Being rubbish at blogging!

So, it has been a while... The frequency of my blogging as taken a nose dive! This unfortunately is not due to a lack of seeing. I'm still working my way through an ever increasing 'to make' list and just haven't gotten around to the photography part. Apologies, I'm rubbish! I have so many lovely makes to blog about, so watch this space. 

I have also been taking part in Me Made May '15, but have been so unorganized in my photography of outfits. My pledge was to wear at least 1 handmade item during the week and at least 1 at the weekend. I've actually been sticking to it. My Alder's make such a lovely work or casual outfit choice, they've seen a lot of wear. I've also worn my rose printed chambray Emery to work. 

I'm also trying to make some of my me-mades more wearable. I have quite a few dresses in particular that just aren't 100% right, so I'm not wearing them. My Emery was part of that group, because the lining at the front was sewn in too tight making the front bodice bag in the middle. It was a really quick fix of unpicking the front lining and resewing it. Other garments that need my attention are my 50's Mortmain (it's too big around the waistband), I made adjustments to my festive one, so this should be quick and easy. Also, my two (yes two! One is unblogged at the moment) Anna dresses that just need a bit of facing attention. This may or may not be a pressing issue. I hope to sort these issues out before the end of May.

My current 'to make' list is as follows:- 

1. Adapt a trial Colette Moneta that i've made to allow it to be wearable. (It currently has a peach top and stripey bottom that looks terrible together). I need to remove the skirt and attempt either a different style skirt (maybe circular) or a different fabric (plain to avoid dodgy looking stripes). 
2. Cut out the pattern and fabric for my first pair of Sew Over It Ultimate Trousers. I have already stuck the print out together and washed the fabric, so i'm all ready to start making. I'm going to risk using a nice fabric because they look quite easy to fit if incorrect. (You will love the fabric!)
3. Make a 2nd True Bias Southport Dress (I know you've not even seen the 1st one). I liked the first one, but there are some changes I would like to make to the pattern in order to make the second one different and suit my figure a bit better. I've chosen some lovely linen fabric, so i'm looking forward to the outcome. 
4. Something in a stunning little pineapple fabric I found on Etsy(Check it out here - however I bought a black on natural version - Kinda wish I'd bought the vermilion too!). Suggestions of pattern would be gratefully received.

So, all in all, I apologize for my rubbish blogging skills and endeavor to be better and more frequent. This weekend is my aim to photograph some of my unblogged garments.   

See you soon!

Shopping trip to Sham Shui Po...

After a barrage of Public Holidays (including today) and some selfish sewing (yet to blog about), I needed to add to my stash. I decided to risk a visit, even though SSP is well known for being closed when you want it most! 

Above is my fabric haul. I'm pretty please with the variety I managed to gather in less than an hour. The floral on the left is soft and flowing fabric. (Maybe great for a Lilou or even a Sureau) I'm yet to test it, but it could be viscose or it could be a cotton/silk mix. The middle fabric, with the uber cool lasso/know design is a cotton sateen (maybe a skirt is a good garment for this) The checked fabric on the right is a straight cotton and will make a nice alternative fabric for the summer. It's certainly a lighter plaid than ones commonly seen in Winter. I'm considering whether a summer top or dress would be best. 

With all fabrics coming in under $20 per yard, It was all a total bargain!

Below is my button selection. I always visit the same shop on Yu Chau Street (sorry, I never notice the name!). I plumped for some more wooden buttons; my stash was diminished by my recent Alder's. Also, some super shiny (in a good way), plastic buttons in red and blue. 

I'm now ready for my next making journeys. Hopefully i'll get some time in the new school term. I certainly have garments in mind that I would like to add to my wardrobe - watch this space...

What fabrics have you gathered recently?

Planning my Sureau...

After reviewing my gifts, prizes and pre-Christmas purchases I have decided that one of my next projects needs to be the Deer and Doe Sureau dress. I love the casual look of it and i've not yet approached a dress with a button stand before. After my sleeve issue with my festive Mortmain, this gives me another opportunity to try a sleeved dress - a toile will be in order! 

