Thursday 8 September 2011

Curtain Couture


This morning's car boot sale was pretty lame and I was back early enough to get cracking on one of my new dressmaking patterns from Kitty, the 1970's McCall's "Wrap-around Pantskirt." I've bought silk "magic pants" in India before and they've never suited me but using a heavier fabric these feel more like one of my beloved maxi skirts than a pair of flimsy pants.

Pantskirt worn with TopShop vest (50p, car boot sale), Velvet platforms (£9, Office),  Leather Gladstone bag (20p, Jumble sale), vintage Panda hat (£4, Birmingham Settlement)

The fabric I used was one of a pair of 1950s bark cloth curtains I bought from a jumble sale for 10p more than 3 years ago, I used the other one in my patchwork curtains and made a few jumbo-sized tote bags for friends from the rest. 


Carnelian pendant (£1, car boot sale)

The pattern claimed to take 90 minutes to make but by the time I'd finished it was nearer two hours. 




I bought my felt hat when I was out with Liz last Wednesday. It was one of three that somebody had donated that morning. I swear I nearly died of excitement when I spotted them. The manageress of the charity shop has asked me to send her a few pictures of me wearing them for her catwalk wall in the shop! 




There's a jumble sale this evening. Hopefully I'll be reporting back with some interesting goodies tomorrow,  it's where I got my leather Gladstone bag from last year. 


57 comments:

  1. Yeah I'm first! Sitting here listen to Type of negative looking at you~Vix I love this last picture of you looking over your shoulder so pretty you are! Nice job on the pants they totally look great!

    BUT BUT BUT hold the freaking train because that hat has me beaming.....I LOVE IT!!!!!! Does it have a kinda metal band?

    better luck later today. I am still so jealous that pennies buy you something somewhere. Homeless peeps don't even have use for pennies here in the USA.

    Have a lovely day sweetie!!!!!

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  2. I`ve seen these pant skirts things being demonstrated at the Metro Centre. Yours are totally fab. Love the hat and bag too.
    Dx

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  3. Krista's right, that last picture of you is soooo beautiful. You SHOULD be on a catwalk!
    Good work with the "wraparound pantskirt" (that description just about covers all the bases, doesn't it?) Wonderful fabric, and all done in 2 hours? Excellent!
    Fabulous hat. You do look good in a hat. Oh, and I'm very taken with your pendant too.
    Good luck for this evening's jumble xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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  4. Talent meets Curtain and out comes almost Instant Couture! (And those colors really sizzle.)

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  5. I love your pant skirt!! It looks amazing!
    Jules @ juleslovesthe80s / A Bit of Jules

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  6. Wow you really did whip those up!! They look fabulous!! I really need to try a vintage pattern sometime. These turned out so cute! And I think the heavier fabric worked well...Ha I can't believe those were curtains! Well when you got it you got it and Girl you so got it!! you are multi talented....bummer the sale did not turn up much that just means your money was being saved for something even better waiting for you :) Great pictures love the purple hat you wear it well ~Hope the next sale yields some treasures for ya ~Love Heather

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  7. Hee hee, I love the trousers! Honestly, only you could pull off this outfit combo Vix - if you tried to explain to someone what the outfit consisted off they'd think you were mad!
    Hope you had a successful jumble sale x

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  8. Hooray for curtain couture, that pantskirt looks great! I think pattern makers tell porkies when they say how long one should take, but 2 hours is pretty good going. Hope you find some good things at the jumble - there hasn't been one here for ages!

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  9. Nice work on the pantskirt sewing project, they look gorgeous on you.

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  10. I have this pants pattern and have made them many times, but never thought of using vintage curtain material, you clever Vixen! That hat is sic (street slang for too awesome for words) and you are rockin it! -T

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  11. They look great Vix! I have a few pairs purchased in France years ago. So wish I could sew.

    X x

    Ps loving the hat!

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  12. Vixcita,
    Only you can look so good in curtains gypsy pants. I love the pattern and material. I agree the Indian ones look like they shited themselves and the material is usually far to thin.
    that panda hat is amazing and in purple even better. oooh how exciting your a natural modelo. about time they realize your the Queen of all charity shops.
    my fave foto of course the last one of you looking so sexy.

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  13. This Look I Hot! I LOVE the purple mixed with the orange hues from the pants. That hat is Amazing too! It reminds me of Jimi Hendrix. I Looove Jimi Hendrix!!

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  14. Lovely Vix, I'm so in awe that you could make something so excellent in a mere 2 hours. I'm such a slow sewist!

    I'm so envious of your hat too, its fab. I wonder how many times I've left the words 'so envious' in your comment box.

    Xx

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  15. amazing ... u such a genius.. love your dress...
    http://fashionstyle-pk.blogspot.com/

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  16. That hat really suits you.
    You are so clever with sewing and make some amazing things

    xx

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  17. The hat is pimpin', sistah. I dig it.

    Love you loads,

    SB

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  18. Oh wow what you have made is really cute! I am digging that pantskirt.
    And the purple hat is fabulous.
    Good luck with the jumble tonight Vix.

