Mirroring Suzy Bee Sews - Life So Strange It Should Be Fiction

Several years ago, I think in 2006, I answered an ad on Craigslist for fabric.  It was a woman who ran a vintage store.  At one point, they had made tote bags to sell but she had apparently burned out on making tote bags.  She had collected a *lot* of fabric to that end (ah, how I know about collecting fabric).  Most of it was junk and/or not to my taste, but I picked out a few pieces.  The prize length was this groovy 1970s turquoise and green print.  There were 2 yards of very narrow fabric, and I could never find the perfect pattern. After my pants muslin disaster , I needed a trusty old faithful project.  Plus, January is the Pattern Review stash contest, which I like to use as a challenge for sewing up older pieces.  So I made a skirt (to be revealed soon).  But then I realized that I only had a couple tops to match it.  So I went stash diving and came up with this prized vintage fabric, that I had actually forgotten about, I admit....

Although I prefer skirts and dresses, there are times in the winter where I wish I had a pair of nice-looking, professional, trouser-y pants.  I am SO glad to have discovered Levi's 512s, which fit my body perfectly, so I don't need to worry about jeans.  But dress pants?  They do not exist. Everyone loves the Burda crotch, and Burda fits me well in general, so I figured how hard could it be?  I traced off 02-2010-102 and blithely set to it. V.1 Front V.1 Back V.1  Out of the envelope (with larger SAs, to increase size to about 40 at the hip).  There was no way I was going to document the original front fit before I let out the CF seam and cut open the front waistband at CF to release it.  Horrible.  I do not have a pants body.  Smile does not even begin to describe it.  More like grimace. The back is a wrinkled mess. V.2 Front V.2 Back V.2  Saddlebag width increase; lengthen back crotch by 3/8"; add more room at CF seam for belly;...

After procrastinating (don't we all???) about whether to add ribbon to the last top I made, I bit the bullet and went ahead to add it. It actually now looks great... This photo is taken indoors, just on dusk so not true to colour thanks to the flash. But, the ribbon is actually the same colour as in the stripe, so in 'real-life' blends in nicely. To attach it I used a twin needle and it was just the perfect size of the ribbon. At the top of the front I added 3 very small buttons, and 1 at the top on the back. They are actually a denim-blue colouring, but have photographed black!!! Next on my agenda for sewing are some skirts. With all the tops and shirts I have been making I feel a little 'under-dressed' on the lower parts.So starting Friday night off with Burda 8407.  An old pattern that I have never managed to get around to. So time to prowl around PR to see what others thought about it...

Another Sorbetto! Some fellow bloggers love these tops, others are well and  truly  sick to death of them.   Me, I am in the mood for some quick little tops, that whip up in a matter of hours. 2 pattern pieces plus whatever else you personally wish to add and that is it. No zippers, invisible or otherwise, no buttons, buttonholes or interfacing. No extra trips back to the shops to pick up forgotten accessories. Just you, 2 pattern pieces (which are free) and a small amount of fabric. Sometimes you just need the basics... This top is made from a striped shirting fabric, in chambray, white and cream. Very cool to touch and versatile with a few of my current skirts. To the basic Sorbetto pattern (which I love at the moment) I added a pleated section down the front, cut across the grain of the fabric. But I think the pleating detail is lost amongst the stripe of the fabric. This wider pleated detail extends down below the hemline, similar to a top Shams made a few weeks back....

I have tried several knit wrap dress patterns in my quest for the perfect one. I've gone from the horrible disaster that was Butterick 3078 to the ok-but-not-great of Vogue 8379 to almost there with Butterick 5454 last year. My two main issues with B5454 were the Pleat to Nowhere in the shoulder and the slightly skimpy overlap on the front skirt. When I bought this lovely and expensive (for me) silk jersey ($12/yd) from Michael's Fabrics last year I was determined to make it into a high-quality well-fitting DVF-style wrap dress to last the ages.  And so I called upon all my past wrap dresses (no seance needed) and took the best parts from each to create: The Perfect Knit Wrap Dress. I would like to thank the following patterns for contributing: Butterick 5454 : Bodice and Tie Butterick 5451 : Skirt Vogue 8379 : Sleeve, Cuff, and Collar  The last one, B5451, is not a knit pattern. This is the one I made in the double-sided acetate polka dot fabric and hated the fit...

'Security to Section Three' ... the voice loomed over the loudspeaker at David Jones, just as I was sneaking a quick picci on my phone. I had just seen a shirt with great collar detail, priced at $149 (and that was reduced!!!) and had to copy it. Surely the rest of the loudspeaker message would say... 'Crazy Lady in Women's Wear' ... So here is the guilty photo - not a great shot as I was a tad on the worried side of being whisked off by security ... A neat pleated attachment had been added to the collar, cute detail that I could 'copy' on my next shirt.  Enter SAM#2 - Again, I have turned to Butterick 5365, but as I have nailed the fit on this I can now concentrate on jazzing it up with a few details. Firstly, the collar. After gaining the photo I at least had to use it. So I pleated a folded shaped length of fabric and attached it to the main collar piece before constructing the actual collar. It is attached by the buttons and a few hidden stitches, with t...