Arbitrary Sewing and Janies and Eliza Fabric Shopping .

For no particular reason my next sewing project was a two piece dress using some fabric bought on a whim. It is described as a ponte with navy blue roses on a pale pink background. I wasn`t sure about the fabric when I received it ( the risks of online buying ) but I'm always willing to give it a try because sometimes the end result can exceed my expectations and it certainly did this time.
                                                            
  I used an old favourite pattern Simplicity 4074 for the skirt and tried an old Burda WOF pattern  03/2005 which I have wanted to sew for over 12 years . Definitely better late than never because I love it and I think I will be sewing a summer version.

                                                                   
Simplicity 4074 is a classic pattern which I`ve made several times now , the skirt twice and the faux wrap dress once . Luckily the first time I  made the skirt I was bothered to lengthen the skirt at the proper lengthen/ shorten lines so it was a very easy matter to cut and sew the slightly flared elastic waist style.
The  knit T pattern comes in two versions . A short sleeve, tie neck , hem band variation and long sleeves , simple V neck and no hem  band so I made a combination of the two styles . The sleeves are a  two piece design which fits nicely and I know it`s hard to see but I used the tie neck pattern.

The older style Burdas come with two large pattern sheets so even though there were more different styles back  then there were fewer patterns per page so tracing was much easier. I even understood all the instructions this time ( miracle ) but stitched around the base of the V neck to prevent stretching which Burda doesn`t mention . 
Since the fabric was really easy to work with (  and I didn`t even have to stabilise the hems ) , this was an easy , satisfying , morale boosting project.  I`ll mention that the ponte came from Janies Fabrics  , a Melbourne based online fabric shop ( with a bricks and mortar shop as well which I`ve never managed to visit ) since it is still available . I`ve bought quite a few pieces from there now and usually I`ve been happy . Speaking of fabric shopping I went to Eliza`s in Sunshine last week. I`ve seen/ heard a few recommendations for it now and then read on Thornberry`s blog that it is closing. I thought I would regret not going so after an  hours drive ( not even peak hour - how I  hate you Melbourne traffic ) I thought I better buy something .

OK so ignore that the top and bottom pieces are not from Eliza`s . The green, blue and red are described as viscose spandex knits , the cream underneath is a textured poly knit and the plum under that is a wool / poly blend knit . All knits because my  existing fabrics are overwhelmingly wovens .
I`m not sure that I will get back to Eliza`s again but I`m now  thinking there were a couple of other pieces I could have bought . For 5 pieces of fabric measuring over 8 metres I paid under $29 . Unbelievable and a soothing balm for the preceding city driving .
My advice is to check out Eliza`s if you haven`t already and to save your old Burdas .

Classic Skirts with Classic Mistakes .

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More catching upwith . I made this skirt a couple of months ago using this Burdastyle skirt from September 2012. I have made it once before using a denim look wool. This time I used what is arguably my best fabric I own , a cashmere / merino blend fine woven wool which has been in my stash for 8 years.  I had been contemplating how much longer I will actually work for and well I am in the home run part of my career . 5 years ? 10 years ? I am unsure. What I was sure about is this fabric is not something I would use in an everyday garment but would be perfect for my work . So I thought I better sew it up .

 Such a fine fabric deserves to be made into something that will be used in the long run and this classic A line skirt with a single deep inverted pleat is perfect .It is easy to sew but what I forgot from making this skirt before is that I added several cms to the length of the skirt when cutting out . So this version is a bit short for my liking ! Oops !

 If I wear the skirt with dark stockings I feel OK but I feel as if I have to keep pulling my skirt down.
On the plus side I only used less than half of the fabric so I will be able to make another slightly longer skirt next time . In the meantime I have worn this skirt a few times this winter so all was not lost.

I also made another classic skirt but instead of making it too short , I made it too big.  You see I used a Polish Anna Moda magazine pattern and I assumed that like most other European magazine patterns I had to add in the seam allowances . Not so ! They are included . The magazine is great with lots of good Simplicity and New Look patterns.

I made what is the equivalent of Simplicity 8175 , a very popular straight skirt with a front slit and curved waist band and slant  front pockets. I used some navy crepe with a slight stretch to it , left over from some Burdastyle pants I made last year . I did try on the skirt while I was making it and took in the side seams but the too large curved waist band and pocket openings could not be fixed . There are no photos , it just didn`t look good.  Such a pity . I used some lovely silk to line the waist band and pockets and invisibly hand stitched the hems. Writing up this blog post was the stimulus to donate the skirt so I hope someone gets to enjoy it. I will definitely be making this skirt again using some more navy crepe I have .

