Go wild for the basics

I'm doing my damnedest to keep up with the posts but when you can whip up one of these skinny t-tops  in a couple of hours, well it just don't help the situation! 

Simplicity 1325  is my new best-friend, having already made the tunic-dress and the T once before. 

Don't know about you, but once a pattern has been made-up, there's  always modifications that I think ..." ooo next time..." and the T was no exception.                                                                                                     

First time around, I thought the neck was a little high, the arm length OK (it didn't help my messing up the cuff and having to shave off an inch!) and the the fit ..well it fit! 

So this time round, I dug out this beautifully soft pink jersey out of the stash and decided to give it a gentler more relaxed look, to tame the animal side of it.

I traced off the pattern, did a FBA to give the boys some room, lowered the neckline and lengthened the sleeves by 3 inches! 

It was so quick to put together, as construction took place on the over-locker. 

 I was really chuffed with the neck band and approached it slightly differently to the pattern instructions. I know I should have taken pics for those of us who are more visual learners and will do next time around making this but here's the wordy version.  

• Over-lock on long edge of neck band
• On inside apply an inch wide band of stretch fusible interfacing around the neck edge
• Stay stitch on top along the seam line 
• On right side, pin raw edge of neck band along stay stitching (start at centre back ) 
• Join the band at centre back 
• Stitch band on 1/4 in away from stay stitching
• Cut away seam allowance to 1/4 
• Turn over band so finished edge is on inside and covers the stitch line 
• From right side stitch in ditch catching the underside of band ...

 Voilà- one neat neck band  

I love the slouched cuff effect 

The only downside to this top ( there has to be one doesn't there! :( )

was the pattern placement- I just didn't have enough fabric to be able to get the print down the centre back - boohoo - I can live with this as I cant see it - and everyone else says that unless pointed out it not obvious ( to the untrained eye!)

So there we have it folks - one very easy to construct and easier to wear T-top 

Thanks for stopping by - till next time XX Amanda XX

Spring time Simplicity

It was love at first sight, the minute I clapped eyes on this....what would you call it  a dress.. tunic? anyhow, I just knew it could (will) become a staple piece for the new career change wardrobe (my excuse and I'm sticking to it!!) 

The pattern - Simplicity 1325 my dear sewers' was sent to me by an angel..

I kid you not.. the highly gifted, talented and OOber kind  Annie Hanks  from The Enantiomer Project sent me not one, not two, but a wooping FIVE pattens back in the autumn;  Why? well apparently to make me smile!!! 

Smile...

the Cheshire cat got nothing on me; never thought I were capable of somersaults- but when these babies dropped through the mail box there were triple salchow's flying !! well in my head - a fair bit of mummy dancing! think that counts :)))) 

Here we go then - pattern review 

SIMPLE 

six pattern pieces, if you count pockets and facings

Check out that pattern matching between skirt and top! whoo 

I felt the need to bring Spring time into play, with a business trip planned to London last weekend- so this heavier weight cotton in pale green (the over exposed pics don't really do the colour justice), adorned with birds and Morceau sheet music fell perfectly for the job.  

The pattern isn't lined but has a front facing- me,  I just had to incorporate a lining throughout and used the most delicate of peach Georgette- well if a girl can't have luxury when she makes her own clothes.. none?

I was really pleased with the tiny winy rolled hem achieved. Normally these go askew - either eaten up or spat out by the roll hem foot! To over come this I ran a line of stitching (reduced in length) along the hem line and then another row 6mm away from the cut edge; these two rows seemed to stabilise the fine fabric when it was fed through that hook bit on the foot. When the over locked seams came close, I unhooked the rolled fabric and stitched slowly and carefully hand rolling across the seam, once past the seam the fabric was fed back through the rolled hook and off we went again; resulting in a very pleasing finish! 

                                                                           

The rest of the construction is seriously straight forward - joining shoulders, sides, popping in pockets and joining top to skirt and insertion if invisible zipper.

It's a great item to wear, it has that ability to be both dressy and casual; I have clear plans to make this again( and maybe again) in plain fabrics - I think even a firm ponte jersey knit would work well. 

I have have been really impressed with this pattern pack, having completed this and the skinny knit top twice here in the animal print and again a second time not yet blogged. 

I'm sure the jacket and trousers wont be too far behind.  

 I leave you with this strange out-take- little Wyatt was holding me to ransomed over taking the photos! Hmmm starting young in the bribery and corruption

Thanks for dropping by - What are you sewing for Spring?

Amanda Xx

Blog Land, Blog Land, Wherefore art thou.....

Seriously .. November since my last post..Well my hunnies, that is ridiculous and WAY WAY too long. "Oh" how I've missed you all; I have tried to keep track of all the fabulous makes that you have been producing over these few months and boy have there been some beauties. Life has been so unbelievably mad, that even stopping briefly to drop the odd comment has seemed like mission impossible.                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

I really don't want to make this an epic post, so after reading all the wonderful round ups of last year from you all, I thought I'd do a quick round up of the posts that should have happened since the  last ...Eiffel tower top here  psst ...There's some more excitement to spill but a  little more on that later.

