Tag: fabrics

More Change!

Published on by Emma_Ciarrocca2 Comments

Yeap you saw it!

It’s official, this blog is now http://www.sewdoitemma.com

I’ve been thinking about going for it for a while and have finally taken the crunch!

Also it’s my first day of my fabric buying hiatus! It gone well so far. I’ve put my time into doing this domain, house stuff and walking the dog.

In my head I’ve got hundreds of ideas with what fabric from my collection should go with what project/pattern. Sure, they’ll be limits because of meterage/yardage or what type of fabric but I’m going to start to try and categorically organise them.

This has been on the cards for ages but it’s not going to be easy with the amount of fabric I do have.

First of all, I think I’m going to set fabrics and patterns that are in my make nine.

Next I’m going to take all the fabrics out of the small Billy’s then (or maybe do a shelf at a time) measure, photograph and record each piece. Either spreadsheet it first and then add it on the Cora App, which I’ve had for yonks and not really made use of it.

Once I’ve done the fabrics, I think I’m going to go through my big four patterns as I bet there’s patterns I’ve forgot about and have either doubled with a newer style or no longer “has that sparkle”. This could be another fabric destash as well but we’ll come to that bridge when it happens!

This is going to be a long process for me as I am planning to sew a few things, some with deadlines and also I’ve got things that I need to do around the house (boo, hiss).

Ok this is quite a ramble but it’s kinda good to put it out there and then you can see the difference when it’s done.

Speak soon with hopefully some new makes!

Happy sewing 🧵

Oooopsa lacy!

Published on by Emma_Ciarrocca2 Comments

Since the 5th May I’ve been on a fabric ban but this Friday past I broke it and I broke it hard!

You see when you see something RTW and the stock is low in your size but you have the sewing skills (this does not include boning or lace!!) you go what the heck and go all in, pretty much head first.

So this is the RTW dress I’ve fallen IN LOVE with and just wanna swosh about in.

The RTW dress is a beautiful Monsoon one but as said a second ago, the size I was looking for had gone out of stock. I would definitely pay £139 for it but that’s if they had it. But I’m not going to buy that dress, I’m going to make it eeek!

Fabric:

After ordering several different swatches and doing a ridiculous amount of searches for “mint guipure lace” online I wasn’t anywhere forward. Locally I was starting to loose my confidence in getting what I really wanted. It was on the final straw that I took the tip from a previous co-worker to visit Fabric Focus. It should’ve been first choice – doh!Above the linings, there lay the beautiful lace guipure in exactly the colours and shade I was looking for and too even make my July better the lining was there to make it pop! It’s a-lot more minty than the photo suggests. The lining is a skin tone. But I may have to double it up with a cotton because of the boning!

The Pattern:The pattern was a lot easier to find and in the end the McCalls 7720 was a very close fit.

I’ll get the boning, hook & eye, threads and zip organised at a later date. I might make a toile and see how that goes before I start back at my evening classes in August if I get other projects finished! I can’t thank Kevin at Fabric Focus and his lovely Mum (who actually served me) enough for stocking this lace. You made a very happy lady. This is just a perfect example why we should support local shops like this!

Disclaimer: all opinions are my own!

My Sewing Room

Published on by Emma_Ciarrocca2 Comments

Having “had” to sew in living room because of my lack of tidying up mojo of the sewing room this week I’ve been focusing trying to find the floor of it.

I had a great idea last year to wash all of my fabrics, iron, fold away whilst measuring and recording them. It was such a monumental task, it all became quite overwhelming to dealt with. It was all very well in idea form but when you decide to get a puppy all things and plans go out of the window. I’m not blaming the puppy nor myself here, I’m simply addressing the matter that I took too much on and something had to give.

Move on 4 months and I finally can sneak up to the sewing room and finally get to grips with the hoarding of fabrics and goodness knows what else! Don’t think for one second did the puppy stop me from buying fabric nor the billion bags of fabric already up in the S.R. Ha!

I’m seeing a clear path now. It’s looking pretty organised now. There’s a plan to go through all the magazines and pull out projects that I might get round to. I’m going to be stopping my magazine subscriptions as I’m finding I just don’t have the time to read them just now and feel I can keep up to date with other methods. Plus I’ve got to keep the momentum up with my make nine and need space to concentrate on that!

Here’s some photos of the progress so far – sorry don’t have any “before photos” but just imagine lots of bags on the floor!

Loom there's a Floor! Just a couple of pieces ... Ohhh more fabric...And more fabric!Even got the overlocker out of it box 📦 (finally!!)<<<<
ks for popping by!

