A little black and white gingham shirt

I know I'm a little behind and it's about time I made an effort, as I mentioned in my last post, to show you what I've been doing.  

I made a gingham shirt.  I love gingham and had planned to make this shirt about a year and a half ago.  I bought the fabric but couldn't decide on the pattern.  Finally I chose Butterick 6085, a great basic semi-fitted blouse with sleeve variations. 

 

I made view E the sleeveless version.  The only alteration I made was to shorten the waist however after I wore it the first time I realised, as you can see below, I should have made a sway back alteration as well. 

I think the collar is much wider than the cover illustration so next time I make this shirt I would probably make the collar half the width of this one.  (I don't like really big collars on me)  I also had a small problem with pattern matching.  I had to fudge it a bit.  I got the sides to match but the fabric was not exactly on grain; it tended to curve down near the selvedge.  I matched the pattern at the bust when I sewed the buttons on but if you look closely you can see it doesn't match exactly the further toward to the hemline you go making the hemline uneven but I can live with that better than not matching at the bust.  Note to self - washing the fabric beforehand might have avoided the problem.

So there you have it my first make for 2014!  Well... that's not technically right as I cut it out last year but didn't get time to sew it until this year and finally on it's third outing I actually got around to taking photos.  My review of this pattern below.

Details:
Top; Butterick 6085
Cardigan; Tempt
Jeans; Suzanne Grae
Bag; Guess
Shoes; Pazari

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My review of this pattern
 

Pattern Description:
Semi-fitted top has collar and shaped narrow hem.  Sleeveless, above elbow or three quarter sleeve, pocket and side split variations.

Pattern Sizing:
14,16,18 - I made size 14, view E.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?
Yes, it did.

Were the instructions easy to follow?
Yes, very easy to follow.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
I don't like the size of the collar.  It's too large for my liking.  I love the simplicity of this tip making it a great basic style.

Fabric Used:
Poly/cotton gingham.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:
I made my usual short waist adjustment but otherwise I made no alterations to the pattern.  However, on me it really does need a reasonable size sway back adjustment.  I don't usually wash my fabric first and I had a few problems pattern matching because the fabric was off grain.

Would you sew it again?  Would you recommend it to others?
Yes I would sew this pattern again with a sway back adjustment for a better fit.  I would also reduce the size of the collar.  Would I recommend it to others?  Yes, most definitely!

Conclusion:
I love this top.  It was easy to sew and it's easy to wear.  A great basic for the wardrobe which will be worn often.

Working on my good intentions

In the past I have written about blogging more often and I had such good intentions this year of doing just that but as with all my good intentions they seem to elude me.  So, here we are almost half way through the year and I have nothing really to show for it.  Can someone please tell me where this year has gone.  :-)  I seem to have been suffering a loss of mojo for a while now however, I have made a few things this year but haven't blogged about them and I thought I would tell you about my most recent make.

When my daughter informed us that she was expecting her first baby she asked me to make her not one but two quilts.  Now quilting is something I did in a past life and haven't done in quite some time.   Anyhoo, I agreed.  The conversation went something like this; I want pale yellow, pale pink, pale blue, pale green, pale purple and pale orange - read a pallet of those baby pastel colours used years ago when I was having children.  I want triangles.  Do you want any borders?  No! maybe just a little one.  Do you have any particular pattern in mind?  No just triangles.  OK.

Now, thats pretty restricting but at the same time quite liberal and very vague.  Bearing in mind that she has never taken much interest in my quilts and doesn't sew herself I could tell she obviously had something in mind.  This could definitely turn out to be somewhat of a hit and miss situation.

Deciding on a design and shopping for fabric proved to be a difficult task.  I mean, really, what shape triangle do I use; somehow I feel half square triangles are what she has in mind.  And how do I get all those colours to work together.  Have you any idea how hard it is these days to find the colours requested?  Well, let me tell you - it's hard!  Let's just say I think I know every patchwork shop within a one hour radius from here. :-)  Suffice to say, I finally had enough fabrics to make this work.

Sorry but morning sun is very harsh and does nothing for the pretty colours I used

I quilted it diagonally in the ditch and then cross hatched.  I also found a really cute gender neutral Winnie the Pooh fabric for the backing which worked well for a baby.  For the binding I used two fabrics at random lengths joined diagonally.  I'm really happy with the end result.

