Sundress

Last but by no means least, here is the most recent garment that I have made, and very possibly the one that I’m proudest of:

Alas I have finished it a little late – as the temperatures are dropping and the colds keep sniffling I fear that I will have to wait until next summer to wear it properly. Essentially it’s just a simple summer dress with casings for drawstrings (which are actually principally elastic) and large pockets. But I love the shaping of it – the way that it’s loose but not too baggy, the neckline, the proportion of the pockets.

I also love the middle section where the ties come out through stitched buttonholes. You can’t see, but I satin-stiched a rectangle around this section. This was in fact due to the fact that my Mum’s buttonhole foot was over 25 years old and had lost all grip, meaning that when I tried to sew buttonholes into the original dress foot the fabric tore and mangled: so that section is basically an appliqué, four beautifully easy holes stitched with the aid of a visit to our local sewing shop and a new foot. The middle bodice panel which you can probably just see (especially as I failed to wash out the blue magic marker pen before taking a photo) was the result of an Unfortunate Incident with the scissors; but again I really like the way that it’s turned out.

What you probably can’t see in the photo is the fabric itself. It’s a medium-weight white cotton but it has tiny little white flowers printed all over it, just adding some texture. White fabric is so hard to photograph in detail.

Pattern: BWOF 05-2008-111

Pinafore

Last autumn/winter, I came across this lovely needlecord on my all-time favourite stall in Durham market:
I think that this is one of those fabrics which are not so alluring in detail but work well as part of a larger garment. That said, I do love all of the circle patterns, and how they’re all slightly different to each other. Although actually that wasn’t my first reaction. My first reaction, visions of a pinafore* forming in my head, was, “You know what that needs? That needs some a deepish, bright pink to set it off!”

And hence this dress was sewn: worn here with tights and a long sleeved top as I suspect will be done for most of its life
The bodice has a bit of a story to tell, albeit not a fantastically long one. Beginner sewer attempts gathering. Beginner sewer misses a key feature of the steps involved in gathering and so beginner sewer ends up with pleats instead. But the said pleats are sufficiently symmetric that they can be a feature of the dress without going through the hassle of taking them out and re-sewing again.

Here’s the side view. It’s pretty fitted – that is to say very fitted due to a rather overenthusiastic swayback alteration on my part. The lump that you can see at the bottom of my back is where the zip ends and the surrounding material doesn’t hang quite properly. I should probably stop making clingy dresses now but it’s just the novelty of being able to make and wear something without the ability to fit a large swimming towel between the back of me and the back of it!

I’d quite like to make the other version of this pattern with a more flared skirt and a different bodice. I do like the gathers (/pleats) but it isn’t that flattering on the bust – again maybe a bodice that would work better without the need for an FBA!

*British ‘pinafore’ = American ‘jumper’
*British ‘jumper’ = American ‘pullover’. I’m still getting used to that one.

Pattern: New Look 6750

Graduation Wear

So this is the skirt and the top that I wore to J’s graduation.

The skirt was made first, at Christmas. It is a wrap-skirt, but it has a proper waistband and a generous enough wrap that it is quite possible to twirl around in on a windy day without fear of exposing oneself – and it does twirl wonderfully, especially with ruffle down the front. I didn’t want a tie at the side so I followed the suggestion of someone else who made this pattern and simply did two sets of buttons on the waistband, which worked really nicely.

The top, then, was essentially a free pattern in a book that I got given for Christmas. I altered it a bit, transforming it into an actual-covering-corset-style top as opposed to a tits-out-bustier and used one of my magazine patterns to work out how to add the gathering in the front. The standard fitting alterations are all there, needless to say, and instead of acutal boning at the vertical seams I merely added support with strips of interfacing (because quite frankly I’m not that masochistic!). I wish I’d got a photo of the back now – it’s just a straight backline with a cream basque zip, but it goes quite well with the shape of the skirt.

The material for both is silk dupion, bought from the market for £4 a metre, and the top is lined with cream polyester. After some comments on Facebook, however, I have a question for all of you: what colour is the silk?

Top Pattern: from Wendy Gardiner’s ‘The Complete Book of Sewing’ (altered)
Skirt Pattern: McCalls 5430

Cross Top

So this was the first of my unrecorded garments, in fact made in September of last year – a whole year ago!  It was my third ever garment and my first with a knit (stretchy) fabric. Knit fabrics are much harder than wovens (non-stretchy fabrics) I find, because basically you’ve got to get the tension of the material right when you’re sewing it otherwise it’ll settle wrong once you’re finished. That, and the fact that in my experience the cloth stretches all over the place when you’re trying to cut it out accurately!

Anyway, here we are: It was the criss-cross design which really drew me to it in the first place. This is quite a popular pattern and I had seen other versions which used piping to show of the construction. (In fact, if you make it from stretchier material and don’t sew up the very final seam, it can act as a wonderfully discreet nursing top! I got quite excited about this at the time – not, to add, that I planned on using that particular feature. It was just really clever, OK?!)

