Burda Style May 2012

Friends,

Well well well, seems I forgot to show you my April picks !

Oh well, May more than makes up for my previous sloppiness !! There are some beauties this month.

Without further ado lets see some of what May has to offer. As always these are just my own picks.

I need ALL of these !

The source for all these lovely images can be found here

Love both the skirt AND the top. Gert Lush

I NEED THIS DRESS

Pretty gypsy style bodice on this dress. LOVE.

There are quite a few beauties in the May issue, but I will leave you to make the discoveries for yourself  :-)

I pretty much love this whole 'plus' collection, and really hope to gather up the courage to try and sew the middle dress up, it really is an absolute beaut, and would be very flattering I reckon !

There is no other news today, I have been too busy trying to study. I say trying as I don't seem to be able to muster up any motivation at the minute as my head is chock full with thoughts of sewing !    :-/

I hope you all have much more enthusiasm for whatever you are doing right now !  :-)

K xxx

I got the blues

Hello !

So, I snapped some pics of my latest make, let me introduce the 'I got the blues' skirt ! (BTW I don't have the blues, but I could not think of another natty title containing the word 'blue'     :-)

Drumroll please, its Frankenstein skirt version 5 ! (I REALLY  need to start sewing something different, but I wear these skirts pretty much every day).

Oh Dear
Another  'smug'   look
I cant help it !
I LOVE this skirt

I have inadvertently 'stash busted' in the making of this skirt, using a dark indigo denim with a bit of 'give' in it. I bought the fabric when I first started to sew clothing and bought FAR TOO MUCH. Like 5 meters or something else equally ridiculous. I have made this skirt, and a dress with it, and sill have enough to make the same again.

Thank god I learned how much fabric I actually need for a project, otherwise this sewing marlarky would have bankrupted me !

This skirt is much more tapered at the side seams than previous versions to give more of a classic pencil shape (with NO room to walk), and as such I had to add a vent. I used Sunni's excellent tutorial to add a vent to my un-vented pattern piece and I must say that I am super pleased with the result, but I think next time I may make a longer vent. I am such a hussy.

This vent helps
when I am trying to climb up
into the cab of my campervan

I did not line this denim in any way as it didn't need it. I also didn't pretty up the hem. This was a fast and dirty make. I even machine sewed in the zip.

I used a fabulous method, I basically used sellotape to mark out totally straight lines the same width apart from the zipper. Using these as a guide I top-stitched the zip on.

I did catch stitch the hem, but this type of hand sewing never feels a chore to me.

In other news I have not progressed with my pyjamas as I hate the fabric so ! I may look at them again in the next couple of days, but I am considering starting over and using cotton. In fact I am just sat here thinking brushed cotton now, rather than silk !

I hope you have all had a wonderful week so far.

I ask myself if I should be making another Frankenstein skirt - now where is that Babooshka fabric ?

Love,

K xxx

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Hello friends,

As promised I can FINALLY show you some pics of my recent addition to the Frankenstein skirt collection. I think this may be version 4 ?! WOWSERS !!

I forewarn you that this post is picture heavy as I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE this skirt !

I don't think I could feel any more smug !

This was the curtain fabric I purchased with skirts on my mind; when Mr P saw it he wanted it for blinds ! But I could not be swayed ! I had a vision in my mind and this is my favourite make so far.

Working it !!
It is amazing what a difference clothes can make to a picture
I guess its cos this skirt makes me feel good
It actually makes me better friends with the camera !

The fabric really reminds me of the book 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar', it's such fun !

I have not added any vents or slits to these skirts so far, but that all changes in the next skirt I made, which I will share with you later. I used Sunni's tutorial to add a back vent and it worked like a dream. More on that another time.

I only had a remnant of this apple fabric, and as you can see there are large apples on the fabric. Friends I did not wish to look like Eve with an apply lady garden and neither did I want 2 big apples, one planted smack bang in the middle of each butt cheek !

This was an exercise in careful pattern placement with limited fabric, and an exercise which I feel was successful !  Yay !

No big red backside
YAY !

I cant tell you how pleased I am with this skirt, and it fits a dream.
Each time I have Frankensteined the pattern a little more, and now I have it exactly as I like it !

Channelling my inner Clint Eastwood

I even like it sans cardigan ! And boy is that is saying something for me !!

Braver....
but slightly more chilly !

As usual I underlined the skirt, and prettied up the inside...

