A Summer Tunic…

Submitted by Off the Cuff Style

 

This sweet tunic was made for my 8 year old niece Isabella.

It is the #16 tunic from Ottobre Design issue 03/09. I decided to omit the sleeve ruffles because Bella just doesn’t like fussy details.

Made from 3 coordinating soft woven cotton prints, it is a bit difficult to see that the lightest color fabric used for the narrow inset band and facings is a cream-on-white print.

SEWING NOTES: Ottobre Design , Interfaced with ProSheer Elegance,, Cotton prints from Fabric.com

Get a DISCOUNT Coupon AND Swatches !

Submitted by Off the Cuff Style

I keep talking about two of the fabulous and most popular interfacings that I have custom manufactured and sell at
~ FASHION SEWING SUPPLY~and that I use personally all the time:

Kate Tailyour features in Metro

Submitted by Brittique Blog

I feel really good when I’m wearing a great outfit. I feel even better knowing that it’s not only made from ethically sourced, organic fabrics but that it’s produced in Britain - actually just down the road from us in lovely Hackney. As featured in Metro today, Kate Tailyour’s collection is just that, ethical and local, something that should appeal to eco-enthusiasts and fashionistas alike. This collection is available exclusively from Brittique. Look out for her AW09 collection which will be available for preorder soon.

The Vintage Shirt….Complete AND now Modeled !

Submitted by Off the Cuff Style
Here it is…my husband Roger’s shirt,

made with a vintage Butterick pattern (#1481)

I tried to get him to model it for us…but he’s camera shy because the poor guy is sunburned. So we’ll just have to be satisfied with seeing the shirt on the form. Roger did try it on, and decided he liked the flat collar better than when it was folded with a “roll.”

UPDATE ! Here is Roger wearing his new shirt (oh the power of female persuasion….). Tee-hee…he looks so happy doesn’t he ? He really is a nice guy and does love the shirt…really.

 

As I said in previous posts, I had high hopes for this pattern because of the way it is drafted. And the proof was in the sewing…it went together beautifully, each piece meeting its match perfectly. Further proof is the terrific fit…right out of the envelope. I really like the way collar lays, the fit at the shoulders, and how the sleeves do not have that awful “wing-out”.

I will definitely make this shirt again, and use it for clients. Even though Roger and I both like the funky retro vibe of this particular version of this shirt, for future versions I may change the collar (making it less pointed/ more narrow), to reflect current style trends.

SEWING NOTES: All seams are Flat Felled. Interfaced with PRO-SHEER ELEGANCE Interfacing from ~Fashion Sewing Supply~, Cotton fabrics from my stash.

Nancy K asked, “Did you do the flat fell seams in the body of the shirt the same way as you did the sleeves?”

Yes Nancy, I did….well almost the same way. When I was cutting out the shirt, I used 1″ seam allowances on the side seams of the body and sleeves. Then I trimmed the back allowances to 1/2″, and proceeded to fell them as I did the sleeve cap seams.

Our PR gets papped with Kate Bosworth

Submitted by Brittique Blog

Source: Just Jared

Another bridal shower!? Attend in style without breaking the bank

These Fabulous Dresses are all under $50 at:
www.thesummerdressstore.com

Is being such a great friend to so many brides-to-be (e.g. shower gifts, bachelorette parties and bridesmaid summer dresses) burning a hole in your pocket this summer? Are you feeling too broke to buy cute summer dresses to wear to all of these wedding related events?

According to the National Association of Wedding Ministers the most popular months to get married are June, August, September and October. For us ladies, this means tons of weddings, bridal showers and bachelorette parties. In this economy, finding an affordable and great summer dress for each event may seem impossible. Not anymore.

There is a fantastic summer dress store online where you can find adorable summer dresses at ridiculously reasonable prices. By working directly with the manufacturer, the store is able to keep its prices low (everything is under $50). The summer dresses come in various trendy styles. Many have fun graphic prints, beading and/or applique detailing. Check it out: www.thesummerdressstore.com.
Don’t mind spending a little more on a summer dress?

