Simplicity 3688 revisited

Two years ago, the flags were raised, trumpets were blown and joy was spread across the land. Why? Because I'd made my first pair of trousers of course! As trousers go, I don't think you can get much more straight forward than Simplicity 3688 (unless you're making PJ bottoms, in which case, Simplicity 9871 wins the prize.) 

I thought my success the first time round was mostly down to beginners luck, but it's actually the pattern that makes life easy for you. The pattern is based on a 1940's design, with a high, darted waist and wide legs. The only slight niggle I have with the pattern is that the high waist is quite unforgiving on the stomach area. So unless you've got a washboard stomach, be sure to wear industrial strength undergarments if you don't want your stomach to look bigger than it actually is. 

I got to use my Margaret Howell 'trousering' at long last, but only just managed to squeeze the pattern pieces out of the 1.5 metres I had. The fabric is lovely and drapey and perfect for this style. Alas though, I think it's actually a linen/cotton blend, which makes it great for summer wear, but totally useless for snowy England. 

Snowy weather + not much natural light = gloomy looking photographs. Sorry about that. The trousers do look a bit grey and drab in these photos, but I've got high hopes for them in the summer teamed with my beloved red wedges and a crisp, white shirt.

...and one from the back

There's not much more to say about these trousers except that they're easy to make and give a great, retro shape. So if you're teetering on the edge of trouser making, go forth and sew them up. There's more trouser action from me planned for this year, but first I need a bit of feedback from you, which I'll go into in more detail in a later post. If anybody else has trouser plans for 2013, I'm all ears! x

2013 sewing mantra

Good afternoon! As it's the last day of 2012, it seems like the perfect time to go through my sewing plans for the new year ahead. My sewing mantra for the year is very simple and can be summarised in three words: SEW MORE DRESSES! I love dresses: I love planning their construction, I love making them, and most of all, I love wearing them so more dresses it shall be.

Aside from a whole parade of dresses, the other plans I have up my sleeve include:

- Two pairs of trousers. One using Simplicity 3688 with the Margaret Howell "trousering" and one pair of Colette pattern Juniper trousers with a nautical spin.

- A denim Kelly skirt,

- A bow necked blouse or two

- Something in yellow…

And that's it! I don't like making rigorous sewing plans so we'll see what else turns up along the way.

Another goal for 2013 has also got me very excited. Here's a clue…

Seven year old Jane, providing glamour amidst the badlands of mid-seventies Liverpool 

Yes, I'm hoping to reprise my title of 'Hula Hoop Champion of My Street 1976' by taking up Hula Hooping again. I love the fact that in this photo, despite my mum's best efforts - nice dress, matching hair ribbons, shiny shoes - I've obviously stamped my foot and insisted on wearing Bay City Rollers socks…

I did a Hula Hoop class a few weeks ago and was hooked. Father Christmas brought me an exercise Hula Hoop (weighted for extra fat burning and consequently a bit of a killer) so bring it on! I'll be whittling my waist down so I can actually zip my dresses up, having eaten more than my fair share of pies over the festive period (ahem).

So there you have my small but perfectly formed plans for 2013, both sewing and non-sewing related. I'm also looking forward to reading your blogs, participating in a few challenges, meeting up with fellow bloggers and generally having a fine sewing year. Happy New Year! x

Posh fabric acquisition

I've yet to travel down the slippery slope of making anything for my other half. Mainly because I'm totally selfish and it would be precious sewing time taken away from ME, but also because my husband has expensive tastes when it comes to clothes. I'm not joking when I say that he could single handedly keep Paul Smith in business. He's canny though, and always seems to know when posh sample sales are on, which has its advantages...

A few weeks ago he asked if I wanted to come to a Margaret Howell sample sale he'd heard about. Margaret Howell's designs are beautifully tailored and well cut, but they're not really to my taste - they're also ridiculously expensive. I decided to go along anyway, just to see what all the fuss was about. Whilst Jon was feverishly rummaging through the menswear, I decided to see what else they were selling. To my delight, I discovered they were flogging off roll ends of Margaret Howell fabric in a back room. Yes! I sharpened my elbows and managed to fight my way to the till with a roll of drapey navy gingham in a tiny little print - I bought 3m, probably enough for a dress and a top of some sort.  

I also found the most exquisite grey trouser fabric. It was described as 'trousering' but I can't use that word without sniggering - it sounds like the sort of word Joe Orton would drop into the conversation…. 

Anyway, the 'trousering' really was the end of the roll and there was only 1.5 metres left. Not enough for a pair of Thurlow's unfortunately, but as it's 60" wide and I'm a shorty, I fully intend to squeeze another pair of Simplicity 3688 wide legged trousers out of it. The photos don't do these fabrics justice, the quality is superb, they just feel expensive!

And the best bit? My fabrics were all £5 a metre. I nearly cried with joy when I was paying. Jon also bagged two pairs of trousers for £60 each. Expensive for trousers you might think, but not when the average price for a pair of similar trousers on her website is about £300.  All in all, a good day's work.  xx

MMJ: Days 15, 16, 17 and 18

I think four days of outfits is about the maximum anybody can stomach at any one time, so this post will take me up to two days ago.

Day 15

MMJ: Day 15

Top: Me-made from a 1950's pattern

Vest: Primark

Skirt: Me-made 1960's A-line skirt

Shoes: Clarks

Me-Made Category: Top, now a B, skirt B

I wish I could claim it was my own idea to wear these two me-made items together, sadly it wasn't, it was Roobeedoo's!  She was spot on though, as I love red and turquoise together, why didn't I think of it?!

