Amanda vs Eucalypt Tank

Sometimes you need a challenge to get you going after a bit of a meh patch *cough* stupid injury *cough*. For me that was the ridiculously exciting opportunity to pattern test Megan Neilsen's new Eucalypt Tank. We all know my love of sleeveless tops is vast and unending and combine that with a simple yet sassy pattern to help me learn to sew using my left foot and I was in. This was my first project post injury and I'm so excited to show it off! Let me introduce you to the Aztec Tank of Doom!

I must confess to making the simplest version of this top. Between sewing with silk for the second time and having just injured my foot at derby and learning to sew with my left foot I need something pretty straightforward. I did grade the pattern down a size from bust to hips as I wanted a fairly straight side silhoutte but otherwise this was a straightforward make. Bam!

Gah! The pains of trying to photograph this top! Apparently my rad Aztec bars are too awesome to allow a point of focus on the ole iPhone. This fabric has been sitting in my stash since our New York trip last year. I had just entered Mood Fabrics and had pretty much started twitching like a squirrel on sherbet in the silk section when this bad boy was being swatched. It's totally not my normal style but for some reason I had to have it and very politely snitched the bolt away after it was finished with. So thank you ridiculously well dressed design student guys- you're helping this Canberra gal get sassy 12 months on! Of note- I ended up using the wrong side of the fabric as I preferred the colours and the matte finish. Also it feels absolutely amazing on. Silk win!

Now this pattern is totes a hi/lo top. I've seen me a whole bunch of hi/lo tops around the internet and whilst I think others can rock the look I am not sure I'm completely sold on them myself. I have too many crazy memories of being in school and trying to avoid tucking our uniform shirts completely in by kind of scrunching the sides of our tops into our skirts and letting the back hang out while the front was shorter. Blergh. But I am happy to say when wearing this I did not feel like a grungy 90s school kid. Win!

Now things aren't looking too hi/lo there. But wait until you see the back view. Rock!

But let's not forget my last silk tank attempt that, whilst a rad pattern, ended up with the most hideous bias binding ever seen by lady or beast. That wasn't going to be happening again with this number, folks. I was ridiculously careful cutting these pieces out, sewing them together and pressing them like a boss. All 2.4 metres or so of them. Yup. And I tell you what, the patience paid off. Look how neat they are!

One thing that surprised me was the fact that French seams are included as part of the instructions for the tank. As I was working with this silk I was going to French seam it up anyway but when I started reading the instructions I was pipped at the post. I must admit that when working with delicate fabrics I love these seams because it makes me feel all fancy like. Is it weird if you try to show people how neat your internal shirt seams are? Because I fear I'm heading down that road with this top... BWAH HA HA!

What I loved about this pattern:

• How detailed the instructions were. This is designed for beginner sewists and Megan has done a rad job explaining things super clearly and with great illustrations. For the first time ever when I did French seams I didn't have to have the Colette Handbook open in front of me guiding every step. Booyah!
• The customisation options included in the pack. You can get all fancy and piece the front together or get cray and make a dress. Options win!
• How quick and simple this bad boy is. If you don't use silk. And don't have to learn how to sew with your non-dominant foot. While trying to keep two small dogs from jumping in your lap in a thunderstorm. You know, the normal things.

What I would change for next time:

• I need to adjust the armholes a bit- they feel a little gape-y at the front. I might also bring the height of bottom of the armholevup 1/2" as well so I don't have to worry about flashing peeps with my bra. I'm such a saucy minx!
• I'm going to bring the length up a little for some spring versions later in the year as this length looks great with tights and jeans but not so much with shorts. Please come back to me soon warmth, I beg you!!!

Overall, I'm rather taken with this tank- it's super comfy and when I wear it I think about our epic trip and having waaaay too many sangrias at Stitch after fabric shopping. And to make this even more nostalgi-licious the rad necklace I have on is actually two handbag handles I picked up from a notions store across the road from Mood that I have jimmied together. Like. A. Boss. I have to say I can't wear this top without the necklace as I feel like I have a nude neck.

