February 23, 2015

GINGER, VICTORIA AND DATURA, TOO

The girls are all here! I initially wanted to get some pictures of my newest Ginger Jeans and my new Victoria Blazer, and then I realized I could sneak my Datura in too!

Pattern: Closet Case Patterns Ginger Jeans
Size: 10, View B (high rise)
Modifications: tapered the legs slightly between the hip and ankle
Fabric: Gray brushed denim from Mood Fabrics

First up - another pair of Ginger Jeans... I could not be happier that I have a tried and true JEANS pattern, and that I can have a new pair any time I want!

The fabric came from Mood Fabrics - I had a gift card from my mother-in-law (thanks, Michelle!) leftover from Christmas, and I was on the hunt for bottom-weight fabrics. Side note - I know I'm spoiled by the LA Garment District, but Mood is... expensive. I ended up with only the gray brushed denim I used here for $10/yd (I can't find it online), and this organic twill for $15/yd - which ate up my gift card (and then some). I'm pretty excited to use the twill for pants some day - maybe the Ultimate Trousers?

I decided to forgo visible topstitching on this pair, in favor of a more "pants" look - rather than jeans. The lack of visible topstitching was a blessing in certain areas, but the bane of my existence while trying to get the double topstitching lines on the fly just right.

I made no changes to this pattern, other than tapering in the legs a bit between the hip and ankle by about 1/4" on the side seams - which I've done on both of my other pairs.

I do love this pair, but I realize that they don't hold a candle to my 2nd pair - just in terms of quality of fabric. I can wear my Cone Mills Denim Gingers over and over again without washing, and they look brand new every time. This pair didn't bag out too much after one wear (but they're too stretched out for 2 wears in a row without washing), and the fabric is starting to pill a little bit in the inner thigh area (cue tears).


I still owe myself a 2nd Cone Mills Denim pair from my kit, but it's great to have another pair of jeans in my closet that fit just the way I like, and aren't basic blue denim. Now if Girl Charlee would print white denim with a floral print as they hinted at in an Instagram post - I'd be all over that!

Pattern: By Hand London Victoria Blazer
Size: 12
Modifications: Combined separate collar and lapel pieces into one
Fabric: Poly gabardine from Michael Levine (I think this is it - it was unmarked), with black rayon challis lining from Angel Textiles

This is my 4th Victoria, and the most successful to date. I've finally figured out that the key to a nice looking Victoria is to use drapey fabrics. This blazer is so boxy, that on a curvy figure like mine - it hangs too square in a stiffer fabric.

The fabric for this jacket came from Michael Levine during a weird Halloween sale - the fabric was half off simply because it was black... I guess black suiting-type fabric screams Halloween? Hmmm... I'll take it! :D

The fabric seemed a bit stiff at first, and I initially thought about making pants from it, but after washing it softened right up. I even had enough fabric to cut another Elisalex that I'll finally sew up some day - I even have silver piping ready for the princess seams! The lining is black rayon challis from Angel Textiles, and it's soooooo soft (I love all rayon fabrics).

I made one major change for this version - I combined the collar and lapels into one piece. On my other (unblogged) Victorias, they're separate, and I sort of hate how they never lay flat. Combining them into one piece allows the weight of the collar to hold down the lapels, and I like the look a lot more.

Another thing I really should change for the next time, though, is to shorten the sleeves so the cuff sits just above my elbow. I always roll the cuff up once (as I did above) because it's just a little too long - and the best part about sewing is that you can change the things you wear to suit your tastes!

Pattern: Deer and Doe Datura
Size: 44
Modifications: None
Fabric: Rayon challis from Angel Textiles, and something called "Black Silky-Soft Cotton Woven" from Mood Fabrics

I made this tank over a year ago with printed rayon challis and black cotton/rayon fabric from Mood. I love the lines of the Datura (and the button down back) - and I have plans to make some more this spring (so there'll be more information coming down the line!).


One change I'll definitely make to my future versions will be to lengthen the body about 2". Right now, the hem is finished with bias tape - but it's still a bit short. I love the bias finish (it makes it easier to hem curves like on this tank), so I'll keep that feature - but I just need more length.

15 comments:

  1. The denim I made my Ginger jeans from is at the point where it bags out an hour after I put them on! So frustrating, and I'm hoping like hell that Heather can get hold of more of that denim - this time I'll just pay the shipping.

