Stitch and bitch thread #2. Sewing aficionados gather here!

[IDontMindMarmite]

The previous thread is coming up to capacity and as ever your wisdom, screw ups and accomplishments are appreciated!

That's beautiful @StatisticallyChallenged. Amazing work!

Thanks guys. Those princess seams were a pig - they're to fit roughly a 32JJ so there's a heck of a curve. Less "gently ease in" more "yank the fabric hard until it conforms"

I have some waterproof fabric and a hooded variant of it so may make that soon.

Well done, what an achievement!

Well the enormous trousers made from scrubs fabric have gone down a treat with FIL. So much so that another pair are required. Trouble is that I’m out of fabric, unless he wants a fetching floral. Let’s hope pound fabrics can work quickly

That's beautiful @StatisticallyChallenged.

Well i've unpicked this invisible zip 3 times now. Still haven't mastered it.

@Jins - i've just bought some fabric for the button up dress! The instructions suggest that I may need iron-on fusing - did you need that? I don't know if I am likely to need it, any thoughts?

Lots of cutting out and tidying of the sewing room this afternoon while DD sewed her pyjama bottoms. They are looking pretty good, actually, but there was a lot of "if you close your eyes and try not to listen to me that's not a very good way to see what you are doing". So though she said she wanted to finish today I suggested she give it a break and finish another day.

I needed it for the fabric I used which was very lightweight. With a more substantial fabric you’d get away without it I think. The button band is two layers but it encloses a bit that’s folded back on itself.

I’m about to start another one in a cotton mix and I have the same dilemma. I have loads of interfacing so will probably use it

I am making a linen summer dress (chamomile dress). One say of sunshine and I am done with winter clothes!

Am actually making a proper toile of the bodice and managed my second ever FBA. It has gone pretty well on the second toile so onwards with cutting out the linen tomorrow. I may need to order more fabric for the skirt though. I am also toying with putting in a centre back zip so that I can make the waist a little more fitted. Might leave it this time but id like to make another one in some blue and white men’s shirting fabric. So might try it with that. This is totally my style of dress so if this works I will make about 20!

@NutellaEllaElla thinking about it again the buttonholes are slightly easier with fabric that’s stabilised with iron on interfacing so yes I’d use it

@FreeButtonBee The chamomile dress is lovely. I’ve had it bookmarked for a while. I was thinking about reversing the neck to be lower at the front, do you think that would work?

I've included it in my supplies order. I've just gotta finish my first dress before I begin project no 2 next week. I stitched one side of the zip, I think ok.

I've been machining a faux suede jacket today. It looks lovely but I've never come across a fabric which was quite such a bastard to press the seams of! It's not that they wouldn't lie flat, but the iron refused to 'glide'. I tried with steam, cloth, damp and dry - but it remained sticky. Very frustrating but done now thank goodness.

Ultra quick WBD costume here. DD just needed a skirt and I had a scrap of duvet cover the right colour. 20 mins.

So the elastic in the waist and of my Hudson joggers/pj bottoms was too low and too loose. Not attractive! I unpicked the wait and and made a new one, double width and put in two rows of elastic. All stitched up and now my mum tum if firmly enclosed! Next time I will need to increase the rise by and inch or so on the pattern to get the right height for me. But nice pattern. They are v casual but perfect for lounging around. The fabric is a bit warm for spring though so may need to get some slighrly lighter jersey for spring/summer PJs.

@FreeButtonBee the waist band of my favourite pyjamas is too loose but I've been afraid to mess with it.

How do you store your patterns and fabric? My cats are obsessed with mine. They chase the fabric around and chew up paper patterns so i'm needing a storage solution now.

I have some cabinets (kitchen size but they are vintage) in my sewing cave attic.

My patterns are all pdf these days but I have a few which I had traced out that I keep in an art portfolio case

My fabric is on shelves but very tightly packed and the botton half has doors.

Have 4 cats...I get you

I have cats too and the 6 month old one is very keen on sewing stuff. I’ve found her walking through the house with various precious things. Reels of thread, presser feet etc. Her real favourite is the seam ripper.

I’ve just invested in clear lidded crates. Fairly shallow so I can see what’s inside. Patterns I’ve traced are rolled up to store in cardboard tubes.

I invested in a knitting bag from home bargains which holds all the random crap and the lid of a box fits inside on top which I use for pins, thread cutters, seam rippers etc. I just have to remember to zip it up or the cat buries her head in it looking for treasure

I've got A4 sized gusset envelopes that I store my PDFs in and they are a good size for Ikea Kallax boxes. I've got an old chest of drawers that I keep my fabric in. It needs a good sorting though everything gets shoved in as they are aren't particularly deep so my Marie Kondo efforts to fold them quickly go to pot when I am looking for something in particular.

I've finished my Linden sweater. It's a bit too baggy but nice enough. I made the sleeve cuff much deeper and wish I had enough ribbing to do the same with the waistband.

I'm not sure what to make next. The promise of better weather makes me thinking of nice blouses and dresses but anything that needs ironing seems a bit of a chore in these days of WFH.

I’m still on the hunt for the perfect v neck top in woven fabric.
The latest attempt used this a base
www.sewmag.co.uk/templates/sew-128-october-19-amelie-top

I lost the frills (not a fan of cap sleeves or frills), deepened the V slightly and lengthened it by 5cm. I’ve made a wearable toile in polycotton sheeting and bound the edges rather than using facings.

It’s ok but it’s not the perfect top. I need to do some adjustments to the armholes and it’s slightly tight over the bust but it will be ok under a jacket so moves to the wearable pile.

The search continues

@Jins - have you seen this Jalie pattern? Or is it too boxy for you? jalie.com/products/alice-v-neck-blouse-sewing-pattern

It's on my things I fancy buying list, but I never get round to it.

@kittykarate I’d not seen that one. I’m pretty boxy so it could work.

Ideally I’m after something longer, possibly with a curved hem. I’m certain I can make the adjustments if I find the right basic pattern.

The irony is that I can buy virtually any sleeveless V neck top in any store and it will be what I’m after

Or maybe this ? www.stylearc.com/shop/sewing-patterns/parker-tunic/ Not a mad fan of cap sleeves though.

I've only made one stylearc pattern which was ok, but I've got a dress of theirs in my queue.