VFT Maisie in upcycled Nani Iro

I have been sewing ... I really have. Not as much as I would have like to, but ... yeah. But Pokemon.

Despite my posts being about my stuff most of the time, I actually make quite a fair bit of stuff for the kiddos. Making little dresses are not any "easier" in terms of construction, but I can see why a lot of sewists have a preference for making them. For one, no curves. Yep, no faffing around with SBA/FBA, sway-back adjustments, 4 sizes difference between top and bottom etc ... and kids are ALWAYS photogenic. For real. They could be pulling the goofiest faces, having pre-breakfast grumps or just not staying still and they still look good in photos. Or maybe I'm obsessed with my own offsprings' perfection hence the bias.




Ok, I've stopped laughing. Mum jokes ... heh.

Anyhow, TADAH!! It's quite a different style from the usual strappy summery sundresses that I usually make for her. Thought she needed something a little more appropriate for church that doesn't need a cardi to cover up.

Nani Iro for the bodice, a plain sky-blue double gauze for the skirt and ties, white voile for bodice lining. The Nani Iro was originally from a peasant dress that I had made for her earlier on, but she has since outgrown in ... *cries ... why do they grow up so fast*. That dress was deconstructed and because it was a maxi, I had just enough to cut out this bodice. Yay for upcycling! Also, it's the same fabric as the one I've used here. Another pair of matching outfits!

I love the sleeve details on the VFT Maisie and it's actually a lot easier than it looks! I don't really enjoy sewing plackets, they actually scare me. But the instructions for these are so clear, really a beginner could do it. I'd actually contemplated not doing the sleeves because of all the detail, but I would have seriously regretted it and would have ended up unpicking the sleeves and doing it anyway. It makes such a difference!

The front placket is an additional bit of frill that I've added on. It's super simple. All I did was add a rectangle of skirt fabric, sew on some of the crochet lace and 3 hand-sewn buttons. No pattern needed. The hardest part was making sure the buttons are in line! I don't think they are, but ... hey, I tried. And that's what matters, right? Right.

Another lovely detail (I'm just praising my own handiwork aren't I) is the exposed lace zipper at the back. The pattern includes instructions on how to install this on, but I ended up doing it my own way. Just a personal preference since I have sewn lace zippers on little pouches before. It adds a special touch to the dress and is a tad easier to install than a normal/invisible zipper.

Oh hey! Another small something added to the dress! Yes, I printed my own labels because I'm narcissistic. It's a dog under a tree!

A wrap-around hack for Angie

Finally! An update!!

I will not be letting my DH take pics of me anymore. He's really awful and makes me look awful. Maybe it's deliberate. Instead, I've decided to let DS takeover! Maybe his height makes for better angles. Or maybe you can tell the real enthusiasm and love coming from behind the lens. Or maybe, DH just really isn't very good.

Wadevas.

I haven't been updating for awhile, but it's not because I haven't been sewing. I have, and have been rather productive with an average of 2 pieces a month. It's just been really difficult to take nice pics, or I'm just too uninspired to post it up. I'll get round to it, promise.

Photobombed by a ridiculously happy Beeboo

It's the Sisboom Angie! Like finally. Tbh, I haven't been exceptionally drawn to this pattern even though it's one of the first pdf patterns I've purchased. I've seen gorgeous pics of them, but just didn't think it would look good on me. I've always been drawn to traditionally very feminine shapes, e.g. the Jenny and Carolina Mae, and thought the Angie would end up looking quite sack-like on me.

I suppose the only way it would look nicer on me would be to wear it with a wide belt. Or add a sash (which is included in the pattern). I've opted for the latter, but then went a little crazy with the additional modifications. Since I didn't like adding belt loops, and had to keep the sash at the waist, I modified the pattern to make it wrap from the back!

Confession-time: I didn't come up with the hacked pattern from scratch, though I did take the cue from adorable Jeanine over at the Scientific Seamstress blog! Link here to see her original post.

My pattern pieces were cut as instructed in her tutorial, but instead of basting the overlapping back pieces together, I've extended each one with an additional 44" (or WOF) x 4" of satin for the sash (double the width since the bodice is lined so it can be turned inside out and top-stitched ... argh I'm confusing myself with the typing). Also added a 4" slit in the left side seam so that the sash can emerge. Wow, I really suck at descriptions.

By the way, notice the fabric?? It's from an older collection, but so intricately designed. I had quite a bit of fun cutting the fabric to make sure that the patterns were centred, since I don't usually use such large prints. By the time I was done, there was just a tiny scrap of fabric left to make a pencil skirt for little cuddly.


I've finally found a reasonably-priced freight forwarder so I don't need to pay an average of S$20/yd (+shipping) of her fabric anymore. Woohoo! Have you seen her latest collection? Pretty!!

It's a park. Why am I not allowed to feed the birds? :(

Lunar New Year 2016

I've not posted for quite some time simply because I've forgotten that I have a blog.

For real, I've had a bunch of sewing done at the end of last year. Because of the nature of my work, I tend to sew in spurts - not revving up my machine for months on end, then sewing up a storm within a span of 2 weeks.

I've also not been able to get good pics, because I rely a lot on my phone camera and an unwilling spouse/child as photographer. Oh btw, have you seen the video on Instagram Husbands?? It's hilarious yet painfully true. Except mine doesn't 'gram, he uses one of those DSLR-things 'coz he's a camera snob like that. I hoard fabrics and patterns, he collects lenses and stuff. It's fair, except that he only likes to take pictures of underwater creatures.

I'll eventually get down to the details of each, but just some highlights that I've done for my Booboo and me for the Lunar New Year ...

Pattern is Ainslee Fox's Billie dress. I super love it and want to hack it for myself! I was contemplating between this and a baby cheongsam, but the weather has been hot and I didn't think she would like the mandarin collar. This is a more comfortable alternative, especially since I've used double gauze from Nani Iro Dear Mother;s Girlhood collection - one of my favourites.

The story behind this print is supposedly:

愛しき母の娘時代、それは一針一針刺していく刺繍の愛おしい創作の時間刺繍タッチを水彩で描き上げ、地模様の小花とのコントラストを美しく表現

So I don't read Japanese, but from the Kanji, I'm gathering that it's about a mother's love as she painstakingly hand-embroiders flower patterns for her daughter. Or something like that! (I hope someone can provide a more accurate translation ... pretty please?) Anyway, it's rather fitting and meaningful for matchy-matchy dresses, don't you think?

This self-drafted cheongsam has been on my to-do list forever. It's really a basic bodice block paired with a half-circle skirt, and a mandarin collar attached. I didn't want the usual slant opening because double gauze stretches out easily on the bias so the key-hole opening was just an impromptu cut out while I was attaching the bias trim. Nothing fanciful, just a simple dress to showcase beautiful fabric.

The most difficult part was pattern placement! Or trying best ways to showcase the coloured embroidered parts. The first time I did this, the flowers were upside-down :( The next best thing to salvage this fabulous (and also very expensive fabric) was to use it for Booboo's dress, which I did.

So what's next? 

I've lost a bit of my sewing mojo, sadly, especially for myself. I find it more enjoyable to sew little girl dresses but mine is growing up a wee bit too fast *cries*. I've started to make little bags and pouches for the boys in my life and it's quite a bit of instant gratification because these things sew up real quick and I never have to worry about things like fit, or if the fabric is scratchy etc. I also get to use up those little scraps that I've been saving up!