Dressing for Autumn

School is back, the leaves are beginning to fall from the trees and there is a definite chill in the air; Autumn is here.

Are you sewing for Autumn? Here are a few things I spotted that may give you some inspiration.

J Crew have some gorgeous outfits put together, ideal for those such as myself who are incapable of doing this. I'm still feeling a bit frosty towards J Crew, I think I made myself clear on the subject here. But if they really do come to the UK properly, I may be prepared to change my views on them.

I love this coat from Anthropologie. The details are so pretty, it has a lovely pleat on the back too.

I can only dream of being a Boden teen in Autumn, it looks fun and wholesome. It was quite some since I was a teen, I can't pretend it was recent especially since Red recently revealed me. Rather like unmasking a super hero but considerably less dramatic or interesting.

I think I like the idea of capes more than the reality, and to be honest, this model in the Toast catalogue is not really selling the idea to me. But it would be fun to pretend to be Sherlock Holmes, pipe optional.

It can be quite a dreary time of year, so I think the perfect excuse to get a bag like this. Look how big it is - I could fit so much stuff in it. I would never find my lip balm in here, let alone my keys.

I love layering and Whitestuff is all about this, and look at these boots...

OK, they are not that exciting, but I begin to lose sensation in my feet as they freeze over for the winter, and I think these beauties could save them.

I was thinking of taking the kids to look for conkers at the weekend, and look - Whistles have created the perfect woodland outfits for me to wear.  Outfit 2 includes a hat to protect me from

falling conkers and a bag in which to stash them, I couldn't be happier.

 all navy outfits, Whistles, you know me well

 I also love the idea of maxi skirts, perhaps not for a rainy day, but aren't they lovely?

And a chunky knit, perfect for any knitters out there.

And if you are thinking of making something for yourself, then here are a few fabrics that would be great for Autumn.

Loulouthi voiles

And for patterns, coming very soon, the new Colette patterns....

Peony

Jasmine and Clover

Are you making something for Autumn? I'd love to hear about it...

Dear J Crew...

 Dear J Crew: Please dress me in these outfits 

and provide me with these legs.

My latest addiction, Pinterest has led me to some new and very lovely fashion discoveries. If you haven't heard of Pinterest yet, it is a totally addictive and wonderful way to collate gorgeous images from the internet and see what other people are into too.

If you have ever been researching a project about say, Audrey Hepburn, decorating your home, albino peacocks, dressing your kids in beautiful dresses, then you can store all these images on one mood board rather than a confusing bunch of bookmarks on your internet browser. Oh, and it is totally addictive, but I mentioned that already.

One of my latest trips to Pinterest led my to J Crew. All I know about J Crew is that it's an American clothing company that has clothed Michelle Obama. The wikipedia page about them is disappointing, which is worrying as wikipedia has increasingly become my font of all knowledge.

So, to continue the title to this post...
.....................................................................
Dear J Crew, please open a shop in the UK. 

Thanks everso,
Kate
.....................................................................

I shall demonstrate why using the power of pictures.

Dear J Crew: please dress my first born in these outfits.

Dear J Crew: this isn't my colour, but I still like it

Dear J Crew: I think you know my weakness for stripes, 

and this top is all kinds of stripy

Dear J Crew: I like this pleat action, and you 

make your dresses in about 50 different colours.

Perhaps you would consider opening a shop in the UK?

Dear J Crew: this is the mother of all big-bow dresses 

I would never have cause to wear it, 

but I can admire it anyway.

Dear J Crew: perfect for the school run, a skirt and hoodie,

I will stand out from the other mum, thanks.

Dear J Crew: a 6 year old girl in my life needs this dress.

Dear J Crew: a dusty coloured flounce skirt

yes and yes.

I rest my case, J Crew, I hope you are listening. Those of you who are curious about Pinterest, here's something that will make you more curious, you have to ask to join, and after an agonising wait, they will email you and let you join their club. I can get you in the back door though, send me an email if you want an invite and something to sap away your free time...

ps, thank you to the clever Amy who has informed me that J Crew do have a shop on Net a Porter, so I can get some of their collection in the UK. (Dear J Crew - this doesn't get you off the hook, I want the whole lot).

Hunting and gathering top

It's been a really long time since I made anything for myself, I have done a fair bit of sewing recently, mostly bits and pieces for the kids. So when the Innocent voile arrived, it spurred me into action.

I chose 'dress c' from Les Couleurs Francaises, the idea being that I could make a top version of it and layer it with a longer sleeve top in the winter, or maybe thermals. You may remember Kelly made a gorgeous version of this dress in the sew along a few months back.

When I have made my top, I'm going to knock up a matching 

version for the first born, and together we'll go and trap some 

tiny woodland animals in a cute cage just like this. 

The sizes in this book range from 7 - 13 and from previous experience making the tie top, I know I am a size 9 (UK sizing, I am a 12 on top). I could have gone straight to the voile, but trying to be all grown up and sensible (and not wanting to ruin a perfectly good length of fabric) I decided to make a toile first.