Because the dress has a slouchy look to it, I have been thinking carefully about my fabric choices. Before Christmas I picked up some lovely samples from a shop in Sham Shui Po. I had decided to look at some viscose, polyester and rayon fabrics. The shop is Tai Wah Textile Company on Wong Chuk Street. I was drawn in by their brightly coloured prints and I wasn't surprised how easy it was to find some totally delicious fabrics. 

At the moment, my number one choice is this delightful navy duck printed fabric. It's 100% rayon and has a nice weight and drape to it - potentially perfect for the Sureau! The sample price is just $33HKD per yard, which I think is a total bargain. I know I need about 2.5 yards to make the Sureau, so buying 5 yards (minimum) shouldn't be an issue. 

                                         Other samples that I picked up at the same time are this card of fun, spotty rayons. The navy of this is also very nice and could potentially make a nice Sureau, but as I have other spotty fabrics in my stash, it might be a bit inappropriate to buy this one too. This one is only $37HKD per yard, so might be a consideration for the future.                                 

                                     

I'm going to aim to order this fabric tomorrow as I am planning a visit to Sham Shui Po this weekend (school errands!). Hopefully the delightful ducks are in stock. 

Watch this space for my Sureau progress!

My prize haul...Thank you Gather!

I've gradually been gathering up my prize haul from my festive competition win. Before the Christmas break I was sent voucher codes for The Village Haberdashery (25 GBP) and Guthrie and Ghani (30 GBP). I was eager to start shopping! Knowing that I was visiting the UK over Christmas meant that I saved a bit of money on delivery, so I got plenty for my money. I decided to buy the fabric below from The Village Haberdashery. The fabric on the left is an Alison Glass handcrafted cotton fabric (available here in graphite). The fabric on the right is a hand painted effect viscose. Both fabrics are really lovely and I made sure that I got 3 metres of each so that I can make a dress from each if I so choose. I'm sure you'll agree that they are stunning?!

From Ghani and Guthrie I decided to buy patterns (see here for their extensive range). I have coveted both the Sew over it! Betty dress - a stunning little 50's style number and the By hand Anna dress - a very versatile dress that can be made short or long for a while. I love the packaging of both and it is such a treat to have a physical pattern, instead of printing a PDF. 

After picking up my lovely fabric and patterns from the UK, I returned to Hong Kong anticipating the arrival of my other prizes. After a long, jet lagged day at work, I managed to make it to the Post Office. I was super excited to open the package and reveal these beautiful Gather patterns (thank you ladies!) and also a surprise prize, which was The secrets of sewing lingerie book! I wasn't expecting this, so I was very happy. I have never approached underwear as a me made item, but now it's certainly an option. It's a beautifully put together book, with great photographs and clear instruction. I'm looking forward to getting stuck into it!

I now have a massive 'to sew' list and can't wait to get started!

Christmas sewing gifts!

So, the big day has been and gone and i've travelled more than 20,000km over the festive period. I'm back in Hong Kong reviewing my lovely Christmas gifts and finally getting the chance to blog. After putting in a few speculative hints, I am now the proud owner of both the Christine Haynes 'Emery' pattern and the Deer and Doe 'Sureau' pattern. These are two that I wanted to get in printed format and International delivery is never favourable. I'm very excited to make both of them! I certainly think a toile will be in order for both as they feature sleeves (a problem I came across in my festive Mortmain). I'm now on the search for some suitable, lovely fabric (I have a few ideas already - to follow). 

In addition to the patterns, I also received two smashing books! The Famous Frocks - Little Black Dress book and Gertie sews vintage casual. Both were on my amazon wish list (good job I helpfully emailed it to my husband!)and will be put to use as soon as possible. I love the style of Gertie's writing and it's great how she instructs you on how to adapt and create your patterns from the basics. The Famous Frocks book is just a classic to add to my library and will give me some super inspiration for when I start being more creative with my pattern cutting. Both books come with the pattern pieces inside, so my making list is growing at an exponential rate! 

More blogs to follow soon, featuring makes from my Christmas gifts and more! 

I hope you all had a fabulous, creative Christmas!

My first Megan dress...

After my victory of yesterday (still very excited!), I have found time to day to share my first attempt at the Megan dress by Tilly and the Buttons. This dress is from her 'Love at first stitch' book and is a fairly straight forward make. I decided to use some lovely balloon fabric that I bought from modes4u.com to make it, so it has a celebration theme - Hence the photograph with the Christmas tree again! 

