#makenine2017 - Nine sewing plans for 2017

I have a full post to come later detailing my mission this year in creating a me made wardrobe however I was browsing instragram when I came across the tag #makenine2017 created by Rochelle New. I loved seeing the nine projects that other fellow sewers had planned for the new year so I thought I would share with you my nine projects that I hope to make this year. This plan is by no means set in stone. Simply a response to what is missing from my wardrobe or pieces that will make my current wardrobe more wearable and then finding suitable projects that made me excited in response. There is also an item for a very exciting occasion included, not an everyday piece but something I will treasure.  

1. Tyyni Cigarette Trousers by Named clothing

2. Sew House Studio Toaster sweater hack

3. Ginger jeans by Closetcase files

4. Self-drafted kimono inspired top

5. Cleo by Tilly and the buttons

6. Pattern Magic inspired bow top

7. Arielle by Tilly and the Buttons

8. Self-drafted T-shirt

9. Wedding Veil

Tyyni Cigarette Trousers by Named Clothing

image: named clothing

Ever since this pattern launched at the end of last year I have had my eye on them. That fit with a slight vintage nod in a classic nostalgic way rather than in an over powering way makes these trousers a must for me. Even as I am writing this I am not sure why I am setting myself so many trouser patterns to make up, ones enough isn’t it? Surely…..? Or at least it would be if I had never seen this pattern. I was recently reminded of this pattern by Holly Dolly in her 1940’s inspiration video and knew it had to feature in my make nine.

Sew House Seven toaster sweater hack

I am currently making this pattern as part of #sewmystyle the challenge set by Alex from Bluebirds fabric. I was scanning pintrest as you do for inspiration when I came across a jumper that was created crossed over and just looked really cosy. I feel that this idea would make the perfect Sew house Seven toaster sweater hack.

Ginger Jeans By Closet Case files

image: Closet Case Files

I have long avoid the task of making my own jeans with all those trivets and top-stitching. However with the fit of my current jeans not quite right and my decision to have a me-made year means that if I want a new pair of jeans I am going to have to make them.

The reason I have decided on the Ginger jeans by Closet Case files is simple really – I am a high-waisted skinny jean kind of woman. Not to mention I have read loads of good reviews about the fit of those jeans that I kind of have to give them ago.

Although I can’t promise there will be any rivets.

Self-drafted kimono inspired top

For me this year is all about the tops, if there is one gap in my wardrobe it’s here. I’ve had this idea of a loose wrap top made from linen for a while it seemed only right that I commit to making it this year.  I want this item with its nod to Japanese kimono’s to be causal while remaining one of those items that you can throw on and look instantly put together. As I am planning on camping when I can this summer, I wanted something that I could throw on and be light and breeze for during the day at the campsite and smart when exploring the local towns. 

Can you tell I am hoping for a hot summer?

Cleo by Tilly and the Buttons

image: Self Assembly Required

I feel like everyone and there aunt has made this pattern but I feel its with good reason. Inspired by the many versions I've seen on instragram including this version by Self Assembly Required  I had to include this versatile piece. I love Emily's version although inspired to go with a check after reading her post I am still leaning towards making it in black denim. What makes the Cleo for me is its nice to throw on a jumper or blouse then pull over this simple dungaree dress (then maybe a pair of thick tights as after all its currently freezing) and be ready to go. I can see myself in cosy layers wearing this dress dungaree in the winter or relaxed on a camping trip in the Cleo with a simple tee.

Pattern magic inspired bow top

I have been obsessed with this book forever, I find it so inspiring. One thing that I want is blouse with a bow probably out of organza but most definitely not as oversized as draw here. I haven’t quite decided on scale or any of the fine details yet. So this one is going to take a fair bit of planning and quite a few toiles but it will be worth it. This top idea has always being hanging around ever since I first got hold of the first two books so it will be satisfying to finally make it.

Arielle by Tilly and the Buttons

Image: Tilly and the Buttons blog

As I have so many tops planned it seemed only right that I had a classic skirt to wear them with. I love this pattern as it has a simple silhouette but the buttons give it real character. I feel that you can play around a little bit with this pattern and it has the smart relaxed feel I am after this summer starting with my honeymoon. 

