Home sweet home!

Well, we're back, and after two and a half weeks away I think the kids and I were ready to be home (not so the hubby - he'd live on the beach if he could!).

I had a couple of parcels waiting for me when I got back....

Gotta love getting fabric in the post!!  I made a couple of purchases before going on holiday - two from Favourite Fabrics ebay shop, and the other from a private ebay seller.  It could have been a disaster as the postman in his wisdom decided to leave the packages around the back of the house between the wheelie bins (and didn't leave any note to say he'd done so!).  I had a little panic when I spotted them, but thankfully they were both well wrapped in waterproof packaging (one of them only on the inside so the postman couldn't have known this!) so they survived two weeks sitting in the damp without mishap!

I love the funky jungle print with it's wintery colours (check me out planning ahead!).  I'm thinking I might make it into a Ginger Skirt unless I have any other ideas in the meantime.  The grey twill is a little lighter than I'd hoped, but might become a Moss [not-so] Mini.  The white is a couple of meters of viscose jersey I spotted on an auction listing.  I bought it to make a Pavlova Top to go with my [as-yet-unblogged] Miette Skirt, although I'm going to have a practice go with some (hopefully) less slippery jersey first.  I picked up the fabric below in a charity shop.  It's still a pretty fine jersey but I won't be so worried if I screw it up.  There was a big rust or paint stain in the middle of it, but I managed to work around it in the pattern placement.

I downloaded the pdf and stuck it all together (I love the immediacy, but the assembly is a drag!).  I really wasn't sure which size to cut out on this one.  I'm fairly petite around my top half but thought I'd play it safe and start with the larger size.  I can always go a size smaller for the next attempt.  I had to cut the fabric out on the kitchen floor but it doesn't look too shabby.  I'm yet to work out how to put it together, but I've got a couple of evenings coming up to work on it whilst Jon has meetings - yay! Sewing nights! 

I've also made up my Mathilde Blouse muslin finally.  I think I've been putting it off coz I'm scared of it!  I have a few fitting adjustments to make.  The neckline is too high against my throat for some reason.  I'm going to try and drop it by lengthening the shoulders as I don't want to have to mess with the neckline and facings.  I'm taking a little of the width out of the back shoulders, dropping the bust darts (perhaps a nursing bra issue - too much information?!)  and grading the side seams to be a little wider at the hips.  I've also got major sway back issues so I've got to try and figure out how to take some fabric out where it's pooling at the back without messing up the buttonhole placket.  Hmmm.....might be a bit out of my depth already!  

So, it looks like I'm back into the swing of things post-holiday.  You can tell because the sewing machine and selected accessories are firmly back in place in the middle of the kitchen table!

I'm so desperate for a little sewing area I can call my own!  I'm working on it and have my sights set on our bureau, currently in use as kid's artwork storage unit, but look -

aarrggghhh!  Definitely the worst corner of the house!  I've got a ton of planning, organising and moving to do before this dream becomes a reality!

I've still got Miette and Sorbetto pics to take and post, but I think that's going to have to wait till next week when school starts up again.  Looking after three kids in holiday mode does not leave much time for prancing around taking pictures of myself in handmade clothes!    

We're all going on a summer holiday...

...no more sewing for a week or two!  

Apologies for my blog silence (if anybody's missed me!).  I didn't want you to think I'd dropped off the face of the planet.  I'm finding that school/summer holidays are not conducive to sewing or blogging productivity - no surprise there perhaps!  Having said that, I have actually completed a couple of makes - I made my first Miette skirt in the odd moments I could squeeze in between holiday activities, and I have finally finished my second Sorbetto attempt.  The trouble is I haven't had time to take the photos to blog about them.  

Now on an enforced absence from my sewing machine I am keeping myself going with vicarious sewing satisfaction reading other people's blogs.  Meanwhile I am chomping at the bit to get back and get making!  

I did bring one make with me - I'm trying to finish off my 'Oil on Rainwater' Honey Cowl whilst I'm here with a bit of beach knitting...

