Random pics from Megan Nielsen pattern testing

Just a few pics taken during construction of my Eucalypt tank dress and Cascade skirt, while pattern testing for Megan Nielsen:

   

Workstation - Cascade skirt W.I.P on chair.

Trimming the seam allowances to make French seams (Eucalypt tank dress).
Love my new Mundial scissors!

Pinning the French seam- ready for the final (encasing) seamline.

Temporary bias binding storage ;)

Slowly, slowly...stitching Cascade waist band

Finally get to use my Shrinky-dink buttons!

The great thing about doing two projects in the same fabric is that your pics all end up quite colour co-ordinated ;)

Happy sewing/testing/whatever you are up to craft-wise...

Kate x

Browsing around...

Hey folks!

I have had visitors lately up here in the top end, AND have started a new full-time job in one of my local libraries (join one today!).

Therefore not having much time to actually make anything myself I give you the best of my net-surfing over the past few days:

First up is Stacy Sews (http://www.stacysews.com/) I have to admit this was the first sewing blog I read that I felt related to people in my age group. Stacy sews stuff that is trendy, useful and up to date. Also now her talented daughter -Taylor- has taken up the sewing bug (and doing it really well!)

Also every Thursday Stacy posts a bunch of useful sewing related links AND she contributes to the Burdastyle website- just more good reasons why you should read the Stacysews blog.

Next up is Burdastyle - brought to you by the fantastic people who publish Burda World Of Fashion magazine. If you sew and haven't already found this website then please go there NOW! It has the most fantastic FREE fashion patterns- all drafted beautifully! Plus you can see what others have made (with and without patterns) and participate in a whole new realm of discussions, competitions and exchange of fashion ideas....

If you haven't heard of Burdastyle and you are into dressmaking/couture/fashion sewing, then please beg, borrow or buy (remember karma always comes back to you) a copy of the Burda World of Fashion Magazine.

If you are not sure what this is about check out the pattern reviews on sewing.patternreview.com- it will give you an idea of what type of patterns are available in this wonderful magazine. Also there is a website here that you can directly order the magazine from- plus they offer a few FREE downloadable fashion patterns from back issues!

If you live in Western Australia, Town of Vincent public library did have the Burda WOF available for loan (and inter- library loan) as part of their collection. I am not sure if they still carry this title but for the price of a few minutes of your time (to join the library) I am sure it is worth a look if you want to check this magazine out in proper paper format.

Finally : Fehr Trade. What can I say but that you have got to admire a girl who can take IKEA shower curtains and see in them a dress suitable for the Glastonbury Festival. The author of Fehr Trade- Melissa-lives on a HOUSEBOAT (former floating hotel) - how cool is that? Plus she holds fashion shows of her work-truly an inspiring experience for the stuck at home sewer.
Happy holidays everyone!!!

Kwik Sew 2955 Dress (WIP)

I brought this pattern a few years ago when I went through a phase of only wanting to sew Kwik Sew patterns.

I found the pattern really good when getting back into sewing, as the instructions are really clear and all the pieces are printed on good quality thick paper.

I have made this dress up a couple of times already, however due to weight gains over the past year it no longer fits properly in the bodice- at least when made up in a fabric with no stretch as here:

"Squooshed" cleavage overflowing into armpit area!

So I have been trying to figure out how to do an Full Bust Alteration on the bodice area. My "Fit For Real People" doesn't have an exact how-to on this style of bodice (I'm not very experienced), nor has any web sites I've looked at yet (I was hoping someone on SPR may have reviewed this but no such luck!).

So I have kind of been muddling through trying to do it by using a slash-and-spread method. This is my progress so far:

Original bodice section with red lines drawn in for slashing + spreading of bodice (original dart in blue).

Slashed bodice section.





Trying on the slashed bodice to see if its going in the right direction....

Putting tissue paper under the bodice and taping slashed sections down (trying to make centre and side seams sit where they should).

Trying to flatten the slashed+ taped altered bodice and work out how many darts (pluswhere to put them!).

Finished bodice redrawn with new darts (sorry about the pic being side on - I am having issues with loading this one)