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  19. It is truely amazing what a pair of curtains can be made into ;-)) Love that fabric it just makes you smile and feel warm. You are great at making clothes you have so many wonderful talents.Good luck tomorrow at the jumble sale, dee xxx

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  20. The fabric is perfect, it sure is a little strange seeing you in trousers, but you look beautiful as always. That’s by far a fabulous hat xxx

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  21. Fabulous as ever that hat is so wonderful!
    I think you need to update to my new url:http://fashionpearlsofwisdom.co.uk/ so you will still get updated when I post - I didnt forsee this problem as it is OK for some and not updating others - driving me mad as everyone thinks I am not posting :( x

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  22. The hat is heavenly!!!
    The pants are amazing!! Love that fabric!They look bloody comfy and styley!! I gag for that bag,darl!!
    I gag for YOU!
    Ooo,hope you find some exciting goodies at the jumble!!!
    Love YOU!!
    Helga xxxXXXxxx

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  23. That hat is so gorgeous and really suits you! You are very talented, I wouldn't know where to start with making clothing! xx

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  24. My Mom had that pants pattern - she loved it as it gave her some elegant "hostess' pants for when guests came over. I was just trying to recall how those things worked, it seems they were a bit complicated.

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  25. Two hours to make a pair of trousers? Why does that sound like some kind of impossible dream! They look fantastic - love orange and purple together x

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  26. Awesome sewing, love those trousers! The fabric is so cool :)

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  27. Love these two colors together!!! And that hat and necklace are just the perfect touches.

    ♡ from © tanvii.com

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  28. Those pants are absolutely fabulous! I love them! :D

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  29. Brilliant! I love curtain trousers! (I have lots in a shape like this that are frequently compared to curtains!!) That hat is madly cool!

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  30. Pants look awesome-you ARE on a roll! Love the colour combo.xx.

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  31. All hail Vix AND those AMAZING PANTS!!!

    I cannot tell you how much I just ADORE them - the pattern, the fabric - they are perfection, amor!

    That hat is killer and you do look particularly DIVINE in the last pic.

    Loveandspecialsauce, Sarah xxx

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  32. great pants! The fabric is awesome, I love the warm tones and the paper bag waist!

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  33. nice complimentary colour outfit!

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  34. that hat and those pants are just incredible! i love them plus what a great job you did with the pictures.

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  35. I love how you make clothes out of curtains! I'd say two hours is not bad going - those pattern estimates were always insanely optimistic!

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  36. the purple hat is wonderful. Methinks I had me some britches like this once upon a time.

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  37. I am loving the color combo. I hope you are having a fun September!:D


    ***** Marie *****
    allthingsmarie.com

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  38. The chazza shop ladies should wallpaper their walls with pics of you in your outfits and pay you a fortune for them!!!! J'adore curtain couture Vix, these are splendido my lovely - what an incredible hat, you look utterly adorable!!!!! xoxoxo

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  39. Love that hat, but as you know I do love hats! The colour is awesome. Great pants, I have some but I knot the bottoms together so they are less flared, but I know you like flares :)

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  40. Great job on the trousers! That hat is stunning too

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  41. Freaking gorgeous trousers. 2 hours? I'm still struggling on a top I started making months ago. Actually, that's a complete lie, I'd sort of given it up but seeing those trousers is inspiring me to give it another go. xx

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  42. I have had the same issues re wraparound trousers- my sis often brought them back from Thailand and Cambodia but I found them too flimsy- but I have a pair from the late 90s (New Look, around the time The Beach etc' made anything like that v trendy) in heavier British-weather fabric and they work well!

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  43. You've done a great job on the trousers; I like the paperbag waist on them. You proved that orange shades go really well with purple.

    Hope you did well at the jumble too.
    xxx

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  44. Wow that is a very cool hat!!

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  45. Fabulous trousers. Is there any fabric left? A little matching tie top would look amazing with them.

    That hat makes you look as though you are about to take someone on a crazy 60s mystery tour. Fabulous xx

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  46. Amazing! They're also called palazzo pants, aren't they? I can imagine that the pattern took longer than anticipated... It would have been the perfect look for the Harvest Festival. Perhaps next time? I will definitely report back! xoxo

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  47. Shame this sale was rubbish. But you look absolutely fabulous, so you haven't lost out! Can't believe you made those out of curtains... amazing! xxx

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  48. whouu, I'm really busy these days, but I need to comment you're fabulous in your orange pants, so pretty vitaminic fabric!, and I'm admiring your ability as a seamstress!
    besos

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  49. hey there groovy chic.

    omg, that pendant and hat! and yes, fab pants!

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  50. those pants are amazing.great job.love your hair.purple is so pretty on you.xx

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  51. How did I miss this?
    Great hat, and how clever are you making those pants out of a curtain?
    I hate to say it, really do, but those pants have 'Autumn' written all over them.
    Sorry Vix!

    Lucy x

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  52. ohoooooo, those pants are too gorgeous. well done!

    http://wardrobexperience.blogspot.com

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  53. you have an absolutely amazing unique look about you. so glad i have found your blog! xxx

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  54. You look so fabulous in all colours & I love this purple hat on you! Most sewing patterns take me longer to make up too.....love these wrap around pants that you made from curtains ( I just finished sewing a dress from my curtains too lol)!

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  55. You're so clever with a sewing machine, Id have never thought to make those trousers out of curtains, well done.
    You really suit that shade of purple too.

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Lots of love, Vix