Operation Milano Cape

Peter Pan collar. Done.

Rocking pockets. Done.

Fancy dove grey lining. Almost done- just need to hand stitch where I flipped things inside out.

Practise for button holes. Done and done.

I'm kicking butt and taking names with ol' capey!

Stop. Collar time.

Amanda's brain has cracked from making custom pockets and sewing an epic cape shell and pinning a cute as a button peter pan collar. There may or may not have been some YouTube of M.C. Hammer interspersed between West Wing episodes (it's best not to ask). This has influenced the following short post. Apologies to a Mr M.C. Hammer...You have been warned...

My, my, my sewing can be so hard,
Makes me say "Oh, my lord".
Thank you, for letting me 
Stitch harder patterns than I should be

It feels so good, when I try new skills
Sewing like a novice won't pay my bills
Custom welt pockets- a piece of cake.
And this is a cape, yup, I can make.

Stop. Collar time.

I'm not really sure if this is polite blog etiquette or what not, but please humour me here, I was on Colette Patterns blog as their featured seamstress this week with my polka dot Chantilly dress. This is a total ohmahgawd moment for me being a total Colette fan girl (those patterns being the reason I started sewing again) and I just wanted to share. Yay team me! But enough squee-ing. I must alight to my sewing machine. I have a collar to attach!

Totes Made Some Welt Pockets!

I've been kicking round this sewing caper for almost six months now (well, this attempt at it) and I must admit to being somewhat of a lazy lady. Don't get me wrong- if there is the promise of a G&T and some form of baked good as a reward for doing something I'll get it done, but all in all I like to cruise along. And when it comes to sewing I have found myself in a bit of a lazy lady rut lately. I'm loving making gorgeous things, however, I feel like I haven't been developing "mad skillz". And this is where the Milano Cape comes in. Enter the dragon epic cape.

Image Credit: www.papercutpatterns.com 

Ain't she a beauty? Now this bad boy is going to be challenging me on a few counts. There are button holes *eep!* (let's not forget the hideous travesty of the world's worst Beignet skirt), welt pockets, making pockets to insert instead of a pocket bag, accidentally buying a metre too short in fabric (curse losing my magic sewing notes page in the States) and creating a lining for a cape that is not designed for one. So I say, Milano Cape- bring it. I have a crazy cat who will back me up when I take on your challenges and furthermore nest on the cape fabric and pattern pieces...

And I have already conquered someone's *cough* my *cough* mistake of buying too little fabric by creatively placing pieces. Shaazam!

Though it may have taken me all day to get together the courage to cut into the fabric... On the plus side I had time to make an epic brooch board. And in the end I did get the cutting started. Possibly at 8pm. But, whatevs. You don't want to rush awesome.

But the best bit? Making a welt pocket. It took a fair bit of youtube-ing and googling but I got the first one done and I am so ridiculously proud. Check this bad boy out. So proud, in fact, I am thinking I may make a little step-by-step tutorial on these if only for my posterity, my tiny bear brain and bragging rights (to my mum who I bet would be impressed). I mean, look at this sassy minx of a pocket!

On a side note: I may also be selectively ignoring the absolutely freaking amazing Japanese knit I picked up at Spotlight today whilst going to grab overlocker thread. This feels like heaven and I am officially obsessed with the grey and white stripes. I am now officially cut off from fabric buying until I have my stash busted. Bad habits!

Next step on Project Superhero Cape: Inserting pockets rather than sewing a pocket bag to the main panel. Bring it!

Crafty Diversion: Epic Polka Dot Brooch Board

I don't know about you guys but when I get home from being away for a while I have this odd urge to make sure everything is back in its place. To those who know me well this is no surprise (I was up on my wedding day at 6am to clean the kitchen, cook everyone crashing at our place a hot breakfast and clean the resulting mess up before anyone awoke). I find it kind soothing. So when I unpacked all of my USA goodies there was a small problem with my brooch bowl- it was exploding like volcano of awesomeness. I had reached a critical mass of radness where I could no longer see all of my brooches easily. This needed to be remedied STAT.

Enter the $6.50 canvas and some left over fabric from my first ever Sorbetto...

How cute is that? It took me about half an hour all up which included driving down to my local cheap shop to buy the canvas, ironing the spotty fabric and stretching and stapling it to a frame. It was looking kind of lonely so I added some friends to it...

And then because I am a saucy minx with too many brooches I filled it in short order. I love how each brooch has a story attached and reason for making it to the canvas. And yes, brooch on the middle right, it is indeed splendid!

It now is hanging in our bedroom and in my opinion adds a little sass to the space. Can anyone spot the Harry Potter World pumpkin juice pin?

Now enough diversions, it's time to get cape-y!

Project Superhero: Cape Time!

No rest for the wicked at Chez Bimble and Pimble- they need a super hero cape to look rad this winter! I have my sassy pink wool/cashmere blend and gorgeous dove grey lining so it's all systems go here... Well, except for the fact I have forgotten to buy fusing. But you don't want to rush the projects you start in February...

So here are the bits and bobs before I work my magic! Stay tuned...

Fabric Drunk: Amanda went cray-cray in NYC

There is no way to be delicate about this- I totes got fabric drunk in NYC. I've documented my exploits in good ol' Spotlight on numerous occasions and we all know it is never pretty. So hitting the Garment District in New York was a little insane. So insane in fact I purchased a second suitcase solely to bring all my fabric purchases home. So as a warning- there is no sewing in this post but lots of sassy fabric eye candy. It was probably a good thing I only got to two stores rather than my planned three (time management fail) because I was already at the top of my suitcase weight limit.

I hit Paron Fabrics first and it was wonderful. I'd read several blogs that had mentioned this as a great alternative to Mood Fabric and it was simply wonderful. I spent a good two hours here pottering around, grabbing fabric bolts by the armful. I made a stack of purchases here with some great rayon lining. I was so excited to find this- I simply cannot track any down in Australia. I went a bit crazy with this stuff and I think I have about 15 metres or so stockpiled in a few colours.

Also here I found the most epic heavy cotton in a pink and white chevron print. I am thinking a 50s inspired sundress for this bad boy. The sad news was we discovered a flaw in the weave. The good news is I got it for a discount and a free extra yard to cut around. Win!

And finally, the piece de resistance. I got my bubblegum pink wool for the epic cape I'm going to sew. This is going to be sassy! She is a merino wool and cashmere blend and feels like heaven.

My other fabric store stop was Mood Fabric. This was crazy. Like, seriously crazy. There are three floors of fabric but I only hit two of them and that still took me almost three hours (the third was for upholstery fabrics and I was all about eyes on the prize). I mean, look at this place.

I first hit upstairs for some wool for winter work wear. I scored this gorgeous charcoal wool for a wiggle skirt for a steal. Loves it.

I then grabbed some of this "novelty wool" which is also 100% wool but has a gorgeous border print. This is going to look great with my cape once I have both the dress from this fabric and said cape made. I'll call it a style win!

My last wool of wonder is a glorious thistle-coloured knit that I am going to make some super comfy shirts in.

I then headed downstairs and got lost in the silk section. To give a bit of an idea, if I want silk from Spotlight I'm looking at about $30/metre. Mood had gorgeous stuff at $14/yard. Insane. I got some lovely plain silk for lining upcoming projects...

And then went crazy in the printed silk section. I have some plans for gorgeous floaty blouses.

Then I got distracted with the dotted swiss. Multi coloured polka dots and crazy blue geometric squares? WIN!

My last two fabric purchases are both silk taffeta and are pretty special. The first is the most amazing soft blue and copper pebble effect silk. 

I'm planning on using this for the Simplicity Cynthia Rowley Pattern 1873.

My last fabric I am planning for using for Gertie's bombshell dress class on Craftsy. This fabric is the loveliest olive green but when it catches the light has a glorious brown/copper reflect. Stunning. And the craziest bit- when I went to get the fabric cut I found out it's Oscar de la Renta. That's rather fancy for a girl from Canberra, let me tell you.

My last stop in the Garment District was Botani which I made with 10 minutes until closing. And you better believe I made the most out of that 10 minutes. I ended up with some epic giant buttons (possibly for the cape), some wee little flower ones, two bag frames (I have no idea how to make bags but these frames are all the encouragement I need) and some bag handle chain which I am going to make into a rad necklace. Win!

By then it was too late to hit B&J but I felt like I had done pretty well for myself so wasn't concerned. I then met the husband at Stitch Bar and Lounge for some white sangria (it was amazing!) and basked in the glory of all my epic fabric. 

And to finish things off, I had forgotten to show y'all the leggings I made for myself the night before I flew out. These were so comfy to fly in and the also garnered me a ridiculous amount of compliments. Last minute sew win! 

Farewell America

And it's almost time for husband and I to head back to Australia the land of kangaroos, Tim Tams (if you're not sure what they are you need to get in the wagon STAT) and my sewing machine. Yippee!

This time tomorrow we're boarding a flight from LAX to BNE. I don't know about y'all, but nothing says fun to me like 16 hours cooped up in a plane hopped up on lots of Valium trying to remain calm. Crazy times! On the plus side, I have an epic recipe book for food-truck food to peruse. Win!

So to say farewell to the States here is the final instalment of me-made holiday wear. I'm so proud of everything I made and took- it wore really well and there was real pride in nearly everything in my suitcase being Amanda-brand.

Here are my second pair of wool Iris shorts in a sassy fuchsia paired with a tiny houses print Sorbetto. I loves me some tiny houses especially when they keep me company on a walk through Central Park.

And now we have my polka dot Chantilly dress from a ways ago. I took this number all the way out to New Jersey (two subways and a bus each way- yikes!) to Medieval Times. Everyone needs a fine frock to watch some jousting!

And just for you, gentle readers, I have also snuck in there a picture of a demon squirrel. SQRL!!!

See you kids on the flip side when I'll share all the fabric I brought Stateside... It's going to be epic.

Amanda Visits Purl Soho

Okay, y'all know I may have tendencies towards melodrama but this is serious.

I need an award. Seriously. Like some kind of hat. Mayhaps one made of cake. A cake hat! That's the perfect award in payment for the insanity of trying blog on an iPhone using scammed Internet. (Note: I have reformatted this post now I have returned home. Twas an abomination on my poor eyes)

Okay, so this is a scandalously non-sewing themed post. I know- I head to the States for a couple of weeks and I become a renegade. But never fear- we shall return to our regular scheduled programming shortly.

Currently, husband and I are kicking it ol' skool in the East Village in New York. And this means walking distance to Purl Soho. I've been following these guys on their blog Purl Bee since I made some epic strawberry pillows from one of their how-to tutorials a few years back. Now while they have some glorious quilt fabrics, I must admit my goal was some of their wool. I've very limited knowledge of knitting and I thought if there is a place to start this was it.

After 30 minutes of pottering I emerged with a knitting basics book, a pair of gorgeous wooden needles, an embroidery kit, a project carry bag and two skeins of wool. Win!

I mean, look at the colour of this wool!

And here endeth my knitting bit on the side. Next stop will be Mood Fabric and Parons Fabric. I can't wait!

Hello from Florida!

Just a quick note to say I'm alive and that I've been rocking made by me pieces like a ninja squirrel. Fierce! 

Here is my crazy ol' Humming Bird blouse with my new Iris wool shorts. Please ignore the hideous bruise on my calf that is a result of a Segway mishap in Washington D.C. Or not, maybe I can claim it is from an extreme sewing accident and become a stunt sewist... Hmm...

And the same Iris shorts (I love these so much- they survived a torrential  thunderstorm soaking and dried whilst wearing them in no time) and my new love heart Sorbetto.

We're off to NYC tomorrow so there will be fabulous fabrics to share soon.