Only a 50% success rate but at least I used a ` precious ` fabric .

Plethora of Pale Blue

Patrones Top. 

Simplicity 8601

 Moving on with my catch up blog posts I made three ,yes three pale blue tops all from magazines my daughter bought me from Europe. I also managed to use fabric which I have stored for a long long time ( between 9- 14 years ! )
The two tops pictured above were made in response to my first semi failed one . I don`t have pictures of that top but I will show the pattern involved.

My semi-failed top was made from a Polish Diana Moden magazine . It is a  knit top with a frilly V neck . The pattern included darts which I was a bit surprised about being a knit but I went with it  anyway. I should have trusted my instincts because the darts were way too low for me and it just looked wrong. Luckily however it suited my mother`s shape better so she now has it . I used a fine ribbed pale blue knit which Mum gave me anyway .  Apart from the darts I was impressed with the pattern. The sleeves fit in the armscye perfectly and the amount of ease in the body was just right. I had no idea how to really sew the plain back neck collar to frilled front section so I just kind of fudged that bit and it looked a bit messy but Mum didn`t  care.



The first pale  blue top pictured  was sewn  from a Polish version of Patrones  .  I have  made four Patrones patterns now and two have been good and two have taken a bit of work to get something wearable.  This top in the former good category . It is  a very simple pullover top with a back neck slit  and cuffed sleeves. The pattern is based on an actual RTW clothing company Triana by C  that I assume is Spanish .

Back of Patrones top . 

 The back slit opening was finished off with a tab with a button hole . I find loops to be flimsy to use and tricky to make . This idea was inspired by pinterest .

The front tie knot top is from the  German Meine Nahmode magazine which is a compilation of Simplicity and New Look patterns - I counted 14 different patterns ,which in Australia would be at least $75 dollars worth if the patterns were on super sale. ( I write down the pattern numbers on the magazine so I can check the reviews easier ) The knot top seems to be a very popular pattern. I lengthened the front pattern pieces which form the tie knot because I noticed in many reviews the tie was very short  . I also had some trouble easing the sleeves in and so I have some little puckers which I could not entirely eliminate . Despite this I really like it . I rarely tuck in tops these days so any blouse which is designed to be worn outside of pants etc  is a winner for me.
I`m really impressed and jealous with how many sewing magazines are published in Europe . Australia used to have Australian Stitches but that never included sewing patterns . There are some Australian crafty magazines around but absolutely no garment ones that I am aware of.
Anyway my daughter could not have bought me better souvenirs than this and she knows how much I appreciate them !

Scrap Sewing - Summer PJ edition.

I have documented my fondness of scrap sewing here plenty of times and I was  due another good scrap sew up , this time spurred on by the need for new summer PJs . It also allowed me to try out another new ( to me ) pattern from my collection.

First up the tops .
Kwik Sew 3232 is a sporting / golfing pattern for a skort ( shorts with a front skirt overlay , zip cardigan and tank top . ) I have never made a plain tank top like this before thus the need to break out a new pattern for such a simple and easy  garment. However Kwik Sew often have little details that belie  the simplicity of the pattern . In this case they have a built in dart at the sides created by the front being slightly longer than the back around the bust area . I made size Medium and this had a comfortable amount of ease without being overly huge . I used a plain blue pique knit given to me in 2010 and  from which I have previously made a Burdastyle Henley T shirt . Now despite the fact you could not get an easier pattern I mucked up . I only had enough fabric to cut the front on the fold and the back had to be cut out of two pieces . Yes , I cut the back on the fold and the front in two ! I rummaged around my trims bag and the best I could do was some lace with a central mauve strip which I sewed down over the front seam line .

Kwik Sew 2779 is a pattern for PJs . I used the V neck tank pattern which I thought would be an interesting variation on a plain tank . As per usual Kwik Sew instructions explain how to sew the V neck very well . I used scrap stripe knit again given to me in 2010 and from which I made a Knipmode dress  and ribbing dating from who knows when . The pattern like above includes a built dart . I  even managed to match the stripes ( except where the ` dart ` is  of course ) Like the plain blue tank it has just the right amount of ease.
I will definitely be using these patterns again especially since they take so little fabric.

