2018: A Revival of Sorts

Hi there! Long time, no see!

It's not that I haven't been sewing, it's that I haven't been keeping up with this place. On the upside, I have kept a paper sewing journal of sorts, so I have some idea of what I've created over the past 18 months since I was last here. 

So, what's new?

I've faced a few fitting challenges over the last year and a bit; first I lost a great deal of weight, so was sewing for a new size, then I've put most of it back on, so I'm back in my original size. That is hard to deal with mentally, but I'm determined to dress the body I have now - for the climate I'm in (which is HOT and HUMID!). 

So, at the moment, I'm sewing all the summer things! I've bought a few new patterns to try, and the stash is still robust, so I'm all set to make a few things. 

I have 2 resolutions for 2018:

1. Tackle only ONE sewing project at a time
2. Get WAY better at photographing my projects - I'd really like to have a more complete record of my sewing next year. 

So, the current project on my sewing table is a StyleArc Marilyn dress in black crepe, with animal print charmeuse for the sleeve lining. I've made several Marilyns before and I love the style. I'm going to be so sad when the cold shoulder/split sleeve thing falls out of fashion. 

I don't have any progress photos to show at the moment, but I will share one of my previous makes: 

Unfortunately, I'm not sewing this size anymore, but the style still suits my general shape. 

I've made 3 others - with 2 of them still in rotation - but don't have photos of any of the others. 

May Sewing Goals

Review of April's goals:

• 2 activewear pieces - I made one which I haven't worn yet. I'm starting to fit back into my old pieces, so I'm thinking I might wait until I have a greater need again.
• 2 pieces for work capsule - I had intended to make a top and bottom, but I got hung up on the HP Shirt Tail T pattern and made 4 of those, all suitable for work.
• Knit 4 more tiers on entrelac scarf - Didn't even look at this one
• Finish fixing Erin's summer uniforms - Mended one, the others are still waiting. She's now in the winter uniform so I have a few extra months to get back around to this one
• Fix Marcus' pants - DONE! :-)

May's Goals:

• A wrap dress (Use up some stashed printed knits)
• A long sleeved t-shirt (Again designed to use up some stashed knits)
• Fit a pattern for slim leg pants (Sabrina Slims and/or HP Tummy Taming Trousers)
• 2 pairs of winter pants (I don't have any pants that fit ATM)
• A skirt to wear with boots
• If time, the Jalie or Style Arc pull on jeans
• Need to get back into the habit of knitting again, too

Keeping Busy in January

There have been a number of things underway in the sewing room this month.

1: Some general clean up and decluttering: 

I still haven't finished (I'm about 70% of the way through my fabric), but after reading 'The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up' on the holidays, I've been inspired to have a big clean out.

I've released some fabric into the wild that I just wasn't feeling the love for anymore, and did a big inventory of what was left. I also took the time to store my fabric neatly, so that I could access it more easily. I love opening the cupboard doors in my sewing room now!

Some of the overflow - lots of denim and some pretty colourful wovens that I want to tackle this year.

My goal is to have all my fabric fit into the two cupboards. It's an ambitious goal, since that means I'll probably have to reduce the stash by 50%, but what have I got to lose? I realise it's going to take me longer than a year.

2: I made some Boxy Bags for Christmas gifts. 

This decision was initially spurred on by my inability to toss out the pink spotty corduroy. I had originally bought this piece of fabric to make a coat for my daughter - several years ago. Inevitably, as children do, she has grown and I no longer have enough fabric to make the coat. It's too small a piece to make anything for me, but I just love it and couldn't pass it on. So, I'm going to turn it into a series of bags - some for gifts, and a couple to store my knitting projects in.

I used the 'No Guts Boxie Pouch' tutorial from So Chick. It was very clear. The only change I made was to the tabs. There was no way my clumsy fingers were going to be able to make those tiny tabs work, so I cut 2 pieces 3 inches x 2 inches instead. I then made sure to position them correctly when stitching down that part of the bag. It just gave me something a bit easier to hang on to in the previous steps.

