Fear not, despite the long silence my sewing machine has not been idle. Writing this post has been long overdue, and apologies for the absence! I’ve been on holiday, away for Christmas and very busy at work.
So, what have I been up to in terms of patterns? A lot of the things I have made have been for others, but have been fun to do. It will be good to get back on track though in terms of The Stash which really needs to decrease. I have this bad habit of buying new fabric once I have used up something so it doesn’t seem to decrease much….
So, first of all I made Simplicity 8339 after being disappointed at both the styles and price of sports bras when I did some shopping research. I haven’t sewn with scuba knit before, but it was nice and stable. I haven’t made the second version yet (which will be the same pattern, but colour blocked in the opposite colours).
It’s a snug fit, and luckily the straps were just long enough for me – for those taller than me you would be well advised to check before cutting out the straps. I skipped the recommended hook and eye at the back and just went for elastic all the way round.
Next up were several projects for a friend who is expecting a little boy, and his big sister who has had projects reviewed on here for several years. I used the same fabric in both projects so they would coordinate. I also got to sew with silk denim fabric which I didnt even know existed! It is lovely and soft, nothing like the cotton version.
Simplicity 8101 – I added a lining. Note to anyone out there who hasn’t tried this before. If your lining fabric is thicker then your outer fabric don’t expect a happy result when stitching them together, as they will stretch at different rates. I accidentally used bias binding on the armholes instead of the narrow seam in the instructions (which I should have followed more closely).
I had some of the floral fabric leftover, so of course had to save this as it was far too pretty to abandon!
This is lined in a stiffer cotton which helps fluff it out, and I used the selvage for a waistband.
This next item took a while to make as I gave it a substantial upgrade from the pattern instructions, which to be honest weren’t great. I think this pattern should have had a lining added automatically, it didnt tell you how to finish them hem and missed off instructions like under stitching.
This has a lining, I added bias binding for the hems, and stitched down all of the facings to stop them flapping about. I also interlined the silk denim with a viscose/wool blend for warmth and body. This is Burda 9831, and my first use of a blanket stitch in a finished garment. The buttons are vintage, and from my trip to Prague last year. They matched the jacket perfectly.
The final project is a belated Christmas present for a friend (before you think I am massively slow, I was only given the fabric after Christmas!). The silk was very slippery to sew with, and the body is cut on the bias. So, I did my best to be very careful when cutting out. This is Vogue 7837 – the trim should have been scalloped on both sides but as I was using lace fabric I made do by adding a narrow ribbon trim in a matching colour to cover the raw edge. It worked pretty well.
No modifications to this, other then shortening the crotch length slightly as my friend is petite. I also managed to sew on some snaps, which is not something I look forward to usually!
Now I just have to finish the knickers I managed to squeeze out of my friend’s fabric so she has a bonus gift, finish the silk bolero I started before Christmas (for myself) then I can crack on with a fresh project…..
sewwherenext 