I was wearing the pants today and was able to get Giles to take some photos. Some photos, he took twenty-seven!
The top, jacket and pants are made by me. I hope the photos give enough detail.
The jacket is Vogue 8340, I made it last year using a wool remnant from Rathdowne Fabrics & Remnants in Melbourne. The lining is a light wool bit that I got at the oppy . Even though I understitched the lining (as suggested in the pattern) it still rolls to the outside. It looks like a short jacket in the pattern picture but I think it's a cropped jacket. I have a longish body so after measuring I added 10cm to the length. I'll make this jacket again at some stage and will add another 10cm to the length. I love the collar! I'm really pleased how it looks.
The top is a basic long-sleeved T-shirt. The pattern used: Ottobre Design 303 "Women's Best Tops". I didn't need to alter this pattern at all (bonus!). It's a basic sleeveless/short sleeve/long sleeve pattern with V-neck, crew neck and scoop neckline options. The fabric is the marvellous Stella cotton/elastane interlock from Lisa at Crafty Mamas. Lisa has an online shop but I am super lucky to have her as a local supplier - she lives about three blocks from me!
The pants are a custom pattern that I made for myself using the instructions from Design-It-Yourself Clothes: Patternmaking Simplified by Cal Patch. This book is aimed at young-and-hip sewers but the pattern I made was much better than the one I made using instructions from Threads magazine, and better than the one I made using a commercial pattern as a base. Can you tell this getting-pants-to-fit is something I've been working on, struggling with, for some time. It still needs tweaking - I used some stretch denim-type fabric and the it pooched out after maybe an hour's wear. The pinstripe pants pictured are pretty good. The fabric comes from a mail order dating from before the internet. From a time when swatches were sent and perused and then a paper order form was filled out and posted with a cheque or money order. Olden days indeed.
Why have I had such great fabric languishing in stash for so long? Well, I was saving it to make some good stuff when I lost weight. I now, finally, realise that's not happening any time soon. So, I'm using it for clothes I can wear now. The pinstripe fabric is a lovely wool/cotton mix - these pants are very comfortable.
Scarf from the oppy, socks, bra and undies bought new. Shoes are Birkenstock bought about seven years ago in Melbourne. They were nubuck, that smooth suede finish, a sort of orangey colour. very hard for me to keep looking good. So I cleaned the nubuck and then polished it with normal red shoe polish. Excellent durable result. In the photos they look funny because the toes were wet (as a result of dog walking). When dried out they're all red.
Other pants made may be featured in due course.
Craft Camp reprise in comments: love you all.
You know what I love in these photos, apart from the excellent pants (alleged pooching notwithstanding)? It''s the look on your face : WHAT are you doing with the camera, Giles? No WAIT! I'm not READY. All right, now I'm ready. Take my bum as well
Posted by: Stomper Girl | June 16, 2010 at 08:31 PM
Your expression in the first photo.... rabbit caught in headlights.
Very funny.
Posted by: Frogdancer | June 16, 2010 at 09:53 PM
I particularly like the expression on your face in the last one that involves your face. That look is why I no longer ask my sister to take photos of me. They all end up looking like I'm telling her 'I'm not mad, I'm just disappointed...'
Posted by: Kate | June 17, 2010 at 10:59 AM