Where I've been at

sewing, kids.


I made the skirt and the jacket (it just struck me that this is a rare full-face-shot of me on the blog. Hm). The skirt will be discussed next post.

The jacket is Vogue 8414. I am very, very pleased with it. This was merely a wearable muslin, before I make another in some (very) metallic linen. It's plum corduroy, medium wale, from Spotlight. I really, really love corduroy. I haven't shown it yet, but I have a corduroy dress, too (rust orange, fine wale). There's not much to say about sewing it. It was cut and sewn together (complete with handstitched hems) in a day. It was a straight size 10 (a size down from the recommended measure) with no alterations. Normally I would make the back narrower, but I figured that the absence of inset sleeves and the loose style made that less important, and I didn't want to interfere with the pleats at all.


Here's the back, with its awesome little pleats. I'm sure someone better at fitting than I could tell me why I have those creases in the upper sleeve. I'm also thinking that next time I might draft and extra inch or two in the sleeve so they don't sit right in my elbow - it gives the sleeves a slight tendency to bunch up my arms rather than crease when I bend my elbows.


One of my favourite parts of the pattern is the loose mandarin (?) collar. I love the line it creates in profile against my neck (apologies for the blurries - BCB is not so steady with the camera).

The jacket is unlined, with self-facing, so I opted to cover the facing edges with bias binding (and one of the sleeve seams too). I'm still a bit of a spazz at sewing bias binding, so I'm pleased enough that this is attached to the garment and the facings caught. Wrinkles be damned. You can also see the only spot where I didn't catch the folded-under part of the collar facing. I'll handstitch that down today. I did ignore instructions to handstitch down the collar facing and opted for machine stitching in the ditch on the outside instead. I'm getting much, much better at machine sewing down facings these days. That skirt above was done perfectly, and I only missed that tiny part on the jacket.

It doesn't have buttons yet. I'm thinking maybe dark wooden ones? All up I think this thing is very cute, very appropriate for Perth weather, very comfortable and cosy; and I'm happy enough to make well, actually a couple more probably.

I say!

Check it out. Locher's are taking the purpose and function of machine embroidery to a whole new level. I rather like some of these, and I really like the idea, but wish I has access to an embroidery machine. None is *quite* perfect (thought I'm seriously tempted by Tops 2 and 3). Some of the phrases are a leetle cliched, or I would be uncomfortable wearing them ('I play rough', fine. 'Good luck, motherf*cker', fine. 'Sorry boys, good girls swallow', not fine in my delicately calibrated offence-o-meter). I don't particularly like those that make the phrase overtly obvious (across the back, say). It takes away from the assumption that it's some girly little slogan dropped 'mongst the flowers.

bits & pieces

there's been no real progress on the knitting front, i'm afraid. too busy. i have managed to bite my nails to pinkish shreds (i'm so good at externalising stress), but you don't want to see that. i showed my friend, and he gasped and made little wincing faces.

instead, i'm going to show you all some Cool Stuff (TM) that ive found recently.


this is a detail from 'Tokyo Winters', a screenprint by Brooke Bobridge. i don't normally do cute, girly art (spending much of one's major analysing Interior Scroll will do that to a girl), but this i could hang on my wall. or any of bobridge's prints, actually. they're a mere $60, signed and numbered, and for sale at Keith & Lottie.

also at Keith & Lottie is this most fabulous t-shirt, by australian designer Princess Tina/ Beci Orpin.


i do not have $69 to spend on a t-shirt right now. if anyone does, please, feel free to purchase it for me. i'd be a medium. and also yours for life.