After the Blue Phase

Time

I hope I have finished the Blue Phase now! 

Winter is fading so I dare to believe and the light has changed, and to fight dullness I made a range of blue Tops. I don't really like to wear black. Although people still associate this colour with me probably because I had a very Black Phase a very very long time ago, it stuck to their mind. Even though it was followed by a White Phase and then a very colourful period.....

I seem to start working on my working days and as soon I am busy time is over. I understand that I have to corporate with my family life but it is like everything in my life at the moment. There is a thought or I start something and in a blink I am taken out and have to do something else. Normal for this stage of life, I still struggle with it and it keeps me feeling fragmented. A good challenge to still get things done, time efficiency is required and concentration. Which brings me back to my Blue Phase. I lack all of it. And chocolate is one of my dearest friend at the moment...oh.

There are only 2 more unfinished tops waiting to be made which feels much better than a pile and I decided to do some other very practical things today. Starting with a hairband. You might think that is boring.  But to wear your hair all day long with an uncomfortable hairband only leaves you with headache and a very bad mood. And although I went through my whole workspace and did a spring clean at the same time (actually quite efficient!) I cannot find my one and only so comfortable hairband anymore. Ridiculous, it takes about 5 minutes to make and I only had one? Made of the edge of lycra - I love using leftovers - it is very elastic but still maintains enough stretch to keep my bun where I want to have it all day long without headache or broken hair.

Next on the list are undies and a bra but I won't go into anymore detail....... Ready for a long long Easter Holiday.......

Comfortable drop crotch pants and a one piece T-shirt

I am ready for spring!

Where have I been? Weeks have past by but it is still not spring.
I could not care less as I am completely into spring and absolutely denying that I am freezing cold. I also had to fight a bad cold which made me even more ignorant to cold!

But, but, but I progressed in my comfortable Hand stitched 
T-shirt project. The last version posted was a drapey one with one seam at the side. This drape was not very comfortable and also not tummy-friendly so I worked on a legere version, which is fun to wear and comfortable, very. Might post pics of this one later.

But now I have moved away one step. This Hand stitched top is made in one piece, meaning I folded the fabric at the shoulders and cut a hole for the neckline. Consequently there are no seams on top of the arms either. This way the jersey is gently hanging on my shoulders. Again words seem not to be able to describe what I mean. Compared to a normal sleeve, the lack of seems in this area makes an enormous difference.

The side seams have only a touch of batman wings. This gives more freedom of movement to the arm but also relaxes the armpit.

I chose Organic Cotton/Bamboo jersey, which feels gorgeous.
This prototype is short but works for layering with a tank top, but I started already a longer version....

Now to the very comfortable Hand stitched Yoga Pants.
I have posted the white version earlier. 

I have made the experience that wearing white only works if I feel comfortable. So I started to design my Kundalini Yoga outfit. I started with leggings, as it was winter and the need of layering required a simple cut for the pants. But now the layers are about to be reduced or vanish, so I could experiment with the shape of the pants. Saying that this drop crotch version is so comfortable that I might stop wearing leggings!!!!! I wish you could try for yourself. The no impact comfort makes such a difference. Additionally there are 4 tucks on each side, which is a nice element and again adds to the comfort.

So I am switching between designing for Yoga and adapting for urban life or designing for everyday life and creating a white Yoga version......

As I did with the grey Valentine's cardigan ....there is now an off white Yoga Version.


Well I am ready for spring.
Actually skip spring, I am ready for summer.

New Grounds - Drape & Shape

How you do it, it's right!

The other day I made my son a sandwich and he came back to the kitchen crying to break hearts. When I asked him what's wrong he said I did not make a sandwich as in half it and fold it on top of each other. I am sure if I would have done exactly that it would have been wrong as well. I am not questioning this behavior but I also can't blame him as I am not very different. 

I need things to be my way. Or maybe that is not true, I just don't want to feel uncomfortable, and sometimes things need a long time to be reduced to the max. When I had an outing to browse the High street I could find nice clothes, but looking closer or trying them on I could only find issues. The material was wrong or seams uncomfortable, it might have looked nice but it was hardly wearable and so on. I had to leave it and cannot call myself a customer anymore, even if I try very hard.