When I gave the quilt to my daughter I asked "Is this what you wanted?"  Her answer "Yes, exactly!"
I was so pleased to be able to achieve what she had in mind having so little information to work with.  Definitely a hit!

Hopefully I will catch up and post about some of the other things I have actually made this year soon.  Good intentions and all that, you know!

On a final note let me introduce you to my new little grandson, Lincoln.

Mum and baby (21 hours old)

Till next time...

Shopping tote

Everyone needs a shopping tote, for all those 'little' fabric purchases! No?  I thought so.  I know I do.  I hate those plastic bags the shops give you.  They always seem to get little holes in them either because of sharp corners from all the items that come with packaging or from the weight of all the fabric you've purchased :)  So, I made one!

I had this furnishing fabric in my stash and thought it was good and sturdy enough for making a bag.  I paired it with a drill for the handles and gusset.  I didn't use interfacing as it had enough weight without it.

The lining used for my bag is a quilting fabric from my stash.  I tried it out today and it was perfect for carrying my goodies.

So, have you made any quick projects lately?

Animal Print Renfrew

Last weekend we had a most glorious mid winters day which was perfect for giving my new top it's first outing.

I couldn't wait to sew up the Renfrew after it arrived in my mailbox.  I was looking through my stash wondering which fabric I should use thinking about all the great versions I had seen but the one that I just couldn't get past was Tasia's cowl neck made in animal print.  I do love a cowl neck and add animal print to the mix; I mean what more could you ask for.  It's so awesome and I really love it, so when I saw the same fabric just waiting there calling out "pick me" how could I refuse.  My first version of the Renfrew was destined to be the cowl neck style in animal print just like Tasia's.  Yeah I know, kinda copycat!  Hope you don't mind Tasia. You know that copying is the best form of flattery. don't you :)  

Usually I would put pattern preparation on the back burner.  It's probably the one part of sewing I like the least but when my measurements fitted exactly to 'one' size on the envelope and the finished measurement had just the right amount of ease I was very impressed.  To discover that I wasn't going to have any forseeable fit issues was a dream come true and I couldn't wait to get started.  It was an such an easy make and the instructions were so easy to follow that I think I'm in love.  It's super comfortable to wear and I absolutely love it.  I can see so many more Renfrew's joining my wardrobe that I might verge on obsession but right now I can't wait to get started on my next one.  OK!  I get it!  I'm raving!  BTW did I tell you how much I love this pattern?   :)

Have you made the Renfrew?  Do you love it as much as I do?






My pattern review 

Pattern Description:
Fitted knit top with banded hems with sleeve and neckline variations.


Pattern Sizing:
0 - 16; I made size 12


Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?
Yes, it did!

Were the instructions easy to follow?
Very easy.  It was a dream to sew.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
I particularly like the fit of this pattern.  Unlike the Big Four commercial companies there was just the right amount of ease.  I also like that no alterations were needed for my body shape; that I could just make a straight size without blending them.


Fabric Used:
Cotton knit/jersey


Pattern alterations or any design changes you made.
I didn't need to make any alterations except to shorten the waist length, it was like a made to measure pattern.


Would you sew it again?  Would you recommend it to others?
Absolutely!  I already have and will again several times over.  And yes I would definitely recommend it.

Conclusion:
I can't recommend this pattern enough.  It was so easy to sew and it fits perfectly with just the right amount of ease and it's super comfortable to wear.  I am so excited about this pattern that I fear it will be added to my wardrobe so often that I will have nothing else but Renfrew tops to wear.

I thought I'd just leave you with a couple of scenes from our day out whale watching.  Enjoy!

Blue wren in flight in front of our car

Mother whale with baby frolicking in the sun

Feelin' a bit snake-y

I finished making this top a few weeks ago after I gave you a sneak peak and I finally got some photos so I could share what I was working on.

This is the second time I've made Vogue 8649, the first time I made up this pattern I was less than satisfied with the fit.  Around the time I was making it Shams and Robin had written letters to the Big four pattern companies (I'm sure you would have read them) voicing some of the issues we sewists have in regard to the way their patterns fit.  Weeeell... I must say that I wholeheartedly agree with them!!

