Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Alexander Henry Camouflage Pinup Girl Cargo pants

Ever since I first saw it I have thought that Camouflage Girls by Alexander Henry was calling to be made into a pair of cargo pants. Last week I had time to make them up and I must say that I quite pleased with the finished result.
The pattern is self drafted based on a pair of cargo pants that I owned years ago but because I have used my own pants block I was able to avoid the issue I often have with ready to wear clothing. Namely the gapey bit around the back waist band. The original pair of cargos had a draw string which cinched in the waistband but if you are going to go to the trouble of making your own clothing, then it should fit properly :) 
Like all good cargo pants there are heaps of pockets, including the box pockets on each side leg, patch hip pockets and back patch pockets. I have used antique brass press studs and buttons. It also has a zippered fly front. If you have trouble inserting a zippered front fly you might like to try using this tutorial. It is by Martyn Smith and I've not had any issues since I've started using it. 

Next I really have to draft myself a pair of jeans, last time I went jeans shopping (5 years or so ago :) I had to try on a dozen pairs to find 2 that fit. Of course there are at least 5 other things that need to be sewn up first.

What's on everyone else's to sew list?
- Ky

Saturday, July 27, 2013

Friday, July 26, 2013

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Hummingbird Skirt hack in Secret Ladybug by Timeless Treasures

I am in love with this skirt & I am in love with how good I feel when I wear it! So many compliments have come my way since I put it on this morning that it impossible not to be bursting with confidence. Even better is the knowledge that I made this skirt (with lots of help from Ky) so no-one else has one like it in the whole world.

We started off with the front of the Hummingbird Skirt by Cake Patterns. I love the structured lines and the pockets. The red and black Secret Ladybug fabric really works well with the black flat piping and the colour blocked sections for the pockets. The pockets are fantastically huge!


The rest of the skirt was drafted by Ky from a skirt block she did for me years ago. Ky figured out the kick-pleat from instructions in one of her pattern making books.
Double inverted kick pleat
I had to be really careful cutting this out. Nothing would be worse than spots that don't line up across the hip line! Fussy cutting isn't easy but I really enjoy it. To me, it can make or break a project. It really adds to a professional looking finish.



Secret Ladybug is a quilting weight cotton so we needed to add structure to make this skirt work (it was designed for a heavier weight fabric). Ky did a bit of research & found the answer - interlining! We used Northcott Colorworks Tomato for the interlining because it was a similar weight to the Secret Ladybug and it also brightened up the reds on the front. Sounds weird but it's true! We put black underneath to begin with and it dulled down the colours when it was held up to the light.

Interlining meant that I had to cut the skirt out twice and hand sew all the pieces togther but it was worth it. The final fabric is soft but thick. It feels so nice against my skin and it doesn't seem to wrinkle as much as a single layer of cotton fabric would when I wear it.

Hand basting the layers together
Basting complete
I sewed up the front of the skirt and Ky sewed up the back. We used a lapped zipper because, for some weird reason, invisible zips hate me and always break. Ky then worked out the logistics of putting in the back kick pleat. The Hummingbird pattern has a big flounce option but I wanted something small & not so showy because I wanted to really feature the front of the skirt instead. Next time, if I use a plain fabric, it will be all about the flounce! We chose Northcott Colorworks Black for the kick pleat instead of the Secret Ladybug to make it a bit more obvious and to balance out the black pocket panels and flat piping on the front.

The original Hummingbird skirt pattern is more straight than mine. This skirt was made for the Rockabilly Riot show so I wanted it to be a body skimming pencil skirt. We made the skirt the same as a Hummingbird and then Ky graded it from the hip line down to my knees in the classic pencil shape. Add the high waistband and voila!


I can't see my love affair with this skirt ending anytime soon!

