Thursday 24 July 2008

not happy amy

I quite like Amy Butler's products, not a the rush -out-and-buy-some kind of like but certainly a leisurely-leaf-through-this-book kind of like - Amy Butler's Midwest Modern : A Fresh Design Spirit for the Modern Lifestyle. The book is indeed a visual feast, full of colour and pattern, excellent photography, a bit of text.

As I was leafing through the book though, getting quite excited by a particularly nifty little dress, it slowly dawned on me that there was not going to be a patterns/tutorial/how-to section at the back for some/any of the projects illustrated. There's just a
recipe for a foot bath (but I don't think that counts) and some instructions on pillow covers. I was so disappointed. It made it seem more like a vanity project, a big hardback promotional catalogue. Yes, I know there's a heap of sewing projects in her other book and I see now that she has a heap of free patterns on her website and ... ok, I love Amy.

But still, instead of going out and buying the lotus dress pattern, I went out and bought this top second-hand instead. I see a resemblance, shape wise, and I know that this fits me a-ok. This is an issue because it is almost impossible for me to find woven fabric blouses or dresses that fit me across the bust. I am tired of always wearing t-shirts and want some items that are a bit smarter. And dresses are so great for summer so I am taking matters into my own hands.

My plan is to pick the top apart (done that) and reverse engineer a sewing pattern from it and add a skirt, possibly with help from the Sidonie pattern on BurdaStyle. Am I crazy?

In other sewing news, I have made a quilt top out of this fabric. Yep, just whipped it up.


Ok, it was just five straight seams but I'm still proud of myself, if not only because I actually did it instead of dreaming about it. Have you noticed that many of my ideas don't get off the ground? Sometimes I feel as though I am swimming in them. This past weekend I bought seven panels of this floral fabric from a garage sale for $3.00. Someone had used them as curtains and I think they were cut down from something else in the first place (a tablecloth perhaps?). So I have re-repurposed them by sewing them back together. Inspired by the very straightforward ideas in Make Your Own Contemporary Quilts I am planning to simply add a layer of cotton batting, back it with plain fabric and do some very simple machine quilting (or maybe just some knots ...) to hold it all together and then bind.

8 comments:

Bird Bath said...

I'll be interested to see the finished quilt - the floral fabric is gorgeous!
I'm finding it easier to re-structure clothes to suit my shape instead of frustrating myself trying to find a blouse that will do up neatly. I'm not always succesful but the process of restructuring is more fun than frustrating.

nikkishell said...

I wasn't too impressed with that book.
I look forward to seeing your Sidonie skirt :)

Jenaveve said...

Me too - wanting to see what you've come up with (it sounds a little tricky, so good luck with it - very brave!)

I hear you on the 'swimming in ideas' bit; sometimes the finished results seem so much better in my imagination ... probably why they remain ideas.

Hope you're enjoying your new home own still. I love that sign from your last post... ('nuff said, hey?!!)

Veronica said...

Good job on the top. you are going to be a busy sewer. Id like to make that hat thats on the front cover of that book...

Liesl said...

Love a bit of a reverse engineered pattern. My most favourite and best-fitting top is one I copied from a threadbare store-bought one.

Happy tracing!

Angela said...

Hello Amelia!

I hope you don't mind but I've nominated you to choose our This Is theme for this week.

I can't wait to see your final reversed engineered dress, sounds challenging but seeing the work you can do I'm sure you'll make it look a breeze.

I'm loving reading your American adventures.

Lisa said...

I bought the book too hoping it was like her others and was so dissapointed. Good luck with the reverse engineered top!

delamare said...

I too agree about the book. Very pretty indeed, but I found the text intensely annoying.