simplicity sewing pattern

Simplicity 4579: All Sewn Up – 50s Fringed Skirt

Published on July 4, 2015April 21, 2016 by Stacey Stitch12 Comments

My Step Mum found this pattern for me and I instantly fell in love with it especially the fringe trimmed version of the skirt, who doesn’t like a bit of fringing after all? So when the fine folks at Zazzle.co.uk got in touch with me so see if I would collaborate on a couple of posts it was instantly clear that this pattern would be perfect.

If you haven’t heard of Zazzle.co.uk they’re a fantastic creative customisation website with a whole host of different products but obviously, for me, it’s all about the crafting. I can’t even begin to tell you how wide ranging their fabric options are as it would take a whole post up in itself and I’d never get around to showing you my skirt but I will give you a quick overview.

You can pick from various categories from colour, pattern to theme. I obviously went for retro of course, but there are lots of others to choose from. In those categories you can pick the type of fabric, as its summer here I went for a cotton obviously (and I am glad I did due to the heatwave we’ve had) and then there’s the fun bit of customising the pattern too.

The only tough thing I found about the process was narrowing down my fabric choices as there are so many.

Anyhoo, they are fab and you should check them out.

To start the skirt is a 28 waist and 38 hip. Due to the lovely weather we’re having here in the UK, recently not being in the best of sorts and my love of dairy I am now sporting 40 inch hips. So I had to adjust the pattern.

I started by tracing the pattern onto some Swedish sewing paper and marking it up, then I made the hip adjustment by cutting out a perpendicular section from the hip line to the hem line and fitting and extra half an inch in.

I sewed up the darts and joined the sides and all went swimmingly. I put the zip in as instructed, even though it’s not the normal way I’d do the zip but it worked out okay if not a little fiddly. You don’t get anything from not trying though, right? Even if that something you do get is a little frustrated.

Then it was on to the hem and the decision of what I should do about the fringing. For all intents and purposes the instructions said to leave a length of fabric under the fringing but after trying out all options I decided not to do this. It just looked a bit odd.

So I took the skirt up a little extra and removed the split. Then I started sewing the fringing in. I have a little experience of sewing in fringing due to my previous burlesque dancing ways but I had only ever done it by hand. I did use the sewing machine this time and took a steady pace with it. No problems, no seam ripping, just a very happy me by the end of it.

All that was left was hemming to do which, as usual, went without a hitch. So ladies and jellyspoons here is my finished, sewn up skirt. What do you think? I;m super happy with how it turned out and it’ll look great for a work as well as a Sunday mooching round the vintage shops.

Disclosure: Fabric supplied by Zazzle.co.uk but all thoughts on their services are honest and my own.

Simplicity 7702: All Sewn Up – 60s Shift Dress

Published on March 22, 2015April 21, 2016 by Stacey Stitch9 Comments

My first sew of 2015. A few weeks ago I put a blog up for advice, after I scored some gorgeous vintage style fabric from John Lewis in the sale, asking what your opinions were on the pattern to pick.

In the end the simplicity won out. I wanted to try something different, something with a sixties silhouette different from the more tailored sews I’d done previously. The fabric seemed more suited to that. I decided to sew up a toile with some left over cotton that I had as I am a 34 in the bust but I have junk in my trunk, way more than is allowed for on the pattern.

I am so, so glad that I decided to do this because the toile was far too tight on the hips and it was throwing everything off shape wise. So I got out the Swedish tracing paper, made some adjustments and came up with a much more pleasing and better fitting toile.

I used this to cut the fabric and with gritted teeth marked it all out to ensure that I matched the pattern at the back of the dress, which turned out very well even if I do say so myself, first time almost perfect, I decided to leave it at that. It was only a tiny bit out of sync and I wasn’t about to tempt fate by taking the zip out again and seeing it all back in only for it to not match at all.

This is the first time that I’ve ever sewn up a pattern putting the zip in the back before sewing the sides in. Easier x one million. I don’t even know why I haven’t considered doing it before. I think I’m just a stickler for the instructions. I must do what they say. I might remedy that in the future.

I tried the bodice on and had a bit of a worry when the centre back wasn’t lying flat against my skin, until I realised I was wearing the shoulders a little high and they should have been sat a little further down.

I then had the sleeve quandary. Knowing how much I dread setting in sleeves I considered the flat method for a while BUT I decided just to knuckle down and get on with it in the end and sewed the side seams before setting in the sleeves traditionally.

They went in like a dream. I pinned and pinned and I ensured I sewed in slowly and carefully easing them in as I went and sewing from inside the sleeve side rather than the bodice side if that makes sense. After a good old pressing they looked great.

