A New Jacket in time for Christmas

Living in Somerset and being so far away, if I sew for my sister it's ages before she gets the finished garment. We started this jacket back in the summer. Toiles and fittings take a long time as we only get chance to meet up every few months.  But finally the jacket is done, and I think she really likes it.

I've chosen couture techniques to construct this garment.  The fabric is a woollen tweed which has been quilted to the lining to give it structure, but at the same time keep it soft.   I used the edges of the fabric to made a trim to finish the edge of the jacket and then I stitched a velvet ribbon over the top of the trim to finish it off.

The fabric frayed a lot when I was working with it, so I added extra seam allowances when I cut it out, and tacked around the outline of the pattern  before removing it from the fabric. Then I checked it again and re tacked once the quilting was done. This allowed me to keep the pattern sizing correct.  Then I stitched the jacket together with the help of the tacked lines,  it was a lot of work, but I believe it was worth it.

She made the trousers  she is wearing herself, I drafted the pattern for her last year, then she made up her own trousers.  I just need to encourage her to have a go a tailoring now and she can have her new outfits quicker!!

Lots of Pies for the Christmas Party

Last Tuesday I was in the kitchen all morning baking. We were having a family gathering and I needed to contribute to the 'party' food. The hens have been laying lots of eggs, so I settled for making quiche.

Feta and Spinach, and Salmon and Asparagus.  I did some bite size mini ones too for my Aunties Boxing Day party, she is not well and I thought I would help out and make something to save her the trouble.  They will be fine in the freezer until Wednesday.  I hope she improves soon so she can enjoy the Christmas holiday.

I heard my Uncle loves Apple Pie, so I made him one as a treat, the two pies on the left are my special 'Christmas Apple Pies', an almond pastry base, with apples, raisins and cinnamon filling, and an almond crumble topping.  The second one I made for dinner, it's all gone of course!

Curtains and Coats

The curtains I made my nephew in September turned out well, this is the first pair of curtains I've done in years. They were heavy and it was a huge amount of fabric to work with, but I was pleased with the end result. I received this photograph the other day, they look good now they are up, even if I say so myself.

My Gent's Tailoring class has finished for the Christmas holiday, I have had a really good term and enjoyed every minute, the ladies on the course are so friendly, we not only sew, but chat about all kinds of things and share ideas and experiences. I can't wait for the next term to start.

I thought it was time to put some pictures on to show how the jacket is progressing, I've done the pockets and the pad stitching on the lapels.

I'm really pleased with the pockets, since doing my City and Guilds this year, I have gained much more confidence when I do pockets, I hated them before!

I have my holiday homework too.  Finish the collar and front facings.  Then I need to put the lining together and start on the inside pockets!!  More pockets, practise makes perfect.

Moody Blues and Parallel Lines

I needed a theme for my design brief for the clothes I was making to submit for assessment of my City and Guilds work that I've just spent this year doing. I love the colour blue so that was the inspiration for Moody Blues. The walk I took around the city of Birmingham looking at the lines in the architecture gave me another idea for the Parallel Lines part of my theme.



 

I had to make a jacket and waistcoat and then either a pair of trousers or a skirt. The waistcoat came first. I used a patchwork method to piece together segments of the waistcoat.  The fabric came from The African Fabric Shop who sell hand-dyed, hand printed, fabrics, they have a wonderful selection on their web site www.africanfabrics.co.uk  Once the waistcoat was tested out in calico, I drew on the calico where I wanted to add the patchwork panels; made a new pattern and then cut out the fabric. It was a challenge getting it all on!! I used four different fabrics in the design.

I wanted to do some top stitching, bound buttonholes and cover buttons in the design to give it a unique finish. I hope it will pass the test.

 

 

 

My jacket came next, the criteria for the City and Guilds states a jacket with a two piece sleeve and a revere collar, my pattern cutting skills are OK, but not up to a jacket yet. I found it difficult to find a modern pattern, that would fit this criteria so I ended up using an old pattern that I'd had for a while, the peplum is back in fashion, so this could be a hit.