This particular pattern is designed to custom fit for your individual cup size and the first time I made it I followed Vogue's directions to calculate the correct size.  I'm a DD and according to the instructions for taking my measurements I should be making the size for a C cup, which I did.  I know the pattern is designed for the inclusion of shoulder pads, which  BTW I don't really care for, but since when is 'gridiron armour' classed as fashion wear?  It's the only way the C cup sizing would have fitted me.  I mean, really, what the...?

Fortunately I decided that had the top fit me I did actually like it so thought I'd give it another go and make it with the three quarter sleeve.  I had bought a few great knits a couple of weeks ago and this one was perfect.  A great combination of colours and a fabulous animal print.

Having decided to make another one, if I wanted this one to fit me better then some alterations were in order.  To remove the excess fabric would be difficult with the kimono style sleeve so I started by checking if there was a finished bust measurement on the pattern.  Yes!  Great!  Checked this against my measurements and the amount of ease I like and decided to go with the A cup fitting.  This reduced the front length more in line with how I like my clothes to fit. But what about the back you ask?  That's a good question.  I laid the front pattern piece over the back piece and found that I needed a size 10 for the length and a size 14 in width.  I traced off a new pattern piece using the 10 at the shoulder and the 14 at the underarm.  The lower section was a good fit so no alterations here.

Back view - no excess fabric. Yay!

Now it's not that I'm saying I'm perfect but I think I'm a fairly average sized person so why did I need to make these alterations Vogue?  Please explain!

Sleeve shaping
Ignore my muffin top made by freshly washed jeans - this is about the top

Needless to say after making these alterations to remove the excess fabric I'm really happy with the way it turned out the second time around.  I'll get a lot of wear out of this one and it's perfect for my new job.

What about you, do you need to make such drastic alterations to get a good fit?





Details:
Top; Vogue 8649, my review of this pattern here
Jeans; Just Jeans
Shoes; Wittner

Waiting!

Remember this skirt?  The poor thing has been sitting in my sewing room.  Waiting.  Yes, waiting!  Ohhh yeah, that's right... you're not the only one who would rather start sewing from scratch instead of altering an ill-fitting garment.  So... it's been waiting.  Waiting for about 18 months for me to decide that I really need to get a move on and fix it so I can be wearing it again.

Even when I first made this skirt back in 2011, I was never happy with the fit of it.  The design sits lower than the waist but isn't low on the hips either.  For me, this isn't a very comfortable design; it just seems to float around.  Because I have a small waist, it defies gravity and doesn't stay put resulting in a skirt I didn't wear.   I decided an alteration was necessary if I wanted to wear it again so into the sewing room it went to wait, and wait it did!

Fast forward to 2013 and I finally did it.  It was way too big all over so I removed the waistband and took it in 4cm (2cm doubled) on each side all the way to the hem.  I made two extra darts in the front to accommodate my small waist, reattached the waistband and here we  have the end result.  A skirt that fits, is comfortable and I will definitely wear.  Often!  It looks much better now, don't you think?

What about you?  Do you leave things this long, or maybe longer, before you actually get around to doing alterations?

Don't know what's going on with the frown!

Note to self:  Take more than one picture; straighten your clothes and make sure you're ready for the photo to be taken and stop frowning!!

Goodnight; sleep tight

After my last post, I must say I was really itching to get some sewing done.  Actually, I've been feeling this way for a while, but time has been a scarce commodity of late.  Anyhoo, I wanted a nice quick project to get me going and at the same time I wanted to work on my stash. 

With the weather cooling down quite a bit at night recently I found I was in desperate need of some new winter pj's, several pairs actually.  I found the perfect piece of fabric; a piece of flannelette I've had for around 12 months bought especially to make some pajamas.  I laid it out; placed my pattern on... oh no! Not enough fabric.  I know I'm short but what was I thinking when I bought it; must've been having a senior moment, duh!  Everyone does that don't they?  No?  Oh well...!  I couldn't be bothered trying to figure out how to make it work so back it goes and another search ensues resulting in more flannelette.  Now this fabric, also bought for pj's, has been in the stash for...I dunno, maybe 10 - 15 years.  I bought it back in a previous sewing life.  Will there be enough this time?  Oh I hope so, I really want to get sewing.  The fabric was so skinny I wasn't sure I could use this one either.   Luckily I could.  

