Summer sewing in black & white: skirt and t-shirt

Hi, lovely readers!

How is your summer going?

Mine is full of trips, time with friends, work, books, beach and good food.

I'm not very creative in this period, but I've probably understood where the problem is hidden (multitasking is not always a good thing!) and I'm going to do some good planning to reconnect myself to my self-expression path.

Despite this not-very-creative mood, I made some new clothes for me. 

Summer is the best season for diy clothes, in my opinion. 

Easy t-shirts, or skirts, are very easy to sew and they help your wardrobe staying full of options during the hot season, when the pile close to washing machines can reach huge dimensions.

I made a skirt and a t-shirt!

They both are black and white (+stripes!). It's not a combo I used to like in the past, but something was calling me while I was looking for fabrics into my boxes.

The skirt (very easy pencil skirt)

Something about this skirt:

• I've bought the fabric more than two years ago and left unused, because I loved it so much that I was terrified to waste it (also because the piece was very small).
  It's a strong but lightweight and soft knitted cotton fabric, printed with different motivs of black and white zigzag stripes.
• I've drawn the desing by myself following my body's shape and measurements. It's a very easy pencil skirt finished with an elastic on the waist:

• I realized the hem by hands.
  I've learned how to sew an invisible hem by hands thanks to a stitch (called "punto strega" - "witch stitch" - in italian) that can be stretched a bit (thread doesn't rip): very important in knitted fabric skirts.
  Most important: it works!
  (me in the making)

The t-shirt (stripes + flowers again!)

Something about this t-shirt:

• Yes, the fabric it's the same of the stripes+flowers t-shirt I made last year (still loved and worne) but in black+white+sand and not in blue. I have a big piece of it, so I will probably sew something else in the future.
• Design by me!
  I used a (bought) t-shirt that it's very confortable on me and used as a pattern.
  I added some bands on the sleeves because these details help handmade clothes to look less handmade (yes!).
  I'm not 100% satisfied by the neck line. It's always the part of the process that gives my troubles.
  
  

Future projects

I'd like to go on sewing in August.

It's to start something new, so in my plans there are:

• Culottes! I've collected a lot of inspirations, tips, patterns and tutorial for culottes making in a Pinterest board. Something like this or this will be great!
• A top with draped neck line following this tutorial. I hope it will help me in go over my problems with neck lines. I like this kind of neck line very much, too!
• Leggins or easy pants in stretch/kintted fabric.

I'll share with you the finished projects, of course!


Do you practice easy summer sewing like me?
Share your work! I'm always looking for new inspirations!

Black and charcoal: new accessories for the shop!

Recently I worked a lot with black and charcoal fabrics (+ light grey) and made new accessories for the shop! 

Not very summery colours, but probably perfect for autumn (it is very close, although here in Sicily we are having super hot summer days).

I was in the mood for sewing with some leftovers from this bag I made last March for my friends Vera [**] and also with some scraps of a beautiful Ikea fabric (colorful nature elements on black background... lovely!) [*].

I started from a tote bag, altering a bit a pattern I drew by myself two years ago. I decided to add a recessed zipper instead of placing it on top (I'm totally in this kind of zippered closure this summer!); I've also opted for a wider pocket (thanks to darts on the corners).

This is the finished bag:

More technical infos here.

You know that I like to make small things, so I used the same fabrics for a small crossbody bag, too.

Also this design is 100% by me. I've drawn the pattern for this bag three years ago and used different times with satisfaction.

I like the dimensions if the finished bag and the inner space, but also some details like the closure and the contrasting flap:

I couldn't resist and I decide to make a wallet to match with these bags!

Do you like it?

I've already written about my passion for making this kind of accessories!

All my wallets have two pockets for cards and paper money and one pocket (closed by velcro or a zipper) for coins. They often have a little strip of recycled leather for closure, as in the case of this grey wallet and of the following one, the black floral wallet:

Love the stylized flowers and the little bird on top :)

The light blue inner pockets are made of leftovers of a beautiful eco-friendly fabric (organic linen + bamboo), given to me by Manuela, the owner of Retro eco à porter, an italian organic line of clothes (you can see the fabric "in action" on her Malva top).

While making the wallet I cut the fabric for a Moleskine cahier cover, too.

It matches perfectly with other two accessories I've made in the past with this fabric and still available in the shop: a pencil case and a little pouch. They both are zippered and have recycled leather bottoms.

I'm very happy with these new items!

I don't use very often this kind of tones in my creations. I used to think that grey and black are boring, but I was wrong. They are very elegant and modern, expecially if you mix them with other colours.

Let me know which item among these is your favourite :)

[*] I can't find this beautiful fabric in italian Ikea shops anymore. I'm looking for it on-line, but I even don't know its name; if you know it, please, write it in the comments!