Version #1: Pink Spotty Corduroy (lined with blue/pink poly cotton); Clasp from Spotlight

I used a lightweight fusible interfacing for this bag, thinking that the corduroy would have sufficient body to support the boxy shape. It kind of does, but I wanted something with a bit more oomph for the next one.

Version #2: Heavyweight denim (a remnant) lined with Spiderman cotton (not stash, specially purchased for this project!); Clasp from Spotlight

I used a much heavier weight interfacing for this one which made it almost impossible to sew. I won't be doing that again, and am looking for a medium weight fusible interfacing to make the rest.

3: My new dress form
I have been working on getting my new dress form into (or out of, depending on your perspective) shape. 

I have followed the steps outlined in the Craftsy class: Customise your Dress Form. My husband has been such a great helper, and so has my daughter. Neither of them sew, but they both happily support all my crazy endeavours.

I'm almost there - the measurements are nearly spot on, but the proportion is just a little off. I had to put this project to one side while I knocked out a couple of the boxy bags above, but will return to this on the weekend.

Sewing Stats: 

Fabric In: 0.5m
Fabric Out: 5.4m
Stash Used 5.2m

Simplicity 1358: Knit Maxi Dress

Seems like January is the month for blogging for me! Ha. If I post one more time this year, I'll have doubled my posting rate from 2015. #lameblogger

First make of 2016!

View: A
Fabric: Poly Knit from East Coast Fabrics - Teal Peacock Print
Size: XL
Modifications: None

I bought this pattern because Spotlight didn't have the McCalls 6559 that I was really after in my size when I went shopping the other day. This looked close enough and had a few more options as well, although no bolero patterns.

Initial Assessment:

Disclaimer: The dress looks VERY different on the dress form as I haven't had a chance to adjust it to my shape/size just yet. She's very new (to me). 

• Fits pretty well straight out of the envelope.
• Weight of fabric is dragging it down further than anticipated, resulting in more bra showing than I'd like (which is none!).
• VERY EASY to sew! Would love to have a couple more of these in the wardrobe.
• Shoulder is slightly wider than I'd like
• I really don't like attaching bands that have been pre-sewn into a circle.

Changes for Next Time:

• Raise underarm by 1.5"
• Shave 0.5" off shoulder width
• Shorten dress before cutting (by 4.5")
• Take in by 1" at bust, narrowing to 0" by waist
• Attach bands before sewing second shoulder, side seams, etc.

Ideas for future makes:

• Maybe try to add an elastic waist?

Finished: 8/1/2016

Sewing Stats: Stash used - 3.0m

I'm hoping that the recent acquisition of a dress form will increase the likelihood of photos being taken (and, therefore, blog posts written). Next step is to pad it out so that it really looks like my shape. I've just finished watching the Craftsy class 'Customise your Dress Form' and am itching to get going. I've got my husband lined up this weekend for a measuring and adjusting marathon, so hopefully I'll be able to move forward soon.

Sewing Goals for 2015

In the spirit of all things blogland, I'm going to make a list of goals related to my sewing that I'd like to achieve this year: 

Fabric: 

• Track usage
• More out than in
• Use up large scraps, throw out the rest
• Work more with wovens than in previous years (This will be an instinctual measure as I don't have any data on which to gauge my success.) 

Patterns:

• Use my Sure Fit Designs kits - at least once each
• Use at least 10 stash patterns that have never seen the light of day

One pattern of many that I have wanted to make for a long time.

Craftsy:

• Watch all unwatched Craftsy classes (and sew the associated projects!). Sewing with Silks is the next one on my list. I love Craftsy and find the video lessons interesting and useful, for the most part. 

Budget:

• Don't really have a budget for sewing, so I'd like to track my spending to see exactly how much I do spend on my hobby

Habits:

• This is my really lofty goal - to do something each day that moves an active project forward. Ideally, I'd like to spend around 30 minutes a day on my sewing, but that's probably a bit too unrealistic.

Other:

• I'd like to sew 4 things per month: a dress for me, finish a UFO, another garment for me and something for someone else (typically my daughter or husband).
• I'd like to document my sewing a little better this year. Getting photos for the blog is difficult (mainly because I'm too lazy to do my hair), so I'm not going to go there, but I am going to try really hard to keep my Sewing Notebook up to date.

