Sew Darn Tired

I made one of the tops of Butterick B5203 (bottom right pattern).  This is a pattern that my friend sent  from the U.S. for me. I like this style when I see it on other people but wouldn't pick it myself, so it's great that a friend picks something a bit different. It's for a floaty woven so I used a stable knit that's about the weight of ponte. It is from my Mum's stash from the '70's. When she saw this top, she remembered the fabric immediately and said she had planned to make a long coat - think '70's long coat. It is excellent quality but when washed it creases as bad as linen (!) but after ironing it springs back good as new (or really old as the case may  is). That scarf I seem to be pulling at due to the timer setting, was made by my friend with finger knitting. I love it as it doubles as a 'necklace' but also is warm enough for a winter's day in Brisbane (mostly). I have three in different colours (two she made and one was...

I have been sewing and I finished a top yesterday from a pattern that my friend sent from the U.S.  - Butterick 5203 (bottom right with long sleeves). I used a fabric from my mother's stash and I wore it today for a friend's birthday celebration had at the park. Did I get a photo? No, of course not. So no photo today. I really like this pattern. It was easy and even though it is for woven, I made it out of some 1970's wool mix ponte type fabric.  Maybe in a few days.  It's a good pattern. I didn't think I'd like the points; I hated handkerchief hem skirts in the '70's or '80's or whenever they were popular. I have some woven fabrics I'd like to try for summer.  I also have some red wool out for that cape below too, but that's not till I finish the Ottobre jacket. Remember these tops below. I made them for Alex for Christmas in UK last year. I hadn't seen them since but Alex brought them from his Dad's for our little mi...

This the the Ottobre zip up sweatshirt I'm making. In the magazine it is made out of two colours but I am testing it with some merino terry backed nylon/lycra i.e. the merino is a terry loop on the wrong side with the right side being a nylon/lyrcra in a charcoal colour. I bought it at The Fabric Store for $8  per metre. It's great - wears well, is soft, spongy, really stretchy and warm. Washes a treat too.  I wanted a contrasting zip but couldn't find one at my usual haunt of Trad's so shopped the stash and found a red one so decided I'd use the coverstitch (finally) to contrast stitch with red too. Ordinarily I really detest black (or close enough) with colours other than white ..... I'm not really sure why.... but I digress. I tested the three thread which I really like and it worked a treat on some lycra I had in the machine at the first and only test I'd done. Then I started on my panels but the middle needle thread kept breaking. I'm cutti...

I finished my shirt last night. This is how I wore it today, with my jacket. I wasn't sure about it like this but at an appointment I had this morning, I had 3 people go WOW great outfit and then they were super surprised that I made the jacket and shirt. Thank you for all the suggestions in the comments. I took most of them up. I put a strip of interfacing in between the facing and the front and that seemed to do the trick. I also reset the machine every time too, by turing it on and off. A bit annoying but not very time consuming so it wasn't worth not doing it - just in case ;)! The cuff and button. I thought the shirt would be just too plain so I decided to put some little details like the pink button holes and sewing the buttons on in pink thread too. This was inspired by the hanging loop and the feature strip on the the collar. This pattern doesn't have a yoke so changed it to with yoke and also a pleat of fabric in the back so it wouldn't be...

I was really chugging along with my sewing and my shirt, McCall's 8053 modified, was looking good. I was  am really pleased with how it has turned out so far, up until I tried to do button holes. That's when my fire was put out. A bit of history... my first machine had a 4 step button hole, which I think makes it more fiddly to make exact size button holes. When I bought my current daily machine (Elna Elina 40, Aldi branded machine which I am very happy with), all the upgrade I really wanted was a 1 step button hole. Put the button on the button hole foot and it does the exact size to match the button. PERFECT! I've made a few things the last few years with one button hole here or there, but the last time I made something with lots of button holes was about 1994 maybe; a dress, red swiss cotton with 5cm white polka dots and tiny buttons all down the front - about 20 from memory. I need 12 button holes for this shirt.  The photo is a bit blurry but you get the idea...

Well, I'm on fire... in the sewing mojo sense anyway! Firstly, I hemmed the black pants and wore them last night. They fit so well and are so comfortable, I will definitely make some more and this time will add pockets. Although I have a Burda pants pattern I want to try next. I finished my Butterick B5187 jacket. I made view C with view D's notched sleeve detail. I've made this jacket before (View A) with some wool knit fabric and this one went together perfectly as well. It's an unlined jacket and a pretty quick make. I lined the yoke pieces with some cotton hibiscus print (which I didn't photograph for some reason) and sewed the sleeves in flat. This is a really well drafted pattern and a really simple make. The fabric is some interlined wool in a herringbone weave that my Mum bought in the '70's (I have some white too) and unlike the colour on my monitor, it is a really bright lime green not so subdued as it is here. I made sure I pressed al...

I finally finished my black trousers/pants. I made a muslin of this pattern  made way back here  in January 2014. The fit was pretty good and so I cut out another pair from some aqua and white tiny houndstooth fabric about 6 months ago(non stretch) and modified it by narrowed the legs as I found the bottom of the leg at a shorter length flapped about and annoyed me. Alas, they didn't even come close to fitting and I can't work out why as I cut the 14 like I did with the other pair and this one. They aren't finished and waiting for me to whittle down my bum to fit (ha ha..how long will I wait?). Sorry I just realised I didn't take a photo of the pants on, or a full length photo either but will do that when my photographer comes home. Hopefully I'll have a blouse to go with them!  When I was just about finished, I made the button hole. Firstly I put it vertical.... unpick, then I made another test button hole and went to make on the pants. Doh, what did my...