Burdafashion 503D and a happy ending

I was a bit out of my mind on the other day (the technique that I am most bad at is gathering), and I decided to sew this blouse with much gathering work simply because it looked very pretty and also comfortable. I imagined with stars in my eyes that I could be relaxing myself in it on a cozy weekend's afternoon having a cuppa on the sofa (or something similar).

However, after attaching one of the sleeves, I found it didn't work for me at all! It was too bulky on me and I looked like a person whose previous life was an white jellyfish or a mushroom (or something similar)...
So I took some pictures, and the blouse was abandoned.

The story continues. I showed the pics to my friends to prove what I did, and luckily one of them loved it! She finished everything neatly and here she goes! She also sewed a blue dress to wear underneath the blouse. She looks so pretty in it.
A very happy ending!!


 

here is my review again... (thanks for your patience, and encouragements!)

Pattern Description:
Tunic-blouse

Pattern Sizing:
34 36 38 40 42 44, I used 36.        

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?
I don't think so, but it was because I used a very different type of fabric from the one that was used for the sample from Burda. My fabric was rather shirting cotton than transparent flowered chiffon which was in the sample picture. The blouse I made looks bigger with a strong modulation of gathers and ruffles.

Were the instructions easy to follow?
Yes, I could sew it without a problem. However, I'd be happier if there were pictures to explain. I also thought that one of front bands would be better attached at the last step so that we can check the balance and the length of elastic band at waist with putting it on.

What did you particularly like  or dislike about the pattern?
I loved the feminine look of the blouse. I have no particular dislikes on it.

Fabric Used:
Very thin and light cotton/cupro blend. Slightly sheer. Rather elegant.

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made:
No, I sewed it without changes.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
Yes, I will probably sew it again in very soft lacy fabric. I think my version is pretty as it is, but I have to confess I came to know it didn't work on me at all with unknown reason before one of sleeves attached. Fortunately, one of my good friends loved it for the first sight and she finished it to get her new favorite blouse. She likes to put it on over a blue light dress that she sewed for the blouse as in the picture. It's very pretty on her! So I recommend it to others even though it didn't work for me, because I know the pattern is right and good.

Conclusion:
This is a pretty blouse and it look very elaborate. I'm looking forward to the chance to sew it again with the right fabric for me! I think I need the fabric which is flowing and hanging to make its silhouette smaller. How it looks with this pattern is totally depending on fabrics.

Balloon and newly born shop

Now it's fall in Japan, which is my favorite season! I'm delighted with that I could survive another summer, as I'm quite sensitive to the sunshine and the heat. Yay for longer sleeves!
I'm activated!


I made a dress and a top out of one pattern from my friend's shop.

a Balloon dress


One of my dearest friends, Miho, has recently launched her online shop for sewing patterns. She is a good hobby seamstress who is filled with knowledge, good ideas, and happy thoughts. She has been always telling me that there are few resources (brands/shops) which sell the patterns for what she'd love to wear, though there are so many other patterns around. It's true for me too, as it is practically hard for us living in Japan to access the patterns from your major companies (eg. vogue, simplicity, McCall, Burda etc.) unless they provide their patterns in digital (PDF) format. Otherwise we have to hustle ourselves to make international orders with much cost and longer shipping time. Yes, we have some domestic companies selling sewing patterns, too. But the number of choices is quite limited before our selections anyway.

She has looked for shops that are accessible and that offer the patterns with which she can sew her new, nice, and stylish clothes which suit her everyday life. But it was a hard task in the end. So she changed her plan. She started to ask a very talented professional to draw patterns for her wish. In other words, she decided to design garments for herself and to share her patterns through her online shop. Of course I was the one of the first customers!

I used the pattern called "Balloon" which is the one among three patterns she has at the moment.




This dress is made of very soft and milky white viscose/polyamide blend. I love the result! The dress has raglan sleeves with puffy ends, and a very cute neckline from both front and back. The pattern contains the ribbon for a waist belt, but I used my gray belt instead. My bust measurement is about 36 inches, and I used size JPN11 for the pattern, FYI.


a Balloon top




Then I was curious to see how the pattern would turn out in jersey fabric. I made this top by chopping off its skirt, and added a folded band at the bottom hem. I used shiny gray (obviously my favorite color at this moment) silk jersey for making this plain top a bit more elegant. I know I have an oh-so-poor vocabulary, but I say it again, I love the result! I think the photo didn't bring the justice. Believe me, it looks very pretty and swings beautifully when I move around. Very autumn, that's what I love.


Her patterns can be purchased internationally, as they are PDF file downloads. Though the instructions are written in Japanese, they are well illustrated (well, she's been a professional illustrator from the beginning) and it makes things easier to follow. She's going to add two patterns in 2 weeks and more to come before long. If you are interested, drop by
TAMANEGI-KOBO.



Happy sewing!





