darn cheap fabrics seasonal challenge - spring 2014 (+ giveaway winner)

in august i took a trip to melbourne and went to lunch, drinks and fabric shopping with a bunch of melbourne bloggers.  i got to meet lara from thornberry. i've always admired lara's style, envied her output, but best of all we both share a love for darn cheap fabrics.  even though lara lives in melbourne and i live in sydney and we have always shopped at dcf separately we have actually bought quite of few of the same fabrics in the past.

lara kindly bought and posted me some fabric from dcf that wasn't available online after we both liked the fabric on instagram.  when talking over email about this purchase i asked lara if she would like to do a dcf seasonal challenge, where each season we collectively choose a fabric, make it into whatever we want and then post on our blogs.

so here's our first challenge - spring 2014.  lara bought the fabric as i haven't been down to melbourne for a few months.  the plan was for lara to take a few pictures of fabrics she liked, sms them to me and we would choose the challenge fabric.  unfortunately lara's phone battery went flat at dcf (i totally know the feeling - it happened to me when i was looking at some merino for kirsty one time) so lara chose the fabric and i decided to wait til it arrived in the post to find out what it was.

lara chose 2 fabrics, but i decided to go with the knit and make a matching top (simplicity 1366) and skirt (new look 6228) both of which i have made before here and here. am sure lara will have better details on the exact fabric type/content on her post - she has great fabric knowledge, needless to say i love her selection.

there is not much to add about construction and fit for these versions.  i made an 8 in the top, added 2 1/4" to the length and shortened the sleeves the same as my previous version.  i made the skirt with 1 piece for the front and 1 piece for the back, rather than cutting it in panels, as per the pattern.  to do this i cut out the panels using an old sheet, sewed them together so i had 1 piece for the front and 1 piece for the back and then used this as my pattern.  i also added 4 1/2 inches to the length.  

i'm pretty happy with how it turned out, the one thing i am a bit disappointed with is the way the top pools near the hem at the back - you can kind of see it in the photo above left. none of my other versions have done this, but they are made from heavier knits.

i am planning on wearing the skirt and top together at times, but will also get a lot of wear from the pieces as separates too. below is how i wore the top to work today.

here's another pic showing the pooling at the lower back.

i had to cut the waistband across the stretch as i didn't have enough fabric to cut it with the stretch, so i didn't need to use any elastic in this version.  i can't remember how much fabric there was but i think it was around 1/1.5m or so, so am very happy i was able to get 2 pieces from it.

i'm really looking forward to seeing what lara has made, i have seen a few progress shots on instagram - but am looking forward to seeing the final product.

finally if you got this far, the lucky winner of the fabric from my giveaway is Christy - whose name was pulled out of a hat by the other mr flagg. congratulations!! i will send you a message on instagram to get your postal details.

thanks for sharing the fun of the challenge lara!

emma

a sewing schmorgesborg (a dress, a top and two skirts)

todays post is a sewing schmorgesborg of 1 dress, 1 top and 2 skirts.  i've been doing a bit of sewing lately, but not much photo taking.  so yesterday when it was 29 degrees in sydney in april i took the opportunity to dress up in the clothes i've made for autumn and winter and take photos.

first up is simplicity 2054, a cynthia rowley dress pattern for knit fabrics.  i have made this pattern a few times before and wore my black and white spotty version to the sydney bloggers meet up (see third photo of this post).

i got the fabric for this one from darn cheap fabrics in melbourne.  its a knit that is of medium thickness. i cut a straight size 10 which is the same size i have cut previously, even though i measure around a size  14 according to the pattern.  for this version however, given the thickness of the fabric i reduced the side seams to the edge of the foot.

i finished the neck and arms with black ponte bands and put 2 darts in the back to create shape as the pattern as designed is a bit baggy.  i also lengthened the dress a bit.

next is a grainline scout using the same altered pattern i used in the lurex mini challenge.  the fabric is a soft stretch sateen from spotlight that i bought with a birthday gift card from my sisters - thanks gen and caz! 

i constructed the top using french seams throughout and finished the neck and arms with some home made bias binding.  this top is extremely comfortable and great for work.

on to the skirts.  first up another deer and doe anemone in a cotton from darn cheap fabrics.  i love this pattern and was keen to make another after my first one.

i made this using the same alterations as my first one, but didn't try it on during construction as my other one fit so nicely.  this one is a little big as the fabric is lighter in weight than the ikea furnishing fabric i used for the first one.  its ok but i wouldn't be unhappy if it shrunk a bit after a few washes. i also made the length on this the largest pattern size, adding a fraction more length but still keeping it short.

lastly its new look 6228, which i have also made previously - wow it just occurred to me i have made all of the patterns in this post previously.  the black ponte part of this skirt started life as the cynthia rowley dress at the top of this post, but the black ponte was not very forgiving for my lumps and bumps so i never finished it.  i hate the thought of sending fabric to land fill though so kept it in a screwed up heap.

one day it occurred to me i could make it into a skirt, but it turned out i didn't have quite enough ponte to make the whole skirt and upon checking my other black ponte in the stash found that none matched. so i decided to go with charcoal ponte for the front side panels and black everywhere else.

i made this using a straight stitch on my regular sewing machine and used a twin needle for the hem. again this is a comfortable skirt which is great for work.

phew after all that i need to sew something from a new pattern.  lucky for me i did a tessuti pattern fitting class on the thursday before easter which was excellent and have a new to me pattern ready to make up in the next couple of days.

hope you had a great easter, i am just starting to think i should ease up on the chocolate...

emma

Hello Blog World - Renfrew and NewLook 6228 skirt

I have been wanting to start this blog for a long time.  Today became the day when I decided I couldn't put it off any longer.  I was walking to a work meeting in the middle of the Sydney CBD and I passed a blogger that I follow.  This was the second time I have seen this blogger in Sydney, the other time a couple of months back in one of the big parks we have.  Who would think it in a city of over 4 million people?  I took it as a sign to finally get going.

I try to wear me made clothes to work each day - I only work 3 days a week which makes this a bit easier.  So as it turns out my first post is going to be what I was wearing today.

The top is a Renfrew in coral merino from The Fabric Store.  Its probably my 3rd or 4th.  This time I didn't put on the cuffs and waist band.  I just took it in as required at the bottom, but next time I will grade the pattern down before cutting.  I really like the colour of this top and the relaxed fix.  It could perhaps do with a bit of extra length, but I still like it.

The skirt is made in black ponte from the remnant warehouse.  It is NewLook 6228, a recently released pattern in the Autumn 2013 collection.  I cut a size 12, even though my waist and hips are closer to a 16.  But based on finished measurements and other similar skirts I own I thought a 12 would be better, and I am very happy with the finished size.  I will definitely be making more of these, as they are very comfortable for work.  I did some top stitching along the panel seams, which I think adds a bit to an otherwise straightforward skirt.

top stitching on panel seams

Just a word about the photos on this blog, getting time to take photos has been the biggest problem about starting this blog.  Instead of putting it off longer I am just going to do the best I can with photo taking and hopefully one day I will get a chance to take additional, more detailed and better quality photos.

Hello blog world! Lee I hope you will be my first follower!