Happy Sewing xx

The Knitting & Stitching Show, Edinburgh 

Published on by Emma_Ciarrocca5 Comments

Flipping heck! What a wave of fresh air in fabric gooeyness.

I’m feeling very happy with all my purchases and date I say it I could have bought so much more but resistance was in control. (Thank heavens as I would have bought double the amount of fabric!).

It’s the second year for the show in Edinburgh and I think it was better even though I noticed a couple of stalls not being there from last year (yes, I did miss them!) but hey, you can’t have it all.

My TATB Cleo is getting her grand day out!

Ready, Set, GOOOO!
 

Lots and lots of stalls!

I bought three fabrics from fabrics galore!
The grey textured fabric is for a Saunio Cardigan.  The flamingoes and the black & white fabrics are for M7094.
I chatted to Lauren of Guthrie & Ghani and watched her demonstrate top tips at the creative living theatre on sewing with stretch and jersey fabrics.  I also bought a lovely viscose.

 

Lovely soft viscose, destined for the McCalls 7094!

The lovely Lauren, demonstrating with stretch and knit fabrics!
Ben (@Sewcialogist) gave me some helpful hints regarding the collar in M7094 using the Viscose and how to use the Prym “Wash off Tape” instead of using pins or basting/tacking, which is a winner in my book (I hate tacking).  He was wearing his newly made shirt, which was perfect on G&G’s stall.   The viscose is a long term staple of G&G too, so it’s good to know that lots of people have bought this!

I wasn’t alone for long as I met Shirley (@Beatgirl9091) and Lesley (@sew_sleep_deprived) – because I arrived at 10 am ready for the doors opening and did two circuits of all the stalls.  looking back I should have looked at the needlework exhibition in that time, but hey ho.  Whilst I did two circuits of the stalls I totally missed Girl Charlee stand.  Luckily Lesley and Shirley informed me – I am a numpty! And, yeah that would be rude not to check it out.

And yes I bought lovely some lovely cotton jersey from Girl Charlee!  In fact the same as Shirley – as I ❤️ teal too!

But it’s not all fabric, as I picked up the very cute pattern from the Emma Garry stall – it wasn’t a hard sell as Emma was wearing it herself and it was a beautiful version with some classy hacks! I’ve never heard of Sew Different Patterns before, have you? Let me know if you’ve tried any of the patterns! Emma Garry is based in Yorkshire and runs classes as well as designs and sells patterns.

It’s definitely a better show than last year. Maybe TATB and Sew Over It could make the journey as we’d love to see you up here!

This year was definitely busy than last year but there wasn’t any pushing or elbowing to get to any stalls from anyone. Plus there was plenty of lovely fabrics left from all the stalls. I think I will be getting one or two more from Fabrics Galore that I fell in love with!

 

A new Cleo in Arrows?

Amy – Collette’s’ sorbetto?
And if you think that was all the fabric I added to my next shopping list, think again because I spotted more whilst I was at the M stall … cue fabrics from Montreux Fabrics that will also somehow magically appear into my stash soon!

 

My TATB Cleo had her grand day out and I got so many lovely 😊 comments on her! We all know we are our own worst critic but I’m truly humbled to receive so many nice comments on my first Cleo.


But in the evening at home, I must have pulled the dress at the buckle bit and it’s torn!! I’m distressed 😩- s7&*!!! 

Should I patch it and reinforce it with interfacing and then add a bit of material to both sides to avoid this happening to the other side?  I will have to get another stud as the current one has ripped through the fabric 😩.  Any help on this matter will be gratefully received. B&££#%!!!

Moving on quickly to avoid me get all angry on (I am 😤) that matter would be a good idea.

So did I enjoy the show?

You betcha! I sure did! Meeting Lauren and Ben at the Guthrie & Ghani Stall was total amazeballs, as was spending the afternoon with Shirley and Lesley – they made me have a good chuckle! I wish I had a bigger budget for all the material that I walked away from but I now have regrets about not buying it but then again, if I did I would regret being skint for the rest of the frigging month!

I can’t wait until next years show! Eeeek, what will it bring?

Emma

Disclaimer: All views are my own! Please ask if you want to use my photos – Cheers!

Anything in Pink is Instagram names!

Sewing Inspiration: Wrapped Up

Published on by Emma_Ciarrocca2 Comments

Ever since I received Simple Sew’s Lena Wrap Dress pattern with this month’s issue of Love Sewing Magazine I’ve been drooling all over wrap dresses … it’s only been a few days since the start of the affair!

