Neon & stripes / Fluo & marin

Teaser alert! Here are the inspiration for my next sewing project. Basically a best of solid trends from the past seasons, with sailor stripes & neons. In particular I was obsessing over the J Crew Ts below, only to be found in x-small (yeah right...). I also like the lace detail on Stella Mc Cartney's version.
Alerte teaser! Voici les inspirations pour mon prochain projet couture. En gros un mix/remix de tendances des dernières saisons, avec des rayures de marins & du fluo. En particulier, j'ai fait une petite fixation pour le t-shirt J Crew ci-dessous, hélas seulement disponible en x-small (même pas en rêves). J'aime aussi beaucoup le petit détail en dentelle de la version par Stella McCartney.

See you soon for the final result!
A bientôt pour le résultat!

Not so basic t-shirt / T-shirt pas si basique

Inspired by some internet browsing, I decided I could do something similar, for less $$$ & made by me not by some underpaid workers in a faraway country.

Inspirée par du lèche-vitrine virtuel, je voulais faire quelques chose de similaire, les €€€ en moins & l'exploitation d'un travailleur lointain en moins.

I used a gray knit and for the flowers a very light dark purple cotton/silk mix.The finishes are raw (OK that was laziness!): the t-shirt with a small zigzag & the edges of the flowers were left unfinished & raw (not sure of the result after wshing!).

J'ai utilisé un jersey gris chiné et pour les fleurs un tissu violet foncé en soie/coton très fin . J'ai opté (par pure paresse!) pour des finitions "brutes": t-shirt fini au zig-zag & bordures des fleurs non finies (pas sûre du résultat après lavage!).

Pattern U from the Japanese pattern book "Stylish Dress Book 2"

Patron U du livre de patron japonais "Stylish Dress Book 2"

Fabric: Toto - 75 ave. d'Italie, 75013 Paris

Tissu:  Toto - 75 ave. d'Italie, 75013 Paris

Taupe model / Petite taupe

I am not usually a big fan of lace, but given the color, a gorgeous taupe, and the price (5 EUR!) it was impossible to resist. I decided to make a lingerie-inspired top using the pattern "D2" from the "Happy Homemade Vol. 3" book of Japanese patterns.

Je ne suis pas fan habituellement de dentelle, mais dur de résister à cette couleur taupe et au prix du coupon (5 EUR!). J'ai confectionné un top d'inspiration lingerie en utilisant le patron "D2" du "Happy Homemade Vol. 3".

I lined the upper part with a nude color. Other that that no changes to the pattern.

J'ai doublé la partie haute avec une couleur nude/chair. A part ça pas de changement au patron.

Pattern D2 from the Japanese pattern book "Happy Homemade Vol. 3"

Patron D2 du livre de patron japonais "Happy Homemade Vol. 3"

Fabric: "Modes & Travaux", 10 rue Pépinière, 75008 Paris

Tissu: "Modes & Travaux", 10 rue Pépinière, 75008 Paris

Lace & Stripes / Marinière & Dentelles

Spring is officially here in Paris! Somehow the mega-disruptive-volcano-cloud in not preventing the sunshine to come through. Time to seriously think about the spring/summer wardrobe. Browsing through a store on the rue Mouffetard, I saw a cute variation of the ubiquitous sailor stripped top: classic shape... but lace sleeves. How unfortunate that I had just spotted some stripped jersey knit & lace that same morning. So here we go... I worked off of the "O" pattern from the "Happy Homemade Vol. 1" book of Japanese patterns.

Le printemps est officiellement arrivé à Paris! Le méga-nuage-de-volcan-qui-à-tout-perturbé-cette-semaine n'y a rien fait, les rayons de soleil ont réussi à percer jusqu'au sol. Au boulot pour établir une garde robe de printemps/été digne de ce nom. En faisant les boutiques de la rue Mouffetard, j'ai vu un variation de la (presque) sempiternelle marinière: coupe classique mais manches en dentelle. Oh comme c'est dommage... j'avais repéré du jersey rayé et de la dentelle le matin même chez mon (0+0) préféré. Au boulot... je me suis basée sur la "O" du "Happy Homemade Vol. 1".

Surprisingly easy after the silk fiasco of the previous day (I still haven't brought myself to post the mentionned fiasco). Dress, tunique, top with a belt, I am liking the idea & will make a black lace sleeve version.