Scandalous!

Amanda vs Simplicity 2154 Big Bow Blouse

Sometimes it's important to look subtle yet stylish.
Sometimes it's important to have a little sass in your outfit.
And sometimes you need a big ass bow taking over your blouse.

That's where we're at today, lovely readers, big ass bow land. This is not a bow that has met subtle. In fact, this is a bow that saw subtle on the street, ran up to it and gave it a good ole ninja chop with its rad bow ends. So now let us unleash the bow-ed beast!

Okay, I may have hyped this up a bit. But to me that is crazy big. Let's remember that until late last year I was not wearing anything that featured a collar let alone a bow. Now I have bow AND collar in one top. Things are sure crazy in 2013...

This sassy Simplicity 2154 skirt and blouse combo are my contribution to Julia Bobbin's Mad Men Challenge. I originally made a Betty 50s day dress in all its circle skirted glory but upon closer reflection the bodice is a red hot mess. After a brief mourning period over failed marvellousness (this included two episodes of Grand Designs, a bowl of strawberry ice cream and some robot dancing) I bucked up and got started on this blouse. Whilst I don't have one clear inspiration image I pulled this vibe from the Season One secretarial pool- I'm thinking lots of pencil skirts and blouses with crazy collars, scarfs or pussy bows...

This top is one part of the triumvirate of awesome known as Simpicity 2154- a 60s skirt, blouse and cardi combo. I mean, who can say no to pattern that gives you the entire ensemble in one envelope AND has the model on the cover looking like a retro air hostess? Not this frugal yet sassy seamstress. So given I have already put together the skirt it was time to match it up.

The blouse is pretty straight forward with construction. I shopped my stash for this project which, whilst cheap, meant that the fabric wasn't quite drape-y enough. As such I tapered the side seams to sit fairly close to my waist. I also narrowed the shoulders by 1cm either side so they ended on my shoulder bone. But the main feature is the bow. The hardest part of this was gathering the fabric but with the help of some hand stitching the job got done. And look at this monster- it is magnificent!

The back features a cute little feature near the collar. Like the front there is a slit about 3" long though with this one there is a button and thread loop closure. One could be subtle with this. Or one could chose a pink button. I think we all know which side of the fence I came down on...

What I liked about this pattern:

• The fact it is sleeveless. For the first time in ages I have a pattern that is meant to be sleeveless not one I have sassed up. Sure, winter is on the way but what is the good of staying warm when you have buff guns that need to be on show? *snicker* (I am actually pro sleeveless as I just hate the feeling of bunched sleeves under my cardis. Honestly, it feels like a shar pei puppy is hiding up there with all the sleeve material crazy going on.)
• The rear button closure. I love how this adds visual interest to the back. Plus, you can go crazy with the button selection. Sweet vintage pink flower blossom anyone?

What I would change for next time:

• Not interface the bow. My fabric didn't feel that thick but even with my super light weight blouse interfacing the bow became quite stiff. Don't get me wrong, I like a perky bow but this feels like it has been starched into submission.
• Sway back alteration. For some reason I completely forgot to do this and find I have to keep tugging the back of the blouse down into my skirt so I don't get a crazy fabric fold.

So there we have it- epic 60s office wear. This blouse was already on my to do list so I'm glad the challenge came along and popped this to the top. But more importantly this has been a blog post with very serious business photos. And that's not how we roll here at Bimble and Pimble. So here is my attempt a of looking sassy with a rose in my teeth... Except as it is an office setting you get a pen instead...

Sassy!

Amanda vs The Kelly Skirt

There's nothing like a bit of pressure to kick your sewing self into gear. My always rad roller derby league hosted a fundraising trivia competition last night with a cult films and pop culture theme. The best bit? Costumes! The worst bit? My tiny walnut sized brain which forgot about this until a few days before the event. With four evenings left to get something together, of which two I was out, I needed something rad that I would love but was also quick. Enter Megan Neilsen's most rad Kelly skirt to help make me a last minute Hufflepuff (best house at Hogwarts) uniform... And man does it rock!

