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Topics - Catllar

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1
The Show Must Go On / It starts all over again.
« on: January 05, 2024, 14:12:30 PM »
So I'm off again. I have made so far 7 dirndl-type skirts and little white aprons. 3 more to do but haven't got the waist measurements and I don't think elasticated gathered skirts suit ladies of a certain age - a fitted waistband is a lot more faff but gets a neater waistline.  Miracle of miracles - I also have enough fabric for all 10! :faints:

I've made a start on a set of three - hockeystick skirts with yoga waists  -all done, and  so yesterday I had a go at one of the tops. How old must I be before I remember that Big 4 patterns are enormous?  I had a McCalls princess seamed bustier shape top with a stretch netting yoke and long fitted raglan sleeves. This can be flmenco-ised I thought. Hmm, said I reading the envelope, this pattern isn't big enough in the boobage for me so I did a quick FBA and for good luck added 10 cms to the length and away I went quickly made it up.  We could actually fit all three of us in it. Huge. pinned it in removing 5cms from each side and 6 out the sleeve seam.  Tried it on again - - no way  will it do. The raglan sleeve doesn't move well enough to lift the arms - repinned to shorten the armhole, now it puckers - prototype now in bin and I'm looking for a new idea.  Perhaps an assymetric tunic - yes that might do. ( Again, for once I have many many metres of the stretchy plumetis)

I want to get the costumes  all done before we move in March. I work best to a deadline. I just won't think how many there are to do in total.

2
A Good Yarn / What can I do with this?
« on: August 09, 2023, 10:55:21 AM »
So a few years ago I had a go at a Russian pattern - let's just say we didn't hit it off and I find myself with 25 balls of Polish  ( I believe) thread by  Ariadna, Muza 20. Suffice to say it is worked with a 0.9 hook - surgical size! each ball is about 850 metres, so I've got enough thread to get from here to Perpignan!  As my days of fiddling with teeny tiny thread is over any suggestions what I can do with this bounty - don't say a shawl - it's white and virginal!

Turns out it is tatting thread!!!!! Err, no way. Several threads together to thicken it up??

3
The Show Must Go On / It's baaaaaack!
« on: March 17, 2023, 22:07:50 PM »
The costume train has started again.  Today it's been alterations - 3 dresses , 2 lengthened, one from the top down and one from the bottom, the last one was more of a challenge - needed 16 centimetres taken out of the body,  and shortening. Had to take out the zipper, remove the frills and the facings, reshape the neckline and the underarm scoop. Was a good warm-up for the rest that will now start coming through the Catllar production line!  Also 2 new dresses needed just the zippers inserted but that took a long time as one of the seams had stretched so machining the zipper didn't work well, so I hand stitched. Quicker than faffing about with the machine.

4
Current Projects / Playing with scraps
« on: February 18, 2023, 12:43:13 PM »
Having cleared my room of UFOs and not having the courage to stick another PDF I decided to sort out some boxes yesterday and I came across a box of random jelly roll strips - you know, the ones that didn't work with the  patterns you
were making - all colours, mostly solids - brights and a few autumnals and a couple of small bits  of patterned, so I thought I'd have some fun - I've stitched them all together in a long stream and then fold in half and sew the long edges together and so on until I've got a length of stitched fabric. Depending on how that looks I ight then recut into offset squares and assemble as blocks or slice the whole thing and turn it round  a few times- who knows.

5
Patterns Discussion / The perfect wrap
« on: January 17, 2023, 23:44:15 PM »
I've an idea to make a wrap dress to wear over cigarette pants. I have patterns for neither. I have fabric! I have a blue andsort of caramel print jersey-ish knit and some caramel bottom weight that is crying out to be slim fit pants.  My eyes have gone crossed looking through the indies for patterns that make me go -yessss!

6
Fun with Fabric / Would have been churlish not to
« on: November 06, 2022, 15:09:24 PM »
I went to a Salon de la Couture locally this morning. Wasn't quite sure what to expect so I took MrC's jacket with me that needs a new zipper thinking that gave me a reason to be there. The jacket enjoyed the trip but no habby anywhere on the 20 stands present. Most were local dressmakers and bag makers, a couple of sewing machine shops and one fabric shop ( new to me)  I came home having rescued a 3 metre piece of lovely caramel coloured fabric. For 20 euros. Couldn't leave it could I? It checks out with my  colour palette too. Now it needs to mature in the stash for a while......

7
Patterns Discussion / SA Penelope Woven dress
« on: October 14, 2022, 12:50:55 PM »
Got a notification for this today. I like the look but am a bit concerned with the sleeve shape being cut on and limiting the ability to lift the arms without the dress lifting as we.. I know there is a gusset but that seems only to be adding width to the sleeve without adding to the mobility. Any ideas . I know I'm used to highcut armscyes so I don't make much in that cut-on style.

