Stitch and bitch thread #3 Sewing is harder than it seams

[NutellaEllaElla]

And i'm very glad to have you clever sewists to selvedge what's left of my dignity .

I really feel the need to sew something - anything - today. I just can’t face sticking a pdf together.

I’m going to go through the patterns I’ve had with magazines. I could do with something slightly smarter than my usual stuff and I’m pretty sure there are some suitable patterns

I got my jumpsuit sorted. I had enough fabric to make a new bodice and added in bra sliders and top stitched using proper top stitching thread I had to make it more robust. The fabric is a fairly cheap viscose and it's so prone to fraying. I'm going to topstitch the pockets and the drawstring channel as well as it was beginning to go there too.

I am really pleased that Ive taken the time to fix them as they've been in the ironing basket since last year after they disintegrated in the wash. I forgot how comfortable they were to wear and must plan on making another pair, maybe in some tencel.

I've another jumpsuit in a viscose which had fallen apart at the straps too but I've no more fabric to sort them. Thinking of cutting them into shorts so I can use the fabric from that.

I also sorted the twin needle neckline from the striped top that I made a couple of years ago. The stitching was coming away and was really obvious where it was white thread on the red back ground.

They look great Ulysses! Hope you found something suitable Jins

Fab jumpsuit @Ulysses. The only one I’ve seen that I’d consider making for myself but I am advancing in years and rather dumpy round the middle and I fear it would be a fashion faux pas.

Well I found a pattern. It’s a fairly straightforward blouse with an option for a collarless v front. It will definitely plug a wardrobe gap. So I spent the rest of the day trying to match it to my stash. It calls for challis, crepe or lawn and I have all three in abundance but in the event I like them too much to use them on a plain v neck blouse. I could use the striped viscose left over from my rhapsody top but I think it will look like some sort of uniform.

Luckily last night I found Sinclair patterns and bought their new Poppy pants pattern and downloaded the free skater dress pattern while I was there. I really need more everyday trousers and I have loads of black fabric waiting for the right pattern so I may crack on with that

I swung through Newcastle Fenwick, this morning, and the haberdashery department that has steadily shrunk since I use to spend hours browsing, 30 or so years ago, is bloody closing down. Took advantage of the half price sale and spent over £100! Included done merchant and mills patterns and some of their 8oz washed denim. Full price was a rip off, there, but it came in well under their own price. Bought more than enough for the ottoline jacket I picked up fit £7.50 for me and the foreman jacket I already had for DH. And probably some storage boxes or a bag.

Also now have some pinking shears (£7.50) and a bias tape maker. The bias tape maker will be handy for finishing those jackets.

Enough for me.

Still haven’t touched my sewing machine. 😥

On the plus side I decided to go through my wardrobe yesterday and I’m going to be doing my own transformation challenge. I found a few dresses dating from pre kids which I loved. Looking at the label they are viscose which says a lot and clearly my love for viscose has gone on a while. I’m looking forward to remaking them into something

I also found an Eastex heritage dress that I picked up for £1 with the intention of eBaying it. It’s a lovely light blue crepe with a small print and the dress itself is a long shift with cap sleeves. I think I’ve found my blouse fabric

Ooh what a lovely bargain hunt @PickAChew

Great idea re: transformation challenge. I'm sure there are loads of items in my wardrobe that I would love again if they fit properly or were a bit different.

That should be an Eastex heirloom collection dress.

Shame about the haberdashery dept @PickAChew. I used to love the one in Lewis’s when I was young. We’re lucky to have a good stall in the market but if that goes we’re left with hobbycraft which barely meets the definition or Abakhan which is good but doesn’t always have a full range.

I remember even Debenhams had a haberdashery, in its heyday. There's a small fabric shop in a village near me but it doesn't stock a huge range. I should really explore that so I can be less reliant on ordering stuff online, mind. Lots of quilting supplies shops around my area but it's dress fabrics that are so hard to obtain. There's an amazing fabric shop in Darlington but that's almost 2 hours each way by bus!

Gathering supplies for a project can be such a headache. Currently starting on some trousers from the last burda magazine. Found perfect fabric (stretch cotton prints - one linen look and one sateen) and matching thread in the shop on darlo. Couldn't get suitable zips or interfacing, though, so ended up ordering those from minerva. The interfacing turned out not to be suitable but I found the exact one recommended had come into stock at sew essential.... Stocked up on tracing paper with that order, at least.

@Ulysses The lyric dress is today’s feature Friday pattern
www.lovenotions.com/product/lyric
It’s almost as if they were listening 😂

I picked up Sew magazine yesterday. Great pattern for a basic woven top with a variety of necklines which justifies the cost of the mag on its own. Also a wrap skirt that would plug a severe wardrobe gap. (I’m not mentioning the top pattern that looks like a badly tied straitjacket in the photo)

I popped into Abakhan for some jersey to make another dress and came out with 3m or so of black ‘linen’ and a bare metre of gorgeous viscose in white with a black stripe that will become a blouse

Still no actual sewing

Brilliant @jins, just purchased, thanks for the heads up. That is such good timing as I'm off on holiday in a couple of weeks so I've got a bit of time to get it done.

