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

Black Poppy - Refashioned Floral Dress

The original dress (plus some wrinkles)

This dress, like so many of my other refashioned items, was found in an op-shop (for the bargain price of £2.99! I love Salvos!), and originally from Marks and Spencers. I loved the print and drapey fabric, and the bodice evoked 1940s dresses with its double-breasted opening. Unfortunately, it was a size 16, and way too long for me - the skirt went down to my ankles. The shoulders were also much too big, and padded as well, for full 1980s effect.

Out came my trusty seam ripper, and off went the sleeves and skirt. There was some elastic along the waist, so I gently unpicked that too, and saved it, just in case. I started by adding some bust and waist darts, and then took in an inch along each side seam, to bring in the bodice and make it a closer fit. The shoulders were still too big, so I cut off an inch at the top (narrowing it down to nothing at the bottom of the armscye). This of course meant the sleeves were a little too big when I tried to set them in, so instead of gathering and easing it in, I added two little pleats to the top of the sleeves. You can see how that turned out in the photo above - I'm quite pleased with it, although of course it means I have to iron them down after every wash.

After that, everything else got done fairly quickly and smoothly. I gathered the skirt and attached it back to the bodice, then reattached the elastic that I had unpicked from the dress earlier. The belt was still much too big though, so I added a couple more holes with the help of my trusty eyelet kit. I found mine in an op-shop, but you can find a similar kit here - trust me, it's more useful than you think it will be. 

The only thing left was to shorten the skirt. I briefly considered leaving it long, as I'm partial to a good mid-length skirt, but this just looked a little too mumsy for my taste. So I ended up taking a good EIGHT inches off, which left it at a nice just-above-the-knee length. Job done, and it's quickly become one of the dresses I reach for whenever I want to feel just a little bit (not too much) dressed up.

The Swanning Around Outfit

Here's a two-in-one sewing post, because one post means less writing (typing) than two. And I'm lazy. 

I finished this blouse months ago, in the summer in fact, but only wore it for the first time two weeks ago! Why the delay? Well, about the time I completed it, Manbacon and I bought tickets to see Swans at Koko. Swan blouse, Swan band - coincidence? I think not! So I decided to wait until the day of the gig to take the blouse for its first outing. Long wait...and not a very sensible choice on a cold November night, since the blouse was hidden under layers of coat and scarf. Anyway, I had made up my mind, and so it was done. 

The pattern, as you can see, is Simplicity 5451, purchased about two years ago on eBay. I never felt any inclination to actually use it...until I found this pink and white swan fabric - actually a sheet - in the op-shop about a year ago. I knew what it would become as soon as I found it. 

'Overnight Success'! Well, the pattern cover wasn't too far off, although it did take me slightly longer than overnight due to other projects. The contrasting collar and cuffs were less a design decision and more a running-out-of-fabric decision. The sheet was rather narrow and short (I think it might have been meant for a baby's cot?) so there simply wasn't enough fabric for the collar and cuff facings. I think the white accents help give the blouse a bit of a 1950s diner waitress look though, so I'm not complaining. Finally, the plastic buttons were harvested from the duvet cover that turned into my Summer Safari dress. 

On to the skirt. It's based on my trusty pencil skirt pattern, except I redrafted it slightly so that the front waist darts become princess seams. This allows for the insertion of panels of different fabric into the sides of the skirt. It's a great way to add interest to a fairly plain design, and allows for smaller amounts of fabric to be used. 

The main fabric came from an old A-line velvet maxi length skirt that was given to me a while back. I cut the side panels from this massive bag of jersey remnants that I bought off eBay last year (it's THE bottomless bag of fabric - I've made so many things from it and it still sits there, undiminished). It's lined with supersoft black and white fabric harvested from a duvet cover, and the hem is catchstitched so it hardly shows on the velvet. I made the waistband out of faux leather, for three different textures of black. The faux leather was an arse to machine-sew though, and I ended up having to sew it to the skirt by hand. It's finished off with a  vintage metal button with markings that look rather like a fingerprint, however, you can't really see it in this photo so you'll have to take my word for it.

Hat - vintage

Jacket - Op-shop (Glasgow)

Blouse - Self-made

Skirt - Self-made

Tights - Pretty Polly

Boots - H&M

Hip To Be Square

Apologies for the rather embarrassing title. I've been in a cushion-making mood recently. They don't take much time to sew, and they always help me feel like I've done a whole lot of work when in fact all I've done is to join up a bunch of straight lines. 

These two crazy patterned ones above were a housewarming gift for a friend. If you were thinking 'Wow, she's joined those fabrics really well!' I'm sorry, but I didn't . The fabric came with this pattern - or rather, 4 strips of insane patterns, running side by side down the whole length of the fabric. Because whoever designed it felt that having just one wasn't enough. 

This rather Christmassy creation was the result of a hideous acrylic poncho that a friend insisted on giving to me. So I cut it up and used the material for cushions! I made two of these - one is available on Etsy (along with a slightly different design, and the other is available at the stall. Send me a message if you want both of them.

