Work in progress

This is the reason that I do not mind sitting down to supervise homework.

Navy Spot Sundress

This is the first made-for-me garment that I have sewn in over 20 years!

I am actually very pleased with how it turned out.  I have worn it to work and I have received more than one compliment.

The fabric is the same navy spot polycotton that went into the girls’ skirts. The pattern is New Look 6968 in View B.  It looks pretty much like the garment but I made some changes in the construction.  I didn’t understand why they had a lining and a facing.  In the pattern instructions, it appears as though you baste the lining to the fabric and then attach the facing as though there is no lining.  Perhaps this is normal and I just don’t have enough sewing experience, but I prefer to hide my seam finishes completely inside a lining, or have the lining join the facing, like in a jacket.  Instead, I attached the lining to the bodice as per the Party Dress and left the facing out completely.  I originally planned a version with sleeves but omitted them because I didn't want exposed seam finishes.  The fabric is so thin and the print so large that ending up with a sleeveless version has worked out for the best.

The lining fabric and the zip were reclaimed from a bridesmaids dress that I wore last summer.  I have plans to upcycle the main fabric and sash into a party dress for one of the little girls.  Because the reclaimed zip was not invisible, I inserted it showing, the colour match is good so it is not too serious.  The join at the bottom of the zip is a little wonky, but I don’t believe it is too noticeable.  The lining fabric is not marvellous, very static-y, but free lining is free lining and the dress really did need a full lining because the polycotton is so thin.  The lining also provided a useful toile for me.  I needed to skim a lot of curve off the hips, omit the darts in the skirt, make smaller darts in the bodice and lower the neckline by 1cm.  I didn’t have to shorten the waist, which I normally need to do.  I kept the hem above the knee for a large print, summer dress.

I will make this pattern again, I want to do a version with the collar and sleeves in a winter-weight fabric.  The other pattern, that I bought for this make and didn’t use, is going to be my first knit garment, as soon as I find the right print and colour.

All in all, I’m really happy with this: 8.5/10. 

Costs

Fabric: 2m = £7.50
Pattern: Bought two, used one = £13.35
Notions, thread: £0
New tools: Zipper foot ~£15
Total: £35.85

PS Here’s what you get when the only available photographer is your 3 year old.

Cost update:

Fabric per garment: £2.88

 used the second pattern, now £7.67

new total = £25.55

Sorbetto

Thank you to Colette for this lovely (free!) pattern, Sorbetto.

This is a very versatile pattern and the fit is great.  I like how it is a tank top but the shoulder straps are wide enough and the neckline is high enough to keep it modest enough to wear anywhere, including the office.

Although it is a pretty simple construction, with no fastenings, I had a few firsts which kept me interested: first time printing out and assembling a downloaded pattern, first upcycle and first time making my own bias binding.

For the upcycle, I reclaimed a worn out fitted sheet.  The sheet was expensive but, as with all high thread-count cotton, very fine and flimsy.  But it is wonderfully soft, a great colour and a lovely sheen to it too.  One of the longest process for this project was unpicking all the elastic (more reclaiming), ironing out the creases (sort of) and identifying all the imperfections in my reclaimed fabric (I still missed one).  I have a lot of sheet left and I think the fabric is too nice to use for toiles.  Some kid tops would be nice, plus the Penny Dress, of course.  

I changed a couple of things in the pattern:

-French seams for the side seams and shoulders, especially with a very fine fabric.  I have a particular aversion to exposed seams as they are a dead giveaway of a home-made garment and I don’t have an overlocker.

-Allowance for my short waist by cutting a straight line from the waist-level notch to the bottom of the garment.  I need to figure out how to draft a better curve for next time.

-Lowered the armhole opening by 1.5cm.

-Lengthened garment by 1cm (could do more).

For decoration, I included the button to distract from my three (three!) imperfections on the front.  Hopefully it works.  No, I’m not telling what they are.

Cost

Fabric: free

Pattern: free

Thread: stash, perfect match

Notions: button from stash

Tools: new bias binding maker, ½ inch, £5.59

New toys

I try not to go crazy buying tools for my crafts, I really do.

But all the cool kids in blogland seem to have these so I had to get some too.

Off I went to The Village Haberdashery in West Hampstead and blew a whole bunch of dough on some new toys.  The shop was gorgeous and the owner so sweet, I really could spend all day in there.  

But I had to get home and finish my new, spotted, ruffled, Sorbetto II by making bias binding using my whizzy new rotary cutter and mat!   

The Festival of Spots continues!

Little Red Dress

This cute dress came to life from the fabric of an abandoned dress for me.  I loved the fabric and was planning to make this Vogue pattern with it.  Then I realised that such a strong colour with such a lot of fabric was going to add up to a dress that I just would not wear.

Instead, I have enough fabric to make each of the little girls a dress, plus a top for me, and some left over.  I always make for the oldest first, since she is the one who needs a new wardrobe.  I tried to pitch her the Penny Dress from Craftiness is Not Optional but she loves colour, colour and more colour so she wasn’t keen on the white bodice.  Never mind, the little one is going to get the Penny Dress in the red spot, and probably a second one in the aqua.

