How to make a pink skirt?

Merry Christmas everyone!

Made a video today for the first time ever. Have a look? Now I understand the tendency for You Tubers to talk cute. It's hard not to laugh at my blank expressions as I was watching myself. I had a hard time keeping my voice from squeaking...

 Thank you to new followers Valerie, belindvhv, Joy, madi_thehottie_23, miss mino li and Vivian! 

Oh by the way, if you're going Boxing Day shopping tomorrow, We Don't Care Inc. will be at Melbourne Central collecting gifts to pass on to Vinnies. Bring your unwanted gifts or shopping steals and pass on the holiday cheer to someone who needs it! We'll be in the florescent cube at Shot Tower Square (the clocks/Jurlique) on the ground floor. Come and say hello!

Wishing you all a wonderful and restful holiday.

What to wear to a Silver Anniversary

Hi everyone! Hope you're all doing really well. This week's post is from a project close to my heart. Usually I don't do personal posts but recently I've gotten a few requests for more blogging about life, in general, so I guess this post will be the first one. Please enjoy it :)

My Mum's 25th Anniversary dress

Recently my parents reached 25 years of marriage (congratulations!), and decided to celebrate. In honour of this once-in-a-marriage occasion I made my Mum's dress for the event.

I've never been to a 25th anniversary party. So the only sort of occasion I could relate it to was a wedding. We debated the etiquette of a white dress, but after trawling through Net-a-Porter for ideas we settled on a pink satin and chiffon layered gown. The chiffon is two-toned, the colours fading from a watered-down pink on the bodice to a maroon-brown towards the hem. My Mum also wanted that asymmetrical hem so popular in dresses today- I'm not sure what the correct description for this is, but I like to call it a peacock hem.

Tacking the bias tape - so awesome!

It was also the first time I've ever worked with bias tape. OMG it is the best invention ever made! Because the dress is made up of two layers- the satin underlayer and the chiffon overlay, and because of the thinness of the fabrics- the bias tape had two purposes; to hold both layers together and hide the stitching. The leftover bias tape was used for the hem of the dress, which made for a really pretty contrast with the dark chiffon.

My Mum helped me so much with this dress! It was the first time I had used such delicate material in a way that could really expose my mistakes, if I got it wrong. All up, this gown took the two of us about three months to finish.

We started off by measuring my Mum and making a block pattern, then made a paper dress to check the proportions. Then we had to revise the block three times. We actually argued in the process... about armholes. And then we had to use the block pattern to make the actual dress pattern with the v-neck and back, and the peacock hem.

We re-did this pattern another three times. When it came to cutting the cloth, I had problems with laddering the chiffon. My Mum (thank God for Mums), pointed out that my pins were too thick. So lesson one: use the thinnest pins possible when working with chiffon! So I had to cut the fabrics again. At this point I went on to baste the chiffon and satin layers together, but the seams were really ugly. Lesson two: use bias tape when working with thin fabrics. My brother, by the way, made these incredible programs!

Well, to make a long story short, Mum wore the dress! Yipee! Here are my parents enjoying themselves at the function centre before the guests arrived. And Dad kept saying how beautiful Mum was, so... goal achieved!

They had a ceremony in the morning- an incredibly sweet renewal of vows. As you can see the chapel had an open wall leading out to a courtyard garden. Which looks great with the sunlight but it was quite chilly, so everyone kept their coats on. My parents had about eighty guests- we don't have any family in Melbourne so everyone was mostly friends and some colleagues from work.

My Dad managed to find some Lindt heart chocolates with 'I heart you' inscribed onto the back, and one of my parent's friends offered the flower arrangements and corsages for all members of the 'bridal party'. 

There was a lot of singing and speeches. Lots of thank you's and I love you's. A bit of tearing up from the women guests. And plenty of teasing and 'wedding games'- one of which was a how-well-do-you-know-each-other game- which both Dad and Mum completed FAILED! Well at least you have the rest of your lives to get to know one another. Dad surprised Mum with a Eurovision song.

I think my parents really enjoyed themselves! And for me at least it was really sweet and even inspiring seeing my parents renew their vows for their silver anniversary. As they said, 'When we first got married, we committed ourselves in faith. We had no idea what our marriage would be like. This time round we choose to renew our vows knowing exactly what we are getting into'.