The pattern I used is Simplicity 7071 and I've had it even longer than the fabric.  I didn't want just plain pj's, I wanted to do something a little different and I've got an old pair with a faux fly front so I copied the idea and just eyeballed the shape.  I didn't get it quite right but it's not bad.  It'll do, after all they're just pajamas, right?

They went together so quickly and easily I thought what the heck, I can make the other fabric work so out it came again and I ended up with this pair as well.  Pattern matching was a nightmare (no pun intended. He he!)  It's a printed pattern not a woven one and it wasn't straight so with the shortage of fabric I didn't get too fussy.   I added an unfilled piping and a band around the bottom of the leg to get the length I needed.  For the tops; what do you like?  I like the comfort of t-shirt tops and I'm just using some old ones that are being downgraded.

I'm pretty happy with that. Two items in one week - yay!  I also reckon this qualifies as my stashbusting for the month too, maybe even sewlutions.  Now I can sleep in warmth and comfort.

Good night; sleep tight!

Baby bunting

 I've finished it...

... and it's so cute!  And so small.  Having waited until the last minute hoping to find the perfect colour I couldn't wait any longer and chose white.  Now that's a very sensible colour for a newborn, but hey, I'm not that sensible and wanted something in a really bright, gender neutral colour. Think red or emerald green etc.  You'd think that Spotlight would know when the baby is due to arrive and get some fabrics in in time to make things.  But no, they weren't that considerate, they bring out the bright colours the day before due date.  Now how is anyone supposed to get anything made that fast.  Anyway I'm glad I chose the white, I really love the way it turned out.

The Pattern is McCalls 5963, view A.  The fabric I used is Minkee Dot and feels so lovely and soft.  And can I just say this, DON'T  wear black when sewing this fabric.  It sheds when it's cut!  Everywhere!  Thankfully all seams are totally enclosed in the lining. I've never sewn Minkee before and it's a little slippery.  To overcome this, I pinned - lots. The sleeve has a built in fold over mitten - a necessary thing IMO.  The lining is a white interlock with brown sheep which is kinda cute too.  The only thing missing is a label.  Mmmm... Wish I knew where I could get some.  Can anyone help me out with that?



I also wanted to make a small blanket.  I got out the fabric, chose the embroidery design and thread colours, set up the machine and yep you guessed it... the embroidery unit on the machine isn't WORKING!!!  How frustrating is that when I had it serviced last year for the same problem and haven't used it since.  Soooo, I guess I'm more than a little disappointed but I can't get it serviced in time.

In the meantime onto some bibs...

A season of colour!!!

I love colour!!  It makes me happy!  I feel alive when I wear colour!

There comes a time when we all have to make choices.  For me, that time has come.  I've decided that this will be the 'Season of Colour' for me.  Everything I make for the Spring will be colour.  No black, no grey, just colour! 

A while ago, if you remember, I told you I was getting extremely bored wearing black, grey or some other neutral.  In the colder months I think they're sad colours, don't you agree?  Now don't get me wrong here, I think there is a place for these colours in every wardrobe, after all they can look very classy, and I will continue to wear them but my closet was looking as though I didn't own anything else.  Just have a look at all the inspirational colours on the runways.  It's the ideal time to make this choice.

Since telling you this, and the impending arrival of Spring there has been an increasing amount of fabrics to choose from, so I have been purchasing fabric in just about every colour I can find that doesn't involve those, boring to me neutrals to add to my ever expanding stash.  The question is, should I be buying plain solid colours or prints?  Are you drawn to prints?  I certainly am.  I love them.  They appeal to my sense of fun!  Sadly, having all prints makes for a lot of clothes that really don't work together so well.  Thus forcing me to add plain colours to my stash.

Now that I've decided to add colour to my closet I've chosen red (a colour I wouldn't normally choose as it's so hard to find one I can wear)  for another basic top.  I've made this top several times and finally think I have perfected the fit.  I think I can now class it as a TNT pattern.  You can read my review here.

