Hi everyone!!

Lately I started a project I called « hell in thread » because of the crazy hours I spent on hand stitching. Well at least at first step, then it got other beautiful nicknames haha!

This is the second article I write about it, here is the first one, about the pattern and adjustments.

I started with the structural process, I chose the second option (B) in the following drawings,  from the awesome website stiff collar. The shoulder is formed with a rounded piece of structural fabric.

So,  first of all, I sewed the inside pocket. This is the first step of building a piped pocket :)

Structure

Then; here is the assembled inside structure :

Theses layers are sewn on the outside fabric along the outside edge.

Details!

I rubbed pure bees wax on the thread so it wouldn’t « curl » and create annoying knots during the process :)

Here is the purpose of the rounded shape of the piece on the shoulder : to create a « bump » that will accompany the shoulder-chest.

The collar :

I hand stitched the structural fabric on the outside fabric, with the collar folded in its final position, so it may be its « natural » position.

Then I added a black tape on the edges to reinforce them (red line on the previous « stiff collar » drawings), and another along the folding line of the collar (blue strip on the drawings).

(red thread is tacking stitches ;) )

Tapes are also hand stitched :)

both sides finished!

The upper collar : hand stitched and also reinforced in corners.

then gathered the  under collar to the jacket.

and then the upper collar on the under collar!

Sorry for the bad light quality, it was late! Haha ^^

The wrists

I processed to reinforce the wrist and build them

It’s all for now,

see you soon for the « Nothing too good for my baby – part 4 »: The lining of my darling’s jacket!

Thanks for reading!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSN3lvacC8s

Hello everyone!

here is one of my last projects.

I had in my pattern stock a midcentury style dress I wanted to make for a long time.

It’s a Butterick but the enveloppe is not in a good shape and the number is unreadable…

It’s a simple straight dress with outside pocketswith just enough details to make it perfect for me :)

I really like the collar shaped like a star (or little trangles in a bigger one if you prefer haha!).

The pockets have the same detail too.

I chose a beige crepe fabric, very light and fluid. I hesitated a while to add a lining inside (the fabric is slightly transparent). But I often wear « under dresses » so I chose the fastest and easiest way haha!

Here’s the beast!

I still hesitate about narrowing the skirt. In fact I had to reduce the whole dress (it was two sizes bigger than mine)

  And the collar! Yey!

 ZOOM!

And strangely, this was really not so hard to do properly! I even didn’t scream at anytime making it, and kept completely calm!! And believe me this is really rare! Haha!! (sewing, a true love/hate story ^^)

I added a little »mid century moden » detail : a little atomic star :) (it’ not visible on the previous photos because of the lack of light and the huge contrast on the photo :s

Oh and a little zoom on one on the pocket. They are a little bigger than the skirt so they « pop out » of it :) It’s a strange finition to me but well I got used to it.

We try to take pictures seriously, we really do, I swear! :p

Thanks for reading!! 

Hello everybody!

Today I am going to present you one of my latest projects : One that makes me feel like a 1940s detective. (Don’t ask me why, it’s only the strange first feeling I got about it haha! )

Tadaaaa!!    My 40s « detective-secretary » outfit!!

This outfit is composed by a silk shirt and a long skirt.

The shirt is made out of a silky fabric  I can’t find the pattern in my stuff, I’m sorry.!

Inside french seams finishing :) . I really love the delicate feather pattern. It appears with movement and light.

(Sorry, poor quality pictures because of the low brightness level of my appartment lights)

The collar itselfoffers a special feature : I can make a knot with the « extended pieces of collar » (I don’t know what’s the english term for these things :) ) , or I can just leave them, or put them inside the shirt. One shirt, three different ways to wear it! :)

And then comes the skirt, made with a heavy black fabric!

it comes from this pattern, and is a charm to sew! Very easy and fast sewing!!

Pattern Mc Call 7488

Finally, with this outfit you can have fun pretending to be an actress in a 1940s thriller movie!! haha!

Thank you all for reading, see you soon!

(Thanks babe for all the pictures :) )

And as many crimes occure at midnight, I leave you with a great song of a great artist about a « lonely moon » to close this post :)

I am so sorry I have posted nothing for so long… I had a very busy summer and had no time to stop and take pictures, write a post etc….

BUT

A new one is coming soon, and the outfit inspired me a little picture…. Suspens!!!!!

See you soon! :)

Hey there!

Today, I am going to show you another project for my beloved boyfriend : I wanted to reward him for his first month without cigarette! I’m so proud of him! Congratulations babe!!!

The 1950s style guitar strap!

The fact is that he is a singer in a rythm and blues/rockabilly/doo wop band, and really love the old school sound. Don’t hesitate to check out their website if you enjoy this great music too! :

 However, nowadays he hasn’t got an enough vintage looking guitar strap.

Héhé no problem : his girlfriend is going to solve this problem!

I got inspirations from old pictures of rock’n’roll artists. They had very thin leather straps, with sometimes a pad to protect the shoulder.

Mr Hank Williams :

Mr Johnny Cash :

Mr Chuck Berry :

Mr Buddy Holly :

And here is the kind of things you can find on the internet :

Not really personal, and the pad doesn’t look very confortable…

So, I chose a fake used-looking leather (I don’t like the use of real leather, just as real fur)

And I added a big amount of fleece inside the shoulder pad, so my honey’s shoulder would be well protected! I used a simple  black fabric to make the other face. Here’s the exploded sandwich :

The strap :

This is 2cm wide. I reinforced the fake leather with interfacing.

Then I realised the structure with a strong ribbon of « gros grain » because, as you can see bellow, my baby is definitely not a calm person on stage haha!!!

I used a recycled belt buccle from an old hand bag to finish the strap. Every holes are reinforced with zigzag stitches?

And finally, I wanted to add something a little bit more personal on it. I eventually chose to simply embroid his initials on it, « EG ».I used my usual sewing machine, ajusted the stitches to get the widht I wanted, and made the finitions with hand sewing :).  I am a little proud of this first embroidery, which didn’t turn as bad as I thought it would! hehe!! :)

Hello!

I would like to present one of my latest project : The Waikiki dress!

I made it with a printed coton I found on a fabric website

Doesn’t it look like it comes from the 40s? And it was at sale price : only 10€/3meters!!! I feel really lucky sometimes haha!

When I found it I immediately got those lovely 40s-50s pictures popping in my head :

I looked through ebay and etsy to find the perfect sarong dress pattern. And I was really surprised when I saw the results. Especially this one, the Butterick 6056 which is sold between 100 and 225€ !!!!! Seriously? 225€ for a pattern ??

WHY??

It doesn’t look like using complex technics. Maybe it is rare, but this is definitely a crazy price for a pattern to me!!

So, I chose to look through the patterns I have, and tried to make my own.

I finally used this top pattern (the black one) :

And this straight skirt pattern.

The skirt was from a plus size pattern, so I had to resize it to fit me. And I changed the straps and joined them behind the neck. These were really easy to make, even with the alterations. Although I changed it a lot, I think the waist is still a little too wide. But I was afraid it wouldn’t be confortable if it was too close to my size, as the cotton is not elastic at all.

A few details :

As you can see, I am really happy with this dress haha!!

I can’t wait to wear it and dance with it in a concert!!

Thanks for reading!

And see you soon, I have many other projects to show you!!  And a big one on the go!!