The Top Issue

Just stopped by to say hi!

I have been having a big crush on Instagram lately and have been neglecting my poor blogg. I still like to write blogpost and connect with you guys, and I shall try to make it up to you. In the meantime I'll show you what I have been up to top-wise in the last few month. Without futher ado I present to you the Sewbluedresses Top Issue:


Cotton silk pleated t-shirt

This is the The Pleated T-shirt by Salme Patterns made in a lovely cotton-silk blend I bought from a new danish on-line fabric shop called Fabricminds. Oh how I love this shop already. They carry a nice selection of designer and high end fabrics. Enough to feed all your dreams. They ship to Denmark, Norway and Sweeden but do contact them for shipping information if you live elsewhere. I made the top a year ago as a wearable muslin in a viscose of some sort, but this fabric is an entirely different league (no, I do not get sponsered by Fabricminds - but is very much open to the idea:))


Archer in the garden

Another favorite pattern of mine - and my go-to pattern for classic, oversize shirt is the Archer Shirt from Grainline Studio . I've made this pattern 3 times before and knew it would be right for this drapy viscose fabric (and yes it is a homemade selfdrafted lace cami under the shirt). This is possibly the best viscose fabric I've bought and I knew I had to use every last scrap of it - therefore I used the rest for this:

Burda blouse for hot weather

I knew I wanted a v-neck so I browsed through my old Burdastyle Magazines. I found a tuniq in the plus size section of the march edition from 2013. I cut the pattern shorter, lifted the v-neck by 3 cm and took it in a bit at the sides. It's an oversize blouse so I wasn't too concerned about fit. I only had enough of the expensive designer viscose for the front so I bought some plain viscose from Stof og Stil - and what a remarkable difference in quality. I'm sure the front of the blouse will hold up beautifully, but not too sure about the back...

Closet workhorse Archer in white

This is yet another version of the Archer pattern from Grainline Studio. This time made in gorgeous white Liberty fabric I bought of Ebay. I've actually never owned a classic white shirt so it was about time. I made it back in may and have used it a lot since.

Simplicity 1366: duck egg blue sandwashed silk

This is yet another version of my beloved Simplicity 1366. I've made it two times before and it's a good basic pattern to show off nice fabric. I like to use simple patterns when I use difficult (expensive) fabrics. This is sandwashed silk from Stof og Stil. It's a lovely quality and wasn't too shifty to cut into. I made sure to do all the right things. Staystich, french seams etc. As a simple design feature I cut a back slit late one night - which by mistake ended up in the front.. This hasn't prevented me from using this blouse a lot - but next time I'm cutting slits I'll make sure they go on the right side.

Simplicity 1366: the cheap version

This doesn't come near the silk simplicity 1366. It's a (cheap) viscose twill from Stof og Stil. I really like the pattern and the colours but the fabric just feel too cheap. I have only been wearing this a couple of times since I made it, so I guess that the price pr. time a garment gets worn can be high - eventhough the fabric initially was cheap. (good excuse to buy better fabric from now!).

Afternoon Blouse

This is the Afternoon Blouse pattern by Jennifer Lauren Vintage I'm not really that into vintage patterns, but I really like this shape. I've made it twice so far and maybe I'll make one more in plain black. For this version I used viscose crepe from Stof og Stil . I like the texture of this fabric and plan to use aaaall the colours available.

Plantain scoop neck tee

I have a few tried and true knit t-shirt patterns that works everytime for me. This is the (free) Plantain t-shirt from Deer and Doe. I like the scoop neck and the slighly flared style. Makes good room for them hips:). The fabric is a nice viscose jersey from Stofdepotet. I have been hoarding this fabric and have been saving every little scrap to use for details in t-shirts and so on.

Pineapple Plantain

This is another Plantain
This time with short sleeves. I used this really cool pineapple fabric from Aime Comme Marie bought at Metermeter. I think the print looks really cool, but I'm so disappointed in the quality of the fabric. I'm not too sure it will hold op in the wash for more than a few times. I washed the fabric before cutting into it and it already looks a bit frumpy (and so do I, when I think of the price..)

Lace cami

I love lace - it ads a bit of everyday luxury. This is a stretch lace bought locally at Rita Stoffer (no website). It stretches beautifully and feels wonderful. I used and old tanktop to make the pattern. It's a fast make and will surely not be the last lacetop I make.


