In the Folds Playsuit

Peppermint Magazine has some free patterns and this is one of my favourites. It is a short jumpsuit, lovely labelled "Playsuit", and the name honours the design, for sure! 

It has a playful, young, relaxed look that inspired summer, travel, and all things lovely.

I used the printed linen I bought in Porto this summer (already sewing my stash, good girl!), which is perfect for the make in terms of drape, hang, texture and pattern. 

I just downloaded the pattern, put it together, took the seam allowance off, and cut the fabric with it. 

This design has such a relaxed fit, that I did not even use with tailor tucks, I just cut 2cm seam allowance all around, just enough to make self-encased seams. 

It resulted perfect at the first fitting, so it was a perfect pattern for me. I only altered the shoulder straps, which were too long. One cannot as anything else to a pattern, to be sure!
Thank you!

 

Fabric Shopping in London: september 2019

The excuse to visit one of my favourite cities was a concert. Coffins, from Japan, were playing in London, they never come to Catalonia, where I live, and we had never seen them before. We love visiting London from time to time, and I needed some fabric for next season sewing projects. Sadly, I cannot find good quality fabrics in my area. There is shops in Lleida and Barcelona, the nearest cities, but they are mostly polyester fabrics, and I do not do polyester. 
So, London. I had been shopping here before. I know Goldhawk road and Walthamstow market, which are lovely if you have plenty of time and not prefixed ideas of what you want. But I had only one day and a very specific list, so I targeted the best shops in London (for my budget and taste).
We woke up saturday morning in our small studio in Soho. My boyfriend was to come along to carry the backpack and patiently give me advice when need it. He has very good taste and sometimes I even follow it, ha ha..
Thanks to glorious Google Maps, we moved around London as natives (+looking at my phone screen half of the time!). So, first of all, we took bus 38 and went to Islington to pay a visit to Ray Stitch. 
In my opinion, the best fabric shop in London (for my taste). It has a little of everything and all is selected with great care and taste. Excellent denims, organic jerseys, Japanesse cottons, woven cottons, excellent wools... I bought 4 fabrics and spent 80 pounds there. Before I left, we walked to Sew Over It, only because it was nearby. I do not fancy the fabrics they've got (too much polyester for my taste), but I bought a couple of patterns. 

Next, we took an overground and made a beautiful trip to The Village Haberdashery in West Hampstead. I love the C. Pauli cotton jerseys they have there, but I found the shop was not very well stocked. It has got the same fabrics it had when I visited it 3 years ago, nothing new (booooring). They had run out of organic black interlock (whaaaaaaaaaaat?????!) and did not even know it. So, I was a little bit disappointed, although I bought 2 gorgeous fabrics.

Then we took the underground to go back to Soho to have lunch in our studio. After one hour, we went to Liberty to drool over the spectacular designer clothes. I fancied some Missoni pants, but they were 3000 pounds, and I did not carry change, haha...

Then we spent one hour trying to decide about what fabric I bought (typical in Liberty). I was tempted to buy some silk for a blouse, but it was 80 pounds and I was starting to feel guilty. So I bought some cotton and we left. 

MacCulloch and Wallis has an excellent website, but the shop is chaotic. I do not like how they have the fabric exposed... or maybe we were starting to feel tired... but some of the products they have on their site are not there anymore... and it is really difficult to get inspired by hanging swaps and mountains of fabric rolls, that you can only see the tip of... I wanted some nappa leather, but they did not have light brown... and now I regret not buying some other colour, since that is lovely. I finally bought some twill for my saint of a boyfriend. 
We visited The Cloth House, and I could not buy anything in spite of loving all their fabrics. I could not find organic jersey, though.
Finally, we visited Broadwick Silks, but they were also out of red or blue silk jersey (apparently, their website is not up to date neither!), so... saving more money there! 
Well, I had a glorious day fabric shopping in London. It is a great excuse to move around the city, which looked great with its parks, trees, gardens, gorgeous houses, interesting people, pubs, shops.. I love London and its culture. 

Clock wise: Naomi Ito Cotton (Ray Stitch), Liberty Tara Lawn, organic purple sweatshirt (The V. Haberdashery), organic ribbed jersey (Ray Stitch), khaki twill (MacCullock and Wallis),  red gingham and black stretch denim (Ray Stitch), Lady MacElroy Checked Wool (The V. Haberdashery).

Wrap Black Linen Dress

I am super happy with my new creation!
I got this black linen fabric (awesome drape and softness, 12 Euros the metre in Coimbra) and I got an instant inspiration just when we got back home from Portugal.

 I saw this Bellbird dress and I thought it was just a perfect match. Of course I was not going to pay 20 dollars for a pdf pattern, so I started to think how I could copy it. (I am a pirate sewist, shoot me).

That night, I went to sleep and then I had another inspiration. I had this robe pattern, which I had rendered three times, in woven and jersey fabrics, because it was perfect. I had just the perfect amount of fabric, so I went ahead with the project.

First of all I removed (simply folding it) the folded neck band. I cut the fabric with 2 cm seam allowance all around, giving some more flare to the skirt sides (the fabric did not allow much, but it resulted enough at the end). I also cut some pockets, to be inserted at the seams, and a long 4 cm wide belt that was several pieces assembled, since fabric was sparse. 
It was a fast project to make, a wonderful fabric to work with. It was perfect at the first fitting, and I wore it happily to work. 

Linen wrinkles like crazy, and I think this design is very forgiving, it even goes well with them.
I love it!