#sewverse

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PINAFORE.

Pinafores are really controversial, some people love them and others, hate them. However, they are very useful because you can create many different outfits when layering; it’s not simply a dress.

This one is very easy, 60’s style, with patch pockets in the front. To cut it, I used my basic block with the desired length and taking into account the hip contour measurement. Because it is sleeveless, it is really easy to sew, right sides together and then hemming the neckline, armholes and bottom with a double hem.

To make the pockets, I hemmed the top and baste them so they were easy to attach to the front.

A really easy project, ideal for beginners!

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WEDNESDAY ADDAMS COSTUME.

This year I had a different approach to Halloween, I didn’t want to sew a costume that would end up in the top cupboard, I wanted something useful. That’s why I went for a shirt dress, like the ones the Addams family’s daughter wears.

In order to trace it, I included the darts so it had more shape than what a shirt has, I didn’t make yokes and I also included the box plates in the front panels son it was easier and faster to make.

The collar and cuffs are just ornamental and because they are white, they give it a dramatic look.

But the best thing about the garment is how useful it is, you can wear it this whole season as a dress, with thick tights, or as a shirt, matching it with a pair or trousers as well.

Either way, a wearable “costume” that is part of a responsible wardrobe!

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SKIRT BLOCK.

Pattern blocks or slopers are basic in the sewing room and it makes it really easy to create any pattern you can imagine.

The skirt one is very easy to make, you only need four measurements: your waist contour, your hip contour, the distance between your hip line snd your waistline, and the length you would like to work with.

When tracing it, it is easier if you do it in quarters in order to store it later. It is important to remember that our boy is not a square, so you have to lower the waistline one centimetre in the centre line, and raise it on the sides, so it is more flattering to the figure.

And lastly, we have to place the darts. For that, mark half way between the centre line and the side, and trace a line ten centimetres long.

With this done, and no need of a back one, we should be able to trace an cut any skirt we think of!

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TWO FACED WRAP DRESS.

Apart from being a useful hobby, sewing is a creative way to show your personality.

Since I got a bag full of remnants at a good price in October, I’ve been trying to figure out how to use two of the same in different colours, in the same project. Until I got to the conclusion of making a dress with them two.

Because they are just too much on their own, I tried to think about a simple dress, no buttons or ruffles or anything that would make it a “dressy dress “. So I went for a wrap dress. But I didn’t want to give up on one of the colours and hide it behind the other, so instead I designed a two-faced dress, you can wear it to one side or the other.

What’s interesting about this project is that it was the first time I tried to transform a pattern from a blouse I had made this year before; elongating it and giving it volume to the skirt on the sides.

Once I had my four panels cut, I sewed together the two back ones and then added the two fronts by sewing then on the shoulders and sides.

The idea at first was to make one side of the dress one colour and the other one the other colour; but when I had the sleeves sewn and gathered, I tried them on the opposite colour and I loved how they look, so vibrant! I could do this because the sleeves I chose were bell sleeves and their sides are straight. So I sewed them there and hemmed the whole dress.

And to finish it I added the two strips that tie it together and make it wearable. A perfect spring dress!

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TIPS FROM THE VIEWERS.

When you start sewing, you can feel a little bit overwhelmed with all the information and techniques to follow, so every tip that makes your life easier and your sewing room more appealing is appreciated. And in my case, I am very lucky to have such an amazing community in YouTube that helps me with wonderful pieces of advice in the comments, that can not only be useful to me, but to all the viewers.

Even though there are tips for-really specific things, I’ve decided to shared more general ones first.

Organise your fabric by season or by colour and keep you batting in a vacuum bag; commented on Cleaning and Organising the sewing room,

Grease your cutting mat every once in a while; commented on Scissors,

Never blow when cleaning the sewing machine, as seen on Cleaning the sewing machine,

The difference between the front and back bodice is the bust dart measurement, and the princess seam starts in the middle of the armhole, halfway down; commented on the video Princess Seam,

When measuring yourself, tie a piece of ribbon to your waistline, that way you don’t miss it; commented on the video How to measure yourself,

The interfacing only goes on one side of the folded waistband, and not even on the seam allowances; commented on Tragedy in the Sewing Room,

And of course a few tips of my own:

Glue a measuring tape to the side of your cutting table or sewing table for fast measuring.

Keep your patterns in envelopes in a folder.

Keep your paper scissors away from your fabric ones.

To sew sticky materials, place some paper on top do your presser foot runs properly.

To sew a zipper perfectly, sew it on top of a seam to then rip it open.

Time now to make good use of these tips and start compiling for the next one!!

[sewverse]

BASIC BLOCK.

Having a block with your own measurements is basic to make any pattern from scratch accurately. Of course, there are a few measurements to be taken, but it is easy enough.

The front length, from the shoulder to the waistline, coming on top of the bust.

The back length, from the neck down to the waistline.

From shoulder to shoulder.

The shoulder width.

Bust contour.

Cross back line, which is like the bust contour, but right on your armpits.

Underarm distance from the shoulder.

Armhole height, which is half your back length plus one centimetre, and you have to place it from the waistline.

Bust height, which is the measurement from your shoulder to the highest point on your bust.

The distance between the bust.

Once everything is measured, it’s time to place them on the paper, taking into account that because you front and back are different, so are the blocks, and to achieve this, we are going to divide the bust contour by two and add two centimetres to the front and take it from the back. And it is also important to trace a centre line from which we can draw measurements as well.

To make the back one, you can use the front one as model and of the extra centimetres from the shoulder, and use the centre line to take off the extra width.

You can do it in any material you like, but because I did it in paper, I wrapped it in vinyl so they last longer.

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HALLOWEEN SEWING.

Halloween is perfect to let your imagination go wild in the sewing room, and it doesn’t have to be difficult!

The dress I went for has a medieval vibe with a tulle skirt and a velvet bodice and sleeves. The base of the skirt is a cotton a-line with three layers of tulle pleated at the waistline.

The bodice is quite simple, with a rounded neckline, and the sleeves are really long and wide. To transform the sleeve pattern, I changed the seam to a side and elongated it, except for the top, lo leave room for the hand.

And to finish it you can add some embellishments like a nice embroidered ribbon or a sequinned belt.

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The mending drawer, basket or box is the Never Ending Story in the sewing room. And the worst thing is that we know, but choose to let the days, weeks and months go by and not do anything to fix it.

With the start of the new year, I was convinced I could change this and, a couple of months ago I mended two dresses I hadn’t been able to wear before and, since then, I have used lots.

The next ones in my list were two shirts that were too loose. I bought them on offer and they deserved a bit of TLC.

The first one is a beautiful brown polka dotted in a cream colour; and what I love about it is the it has the same pattern but in a smaller size dots on the collar and cuffs. The thing is that I always pull my sleeves up so I was missing the little polka dots. That’s why I decided to cut the sleeves down in size through the armholes. A small change but just what I wanted!

The second one has a more natural feel and a pocket on the left, which was the first thing I got rid of. And because I already have a few of theses, I decided to chop the sleeves off and have it ready for summer.

They’re only small changes but they mean a nice change in my wardrobe and in the sewing room!