Sewmystyle kimono and Carolyn pyjamas

So this month I went from thinking that I wouldn't join in the Sewmystyle challenge to getting completely carried away and making an entire matching set.

 

(By the way I never thought I'd be appearing in public in my pyjamas!)  It started because I had 5 metres of this lovely Liberty fabric in my stash.  Now before the mathematical among you think that equates to £110 of fabric, this was one of my bargains bought at Standfast and Barrat in Lancaster on their last day of offering Liberty seconds and it cost only £14.98 for the lot!  I know,  I could kick myself for not buying more.

I did cheat a bit this month, because I couldn't justify buying the Suki Kimono pattern, when I already had this one, which is very similar and from the Great British Sewing Bee from Fashion With Fabric.  The pattern is straightforward, though I think I could have gone down a size.  I bought a bit of Tana Lawn for the belt and facing, it was more yellow than I wanted and I had forgotten how see-through Tana Lawn can be.  I French seamed all the seams, but came to a problem at the under arms.  All looked beautiful on the inside, but then when I turned it right-side out at the curved underarm seam it wouldn't lie properly and I have had to cut through at points, which now looks a mess.  I suppose there just isn't any way you can French seam a curve like this, lesson for the future.  Do any of you have any suggestions?

I've had the Carolyn pyjamas in my pattern stash, and as I had enough fabric left I carried on.  I cut a size 10 for the top and an 8 for the bottoms.  The top is a good fit and didn't need any changes.  I put on extra 1" in the rise on the bottoms as I don't like anything on my lower waist.  I do have a small waist and find that any lower waistlines seem to try and move up to the smaller part (that probably sounds nonsense but hopefully you will get the gist.  The front is still too low and I would like another 1" there  I didn't bother with the faux-fly. Also these look the right size, in terms of comfort I wish I'd gone for the next size up.  I have to say this fabric is lovely to wear as pyjamas.

This is a great pattern, though quite a lot of work in it.  What I really like is that you can make the insides so neat.  You won't be surprised I French seamed everything.  I'm getting pretty good at setting in sleeves with French seams.

I has just enough fabric left to make my first  ogden cami.  I had to make the back facing from some different fabric, but that's quite useful for spotting the back.  There has been tons written about the cami.  I'm not sure whether it's really for me.  I'm not keen on showing my brastraps and in the lawn it is a bit baggy.  However, it is lovely for hot nights and I might try one more in a drapey fabric.  The only change I made was to reduce the strap length by around 5/8".

If I had more fabric I would also have made the shorts!

Deer and Doe Myosotis: Sewmystyle

At first when I saw the pattern for this month's Sew My style I thought  I wouldn't give it a go, but remember I had felt the same about the Kalle and then loved it I gave it a go.  So here it is the Deer and Doe's latest release, the Myosotis. 

I'm still not sure about it.  I keep making dresses with lots of fabric around the waist and I'm not sure I like them, but carry on making them!  I think it's just other styles suit me better.  I ordered the paper pattern from Deer and Doe, and can I really recommend buying straight from them, excellent service no slower than ordering in the UK and very good postage.

I made the size 40 which is a 36" bust, while I have a 37.5" bust.  There is plenty of ease and I think the bodice fits me well and is very comfy.  I reduced the shoulder width 1/2" (my usual adjustment) but made no other adjustments other than shortening the sleeve about an inch as I thought the sleeves were too long and adding a little to the length.

It went together fairly easily, but don't go for this one if you don't like doing gathers!  I didn't like the  away they do the collar, I prefer to hand finish on the inside, and I did make a bit of a mess of this (you can't really see it though).

The fabric is some of my bargain liberty tana lawn (£4.5 a metre) and it is lovely.  I kind of wish  I'd used it in a different pattern.  I have worn it already and it is incredibly comfortable.  Lots of swish, but this also makes it a bit tricky in the wind we have been having .... had the odd Marilyn Monroe moments.   I've seen some lovely versions of this dress, and it really suits some, I won't make it again, but I will get some wear.

 
Here's my last week MeMadeMay selection, as you can see I do mostly wear dresses 1,2,4,6 to were worn to work.

 

 

 

 

 

Pattern testing the Chai dress

This is the Chai dress from Itch to stitch and I love it.  It certainly helps that it is in my favourite ever liberty tana lawn  bought as seconds for only £9 a metre. 

