The zigzag dress

The weather is finally improving and so is my mood for sewing. Although this means I’m spending more time behind my sewing machine rather than enjoying a gin tonic on my terrace… But that’s okay, I’m just enjoying it so much. Nice weather calls for sweet summer dresses! I’m reworking the LBD I made a few weeks ago in a summer version of colourful Zigzag stripes, adding some contrast ribbon and using my daughter as my muse. Fortunately she’s enjoying it as much as I do…

The pattern is the same as the black button dress, but now I’m using a red cotton ribbon to finish the seams at the waist.

I stitch the ribbon onto the bodice and onto the skirt to create a contrasting detail at the waist . After that I stitch the vertical dart, the ribbon ends are now nicely finished between this seam.

I had a last minute inspiration and created a fake collar with the leftover from the cotton ribbon, I thought it would look great with the zigzag print.

So proud of my work, I’m having this gin tonic after all!

The chic and easy joggers tutorial

This tutorial is about how to make a loose and easy trouser that looks elegant at the same time. It’s a little like jogging pants but with a more fitted leg. Making well fitted pants is rather complicated but this pattern is very executable. I used a fine wool crepe with a satin waistband to create a simple, yet effortlessly chic look. I hope you can easily follow my instructions and make yourself a cool pair of joggers.

I measure my hip width and add 8cm. I divide this by 4 and mark this on my pattern, this is the red line as you can see here. The vertical lines mark the middle front and the side seam of the trouser.

I take an existing pants with a more loose fit (not too oversized). I copy the crotch of the front by laying it at the middle front seam just below the waistband and going down following the curve of the original pants.

I draw a second horizontal line starting from the crotch. When dividing this line in 2 you mark the middle of the leg.

I use this line to draw the knee and the hem of my pants. The width for the hem is my ankle width + 8cm divided by two. The inside seam of the trouser leg is 64cm. Now I can connect all these points by drafting a flowing line.

I draw a slight curve from the hip towards the waist going up by 1cm.

For the backside of the pants I copy the front and cut into the pattern at the hip line. I use the existing trousers again and copy the middle back seam just below the waist to the crotch.

I make flowing lines at the side seam and from the back crotch to the knee. It’s important to keep the same length on the side seam and the inner leg seam to keep the leg balanced. Now your pattern is finished, you just need to add seam allowance everywhere. I use 1 cm of seam allowance on all seams and 6cm at the leg hem for the elasticated cuff.

I’m using this beautiful fluid wool crepe and sew everything accordingly. The width of the waistline on my pattern is the same width to create a straight waistband in black satin. When stitching it onto the pants I leave the waistband open for 12cm at the middle back for the elastic band.

There are no darts in this pattern. To make it fitted at the waist without using an elastic band all way round I made some buttonholes on the front. The buttons will create a pleat on both sides. On the middle back of the waistband I only use 15cm of elastic band.

The buttons are handmade with the black wool I used for the pants. Because these button kits never seem to work (it’s probably just me…) I sew the fabric buttons by hand.

My new joggers! They fit perfectly and look so classy in this light wool crepe. I do think by using a colourful printed cotton with a fully elasticated waistband it will look amazing as well. A leopard print or a bright flower print, oooh yes…

The little little black dress

Here it is, (finally, after caught up with work) : ‘the LLBD’. It started with some leftover black buttons, some yards of black popeline and the urge to combine this somehow. I know, using black for a little girl is somewhat unusual but this dress looks so adorable on her. It’s amazing how this easy pattern resulted in such a well fitted dress, and in my mind it’s the LBD ‘Audrey’ would have liked as well.

The few measurements I took were her tummy, neckline and the length. I started from a rectangle based on the dress length and the skirt width. Half way the rectangle I marked the waist and from that point I drew the bodice shaping a smaller rectangle. Then adding darts, a neckline and armholes. Easy, no?

For the back I copied the front pattern, adding 1cm of seam allowance at the centre back. I made a facing for the neckline and armholes.

When cutting the pattern I cut into the front part until the dart.

The waist is gathered to fit the bodice and sewn together. Afterwards I sew the darts.

This looks nice already, doesn’t it?

I sew the shoulders and facing. It would have been easier to use a binding to finish the dress but this way I create a more sophisticated look.

