Sloper Patterns

Thanks all for your lovely comments on the shirts I made or refashioned from men's shirts. The ones in the last post are all that I have completed so far, but I have a few others that have been pulled apart and are currently in little piles awaiting re-cutting and sewing. I am determined not to let them become UFOs, but I seem to be good at doing that......

Anyway in response to a few questions raised in comments or emails to me on the last post, what I referred to as a 'block' pattern is also known as a 'sloper' pattern. I'm sure many of you know this, but for those that asked, a block/sloper is just a basic fitting pattern that you draft up according to your own measurments, and then add and alter for all the details that make up a garment.

Now that sounds harder than it actually is, because the sewing pattern companies actually have a basic fitting pattern that can be used as a base for re-drafting according to your own measurments. At the pattern drafting course I did at an evening college, we used Vogue 1004:

From that basic pattern, I added extra width to the hips, changed the darts according to my waist and bust measurments, narrowed the shoulders - all the fitting modifications you would normally do to a ready to use pattern, except that this basic pattern forms the base for either making your own patterns, or making basic clothing like pencil skirts.

Since I'm no skilled pattern drafter or fashion designer, I've only used my sloper/block patterns to make basic clothing items like pencil skirts, a-line skirts and the shirts I showed in my last post. Using the block pattern, I added details such as cuffs, collar + stand and centre front button band, by using pattern pieces from other favourite patterns, just drafting them to fit the block pattern.

The real benefits of using a personalised sloper/block pattern is that you can be sure of the fit, but for me it does mean quite basic, simple pieces of clothing, which sometimes is what you want. But even though I have sloper/block patterns, I still like trying out new patterns and styles and hence I keep buying patterns......

Anyway, the weekend is only a few hours away and I'm planning to finish the hem on one dress that I made during the week, and sew up another that I cut out and interfaced, so hopefully next week I'll have some pretty pictures for you!

bric a brac

Thank you all so much for your lovely comments on my series of posts on wearing what I sew - how exhausting trying to take photos every day! But it was a good way to showcase my previous creations since I haven't been doing a great deal of sewing lately, time to get cracking on my winter wardrobe now that it is officially winter here in downtown Sydney.

To wrap a few things that came up in the comments from the last posts:

Karen asked to see my sewing space and machines and since you asked I will deliver! I have taken over one of our spare bedrooms that was once our study and sewing room but is now pretty much just my room! It's not huge, but it is a dedicated space that I can close the door to when it gets too messy.
In the photo above you can see my sewing machine on the right, a Brother PS-53 which is the basic model. This was given to me a few years ago as a christmas present from my parents, replacing the 35 year old machine my grandmother had given me that I had been using for at least the previous decade. I have been thinking about upgrading soon, a machine that does one step buttonholes sounds very appealing, but that's the only extra feature I really need. My overlocker is a Toyota, again a basic model given to me at another christmas from my parents which works fantastically and is quite easy to thread. Above the desk on the shelf are 1950s bakelite kitchen canisters which house my button collection, seperated into various colours. Hanging on the wall are my sloper patterns that I am slowly developing - a shirt, an A-line skirt and a pencil skirt so far. On the clipboards hanging on the wall next to my sewing machine is an illustrated to do list, to give me incentive and encouragement to finish things (doesn't work though!)
My sewing desk is an L shape that my husband and I built specifically to house my sewing machines and the computer. In the photo above you can see the left side of the desk, where the computer is, boxes of habadashery notions that I really need to find a better way to store, pattern making supplies wedged between the filing cabinet and the desk, and all those papers on top of the desk waiting for filing! You can also my very high tech and aesthetically pleasing thread catcher under my overlocker - yes that is a plastic bag sticky taped to the desk, but at least its from Lincraft!




















On the wall opposite the desk is a built in wardrobe that houses most of my stash (it has now spread into another wardrobe in the guest bedroom!), and UFO purgatory, ie all those unfinished garments hanging in there waiting their turn. And you can just see the cabinet that holds all my patterns in that I posted about here.

