Heirloom Sewing

We were commissioned to make a dress for a returning customer, it was to be in black and feature pin tucks and lace which reminded us of old fashioned heirloom sewing.

Heirloom sewing nowadays is mostly worked by machine but it used to be fine hand sewing usually on white cotton which was trimmed with lace, insertion, pin tucks, narrow ribbon and smocking.  The dress we designed would just feature tiny pin tucks, wider pin tucks and lace trim.

This is a quick sketch and you can see that it is really a basic JSK in a plain colour with the interest coming from the texture of the trimming.

Practise the pin tucks before adding to a garment.  They need to be as straight as you can  make them, evenly spaced and the same size.

When you are confident try them out on a piece of the scrap fabric you are using for your garment and below you can see the tiny pin tucks we used on the bodice.

We tried first of all to sew the small pintucks with a twin needle but found that it just looked like two rows of stitching next to each other and not like a tiny tuck.  Therefore it was easiest to mark the actual fold on  bodice  with a tiny cut in the seamline and then press this and then carefully sew.

On large pin tucks you can mark the first one and then use the width of the presser foot to space the pin tucks which is what was done on the skirt.

It is often suggested that you make your pintucks on the fabric and then cut out for example your bodice.  We chose though to pattern draft my pin tucks on the bodice, cut out the shape and then sew the pin tucks.

To make this more like heirloom sewing after sewing the pintucks some lace was added to frame the tucks.

Here you can see that the pintucks are bigger, approx 1 cm wide, on the skirt.

The finished garment looked like this: –

These are  only snapshots, taken during construction as we always like to keep clients up to date with how their garments are progressing, but  you can see that the finished look is a good one.

I am going to make myself one in burgundy and we are offering one of these in colour and size of choice as a raffle price in an upcoming international Lolita meet.

  

Bow from Gothic Lolita 40

I have been busy sewing dresses and accessories for London Anime Con, The Rocket Complex, N7 8DB on February 9th and 10th 2013 and needed a different bow to decorate a simple gingham JSK.

Looking through my Gothic Lolita Bibles I found a lovely bow in no 40 which had been used for a headband but was perfect for the waistband of my dress.  Unfortunately all the instructions were in Japanese and I had to work out how to put it together.

These are the pattern pieces I copied in paper and then cut out in gingham

I worked out that there was a main bow piece (the top and biggest piece) of which I cut out 2, two tie pieces (bottom right in the gingham) of which I cut out 4 and a small piece to wrap around and complete the bow, 2 pieces needed.

I decided not to cut out the three long strip pieces you can see in paper as these were for fabric to gather and decorate the bow and I thought the simpler I kept the first one the better and easier it would be.

I sewed the ties first, right sides together leaving a gap at the top to turn and then put a pleat in the centre.

Next I sewed the two pieces of the main bow together, turned and pressed it.  I then placed all the pieces together on my table to work out where to sew the above ties.

 here you can see what the finished bow will look like.

Once the placement was determined I opened it up and hand sewed the ties in place

To complete fold the ends of the bow piece in, sew together and finish off with the very small wrap round piece which I had edged with lace.

The bow is now ready for use.

I added it to the JSK which you can see below.  This should be worn with a pretty blouse but you can see the basic dress here

I am making quite a few JSK’s in different fabrics, some dresses and lots of hair accessories, one of which you can also see here, for London Anime Con where I am  going to have a stall.  I am very excited and am working hard to make some lovely items.

Day out in London

I visited London last weekend if full Gothic Lolita coord. I had a great time and lots of compliments. On the station in Richmond a stranger asked to take my photo, in Covent Garden again my photo was taken this time without asking and lots of people said lovely things. My brother’s grandmother-in-law to be said I looked like a ‘little doll’.

In China Town

Drinking Boba tea

Next outing is to MCM Expo and I am planning what to make and wear for it at the moment. I bought some great border fabric in a super little shop in Bath and will be wearing full on sweet Lolita. I have some accessories but am also making some more, a bow headband and a fuzzy brooch are on the list to do.

Progress

One cantonier finished, black lace with a lovely vintage brooch ( for the Gothic Lolita) and I have collected the bits and pieces for the pink one.  In the meantime I have made a lovely bow headpiece with printed needlecord.  My mum had found a lovely shaped bow and I have also covered the actual band in the needlecord.  Photos to take tonight and upload to the Etsy shop.  I am experimenting to see if I get more looks by uploading one new piece each day.

 

The trouble when just starting up is that I have too many ideas, not enough time still and also have to watch what I spend on trims etc.  Working just three afternoons in a coffee shop doesnt equal what I used to earn as a full time pattern cutter.  Still the advantages outway the disadvantages and I am so much happier.