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Occasionally it seems that world is in pure chaos with nothing making sense, but that doesn't matter as long as I can sew. Sewing is a form of art, or at the very least creativity, and a form of expression. A great outlet for the tension of everyday life. Also you can make cute things. The craft revolution is truly taking place, old skills are being revived by a new generation, but with a seriously modern twist.

I've made Mario pillow cases, a giraffe print background, and turned duvet covers into summer dresses. I enjoy making something unique, special, and me- then I like wearing it and watching it fall to pieces or not fit properly. Then I enjoy (slightly less) fixing it.

One day I shall have a room filled with glorious fabrics and boxes of notions, and on that day I will have found my nirvana. But until then this blog will exist as my virtual haberdashery and sewing room. Hopefully you'll enjoy looking at my creations as much as I enjoy looking at other blogs, and you'll be inspire to make something of your own.

Saturday 26 December 2009

Let's Wrap!

I speak of course of a wrap-skirt.

Alright, it wasn't the first thing I made...that was a dress made from a pattern, with browny-purpley material, that ended up looking like a browny-purpley sack with arm holes.  Although unwearable it made me quite proud and I was undeterred, even motivated perhaps.  I had thought that as a novice using a pattern would be helpful but it turns out that, while the lines to cut around are kind of obvious, there are lots of squigglies all over that make certain parts incomprehensible.  Not incomprehensible like reading a book in french and you know the page has meaning but you need to translate it, but rather so unexplained and alien that you don't even register that there is meaning let alone seek to find it, let alone find it.

And so I set aside the pile of patterns patiently printed and glued together.  I picked up some rather nice chinese inspired material, blue on one side, orange the other with little flowers.  I cut a strip, a rather regular rectangle, and wrapped it around myself.  This would be the starting point for all my creations to follow (no tailors dummy you see, they are rather expensive).  It seemed like the most obvious enterprise to create a wrap-skirt. 

I had two weeks in the house by myself, having graduated form university, with no job, and parents on holiday.  I sat in the kitchen watching the Olympics, and while Michael Phelps produced modest achievements in his field (or pool, har har har) I created something to really be proud of.

I hemmed the material all the way around to make a neat rectangle.  I folded the top (the waist) over so that the orange side of the material now showed and created a band.  And that was that.  The hardest part was fastening on the buttons, and creating button holes.  I very sensibly put them on the underwrap (which is covered by the material when it wrapped over, basically I hid them).  They went wrong the first time, and the second but they were usable and unseeable so who cares.



The skirt was essentially completed.  However, being slight of waist and less slight of thigh, I found I needed to take in the waist to stop it slipping as I walked.  I folded the material at the sides, with the fold pointing into the skirt towards my body, so that when sewn it did not show on the outside.

The result was very pleasing, probably the best thing Ive made so far. And the easiest.  There's a lesson there. If only I knoew what it was.   Something to do with the American Male swim team I bet.  Sigh.

New Blog...at the Sewspot

It's all around the water cooler at the newly opened sew spot, a chance for me to discuss some of my sewed creations, and for you to listen, or rather read.

Around 18months ago I was given a sewing machine for my birthday by a relative who will remain nameless, (but there is really only one person who would buy you a sewing machine right?).  I didn't sew then so it seemed strange, but I had made a few cusion covers and decided to try something a little trickier than two squares sewed together in stright lines.

Ive subsequently made skirts, tops, dresses, bags, and some very unfortunate pajama trousers.  I love nothing more than visiting haberdasheries (doesn't everyone?), and buying materials, ribbons, buttons, and plenty of other things I have no need for and no where to put.

As well as wearing home made clothes, with all the benefits such as making something that really fits, picking exactly the material, styles, and colours you want, and feeling quite the princess when people raise an eye and ask 'oh, did you make that yourself?' (always a compliment, natch.) Its also made me more experimental about what I wear, developing my own style, and as a result where I shop.

I have a cute little bob hair cut now, and am on the look out for a little 30's hat, or possibly a jazzy headband.
I always photograph my creations, good and bad, and will upload and describe them as I go along.  So you can bask in my brilliance, and imitate to flatterate.  I go on burdastyle.com quite often to see images of other peoples creations and find them inspiring even if I don't like exactly what they've made I can tailor it to suit me.   Hopefuly I can do the same for other people.

p.s sorry about the url, I wanted something simpler but alas I was thwarted by the internet...