Sunday 24 January 2010

My very first pattern :)

It's not revolutionary, but I designed it from scratch and I am ridiculously proud of it. Mr pickledweasel bought me Metric Pattern Cutting for Children's Wear and Babywear for Christmas, and by Boxing Day I'd drawn up a basic body block for Munchkin :)




I then drew up a sleeveless body block and started working on a waistcoat pattern. After I'd done my first draft I made a toile (although mine was made from spare sheeting, not linen like Chanel do). And realised I'd sewed all the way around the armholes on the wrong side, so it wouldn't turn the right way out :D


I also realised The scalloped edge I'd put at the bottom really wouldn't work, so I went back to basics and started again. I made another toile, and did a fitting with mademoiselle munchkin. I was happy with the fit but added an extra half cm everywhere as I wanted to allow a little bit of growth room and the fabric I would be making the waistcoat from was a fluffy sort of towelling and babycord, so I had to allow for extra bulk.


I'm really happy with the finished product, although my construction method was slightly haphazard - I ended up leaving the armholes open to turn the garment through and then found it very difficult to sew them together - lesson learnt.


I'm making another one for a lovely little boy whose birthday is on Sunday, using fake sheepskin for the lining and a pair of my old trousers for the shell - it's better than it sounds, honestly :) My next job is to make a trouser block for Munchkin, and then draft up a trouser pattern with added room in the bum for cloth nappies, which is my biggest gripe with shop bought trousers. Then on to grading so I can do bigger sizes. It's all very basic, but I'm learning so much, and it feels brilliant!


And this is what happens if you ask Munchkin to smile for the camera :)

9 comments:

  1. Are you KIDDING? This is fantastic. This is so great! It's wonderful to make something for someone to wear, isn't it? This reminds me of when my mom would sew (I don't sew clothing), and adjust almost all the store-bought patterns to make them her own.

    This is very pretty. I look forward to seeing the next one.

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  2. well done! It looks really superb, and munchkin also looks very pleased with it!
    x K

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  3. My bloghopilitus is playing up today so I thought I'd pop over to your blog :) Love the jacket and your little munchkin is beautiful xxx

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  4. Thanks for your visit and your kind comment about my tiles! To answer your question...
    I actually make them for other people; I don't do mosaics! But I will one day make a couple to use as coasters.

    Looking forward to seeing your next pattern!

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  5. Fantastic work! I've been thinking about getting that book for ages, you might have just convinced me to bite the bullet...

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  6. Amanda - you're kidding, you haven't got it?! Ye gods, I'm just imagining what amazing stuff you could come up with if you did have it!

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  7. Well done, it looks great! that Chanel video looks interesting too. How is the course going? We had a handout on my course on the order to sew things together if that would be helpful?

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  8. The course is still a bit slow, we're on our final project which entails making something from scratch, although I haven't a clue what to do, because we have to fill out a huge great big proposal sheet on where our design inspiration came from, what our sources of primary and secondary research are etc etc. Just putting, 'I'd like to make a nice skirt' won't make the grade unfortunately :(
    I'd LOVE your handout - is it emailable?

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  9. I'll have a look and see what I can send you, most of it is available electronically, we had one on research too. I was clueless apart from 'I want to make skirt with pleats'. I stumbled across this amazing Chanel book in the library and that gave me loads of inspiration (I put a bunch of pics on my blog from the book). I'll have a look for handouts when the kids are in bed!

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