You may find these previous posts helpful about sewing from Japanese craft books.

Tracing the pattern from the pattern sheet, I added a number of new steps learning from previous mistakes. I taped the paper I was tracing on to the pattern sheet using small bits of masking tape. If it moves around mid-trace, it's a nightmare to get it all lined up again, and this really helped.

When having a rummage through my supplies I found a number of other patterns I had traced off but hadn't really labeled them properly, so this time I wrote the book, dress, what the piece was and it's size on each shape that I traced off.

I am nearly at the end of my supply of paper that I use for tracing patterns, I'd love some suggestions from you on where to get new supplies. The paper I used was left over from my pattern cutting course and came on a huge roll I think from Morplan. I'm not sure I am ready for 275m of paper yet, given I only seem to make a garment every 6 months, it seems a little over the top. It would be great for the kids to draw on though.

It can be quite confusing tracing the pieces off or even finding them in the first place, so it's best to do this when you can concentrate (read: not on the kitchen table 10 minutes before the kids are due to have lunch and are swarming around you like hungry sharks). Draw around the shape on the original pattern sheet with your finger and make sure you have traced all the markings. It's really easy to miss them or presume they are for another piece. This pattern has a fair few. I made the top about 10cm shorter than the dress giving me scope to cut it even shorter when it was made up.

I made the toile out of an old sheet which is quite crisp and stiff, I think voile will be perfect for this top as it has such good drape and is lovely and light, the tie doesn't want to be too rigid or it might look like a pendulum.

The instructions for Japanese patterns are mostly pictorial, but using my trusty translations (which come with all Japanese craft books at M is for make), I picked out some key terms to help me out. Facing for example is 見返し.

Each step is numbered on the diagrams so that you do them in the right order. It can be a little confusing because, looking at the picture, number 3 is missing. But there is a picture of the finished garment on the first page where each step is labeled. Number 3 is there, but as it's simply sewing the shoulders together, it doesn't need a picture.

I've said this before, but one thing I really like about sewing from these books is that you do have to stop and think at each step rather than blindly follow instructions. You have to think about how the pieces fit together, how they are finished, what order you are do things in. I think I learn more sewing from Japanese books than ordinary patterns.

It's the first one of these patterns that I have done that has included sleeves and darts. It has cute gathered cap sleeves which were pretty easy to fit. I did have to get my course notes out when sewing the darts to figure out which way to press them. In the end I went for downwards, I think this was right, but I'm not totally convinced, let me know if I'm wrong.

I was paying so much attention to this that I made a rather basic mistake.

Is this picture;

(a) a fashion forward garment with darts on the outside as an expression about the female form, or
(b) a blunder by an idiot who didn't check which side they were sewing on?

You guessed it, (b) I sewed by darts on the outside, I am now very glad that I made the toile up first. What an idiot.

The rest of it went more smoothly, the collar took a bit of figuring out, and when I come to sew the final garment, I will need to take my time and make sure my pieces are cut out accurately and the seams all ironed well. I really pleased how it turned out, I've never sewn a collar before.

 
So trying it on for size - and it fits really well, apart from being far too long and the ties need shortening too.

Here is the shortened version, now I have to adjust the length of the pattern piece and hardest of all, choose a voile.

Other developments; my trusty sewing machine has developed what I am trying not to think of as a death rattle. So I have bought tools to give it a bit of a clean and oil up hoping that this will soothe it. I might even have to find the manual somewhere, let's hope this project doesn't stall while I try to figure out how to reassemble it.

Boden Spring/Summer 2011 Preview

Back in May I was lucky enough to go to a preview of the current Autumn/Winter range by Boden. And yesterday I went with the lovely Amy to a preview of the Spring / Summer 2011 collection. There is something wonderfully optimistic about looking at summer clothes while the rain lashes down outside.

I have so many photos, if you are offended by endless photos of pretty clothes and bags, please turn away now. This is a condensed set, I've put them all on Flickr if you want to see more.

want to be a smooth skinned teen again?

The first collection we saw was Teen Boden - you know I am a fan. This wholesome collection was shot in Cornwall and you just want to buy into the whole idea. This year's range sees a larger 'XL' size added on for all those 30 year old's that are actually wearing the clothes, it's roughly a 12/14. As with the grown up range too, there were some beautiful nostalgic prints that I would snap up in a second for M is for make.

Look at this gorgeous sheer top, so simple to make in terms of design, you could draft it yourself and if you could source a fabric like this, you'd need a few french seams. Here is the same top with a vest top layered underneath, you could make a hundred of them.

I really loved the simplicity of this range, the dress in particular reminded me of the designs in Japanese craft books.

And one highlight from the boy teens...

Next, a new collection called 'Boden Limited Edition'. This is aimed at a slightly younger age group of late twenties/early thirties and the garments have a quieter colour palette with some serious embellishment.

