New Years Blanc Tee

I needed to get some elastic. Nothing special just 1" wide stuff that's good for waistbands. So I popped down to my local Spotties and got some and of course got sucked in to purchasing some fabric. I couldn't help myself - post Christmas sales, lots of fabric, lots and lots of fabric. I had been thinking about what I would wear tonight for New Years. We're not doing anything big, a few friends at our house. But I like to make an effort. I hadn't made my mind up until I saw all the metallic knits. Shiny! Immediate inspiration struck - a blanc tee. A TNT with a difference. I whipped it up in the afternoon. 2 hours from cut to complete. And I love it. Happy New Year!

A new friend

Guess what I got for Christmas? A dress form! Woo hoo! I have had my eye on mannequins for years. And when Stitch56 had an extra special special I took the plunge and bought a Lady Valet. Sigh! I told my family that this would be my present from everyone. They were fine with this, making it a (relatively) guilt-free purchase.

I had lots of help setting her up. Everyone wanted to get in on it. And whilst we were setting her up, we had lots of fun coming up with an appropriate name. I would like to introduce you to Doris.

So here Doris is wound out to my measurements with some padding and a plain tshirt. I am currently researching how to pad and cover her properly. A recent make is covering her up.  I have been asked that she not be left unclothed. Apparently various family members have been freaked out. You'll be seeing a lot more of her here.

Sleepwear!

Does anyone else struggle to find sleepwear that suits? Remembering that in the southern hemisphere we are in summer, currently I can find PJs that are shorts and Tshirts, granny nighties (lightweight cotton, gathered at the neck on a facing or yoke) or Tshirt nighties. None of these appeal - for all kinds of reasons. So I started to think about making my own. So what do I want from PJs? Comfort, decency (don't need to scare the kids 😉), cool (as in not too warm), some shape. Hmmmmm... nothing in the shops fit the bill. So I started a Pinterest board - sewing: pyjama inspiration. But nothing jumped out at me saying "I'm the one!" So I thought about what in each pattern I liked. Words that describe my likes: feminine, some shape, "not granny", decent, cotton (!).

I used an old nightie as the basis for pattern. Baby doll cut (a slight a-line), ruched bodice, and a bit longer than anything I've seen. I measured everything and then created pattern pieces. Back and back facing (identical), front (ruched) and front facing, and skirt front and back. I started off with identical front and back pieces but that changed 😉.

I scored some extra special fabrics at Spotties, Isa Form Fishes. I love it. My sister is living in Scandinavia right now so it has extra meaning. And as an extra special I have heaps left over - enough for a present for her?!?

Construction involved: gathering the front (EPIC FAIL - I need to work on my gathering method), join front and back at side seams, join front and back facings at side seems, pin front straps, join front/back to facing at top seam reinforcing at straps, fit elastic across back wedged between back and facing, sew skirt sides ( I ended up adding a 2" wedge to the skirt), sew bodice and skirt together with a generous seam, encase elastic in the seam and stitch, fit the straps, hem. That reads as quite straightforward but it wasn't. I haven't done much "rubbing off" patterns from finished garments so there was lots of tweaking.

I under measured everything. I extended the front bodice and added the wedge in the skirt so I could get it round my rib cage. I got the length right 😉. I used bra elastic for straps and a narrow hem.

Here's the finished version. It's very comfortable and wearable. The fussing around was worth it. I've taken enough notes that I can replicate it. I think I will.

Sassy New Look Blouse and Ginghamalong!

The perfect storm! A ginghamalong challenge from Karen at Did You Make That? and a gingham fabric sale at The Drapery (it's still here). Woo hoo!

So the only question was, what to sew. I've been thinking about combining a couple of my favourite styles for a while - New Look 6407 and Christine Haynes' Sassy Librarian Blouse that's offered on Craftsy. I love elements of both shirts. NL6407 has extended waist darts and a curved hem. I really love the Sassy's collar and boat neck.

The sticking point was having the head space to draft up the pattern. The ginghamalong was the perfect prod I needed! I overlaid the sassy neckline onto the NL6407 pattern. I ended up redrafting the front, back, collar and facings. I learnt too that I prefer a full neckline facing. NL6407 doesn't have a back neck facing but my Sassy New Look blouse does!

I used Christine's instructions for a fuss free collar. I also flat felled side and sleeve seams.

Check it out! I'm so happy with the end result. It looks great with capri pants.

Details:
Frankenpattern: New Look 6407/Christine Haynes Ssassy Librarian Blouse
Fabric: Japanese  1.8m 100% cotton yarn-died big gingham in green
Thread: Gutermann poly cotton
Buttons: six 1.5cm reproduction shell buttons

A swishy skirt

I haven't been able to commit to sewing anything regularly for quite a while. Busy life! But when I saw the January MAGAM I was determined to be involved. Some annual leave and a public holiday meant that I should have enough time. And I did! I chose the first new pattern I've sewn for a while - Sewaholic's Gabriola. I have had this pattern in my stash for a while. I love the shape - fitted over the hips and then flared to the ground. I was sure it would flatter my figure even though I'm not a pear shape that Sewaholic is usually designed for. I did the usual research, discovering some beautiful versions on the web. I also found a very useful tutorial by Caroline Amanda at Sewaholic to grade between sizes from waist to hips. Check out my Pinterest board here.