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I've made a picture for Not-so-hoody's measurement.
I hope you'll like it, BebeMini!
for not-so-hoody top
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Vogue2980, MISSES' TOP

I have started writing reviews!
Just once, I'd like to put my review here instead of writing why I sew it, how I failed, or what happened while sewing. Maybe it makes me more informative, or maybe it's just redundant (This review is pretty much copy&paste).

Anyways, I sewed this blue top and love it very much. Thank you Lindsay, who kindly sent this pattern to me on our sewing-goodies swapping!



Pattern Description:
Vogue 2980
Close-fitting, pullover tops, for stretch knits only, have draped "bolero" shoulders. A: long sleeves. B: self-lined short sleeves.

Pattern Sizing:
A-J (bust 32"-55")
I cut in size B, short sleeves.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?
Yes.

Were the instructions easy to follow?
Yes! It was really easy to follow. I'm not good at reading sewing terms, but there wasn't a problem at all.






What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
I love the design very much. Because it has close fitting on the body and slightly loose fitting around on the shoulders, it looks clean and simple, but also pretty and appealing as well.
I have to write that it is well constructed also. Self-facing on the front body around the chest is so nice! It gives a smooth and nice looking. And that's nice if I don't have to worry about laces on the bra revealing onto the top.
Only thing which I don't like is, the length of the top. I think the original length is rather short. Since it could be seen from the photo on the envelope, I lengthened mine from the first time. I know it's personal choice of style, but I just want to let you know my impression beforehand because it is difficult to lengthen the pieces of fabric after cutting.

Fabric Used:
Rayon jersey. very thin and very soft. gives nice drapes. 2-way stretch.

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made:
No alteration, but I lengthened the body at the hem by 4cm.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
Yes and yes! I'd sew it again when the right fabric is found. I also recommend it to person who love to sew something stylish (but not harsh)! Having said that, as it has bolero part which makes shoulders slightly bolder, I think it would be particularly preferred by the ladies who have narrower shoulders than those who have broader ones.

Conclusion:
It's a great pattern which I can imagine myself wearing in every season. I can make it in soft, shiny and milky white woolen jersey for winter, or in brightly printed rayon jersey in summer. Having said that, I think the tip for this top is a careful choice of the fabric. Softer or creating more drapes are the better. I think I'd wait patiently until something right is coming to me.


Hey, thank you for reading through this to the end, patiently!

Happy sewing!
-yoshimi

going flat

I usually prefer clothes which are sewn in three‐dimensional shape to those sewn in cut&paste-and-stay-flat style, just because flat clothes hardly fit me or fit me wrong more than half the time. However, I've been interested in the fact that the very flat clothes can be occasionally charming by their characteristic silhouette and style. Simple flat garments cause cramped fabric here, and excess there, and the flatness usually makes clothes unstylish plus uncomfortable, but lately I realized that it also gives the clothes their lives in some way. Flat clothes can look original and good! (I hope you manage to understand what I mean.) Naturally, ideas for flat clothing started growing in my mind, so I let it go.


Here are three very flat clothes which I made in the past few months. They are all made of jersey. I haven't found the way to give prettiness to the flat garments using woven plain fabrics not yet at all. I think I leave it for the experts. Jersey is easier to handle to approach very flat clothes for non-experts, that's for sure.


1. Not-so-hoody top



*please click this photo to open the Flickr page to see it all.

This top has a seam on the middle of the back. Two holes were cut out for arms. Neckline, armholes and waist hemline were finished by binding with the folded fabric. The heap behind the head looks like a hood, but it's not functioning. It's ... just there for amusing you.
I mimicked the shape of a pullover in my favorite knit book "A/T creation-knit" from NIHON VOGUE-SHA Co., Ltd. for this top. (The book has been unfortunately discontinued for ages.)



2. SAKI's shrug







My friend SAKI (bloom at BurdaStyle) wore this charming shrug the other day and of course I couldn't help asking her to show me how to make it. I look like a flying squirrel in it because it has those flaps! I think this shrug varies upon the fabric very much. If very delicate fabric is used, it would be very elegant. Mine looks somehow similar to a school uniform of gymnastic class, but it's OK because I love the whole package of it.



3. Gilet



I don't know why, but those Japanese in the fashion industry started calling this garment 'Gilet' instead of 'Vest' suddenly. This is very ostensible change that makes me laugh, but I'd like to call my one gilet, as it might make mine slightly more fashionable.
This gilet has a huge hole in the middle, and that's it. Very flat. I put a binding strip on the edge of the jointed armhole for a neat looking and it's stability, and also finished the hem by overlocking around. One Japanese blogger kindly shared her handmade gilet with the size, and I followed it. I quite like the result, it hangs very well and shows beautiful drapes only on human. Very dramatic!





Enjoy sewing!