I’ve slightly fallen out of love with the fabric, I’ll be honest. At the time I bought it because I wanted something green and weren’t the flowers pretty?! In practice, though, the only occasion where I have actually worn this top sans-cover-up was at a jungle party. What I’ve realised is two things – one, that a pretty design on a flat sheet of fabric does not necessarily a good clothing fabric maketh, and two, that nice knit fabrics are flimmin’ difficult to come across in this country. If I ever go to America again I am finding a fabric chain and stocking up big time! Sewing’s clearly just more popular there (especially amongst those under the age of 65).

As for the pattern? Well, it was certainly nice and simple to get my head round, and is the closest I’ve ever come to something fitting just as is (in a size U, as it happens). If I recall correctly I didn’t even have to do my normal length additions, and the only significant changes that I made were stylistic – taking 3/2″ off the overall length at the bottom, and widening out the neckline curve (to a size X). I also did a swayback adjustment – incorrectly as I now realise. See all those wrinkles at the back? I should have created a centre back seam and done the adjustment there, rather than thinking that I could get away with it at the sides, but that’s experience for you.

If I’m honest as well this top would work better on someone with a flatter bust than I, as it doesn’t lie quite right on the front either and there’s no obvious way of compensating with an FBA (full bust alteration). But maybe I’m just looking too hard now!

Pattern: Jalie 2787

Stash

The problem with me and projects (of any description) is that I’m terribly good at starting them enthusiastically but considerably less good at actually managing to finish them, even when the said projects really don’t require that much finishing. As such I have one lot of bodice facings and two hems to sew before I consider it worth persuading my brother into donating some of his time to a small photo shoot. Excuses excuses. I know.

In lieu, then, and in the spirit of Fi’s latest post, I am going to show you some photos of fabric which has recently come into my possession because it makes me happy, at least!

The first set of fabrics were passed on to me at the start of the summer by a neighbour whose mother was clearing out her attic in preparation for moving into a home. The neighbour knew that I’d taken up sewing, so very kindly passed it on in the hope that it would be put to good use.

Here’s one lot. The colours are mostly darker than that in reality but they are clearer to photo like that. With the exception of the black suiting material (second from bottom), they’re all thick, wool-type material. I say wool-type ‘cos I don’t know exactly – the chances have got to be that they’re polyester composite or something of that variety. Even the suiting material is thicker, albeit a bit coarser than some, and if there’s enough of it then I envisage making a skirt out of it for when I am required to look smart In The Real World. Either way they’ll probably all end up as outer garments because as well as being of a more suitable weight for that, most of them would be pretty itchy next to the skin.

The other bag contained much lighter weight materials. There were two or three white/ creams cottons, which while fairly unremarkable will be useful nonetheless, if only with which to make muslins (tester garments). There was some beautifully soft stretchy cream stuff, texture not dissimilar to that of flannel, which may become a top in its own right but which is probably destined to provide a lining for something else.

And then there were the three fabrics pictured on the left. From top to bottom: a cream polyester, with sheeny lines in it; a cream/ off-white textured material which feels a bit like linen; and some simple, printed cotton in a pale grey-blue. I envigase making shirts/ blouses out of all three of these. Provided they work out, of course, I’m quite looking forward to actually looking smart in something for once! I’ve realised that the reason that I never do is that my clothes don’t fit properly – the waistline, bust darts etc. are always in the wrong place so it looks worse than if I had tried to wear something looser and more casual.

Then finally, for the minute, are the following three absolute beauties which I picked up from the remnant basket (!!!) for a total of £11.80 at my new favouritist shop ever, the UK branch of an Italian fabric business. What you can’t convey about fabric through photos or words alone is how it behaves – its weight, its drape, its precise texture. That’s the difference between fabric qualities, and that, I’ve come to realise, is what sets expensive clothes apart from their cheaper imitations.

Well let me tell you, these fabrics are divine. Absolutely divine (, darling)! The brown stripy one (colours closer to the lower shot) is medium to heavywweight cotton, and has textured stripes going across at about 30° to the grain, giving it a lovely ridged feel and creating slight colour variation in the stripes. The cream backing is incredibly soft to the touch, and I should have enough to make both a skirt and a suit jacket from it, should my skills ever progress that far!

The cherry-coloured fabric is cotton. It’s a soft, thick, close-woven cotton with its grain on the bias, making it ever so slightly stretchy in one direction, as is the third fabric, the pale peach and baby soft knit which I have my eye on for converting into a jumper dress if I can modify some patterns accordingly.

