moving to wordpress

Apologies to anyone who received posts from August.....I have moved my blog over to wordpress and at one point of the move I duplicated all the posts and it was only an hour later when I found one emailed to me!  Sorry

I am not able to move my subscribers via email, but have put a new subscribe button on the side bar of Wordpress

Hope you can follow me there!

Link below will get you to the new site

www.upsew.ie

big plaid dress - vogue 6879

There are a few reasons why I rarely buy fabric, but remake instead....

1.  the local fabric store is rather small and limited choice (lots of synthetic blends)
2.  economics, remaking from charity shop buys is a lot cheaper and has some eco-cred.
3.  quality - it is easier to assess quality, wear, and hang of the fabric from something already made

and finally

4.  it seems I lose the run of myself when I get to a 'good' fabric store, and buy random crazy stuff, half of which is destined to sit around and taunt me (a certain cream knit with sparkles and a strawberry yogurt number come to mind).  I get rather overwhelmed with stash so never ever like having much of it....

I got this plaid in Murphy Sheehys and as I like plaid, wool (its a wool mix), and turquoise, why not.....I was really questioning why I got it when I got home.

Murphy Sheehys sells fabric bale ends, so the info on the fabric is often not there (have not a clue what this label meant below) but the choice can be fantastic.

I originally wanted enough for a skirt -.75m, as there was just under 2m left on roll -  and they and they gave discount for the full piece, so I got it.  I was unsure of which looked nicer right side or wrong side, and cross grain (longer diamond) vs on-grain (squat diamond).  For the skirt I cut wrong side as it had more pixels and cross grain, and I don't like it.  I made a plain a-line, and it feels neither-here-nor-there, and the pixels side ended up being horrible to match.





























The skirt is finished but not photographed, as even though its in the wardrobe, its only until I figure a remake.... 

The fabric looked well on the mannequin full length - or so I thought so I thought I would try and make a dress - Vogue 6879

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I had just enough to match plaid, and get the dress to knee length.....I cut cross grain again, as I thought the longer diamond looked better.  The plaid matched up a dream on sewing and the dress went together easily.  I love it, and am currently wearing it with a jade polo neck underneath.  



The only drawback, and it really isn't is that I don't like 'working/sewing' in it. The arm hole and neck are lovely but it often feels a bit restrictive when I am sewing on the machine, but it is the style of the dress, so its a minor thing really.  I adore the dress.  I think its a flattering shape, and currently I think the big plaid is compensating for my three-tone hair (in the final two months of growing out my hair dye!)

a floral blouse from floral pants - Simplicity 1278

I have been steadily sewing since the new year, but super lazy in not writing or photographing much. Its been a mix of crochet, experiments in embroidery and a ruthless run at the 'use it or lose it' stack of clothes, and one piece has already gone to the charity shop when I thought of a use for it!




This pair of floral pants was not under any threat as I love the print.  I think the intensity and balance are captivating, in general I am drawn to print, but rarely wear it as it always feels busy. 

I also wanted to try out Simplicity 1278 for a while as I liked the look of the tucks, and it looked like there would be enough fabric.
I used the modern reprint, and traced my size out, using version b with longer sleeves.

The construction was straightforward, a lot more careful that I needed to be with the pleats and tucks, and tacked the markings.  Its a nice use of fabric the few tucks are so effective, and very subtle.

The only real compromise in the cut was the sleeve, I could get the sleeve to below elbow and added a cuff.  I was able to get a sleeve and front of the trouser fronts, the blouse back from the remaining two leg pieces, and the cuffs and facings from the lower leg with very little left over, and also a zip!

I used two buttons from the button box to close  I cannot remember what they were taken from but they are rather cute, they are clear faceted plastic.