Unfortunately I did not wash the trim before application
it slightly shrank in the wash
Lesson learned

And I used my favourite hand picked insertion of the zipper.

This looks more obvious in the photo than in real life.

So, as you can probably tell I am overjoyed with my new skirt !


I cant tell you how many people have asked where I got this skirt from ! Ha ! Take that mass production !

In other news Mr P's brother and his wife just had a babba and we are off to visit tomorrow ! Yay ! I cant wait to meet her.

Happy Saturday people,

Love

K xxx

Amsterdam part 2

Mr P and I recently returned to Amsterdam for the 'Little Dragon' concert, I really love Amsterdam, it is such a pretty place.



Say Cheese !





Pretty non ?

I love all of the street art that you can find while out and about.

Street Art 1

Street Art 2



Street Art 3
But I also love nerds !

One for the sewers.
The shop keeper came out to see what I was snapping !

We all know my love for pretty bikes by now !

Mr P and me !

In other news I am hoping to start on a dress tonight - but it will just be tracing - and sizing up the pattern tonight. I know that loads of sewers hate the tracing part, but I actually quite like it !

Also, is it wrong to make a 2 tone dress ? I would like to use white cotton for the bodice and green polka dot for the skirt. hmmmmmm

I wish you all a very happy Friday !  yippppeeeee !!!

K xxx

Little metal men

Friends,

I am working on my PJ's for the pyjama party but work has stopped.........

I Officially hate working with silk charmeuse !

I will try again when I feel a little more friendly toward it  :-)

I see these little fellers on my work to work on a Friday - they are just on the corner of a very unassuming  road, and gave me quite a start the first time I saw them but I totally love them !

I love their burnished look

Totally awesome

How cool is this vista ?
Maybe I should take my outfit snaps in with them !

Renfrew Giveaway Winner (and Jackie's cakes)

Hello people

The random generator has spoken and Andrea B - you won ! Yay !

I have mailed you to get your address, please let me know if you didn't get it.

Sorry I could not let you all have a copy  :-((

To make up here are a few recent 'Jackies cakes' to take away the sting. ) I know there are loads, but you are worth it !  :-)

I was not in first on this day

Nor this

So pretty ! I feel loved !

HA ! First in on this day.
See how they all lay there
Pristine

Green cakes !
WOWWEEEEE !!

Pretty butterflies
dont fly away

What a sweetie
Pretty and delicious

Love these ones !
They look like sky !

I still have not snapped any pictures for my 2 new skirts, but I will do so soon as ! (I just hate having my picture taken - URGH !)

I am going to start on a dress this weekend and feel very excited to deal with all my wonderful fitting issues. NOT  ;-)) However I will be pleased to make something other than a skirt (although I have a few more version lined up in my head !)

I hope you are all having a wonderful week so far,

K xxx

Oh oh babooshka babooshka babooshka ayeai (and a Flock of Seagulls)

So friends,

Check out this fabric I was lusting after for weeks after seeing it in Tiverton Heathcotes. Of course it played me so much I had to go back and get it !

I think, shock horror, that I will make a skirt with it.

Oh man I LOVE this !!
Its a little worrying that I am addicted to novelty prints.
Especially as I live in a very small place.
I wonder if locals refer to me as the
Crazy curtain fabric wearing lady !

I am a little worried that I appear to be making the majority of my clothing form curtain fabric. I guess when the fabric is as fabulous as this it does not really matter.  :-)

I also scored these, the first was an eBay gem, almost 5 meters of Laura Ashley cotton lawn for no more than £18 !! Bargain ! It feels so nice and I am desperate to turn it into a beautiful dress.

I also bought a meter of this large green polka dot - but I wish I had bought more as I think it would be lovely made into a dress. That will learn me for just buying fabric willy nilly with no real plan !

Its funny as I bought some fabric a couple of weeks ago (curtain fabric of course) which I specifically bought to make a skirt (which I hope to show you tomorrow). When I got it home Mr P wanted the fabric to be  made into a blind, but friends I could not part with it as I had seen the skirt in my mind and I had to have it.
Mr P wanted me to score some more of THE SAME fabric to make into a blind but no way can I be blending into the soft furnishings when I am cooking in the kitchen ! The shame !

So I promised I would get something better to make into a blind  :-)

And I think I got the perfect stuff (and Mr P agreed that THIS fabric was much better and fitted in with the colour scheme (cream units, white walls). Everyone was happy !!  :-)

This style of drawing is straight out of the Roald Dahl books

I LOVE the seagulls !

