Denim Mini Shirt Dress

 ...or how to get away with 1.5 square meters of fabric, haha!

Well, that fabric had been in my stash for a couple of years, with the idea of making some jeans... but then I thought it was too thin for that, and when I finally decided to give it a go and put the jeans pattern on it, I saw it was totally not enough, thanks to the unusual 1.5 m width instead of 1.70. No jeans, not even pirates could be made out of it... so I got the inspiration while wearing this other dress, which is a pattern from Burda Style magazine that I almost threw away at the beginning of the season due to lack of shoes-to-go-with-it inspiration. I literally rescued it from the waste bin when I mentally matched it with combat boots. 

I had to perform a massive hacking in that pattern. First, I transformed the princess seams into darts going up and down from the waist band, which I added. I then made a typical denim dress yoke, drawing it by hand in the paper pattern, both in the front and back bodices. Finally, I added a couple of cms in the armscyes bottoms to compensate to the lack of sleeves. I used the same collar and collar stand, which were perfect, and I made some belt loops for the waist band. 

I looked and looked in my remnants stash (the little pieces of fabric I keep after making a project) until I found this stripped red and white seersucker fabric, which became a perfect match. 

The final result was so lovely, I was surprised. The perfect fit. Very happy with it. 

Red Linen Zadie Jumpsuit

 I bought this linen online from a Barcelona shop without a definite plan for it. Sometimes, fabrics are so awesome you have to buy them, and they bring you the inspiration to be transformed into a 3D garment. You only have to wash it, dry it, touch it, fold it and leave it there in a visible shelf. (Mental note: careful here with excessive stash). Some time or other the inspiration will come, as it did in this case: the Zadie Jumpsuit that I had seen on Instagram, blogs and the internet in general, that had me intrigued as it how the crotch wrap fold was made... 

Seeing that I had not enough fabric (1.5 m) I had to make a second order (+1 m) and accompany it with some more must-haves that you all eventually see here transformed.

It became my project for my final student graduation act, so I was sewing quite frantically for the last week previous to the ceremony, and coinciding with a ton of work and stress to close the course the best possible way. Important things cannot be lived peacefully, it seems. 

Well, for this project I went down a size, paying attention, specially, to the final garment measures. This linen is crisp and structured, so I did not need excessive ease. It hit the target pretty spot on. 

As usual with these patterns, I took the seam allowance off the paper pattern, and cut it with a 2 cm seam allowance (except for the neck opening, 1 cm) all around. 

Having not much time, I sew it directly without marking or bating it. Kind of a crime in my book, but what the heck...

I made no adjustments at all in the bodice, but the pants were waaaay too wide. I realized that at the final fitting, with all the self-enclosed seams finished and all. It was quite easy to correct, though: pockets were also too big, so I decided to start at the waist and take 2 cm off along the outward legs' sides. I cut the excess fabric and remade the self-enclosed lateral seams again. There, perfect!

I decided to wear it with high heel shoes to dress it up, but it is quite sporty with flat sandals or sneakers. The red color is not very discreet though. 

I love it, and it was a success. My 12-year-old students told me it was cool. And they don't lie in their compliments, haha..

Flowery Viscose Long Buffet Dress

 In this case, the term came to me after the inspiration for the dress, which may have been the Amelia Dress, or longer versions of the Hinteland, the Mysostis or the Orla dresses... that is to say, I dreamed with a darted, fitted bodice, three quarter sleeves and a long gathered, tiered skirt. Watching The Sewing Bee, I learned the term "buffet dress", which according to Rachel, from The Fold Line, was their own invention! 

After searching everywhere for a pattern that suited my mental idea and finding none, I resolved to hack a previous bodice and sleeves, which I love, to make it open and buttoned and the center front. 

I left the back darts open, for it to be wide enough to pass on and off, and added a knotted belt of the sabe fabric sewn in the back waist. 

 As for the skirt, I used the Orla dress, or rather, I cut a rectangle 170 cm wide (all the fabric width) and 80 cm long, and finally added a two 170 x 25 cm tiers at the bottom, one for the front and another one for the back. 

I had to find the perfect give in the bodice, but with some trial and error found the perfect amount at the waist and bodice. 

I love this dress. It is absolutely perfect in all senses. It is going to be very wearable at my job in the school, specially during all those months between hot and cold. 