It was a relatively quick sew, and while I do like it and I will wear it, I am beginning to figure out that while I like prints, I feel a bit overwhelmed wearing some of them.   I don't really have many blouses, and mainly wear sweaters in winter, and summer tops in the warmer weather,  I have not worn this as such yet, and in ways made it to expand the styles of clothes I wear in both style, and pattern.  It does feel a bit busy, I had thought it would look well with jeans, but think its more for trousers, and the weather here is still rather cold so it may be a while before I wear it.  

I would like to try the pattern again in a plain fabric, as the tuck detail is rather lost in the floral fabric, but rather impressed that I got a full blouse out of the trousers - inspired in no small part by Linda in Remake Remodel.

Sweater Remake and Seamwork Astoria

I got this sweater at the euro rail - its one of the few things I bought in a charity shop this year.  I am trying to get through what I have here - but I seem to make an exception for the euro rail - I often think these are the 'no hope-ers' and bound for landfill.  I love this colour, the fabric is cotton knit/ jersey.  The sweater colour is uneven due to wear and laundry, but to me this was part of the appeal as the colour now looked slightly textured,   












For the remake, I used the Astoria pattern.  It was all straight forward.  I added 5 inches to the length, and made the sleeves as long as I could.  I sewed it using the overcast stitch on the 'new' machine.  (so handy)

Cut out

Cutting Sleeve - I use bulldog clips to keep the two layers together, and it stops the fabric rolling back in.

I was unsure about the neck finish, and luckily I had some of the same shade in yarn, left 
over from a previous project!  (its a colour I like).  I turned the edges and machine basted them, and blanket stitched them.  The trim is a mix of double and treble (uk) stitches.

Inside....

Outside.....

Love how it turned out -I cannot believe how quick and easy these types of sweater remakes are, (and the corresponding amount of sweaters on the men's rail in charity shops).  I have a few more sweaters to remake soon, but I am hoping to try a few different finishes, like embroidered hems and embroidered embellishments....   

Liebster Awards

I spent the best part of an  hour formatting this post and each time it uploaded some jinx got at it so I am running thru it again (still keep meaning to move to wordpress, and now I just might)................................anyway.............................

Last Thursday, I got a lovely surprise when I got in from work, Linda from Remake, Remodel, Recycle, had nominated me for a Liebster Award!

 I had not come across them before and the 'rules' are

Show the award on your blog

Answer 10 questions asked to you
Ask 10 questions to up to 10 new nominees (who have less than 200 followers)
Notify them
Thank your nominator

so THANK YOU to Linda, I still cannot figure out the widget for sidebar, but have copied the pic below.

so down to the questions

What surprised you about blogging? 
I had no preconceived ideas and blogged to try and get an idea of remaking/sewing up and running.  I decided one post per week, which gave me focus, and kept me motivated, and I kept the 'one post per week' going for a year - now I don't feel as obliged, but I do like the show-and-tell aspect as well as the on-line/virtual support.  the show-and-tell did focus me on my sewing skills and attempting to improve and hone them.

I also got into the habit of finishing items, even making myself baste a hem to get it to a finished state.

What inspires you to sew whatever you sew?
Generally the amount of fabric I have, and a vintage pattern - although the two rarely collide, so its always a compromise.  I buy the clothes from the charity shop based on the colour, and fabric, and then check to see how much fabric there is and go from there

What is your most selfish sewing habit?
Unsure on this one, as I think you have to focus on the job in hand (I don't even listen to the radio unless its hand-sewing).  Years ago I shared a flat with another girl and a pin ended up in the dinner somehow.(I sewed in the kitchen) and I didn't understand the fuss was about when it was found, (I saw it when dinner was being served) so 'no one got hurt', I now see how careless this was, and since switched to pearl pins!

Where do all the pins go? can anyone answer this?
see above!

Why do you blog?
Originally it was to commit to a project/idea, and I thought by putting my sewing out there would cut out some of my naughty sewing habits.  most have been gotten rid of - but I have yet to find the patience to sew elastic in correctly (as i only use  on underwear, and pjs I  am not going to lose sleep on that one - pls excuse lousy pun!)

