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27 May 2014

Me-Made-May 2014: Petit Pan Special Edition

Hey, everyone!
As earlier announced here is the Me-Made-May-Special-Edition. For my birthday in 2013 a dear friend sent me a package full of cute notions from Petit Pan, a Belgian company I hadn’t heard of before. They carry fabric, buttons, bias tape,... but also napkins, duvets, bibs, you name it … hop over and see for yourself. Even extra special, their bias tape comes on these adorable wooden spools.

 Here is a better picture of the two designs my friend chose.
Along with the bias tape came tiny apple buttons, which required a pattern with just decorative buttons, you (better I) don’t feel like actually buttoning these little things.
First the light blue bias tape found its way into a garment. It’s this burda style pattern and maybe the fabric has a little too much body. Mr. Kat says it reminds him of surgeon scrubs. Who has watched too many episodes of Grey’s Anatomy here, I ask? But it’s light and nice for summer. Next time I might go down a size on the pattern. Something I have experienced quite some times with burda patterns lately that have gathering or pleating at the neckline. These have a lot of ease around the chest.
Let’s move on to the orange bias tape, shall we? The tape found its perfect companion in my fabric stash the moment it arrived. What was missing was the right pattern to combine both with. Along came the Scout Tee from Grainline Studio, even on discount on Black Friday, yay! I was able to squeeze it out of the metre of my fabric and the fit is spot on, more are already in the making.

Have you noticed my genius way of hiding that I’m still holding my camera remote while taking the picture?
For a little visual interest I added a back slit and by it even a little more of the bias tape!
It might be really simple but I love, love, love this shirt. Definitively one of my favourite makes ever.

On to the tiny apple buttons: The Esme Top by Sew Liberated was my choice because the buttons aren’t really functioning. I made two modifications to it. I shortened it about 10 cm. Tunics don’t flatter my widerish hips and it avoids the maternity look. At least people can confirm for themselves that there is no baby-bump hiding underneath. And I made the sleeves’ hem bands slimmer; otherwise they would have gotten squeezed up in my elbow every time I’d used it. Next time I might go down a size or at least take some fabric out of the back, because there is a whole lot of it. And as you might already have read about the pattern, the instructions are basic and not very beginner friendly. There is a video you get access to when you purchase the pattern that I didn’t bother with. I cannot say anything about the usefulness of this thing.
Here is a blurry detail shot of the buttons where you can also see my orange topstitching to accommodate the orangey red apples
Well, that's it with the special issue, no Renfrew shirt in this post, can't promise this for the last one for Me-Made-May 2014, or can I? We will see!

Thanks for stopping by,

Kat  

22 May 2014

Me-Made-May 2014 round 3

Hey everyone! It's time for another round of me-made things worn by me during May, te-hee.
I will be leaving out May 18th in this post, because I wore something freshly made on that day, that hadn't left my closet before. There will be a Me-Made-May special edition (over the weekend, I hope) with not only one but two (maybe three, depending on the weather for the next days) new garments, if you will. All of them will include beautiful notions I got from a dear friend for my birthday in 2013 and therefore deserve special attention. So come back and have a look at pretty stuff from petit pan.
All of the next shirts made already an appearance during mmmay 2012, so I will keep it short.
My green Hippo Renfrew, a co-worker pointed out that it looks like I had come to work in my PJs, tell me he is wrong.

The cowl-neck variation of the Renfrew without hem bands.

And another Zoela in red and black, one of my favourite colour combinations.