Trop facile après le fiasco en mousseline de soie de la veille (je ne me suis toujours pas résolue à poster le dit fiasco). Robe, tunique, top avec un ceinture, j'aime beaucoup ce modèle que je vais décliner avec des manches en dentelle noire.

Pattern O from the Japanese pattern book "Happy Homemade Vol. 1"

Patron O du livre de patron japonais "Happy Homemade Vol. 1"

Fabric: Toto - 75 ave. d'Italie, 75013 Paris
Tissu:  Toto - 75 ave. d'Italie, 75013 Paris

Poppy / Coquelicot

Poppy red obsession! It's everywhere is stores (and coming soon in a field near you).

Obsession rouge coquelicot. Vu dans toutes les boutiques de prêt à porter (et bientôt dans un champ près de chez vous).

 As seen on Flicker.  Vu sur Flicker.

My favorite fabric store (address below) of course had several cotons in that color. I chose a coton with a bit of texture and heavier than a Liberty to give some volume to the sleeves in the pattern (A2 from the Happy Homemade Vol. 3).

Mon magasin de tissus préféré  (adresse ci-dessous) ne m'a pas déçu, et avait plusieurs cotons dans la couleur convoitée. J'ai choisi in coton avec un peu de texture et plus lourd qu'un Liberty pour pouvoir donner un peu de volume aux manches du patron (A2 from the Happy Homemade Vol. 3).

Pattern A-2 from the Japanese pattern book "Happy Homemade Vol. 3"

Patron A-2 du livre de patron japonais "Happy Homemade Vol. 3"

Fabric "Sacrés Coupons", 4bis rue d'Orsel, 75018 Paris

Tissus "Sacrés Coupons", 4bis rue d'Orsel, 75018 Paris

"Patriotic" top (works in France & in the US)

I started making this top from my friend Alix who is expecting a bundle of joy. It ended up really big. Mine to keep!

Pattern E from the Japanese pattern book "Happy Homemade Vol. 1" / Fabric "Aux Tissus Belice", Chartres

Competition with Edwige :-)

My sister Edwige beat me in making this top (see her version here: http://ed-and-co-handmade.blogspot.com/2009/08/top-s-happy-home-made-vol-1.html), so of course I had to make it today. This is made from a really pretty Walmart fabric stashed away by me like a little squirrel for 3 + years.

Pattern S from the Japanese pattern book "Happy Homemade Vol. 1" / Fabric "Walmart"

My Number 1 Fan!

Vivi has a huge interest in fashion at an early age. She is always the very happy recipients of all my creations & therefore I have now become her official Parisian stylist.

Pattern J from the Japanese pattern book "Girl's Everyday Dress" / Fabric "Sacrés Coupons", 4bis rue d'Orsel, 75018 Paris

The Ugly Scarf Challenge

Pattern U from the "Stylish Dress Book #2" (without the sleeves)

Fabric: H&M scarf with a somewhat Japanese theme...

The result: better than expected. Added a belt also purchased at H&M that emphasizes the Japanese theme.

The long sleeve version of the same pattern created a few weeks ago. I really love this top!

A "girlier" version of the previous pattern

Pattern #24 from the Japanese pattern book "Otona No Couture" / Fabric "Sacrés Coupons", 4bis rue d'Orsel, 75018 Paris /Liberty Ribbons & Buttons "La Droguerie", 9 rue du Jour, 75001 Paris

My first Japanese pattern! Perfect for the warm weather...

Pattern #24 from the Japanese pattern book "Otona No Couture" / Fabric "Sacrés Coupons", 4bis rue d'Orsel, 75018 Paris

A top for Gudule

Somewhere buried in my 'sewing' closet was a bag which had been forgotten for 2+ years. Fabric had been cut out, and then the previous sewing machine died. I finally finished the top yesterday (Newlook pattern 6239) and not only are the fabric lovely, but I think my sister Gudule will love to wear it as it is now officially summer in France.
PS: In case you were wondering Gudule is not her real name...only a nickname...

Great summer tunique

I just finished a new version of Vogue pattern for a tunique in a dark pink viscose fabric. This pattern also works great in a light knit. A nice top for summer to wear at work.
Don't be afraid if the top looks a bit like the "Borat/Pamela Anderson kidnapping bag" on a hanger, it looks much better worn. Better that way than the opposite!

Pattern Vogue 8278 / Fabric "Sacrés Coupons", 4bis rue d'Orsel, 75018 Paris