I absolutely ADORE this fabric and cant wait to see it made up into the blind (I just have to find the time to make it!)

I went through all my patterns last night trying to identify what I want to make next and I can happily say that I did choose 5 (out of around 50 !!!  OMG when did I get a pattern addiction - somebody PLEASE stop me !) that I hope to make up over the next few months.

I did manage to find my pyjama pattern  -  phew  -  and I have some plans to sew them up with silk from my stash (stash bustin' YAY!). I have never worked with silk and thought I would try it first with something easy to sew with few curves. I am hoping that I wont hate it and can make a beautiful silk dress. Cans of spray starch at the ready !

Well, that's me done, I hope you all have a wonderful Saturday ! I am hoping to take snaps of my 2 recent makes to share with you either today or tomorrow, I cant tell you how happy I am with how they turned out !

Dont forget to enter my Renfrew pattern give-away here.

Also the delightful Ginger is hosting a Colette pattern give-away of your choice over at her place. How generous ! (I would have been in but I already scored me ALL 3 of the new patterns, I have no self control and am truly disgusting !).

Namaste

K xxx

Renfrew Giveaway !

Hello party people

So, I hope you have all had a cracking week thus far ? Sorry I didn't get back to you at the weekend, I finished my latest project (another skirt !) and decided to crack straight on with another.  :-)    I should rename this blog

'A thousand skirts, one pattern'

Well, I have made each version slightly different from the last, adjusting the pattern each time, so I guess its ok to keep churning out the skirts?  My latest version is a tightly fitted indigo stretch denim number with a back vent (Thanks Sunni). I will share these 2 new makes with you, once I can get some pictures snapped (oh god, not more photos of me ! Bleaugh !)

It seems I am not the only person who has greedily sewn up 2 items at once ! Check out the lovely Gail and the 2 beauties she sewed up this week !

So - on to my belated blog giveaway.

Because I love you all so much I am giving away one copy of the Sewaholic RENFREW top.

You can see Tasia's here   :-)  she is just as cute as a button !

source

Friends, I have seen so many of these made up in blogland, it really does look very nice made up, and you can make it look so different ! I think my favourite version is Lladybirds, I DIE

source

All you need to do top be in with a chance is leave a comment, and provide your contact details if there is no link back to you. And, as I am feeling like summer is on its way and its time to fire up the BBQ I would love to hear your cocktail recommendations ! both non and alcoholic (the cocktail bit is not obligatory to enter, I am just NOSY !!) The winner will of course be selected at random. It would be nice if you followed my blog, but of course, this is not essential !

Closing date for entry is 18th April, 4pm UK time, and I am happy to ship anywhere on this planet (as long as it is possible !)

In other news I am going to join in the pyjama party over at Karen's place - are you ?

Big loves

K xxx

Been a long time

Hello friends,

Happy Easter !

Well, it has been some time since I last wrote on my blog - but I find I have no free time around the time that I have an assignment to submit (I am doing a Science Open University Degree). I have just submitted my first assignment of the year, only 6 more to go ! Boo !

I always find that I am more of a sometime seamstress from March until October as I am always so busy with studying, I shall be pleased to finish my degree for sure ! I have also been taking advantage of the slightly sunnier weather to get my garden all ready for sitting in as once the clocks have gone forward I like to be outside as much as possible, and I have managed to catch quite the tan !

I had a project all lined up for this bank holiday weekend, Simplicity 2451, a lovely skirt of which I have seen many lovely versions sewn up on the blogisphere, but when my pattern arrived on Thursday I saw that I had ordered the wrong size ! DOH !!

I am trying to branch out from Frankenstein skirts and wanted to make a dress this weekend, but the bodice muslin looks awful, so I think I may have to rethink my next project.

I have been making though... and will share with you a little later. I have also been busy making home made bias tape (without a bias tape maker - it's easy using an ironing board and a pin !) and have made and dismantled a second Sencha (after I played around with the neckline until I actually HATED it !). So although I have been quiet, I have been busy !

So, I will share with you a little later today some recent makes, and I also want to wish my blog a happy belated first birthday !!  YAY - so call back a little later and I will have a little give away for you  :-)

I have been keeping up with all of your blogs, my word you have been a bunch of busy bees ! You lot keep me sane when it seems I have no time to do anything artistic, and so for that I want to thank you !

Happy Saturday people,

K xxx