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It's been soooo long since my first weekend project posted. Well I'm still making my clothes, so far I finished 5 more dresses, top and skirts. But my laptop was down in last 2 months, I could not do anything other than checking my stuff from Iphone. Here I am, i got the laptop fixed and starting to load my stuffs up   I will get others posted when I got the photos done. 

This dress was made for Valentine's Day. I've done it during Thursday evening and couple hours on Sunday. We had such a busy and special week /weekend: my husband birthday, our wedding annyversary then Valentine's Day.

We had a small party at work for Valentines, cakes, chocolates... red  and pink colors were seen everywhere. It was fun and I think we all enjoyed it.   

I fell in love with this fabric. Believe me the dress's cost is not over $7. It was tretching lycra (inside layer) and pressured bonded lycra (outside layer), basically 2 layers with a shiny, a bit of glitery and leather look. The sleeves were black mesh fabric  (not stretching) combined with jersey leather look-a-like knit. The dress is more beautiful with oversize self bowtie on V-neck. It's flexible to use as simple front tie (like man's tie) or a scarf cross over the shoulder.    

The dress's construction was very simple. The bodice was stitched in front center as a tube. Of course I had to measure it fit my hip round and the length that I desired. Then with basic construction, I draw down where the waist line, bust line, shoulder line lay on fabric and then the width fit with my shoulder and bust' measurements. Next, cut out arm-holes for sleeves  

The most difficult was to create darts for waist fitting and the dress's form. So I decided to have 2 hidden darts at the back, and 2 front darts with 2 paralell top-stitched lines which started from bust's points, going down (angle) to outside hip points. I'm very pleased with this front darts which created very flattering, clean cut and a nice form for the bodice's front.   

The shouder part was a bit different. The shoulder on front bodice was cut short 3 cm, so I gave the shoulder on back bodice an extra 3 cm to go over and attached in front , then parallel top-stitched . To get stronger look, I used shoulder pads for this dress The band for bowtie was 10-inch width folded stiched from between these shoulder attached lines and back neck. From there the band was opened as its full size with zig-zag edge.

There were 2 layers at sleeve's wrist and I used zig-zag scisors to cut out the edges, top layer was a bit shorter to show double edges.  

I love this dress and defenitely it was a hit at work for Valentine's Day. Hope you all like it.  

V.V.MODE - Designs and Life Styles - DIY without pattern

"More than just sewing" - Cloudyhn

This is the latest dress - cut last night - stitched everything together - and put final touch this morning. I love the fabric pattern and it's 100% cotton. Fabric: 1.2m and $6 cost

The same with the previous post, this one was cut the same way but wider. I attached shoulder seams, dress's side seams from bottom hem to high waist point; Then attached front and back of each side from waist to underarm point. Insteads of darts for the back I stitched 3 lines and put through 3 elastics around the dress. Shoulder was lengthen also, I stitched the hem and put elastic thru the top shoulder part so it wrap around upper arm . Neck line was cut very wide cut, regular hem and put thru elastic also.  

Bottom hem was top-stitched lace white trim for decoration

V.V.MODE - Designs and Life Styles - DIY without pattern

"More than just Sewing" - Cloudyhn

Recently I went for simple dress styles. I meant not much for details but it could come out nicely and clean look as I wanted them not to be too fancy for work. I like to put on suit outfits but my work clothing code is casual wear. So sometimes it's too formal if I keep wearing suits. I have to change to fit in the environment but still WELL-DRESSED. This fabric lycra/knit - $12 for 3m. This dress is less than 1m so it costs $4

 This dress is 2-hour dress done about 10 weeks ago. 4 darts at back, front has elastic stitched underbust line. I lengnthen shoulder down 10 inches more in order to reduce cutting sleeves. From the outside shoulder point, I cut an angle cut down to waist point - created V-shape for the dress's top. This would simplize alot of sewing: stitched 4 darts at the back, stitched 2 lines directly on 1/8 inch elastic(underbust line), attached shoulder seams and dress side seams - from bottom to waist, then stitched from right side from waist straight up to under arms. All hems were done as narrowed rolled hems by serger machine. 

  With Shoes, Purse and little solid color cardigan or light suit

It's good to go for me.

