June Burdastyle challenge

I just finished this one on the last day of June.  To be honest I wasn't really excited by the June issue and I was going to choose a pattern from a back-issue, then I was going through my box of off-cuts and saw these bits of leftover silk and thought I would try making 109, even though the photos aren't very clear in the magazine.

This is a fairly straight forward pattern.  I'm not sure that I really like the way the lower front puffs out a bit.  I cut a size 20 but wish I had a little more ease in the arm-holes.

 
I didn't need any opening as it easily goes on over my head.

I didn't have enough silk in one colour.  I love the blue silk.  The duck egg is Beckford silk and a bit thicker.  I did struggle with the silk.  I made bias binding myself, but it really did challenge me.

You can see how much by this mess I made of the neckline.  I know I should have unpicked, but I thought it might end up being even worse, with needle holes and a stretched neckline.

 

I won't make this one again, but for a top which cost me nothing, I will be some wear from it.

Vogue 1493 and New Look K6483

 

This is one of those times where the pictures don't do the garment justice.  I love this kimono.  I oringially bought the fabric which is a heavy viscose to make a Bettine, but as soon as I saw it it had to be a kimono.  The weight of the fabric is perfect, I think you need a bit of weight for this pattern.

The pattern is Vogue 1493 and it is described as Advanced, so not one for beginner sewers, unlike most kimonos.  I loved this pattern as soon as I saw it on the McCalls Youtube vlog, and I would love to copy the version on the cover in the future.

 

I cut my usual size medium and didn't make any changes other than taking the length up at the waist by 2".

 

So what makes it an advanced sew?  Mostly the sleeves, which are definitely fiddly at both of the points (top and bottom of the cuff), but this is the detail which I love.  I would recommend starting sewing at the top of the cuff so that you get the neatest part where it shows.  For some reason my sleeve seemed a little big for the cuff so I would check that another time.

I made the sleeve cuffs and front facing from contrasting heavy crepe de chine.  I cut the facing from one piece rather than two and only interfaced half, because the crepe de chine is heavy and I wanted to reduce the thickness a little.

 
The seams are hong-kong bound.  My bias was a little cheap and nasty and I would definitely try and find a better quality another time.

Another of the difficult elements was binding the side slits around the corners.  I didn't bind the arm holes because I thought it would be a little thick.

 

When I bought the black silk I was given an extra half metre because of sellotape marks and manged to squeeze a New Look 6483 to match.  I got this pattern free with Sew Magazine and I think it is a great basic pattern.  The fit is great with a nice shape.  I cut a size 14, raised the waist by 1", narrowed the shoulders to a size 12, reduced the length by 1/4" because of fabric constraints.  I used a bias facing on the neck and arms rather than full facings, this works better with a weighty silk and because of the weight I didn't use French seams.

 

This is a great staple, and there will be more.  Free pattern, free fabric, what could be better?

 

So two successful sews, just sorry that I don't think the weather will be good enough for much longer to enjoy them, as its time for Autumn sewing now.

 

 

New Look 6217; silk and lace tee

I don't have much to say about this top.  It was one of those times when I woke up in the morning thinking I need to make a top from some silk and lace bits in my stash, add to this a free pattern from sew magazine and it ended up being a really cheap top, though not without its challenges.

 

 

The pattern is NewLook 6217

 

 

 

The silk is a gorgeous colour, teal but with a black back  which sort of shows through.  The front has a layer of stretch lace with silk behind it, and the back is just the plain silk.  There is a back opening, but in the end I stitched it together at the top because it's so loose it just pulls on over my head.

Overlaying the lace over the silk was quite tricky (possibly because the lace was stretch lace), and I had to keep rebasting it to keep the two fabrics together without them moving about.  I used bias for the neck, sleeves and hem, which I think will look better after a wash or two.

 

 

I won't be making this one again.  Too shapeless for me, but I will wear it, probably with jeans on a warmer day, and for what it cost I could garden in it!

 

It's been a lovely day, gorgeous weather and my favourite walk, sunshine and snow on the hills, what could be better, and I've another nine days off work to go, so lots more sewing to come.

.... and just to finish more puppy photos!

... and a reminder of how unfair life is when you are too small to get up on the settee to play with the big girls!