Lovely Liberty Christmas Ladies!

Merry belated Christmas and New Year!

We have been in Brisbane visiting my family and arrived back on the 30th of December. It was a whirlwind week, filled with eating, playing, drinking, nursing my new little niece and swimming.

And getting dressed up in new Liberty frocks! Well, for me and Little M anyway. I sewed us both a party frock made from Liberty Tana Lawn. Such lovely fabric. First, my frock:

I made the Sewaholic Lonsdale dress in blue 'Mitsi' Liberty Lawn. I made a muslin of the bodice only - and I'm glad I did as I had to make the following alterations:

• I started with a size 8 for the bodice but ended up using a size 6, grading to an 8 for the waistband (damn you stomach after childbirth!).
• I pinched out about 2.5cm of fabric vertically from the front bodice. To do this I created a vertical dart, starting with the 2.5cm at the side, tapering to nothing at the CF. 
• I used a size 8 skirt - and didn't have to lengthen it! 
• I also used the largest size for the tie lengths. I'm tall and wanted plenty of tie to get a bow out of. 

I have to wear a strapless bra with this dress, which I'm not crazy about, but apart from that, I am in love with my Lonsdale. It is so comfy to wear and I feel very feminine in it. And it goes perfectly with my new green Funkis clogs:

Now for Little M's frock. I used the 'Poppy' Liberty lawn. Isn't it gorgeous? I sewed a size 2 of Simplicity 1890, a Project Runway pattern. I decided to go with sleeves as we were in sunny hot Queensland and I didn't want those beautiful arms to get burnt. The size 2 is a smidgeon big, but at least that means she'll get more wear out of it! This dress was simple to make - princess seams and very easy to set-in sleeves. Also quick as the pieces are so tiny! I'd recommend.

She's wearing little Saltwater sandals with it - isn't she gorgeous?

She has recently taken to wearing a bangle (bracelet) or two everywhere she goes .... so stylish!!

I had a good break from sewing, but am now champing to get started again on a few things, especially as Leith and I have now booked our flights for our Sydney sewing trip! We'll be there on the weekend of February 8th. Who will be around to join us for a spot of shopping and champers?

Grainline Moss Mini Skirt

I used to wear mini skirts all the time when I was a young whippersnapper. Not as short as I see around these days, but definitely mini skirts. I haven't worn one in a while, but wanted a denim one for this summer to pair with tanks and singlets.

I thought the new Grainline Moss Skirt looked pretty perfect, if a little short for me. I made it up in a size 6 with no fit alterations bar lengthening it by 15cm. I made it in a lovely black Italian denim from Tessuti.

I wore this to work on Friday - we have casual Fridays. I wore a cream and red striped Veronika Maine blazer over it.

This was my first time sewing a Grainline pattern and my first time sewing a fly like this. The pattern instructions are amazingly clear and easy to follow. There is also a tutorial on the Grainline blog.

I did two things differently. I faced the waistband with the same Liberty cotton lawn I used for the pockets as my denim was too thick to use as the facing.

I also faced the hem with the Liberty as when I tried on the skirt before hemming it was exactly the right length. I despaired for a while thinking it would be more mini than I wanted and then had the lightbulb moment of facing the hem.  

I love this skirt. It is really comfy and a good length for running around after Little M. I also really like the fit. Slim but not tight. Will look good with a pair of Converse or a pair of sandals. My kinda skirt. I think I will make another one in the new year - maybe a red one?

Vogue 8723: The Fully-Skirted Frock

Earlier this year Lisa from Tessuti posted her amazing 40th birthday party dress. I knew when I saw it that I wanted my own to wear to the wedding in New Zealand that we went to in September. Lisa has the most amazing sartorial taste.

So I armed myself with just under 2m of 'Toffee Drops' - a satin taffeta from Tessuti, some lining fabric and Vogue 8723:

I completely forgot to get photos of myself in NZ though. Luckily however, my father-in-law's 70th birthday dinner was at Cutler & Co. on Saturday night (also our wedding anniversary), so Michael and I got dolled up and went out sans-child.

What can I say? I didn't have to make any adjustments except add 10cm in length to the skirt. I made a size 12 with an A-cup (this is one of those convenient custom fit cup size patterns). I did muslin the pattern first in a cotton.

I love the neckline of this dress. I think it frames my broad shoulders nicely.

We went for a pre-dinner gin and tonic. Yum. The food at Cutler & Co. was delicious too, and I had a lot of fun dressing up and not getting Little M's paw prints all over my fancy dress! We didn't get home until midnight though - I have to say that since becoming a Mama I have no stamina for late nights at all. I was sooooo tired on Sunday!

'Bright' Trend: Orange Chloe Pants (and a Marc Jacobs tank)

After the success of my Como Black Out Linen Chloe Trousers (pattern by Tessuti), I knew that I wanted to make another (or maybe more) pair. I decided to branch out and embrace the bright, vivid colour trend that has been around for a while and make them in a really bright orange linen:

 Excuse my photos - I am getting over a nasty sinus infection and not feeling my best - I've been put on steriods!! 

What else can I say about these pants except that I love them? I've never had a pair of pants fit so well and be so comfortable. And I feel quite chic in them. I love them in orange, and want more.... I was in Tessuti yesterday and Lisa and I were discussing hot pink or a jade/emerald green - what do you think?