8
Tech Know How / Fussy fotos
« on: September 30, 2022, 13:41:20 PM »
So I'm trying to load my pix onto the Autumn sewalong page.  I have managed one so far. Total rejection of the one showing my  coat and trousers. Is it a style thing? I am getting the message: This page is not working currently and Sewing Forum.org.uk is unable to blah blah blah.
Could the photo itself be corrupted? I know nothing of the inside workings of the little people inside my pooter! Has one of them tipped coffee over my photo?

9
The Haberdashery / Fabric Marker pen
« on: September 16, 2022, 16:17:05 PM »
Whilst watching a video today I saw the girl using a marker pen for her dart points and balance marks. It looked just like a normal felt tip pen but stubbier. I was wondering if it could be a Frixion but she was using it on a satin and it didn't just run into the fabric, so are there advances in recent months on marker pens that leave a decent mark without spreading into the weave and that, I assume, are easily removed?

10
The Show Must Go On / Flamenca fit
« on: April 24, 2022, 16:17:07 PM »
Had a flamenco evening on friday and last minute we were told we could wear our flam frocks if we wanted too. No need for much pushing there, I dragged out my favourite blue one and shock horror - it goes nowhere near me anymore - ARGGGGGHH. So out came the red spot - nope, the brown and cream, nope, the black and pink - er kind of. So I unpicked the accessible seams and let out where I could and it passed muster - phew.

As for the others I am having a rethink and won't try to make the dresses fit - my fat point is round my ribs, which is why the black and pink fitted me better as it has a deep deep keyhole back that is open to below the bra-line. As for the others the hips and waist bits fit fine so they might wind up as skirts. In fact my blue dress has already been dismantled and is looking very sorry for itself now.  Trouble is that whilst our practice gear is all stretch fabric and veh forgiving, the trad dresses are not.

I'm putting this plan in writing to discourage me from not finishing the alterations. :D

11
Current Projects / Bed runner.
« on: February 19, 2022, 14:29:16 PM »
I decided to make this for room shot photos for the blog - no, just kidding- had some pinks and grey jellyroll strips and had a fancy for a quick and dirty. The bedhead is pale grey and the room is decorated pale pinky and grey wash and there's already a 50 shades of grey and pink wall hanging. Anyway here it is.

12
Sewing Machines / Casting off the mortal coil
« on: December 26, 2021, 15:25:37 PM »
Yes, I think it's deceased - has been complaining noisily for a while but a couple of days ago it went totally haywire - wouldn't stop stitching,  albeit slowly and then it gradually pulled the fabric down through the dogs and wrapped it round the bobbin case all the while accompanying this with non-stop needle jerk. So I fiddled the fabric out, changed needle, rethreaded and then the dashboard lights went all Christmassy, accompanied by graunching and refusal to do anything apart from hum. I wonder if the motherboard is shot. Doesn't owe me anything though and I have a couple of spares( as you do)  RIP  Silver.

13
Patterns Discussion / Blouse for teacher!
« on: November 19, 2021, 13:02:52 PM »
My flamenco teacher has asked me to mke her  boho peasant blouse and I thought I had pattersn galore for those, but no, they went in the last cull.

So I'm looking for a gathered neck- with or without a frill ( I don't think that would be too flattering on her)  that can be worn off shoulder or on, with long  sleeves gathered into a cuff. I guess I need raglan shaping to be able to scuff it off the shoulder.

I have some pretty cotton batiste and some cotton lace for a few sleeve inserts and all I'm missing is a pattern.  She's a big gal with 121cm bust.  Any ideas please? 

14
Help needed. Has anyone by chance got a copy of the 1992 book Tessellations  by Jackie Robinson ( I think) The cover has a sort of black and white quilt on it.

I did have it, lent to someone in a quilt group and yes, you guessed right - never saw it again.  There's a cute pattern in there of tessellated dogs and I'd like to make it again for LGD.

If any of you lovely people have it I'd be really grateful for a photocopy of the pattern etc.

Fank yooo!

15
So today we went to the seaside to make themost of the glorious weather we're enjoying. On the way back it occurred to me I could stop in to Mondial Tissus to purchase some cotton wadding.  No sign of any cotton- only the poly stuff - so I asked the young lady who said - and this is why I thought you all need to know this - "No such thing, doesn't exist" Er yes it does, maybe you just don't have it, was my reply. Only to be told very firmly that if she hadn't heard of it and didn't have it then it doesn't exist.

I do wonder why I ever go into that shop - I usually come out annoyed and empty handed!

So this is a public health warning to all of you quilters :  Please be aware that if you are sewing with cotton wadding of any sort that you are wasting your time because you are hallucinating.  Book an urgent appointment with your GP.

Ordered it on Doughty's when I got home.

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