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Gilet
(I found it on mars' blog)

dimension

my armhole binding







SAKI(bloom at BurdaStyle)'s shrug

(1)

(2)

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for not-so-hoody top

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a pair of jeans!

I've got this gorgeous denim a month ago, and since then I couldn't stop thinking about sewing a pair of nice, dark, narrow and well-fitted jeans as one of my autumn outfits.

For me, sewing pants is always a big challenge, I'm not meaning it technically, I mean that, it rarely happens to me that my home-sewn pants fit me perfect AND look nice. There's been something good in my home-sewn pants, but at the same time I always had some points which I needed to pretend not to see. Especially sewing (nice and usable) jeans seemed impossible for me. Retailed jeans always AND completely defeated mine!

Anyway, I didn't expect that my new pair of jeans would be this good, I was sewing hoping them to be considerably nice though. But when I put on them for the first time, I found the fit was perfect and they were also very comfortable. I thought they looked very good too. Wow. I LOVE them! I'm very glad that I didn't give up thinking about home-sewn pants, after those many disappointments! Miraculously, there was nothing for me to adjust in the pattern.

Here I say,
"Someday it will happen! Never stop sewing until encountering your pair!!"







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pattern: skinny jeans for stretch material from pumila (Japanese internet pattern shop)

fabric: thick stretch denim, deep indigo, cotton/polyurethane, about 1.48m x 1.4m
other: zipper, button, and thicker thread & needle for denim sewing

I've changed the piping pockets w/ flaps on the back to the common patch pockets.
I lengthened the legs by 2cm too.
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Fatina in white with black piping

I made Fatina dress from BurdaStyle.
I love this ivory white cotton which has fine embroideries and stripy wrinkles on it. After making the black dress (the knock-off), I was so stimulated in color-wise, and I wanted to sew something in very opposite color. I pulled out this fabric from the pile of my treasures straight away, and so I sewed it.

Because I realized that the muslin in my regular size was apparently bigger than I needed, and also because my fabric has some elasticity, I cut my fabric in much smaller size (34). I also shortened the length by 6cm. I didn't use bias strips for the armholes, but attached the facings. I have put the narrow black pipings on the armholes, collars, and hem as well.

The dress was very simple to make, but piping hems took so much patience and time. I generally enjoyed the process to finish, and am very satisfied with the result. I am especially happy with the length and the back slit of the skirt (would you say "skirt" if the dress has no seam across the waist like this?). Though pipings are optional on Fatina dress and you might barely see the tiny piping of mine at all, I like them on this dress!



Thanks for visiting!

-yoshimi

Dresses!

Hello!

In this past two months, I have sewed a lot, despite of my new-year resolution that is "sew as less as possible and think much before getting started".

Well I failed!
OK, I'll save it to next year and I don't need to consider another resolution as I have already one, hehe. I've been in a mood of sewing and I enjoyed sitting in front of my lovely sewing machine so much. Sewing therapy? I guess that is it.

Instead of telling about the detail of clothes which I showed you in the last post, I'm going to show you some of my recent results today. (I'll try to write in the future before long, sorry!)


Here are some dresses I made this summer.
I'm a huge fan of dresses, but I had less chances to get myself in these dresses this summer. Maybe I was too busy to wear dresses with sewing... (silly joke) Anyway, I really love sewing dresses, even when I'm too busy to wear them.


first


Made of stretch cotton, slightly sheer and printed in white and silver-gold.

It is a quite cheap fabric, but I love the casual look of it. The dress was named "a costume for Ancient Rome play" by me. I like it and it is comfortable. I used the pattern 872 from anneesicotton*. Sleeveless, no lining.


second


Made of rayon jersey, very soft and very elastic (2-way).

I immediately loved the flowers on this fabric when I saw it for the first time. I used the pattern 843 from anneesicotton* for the dress. Looks a bit too feminine, but I think it's OK as I'm female.


third


Made of shirting cotton, bias cut.

I am not good at wearing plaids, but I hoped the bias cutting help me not to be too childish.
I twist and tangle the dress after washing and let it dry in the natural air, so that the dress is given a good wrinkled looking and enough elasticity for the fitting. I think I love the result of twisting. It's an easy and handy technique for making handmade garments fitted, in my world. I used the pattern 852 from anneesicotton*


and latest


Made of polyester jersey, with white pipings.

This is my first Knock-off project, ever. I saw the black dress in July, once, in some fashion magazine, but never could wipe out the image from my eyelids. I was absolutely in love with it. Eventually I decided to sew a knock-off dress to myself, collecting my memories. I enjoyed sewing it very much and now I am very satisfied with what I get! Funny thing is, it looks rather similar to the original dress in the front view, but the design of the back is quite different. ......I knew it.
I found that Bergdorf Goodman was in stock of the dress here. (sorry when the link expired)

I used the pattern Brigitte from anneesicotton*

Hope to talk to you soon!
yosx