Check out The Summer Dress Boutique (www.summer-dress.com)
Where you’ll find this Twinkle Summer Dress and plenty of other fantastic summer dresses.

Vintage Shirt - Felled Seam Technique

Submitted by Off the Cuff Style

Progress on the Vintage Mens Shirt continues!

Now the sleeves are sewn…and I thought you might be interested in seeing how these sleeves are drafted and set. It is done differently than most methods seen in modern printed patterns.

(Click Pic to enlarge, use browser “back button” to return)

Take a look at these pattern pieces. I’ve marked the stitching lines so that you can see that the sleeve seam allowance is twice as wide as the corresponding seam on the shirt back (and front, not shown). The seam allowance of the sleeve is 1″, and the armscye seam allowance is 1/2″.

(Click Pic to enlarge, use “back button” to return)

As you can see in the photo below, when the stitching line of the sleeve and armscye are matched (right sides together), the sleeve cap allowance extends beyond that of the shirt. The sleeve is set by stitching along the stitching line of the armscye. It’s much easier to do if you first mark the 1/2″ seam allowance as you can see by the blue lines. When you’ve set sleeves this way several times, you can just do it by sight. In fact, when I hand-draft shirts, I almost always draft the sleeve allowance at twice the width of the armscye allowance.

(Click Pic to enlarge, use browser “back button” to return)

Here is the sleeve set into the armscye, from the wrong side. Because the sleeve seam allowance is wider, it is “auto-magically” ready to be felled…with no trimming needed!

 
(Click Pic to enlarge, use “back button” to return)

To begin felling the seam, just fold and press the larger sleeve seam allowance over the smaller one, enclosing it. In the photo below, the allowance is pressed at the bottom of the photo, and still open near the top of the photo.

Click Pic to enlarge, use browser “back button” to return)

When the sleeve allowance is completely pressed over the armscyce allowance, next press BOTH allowances towards the shirt. Look…an “instant” felled seam !

(Click Pic to enlarge, use browser “back button” to return)

All that remains to finish setting the sleeves is to topstitch a scant 1/2″ away from the well of the seam from the RIGHT SIDE, through all layers….as shown below.

(Click Pic to enlarge, use “back button” to return)

And this is how the felled sleeve seam looks from the wrong side, after the topstitching is complete. Nice and smooth, neat and easy…with no raw edges.

Now I just have to choose buttons, sew the side seams and hem, and talk Roger into modeling the shirt…along with the 100 other things I have to do today. But the laundry can wait, can’t it?

So excited about these shoes

Submitted by Brittique Blog

Of course I love all the shoes I stock but some I love more than others. These Verity by Bionda Castana fall into that category. They are so elegant and, the best bit, they’re orange! I do have a thing for orange. Remember my ginormous Chloe Heloise handbag? These shoes are going to look great with that. They’ll also look great with the new AW09 collection from Louise Amstrup with the hint of orange in the print.

Preorder Verity now to avoid disappointment.

Vintage Shirt….So Far, So Good!

Submitted by Off the Cuff Style

I am very pleased with the way the vintage mens shirt pattern I chose to make for part of DH Roger’s Birthday present is coming along. Although his birthday was yesterday….age is just a number, right?

So..here is what I have completed so far: Pockets attached, Back Yoke and Shoulder seams sewn, Collar made and attached and the Facings attached.

Below are 2 “looks”. The collar is laid flat in the first photo, and in the second photo, the collar is “rolled”. Please bear in mind as you look at these photos, that this is a “work in progress” and hasn’t yet had a final press. Yes, the collar is the same length on both sides…it appears longer on one side because the point of the collar is right against the black of the print fabric.

So which look do like the most? The flat collar, or the one with a roll?