[**] I wasn't tired after all this sewing  and made a second bag for Vera: a tulip bag with a side band to increase to inner space. Very summery bag, thanks of its light sand fabric!

And now... rest time! :)

New in the shop: bags with crocheted bottom

In my last post I mentioned my plans to make bags with crocheted bottoms. 

I worked on them in the last two weeks and now I can show you the final result.

I think mixing fabric and crochet is an interesting idea, expecially if you are interested in something informal, quite rustic, strong enough to carry your essentials, but with the romantic accent given by crocheted details.

I don't now why I've abandoned this idea after my first (good) experiment more than 4 years ago.

Anyway, I made two different bags, starting from two similar (in their shape) bottoms. I like to be various when I create :)

The first one I finished is this shoulder bag:

It has a crocheted plastic button + a strap for closure.

Inside I've fully lined it with a vintage striped fabric (it comes from an italian tailor's shop closed in the 80s).

Here a close-up of the bottom made by AuntFran:

Then I made this tote:

The peculiarity of this bag is the white fabric used for the exterior parts: a recycled upholstery fabric, saved from the workshop of a friend here in Sicily (he was going to throw it in the trash can, because the pieces were too small for his work).

This fabric has a pattern of leaves you can see if you look closely at it:

Do you like the stitches used by AuntFran? 

I do, I do. This pattern is probably my favourite. She often uses it, expecially for her pencil cases and pouches.

This bag's design is quite simple: a "regular" tote with two straps. 

But I gave attention to some details, like the zippered closure and the inner pocket:

Very proud of me and of the skillness I've reached after years and years of sewing bags! :)

My plans are to going on making complex bags, with pockets, zippers, adjustable straps and other details that make the bags more "professional" in their look (although I want to save also their handcrafted peculiarities).

AuntFran made for me a crocheted bracelet, too!

I added a recycled mother-of-pearls button and voilà... listed in the shop, ready to be matched with one of the white bags!

*     *     *

I'd really like to hear your opinion about these bags in the comments.

Someone said me they are beautiful, but look too delicate for everyday use.

What do you think?

I do not agree, because I know how the fabric and the bottom are strong. And the white surface can be washed without problems in tepid water by hands and then ironed. No difficult manteinance!

Leave me you thoughts in the comments!

I'm visualizing a young woman with one of these bags on her shoulders while having a short holiday in the country, this summer. Or having it as a good company while exploring little ancient villages in Europe...

New products in the shop - mad for wallets making

A lot of sewing for the shop recently! 

I've made some new products and I discovered I'm mad for wallets making!

Oh, how I love those little fabric accessories! 
They help me in using some little scraps I have in my stash (only small rectangles and squares needed!) and are little projects to work with when you have only short time for craft.

I design by myself my wallets. Sometime they are embroidered. Some are made of recycled materials, some have leather straps. Inside they have pockets for paper money and for coins, closed by a strap of velcro or by tiny zippers.

I like to vary :D

These are the wallets recently added to my shop:

Black wallet with birds and leaves

Mini-wallet in recycled upholstery damask

African print wallet

I liked so much this wallet that I decided to use the same materials for a fabric Moleskine cover.

The risult is this African print Moleskine cover:

And of course a new bag!

I made another Josy Clutch (pattern by Ithinksew) to offer as an alternative of a Tulip bag made of the same fabric.

Do you like it?

Jusy clutch in sand

That's all!

The blue tunic + some sewing links

I had in my stash a blue knitted fabric I really loved.

I bought it some years ago for a ridicolous amount of money (2-3 €, I can't remember) during a quick visit to our outdoor market.

I liked the pattern (a mix of paisley and other "asian" motivs) and the fact that it was long enought to make a long shirt or a tunic. 

Instict suggested me to buy it without reflecting too much. 

But, when at home, I realized that the fabric wasn't enough to make something with sleeves and I abandoned the project and had to wait till this september to understand how to use it.

I made this tunic:

No pattern for it.

I've literally sewn it on my body, with pins and scissors with me. I decided to take some risks and I succeeded :)

It's a sort of long cardigan with short sleeves (or a long vest?) because it is closed by little metallic snaps on the front (but the bottom slightly opens).

I still like the color, the pattern, and how it looks on me on the back. 

There's something wrong on the front, but I can't understand what. Maybe the neck-line?

My plans are to wear it in this way now that the weather is still warm and sunny (you know, mediterranean weather ... we are still wearing t-shirts and fresh clothes although october is here), and to put a t-shirt with long sleeves under it in winter (so it will look like a long vest).

Before starting it I've pondered a lot around other designs and patterns.

