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!

I spent much of today putting a toile together. It's far too big. Now to see if I need one or two sizes down

Made a little crop too from the last remnants of my Liberty print fabric. But need to use something else as a deep hem. Will use some lovely deep lavender double gauze.

Then I have soooo much lovely fabric to use.

Burgundy jersey for PJs
Peacock print for a dress
White and blue stripe cotton linen for a dress
Some pink cotton sateen which is not so nice as I’d hope

I also have lots of chunky scraps. Need to get creative.

I’ve been looking at double gauze recently but I’m trying to resist as I’ve already got a fair sized mountain and I’m not getting much time to sew. Using it for a deep hem sounds like a brilliant idea. I’m now thinking about doing something similar with some of my tops from last summer which finished at an awkward length.

I’m off to see mum today to pick up the practice pair of trousers which she said fit perfectly. I took loads of measurements from an existing pair that fits her but trouser fit can be challenging so I’m pretty pleased with myself. All I need to do is fix the elastic and close the hole in the waistband which I could do there but they’ll be useful as a template for the ones in double georgette I’ll be making next.

I really want to find time for my chambray button up dress but I’ll need a couple of days to get the main work done and I don’t have it. So I’ll probably do mum’s trousers, t shirt for DH and something straightforward for me.

I really need a pair of pull on trousers in easy care fabric in black to fill a wardrobe gap. I have the pattern, the polycotton toile went well but I just haven’t found the right fabric for the final pair. I’d probably be better going to matalan and saving my time for better projects

While the very last think I need to do is buy more fabric and add to my to do list...I really want this vest top which is £69 in Ted Baker! Madness! I've found this free pattern but it's a loose fit and I don't know if i could make it work for this stretch rib material which would have negative ease. Any ideas?

I don’t think the lago tank is the best choice for that style. You may have to keep searching 😥

I’ve chucked together a toile for the rhapsody blouse www.lovenotions.com/product/rhapsody. It fits - just. I’m going to have to do a bit of tweaking as the next size up will be too big. I’ll have to check it’s printed out correctly

The Patterns for Pirates tops are quite slim fit and come in a tank.

I thought not Jins, thanks dr, i'll have a google...

Nutella lovely inspo top, the Kila tank by Allie Olson would be a good starting point for the tank, similar ease etc.

MacCulloch & Wallis have a good selection of rings, easier to use their search function than to find them in the menus though.

Well it had printed on the slightly small side but the real issue was that I’d lined up the wrong lines when sticking the pieces together so I’ve lost a good couple of inches overall. Oops

In my rather poor defence every pattern so far has printed true to size and this is the first I’ve not checked thoroughly enough despite it being a new designer to me. Lesson learned.

I’m going to finish it because it’s not far off and will work as a more formal top but as a flowing drapey tunic it’s a dead loss 😂

As you need it to be stretchy you might be better looking at free fitness patterns - though unfortunately they mostly have racer backs. @NutellaEllaElla I've had this vest top bookmarked for a while thefoldline.com/product/tank-top/ but haven't made it. You have to subscribe to the mailing list to get the pattern for free.

I had a very 'meh' weekend of sewing. Was trying to make www.stylearc.com/shop/sewing-patterns/loren-jacket/ this in sweatshirt. When I cut it out, I didn't quite have enough material so the sleeves are shorter than I wanted (I'm a bit gutted about this, this pattern doesn't have a lay chart so I possibly messed up after putting it onto the table for cutting). The pattern also doesn't have very good drawings to help with the instructions, it looks like Vitruvian Man rather than a step by step approach. The interfacing keeps flipping out too. I will have to try and find somewhere to catch the edge down where it won't show.

However - I think this pattern will be useful, but I think it will look sharper in a woven material.

Love that Laundry day tee pattern. Let us know how you get on with it. Finally finished my silk maxi dress/ kaftan. Had fun getting the hem at the back straight. It took 3 goes of tacking it up and inspection from my husband until it looked right

I managed a visit to a real sewing shop, today. There's a few close to home but they're all quilting shops, so it was 90 minutes each way on the bus to Darlington, for me. (can confirm that the nutters commonly encountered on that route are alive and well)

I didn't have any plans for some owl pyjamas when I set off, but I definitely do, now. I also bought a load of cotton voile with some summery stuff in mind.

Just had a massive flashback about the X1 bus to Darlo. Then entire route was full of character. I was listening to the radio the other night and Vic Reevves was reminiscing about shopping at Guru in the arcade.

@kittykarate

Just had a massive flashback about the X1 bus to Darlo. Then entire route was full of character. I was listening to the radio the other night and Vic Reevves was reminiscing about shopping at Guru in the arcade.

Haha, yes, I was on the 7, which picks up what's left of the route. It goes through Newton Aycliffe and you can guarantee that things get interesting, there. I found myself alone on the top deck with a guy playing some pretty offensive rap, muttering to himself constantly and wildly opening windows, clearly having some sort of episode. He scared off a black guy and some young women, sitting too close and being quite weird, but kept his distance from me. I guess my rbf still functions with a mask on it.

My haul, anyhow.

Oh, and just in the background is some lightweight linen I ordered from merchant and mills, last week. It has a rather nice selvedge that I'm tempted to incorporate into whatever it becomes. I had it in mind for the Box Box but it's not really crisp enough merchantandmills.com/store/classes/preview-make-the-box-box/

I remember when going to Newton Aycliffe Equestrian Centre's disco on a Friday night was the epicenter of underage drinking sophistication.

Ooh that's a good haul! I must whittle my stash a bit more, my husband is getting grumpy about the craft/crap stash.

Tonight I'll take the chance to cut out some summer trousers out of crafting cotton, so they're good to go at the weekend and just need assembly.

I'm still staring at the jacket I made last weekend trying to work out what I can do to make it 'better'. There isn't anywhere obvious to catch the interfacing where it won't show on the outside of the garment. If I'd made the patch pocket option rather than the inseam pocket it would have been fine as I could have hidden it under the pocket. I might understitch it partially - the problem with doing it along the entire length is the inside becomes the outside on the collar. I guess I'll wear it a few more days at 'work' and then wash it and see how it settles.

Don’t do what I’ve done in the past @kittykarate and use anything fusible. 😥

sewoverit.co.uk/our-sewing-patterns/ are selling off some of their paper patterns at £8.

The only thing I've made from the selection was the ultimate shift dress, and I found it quite narrow shouldered. However the instructions were very clear.

I was intending to catch up on the sewing bee thread before tonight's instalment. Can't fir the life of me find it. 🤔

This is the one but it's already at 900 messages so we'll need a new one very soon.

Cheers. I thought I might have done something stupid like accidentally hide it!

I'm going to make a beach cover up in the pattern of a Kimono or maybe Kaftan. Is it OTT to worry about the wrong side of the fabric being visible because of the open nature of the garment? I mean, i'm not about to line the thing am I?

I don't think it's ott. I'd want to use a self coloured fabric for something like that. Harder than it sounds, when you buy online.

Sorry, what's self-coloured fabric?

I have this beautiful fabric I want to use for it.

I think self-coloured is where the colour and pattern comes from the threads, rather than being printed on the top. So the reverse of the fabric wouldn't be like a photo negative showing through, it would be almost as pretty as the front.