As I said, it’s going to be short. Stay tuned for Me-Made-May-Special-Edition!
Thanks for stopping by,
Kat

19 May 2014

Belcarra sew-along: the preparation and fabric purchase ban

The moment the Gabriola skirt was released by Tasia from Sewaholic I was all about the blouse she had it combined with in the announcement. So I was quiet relieved when she wrote that this blouse is going to be the next new Sewaholic pattern. It’s released now, called Belcarra blouse and even available as PDF, what is new for Sewaholic and more important on sale right now!
As much as I like to support small businesses it can be pretty expensive to buy their patterns from/in Germany if the patterns aren’t available as PDF. International shipping can be high or if they are sold here (I found this German pattern shop a few weeks ago, they carry a lot of independent designers) the retail price can be pretty high. Meaning, if there is a PDF option I usually go for it.
I had totally forgotten about the sew-along announced together with the release. The happier I was when I read about it in the last posts over at sewaholic.net. So far I’ve never participated in one and I thought to myself, I’m going to sew the blouse anyway, so why not grab the opportunity and sew-along with others. So I’m in! What about you? It will start May 26th, so there is still time to prepare if you want to join!


Before I present my fabric choices, I haven’t decided, yet, there is something fabric related I’ve got to confess.
A few weeks ago I was searching through my fabric stash for a certain fabric. I couldn’t find it. But what I found were at least three fabric pieces I had totally forgotten about. I’ve usually a good memory so this took me a little by surprise and made me realize: I definitively need an inventory and no more fabric for at least 5 months (at the beginning of October there will be a fabric market in town, I can’t make myself to resist) unless it will help to reduce my stash and is needed to make a specified garment, let’s say like a lining. The moment I hit the publish button it’s out there and can’t be taken back. Hopefully this puts enough pressure on me to resist future tempting fabric offers. You are allowed to look down on me, if I fail.
What’s about you, how do you stash? Not at all, neatly organized or have you given up and accepted that you are an uncontrolled fabric hoarder? Tell me, what works best for you?

So, respecting my fabric purchase ban, I went stash shopping and found two possible options, both non-stretchy (can one say that or what is the correct term?) jerseys with a lot (too much ???) drape. No. 1 a pretty thin jersey in white, blue, green and brown.

No. 2 a grey jersey with millions of shoes printed on.


Which one would you pick? Stay tuned for my decision.

Thanks for stopping by, Kat

14 May 2014

Me-Made-May 2014 round 2

Following up is the second round of my Me-Made-May outfits. Watch out this is a hell of a mixture.

We start with my 29058283. make of Jalie 2453 (oop). Other versions can be found here (I even finished the one in progress at the end of the post). No need to worry, nobody is pointing anything at me. I’m just showing you the contrasting hem bands I added.


Next is my burda style wrap shirt I wore for two days (something I do a lot, as you will notice). I love this shirt because it’s a nice mixture of dressy and comfy.
On May 10. Mr. Kat and I attended a wedding. Of course I had nothing to wear. A least no complete outfit (a kept telling mysel). Usually I’d consider Pinterest a gigantic time trap, but this time it came in really handy. Turns out I have a thing for long (circle) skirts, deep v-necks and boat necks. (Check out my sewing inspiration board!) So I remembered a floor-length (almost circle) skirt I wore to my school graduation many moons ago and decided to combine it with a deep v-neck top plus a chiffon boat neck top for a little bit of decency. The v-neck thing is based on the Renfrew pattern (notes for next time: tighter under the arm and do a v-neck gapping alteration). For the chiffon top I used this burda style ‘pattern’. It’s not really a pattern, just measurements. Instead of a slightly rounded neckline I went for straight lines. But be aware that this reduces the circumference of the opening, which I didn’t. So my mantra for the evening was: First wiggle into the top, then do hair! And all seams (even the seams allowance) are finished with a rolled hem by hand. That little su*ker took evenings nights to finish.

Instead of stola I made Kelli’s cocoon cardigan. But it was really warm there, so no need for it, hence no picture of it. The only picture I’ve got is from after the party and thefore after dancing and drinking and more dancing at 3 in the morning in your hotel’s hallway. My photographer wasn’t really eager to get the complete look, so this one must do:

For Sunday I picked my turtleneckish variation of the Scout Tee. I’ve got no idea how to describe the fabric I used (nether in German nor in English). It’s kind of a mesh with a flocked (?) floral surface. If you are wondering, there are tiny snaps at one shoulder seam to get in and out.

