Tor Freeman's Blog, page 11
March 10, 2015
A Dreadful Error Part 2
Poor Cat! How is he going to get through this? And will he be scarred for life??
I saw Nightmare on Elm Street when I was 9 and it absolutely terrified me, obviously. Taking baths for years after was horrifying... well, that was my excuse, anyway! Look out for those Certificates, guys!!
Part One is here
March 8, 2015
Two pairs of strides and a curtain shirt
A little bit of soothing sewing for a hungover Sunday post!
First up is a second pair of Hudson Pants. My first pair is the most worn item that I've made, and my mum was keen for a pair herself. She chose this lovely "Shroom" fabric from Fabric Godmother. I didn't make any changes to the pattern apart from leaving out the twill tape I'd bought as drawstring and leaving off the ankle cuffs. O let Mum's ankles be unconfined, Shroom trousers!
They look great on her, and Mum says they're very comfortable (though she didn't want to pose for lots of pics - not the absolute veteran har har I am at this). We are planning her next pair, with an extra 2" in length to compensate for the no cuff look.
Shroom with a view.
Meanwhile the Cigarette Pants course at Sew Over It in Islington has just finished. I loved the class, and Julie was a wonderful and fun teacher - I always learn new things in these evening classes, from better ways to cut patterns, to making a fly front zip.
I'm going for a sort of Marcel Marceau thing here.
They're a nice green wool fabric, which is amazingly unitchy, thank goodness.
Weird side view.
Weirder back view.
I was happy with these as a practical success, but I'm not sure they're super flattering on me. I foresee little trouser sewing in my immediate future - there are so many tempting tops and dresses to make; trousers feel like too much faff!
The last bit is a pattern I've been trying to draft myself, based on a beloved old Jaeger shirt. I had a go at it once before when I'd just started sewing. It didn't look great on me, but happily found a home with Mum.
I made some adjustments to this pattern, taking in about 6cm at the sides, lengthening the arms, and making a 1cm adjustment at the shoulders so that the neckline didn't gape (does anyone know what this particular problem is called? I'm finding that I'm having to do it on most bodices.)
I sewed this guy up while watching the Great British Sewing Bee on repeat - bliss!
Not tucked in - it's a bit tight round the bottom, so works less well this way I think...
Sadly the whole thing looks like a weird 70s curtain refashion. Not much about it is appealing - it kind of works open, as a jacket... but also not really. The fabric seemed so pretty until it became this chap - and the off-white buttons add a certain je ne sais pourquoi to the whole thing that tips it into downright depressing... never mind, I learned from it - maybe the main thing being to wait to draft my own patterns until I'm a lot more experienced!
First up is a second pair of Hudson Pants. My first pair is the most worn item that I've made, and my mum was keen for a pair herself. She chose this lovely "Shroom" fabric from Fabric Godmother. I didn't make any changes to the pattern apart from leaving out the twill tape I'd bought as drawstring and leaving off the ankle cuffs. O let Mum's ankles be unconfined, Shroom trousers!
They look great on her, and Mum says they're very comfortable (though she didn't want to pose for lots of pics - not the absolute veteran har har I am at this). We are planning her next pair, with an extra 2" in length to compensate for the no cuff look.
Shroom with a view.Meanwhile the Cigarette Pants course at Sew Over It in Islington has just finished. I loved the class, and Julie was a wonderful and fun teacher - I always learn new things in these evening classes, from better ways to cut patterns, to making a fly front zip.
I'm going for a sort of Marcel Marceau thing here.
They're a nice green wool fabric, which is amazingly unitchy, thank goodness.
Weird side view.
Weirder back view.I was happy with these as a practical success, but I'm not sure they're super flattering on me. I foresee little trouser sewing in my immediate future - there are so many tempting tops and dresses to make; trousers feel like too much faff!
The last bit is a pattern I've been trying to draft myself, based on a beloved old Jaeger shirt. I had a go at it once before when I'd just started sewing. It didn't look great on me, but happily found a home with Mum.
I made some adjustments to this pattern, taking in about 6cm at the sides, lengthening the arms, and making a 1cm adjustment at the shoulders so that the neckline didn't gape (does anyone know what this particular problem is called? I'm finding that I'm having to do it on most bodices.)
I sewed this guy up while watching the Great British Sewing Bee on repeat - bliss!
Not tucked in - it's a bit tight round the bottom, so works less well this way I think...Sadly the whole thing looks like a weird 70s curtain refashion. Not much about it is appealing - it kind of works open, as a jacket... but also not really. The fabric seemed so pretty until it became this chap - and the off-white buttons add a certain je ne sais pourquoi to the whole thing that tips it into downright depressing... never mind, I learned from it - maybe the main thing being to wait to draft my own patterns until I'm a lot more experienced!
March 5, 2015
World Book Day
Happy World Book Day everyone! I spent the morning at St Luke's School in Queen's Park, where we drew animals and had a lovely time! The children had on some great costumes, as did the teachers - a super Mr Tickle, a Huckleberry Finn, Goldilocks and the penguin from Lost and Found!
I also received some lovely photos.
Here is Isla, aged 5, dressed as Billie from Showtime for Billie and Coco!
And here is Dulcie, who is three years old and dressed up as Billie for nursery!
I love both these costumes so much - thank you for sending the photos to me, Helen and Megan!
I hope everyone is having a super day and enjoying whatever costume they are wearing! I didn't plan properly, so went slightly Toucan again - I'm digging this denim on denim look however...
Sammy's in the studio today and we are totally hanging out. Call us if you're having plumbing troubs!
I also received some lovely photos.
Here is Isla, aged 5, dressed as Billie from Showtime for Billie and Coco!