The main skills that this dress teaches you is an invisible zip fastening (which I use on most of my makes, so not a learnt skill here), inserting sleeves (quite straight forward on this dress actually) and an open ended dart (a new one on me, but very easy - just don't sew into a point). The open ended dart is designed to give a softer look to the shaping than a traditional dart. Tilly gives great guidance on doing this in her instructions, so no problems there! I decided to add lining to the bodice pieces to avoid using a facing. This worked well and was joined in at the armholes when the sleeve was added.  

In regards to the finished article, it's certainly well made. I'm please with my pattern matching, zip and sleeves - three things that can be dodgy! However, i'm not convinced that this shape of dress suits me. I managed to fit the dress at the back neck as this was gaping, so the size is correct, I think it is just the silhouette that i'm unhappy with. I think my curves are just too prominent! I certainly think that i'm more of a Lilou girl (see here) and should stick with this shape as much as possible. Next task is to do a pattern hack involving the shape of the Lilou and the sleeves of the Megan; wish me luck! 

P.S. Ignore my disgruntled face, It's just an unfortunate photograph!

My Christmas make - a sneak peak...

After a busy couple of weeks at work, I've finally found time to blog! I have been sewing during this time and have been making progress on my WIP's. I may have been slightly over ambitious with the amount of garments I want to make before Christmas, I needed to make some decisions. So, I decided to prioritise my Christmas garment. 

I bought 2 metres of the Riley Bkake fabric above from modes4u.com a couple of months back and had originally planned to make a skirt with it - probably a Picnic Blanket Skirt. However, I had a bit of a change of heart. Although I like the picnic blanket skirts I have previously made, I'm not sure how they're going to cope with my expanding belly on Christmas Day! 

I didn't want to try a new pattern at this stage, so I started to consider a Mortmain by Gather. On a recent fabric shopping trip I bought some plain black cotton, which would compliment the festive fabric perfectly! This was the starting point I needed. The next decision I made was to add the sleeves to the pattern - my previous versions of this have been sleeveless. My final decision was patterned skirt, or patterned top... This is a tough one! 

Answer to follow once I'm finished! 

A second Lilou dress...

After saying I was taking a break from Tilly and the Buttons makes, I was at a loose end, so I decided to create a second Lilou! The first one turned out ok, however I did need to take it in at the back, so I chose to make a few alterations to the pattern this time. I took 2.5cm off the centre back seam and also took 1cm off the front waist dart to improve the overall shape and fit. I also decided to move the straps over 1cm towards the centre back as it was not sitting perfectly flat. 

Once I had made the changes to the pattern, the cutting and sewing process was quite quick and I managed to finish it in about 4 hours. The fully lined bodice is a delight to do now that I have experience. I chose a white cotton lining as I figured that a self lining might show through. 

Overall, I am really pleased with the final garment. The fit is loads better than Lilou number 1 and the navy and white gingham fabric matches my capsule wardrobe colours! My only issue is that the checks don't match up precisely at the back zip. However, this is just a small detail that can be solved by wearing a cardigan. To be honest I don't think the general public would notice at all, it's just me being picky!

I have several work's in progress now, so i had better pick up the pace with my making and stop getting distracted by quick and simple projects! With Christmas garments and gifts to make, it's going to be a busy few weeks!

Too many Knitted fabric choices?!

I finally made the trip to Sham Shui Po to look at my knitted fabric options for the various projects that I have in mind. There are far too many choices and I went to two shops I had seen on a previous trip. The first shop was Kam Fung Trading Company, which stocks so many different knitted fabrics. This includes sweatshirt knits and t-shirt weight jersey's, which are on my list to buy. I'm primarily looking for stripes as you can see from my photographs, but I was drawn in by the cotton, quilted sweatshirt fabrics. I love this one below, which is a plaited effect!

The other fabric shop I went to was 'Bowa', which was next door to the other knitted shop on Yu Chau Street. This shop stocks lots of knitted jerseys that are primarily plain. They also sell a lot of different ribbed jerseys, which is also on my 'to buy' list.  The ones below are a mix of cotton(95%) and spandex(5%) and have a nice width of rib suitable for collars and cuffs of sweatshirts (ideal for my Linden!). 