Tell us something we might not know about you?
Vintage patterns are my Kryptonite!  about 20 years ago, I had stopped sewing by a lot, so I decided to donate my patterns to a charity shop (I did not have many), so when I started back sewing clothes again a few years ago, I lazily bought a pattern rather than draft, and was surprised how dumbbed down it felt.... so I started looking at vintage, and was hooked.  I now sometimes use vintage if I can, but a lot of times, I just appreciate the subtle line, and the sewing techniques (and the lovely sleeve variations.....)

Whats your favourite book?
I am thinking of re-reading 'The Charwomans Daughter' by James Stephens soon, we did it in school and I later read some of his other books and loved them.  He writes women so well, and some days I feel like Mrs Makebelieve, and some days I think I am Mary (both of them are dreamers).  I also read a lot of gumshoe, so have just finished 2 Denise Mina and 1 Sue Grafton 

Whats your favourite film?
So many, but after watching an Orson Wells documentary last night, I want to re-watch The Third Man, last film seen was The Big Short, which I really liked

Which catches your eye first, plain or print?
Print - and plaid.  I love them, but invariable I sew plain .... although have just finished a plaid dress and about to start a print blouse....

What is your favourite sewing gadget?
Well its either the tailors ham that I bought in a charity shop (unused and with original packaging from the 70s and 3 euro) which makes me feel so professional, or the buttonhole feature on the new sewing machine (but the old sewing machine is still better for tailoring)

So Thank You
Finally, I would like to thank Linda and the bloggers listed below who have been so kind commenting on my blog, which is much appreciated and has been very encouraging.  

Aimee from the Wrong Doll
Lynn from American Age Fashion
Karen from  Rude Record

I will nominate the women above, but I would like to add, that if they don't want to partake, its fine with me (I don't want to exert pressure, and re the number of followers rule..... I didn't really check as the followers thing is rather arbitrary as there are so many avenues for followers and I know these ladies potentially exceed......

what persuaded you to start a blog
favourite piece of advice you have been given
what is a favourite make (any medium)
best or worst sewing habit
most useless sewing gadget in your collection
what would be your 'dream' make 
who taught you or inspired you, to sew/make
favourite cartoon character
favourite piece of music

fancy pants - recutting wool cashmere trousers

My ruthless 'use it or lose it' continues, which is just as well as these trousers have been in my wardrobe an-embarrassingly-long-time, and on a to-do list for the same length..... Some years ago, I did a wardrobe clear-out, and sold some dresses on ebay, and ended up buying some cashmere jumpers (we had just moved to a freezing house, and these wool/cashmere burberry trousers).  I probably shouldn't have as a strange vanity got the better of me,  but I did, and I really should have known they would not fit right and they didn't.  And for some or other reason, I could not/would not give them away, resell or donate......

The trousers fitted at the hips but huge on the waist, and while I loved the wide leg, I looked 'a-bit-of-a-pudding' in them.  I took them in at the back to wear around the house and see how much I liked them.  I was rather nervous of re-cutting them - in case I would render them unwearable, but I had to bite the bullet sometime, so  I took the trousers apart, and to keep an eye on the location of the grain, I basted the crease and lightly pressed it out, and half way thru taking them apart, I was thinking I should have just given them away as I was still having a lot of work to do.  As it turned out, I was wrong.

I had got this Clare Shaeffer pattern especially as I figured such a swanky fabric needed the Shaeffer touch (I bought it on etsy after reading Lynn's post), and I also had the Balmain pattern out to see what the detailing would be.  The Balmain was quickly put back when I measured the leg width (same as trousers).  The trousers were taken apart, pattern laid on top..... and no way was it going to work

Balmain vs Shaeffer

Shaeffer pattern

Plan B was to draft a trouser block and adapt to the Shaeffer..... and it was still not going to work, but the trouser block fitted on the trousers fine, so I laid the block over and chalked the seam allowances and widened the leg of the block on the fabric (I was getting a bit tired or tracing and figured I would just go for it).  Ultimately I did the simplest which was a basic re-cut using my pattern, and a resew in the same way of the originals.