And here is Dulcie, who is three years old and dressed up as Billie for nursery!
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I love both these costumes so much - thank you for sending the photos to me, Helen and Megan!
I hope everyone is having a super day and enjoying whatever costume they are wearing! I didn't plan properly, so went slightly Toucan again - I'm digging this denim on denim look however...
Sammy's in the studio today and we are totally hanging out. Call us if you're having plumbing troubs!
February 27, 2015
What I Wore Today
Hello everyone, happy Friday! It's feeling entirely sunny and Springlike in London today, and I got the best seat on the top deck of the bus, the better to see it all from.
Today I have that Friiiiiday fashion feeling! I am a fashion plate:
On a scale of E to EXCELLENT I give today's outfit an EXCELLEN - coveted extra T to be added if my stupid hair calms down and stops looking bonkers (hair not shown on cat model).
Anyone else wearing a super Friday ensemble they feel good about?
Today I have that Friiiiiday fashion feeling! I am a fashion plate:
On a scale of E to EXCELLENT I give today's outfit an EXCELLEN - coveted extra T to be added if my stupid hair calms down and stops looking bonkers (hair not shown on cat model).
Anyone else wearing a super Friday ensemble they feel good about?
February 17, 2015
February 9, 2015
Fabric Design competition shortlist!
My fairies fabric design has made the shortlist of the By Hand London fabric design competition! By Hand London are a really super indie pattern company who are now printing their own fabrics too. Their Anna Dress is one of my favourite patterns I've made so far.
There is a vote on their blog now - the pattern with the most votes by this Friday, 13th February will be the winner! And then their fabric will get printed - too super!
If you have time and the inclination, it would be lovely if you could go to the
By Hand London blog
to vote.
Thank you!
There is a vote on their blog now - the pattern with the most votes by this Friday, 13th February will be the winner! And then their fabric will get printed - too super!
If you have time and the inclination, it would be lovely if you could go to the
By Hand London blog
to vote.
Thank you!
February 8, 2015
Two Darling Ranges Dresses
I love Megan Nielsen's pattern for the Darling Ranges dress - I'm really liking button front dresses and blouses, and now that I have a new sewing machine with a one-step buttonhole stitch, it's a breeze as well. I liked the slightly old fashioned look of the Darling Ranges, and figured it might suit me and be a useful day dress. But my first attempt was fairly hopeless and frustrating - I messed up the neckline somehow, perhaps partly it being my first go at self made bias binding - I don't know. Either way I got furious with it, and left it unfinished and hanging up by my desk, where it could think about what it had done.
Deciding to tackle it again marked the first time I really bothered unstitching long lines of sewing, which felt like crossing a mental barrier for me. I'm trying to slow down with my sewing, and take time to get things right or correct things that go horribly wrong. And Megan Nielsen's detailed sewalong on her website really helped to break down the bias binding steps, so that the next attempt worked far better.
The first dress is in a shirting cotton from Goldhawk Road, which I think was about £5 a metre, so I didn't feel too scared about using it. I had to make a couple of adjustments, taking 1cm off the shoulders and putting a small dart in the back - my first alterations!
I transferred the changes to my paper pattern, and made up a toile of the bodice to check I'd got it right before making the second dress in a more expensive shirting from The Cloth House on Berwick Street. I also added 2" to the hem, as I'm all about the knee-length skirt these days.
These buttons are handmade ceramic chaps from my button box - I think made by my grandmother. I tried to grade the colours as they went down, which I think was more or less successful!
I'm learning, slowly, how different fabric looks once it's in finished form to what you imagine when it's on the bolt. I loved this shirting, which is quite rich in colour and textured like soft elephant skin - but made into this dress I think it just looks like denim or chambray. Which I love, but isn't the look I was going for. Learning learning! I'm starting a short trouser course at Sew Over It this week, so I'll share the results of that if all goes well!
Thank you Els for the photos!
Deciding to tackle it again marked the first time I really bothered unstitching long lines of sewing, which felt like crossing a mental barrier for me. I'm trying to slow down with my sewing, and take time to get things right or correct things that go horribly wrong. And Megan Nielsen's detailed sewalong on her website really helped to break down the bias binding steps, so that the next attempt worked far better.
The first dress is in a shirting cotton from Goldhawk Road, which I think was about £5 a metre, so I didn't feel too scared about using it. I had to make a couple of adjustments, taking 1cm off the shoulders and putting a small dart in the back - my first alterations!
I transferred the changes to my paper pattern, and made up a toile of the bodice to check I'd got it right before making the second dress in a more expensive shirting from The Cloth House on Berwick Street. I also added 2" to the hem, as I'm all about the knee-length skirt these days.
These buttons are handmade ceramic chaps from my button box - I think made by my grandmother. I tried to grade the colours as they went down, which I think was more or less successful!
I'm learning, slowly, how different fabric looks once it's in finished form to what you imagine when it's on the bolt. I loved this shirting, which is quite rich in colour and textured like soft elephant skin - but made into this dress I think it just looks like denim or chambray. Which I love, but isn't the look I was going for. Learning learning! I'm starting a short trouser course at Sew Over It this week, so I'll share the results of that if all goes well!
Thank you Els for the photos!
February 5, 2015
Fabric pattern
By Hand London is running a competition until tomorrow midnight, to design a fabric pattern for their new pattern line. The theme is Once Upon a Dream - it's pretty dreamy to combine illustration and fabric! I think this went too kiddy really - might be nice for a child's shirt or dress? And I was trying to make it adult, darn it! I was thinking of toile colours and patterns... anyway, here it is. Wish me luck!