So...to the sewmobile -oh, and please excuse the poor quality pics! 

First up is McCalls 6896 made mid Nov

This was the first attempt at a FBA on princess seams- I was fairly pleased with the results, albeit a few issues with easing in the additional fabric and avoidance of conical pointy boobies! 

I also think I still need to take the plunge and drop down a size,  as the back and the shoulders are still roomy. The most pleasing aspect of this sew was the pattern matching- I certainly don't mind admitting the numerous scratchy head moments and the fact an additional 3/4 mtr was required to be purchased  for the sleeves, after its insatiable appetite for gobbling up all that pattern. 

No. 2 how'd you like you eggs? well in a Butterick  5711 of course! This cotton viscose was added to the stash last summer, it reminded me of the poached egg flower!   

It's a nice comfy blouse to wear- and quite fancy doing a long sleeve version at some point 

No. 3 - 

Okay, not a wardrobe item but still a sewing triumph in my eyes..The longest decorating project in history was  finally topped off with Curtains, which also involved another set the other end of the room too!  

No 4. 

Up next was an assortment of craft items put together for Christmas..Aprons, Cushions and little squidgy Christmas tree ornaments 

Well with the December hols descending I was determined to do some selfish sewing- we have a family tradition of Christmas Eve Pyjamas- so McCall's 5348 was just the ticket - like I say, this was selfish sewing so only made mine! and shop bought the rest of the families!! NO way was I modelling these on the worldwide web- but rest assured they fit a treat and really very comfy 

Christmas day always requires a new outfit, out came easy vogue 8749 and in a jiffy TaDa! one leatherette skirt ( no hemming even better) and Simplicity 1325 a great liitle staple round neck jersey top in a fab animal print gggrrrrr My daughter thinks this is a bit rude.. she was quite disgusted in the fact that the fabric was so shear !!

I can not recommend this skirt highly enough- I totally LOVE this -and have had loads and loads of complements on wearing- added a flat fell seam through the front and incorporated beautiful contrast pockets and facings with the September blue seedlings fabric from Dashwood Studio. 

How cool!!

Finally, the last make that managed to sneak its way into 2014 are what can only be described as totally bizarre but funky trousers- the verdict is kinda out on these, both my kids are MOM WT..are you wearing! These bad boys are from the Burda tough love collection  and in true Burda style the instructions are as much use as a chocolate fireguard! pros and cons.. well, they are ooober long, even for some one as tall as me with a 32 inside leg! are very very full in the leg, have great pockets, high waist and turn up cuffs!

I learnt a fair bit from making them - not from those instructions either! - but cracking welt pockets and a fly front zip! big ticks all round. I would quite like to remake these at some point and tapper the legs in I think - what about you? 

Now then, the final piece of news I have to tell you about is .... 

whoo I'm rather nervous in saying it out loud...

but figured, you all so lovely and supportive, offer great encouragement and tips with sewing dilemmas that why would this be any different!  

My very own sewing studio- where I have been teaching sewing classes, selling fabric and hopefully haberdashery soon too.  

Stay posted as web site coming very soon!

Ta ta for now - I promise not to be away as long before the next post! 

xx

I Want To Ride My Bicycle...

      

Here we go, like waiting for a bus for ages then .. two blogs in a week turn up! This little treasure was put together last week; cut out Fri evening, sewn together Saturday and worn on Sunday. 

Totally fell in love with the little bicycles on this fabric, was one of a "couple" of pieces I picked up at the Sewing for Pleasure Show back in March. Actually, looking at this photo I'm not doing too bad, got through six pieces so far from this "collection"!

As I'm trying to build my wardrobe up with some everyday wear items, the sleeveless shirt of Simplicity's -Cynthia Rowley (seen bottom left) was the pattern of  choice. 

I pondered on the sizing and whether to do a FBA on this, but the yearn to just cut 'n' sew was too great, so went with a regular size 14  knowing I'd have plenty of room to play with. Not the best approach, but hey, there were no sewing cops about!

After sewing in the darts, the shoulder and side seams were basted together just to check fit- as usual the back was too big, so cut this down to a size 12 and performed the now regular horizontal back adjustment. 

There's not an awful left to say about the make-up of this, apart from EASY. In went the collar, followed by the front/neck facing, top stitched the hem and then inserted the arm bands. There is a choice of two finishes that can be applied to this shirt, fringed or self bias. Somewhere along the line of my recent sewing thoughts, I have decided pledged to add small finishes/detailing to all of my makes from now on, so the fringed edge fulfilled this whim, along with the alternating coloured buttons. 

 It started to rain, just for a change, here in the Midlands when we took photos  

 And ended up retreating inside 

As this top has a retro(ee) feel to it, I thought it would be fun to make a headscarf/band out of the scrap left overs- I totally love it- Hubby says I look like a  Hilda Ogden throwback and a male colleague at work nearly peed himself and now refers to me as Daisy Duck!!! Hummm, any other advancements... or should it be relegated to the ....bin? 


















Hope you all have a good weekend xx