Category: Sewing Patterns | Broad in the seams

June 16, 2019June 16, 2019

Amarante double gauze Montrose

This gorgeous double gauze, ‘Stardust Amarante’, came from Miss Maude in New Zealand’s North Island and its usage in combination with the Montrose is entirely inspired by/plagiarised from Plum Kitchen who made this exact top in the mustard colourway (she actually has tonnes of inspiring Montrose tops (and other clothes), you should definitely check out her blog).

I actually sewed this top up before I sewed up the cloud rayon A-line Montrose Hack, so this top has the lengthened arms (but not as lengthened as the rayon version) and front and back facings, but doesn’t have the extra width through the hips.

I also took the opportunity to use this cute pink ‘Sewing is sexy‘ label from Kylie and the Machine, since red & pink is a great match!

Size Details: I use the C/D cup bodice in a size 20, grading out to size 22 at the hips. I’m also using the Full Bicep sleeve, with extended length.

June 9, 2019June 9, 2019

Cloudy weather Cashmerette Montrose hack

The latest Cashmerette Montrose in a wardrobe that already has a decent amount of Cashmerette Montrose tops: I’ve lengthened the sleeves, made the body more ‘A-line’, drafted facings for the front and back necklines and tested it all out in this cloud-print rayon from Drapers Fabrics.

I used the Cashmerette Harrison sleeve as a template to increase the length of my Montrose to bracelet length. Because I usually cover my tattoos at work (depending on who I’ll be seeing), it’s nice to have the option of not wearing a sweater because my top is long enough!

The facing of the Peppermint Ruffle Sleeve Top ensured a tidy finish to the neckline (I’ve made this version and this version). I’ve found the facing is quicker to apply than bias binding as well as being neater and since it gets attached to the arm holes, the facing shouldn’t up and out of the neck hole!

Following Emily from In The Folds’ instructions on how to draft an all-in-facing, these facings were a cinch. I’ve always hated finishing my Montrose necklines with bias binding. It’s one of my least favourite activities and strikes me as being a bit of a ‘cop out’ finishing.

Size details: In addition to lengthening the sleeves I redrew the sideseams so that they were straight but angled out (like an A-line dress). I use the C/D cup bodice in a size 20, grading out to size 22 at the hips, but my redrawn sideseams added some width at the hip. I’m also using the Full Bicep sleeve, with extended length.

June 8, 2019June 9, 2019

Peppermint Magazine Wrap Skirt in Wool

When I got my current job, I treated myself to a couple of different wool coatings from Fabric Vision as a celebration.

Since it has been so cold here (and especially cold in my office) recently I decided that I definitely needed a wool skirt to combat our cold temperatures. I loved the Peppermint Magazine Wrap Skirt when it was released, but I’ll be waiting quite a while to wear a linen skirt…

Inspired in part by The Betty Wrap Skirt from Alice Alexander, I decided that a wrap skirt might well be a good look for me, and wearing a glorified woolen blanket around the office would certainly make me warmer!

Size details: I made the largest size available which is meant for a 54″ hip and I have between 52″-59″hip depending what’s going on. I omitted the french seams, which I think may have given me a bit of extra room. The wrap portion is very generous and I’m in no danger of flashing anyone at any time. I made the hem much larger than indicated, I like the wide hem at the bottom but it’s not my tidiest work so I might fix it in the coming week.

Obviously I finished the skirt off with one of my labels from Kylie And The Machine, which I feel elevates things when I maybe haven’t done the tidiest finishing! So, I suppose putting a label on it maybe hides some flaws and also promises that next time it’ll probably be tidier, making this skirt ‘one of a kind’

May 4, 2019May 4, 2019

A woolly Cashmerette Montrose Top

Ever since I saw this glorious sweater/top from Alice Alexander Co (a company I’m just a touch obsessed with) I’ve been a little bit obsessed with the idea of a non-stretch woolen top/sweater. I’ve pinned a lot of inspiration to my ‘boiled wool sweater’ pinterest board and taken numerous inspirational screenshots.

I consulted the instagram hive mind a few days ago and was flooded with recommendations and folks sending me pictures of their own non-stretch wool sweaters and was totally inspired to jump into action!

I made this sweater from my Cashmerette Montrose Top pattern and hacked the pattern quite a bit but totally unprofessionally to get to this long-sleeve box!

Cashmerette Montrose Boiled Wool Sweater

I didn’t want to buy a new pattern and I wanted something I already knew fit, and since I’m obsessed with the Montrose Full Bicep sleeve,
I very haphazardly used the top half of that and joined it on to the bottom half of the Harrison Shirt Sleeve (sans cuff piece). The sleeve is in two parts- mostly because I think it looks cool and also for pattern tetris and cutting ease.

Size details: I sewed the C/D cup bodice in a size 20, and since I knew I wanted a very boxy look and split side seams, I cut straight down from the underarm seam on both the front and back bodice pieces. When sewing up the top, I sewed only a seam rippers length down from the underarm seam (very scientific).

Since I cut the top part of the front bodice in two pieces, I decided to add some decorative top stitching along the seams there, and also on the arm seams. I left the bottom hem unfinished, but I think I’ll go back and add some similar top stitching to a largeish hem down there too!
I did a bit of a messy job with my bias binding neckline, I thought that this ‘Perfectly Imperfect’ label from Kylie and the Machine was an excellent match!

May 3, 2019May 3, 2019

All Well Bucket Bag & Pear Pouch Hacked

I’ve been working on sewing up two almost identical Mini All Well Bucket Bags for some cute young relatives that we’ll call French nieces for the sake of ease. I used these adorable ‘Ta-Da’ labels from Kylie and the Machine because I hope those will span the language barrier and improvised a way to line the bags (I’d change some things next time).

I used some of the leftover fabric Llama (or are they Alpacas?) fabric to make little zipper pouches for the girls using Sarah Kirsten’s free Pear Pouch pattern but I simply skipped the step at the end that creates the cute base that her pouches stand on, so these are basically just lined (in the same fabric as the bucket bags, naturally), french seamed pouches.

I also used this tutorial from Sarah Kirsten on sewing cute fabric covers over the ends of my zippers instead of the method outlined in the Pear Pouch instructions. A lot of people got Pear Pouches from me for Christmas (because it’s a great way to use up leftover fabric & I was especially poor at the time), so since I’ve made at least 10 Pear Pouches, I think I can wholeheartedly recommend the pattern!

These little bags and pouches will be heading off to France on Monday (after a bit of time with the iron), and I hope they’ll amuse the kids at least!