With the tag line 'Once it's gone, it's gone for good' this collection addresses a couple of the issues I have with 'normal' Boden. Firstly, sometimes the colours and prints are just a bit to mad for me and secondly, should you brave one and go out wearing it, you are quite likely to see someone else wearing the exact same thing and try as you might to be cool, it's kind of uncool. Boden prints are unmistakable. Limited edition and quieter palette, yes please.

I love the muted colours and prints, Boden can do prints like no one else. But the embellishment was a little too much for me in places, that's just my taste though. Take this top, I adore this print, the colours are exactly what I would choose, and with the jacket (from the main collection) it looks gorgeous. But the embellishment round the neck would put me off.

In some garments though, it was AMAZING. Take a look at this cardigan which is a 'store in your wardrobe and wear twice a year for special occasions for the rest of your life' kind of thing.

The details are breathtaking...

I loved this skirt too, it's the kind of thing I'd love to make. And the coat, I wish I'd got more photos of this, but like the cardigan above, it's the kind of investment buy you would bring out for only the most special occasions. It had gold threads running through it and hook and eye fasteners that looked like you had sewn them on yourself at the end of the most amazing sewing project. And the lining, the details are perfect.

I loved this whole outfit, the colours are perfect. The mac had a really pretty lining (there is a pic on Flickr), the metallic skirt, and the grey top which I would like to pretend I had made. I wish I'd taken more photos of the top but I didn't really want to start wrestling the mannequin, it was quite a civilized affair and the ensuing mannequin domino effect may have ruined the atmosphere.

So while this collection is aimed at me, infact I am edging towards being to old for it. It still felt pretty grown up to me. Perhaps just for special, weddings, parties, not the park or school run, well maybe not a whole outfit.

Next up the main women's collection. It was all staged so beautifully, infact it almost put me off the clothes a bit I was so taken in by the details.

Apparently the room took 16 hours to set up, which surprised me as I would have thought it took a lot longer.

I've talked before above finding inspiration for staging your crafty products when selling them, if you can find the time to set up something like this, they would look amazing.

Here are a few highlights from the collection, the accessories were gorgeous, so many scarves to buy, can you have too many? If you love scarves, I guarantee you will buy one from this collection.

Shoes and bags - every girl's dream? I wonder if it would be possible to re-create this kind of display at a craft show? The pink satchel - it's mine by the way, don't even think about wanting it.

Here's my bag with one of those scarves you are going to want to buy.

I love the metallic bags that Boden have been doing lately, Amy and I were very excited about this one, it has a really pretty lining. You could fit everything in here, makeup, keys, phone, nappies, packets of raisins, maybe even your kid too, it's that roomy.

Loved these books, and the frothy pink presence on the left is actually a bag.

I wasn't sure about this necklace when I saw it, but looking at this photo and with this top, I really like it. Maybe you could re-create it at home.

The print on this top was everywhere, the invite, the posters...

Even the cushions...

This was my favourite rail of the collection, the colours were more muted, with quite a wartime feel like the teen collection.

You are probably going to want to buy this, the other colours are gorgeous too...

And you'll see this around the playground, a Boden pac-a-mac.

Very exciting news for all you mummies to be, Boden are finally doing a maternity range. There was only on show, but what do you think?

From mummies to kids and babies. There was the usual collection of pretty prints, dresses and skirts.

Here are my favourites... loving the collection of different blue prints on the right, and the floral dress had a beautiful detail around the next that I couldn't get a clear picture of unfortunately.

Loved the applique detail on this white dress...

There were some very cute short suits, but the logistics of getting a child to the toilet when wearing one of these might put me off!

The wartime feel was evident in the girl's range too, look at this beautiful outfit,

and in the baby collection too,

There was a baby changing bag too, in a beautiful Marimekko inspired blue flower print.


I didn't spend that much time photographing the boys collection, my boy will only wear orange and dinosaur prints (preferably together), when I explained this to the lady from Boden, she found me not one but two dinosaurs.

I also loved these, again, there is no way my son would entertain the idea of wearing them, but I can dream...

A few weeks back I had an email from Boden asking customers what they should do next, what a brilliant idea. Maybe I should do that at 'M is for make"? Had I replied I would have said a limited edition collection as I know Whitestuff have done this with their strangely named 'So Glad and Very'. So it's a tick there, and maternity, done, another tick. Boden have covered the whole age range, it's quite impressive - does any other shop do this under one label?

Brides would be an obvious choice too, but I saw 2 ivory dresses that would make beautiful understated wedding dresses, and have spotted another in their Limited Edition collection.

After seeing their prints adorning cushions, homewares would be an obvious choice, like Amy Butler or Orla Kiely who have successfully branched out in that direction too. Although maybe that would be too much?

I also really like the way Boden are creating whole outfits for those of us incapable of putting one together on their own (ie me).

So what do you think? I hope I didn't lose you half way, probably my biggest post ever, and there are even more pics on Flickr, head over there if you need more.

Did you find any inspiration here for things you would like to make? Amy pointed me to to Adventures in Dressmaking for tutorials on recreating details you have seen on clothes in the shops.