V.V.MODE - Designs and Life Styles - DIY without pattern

"More than just Sewing" - Cloudyhn

This dress actually was made 2 years ago - Kimono style. I was so inspired by summer colors and Kimono at that point of time. It was self-tie at bust front but then the fabric I used kind of not good quality, so I took out - pretty much all dress and changed to this light blue - stretching medium weight satin and added the bottom band instead of regular hem. I did narrow the sleeves to easy to wear to work ( before sleeves' width was very wide as kimono's short sleeve - I had to wear underdress to cover up abit)  Total cost $7

Here is the final look

Close-up the front top 

And the back 

Finally I got some photos taken today. I'm too lazy to write review so I kind of giving up posting review on patternreview website. Too much work, too much time to spend on each review. Also I'm not good at writing - and no pattern used so I guess it's no help to PR  readers. Oh well ... what can I do. This could be good enough for me .

V.V.MODE - Designs and Life Styles - DIY without pattern

"More than just Sewing"  - Cloudyhn

Since I got my new job last Christmas I made myself 6 dresses. I have to admit that I'm dress lover. You can see number of the dresses I made through my website in last 2 years. Believe me there are more than dresses posted here that I did not have photos done to put on my blog. Anyway this is one of the 6 in last 4 months.  

Fabric is: cotton/rayon - Poppies Batiks prints 

Cost: $4 for fabric, $2 for lace and snap bronze buttons

It's like dress shirt with front buttons which are 3 bronze snaps from waist to bust area which leave the neck open about 3-4 inches like V. The front skirt is fixed - stitched occationally as distance between snaps. 

The dress bodice top is fit with low cut round neck. After binding I top-stitch gathered light brown lace around neck line. Top bodice and skirt part are separate pieces. To connect them together I made the waist's band and stitched to connect top and skirt part (not top-stitched on fabric).   

Long sleeves with a bit of gathering on shoulder part of the sleeves, loose around upper arms and evenly narrow to my wrist. Sleeves have hidden hand-stitched hems

The skirt part has 8 big darts around waist (4 darts in front and 4 pleats for the back). These will give a lot of room for the bottom - bigger than A -shape but not like full-skirt ( skirt's hem round measured about 60 inches ). There 2 side hidden pockets. Also hidden hand-stitched hem as the same with sleeves' hems. Lining for the skirt only which is attached from the waist band, opened V in front like attaching lining with skirt with zipper . There is no zipper for this dress and the front is able to open down till zipper level - easy tp slip in either way: in from the top OR over my head down.

V.V.MODE - Designs and Life Styles - DIY without pattern

"More than just Sewing" - Cloudyhn

It was funny that I supposed to start my project for Knock-off RTW Contest on PR. Insteads of taking out the fabric pieces for that dress, I pulled out this piece of stretching cotton/lycra knit. I loved this print pattern with uneven stripes combined so many colors that I like. Overall it was very nice combination and so touching. it's My own design and flat drafting pattern.

To get more fun I cut the dress's sides by using black knit for contrasting. Because there was no dart, I cut out at center of the top part from underarms and evenly curve down to hip. so from hip down to bottom hem, the skirt part was double width of the bodice part.

Sleeve length was about over my elbow with a lot of gathering from front arm over shoulder to more the half of the back arm hole. I gave enough sleeve width at the top part so gathering fabric dropped down naturally at center of the sleeves. The bottom part was fit with my arm. I cut 2-inch width black band (4-inch and folded in half) for sleeve band.  

To match with the sleeve I cut 3.5-inch width band for dress hem. But I used oppersite way with the dress pieces - So black fabric for the band's front and back center  and stripes fabric for 2 sides. Was it fun and had its own character??? I loved it.

So here is the litte center-gathered black piece for bust front decoration. It was like a long leaf shape with top-stitched black lace trim - which matched with lace trim I used for binding and to control the stretching of the wide round neck (deep cut at the back). 

I can't wait for warmer weather. I'm gonna wear it tomorrow  with my black leather blazer 13oC is not bad.... 

Hope you like my design.

V.VMODE - Designs and Life Styles - DIY without pattern

"More than just Sewing" - Cloudyhn

I prefer warm color clothes,  rarely have cool color tones but I changed. I recently bought quite a lot cool color fabrics mostly blues, navy, greys... I thought about that so I've done this dress last Wednesday. God knows how I finished it in just 2 hours.

Fabric is Floral wool fibers mixed knit and black cotton/lycra knit.   

