Bronte Top and Barry Pants!

I have had this post written and almost ready to go for well over a week!  I thought I would finish it on holiday but had no internet (I survived - just!) and now my laptop has broken...future posts may be sporadic for a bit until I talk it into turning on again!

I have been meaning to make this top for ages and I am so glad I have, I'm in love!  It is, of course, the Bronte Top from Jennifer Lauren Vintage which I bought as part of the Perfect Pattern Parcel a while ago.

This fabric choice for this top was completely inspired by Anna's version and Zoe, who I had a conversation with about fabric choices ages ago.   I bought the stripe fabric off eBay as an auction probably a year ago.  I got 7m for not very much at all so I gave some away to people I thought would appreciate it and was left with about 2m. I am not sure of the content but I don't have any hopes of it being natural!  I thought it would be a good first choice for a pattern I have not tried before, and it is actually perfect for it albeit a bit staticky!

I opted to go for short sleeves because I do not actually own any short sleeve tops except wovens.  It is at times like this I question my wardrobe choices but all of that is for a different post because I am shortly to post about my MMM'15 pledge!  I will, however, be making some long sleeved ones for next winter - I do love a long sleeved t-shirt!

I made absolutely no changes to the pattern and I love the fit as it is.  It feels very flattering and, like the Bonnie Sweater, the shoulders fit exactly how I would want them to.  The only slight deliberation I had was sewing down the envelope neck and worrying about how it should sit.  Once I stopped worrying and actually sewed it how it looked best once it was on all problems were removed.  This is excellent news for those of us who may be less than symmetrical.  When I had finished making this I realised that both shoulders are sewn at different points but when on, it looks right.  I used three anchor buttons on each side which I just happened to have lurking in my button tin.  They are pretty useless as functional buttons so perfect for a decorative finish like this.

I loved this top and making it so much that I went on to make another two. Unfortunately I haven't been able to get proper photos of these yet but I am sure they will get an outing during MMM'15!  The first was made using some unspeakably awesome puffin jersey from KitschyCoo which appears to be out of stock now.  It is especially apt as the Child and I are reading Polly and the Puffin at the moment!  I bound the neck in Art Gallery Knits in Sahara from The Village Haberdashery, mainly bought because it would coordinate with my next version which is made using a Petal and Plume knit (also from The Village Haberdashery) which unfortunately also appears to be out of stock!  Both knits are lovely quality, the puffins being ever so slightly firmer.  All three tops are so nice to wear and will be in heavy rotation this spring/summer.

While I was cutting out my first Bronte top, Amanda at KitschyCoo released her Barrie Boy Cut Briefs pattern which I snapped up immediately.  I thought I would love this shape of pant as I love the junior version so much on the Child and I am a fan of big pants anyway!  So while I had the stripy jersey and red jersey out I thought I might as well make a matching top/pant combo which is definitely the way forward!  If I'd had the time I would have done this for the puffin and feather knits too!

The fits of these pants is almost perfect on me - I seem to need a bit more rise around the back where my back dips in and it gapes a bit but otherwise I am happy!  With this and Zoe's knicker pattern I feel I am set for life now!  I have plans to make a bikini using the Watson Bra for the top and these for the bottoms.  I have the fabric and most of the notions ready and waiting, now all I need is time and inclination!

Tilly and the Buttons Lacy Coco - For Mum!

My Mum got a new overlocker for her Christmas present but, although I have been reliably informed that she has had it out of the box and got it threaded correctly, she hasn't actually made anything using it yet.  Part of that is confidence (she has a degree in textiles and taught me how to sew when I was younger!) so while she was staying with me over Easter we made a Coco top together.

We chose some fabrics from Stone Fabrics and Mum really liked the stretch lace, so we decided to use that for the sleeves to make a pretty summery top.  There was enough lace left over after cutting the sleeves so we used that for the yokes too, I think this looks really effective and joins the two fabrics together nicely.

For the yokes, we cut out the front and backs from the blue jersey, then laid the lace yokes on top.  These were then stitched down around the armholes and neckline using a straight stitch - attaching the two fabrics and stay stitching at the same time - then zig zagged the lace along the raw edge.  After we had attached the sleeves the line of overlocking was visible against the lace so we pressed it towards the top then topstitched, which looks really neat.

We then made a neckband for the top instead of turning and stitching.  This makes the lace feel more securely attached and I do prefer the look of it, although the top is less boat necked now.  It actually took two attempts to attach the neckband, the first one was slightly too long and looked wobbly but it didn't take long to take it off and cut a new, shorter one.

 This is what Mum has to say:  "I couldn't have had a better tutor to help me through the process of using knitted fabrics for the first time.  Tilly's pattern and instructions were also very well prepared for a first timer, and the top has come out exactly as it was in my head - quel surprise!  I am so pleased with my top, plus I have the confidence to go back home and make myself some more, but best of all it was a great Mother/Daughter bonding session :)"

Mum has bought some other new fabrics to take back to Switzerland with her and I am really looking forward to seeing what she makes of them.  I'm also looking forward to some more Mum poses like this one!!