The pattern (which seems to be fast becoming my go to) - Simplicity 4076 with a few alterations.  I don't like the bell shaped sleeve suggested in the pattern so I used a more fitted one and made it 3/4 length.  Much more suited to Spring wearing than long sleeves.  I added about 5cm or 2" for those of you who are not into the metric thing yet, to the length.  I'm not tall by any stretch of the imagination but I really detest tops that ride up around my waist with the slightest movement which happens anyway because my hips are so much bigger than my waist.  But hey... it works for me.  What do you think...

Basics - we all need them!

Do you ever stop to consider what garments your wardrobe consists of?  Lately I've been thinking about the things I have in my wardrobe.  What works and what doesn't.  Why did I buy it.  Thinking about this I've come to the conclusion that I have not thought things through before purchasing.  (sewing clothes has not been a part of my life over the last several years)   In the past I have been buying things on a whim because I liked them, not because I actually needed them.  Or on sale, there's nothing like a sale to get you in, after all it is half price.

For many years I have lived in jeans when I'm not at work or trousers when I am.  I didn't own any (no, not a single one) skirts or dresses.  If it didn't have legs I didn't own it.  The majority of my tops consist of things that are more oriented towards work or going out.  Also, most of my wardrobe is in black, white or some other neutral except for cardigans.  I'm the queen of cardigans, I have them in many colours and styles. 

I have an abundance of clothing but most of these items are all what I would call the frosting.  Fancy things, you know the ones, the one off items that only work with one other item or sometimes not with anything else at all.  These are the ones that end up in the back of the closet and never get worn.  I have a lot of these!  Don't You?  Now this is not conducive to a functional wardrobe.  It's also very costly.

Having thought about this for a while  it has become quite clear to me that my wardrobe is sadly lacking in the necessary basics to make it really functional.  I need basics!!!  Yes, that's it, plain t-shirts, simple skirts,  etc. The ones that are boring but we all need to make our wardrobes work. 

After trawling through my patterns I found a simple t-shirt pattern I had never made. fabric from my stash and I started to sew.   The result  a teal t-shirt.  The pattern Kwik Sew 3338.  The fabric is an unknown shiny knit.  (It's been in my stash for a few years)  Not as stretchy as I would like but it is comfortable to wear.
A much needed basic to fill a very obvious gap.  

Have you got basics in your wardrobe?  Are you like me with too many clothes that have limited potential?  Why do we gravitate towards these things?  Is it because we have a need for them or is it just because we think they're pretty.  For me, I like pretty.  I might be drawn to a certain colour or a style that appeals to me never stopping to think if it will be an asset to my wardrobe.  Is this how you fill your closet?  I'd like to think that I'm not the only one...

Help! My first muslin!

Blogoshpere,  I'm calling for your advice and guidance.  As you know I am making the Rooibos dress.  So I have measured and made my pattern ready.  The next step in the sewalong is to make a muslin.  At this point I thought I would only sew up the bodice because the pattern looked quite short in the armscye and I didn't want to waste time and fabric if I was to need a larger size.  Now I don't know anyone who sews that can help me with the fitting of the muslin.   I can't do it alone, so after much coaxing by myself I managed to get David to help.  Finally...I'm pinned in!  (He made it seem like  such a mammoth task - I had no idea!)  

Front view

Back view

What's with the boobs on my back?

Obviously I need to adjust the back darts as they are way to sharp creating a back bustline.  After more pinning (and loss of blood, not mine - David's hehe!) the darts are much better but I continue to have wrinkling across my back.  What is the causes this?

This is my first attempt at a muslin and I have not done any fitting before other than minor shortening etc.   I'm at a loss as to what to do hence my seeking your advice.  My dilemma is this.  To remove the wrinkles from the back should I a) lift it out at the shoulder (note- I'm short and always make shortening adjustments at waist level but I probably really need to take it from between the shoulder and bust if that makes sense) or b) do I need to make a full bust adjustment.  But then maybe I need to make a size larger as it is very firm.  I do like things to be well fitted but also with room to move.

The pattern also has a fitting problem at the shoulder, it's to wide for me.  I don't know how I should correct this either.   In the past I have just redrawn the seam line.  Is this the right way to do an adjustment here or do I make pleats/tucks in the pattern?  I have no idea!