I sew the side seams and hem. I prefer a hem with enough seam allowance, 5cm for this dress.

I added loops at the shoulders to narrow the shoulder width. To make this dress more glamorous I sewed on large black buttons around the neck opening. These buttons never seemed to have found there way back to the original clothes but hey, this is much more fun!

Love You Audrey, xxx

Old one out, new one in!

There are dresses hanging in my wardrobe for ages waiting to be worn again. I keep pulling them out and hanging them back, wrong colour, wrong shape, wrong something are keeping me from wearing them again. I never get rid of them and it seams funny somehow in this throw-away society and fast fashion decade. It’s against my nature and my love for clothes to remove them but keeping things is also holding on to the past. Sometimes it’s good to let go though, finally I will repurpose this lime dress. My daughter will look absolutely stunning in this colour.

I start by comparing all measurements of my dress with her dress. I think it’s good to keep as many seams from the original. It will spare me some time but also avoid damage on the fabric. I decide to keep the original neckline because of the pleating and the back slit.

The front and backside of the dress are separated by cutting the side seams and shoulders. As you can see the lining is still fixed at the neckline.

I cut of at the shoulders to make a smaller neck opening. From the new shoulder I measure the total length (+3cm seam) I need for the little dress and cut of the hem.

To make a smaller armhole I have to reduce the width. I’m cutting of at the side seams.

The neckline was still too big and I resolved this by adding an extra pleat with a topstitch on both sides. When repurposing old clothes you need to be inventive and find creative solutions because the dimensions will never be perfect. That’s what’s actually the most fun. You can never entirely predict your end result.

The most tricky part is to assemble everything in a beautiful manner. I close side seams from the outer shell fabric and the lining separately. After that I finish the armhole by stitching the fabric and the lining together from the inside.

The neckline was still too wide, I added more pleats at the middle front and topstitched it.

And finally I make a tunnel at the waist for the fabric belt. I start by making a buttonhole at the middle front in the upper fabric layer. Then I stitch on top of both layers (lining + fabric) creating a tunnel. I shortened the original belt length and pull it trough the buttonhole. After that I finish the hem of the fabric and lining separately.

My little girl has a new dress to enrich her wardrobe and it doesn’t seem like there’s something missing in mine.

xxx

Made By Me

Refashioned bangles

I’ve been working on several projects the last week and it seems like I’m not getting anything finished. So while my sewing machine is doing overtime I’m posting something without electricity, just a bit of sewing by hand and using my beloved tube of Pattex. My bangles are totally ready to get a new skin!

I measure the total width of fabric I’ll need for covering the bangle. I’m including 2cm extra for seam allowance.

I’m cutting a piece of my beautiful Zara scarf. Don’t worry, I’ll be fixing it as before!

The fabric is glued onto the bangle at one side with some tape so it doesn’t slip whilst sewing.

Using small hand stitches I’m covering my bangle hiding the seam allowance at the same time. When I’m finished sewing I twist the fabric around until the seam is hidden from the inside. My matching bangle is finished! Up to the second one…

A piece of real snakeskin I bought some years ago on a flea market has finally found its purpose.

I measure the bangle and cut 2 strokes out of the leather not adding any seam allowance.

Yep, Pattex again!

I’m pulling the skin around the bangle and leave it to dry.

I take the second piece and cut the edge following the structure of the skin.

As I’m sticking on the other piece I try to match the snakeskin pattern as well as possible.

I cut the loose edge every 1,5cm towards the bangle and smear on some more glue.

The strokes are pushed tightly against the inside of the bangle on both sides.

Mixing and matching it with my other bangles…or pumps for that matter…

My 30 minute dress!

This must be the easiest dress I’ve ever made! I created a tube dress in a navy cotton single jersey and finished it off with a sparkling trim.(bargain of last weekend flea market visit). This fabric doesn’t need a lot of finishing and allows me to cut the hem without seaming it. I’m just waiting for the right opportunity to flaunt my new dress!

Dit moet echt het eenvoudiste jurkje zijn dat ik ooit maakte! Ik creëerde een buisvorm in een donkerblauwe katoenjersey en bovenaan werkte ik het af met een blingbling boordje (rommelmarkt koopje van vorig weekend). Deze stof heeft weinig afwerking nodig dus onderaan heb ik de stof afgesneden zonder om te zoomen. Nu nog wachten op de juiste gelegenheid om met mijn jurkje te paraderen!

