More sleeve loveliness…

This time I thought I’d try it without the cuff

This version will be fab for the summer…

Its all about the sleeves…

Puffy sleeves! I really wanted to make my empire line tops with puff sleeves, so I pattern hacked the sleeves from Tilly and the Buttons “Mathilde” top, to fit the Merchant and Mills “Trapeze” pattern. And I couldn’t be happier with the outcome. I hadn’t planned on having the puffy sleeve head, just thought I’d get fullness to the bottom part of the sleeve. So it was Serendipity that I got the puffy sleeve head.

This is my wearable toile.

And then came this one. Made with the fabric I bought from Ditto fabrics in Brighton, back in February.

I am loving them.

Could not decide…

On what length I wanted this to be. Started out as a top.

Wore it a couple of times, then decided I didn’t like it like that, so turned it into a midi length dress

Which made me feel fat and frumpy. So off came some length, and now its a knee length dress.

Still not sure if I’m happy with it. To be totally honest, I think its the fabric/pattern. I really don’t do well in florals!

Couple of alterations…

Remember this dress?

Well I decided I wasn’t happy with it as a maxi dress. I know I’m fickle! So I shortened it.

It might be a tad too short to wear with bare legs, I did wear it once with bare legs during the really stupidly hot weather.

But this is probably how I’m more likely to wear it.

This dress had just a small alteration. I turned up the hem about 5cm or so, but did it so the reverse of the fabric showed. Just gives it a little contrast.

Bags for a pandemic…

I work for the NHS so when Covid-19 was in full swing back in April, we had to start changing out of our uniforms before coming home.  I needed bags that could be put in the wash at 60 degrees, so they could be reused.  And I came up with the idea to make bags out of oil uniforms, as I knew they can be washed at 60, with no problems. I made myself two, and some of my colleagues liked them so I made some for them too. They are proving to be very useful.

The first bag I made, I thought it would be fun to incorporate the pockets. However I then decided not to bother with the rest.

I loved the navy one with the contrast stitching. You can see here where I’ve used zig zag stitches to prevent fraying. And I really love how it looks.

In fact I loved it in navy so much, I made one for myself as a reusable shopping bag. It can fold up nicely to fit in most of my bags, to take when going to town.

The bags for work, are literally two pieces of fabric sewn together with handles attached. So essentially they are flat. Whereas the one I made for myself for shopping, has sides and a bottom. So its a bit bigger and can fit more in.

Haven’t posted in ages…

I have been sewing, lots. Just haven’t got round to blogging about it yet. Sorry xxx

This is my fave so far…

This fabric came from Ditto fabrics in Brighton. I bought some back in January from the shop itself, in black and white. I then decided I wanted some more, but they didn’t have any more of that one, but had it in this black/blue/white combo. Which I’m loving just as much. Its ex-designer (Paul Smith) and the quality is fab! I love that I can make stuff from such excellent quality fabric, for the fraction of the price that I would have to pay for such a garment if I bought it RTW.

You can see the blue in this pic.

Sorry about the dusty mirror!

I’ve only worn it for trying on purposes and picture taking, but it feels so comfortable to wear. Can’t wait to be able to wear it out of the house, to go somewhere nice!

I have enough of this fabric left to make another top. And I also have the black/white combo, which I’m thinking I’ll make a dress from.

More…

Lovely lovely tops with the empire line!

First one made with a cotton fabric from Cloth house London. Bought this end of Feb during a few days stay in London before all this Coronavirus mess started!

I’ve been into red lately, and I couldn’t resist this red and cream small check combo.

Can see the detail of the fabric a little better.

 

Another successful pattern hack…

The top I made in my previous post was a practice run for this dress. I couldn’t be happier with the top, and was therefore very excited to get cracking with the dress version.

Its made from THE softest cotton double gauze I have ever felt. And comes from of course, Merchant and Mills. Not cheap, but then again it is quality stuff. I can’t remember if I bought 2.5m or 3m. I’m pretty sure it must’ve been 3m. This dress uses a lot of fabric!

I had intended for it to be a maxi dress, however when I tried it on at the length I thought I wanted it to  be, I was not happy. Looked like a tent!

I thought about it for a day or two and then decided to turnout up. I think I turned it up about 10cm, I doubled the hem over so I had a 5cm or so turn up. And turned it up with the inside outside. Which gives it a lovely contrast border detail.

And now I’m very happy with it.

Please excuse the dusty mirror!

And this fabric is seriously so so so soft to wear, I feel like I’m wearing a cloud. Thinking I might have to get some more…

You can definitely expect to see more of these dresses.

 

A little pattern hacking and a wearable toile…

I’ve been wanting to make a high waisted/empire line dress, top for ages. I’ve seen several patterns I quite like, but you know, I do like to stick to what I know. So decided to once again hack the Merchant and Mills, Trapeze dress pattern. I love the neckline on the Trapeze. Takes a bit of working out to keep that lovely curve on the bottom edge though, but I got there.

I used some cotton fabric that I bought from M&M a few years back. I was a bit concerned as it isn’t a very wide fabric, only 110cm, I’m more used to at least a 140cm wide fabric nowadays. And the pattern piece for the tier bit was wider than the fabric, but I just had to go with it. I thought about making the tier shorter and adding in some extra fabric, but then decided against it.

I didn’t have enough fabric to make a dress, only a top. It worked out perfectly and I am beyond happy with it.

I’ve already started on the dress version.