Re-using old fabric
Some time ago (probably 7-8 years) I visited Glasgow, and of course that happened what has to happen in Scotland - I brought some tartan farbric home with me.
This was used to make a skirt that has been used since then, although not as much as expected for some strange reason.

When trying it on some time ago it was clear that it was getting to small (how did that happen?) and the question was - what to do with it? Give it away to charity or re-do it into something else - since I still had some non-used fabric left?
I decided to try the second solution, and went searching for a jacket-pattern - since nice, "homemade", jackets are scarce in my wardrobe. This might seem strange for someone who spends so much time in the sewing room...
The first thing to do after that was to open up the skirt.

 When this was done it was time to check whether the amount of fabric was enough for what I 
planned...

 The first pattern I tried turned out to need more fabric than available, so I had to go for a shorter jacket than planned - luckily I had an old pattern lying around that was perfect.

Surprisingly enough it was possible to match not just all the seems around the body but also the arms - this is how the jacket looks being stitched together for the first fitting.

Why did I buy this fabric?
It happens regularly - that I fall for a thin translucent fabric, which I know I will hate before whatever I am making is finished. Although the result in this case is not so bad, but fun is not the word to be used when describing the making of it....

 The decorative band around the neck was not in the plan from the beginning, but I think it works.

Now I promise to never buy something like this again.....

Time to use the sewing machine again...
Since I had to work in Lugano last weekend, there was no time for fabric and thread - although I was not really complaining...except that it was maybe too hot for my swedish genes.

View from the hotel

Luckily there was no need to work this weekend so finally I could continue with the last summer projects, before it is time to get going with something suited for a colder climate. Although it is still 26.5 degrees Celsius in the sewing room it was acceptable to work.
The project to be finalised today was a pair of trousers, with the fabric being a very nice cotton from Toronto.

 I can see a lot of possibilities to wear these trousers, but one of my favourites will probably be to wear it with this top, a kind of jacket that I found in New York last autumn, at the Off Broadway boutique , and for which I have had some difficulties to find the right match.

It is too hot in my seewing room - nothing gets done!

Interesting exhibition, Zurich

Custom Fitting & Trueing

Blue tunic
The blue tunic is ready - took me just a few hours to make since the pattern is really simple and the fabric very easy to work with.

Since this was one was so easy to make I decided to do one more - in a totally different kind of fabric...we will see how that one goes...

Blue dress
Did it again....planned to finish off this linen dress in a fabulous blue colour

Instead I started cutting two other fabrics...

This fabric, navy blue with white dots, will be a tunic, using an old pattern - already tried this one and it worked very well, unfortunately the red tunic I made the last time is too small and can not be used anymore...
The fabric is a leftover after making a dress last summer, and the fabric I bought in Berlin.

Here is the second one - one of the fabrics found in Toronto earlier this summer. 

Obviously this will turn into a pair of trousers.

So, back to the blue dress - will it be ready in time to use this summer? Something tells me no...

Cutting a suit
Oh, how easy it looks when they do it....

Dressmaking or tailoring for women?

Link to photo                                                                   Link to photo

Here is an interesting text about the Difference between dressmaking and tailoring for women