I use a firm stretch knitted fabric with a total height of 1,30m. The width is 22cm smaller than my actual hip width to create a narrow tube.

I create a tube by sewing both sides together. (I surge the seam but a zigzag stitch is fine too)

On the top I fold the tube downwards about 20cm to make it more firm. I fix the fabric with a small stitch onto the seam.

I’m gathering the tube lightly at the side seam. This will make the tube dress a bit shorter and easier to keep pleats in position.

When I turn the dress inside out with the right fabric side up it looks like this. This becomes my back seam.

Finally I add some sparkles. This is a beaded ribbon I have sewn on by hand, I’m using it only at the front side of the dress because it’s a non stretch.

Last week’s flea market bargain: a pleated tulle ribbon, a pearl beaded collar, leather embossed flowers, an organza collar and the blingbling ribbon for today’s dress.

Get the most out of a little piece of fabric…

A little piece of cotton fabric was elbowing for weeks to get out of the shelf. When I bought it I imagined a cute 50’s dress for my daughter, you know, the kind of dress little girls like to spin around in, and the kind of dress that reminds me of my own twirling as a child. Unfortunately, When I got home, ready to make my beautiful dress, I noticed the fabric width was too small for my design. So goodbye dress, goodbye sweet memories, or maybe not? After a great deal of thinking I came up with the idea of using a seam at the center front of the bodice. And actually it was a change for the better…

Een klein stukje stof lag reeds een paar weken te dringen om uit de kast te komen. Toen ik dit stofje kocht had ik zo’n schattig jaren 50 jurkje voor mijn dochter in gedachte, zo’n jurkje waar kleine meisjes graag eindeloos mee rondzwieren, zo eentje dat doet denken aan mijn eigen ronddartelen als kind . De teleurstelling was dus groot toen bleek dat de stofbreedte van dit mooie katoentje ter smal was voor mijn ontwerp. Vaarwel jurkje en vaarwel zoete herinneringen, of toch niet? Na heel wat gepeins kwam ik dan op het idee om met een middenvoornaad te werken voor het lijfje. Dat bleek achteraf nog een heel leuke inslag…

This is the pattern for the bodice of the dress. I used the following measurements for this pattern: Chest width: 62cm – Waist: 56cm – Shoulder to waist: 24,5cm – Armhole: 11,5cm – Neckopening: 14cm – drop by 5,5cm. This is for a size 3/4 years old. I add 1cm of seam allowance and 3cm at the center back with buttons.

I copy the pattern for the facing and lining.

This is my magic bucket of fabric leftover. I found this nice red cotton for the lining, a perfect match!

So this is how it all comes together. I draw chalk lines for the skirt of the dress: 2 pieces of 33cm (includes seam allowance 1+3cm) and all that is left of the fabric width. I draw another chalk line at 7cm to make the fancy trim at center front seam.

The trim is finished at one side with a roll seam of 0,5cm.

I use my iron to make pleats.

All pieces are sewn together, the outer shell and the facing/lining exept for the center front.

I pin the trim on one side of the bodice and close the center front.

Now I fix pleats in opposite direction with a top stitching.

I sew the outer bodice and lining bodice together at the middle back and I close shoulder seams (bodice and lining separately)

I close the neckline of both layers.

I close armholes of both layers on front and repeat this for the back. I stitch from the inside, not as shown here!

For the skirt a close side seams (not the center back) and gather the pieces for the skirt to match the width of the bodice. For this particular fabric I’m using pleats again instead of a gathering. I attach the skirt onto the bodice outer shell. Then I fix the inner shell by stitching from the outside on the seam between skirt and bodice. (to hide inner seam) I’m closing the lower part of the skirt at center back and finish the hem. Finally I’m adding buttons and buttonholes at center back.

Upcycled leather skirt

I love to stroll around on markets, always in search of vintage belts, purses and gloves. Last week I found this lovely leather skirt in superb condition. The seller, a very proud lady, said she used to wear this and maintained it with leather grease as she saw me looking at it and touching the leather. I just couldn’t resist to buy it and because she was so persistent about the good quality I couldn’t haggle either. She’s probably very good at selling her things… Anyway, a leather mini was still missing in my wardrobe!

