Losing Interest

Really, tell me if you don't lose interest in sewing when reading something like this:

Shoulder seams quilt, at the lateral seam lines beginen exactly and/or end. Quilt the shoulder seams to fitting. Vord. Fit to the front part, rear walls. Fit to the backs quilt. Seam additions in the foremost and back iron.

Side seams on the upper section, shoulder seams at the trimming quilt.

At the skirt courses the folds in direction of arrow insert and festheften. Rear wall. Skirt central joint quilt, the slot open leave. Side seams quilt. Skirt on upper section quilt. The seam additions iron upward.

From the outside in such a way it puts and festheften the opened zipper on the backs that the denticles with the rear walls. Edges lock. The tape ends thereby hit. Zipper volumes approx. 2mm beside the denticles and along the band edges stitch, in addition zipper füßchen begin.

Seam addition inward iron, by hand sew on.

Sleeve seams quilt. Sleeve seam additions inward iron and by hand sew on.

The sleeves kept use. Shoulder pads insert. To belts see model 111.

Well, it's an English google translation from Burda magazine German edition.

It's a kimono.

With a different take.

It's an adaptation of a kimono worn under a kappogi. This is how Ms. Hiroko wears it:

Photo via here

And this is how the model with the adapted top:

The back of the collar stays true to the traditional kimono collar

Kimono and kappogi in one layer

nooy S/S '09 collection
photos via www.nooy.jp

Is it or is it not Liberty?

So. I didn't make that dress.

Instead, I made a blouse that only took up 1 yard of my (precious) Liberty. The pattern instruction stated that the material needed is 1 m 50 cm. Well, I spent some time arranging my pattern pieces in the most frugal manner. It paid, because now I'm left with 1 meter leftover to make something else with.

(to give an idea of) the fit

The length of the blouse hits about 3 cm below my natural waist. It's a little, 1 meter top that features fluttered sleeved and twisted bias tape neckline . The neckline is all hand-sewn. I finished the top in about 3 or 4 days. I worked slowly, trying it on quite frequently to check the fit and especially the sleeves. It really winged out at first--which I don't like.

(hopefully) up-close

The original pattern actually requires for a seemingly heavier weight fabric. The sleeves and neckline are not supposed to be iron-pressed to give a bouffant look. I didn't press the neckline, however, I may have had accidentally pressed the edge of the sleeves. I don't have a ham so it was difficult to press the shoulder seams flat to prevent the sleeves from winging out without touching the edge of the sleeves.

As for the title, I showed a friend this creation who was so curious to see what I came up with my first and exhilarated Liberty. Her first reaction was: "This is not a Liberty... Liberty doesn't touch and feel like this."

Erin from A Dress A Day once posted here her uncertainty about the "printed in Japan" selvage of Liberty fabric she found in Nippori, Tokyo. I have browsed the Internet about this matter as well but remain unsure about the status of my fabric. I bought it cheap though. Hmm...

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Pattern: Happy Homemade vol. 3
Fabric: 100% light weight cotton
Notion: thread #60 and needle #11

Chocolate pudding gone wrong

I used to think that anything you make with chocolate can't go wrong, until I tried out this Best Chocolate Pudding. Originally I intended to use up leftover gelatine to make something similar to Indonesian puding that uses agar.

I knew that pudding and puding are not the same thing but when I looked at those ramekins filled up with that dark gooey chocolate substance, I could not resist the temptation. I had all the ingredients on hand--they were not many, read the instruction--quick and easy, and convinced myself for the last time reading the comments that follow the recipe. At 10.30 pm we went to bed hoping for nice chocolate pudding to gobble after brunch (it was weekend).

In the morning...

It was gooey--exactly which the author raves about--and was not anything that we had expected. It had cornstarch in it and I could still taste it. The next day the upper layer formed a skin to the rich chocolate liquid underneath. The next two days, my husband and I believed that it was chocolate ice cream. It had the kind of consistency of ice cream that you move from freezer and leave in the fridge for an hour.