Self-drafted T-shirt

As I am having a thing about tops currently it only seemed write to include a t-shirt. I know it’s the most basic item I could think of but I only have one basic T-shirt in my wardrobe. It would be great to wear under the Cleo or tucked into trousers. I haven’t quite decided on fit yet. I might end up making two; one fitted and the other loose and relaxed as I have drawn here. I haven’t thought much about fabric choice in this post but I am thinking a medium weight soft white cotton jersey. If I have time I might even, make a quilted version.

Wedding Veil

This is definitely the most important project this year – making my wedding veil. I am not even sure what style I want yet, so I better get sampling. I am planning on incorporating some lace passed down to me from my fiancés Grandmothers collection.  I will do a blog post after the day detailing what I did.

I currently have a Vogue accessories pattern in V8374 that I am going to use. Currently I am leaning towards veil B as I like the double tiered effect and might be the best version to show of the lace I have in mind for this project.

I do have a few other things planned mainly projects from last year. I really look forward to my year of sewing and I do have a post on its way detailing my plans for my me-made wardrobe. 

I'd love to hear what your sewing plans for 2017, so let me know in the comments.

New year's resolutions

It’s the new year, that classic time for self reflection and improvement. For me its not about the cliché of “New year, New me” but about taking the opportunity to define what I hope to achieve this year and set in motion the actions I plan to make to self-improve. I am positive about this year as I have so many exciting things planned already. The fact that I am getting married this year being on top of my list of exciting things planned. But as well as some events and commitments planned I also have a few resolutions that I would like to focus on.

      

       1) Create a handmade wardrobe

This year I am challenging myself not to buy any clothes and if I want it I have to make it. I want to do this for two reason. Reason number one: I want to appreciate how much work goes into creating garments more. To some extend I am already aware having completed a fashion degree but my eye’s were really opened after watching the true cost documentary. Which if you haven’t watched already I would recommend it gives an insight into the effects of fast fashion. I want Slow fashion.

Reason two: I want the satisfaction of making my own garments and not just the “projects” but everyday items that I will get a lot of wear out of. As part of this resolution not to buy anymore  clothes I am taking part in #sewmystyle hosted by Alex of Bluebird fabrics, as I feel that the patterns chosen as a real mix of wearable items. I feel this will insure that I have 12 wearable items by next year.

      

      2) Make more Ethical and Sustainable choices

As much as I want to be making everything new that I need, its not realistic. Homemade mascara, anyone?  So this year I am trying to make more sustainable and ethical choices. For me this doesn’t mean throwing out all of the products I have already but when I have  used them all up replacing them with an ethical and sustainable product instead.

Moreover there are a few garments I won’t be making such as socks and tights as one example, on these occasions I plan to buy them from brands that have ethical and sustainable practises.

      

      3) Spending more time with family and friends

Having moved away from my hometown it can be hard to arrange a time when everyone is free to get together. It takes a bit more thought than giving them a call and getting them to come over for coffee. Especially as schedules never seem to match but I aim to try and find the time this year.

4)  Have my drivers licence

I think that driving is a really important skill. While I am not planning to own a car anytime soon I think it is important I get my driving licence sooner rather than later so that I have that freedom.

I know compared to other resolutions I have read this list is quite short but I thought it was more important to focus on a few that were really important to me. I am sure other things will crop up along the way. But on the whole I feel this list is pretty steadfast.

I hope you have a happy new year!

Fix it: Denim jean repair tutorial

We all have that favourite pair of jeans that are the most flattering and so comfy. For me it was these high-waisted black denim jeans that I brought from Topshop three years ago which some might say probably need replacing but I have decided to make them last that little bit longer by repairing them.

As you can tell from the photo below these jeans have seen better days and show a few signs of wear and tear. I didn't want to just quickly patch them up as I wanted the repair to be a bit more subtle than that. This is why I have decided to use black thread and my sewing machine rather then hand-stitching.

You will need:

- Thread (that matches the colour of your jeans)

- Unpicker

- Thin soft-feeling fabric (I used cotton off-cuts from a bag project)

- Sewing machine

Step 1:

Depending on where the worn out areas of your jeans are will determine which seam you need to unpick. For me the area was around the inside leg seam, so I unpicked the outside leg seam stopping short of the waistband. 