It was a straightforward sew, but done over a few days which also allowed the wool fabric to rest in-between..  I was in two minds to replace the belt loops but decided to leave as is - as I thought them a bit fussy.  So five years on..............I have a rather nice pair of slacks! (and I know I will wear them lots as I have already....)





And I had to check the length of this sweater from last year with them as I have another sweater remake (blue) which I may do a similar job on.....

use it or lose it - trousers to Astoria top

I have started this month with a tidy up.... of everywhere..... and trying to figure what to do next.

I did a check (again) of all fabrics and charity shop buys..... to figure a plan.
The plan is start using these up or donate back to the charity shop, which means to get trying the patterns I keep meaning to 'try out' and to stop shelving other projects to the back of the queue.

My sewing has taken a slow down due  I had pretty much stopped buying at charity shops some time back, as I found I was getting more than I could sew and was borderline hoarding!   My sewing slowed down a bit for a few reasons

• was busy making the dance dress
• I seem to have sufficient in my wardrobe (yup seriously and I love my new makes)
• my soon to be grey hair has me wondering on whether is is worth making anything in yellow (my hair is currently in transition, with graduated roots in thanks to thoughtful cut by hairdresser kept it looking okay till christmas -however the roots are now just plain half and half)

the trousers

I bought these purple trousers sometime in the summer - for some reason on that day I bought three purple items from the euro rail and have yet to use them.  They are a 2 way stretch (barely) and a size 16 polyester.  I had thought to try a draft a pattern for a sleeveless shift, but then thought I could try the astoria pattern from Seamwork, and hope the fabric would work.  I had wanted to try this pattern for a while as there are some lovely results online (this being one)

the layout

As it turned out, there was enough fabric for the full sleeve (I thought I would have to do a two part sleeve)  All other pieces did have to be seamed!  I left the creases in place for the cut as they were my straight grain guide, and I ironed them flat with vinegar solution after cutting and left them to rest overnight.

The astoria is a one-hour sew, which would be right, except for I sewed a sleeve in wrong side out which I am part blaming on the shocking amount of Italian sweets I have been gorging....




















The top is nicely fitted.  I find it slightly too fitted for what I wear but this is also probably due to the fabric is not a 4 way stretch (its not a great 2 way stretch either).   I am glad to have it as reference for a cardigan I am going to upcycle as the sleeve fitting of the Astoria is really lovely, it sits just right, so I am hoping it will work for a slightly thicker knit/actual knit.

As I seemed to be on a bit of a go slow with crochet this January, I got some gumshoe books from the library - there were about 10 curse words in the book I just finished and some previous reader blacked out each one! strange........but even more unexpected was the first result back on a google search on 'defaced library books' (I was wondering if there was a actual term for it, and it turns out there is -  6 months...)
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/oct/14/joe-orton-defaced-library-books

Happy Christmas - with or without christmas jumper......

The Christmas jumper just wasn't going to happen - so I have decided to frog it.  Its a pity as the stitch finally worked out for a raglan, but its too bulky.  I may try the stitch again in the new year. 

 Meanwhile, I am thinking of making a swink , which has a knitted collar and cuff, and seeing as I just learned to knit a few weeks ago at the sew social.  My first knitting is below and the dropped stitches are where I was attempting purls...... and when I cast off I used a crochet hook.  Currently I am practicing some knitting before I start the sweater to make sure I can knit, as I am still unsure as what to do with dropped stitches and I certainly don't understand the book instruction! The second swatch is my second practice.  Half way up, I decided to try seed stitch and I am not sure what I did wrong yet, but I had to unravel that row and start some plains and purls to get used to knitting and to be able to recognise the stitch (still all looking the same to me!)

