Well, it's the end of the year, and I've got a lot of super shiny clothes to show for it. I'm not making a best/worst list, because all the things I've made are great and I love them, and I can see my skills improving and the fit is getting better. Next year, as well as all the running and the weight loss and the not drinking alcohol, I am going to learn how to take better photos, and I might get a tripod and a self timer for my camera. Much as I love the "standing in the stairwell and taking a picture in the mirror" selfie, it's time to learn how to make my pictures a bit more interesting.
Anyway, my new top. My lovely boss was 60 a few days ago, and we love to celebrate at school, so we're going to go out and do something exciting in a few weeks. I doubt any of my colleagues read this, but I'm going to be all vague and non-committal, just in case. I want a new outfit, and I want a vaguely in theme rockabilly sexy top, as well as spray on jeans (double Spanx), a strapless bra, cherry jewellery, fishnet socks and glitter sandals. And a black cover-up cardigan, just in case.
As I didn't want to buy another pattern, I decided to massively hack the Cambie dress bodice, and lengthen it, and make a bustier style top out of it.
Something like this:
Anyway, my new top. My lovely boss was 60 a few days ago, and we love to celebrate at school, so we're going to go out and do something exciting in a few weeks. I doubt any of my colleagues read this, but I'm going to be all vague and non-committal, just in case. I want a new outfit, and I want a vaguely in theme rockabilly sexy top, as well as spray on jeans (double Spanx), a strapless bra, cherry jewellery, fishnet socks and glitter sandals. And a black cover-up cardigan, just in case.
As I didn't want to buy another pattern, I decided to massively hack the Cambie dress bodice, and lengthen it, and make a bustier style top out of it.
Something like this:
She's got a similar figure to me, but more tattooed. I'm never going to be a proper sewing blogger rockabilly girl until I get some tattoos/a Sharpie.
My toile started off like this:
where I just pinned the pieces to Nigella and had a think.
Then I sewed this. You can't tell from this picture, but I've sewn a very long open ended zip to the back to hold it all together, mostly because I didn't have one the right size, but also because I really like the idea of a big BDSM zip on my top. It's in upside down, which is a DESIGN FEATURE ACTUALLY. You also can't tell from the picture, but I've pinned a dart in the front, as the Cambie bodice is much too big at the upper bust, and just the right size on the hips and bum.
Then I finished it off like this, with straps, and took a poor quality selfie, which makes the front bulge out a bit, because of the angle of my arm. I'm really pleased with it, even though it needs finishing and a proper zip. It's really quite impressive for a first bash at pattern hacking, and I'll be able to wear this in the summer just as it is. I've got about 2 metres of a lovely black cherry print, identical to the Hell Bunny one up there, and a zip and a lot of bias binding, as I don't want to line the top, and my skills do not extend to drafting a facing at the moment.
At the moment, the spotty top is on Nigella, and it doesn't fit her at all well. It's too tight across the bust, and too loose on the waist - I might need to adjust her curves to match mine a bit better.
Well, that's enough waffling on from me for this year, have a great time celebrating tonight; we are going to sit on the sofa, eat crisps, drink wine and watch a crappy film, which is our favourite way to spend New Year's Eve.
See you in 2016!
