Kittys Drawings

Hi All,

Short and sweet post today. I’m still struggling with the blog thing…and I promised photos of some of my other clothing that I haven’t made myself. This dress I bought at the Williamstown Vintage Fair a couple of years ago. It’s made of linen which I love, and it’s the nicest shade of green.

Shoes are my new Miss L Fire wedges. Major love for these, they are SO comfortable.

Photos are back downstairs again, since the house rearrange..I like it better here

That’s about it. Drawing is progressing very slowly. Still have no idea about how I want my portfolio website to look. Need to make a new blog header too….I really need to clear a weekend for this stuff.

Ciao!

Hi All!!

Here’s the latest sewing project all finished. I’ve jumped ahead a couple cos this wasn’t the one I was intending to show you, but I was wearing this Saturday (and Friday haha) so I took pics of this instead. This is possibly the quickest dress I’ve ever made, and I even lined the bodice – so if you skipped that, it’s SUPER easy….That said, I think lining is quicker than facings.

Some Notes:

• It’s made from a sheet – Possibly! Nicole from Circa thinks it might not be as the cotton is fairly thick.
• I shortened it a bit
• I didn’t add the scallops on the bottom because I can’t figure out how to shorten the circle skirt without changing the circumference of the hem, thus needing to change the pattern piece for the scallops (hard to explain!)
• Only the bodice is lined
• This has a side zipper but it isn’t closed at the top so it’s really easy to get into.
• It’s the perfect, comfy summer dress!
• I didn’t need to change the pattern at all except the length

(look at the surge of kitties hehehee)

After reading Elyse’s post on her first Spring sewing project, I notice that I have wrinkles on the bodice of my dress too. I answered her question by saying it could be the lining competing for space…Which could also be the case for my dress as I used the same size lining as the outer pieces. I’m not sure? It doesn’t bother me too much though.

Guess what? I made the green belt I’m wearing too Using a kit from A Fashionable Stitch, I covered the belt backing in some green fabric and hand-sewed it all together. Covering the buckle was a bit fiddly though. It comes with a sticky piece of card that you attach your fabric to and then the other side sticks to the metal front of the buckle. Then you jam in the bottom of the buckle with some pliers. I botched it a little bit but you can’t really tell when I’m wearing it. Then I had to rush out and buy an awl and the Mr helped me bash in the eyelets.
I think I’ll be making simpler slide belts next – eyelets are a PITA.
I’m majorly in love with that green fabric I used. It’s such a perfect shade – and matches my dress so well. I have enough left to make a skirt…And the pattern is coming in the mail so it should hopefully arrive shortly.

After making this dress I think I’m going to hold off on all the DRESSES for a while. Need to make lots more separates – so skirts and tops for my new job (staring tomorrow!!! Eeeep)…but first the ROBE in pink seersucker – or plissé – I’m not sure which it is actually. Yes, there is a difference. More on that later ;-P

Okay so I better run!!

Hi Everyone!

It’s sewing post time

I’m a bit behind as usual!

A few weeks ago I finished Mccall 7221 which is a square necked dress pattern from the 40′s. I won this through a sewing blog I read but for the life of me I can’t remember which one! If it was you, let me know and I’ll link you in this post The competition was months ago and I didn’t have plans on making this pattern straight away – but then I found this fabric at Savers not long after and deemed it perfect for the pattern. Not sure what the content is exactly, it feels like a cotton mix. It’s really opaque but also super light-weight which will make it good for summer.

I love how it’s casual and it came together really easily.

Some notes:

• I made a proper placket closure. Instead of inserting a side-zip (which I hate as they never sit nice and are a pain to put in), I used snaps and hook & eye. This takes a little more time than a zipper but it’s SO much neater and more comfortable!
• I didn’t need to change the size of the pattern much at all. It gapes a little in the bust still….I’ll have to learn how to fix that properly soon but it still looks okay
• The sleeve/yoke/whatever-you-call-it was a bit of a pain but I got there in the end.
• I pieced the front section because I didn’t have heaps of fabric.
• Shortened it by a LOT as usual

Overall, I’m really pleased with this dress. The fabric hides any boo-boos but I didn’t actually make any so yay! However, the pattern is pretty full on and the scale of it might swamp me a bit don’t you think?