SEWING NOTES : Pockets cut on Bias, Collar and Facings interfaced with PRO-SHEER ELEGANCE Fusible Interfacing from ~Fashion Sewing Supply~

FREE Swatches and DISCOUNT Coupon

Submitted by Off the Cuff Style

I keep talking about two of the fabulous and most popular interfacings that I have custom manufactured and sell at
~ FASHION SEWING SUPPLY~

and that I use personally all the time:

Vintage Shirt…A Little Progress

Submitted by Off the Cuff Style
The 40% off Elastic Sale has kept me so busy that I’ve only been able to make a little progress on Roger’s Shirt.

I decided to make banded pockets, cut on the bias. Here’s what one looks like on the shirt front, ready to be sewn (I’ll adjust the position a bit before stitching).

This is the pocket from the wrong side. This pocket is cut on the bias, and because I know how rough Roger is on pockets, I needed to stabilize the stretch of the bias cut fabric or they’d be hopelessly stretched-out in no time!

I fusedPro-Sheer Elegance Interfacing (cut on the straight grain) to the wrong side of the pocket. This interfacing is so sheer and flexible that you can barely tell that it’s there…yet it completely stabilizes the bias cut fabric.

The BEST Pattern…and Why

Submitted by Off the Cuff Style
This is the pattern I chose for Roger’s shirt.

And here’s why….

It is the most “elegant” draft among the group of patterns shown in yesterday’s post (below). What do I mean by “elegant” ? It has to do with the shape of the pattern pieces.

The separate facing piece gives me the option of using a contrast fabric.

The yoke is curved enough to flow smoothly against the body, but not so much to “ripple” when it is joined to the back.

Now take a close look at the yoke piece (#5). Do you see the very subtle curve of the shoulder line? When joined to the straight front shoulder, it will raise the back of the shirt ever-so-slightly, allowing it to flow smoothly over the body’s shoulder-blades.

Next, the sleeves…those beautifully drafted sleeves! A nice slope down in front, and just enough of a rounded shape along the back 2/3 of the cap. Why does this matter? For the short sleeve shirt I plan to make, this higher cap will mitigate a short sleeve’s tendency to “wing out”. With the coarse cotton fabric I’ve chosen to use for this shirt, this is very important because I cannot count on the drape of the fabric to help the sleeves fall in soft folds.

Finally, the collar. Notice its delicious curves! It will lay smoothly against the body’s neck and collar-bone…and eliminate the tendency that some shirt collars have to “stack” (ride up on the neck).

Contrast the “elegant” draft above to this draft,
which is OK…but just OK.

The main reason this shirt pattern was not chosen, is because it is “flat”.
Flat yoke, flat sleeve cap, flat collar. In my opinion, the first shirt pattern is superior. While there is nothing really “wrong” with this pattern, the first one shown is just more “elegantly” drafted.

SEWING NOTES: I need to find the time to actually SEW this shirt because we have a BIG ELASTIC SALE coming up soon!
So if you are not on our mailing list, send your email information to: Sew_Exciting@yahoo.com (don’t forget the underline in our email address!)

Hip-Hop Fashion Trends We Wish Never Occurred

Flavor Flav’s Viking Helmet

Flavor Flav became popular for his ridiculous clock used as an accessory. What would actually Flavor Flav be without his clock? It’s completely awesome! It a kinda style icon of Flavor Flav. That clock made him loved by millions even when he was on his trial for shooting at his neighbors. BUT THE VIKING HELMET?? Isn’t it over and above? It was a part of Flav’s charm to be ridiculous. Anyway, once put his helmet on, he stopped making jokes, he became a joke himself. Having said all the above, I actually should say, that that helmet is still less embarrassing than telling everyone that you have tied up Bridgette Nielsen.

Paul Wall’s Grin

One of the most pessimal things about fashion is surely creating something absolutely ill-looking and make hundreds of thousands not only accept it, but find it attractive and even make it a fashion trend. That is exactly what happened to Paul Wall’s famous diamond and whatever else filled smile. Well, it is not even a bit surprising. He actually owns a company that makes those dental abnormities. All would be ok, but a popular pop-singer Brook Hogan has also turned her smile to this disgusting diamond grin. The good side is that when a hip-hop trend reaches a certain level of whiteness, it means it is dying out.