So what do you think?  Is there some secret to knowing where or what adjustments I should make?   Or is my short curvy figure just not suited to this pattern?  Maybe my fitting assistant is not cut out for the job although I'm very proud of his efforts.  Even though he claims he needs a blood transfusion.  Hehehe!  Both the back darts are pinned to the same length and that in itself is a great achievement.  I'm going to put this project aside for a few days so I can return with, hopefully some guidance from you, my internet friends...

A quick project

I have to say,  I was not feeling very inspired to sew after that epic effort to complete my shirt.  I needed a nice quick project to recover.  In an earlier post I told you about my list of things to sew for August.

1 skirt - for weekend wear
2 or 3 long sleeve t-shirt tops
1 dress - I'm joining the Rooibos Sewalong but I'm planning that one for Spring/Summer wearing so maybe another dress as well

Having made this public I thought perhaps I should get started on it.   I decided to make the skirt first as I already had some cream coloured corduroy fabric in my stash.   I wanted something that would be comfortable to wear.  I've seen quite a few people have made the Beignet skirt from Colette Patterns and I really like it so I ordered the pattern, but that will have to wait for another time as I want to get started now!


I chose New Look 6843 - a simple A-line skirt.  I thought a couple of seams and a zip that won't take long.  The pattern suggests 1 hour but I like to hand stitch the waistband and hem.   It was very easy and took me about 2 hours to complete.

I finished it last week and this is the first time I have worn it.  The skirt rests just below my waistline resulting in a length a little longer than I would like.  I'm not sure if it should sit below the waist as there is no description on the pattern.  Possible reasons for this could be that the fabric stretched before I attached the waistband which is the most likely cause as the waistband was a bit short when I went to attach it and I had to use smaller end seams to make it fit or I have lost weight since cutting it out (not likely - but possible).  Nonetheless I still like it and it's comfortable to wear.  So unless I loose more weight hehehe rendering it too large I'm sure it will be worn a lot.

(Note to self -  replace very old and worn garments in my closet e.g. top and cardigan I'm wearing in this photo.)

That's one thing ticked off my list of August sewing.  I've started the muslin for the  Rooibos dress but I better get cracking if I'm going to make those t-shirts before the end of August.  What are your sewing plans for August?  Are you making any progress?

Finished at last!!!

Yaaay!!!  I finally finished the shirt I cut out very early in June.  Yes friends, it took 2 months to complete! It took me so long it almost became a UFO.  I was sooo.... over it!!  Happily perseverance paid off  and it is now finished.  Yaaay!!!

Why did it take you so long, I hear you say! 

Well, I'm not really sure aside from life getting in the way.  But then......

First I didn't have enough interfacing.  I don't use it much but I thought the fabric was a bit flimsy and would hold its shape better if I used it.  So a trip to Spotlight was in order but it was several days before I had a chance to go.  Then I ran out of thread!  I mean really, who runs out of 'white' thread?  Mmmm...... that'd be me!

I decided to attach a trim in the seams.  Great idea, or so I thought, till I went to insert it in the sleeve/cuff.  I spent a lot of time thinking and fiddling around but couldn't figure that one out or how to get around the point of the collar so they remain bare.  Besides I didn't want to waste any more time on it, it was already taking too long.

Then there was the attachment of the cuff  to the sleeve.  I had never done the technique described before and it was quite unfamiliar to me.  You know how, with something you've not tried before, you just can't seem to get your head around what the instructions are saying.  Well this is what happened even though it wasn't really that hard, just different.  Normally I wouldn't even read the instructions but when I looked at the sleeve I'm like 'what the...'  So out came the instructions and it took me a while to figure it out.  And that's not to mention the collar.  Odd way to do it I think but anyway...

Then, when I went to stitch the hem I found that I there are slit openings in the side seam which I somehow missed marking during the cutting out.  By this time I'm like, Nup, not on mine!  I'm not unpicking the seam and overlocking.  Nup, ain't gunna happen!