The top is another Simplicity 2599. These tanks take me about 2 hours to make - especially now that I have an overlocker! They are really comfy and the perfect length. I'm making a white linen one at the moment.... it will be perfect for summer.

This leaf cotton is by Marc Jacobs and it is the most soft, buttery, luscious cotton I have ever sewn with. I got it from The Fabric Store (as well as the orange linen) at our recent Sewers' Meet-Up. I would like more for a dress, but I think the print is too distinctive to get away with more than one garment in it. What do you think?

The Liberty Maxi Dress: Simplicity 2638

I love maxi dresses. So feminine, don't have to worry about how you sit, floaty, swishy... what's not to like?

I bought 3.5m of this season's Thomasine Liberty lawn from Shaukat in the UK when I bought the Fans Liberty fabric for my Gabby dress. I knew I wanted a maxi dress made from it.

I chose Simplicity 2638 - a 'sew easy' pattern (that I don't think should be rated as such):

The reason I don't think this should rated as 'sew easy' is that you need to sew two opposing curves together when sewing the bust piece and the waistband. While this is not particularly difficult when you've had a bit of practice, I'm not sure it should be classified as 'sew easy'. The Colette Patterns' Beignet skirt has two opposing curves to sew and is rated intermediate. I think that is more fair - do you?

The back has a nice slit and does up with a button and zip:

I made a size 12, taking in the waistband by 2.5cm total. Everywhere else fit like a dream. How awesome! I love not having to make millions of alterations (especially as I didn't make a test version of this - I just cut into the Liberty - don't judge!!).

I absolutely love this dress. I feel great in it. I wore it last weekend to our meet-up, and wore it yesterday to Leith's little boy's 2nd birthday party. Leith, myself and Siobhan were wearing Liberty:

I blatantly stole this image from Leith's Blog

So - what do you think? A good maxi? I'm thinking of making a knee-length version too - do you think it would work with a shorter skirt? 

V8805: Colour-Blocked Dress & Yesterday's Meet-Up

We had such a fun day yesterday! We met at The Fabric Store and the Alannah Hill clearance outlet, bought some fabric, then went to the Little Creatures Beer Hall and drank some beer (or cider or champagne) and ate some chips and pizza.

Eight of us met, but by the end only 5 of us remained.... me, Lara (Thornberry), Anna (blogless Anna), Leith (Sew Brunswick) and Steph (Orchids in May).

It is so wonderful to go fabric shopping with other sewers. I recently bought an overlocker, and as I have not sewn much with knits, was able to tap into Leith's experience with knits to choose the perfect jersey. I also quizzed Steph on whether a fabric was silk or a good poly at the Alannah Hill outlet. It is also really cool to see people's garments in person and see how they move and drape - so much better than a blog photo!

Plus how fun is it to chat and have a few drinks with just women! I love it (no offence to Michael of course). I finished sewing the dress in the above photo at 11.55am - I had to leave at 12.15 to make it on time! It is made in a Liberty print and is a maxi dress - but I forgot to get photos, so my post on that will have to wait.

I also went out for dinner on Friday night with my mothers' group - again a wonderful night with fantastic women. I wore my newly finished Vogue 8805 - the colour-blocked dress that has exploded in the blogisphere.

I was so extremely tired... Little M is getting more teeth

I made it in linens, all from Tessuti. I love the printed linen on the bottom -  it is so lush.

I made a size 12 with no alterations except for lengthening it 6cm. It hangs nicely and is comfy.... but is not quite as sack-like as I imagined - do you think I needed to go bigger?

I don't really have much to say about this dress. It comes together very easily - I think it would have been a few hours including hand stitching. I made some facings for the neck as I didn't want visible stitching that would be created from using the binding the pattern suggested. I hand stitched the sleeves and hem so the topstitching on the neckline would have been out of place.

We're planning another meet-up soon, with a fabric and pattern swap. Who is keen? I am!!

Tessuti's Chloe Pants

Every year coming into summer I buy myself a pair of black linen pants. They are always black, a loose fit and to be worn casually with sandals. I find them essential for an Aussie summer when I don't want to wear a dress.

When Tessuti launched their newest pattern, The Chloe Pants Pattern, I knew that Colette must have intuitively known that this year I wanted to make my own pair (hehehe). I made them up in Tessuti's Como Black Out Linen which I am experiencing a mild obsession with. That charcoal-y washed-out colour just appeals to me....

I also think that Colette must have been thinking of me when she drafted the size 10, as the only adjustment I had to do was lengthen the back crotch by 2.5cm. I didn't muslin the pattern. Instead I measured the crotch length in the front and back of one of my favourite pairs of Veronica Maine suit pants and compared it to the paper pattern. The front was fine, the back need that small adjustment. Easily the simplest pair of pants I have ever made.

I wore them this morning to get my hair cut and they were extremely comfortable. The linen has stretched out as the day has worn on, but I really like them even more slouchy. I wore them with this simple linen shell top I made recently from Simplicity 2599:

And my new wedge sandals:

I would like to make another pair of these pants, perhaps in a bright colour. What colour would you suggest? I'd love to get your advice!