So there you have it - not an overly inspiring or pretty workspace, unlike this awesome room over at Chaletgirl's house. But really this room is only temporary, because we are about to undertake extensions and renovations to the house and when I get my permanent space I'll be decorating like crazy!

On to the next comment - Vicki has suggested, no nearly ordered that I increase my shoes to a "round" 100, even pointing on that the mid year sales are on. Oh Vicki, you are a wicked woman but you are totally correct, I shall be looking for bargains today at lunch as I've noticed that both Mollini and Wittners are advertising up to 50% off at the moment!

And finally, the the_lazymilliner tagged me for this game: revealing six things you don't know about me. Well this should be easy since I pretty much keep the blog sewing related, but thinking of 6 interesting things will be the challenge:

1. I am a town planner by profession. I'm sure that not many of you have come across a town planner before, since I am always asked what it is. Basically in previous jobs I was responsible for assessment of development proposals, and in my current role I work in policy setting out guidelines for what development can occur where. If you ever want to do work on your house you'll come across a town planner (I think they are known as municipal or city planners in the US).

2. My husband is Chinese, which you would have realised if you saw my post on our wedding photos. But here's something interesting, he is an Australian born Chinese, and so while he has a Chinese face, he's much taller than most Chinese and because he grew up out in the country he speaks with a very Australian accent which throws most people off when they first meet him! I have also adopted his surname (although I blog here under my maiden name), so I confuse people when I meet them too, especially if we've talked on the phone before meeting.

3. I ride a motorbike, and when I was younger I really wanted to be a motorcycle racer when I grew up. But a few accidents scared me out of that idea, and now I just ride on the weekends for fun. In fact, my whole family rides, and my mum got her licence after turning 40! I currently have a Honda 1000cc VTR, which if you don't know bikes is a pretty big sportsbike, which I like to ride really fast to outdo young men and their egos.....

4. I never cook dinner or shop for groceries, my husband does all that (because he loves it right!). I do like to bake though, and quite often make cakes and muffins but when it comes to cooking each night I just can't be bothered or inspired to do it. In fact if I'm alone and have to fend for myself, I usually will have sardines on toast or if I'm feeling fancy an omelet.

5. I am a hopeless knitter and terrible at crochet, not matter how much I want to be good at it. With my knitting my tension is way too tight, I am very slow and lose focus which results in added/decreased stitches by accident. With my crochet I'm really good at making chains, but that's about it.....

6. I suffer from mild insomnia and spend a few hours each night laying awake before I finally get to sleep. I use that time to think about what I'm going to sew next, what to wear the following day and general plans for world domination! I can't work out if I spend so much time thinking because I'm awake, or whether I'm awake because I'm thinking too much, but I've been that way since a little kid so I'm resigned to it.

Is everyone still with me? Such a wordy post I know, but soon back to regular posting. I've even finished one of my infamous UFOs to show you!

a bit of this and a bit of that

wowser, my blog stats have gone through the roof thanks to Erin over at Dress A Day giving me a shout out on her blog about the post I did on using the Ikea drawers for pattern storage. I thought she would be interested given she must have a vast collection, but it turns out lots of people are interested too! So thank you all for making the journey over here and leaving lovely comments on various posts. I'll try to address some of the comments now.


Firstly I have conquered the Burda World of Fashion jacket and it is now very nearly complete, along with a matching skirt, except for some hand sewing of the hem. To clarify, the jacket is 115A from the 12/2007 magazine. Thank you Jean C for letting me know about complaining to pattern companies about the quality of their instructions, but I think the problem was more me being too eager to start sewing and a little bit lazy, and not investing enough time and brain power in deciphering the instructions. It is a three dot Burda World of Fashion pattern after all! However, I overcame the problem of not being able to do the one piece bound pocket following their instructions by substituting it with a traditional double welt pocket, using the Palmer Pletsch method described by this very instructive tutorial over at Debbie's Sewing Tips and Projects. Since I used grosgrain ribbon for the welts it's not that different from the pattern:


I also used the same method to make the little slit for tab closure on the front too. Here is a photo of the jacket on my dress form, needing it's hem sewn and a good pressing, but you get the idea:

When the weather behaves itself here in Sydney I will take a photo of the jacket and skirt to share with you all (oh, who am I kidding I just wanna show it off!)


