Elena Cresci

Tag Archive for summer essentials sew along

Self Stitched September – Len vs. The World

September 8, 2010 Blog No comments

Christine from A Rambling Fancy alerted me to the amazingness that is the Scott Pilgrim vs. The World avatar creator. As I quite clearly enjoyed the film, I couldn’t not Scott Pilgrimify myself!

If you can’t read the name plaque, it says that I’m kind of a ditz – it was the first thing to pop up and was so fitting for that day that there was no way I was going to change it. I thoroughly embarrassed myself (again) with my driving – first by getting lost in Swansea despite knowing it pretty well and having a Sat Nav to guide me. I like to think the one way system that my Sat Nav was content to ignore was to blame, but I think it’s pretty clear that my special driving was entirely at fault, especially as I later spent an entertaining ten minutes trying and failing to parallel park, much to the amusement of everyone else in the car.

Moral of the story? When someone who can’t drive offers to park for you, there’s definitely something wrong with your driving.

Day Seven’s outfit actually includes the last two Summer Essential items – the ones I never really got round to blogging about! Oops! You may recognise the top from BurdaStyle’s Magazine, I forget the issue! You can’t actually see it here, but the top is much much too short for me, so high-waisted skirts only it is!

The skirt is made from the same pattern as my dotted culottes. I’d had the fabric for quite some time, so it was a relief to finally be able to use it!

I’m currently having a bit of a dip in sewing motivation. I can’t seem to get anything done! Does anyone have any tips for when their sewing mojo is down?

Summer Essentials Items #2 and #3 (and a half)

August 17, 2010 Blog 6 comments

So… we’re midway through August and I’ve only just got around to posting these babies! I apologise for the delay, mine and Martha’s schedules are fairly hectic! We were only able to shoot two outfits in the end due to time restrictions.

Summer Essentials Item #2 comes courtesy of the super cute Port Elizabeth Top pattern from Goldfinch and Eagle. It was very easy to make, and I’ve had a lot of wear out of it since I finished. I’m already planning another in a cream lace fabric!

As soon as I spotted this blue gingham fabric, I knew that it would make a lovely Port Elizabeth top, especially as Sarah also used a similar fabric! I’m loving the nautical vibe, and am yearning for a red Beignet to become its partner.

Summer Essentials item #3 is a creation from a vintage pattern that I bought from midvalecottage on Etsy – there are some wonderful vintage patterns on sale here, go check it out! I’ve wanted a pair of high-waisted polka dot culottes for months now, and this was the best pattern I found for the job! In vintage sizing, I’m a 16, so this also meant my first foray into the world of resizing! Unfortunately this involved Maths… it’s been a very long time since I last did Maths. Never did I think that the day would come when I would VOLUNTARILY sit down and do some number crunching.

Despite the Maths, I’m quite proud of the result. They’re made from a cotton fabric, which is probably more suited to quilting than to clothing, but I’m going to ignore that because the pattern is fab. Also, I think the stiffness of the fabric gives a nice effect on the pleating. However, I would like to make some out of a fabric with some more drape at some point in the future.

…I also have a confession to make. I cut a major corner when I made these shorts. Oh Sewing Gods, forgive me… but I used WONDERWEB for the hem! It was a moment of weakness, I assure you! It doesn’t look too bad, but I think I much prefer the results of slipstitching a hem in place. Lesson learnt!

Can you tell that I’m totally living the dream here? Despite being a petite 5”3, Martha has succeeded in making me look like a GIANT. This pleases me.

As for the half Summer Essential item mentioned in the title – that would be the black strapless top I’m sporting with my shorts. It’s from the wonderful Afternoon Tea Top by Ichigogirl. I made it from a jersey remnant I had lying about. It was a bit of a rushed job, and I’m still getting used to working with jersey – it’s more difficult that I’d anticipated!

With that in mind, I shall leave you with a photo of me laughing like a hyena.

Please do head over to the Summer Essentials Flickr Group – people have made some amazing garments in the course of this challenge!

Holy moly!

July 8, 2010 Blog 4 comments

Is that my dress on the front page of BurdaStyle? IT IS??

AWESOME.

Needless to say, I’m super excited – this is the first time I’ve ever been featured on BurdaStyle’s front page!

Despite the lack of posting of late, I’m still alive! My computer died (AGAIN) so it’s been a little difficult to get things written when you’re using the family computer.

I have completed my second Essentials item and embarking on my third, so keep your eyes peeled for photos of those babies. In the meantime, why not check out these beauties from the Summer Essentials Flickr group?

I love Angie from Sew I Thought’s take on these Summer shorts created from a vintage trouser pattern – the scalloped hem is what makes this piece really unique!

Tilly of Tilly and the Buttons has whipped up what may be my favourite rendition of Collette Patterns’ Beignet skirt to date. She’s clearly got quite the eye for colour, I would never have thought to pair up the bright blue of the denim with the amber-yellow buttons and belt.

I love this skirt from Ali over at Wardrobe Reimagined. Block colour skirts are so handy to have (I should take note, I get swept away by pretty patterns far too often) and this one is a knockout!

Last but certainly not least is Sølvi at Delfinelise with this stunning rendition of another Colette Patterns favourite, Ceylon. The combination of the peachy coloured fabric and the black piping make for one dress that just oozes chic, charm and style!

Be sure to head on over to the Summer Essentials’ Sewalong Flickr Group and check out what the participants have to offer!

Summer Essentials Item No. 1 : FERTIG!

June 30, 2010 Blog No comments

Hurrah! After much technical difficulties the photos are here! As I mentioned way back, my first Summer Essentials project was Simplicity 2591 in a velvet flocked fabric.

