Get yourself a cup of tea, this is a long post. Lots of stuff to show and talk about. Firstly, here's a picture of my shower cap... my niece's flew to Toyko this morning (well in her bag anyway). Mine has been tested and it works a treat... it could go a bit larger as I have what's commonly known as a pin head so it probably won't be big enough for anyone else.
Rosi mentioned the proliferation of selfless sewing here and I'm going to show you some more. This tunic below I started for my Mum about 18 months ago and for some reason the overlocker wanted to eat the very light and slippery fabric in the first 5 cm so I got the *$&% and put it away. Then worked out (eventually) it was the needles that needed replacing and did that but never finished the top as it had scared me. This was a remnant from Spotlight and I bought it for Mum as I don't wear animal or browns. I made the small from memory and I tried it on and it looks nice on. It will be nice with some black tights (does Mum wear tights?) You know like skinny pants tights.
This is the pattern and it's a really easy one. Funny it wasn't until I finished that I noticed it isn't for knits! It is super easy and took me about 1 hour to sew it up. I have plans for this pattern (that have been in my head for about a year. The front has some gathering but the back does not. I made it tunic length but I'm not sure if Mum wants it this long. That's ok as I only hemmed the sleeves and i can cut the hem to length. I got some small wooden beads and put two on each tie end and knotted it (but after this photo was taken).
Notice something else? Yes, I have a mannequin. A friend's friend didn't want it anymore as the stand was broken and the dials work but not well. I tried to work out how to fix that stand but, nope nothing worked.. not until I remembered a cheap swivel chair I bought at Ikea years ago that broke but I kept the base (why???) I had to jiggle and manipulate and add bits and pieces but it works. That justifies that hoarding! It is so good for me as I don't have anyone to take photos for me and then I don't put off taking photos.
Here's a close up of the neck binding... I added this as I didn't want to turn it over and sew it. I just roughly measured the neckline and subtracted about 3cm hoping that wasn't too much but it worked out perfectly.
This New Look pattern I've had for a number of years. I've made skirt D out of lycra (without the frill) for a skirt cover for the beach but I've been wanting to make View A. I made a size 10 till the side seam where I graded it out to a 14. This was a remnant piece from the big fabric sale last year. Marie at Quirky Threads made a skirt out of this fabric. There was a coordinating fabric with the dark background and about 1.5cm polka dots of the same colours on the top so I'd like to make skirt view D using the two fabrics. Too matchy, matchy?
I've also nearly finished (hem and elastic waist needed to be done) the pants at View E in a size 14. I slipped them on and they are ok.. let's face it my legs aren't going to look great in knit pants anytime soon. I made this from a polyester ponte weight (but nowhere near as nice) knit just for a wearable muslin for some other fabric I'll make them out of if they are workable.
I also made a pair of the Style Arc Kerry cargo pants in a remnant I bought from the Fabric Store a few months ago - they have side pockets and need to be hemmed and waist finished but they don't fit properly. I remembered (after!) when I made the muslin I added a bit to the side seams just in case and turned out I needed it (they are a size 12) but didn't remember when I cut these out. I couldn't have added anything even if I had remembered as I used all the width of the fabric so will just have to start up my (pathetic) running (ha) again.
This top fits really well and is 3/4 sleeve length. I wore it today and it is really comfortable.
Putting my label on too... this photo isn't very sharp (oops, sorry). Also put a label on Mum's top.
This is McCall's 9080 (same a the one I adapted for the cloaks I made last week) which I made in a fleece from East Coast Fabrics a few weeks ago. I just needed a fleece for around the house. I love the colour (nearly the same as the wall!) I made it a high/low hem just for interest (when I get sick of it, I'll just cut it off). The collar is huge - in fact the whole pattern is huge .. I cut a small and it is huge on me but I love it. See the little dots on the front there? That's not dirt but last night when I made a chicken stir fry for dinner, the oil splashed out and was so hot it actually melted the spots on! I'm working on something creative to cover that up with. Typical, finally I make something I need and then ruin it in a week!
This raglan t-shirt I made about 6 weeks ago. It's out of the Ottobre Autumn/Winter 2013 it's no 4. The green fabric was a remnant from Darn Cheap Fabrics and it's a lovely soft cotton but it is getting little holes along the seam lines. Anyway it was just a quicky to test the pattern size but it is huge. Looking at the photo in the magazine, it is big, with a wide neck it's just I don't like it like that for me. Still it's good to wear just to pick up Alex from school. I put a double sleeve to copy a RTW shirt I bought years ago. I'll probably make this again but in a smaller size.
Lastly (finally) I have this Burda 7742 cut out in a cotton lycra (?) that I bought in Auckland last year. I bought 4 metres to make a dress (a DKNY - not made yet) but I think it pills so I don't want to put in that time until I find a better fabric. I'm making view B - the stripy one. I made another one a few years ago and the fit is good, I also have a nice merino wool I want to make it up in too. I thought I'd get them done today but I went shopping for shoes. Nothing too exciting though. I have no winter shoes. I've been living in a pair of Merrels I bought at the 2nd hand shop about 2 years ago (nearly new) and I have none for 'good'. I was lucky as I found two pairs - 1 'good' and 1 casual so I'm done for shoe shopping. I was so good and resisted many shoes as I just don't need them (never stops me if I'm working... I love shoes).
I have plans for more sewing but we have the last weekend before school starts on Monday and we have a busy weekend going to the Medieval Festival at the Abby near Bribie Island tomorrow and the RACQ Motofest on Sunday. Monday and Tuesday I have a course I'm going to so it will probably be next weekend before I get any more done. I'm happy with my production the last few weeks and as bonus the sewing room got half cleared up too.
Boy if you've made it here, well done. Hope your tea didn't go cold.
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