MC Hammer’s Crazy Pants

MC Hammer really deserves a separate fashion post here. Take his glasses or banana hammock … he really deserves a lifetime Fashion Disaster prize. Anyway, MC Hammer’s most popular fashion achievement he will always be associated with are those crazy pants. At first it seemed that general public will never accept this ridiculous trend. Nevertheless, you could see thousands of young (and not so young) people wearing something of the kind. Trust me or not, but I also had a pair of those crazy “Hammer’s pants”. And Oh My God, I even liked them for being extremely comfortable. Luckily, there are no photos of me wearing those pants. I deem, that Hammer wishes he could tell the same thing about himself.

Too Many Choices….

Submitted by Off the Cuff Style
It’s about time I sewed a shirt for my husband, Roger…especially since his birthday is coming up! So from my collection of well over 100 vintage menswear patterns, I’ve managed to narrow my choices to these….

While of course I already have a hand-drafted shirt pattern for him, working with vintage patterns is fun…and always spark ideas for my own original shirt designs. So now I need to decide. I’ll flip through these patterns between packing interfacing orders, and come up with a final choice by the end of the day.

Here is the fabric I’ll be using…a cotton print.

I’ll be working on the shirt this evening, and within a day or so I’ll show you what pattern I chose, and why…along with some pics of the instruction sheets.

Emma Cook speaks out about rumours

Submitted by Brittique Blog

We can all breathe a sigh of relief that rumours circulating last week that Emma Cook was closing were just that, rumours. Emma Cook spoke with Grazia this week dismissing the rumours and confirming that her label was continuing but with a focus on a lower priced diffusion range as well as her collaboration with Topshop. What good news!

Shop Emma Cook here at Brittique.com.

Giant shoe sale: 40-90% off all shoes

Submitted by Brittique Blog

Plus get an extra 15% off this weekend only. Sign up for our newsletter for details.

MOP Buttons….a quick tip!

Submitted by Off the Cuff Style

MOP Buttons? Of course I mean “Mother of Pearl”.

And I just love the look of them on shirts and blouses!

Unfortunately, unless you buy the thin decorative ones (usually found in a bulk bag near the regular buttons), they can be really expensive.

And the thin decorative ones usually don’t survive the washer and dryer.

Here’s a quick way to strengthen these thin but beautiful decorative buttons :

Using a liquid glue made to attach embellishments to fabric, coat the back side of the button, being careful to avoid filling in the holes. The glue will look “milky” when wet.
Let the glue-coated buttons dry overnight, or until the glue is clear and hard. Now your lovely Mother-of-Pearl buttons are ready to use…and will be able to survive the washing machine !

So much Gratitude……

Submitted by Off the Cuff Style
Ann, from Ann’s Fashion Studio  was kind enough to pass this award on to me! Thank-you Ann!

Every morning I wake up… grateful that I have yet another day to enjoy my life….and all the wonderful people in it.

Sewing is such a huge part of my life, and I am truly grateful to everyone who takes a little part of their day to visit me here on my blog.

Though I am “breaking the rules”, I cannot possibly choose among the many dear sewing friends I have made over the years. So please know that I cherish each and every one of you…for the countless times you have made my heart smile though your kindness, generosity, humor…and inspiration.

A Shirt for Me ! …with Release Tucks

Submitted by Off the Cuff Style

 

OK, I promise…
This is my last version of the Brensan Sew Simple Shirt…for a while.

On this shirt I added cuffs to the sleeves, and instead of sewing the vertical darts, I made “Release Tucks”. Making release tucks is very easy to do…even on a shirt or blouse that does not have marked darts. And it can be done after the shirt is completely finished!

Just try the shirt on…inside out. Now pinch out about a 1/2-3/4 inch “tuck” near the waist area on each shirt front, and pin it vertically. Turn the shirt right side out and try it on, making adjustments if necessary. Next, from the wrong side stitch each tuck, with a simple straight line of stitching that is about 2-4 inches long.