Shortly after finishing this dress, myself and my lovely friends Martha and Cora went to Ogmore Castle to do a mini-photoshoot! It was such fun. Countless ANTM jokes were made on my part (“SMIZE CORA SMIZE!”) as well as jokes about changing in the open air (“NOBODY LOOK AT LENNAAAARD!!”), so needless to say my tummy was aching somewhat from all the giggles!

It was an interesting experience actually having my clothes photographed properly. Before now, I’ve gone the whole self timer route before using my dearly departed Sally as a model, so I’ve always envied those who either have one of those fun remote things on their cameras or a willing volunteer to take their photos for them! Furthermore, clothes come alive when they’re on people. They’re meant to be worn, they’re meant to be loved, they’re meant to be used! I particularly enjoyed seeing Cora wear the dress as she climbed all over Ogmore Castle! She also looked pretty damn awesome in the dress.

As for the pattern itself; it was a dream to put together. I initially cut it out in a Size 14 but found upon initially basting it together that a 12 was a far better fit! The way in which the dress is pieced together – with the outside pocket parts forming a part of the bust – really pleases me, I love the way that it hangs. And the pockets! Oh the pockets! I used some scrap cotton as the pocket lining – a tip I picked up from Zoe. It’s also the feature which has been commented on the most; people think that it adds a certain charm to the dress because it kind of peeks out sometimes when you’re sat down in it.

I’m really really proud of how I did with the zipper this time!

So enough about the dress, and more about the fabulous photos by Martha and the fabulous model that is Cora! Here are some others from the shoot :

Fun fact : I can fly!

Sadly I didn’t make the red dress Cora is wearing or the one I’m wearing in the flying (FLYING I TELL YOU) picture, but I’m planning on taking a fair few of my handmade clothes next time so we can catch them in action! I also hope Martha creates a website soon; so go on readers, tell her how lovely the photos are and how we want to see more!

Here’s a photo of the dress on its first ever outing, as I marvel at some gorgeous fabric. Clearly made a mistake not snapping that beauty up!

Breaking the silence

June 13, 2010 Blog 3 comments

My oh my, what a week it has been. I made a much anticipated return to the Sea of Swan this week, and it’s been fantastic. It made missing Germany so much easier! I won’t lie though, much drunken debauchery was involved, but so were many many pub lunches, living room dancing, the realisation that the popular music in the UK is quite different to Germany, the Glee finale, Jitsu, FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE LIVE, and of course… seeing all those people I’d missed this past year!

So with all that, obviously there hasn’t been much room for sewing, but never fear! I’m still going ahead with the planned Summer Essentials Sew Along!

So, project number 1 on my incredibly vague list was described as ‘a cute cap sleeved dress’. In fact, this is a project that has been on my list for a while, so I’ve had the pattern and the fabric ready for some time now.

Truthfully, if I hadn’t had this fabric picked out for a few months now, I probably would have chosen something floral (there’s a surprise) and lighter in weight to make it more of a Summer item. However, I do think that this will be a dress that’ll suit a British Summer well – for every sweltering day we enjoy, there will always be those windy/rainy/not so sunny days that we spend ages complaining about! So why not brighten up such days with a pretty dress? Not to mention that this will be a good dress for those late September days.

Speaking of September, I forgot to post something last time round :

‘I, Len of Can’t Say Strawberry sign up as a participant of Self-Stitched-September. I endeavour to wear only handmade and refashioned items of clothing every day for the duration of September 2010′.

Eep! I may have to change my pledge if I don’t get enough sewing done this Summer, but for now I’ll remain optimistic. The only concern I have at this moment in time is how exercising will ruin my pledge… I think I could whip up some simple vest tops and the like for running and that, but I certainly don’t have enough time to whip up a gi (what I wear to Karate and Jiu Jitsu). Any other pledgers having trouble on that front?

Last but not least, I did promise I’d show you what I made for the Summer Ball… well, I don’t have enough photos just yet, but here’s an ‘in-action’ shot to whet your appetite…

Summer sewing projects

June 6, 2010 Blog No comments

I’ve been sewing properly for about a year now; this time last year I made the Marie skirt using a sewing machine properly for the first time after it had lain untouched for years. The reason I began sewing was because last Summer, like this Summer, I didn’t have a job, and needed something that could occupy my time before heading to Germany. It’s been a hefty challenge, but I’d like to up the ante some.

So, like my fellow Brit bloggers Tilly and Zoe, I’m planning on participating in the Summer Essentials Sew Along organised by the talented Ali. Here’s the challenge:

"…the Summer Essentials Sew-Along asks participants to sew five(-ish) warm-weather friendly pieces by August(-ish), ‘cause wouldn’t you rather spend August looking fabulous in your homemade threads? The goal: Stock your closet with quality summer basics. The benefit: A group of sewers who will encourage and inspire you…"

Sounds good to me! As I’m heading to Swansea this week and still need to pack (argh!) here’s a really really vague list of what I’m planning to do :

A cute cap sleeved dress.
Some sort of skirt.
Shorts, probably the Ruby pattern from BurdaStyle.
Some sort of loose jersey top – batwing or cowl neck or something… (I told you it would be a very vague list!)
Either a loose cardigan of some sort or… a very ambitious warm weather suitable blazer!

Clearly these are all subject to change when I have time to sit down and think through my pattern and fabric stash as money is quite low here! This is a very timely challenge as I’m planning on participating in Self-Stitched-September and it would be nice to have five extra items to add to my self-sewn wardrobe!

I haven’t been completely inactive these past few weeks however – good old Viktoria’s last project was my Swansea Summer Ball dress, which I’ll do a post when I have lovely photos of it in action!