The Endless Summer SWAP

Living in Queensland means I have an almost constant need for hot weather clothing. I thought I might have a crack at next year's SWAP, but I'm keen to start adding pieces to my wardrobe right now. The weather is heating up quickly and I don't have anything to wear! So, I'm going to make a start now and see where the plan takes me. Maybe I'll be able to make something work for the time constraints, maybe not. But at least I'll have some clothes to wear this summer!

This is my plan. I'm going to start on the tops first as I have the greatest need for those. 

The colour scheme I'd like to try to work with is navy, green and off-white. I'm going to sew from stash as much as possible, so that might mean a few things aren't as perfectly co-ordinated as they could be. I'm OK with that. 

This is my 'vision' for the SWAP - as close as I could get anyway. ☺

I've already made the grey/white top and have purchased the navy shorts. I'm going to start on the navy top next (after a quick project for my daughter).

30 Minutes a Day for October - Part 1

Main focus this week:

• Muslin for Pocahontas costume (purple nightie)
• Style Arc Susan Skirt 
• Pocahontas costume
• Honey Cowl

Tracking Tasks:

1st - 30 minutes sewing, 20 minutes knitting

• Made alterations to Pocahontas pattern
• Cut muslin 
• Fused stabilizer to back shoulder seams 
• Changed machine to OL and rethreaded 
• Pressed bias strip to stop curling (didn't work!) 
• Worked on Honey cowl - 2 rows

2nd - 45 minutes sewing, 40 minutes knitting

• Stitched and topstitched left shoulder seam
• Applied bias strip to neckline and pressed
• Overlocked to control curling (worked!)
• Pinned and topstitched neck binding
• Stitched and topstitched right shoulder seam
• Stitched in sleeves
• Stitched side seams
• Worked on Honey cowl - 6 rows

3rd - 60 minutes sewing, 15 minutes knitting

• Finished stitching Honey Cowl - blocked
• Nightie: Pinned hem and sleeve hem
• Susan Skirt: Stitched front side panels to front centre panel
• Susan Skirt: Stitched back to back yoke
• Susan Skirt: Stitched side seams
• Nightie: Coverstitched hem and sleeve hems, pressed and trimmed excess hem allowance
• Susan Skirt: Cut and inserted elastic
• Susan Skirt: Turned down and topstitched elastic
• Susan Skirt: Measured and cut hem
• Susan Skirt: Pinned and coverstitched hem, pressed
• Wove in ends on Baby Lucy hat

4th - 30 minutes sewing (went away for the weekend)

• Cut Pocahontas costume out
• Changed machine to OL, rethreaded all machines in brown
• Fused stabiliser to shoulder seams
• Tidied up in sewing room

5th - 30 minutes sewing (went away for the weekend)

• Sewed shoulder seam
• Cut binding and applied to neckline
• Sewed second shoulder seam
• Sewed in sleeves

6th - 60 minutes sewing, 30 minutes 'knitting'

• Overlocked sleeve seams
• Stitched one side seam
• Stabilised hem
• Use Vliesofix to attach trim along hem
• Stitched trim along hem
• Stitched second side seam
• Tried on Erin and marked where remaining trim is to go
• Used Vliesofix to attach trim along marked lines
• Stitched trim to dress, pressed
• Made headband from plaited trim (rejected trim from dress)
• Made and attached pompom for Baby Lucy hat

7th - 30 minutes of sewing (Work Day)

• Tried on UFO tank and assessed for alterations
• Tried on Navy tennis skort (rarely worn) and assessed for alterations
• Unpicked the elastic from the legs of my Navy tennis skort

Review: 
Did pretty well to fit in at least 30 minutes of sewing each day, given that we went away for the weekend and I had to go to work one day. Typically, I don't do ANYTHING crafty on a work day, but because I was tracking, I didn't want to ruin my streak, so I forced myself to do something very low key. Still, it counts!

I think this method has been a success this week as I have three completed garments and have made progress on another. It's been a long time since I've felt this productive!

Next week: 
Need to tackle that Honey Cowl, and get those ends woven in. I've also set my sights on getting that tennis outfit finished and tidying up the loose ends of the Halloween costumes so I don't need to think about them again. Unfortunately, that requires a shopping trip, and I really don't like shopping.