The cushions in these last two photos are also currently available at the Tea Rooms stall. The fabrics for these came from a  some op-shops in Poland, and were originally a child's tunic and a massive kaftan, respectively. In the bottom photo, you can see both the front (left) and back (right) of the kaftan cushions. the fronts were cut from the kaftan, while the envelope backs make use of some fabric from my mother-in-law. 

Making cushions always help me feel very accomplished and efficient, so don't be surprised to see more of these here in the near future!

Recent Refashions

Alright, let's move on from those rather hideous Halloween photos onto something more pleasant, shall we? I think it's been a while since I've done a sewing-related post. It's not that I haven't done any sewing, it's just that most of the finished products have been for work, which mean the pieces usually come straight off the sewing machine and into the stall, with time only for a couple of quick snaps. 

First up, this khaki blouse. I forgot to do a 'before' shot, but it was just a standard fitted men's shirt originally from Joseph Conran (but which I probably purchased in an op-shop). As you can see, I cut the back off at waist height, then cut and sewed the front at an angle. The front of the shirt ended in points at the middle, so the middle can be tied up once the last two buttons are undone. I also unpicked the sleeves, cut it off about halfway down, then gathered and sewed the sleeves back to the top halves of the armscyes. 

I bought the next shirt because I couldn't tear my eyes away from that crazy pattern. It's a huge men's shirt, made with wool. There were some tears and holes just above the bottom hem of the shirt, so that had to be cut off. The collar went as well. 

 

I also unpicked the sleeves, and tried a similar trick to the khaki shirt above, except I cut them slightly shorter this time. To make the shirt narrower, I sewed some darts to the front and back of the bodice. The shirt was still much too wide, so I decided to add some elastic around the waist. I swear the elastic has been sewn on straight in real-life, even though it looks crazy cooked in the photo below. I also shirred the shoulders a little so they weren't droopy-looking. Lastly, some remnants were used to make a removable bow, which you can just barely see in the picture below, pinned to the top of the button placket. 

Finally, this rather florid men's shirt, foisted onto me by a very persistent friend who clearly didn't understand the phrase 'no-i-don't-want-it-take-it-away'. Faced with yet another oversized men's shirt, I decided to do what I usually do with them, and cut it up.

 

The shirt was made of a very soft viscose, and looked much livelier once it was given a wash and iron. I removed the sleeves, and finished off the edges with some bias binding folder under. The top collar was next to go, while the collar stand was left on for a Mandarin collar look. I then cut a two strips of fabric from the unpicked sleeves, and attached them to the sides to form a couple of ties. The refashion was nearly complete, but I felt it needed something more. MOAR! It was then I remembered some soft vintage lace I had in my stash. I cut off a long length of it (about twice as long as the hem of the shirt) and gathered it to the bottom hem, which resulted in a new, asymmetric hemline. The lace also helped add some much needed length to the shirt, transforming it from tunic-length to proper dress-length. 

I've just finished a few more refashions, which will be featured in another upcoming post. Stay tuned!

Park Life - Refashioned Dress

Nope, not auditioning for Singing In The Rain, in case you were wondering why I happen to be posing with a umbrella. These photos were shot on a afternoon when the sky went from frowny nacreous grey to a honey golden light - the kind that Tumblr dreams are made of - all in the space of the less-than-five-minutes it takes to walk to the local park. 

Anyway, back to this dress - another op-shop find which I rather uncharacteristically resisted buying right away, only to keep thinking about it and go back for it two days later. Of course, it was still on the same rack. What, no one else finds a sack-like, shoulderpadded 1980s muumuu desirable? You fools!

It's awesome pointed collar and lovely, soft fabric with that sort of 1950s print was what convinced me. I took it home, and decided to chop off the sleeves, unpad the shoulders, and remove some of the length. That made it a lot better, but it was still too wide. I looked like a green square. I got some elastic, and sewed it to each side of the waist seam, which brought it all in and made the dress a lot more fitted. 

Verdict? This dress is so comfortable that I've already worn it three times in the first week. It's now in the laundry suitcase waiting for a wash, and then it'll be worn again and again and again and again and again...I sure, it's like wearing pyjamas in public, except I don't look disapprovingly at my reflection and raise the corner of my upper lip. The picture below shows you exactly how smug I feel when I wear pyjama-comfy clothes in public - it's practically cheating!

Black felt hat - vintage, antique umbrella - available at the Bobbie and Lola stall, faux leather jacket - Primark, dress - refashioned, tights - Sainsburys, purple suede brogues - Marks and Spencers

The Picnic Dress Refashion

Dress - refashioned, Belt - vintage, Satchel - op-shop, Shoes - Brussels, Sunglasses - op-shop

Some of you might remember this dress from my 'Handmade Holiday' post earlier this month. Well, glance down to to view its original incarnation. 

 

I know, it looks like I got swallowed by a picnic blanket, right? The dress was discovered - as with so many of my other clothes - in a local op-shop. It was clearly waayyyy to big, but I can't seem to resist red-and-white gingham. So I bought it, with the idea of harvesting the fabric to make...something. 