I'm not sure how to rate this recipe but I'm sure not making this again.

I like it, but won't wear it.

I finished making a dress from Stylish Dress Book Vol. II a couple of days ago. Would love to post a picture but we don't have any camera yet. I can always use the camera on this computer but it's too much a hassle. So that you can imagine what kind of dress I'm talking about, it's this:

Photo via tiny happy

When the second volume of the sensational Stylish Dress Book came out, it caused such a stir in the sewing blogosphere that I googled to find out what is in the book. (No, I didn't run to the bookstore even though I live in Japan.) I was not impressed at all seeing some pictures uploaded in some blogs, and was especially not interested in the dress pattern that made out the cover of the book, thinking what a silly way of using such delicate fabric as Liberty. Until one day, I got the chance to look at the actual book and closely examined the instructions. I still insist that the patterns are not new--they are the old patterns from the previous volume with some modifications. However, these modifications are a bit major, and precious to me. I can learn new techniques, such as making buttons with loops instead of buttonholes, or adding smock and simple embroidery to a dress. I was bought.

Of all models, the first dress I made from the book is the dress in the cover. I have 2 yards of Liberty fabric--my first Liberty yardage, ahem--and have been looking for the the right pattern for it. I finally decided to make a muslin out of old bedsheet the style D that is described by the author as "the boxy dress".

Apparently to me, it's not a boxy dress at all. It's an oversized T-shirt that I used to have back in the days when Grifone graffiti skater's shirt was considered cool. When I was in junior high, they made this style in knit/jersey, now they re-invent the style again in Liberty. I was like, huh??

But anyway, I became even more curious. So I did it and it was a snap! Easy peasy. I especially love the sleeves, which in the making were so easy to attach. But, the beauty of the design is that you can opt to leave the sleeves and have a batwing style instead. So, you see, the body and (cap) sleeve is all in one pattern piece. Easy, right? Despite it's t-shirt like, I like the outcome. It's comfortable yet modern. My husband seems to like it even more than I do.

Well, it's not what this post all about though. It's rather about the length of the dress. It's been some time for me not wearing short dresses. When I was young and skinny, about 3 years ago, what considered cute and stylish was the knee length dresses or longer. I still have those dresses and, trying them out now, I feel like they need to be refashioned to keep up with the world today. However, I never really feel like a short dress person. In fact, my thighs are just not so flattering in minis.

I'm glad I made my new dress in muslin. When I wear it and do my activities in my usual manners, I tend to reveal my body parts too much. Although the dress is very comfortable when I stand up and move about, it's not the case when I sit on the couch or on the floor. Hence, I googled "how to wear short dresses".

Well well, I'm not the only one with the problem haha. The links suggested that I wear boyshorts, or leggings, or even wide-leg pants underneath. The idea is the older you are the less revealing your outfit should be. I agree. The Japanese, with their continuing love with wearing layers even throughout the summer, will undoubtedly wear a pair of leggings or stockings underneath. Possibly the cropped ones. The cuter/kawaii types will probably go with pettipants (developed from the idea of petticoat, in the form of pants) with lace trims. But, I don't think that look is for me. Sometimes, when you're not Japanese and you dress like the Japanese do, you'll end up looking silly, if not pushy.

I'm still thinking whether I should make the dress or not. But surely, I won't make it using my Liberty.

Using up my scraps-Part 1

She likes it. That's rare.

Distracting myself from Stinchcomb

This weekend I cooked quite a lot. It's a long weekend in Japan, starting from Friday 20th. We had plans but none of them worked. We were too lazy to keep up with our own plans, blaming it on the weather--one day rained, one day was surprisingly sunny.