30 Minutes a Day for September

This month, I have been trying to ensure that I spend 30 minutes a day in the sewing room actually doing something to move projects forward. I found that I would head into the sewing room but get distracted by the computer and leave an hour later having accomplished nothing. It's only been the last few days that I have kept track of the actual tasks that I accomplished, but I have found that it's keeping me on track so I'll probably keep doing that through October.

If anyone's interested, here's what I managed to get done over the last 5 days:

26th: Cut out Lady Macbeth costume, fused interfacing to back shoulder seam, started to lay out skirt pattern

27th: Cut out Style Arc skirt pattern from LM costume leftovers, worked on LM costume: stitched centre back seam and one shoulder seam, pinned down trim around neckline

28th: Worked on LM costume: stitched down trim around neckline, closed other shoulder seam, sewed in sleeves, sewed side seams and tried on!

29th: Worked on LM costume: eased top edge of trim, turned and stitched neckline, pinned trim to sleeves; Chose pattern for Pocahontas costume

30th: Finished Lady Macbeth costume: stitched down trim on sleeves, trimmed hem to right length. Worked on Pocahontas costume: prepped fabric, traced and altered pattern.


Goals for October: 

Continue to spend 30 minutes a day working on actual projects

1. Pocahontas costume
2. Buy some gold cord to use as a 'waist' tie for my Lady Macbeth costume 
3. Take photos of the costumes! 
4. Style Arc Susan Skirt
5. Tennis Outfit
6. White Long shorts for me
7. (Yarn-related) Honey Cowl - Nearly done
8. (Yarn-related) Marigold Cardigan - Half done
9. White Burda Plus Top 
10. Navy HP Blouse Back Tee

I know it looks ridiculous, but most of the stuff is half done already - or dead simple. Anyway, we'll see how far I get through my list.

Wrap Dress Muslin

I've been working on this wrap dress muslin for a while now. I find that when I run into significant fit issues it can make my mojo dry up faster than the speed of light. I've been consciously 'forcing' myself to sew for a minimum of 30 minutes a day, so that I can push past this point. Once I have these issues worked out, then I know I'll be fine. I have a number of knit pieces that would work beautifully in a dress like this, so it's worth it to me to get the pattern adjusted properly.

Initially I was inspired by dresses like this Diane Von Furstenberg dress (which I know is sewn from a woven):

DIANE VON FURSTENBERG Starred Clouds Coral Silk Valencia Dress 

Pattern: Ottobre 05/2013 #17

Size: 52 (although I may need to be sewing a smaller size in future)

Muslin made from Peacock poly-knit

Alterations made BEFORE cutting muslin: 

• Added 1" to sleeve width at bicep
• Extended front to be a full width piece (faux wrap) and cropped the under layer
• Added 1.25" to back side seam at butt level

Observations: 

• Dress is far too wide at neckline, bra straps are showing. 
• Dress is FAR too low at neckline - entire front of bra is showing
• It just feels too big overall - especially around the neck and shoulder area
• When I pulled the front crossover tighter, it pulled the side seams to the front, so I can't just do that...there is a chance that I pulled too much across. Perhaps I could do this if I only shaved off a little. 
• It almost feels as though I want to make a honking great dart on the underlayer to pull it in tighter. 

Alterations which still need to be made: 

• Raise neckline (ie. insertion point at side seam) by about 3 - 4"
• Bring in shoulders (reduce neck width)
• Remove length from skirt - not too much, but it is currently at granny level for me
• Bring in side seams, particularly at bust level
• Perhaps sew a smaller size, especially around the neck/shoulder area?
• For summer, sew a short sleeve, perhaps flare the skirt and the sleeve?

Achievable Plans for September

Apparently, goals are meant to be achievable...so I've pruned my original list and have settled on these items I'd like to get done by the end of this month.

I'm kind of cheating a little, because I'm fairly certain I'm going to buy the shorts, at least I HOPE I can buy the shorts. My DD is firmly in that stage where she's being very picky about her clothing, and the rules seem to be arbitrary.