Now, what 'buttons' should I use?  White?  Blue?  Which colour blue?  I had no idea it was so hard to find suitable buttons.  I searched everywhere and finally settled on some blue ones.  Then... can you believe it?  It's been so long since I sewed a buttonhole I couldn't remember how to set up the machine, so out came the sewing machine instruction booklet and 'voila' I have buttonholes and they are all the same size.  (Wow, computerized machines are fantastic even if they are nearly 20 years old, aren't they!)  Have I got thread to sew the buttons on?  I can't use white thread on blue buttons, just doesn't look right to me.  Phew! I've got thread.

TaDa!!!  My shirt.

 Dolly did the modelling today.

I let Dolly be my model for this one or you might never see it 'cos if you can't tell yet, I am really over it!

Close up of detail

Pattern:  Simplicity 2447, View A

Pattern Description:
Shirt in two lengths with front, collar and sleeve variations

Pattern Sizing:
16-24, I cut the 16

Did is look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?
Yes it does

Were the instructions easy to follow?
Yes, more or less.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
I made View A but changed the bias pattern piece for the full length piece of View D.  I didn't like the application method of the sleeve cuff nor the way in which the collar was attach.  It just seemed a strange way to do it.

Fabric Used:
100% Cotton

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:
I made the usual shortening alterations at the waist and sleeve.  I also added a selvage edge trim in the seams on the front, back yoke and front band.  As I altered the pattern length I missed marking a notch therefore when I sewed the side seams I omitted the slit openings accidentally.  If I were to make this again I would add these are they look nicer and would allow more ease.

Would you sew it again?  Would you recommend it to others?
Probably not, it's not a style I would generally wear.  Yes, I would recommend it .

Conclusion:
A great pattern with many options to vary the style.  It went together easily and fits well.  I would recommend it for beginners or someone wanting an easy project.


So, yes friends, I have finally finished this shirt.  You may never see me wear it but it is finished!!  Oh, yes that's right Self-Stitched-Sept '11 is right around the corner so you probably will.

Stay creative

weekend happenings...

Over the weekend I visited the Craft and Quilt Fair in Melbourne.  The last time I visited the fair was about four years ago when I was heavily involved within the quilting comminity.  My Guild was responsible for the quilt exhibition on show at the fair and being on the committee I was required to attend.  There are  many reasons  I hadn't been for such a long time, mostly due to my waning interest in quilting, a lack of time, and the fact I thought these shows were becoming more and more orientated towards quilting rather than crafting in general, which I thought was the whole idea.  (I have now moved on from quilting) Word on the grapevine said that people were not happy because of the lack of craft other than quilting. (Phew, so it wasn't just me!)

With my renewed interest in fashion sewing and having more time on my hands I felt that I should perhaps go along and investigate whether things had changed to include more crafts again.  I must say I was pleasantly surprised.  Although there were a lot of quilting stalls there was a definite improvement to include other crafts.  Still not much in the way of dressmaking though.  sniff.   It seems, whomever organizes these events think there are no sewists out there.  Boy, are they wrong!  I could hardly get to the sewing books, the other craft books were easy to see but the sewing books; quite difficult.

With my only interest in finding fashion sewing related things; below is what I came home with.

Laces

Neckline motif

Flower trims

Beads for a necklace

I'm not sure what I will use these trims on but I do have a couple of ideas although that could change at any time.  I went alone as I don't know anyone else interested in sewing clothing and didn't want to spend time checking out stuff I wasn't interested in.  I had an enjoyable day spending about four hours there.

As I really don't go into Melbourne very often I thought a visit to the fabric shop was in order while there.  I must say I was disappointed as the fabrics they had were very expensive and I can't justify spending that amount of money on my clothes.  Having said that I didn't come away empty handed.

I found a digital print cotton which I'll use for a summer top.

And a knitting pattern which I think is fabulous.    I'm very attracted to this colour pink but I may use a blue/turquiose instead.  I think this will be my next knitting project as I desperately need jumpers for the winter days.

I had occassion to return to Melbourne a second day with David.  I'll leave you with a few snaps I took while there.

Docklands Precinct

 If you look hard enough you will see there is a double rainbow.

Docklands Precinct

These are of the gas fire display on Southbank outside the Casino which happens on the hour in the evenings.  They throw out a lot of heat which I could feel from the bridge where I took the first two shots.

One gas tower going full

Three at once

Under the gas display

What did you do on the weekend?