Image credit: Steven Craddock photographer extraordinaire

Total nerd squee! 

I'm not going to lie- this was a fair bit more work than I first anticipated. The uniform was made up of a few bits and pieces, of which two were sewn, and a bunch heavily modified. When i came to this project you did not want to get between me and a hot glue gun on my lunch break. Things got cray-cray...

The shirt I picked up at Big W for super cheap but apparently all the extra upper body weights work I'm doing at the moment has made my forearms freakishly huge (in my head I am so Linda Hamilton in T2) and the cardigan wouldn't sit right. So I hacked the sleeves off the button up, restitched them neatly and also added two press studs so the shirt would close neatly for the tie. With the cardigan I hot glue gunned some velvet ribbon on and then tacked on my Hufflepuff house patch I picked up from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter last year. I also added some marle grey tights, a wand and a horcrux- because I'm hardcore like that. Hello, badass Hufflepuff right here.

I went looking for a Hufflepuff tie online ($49 with postage? hells no) and even tried cheap stores to find a yellow one I could paint stripes on. In the end I bought 1/2 metre of yellow cotton drill and made skinny tie using See Kate Sew's rad free pattern. I downloaded a Harry Potter tie colouring in page and traced the lines over to my pre-cut fabric and coloured them in with marker pens. Note to self- read instructions for fabric paint that takes 48 hours to dry more than 20 hours before function start time. Oops. The pattern was super easy to follow and I'm so tempted to make some more for the husband. I lined the tie in some of my left over tiny houses voile I have in my offcuts basket from early last year. Because nothing says sophistication and class like a tiny village of oompa loompas poking out from the back of your tie.

So what was left? The skirt of course! My mamma did not raise no pantsless witch! Although if I was wearing a skirt I guess I was technically pantsless... but you get my gist. When I went looking for costume parts I had one of those moments where I completely forgot I sew my own clothes. The two cheap black skirts I tried on were all kinds of hideous and I felt like some form of weird caterpillar struggling to get out of a hideous polyester black pudding-esque cocoon. And then it hit me... I could easily sew myself a skirt. Duh! Two metres of black corduroy, a handful of buttons and a two people asking me about my weird robot space boot later I was good to go. And I have to say the Kelly skirt was a peach to sew. Easy to follow instructions, rad diagrams and nice thick pattern lines for easy tracing. In the space of 2.5 hours I had traced the pattern, cut the fabric and had the skirt made up except for the buttonholes. And boy, were those things hellish. I could totes cast a incendio spell on them I would... Cue obvious segue into wand pointing photo!

I pimped my machine earlier this year to a fancier Janome mechanical number and, whilst I love Daisy so, she was a bit of a jerk when it came to sorting buttonholes. A one step button hole feature is all kinds of awesome in theory. But in practise I found it tough to get tension, stitch width and stitch length set. And to make matters worse I was on a deadline. So in the end I have some really shonky buttonholes that no amount of gin will make look okay but my dear friend Fray Stop has helped me keep everything from literally falling apart. It ain't pretty but the skirt stayed buttoned and now I can take the time to hand finish the ones that were pretty bad... Like this friendly fellow here...

And may I say it is ridiculously hard to photograph black fabric. Honestly it's like a black hole of joy and photographic goodness. Any tips out there peeps? Well except for sewing in exclusively polka dots. Mmm full polka dotted wardrobe...

What I loved about the Kelly pattern:

• Ridiculously simple pattern parts. They're all rectangles and that makes for some fantastic fabric usage. No wastage here. The lines are also super thick which made tracing a breeze when in a rush.
• How clear and well written the instructions were. They're fantastically illustrated and this made life so much easier the two nights I was sewing when my brain was all skooshy.
• How quick this was. If I hadn't have had the buttonhole disaster of 2013 I would have had this done from tracing to final press in under four hours. That's a win in my book! Also a win- popcorn and chocolate chip cookies. Seriously. These are amazing.