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  2. Oh no!!! That is so frustrating! What I didn't include here is that my jeans were so stretched out after one wear (I didn't wash them before taking these pics) - that I had to put them in the dryer at my in-laws and borrow some pajama pants to wear around the house while they shrunk back up. And I hope she gets more denim too - no sense in messing around with the cheap stuff if more of that is available!! It's worth every penny!

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  3. These all look awesome! I love your grey Gingers - and you could totally use Ginger to make trousers too. I was thinking about trying that out - change the front pockets to slants and do a one piece back instead of the yoke and then maybe add welt pockets. Just a thought seeing as they fit so well!
    I love how drapey and flowy both your Victoria and Datura look. I have both these patterns in my stash but I haven't tried them yet. Great outfit!!

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  4. Great outfit, so chic! I've been on the lookout for some grey jeans - love yours despite the slightly disappointing fabric. And a black jacket is timeless. I've a black salme blazer on my autumn sewing list....

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  5. Thanks, Heather! What a good idea to make trousers from Ginger!!! I know Mood has some stretch twill that would work (the stuff I got it non-stretch)... Now you have my wheels turning...


    And you should give Datura and Victoria a try! I love the fit of the Datura tank... the darts are in the right place, and there are a lot of cute variations at the neckline.

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  6. Thank you, Sarah! I always love when I can wear me-made from head to toe (and have it look good)! :D This blazer has gotten a ton more wear than any other jacket or blazer I've made! Can't wait to see your Salme blazer - I've never made any of their patterns, but they have some I'd love to make!

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  7. Love your whole outfit! I have some light grey gingers all cut out, just need more free time to get to sewing. And I was so happy today Heather posted a pre-sale for more cone mills denim, so I've ordered some, yay!! (Because my first pair with cheap denim bags out by the end of the day. Although my black denim from fashionfabricsclub can go strong with no bagging for several wears!) Also it looks like GirlCharlee went with pineapples on the white denim, which could be cute, but not really my thing. I wanted some floral too. There were a few on fabric.com that I had my eye on.

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  8. Great outfit! Love the colour and fit of the jeans.

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  9. Thanks, Katie!! Now I've got to get some other denim colors!

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  10. Thank you!! I saw that she posted the new denim... I kind of want to get more (before it's gone!) but I still have another cut of denim left from my previous kit... and I just bought like 30 pounds of fabric in Downtown LA (oops). Decisions...


    Good to know that Fashion Fabrics Club has good denim - is the specific denim you got still for sale? Black would be awesome! And I can't believe the pineapples - so sad! I was really pulling for floral. Maybe they'll get some more!

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  11. Great outfit! I keep forgetting to make another Victoria, so thanks for reminding me! I need a darker one that's easier to pair with things than my print version. And I keep meaning to try the Datura blouse, but have been too unorganized the last couple of summers to get it done.

    Dude, the denim bagging out thing is SO annoying! I've had it to a certain degree with everything I've ever made from stretch denim, regardless of price or where I bought it from. :( For my Gingers, I interfaced the waistband because I knew I'd probably run into some bagginess, so that helped. But it's really irritating!

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  12. Thanks, Sonja!!! I'm so glad to have a Victoria that finally fits the way I want... and it's so easy and fast to make :D And Datura is great - but I frequently forget to make things as basic as tank tops.


    And I hate having to wash my jeans every time I wear them... or put them in the dryer every morning. I will say my kit denim holds up really well - totally worth it to buy the Cone Mills denim from Heather Lou! Also - I'm semi afraid to interface my waistband... in case I eat too big a lunch ;)

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  13. 30 lbs of fabric sounds amazing! fashionfabricsclub has about 3 pages of choices if you type "black stretch denim" in the search. The one I bought was labeled "Deep navy blue with a black reverse", so I actually used the wrong side of the fabric (I had ordered another that was labeled "solid jet black" but they sold out before my order shipped). I got it half price so it was only a little over $3 a yard. I'm sure the quality is nothing near the Cone Mills stuff, but it has had good recovery, although it's a little stiffer than i'd like, but maybe it will break in. I think you can order 1/8 of a yard for cheap if you want a swatch. Saw they have a black cone mills denim for sale on the closetcase files site, but it's not a solid black. I didn't order that one, but I ordered enough of the blue cone mills denim to make 2 pairs =)

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  14. fyi - i just saw that girlcharlee added a floral denim (but i'm not sure i'm sold on it, not really what i had in mind)

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  15. I just saw that... it's nice that the flowers are small, but the colors might be too.... grandmotherly :D I was hoping for something a little brighter!

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