 

 

 

I used Linton Tweed for this jacket, (www.lintondirect.co.uk) it's beautiful fabric but not easy to work with,  it can be a challenge.  Linton have a wonderful range of colours and textures I can't resist buying from them at the sewing shows.  I found  matching all of the lines made my eyes dance when I was working on it, but I am very pleased with the end result.  I even managed to get my theme into the lining, can you see the lines?

And finally the trousers, these I made using a Wool fabric with elastine they fit perfectly. I had made the pattern myself and have already made some trousers this year using this pattern.  Because I needed to perfect it before making these. I did want to add turn-ups, but the fabric was a bit narrow and it was difficult to get the trousers out of the length I had bought.  I had to compromise here, never mind they look and feel great, so I'm not too upset. 



I'm just pleased now that it's all done.

It's done, I've completed all my Tailoring City and Guilds work

Back in January when I started this course I never dreamt it would pass so quickly, but here we are at the beginning of December and I've finished it's all packed up, it's labelled and ready to hand in. 

 What shall I do now?

 

My first jacket and skirt, made from some tweed I'd bought a few years ago from a textile mill in Northumberland.  I can't wait to wear them now. I used a speed tailoring method to complete the jacket and applied applique leaves to both jacket and skirt.

This waistcoat is trimmed with a contrasting grey piping and grey pockets, I used the grey fabric to make a pair of trousers to match. When I went shopping in town I found more of the waistcoat fabric in another shop. I bought a second piece to made a new handbag, it's time I had a new handbag.  A project for this month perhaps!


I've learnt a lot of new things this year, studying for this course, and completed files on art and design, fibres and fabrics, techniques and much more, it was not easy there was a lot to do and it was very time consuming.  Anyone about to start this course I would strongly recommend you pace yourself throughout the year, work at it regularly and steadily and you will complete it on time.

Next time, more picture of the other garments, all from my 'Moody Blue and Parallel Lines' theme.

Things are still growing on the allotment

Three week ago when I was on the allotment, nothing much was happening with the few cauliflowers I had planted earlier this year, lots of leaves and tiny curds no bigger than a golf ball, but last Friday I went to the allotment and to my surprise there was an enormous cauliflower, when I looked closer I had 8 little cauliflower all growing nicely in the same bed too.  I could not resist bringing this one home for dinner.

It was wonderful covered with a cheese sauce, and yesterday Mike brought two more home, so guess what we had for dinner again?

The rabbits and guinea pig had some of the lovely green inner leaves and the chickens finished the outer leaves and all of the stalks, so nothing was wasted.  After a bad year for our vegetables the cauliflowers have done us proud finally.  I shall grow this variety again next year it's called Clapton.

I have been sewing, lots of things, but so much in the process and not finished yet, my waistcoat is done, I put the finishing touches to it earlier this week. I will have a number of things finished by next week, so lots of pictures to add.

Thinking of Spring

Last weekend I decided to cheer up the front door step and plant up the pots for spring.

My nephew gave me the pot on the right at the front as a thank you for making his curtains in September.  He also gave me some spring bulbs,  this last weekend I wanted to get it planted up.  I split the bulbs between the two smaller pots at the front and then topped them off with pansies and primulas.

The large pots at the back have some Balm of Gilead in and I wanted to keep that because it has a wonderful smell as you arrive at the door.  I just added  pansies and primulas to these pots, after cleaning out the summer bedding that was looking very sad. Because there are already bulbs in them from last year.

The weather has turned colder and the central heating has gone on, but there are still flowers in the garden trying their best to cheer the dull autumn days.

The greenhouse has been tidied up too and it is looking ready for the long cold winter ahead.  I plan on putting some bubble wrap around the inside of the glass just in case it gets too cold this year.

A good day with my needles and pins

Yesterday I pieced together my waistcoat for my City and Guilds course.  I was pleased with how much I managed to do, I finished the top stitching and then did a sample of the  bound button holes, the sample I did went well.

 So I decided to work on the fabric, it was slow going but I think they are all OK! I found working in the navy on a dull day quite difficult, another time I think a good sunny day would be better.  Even with two good lights over the work it still made it extremely difficult.