Moon Yue Piece Goods - A review...

Knowing that I had a busy week at work, I scheduled a well earned trip to Sham Shui Po. I was showing a friend the sights at Moon Yue Piece Goods. This is a gem that I found a month or so ago after following some recommendations online. 

After climbing to the first floor, you find yourself in a goldmine of silks, wools and cottons. The collection of fabric is immense and you literally can't see everything in one visit. This is because the rolls are tightly packed on top of each other and you have to battle to reveal the hidden fabrics. 

I had a project in mind, so I was looking for a silk fabric for a blouse. I wanted something quite drapey, but opaque. The choice was epic, but my eyes were drawn to a bright blue silk with a flower and leaf design. It's a particularly random fabric choice for me, but I just kept coming back to it. It's certainly unusual enough to make a blouse that doesn't look shop bought. At just $60HKD a yard, it was an unbelievable price for pure silk. 

Before I left the shop, I noticed a royal blue and white spotty fabric on a bottom shelf. After having a feel of it, I knew that it was a lovely quality. The shop owner informed me that it was $20HKD per yard! For a 100% cotton fabric, it was an amazing deal! I went for 3 yards in case I wanted to make a dress from it, although I still don't have any plans for it. It will add to my slowly growing stash until I make some decisions. In the meantime, I will push on with my silk blouse plans. Watch this space...

My adventure into knitted fabrics begins - featuring the iSew IS-722D Overlocker and Tilly's Coco...

Ok, so I've finally made the leap. At the weekend I bought an overlocker. It has taken a lot of thought and decision making, but i've ended up with an iSew IS-722D. I bought it from the Brother shop in Sham Shui Po after much to-ing and fro-ing between this and the brother overlocker that they stock. Although very similar in appearance and in price I went for the iSew because it had an extra year's warranty. That equals 3 whole years! I think that is certainly a massive plus. I don't usually get my sewing machine serviced and I can generally fix any problems that I have, but an overlocker is very different. They can go wrong at any point and it is really difficult to diagnose problems.

The iSew can do 3 and 4 thread overlocking in different widths including a very neat narrow finish for fine fabrics. (I'm exciting to give that one a go!) The gentlemen in the shop gave a great demonstration and I got to try my machine out in the shop to ensure that it was working correctly. They even gave me advice on how to adjust the tension if the stitch was wrong - very helpful indeed! My new overlocker has found a home on my sewing desk and fits in very well. I have used it on lightweight woven fabrics so far and it stitches like a dream. The only issue I have discovered so far is that it is a bit of a challenge to pull through threads if you want to change colour. However I solved this by taking my time and pulling each of the threads separately. 

Now that I have my machinery in place I'm finally venturing into making some knitted clothing for myself! I downloaded the Coco pattern earlier in the week and put some ideas on paper. I've cut out the top version with 3/4 length sleeves. I've also cut out the cuffs to try out - I'm not 100% sure whether I'm going to include them or not. I'm now all set up to sew this evening. I think this is going to be an incredibly quick process, so I'm looking forward to seeing the final outcome. 

Watch this space for photos of my finished Coco...

Fashionary in action!

After two lovely public holidays and a weekend, it's back to a full week of work. No need to be down though because i'm accompanied by my trusty Fashionary! 

I have just downloaded the ever-so cool 'Coco' pattern by Tilly and the Buttons to expand my me-made wardrobe to include knitted jersey items. Also on Friday in a small fabric shopping spree in Sham Shui Po I picked up 2 yards of cream and navy interlock jersey for $20! A total bargain and perfect for my first Coco.

My job now is to plan which design of the Coco I'm going to make... I like the idea of 3/4 length sleeves as it will be more suitable for the Hong Kong weather and I always tend to roll up my sleeves anyway. Why waste precious fabric on long sleeves?! Turn-up or no turn-up, that is the question! Also, do I go for the straight forward boat neckline, or the sixties classic of the funnel neck? Argh... too many decisions!!! Ok, breathe... maybe i'll start plain and then move forward to a more complicated garment once I've got back into the groove of sewing knitted jersey fabrics. After all, the Coco could make up a significant number of items in a capsule wardrobe. 