Day 16

MMJ: Day 16

Top: Me-made from a 1930's pattern

Trousers: Me-made from Simplicity 3688

Shoes: Clarks

Me-Made Category: Top B, Trousers A

Still feeling in a turquoise mood, hence the top.  I did try the two turquoise items together but I looked like a nurse.

Day 17

MMJ: Day 17

Dress: Socialite dress

Belt: Anthropologie

Cardigan: Marks and Spencer

Shoes: Clarks

Me-Made Category: A

Strangely enough, I wore this dress a lot in the winter with tights and a cardigan. I was hoping to wear it in a summery way today but couldn't because a) my limbs were a similar hue to the actual dress - not a good look and b) weather conditions in the UK in June were positively wintery (!) so tights and cardigan it was.   

Day 18

Top: 1950's Blue Roses top

Trousers: Me-made from Simplicity 3688

Me-Made Category: C, never worn

...and with good reason.  Even though the fabric is gorgeous I'm really cross that I wasted it on this top as I hated wearing it and will probably never wear it again.  Reasons?  Too short, too drawstringy and the neck is still uncomfortably high.  The fabric is too pretty to cast aside though, so I think I can refashion it by lowering the neckline (again) and taking the casing out at the bottom to increase the length.  Grrr. I even look like I'm smiling through gritted teeth, which I was!

Apart from the blue rose top, these were a good few days - I do love wearing my handmade clothes.  Happy Monday. x

MMJ: Days Five, Six and Seven

Thank you to everybody who took the time to comment on my last post.  I LOVED reading about how long you’ve all been sewing, how you’d categorise yourselves and what you've achieved (a lot).  It’s a subject I could happily discuss for days on end and never tire of.  I’ll definitely be returning to it at a later date. In the meantime, I’ve got outfits to talk about.  Want to know what I’ve been wearing for the past three days?  Read on..

Day Five

MMJ: Day Five

Top: Me-made from a vintage 1930’s pattern

Trousers: Me-made from Simplicity 3688

Shoes: Camper

Me-Made Category: blouse B, trousers A

I’ve only worn this blouse once before, but it was when I met up with my lovely fellow bloggers in Brighton so it did have an appreciative audience! Today, paired with my 1940’s trousers, this was a super comfortable outfit.  I ended up staying indoors as it rained all day so they were in effect a form of high class PJ’s.  And yes, I was totally overdressed for a day of slouching around, but did I care? No.

Day Six

MMJ: Day Six

Top: Marks and Spencer

Trousers: Me-made from Simplicity 3688

Shoes: Camper

Me-Made Category: A

These trousers are amongst my most worn me-made pieces.  They go with absolutely everything and make my legs look  longer than they actually are.  What’s not to like?

Day Seven

MMJ: Day Seven

Top: Me-made Colette Patterns Sencha

Belt: Jigsaw

Trousers: Banana Republic

Shoes: Camper

Me-Made Category: B

After a long run of navy blue, I needed some colour today, so out came my Sencha.  It’s made from a stiff quilting cotton (a rookie error) so looks much better untucked.  I also lowered the neckline an inch or so when I made it as it was unwearably high necked in its original state. It’s been worn twice, both times when I hadn’t been sewing for long, so I felt really self-conscious in it.  Having now made and worn my own clothes for over a year, I’m a firm believer that if you feel good in what you’re wearing, the chances are that you’ll look good too. Amazingly, this time round, this blouse has had a really positive reception – five compliments received today!  I could get used to this…  

I've made a pair of trousers!

I'm so, so proud of myself, I never thought in a million years I'd ever say those words but yes, I've actually made myself a pair of trousers and they fit!  

Yippee, my very own handmade trousers

Looking unbearably smug

They were made as part of my second sewalong hosted by The Cupcake Goddess.  

Now, I know the sewalong is still going on and I'm steaming ahead again (Florence, if you're reading this, I think I qualify for your Impatient Seamstress Sewalong!) but, in my defence there are several reasons I finished so early.  Firstly, I knew from the start I wouldn't be sewing the same pattern as everybody else, the pattern Sunni chose was Burda 127 which I wasn't keen on for two reasons a) it's a downloadable PDF and I'm rubbish at that type of thing b) the trousers are specifically for taller ladies (which was unintentional) but at 5' 2'' probably not the best pattern for me.  So I chose this 1940's retro pattern from Simplicity (3688).  

Other bloggers have said how straight forward it is to sew and they weren't wrong.  It was a really simple pattern to sew together but I wouldn't have had such success with it on my own.  If you're ever contemplating making trousers, then Sunni's (The Cupcake Goddess) tutorials are an absolute must.  She goes through ever imaginable fitting issue in a totally clear and refreshing manner, always accompanied by lots of photographs of each step.  

I made a muslin and realised I needed to decrease the front crotch curve (sorry, there's no other way of describing it!) as I didn't want bagging around that area and increase the back crotch curve to accommodate my backside.  Look away now if you're eating your lunch.

Not the greatest darts in the world but a perfectly fitted backside!

They were the only changes I made, it was as simple as that.  I think the classic cut of the pattern helps too: a slim fit around the waist and hips with wide legs, a very simple design.  The other nugget I picked up from Sunni was a tip on sewing the crotch curves together: she advised us to put one leg inside the other which wasn't the way the pattern instructions said, but her method was far easier.

I made my trousers from a lovely navy gabardine I picked up in John Lewis.  I've never sewn with gabardine before and it's officially my new favourite fabric.  It's a dream to sew with - not too thick but with lots of drape,  absolutely perfect for 1940's styles.  I've teamed it up with a striped top for these photos as to be honest, there's not much else I have that will go with such a high waist.  

Whoa, that's a high waist

I'm intending to sew this blouse soon though, 

using this fabric, 

which I'm hoping will be a perfect match for them.  Happy Monday everyone. x