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.