When my parents first got married their wedding was in Hong Kong. As of such they didn't have that Western tradition of a first dance. A quarter of a century later, and after twenty-four years in Australia, they got their first dance. 

Congratulations Mum and Dad on twenty-five years of marriage! 

Oh yeah... here are some videos :D

My Mum's physiotherapy class of '82 decided spontaneously to sing their class song

One song sung by Robin and Jeremy during our lunch - So Close by Jon McLaughlin

How to Sew Shorts No.2

Chloe Spring '11 via Fashionologie

Hi everyone! Hope you've all been well. Sorry for the delay but here is the second (you can also consider it 'first') part to my shorts tutorial. This post goes through how you can create a pattern for your shorts. Once you've made a paper template, cutting and sewing the material is pretty easy. I forgot to mention that I used a zip on the side of my shorts because this pattern doesn't include a fly. Saves any embarrassment over open flys (...flies), huh?

As always, please read through all instructions before starting! And after you've made the pattern, I'd suggest tracing it onto newspaper as if you were actually making the shorts, and trying on your paper shorts to see if it fits.

The sewing section for the shorts may be found here.

Making the Pattern:

STEP 1: Measure around your hips and divide this measurement by four. Add two centimetres.

Draw this line like so.

STEP 2: Measure your crotch length (sit down on a chair, and measure from your hips to the chair).

Draw these two vertical lengths like so.

STEP 3: Close off your box, adding five centimetres to the left.

We'll call this 'the crotch line'.

STEP 4: Extend your vertical lines by eight centimetres on the left, and five centimetres on the right.

The vertical line on the right represents your outside of your thigh. Likewise, the longer vertical line on the left represents the inside of your thigh.

STEP 5: On the bottom of both your vertical lines, draw a two centimetre horizontal line to the right.

We'll connect these two points later to create a hem for the shorts.

STEP 6: Using a curve (ruler or plate), connect the point from the hip (your first line) to the hem on the right.

Draw a wider curve from your crotch line (the line drawn in Step 3) to the hem on the left.

STEP 7: Draw your hem as shown.

STEP 8: Draw a straight line from the left hip line to the crotch line.

(This looked curved in the diagram, but I later discovered that a straight line connects the right and left shapes much better.)

You've just made your pattern piece for the front!

STEP 9: The back pattern will be a little different to allow for your butt.

You'll need to cut out your front pattern and trace it onto a second piece of paper.

This blue outline represents the original front pattern.

Mark a spot on the crotch, three centimetres left and half a centimetre up.

Then mark another spot on the hem, one and a half centimetres to the right and one centimetre down.

STEP 10: Connect your new crotch point to the hip (straight line even though it looks like a curve).

Then connect your new crotch point to the hem.

Connect the lowered hem point up to the original hem point on the right (the outer thigh line).

You have made your back shorts pattern. YAY!


















So when you're tracing your shorts, cut two of the front and two of the back. Don't forget seam allowance (about a centimetre) all around. Have a look at my first post for these to get an idea.

Hope you have a great week.

Mini-tutorial series no.3 - Manning Cartell Skirt, Part 2

Manning Cartell Summer 10/11 - Compulsive Sketcher

So there was this skirt I made last week for my friend Clara. It's inspired by a Manning Cartell creation I saw in a magazine somewhere however when I went on their website, I couldn't find any pictures of the same skirt! The picture above is in a similar print. Isn't it gorgeous?

You can see pictures of the skirt (and Clara) here: http://jltfk.blogspot.com/2011/04/mini-tutorial-series-continued-manning.html. Originally I made it for the hips, but when she tried it on she wanted it for her waist. So the pictures show a bit of alteration at the back made after the skirt was completed.

Here's how I made it. You'll need:

• 1 piece of lining material
• 1 piece of cloth for the outer layer (a pop print :D)
• An invisible zip, about 40cm long. I got mine at Lincraft. 

As with previous tutorials, this one is divided into three sections- Making the pattern, cutting the cloth, and sewing. Please read all the instructions before starting :) And don't forget to click the Facebook 'like' button to share this project with all your crafty friends! 

PATTERN:

STEP 1: Measure how long you want your skirt to be from your hips (should be on your pelvis bone area). On a sheet of newspaper, draw this line.