This is my first time ever as a pattern tester.  I was very pleasantly surprised to be picked and just a little nervous.  The process was to sew the dress in about 5 days, which was fine as I was on holiday.  The were around 30 testers and the  process was incredibly thorough with 3 versions of the pattern produced.  It was great to see everyone's finished garments and how different they looked.  Originally I thought this might not be a dress to suit all figures, but actually it did!  The pattern is a PDF and although I will never really love PDFs you are able to just print the size you want.   What I really liked is that the pattern has different cup sizes and I had the most amazing fit straight away.

 

 
I cut a size 6 bust graded to a 4 at the waist.  The only adjustments I made was to raise the waistline by 1/2", as I usually have raise waistlines by 1" this may make it a little high for some of you.  I also added 2" to the length.  But that was it.  This is probably the best fit I've ever had, it is pretty snug, but actually comfortable.  I had intended to make the version with the sleeve, but it has a gathered sleeve and I'm not that keen on gathered sleeves.  I usually avoid sleeveless makes, because I don't really like showing the tops of my arms, but I really preferred  the sleeveless look and I've decided just to go with it. 

Jo at my sewing class just showed me a tip to sew a collar the other way round if you know you aren't going to button up, that is machining the collar to the inside and then doing your slip stitching on the right side, and I love this technique.  It means the part of the collar that shows is really neat.

The other thing I loved is that you can make the insides really neat.  I used French seams throughout.  The only thing I would really do differently is to interface the waist band.

A definite winner, and I would genuinely recommend this pattern.  The blouse version is lovely too and I will be making it again.
 
I've also been to Cambridge for the Sewing Weekender with sewing friend Gary and we had a great time.

There are many descriptions around about what happened, but basically 60 sewers talked ... sewed .... swapped stuff .... talked some more  and had a very wonderful time.  We stayed at the College for 2 nights and I would definitely go again, if we can get the tickets.  It was surreal meeting lots of the people I watch on vlogs and admire their makes on blogs and I was just a touch starstruck. 

 
Here I am with Harriet and her mum, both such lovely people (and wearing my GBSB colour blocked dress, which got loads of complements).  It was particularly lovely to meet Rachel and Kate from the Fold Line and Charlotte from An English Girl at Home who organized the weekend and Fiona from Dairy of a Chainstitcher, one of my favourite blogs.  The only thing that went wrong was my sewing!  I was making a Seamwork Sonia and the fit was so awful that is has ended in the bin!

 
I would recommend you go to the Weekender if you can, but as tickets are so limited that they sold out in 20 minutes and I want to go again next year .... I won't!  And just to prove that I do wear what I me, here I am in my Chai dress outside the College at Cambridge.

Liberty McCalls 6696

This is my third version of the ever popular McCalls  6696, and it is certainly the best fit.    My choice of fabric is nothing new, Roisin has made a sleeveless version and Gertie's shirtwaister in her first book used the red version of this fabric.  The fabric is Liberty Carline and before you think I have spent a fortune on this dress, this fabric was one of my bargains from Standfast and Barracks in Lancaster who sell Liberty seconds.  This cost £6 per metre and I used just under 2 metres .... a bargain.

So to the fit.  I love this pattern because it has different cup sizes and I went for the C.  My last 2 versions I cut a 14 at the bust and graded to a 12 at the waist, but this time I just cut a 12 in the bust too.  I took 5/8" from each shoulder for my narrow shoulders and raised the waist by 1" overall and then by 3/8" extra at the front centre (because I noticed that the waist appears to droop a little on me).

 

The pattern illustrations do not show a back view of the dress and I think that is probably because the models have the problem of "poofy" backs.    I took a whole 2" out of the centre gathers.  Even so there is still a bit of "poof" and what I think I need to do is to also take 3/8" from the back centre line (like the front).

 

 

Insides; French seams everywhere except for the sleeve attachment (where to be honest I couldn't be bothered!)

Not much more to say about this one, except I must try the straight-skirt version some time!  I'm sure this won't be my last.

I had the most lovely Saturday when I met up with Ruth from CoreCouture and we had a lovely shop in Minerva.  I really enjoyed watching Ruth shop, she has such an eye for combining patterns and colours and I ended up totally copying her with the berry coloured fabrics below.  This whole haul cost £45 which will make 2 skirts, 2 tops and one pair of trousers.  I think I am usually a bit of a fabric snob, but Minerva does have some lovely fabric at really low prices.