...a great activity to do from my comfortable spot on the beach blanket whilst I watch the others doing this...

Suffice to say we are having a lovely break filled with plenty of sun, sea, family, and a bit of this too...

I know the pics make it look glorious, but I have to admit it's actually tipping it down with rain as I type!  Oh well, it's what you have to expect from an English holiday, and overall we've had more sun than we could normally have hoped for.  Until next time...

Back soon!

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Denim skirt and edged cardi

Just look at what you can create when your husband leaves a pair of jeans lying around in the wrong place!  Ha!  You snooze you lose!

Only kidding - they were on his 'to chuck out' pile of things that won't fit in the drawer anymore, and I did ask before I cut them up.  You wouldn't think it now though as he keeps looking at me accusingly saying, "My jeans!".

Too bad though coz I love love LOVE my new skirt.  It's perfect for the weather, and soooo quick to make.  I didn't take pics of the process, but I literally just cut the legs off at the point where there were holes in the knees, opened the inside legs and crotch, and stitched it all together using triangles of denim (taken from one of the cut off legs) to fill in the gaps.  

I managed to get it done in about half an hour this morning whilst Jacob napped (and his naps are short!) so I could wear it when we went out after lunch.  I did go back to reinforce some of the seams later on, just to make sure.  This gave me a chance to try out my new double needle too.

I bought this needle for knitting jersey so I shouldn't really be using it on denim, but it worked fine and was exactly what I needed to secure the back seams which were fray-tastic.

So, onto the cardi.  I have been looking in my wardrobe for clothes to refashion, and maternity wear is an easy choice.  It's big enough to allow adjustment (and to fit my post-natal figure!) but I don't plan on wearing it again for it's original purpose!

Most of my maternity clothes have been recycled over three pregnancies or inherited from friends, but I did acquire a couple of new items this time.  One was a pair of jeans which I lived in, but which are sadly of no use now due to the fabric maternity belly - they would be too low cut without it.  Then there was this super soft angora mix jumper which is another matter.

It was a birthday present and I loved the colour, the soft knitted texture and the shoulder and cuff detail.  However, I hardly wore it after my mum informed me that it "looked as if I had no boobs"!  Clearly I wouldn't be wearing it as is post pregnancy either as it really doesn't flatter my pear-shaped figure, but I had a plan!


First off I cut off the back tie thingy and used an existing cardi to determine how long I wanted it to be.

Then I hacked it into bits, cutting off the bottom and slicing up the middle to make my cardi shape.  

Of course, there was now a question of what to do with all those raw edges, but I trawled ebay until I came upon this paisley binding with just the right colour combination.

I pinned the binding all the way around the raw edges and sewed it in place.  It was actually easier than I thought it would be.

And that was it.  I didn't add any catches or buttons as I wouldn't want to wear it done up.  So here it is...

 It's pretty cute and definitely wearable now - although not at the moment coz it's just too darn HOT!  All in all another successful wardrobe refashion - hooray!

Quick summer refash - shirt to halterneck top

It's hot.  Pretty unusual for a British summer in recent years!  It was stiflingly hot yesterday and I couldn't find anything cool that I was happy wearing (post-pregnancy!) so I took a leaf out of the Refashionista's book and remodelled this shirt that I picked up at a charity shop recently (excuse the appalling photo - I really must clean the mirror if I'm going to take any more photos like this!):

To start with I went with a no-sew refashion - folding the collar in, doing the buttons up and tying the sleeves behind me.  I've only got one photo of it like this, but it's cute! 

Ahhhh!  My sweet baby!  Anyway, I decided that whilst this worked around the house, I was less confident wearing it out and about, so I got the scissors out.  First I cut off the collar and sleeves and unpicked the pockets.

I cut each sleeve in two lengthwise and made a long straight strap and a shorter angled strap out of each sleeve.

