Deep Purple Drape and Floral Skirt

Deep Purple Drape and Floral Skirt, originally uploaded by fmirela.

Blouse Fabric: Rayon Jersey
Blouse Pattern: Burda WOF Magazine 10/1998

The same pattern all over again… for the drape neckline top. I’ve also sewn this pattern recently in a jersey wool, green and the gray one awaits hems.

Skirt Fabric: Cotton poplin with cross grain stretch with floral pattern from JoAnns
Pattern: Burda WOF Magazine 02/2008

I simplified the skirt pattern by removing the waist bands. Nice pattern for a simple pencil skirt.

I added lace under the hem line and hand stitched the hem.

I also added a ribbon (folded over the raw edge) for the front and back facings.

I used an invisible zipper on the side.

I turned the overlocked edges of the side seams towards the inside and sewn over.

Green Fleece

 

Green Fleece, originally uploaded by fmirela.

Fabric: Polartec PowerDry found at fashion fabrics club
Pattern: Burda 12/1997 – modified from a Dress, kept the top part, removed the darts added the zipper.

Photo taken on anniversary trip to Zion National Park.

Dance for Rain

 

Dance for Rain, originally uploaded by fmirela.

UV protective synthetic fabric. Really keeps me cool

Pattern: Burda WOF Magazine 08/2007. Love it!

I used pearl snaps on this one.

What is it?!

Hem, originally uploaded by fmirela.

It is my coat, or bits of my coat for the BurdaStyle Book. I hope I’m not showing too much, just the details of the stitching that went into it in 5 days. Actually a day and 4 evenings.

Back vent and hem details

Lining Pleat detail

Hanger chain

Hem facing

I did read a lot before sewing this coat, I posted some of the links already, but just to keep it next to the photo so I’ll know what to do next time.

Nameless tutorial 2 shows how the hem facing is done: http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/nameless_tutorial_2/

http://tanysewsandknits.blogspot.com/2007/12/o-casaco-leopardo-finalmente-finally.html

Have a look at Tany’s lining next to back facing and hem facing and lining.

Back vent and hem – should have sewn the hem by hand a little looser, I think I can see the sewing from the right side…

Piping and snaps

I made the piping myself and it is one quick and easy project: http://mirelap.wordpress.com/2010/07/14/seeeeewing/

Belt – I have to admit I’m not proud of this one…meaning, I would have liked to find some cool belt bucket or do some leather macrame, something special…oh well..

Sleeves in this pattern were too short for me, problem solved thanks to the cuffs:

Puffy sleeves:

Note to self: Leave a lot more hem allowance on the sleeves! Lot: like 15 cm more. When I added the shoulders, the sleeves got shorted with the thickness of the shoulder…Lucky my design called for cuffs, lucky I made them big.

All about sleeve-heads: http://thesewingdivas.wordpress.com/2008/10/09/sleeve-heads/

All about shoulder pads: http://tanysewsandknits.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2008-02-14T01:04:00Z&max-results=7

After all, I ended up buying mine, time was of the essence.

Hope there images do not give away too much and the design will still be saved for the book!

Next coat

I really like how the BurdaStyle book coat ended up. It has a somewhat military trench coat feel.

It was finished last Friday and I’ll get another chance to see it again on Monday before it is off for 18 months at BurdaStyle.

I don’t think I’m allowed to post pictures of the finished product or the sketches, so you will have to wait for the Book and it is a long wait till fall 2011. I totally think it will be worth the wait. Designers working on these projects are from 15 different countries and I’m sure every creation will be very unique. Plus the book will give everyone the opportunity to alter the patterns and recreate the designs.

I have learned/remembered a lot about sewing coats. Next time I will do all the couture touches, like in the Vogue book and next coats will be a little bit more feminine.

Armani put out an extraordinary wearable collection for fall 2010, and a lot of the colors are muted beige and creamy colors, but the cut is everything.

The latest Vogue Magazine has a page describing Beige as not being so boring when paired up with leopard print or bold colors like Red, Green or Purple (not all at once).

Who else is sewing for the book?