- Cloud

Sunday, July 21, 2013

New Fabric and Haberdashery in Store this Week - July 21

Good Morning Bunnies we hope everyone is having a lovely weekend. We thought we would start doing a weekly recap each Sunday on all of the exciting new items that have been added to our web store in the previous week. This week we have embroidery supplies as well as some new fabrics by Makower UK and Robert Kaufman.
Top Row
Middle Row
Bottom Row

We also still have a couple of spaces available in the Hummingbird Top and Skirt Workshop, this is a great opportunity to work with the pattern designer. We'd love to see you there :)
Hummingbird Top and Skirt Sewing Workshop with StephC from Cake Patterns (4 weeks from 30 July)
- Ky and Cloud

Friday, July 19, 2013

Fabric Friday - Prehistoric Dinosaurs by Alexander Henry

Cloud prides herself on being able to find co-ordinates for any fabric so I decided to challenge her this week. I asked for 6 fabrics and one of them had to be Prehistoric by Alexander Henry. This is what she came up with.

Top
Middle
Bottom


What do you think of her choices, would you have picked something different? Let us know in the comments. 
Have a great weekend bunnies.

- Ky

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Sewing a Circle Skirt with Voodoo Rabbit Fabric and Funky Friends Factory

A few weekends ago Voodoo Rabbit (Ky and Cloud) had a fun filled sewing day with Pauline from Funky Friends Factory. Pauline and I sewed up some cool 50s style circle skirts and Cloud started a Hummingbird inspired pencil/straight skirt (more on that skirt in a future post ;)

Although a deft hand at sewing soft toys Pauline hasn't really sewn clothing before so this was a new challenge for her and I got a chance to test out my teaching skills. 


Cutting out
Pockets successfully attached to the front of the skirt, now what?
Pauline's first invisible zipper, looks pretty good doesn't it :)

Pauline testing the twirl factor of her skirt - it met her approval :) If you come and visit us at Rockabilly Riot this is probably what you are going to find her doing.

Voodoo Rabbit have some Circle Skirt classes coming up where you can learn how to sew a Full Circle Skirt with side seam pockets, invisible back zipper and a waistband. You will also learn how to fussy cut your fabric so that you get the best-looking skirt possible from your chosen design.
Convenient pockets sewn into the side seams.
If you would like to be part of our Circle Skirt workshop the first class will be held on Sunday July 21 from 10am - 5pm (1hr break for lunch) and the second will be in September. More information and sign up can be found in our webstore: Learn to Sew - Circle Skirt (July 21).
Finished circle skirts, what do you think? Pauline used Tiki Winki Poppy by Michael Miller and I used Hula Skull Black by Alexander Henry.
- Ky

Friday, July 12, 2013

Fabric Friday - Decisions, Decisions, What Fabric Should We Make A You Sew Girl Beauty Case In?

The Beauty Case Pattern by You Sew Girl is a vintage-inspired bag which is equally suited to use as a toiletry bag, a travel-bag for craft projects or simply a fun handbag. Pockets line the lid and walls of a spacious interior, so you have plenty of places to organize, store and carry whatever you choose.

We need to sew up a shop sample and half the fun is choosing the fabric! Here are some of the options we’ve been playing around with.

Pony Love

The Music Lover

A Seaside Holiday

Which combination should we choose? Leave a comment & let us know your favourite - or suggest another combination.

- Ky and Cloud

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Hummingbird Top and Skirt Sewing Workshop with Cake Pattern's Designer StephC

 


Sew a Hummingbird skirt and top with the pattern designer!!

Join StephC, creator of indie label Cake Patterns, to sharpen your garment sewing skills with the Hummingbird Top and Skirt. This is a great opportunity to learn firsthand about Cake Patterns unique sizing system which allows you to create a customised fit based on your own measurements.

Cake Patterns focus is on fun, re-make-able basics for busy women - always with pockets!

Class Details
When: This course with consist of 4 lessons x 4 weeks (12hr total) starting Tuesday July 30
Time: 6pm - 9pm
Cost: $190The cost of the class includes a copy of the pattern but if you already own the pattern there is an option to deduct the cost of the pattern from the class price.

Sign up to the class here.

