Restoring an old waistcoat
This is an old waistcoat that my father bought when he was young, it must have been sometimes in the 50's. 

Sometimes in my teens I started to use it, but when I moved out 25 years ago it was left at my parents house.

When I visited Sweden recently I found the waistcoat again and decided it would be fun to restore it to its old glory, and my father was so kind to let me take it with me. This is how it looked before work started:

The first thing to do was to remove the lining and open up all the seams. 

It was then pressed and the parts were used to make a pattern out of it - I plan not only to cut the new lining from it but I might also make a totally new waistcoat out of it!

Next step will be to find lining - have been thinking of several different colors, but I start to think that a kind of beige / light grey lining (they way it was) is actually the best solution.

Sometimes there are better things to do than sewing....

Sölden, Austria

Quick visit to Edinburgh
I am on a quick work visit to Edinburgh, Scotland, and passed this shop earlier today:

"Ede and Ravenscroft", bespoke tailoring on 46 Frederick Street - ede and ravenscroft. I really want to get in here and look at the inside of the clothes - to see how it is supposed to be done!
Unfortunately there was no time to stop here today, but there will be more work trips here in the coming months, so next time this shop definitively will be visited!

Time  for pants 2
I got my Marlene pants ready for Barcelona! And not just that, they were ready 4 weeks in advance - not really sure how that happened...

The pattern was of course pretty easy, and since I removed the pockets and moved the zipper to the side (which makes it quicker to sew) work went really smooth. 

I have plans to wear some nice, large belts with the trousers so I made the belt loops large...9 cm.

 In order to make it symmetrical I added a button on the left side as well, although it has no function at all...

Front side of trousers, with small pleats - when I do trousers with this pattern again, which I definitively will, I will make these ones larger.

 Now, I do have a blue fabric which I planned to make a dress of, but I am  thinking...maybe another pair?

"The most beautiful clothes that can dress a woman are the arms of the man she loves. But for those who haven't had the fortune of finding this happiness, I am there." 
-Yves Saint Laurent

Time for pants








At last - work has started on a 
pair of grey pants in a nice light
fabric that will be perfect for the 
work trip to Barcelona in mid-april. 

This is the pattern that is being used, and this is how they are supposed to look when they are finished:

 
I decided to do some minor changes - the zipper will not be in the front since I am not so fond of that, will put it at the side instead. I will also skip the pockets, since I never use them, and do not really need the bulk from extra fabric.
Now I just need to get started.....

Time to finish off the clothes for winter
At the moment we have 15 degrees and sun during the day - so it is really time to finish off things to be worn mainly when it is cold.
The last skirt for this season is in a tartan fabric - again (no, I never get tired of tartans)- bought by the man in the house when he went to Scotland some time ago. I used a pattern that I have tried once already, making a black wool skirt at the time

The pattern was found in Burda nr 10, 2008.

I guess you can say that if the black one is more discreet - with the new one I might be more noticed!

 Details of pleats, back and front

 Side without zipper

 Side with zipper

Inside with blue lining.

I am sure it will still be cold enough to wear it for a few months, long enough to work on the summer wardrobe - cotton and linen, it is time for you now!