Alice Top

The fabric shop Tessuti from Australia also sell their own pdf patterns. I downloaded the Alice Top from their website. The patterned fabric is thrifted silk crepe de chine from a dress and the solid is of unknown content from stash. I'm however not to sure this style suits me, but will give it a go this summer.


Sutton Blouse by True Bias

The last one - and then I'll shut up - promise! - is the Sutton Blouse by True Bias. Kelli from True Bias is the genious behind The Hudson Pants. The Sutton Blouse is for drapy fabrics and feature a yoke, v-neck and a flowy sillouette. I made this using a subtle leopard jaquard weave white viscose from Citystoffer. Citystoffer only offers a small part of their fabrics online, but do pay them a visit if you are in Aarhus. They have a great selection of dressweight fabrics. The Sutton Blouse came together easily, but you have to make sure, you are precise, when finishing the v-neck. It's a great blouse for warm weather, but can also be used with a cardi, when the weather cools down again.

So, that's it! I guess I have enough tops for the time being (who am I kidding - never enough!). I'll make a childrens issue soon - and maybe a dress version..

Have you made any sundresses yet? I'm always pondering if I'll bother to make a sundress here in the danish climate, since there's rarely (and sadly) any occation to wear it, but this year I think I'll make one since we are going to France on holiday! I'm so excited - better make a sundress with enough room in the stomach area since both cheese and fabricshopping is on the to-do-list:) Have you got any favorite sundress pattern and can you recommend any good fabric shops in Paris?


Happy sewing

Mette

Fødselsdags-"kjole"

Jeg håber I nyder det lune sommervejr - som jeg gerne tager en del af æren for (- dog ikke bygerne). Det var nemlig min fødselsdag igår.

Dette er årets fødselsdags-"kjole". Når man runder endnu et år, skal der tekstiler på disken for at det ikke ender i tårer. Stof(fer) er billigere end psykologtimer, så alt i alt er det en god investering ikke? Især hvis vi kun taler om det stof, der er gået til denne kjole og ikke det, der er indkøbt resten af året...

Jeg elsker kjoler, men må også blankt indrømme, at det ikke er så ofte, de bliver luftet. Indimellem kan de næsten føles for "fine" til almindelig hverdagsbrug. For at være sikker på at dette lækre stof bliver brugt tilstrækkeligt, besluttede jeg derfor at jeg ville lave kjolen to-delt istedet. Jeg har også læst et sted, at sæt er moderne - jeg håber, det stadig er tilfældet, når jeg nu endelig er hoppet med på vognen. - Nå nok snak - her er det syning, det drejer sig om.

I now present to you this years birthday dress. New fabric and a new dress is necessary - otherwise another year on your bum will bring tears! Fabricshopping is not cheap, but definitly cheaper than a therapist. This is not actually a dress, but a two-piece. Eventhough I love a nice dress, I don't wear them all that offen. Offen they feel almost too polished for the office. I hope that two pieces are still fashionable since I now own this..

Jeg har syet blusen efter Salme Patterns Kimono t-shirt mønster. Det er endnu et pdf-mønster, som man let kan downloades i en sen nattetime. Efter en halv time med saks og tape er mønstret klar. Pdf-mønstre har den fordel, at udvalget bliver meget større end det, den lokale stofbutik kan tilbyde, men det kræver lidt mere arbejde. Jeg plejer at klippe-klistre foran fjernsynet, de aftner hvor jeg ikke orker at sy.

Blusen er nem at sy. Jeg valgte at sy den med franske sømme. Det er let og giver en rigtig fin finish inden i blusen. Franske sømme er fantastiske til meget let materiale - og især fine, hvis det er let gennemsigtig materiale. Franske sømme sys ved først at sy sømmmen sammen vrang mod vrang (modsat af normalt) og herefter presse sømrummene fra hinanden med et strygejern, klippe sømrummet ned og sy sømmen igen mens stoffet vender ret mod ret (dvs. på vrangsiden). Hvis min forklaring ikke står krystalklar, kan du prøve at finde en youtubevideo, der demonstrerer hvordan det gøres. Youtube er uvurderlig ifht syteknik - især for de visuelt orienterede. Franske sømme giver en ekstra arbejdsgang, men jeg synes, det er det værd i tøj, du forhåbentligt kommer til at bruge meget.