It’s my petticoat hem that’s wonky not my dress

I still hate taking photos as well. I get really bored of posing but I’m still stuffing around with getting the light right so its like – pose pose pose pose – take memory card out of camera – put card into computer – download files onto Adobe Bridge – check, crop and edit some photos – delete stupid poses/expressions – take card out of computer – put card back in camera – set timer……pose….repeat until satisfied…Then edit properly. *groan*

Oh and do you like my bag?? I got it off Etsy a little while ago – Deadstock 60′s! Still had the tag attached. It’s so BRIGHT. I had to buy a belt to match….haha. The colour is right but it’s more of a hip belt not one for your waist so it’s kinda big and chunky. Does anyone know where I can get a good, thin, patent yellow waist belt? Without too much cost expenditure?

Also – These are some recent fabric purchases. All of them are from Savers except for the green flocked one. Isn’t it awesome! I got it from Unique Fabrics on Sydney Rd for $5 a metre (I bought 3m)….I have plans to make another full skirted 50′s dress with it – maybe a circle skirt this time…and underline it with bright yellow cotton lawn. Do you think yellow would work? Or some other colour? I dismissed white as an option because I want the flocking to stand out.
And how do you clean flocked fabrics? Gentle hand wash?

There’s another floral sheet in there – Spring wardrobe planning haha (more circle skirts)….and a huge pile of pink seersucker which I think I will make a ROBE out of. Once I find some really soft flannel/sheeting to line it with. The other patterned stuff feels like cotton – good for a little blouse I think. I don’t have enough blouse patterns….It’s something I always hesitate to buy. Silly huh.

Oh and and!! I want to make a petticoat for myself….a fluffy one…but I hate those tiered ones. I was thinking I would get some soft cotton and a heap of the softest tulle I can find and construct it like I was making 3 circle skirts on top of each other. Then make a tube of fabric for the waistband and fasten it with a ribbon because I also hate elastic as it always stretches. Do you think this would work??

Anyways I better go. I’ve got some drawing planned – One started and another planned. And some dresses to show still. Till soon!!

Hey everyone!
Drawing time.

Another portrait study. This one took quite a few hours but the usual story, I got pretty sick of it by the end. I don’t really like this one. Its kind of harsh and overworked. And the colours are blah.

So I’m still fumbling my way around with the drawing. I think I need to do more of it to get more out of it. Hard to find the energy at the moment. Feeling drained. Literally! I gave blood today ….The girl had to jab two fingers to get an accurate hemoglobin measurement. Why is it that hurts more than the big needle going in?

But I am starting something new tonight….

And there’s still one piece that’s almost done which I am trying not to be disillusioned with.

Anyways….til later…

Hi Everyone!
Oo-er I’m a bit slack on the blog front at the moment aren’t I!

To be fair though, I’ve got an excuse. My bro is up visiting from Tassie. I did finish a dress just before he got here though…the “red” one – which I thought would turn purple when dying with blue – which it did – despite me saying in my last post that it was looking rather blue. That’s because I was looking at it while it was still wet in the washing machine. Ha! The purple is awesome though!

This is Butterick 6876 – A button front dress from the 50′s.

It does need a few fixes. The bottom buttons are a bit out of line – so I might snip those off and reattach. I also underestimated just how many buttons I’d need…and when I went back to Lincraft, I couldn’t find them anywhere. Even though it was only a few days later! BOO. So I’ve just safety pinned the bottom closed for now.

The pattern was very easy to follow. I did a bit of fitting – taking heaps off the side seams and shoulder seams. It fits really well in the bodice so I’m rather proud of myself for that. I also used bias binding on the sleeves which worked out nicely too. The collar was dead easy – a lot less trouble than I was expecting. The hip area needs to be smaller I think. I need to find a way to take excess fabric out from around the front of my hips. Any tips on this?

I got to use my “new” buttonholer. Wonderful little gadget that! Only took a few minutes to do all ten buttonholes. It CHEWS through bobbin thread so I had to change the bobbin halfway through and then I only had just enough to do the last few.

Lots of pics this time. Got a bit more experimental with the locations. I credit my bro for the photography – he did a really good job!! We went out to the street in the back of my house. Lots of cool walls and textures and colours that worked well with the rich purple of the dress. And I’ve found a new indoor location. Still accompanied by furry intruders of course hehee.