The rest is all simple sewing (as you'd expect from me). I do want to tackle some more complex projects next month, but these garments are more urgently required.

Garment Sewing: 
1.  Knit Wrap Dress - Muslin UNDERWAY - AND THROWN IN BIN. Will start this one again next month with some further modifications.

This is the pattern I'm using - Ottobre 5/2013 - with some modifications to ensure modesty for work.

2.  Long shorts for DD (3 pairs - CHEATER ALERT - DID END UP BUYING THESE)
3.  Halloween costume for me - NEARLY DONE
4.  Halloween costume for DD - HAVE BOUGHT THE SUPPLIES
5.  Tennis skirt for me

Goals: 
Incorporate a minimum of 30 minutes of sewing each day

Shopping list: 
Seam tape

Another Basic T-Shirt - Inspired by fabric...and what to sew next?

So, I picked up this gorgeous printed knit at Spotlight not that long ago. It was perfect for another 'Tilton Tee'...or so I thought. In my excitement over the colours and design, I neglected to think about the stretch.

For the most part it was OK; I've fitted my pattern to need minimal stretch in the knit. But when combining different fabrics, some with obviously more stretch than others, sewing in the sleeve becomes problematic. It took me several attempts to get it halfway decent, and so I left it and moved on.

It's not perfect, but I was over it by this stage, and couldn't see how I could get it any better. It feels nice to wear and I'm pretty happy with the fabric combination, too.

 I've got nothing further to say...same pattern as the previous 2 versions, used techniques learnt in the Tilton sisters' class on Craftsy, yada yada...

Up next is a wrap dress made from (appropriately stretchy) knit. I'm currently deciding between this pattern (Ottobre 05/2013/07)

and this pattern (Petite Plus Easy Wrap Dress) - with a 3/4 sleeve

A Basic T-Shirt: Version 2 - Inspired by RTW

I've had a piece of white floral (almost) burnout knit in my stash since my daughter was quite young. Initially, I thought I'd make a knit top for her, but those plans obviously never got off the ground. By the time she started to voice an opinion on fabric choice, she gave it the thumbs down. I still really liked it but it always seemed too small for a project for me. Enter the wonderous world of Marcy and Katherine Tilton...and THIS t-shirt.

The link on Pinterest is broken now, but it did take me to the Tees and Tanks section of the Anthropologie website...where I promptly pinned a few others for t-shirt inspiration. :-)

And this is what I came up with.

Obviously, I'm not using a raglan sleeve pattern (it's on my list), but I think I got pretty close with the vibe of the top. And, while I've still got some fiddling to do with the pattern for the next version, I'm happy with the fit of this top. It's certainly not a TIGHT t-shirt fit, but it IS one I'm comfortable wearing.

Changes I made for this version:

• Performed a 1" FBA (following the 'Fit for Real People' method) - this added about 1" to the length at centre front, too. That has brought the hemline level. 
• Added 1" to the length of the hem - now I'm wondering if it's too much. I need to see it in a full length photo. Unfortunately, the battery in my camera remote died as I took the photo below. I'm just grateful that I got the photos I did. 
• Sewed the side seams a little deeper (mayne 1/2" max) through the bust area and top of the sleeve.
• Again, I didn't need the 1" fit insurance so trimmed it away after trying on. I do like the confidence it gives me, but I may trim it away from the pattern if I don't need it on the next few versions.

For next time:

The main issue I have with the fit is the sleeves. The drag lines that I'm experiencing are causing me a little consternation, so I've looked into that. Apparently, they can be caused by the sleeve head not being high enough. When I pull up the sleeve a little at the underarm seam (perpendicular to the seam line), the drag lines decrease noticeably, so I think I'm on to something there. For Version 3, I've dropped down the armhole seam at the sides by 1/2" on each side, blending to nothing by the (non-existent) notches. Effectively, this is raising the height of the sleeve head.

Looking at the photos of the back of this garment, I'm also wondering if I made it a little too tight through the back at the bust level. I did take in the garment there about 1/2" at the side seams. I'll have to be a little more observant at the basting stage next time.

I've already got the fabrics selected for Version 3, with a couple more in the wash. So, I'll be able to test out this pattern alteration very soon.

