fanbloomingtastic: Sew Alongs

Sew Alongs

Tuesday, 30 April 2013

MAY! Me Mades, Mermaids (ok, swimsuits) and Messes Unmade

Now, you're all going to think this coming the day before the start of May is a result of my 'lastminuteitis'...

...but you're wrong.

I PLANNED to leave announcing my Me Made May pledge until today.

Honest, guv'nor. Look, how could you doubt this face?

No, really....ahh whatever. I believe me.

So May starts tomorrow. And these are my plans for May....

I'm in! I joined in Me Made May '12 but dropped out because I was doing the Sew Weekly challenges as well....it all got too much. Plus I'd only been sewing for a short while and didn't have enough garments....well, after a year of sewing at least one garment each week, I do now (possibly too many) and some are sitting unworn because they need a little work/love (and quite a few need pockets adding) so....

'I, Tempest Devyne of fanbloomingtastic.com, sign up as a participant of Me-Made-May '13. I endeavour to wear a minimum of one handmade garment each day for the duration of May 2013 and during the month mend or alter me-made garments hiding in my closet so I can wear them more often after May 2013'

I'll be posting pics of whatever I wear each day as part of the Me Made May '13 Flickr group and have a round-up once a week here on Fanbloomingtastic.

I'll also be joining in with the Me Made May Flickr group's themed Friday photos....check out the discussion boards to find out more. I think the theme for this Friday is water.

Zoe, the host of Me Made May each year reports this year is going to be a record-breaker.

But if I'm spring-cleaning and make do and mending my me mades, I think it's about time I also had a good old spring clean of my Sewing Lair. Which is where this comes in:

I'll be joining in Hannah at Hugs & Kisses' Spring Clean Your Sewing Space. She's going to be giving out tips each Monday throughout May.

This also means finally finishing the TARDIS....more about that tomorrow.

AND as someone at school today mentioned there are only 20 schooldays left of the Arizona school year (we break up for summer hols....translation: summer vacation....on May 29th), it means the days being a lifeguard to Melchett and Goth Child and all the assorted friends who appear each holidays (vacations/breaks) to use our pool is fast approaching. I have one swimsuit that is suffering pilling and chlorine damage...

...I need another, or two, if I am to fulfill my Baywatch fantasies (you should see me jogging around the patio, actually, you shouldn't, not unless you wish to lose your lunch). So I'm also joining in with Katie of Kadiddlehopper and Leila of Three Dress Project's Swimalong Sew Along.

I think I might even need a superhero styled swimsuit...don't you think?

Much more about this in the next few days, weeks.

An hopefully that should keep me occupied. And stop me from overstretching myself as per usual.....though Miss Crayola Creepy's Great Gatsby Sew Along is calling me.....please keep me from it's seductive sirenly calls......please.....

in Sew Alongs, sewing | Permalink | Comments (4)

Monday, 29 April 2013

My old man said follow the van, and don't shilly shally to the Challis Chalet on the waaaay....

(The voices of a hundred thousand cockneys can now be heard shouting it's "don't dilly dally, not shilly shally!" and ignoring the fact that I included a Challis Chalet but not a cock linnet....and if you don't know what on earth I'm talking about...here).

Anyway...

Once upon a time I bought an elasticated skirt from my Goodwill store (translation: thrift store, charity shop) in their fortnightly (translation: every 2 weeks) 50% off sale. I had to buy it because it smiled colourfully at me. And was only $2.98 (£1.93).

It looked like this:

It sat in my stash for over a year...and then Lady Katza on Peanut Butter Macrame announced a Challis Focus month and invited people to come to the Challis Chalet to learn about the fabric. I learnt a lot. Challis isn't a term I'd come across before. I think it's because in the UK I'd call it vicose, and probably be doing this incorrectly.

I ransacked by stash for some challis, having learnt what it is from Lady Katza but could only find this skirt, and 7/8th of a yard of this:

...which trying virtually every pattern for sleeveless tops on it that I could, I haven't been able to find a suitable solution for it yet. If I'm honest I want to save it to use as a contrast in a bowling shirt....so this is staying in the stash for the time-being until I can afford a nice royal blue solid to match it up with.

So I was left with this meagre contribution to the Challis Cause...a refashion of an elasticated skirt.

I can't decide if I like it or not.

What do you think?

It feels a bit sleeveless scrubs to me. I wonder if I can just rock it?

By the way, now you can see now why, though being as short sighted as Mr Magoo, I don't usually wear my glasses in pics....it's not vanity, it's just they're reactolite (transitions, photochromatic lenses) and as soon as I step outside in Arizona they go dark.

Anyway back to rocking it, whaddaya reckon?

Hang on, I know....rocking things always works better when I channel Iris Apfel (grabs appropriate sunglasses), how about now?

I dunno.

There's just something about it now that makes me want sing and dance this...