Finally the PJ shorts I made using an ancient Simplicity pattern for a nightie set which includes a pattern for bloomers . I left out the elastic at the legs though . I used some Japanese cotton that my daughter brought home from Japan when she visited in 2010 ( there is a theme here ! ) . It was given to her by her host family and there was 12.5 metres of only 40cm wide fabric( There is still about 3 metres left ) . I have no idea what the kanji or hiragana symbols on the shorts mean ( or even if they are a genuine symbol ) . I ironed on a panda bear motif on the front so I could tell it was the front ! The cotton is very stiff but after washing softens up nicely . The shorts are very short and I think I need to adjust the elastic to be a bit smaller but they have been comfortable for the couple of hot nights we have had.

So all in all more scrap sewing done but ahem there are plenty more where they came from.

SImplicity 9659 - A Feminine Tunic .

   I was reading a new to me blog and realised just how much I enjoy reading chatty sewing blogs and how much I like having a little prattle too. It is an entirely wet and cold day and since I have caught up with the house work I want to do ( dusting and washing floors and cobwebs be damned ) it is time to catch up here too.
I sewed this tunic top 1-2 months ago. It is based on the Simplicity pattern 9659 below and I can not find any reviews of it on the internet . The pattern looks very dated and was bought for a song from the op shop but I liked the collar details , the empire waist and thought it would make a nice tunic top much like the Ebb and Flow pattern from Louise Cutting ( a pattern I don`t think I can buy in Australia ) .

I was also intrigued by the FITRules! on the pattern cover. I wonder if this is an early prototype of the Simplicity`s Amazing Fit patterns. The pattern had different cup sizes and some basic fitting advice .
I used some vintage fabric also picked up from the opshop . It was narrow but there was plenty of it . It has a white etched floral print on baby blue with pretty ditsy roses.

The interestingly shaped collar . I added bias binding to the facings as well. 

The sleeve vents. Several of my recent projects have them. I am obsessed !

Back ties which were popular in the 90s. These ties are not actually needed for shaping but I included them anyway. 

 I am happy with the tunic although the fabric creases like crazy. I won`t make the pattern again . Too many unused Burdas and pattern envelopes with the promise of some European sewing mags to be posted by my daughter having a fantastic overseas  adventure  this year.

I still have a few things to document here - a cream silk blouse  , a panne velvet T shirt , a grey tweed look long vest , a refashioned polar fleece top and a blouse made from my Christmas pressie Liberty lawn and I am just about to finish a pair of Burdastyle pants.
It doesn`t feel like I sew a lot but my sewing corner is my safe happy place and sewing a little bit every so often gets stuff done. My sewing is uncurated ! I pull out patterns and magazines I haven`t made before and match up with fabrics in my cupboard . I will see something someone has made and think that looks great and try sew something similar . I will put out a piece of fabric taking up lots of room and make it up . It all seems to work though . I make what I sew work for me so there are few unloved or disastrous makes even if I just end up wearing them around the house.
I have pulled out a few more wintery  fabrics and have washed and ironed them all ready to cut out and sew
hopefully before the end of Winter.

Three By Two Piece Dress.

I have been gradually stash busting during 2017 and turned my attention to a piece of knit purchased from Frou Frous in 2011 .It was a terrific little garment fabric shop which shut down. By the time I managed to get to the closing down sale the shop was quite bare and I may have made a few impulsive buys which I would not normally have done including the knit above. I ordered 2 metres but received a very generous 2.5 metres. Now this fabric is very loud and bright, something I am a bit shy about wearing and thought it might be a bit too much as a dress. So then I had the brilliant idea ( tongue in cheek ) to make a two piece dress and to be able to mix and match and water down the loudness. By being very careful I was able to make a skirt and two tops from my 2.5 metres.

I used three patterns to make up this outfit. The skirt has 6 gores using 2 pattern pieces with an  elastic waist .I used Simplicity 4074 . I have made the dress from this pattern which I made in 2008 and still wear heaps and have always wanted to make all  the other views . Now I just have the top left to make .  I lengthened the skirt as the dress I made was on the slightly too short side. I am much happier with this length which hits just below my knee. ( I am 169cm tall - used to be 170cm !!)

The  gathered raglan sleeved T-Shirt was made from Burda 02/2013.  I have made this before but not successfully and have always wished to retry it again with modifications. I added width to just below the waist line and also cut the neck band a lot shorter . The finished neckline measures at 75 cm and this is the length that Burda says to cut the neck band hence why mine appeared floppy. The longest piece of fabric I had left was 66 cm and this was lengthwise so not as much stretch as the crossgrain but it turned out much better. I will not make this T-shirt again but there are lots of other patterns I want to try from the magazine.