The top is made using Salme Patterns Kimonosleeve pattern. This is a very easy pattern that comes together nicely. I sewed up the top using french seams - my favorite type of seams. I use it whereever possible. Try Youtube if you like to see a tutorial for this. I especially love french seams in the sleeves where you sometimes get a glimpse of how the top is constructed or where the sleeves are rolled up. Porn for the homesewer:)

Jeg "tegnede" selv min nederdel - med inspiration fra en gammel Ganni nederdel, jeg har. I virkeligheden er det en bane af stoffet i hele stofbredden, delt i to og rundet i hjørnerne. Jeg klippede også en linning til elastik (2*elastikkens bredde + sømrum).

I drafted the skirt myself - if you can call it drafting when I used the width of the fabric (140 cm) cut it into two pieces and then rounded the corners. I also cut a piece for the waistband.

Nederdelen syede jeg sammen vrang mod vrang, pressede sømrummene fra hinanden og klippede dem ned til ca. 3mm bredde. Istedet for at sy endnu en søm med stoffet ret mod ret, som man ville gøre ved en normal fransk søm, valgte jeg istedet at dække sømmen med et sort bånd langs begge sider. Det sorte bånd er klippet 4 cm bredt af rester fra et tidligere projekt. Jeg syede båndet på ret mod ret langs med nederdelens syning, foldede herefter båndet henover syningen med strygejernet og pressede sømrummet til bagsiden af båndet. På denne måde, kan man nøjes med en enkelt synlig stikning. Til sidst syede jeg linningen på og trak elastikken igennem. Nederdelen er lagt op med skråbånd af det samme stof - pga. de rundede hjørner.

I sewed the side seams of the skirt with the wrong sides together, I then pressed the seamsallowances apart and cut them down to about 3 mm. Instead of doing my usual french seam, I decided to cover the seam with a black band for a sporty touch (haha - sporty me?). I finished the hem using biastape.

Her er et billede fra siden, hvor det sorte bånd og nederdelens rundede sider er synlige.

Alt i alt var dette et ret enkelt projekt, men jeg er sikker på, at det nok skal blive brugt meget - både sammen og de enkelte dele hver for sig.

Jeg håber, du kunne bruge min lille vejledning.


Here is a picture from the side where you can see the black band and the rounded sideseams. I like it. This was a really simple project but I'm sure It will get plenty of wear - together and the individual pieces.


Pattern: Salme Pattern for the top, selfdrafted skirt
Fabric: drapey, soft viscose from the fabric shop at Trøjborg (no webshop)

Happy sewing

Mette

Breaking news - Salme Patterns "Pleated t-shirt"

Hejsa

Selvom mit blognavn lover, at jeg kun syr blå kjoler, er jeg også nogengange vovet og springer udenfor rammerne. Det er i disse modige øjeblikke jeg sidder med et lækkert stykke blå stof og beslutter,(trommehvirvel!) istedet at sy en blå bluse!

Jeg syede blusen i weekenden og havde den på på arbejde tirsdag og jeg er tilfreds. Mønstret er i virkeligheden bare en helt almindelig bluse i fast stof, som er løs nok til at man kan trække den over hovedet uden brug af lynlås. Det eneste, der gør denne bluse speciel er de fem læg på tværs af blusen. De var ikke svære at lave og kræver blot et godt strygejern. Selve læggene tog mig nok en halv time at forme og sy. Resten af blusen er syet med franske sømme i skulder-, side- og ærmesømmene. Der er belægning ved halskanten, som jeg efterfølgende har givet et par (næsten) usynlige sting for at holde den på plads. Alt i alt tog det mig ca. to timer at klippe og sy blusen. Jeg tror dette mønster har potentialet til at blive til mindst to arbejdsbluser mere - måske i hvid silke her til sommer...

Mønster: Salme Patterns "Pleated t-shirt". Mønstret er købt på Etsy.com
Stof: Købt i den fantastiske stofbutik bag den underlige isenkræmmer på Tordenskjoldsgade i Aarhus.

Kærlig hilsen Mette


English recap
I know, I promised only to sew blue dresses and I might now let you down,when I show you this shirt I made. I'm really pleased with it and thinks it looks both office appropriate and casual. It works with both jeans and a skirt.
I made the shirt using french seams whereever it was possible; shoulder, arms and sideseams. The neckline is finished with facings. I think this pattern has the potential of at least two more shirts. Perhaps one in white silk for summer...

Pattern: Salme Patterns "Pleated t-shirt"
Fabric: Purchased locally. Viscose-cotton blend

Happy sewing

Mette