Made Up made

These weren’t difficult makes but I was planning on making them for my holiday (departing Thursday sep 3rd so I killed two birds with one stone and committed to make them for this great initiative. I’ve spent a rainy weekend sewing and they’re ready. I had to finish before my hols for obvious reasons but also because I don’t get back until 10th step which is the finishing date.

The shorts went together easily. I liked the longer length and the flared legs – more flattering for women of a certain age. I had to take some fullness out of them before attaching the waistband but I’m pleased with the finished result.

The top looks fab it was a free pattern from Love sewing last month nice and simple and it hangs beautifully . I used a chiffon type fabric and even practised my French seams on it.

I got both fabrics from The Sewing Box in Glossop  and am very pleased with the result.

Didn’t this initiative do well raising all that money makes me feel quite smug. I can’t wait to wear my new outfit in sunny Spain!!!

Well done to everyone else especially Karen

The made up initiative

The patterns for the made up initiative

The fabrics

I pledged to sew the above items for the made up initiative. Started by Karen Ball this is a funding raising initiative to raise money for the national literacy project. How could I not – my two favourite things sewing and books. In my previous life as a primary school teacher I taught reading in key stage one for many years so this is very close to my heart. I already had the fabric and was going to make the top and shorts for my holiday so here we go. To complete the pledge they have to be completed by 10 September. Well that’s the day I come back so I’ve got a week less. They are cut out now and ready to go. Hoping to finish this weekend i’ll upload pics of the finished clothes .

Incidentally strange things have been happening to my blog. First of all the second part of the new look dress post disappeared. Am i going mad did I actually  i post it. YES I did cos I’ve got a comment about it. Then my ‘about’ page dis appeared. I’ve just had to rewrite it as best I can! Gremlins in the system!!!!

New Look 6272

Two things – Firstly, after using that New Look pattern a few weeks ago I was enthused. I’ve not used one for a few years. I’ve been trying PDFs and indie patterns. Why?  Here its all done for you. Secondly I found this gorgeous fabric in The Sewing Box in Glossop ( must be my favourite shop) made for Prada  a silky, shiny satin crepe. I was in love. But I was trying not to buy any more fabric I need to use some of my stash. I left the shop empty handed – feeling smug but sad. Then due to bad English weather husband and I booked a late deal for some late summer sun in Spain. Doing tailoring my stash is mainly tweeds and suitings etc. What I wanted was a sun dress.

So back to the Sewing Box for my beautiful fabric and a pattern. New Look 6272 – don’t you get a lot for your money? All those separates! love it. And half price at the moment, all this for £2.95. Eat your heart out indies.fabric in background

The dress and the fabric

I’ve started work on this and I’ve remembered to take more pictures of each stage so when it’s finished I’ll post the pics and info. Tomorrow hopefully!

The Finished Ruby dress

The Ruby dress accessorised for a Summer garden party wedding. (It’s a bit hard to see the fascinater

Perfect for a garden party

Accessorised for an English Summer garden party.

Very pleased with this dress now it’s finished. It fits well and  the skirt hangs beautifully i feel very feminine in it. Not my usual style at all.

Simply sew Ruby dress

Has anyone else tried this pattern. It was free with Love Sewing mag last year. I thought ‘mmm nice’ and put it away for future reference. Then I was invited to a garden party themed wedding and decided to give it a go. It screams garden party at me.

I got some flowery print fabric cotton with a little Lycra and a little body. Lovely! I’m a bit dubious about a lot of these new Indie patterns . they’re springing up everywhere. But give it a go it was free. I decided on the size 8 measurements seemed correct but a bit short.

I added An inch to the bodice as it was v short waisted I’m only 5’2 so heaven help anyone taller. The skirt was very short too but that’s just me. I added 2in to the length cos I thought it wasn’t suitable for a lady of mature years. the skirt is a complete circle i decided to leave it after some thought. I cut it out and started on the darts. The side darts were fine but the waist dart bent at an angle Can you see that in the picture. I stitched it straight from the raw edge to the point. Which worked.

I then started to put it together. The instructions were not v good, rather brief and in one place contradictory. It has combination facings. The instructions say stitch shoulder seams and then later stitch shoulder seams of facings. Then later turn the bodice through gap in shoulder. What gap?????

The ‘what you need’ list doesn’t include a zip. But the instructions have you putting in an invisible zip at the end!! Considering this is for an ‘adventurous beginner’ it could have become confusing. Fortunately I know what I’m doing and abandoned the instructions and did my own thing. It went together well I’m happy to say. Fit was good and it’s nearly finished.

I started off well with the pics but got carried away with myself and forgot to take any more. I’ll do better next time!!

I’m going to finish the dress this afternoon and upload some pictures tonight.

My tweed bags

I started making tweed bags about eighteen months ago. I love Tweed and coming from a tailoring backgrpound love to work with it. Much as I’d love to I can’t be constantly making myself  gorgeous tweedy things. So this is a bit of a compromise. I get to work  with  my favourite fabric and make a little money selling them at craft fairs. This Saturday I am at Saddleworth folk festival craft fair. So if anybody is in the area come and take a look. Should be fun

P.S.  I also make leather clutch bags

Continuing yesterdays post

Right side

Wrong side

The light was catching the sparkly threads and distorting the sparkly threads. It reallybis gorgeous fabric thes pics don’t do it justice. I’ll take some more pics when the sun isn’t so bright and shiny. Funny we wait weeks for sunshine then complain

More details to followI’m really pleased with the fit of this skirt. The pattern only started at a size 10 and i.’m size 8. I measured myself and measured the pattern I took half an vinch off the side seams ( 2inches altogether) perfect! Love it.

If you can enlarge this pic it shows the fabric much better

This is the first thing I made from the New Look pattern. I bought this gorgeous fabric from one of my favourite shops The Sewing  box in Glossop. It’s a Overlyy tweed type fabric with some silk and cotton and a very subtle sparkly thread. Part way through sewing this a decided I liked the ‘wrong’ side as well. Too late for this skirt but I did manage to squeeze another teeny skirt out of what I had left but more of that later! I made this skirt pre blog so haven’t got working pics. I’ll have to do that in future.

At least I got a picture up this time. Bit by bit I’ll get the hang of this thing.

New Look freebie

Sometime last year I bought a copy of Sew magazine and this pattern was free inside. I stashed the pattern away for future reference. Since then I have made the skirt, the top twice (lengthened to make a dress) and the kimono – again with a bit of alteration, in a heavy weight wool to make a winter coat. And I’m planning to try the trousers anytime soon. Over the next week or so I’ll upload the pics and explain what I did.