Organic Cotton Jumper and Dress for 1-year-old Twins

 

Am I becoming one of those old lady that knits tacky pieces of clothing for newborns? YESSSS!

It seems one cannot avoid becoming her own grandma! 

I now see it is a sign of deep love for the babies in question, who in this case are so gorgeous and sweet they deserve my three months of knitting!

This is a wonderful organic cotton from Katia and one of their patterns too. This Catalan brand has yarns and projects for them, published in a periodic paper magazine, and you can also buy the yarn and the pattern online. I love their projects and some of their yarns. 

See the project in Ravelry for technical details. 

Blue and Black Checked Riverside Cotton Hacked Saraste Shirt

 What a title, haha!

This fabric is AWESOME! I bought it in Stone fabrics on December 31st, just before the Brexit. I am so sad about not being able to buy fabrics online from Britain... I know many wonderful shops there, but well, we'll have to adapt! 

Well this cotton is said to be woven at Riverside, and it is slightly brushed, closer to viscose than cotton in drapeness. It is the perfect matching with the pattern I hacked from the Saraste pattern, transforming the princess seams into bust and waist darts. The result is perfect... well maybe the sleeves are a little tight, and their cuff openings too long. 

This is a gorgeous shirt that I can wear in every possible setting: rock concert, travel, work, family reunion, it is the perfect companion to a pair of blue or black jeans, and it can be worn in cold or warm weather, so I expect it is going to be a staple in my wardrobe. 

Wearing here with my new Swedish Hasbeens, which I love.

Copycat Levi's Jeans

I have always loved Levi's jeans, even when I have only found three models (along 4 decades!) that suited my body shape and made me look good. Using all the knowledge I learnt in the online course JEAN-IUS with Kenneth D. King, I copied an old pair that I loved and are crumbling to pieces, literally. This is my third attempt to copy a pair of jeans. Fisrt time, I modified a self-drawn pattern using another pair of Levi's. Last time, I used King's method to copy another pair. None of them are perfect, but they are really close, I wear them a lot, and they are becoming more comfortable with wear. 

Finding a good denim, with 2% elastane is difficult, with the perfect thickness, drape and colour. I found this in Ditto fabrics, and decided to use it to copy this old pair of Jeans that are breaking. They are semifitted, and that makes them very comfortable and .

I am now very familiar with the copying method, and I advanced smoothly from step to step. 

I love how King makes the back and front pockets, and also the back yoke, so I followed his instructions on those. 

For the zipper fly, I followed Closed Core Patterns instructions again, which are spot on. I made a self encased crotch seam though, slanted to the left, and with all that, the fly is beyond perfection. 

For the general  assembly, I prefer to sew the middle back seam, and self enclose it after finishing both sides of the back yokes. King does it in a different order, but my method allows me to fit them better, since I do not use a toile. Toiles are fine for some projects, but I think you only feel the right fit with the fabric you use, with its give and drape and thickness. 

So, I stitch and enclose the inside seam from ankle to ankle, baste the outer seams and try the jeans on to make them exactly fitted. In this case, I had to give 3 mm to my calves, I hate when the jeans are stuck in my calves and they pull when I sit. 

Once the fit is perfect, I stitch and self enclose the outer seams, and finish the waist band and belt loops. I follow King's method here, and I make sure I copy the exact waistband length of the original jeans. 

The result is absolutely comfortable to wear and very flattering to my figure. I love them. The waistband is too elastic (I cut it across weave following The Closed Case advice) and I have to wear a belt for them to keep in place when I sit. The original jeans' waistband is not elastic at all. Next time, I will make it along the thread, following King's cutting lay out. 

Ah! Talking about layout, I cut the pieces upside down to prevent the jeans from twisting on my legs, and it totally worked. 

This is a piece to last forever and to be proud of. I have witnessed how Levi's is using polyester in all their fitted jeans, so I am not buying that anymore. from now on, jeans are on me!

Knitting Toolbox

Tired of going around with a plastic bag containing all your precious knitting gadgets?

Make yourself this wonderful knitting toolbox to keep your needles, cables, markers etc. Easy to pack with your knitting project to your holiday destination or wherever you go!

Made with cotton woven fabric, with some sweat jersey sandwiched inside as padding. 

Sew two parallel lines of elastic to put the needles in and make a pocket in each side to keep all the small gadgets we knitting artisans use.