Back to the red dress.  The request was for puffy sleeves with pocket suggestions enthusiastically embraced.  No problem.  Back to CINO for the Charlotte Dress to find out how to make and attach a puffy sleeve.   I ended up using mostly this tutorial/sew-along for the dress instructions.  I can’t believe I drafted a sleeve!  My first ever pattern drafting.  I had no idea what I was doing.  (But I felt like a genius for thinking to use my brown wrapping paper roll from Ikea!)

I re-used the bodice pattern from the Cottage Home Party Dress.  The skirt is one width of the fabric, which was enough since mine is 150cm wide.  I would have added more panels if I had a narrower fabric.  Instead of the invisible zip from the Charlotte Dress, or the button loops from the Party Dress, I made buttonholes as the fastening.  Three reasons: I haven’t done them in years, I’m trying not to buy loads of new things for each project (like zips) and I couldn’t figure out how to get button loops in with a different bodice construction.   After a couple of practice rounds, my buttonholes weren’t too bad, even on my basic (under £100) machine.  I didn’t dare do them in a contrast colour though.  E chose the buttons from my stash, I would have gone for a bright blue instead of the red she chose but I love that she gets involved with the choices for her garments.

 

I should have sewed the bodice side seams differently, opening up between the bodice and the lining and running the seam through both as one, continuous stitch.  I could have closed the back of the bodice this way, but I ended up top-stitching it closed before I worked out the alternative.  (By then, I didn't feel like unpicking.)

As I was making the bodice, I was having serious misgivings about the fabric choice paired with the puffy sleeves.  It was looking very Minnie Mouse.  However, once I attached the skirt, the dress changed and suddenly it looked fine.  I think it was saved by the fact the skirt is long, and I didn’t attach a pocket.  I resisted the urge to play around with a contrasting trim and I think the fabric makes for a striking dress without needing any embellishment.  I may still add a gathered patch pocket, depending on how much fabric I have left after the other projects.  However, the 6 yo specification is for a slanted welt pocket which I am not in the mood to try, and would be too heavy for this fine cotton. 

 

The 100% cotton fabric was a joy to work with.  So soft and smooth, the machine needle purred through it.  I got it from Clothspot who sent wrapped in tissue paper, sealed with a sticker, like a special present.  They also popped some great swatches in the package and have a fab thread-matching service which means no guessing about whether you’re selecting  the right thread colour off the internet.  I nearly bought some more spotted fabric from them but I am sure I will tire of The Festival of Spots after one week (more on that later!).

All in all, I’m really happy with how this dress turned out, she loves it, there have been multiple requests to wear it, and it is really easy to “spot” her wherever she is!

Costs: £11.92

Includes: fabric, thread, 1/3 of unused Vogue dress pattern, delivery.  (ok, £8.59 when I exclude the unfair pattern depreciation - it wasn't this dress' fault.)

Spinning

Boy oh boy, I am jealous: the girls have spun yarn!

We went to a County Fair, mainly so I could scope out the craft entries, and the girls had a go of spinning fleece.  They loved it!  My eldest was so intent on her craft, paying close attention to stretching and twisting the yarn as it went in; or so she told me - I have no idea if that's really how it works 'cause I didn't get a go!

We didn't linger long, although I spied a drop-spindle too.  The spinner kindly pulled out a bit of yarn they had spun and gave it to the girls.  It has a bit of unspun fleece still at the end and it feels lovely and smooshy.  I have to think of something to do with this 1m of yarn, maybe an embroidery flower on the next cardigan or hat?  It's too precious to have hanging around the toys until I get fed up and throw it out.

Daisy Dresses

Searching online for my first dress to make for the girls, this pattern jumped out and screamed “Make me!”  Thank you to The Cottage Home for your generous pattern and tutorial. 

The little girls are so excited about their dresses made by Mummy.  It is so gratifying to sew for this age: they are old enough to have input over the details and make choices about fabrics, yet young enough to want to wear Mama-made clothes with dresses their daily choice of garment.

I compiled a short list of online fabrics then gave the eldest her choice.  I wanted them to have the same dress in different colours.  Turquoise is her favourite right now and I chose the orange for the littlest one.

It came together quite quickly and I even figured out the whole shoulder attachment process (genius!)  Instead of the sash, I sewed contrast bias binding around the waistband before I attached the skirt.  It hasn’t come together beautifully there because I was not keen on topstitching, preferring to keep the whole bodice stitch-free.  I should have just gone for it because it is pulling up a bit at the front and the inside is not as stable, since it secured by hand.

I didn’t make the contrasting hem, I couldn’t find anything as nice as that raw silk from the original, so I just lengthened the skirt by an appropriate amount.  I love, love, love the covered buttons!  I will definitely be making them again, they would look amazing on children’s knitwear.  I got a plastic kit from an ebay seller, 18mm, I think a smaller size would be quite a challenge to cover neatly.   The buttonhole loops look lovely but I think I’ll stick to buttonholes in future since I don’t mind making them and pulling those loops the right way out was a pain.

Overall, I am delighted with the results, and so are the girls.