Sunday, May 18, 2014

And Then There Was An A-line Skirt




Once upon a time a sheet was hanging at a thrift store. That sheet did not know what it's purpose was any longer since it's partner was no longer around. In came a bright determined sewer who looked at that sheet and saw a skirt. Took a few dollars to to buy the sheet. She then brought it home and cared for its needs with a good hot washing and drying. Gently fold that sheet and placed it promptly in the sewing corner of the kitchen.
For weeks the dressmaker tried to figure out what to do with the sheet. Drawing pictures and looking through patterns to find just the perfect garment or two.
One cold and dreary spring.... Are we sure it was not still winter? No, spring weekend the sewist dreaming to become a designer decided to watch the Patternmaking Basics: The Shirt Slopper offered on Craftsy.  New inspiration began fluttering and and singing in her brain. Although this would be designer had a perfectly good skirt block made from her Surefit Designs Dress Kit she thought it would be great fun to see how she could change that pencil skirt (straight) into some thing new.
When it came time to work with the fabric she released she could not separate the sheet from her new friend, some pink broadcloth, and decide the broadcloth would be the perfect lining.  Other decisions went into the plan and inspiration began dancing in her head. The skirt no longer would be a straight skirt but and a-line for summer with in seam pockets.  So at last the day came and the button was sewn on. The happy seamstress looked at the creation and said yes this is good. Smiling as the sheet now skirt fluttered in the wind with all it's glory.

The magic of dart manipulation and adding volume. I've been reading about it in several books including  Patternmaking of Fashion Designers, and Make Your Own Dress Pattern. It was just the right time to take a new step. One of the things I have learned is that having several well fitting basic patterns is all you need to start designing more for yourself. A rather good wardrobe can be at your finger tips.  I will be sewing this skirt again. After a few more minor adjustments  I commit it to card stock like my initial pencil skirt I made earlier this year. I'm not sure what's up next on my sewing table but several Lutterloh tops have been calling. Happy sewing!






Update: My daughter tried on my skirt and it fit her perfectly. I decided to give it to her as one of her Mary Kay outfits. Here she is styling it.



Monday, May 5, 2014

Special Delivery


In the last few months the mail person has brought several well waited package to the door and none of them are fabric. Ok it's not just the mail person but the the amazon download monster too.
My sewing library seems to be getting bigger and betters as I stretch to go to the next level.
What is that level I'm not sure but I know it includes pattern making and new respect for fashion sketching and historical clothing.  The new titles that have made there way to my shelves are How Patterns Work by Assembil Books, The Complete Book of Sewing by Constance Talbot, Drawing Fashion by Bill Thames, Fashion Sketchbook by Bina Abling, Decorative Dressmaking by Sue Thompson, How To Design Your Own Clothes and Make Your Own Patterns by Claudia Ein,
Vintage Lingerie by Jill Salen, Pattern Cutting Made Easy by Gillian Holman, and last but not least Patternmaking for Fashion Design by Helen Joseph Armstrong. Trying to mind the budget it is so nice to find many of these titles used on Amazon.


Happy sewing until next time.