Wednesday 20 August 2014

Bits and Pieces

1. Delayed by illness the last couple of days, sorry, but my giveaway (as determined by your requests and random draw on random.org) of Patrones magazines go to: Lyndle (Plus); Michelle (Kids); Nakisha (Dos Piezas) and MaryMary86 (regular edition straight sizes). Could those people all e-mail me their snail-mail addresses to westmoon243 at gmail.com and I will post them off ASAP. Some people offered to pay postage, and while I greatly appreciate the thought it isn't at all necessary as I am happy to fork out a few quid to spread some pattern entertainment around the sewing world. :D

2. Previously unconvinced by the brightly coloured Burda 07-2012-114 blouse I made, I have become more convinced having decided to sew on some poppers to the placket. It does look much better with the neck partly done up, and I am more enthusiastic about it overall as a result. Sometimes I think I shouldn't make any comment on a newly finished item until at least 72 hours have passed as I always change my mind about what I think about things in that time.

Asymmetrical zipped hoodie from Ottobre 05-2014

3. The new Ottobre is out! For once Ottobre did no sneak previews or anything for this issue -- the previews went up online and then my magazine turned up on my doorstep the very next day. I have made SO MANY Ottobre patterns over the last six months, I was super excited to get the latest issue. Alas, I had sort of daydreamed that they might have included the Perfect Winter Coat pattern that I was looking for (and, see below, have since more or less found) but the only coat pattern wasn't what I am looking for (to clarify: I didn't really know what I'm looking for, except for a woolly sense that I Would Know It When I Saw It, apparently).  At any rate, for me the standout pattern in this issue is the asymmetrical zipped hoodie, which I have already incorporated into my autumn sewing plans. I have the perfect fabric for it already and I should JUST be able to squeak the pattern out of it :D I also like the long shirt and the jersey tunic with the built in pockets, AND the sack dress with the built in pockets as well, although I fear it might not flatter me at all. In fact, the only pattern I don't like at all is the little blouse with the SLEEVE RUFFLE and ruffled peplum and ruffled neck and oh, lord, how many ruffles can you fit in one garment? (Also, dear pattern makers, WHY THE SLEEVE RUFFLE EPIDEMIC D:) Any other Ottobre fans with immediate plans from the new issue? :D?

My Very Ambitious Sewing Plan for Autumn 2014
4. Personally, I have MANY PLANS for this autumn. I put my very ambitious list into the sewing plan above. Things of note: SHIRTS. COATS. TROUSERS. In other words: EVERYTHING THAT I AM MOST FRIGHTENED OF SEWING. Yay? :D? That little Vogue envelope was a brainwave for my winter jacket-to-wear-with-jeans, so now I just have to remember that I've PICKED a pattern and not keep gazing pathetically at every issue of Burda etc going BUT WHERE IS MY DREAM COAT PATTERN.

I have some sort of order of sewing in mind: start with shirts, so I can try out some collars etc before I embark on outerwear patterns. I figure the Burda coat and the Ottobre jacket, being both armhole princess, will have some shared characteristics so that once I've done one the second of them should be easier. I think I might do the Burda coat first because the Ottobre jacket has the more difficult fabric (corduroy, rather than the plain navy coated cotton) although of course I'll be muslining both extensively anyway. I'm going to make some full length PJ trousers (because I've only made shorts up to now) before I embark on real trousers, and everything else is a knit or a skirt and will probably be easy (PROBABLY). Can I just mention that with the exception of the knit tops and the black trousers, absolutely all the fabric is from stash? I am NOWHERE NEAR my stash-busting goal for the year, so I must redouble my efforts over the last third of the year.

