have with their bodies when they sew. I say people because I know of a few men who sew and I know a lot of men who have had an unhappy time shopping for clothes. 

When I go shopping if something doesn't fit when it usually would I leave the store blaming my body.  Even if it "fits" but isn't suited to my body shape it is still somehow my bodies fault.  The shop and manufacturer is never at fault.  My body is "wrong".  I know that really there is nothing wrong with my body.  It may be larger than the stores fit model but it is not wrong.  When I sew something and it doesn't fit it is still my fault.  My sewing skills have failed me.  A much better feeling but still frustrating.  That is my experience.

 

I will be sure to avoid IRONIZED YEAST

I have witnessed other people react differently when things do not fit.  They blame the manufacturer. Clothes from that brand are too short, or have weird hips, or never have enough room in the bust, they always cut the bodice too long in the back etc.  While I go home and sew something when I can't find anything that fits, people that don't sew just keep on shopping.  Searching for the perfect dress or pair of jeans.  Going from shop to shop where sizes can be wildly different, never knowing their own measurements. I imagine it can make the relationship with your own body very murky.