Funked up Capelet

This is a denim Capelet I drafted and made a few months back. I was inspired by the Burberry capelets I have seen in the mags and online.

I haven't drafted many patterns in the past few years so it was a nice easy project to get my head back into it. I used Pattern making for Fashion design by Helen Armstrong as a guide. There are instructions on how to draft a cape so I started with that and then modified drastically!
I had some cheap denim from Darn Cheap Fabrics so decided I'd use it incase it was a disaster. I also made a muslin up to make sure it was the right fit and was careful to transfer all the markings with tailor tacks.

It looked a bit boring so I thought I'd funk it up a bit and added some jean studs. I also found some skull satin for lining (which I was going to make some boxer shorts out of for my son)....still plenty left!

I added some shoulder pads as it seem to sink a bit into my shoulders without them. It's probably a touch too short but it will do this time.
I was hoping to share with you the pattern but my computer skills are limited when it comes to drafting.

I might clean up my original draft and upload at a later date.

I

in the making

Burberry

Missing in Action

I have not been doing a lot of sewing lately. I think there are a number of reasons.

It's winter and I like sewing summery stuff.  I race bikes and have been doing a lot of training lately and I started making a tailored jacket that I have got sick of so can't seem to get beyond that.

Last week my friend emailed me to see if I would make up a skirt for her friends little girl. I had no choice but to get the sewing machine out again. Whilst sewing this gorgeous little skirt my mojo came back and I figured out a few things about myself.

I like quick projects that I can sew in at least a couple of weeks. I like dresses and skirts mostly and I like pretty fabrics. I think my jacket has become boring. I am a Gemini after all! I tried to do memademay and gave up after a week!

Anyway, in short I think sewing the skirt has given me a lift. I have cleaned out the cobwebs in the sewing room and sorted fabric into wovens and knits, work in progress and future projects.

This is the skirt I made up this week. It is the same pattern as the tutti fruitti skirt I made last year.

handmade flower using this tutorial

Petticoat

Handmade Bias Binding

Me too busy racing bikes to sew!

Me- Made -May-'13 Week One

I have decided to join the memademay'13 challenge this year as I am one of those sewers (probably one of many) who makes up all of these fab outfits and never wears them! Why is that I wonder? Most likely because I find some gorgeous fabric and gorgeous dress pattern, fantasise about how fantastic it is going to look (and how great I am going to look in it), sew it up and then realise I have no where to wear it. But why not wear them every day? Having a challenge like this is forcing me to be creative with the outfits I have sewn. Why not wear a gorgeous evening dress and make it a bit more "day like" with a denim jacket or knitted cardy. 

I have pledged to wear or sew something every day in May. I've decided that my kids can be involved too because I have sewn a lot of clothes for them.

I started a little late into May but have been adding pics to Nine Stitches on Instagram whenever I can. Here are a few shots from the past week at home (mostly in the kitchen)

From top left clockwise: Joni Bell Sleeve Top, Capelet (yet to blog about) free pattern coming soon!

Bat Boy Cape, a Beanie my mum made for me, Shift dress from Burdastyle

Modern Vintage sewing competition and finally Petal pushers.

Pictures can also be viewed at Nine Stitches on Instagram