Next up, thank you Pamela for leaving a lovely compliment about my Louis Vuitton inspired suit that I posted about here. When I say inspired, I really meant I took the colour combination more so than the construction methods (mine certainly ain't couture), but here is a close up of the fabric and collar/front:


barbie2be, yes I know the amount of sewing patterns I have (nearly 600 now) is a shameful over consumption, but I can justify: I get most of the patterns from op shops (I am recycling and they are cheap), I use / plan to use a lot of them (so they are useful and not just hoarded junk), lots of people give me patterns when a relative passes away and they're happy to see them go to a good home (I'm doing a community service) but mostly because I love looking at the pictures and find them as inspirational as any fashion magazine. Also I think there is some little known law of physics that says an item will expand in volume to fill it's available space of containment, so who am I to deny the forces of nature and not buy any more patterns?


Good thing I don't work in a fabric shop like Jean C and her daughter did - imagine getting free patterns on a regular basis! Sorry Jean no photos of my closets because they are packed and a little messy. I have three of them - one for summer clothes, one for winter clothes and one for special occasion and little used clothes. Not just me though, my husband has his in there too. I don't know what I'm going to do when I have kids and they need cupboard space of their own!


And to all those that admired the Ikea solution for pattern storage, I'm glad the Ikea solution may help you out with your pattern storage too, and that it brought you here to my little blog!

comments roundup

Since I'm a relative newbie to the world of blogging, I haven't as yet figured out how to email the lovely individuals who leave comments on my posts. So as a catchall action I'd like to thank all of you for reading my ramblings and taking the time to comment. I am hugely guilty of lurking on blogs but now that I know the giddy pleasure derived from comments (or is that just me?) I am endeavouring to have my 2 cents worth when I see something amazing.

When I started this blog it was mainly to keep my real life friends (and my mum) whom I don't see every day up to date with my latest creations, so I wasn't too fussed how many people looked and commented. But it's very exciting to receive comments from very talented sewers whose blogs I have been reading and loving for ages, as well as discovering new blogs to add to my extensive list of favourites.

So….

Carolyn of the legendary diaryofasewingfanatic who commented on my post about seeing your fabric on someone else, I’m sure the woman wearing the Ann Taylor skirt wasn’t amused because you are a ‘plus size chick’ wearing it, I think she was jealous that a) she paid too much, b) yours would have been much better made, and c) I bet you were totally rocking it too.

Shannon of the awesome Hungry Zombie Couture - it’s too funny that you say you have been lurking for a bit on my blog, because I’ve been a massive lurker on your blog!

Antoinette of the diversely creative clevergirl.org - I think it’s our duty as sewers to rescue patterns from the recycling pulp mills of the world, and a total count of your patterns can only be a badge of honour….

Lsaspacey of lifeisexamined - thank you for the lovely comment about my wedding dress – every bride loves to hear they looked beautiful on their wedding day.

To the very funny Livebird, I am not nearly as close to my wardrobe being entirely handmade as Carolyn is, but I’d say I’m about 60% there, always increasing of course!

Colette of the very addictive Sew Tessuti – I will try and think of a project worthy enough for the Tessuti awards, more reason to come and buy more fabric I think!

Melissa of Fehr Trade – I love seeing pictures of your houseboat, so I can’t wait to see your revamped sewing room.

And to the stylish Reethi (of weekend crafting) I stole this idea from your blog, hope you don’t mind!

But a big thank you to all I haven't mentioned specifically above - you've gained a new reader to your blog....

Finally, I hate blog posts without pictures, and I have finished a new dress and jacket from a vintage pattern but with the end of daylight savings time here in Australia plus the rainy and grey weather we've been having I don't have any photos of them! I'll have to leave work early one day to take some (yeah, that's such a good use of my time!)

Speaking of the rainy weather, the dog is not happy about not being walked. Look at the deadly stare I'm getting from him because I'm sitting happily on the lounge blog surfing and watching tv and not walking:

And then, just to make sure I couldn't ignore him, he stared at me like this for a good 10 minutes!