It's having an effect already....uhh ohh I feel strange, something weird's happening to my head....aaayyeeeeeh....

OK, it seems I've answered my own question. I'm most definitely going to rock it as the eccentric polka dot afro circus lady.

Or it might become a painting top....that way the splashes won't show up much.

Sorry about the earworm I've now given you, circusafrocircusafro polkadotpolkadotpolkadotafro!

Forgive me ;)

For more beautiful uses of challis, check out the Challis Chalet Flickr Group....perhaps I just need to increase the size and variety in my stash (from the other side of the United States I can hear Mr D shouting no!)

in Sew Alongs, sewing | Permalink | Comments (15)

Wednesday, 24 April 2013

Megan's Zou Bisou Bisou dress (Julia Bobbin's Mad Men 2 Sew Along)

This post is a multi-media experience in honour of it being a Mad Men themed sew. Here's a complimentary soundtrack to read it by, click play:

(if you can't see the Grooveshark playlist box, you might need to read this post in the original on Fanbloomingtastic.com...I know it sometimes doesn't appear in readers).

Update: Though I finished this dress a few days late for the deadline, the wonderful Julia Bobbin included me in her fantastic update...you HAVE to check out all the fabulous dresses and outfits people from all around the world have made for the sew along.

So....

...this was supposed to be an entry to Julia Bobbin's Mad Men 2 sew along. But I failed. Mostly my fault, some life getting in the way.....which I should have allowed for, so all my fault. The deadline was Monday, but after a month of working on Bowie Sew Along, then dropping a 'Betty' shirtwaister I was making because I saw some concertina pleat chiffon, perfect for Megan's Zou Bisou Bisou dress instead. I also did a Draper last year, making a Betty inspired dress, so it only felt right to move along to the new Mrs Draper this year.

Here's Megan's original:

And here's mine....yes, it's navy blue. Well, you didn't really expect me to make a LBD (little black dress) did you? Not after my previous 'excursion' into the world of black outfitting.....shudders....

I say dropped everything, I didn't drop my procrastination. I don't know what's up with me recently, I need a rocket underneath me to get anything done. Admittedly I was having to upgrade a size 16 pattern to my 20-24 figure and draft a new collar and sleeves....but still, why didn't I just do half an hour each day till my sewing mojo came back? I dunno.

Anyway, I was nearly finished on Sunday night when I tried the dress on and realised I'd gathered the sleeves too tightly at the top (rather than gathering more gradually around the sides) so rather than sitting flat in the armsyche, as soon as I slightly raised my arm I got a jutting up wing at the shoulder. Does make sense? I should have taken a pic, here's a beautifully drawn illustration...

By the way, if you're a proper seamstress and I'm getting all this wrong, please go easy on me....I do learn by my mistakes. In hindsight I probably should have drafted a shallower curve at the top edge of the sleeve, but cutting it now to adjust would make sleeves too short.

I planned to get up early Monday, unpick sleeves, make armsyches slightly larger (the top was hanging off my shallow shoulders) hem it, take photos and post. But on Monday morning I woke Melchett up to discover that her left eye was swollen and closed tight shut. We went to see our eye doctor who decided after various tests it was an allergic reaction to a bug bite just below her eyebrow. I'd include some photos but she's very sensitive about people seeing her like that.

So we've had 3 days of her off school on anti-histamines, cold compresses, hydrocortisone cream, cucumber slices, pain killers....you name it. And 2 nights of crying about the itch not stopping till near 1. I'm blooming shattered, let alone Melchett.

But that explains the number of out-of-focus pics this time.... to take her mind of things, she decided to be my stylist and photographer....with one eye....it didn't stop her bossing me around though:

Ah Melchett :)

Anyway, the make....

The Facts

Fabric: 2.5yds navy sateen in sale $17.50 (£11.42), 1 yd concertina pleated chiffon in sale $9 (£5.89).

Patterns: New Look 6000 (main body shape), McCalls 9461 (basis of new neckline), self-drafted sleeves.

Year: Contemporary and 1968.

Notions: 1 yd silver rhinestoned ribbon with coupon $7.99 (£5.22) ....coloured in with navy blue sharpie.

Time to complete: 26 hours (with lots of distractions), biggest time: drafting and unpicking.

First worn: 24th April 2013.

Wear again? Yes, with industrial strength underwear to suck me in.

Total Cost: $34.99 (£22.51).

Blimey that Megan Draper's let herself go ;)

Still haven't quite got that swayback adjustment mastered yet, but bearing in mind both patterns I adapted only go up to a 16 and I'm a 20-22-24 (in descending order along with bust-waist-hips), and I mashed them up with a self-drafted sleeve, I'm impressed. I might not have gotten the swayback right.....but that's the best darn lapped zip I've done yet!

I'm learning. It's fun.

Here's how I worked out the sleeve...