Refashion - Ladies Top to Child Playsuit

As I said in my previous post I recently bought three items of clothes from a charity shop with a view to refashioning them all, and this one is number two!  This top caught my eye because of the fabric and as much as I really wanted to make something for me with it I knew the Child would love it!  She has always been quite good at identifying birds and loves blue tits and owls in particular.

I did not use any original features of this top, except the bottom hem, and instead cut it up to harvest it for the fabric.  The pattern I based the finished playsuit on is Butterick 3259 from 1985, so I guess this counts as one of my Vintage Pattern Pledges too, which means I have sewed three items from vintage patterns so far this year!

The pattern has a lot of options all revolving around an elasticated bodice with spaghetti straps.  I made a lot of changes to this.  The bodice was seamed both front and back due to the choice of fabric and there is a funny seam on the back leg pieces where I had to cut those bits out over an existing seam.  There are 6 panels in the lower section of the top so cutting out was challenging!  As I said, I did manage to use the original hem for the bottom of the shorts.  

Instead of sewing a channel to feed the elastic through for the bodice and waist I used shirring elastic, I just prefer the look and ease of it on a garment like this.  I am considering making a dress version of this for our upcoming holiday and would do the same on that.  I also altered the straps from thin spaghetti style ones to thick ones which I cut out from the sleeves. I just prefer the look of them, and I think they will last better!

There really was not a lot of fabric left when I had finished making this, and it was actually a very quick make, once I had finished faffing around trying to find the best place to cut things out!  It has certainly gone down very well with the Child, she refused to take it off after I had finished taking the photos!

Refashion: Skirt and Blouse to Ilsley Dress

I do love a bit of charity shop shopping but I haven't seen anything (clothes or fabric wise) for a while until I went to my local fantastic shop and bought three things for £5 with the intention of refashioning them all, so this is the first of, hopefully, three posts with refashions in!

This started out life as a blouse and elasticated skirt combo made from viscose.  I like the colours and the print and could see that there was enough fabric to do something with.  I am off on my hols soon and need a beach cover up style dress so that was where I started.

Marilla has just released a free pattern so I thought I would combine two ideas and use that for the skirt portion of the dress.  In hindsight I think I should have left the pockets out because the fabric is extremely soft and drapey and I am not 100% convinced that they work but they are there and will probably prove invaluable in a beach dress!  As usual for all of Marilla's patterns, the skirt was brilliantly drafted and is finished really nicely, although I confess to skipping the french seamed pockets and just used my overlocker!  I really love the shaped hem and can't wait to make the skirt again "properly".

For the top portion, I started by checking the bust darts which were roughly at the right height, but the whole blouse was much too wide.  I took the sleeves off and the sides in, using french seams to keep it looking the same as the skirt, but then realised I had baggy underarms!  I seamed together the lower section of the armhole opening which made the blouse slightly too narrow across the front, so this is now stitched closed to prevent gaping.  The armholes are finished in bias binding and with the side french seams the insides look nice and neat.

To attach the top to the skirt I simply ran a line of gathering stitches along the top of the skirt, sewed the two together, overlocked the seam and then zigzagged some elastic onto the seam allowance for shaping.  I had toyed with the idea of adding a waistband section but I didn't want to overcomplicate things and really I just wanted a simple pull-on dress, which is what I've ended up with!

I am really happy with my charity shop purchase.  It cost me £2 to buy, I used very little other materials to change it (some elastic, thread and bias binding) and I now have a wearable dress out of recycled fabric.  That makes me very pleased!  I am midway through my next refashion so hopefully I can get some pics of that very soon.

Marilla Walker's Evan Skirt!

Marilla has released a new pattern and it's an absolute beauty!  I was lucky enough to be asked to test it, despite failing miserably to do so the last two times she asked me to test new patterns.  Thank you very much for asking again!

The pattern is for a denim style skirt that falls either just below the knee or at the ankles à la 90s.  Marilla and I are almost exactly the same age so her description really rang true with me:

"It has a retro seventies appeal with a hint of the nineties thrown in for good measure, which as a seventies baby (tail end of) and nineties teenager/young adult is not really that surprising."

I went for the shorter version but omitted the pin tucked pockets as the details would have got lost in the print.  For my next skirt I would like to make a plain denim or chambray version with all the top stitching, pin tucks and belt loops.  This would be such a good plain skirt to have in rotation to mix with all the patterned tops I have.

I made a straight size 4 and the fit is really good all over (except for being a bit snug on the waist, which I knew it would be as all my skirts are at the moment - I've got my trainers back out though so it's all in hand!!).  The length is perhaps a bit longer than I would normally go for but this is the second skirt in a row I've made this length and I like it.  

Because of all the genuine denim skirt details like the fly zip, back pockets, back yoke, belt loops (made but not attached yet) and front split this skirt took longer to make than most but I really enjoyed the experience.  I had never put a fly zip in before and although mine is in backwards (Marilla has since clarified the instructions - and I think I was tired when I read them!) I really loved learning a new technique.  

