I'm sure everyone has UFOs (unfinished objects). I think for every assignment I needed to distract myself from, I made started a new sewing project! Hence, I have had quite a few. This has now been rectified. I present:
(sorry it is formatting strangely after I post but the preview is fine)
Edit: Just wanted to add - all stash fabrics! 1. First up isn't really a true UFO but it needed to be done! This is the t-shirt that the owner of York Street Mechanic's in Auckland gave my son - he loves it but as a 9 y.o boy he is like "YUK!" at the boobies. So I made a slight modification below. I realise just now that's the photo with the pin in it, but all I did was zig zag around the bikini top and one boy happy again!
2. I had Butterick 5744 half made. I made it out of a light weight quilting cotton as a test run for the silk my friend bought for me in Vietnam. You can see the adjustments listed on the envelope and I have more on the instructions. It isn't a perfect fit. I think I forgot to add some length to the front bodice when I tucked a bit in the front so it pulls up at the front a bit higher than my waist and it looks a litre short in the bodice - I am very short waisted too. I would add a few centimetres of length to the skirt on my next one and made some more adjustments to the bodice - it's a little wide in the back neck so I may make an 8 for the back and 10 for the front grading to 14 at the waist. The skirt is really a good size - that's a 14 for this one. From the back the skirt on the left side of the screen looks like I've hooked it under my arm or in the belt or something but it does sit straight.
I lined the bodice which is a first for me. I really like it. I used a very fine cotton voile I had on hand and it is very comfortable. This was good practice as the silk is white and I have bought some silk lining for it too. I didn't line the skirt because it doesn't need it. I love this dress. It is a very easy sew and it is very comfortable. It isn't perfect but I can see me making more of these and I think the fabric will disguise the use of the same pattern.
3. Simplicity 5128. I made a top from a remnant from the Fabric Store in Auckland. This is not a very flattering photo - I know but I was already wearing the white jeans so just took the photo (should have cropped it!). Anyway, this top is a little short but it was the whole length of the fabric but I think I'll add another colour strip on the bottom to make it decent. I love the fabric and the colour. A medium weight cotton knit. I lowered the neckline depth by about 3 cm as I don't like it so high on my larger bust. I t could go down another couple of cms I think. I have a royal blue remnant of the same length (both had a huge hole - like 20cm diameter - so I had to work around that) with another strip added on the bottom. I love this top too. Perfect casual but smart looking top for running errands. I wear it with a striped maxi skirt.
4. Butterick 3490. I bought this second hand and wanted to see the fit. I used a remnant that I bought at Spotlight a few years ago in Rockhampton. I didn't put the elastic in the waist and the elastic around the neckline is a little too long but I love this top. It is cool and comfortable and I normally wear it with some red jeans. I finished the edges with rolled hem on my overlocker and just quartered the elastic and stretched it out and sewed it on with a triple zig zag stitch. Quick and easy.
6. This is a Butterick pattern too.
I started this last summer and I just had to add facings and hem the sleeves and bottom. There was something wrong with the facings, I don't know what but they seemed short but they were as per the pattern piece. I think I may have marked the large pleat in the front wrong so I re pleated it to fit the facing. I made view A with fabric that looks very similar to view B. I really like the coolness of this fabric (Japanese cotton voile bought at Lincraft a few years ago) but I can't help thinking "pyjama fabric". What do you think - does it say top or pyjamas to you?
I have two more UFOs to show you. Both are Ottobre patterns. There are a couple more UFOs that won't get finished however - not unless I go down a size or two and that won't happen in a hurry. I have got a pair of Amazing Fit (Simplicity 1918) pants cut out but I'm not sewing them up until I get the other 2 UFOs finished. More to come!
(sorry it is formatting strangely after I post but the preview is fine)
Edit: Just wanted to add - all stash fabrics! 1. First up isn't really a true UFO but it needed to be done! This is the t-shirt that the owner of York Street Mechanic's in Auckland gave my son - he loves it but as a 9 y.o boy he is like "YUK!" at the boobies. So I made a slight modification below. I realise just now that's the photo with the pin in it, but all I did was zig zag around the bikini top and one boy happy again!
2. I had Butterick 5744 half made. I made it out of a light weight quilting cotton as a test run for the silk my friend bought for me in Vietnam. You can see the adjustments listed on the envelope and I have more on the instructions. It isn't a perfect fit. I think I forgot to add some length to the front bodice when I tucked a bit in the front so it pulls up at the front a bit higher than my waist and it looks a litre short in the bodice - I am very short waisted too. I would add a few centimetres of length to the skirt on my next one and made some more adjustments to the bodice - it's a little wide in the back neck so I may make an 8 for the back and 10 for the front grading to 14 at the waist. The skirt is really a good size - that's a 14 for this one. From the back the skirt on the left side of the screen looks like I've hooked it under my arm or in the belt or something but it does sit straight.
I lined the bodice which is a first for me. I really like it. I used a very fine cotton voile I had on hand and it is very comfortable. This was good practice as the silk is white and I have bought some silk lining for it too. I didn't line the skirt because it doesn't need it. I love this dress. It is a very easy sew and it is very comfortable. It isn't perfect but I can see me making more of these and I think the fabric will disguise the use of the same pattern.
3. Simplicity 5128. I made a top from a remnant from the Fabric Store in Auckland. This is not a very flattering photo - I know but I was already wearing the white jeans so just took the photo (should have cropped it!). Anyway, this top is a little short but it was the whole length of the fabric but I think I'll add another colour strip on the bottom to make it decent. I love the fabric and the colour. A medium weight cotton knit. I lowered the neckline depth by about 3 cm as I don't like it so high on my larger bust. I t could go down another couple of cms I think. I have a royal blue remnant of the same length (both had a huge hole - like 20cm diameter - so I had to work around that) with another strip added on the bottom. I love this top too. Perfect casual but smart looking top for running errands. I wear it with a striped maxi skirt.
5. No photos, but I used this pattern late one night to make my son some more school shorts. Suddenly the old ones were just too tight and too short. I used some polo shirt fabric I bought at East Coast Fabrics at Springwood for $2 per metre! It is a bottle green. I bought 2 metres at the time and have made 4 pairs of trousers and 2 pairs of shorts. The trousers have been cut now to make shorts as they won't be long enough next winter. This is a really great pattern. When I placed the pattern pieces on the fabric it looked like the grain line was off but I trusted it and went ahead. They are a really great fit and so easy to whip up. It's quicker making boys shorts than getting in the car and going to the shops, as I've said before.
I have two more UFOs to show you. Both are Ottobre patterns. There are a couple more UFOs that won't get finished however - not unless I go down a size or two and that won't happen in a hurry. I have got a pair of Amazing Fit (Simplicity 1918) pants cut out but I'm not sewing them up until I get the other 2 UFOs finished. More to come!
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