Vlooienmarkten afstruinen is echt mijn ding, altijd op zoek naar ceintuurtjes, handtassen en handschoenen. Vorige week vond ik dit fantastische koopje, een leder rok in super conditie. De verkoopster, een fier madammeke, vertelde me dat ze deze rok vroeger droeg en onderhield met ledervet toen ze me zag kijken en het leder betasten. Ik moest die rok kopen en omdat ze zo overtuigend was over de goede kwaliteit durfde ik niet meer afdingen. Ze is waarschijnlijk zeer winstgevend in de verkoop van haar spullen. In ieder geval, een mini leder rok ontbrak nog aan mijn garderobe…

Determine the desired length and add 3cm seam allowance. Use chalk to mark where to cut.

Fix the hem with Pattex. Maybe leather glue would have been better but this worked really well. Don’t overdo it though. Fold over the seam allowance and press well to get a nice clean seam.

I could have stopped here and that would have been great too but I decided to add something extra.

Why not use the hem leftovers?

I want to use the back finish of the slit in the front. I cut the hem in 2 equal pieces. They are pleated and sewn on just below the waistband. Not that easy to stitch but with some patience and good needles…

Rectangle top for my little girl

Squares and rectangles, that’s where it allways begins! Remember my rectangle top? Well, this is a top I made for my daughter and it’s just as easy.

Vierkanten en rechthoeken, dat is waar het altijd mee begint! Herinner je nog mijn rechthoek topje? Wel nu, dit is een versie die ik voor mijn dochter maakte en net zo eenvoudig.

My design! – Mijn ontwerpje!

Draw 2 rectangles of 15cm x 13cm (age 3-4y). Draw a neckline on front and back. (You can use measurements from an existing top) Add 5cm for the sleeve trim (2 x 2,5cm). Add seam allowance everywhere, exept on the center front.

Teken 2 rechthoeken van 15cm x 13cm ( 3-4 jaar). Teken een halsuitsnijding in het voor- en rugpand. (je kan de maten nemen van een bestaand topje). Voeg 5cm toe voor het mouwtje (2 x 2,5cm).

Cut all patterns twice in fabric. – Snij alle patroondelen 2 keer uit stof.

Sew the shoulderseams from front and back together – Stik de schoudernaden van het voor- en rugpand aan elkaar.

Put both parts on top of each other, the seam allowance is visible. Sew them together at the armholes. Sew the center back and the neckline only at backside. Turn inside out and sew the front neckline from the inside. (This will all become clear once you are in the middle of this)

Leg beide delen op elkaar met naadwaarde zichtbaar. Stik de armsgaten dicht. Stik de middenrug en de halsuitsnijding enkel aan het rugdeel. Draai binnenstebuite en naai van binnen uit de voorste halsuitsnijding dicht. (Wordt vast en zeker duidelijk eens dat je hier volop mee bezig bent)

Cut the lower part for the top: 2 pieces of 28cm heigth x fabric width. (or smaller if you don’t like a wide look) Sew side-seams and cut open at center back.

Snij het onderste deel van de top: 2 panden van 28cm hoogte x stofbreedte (of smaller als je niet van te wijd houd) Naai de zijnaden dicht en snij open op middenrug.

Make a roll seam at hem. Sew 2 times at the top, and pull the loose strings to gather untill it fits the upper part you just made.

Maak een rolzoom onderaan. Stik 2 keer aan de bovenzijde en trek aan de losse uiteinden zodat het precies past op het bovenste deel.

Sew the centerback of the lower part. Sewon a push button at the back neckline to close slit.

Sluit de middenrug van het onderste deel en naai een drukknopje aan de hals om het splitje te sluiten.

Made By Me in Antwerp!

MADE BY ME

sew it yourself

Tag Archives: seam allowance

The zigzag dress

The chic and easy joggers tutorial

The little little black dress

Old one out, new one in!

Refashioned bangles

My 30 minute dress!

Get the most out of a little piece of fabric…

Upcycled leather skirt

Rectangle top for my little girl

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this: