Multilingual giveaway

A big big thank you to all of those who commented my sew-along proposition post. I'm really glad that it raised some interest, so I'm decided to do it, although I'm going to wait until the beginning of January for the digital pattern to come out on Burdastyle (and to get prepared, 'cause I'm a bit scared :D ).

If you want to participate to the sew-along but don't have the magazine, you can thank the terrible subscription service that sent me a December issue of Burda which wasn't paid for. Since I have already bought mine, this extra copy is going to one of you. It's all in Italian, of course, but you'll be able to download the instructions for all the patterns in English on Burdastyle.

And to make it a little more interesting I'm adding two more prices: a vintage "Elle" blouse pattern (all instructions are in French) and a 1975 Burda magazine (texts are in German, instructions are in Italian).

To win, you need to be a follower of my blog and leave a comment under this post (please specify how you are subscribed: Google Reader, Bloglovin', etc.).

The giveaway ends next Saturday (Dec 10th) at 12am CET. Good luck!

What about a sew-along?

In my post on the latest Burda issue, Jenb left a comment asking whether I was going to make the dress pictured above and she suggested that we could have a sew-along.

What do you think about it? Please leave a comment if you like the idea.

Since not everyone is a subscriber to Burdastyle magazine, we could wait until the digital patterns come out on burdastyle.com (which will be in a few weeks, since the November patterns just came out).

As I told Jenb, I don't feel too confident to host a sew-along, but I'm sure we can help each other and learn from each other. That's an aspect I've always loved about sew-alongs.

What I'm thinking to do is to cover the main steps of the construction providing some visual help through photos. There already are some great sources on making a muslin and choosing fabrics, to which we can refer.

Also, if there's someone who would like to participate actively by writing posts to help me cover everything, please let me know.

I'm very curious to know what you think about this!

La mia boutique 12/2011

I might have said some bad things about this magazine earlier. I think I'll have to take it all back.

I freaking want this (although not so short)!  Since I saw this, I've been looking for some mustard heavyweight fabric and found nothing. But I'm motivated.

No faux fur for me, thanks, but with a collar made from regular fabric this dress would be awesome.

Most slimming dress I've ever seen. It somehow reminds of that Stella McCartney's dress that has been talked about a lot, but still I'm amazed by how good it looks on the model.

The bow, the pockets, the princess seams... I love this dress!

You can see all the patterns of this issue here.

Scallop fever #3: More Scalloped Hem Shorts

A few days ago, I was a bit down and I felt the need to make something quick, that I could cut, sew and wear in an afternoon. So, to keep my hands busy, I brought to life an idea that had been in my head for some time: winter shorts!

I decided to go with a pattern that I had already tried, the Scalloped Hem Shorts from Pattern Runway. This time I cut them shorter (the original lenght of the pattern) and I must say they're nicer like this.

 

They turned out cute, didn't they? They're not the most flattering cut on a shape like mine, but I still like them very much. I used some super old wool that has been in my mother's stash for years, it's a houndstooth pattern in gold, blue, green and a little hint of burgundy. Very appropriate for Fall!

I don't have much else to say, I didn't even take detailed pics of the inside and everything else because in my restlessness, I didn't really put too much effort in finishing seams and stuff. These shorts are not perfect, but they were a great distraction.

Did it ever happen to you to feel the need to sew (or make) something withouth caring too much, just to keep your hands busy?

♥   Scallop Fever #1
♥   Scallop Fever #2
♥   Pattern Runway interview

Interview: Salme Patterns

A while ago, I saw this beautiful dress featured on A Good Wardrobe and I grew curious. Today I'm happy to feature Elisa, who created that beautiful dress and owns Salmepatterns on Etsy.

I'm in the process of trying one of her patterns and I hope to share it with you soon. For the moment, I hope you'll be interested in getting to know her better.

 

1 - Introduce yourself: tell us something about where you live, your origins, hobbies, etc. 

My name is Elisa, I'm from Finland, but have lived abroad for the last 8 years and am now in the process of relocating back to one of my favourite places, London, so I'm currently living out of a suitcase for hopefully not that much longer! I am looking forward to start exploring the fabric stores of this city!

2 - How did you start your shop, Salme Patterns? 

I guess it first started with my own dissatisfaction of sewing patterns available. I felt that they were not up to date seeing that sewing has been taken up by so many young and fashion interested people lately. For example, i couldn't find a pattern for a jumpsuit though they have been so trendy for years now!

3 - How did you choose the name of your shop?
It was a very easy choice, I wanted a traditional Finnish name, but not my own, that doesn't sound incomprehensible in English. Salme is the name of my lovely grandmother, who is also my idol when it comes to sewing and crafting. I am in fact wearing socks knitted by her as we speak! (Houses are cold in London!!)

4 - Do you have formal training (art, design, sewing, etc.)? 

I have a masters in architecture and have also studied patternmaking for women's apparel. My being an architect and knowing so many drawing programs, some graphic design and photography has helped me a lot along the way.

5 - Does your shop support you economically? If not, do you have another job? 

At the moment my shop is just a nice extra income, mostly just making up for my crazy fabric shopping addiction, but lately i have started to see it as a realistic possibility that i could one day do it full time. Salme Patterns has been growing slowly but steadily, and hopefully I will find the time to add many more patterns in the near future and see where it goes!

6 - What are your main sources of inspiration? 

Getting inspired is not a problem for me, i have too many ideas and too little time! I do love to read fashion magazines and go through every single collection after every single fashion week. I mostly get
inspired by beautiful detailing or an unusual cut, rather than a style or a trend.

7 - What are the main satisfactions you get from your shop? 

I have been getting such lovely feedback lately, it makes me so happy and eager to continue. I still feel like a beginner in all this so to it means a lot.

8 - How and where do you advertise your business? 

I don't advertise at all at the moment, but i've been lucky enough to have been contacted by a few blogs who have mentioned my patterns and brought some traffic to my shop.

9 - Do you have any advice for who wants to sell or already sells online? 

I guess it sounds like a cliché but you should really find your niche. Find something that people are interested in, and do it in your own original way. Also, always aim for superb quality, it's as simple as
that. Take all the feedback you can get and keep developing and improving your products.

Burda 12/2011

With my computer broken and all, I completely forgot about Burda! The December issue is already out, but I'll share my picks anyway. Maybe it'll help you make a choice if you don't know whether to buy it or not.

Of course the first issue after my subscribtion expired had to be great.

Just look:

For me, this dress alone is worth buying the magazine. I litterally went "Ooh!" when I saw it. The details around the neckline and the midriff are gorgeous and I have a soft spot for fluttery sleeves. I'm sold.

This, again, is beautiful. It reminds of something I've seen in the book Pattern Magic, but this has the advantage of not having to draft the whole pattern from scratch.

I've been looking for a blazer like this for a long time. There's something about the shape of those lapels that really attracts me.

I think I've already written at some point that I'd love to make a trench coat one day, and this is a pattern I'd really like for that.

You can see the patterns of this issue here, as part of the Burda Archive Project.

Minoru jacket

The pattern has been released, I have my computer back and I managed to take decent pictures: that means I can finally show you my Minoru jacket!

Back in September I was lucky enough to be chosen as a pattern tester for this beautiful jacket. At first, I was a little intimidated by the design, I thought it would be a difficult garment to sew. It was my first experience with Sewaholic, I had only read somewhere on the Internet that the instructions Tasia gives with her patterns are great and I came to discover that they are actually awesome.

This jacket came together so quickly and without any accidents of any sort. I was so surprised! So, if you feel a bit intimidated... don't! You just need some experience with zippers and everything will be fine, I promise.

 

As far as fabrics are concerned, I decided I wanted a cozy, sweater feel, so I chose a heavyweight dark grey jersey for the outside and added some graphic interest on the inside using a black and white houndstooth printed cotton.

Another thing that surprised me about this jacket is the amount of compliments I received for it. And the faces people made when I told them I had made it myself! So rewarding! My mother even asked me to make her one for spring, in a lightweight cotton canvas (we'll see, mum).

My only regret about this jacket: not adding pockets to the outside. I'm one of those people that carries everything in her pockets, so I definitely miss them.

Since finishing the Minoru jacket, I bought the Pendrell blouse pattern and I can't wait to try it. I also have a few tips on princess seams, so stay tuned!