A Basic T-Shirt: Version 1 - My Attempt at Colour Blocking

For the first version of the new t-shirt pattern, I chose a knit I've had in the stash for a while. It's not my favourite print, but it actually turned out a lot better than I had anticipated. So I decided, at the last moment, that I would try to lift it a little by throwing in some grey/white stripe to make it a bit more interesting. It was a difficult print to try to match with - it's not a black in there, it's a dark brown.

Anyway, as far as the fit goes, I'm pretty happy with it in the lower section. It's pulling a bit around my bust although there's certainly enough room to go around. It appears as though the fabric is in the wrong place - more off to the sides, rather than in the front. So, an FBA will be done for the next one. And it's a bit too short. I'll be adding 1" to the hem.

I'm getting diagonal drag lines on the sleeves so will look into what's potentially causing that and see if I can address that on the next t-shirt, too.

I'm super happy with how the neckband has worked out - it's SO flat. And the construction method (using a straight stitch on the sewing machine - basting - a million try ons) seems to have worked really well, too. I'll definitely be sticking with that for a while.

In Search of a TNT T-Shirt Pattern

I really like the style of t-shirt that Marcy and Katherine Tilton design and sew. I've had my eye on their Craftsy class for a long time and, when it was half price last weekend, I bit the bullet. Unlike any other Craftsy class I've bought, I binge watched all episodes and had the whole thing finished by the end of the weekend.

The Ultimate T-Shirt Craftsy Class

Some facts about knits and me:

• I'm not scared of knits.
• I've sewn with many different types over the course of 20+ years.
• I have the appropriate equipment to construct knit garments with a professional finish.
• I love to wear knits.

BUT, I don't currently have a reliable TNT pattern for a basic t-shirt.

That is going to change.

The class comes with a pattern, but I just couldn't wait for it to arrive. I was too excited to get started. I'm using Ottobre 02-2007-02 in Size 52 to perfect a basic pattern which I can then use to make all kinds of variations.

Preparing the Pattern

In The Ultimate T-Shirt class on Craftsy, Marcy Tilton recommends pin-fitting the pattern tissue. While this may seem a bit ridiculous, given that a t-shirt often has negative ease, I figured I hated tight t-shirts anyway so I was prepared to give it a go.

After pin-fitting the tissue, I ended up making a few alterations to the pattern (all in line with the information presented in the Craftsy class):

• adding about 1" (at the bust) - 1 3/8" (at the hips) to the side seams of both the front and back body, and about 5/8" to the side seams of the sleeves. I'm pretty sure the t-shirt would have 'fit' without this, but it would have been a firm fit - with zero ease. Not a look I like for me. 
• The Tilton sisters also sew their t-shirts largely on the sewing machine with a 5/8" seam allowance. I've always constructed mine on the overlocker with a 3/8" seam allowance, but I thought, since I had paid for this class I may as well follow their instructions at least once. So I added 5/8" seam allowances to my pattern. 
• 1/2" was added to the length of the front to allow for the front of the body being larger than the back.
• I also, at the advice of the Tilton sisters, added a 1" insurance seam allowance at the front and back body, and the sides of the sleeves. I didn't end up needing those in the first fabric I chose, but they'll stay for the next few versions...just in case! 
• (Not in the class) In anticipation of problems with the sleeve cap depth, I added a 1/2" to the height of the sleeve cap, blending to nothing by the end of the curve. I still am having issues with the sleeve/armhole, so maybe this wasn't the right thing to do. 

The reason there are two different outlines is because my measurements put me in a size 50, but when I compared the flat pattern measurements to my own, I realised I wasn't going to like the fit of the size 50.

Constructing the Garment

I'd committed, in my mind, to following all the advice given in The Ultimate T-Shirt class I'd taken on Craftsy. In this case, this meant sewing my t-shirt largely on the sewing machine. With 5/8" seam allowance.

There were lots of little tips that I picked up...like

• Staystitching the neckline of the t-shirt. I'd never bothered with that before - on a knit garment. 
• Staystitch Plus on the sleeve cap helped to prepare the sleeve for easing it in to the armhole. 
• Preparing the hem BEFORE sewing up the side seams

I typed up a list of the construction order...as I plan to make many of these. I'd love for it to become automatic - and it nearly is, but there are a few extra steps that the Tilton sisters suggest, that I'd like to trial for a while.