Once the button holes were completed, I put on the back belt and started to stitch the side seams.

Once the lining is in tomorrow I will take a picture of the finished waistcoat to show off my work.  I am really pleased with the way it is turning out. Now I need to turn my attention to my jacket.

Sewing for men is different from sewing for women. Different skills and different techniques



My new Wednesday course doing Men's Tailoring it brilliant, I'm enjoying every minute, the 2 hours in the class just speeds by, but I've managed to cover so much already in just three lessons. I'm starting by making Mike a Linen jacket.  I purchased the fabric at the Sewing Exhibition in Shepton Mallet earlier in the year, it's a good thing this summer was not the right weather to wear it as I'm only just starting it.

 

 

With the pattern selected and toile cut out and fitted, it's time to see where it needs adjusting.  Mike has long arms, so they will have to have some added fabric when I amend the pattern.  It looks a bit big across the shoulder, so a little needs to be taken in there.

Also something needs doing about the cross back area. Once the toile is adjusted and refitted, then it's time to get cutting in the Linen fabric.

I went to Dorren's sewing classes almost twenty years ago to learn to sew for men and to do ladies tailoring, she taught me a lot, but over the years I've forgotten the techniques and skills needed to make clothes for me.  So a refresher was needed.  I was so pleased when she agreed to take me on again, I know I'm not an easy student.  I like a challenge and always want to stretch my learning to the limits, so it makes me a challenge for the tutor. I've been surprised how once I started again, things keep coming back to me, I do remember after all.

Everything I stitch 'seams' to be blue

Everything I am sewing at the moment has a blue theme.  The work for my City and Guilds submission pieces have the theme of Moody Blues.  And when I look at all the things I have stitch over the last few weeks, the blue theme is in every thing.

This 1947s jacket is a Vogue pattern, but I have modernised it with a 2012 twist, its made from curtain fabric because I could not find any blue wool at the time and all the seam lines are piped, it took a long time to do, but it looks great on.



 

 

 

Now I just need something to wear it with and somewhere nice to go.

 

Working on my City and Guilds

I'm making a jacket, waistcoat and trousers, all in blue for my City and Guilds, I have enjoyed making lots of sample garments before I settled on the final design ideas.

 

This is the waistcoat pattern all drafted out, tested out on a sample waistcoat and ready to cut out.

After my trip to the Birmingham Museum in May to see the exhibition 'Style Africa' I have wanted to find some African prints to work with.  I was really pleased when I found these fabrics from The African Fabric Shop at the NEC when I went to the Quilt Exhibition there in August.  I chose four different prints and aim to put them together into a patchwork jacket.  I will add more photos as the work progresses.

 

 

New Tailoring Course

 

Three weeks ago I started to revise my gent's tailoring skills, doing another course with Doreen again, to refresh my men's tailoring knowledge.  I learnt to make clothes for men with Doreen nearly 20 years ago at a local sewing class she was teaching.   I've been busy at school for many years and not really done much men's sewing for a while.  So I decided it was time to have ago again, and who better to teach me! So I made enquiries and joined a class she is now running, for one afternoon a week, photos to follow, to chart my progress on the first of what I hope will be many future garments.

 

Five hours on the allotment and still loads more to do

At last we have been able to get outside and work on the allotment, after so much rain recently, the ground has been unworkable. Finally today we left here at 10 a.m. and returned at 3 p.m.  I have put in the runner beans, some cauliflower, chard, sweet corn, broad beans and two pumpkins.  The weeds are growing fast with all the rain and all the work done a few weeks ago has been wasted, as the weeds are up again.

The bed here has the cauliflower in, I read recently if you put rhubarb leaves on the surface of the soil it helps to prevent club root, which I do know we have on part of the plot, so I thought I'd give it a go and see what happens, the rest of the rhubarb will go in a pie for dinner tonight!  The second bed only has the cat mint in, its clear and ready for my broccoli and red cabbage, I hope to put that in sometime next week.  The broad beans are in the next bed, I've experimented with the way I stake them this year as last year they took up all of my canes, staking them singly.  This time I've staked the ends of the rows and wound string from one stake to the other at each end then tied in every bean, will it work I wonder.