Now I know you’re all wondering where the drawings have gone. I have been working on them. I’m having a go at attempting more than one piece at a time. So the longer project is still in the works but I started something quick last night which I should be able to finish in a few more hours. So I’ll have TWO drawings ready soon. How bout that!

As for the giveaway…I’m about ready for that too – When I get my shit together I’ll organise things for that. Expect my giveaway post next week! Woohoo!

Till then, seeyas!

Hi Guys!
So I’ve finally got some piccies of the latest project. I used Butterick 2633 which is from the late 50′s/early 60′s. Here’s a pic of the pattern:

I’m much happier with this dress than anything I’ve made so far. There’s still a few niggling things I need to get the hang of, but overall everything worked out. The whole thing is lined and I actually tried it all on properly before sewing everything. I still needed to take a lot out of the bust area to make it fit. Also, I pinched a whole section out of the centre back as it was gaping. I must have narrow shoulders if all these dresses are gaping up there. Not sure how I will transfer that to the pattern when I trace it onto plastic.

The pleats are mega nifty and used a LOT of fabric! Woo! You wouldn’t believe how much is stuffed in that waistline

The biggest issue I had was the closures. I had originally planned to use all snap fasteners but the pattern instructions ended up being right in saying a zipper for the top half of the side opening would be best. It doesn’t bunch at all since the zip only goes to the waistline, and from the waist down it’s 4 snap fasteners. My issues are that I just can’t get them to look that tidy! The zip actually looks fine and is probably one of the neatest ones I’ve done – but the gap between the zip and the snaps where I’ve put a hook and eye thingy just looks blah. Lucky I can cover it with a belt.

It’s such a fun summer dress! Very comfy. Oh and the lining…. I didn’t want to use normal silky lining material (what is that stuff called?) cos I thought it would defeat the purpose of a breezy dress. Solution? A trip to the Salvos and a purchase of a queen size white bed sheet for $4! Perfect! It’s soft and cool and just what I wanted. Not to mention I’ve got tons left for other projects. The lining of the skirt is a really shoddy looking petticoat sorta thing. It doesn’t look that flash but it’s only there so my skirt isn’t see-through. I’m thinking of getting some tulle and stitching it to the bottom for a bit of extra puff.

The other day I popped into Savers just to have a look and found these few little things…since I’m missing a bit of green in my stash. The two on the left will become tops I think – there’s not too much of those but I could probably squeeze a dress out of the yellow one if I found the right pattern. It would work nicer as a top though don’t you think? They’re both amazingly soft.
The two green ones are bigger lengths, with quite a lot of the paler green one. I’m thinking quite a way into the future and considering possibly a crazy 50′s suit out of that one. How cool would that be!? All wasp-waisted with sharp angles and a slim fit skirt with killer kick-pleats up the back. Yeh!
The far right green one I just LOVE. Oh wow it’s so pretty. What a colour! Only enough to make a skirt out of that one I think. It’s a really heavy material too.

All this for $12.95. I love Savers.

Wow I’ve sure rambled! I’m almost finished my red button up dress. Should be done by the end of the weekend provided I can get my buttonholer making neat buttonholes.
Then what next!?

• A 40′s dress in the navy & white polka dot crepe

or

• 40′s shirt/blouse in cream?

Decisions decisions.

Til then!
Seeyas

(and yes I’m still workin on that drawing)

Hiii!

More life drawing for everyone Colour this time! I had heaps of fun with this lesson and it was good to dig out the pastels – haven’t used them since my uni days! Did LOTS of drawings – the majority of them dreadful – but I have to put the really shit ones up so the half decent ones look a bit better ehehehee.

The quality of photos is absolutely terrible and I apologise in advance – I can’t nuke the levels out of them like I would with a B&W. They look a bit more vibrant in real life – winter sun and all that, crappy camera – hard to take a good pic. But enough of the EXCUSES, time for drawings

The worst first – 1 min and 2 min warm ups:

Contours – the first was meant to be 7 mins one colour and 7 mins the next but I finished early (always going too fast!) and did the next one quickly. Then 10 mins doing a drawing based on shading and using 3 colours. My third was the background colour heh.

Then the final pose – two lots of 20mins. I did the first sketch and realised it was way too big for the page so I scrapped it and started again. Really pleased with the end result – using blue really grounded the whole thing I think. Shame the pics are so craaaaaaaap argh sorry!!

Some close ups

K, that’s enough nekkid man-bum for a day Until next time!