Demented Fairy's A-Lister collection

[dementedfairy]

Inspiration- Gentleman Jack
[Anne Lister- get it?]



Challenge element- using my two fabric embellishment books at last

This will be mostly a variety of shirts and tops, with interesting sleeves,  with a corset-style waistcoat as my unifying item.  A couple of pairs of trousers [another challenge, I really can't seem to get a good fit these days] and a gored long-ish skirt should comply with all of the requirements.

My collection of images and ideas is in my blog post here.  Now I need to get on with it, and finally tidy up the bomb site which is my sewing room.

[dementedfairy]

Right- I've tackled the horrible, much-delayed job of blitzing my sewing room and clearing away all the costume-making debris I've accumulated this year.  I gained another bin bag full of scraps to stuff another Closet Case Files pouffe, and had plenty of chances to think over which patterns I want to use for my SWAP, and to locate some of the fabrics I KNEW I had lol
I plan to make
plain black skirt and trousers.  The skirt will be a copy of a  much-loved, but noe deceased, linen panelled and tucked skirt from Per Una.  I have ordered the requisite black linen, so that will be underway fairly soon.
There are several contenders for the trousers, and I may end up making more than one pair, assuming my battles to get a good fit don't make me fizzle out in despair.
lightly boned waistcoat, inspired by Prior Attire's riding corsets.  Several contenders for fabrics, ranging from a greenish tweed remnant to a deep purple velvet.  This will be one of the items that goes with everything, which is why most of the rest of the collection will be monochrome.
For the rest, I will be making tops in black and white, with interesting sleeve details/embellishment.
Plain white shirt x 2
Plain black shirt x 2
Black polo neck
White polo neck

That makes 9 in total, with the option to flex a little for more trousers or tops.

I've ordered a waistcoat pattern to start me off, but hope most of the rest will be from existing patterns, or from Franken-patterning a little.

[dementedfairy]

I finished my tidy up, got a huge pile of fabrics sorted out, and started getting some patterns assigned.  Blog Post Here

[dementedfairy]

...the sewing room is finally cleared, and I got to my massive cutting out project.  So far, 7 tops and a skirt...
blog post here

teaser pic

[dementedfairy]

Two linen skirts are sewn, all bar the hems [they are very flared so I'm letting them hang for  a couple of days to droooooop before hemming.
Today I cracked on with two fast easy makes [HA!] and ran up a couple of black polo necks, one with plain sleeves, one with punky/goth sleeves from a random fabric that's loitered in stash for several years, and proved to be a slight pain in the making.  Before I could completely finish them off, my overlocker decided to sulk.  It does this occasionally, and has to be re-threaded, brushed and sworn out several times before it will deign to continue.  I gave up for today.
It's looking good so far though.  2 shirts will be next, then I can re-thread everything to white and get the next batch underway.

[dementedfairy]

This weekend is hemming time!
The two linen skirts have been hanging all week so I will level those off tomorrow.  Not sure yet if I'm going to hand-hem [which I like, especially accompanied by a talking book] or to go with a tiny machine stitched hem.
I managed a little sewing this week and knocked up 2 black polo tops.  I'm very pleased with them, but my overlocker decided to throw one of its regular sulks before I finished the hems and cuffs, so they ALSO need finishing.
I would like to get started on at least one shirt too- they are cut out and interfaced already, and the machines are both threaded up in black, so it makes sense to crack on.
I got a bit side tracked and started planning the non-SWAP World Book Day adaptation of my Anne Lister look- the pelisse/spencer which will go over skirt, shirt and wasitcoat.  Pattern and fabrics are on order...

[dementedfairy]

I tickled the overlocker with a soft brush, blew in its ear, and it deigned to start up again.  Bloody thing.  Skirts are now hemmed and hand-finished, and so are the two tops.  Shirt time tomorrow.

[dementedfairy]

Both linen skirts and both black polo tops have been worn a couple of times each.  BOTH skirts then had to be altered as I seem to have somehow shrunk an inch round the middle.  As I have nothing much in the  way of bum and hips, my waistbands need to be quite snug or everything travels south.
One had to have the zip removed, and re-inserted with a smaller waistline, with the other I snuck a bit of wide elastic onto the seam allowances at the top edge, which should do the trick [not tested yet!]
One top is absolutely fine [the punky-sleeved one] the other needed the sleeves slimming down rather a lot, and also shortening.  Strange eh?
Two shirts are underway, but I'm only doing very bitty sewing right now...and OFSTED are in tomorrow...

[dementedfairy]

I survived OFSTED- although I did get sent home after my observation as I am in huge pain- my right hip [resurfaced and then replaced] seems to have abruptly deteriorated badly.  I can barely walk, so can only sew between painkillers...
Anyway, today I got back to work and finished the plain black shirt.  I had planned to embellish the sleeves, and found various options for trim...then decided I love it absolutely plain but with very fancy silver buttons.
I'm now partway through the Donna Karan V2813 shirt, all concealed buttons and fancy touches.  The sleeves are in a fab Alexander Henry tattoo print, which I've wanted to use for ages.
Looks like the embellishment techniques will be on the white tops instead!

[dementedfairy]

2nd shirt completed.  Still no pics of me wearing any of it, the weather is just too horrible, but a couple of hanger shots of the shirts at least.  More pics of the internal bits and bobs on the blog here

[dementedfairy]

Both shirts have had a couple of wears this week, and all was good, apart from the fact that before being washed, the collar on the tattoo-shirt is VERY stiff, so I prefer it unbuttoned and lying flat.
Got both machines re-threaded in white/ivory, and started the soft white drop-shoulder top, with French seams...but stalled.  I decided it would be very useful plain, but that I wanted some embellishment, and after much rummaging managed to dig out 2 beautiful cherry blossom appliques that have been in stash for quite a while.  The are the perfect length to place along the sleeves, so that's what I'm going to do.  A bit of quiet hand-sewing...and for once, I caught myself before completing the garment, so the sleeve seams are still open.  Much easier!
I'm waiting to hear from the doc about my aches and pains- looks like there's some knee damage from a fall in January, although they SAY my hips look fine.  Yeah right, feel this pain matey and tell me again!
Ah well, half term to rest and recuperate a bit...

[dementedfairy]

The blouse with cherry blossom appliqués is done, and I just ran up another polo top, white this time, with crinkle jersey sleeves.  Simple, but effective.  I'll get round to some pictures eventually!
Now back to the machine for white/cream polo neck #2