naaien Archives - Page 8 of 9

Back to school!

It’s not just the children that have to start school again today. Evening classes are starting again as well. So, tonight I’m starting the second year of pattern drawing. On the programme this year: blouses and dresses. I’d better start losing those last pregnancy pounds before we need to take our measurements! I’m a bit ashamed to admit, but I...

Dressmaking for dollies

Today, I found out about the website Dress your doll. Basically, it consists of a pre-printed fabric that kids cut out and then sew together, all to make a dress for their dolls. It kind of reminds me of the old cardboard version, where you could fold the cardboard clothes over a cardboard mannequin. Anyone remember those? Of course, this...

Excuses, excuses

The last few weeks, I’ve missed practically every pattern drawing class. Not a good thing, since classes were already running to an end. Not only did I miss how I did on the test we had last month, I also missed the first part of the exam. Of course, I have loads of good excuses why I missed the last...

From skirts to trousers…. and beyond!

It’s hard to believe, but my first year of pattern drawing classes is coming to an end. Only a couple more classes left. It went so fast! Shortly after New Year’s, we finished up drawing skirt patterns. In theory, I should now be able to draw up any type of skirt for any size and any posture. In practice, I’m...

Preparations

Here in Belgium, the tradition when a baby is born is that all people who come to visit get a little souvenir. The treat that comes with it can be just about anything, but in 99 percent of the cases, you’ll get chocolate dragees covered with a sugar coating. I remember them being just white when I was a kid,...

Vintage sewing tin

My dad went on a daytrip to the Netherlands and saw this vintage sewing tin. And for some reason (I really can’t imagine why, hehe), he thought of me and bought it for me. Isn’t it lovely? Since we had the first snow of this winter only yesterday, I thought today would be a great day to take the tin...

Custom-made skirt

I’m really enjoying the pattern classes I’m taking. I must admit, it was a bit confronting in the beginning. Sure, we had to take each others measurements, I was prepared for that. And that each one of us had to go and stand in front of the class so we could determine where our lumps and bumps were to decide...

Pattern drawing classes

Have you seen this clip? It was used to announce the grand opening of Westfield Stratford City. Pretty neat, hey? I love how the couple dances its way through all that fashion. So pretty! Ah, retro and vintage. It sure is my weak spot. That’s why I took up pattern drawing classes. I’m secretly hoping to design my own versions...

Soul mates

Some weekends ago, we had my hubby’s big 30 retro party. Theme: Soul. That was because disco would have been too easy 😉 My husband asked me to make him a pair of flared retro trousers. Since I had made him trousers before, I just took the old pattern that I already had and flared it. Of course, I wanted to...

How to sew a double-welt pocket

I don’t know why, but I like the look of double-welted pockets in skirts and trousers. They are both elegant and practical at once. So I thought I’d use them in my husband’s retro trousers. Double-welted pockets seem hard to make, but in fact, they aren’t. The most important thing while making them is to be very accurate. So if...