What I will change for next time:

• Fixing those gosh darn buttonholes! I will master you one step feature!
• Fabric choice. I'm wearing my giant robot space boot of healing for another month yet so I am only able to wear skirts or dresses with tights. I want a few different Kelly skirts in other fabrics. Not sure what yet but I have a bizarre urge for chambray with wooden buttons. We'll see...
• Topstitching properly. I went with black thread to top stitch this one so any rush mistakes could not be seen (and thank goodness I did). I want to get me some topstitching thread and fancy up my next one.

Pumpkin Juice - the choice of nerdy fan girls 

I'm so very very happy with the Kelly skirt and I love that a pattern I had on my to make list was able to not only whip it together so quick but that it also looks super rad (and I may be wearing it again today)... Yup, it's that good!

Also, I apparently need to stake my claim like a prospector on this here patch of the interwebs so here it be Bloglovin...<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/3339517/?claim=q97v4sqe7em">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>

Now if you will excuse me, Doctor Horrible and I have places to be...

Image credit: Steven Craddock photographer extraordinaire

Amanda vs Knitting

Two feet. Who needs the use of both? Apparently this chump because after rolling my foot and tearing two ligaments at derby training just over a month ago things have been a little challenging. I mean, on the scale of one to suckville this sits at "somewhat vexing much like discovering you have no gin when all one wants is a G&T". But apparently I use my right foot more than I thought. I mean, I've learnt to strap my foot so I can still drive for quick trips, I've been doing one footed push ups to keep up with gym workouts (a gal has to brag about something) and heck I even hop-interpretive-danced the other night. But using my presser foot? Dang that hurts. So between attempts to learn to sew left footed I've taken up the genteel yet fierce craft of knitting. Pointy ended sticks + Amanda = hilarity and possibility of poking oneself in the eye... Or just looking plain sassy!

Yup. The stuff I have made has been pink and purple. Surprises? I have none. 

The thistle coloured Big Herringbone Cowl is a Purl Bee pattern. I bought the wool for this when I was in NY last year after making husbandy join me on a 45 minute trek to Purl Soho. Nevermind I didn't know how to knit. There was gorgeous wool to impulse purchase and sales staff to freak out as this cray Aussie was hugging all of their yarn. Let's be honest this bad boy was probably not the best first project to tackle. The stitch was far to complex for my uncco fingers and limited ability to tension yarn. Now brace yourselves for the most hideous knit you have ever seen because this is chock full of dropped stitches, tangled knots and tension fails. Some may call it fug. I call it "quirky" with lots of "personality".

Note how I have artfully hidden the numerous mistakes with careful photography and making the the detail shot super small? I'm tricky like that! BWAH HA HA!

But in all seriousness I really love this. I love that you can see how mutated the start is and all the lame stitches and mistakes that I couldn't figure out. I love the last five rows where I picked this up again a couple of weeks ago and the skills seemed to click into place and all of a sudden the stitches start to look neater. But also I love all the cool things you can do with a cowl this huge.

I mean, hello Sydney Opera House sail twin.

The similarities are freaky. 

But is gets better. My personal favourite is pretending to be all Princess Leia...

Like. A. Boss. 

By the time I finished this I was on to week two of no sewing and I needed a fix bad. My next crafty project was then the Mathilde Hat by Andi Satterland. This was getting a bit crazy with following the directions and changing needles sizes and whatnot. But I persevered. I took this project everywhere- work lunches, specialist waiting rooms, derby training. But it was worth it to see something rad grown on my needles like a cool pink fungus. I mean, check this out!

Could not be prouder! There is a total pattern happening here and everything. Plus, it's pink. And we all know how I feel about the sassiest of colours.

So this knitting thing is pretty cool. I mean, I don't need to be using my foot when it gets sore. Yarn is all kinds of rad and soft and lovely. And I can make snug things to keep me warm as winter approaches and my thin Queensland blood sets me "icicle" for the next eight months. Brrr...