I basically found the biggest bell sleeve piece I had in my patterns and using the piece I'd drafted for my Bowie blouse for the top curve (in hindsight I think too severe), I made a pattern piece significantly wider. I suppose I could have gone even wider, but I was being a cheapskate and trying to fit it in a single yard of pleated chiffon. I COULD and SHOULD have made it slightly longer as I was winging it, because later when I altered the shoulder on the dress, it hitched the sleeve shorter to meet it. If I'd made the sleeve over long with that basic bell shape I could have always altered it after insertion.

The rhinestoned neckline and cuffs are a silver rhinestoned trim that I had a 50% off voucher for....I coloured in the silver backing with a navy blue marker to make it look like Megan's. The sleeve cuffs are closed with velcro. This explodes open with violent dancing, I may have to upgrade to a button on each.

Talking of mad Mad Men dancing.....

Made with gif maker picasion.com

Told you this one was a multi-media experience. Right, I'm off for a lie down. After a cuppa tea. Don't mention April Challis Chalet Shinanigans for a couple of days will you? I'm sure I can procrastinate that one head-long into Me Made May....

Don't forget to pop over to Julia Bobbin's Mad Men 2 Sew Along round-up to check out all the good people who got their projects in on time ;) Next time....Mad Men Sew Along 3, that one I'll get in early....yeah tho!

in Sew Alongs, sewing | Permalink | Comments (28)

Friday, 19 April 2013

Quickie post....please help my indecision and procrastination (Mad Men 2 Sew Along)

So....

Pros for New Look 6000 - made it before, didn't get fit perfectly but can use what I learnt to get it better this time....and looks more like the shift dress shape of Megan's original.

Cons for New Look 6000 - although I was surprised at how much I liked my version for the Polka Dot Frock Fest, shift dresses aren't really me...I think I'd wear dress with a fuller skirt more.

Btw, I've already made the sleeves, in concertina pleated chiffon....so that's sorted.

Pros for McCalls 9461: easier shape for me to wear more often....probably, though the sleeves might cancel out 'regular wear' ;) And it's a proper 1968 pattern...and I'm trying to be braver and use more vintage patterns.

Cons for McCalls 9461: haven't made it before and I'll have to grade it up from a vintage size 16.....haven't got time for a muslin/toile (deadline for Mad Men 2 Sew Along is Monday 22nd), doesn't look accurate copy.

What do you think?

I honestly can't make my mind up. Think this as a mini-Sew Bossy Initiative, you telling me what to make ;)

Any helpful opinions welcomed!

in Sew Alongs, sewing | Permalink | Comments (6)

Wednesday, 10 April 2013

Bowie Sew Along - the final round-up

It's all over*, wham bam thank you mam....or maam, I've never really been sure of that.

Above are all the lovely creations from the Bowie Sew Alongers that came in by midnight Monday 8th April, the close of the Bowie Sew Along*

Rather than do just another post to round everything up, I've built a photo album/gallery, which you can find here or by clicking on this pic:

Or if you want the link to the gallery it's: http://fanbloomingtastic.typepad.com/photos/bowie_sew_along/

The gallery has a collage of each make, link to the sewist's original post on their blog, and because I think you should be following this creative bunch, links to their blogs and twitter or other social media accounts (if I could find them, if you want anything else adding, sew alongers, please let me know).

And as I noticed various furry friends 'helping' out (Loran's Ashton wins the prize for helping her paint, check out her post to see how), photobombing (Anne's dachshunds clearly know how to get into photos) or even playing with the Bowie paper dress-up doll (I'm looking at you Kitty), here's a tribute to the furry Bowie help alongers:

The Bowie Sew Along has been an absolute blast. I never imagined it would be this much fun or that we'd end up with such an incredible variety of garments.....and penguin ;)

Thank you so much to everybody involved, everybody who supported us or just you, yes you, who isn't that into sewing or Bowie but didn't unsubscribe me from your reader or Bloglovin when I wouldn't shut up about either ;)

And watch out on Fanbloomingtastic for things throughout the year in the lead up to the Doctor Who Sew Along in the Autumn/Fall (starts officially October 21st).

*there are at least 2 more outfits coming some time soonish, but I thought it only right we do the big round-up as promised now.....one of the rogue finishers is me, I didn't anticipate how much work I'd have blogging as opposed to sewing, so I haven't finished my final dress, a Life on Mars? shirtdress yet, it's coming soon. Meanwhile I've learnt more than I could tell you about running a sew along and the Doctor Who one in Autumn/Fall will be bigger and better because of my learning experiences. And the other outfit is coming from someone who's having a tough week at work, has family and I've absolutely promised not to pressure her any more than she's pressuring herself.....as I said from the beginning, the Bowie Sew Along was a bit of silliness for fun, and if it's not fun, don't do it. Them's my rules.

in Bowie Sew Along, Sew Alongs, sewing | Permalink | Comments (9)