January update

I’m pleased with my sewing achievements in January. I’ve made a dress, two tee-shirts, cut out another one,  sewn  two toiles for a jacket and completed half a jacket.  I’ve also  made a disappointing wadder!  so I’ve used about 12 metres of fabric (but bought 5). Let’s have a look then!

I was pleased with this, a dress that had to be black, purple, silver or white to fit in with a theme for a 50th party. This was  some purple velour fabric from fabric godmother. I found I did have to keep fiddling with the neckline to stop it moving about, so if I ever wear it again, I would sew it in place.

Two teeshirts  – both from the Santa Monica tee pattern from Textile studios. This is designed to go under suit jackets. I love this pattern, its definitely a TNT ! This fabric cost me £2  from a charity shop. I wasn’t sure of the fabric pattern it feels a bit 1980s with the strange shapes and mixture of colours but the jersey is lovely quality. Once I was wearing it, I really liked it though!  I’ve cut out a short sleeved teeshirt too, from more left over fabric!

 

This is one I made a couple of weeks ago out of some more left over ponte roma.

 

The toiles I made were for the Cynthia Rowley jacket to the right of this photo, Simplicity 1688. This is the second toile,  which I used to make the final pattern for my jacket. I needed to lengthen the body and increase the bicep width using  these guidelines   making your sleeves fit   I also deepened the armscythe

I’m using some cotton Italian tweed from the fabric godmother for the jacket (and hopefully I can squeeze a straight skirt out of the 2m too!), the navy dogtooth lining came from St Gemma’s vintage fair a couple of years ago, and cost me 50p! I’ve sewn the basic body and lining, not added all the bottom panels yet.

My wadder disappointingly was the Sew over it  Suzie blouse. I couldn’t get the neck to lie properly, I didn’t like the thickness of the facing,  I had to move the bust dart, the sleeves were a bit tight, and to cap it all, I did something I have never ever done before – I sewed one of the sleeves in upside down!  at that point, I decided it was time to give up. I think the pattern is my style, but the thing I’ve learnt this January is that I need to make a toile for anything new. I might return to the Suzie blouse, but not for a long time! so I need to think of something else for my Swap2017 tops.

I’ve sorted 27 patterns for the charity shop – definitely just keeping what I love and will use this year, as per the Kondo way.

But – I have bought fabric and a pattern – blame Camilla and her blog!  I really liked this jacket pattern

that she used, and it doesn’t look too difficult.  I would like to make up my vintage tweed, into the jacket the model on the pattern is wearing

rather than another Cynthia Rowley 1688  which was my original intention.

But feel I need to practice on something else first, so have bought 5 metres of  navy pinstripe stretch suiting cotton from the fabric godmother, to make view D. I’ ve got enough to make a skirt and dress too!  I had to get the pattern from ebay as its discontinued.

I’m hoping to finish the Cynthia  Rowley jacket in February and maybe make a skirt too, anything else would be a bonus!