There, the plan is formed. It's always better to talk things through before making a decision. Thank you blog! Watch this space for my Coco update. 

My first Sorbetto...

After my sewing table disaster, I have been sewing like a demon to complete my WIP's. With the Mathilde already finished, I set about sewing my Sorbetto by Colette. This make is so simple, I totally recommend it as a stress-free dressmaking experience. With 1 pleat, 2 darts, 2 side seams (french seams), 2 shoulder seams (french seams also) and neck and armhole binding it took shape very quickly. 

The fabric was really easy to sew and I used my new bias binding maker so that everything matched. I'm now waiting for the perfect opportunity to show off my Sorbetto - it is certainly a great summer top. I'm already planning what other fabric to use to make another one of these lovely tops. 

My Mathilde is finished!

Ok, so I decided to buy the tiny table from Japan Home Centre... I was so excited to complete my two WIP's it seemed like a good idea. Plus, I can use it to put my Christmas tree on when my desk arrives. 

With my temporary sewing area set up, I began the task of completing my WIP's and namely my Mathilde. The written instructions included in the PDF download are absolutely fine for most stages of manufacture, although if I was a beginner I might have struggled. Thankfully when things got tough (the button stand and facing) I had Tilly's helpful photographic instructions on her website to assist. All in all, this was a thoroughly enjoyable make, I loved the variety of different stages and putting the buttonholes in was really fun! My new Bernina was super reliable and did a great job on the manual buttonhole setting. 

I had decided to do my Mathilde with short sleeves as the full sleeves that feature in the official pattern wouldn't be great in Hong Kong. I thought I would get more wear out of short sleeves. I think that the sleeves look great! They're very full, but that will help with HK weather and makes a really feminine shape. 

I recommend this pattern to anyone that wants something interesting to make. The instructions are very good, especially the photographic tutorials online. I'm certainly considering a second Mathilde to add to my rapidly increasing handmade wardrobe. 

Fabric shopping in Shenzhen

Wow, what a busy weekend! Travelling from Hong Kong to Shenzhen on a Friday evening is so busy! Fortunately by the time I got the opportunity to visit the fabric market on the 5th floor of the Luohu Commercial City building on Sunday, the busyness had subsided and I could browse without being pushed around. 

I only had 30 minutes to explore, but that ended up being plenty of time to look around. I fell lucky and found the Shun Fa Fabric Store (See details above). It was manned by a very helpful lady who showed me all the hundreds of different fabric she had. There was some really lovely quality cottons in lots of different patterns and textures. Each fabric is pre-cut into approximately 1.5m lengths. Each one of the lengths I bought was 45RMB - A total bargain!. She even threw in the last piece (the gingham) for just 30RMB even though it measures 2.5m! In total, a spend of 300RMB and I left extremely pleased with my haul. 

With so many beautiful fabrics to work with now, I'd better get sewing! I have plans to make a nice summery top from the blue floral fabric, which is a beautiful soft silk/cotton mix. I have just downloaded the free (Yes free!) Colette Sorbetto pattern after seeing it on my friend's blog (www.carolinejoynson.blogspot.co.uk) It's a nice, simple vest top that can be customised easily. I'm going to toile it tonight to check the fit before trying the real fabric (I don't want to waste it!). I also need to purchase a bias binding maker so that I can finish the edges in a matching binding - a visit to Tailoring and Alterations in Causeway Bay is necessary. With so much to sew, I barely have time for a day job! 

I'll keep you updated on my progress... 

Fabric delivery - Modes4u

I picked up this little lot from the Post Office last night. My lovely fabric delivery from www.modes4u.com It was very exciting picking it up because the package was so large! I ordered 2.5m of both the Jug or not? by Michael Miller and Red Balloon by Cloud 9 fabrics and just 2m of the Maritime Sailing by Michael Miller fabric. Ok, so this was a little bit of a fabric splurge, but with my plan to make lots of new additions to my wardrobe, it was a necessity. 

My thoughts on www.modes4u.com are that it is a brilliant website! Love their choice of designer fabrics and because they are based in Hong Kong I can get the fabrics delivered quickly. They even throw in a free gift - I received a square of pink fabric and although at the minute it has no use, i'm sure I will find something to make with it. Each of my new fabrics has a planned outcome already - watch this space for my new makes!