And let's be honest. This injured foot isn't going to keep me down. I've now got mad beginner's knitting skills, sewn my first left foot controlled project and have a specialist appointment tomorrow to tell me how we're proceeding with this lameness (both literal and figurative- word nerd win!) Because even if they have news that isn't what I want to hear I have mad craft skills and I am fierce.

Or at least, I can knit me a slightly misshapen tube and pose like a slightly vexed guinea pig. Bring it!

Amanda vs Belladone

When it's time to meet up with a bunch of rad lady sewing bloggers there are a number of concerns to be had:

1. What if they realise I'm a twitchy anxious person with a tendency to talk to much?
2. Am I fast enough to dodge a group of bargain hungry sewists on the way to the remnants bin?
3. What the heck should I wear?

After careful consideration I realised that:

1. If I feel like I'm talking too much I'll break into some 80s hair rock. Nothing like a spoken word version of Guns 'n' Roses Paradise City to win friends and influence people.
2. I'm used to dodging ladies on skates so I am so prepped for the remnants run. Remember Amanda- if in doubt feint left and run right.
3. I have nothing epic enough in my wardrobe for such a lovely day out. 

So enter the dragon... Or the epic pattern and cute fabric combo of the polka dot Belladone!

Too rad! I must admit to sitting on this make for a couple of months now because upon finishing it I realised it looks pretty much identical to one that the always fabulous Anna from ::paunnet:: has made. Awkward unintentional style stalk, Amanda. Oh wells, I'm chalking it up to ladies with impeccable style (and in my case a polka dot obsession).

Now whilst this is an all kinds of awesome dress it was not without it's hiccups. Two nights before I was to fly to Melbourne I decided it was time to assemble said frock. Realistically that left me with about 6 hours of sewing time. Was this a bit crazy? Possibly. Could it be done? Maybe. Was this idea fraught with peril. Fo sho. Let's start with the fit. Muslin? Who has time for that. Not this intrepid lady. It was hack straight into my spots and get basting. Which ended up with a too large frock. Not too hard to manage until I took in the seams an inch each side and it resulted in...

The world's tiniest slash pockets. I can fit my phone, a tissue, a key card and a lip balm in there so that's a win. But getting things out? If you've ever seen one of those youtubes of people trying to catch a greased pig that's what it's like trying to fish a key out of my pocket. Just with less grace and more oinking... Or is the other way around?

Then, as I'm trying to neaten up the new seams on the inside, tragedy strikes in the form of folded fabric accidentally feeling the wrath of my serger blade. Oops. Luckily it was only the pocket, which I'm starting to feel a little sorry for by this stage, and with the help of some fray stop and shonky hand stitching it is repaired.

Then of course there is the language barrier. When this pattern was released I went absolutely bananas for it and ordered it and two other Deer & Doe patterns. Sure, it was in French but how hard could that be when there are pictures? When it came to getting this lovely back bodice panel sorted the answer was "where the heck is my rosetta stone"...

But it did turn out marvellously. With thanks to the always lovely Oanh on twitter giving me some guidance from her English pattern I was able to get the bodice complete. Sure, I may have discovered at social sewing the extra three pieces of fabric I thought were spare (kind of like those extra screws in Ikea furniture) were actually a skirt facing but I still assembled the dress. And does the back look rad or what?!

What I really loved about this pattern:

• The simple lines. This has all the things I love- fitted bodice, pleated skirt, rad pockets and even a cute little waistband. Life does not get any better. Unless I was on a beach in the Caribbean and sipping a cocktail out of a coconut whilst wearing this dress. Just sayin'...
• How quick this went together even though I kinda didn't understand a lot of what was going on... Curse you lack of Babel fish!
• The back panel feature. I remember seeing Belladone previewed somewhere on the magical interwebs before the patterns were fully launched and I was agog at the awesomeness of the back panel. I mean as sassy bit of back meat on show but also enough coverage for your bra straps? Total win! Could it be any cheekier?!