Step 2:

Now open the leg up so that you have a flat area to work with. Then use a zigzag stitch to join any torn areas of fabric back together (as shown to the left of this image) before doing further reinforcement. 

Step 3:

Use the repair setting on your sewing machine if you have it or use standard straight stitch to go over any areas that need reinforcing including any torn areas that have already been joined in step 2. Once you have covered the affected areas in one direction go over it again in the opposite direction to crosshatch over the worn out areas. Once this step has been completed it should resemble something like the image below. Trim any loose threads. 

Step 4: (optional)

The area along the seams on my jeans were also showing signs of a lot of wear so I decided to reinforce this area and add an extra design detail at the same time.

Change the stitch setting back to zigzag and then change the stitch spacing so it is really tight so they no longer look like zigzags and give you a solid wide straight line (as shown below)

Step 5:

Now that the repairs and reinforcements have been made it is important to ensure that the jeans are still comfortable to wear. I found that the stitching was a bit scratchy against the skin, so that is why I have decided to include fabric patches on the inside.

Cut the fabric to the size that you need to cover any areas that were reinforced. (I used some fabrics scraps I had left over from another project)

To prevent fraying I overlocked the edges of the patches but you could also use zig-zag stitch.

Position the patched in place then edge stitch them to secure. I used two patches rather than one larger one so I wasn't using an unnecessary amount of fabric and didn't create to much bulk.

Step 6:
Finally stitch the seam that was unpicked earlier and re-do the hem if needed.

I really enjoyed the process of repairing these jeans and giving them a new lease of life, ensuring they remain a staple in my wardrobe that little bit longer. Although I may need to re-dye them black as they are more of a dark grey now.






























I will definitely be mending more of my clothes in the future as and when they need it.

First impressions: Janome 8002DX Overlocker

I have recently purchased my very own Janome 8002DX overlocker to give a professional finish to my garments as I start to develop my business. I chose this model as it was reasonably priced and met all of my overlocking needs. There wasn’t a lot of difference between this model and the Janome 9200D other than the tension dials are on the outside rather than inside (apparently the other model is also easier to thread). I decided this fact didn’t bother me as long as the capabilities were the same.

The DVD intro:

I found the narration rather uninspiring and a bit dry although because of this they were easy to understand so I guess that was the point. It showed me how to thread my machine which was useful as there is nothing quite like a video tutorial to walk you through these tasks. Then they went through all of the different capabilities of my machine. It was at this point that I started to get bamboozled with all of the tension changes, differential feed dials and stitch length dial changes.

First go:

I decided to just go for it. Nothing beats getting to know a new machine like making a few samples. My machine already came pre-threaded so I decided to leave those in place then got my sample-sized piece of calico and ran it through the machine ensuring I left a 5cm chain at the beginning. However it was clear something wasn’t right as my stitches were not meeting the edge of my fabric so I adjusted the cutting width. This seemed to solve the issue, so I decided to make a few more samples such as joining two pieces of fabric and following the whole edge of the fabric. The image above shows before and after the adjustment I made.

Through much of the experimentation I referred to the instruction book more than the DVD as I found the detail in there much more useful in terms of practical advice and trouble-shooting. 

Next up I decided to experiment with the stitch lengths. I went through each setting to see which finish I preferred. For the purpose of finishing the inside of garments I’ve decided I preferred either stitch length 2.5 or 3. I found stitch length 1 was too tight and the finished result too uneven for this purpose, I’m sure as I experiment further I’ll find a use for this one but currently I can’t think of one. If you know of any uses for the this stitch length please let me know. 

Rolled hems: 

I have now decided that I adore rolled hems after trying them on my overlocker. Despite how scary the DVD made it seem it was actually quite easy to set up. I simply followed the instructions and with no trouble at all I achieved a great finish. I can see myself using this function a lot as it gives such a neat finish.

Conclusion:

I am so glad I invested in an overlocker as the finishes I am going to be able to achieve on this machine will add a professional finish and help the garments I make last longer. There is still a lot I need to learn to get the most out of this machine but it is not as scary as I thought. It is simpler to use than I imagined but you do need a bit of patience when it comes to threading it. I look forward to using this in many of my future sewing projects.  

I will write a follow-up post once I have begun to master the machine. Please let me know in the comments if there is anything in particular that you want to know about this over-locker.