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What I really love about fabric, along with its textures and colours and shapes, though, is its possibilities – it’s potential to be sewn and crafted and all manner of things created from just a flat sheet of material. My Dad has rather patronsingly remarked that this new hobby of mine must be rather theraputic. Even though I slightly resent him putting it in those terms, perhaps he’s right :-)

The Mystery Top

A rather exciting part of being home for the week is that I have access once more to a sewing machine! A new top is underway – and as much as I am itching to post details on here, I had better not. It’s a surprise for J’s* graduation, and while I don’t think he reads this, I wouldn’t want to ruin things. Oh and yes, he does know I’m making a top to go with the skirt that I made at Christmas (also pictures pending). He just doesn’t know what it looks like, and well, yes :D

At the minute there is much annoyance, however, because I have discovered a stain spot in a very visible place on the fabric that I can’t get out. Given that I had enough cloth to the millimetre for cutting the pieces out (and no more), this looks like an emergency visit to the markets tomorrow with all fingers crossed that the guy in question still sells the same fabric. I am particularly annoyed because the stain wasn’t there when I cut out the pieces yesterday, and I just happened to leave them tidily over the back of the sofa in the sitting room through the evening/ night. Draw your own conclusions.

Sewing task no. 2 is to attach the binding to the dress which I got two thirds of the way through at Easter, so that I can hand-stitch the hems on the train/ back in Durham if necessary.

And I have also just bought a rather pretty, out-of-print and bargainous pattern over t’net from the American eBay. I have enough projects to last me the summer already but oh, it’s fun, and oh, fabric is so pretty, and oh, this is something that is cheering me up in life!

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*J = Someone. Only in a non-depressive-or-serious-relationship-talk context.

Cami

Because I sewed this up at the start of the holiday and finally got round to getting someone to take photos of it! Note to self: iron garments before attempting to show them off….

(In fact, this is the third as yet undocumented garment of mine. But the other two shall have to wait some longer.)

Pattern: BurdaStyle Jane
(altered)

‘appenings

Things what’s been ‘appening recently, in no particular order. It’s a bit of a long’un, I warn you:

- At about half twelve this lunchtime, I experienced a moment of real triumph when I finally got my basic GUI to work. No glitches, no incorrect syntax, no user-traps, and a beautiful, beautiful programme that does exactly what it’s meant to (and I even know why!). I had a bit of advice in the early parts from a CompSci friend who has a rather quicker grasp of object handling than I, but we both agreed that him pointing me in the direction was a much better approach than him actually doing the coding for me – and I designed and built the actual interface part myself from start to finish. Which I have to say I’m pretty proud of, considering that I’m by no means the fastest coder and that this is where I am only twelve hours after first sitting down and going, “So, MATLAB….”

I would post a picture, but unfortunately I only have access to the software on the university computers so it may have to wait for a future occasion. I know, I know!

It’s not the end of the road by any means, but what’s left to do simply involves modifying and titivating what I already have – all the code is essentially written. Oh, and then I have to make it into a 15-minute presentation for seven days’ time. And write a 4000-word essay… but hey, I’ll be in a much stronger position to do that with the programme there.

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- In a related vein, I’ve come to a decision of sorts with regards to my degree. And I guess that the above paragraphs tell you that decision already – I’ve decided to carry on as best I can. The citalopram has by no means made things go away as such, but it does seem to have made me sufficiently stable to contemplate thinking about things again, even if to a slightly reduced capacity.

The fact is that the university have left me with no choice but to fight or accept failure. And I am going to be of the ones who fights their damn hardest.

When my parents came up ten days ago, my Mum and I discussed strategies – for working, and modules, and the like. As a result, I have now spoken to two lecturers about Stuff – about the fact that I’ve been struggling, about why I haven’t handed in any homeworks this year, and about the fact that it will take an absolute miracle for me to pass this year and that any help would be appreciated. In addition to the fact that my Maths Teaching lecturers already knew*, that covers half my modules. Well, two and a half, anyway, and that includes the second half of Number Theory which is the one that I really can’t do.

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- As of a few weeks ago, I have two new housemates and a prospective house for next year, which is nice. I’ve met the second housemate twice (!) and have yet to see the house, but I’ve been very nicely guaranteed a bed in college should that all fall through, and it’s quite nice to have some security. Great as college was in my first year I really don’t want to move back in, and at one point I thought that I was going to have no choice – and the one thing worse than living in college would have been living with people who didn’t know me or my situation.

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- I was sitting in one of the IT classrooms earlier, playing about with bits of code and trying to work out why I couldn’t assign a value to my global variable (I figured it out eventually**) and idly watching the screen of the lad just in front of me (yes, bad Lucy, I know). He was on Google Maps. He typed in somewhere in Cumbria, and zoomed in really close on to what looked like a school building. He paused there for a while, then scrolled the map along, following a series of roads along a particular route.

I know where he was scrolling. He was scrolling home. I had to look away because I was in danger of being overwhelmed by the homesickness that prompts me to do the same thing.