I was left with this shape for the body.  I ended up cutting off the two top bits as well leaving just the shoulder yoke (is that what it's called?) which I folded to the inside.  This is great as it adds a bit of extra thickness in the boob area!  

I folded the top over to make a band out of the surplus fabric on the front section.  I pinned the shorter angled straps behind this band and sewed it all down.

I cut the back panels down and hemmed them just above what would now be the top buttonhole.

I put the top on inside out, took the sides in and sewed them up, catching the long straps in the new side seams.

And that was it!  Here's what it looks like:

I love the halter - it feels very fifties, and the back strap means I feel secure knowing that it's not going to pop open if the button fails!  It also means I can tuck the halter straps in and wear it strapless if I want to.  

Of course Jon doesn't like it - he thinks I look like I'm wearing a tablecloth, but you can't win 'em all!  Jacob doesn't seem to mind though...

Enjoy the sunshine folks!

Esme Top Completed!

That's it!  I have finally completed my first ever wearable garment!  Woohoooooo!

I managed to squeeze in some sewing time over the last week, mainly in the evenings when all the little darlings were asleep.  I did occasionally manage to sneak a little extra in after school (between making dinner, feeding an infant and doing the bedtime routine!) and at these times had a little helper:

Chief pin sorter!

She's keen to get involved, and we're thinking of starting a little project together soon - perhaps a pinny or a little skirt.   I wish I'd started sewing from a young age!  I'm sure my mum would have gladly shown me how (she sewed all the time when I was a kid) but I think I was probably a little too impatient in those days!

Anyway, back to the Esme Top.  In the end I cut the pattern out in a size 8 as I'd read that it comes up big, and I'm certainly glad I didn't go any bigger.  It's quite an airy, blousey top which will be lovely and cool for summer wear.  I love the bib detail on the front, and the sleeves are wonderful!  I'm really pleased with how it went together, and for a first attempt I don't think I did too badly.  I'm sure I'll be able to pick holes in it later once I have more experience, and it's not that tidy inside, but for now I am very happy with it.  

I'm really pleased with how it went together, and for a first attempt I don't think I did too badly.  I made a couple of mistakes in the initial cutting out which I will chalk up to experience but I had plenty of fabric so I was able to resolve these without difficulty.  I did make one glaringly obvious error when I chose to use a biro to mark my gather lines thinking that the end result would be hidden in the seam allowance - doh! 

I'm hoping this will come out in the wash, but I intend to wear it in the meantime anyway - after all, I made it dammit!

Celebrating with a Pimms!

 Happy weekend y'all!

Coming up...

Well I'm sorry to say I haven't had much time for sewing lately.  Or blogging for that matter.  I'm being kept rather busy by these guys -

They're cute, but they make a lot of mess!  I've been itching to sew but I've had to be sensible and do housework.  Blah!

I have got a couple of things in the pipeline.  I have a couple of charity shop refashions to blog about, including my reworking of this delightfully hideous flouncy dress:

 

I couldn't help but strike a pose!  This dress is no more, and the refashion is complete but we just haven't had the weather for me to get outside and take any after photos.  In fact I've been returning to the comfort of my jeans and hoodies!  

On the sewing front I've finally got as far as cutting out the pieces for my Sew Liberated 'Esme Top' and I'm keen to get stuck in.

I went for a tiny floral pattern inspired by Lauren of the Great British Sewing Bee.  Hopefully it will hide any mistakes I make!  So the Esme Top may turn out to be my first proper garment made from a sewing pattern, unless I knock out a quick Sorbetto in the meantime.  I picked up a remnant of fabric from Coventry Market which might just stretch to a Sorbetto:

I've no idea what it is but I loved the colour and the pattern and it's lovely and soft (although it will probably crease like crazy!).  You can also see the denim fabric I bought to make a Miette skirt, another pattern from Tilly and the Buttons.  I think these fabrics look great together, a fact which may encourage me to sort out my differences with the Sorbetto Top pattern in the near future!  

So, watch this space - I'm hoping to return to sewing and blogging really soon!