Wide neck with big width ruffle. Front bust mixed by black knit. All edges are binding and hems by black stretching lace trim.

Front bust was ruffled to connect with the bodice. Short bell sleeves.

V.V.MODE - Designs and Life Styles - DIY without pattern

"More than just Sewing" - Cloudyhn  

I know I did not post anything for so long (feel like). I made quite many things : dresses - 4, panties -3 rencently but I could not find time for me to dress - up and do photoshoots for posting. Well ...I tried  

This dress is a bit different construction. There are 2 pieces. The top part is is long sleeve tunic with full size bell style. The bottom part also considering as lining dress with bottom part designed with 2 layers : one is mini-skirt (folded-band), top layer is another full size bell style. Together the dress's lower part has 3 layers. Kind of busy look at lower part so I decided to keep the top part simple as much as I can.

Fabric: printed wool knit. Interlock knit I think. so I keep the edge as it is without hemming.

The sleeves are quite long (cover till my fingers) so I can pull up to my wrist or fold up to my elbow.  

Lining combined with stretching silky knit with lace straps - gathered at front bust. (sorry I did not iron it - so wrinkle )  

For this construction, the dress (top layer) can wear like tunic with leggings, skinny jeans, shorts or separate mini-skirt - what ever comfortalbe with.

The print in these photos is kind of not impressed as it is when I wore it. Actually it did really good job as I felt like my body disappeared under the garment. I know I'm skinny anyway. But my point is if you worry about your tummy or hip .. this type of print is perfect for cover-up. Don't you think?

Everyone is waiting for warm weather now but for me it's still so cold. (0 oC this morning - feel like -5). To be honest, I've never found a real hot day in summer here in GTA. So I'm right now still stick with wools, knits and leathers. So I'm not ready to pack my winter clothes away yet, Sad ... isn't it ? Cause I saw alot of women go to work without nylon (tights), flat shoes, short sleeve shirts. Well I can't right now

V.V.MODE - Designs and Life Styles - DIY without patterns

"More than just Sewing" - Cloudyhn

Ok here is the dress that I'd put in my list of 10 items for Endless Combination. But It did not happen cause I started my new job earlier than I expected. I stopped at the 9th item. If I had my choice I wanted to start in January not December which was the most busiest month of the year.

 I know the fashion trends are now crazy on detail, detail and details. So I ... like right now want to go opposite way which is simple stuff but still make it charming and fresh with accessories used. With the style of Vogue 1208 I want to use a floral brown,beige,dark pink tones to create the tight bow on one shoulder. That would be nice.

I feel like finding the way of simple things...I don't know . What do you think? Or maybe I'll put some types of sequinces and beads on top shoulder part then move down bust area  

Fabric used less than 1m left over from the Brown wool Skirt (the 1st item of the Endless Comb. Contest)   

Style: fitted at top down to hip then  A-shape bottom.   

Cutting technique: still using simple block cutting basis.

• Shoulder part a bit wider, over the shoulder bone. Armholes were cut fit, plus I used stretching brown lace for binding. It wrapped around nicely.
• There were 2 darts at the back for bodice's fitting. I wanted front had a clean look so I could used as many accessories as I could.
• Neck line was binded brown lace as well.
• The dress hem was rolled hem. Took advantage of stretching wool I said to myself why did not adjust threads abit to make it tighter and while serger was running I pulled and stretched the egde as much as I could. So here we go the hem had a lot of winding edge.
• There was no lining for this dress as I love to wear separate underlining dress.  

This dress could be a quick project for sewing if you just have 1-2 hours spare time. Cause of simply I finished it just over 1h abit. I was happy with the dress form and style also. 

V.V.MODE - Designs and Life Styles - DIY without pattern

"More than just Sewing" - Cloudyhn

Fabric: 70cm stretching off-white cotton corduroy  

Style: fitted and short. All seams were flat felled seams. 2 gathered style pockets appliqued at the back. Lining. It will be nice with jean fabric also.

The top was fringe light knit. Loose style, gathered at hip and wrists by elastic thread. Narrow rolled hems for wide-neck line, sleeves and bodice. It's simple style but easy to fit to any occation: work, shopping, lunch out ...  

 V.V.MODE - Designs and Life Styles DIY without pattern

"More than just Sewing" - Cloudyhn