Coat:

http://ancien-nouveau.blogspot.com/2010/06/burdastyle-book.html

Becky: http://sew-and-so.blogspot.com/2010/07/burdastyle-book-project-part-2-mmmmm.html

Elaine: http://selfishseamstress.wordpress.com/2010/07/02/burdastyle-book-excitement-and-apprehension/

Lily: http://mirth-thehouseof.blogspot.com/

Haruna: http://netfet.blogspot.com/2010/07/burdastyle-book-work-in-progress.html

Angela Atkin: http://sewithought.com/?p=242

Blouse:

Novita: http://verypurpleperson.com/2010/06/a-busy-week-and-burdastyle-book.html

AnaJan: http://anajankovic.blogspot.com/

oonaballoona: http://oonaballoona.blogspot.com/

Julietta : http://sewionista.blogspot.com/

Dress:

CreativeMama: http://adithisammasews.blogspot.com/2010/07/excited-to-be-part-of-burdastyle-book.html

Liz: http://elily00.wordpress.com/2010/06/30/my-other-news/

Bag:

http://vivatveritas.blogspot.com/2010/07/burdastyle-book.html

Sundara: http://www.etsy.com/shop/sundarastudio

Skirt

NikkiShell: http://nikkishell.typepad.com/nikkishell/2010/07/burdastyle-book.html

?

Melissa: http://www.fehrtrade.com/article/356/knipmode-summer-2010-roundup

Casey: http://blog.caseybrowndesigns.com/

Roarah: http://orchidsinmay.typepad.com/orchids-in-may/2010/07/burdastyle-book-.html

http://www.petitcitron.com/blog/

Did I miss someone? I’d like to hear who else is sewing for the book.

Zero Waste

I always try to place the patterns differently than the pattern instructions, in order to use less fabric and maybe squeeze in another top or skirt or even a belt in there.
Remember my angels blouse with all the little cut out angles reapplied to the fabric?

But check out this wonderful design for a jacket with ZERO waste: http://issuu.com/foyacollective/docs/precarious_cut_workbook

And Oh!: http://issuu.com/foyacollective/docs/wolf_sheep_workbook

What do you do with all the scraps? I have a drawer full with scrap and I don’t quilt…at least not yet.

The view

The view, originally uploaded by fmirela.

I’m moving out of the place all together on Tuesday…will surely miss that view.

Here’s what I have been up to in June, a somewhat productive month:

Ellinor pattern from BurdaStyle: www.burdastyle.com/projects/ellinor

The knotted top:

Another green T-Shirt with pearl snaps, in Lacoste fabric. Wondering whether to put the iron on transfer with the Grand Tetons or just live it as is….

Pattern: M-Patterns…disappointing. I’m really not pleased with the way this turned out, I don’t like the finishing on it, nor the fit…will probably just use this for the gym or a bike ride

A strange one this time in Lacoste fabrics purple and green, some flowers iron on applique. the neckline is tooo low, i will probably add another green ribbon around it. I’m not sure I like this shape…

La Mia Boutique T shirt. I adore the pattern. A friend sewn a similar top ages ago, in brown lycra and I decided there and then to make one, or two as well. It did take me a long time, but I will probably reuse this pattern more often now. I think this looks great as a sportish look, but it could also be more elegant in a different pattern and under a cute jacket.

Yellow Drape Top

Yellow Drape Top, originally uploaded by fmirela.

Pattern: Burda WOF 10/1998

My favorite pattern for drapy fabrics again and again. Not much to say really, a simple fast serger project. Not a stitch done on the sewing machine, everything in this one is serger, so speed. Simple cut, drapy fabric, 15 minutes cutting out and about an hour of sewing.

Here are some details so you can see the fabric. My mom got this for me in that little dusty Italian fabric shop back home in Cluj, Romania.

The drape at the neckline:

The coverstitch hem:

Stripes

Stripes, originally uploaded by fmirela.

I’ve made the pattern for the top I’m wearing as simple as possible and really gave thought to the stripes on the fabric, wanted to align the teal line with the waist line.

So this is a simple T shaped top with a fitted waist and sort of a 70′s feel in the cut and 80′s in the print. I keep meaning to scan the pattern and share it on BurdaStyle…maybe one day…

The top on the dress form is finished and there is another one I’ve made already in the same fabric, pictures pending.

White Wrap Shirt

White Shirt, originally uploaded by fmirela.

Pattern: Burda 02/2009

The exclusive design from Tristano Onofri
Fabric: sheer cotton/poly

This is a sheer paisley fabric, so I underlined the front wrapped pieces with the same fabric.

The blouse has a side invisible zipper and a false ribbon bow.

The back neckline and the sleeves’ hem are gathered by sewing with elastic thread in the lower bobbin, using a longer stitch step (4mm). Sew two double parallel lines with the elastic about 5mm apart, then pull on the elastic ends to achieve the desired gathering length and securely tie the elastic and the thread in a few knots.
I like to wear this with an embroidered cami underneath, not only because of the sheerness of the fabric, but also because the wrap is very revealing especially when I move…I love the look of wrap blouses and dresses, but one would need to really fill them so they would stay close to the body…me…I get a cami.