The cowl neck top was made from New Look 6470  . I have never made this pattern before and wish I had made it earlier now. I had to cut the back from two pieces because of my limited fabric but this was just as well because I had serious gaping issues at the back neck. Instead of just overlocking the neck edge and turning in and stitching down as instructed I made some narrow strips cut on the cross grain to apply. I did the same for the armholes. I was  very careful about applying this but in the end with the gaping I had to unpick it all so the back of my neck from being neat and tidy is a bit messy but at least it is not gaping anymore. I would like to make this pattern again and will be aware of making alterations to the top of the centre back or again cutting the back from two pieces.

So there is my two piece dress which will be able to be worn multiple ways.  I do love the handful of  dresses I have but I tend to wear more separates and with some hot weather coming up this week I will be able to start wearing this one straight away.  

Simplicity 2501 -Silly Unseasonal Sewing .

I have a good excuse this time to be sewing a summer top in winter .
I have used this fabric previously to sew this skirt

and then last month the  bottom of this skirt .

I had a largish piece left over with a wide short piece,a longer narrower section and a couple of small scraps.

Rather than put it away in the cupboard where it had already lived for probably over 10 years I was determine to make a top which made sense anyway to match my new skirt . I pulled out a few patterns but it wasn't until the third one that I managed to fit all the pattern pieces on . The secret being that this has lots of smaller pieces rather than fewer larger ones.

This is the third time I have made this now and I realise that each time I have used fabrics where there is not much yardage. So I highly recommend this pattern in general but especially if you have limited fabric . Of course this pattern is OOP and I was shocked to realise that it was released back in 2009. It has a vintage vibe but I really like the gentle peplum . I never got onto the peplum bandwagon a few years back because I don't think they suit me but with this pattern the peplum does not stick out too much .

The front has small pleats in the bodice while the back has darts . The peplum is finished with a narrow hem but I did not follow Simplicity's instructions for this . I use a technique described in threads where you turn up the fabric and sew  a very narrow hem , trim the excess fabric and then fold this up and sew again which encloses the raw edge . Easier and accurate if you sew slowly. I used bias binding to finish the back neck and front facings but ironically I had to buy more thread to do the last couple of buttonholes as result . Should have just overlocked the facings ! I did not use the supplied facings for the armholes ( not enough fabric ) but more bias binding . I love this fabric , linen being a material I have rarely had the pleasure of using but it is all gone now . I think I will ` retire ` this Simplicity pattern now too as even though all three versions are different , they all still reside in the wardrobe and I don't want to get bored of them. 

Happy Sewing Janine. 

Battle of the Kimono Patterns.

This beautiful burnout velvet was offered up at the sewing group I attend and as no-one else wanted it I snaffled it up as I had bought a kimono pattern earlier in the year and then realised I had no suitable fabric .
But then I had a closer look at the pattern and became unsure because I really love the fabric and did not want to muck up.
I do not sew muslins unless for very good fabrics or a special occasion outfit . If I was expected to sew a muslin for everything then I would just quit sewing . So it really is a testimony to how much I liked the fabric that I ended up making three muslins of different patterns.

From left to right is a Knipmode jacket from March 2014 ,  jacket pattern  110 from Burdastyle April 2016 and finally Simplicity 1588.
The Knipmode kimono jacket was too large  and tending to look like a potential  dressing gown , not the look I was going for . I sewed up the the size small kimono from the Simplicity pattern which corresponds to size 10-12 . I am usually a size 12 in Simplicity but the kimono was too small . Also it takes 3.00 metres ( 3 1/4 yards ) of material which I did not have .
The Burdastyle pattern was just right ( perhaps I should call this blog post Goldilocks and the Three Kimonos ) !  However I did make changes . The jacket comes with an extra flap in front and welt pockets which I eliminated . I added 10 cms in length as well but otherwise the slightly loose fit and dropped shoulder and wide sleeves were what I was imaging. The sleeves in the burda pattern are separate and not incorporated with the body pieces like the other patterns but I again I preferred this as there was no puckering under the arms .

I finished the front bands with some slightly contrasting silk and added the same width bands to the end of the sleeves ( another change ! ) . The jacket was very easy to sew .

Well I am very happy with final product and would highly recommend this pattern . In fact this particular issue of Burdastyle is really good . I have already cut out two patterns . Thank you so much  Bruna for your gift. Now I just need somewhere to wear it !
PS Bruna , your husbands xmas present is done. I will bring the goods next visit 😜