Project: Simplicity 1008

Simplicity 1008

I did it! In fact I actually almost did it yesterday but forgot I was having a girly night at the cinema so didn't quite finish it in time. This morning it was a question of finishing off the facings (top stitching them down which I've done rather well if I do say so myself!) and it still needs hemming but, I've done it!

There are several things wrong with it, most noticeably it doesn't fit (story of my life!) and, perhaps, even more noticeably the stripes on the back are upside down, the darts are in the wrong place and it gapes at the back of the neck.

But I love it. Really, I do. And I'm going to wear it to Tescos as soon as I finish writing my shopping list and this post.

I think in the case of ambition vs reality, reality is going to win and my list of four things to sew this weekend will go down to two. So next up is the trousers in blue (because everyone's bought me blue sheets and I have no other colours to choose from).

Notes to Remember

1) Facings are not my friends. Don't pay attention to what the pattern says and use your common sense, it'll mean you don't have to rip out all the neck facings, rip out the stitching attaching the two parts of the neck facings and start again.

2) Check where your darts are before you sew the bloody things up please.

3) If stitching in stripes please ensure back stripes point in the same direction as the front ones.

This was a simple pattern to put together and if I hadn't been distracted by Jason Bourne and dog walks and After Eight mints then it would probably have gone together a little quicker. If I wasn't so scatty. All in all a nice easy pattern to follow and I look forward to making it up as a dress as it's supposed to be.

Thanks for stopping by,

It'll Be A Miracle ...

I've decided it's time to just stop whinging about sewing and just sew, damn it. So this weekend I'm attempting to sew as many work clothes as possible seeing as how I've been such a slack tart and not actually sewn any yet. Oh, and I start with the NHS on Monday. I don't think my new bosses would be too impressed if I rocked up in jeans and a lumberjack shirt afterall, so a sewing marathon it is.

Not only is it a work clothes sewing marathon but it's a finish-what-you've-bloody-started marathon too. First up on the sewing marathon list today is:

{ Source: Tuppence and Ha'penny Vintage }

You may remember my plan to make this as a red and white striped tee for my shorts project. The shorts have stalled but the top is still good to go. In fact, I've already started cutting the fabric. I've never matched stripes, and these aren't horizontal stripes but stripes cut to create a V along the centre seam which doesn't actually exist on the original pattern. I don't seem to like starting easy!

Simplicity 3688

Next up on the list is Simplicity 3688, I'll be making the trousers. Given the sizing issues I've had with the shorts I was attempting (and will continue to be attempting) to make based on this pattern I'm cutting a size smaller than I should and will probably spend most of this weekend tearing my hair out over fitting. But I only have one other pair of trousers suitable for an office so this is kinda necessary.

Eva Dress 1379

Next up is probably the shirt on the right. I need tops. Well actually, I need everything but I have two skirts and a pair of trousers already suitable for office work in my wardrobe but only one shirt (the Style Print shirt I already made) so shirts or tops in general would be a good idea I feel. So it's either the Eva Dress 1379 pictured left or another shirt pattern I haven't decided on yet. Or both. We shall see.

Simplicity 1683

And last but not least on my list is an attempt to finish Simplicity 1683. Still not sure what I'm going to do about the collar but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

Hopefully I'll get these done and possibly even have time for something else but, let's face it, I'm probably too lazy to do anything else. I'm only attempting the miraculous because I haven't anything else to wear and I work better under a tight deadline!

Now if I can just coax the kitten off the dining table so I can finish cutting out my stripey top I can begin, and that'll be a miracle in itself!

Thanks for stopping by,

Short and Happy

After thoroughly confusing myself over styles for body shapes and disgusted with myself for spending far too much time on the subject I decided to cheer myself up with some simple crafting projects I had been meaning to start/ finish for some time:

On the left is a rose I'm making into a brooch for my Day Bag (finished but not yet posted about) and on the right is a ladies boot key ring in a fabric I adore. I drew the sole on with fabric pens and ironed it fast (hopefully!). It's a little too big for my key ring so I may make it into a handbag charm instead. I'm undecided over whether to sew laces across the front seam as I'm unsure if they would even be noticeable with the fabric print being so strong or if it would make it too busy. Both projects are from Tone Finnanger's Books which can be found here.

And then whilst catching up on everybody's week yesterday via my Google Reader I stumbled across this post by Charlotte of Tuppence and Ha'penny Vintage and instantly fell in love with the short and tee illustration in the second picture (below) and spent an hour or so figuring out how to make it. Not only will it make me happy, better yet, it will fulfill 2 of the 5 spots of my Sew Summer Essentials. It contradicts almost everything I've learnt about dressing for my shape and probably won't suit me but as Zoe pointed out in her comment, fashion do's and don't's are more like guidelines than actual rules and I'm with her and Cap'n Jack.

This is the outfit I want (shorts and striped tee) and the patterns I'll be using:

{ Source: Tuppence and Ha'penny Vintage }

Simplicity 3688

I'll be using the trousers to make the shorts (obviously). I had thought about using the shirt to make the tee but it has no centre seam and a yoke that would make it a little difficult to add a centre seam, for me anyway.

Simplicity 1008

So instead I'm going to use my newest purchase, once it arrives, to make the tee. This is actually a dress with straight sides so I'll be adding the centre seam and adding some shape to the side seams ... theoretically anyway!

I'm using an old dark blue cotton flat sheet for the shorts and have dug out a zip that is about 20" too long. I thought I'd get some red and white striped cotton material for the top as part of what drew me to the illustration was the fabric/ colour choices. Better yet, they match my wardrobe colours. Whoop whoop!

Right, I'm off to start cutting out!

Thanks for stopping by,