The biggest difference, I believe, is the number of times they had you try on the garment before the finish. I think, even though fit is of paramount importance to me, I'd become lazy with this aspect of knit sewing.

Hemming Tip! Use a piece of tearaway stabilizer under the seams as you are hemming on the coverstitch machine. Finally, I'm able to maintain a straight stitching line in this bulky area without snipping (and weakening) seams.

I AM alive and I have been sewing...

Nothing flash, but wanted to keep a bit of a visual record of what I've been sewing lately...

First up is a series of tops I made based on a RTW top I bought from Autograph last year. I loved the style, but unfortunately, the original top developed little holes all over it after only a month or two. It really just confirmed why I sew.

Anyway, I've actually made 4 tops but one of them was a wadder due to poor fabric choice. It was a mystery cotton blend that just grew widthways until the neckline would have fit over my hips! Yikes!



I look REALLY cranky here, don't I? I'm not that unhappy, my 'photographer' took the shot before I was ready. There's a reason I usually use a tripod and timer! LOL.

I love this version best of all. It's made from a slightly stretchy mesh fabric I bought at Spotlight late last year. Obviously it's very transparent and, rather than waiting until I had the motivation to sew a cream tank to wear under it, I just bought one.

 

It's not been ALL selfish sewing - I've been working on a very involved patchwork floor cushion for my daughter (I'm NOT a quilter and have the lack of skills to show for it!). When I hit a roadblock in that project (lack of black continuous zipper), I decided to dig through the UFO bin and found these PJ shorts that I'd cut out in December 2012. Time clearly wasn't on my side, but I just sewed them up with tiny seam allowances and they fit fine.

Then I quickly traced off an Ottobre pattern (04-2013-33 - 'Ruler' raglan t-shirt) and made a matching top from some scraps I had lying around. I really was using this as a wearable muslin for this year's winter t-shirts. She has nothing to wear for winter! Nothing! And I'm too tight to pay for plain t-shirts when, with a good pattern, they can be made so quickly and with a much higher quality. I loathe twisted seams and that's all it seems you get with store bought t-shirts these days.

 

 

I'm fairly sure there's been other sewing, but I can't remember right at the moment. I may update once it comes back to me. Until then, I'm back to work on the Minecraft cushion.

Another one...but not for me

It's my turn to shine my halo, I think, after a rash of sewing and knitting for others.

First up is another Crafty Mama's Lovely Layers Top. This time, it's not for me, but a birthday gift for my mum. It's in the size L and made from a gorgeously soft Metallicus knit picked up from The Fabric Store in Brisbane.

 

 

 

I just added a simple neckband, same as I have for all the other tunics, and turned and stitched the armhole hem with my coverstitch machine. You can't see it very well in these photos, but I did a rolled hem for the bottom.

Next, encouraged by my cousin to put more effort in to a fancy dress party that my daughter was attending, I sewed her a skirt. Now that might not seem like much, but this was a box-pleated, LINED skirt, complete with a waistband and invisible zip. The only reason I acquiesed to her request was that it looked like a fairly good wardrobe staple that she would wear more than once.

It was an Alice in Wonderland party and she went as the White Rabbit.

I used an Ottobre pattern (6-2012-32: "Jenkka") and made some modifications. Firstly, it's meant to be a loosely pleated skirt, but Miss10 wanted sharper pleats. That was no drama, I just topstitched down the first bit of each pleat and pressed a sharp crease. The only other change was to shorten it (dramatically from this apparently old-fashioned mother's point of view) by about 4 inches. I used a size 146, drifting out to a 150 at the hips. I tried to do a blind hem on the sewing machine, thinking that I'd be really clever, but it didn't work out so well. However, using the galloping horse test, it was good enough and the experience has motivated me to learn how to do it properly.

The skirt is a little twisted in this photo, the pleats are appropriately centred.

We even found a tail!