STEP 2: With a measuring tape, measure around your hips.

Divide this measurement by 4.

Add 2cm for ease.

Draw this line at the top as shown. I used a French Curve, but you can use a big plate if you want.

Mini-tutorial series continued - Manning Cartell (maxi-ish) skirt?

Watch this space! Tutorial to come! 


** UPDATE: Tutorial has been posted! View it here: http://jltfk.blogspot.com/2011/04/mini-tutorial-series-no3-manning.html**

Loose T-shirt #2 - more pics!

Hi everyone!

On request, here are some more photos of the loose t-shirt I made for my tutorial (aptly named) Tutorial: Make a Loose T-shirt. 

Hope this encourages you all to try it! For the full tutorial and more pictures click here: http://jltfk.blogspot.com/2011/03/tutorial-make-loose-t-shirt.html.

Also a massive "HI!" to new Google followers Hannaeh, It's Deme Bishes, Milsweetamada and Jocelyn! (By the way Jocelyn, I spent an hour on your blog and I love it! Best of luck with your fashion show!) 

Thank you all and hope you enjoy the projects here!!

Red Roses

Mui Mui Spring/Summer 2011

How fitting for Valentine's Day!

via Unbreakable Diamond

These past few weeks have been spent making a friend's dress for her 21st birthday party.

One night last December, the two of us were at Chadstone Shopping Centre, and talking about her plans for her 21st birthday celebrations. It was meant to be a coffee-type catch up but we got distracted by all the beautiful clothes on display (Chadstone hosts several big name brands including Chanel, Jimmy Choo and Lisa Ho).

As Rachel described her dream dress, (off-shoulder, puffy gossamer-like detail, draped, loose-ish, flattering, bold-coloured, striking), our walk escalated into a frantic-tearing-through-stores of "like this?"/"no"/"how 'bout this one?"/"are you kidding?"/"this one?"/"sorta"/"Oh my gosh, THIS one!"

It was a full-length dress of crimson red, layered in chiffon, pleated at the neckline and (empire) waist, detailed with ribbon roses and cord.

Trying it on, the colour brought out Rachel's Spanish side and flattered her body shape. Most especially, she loved the roses. 

Although it was one of those 'I have to get it' moments, the dress that Rachel tried was the last one in the store and it wasn't her size. 

So we decided to have a go at making our own, gratuitously photographing and measuring the dress in the dressing room.

Double Deconstruction: Draped Strapless T Dress by Bettina Liano for Myer & Body-Con Strapless Dress by Passion

Shop Til You Drop  - December 2010

Dress, T by Bettina Liano for Myer

An easy way to copy your favourite clothes/ copy patterns from existing garments

Via TrendyCrew

We all have favourite clothes that we wear all the time, despite having like, fifty other pieces in our wardrobes. And we complain that we don't have enough! Could what we really mean is that, we don't have enough of our everyday favourites?

Here's an easy way to copy the original pattern from your favourite garment. You can use the pattern to make the exact same piece and change any detail you like, such as the cloth, length, width and the like, or simply to learn how they are made.

"Six months to Ninety" - Darts are essential in patternmaking!

Six Months to Ninety - A Dress Pattern Book by Joyce G. Morgan, Whitcombe and Tombs Limited, Christchurch, 1964

I found this in a second-hand bookstore in Auckland,  New Zealand. I am learning so much on how to make dress patterns from this book! 

It explains how and why patterns are shaped- to fit flat paper to the various contours of the body. 

The "Brush off those frills" dress uses an elastic waist for an hourglass silhouette. But after reading this book, I've learnt that properly tailored dresses need darts, usually under the boobs, in the back, and on the waist and butt. 

Here is a quick summary to its introduction on darts:

(Darts are small triangles cut on a side of a pattern. After the fabric is cut according to the pattern, the dart is sewn closed to create a curve in the fabric. This curve allows for the material to follow curves in the body, e.g. waists, boobs and butts. So darts allow for a dress pattern to perfectly fit to the shape of the human body.)

• For a pattern to fit the body properly it must have darts.
• Wide darts for large curves and smaller darts for where curves are less prominent.
• The only necessary curve that must be marked out by a dart is the underarm. 
• All other curves can be fitted with either tucks or gathers.