Here’s a quick photo of the shirt from the wrong side, showing one tuck sewn and pressed towards the center front.

 

SEWING NOTES: Collar, Cuffs, and Front Facing
interfaced with PRO-SHEER ELEGANCE Fusible Interfacing from ~Fashion Sewing Supply~. Italian Cotton Shirting Fabric from my stash, Buttons from ~Fashion Sewing Supply~.

Can you have too many white shirts ?

Submitted by Off the Cuff Style

This is another version of the
Brensan “Sew Simple Shirt”this time with long sleeves, from a very soft, almost gauze-like novelty cotton fabric. The sleeves were made exactly per the pattern specifications, and are wide enough at the hemline to be able to roll up to elbow length. I plan to wear this blouse open over a white tank top, with jeans and white strappy sandals…for a breezy casual look.

I have yet another shirt cut from this pattern, a long sleeve version with sleeve cuffs from a beautiful Swiss cotton shirting. Then I will tear myself away from this pattern and move on to other things. Next up are 2 tailored linen jackets among the many sewing projects I have planned for June.
SEWING NOTES: I did make changes to this version of this blouse: I lengthened the collar by about 1/2″ and did not sew the darts. Interfaced with ProSheer Elegance Fusible Interfacing from Fashion Sewing Supply~. Buttons from Fashion Sewing Supply~.

Daily Mail’s best boutiques

Submitted by Brittique Blog

Daily Mail featured Brittique as one of it’s best boutiques.

Metro’s favorite new accessories

Submitted by Brittique Blog

Wednesday, 27 May 2009

Submitted by Brittique Blog

Source: RihannaDaily.com

Rihanna seems to favour emerging British designers. Last year she stepped out in Emma Cook’s fantastic jumpsuit - I can’t wear mine enough in summer! Recently the American based singer was spotted in this Hannah Marshall short sleeve jacket. She really is super stylish and it is great to see a celeb who doesn’t have to be dressed in big name designers all the time. It would be wonderful if more celebs would embrace up and coming designers from across the globe.

A Linen Shirt….a little rough around the edges

Submitted by Off the Cuff Style

 

 

Made for a client, this menswear shirt is an original design.
It is made from a beautiful linen from  Gorgeous Fabrics  that I distressed heavily.

“Roughing up” fabrics is one of my favorite things to do. Usually I distress fabric before it is cut and sewn. This time I pre-washed the fabric just once in hot water and tossed it into a hot dryer to get the “shrink” out. Then I pressed the yardage lightly leaving some fine wrinkles, and cut and sewed the shirt. After it was complete, it went into the wash again, along with several tennis balls….going through several cycles in hot water. Then the shirt was dried in a hot dryer and the result was a soft linen shirt with lots of drape.

The edges of the shirt, its design features, and felled seams are now slightly faded, highlighting them nicely. What looks like white lines on the shirt are actually tiny 16th-inch pin tucks…one on the bias near the right shoulder, another down the front of the shirt to the right of CF, and another pin tuck on the pocket, again on bias.

The hem is straight The distressed linen is draping in soft folds.

A Distressed Silk Shirt…by client request

Submitted by Off the Cuff Style

Made for a very special client, this shirt is an original design. Made from heavy silk dupioni, the fabric was washed once to pre-treat. The pattern pieces were laid on the cross-grain of the fabric and the shirt was cut and stitched. It was then washed several more times in hot water. After a hot cycle in the dryer, the shirt was gloriously soft and the slubs raised irregularly. This gave the gave the garment the soft, slouchy look I wanted it to have.

Design features include a vertical, flat felled Prince Seam (on the right side), banded Sleeves, double top Buttons, and a vertical flat-fell seamed Pocket with top band.

***For my method to make symmetrical pockets with a nice sharp point, check out my tutorial “Perfect Pockets Every Time”

Sewing Notes: Collar and Lapel interfaced with Pro-Weft Fusible Interfacing from ~Fashion Sewing Supply~,

Buttons from ~Fashion Sewing Supply~,
Fabric from my stash.