I took three inches off the bottom for the hem allowance rather than the two and three quarter as specified on the pattern, and voila I was done.

So here I am in my new dress.

There are a couple of things to consider:

I have started going running. A lot. Which means my hips are now smaller than they were, hopefully I don’t look like I’m wearing a tent.

I love that it’s not fitted because I feel free! I love wearing more structured garments but there is something so gloriously comfortable about this shift dress while still looking super smart.

What do you think? Have you made anything similar? I;d love to see your version – link me up!

Stacey Stitch Gets Social & 12 Month Pattern Giveaway

Published on January 27, 2014 by Stacey Stitch6 Comments

You may have noticed I’ve done a little overhauling on the blog recently. Not only do I have a fantastic logo/header thanks to the amazing Lucy Blue and a new layout, I also have those lovely new buttons with links to my social media accounts.

Here they are in button form if you’d like to click and link up:

Vintage Sewing Pattern Give-away

In addition to the little online housekeeping I’ve been doing some at home too.

You may have read my post about my new sewing area.

I decided a couple of weeks back to go through the vintage sewing patterns I have and sort them into things I would make/things I haven’t made/things that aren’t my cup of tea/things I’ve made but wont make again.

As many of these were given to me I would like to return the favour and pass them on to someone who’d like them, so keep your eyes peeled because as of this month I’ll be offering up a different pattern from my collection for one lucky winner in every month in 2014.

January’s is this lovely Economy Design dress, which was the first dress I made when I started sewing a few years back. The give-away will begin on 30th January and end a week after, good luck!

Simplicity 3877: All Sewn Up (The Christmas Edition)

Published on December 23, 2013January 23, 2014 by Stacey Stitch7 Comments

I’ve had this gorgeous pattern since July and have been looking for the perfect excuse to make it and what better than a Christmas party at work? The scene is set, there will be a brass quintet and nibbles and drinks in the Atrium of our building, now all I need to do is make an entrance in something very festive.

I bought this gorgeous fabric by for the skirt part and some matching Christmas tree green for the bodice and got to cutting and sewing.

Now, I didn’t really give myself the easiest time when I was making this. In between visiting family, a weekend away. tying up my last 6 modelling appearances (I have officially now finished – see me below as a Christmas tree), making and wrapping gift, buying and decorating the tress, icing two Christmas cakes, and a million more things……..I had about three nights to do this and finished up the last night half cut after a Prof took me and the team for dinner.

Thanks to A J Pilkington of Manicks Productions & Dr Sketchy Birmingham for this pic!

I did (again) struggle with the sleeves – which were, again, meant to be set in…but it seems we do not get on very well, so I did my best, tried not to cry (after sewing a sleeve in inside out and having to get the trust seam ripper out again) and took a deep breath. They didn’t turn out too badly BUT I have made it an aim for 2014 to master set in sleeves!

The light isn’t great in this pic so I’ve added the one below as I think it gives a better impression (and it was too cold to be outside!)

My dress was complete. So what else but make a reindeer decoration to pin to your head? Add to this some sparkly shoes, festive nails, a lovely Narnia based lamppost necklace and a lot of glitter and I was the most dressed up person at the office Christmas do, but then again when else can you get away with wearing a sparkly reindeer on your head?

So on that note; I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this, thank you so much for following my blog and reading my posts over the last six months or so and have a wonderful Christmas! I’ll be back soon (unless I cannot reach the laptop from my eggnog and chocolate coma) xx

New Pattern Purchases (& Pattern Giveaway)

Published on July 20, 2013 by Stacey Stitch5 Comments

I appear to have somewhat of a pattern buying problem at the moment.

I’ve recent added these beauties to my collection:

And I have also added these two. Tim thinks they’re horrible but I’ll be the one laughing when I’m all snuggled up in winter in a lovely flannel gown!

Giveaway

Can you give the below 2 patterns a good home?

The first is this Simplicity 6197 Bust 44. It was advertised on wrongly on ebay as B34 so I don’t think I’ll use as it’s it’s quite far off my measurements. More details can be found here.

I haven’t checked the pieces but in the original listing it said they were all there.

The second is this repro Vintage Vouge V1072 40s suit pattern. It’s in size DD (12-14-16-18)

It’s brand new and uncut. More details on the pattern and sizing can be found here. As far as I am aware this pattern is now out of print.

When I first started to get into vintage clothes I was very much in love with 40s designs but I’m more partial to late 50s -60s rather than earlier now so I don’t see myself making this up at any point.

If you’d like either of these patterns please comment below (with Simplicity and/or Vogue in the body of the text) by 28th July, follow my blog and I’ll announce the new owners on here on 31st.

I’ll be using a random number generator to pick the winner/s.