And now I am designing my own clothes I am not different at all. I might be very pleased with a new design but I need to put it to the test and only if I still like it then it will be part of my collection. This might be a too different approach as we live in a throw away society. But I always loved the garments worn to death the most and even when they were beyond it. 

The collection is completed and I am up to new grounds. In the collection I worked a lot with one-piece designs. The idea is that it is more comfortable to wear and a challenge but looks very different too. This time I wanted to drape more. This is even more of a challenge as drape and one piece is not easy to solve.

The top has one seam on one side. The other side drapes. Not too much as I still prefer plain cuts but enough to be a decorative element and shape around the body differently. The leggings are even more comfortable than the Hand stitched Yoga pants as there is hardly any contact to the body. 

Now in test phase and still only a first attempt in a new direction I am sketching and designing already more.....

some things take time

Funny, I finish one thing, what a birth! and my head and heart are already bursting of excitement for the next project to be realized. 

It seems I am always trying to develop a no-feel wardrobe, which is simple, classic, feminine, comfortable, . . . The Organic Cotton Jersey is supergorgeous and a dream to wear, so I am aiming for an Organic wardrobe!

This black Hand stitched dress is short enough to wear with layers but also long enough to wear it on its own. There is one seam at the back and two at the front, which makes it both comfortable on the body and catches the eye. 

I can't wait to see the shop running and invest in those nice Organic Cotton Jerseys with breathtaking dyes!

light works

What I am doing when I am not a nurse.

I am not mentioning THAT weather but I really need a quantum leap straight into spring right NOW. Pneumonia, colds, coughs, and a gale blowing, what else can I do than nipping into the kitchen for some chocolate!

It is sunday and I tried to catch some fresh air with the kids with the motivation to feed the birds in the snow but it ended in crying, freezing and whining. It is just too cold. That means we are having some sort of an indoor camp while trying to recover from a too long lasting winter. 

At the moment I can only dream of working days but here and then I can sneak away for a couple of hours doing some work. The dress exists! And it is almost finished can you believe it! And where is spring?

The patient must be getting better, starting to take pictures again!

A dress on spring strike

Why does it take soooo long?

I feel like slowly awakening, I have no idea from what exactly, but the last weeks were tough with on and off sick family members and disturbed nights and working days to dream of. 

But then I spent the last 2 days in the studio and moved a big step forward. (Ah I almost forgot these 2 days also included the photo shooting - urban i can cu; wow, sometimes I am amazed what i can or cannot fit into one day.) 

The Proto type is finished (the 3 pics to the right), the pattern refined and the black Organic Hand stitched Dress (to the left) cut and pinned! 

I guess this fragmented working experience made it all take even longer and probably I am indirectly striking for warmer days too. But I also dedicated a lot of attention to the cut and pattern. I wanted the dress to be simple but feminine, cut to figure but also allow a natural change of waistline and keeping a good wearing comfort. (I still want to feel feminine and look good even if had some ice cream.)

The seams are at the back and at the front and give a nice eye-catcher. The lack of seams on the sides allow the dress to drape nicely around your sides. The dress remains rather short for now.

The plum/purple Organic Cotton Jersey Hand stitched tunic in comparison has a more flattering style and is much shorter ( . . and is on SALE too at the moment), if you want to take a look in my shop.

So spring, where are you?

woolly warm

Fed up with cold!

I must admit I reached the edge of acceptance. I am too cold for too long. My winter wardrobe is actually quite good with some experience of gale attacked islands but at this point of the season my tolerance is very low and I am seriously fed up and permanently dreaming of warm.

Anyway thinking and dreaming did not warm at all so I just made IT and all for myself!!!

The design is the favorite Hand stitched Yoga Tank Top and it is made of some greyish bluey woolly material.

I started it yesterday out of deep freezing frustration and finished it this afternoon and have been warm since, very warm.

Now I am thinking of a long sleeve extension to complete it . . .

% SALE - get ready 4 spring!

Icancu has a new SALE section to help you to get ready for spring and refresh your wardrobe!

It is January and spring is wanted! 

I am really looking forward to a warmer season and thought it is good to get prepared. 

This new SALE section will help you to refresh your wardrobe . . . . Enjoy!

icancu2.etsy.com