5. Heaven forfend I stop buying patterns though. My 'to buy' list now includes New Look 6303 which came out yesterday (although it won't arrive in the UK shops for AGES, sadly). I also kind of want to buy New Look 6301 when it's available, although I'll probably hang on for a sale for that one. I'm STILL on the fence about buying the Pauline Alice Cami dress. I really love my Carme blouses, but I wonder if the Cami dress is just a little too 50s-style for my taste. Also, I have this weird fascination with the Pauline Alice Malvarosa dress. It's a style I would never normally even consider but something about it makes me go back to the PA website and just stare at it over and over. I am torn between buying it, making it in some fabric I don't care about (I have QUITE A LOT of fabric I don't care about) and then if it's terrible I can just go shrug and move on, or focussing instead on the immense and complicated list of things I KNOW I want to make (see point 4). Why don't I have uncountable hours of leisure time so that I could do both? >:(

15 comments:

  1. Thanks heaps! That's so exciting to win the Patrones. I've emailed you my address.
    Your autumn plan looks exciting. (I'm secretly sad, though, that Ottobre moved their publication date from May to August, because May was just in time for our winter). I really like the Burda coat, It'll be cool to see it made up!
    Great sketches, too. Happy stashbusting!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're welcome! :D I will post the magazines tomorrow or Friday, depending on when I can get to the post office.

      I can't take any credit for the sketches, I just copy & paste the line drawings from the various patterns into a single document.

      Delete
  2. Yay!!!! Will email you shortly!

    I love your fall plans. I keep getting sidetracked by shiny things...must focus.

    I can't wait to seethe a Ottobre sweatshirt!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You sew so fast you can safely be distracted by shiny things though! Plus, your shiny things looks awesome when they are made. :D

      Delete
  3. I can't wait to see the issue I won - thank you so much. I emailed my info to you; if you'll email yours to me, I'll see if New Look 6303 is in our stores when I go out later today. :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're welcome! I'll get the magazines in the post tomorrow probably and it usually takes a week or so to get to the US :D Thank you very much for offering to get me NL 6303 -- it only came out yesterday so I'm a bit doubtful you'll come across it in the shops but the thought is very much appreciated. :D

      Delete
    2. Sorry I missed your reply. I'll check tomorrow when I'm out but I'm pretty sure I found it on the web. Email me back with an image of the pattern if you have one with New Look 6303 in the subject line.

      Delete
  4. Also I think the Ottobre button down shirt is going to look great on you. I've never tried them but that sweatshirt is making me want to buy that issue.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am hopeful about that shirt. I have some alternatives in mind if it doesn't work out, but I like the fit and the draft of Ottobre so I think I'll start with it. I do recommend Ottobre if there is an issue with a few patterns you like -- I have all of the back issues and honestly sometimes think I could sew my whole wardrobe just from those magazines and be perfectly happy.

      Delete
  5. Love your plans! They are totally full of sewing things that scare me, too. I especially enjoy the hoodie, jacket, and coat.

    I've been meaning to make those Jalie jeans for...3 years? Maybe more. I easily get distracted and onto the next thing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Apparently this is my season to frighten myself with sewing projects? idk, it has to be done at some point, I am in desperate need of outerwear and desperate need of trousers, and I either have to buy or make. I'd rather have a stab at making them than chicken out!

      One slight problem is that I'm struggling to find the fabric I want for the Jalie jeans -- it's quite specific about amount of stretch and of course it's quite difficult to know how stretchy something is from a poor description on the internet.

      Delete
  6. Thanks! I've emailed you my address. I love that asymmetrical hoodie, as well. My issue hasn't arrived yet, but the post seems to always take forever to get to Washington state. I really like your fall sewing plans. I've also had my eye on that Ottobre jacket (from 2012) since it came out, but haven't made it up.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for the email! I'll probably send the magazines off tomorrow.

      There are only a couple of reviews of that jacket online but they seem pretty positive. I thought it might be a good jacket to make because of the princess seams and waist seam combination, but I'll have to see how I get on. I'm a bit concerned about the fact that the side front is split into two parts since I'll have to do the usual Very Large FBA to fit my bust and I am not quite sure how I'll handle those two pieces. Something for me to think about, anyway! :D

      Delete
  7. Hi! I just wanted to let you know my Patrones arrived last week and is very exciting. I am a notoriously slow sewist but I will let you know when I actually sew something up! Meantime I am enjoying the pictures and practising my sewing spanish. Thank you heaps.
    Lyndle

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yay! I am glad it arrived safely on the other side of the world :D

      Delete