bernie and i is a tumblelog.

annaharo:

untitled by tuna bites on Flickr.

(via so-forth)

Completed Projects: Red Marimekko-Print Dress

This 1960s Marimekko Print is probably my favorite textile print of ALL TIME so you can imagine how excited I was when I found a cotton-quilting fabric in this print.

This dress is made with a sun dress pattern I drafted myself (my most used pattern).  I should probably mention the zip is a side zip.

Happiness is walking around in summer in this dress. I feel feminine, lively and just more “me”.

As you can see I am not too fussy when it comes to matching up my print. But I did want the red flower to be in the middle.

Fabric: About 2.60 meters of this glorious lightweight cotton with 1960s   Marimekko design. The fabric was about $16.96 a meter.

Lining: lined the bodice with a red lightweight cotton.

Pattern: Self-drafted sun dress

Notions: 25-35cm white invisible around $1 (bought in bulk on ebay)

Time to complete: Around 4 hrs

Date Completed: mid-early 2011

Amount of times worn: 3

Fitting notes: Excellent fit. My favorite pattern.

Completed Projects: Sheena Leopard Print Skirt

I love leopard print! It adds some edge to any look and goes with so many things.

This print is more of a punky stylized Leopard Print.

I used the trusty Simplicity 2451 pattern which has an excellent fit and is super quick and easy to sew.

Fabric: 80 to 90cms of leopard print cotton drill. This one is so nice to wear and doesn’t crease a lot.

I also used a slightly thicker fabric for the waistband facing and a lightweight cotton for the pocket insides/lining.

I didn’t bother with interfacing

Pattern: Simplicity 2451

Notions: Black invisible zip

Time to complete: Perhaps 2 hrs

Date Completed: Earlier this year

Amount of times worn: 3 or 4 goes with a LOT of things in my wardrobe :)

Fitting notes: Excellent fit.

Completed Projects: Floral Sencha Blouse

Yey for left-over fabric. Had enough to make a Colette Patterns Sencha Top.

Whilst I love the styles offered, the fit of Colette Patterns is never good on me!

I needed to make about 3 or 4 muslins just to get the fit right. The fit was overly curvy at the hips and gaping everywhere.

I lowered the neckline because the original high neckline was very unflattering on me.

I lined the top rather than adding facings because, well to be honest neckline facings are evil/highly annoying and I try avoid them.

Fabric: About 1.50 cms of the floral voile.

Lining: This off-white polyester stuff. 

Pattern: Colette Patterns Sencha Blouse

Notions: 5 white buttons

Date Completed: Earlier this year

Amount of times worn: 4…It’s casual but feminine, perhaps thats why I have worn it a fair bit.

Fitting notes: Was overly curvy at the hips/waist gaping at the back neckline etc. I lowered the neckline. I Also lengthened the tucks and lowered the hemline so the top was longer.

I have already made another version of this and instead of buttons at the back I added a zipper and now there is a whole lot more gaping to deal with. Will have to alter and re-fit the back. Annoying :(.

Completed Projects: My Favourite Colour Tulip Skirt

Another skirt made from a Burdastyle magazine pattern..can’t recall which issue…Will update when I have found it

Orange is my all time favourite colour and I love this shade. My bedroom curtains are made of the exact same fabric.

I made this skirt quite some time ago I would say it was a few years ago.

I remember I made this style first in a red fabric and it was my first time sewing pleats and the one on the front here is quite fancy :).

I would not wear the red version because in red with that front pleat it reminds me of a certain part of the female anatomy. Perhaps I am reaching but now it’s all I think of when I see this skirt made up in red.

This orange one is made from a drill so it creases very easily. I should wear this more often

Fabric: Orange cotton drill from spotlight. They No longer sell this colour :(

Facing: Same fabric 

Pattern: Burda style Magazine pattern -issue and style forgotten

Notions: Orange invisible zip.

Time to complete: no idea how long it took

Date Completed: 2008?

Amount of times worn: Maybe once. I have too many clothes.

Fitting notes: Good Fit!

Completed Projects: Must Have Black High-Waisted Skirt

Another skirt made from Burdastyle magazine 2/2011 style 107. So quick to make :)!

If I worked in an office I would wear this high-waisted skirt all the time!

If you wear a blouse tucked into this you get a Joan-Holloway-like silhouette.

I’m more of a Peggy than a Joan though.

Unfortunately I didn’t grow up to be a graphic designer or a creative at an advertising agency so I’ll just wear this streamlined skirt one day in my downtime… when I am not wearing my work uniform :(.

This was my first time using the invisible hem foot/stitch. such a clean finish.

The invisible zipper pull broke and I was NOT going to install a new one. So I improvised and tied on a bit of knotted red elastic and that became my pull thing.

Fabric: About 80 cms of black fabric (looks a little purple in the image but is actually black) with some elastine/stretch was leftover from a jacket I made ages ago.