I started on another up-sew, of an old cardigan.  Its a primark from some years ago, and I used wear it in the summer, its incredibly thin, and has limited life left in it but I really like the colour, and remaking will extend the wearing of it.   I have to stitch down the neckline, and fix the hem yet.  It will be a rather light sweater.  I had to make the front from three pieces as taking the pockets off made some holes, and the ribbed panel at the front of the cardigan became the centre back of the back and the side panel in the front!  I used a basic jersey block and left the sleeve seam intact and just reattached the sleeve at the armhole.

I did manage to get my cards made and printed in time for international post dates.  When I used make my own cards first, I used make a lino or etched plate and print on the press (one year I even printed wrapping paper!), but in the last few years, I found the best cards were also the quick doodles/sketches I did in my notebook and since then, I do a drawing, scan and print..............

my favourite card done in the last few years is still this one..... (I  finished it in photoshop and I should have done it by hand) it reminds me of the ee cummings poem, I carry your heart in my heart

Merry Happy Christmas!

irish dance dress - how hard can it be

the backstory
So I am not too sure of the sequence of events, but somewhere in between my saying to my sister, Eithne, that making a dress had to be easier than replacing the skirt of last years costume (her first solo dress), and her saying that it was difficult to find a new dress for her daughter Donna (neither of them saw anything they liked in the secondhand dresses for sale), that the idea of me making the dress came into play, and both of us having the same attitude, how hard can it be..... 

Donna's taste in dresses is relatively restrained.  She seemed to admire certain styles, but equally shied away from actually wearing some she admired, and by a process of elimination we came up with a style she wanted, and the fabric was bought in July (I had a toile made in June).   Her taste is muted, and it was decided a one colour dress, a pure purple, and Donna wanted an opening on the front which was so fiddly to get even!  

I drew up some embroideries, as Donna doesn't like celtic knotwork, and I naively thought I could do it in free-motion embroidery.  I am using the word naive loosely as in truth, I had never done free-motion embroidery as such (I was going to hand embroider originally but all the dresses are machine done now).


So after doing the drawings, I digitised one (another story) and emailed it to a friend far away who has an industrial embroidery machine...... and then I saw how the hand drawn and the machine lines don't work so well together, my hand drawn 'smooth' curves, became rather scratchy looking, I retraced, but it was still slightly off so it was back to the beginning.  I really could not figure it out, and seemingly some dressmakers send the pieces off for embroidery and then make the dress, but I didn't even know how you would approach this, and who to send it to, and its now mid-September so I started looking at home embroidery machines.  This is the type of desperate aunt I am!

I ordered a machine in October, and  I got to start on the machine 3rd November and had roughly 8 days of sewing and embroidering (I work part time) to the 14th.  the first few evenings I went through the machine stitches and got a feel for the machine, and from then on it was 'dress dress dress', and the work room re organised to have a second table for cutting and second sewing machine, as well as the embroidery machine on the main table! 



Day 1 - Samples of patterns stitched out
Day 2 - More samples, and 1 skirt panel embroidered (later changed) 
Day 3 - Front bodice embroidered and began running out of thread, sourced thread and                                                ordered from Dublin to be posted down.
Day 4 - Back bodice embroidered  - but ran out of thread midway (so had to be ditched)  cut                                         linings, and prepped sleeves
Day 5 - Back bodice  and sleeves embroidered
Day 6 - Basted linings, bodice sewn, 1 new skirt panel embroidered
Day 7 - 2nd skirt panel embroidered, net skirt made. basted skirt to dress



The embroidery takes the longest time, after 'setting up' each skirt panels took about 4 hours each, and I also found out that it was better to have a more generous cut to each piece to keep the grains even while hooping.  I downloaded some digitised swirls and joined some to make up the design.  The brath design is also downloaded from urban threads. The embroidery machine is electronic which took some adjusting to, and I had a rather steep learning curve overall.


