Inespiration: How my friends (and a little Nani Iro) inspire me
By Victoria As-it-Seams - 04:04
What inspires you?
All kinds of things inspire me.
Firstly fabulous fabric. And then Fabulous Friends.
My sewing friendships have been incredible. There are the online sewing buddies in Japan, the US, across Europe, who I know feel are old mates.
I've watched their children grow up in their hand-mades, and their sewing, their lives and their blogs, evolve. We 'chat' like old friends.
And I've had the delight of meeting up with my sewing buddies in Paris, Amsterdam, London (and even enjoying a beachy holiday in Portugal thanks to the wonderful generosity of one of my sewing buddies, but that is another story!)
So when Ines of La Folie Sewing Booth joined us for a freezing weekend in London, her smile and sense of fun drove away the chills.
So I'm thrilled to be part of the Inespired series. Inspired title huh!
Sewing for this was easy - because Ines' style and taste are so likeable. She sews knits a lot - and I am still a novice knit sewist. But a year or so a go she made this incredible Tamarack jacket in Nani Iro, and I was filled with envy. Simple lines, and lovely fabric. That seems to be Ines' style. So I started sewing.
And actually I have another blouse in mind - but I ran out of time.
This one is my 'wearable muslin.'
Yes, I know, it's sewn in incredibly precious Nani Iro double gauze that I totally love - but I have another Nani Iro which I love even more, and so I thought I'd experiment with this first.
I had two pieces left over, one 50cm, the other perhaps 80cm but randomly shaped. But I was determined to eek a blouse out of it. The pattern is the simplest, and lovely pattern the High Low Shirt from Melly Sews, which I've used as a basis several times now.
I didn't have enough for fabric so the back is cut from two pieces - and not in the same direction. Do you think anyone will notice?!
Because it's in two pieces it meant I could borrow an 'inspiration' from another of my dear blogger friends Gioia from Dotta Sews, who has joined the gang in London, Paris and Amsterdam. When we met up in Amsterdam, she looked stunning in another blouse in a wonderful Nani Iro print, with the cutest keyhole detail on the back and neck ties. (Guess which fabric I'm sewing next, Gioia?)
I didn't have enough fabric for Gioia's blouse pattern, but did have enough for this hybrid Melly Sews High Low Shirt.
These are the photos, unedited, taken by my son when he came home from school, in the fading light. I begged him to take them before he ran round to his friend's house. (unironed - because I'd been wearing it all day. I couldn't resist)
"Mummy, what's it worth?" he asked.
"Anything! Name your price!" I thought
Because I didn't want to miss 'Ines' surprise party' for anything.
Love your style, sewing, and your smile Ines!
There's a few of us doing the Inespiration thing today!
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9 comments
Wow, I'm impressed you managed to squeeze a top out of those two remnants. Seriously, I can't see that they are cut in different directions. It's gorgeous and I can't wait to see that next one you are talking about.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a beautiful top, and I LOVE that you used nani iro (I loved Ines' Tamarack Jacket, too)!! The back detail is lovely, and I think your son did a great job taking photos of you. You look so pretty, as you always do.
ReplyDeleteVery pretty Victoria. Yes fabulous fabric inspires me too and I definitely can not see the different directions of fabric at the back (and I looked very hard lol!)
ReplyDeleteVictoria, it's beautiful! It's such an amazing print.
ReplyDeleteYou can never do anything wrong with Nani Iro!
ReplyDeleteI've just come out of my working cave and found this! Amazing blouse and fabric! Thank you Victoria!
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Thanks so much for taking the time to comment. I love hearing from you, and try to reply as often as I can, either here or by email. All views, tips, gratefully received...
Victoria