Facing: Same fabric did not use interfacing

Pattern: Burda style Magazine issue 2/2011 Style 107

Notions: black invisible zip.

Time to complete: 2 1/2 hrs is my guess

Date Completed: Earlier this year

Amount of times worn: None yet. If I EVER go somewhere fancy I will wear it.

Note to self stop making tight fitting formal attire. Whilst its lovely I wont wear it.

Fitting notes: Excellent fit. LOVE this pattern!

Completed Projects: Floral Overdose Dress

You can probably tell that I am all about prints! I ADORE this printed fabric :) The colours and all fussy flowers are divine.

This is the second dress I made using the McCalls 6011 Pattern.

This dress is fully lined the sleeves are finished with bias binding made from the same fabric…unlike the Versatile Springtime Dress which I added the lining to, stitched the armholes and turned them inside out.

Fabric: About 2 meters of lightweight cotton voile $12 per meter from Lincraft during a sale.

Lining: 2 meters of cream polyester lining $5 per meter Tina’s Fabrics

Pattern: McCalls 6011 Pattern

Notions: 55cm off-white invisible zip around $5

Time to complete: About 4 hrs

Date Completed: mid 2011

Amount of times worn: 2 

Fitting notes: Excellent fit. 

Anything you would change? I’m pretty happy with this one :)

Completed Projects: Stripey Sun Dress

I always wanted to make a dress using a boarder-print.

I really liked this fabric… to me the print had a kind of an 80s vibe to it that I thought was fun.

I made this dress using my most-used pattern. I think I have made about 7 dresses in this style.

It fits well, its flattering I really like the style of the dress.

But its getting ridiculous and repetitive I don’t want every dress in my wardrobe to be the same style. This style of dress also tends to suit the cotton types of fabric I usually buy.

I drafted this pattern myself by altering the bodice of an ill-fitting new look pattern.

Fabric: About 2.60 meters of $6 a meter Spotlight fabric. It is a medium weight cotton/poly blend woven fabric.

Lining: lined the bodice with a lightweight cotton voile

Pattern: Self-drafted sun dress

Notions: 25-35cm white invisable around $1 (bought in bulk on ebay)

Time to complete: Around 4 hrs

Date Completed: mid 2011

Amount of times worn: 2 or 3

Fitting notes: Excellent fit. My favorite pattern.

Anything you would change? I wish I did the stripes on the waistband horizontally rather than vertically. It would have looked better/been more flattering! I wear it with a belt which sort of fixes the problem

Completed Projects: Wild Print Pencil skirt

This was the first time I worked with this pattern (Burdastyle magazine 2/2011 style 107) and It was a dream to work with! The fit was great and needed no adjustments.

I usually find burda patterns to be a MUCH better fit compared to other pattern companies!

I really like the panel lines in the back (you may not see them due to the print) because it means less darts to sew and I am not the biggest fan of darts especially when it comes to marking them all.

If you wear this skirt with a tucked in tee it looks like a very curvy dress :)

This was the second time I used my invisible hem foot/stitch and I LOVE the effect. It looks so clean.

Fabric: About 80 cms of $3 a meter (150 wide) Spotlight fabric. It is medium weight woven fabric with a slight stretch which was ideal for this highly fitted style.

Facing: Same fabric did not use interfacing

Pattern: Burda style Magazine issue 2/2011 Style 107

Notions: 25-35cm white invisable around $1 (bought in bulk on ebay)

Time to complete: 2 1/2 hrs is my guess

Date Completed: Earlier this year

Amount of times worn: I dig this skirt but I live a pretty casual life (spend most of my time at home or at work in uniform) so I haven’t worn it yet

Fitting notes: Excellent fit. LOVE this pattern!

Completed Projects: Versatile Springtime Dress

This is the third time I have sewn with this pattern (McCalls 6011)!

It is such an underrated pattern, I really recommend it! For this dress I omitted the sleeves and added these little things near the neckline to give the neckline a sweetheart effect.

This style is so flattering on the curvy figure! Empathizes the bust and the skirt (which is cut on the bias) skims over the hips.

It is rare I ever sew with a pattern where I don’t need to alter the fit, but this is one such case.

Fabric: Not sure how you would categorize it perhaps is a viscose. Its really soft and drapey but it has some body to it. Actually I think it may be 100% cotton…

It was $3 a meter during last years sales at Spotlight. It was lovely to sew with.

Lining:  aprox 50cm of Black Bahama voile about $6 per meter (I only lined the bodice)

I have started to line all my garments with lightweight cotton. Don’t know why I ever used that icky polyester lining!

Pattern: McCalls 6011

Notions: 45-50cm invisable around $4 from Lincraft

Time to complete: 4 hrs But I am just guessing again

Date Completed: Earlier this year

Amount of times worn: Once but thats because its been cold all spring up until now.

Fitting notes: Excellent fit. LOVE this pattern!

Anything you would change?: I would put those little loops near the neckline on BEFORE I sewed up the shoulder seam.