And the last in this round’s mixture is a cardigan made out of no-stretch-at-all cotton jersey. It’s also no-fraying-at-all, making all seams left unfinished and curled to the max. I used this tutorial, omitting the collar, and based it on my trusty Renfrew pattern

Quiet a collection for these few days, don’t you think? Almost half way through May, picture for today is taken and awaiting you next time.

Thanks for stopping by,
Kat

08 May 2014

#LoveAtFirstStitch

Hey everyone,
today I’m joining in to celebrate Tilly’s first book. You all know her already, right? Stitchers around the world were asked to sew a Brigitte scarf for the occasion. Here is my contribution.


It’s a lovely and pretty (and fast) idea to use up the scraps left over from summer blouses or tops. The majority of this fabric went into a Tiny Pocket Tank by Grainline Studio. That was my first make in 2014 in very early January. Before you start to wonder, yes, Germany is located on the northern hemisphere and yes, it was wintertime back then. So far it hasn’t seen the light of day, but we are getting there.
I’ll will have to keep it short to continue the rolled hem (by hand) on a chiffon top I intent to wear on a wedding on Saturday. It’s Me-Made-May for crying out loud!

Congrats Tilly and stay tuned,
Kat

06 May 2014

Me-Made-May 2014 round 1

Time for the first days of Me-Made-May 2014. The next posts will showcase what I have sewn pre blog in the past and give an idea about my style.

To make sure that I wouldn’t forget about Me-Made-May I slept through the night in my gummibear Tofino Pants. A recent make straight from the envelope that will have to do without an action shot.


Next is my raincoat lookalike Minoru without the slightest ability to fight the tiniest raindrop. It’s actually one of the few pieces I can add a back link to.

After two Sewaholic patterns something from burda style, my trusty (subscription!) pattern source. Before I saw GingersCocoon cardigan I had totally overlooked it in the magazine. And by Gingers experience I was warned, that thing runs big. I made the smallest size provided (36 in German, I never make that size) and still it’s roomy. And be warned it’s not only huge it’s also very long. I’m 1,75 m and it goes down to my knees!


I have lost count of how many versions I have actually made. Zoela by Farbenmix my favorite raglan shirt pattern in the world. This time I added a hem band to give it kind of a sweatshirt look and slimmed the sleeves. The bodice part is made out of a kind of stretchy pleather fabric with a shiny surface and the sleeves are from a matt poly double knit (?) thick jersey. Attaching the neckband was a nightmare, to avoid puckers I had to recut (lengthen) the neckband three times (!!!). My intention was to keep the look as sportive as possible to prevent even the slightest resemblance to any kind fetish (I hope you know what I mean and you agree).


The next picture will have to do for May 5th and 6th but I’m wearing two me-made garments. The stripped Renfrew can be for Monday and the ‘sweater turned cardigan’ (tutorial by delia creates) for Tuesday, if you will.


I love, love, love stripped shirts, but I can get a bit fixated on stipe matching. Want to see a photo from the making process? Please tell me you know this tedious pinning also!


Phew, six days down, 25 (including a wedding, not mine) more to go. Fun so far, don't you think?!?

Thanks for stopping by, Kat

01 May 2014

Here we go again...

Hi everyone,

two years ago I tried to start my sewing blog while taking part in Me-Mede-May 2012. I succeded in fulfilling my pledge but failed utterly in documentation and keeping up with blogging. Two years later I'm giving it a second try.
Me-Made-May, here I come.
My plege this year around (minus the typo):
'I, Kat of herecomesthekat.blogspot.de, sign up as a participant of Me-Made-May '14. I endeavour to wear at least one handmade item each day for the duration of May 2014.'
I upped to one item every day. Maybe one day I can write complete outfit, but before that I will have to conquer making pants. So maybe next year. Suggestion for an easy pattern? I already own the Sewaholic Thurlows and Named Jamie pattern.

See you soon for the first pictures,

Kat