The fabric I used to make this came as a gift from Marilla back in the summer when we met up to go to the Matisse exhibition at the Tate Modern.  It was such a lovely surprise and I have been saving it for the right thing which hadn't materialised.  It felt like fate to pair it with this pattern, even though I had slightly more than I needed.  It's got so many colours in that I think it will be easy to find things to wear with it.  I've worn it three times this week (including with my new Bonnie, which went really well!) so has slotted in to my wardrobe really well and is filling a gap I didn't know was there!  

Marilla has also just released a free skirt pattern which she hopes to raise some money for Breast Cancer Care with.  I think this is such a generous thing of her to do.  I have downloaded my copy of the Ilsley Skirt and I have plans which include a bit of a pattern hack and some refashioning!  

Bluegingerdoll Bonnie Sweater Number 2

My first version of this top gets worn such a lot that as soon as I had finished making it I knew I had to make another!  The pattern is the Bonnie Sweater from Bluegingerdoll which is marked as a beginner pattern, and it really is a very straightforward make.  My favourite thing about this top is the fit at the neck and shoulders.  The little gathers at the top of the sleeves and gives a nice bit of shaping and feels very flattering. 

I made the same adjustments this time as last, namely lengthening the body and sewing cuffs on to the sleeves.  I had lost the traced neckband and cuff pieces so I just took some measurements and cut the fabric, it seemed quicker than tracing more bits!  This time I added some length to the waistband pieces so there is no puffiness around the bottom.  I actually quite like that on my other version and this top feels longer because it pulls down lower.  

 Both fabrics (sweatshirting and ribbing) came from KitschyCoo and as usual is absolutely fantastic.  I've got my eye on some puffin print jersey at the moment but since I'm on a fabric buying ban at the moment it will have to wait for a bit!  

When cutting out this fabric I was too busy watching the Great British Sewing Bee final and managed to cut one side too far into the selvedge, so I have some very useful sewing instructions in my armpit!  It's a novel idea but I'm not sure it will catch on!

I love the bright colours in this top, the petrol ribbing goes so perfectly with my Delphine skirt made using Amanda's lovely printed fabric.  That's two Bonnie and Delphine combos I've made now, I didn't make this top with the skirt in mind but they go so well together I don't think I'll be able to wear them apart!

Vintage Pattern Pledge: Newlook 6030

Yay!  I have completed my second sewing pattern from the Vintage Pattern Pledge!  I am happy with the end result, despite it being a bit on the frumpy side of things (granny chic?), but it has taken a bit longer than I thought it would to get there.

A few weeks ago I started to construct my So Over It Ultimate Skirt which I bought as a kit a couple of months ago in a fit of excitement.  I actually wanted to sew my vintage pattern but I was trying to be "good" and make things in order.  As if anyone but me knows what the order is!  So, it didn't go well.  The fit is off and I am not 100% convinced that the skirt will suit me but it can be fixed.  However at the moment I am not in the right frame of mind to fix it so I have put it to one side for a while.  In the meantime I thought I would start making this skirt but it wasn't completely straight forward either!

The pattern is New Look Maudella 6030 from sometime in the 70s (there's one for sale on ebay here!).  It is a simple A line skirt with a side zip.  I went for view 2 as I like the yoke.  I cut the front and backs on the fold to avoid having to pattern match as I only had 1.5 metres of fabric and the yoke is cut on the cross grain.

The fabric is from The Village Haberdashery and is Sevenberry Corduroy in Navy Plaid, which is lovely to work with.  The Child's dungulottes are also Sevenberry Corduroy and have washed and worn well (it's only been a month, but she's 5 so they've had a few things spilt on them!!).

I cut out and started sewing the skirt on the same evening I realised the Ultimate skirt wasn't working for me.  I got quite far and felt really pleased with myself.  Until I put the zip in and it went in wrong twice!  I have never actually had a major issue with zips and was feeling quite smug so I probably needed taking down a peg or two!

Over the next few days I slowly carried on putting it together then took it with me to my daughter's ballet class to hand finish the hem.  It was then I realised, as I was showing it to a friend, that I was not happy with it.  The zip still wasn't in very well, the waistband was higher at one side than the other and because it wasn't lined it stuck to my tights really badly.  This is definitely more of a winter skirt so I WILL be wearing tights under it so it made sense to start again.

I took the waistband off and the zip out.  I made a lining using the same fabric as for my first Delphine.  I then took about 10cm of length off and used that to make a new waistband.  Instead of an invisible zip I used Scruffy Badger's excellent lapped zip tutorial to put one of those in, which went in nearly perfectly first time.  I didn't know how to attach the lining to the zip so I hand stitched that bit. I made a bit of an overlap on the waistband and added a button to close it (sorry, no picture but it's a really pretty button!).

I am so glad I went back and basically remade the skirt.  I wasn't 100% happy with it before and I didn't want to have two failures in a row.  I now love the skirt, even with it's frumpiness, and will wear it a lot.  Especially with the striped top, which I know doesn't really go but I love it!