Showing posts with label sewing clothes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sewing clothes. Show all posts

Friday, 10 May 2013

Tova Number 1

So a couple of weeks ago I took the plunge and invested in the Wilksten Tova pattern.

I had been put off previously by the deluge of pictures on the web of gorgeously made Tova dresses and shirts. They were all for fabulous women who look stunning and don't have my curves - think big boobs and you are there with me!

I was nervous about starting, how do even adapt a pattern to fit me and my lovely boobs?

Well I took the plunge, I bought pattern to download - mega easy by the way - and started trying to get from the 40" large to my bust of 44".... I found out that adding an 1" to each pattern piece would get me there.

Luckily that was pretty easy to do on this pattern because I had printed it off, so I could just reprint pieces where the additional sizing had overlapped onto other pieces.


I had to be careful to make sure that I followed the curves getting bunched like above.

I needed to make the central part sat on the chest properly, that was my only big worry.

I also learnt how to make pattern weights and use my rotary cutter to cut the dress fabric:


It made cutting out so much easier.


I took my time putting the dress together and I was as patient as possible, which for me and dress making is unheard of!


It quite roomy which means that I have space to move and it covers all my lumps and bumps perfectly!

It feels comfortable and sits perfectly on my chest. It might be good to make a slightly smaller version I think, but for my first attempt at adapting a pattern I am pretty chuffed!



Linking up with TGIFF over at Quilt Matters



Tuesday, 30 April 2013

Cutting out patterns

I am going to be totally honest and say that cutting out clothing patterns bores me - there I have said it!

Not great when you have decided to make a dress!

It is all the pinning and precision cutting with scissors.

I just can't get the cutting with dress scissors thing right. I have made many clothes over the years and this is the one thing that stumps me. Sewing and following the pattern is fine, but the pinning and cutting drives me crazy and then I rush through the making just so I can get it finished...

Result is clothes I don't like...

So this time I was determined to find another way. I have made a bed sheet version of the Tova- well more like tested out the complicated bits! And I have bought my gorgeous Moda Cotton Weave.

Pondering over how best to cut the fabric I realised that I am a demon with a rotary cutter. My hatred of the dress scissors could be side stepped if I used my cutter... but would it work?

Turns out yes! Loads of people are using their rotary cutters. Now I feel like a silly girl in the class!

Then I found out about pattern weights. My problems with pins are solved!

Very late last night I made 12 of these little beauties:


They are a dinky 2.5" square and filled with rice. Of course having made them I needed to test them!



I placed them all over the pattern pieces and grabbed a rotary cutter with a new blade.

They worked. It was fast, easy and the edges are smooth. Total genius!

I am so excited I have managed to overcome the 'worst' part of dress making for me!

(It is a good thing as I have bought yardage from the sale section at Hawthorne Threads for more dresses and tunics... more on that later in the week!)

Tuesday, 23 April 2013

Making Clothes

I am a quilter to my core.

But I have made clothes in past - not for a long time though!

I have an awards ceremony coming up in May and I need something new to wear. I just can't seem to find what I want. So I am going to make something.

I have been looking at the TOVA pattern from Wiksten for quite a long time, but not been sure about giving it a go...

But today I have taken the plunge and bought the PDF of the pattern.


I love the look of this shirt and when I saw the lovely Sonia from Fabric and Flowers wearing the one she made I was sold.

The only thing I am concerned about is the fit. All of the pictures I find on google of people who have made the shirts are of slim makers. I am not slim, I am a curvy size 16. I hope it works ok with my body type too!

Now which fabric to use. I have so many I love...

From M is for Make

From Backstitch

From The Village Haberdashery
What do you think? 

Have you made one?

Would love to see your Tova!