And it's payday so I'm away to look at some fabrics .

I have a couple of baby wear presents to finish and then I'll get stuck into it.

Interesting comments about fabric shops. We've got a great one up town and I went on Wednesday at lunchtime and I was so pleased that it was bustling. I do try to make an effort to buy from there and came away with ribbing and interfacing. I might need to pay them a visit this weekend as well now that I've got a dress to make.

Hope everyone manages some sewing this weekend.

I am determined to finish a dress today. Can't buy more anything until this and a couple more projects are completed!

Go for it @NutellaEllaElla! I tell myself this all the time. Meanwhile Ive just bought 3metres of red floral viscose in anticipation of getting my dress done next weekend. I think I need a million buttons as well, mind.

There are an awful lot of buttons aren’t there? I thought about reducing the number but I think that would be a mistake as the bodice seems to work so well.

I have the blue floral viscose earmarked for this project.

That fabric will work wonderfully @jins. What option are you going for? I think I'll go for the flared rather than gathered skirt but not sure about the sleeves. Probably the flutter sleeves. I think I'm going to add in waist ties as well to cinch it in a bit at the back like the True Bias Shelby dress. So many options!

I think I’ll go for the sleeveless version with the gathered skirt as I really need a smarter sundress. I’ll make that my toile - I have a suitable viscose in mind. For the final version with the blue I definitely want flutter sleeves and I’ll decide on flared or gathered skirt when I’ve done the toile.

So many bust size options! So many measurements to take! No excuse for a poor fit is there?

Sewing commenced!!!

I managed to cut my blouse out of the 94cm length of viscose but I had to sacrifice the breast pocket. Not bothered greatly about that and I’m reasonably relaxed about the stripes not meeting at the shoulder. I’ve done the shoulder and side seams, fused interfacing to the front facing and pressed everything ready for the next step which is sleeves. These will be the first set in sleeves I’ve sewn in a decade but the fabric is very stretchy and I want to get the main structure finished before edges stretch too much. I’m happy with the fit. I went up to a size 14 because I want a loose fit in this fabric but when I make it again in a more structured fabric I’ll size down.

Great pattern from Love Sewing. It’s made up for some of the random offerings in recent months

FINALLY finished my dogs dinner dress and it ain't half bad! Actually wearable which is a lovely surprise seeing as it went wrong from the very start. I've got my next project cut out and raring to go but I'm out of time for now.

Well done @NutellaEllaElla. Nice to have the next one cut out as well.

I’ve trial fitted a sleeve. It’s a wee bit tight on the bicep but I don’t think I’ve worn sleeves for 5 years so it may be me being sensitive. I don’t have any fabric left to cut another one so if I don’t get on with it I’ll have to bodge it into a sleeveless blouse

It’s nearly finished. Looks ok on the mannequin but not so great on me. Just hemming of bottom and sleeves and 4 buttons to do. I’ll push on with it but I suspect it’s going to live in my wardrobe unworn.

If I make it again I’ll look at adding a bust dart

Finished mending 3 tops of DS that he chewed and one of mine that was poorly made, more on DS shorts too. The fabric changes colour in sunlight, it's very fun.

Lovely fabric there @Jins, and beautiful neckline.
I've never heard of colour changing fabric @drspouse but I did receive a fun sample of jersey with cats eyes that glowed in the dark which i loved and would have made jammies out of but it was too thin.

That was my experience with the first pattern from a magazine I stitched last year, @jins. I refreshed a lot of skills that had remained dormant for a couple of decades but the fit was dreadful.

So yesterday's, I machine basted together my burda trousers, covered them in chalk, then took them all apart, again. Perfect in the bum, belly seems all good, but the usual wings at the hips and outer thigh so I'll be shaving some of that off. Not too much, though, as they only have sideways stretch and I want to be able to sit down in them. With the fitting (hopefully) done, the challenge for me is going to be the fly zip. Never done one before and it's a long time since I even attempted a zip. The rest is pretty straightforward and will hopefully be a good stepping stone to the ginger jeans I have all the bits for.

This is the pattern. I think it could be made to work but I’m not sure it’s worth it.

I think I’d need to go down two sizes, do a FBA, add darts and lengthen the waist. The only bit that fits well is the shoulder. It fits like a blouse from Asda really and I know it could have been so much better. Still, it will work well under a jacket as there won’t be too much bulk around the lapels.

Tomorrow I’m cutting out a pair of palate cleansing linen trousers. sinclairpatterns.com/collections/frontpage/products/poppy-easy-fitting-pants-for-woven-fabrics-pdf Measurements on the pattern look good so far