Sydney Jacket and Liberty jasper sweater

Two casual makes today.  First up  the Tessuti Fabrics Sydney Jacket, which I purchased in pdf form.

Described as "an oversized, draped jacket which features a relaxed collar, back yoke, extended cropped raglan sleeves" and this is what you get.  I cut the extra small size which is for bust 34" (I measure around 38") because the pattern looked roomy.  I think I could have gone even a little smaller as it is still very roomy and after completion I cut off 1 1/2" from each of the front edges.  I missed out the pockets because I felt that with the thicker boiled wool they might look rather bulky.

 
You need to use a fabric which doesn't fray as the edges are left untreated.  I made mine in a high quality boiled wool, which has a lot of body and it has worked out quite well.  You can see how the seams appear neatly on the right side.

 
This is the wrong side and you can see the seams look neat here too.  They are all overlapped and then trimmed.  One thing I would do differently is not to cut the dart as a V, but to make an ordinary dart.  I found that it was difficult to completely close the opening at the dart point and it looks slightly compromised in terms of strength.

Overall this is an relatively easy sew and well designed pattern.  I haven't worn it yet though, because with the rather short sleeves it is just to cold to wear at the moment.  More of a light spring jacket.

Next up is Paprika Patterns Jasper Sweater.

I'd seen so many lovely versions of this, including the pattern illustrations,  that I had high hopes.  I had an idea of using some Liberty fleece with plain fleece.  When you are making a garment there is a moment when you have either basted or pinned or sewed enough to try on and get an idea of what your garment will look like.  There are two results 1) you think hey this doesn't look bad I think it is actually going to work or 2) ..... just not sure you are going to like it and then it is a bit of an effort to carry on. This was one of the latter garments.  It didn't look as I had imagined.  I still feel that way.  It's warm and cosy, but I think I find the bright liberty a bit much and it is much firmer than the navy fleece.  I cut a size 4, but think that is could do with being a little smaller, you can see there is a lot of fabric in the side panels and the princess seams could be a touch further in.

 

It's a pretty easy pattern, although the neck is fiddly and I didn't get a nice crisp V (which is very obvious with the contrasting fabrics), rather a soft of curve.  Overall I am disappointed and I'm not sure whether I will make it again, but it is wearable.  The Liberty fleece is Alice's Garden.

 

 

Which as you can see is pretty busy.

Liberty Bruyere

A favourite pattern ..... check! ..... lovely liberty fabric ......check! ..... a week's holiday ...... check! and a new sewing friend ......

(Yes I treated myself to a Pfaff Ambition machine).  What's not to love? I had a lovely week making a shirt I really like.  This is my second Bruyere and I love the fit on me.  I hardly had to make any changes, just a little from the shoulder width (which makes about 1" in total).  The rest seems made for me. I cut a 42 at the bust grading to a 40 at the waist (I'm about 38" bust C cup and 28" waist and 37" hip).  I'm also high waisted (about 1" above average) and didn't make any adjustments, so the waist would be higher on most people. 

The two pleats on the front and the back give fullness but keep things flat in all the right places.

The fabric is Liberty Suzanna Tana Lawn.  I don't seem to be able to find this colourway anywhere now and I do love it.  I bought it from my favourite fabric shop Unique Image in Ulverston.  If you are a UK buyer, buying full-price Liberty and you want to support a small independent shop you can order your Liberty from Unique Image.  I used some matching Liberty plain grey.

The thing I am most proud of is the pattern matching at the yoke, yes this is two separate pieces of fabric (I made it bigger just so you can see!).  Sorry if I sound as if I'm bragging, but I'm just so proud of this.

I frenchseamed the insides (except for the sleeves) and so the insides are really pretty.

I've had Dan and his puppy Monty staying for almost a week  .... lovely.  I do miss him.

We watched films, walked all the dogs and there may have been cream teas in the sun.

Most of the time Monty was pretty bonkers (he's only 5th months), but there were some moments of peace (time for a haircut for Rosie I think).

 

The winner of the pattern giveaway is Shannon from Adventures of a Young Seamstress.  I been enjoying Shannon's blog since she started and she has made some fabulous clothes.  I'll look forward to seeing her versions of some of the patterns!  Are you having a sewing holiday?  Back to my Ginger jeans and to cutting out another Linton Chanel jacket.