My sister and niece arrived for the fitting the following evening after work, and I sewed that evening and next morning, fixing the skirt, taking in the bodice (my niece is 12 so her measurements are changing fast!) adding more to the tutu underskirt, drafting and adding collar so they could leave the following day with the nearly finished dress to bring back as the 'bling' had to be bought and the dance teacher to see the dress, and we decided I would go up in a fortnight to help sew the bling.



The dance teacher liked the dress, and suggested HUGE stones to the front.  We had decided on lattices earlier on so my sister made a start on hand sewing that and by the time I arrived 2 weeks later, she had that done, and I started hemming the dress correctly (I had it tacked), and fixing the tutu (net underskirt) and we had Donna walking, hopping, dancing, to make sure the dress was moving correctly.

The large stones were glued in place then sewn, they are quite amazing as they are crystal so really catch the light.  My sister blinged the 'brath' (back cream panel which is held on with poppers) and its stunning as it has fushia and AB (Aurelia Borealis) crystals so it really pops (seriously, its like fairy lights), and then we put a small amount in the neck embroidery, as well as the sleeves, I can only take credit for the neck and sleeve placement and have now decided Eithne has a flair for the bling (I  am rather conservative I have now found out).

So...... its now done-ish, the tutu/underskirt needs an adjustment (extra layers) but that will be done after Christmas.  My niece is very happy with the dress and the dress was ready for the feis and she danced very well in it - and I am thinking of her next dress already!




the details

the dress took about 2 metres of duchese satin (I bought 3 metres, and had to cut an extra back panel and skirt panel), .25m cream gold satin for brath -the satin was so forgiving - only one tiny thread pull after countless rushed pinning and resewing.
the tutu (net underskirt) - 2 m of purple plain net, and 1.5m of shiny net although I now think it should have another layer which would be another .25 or .5 metre
the bodice lining - white handkerchief linen remnant from TWI
the pattern - 1960s ice-skating pattern - bodice used and adapted, sleeves,collar, and skirt own draft.

the machine

Few shops in Ireland sell embroidery machines, and getting to view one was a bother.  I went up to a shop in Dublin (and had phoned ahead) and they could only show me the machine but not demonstrate it (less said about that the better).  I bought my machine over the phone after talking to the Singer shop in Waterford, and although I wasn't able to visit the shop (v far away), they sell a good enough variety of brands for John (owner) to go though the pros and cons (and at this stage had watched shedloads on youtube).

Topaz 25, its probably the more basic Husqvarna embroidery, but it also had the biggest available hoop (280x150mm) in my budget.  I was able to join motifs to get a larger spread (ie front bodice), I still don't fancy my chances on doing a fully aligned border. It is also a sewing machine, and the only thing I didn't like sewing on it were darts.  There is a baste stitch on it which is a dream (which I used a lot, both to fix dress before fitting, and also to attach stabilizer pieces to the dress).  My Singer Excelle has not been put to one side though as I well prefer it for tailoring.

 the verdict........

It was as well in ways it was left as late as my nieces measurements changed a lot from June to September.  I am glad now I got an embroidery machine as its leading me to some other ideas and will expand my sewing.  At the time I felt a bit crazy buying it, but as some extra money came my way in September I justified it that way, that, future dance dresses and having a happy niece.


Donna got two sashes* in 'the big feis' - (as well as other trophys in ard grad), when the 'sash' awards are presented its a full on fanfare affair and at the end the competitors all have to put their cups in the air - and heres a photo of one!



* I am not very au-fait with the process but my sister explains it as similar to premier league, first division, second division etc in football, and that dancers start off as bun-grad (beginners/third division) and progress up to mean grad to ard grad(high grade/first division) and there is a process which I am not sure of which allows you to dance in the championship dance (premier division), which Donna is beginning to qualify for and if you place in these you get sashes...............