summer sewing

After last years attempt at sewing when I made mistakes with pattern sizing, my sewing machine has been quiet for a while. Then recently I finished these two items. The dress is Liesl and Co cinema dress.
This time I was very careful to read the pattern measurements when deciding what size to make rather than going by the dress size. I ended up making a size 2 (which I still find odd since I am a UK10) and it fits! I am pleased with it and now have a bit more confidence to start sewing again.

Having finished the dress, I found I had plenty of material left over so made the little blouse on the left from a Butterick pattern that I must have had for 30 years! I bought it when I first started work and made several tops in different versions from it. It is a very simple pattern and the only pattern I still have from the time when I used to make most of my clothes. The pattern is Butterick 3696, seeing it on the internet under "vintage patterns " is making me feel my age today!

two sewing projects, two mistakes

A few weeks ago I was looking through an old photograph album I made of the first holiday my husband and I took together. This was before we were married so over twenty five years ago and we went on an escorted tour of the (then) Soviet Union. As I looked through the pictures and remembered the holiday, I also noticed what I was wearing. Most of my clothes I had made myself. We were on holiday in July and it was hot, I was wearing cotton skirts, knitted summer tops in cotton and a couple of cardigans all of which I had made.

I stopped sewing clothes when the children were born, lack of time and space and the availability of cheaper clothes to buy. Now with more time although the same lack of space (just one small table in the house which needs to be completely cleared for meals if more than two people want to eat together!) I decided to restart this hobby.

To keep it simple I chose a cotton summer skirt.  I downloaded the pattern, printed out all the peices and pieced them together, so far so good. Of course this American pattern was in American sizes so I looked at the measurements, found an online dress size converter and chose my size. I am a UK size 10 and so made a US 8.

It is far too big. I wonder does anyone know if American patterns are made on the generous size?

It looks ok in this photo,

and I was pleased with the gathers at the front.

However to get it to fit, even allowing for the dropped waist I had to pull the elastic up so much at the back that the side panels have ended up at the back and the back panel is soooo tightly gathered with masses of material - not very flattering. If I wear this during the summer it will only be at home when no-one will see it which was a disappointment as I like the fabric and the design. Where did I go wrong?

I should have stopped there but there was a discount on further pattens so I downloaded a pattern for this tunic which I thought would be perfect for wearing with skinny jeans in the summer. This time I was determined not to be caught out by the sizing so I made a size 4 which is equivalent to a UK 6. This seemed a bit ridiculous since I am a size 10 but I went ahead anyway and now I have the most enormous tunic! It isn't finished, I just tacked the skirt to the bodice last night when I realised that it looked on the large size.

I measured across the bust

40 inches, this is not a UK 6. With gathers front and back there is so much material in this. What have I done wrong this time? I have checked that I cut out all the peices correctly and used the right seam allowances.

Again I really like the fabric and both projects seem like such a waste of time and money.

What to do next? I feel loathed to try another project since problems are said to come along in threes! Perhaps after a while I will buy a paper pattern and try again, I enjoyed the process but I wanted wearable garments at the end.

Any advice would be appreciated. Meanwhile I will watch The Great British Sewing Bee and see other people sewing whilst I sit and knit.

I want to say that I am not criticising these patterns, just saying that I couldn't get them to fit me and I don't know why.

finished sewing and knitting

A quick catch up with two finished items. First this bag which was the second project in Alice and Ginnys' sewing classes.  Lots of different sewing techniques were introduced while making this including my first attempt at machine applique.

The course I took was "kick start to sewing" and it seems to have done just that, now that the bag is finished I have bought some material to make two more cushions.

Next on to knitting and I have finished my waistcoat.

The yarn is Twilleys "freedom spirit" in a blue/purple colourway. It is knitted in reverse stocking stitch which softens the colour changes.

Having finished this waistcoat I have now cast on for another one, this time in fairisle knitting - photographs to come when I have done a few rows of the pattern.

sewing

Sewing is not a word that crops up very frequently on this blog. I have made clothes before but my sewing machine has not had much use lately.

This year I wanted to start sewing again and I have been taking a class called "Kick Start to Sewing" with Alice and Ginny. We are making two items in the four week course and the first one was this cushion..

I used fabric from IKEA and now have a new cushion which matches my yoga mat.

I am enjoying sewing again and might even be confident to think about making some clothes but for now I have my class homework to do - to cut out the fabric to make a bag in the next class.

a blue phase

My usual choice of colours for clothes or around the home could be described as neutrals, brown, beige, cream, sometimes green but without realising I seem to be choosing blue at the moment.

The fabrics in the photo above are from IKEA for a small sewing project.

Then there is my current knitting, a reverse stocking stitch waistcoat in Twilleys "freedom spirit". I bought this yarn from Hobbycraft greatly reduced so I wonder if it is being discontinued. The wool is a random mixture of blues and purples.

I always have a small portable knitting project and at the moment I'm knitting socks - blue socks.

I wonder how long this phase will last or whether I will soon find myself drawn to another colour.

Still on a blue theme, I took this picture this morning, maybe more mauve than blue but a very welcome sight in the garden on a dull morning.

Tidying my sewing box

Tidying my sewing box isn't something I do very often so when I do get round to it, I come across lots of things I've completely forgotten about. Like these pieces of paper. I was practising my stencilling ready to decorate our house when we moved here in the early nineties. Stencilled borders were very popular then along with sponged and rag-rolled walls.

The stencils and paints were from Laura Ashley and these two did end up our walls although they were painted over many years ago.

Then I came across this bundle of pieces of charcoal grey material, the spare patches and buttons supplied with so many pairs of school trousers. Each time I bought a new pair, the mending kit went in the sewing box and now nobody wears grey school trousers any more.

This needle case was belonged to my grandmother's sister, still full of needles all neatly labelled, more than enough for her lifetime

and more than I will ever need as well.

Unfinished projects linger in the box, like this cross stitch sampler which I have so nearly finished. I wonder why I stopped, maybe because I don't think I would display it in the house if I did finish it...I wonder why I started it?!

Then there are the little paper bags containing bits of ribbon and lace. Do they still make bags with the words "Thank you - Please call again!" printed on them?

So many memories inside the sewing box - no wonder it takes me so long to tidy it!

Draught excluder

This is my first sewing project from Ginny and Alices' book. Although the focus of the book is on using recycled fabric, I had to buy mine as I didn't have anything suitable. I wanted to follow the pattern in the book using different fabrics and I found that buying a small pack of fabrics intended for quilting was the cheapest way to do this.

I wasn't sure about adding any embroidery with such patterned fabrics so I just played around with some stitching around the seam lines.

Apart from making curtains I haven't done any sewing for years but this little project was fun quick and easy - it might just make me do a bit more sewing in future.


The draught excluder is now in position stopping the cold air creeping under the living room door and keeping the room just that little bit warmer.