My intentions were to make a kimono jacket or a cocoon cardigan. So I collected a lot of free patterns, tutorials and inspirations into my "Sewing clothes" board on Pinterest. Take a glance, if you are interested.

My favourite are this cocoon cardigan (so easy to make!!!) and this kimono jacket.

But the final inspiration to make my tunic came from this design. I mixed it with a t-shirt and a shirt I have in my wardrobe (bought, not handmade) and this is the result.

I have a lot of projects about handmade clothes and refashion, but I think I'll give sewing clothes a pause (althoug I'm very tempted to sew this with long or 3/4 sleeves). 
My creativity needs to work on something different... bags, softies, crochet, wood burning, art. I don't know where to start :)

Refashioned + new

This is me in an idiot pose (forgive me! I can't act as a model!), wearing my new white sandals and something recently realized by me: a skirt and a refashioned t-shirt.

I bought the shirt 4-5 years ago and not used it too much, because it was too long and roomy, with and elastic band at the bottom. 

It looked lovely in the shop, but I couldn't wear it without looking pregnant -___-

So this year I decided for some cutting-sewing and now I can wear it.

It's so confy! :)

I like to have it to match with my new handmade skirt.

I made it because this pin inspired me and taught me how beautiful pencil skirts can be.

The fabric is a very fresh and lightweight jersey I bought last year. Lovely print, a bit strange and too optical for me, but I like it the same.

I'm working a lot around my summer closet, this year.

I need more clothes because I work almost everyday and I also need to "reorganize" my exterior appearance, after years of carelessness. 

It's a thing every girl has to do at some points of her life!

The next thing I want to do is another quick refashion: I wanto to turn a pair of old trousers in capri pants.

But today I'm braiding t-shirt yarn and I can't foresee where my creativity will bring me this week! :)

July in 31 photos - days 6-10

Second step of my July photographic project.

I'm sharing with you today the photos about days 6-10.

I'm very happy that Pam decided to follow me in this photographic project and she's uploading daily photos into her Instragram album.
She is working very well, surely better than me (today is day 13, and I haven't edited and published my photos about days 11 e 12, I'm so late!!!).
Remember you can join, too.
Follow the (super simple) rules here!

Day 6: Sunday: some embroidery after lunch. I've experimented a bit with monocromatic embroidery - flowers totally improvised by me.

Day 7: Working from home. I'm preparing some of my lessons of the week (they are about tourism).

Day 8: I'd love to swim in the beautiful Ionian Sea (we live very closed), but today I can't, so I'm letting images and words speak about my needs :)

Day 9: Final exhibition for the girls who attend the school where I work ad a teacher. They were fabulous!!!

And S. and I spent a very fresh and funny evening outdoor, watching the show and meeting friends and coworkers.

Day 10: lunch with both my parents-in-law (and S., too) after a visit to the hospital for my father-in-law (nothing serious, don't worry). The right occasion to "inaugurate" one of the tableclothes I made by myself last month!

Happy sunday!!!

Yes, another striped t-shirt

I love stripes!

I love them like polka dots.

You've probably noticed it before, because, since I've started sewing clothes for myself, I've made striped t-shirts everytime I had the right fabric for.

And again, I've just finished another striped t-shirt, the second one this year (here the first).

You've seen it (unfinished) in my last post.

It has striped in different colours. Although I'm not 100% happy about the colours scheme of the fabric, there is something I really like in it, probably it's to mix of blues and greens.

The things I like most of this t-shirt are that I had enough fabric to make 3/4 sleeves and that the quality of the knitted jersey is very good (so fresh to wear!).

To make it I've altered the pattern of this cardigan.

I've already worn this t-shirt for a very hard morning of work at school. And it was so confy and fresh!

And 3/4 sleeves are perfect for school in this period of the year, because they are fresh but more elegant than short sleeves.

The only thing that makes me sad about my new striped t-shirt is that I haven't finished it in time for "Spring top sewalong 2014" -___-

Oh, well, it's not so important! :)

Time for...

May, time for...

... snuggles!

... new flowers to enjoy

... new fabrics bought at the outdoor market: plain jersey (white, blue/violet, aqua, dusty blue) for my clothes (only 6 € for the whole pile!), strong cotton for table-clothes which will be lovely in my kitchen!

... sewing another striped t-shirt for me, with this 3/4 sleeves this time! I've finished it today and I can't wait to show you how it came out!

... fresh fruits, typicall of this period of the year: cherries and white mulberries! So yummy!

... cutting magazines and pasting beautiful images in my moleskine journal + saving other images in my yellow envelope of future collages (I haven't made collages recently, but I'm still interested in this form of art).

HAPPY MAY!!!