It’s funny how similar we all are :-)

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*Reason 1: Summative coursework. Reason 2: I was in close contact with large numbers of school kids six days into fluoxetine. I mean, come on?!

**Two identical variable names, one global, one local. Yes, that was very stupid.

A Visual Approach

There are many reasons why I’m quite fond of my Maths Teaching module, but one of them is that it contains summative work – namely coursework that actually counts towards 50% of the module*. Some of that was a learning report based upon lesson observation that we did last term**, but the higher percentage of the marks come from this term’s essay and presentation.

Our brief is very general. We have to take any second year degree level material (- probably Maths but not necessarily) and discuss the links between that and the teaching of school Maths. It should be aimed at teachers primarily, but with a secondary school student in mind in terms of application to learning – which obviously allows a huge amount of scope for interpretation and the opportunity to create our own project around what we are interested in. The presentations have already started happening, with people talking about what they have written – or intend to write – in their essays; just as disparate examples, topics so far have included ‘The significance of prime numbers’, ‘The Maths of Poker’, and ‘Maths in Indigenous Cultures’.

I want to do mine on matrix transformations – and more particularly on the visual interpretation thereof and why it’s a helpful approach to take to the learning of Linear Algebra, a very fundamental part of Maths which has applications in just about every branch you can care to think of. In order to do this, however, the essay itself is going to require a certain level of graphical input.

There’s the tried and tested drawing by hand followed by cut-and-paste approach, of course. But the potential for things going wrong, particularly when I get into three dimensional figures, is really quite high, and this is the 21st century after all. So as the geeks among you might have predicted, I started playing about with ways to do things digitally. Tester challenge: to draw a transparent unit cube, based on its vector co-ordinates.

First up was Maple, the program I used extensively last year for Numerical Analysis. It took hours of frustration to achieve this:
, which actually doesn’t look bad in the program itself. But my, was the coding messy, and my is the graphics quality poor, even when you think you’ve got it nailed by using PrintScreen rather than exporting as a JPEG. And I don’t think you can make GUIs*** in Maple, which was my next inspiration for an active demonstration of how this could be applied to teaching.

So there was really only one way to go. MATLAB. The ultimate powerful mathematical programming language, which I have no idea whatsoever how to use, but from what I do know of it would be perfect for this sort of thing. I spent three hours in the IT labs this afternoon, combing the Help sections while trying not to be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of stuff that I could never learn in a year, never mind a couple of weeks. But eventually I found what looked like a useful function, and after a bit of tweaking came up with this:
Much crisper, much tidier to code, and more to the point, much easier, potentially, to manipulate in the ways in which I want.

It’s only the start. I have yet to work out 2D plots. I have yet to work out how to write a single function producing such a figure, and GUIs are a mile away. But it’s a start. And it’s amazing how much easier I’ve found it to get down to some sort of ‘practical’ work.

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*”So what?” I hear you cry. Well, every other Maths module (apart from the final-yr project module) rests 100% on a three-hour exam. And, y’know, I miss coursework! Even essays, ‘cos they now hold something of a novelty value.

**Which in my case occurred six days into taking fluoxetine! Score.

***GUI = Graphical User Interface – ie. something on the screen which a user can click or enter text into, and then it links to the code to produce a visual output. Basically like every bit of software we normally use (without needing to know the coding behind it). I created one in Java in that first-year programming module that I did, and it was a remarkably satisfying experience!

Escapism

I bought this material in a lovely little fabric shop in Durham a few days ago:

Having got it home and inspected it in a more natural light, it really is quite bizarre! In different lights it ranges in colour quite dramatically. It’s slightly stretchy and has a lovely soft velour/suede-like texture, but it’s also quite lightweight and nice and drapey. It was one of those impulse buys (which I’d promised myself to agree to before going browsing that morning. Within reason of course!), the upshot of which is that I didn’t have a particular pattern in mind for it and am now wondering what to make!

So after a considerable amount of browsing around pattern sites, I have narrowed it down to the following options…

1. Something along the lines of this:

, although possibly without the hole at the back of the neck as that might get quite irritating. There are loads of twist top variations upon a theme out there, but I do quite like the construction lines of this one and Jalie patterns do have a reputation for being well-designed and nicely fitting. Might look a little odd in the material though, I can’t tell.

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2. Or this:

Nice tunic design – I’d probably do the long sleeves from view C and wear it as a jumper (ie. with another top underneath). My hesitations with this one are whether it would suit me – whether it would come too low in the chest area and whether it would hang too loosely, even with the tie. Sorry about the image quality.

3. And then again there’s this:

, which is just that bit different. It involves binding, which I’ve done before, and bust darts, which I haven’t and am mildly terrified of – but all in the name of learning, eh?

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So! You’ve guessed it! Opinions please :-)