Finally, a friend of mine is getting married, and she's an incredibly generous person and a lover of handmade things. I've been working on a knitted lap blanket to give her for a wedding gift. It won't be ready in time, I severely underestimated how long it was going to take me to knit this monster...but I know she won't mind. I'm using Bendigo Woollen Mills Classic Wool in 12 ply in the colour Raffia. I like the colour. I don't mind the yarn, but it's unravelling a bit as I knit with it. I'm not sure whether that's just my knitting style, or a characteristic of the yarn or ply...but it looks fine in the finished product. I just have to be really careful not to split stitches.

I'm still working on a dress that I am sewing for my mother-in-law, then I'll be free to focus on some sewing for ME!

With that in mind, I started getting out my summer weight fabrics and putting them in my expedit shelves in my sewing room. I like to have the appropriate seasonal fabrics out on display (they don't get any direct sunlight). Mainly it's for inspiration, but it's also a means of keeping the stash somewhat under control. This time, I thought I'd try something a bit different. Typically, I organise by fabric type. This time, I'm going with colours. This pile of green fabric contains knits, cottons, linens, stretch sateen, georgette, you name it! I'm really keen to sew my way through this pile as green is my absolute favourite colour. I do have to be a bit sensible and balance it with a hefty dose of neutrals or I could end up looking a bit like Kermit!

I think I need an intervention

It's not that this is the third version of the Crafty Mama's Lovely Layers tunic that I've made in the past few months, but that I've still got plans for many more!

 

Quite simply, I'm loving the ease of it all - the sewing AND the wearing.

This time I made the elbow length sleeves. Seeing as though I have fairly full arms, I added an inch to each side of the sleeve. It turns out that I didn't really need to add quite that much. While the loose sleeves ARE very comfortable, I will remove some of that ease for my next version. Oh yes, there will be a next version!

In fact, after looking at the photos, I'm tempted to even go down a size over all for future tops/tunics. It's a very forgiving garment. I have a bust measurement of 121cm, which puts me right in the middle of the largest size. I loathe clingy garments, but I do think I could go down a size and still be comfortable in this tunic.

I used a beautifully soft jersey knit which I purchased from East Coast Fabrics at Springwood - fairly recently, too, so I can't even feel justified about using up old stash. But this fabric is to die for - I'm glad I bought several metres because I'm just about to cut out a t-shirt from the remains. Black isn't supposed to be 'my' colour, but I've decided lately that I don't really care. I like it, and that's what really matters, isn't it?

I made the leggings I'm wearing, too. They are made from an Ottobre pattern, 02-2008-16, graded up to my size (52). I know there's a pattern for leggings in a later edition, which comes in size 52, but I'd already established this pattern as a TNT and it didn't seem to be worth the effort to change. The fabric is a cute, soft royal blue and black animal print from The Fabric Store in Brisbane, also purchased fairly recently.

After finishing the tunic, my only problem was finding appropriate accessories to wear with the outfit. As luck would have it, TS14+ were having a 50% off sale on their necklaces, so I snapped up a few, as well as a gorgeous blue scarf (which I'm wearing in the picture below). I quite liked more, but thought I should show some signs of restraint. There'll always be another sale, right?

Yarny Crafting

Lately, I've been working on a few yarny projects:

A simple ribbed hat to keep my head warm in the snow! I plan to make a matching cowl with the leftover yarn.

 

A Slouchy Bubbles hat made for a friend who's going through chemotherapy.



 

Another Tiny Tea Leaves cardigan. This one is not quite complete. I still have to add buttons and weave in the ends. I originally made this for my daughter, but it's a bit small, so it's going to my lovely niece.

 



My favourite project of the moment! A Windward shawl in lovely Noro yarn. It's quite a simple pattern (hasn't stopped me from making mistakes, though) but I LOVE seeing how the colours change. I'm about halfway through this one.

My latest cast-on...another Bendigo Woollen Mills yarn, this time a 12 ply Classic (100% wool) yarn. I'm making a Cable Blanket for a friend for her wedding in September. I've not used a 12 ply yarn for a while and can't quite believe how quickly this is knitting up. I think I may even stand a chance of getting this project finished on time!

As you can see, I have a few projects that are still in progress. I just can't commit to one project at a time. I get too bored! ;)