Hummingbird Woven Skirt
The Hummingbird woven skirt has no-gape panel pockets, back zipper and simple slim, straight waistband (~1" below natural waist). Skirt is suitable for a wide range of woven fabrics - Orange View skirt is shorter and simpler, a workhorse wardrobe staple in twills, canvases or denim. Pink View Skirt is a little fancier with a tail feather flounce and is suitable for non-bulky bottom weight fabrics with some drape.
Sneaky cute fabric inside skirt pockets

Hummingbird Peplum TopThe Hummingbird knit top features a horseshoe neckline, cap or elbow length sleeves and a seamless four-leaf-clover-shaped peplum. (You can also choose to remove the peplum and make a regular tee with the Hummingbird neckline.) The top is suited to a wide range of jersey fabrics with moderate stretch.

Hummingbird view pink skirt with green view top
The Hummingbird Separates have been a hit in the online sewing world, with over 100 participants in Steph's online Hummingbird Sew along class. You'll benefit from her skill and expertise while you learn:
  • knit fabric basics
  • binding necklines smoothly
  • all about ease and proportioning
  • invisible zipper insertion
  • hemming knits and wovens for a smooth, professional finish
  • understitching, seam finishes, and alternate zipper treatments
  • guidance for fitting and design ideas- it's all about you and your sewing!
Check out the Hummingbird Community page on Flickr to see more Hummingbird skirts and tops in action. 

- Ky 

Friday, July 5, 2013

Fabric Friday - Spooktacular Halloween Fabrics by Blend Fabrics


Halloween is every day here at Voodoo Rabbit! Team it up with a retro repro / vintage feel and it really pings on our fabric radar. We don’t really like the ‘traditional’ pumpkin fabrics that are available for Halloween but this range is the exception to the rule! Spooktacular has been designed for Blend Fabrics by Maude Asbury (she also designed the Crabtastic range that Cloud loved so much). Bright pumpkin orange, black, greys & chartreuse green combine beautifully. The colours are bright and punchy but still have that retro look with the use of 50’s Letraset style shading dots. The designs are simple and reminiscent of Americana advertising signage and have bold images of Witches Brew bottles, skitty-kitty Cats, grinning Jack O Lanterns and flying Bats. Just perfect!


Top Row
Middle Row
Bottom Row


As an added bonus, Blend Fabrics also have a free PDF pattern download for this rather fetching table runner! I (Ky) want to make this up so much – I am a sucker for the stained glass look and the fabrics themselves are just too yummy to resist. Perfect hallway decoration for Trick or Treat time this year, no?

Are you decorating for Halloween this year? We’d love to know what decorations you make / sew / create for one of the most fun days of the year.

- Ky and Cloud

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Hummingbird Skirt Sew Along - Part 3

I did manage to finish my Hummingbird skirt last week, I've just been a little bit lax with telling the world about it :P



So after my last post I spent the day looking at the skirt and finally decided that it needed contrast topstitching. I unpicked the front seams just enough so that I could go back and topstitch the pocket and then the front seams. This is why it takes me so long to sew anything. I tend to make and unmake it at least once.

After inserting the invisible zipper in the back seam it was time to baste up the side seams and do a fitting. At this point I realised that you shouldn't trace off a pattern using your measurements from memory. I'm actually an inch smaller around my waist and 1/2 inch smaller around my hips than I thought. I still would have had to trace off the 40" pattern but I would have taken the back waist and dart in to a 29" waist instead of the 30" that I used. 

Luckily this pattern seems to be quite forgiving for large adjustments on the side seams. I think I took in the waist at least 2cm on each side and the hips 1.5cm. Once the fit was sorted I pressed the side seams towards the back of the skirt and topstitched in contrast thread.


The back has an invisible zipper and I chose a metal press stud for the waistband closure to keep in with the denim theme.

The hem length before I took it up sat around my knees and made me look very frumpy. I folded it up 10cm but it looked way too slutty. This is a 5cm hem which is just right :)

Overall I'm quite pleased with how this skirt turned out, it didn't take too long and required very little fitting.

Previous posts on this skirt can be found here:
Hummingbird Skirt Sew Along - Part 2

-Ky