None More Black Bustier Top

Hello, remember me? I fell off the blogging map for a bit. My excuse? The computer imploded, and despite being married to an IT genius, I had to survive on an ancient Mac laptop that was basically help together with several reels of sticky tape for the next few months. My hands have been far from idle during this period - this bustier is one of a number of items I've sewn up but haven't had time to blog about yet. 

I intended this to be a wearable toile, before cutting into my fancy fabrics. The material came from two old skirts - a corduroy one that had seen better days, and a velvet skirt that had already been partly incorporated into a pencil skirt. It was also lined with some scraps of double-knit jersey from my stash, to prevent any potential chafing situations. 

The bustier was based on Burdastyle 01/2012 #127 - it comes with a pattern for highwaisted pants which I will attempt sometime soon (in Spandex perhaps?). It's a relatively simple pattern, with three pattern pieces - centre front, sides and back. I also added some thick straps to it, which were traced from New Look 6675. The straps help prevent any embarrassing clothing malfunctions, and also stop me from having to hoik up the bustier every 10 seconds or so. The bustier was lengthened by about 1.5 inches, by attaching the waistband of the corduroy skirt to the bottom of the bustier. I felt that this gave it a more finished look, turning it from lingerie-style top to a proper 'outside' top.

I made it in a size 34 bust, and used the size 8 for the straps. Unfortunately, my shoulder-to-boob ratio (proper technical term) is slightly shorter than the long lithe creatures they usually design for, so the straps were just ever slightly too long. Which I only found out after wearing the top around town for a day, constantly fiddling and pulling them back up onto my shoulders. So I ended up unpicking about half the machine-sewn stitches and cutting about 1cm off the straps. The top fits so much better now but let me tell you, I could have stabbed someone with a seam-ripper when I had to do that correction.

The double-layer of thick fabric was perfect for April, which was when the bustier was finished and when these photos were taken. It was perfect over a high-waisted skirt or trousers, and under a light jacket or cardigan. However, the temperature has risen considerably since than, which means that I end up with a rather unglamourous line of sweat between my boobs. It's a very comfortable top for these warmer temperatures though, so I will be working on one of two more versions in the near future, made with much thinner fabric. 

Sunglasses - vintage (op-shop)
Necklace - op-shop
Denim jacket - Levi's (bought new about 15 years ago)
Bustier top - self-made
Belt - Sainsburys 
1970s skirt - op-shop

The Mjolnir Shorts

Look, another new post! Despite my absence from this poor ole neglected blog, I haven't been slacking off. Okay, well, maybe a little...but I've been making stuff too!

These shorts were made sooo long ago - before our summer 'heatwave' (which has since disappeared). It might be sunny in these pictures, but it was still chilly enough for the good old black tights.

The pattern is Simplicity 6337 - if you click on the link, you'll see a spectacularly mum-jeans-esque confection, styled in superbly 1980s fashion. Your first instinct might be to shy away from the computer screen. However, mum jeans (or mom jeans if you're an American reader) are now cool again, according to Elle Fanning and Topshop. 

I've been wanting a pair of highwaisted jeans for a long while, since all my other pairs of jeans were quite literally falling apart. I actually ordered the much talked about Colette Clover pattern last autumn, but worked on a toile, but found that they need way too much faffing about with, so I got lazy and gave up. Then I found this pattern for 50 cents in a Melbourne op-shop, and picked it up mainly because it was so cheap, and who can have too many patterns anyway? Not me!

The pattern languished in the dark for a while, until I found this thickish mid-blue denim, with a nice weight to it, at another op-shop. It's really stiff and sounds like thunder if you try to wave it in the air. I imagine this was what cowboys in Westerns used to wear. 

Anyway, this came together surprisingly easily. I made a toile, found it fitted pretty well, and cut into the denim. It's easy to be fearless when you don't care too much about the fabric. I did make a couple of changes to the pattern though - left out the front pockets, and moved the front fly zip to a side lapped zipper. The insides were all overlocked with my awesome new toy, a Huskylock S21.

I also added some belt loops to the waistband - which is why they are called the Mjolnir shorts. Have you ever tried sewing through about 5 layers of thick denim? It's not fun. My sewing machine definitely wasn't having any of it. Out came the hammer so I flatten the fabric before sewing the loops on, and even then it was hard going. I'm pretty sure I was sweating the whole time.

It ended up very fitted around my bum and hips (great for holding it all in after a juicy kebab), and slightly too loose around the waist. The waistband hits just above my belly button, and I had wear a belt to prevent gaping around the area. I thought I could live with it, but it eventually got too annoying and had to be altered. Which meant unpicking those pesky belt loops so I could take it in an inch around the front about about 4 inches in the back. And then sewing on the belt loops again. 

These photos were taken before the alteration, but I guess you get an idea of how it looks. They are immensely comfortable, and I've seen found that dark grey stretchy denim I purchased in Poland last year, which means there will be a long version of them coming soon.