Friday dinner I made Tahu Telor from this recipe, which made great peanut sauce. I served this with bean sprout and kyuri, hoping they would off set the calories from the fat. Oh by the way, Tahu Telor is Omelette (of 4 eggs) with Tofu, dressed with mild-hot garlicky peanut sauce. Husband was pretty impressed with both taste and presentation.

Saturday dinner we had Buffalo Chicken Wings from this recipe. Hot hot and we licked them without shame because they were so wonderfully yummy! Another great thing about it is that it's baked instead of deep-fried.

I also had 2 bunch of spinach I needed to use so I made Chicken Spinach Quiche minus the chicken, but added macaroni for some carb for the toddler in the house. Hmm.. good. But we couldn't touch them more than we wanted to because it had all the good things in it (read: cheese, full cream milk, and mayo). Too bad the kid didn't care for it. I think it was too salty for her taste. Well actually it was too salty for me too, so...

Sunday morning we had pancakes for breakfast. We've been having pancakes three days in a row and haven't got bored yet. I'm loving my new basic pancake recipe from Martha Stewart I found from someone's blog. I forgot what the blog was. Before, I always made pancakes using my trusted Fluffy Pancakes recipe, and used buttermilk by adding 1 tablespoon lemon juice to the milk. I tried out the new recipe out of curiosity for I believed that my trusted recipe was unbeatable.

It's beaten. Martha Stewart's Basic Pancake is certainly basic but somehow makes fluffier pancakes than the Fluffy Pancake recipe. They're easier to make too; no buttermilk needed and they will come out fluffy anyway; and use only one measuring cup. Plus, it reveals a secret to soft and fluffy pancakes: to not overdo the mixture. I used to mix my flour hard and long so that all the lumps are gone. Turned out that lumps are not a bad thing.

Sunday lunch we had the leftover of last night's dinner. Then we watched "27 Dresses". I was kinda hoping the movie was loaded with nice dresses like in The Sex and the City. But apparently it was about 27 bridemaid dresses that I can't use as inspiration. And I'm not going to rate/review the movie. Afterwards, I cooked Beef Curry for my husband's office party he's attending. It was quite a big batch since the portion was 4 times bigger that we usually cook for ourselves. I finished around 5 pm and now is attending my potates roasting in the oven, using this recipe.

Now that the cooking marathon is over, I eventually have to face him...

... the Stinchcomb.

I've been working on this guy since October 2008. It was supposed to finish before Christmas but I had to put it off due to making capes for our choir. I already cut the pattern pieces and the fabric for the jacket. Later, husband decided that we had to come home for Christmas and visited my sick father-in-law. When we got back in Japan in mid January, I had several other unfinished objects, apart from the Stinchcomb. I decided to finish easier stuff before diving into the jacket. I also managed to finish a Lydia using 100 yen knit fabric bought from Nippori which turned out way too big for me although I made the smallest size.




Look at that collar. Ohh... And the topstitching. I never thought that topstitching could be a serious issue but it is.

This jacket is hemmed and the sleeves are done. I'm still waiting for my muse to arrive so I can attach the sleeves and proceed with the lining. Really, from here on it shouldn't take long to finish the garment. But all I do is avoiding it for the whole weekend. Maybe it's because the fun part is over. Now I know how to construct the collar and lapel, which I failed miserably because now there is a hole at one corner of the collar.

I certainly have learned a lot from trying to sew this jacket. One lesson is to have a storebought jacket instead because struggling to sew one is just not worth my time and effort. Besides, I have no idea what horse hair is and am clueless as to where to find one. And I'm guessing that those materials needed for a decent looking jacket is not at a price I'm willing to pay. You see, I sew stuff out of frugality and I'd like to stick with it. Uniqlo has a range of beautifully sewn men's jacket with, based on this Stinchcomb experience therefore I concluded, a nice price tag too. Making this will be my first and last attempt on men's jacket. Although I can't wait to try my hands on Steffi with lighter fabric due to my machine limitation. So it should be a spring jacket. This spring? I don't think so.