The neighbours plot is disgraceful, it makes me so annoyed that people are allowed to let their plots get in this state.  Since they took it on last autumn they have hardly done a thing. No vegetables or flowers are growing on the plot.  I am sure there is someone out there who badly wants a plot and can't get one, someone who would be glad of this plot and enjoy working on it and growing their own lovely fresh veg. What a waste!

Just look at this



Our Jubilee Tea Party

To celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee our local school had a parade around the neigbourhood yesterday at 11.30.  I did not want to miss the children in their Jubilee outfits, so I asked a few neighbours if they would join us on the front drive for a cup of tea and a cake and to watch the parade at the same time. They all thought it was a great way to join in the celebrations.

We set out tables and chairs Margaret made a cake and Michelle brought some red, white and blue cup cakes, David next door put up some bunting across the gardens and I made the tea and scones.  We settled down to a tea party and a grand view of the parade. Everyone had a really enjoyable time.  The children cheered and waved their flags, so many stopped to say hello.  It was great as all the passers by and many of the teachers spoke to us and everyone was taking pictures.  

Thank you Coppice School, let us know when you have another parade and we will be there to watch.

Everything in the garden is growing nicely

After a week of sunshine last week, the flowers are beginning to look good.  There are so many in bloom at long last this year.  But the weather changed at the start of the week and the rain has been very heavy at times.  The courgettes I put out in a tub by the back door have doubled in size in just a few days, we will be eating them before long!!!

Some of the flowers

Remember Azaleas need a lot of water all year round.

Hiding behind the Valerian I found this lovely bulb.

This Aquilegia has been in bud for so long, I'm so pleased it is finally in flower



The garden needs a lot of work doing in it, its a mess, before I take any more photos, my plan is to get out there between the showers and tidy it.

Fashion Show

I've been putting together some work for a Textile Student who has been designing fabric in preparation for her final fashion show later this week.  She asked if I could make two jacket patterns for her, then make the garments up when she had prepared the fabric. She had embossed and painted neoprene for one of her jackets and cut and painted the neoprene for the second jacket, they turned out well.  We were both very pleased.

It's been great to do something different and I really enjoyed working on this project. I hope Becky does well in her future career.  Good luck to you.

Recent Work

I've been stitching like crazy for the last three weeks trying to finish this project for my friends who exhibit cacti and are going to be at the Chelsea Flower Show this week. I've made them both a jacket and they have a waistcoat and a skirt all covered in cactus flower embroideries like the one in the photo to wear on their stand.  There are 15 different panels in all; this beaded cactus is just one, it has green faceted glass beads and silk thread. The other panels have stitchery and a range of different colours and kinds of beads.

The skirt I made for my City and Guilds in red seen in a picture on my 15th March post, has been updated to include some applique, I cut out the printed leaves from a curtain fabric and applied them to the skirt.

Now I have cut out the jacket to match in this lovely red wool fabric and want to apply some more applique to the front and back of the jacket. This is something I am still working on. I can't work out yet where to put the appliqued leaves, so I need to spend some time on this before I stitch and put the picture on the blog.

I have finished my waistcoat for my City and Guilds.  I designed it myself and made the pattern, the idea came from a book 'Quick and Easy Vests and Jackets' by Kate Mathews, its an old book that I picked up for £2.50, at the book sale in Bingham, but the ideas can be adapted an turned into more up to date designs. I hope this is what I have achieved here.



I have used a contrasting grey fabric to make the flaps and piped around the collar.  I will use this grey to make some trousers to wear with the waistcoat. I've done a pattern, just need to toile it and try it before making it up in the fashion fabric.   I've found some more of this waistocat fabric in a shop locally, so I bought another 1/2 metre so I can make a new bag maybe a nice Amy Butler bag, I have her book 'Amy Butler's Style Stitches' I'm sure I can find a bag in there to make up, or I might just have some inspiration to design something myself.

My sister had a birthday earlier this year, so I made her a blouse to go with the trousers I made her for Christmas, I hope she likes it.