Many thanks for your votes!

The votes have been cast in the Mini Wardrobe contest and I gained 31 votes! I am totally amazed by this, especially as it is the first time I have entered a competition. My only other attempt was a full SWAP and I didn't even come close to the finishing line. I think it is a major achievement to complete the four garments and the winner, Adrianne thoroughly deserved to win for her fantastic wardrobe. I particularly like the fact that she had a variety of looks from smart casual to formal from just her four garments. You can see al of the entries at Pattern Review.

I have been able to finish my Vogue 8426 skirt now that the contest is over. I started this at the beginning  of the summer but I put it on hold when I was completing my wardrobe. I based the design on a skirt that I loved in Karen Millen, but at £120.00 I decided to make my own version! The shirt below is Karen Millen though, a girl has to treat herself sometimes!

This is the second time I have made this skirt so I knew that the fit was right. I made View C this time which has 5 pleats at the back:

The pattern goes together superbly well and the instructions are very clear. The only alterations to them were that I used an invisible zipper using my new invisible zipper foot. This enables you to get much closer to the zip and I am pleased with finish I got for a first attempt. I also top-stitched the seams using a zig-zag stitch. I used topstitching thread but it is VERY thick and if I was to do this again, I would just use double thread. My other alteration was to the hem, I took a narrower hem allowance and topstitched the hem on the machine, at the same time, attaching narrow lace that I had pinned from the right side. At the seam allowances, I caught the hem allowance by hand to stop it falling forward.

I wore this skirt for work on Friday and received some really nice comments. I would definitely recommend this pattern to you.

Mini Wardrobe

I am chuffed to bits that I have finished my wardrobe on time to enter the competition and more importantly that my garments have turned out so well. I have worn my blouse already and I know that I will wear the others when I am back at work.  I also think I have enough of the Donegal tweed to make a waistcoat. As I have chosen simple classic styles, I will wear these garments in loads of other combinations too.

Fourth Wardrobe item: Donegal tweed trousers

This is another version of the brown trousers I made a few weeks ago from Vogue 1035. I made them in a black and white Donegal tweed wool fabric which goes really well with my Chanel Jacket. I think this is the first time I have used a pattern a second time and it certainly gives you confidence knowing a pattern will fit.

LBS not LBD

Burda World of Fashion 08-2008-121

My initial plan was to make a little black dress to go under my Chanel Jacket but I decided that I have lots of dresses and not many skirts so the plan changed. This skirt is super easy and fit really well with just a slight adjustment on the hip side seam. I know that it looks creased in these pictures  but it does not in real life, I think there was a lighting problem when we took the photos.

The skirt has eight panels in it and I love the shaping at the bottom which fall like godets. The pattern is also lined and I used a soft knit lining which feels great when you wear it.

Oh button where art thou?

Burda World of Fashion 01-2008-108

This is the second piece of my mini-wardrobe. I loved the versions of this blouse that other bloggers had made so wanted to try out the pattern.  I had also seen a blouse in Reiss with a mandarin collar which had a long tie that could be buttoned onto the collar at the back (sorry no picture available). I made the 108 version but added the stand collar from the 107 blouse. I made a tie which was about 2'' wide and the length of the fabric. The tie has a buttonhole in the centre so it can fasten on to the collar.

I love the blouse, which is the first blouse I have ever made. The only adjustments to the pattern were at the shoulder which I narrowed by about 1/2'' and raised by about 1/4''.

As the title of this post suggests, I am missing a button or two. I did not buy enough in the first place, went back to get some more and now I cannot find those ones so it is back to the shop for a third time for me.......

A little inspiration

Love the look on the right! Just posting this here so I will remember it. I saw on here. Not sure about the yellow tights but I love the shirt, which I could make from the BWOF I have just used in my mini wardrobe.

Jersey Dress: Simplicity 4076

I know that virtually everybody has made this pattern but here is my version of it. I love the twist dresses that are about this season but do not like the way most of them make you look pregnant so I decided to use this pattern as it does not have gathers in the width of the fabric under your bust which I feel gives the "with child" look. I made this on the second of my workshops with Janet Moville and she really helped me with the fit and gave me lots of tips about sewing knits, which I needed after my less than great success previously. Again, I really recommend her classes.
As you ca see in this shot, I added a back centre seam to improve the fit. Janet also showed me how to add a facing at the front neckline to give a cleaner finish and so you can't see the wrong side when the fabric turns over for the twist. This is really easy to do, simply add 2 inches to the front neckline but taper it to nothing at the point where the twist is, this is then just folded over and caught in the shoulder seam. How good is that! I also moved the point of the twist up so it was a little less revealing. The skirt part was added just by a simple A line at the bottom of the pattern.
I am not sure whether this really works with my Chanel jacket. I think the colours look great together but I am a little concerned that the necklines don't work. 

I am making good progress with my mini-wardrobe.  I just have to sew the buttons on my blouse and hem my skirt. Oh yes, I have changed the LBD to LB Skirt as I already have quite a few dresses but not many skirts. I will post photos soon. That just leaves the trousers....