I hummed and hahed during fabric selection but landed on this lighter weight cotton sateen by Lisette that was at my local Spotlight. I had been coveting it for a while. Isn't it lovely!

I cut it out using 4 metres, leaving me enough for a leftover Sorbetto (yet to be finished). I cut a size 12 waist and graded to an 8 at the hips. I made up the pattern according to the excellent instructions. I finished all seams using a simple triple zigzag (usually reserved for stretch fabrics but I find it sits much flatter than a normal single zigzag stitch). And yes, this skirt is a fabric and thread hog, but it was worth it!

In recent makes I have found I needed further fitting mods over my hips, so I basted the side seams and fitted carefully before finishing the waistband (and yes, I've learned from previous experience. Unpicking a waistband is no fun!). I ended up taking in another about 1cm on each side seam. I wanted a close fit over my hips. I used hooks on the waistband rather than a button but I still might change this.

Please excuse the end-of-work-day wrinkly fabric photos. And yes, these are in the bathroom (!) It's the only full length mirror I could find that got the full length of the skirt in the shots.

I raised the hem a little (I'm a slightly short legged 5'6") which meant that I could make the hem a little deeper. This is something I like to do when I want more weight at the hem. I hand stitched the (never ending) hem this week, sewing by newly installed halogen down lights in our living room (lovely!).

The end result is great. I wore it to work on casual clothes Friday with a black silk tshirt and denim jacket. I think it will look better with a lighter top - maybe off white. But that's in my sewing queue ☺️  I received lots of compliments. And I must say that there is a feeling of decadence walking along with a long skirt swishing at your ankles.  Whee!

A new Sorbetto

I found a nice remnant of cotton sateen in my LFS and snapped it up. Spur of the moment thing :). Cotton with 4% elastine. Black and white in what I'm calling "bamboo check". But what to do with 0.8m.

I had envisaged a top - sleeveless I think - there's less than a metre. The obvious choice was a Sorbetto from Colette Patterns. I made my first Sorbetto two years ago and whilst the top itself was successful, it was too big for me.

This time I cut a size 10. I left extra at the side seams just in case, but I was confident, given the little bit of stretch, that this would be the right size. At the moment I'm sewing in 1/2 to 1 hour bursts. Too many other things going on to be able to take more time. I managed to get this cut out and made up over three nights. Including the neck and arm binding. I can feel the increased confidence and speed in doing some things like edge and seam binding, that were challenging only a couple of years ago.

I thought I'd have a go at changing the pattern up a bit. I tried inverting the pleat, stitching down about 1" from the neckline and letting the ironed in box pleat hang free. I think the concept has merit but perhaps not in cotton sateen, which is a heavier fabric than recommended. I wore it today and I spent half of the day brushing down and rearranging the pleat to make sure it hung properly. I'm going to unpick the neck binding and redo the pleat the original way. But I will keep this change in mind for another time.

UPDATE: I made the change to the pleat and I'm so much happier with it. It's on high rotation over summer. The cut of the neckline and armscye are just right. I can wear it to work or casually with jeans or shorts.

Matching a new skirt

In a moment of weakness I bought a new skirt. It's delightful. I love it. It's well made, with good quality fabric. But as soon as I got it home and the initial euphoria wore off, I realised I had nothing in my wardrobe that matches it (I still love it though 😉). I contemplated making a plain white or off-white top. But this didn't get me excited at all. I wanted something SPECIAL. I spent a few days daydreaming about fabrics and what would go with the skirt (I love these kinds of daydreams!)

And then there was a lightbulb above my head! I remembered a piece of fabric in my stash - poplin-weight rayon. Nothing special but a perfect match for the emerald green leaves in my new skirt. Not a close match - a perfect match! Ironically, I had got this fabric out only a little while ago but didn't have enough for what I had in mind. There was 1.5m. Enough for a simple shirt, which given the busy skirt fabric, was what I needed. But I was still stuck on which pattern to use. And then another lightbulb moment! I remembered a pattern that I'd bought a while ago for a three panel skirt (not used yet) but that also has a sleeveless shirt pattern, with a back yoke and gathers along the front shoulder seams and a V neck (McCalls 6711). There was enough! I cut out a size 14 - no pattern mods but given the relaxed fit I wasn't worried.

Given the fab colour match with the fabrics you'd think finding a matching thread would be easy. Wrong! My thread stash grew exponentially a few years ago thanks to my Granny. Nothing there. No match either at my fave LFS or at Spottie. Argh! I decided near enough was good enough and got started (with some new thread 😉).

The shirt made up easily. I think I could have done better in the gathering at the shoulders. There's a bit of gathering stitching visible. The drape of the fabric is not a light as recommended by the pattern so the finished product is a bit "blousey". But this shirt will be worn tucked in with the skirt so that's ok.

The grand unveiling was at a family dinner where both my mum and SIL complemented my outfit. Win! This combo has become a work staple and worn at least once every two weeks.

Long time...

Hello? Anybody there? I wouldn't be offended if there isn't. It's been so long since I've posted. Crazy work has taken all my writing mojo lately. After spending all day writing, the last thing I want to do in the evenings or weekends is more writing. But I have been sewing. Promise!

During the Christmas break I took stock of everything I've made in the past few months, reviewed my notes and started some blog entries. Next job is photos. Hopefully I'll work through the backlog over the next few weeks. Standby!

(Isn't this Vimrod fantastic!)