What I would change for next time:

• Fit the pattern properly. I was rushed to get this done and took some short cuts but I want to be able to easily fit my hands into my pockets. Yup, I'm all fancy with my airs and graces and pocket usage.
• Bias bind all the edges of the back panel. It's looks great already but I think I can set the sass-o-metre to 11 with some more bias binding.
• Add an extra inch to the skirt length. I'm really conscious of the skirt being just a smidge too short as it is difficult to pick things up off the floor without flashing sum ov me bloomers (I really hope there was a bad cockney accent in your head just then).

Overall, I am obsessed with this pattern. I'm talking I could have five versions of this dress and be happy to wear one each day. In fact, I may have the most perfect coral pink polka dot fabric ever to make another with... Who has a problem with polka dot dresses? This gal!

Amanda vs Simplicity 2154 Pencil Skirt

When I finally got a job in the office I thought my life and wardrobe was so going to change. No more spending lunch hours in my classroom madly planning or being constrained to unsassy trousers because you're teaching Italian street theatre to 15 year olds and need to be able to tumble across the floor with modesty. Oh, the office. What a grand hope for a lady like me. But what I hadn't realised is that I did not own any rad outfits and that if I wanted to rock it office sassiness style I would have to make them myself. So enter my first project on my new sewing machine and another addition to work wardrobe awesomeness- Simplicity 2154 skirt and a new Alma blouse...

Check it! I totally feel all Mad Men in this. Joanie and I would so be BFFs or arch nemises. Actually, who am I kidding. She would put me into the floor with a barbed quip.

But not if I outran her. And I totally could because this little number so has a kick pleat. BAM! I am really happy with how this turned out because the one problem I have with my rad pixellated rose skirt is I can't take big steps. "But Amanda", I hear you say, "it's cool to walk all dainty like at work every now and then". Bah! When you have a group of Year Six students getting a little too jazzed about kicking it museum style you need to be able to move fast. Thanks to the radness of kick pleats I can now look sassy AND wrangle adolescents. Win! 

And yes, that is sunshine yellow bias binding. This boucle is one of the fanciest fabrics I have ever bought and I figured it deserved the loveliest finishing touches I could manage with my crazy monkey sewing skills. I also have lots of lovely sewing blogger memories woven into this piece (Yup, I so went there with a lame pun!) as I bought the fabric when I met up with the always rad Rachel last year and the bias binding when I caught up with Belle a few weeks ago at FabricFest 2013 with all kinds of rad ladies. So thank you blogosphere for helping with this one!

What I loved about this pattern:

• The length. I always thought I was a complete prude with the amount of leg I like to show when I make skirts or dresses but this pattern set me straight- I must be one heck of a 21st century sassy minx with my preference for having my knee meat on show. Oh la la! When it came time to hem this like a boss above the knee just looked wrong. I'm loving the below the knee vibe going on here. I feel like Joan would totes approve. 
• The details. The kick pleat. The bias binding on the hem. I am so seriously proud of myself for tackling these. And by all means if you are impressed to feel free to send me cake. I won't stop you... In fact, is that cake arriving at my mail box? 

What I would change for next time:

• Handpick a lapped zipper. I honestly gave it a red hot go but my dear friend boucle was all "hells no, I'm all nubbly and won't take to lying flat for you". And when your fabric gets sassy at you you know it is time to quit. So when I attempt this again I think a handpicked zipper would really fit the vibe of this outfit.
• Mastering the lining. I am so keen for any hot tips on how to get your lining looking sassy at the bottom. My stitching on the hem reminds me of when I have too many gins and try to interpretive dance- twitchy, full of grand ambition and all over the shop. Mayhaps I need to get my shiny new walking foot on the case to stop the slippery fabric from sliding around? Hmmmm...

And on that note, I must alight to start on my next project. It involves silk and a sassy blouse which may or may not end up in hot mess town. The last time I tried to tackle silk it didn't end up so well so fingers crossed this time... Do you hear that? I think it is the silk coming for me. ARGH!!! NOOOO!!!