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I’ve been on loads of websites like TopShop, Simply Be and White Stuff as well as good old Pinterest to get inspiration and see what fabrics have been used.

I have a warning though ⚠️ – there are a lot of pictures here and I have tried to give credit where I got the image!

Ok, now the fun bit!  Me talking what inspires me about each picture!

I love this velvet dress for all the reasons that it is a velvet wrap dress – I love the colour, it’s a gorgeous pastel pink and with it being velvet, it’s going to be warm! That a big tick in my book!

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I stumbled on this pattern and I have to honestly say it’s going straight onto my patterns to get list! It just speaks to me for a summer holiday! Cue Cliff Richard … 🌞🏄🏻‍♀️

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I’m not sure that this is still available to date but it’s a great variation on the wrap dress!

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Burda has a great offering, particularly those who want that velvet wrap dress … eeeek another one on that list! I’m really needing to do a #maketwenty2017 list rather than a #makenine2017 list at this rate!  But hang I think this may be a too clingy fit for me so I’ll hold ma horses!

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This wrap dress has a gorgeous dress, I’ve still to see if it’s still available or if there is an alternative … stunner of an occasion dress (maybe Christmas 🎄)
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Sew Over It’s Lisa Comfort looks so glam in her version of the wrap dress. I could and probably will add her Ultimate Wrap Dress to my collection soon – no surprises there then!

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This dress was pull from my Pinterest feed and I adore the colour and the drape – but wondering what fabric it is! Any ideas?

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Now when I first saw this image on Pinterest I thought it was “Carrie” from “Sex and the City” but on closer inspection, I don’t think it is.  But wow the wool looks good on a wrap dress, such a different structure and so elegant!

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This Pleated version from Topshop is gorgeous!  Can you tell I’m immediately drawn to berries and wine colours?  I had to look really closely as I couldn’t believe it was velvet – until now I didn’t think it was a thing.  WOW!

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A really nice floral wrap dress and it’s from Simply Be.  I don’t normally shop in Simply be as I’m not a fan of most of the materials that they use in the clothes.  But I like the shape and colour of this dress.  Probably I’ll like it until I feel it!

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I really like the cut on this one.  I think this be viscose as it looks quite drapey, although I could be wrong!

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Ooooh!  Something to mix it up – a long wrap dress (which is quite similar to the simplicity pattern I showed you earlier.  This could be ideal for going out or a wearing it on a cool summer night!

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I was a bit mixed about using this image as it’s a bit booby!  But I like the deep red fabric. If I ever get a low cut like this then a cami goes on underneath to protect my dignity! Possibly a crepe mix? Jersey?

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This floral version is from White Stuff.  It’s quite different from the picture above and it’s something I would consider age appropriate for myself and not booby!

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This slit is a bit high in this one but I like the light-weight fabric that has been used.  The longer sleeves are a plus too.

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I hope you’ve enjoyed my commentary all about wrap dresses and maybe given you some inspiration.  Hopefully, you’ll get an insight of what kinda style I’d go for and possibly colour.  I think Lena will be making an appearance pretty soon – It’s safe to say this affair is going pretty viral!

Emma

Disclaimer: Credit has been given to images.  This post is NOT sponsored.  All opinions are my OWN.

 

Canoodling with Chiffon

Published on by Emma_CiarroccaLeave a comment

Seeing all these occasion dresses at work makes me wanna twirl in something elaborate, and I particularly like a bit of silk chiffon.

It’s lovely and floaty, but I’ve never worked with such delicate fabric.  The thought of working with such gives me a slight buzz, I’m not quite such if it’s excitement or anxiety!

This post stems from looking at Pinterest and becoming inspired to make such a dress. After spotting a dress, I decided to make a Chiffon Board.

 

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Above, is the dress that started the Chiffon trouble!

 

Above are a few of the Pins on my board.

You could say I’m a hoarder of projects and i’ll admit that, I think  I know my Husband will say that on my behalf also!  What can I say, I just can’t help myself.

My sewing room is in a mess so before I start on any projects it has to be organised and finished.  Yes, still getting refurbed – it’s taking a lot longer than planned.

Oh, big news!  I have a second job and it’s in a fabric shop … my life struggle with fabric, patterns and projects is only going to get worse!

For the time being I’ll be looking into patterns for the chiffon dress – if you know of any please comment in below and any tips would be appreciated!

Emma

Disclaimer: All Opinions are my own!