Monday, April 29, 2013

camera tote

I made a tote bag for my camera, using Hatoto bag pattern.
I've been carrying two bags at once for almost one year, one for my DSLR and one for my things, and boy, they're so heavy together. I wanted to have one VERY light bag in which I can put my camera and other thing altogether.

For the outer bag, I used Alcantara that was basically same as polyester synthetic suede named Ultrasuede, or Ecsaine. The bag is lined using plain woven cotton and has 4 interior sections separated by the same fabric. It holds a camera that is protected by a padded compartment in the largest section, and miscellaneous stuff can wander about in the other sections. I bought the red cube compartment from a camera store for sure protection.

There is no fastener for the closure, but there are a tub and a set of magnetic hooks for keeping the bag in shape.

With such features and additional 8 outer pockets, it weighs 400g(=0.88 lbs). It failed becoming light as a feather, but actually it is not bad at all as a camera bag with a padded compartment.

Today, it was a holiday Monday. We went for a hike in the field and I checked if the bag would work well. Honestly, it was working superb. The bag made it much easier to carry my stupidly heavy stuff. It was easy to handle too. I even felt that it was light even though I carried a camera, the other lens, and everything.




yoshimi


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pattern: Hatoto bag, dimention altered and pockets and dividers added.
fabrics:
 synthetic suede (Alcantara) 1mm, light orange, 135cm x 1m
 plain cotton, woven, interfaced, light lilac, shirting weight
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P. S. I have uninstalled Disqus comment system. There are a few people who told me that they couldn't submit their comments using this system. Now I am tired of being worried about if it's working properly. I know there is no perfectly perfect system to avoid all internet problems, but this time I gave a second chance to Blogger's default comment system. We'll see what happens... Thank you for all your comments, including those which couldn't be submitted correctly, I appreciate them so much.

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Boxy pink dress

Hello!!

I have to write up this post as quickly as possible, as I need to make a cup of tea and sit to watch the last episode of The Great British Sewing Bee. I know ALL of you but me have already watched it on TV or on youtube! I NEED to watch too!



I made a pink dress for everyday use. I used a dolman sleeved dress pattern named Fran from Annee-Patterns. For the dress, I applied a slash at the front center neckline, a pair of pockets with flaps on chest, and side seam pockets in the skirt. I shortened the sleeves, lengthened the bodice, and widened the skirt at the same time I omitted the waist shirring and the patch pockets on the skirt. Fairly big redecoration, don't you think?

I am so happy with the dress!
I think the color and shape suit me well. This is the moment of sewing joy.


Happy sewing to you, friends!

Love,
yoshimi

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Pattern: Fran from Annee-Patterns
Fabric: Linen.
Pink, plain woven, fairly heavy, flowy, crease much, and soft.
Can be worn as a single layer.
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OK, so, who left the bike here?!! This is trespassing. This. is. my. photo. location. I curse you until you remove it out of the way!!
...well... enough unjustly domineered. I shall go and ask my husband to move his bike. This space is communal and is not my territory anyway...

Friday, April 12, 2013

Volume and volume

Hello friends, I've never thought to dress in the "pattern on pattern" way, like small flower print shirt on paisley print skirt, because I think it is difficult to pull off such combo, but today I dress funnily and wore stripes on stripes, accidentally ha-ha-ha...


I was a bit upset when I left home in the morning. The blouse has been finished and untouched for some days and I wanted to try it so badly. I decided to wear it with a skirt that I made yesterday for the blouse, but ended up finding that the eyelets that I put on the skirt as decoration scratched my tights to kill my legs. I told myself to forget the skirt and it was fine by me. However I was not happy with the blouse that was kept neglected. Being upset in the busy morning, I rushed to my closet and instantly grabbed a skirt that was matching to the blouse color-wise. I noticed that the skirt had horizontal stripes but I didn't care. I needed to wear a vertical striped blouse and a horizontal striped skirt together rather than to wait for another day. At the end of the day, I started feeling these aren't that bad together. I even started thinking that it is fun to explore something uncertain/unplanned when choosing outfits.



I made this blouse using Grainline Studio's Scout Woven Tee. I'm happy with its voluminous-ish look, which I intentionally wished. Here is my review for PR:

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Pattern Description: A woven t-shirt with capped sleeves and scoop neck. Fitted at the shoulders, this top falls into a loose shape below the bust. Techniques involved include straight seams, bias binding, setting sleeves and basic hemming.

Pattern Sizing:
0-12. I made size 6 with blending size 4 at around shoulders.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes, I was expecting my one intentionally roomy with size 6 though. (From the chart, I am size 6 at bust. I knew this pattern run a bit large for my measurements from my previous garment.)

Were the instructions easy to follow? Yes, I think so. The instructions have a lot of illustrations, which is great.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I like the design. It is difficult for me to say what exactly makes it  nicer than other similar patterns but I think it surely has some good balance in the simple shape. I have no particular dislike of it so far.

Fabric Used: Cotton blend. Containing silk, polyester, and polyurethane. The fabric I used is stretchy and also a bit parachute-y. There are silk ribbons woven in the fabric and they make stripe effect. I wanted some volume in the blouse so I used this stiff material instead of using soft and drapey fabrics.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: Neckline was executed with facing w/ fusible interfacing instead of binding with bias tape. Sleeves were lengthened by 10cm. I made small tucks at side of sleeve ends to make them slightly balloon shaped. Bodice was shortened by 2cm and hemmed as instructed. I pinched bodice by 4cm in total at around bust area at side seams, at the end of constructions.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? Yes and yes! I love this pattern and would like to make more, using different fabrics and different alterations. You'll need to check how it does fit you by performing at least one experimental sewing, but I think it's very worth trying.

Conclusion: It's a good and simple pattern. It is a good one especially for the people who have just started sewing because it's easy yet not giving disappointing results. That written, I think the people who have experienced the sadness of dart-less/panel-less blouses would love it, too, because they know how difficult it is to achieve a pretty blouse with such few seams.
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By the way, I've signed up for Me-Made-May'13.

me-made-may'13
'I, yoshimi of "yoshimi the flying squirrel", sign up as a participant of Me-Made-May '13. I endeavour to wear at least one me made garment each day for the duration of May 2013, with no repeats.'


I'm so looking forward to it!
Happy sewing to you and all.

love,
yoshimi