The $50,000 Coat

It's a story

about a bloke 
wanting a particular-sort-of-a-certain-kind of coat

The Bloke

and the bloke he contacted 

to make it for him

The Tailor

and the girl who thought it a fascinating story 

The Writer

and wrote about it

The Book

because to most of us

 $50,000 
is alot to pay for a coat 

The Coat

and to a few 
it's what you do....

Sew-What-You-Like Workshop - Day Two & Pattern REviews

Everyone decided to create from patterns during this 2day Workshop

so I feel marginally qualified & a little obliged 
to do my very first pattern reviews 


Jeanette made a frock



from 100% cotton fabric 
using this pattern 

Simplicity 1610

not her first and possibly not her most challenging project at the Studio
Jeanette opted for the sleeveless scoop-neck version 
the process from go to woe was fairly straight forward 
as long as the instructions were adhered to

we did contemplate not self lining the bodice
as the pattern asked
using our old faithful Bias Binding to finish raw edges
until it was realised the squared off armholes wouldn't allow for this

it turned out to be a firm fitting 1950's styled frock
which Jeanette enjoyed the making and wearing of so much 
she's coming back for some floral fabric to make another.
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Rosie bought this gorgeous Japanese cotton voile from me a while back 
and arrived with the perfect for summer top pattern to tackle

opting also for the high-neck version

which we ended up lowering to suit Rosies shape better

the raw edges allowed for Bias Binding finishes in the same fabric 

and on completion Rosie chose to jazz it up a little 

with some 'ribboned' Bias sewn as a big droopy bow in the centre

Butterick B5644

Finished, the garment is loose fitting, roomy and airy
a straight forward project for an experienced sewer as Rosie 

and it would also make a perfect first time project for a novice.

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JoAnne had high hopes for her bag full of potential REinventions 

and it was decided the piece she most wanted to play with
was the fabric in an unwearable frock

we decided a Vogue pattern of mine

would fit the bill perfectly

if we lost the frill at the bottom

turned the neck gathers into pleats/tucks
and added extra width at the sides

Vogue V8229

there wasn't much of the orginal frock left by the time we'd finished

we even REused the Invisible Zip

Quite a fitted garment when finished
[we added extra panels into the sides] 

not a difficult pattern to follow & construct

especially if just laying up fabric

REinventing using a pattern is extremely rewarding 

and a tad time consuming.

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When I saw this fabric I immediately thought Tea Frock

and when Kate saw it in the Studio Shop 

she thought the same thing

having already made her first one 

a couple of weeks before in a more difficult fabric

this one almost sewed itself

the most time consuming part was leveling the hem-line

due entirely to the bias nature of the cut

and the weight in the skirt

there's no point in doing a review for this pattern

because the pattern is no longer available

and if I'm going to do a

Tea Frock Workshop

I'd best find one similar soon!

With a little time up her sleeve 

Kate made a start on her next 

Change of Heart Skirt 

as with others Kate's made in the past 

this one will not have the front wrap panel

however this time Kate's challenged herself by lining it

 and if Stella keeps bringing us her delicious chocolate Brownies

and we eat them

I might have to do a workshop 

on how to best let out your seams! 

Sew-What-You-Like November Workshop - Day One

The girls today were way TOO busy to smile for the camera

l-r Kate, JoAnne, Rosie & Jeanette

Kate walked in wearing her Tea Frock

complete with finished-at-home gorgeous buttoned back neck

and that perfect first time Invisible Zip still makes me all warm & fuzzy

her next Tea Frock

is made from fabric bought from the shop

and will also sport contrasting neck binding

Jeanette found the perfect fabric

for her latest summer frock

and Rosie is making a lovely summer Top

from the last of my Japanese Voile.

JoAnne left on the last day of her October 

Sew-What-You-Like Workshop 

with a Piece of Cake Pattern

and arrived today wearing the first 

of what she assures me will be many

and a bag full of REinventing ideas....

I am looking forward to tomorrow

when I can share the outcomes of their creativity.

REinvention Story - The Tablecloth Frock

As mentioned in the last post it all started with 3 skirts

I wasn't wearing

my middle age spread is spreading

and wardrobe staples are SO not skirts these days

I thought I'd end up with 

3 new frocks

from my 3 obsolete skirts

and isn't that the beauty of REinventing 

you just never know

what will happen

after dragging out every conceivable addition
I could think of

laying them up, pinning them together & trying them on

I finally decided 
2skirts were going to make 1frock
and a candy pink cotton apron was going to play a major role in the transformation  

but
after 30+yrs of doing this
I know beyond a shadow of a doubt 
that if you have the slightest inclining of a doubt
don't do it

put the scissors down
walk away, have a holiday, make a cuppa, sleep on it

so I walked away & returned to the Studio the next morning
with fresh eyes & a clear head
and remembered this old favourite
which seemed to have 'shrunk' recently
rendering it the perfect missing link 

It was always about the Roses
I'd loved the free-embroidered appliqued bit of tablecloth on the skirt
and was determined to love it on the frock
so by adding the ladybird panel from the other skirt
I killed 2-birds
gained the extra length I needed
and added another quirky bit of interest



a length of the linen frock was sacrificed to give me extra width




and by retaining the collar 



& the frilly bit off the original linen frock
the bodice issue was solved



with the addition of shoulder straps
 completing the look







Not a Tea Towel Tunic
more a Tablecloth Frock
which I'm looking forward to sharing 
with the girls this weekend for the last
 series of
Sew-What-You-Like Workshops 
at the Studio for 2013.

REinvention Story - The Tea Towel Tunic

Once upon a time there were 3 REinvented skirts

no one was wearing
due to the owners lack of a waist
skirts weren't a wardrobe staple any longer



sooooo she decided
to REinvent her REinventions

into frocks

the first one was easy

happens sometimes 

the planets align

fabrics all match

and the design in your head totally matches the outcome

sometimes choosing the right Tea Towel
can be difficult
however when you've got hundreds to choose from
not this time

the trickiest part proved to be
choosing the right Bias Binding 
but when you've a shop full at your finger tips
this bit was fun

and having the opportunity to use
every skerrick of Tea Towel
in the right places
added to the project being extremely satisifying

with the added bonus being
the finished frock fits & feels great.

Now if only I can get the other 2 skirts 

to co-operate as nicely.....