After trying it on back home, I realised that with a few nips and tucks, it would make a fairly nice little sundress-type thing. Grabbing my trusty seam ripper, I proceeded to unpick the skirt from the bodice portion. To make the bodice more fitted, I added waist darts to front and back. The unflattering sleeve length was dealt with, by simply hacking off a few inches. I then hacked more length off the bottom of the skirt, to bring it up to above-knee length. To finish up, a gathering thread was sewn through the top of the job, before I gathered it slightly and re-attached it to the bodice. Voila! 

Well, not quite...the puffy sleeves still made me look like I was an American football player in drag. Not exactly a good look on me. I dealt with that troublesome area by cutting two tiny pieces of elastic (each about 5cm long). The elastic was then stretched and sewn along the underside of the shoulder seams, to give a shirred effect and reduce the shoulderpadded look. 

Despite the darts, the waist area was still a little baggy, and I found it looked better with a belt around it. The dress is made of a very thin polycotton material, which turned out to be very see-through - er,  diaphanous, I mean - especially in bright sunlight. Problem? Meet solution - a part of shorts. It's the same thing I did back in school, and it makes me feel so much more confident when wearing short skirts. 

Handmade Holiday

I've just returned from a short but intense week-long holiday to Belgium and France, during which I set myself a challenge to wear at least one handmade or refashioned item everyday. 

Day 1 - London to Brussels (by Eurostar, so glamourous)

Sunglasses - op-shop

Faux leather jacket - Primark

Vintage silk scarf - Wimbledon car boot

Refashioned grey dress - op-shop (originally handmade by someone else too!)

Vintage canvas bag - op-shop

Vintage Coca Cola duffel bag - op-shop

Tights - 60 denier Pretty Polly black tights from Sainsburys

Shoes - Black school plimsolls from Bata, Singapore

Day 2 - Brussels to Bruges (taken at the Atomium)

Sunglasses - op-shop

Red silk blouse - op-shop

Rust brown corduroy shorts - Handmade (finished the day before I left, and yet to be blogged, but pretty much the same pattern as these shorts, except with slanted pockets)

Canvas bag - op-shop

Day 3 - Bruges (excuse the fluffy post-wash no hairdryer/comb hair)

Sunglasses - op-shop (same again...)

Refashioned gingham dress - op-shop (also finished just before I left so as yet unblogged)

Pasty white legs and bruised knees - all mine, baby, all mine. They have seen no sun for about 5 years. Nice

Canvas bag - op-shop (it converts into a backpack too!)

Black trainers - 10 euro purchase from a random shop in Brussels because my plimsolls were hurting me. 

Day 4 - Bruges to Lille (sweating it out in front of the Frietmuseum, which we did not visit)

Sunglasses - op-shop

Blue cotton shirt - stall in Bangkok night market

Yellow shorts - handmade

Canvas bag - op-shop

Day 5 - Lille (much cooler weather so the legs went back into hiding)

Sunglasses - just kidding, didn't bring them along today!

Faux leather jacket - Primark 

Blue cotton shirt - Bangkok night market stall

Green rayon blouse - handmade 

Rust-brown corduroy shorts - handmade and as yet unblogged

Black tights - Sainsbury's Pretty Polly

Pink socks - Bangkok night market 2nd hand stall

Black trainers - 10 euro purchase from a random shop in Brussels (these were my first purchase in Belgium)

Day 6 - Lille to Calais (with special guest star Peter Falk aka Columbo)

Sunglasses - same old, same old

Faux leather jacket - Primark

Red gingham dress - Refashioned vintage dress, found in op-shop

Canvas bag - op-shop

Red belt - vintage, MVE

Black tights - Sainsburys

Shoes - random shop in Brussels

Day 7 - Calais then back to Blighty

Sunglasses - same as above

Blue cotton shirt - 2nd hand stall at Bangkok night market

Red silk blouse - op-shop

Yellow cotton shorts - handmade

Black tights - Sainsburys

Pink socks - Bangkok night market stall

Black trainers - random Brussels shoe shop

Whew! A whole week of mostly handmade, remade, vintage and secondhand! I try to pack as lightly as possible for trips, hence the constant repetition of several pieces, but I'm happy to report that my handmade items held up brilliantly throughout a very active week. 

More photos of the trip to come soon...

Easy Skirt Refashion

A quickie sewing project to ease oneself into a new year of sewing (the previous peachy dress had been finished just before 2011 rang out). The skirt itself was purchased at an op-shop on New Year's Eve. I loved the fabric, but - as evident from the photo below - the original elasticated waistband was way too big, even for my post-Christmas feast waistline. 

The refashion itself took hardly any time. In fact, I think I spent longer unpicking the elastic than doing any actual sewing! All I had to do was to cut off the top 3 inches of the skirt, iron it out and then cut it into the required length for a new waistband. I gathered the top of the remaining skirt, put in a lapped zipper and then sewed it into the new band, with a vintage button to close it. New-old skirt is ready!

T-shirt - op-shop, Coat - vintage (from MVE), skirt - refashioned, tights - Sainsburys, shoes - H&M