Stitch and bitch thread #4 I needle the help I can get.

[NutellaEllaElla]

Continuing our supportive little group until we run out of material

I’ve always been a bit of a rule breaker with clothes, partly due to body shape. Even as a tiny size 6 my waist measurement was not far off my hip measurement.

Nowadays I don’t seem to be able to buy store bought clothes anywhere. If they fit the waist I have a parachute round my hips. If I go for elastic waist trousers the hips and thighs are humongous. I have broad shoulders so tops tend to be too tight. I have been living in festival trousers and v neck swing tops from asda for 3 years.

Now I have dresses and tops, trousers that fit, shorts that suit me and swimwear I can actually use. Thank goodness I learned to sew

That's what I aspire to @Jins - clothes that fit well. I'm skinny as heck from the hips down, broad-ish shoulders, flat bum, round belly and 5ft10. I absolutely dread clothes shopping especially anything for my bottom half. I also have lost my sense of what suits me and opt for comfy stuff that then makes me feel dowdy.
I think I need to explore dresses like dubylasses which are stylish and comfy and practical.
Glad I saw this thread this morning - it's been helpful!

I'm plus plus size and really appreciated the sizing options with Mona and Broad - big bust, small bust, no bust. Fat people aren't all fat in the same places.

Well fitting clothes are my aim too - my proportions are just not the same as the measurement charts and I’m fed up of my jeans falling down.
I’d like a pair of wide fitting cropped trousers, but not elastic waisted - anyone got any pattern recommendations?

I'm really impressed with the swimwear, @Jins and the shirt and dress are gorgeious, @dubyalass ! Which Simplicity pattern is the blouse?

Thanks for the lovely comments about my swimwear 😊

It wasn’t too hard in the end and in fact it’s better done on the sewing machine to reduce bulk in the seams. The only bit I did on the overlocker was a disaster 😂

@Tinuviel thanks! it's Simplicity 2255, view D. Not difficult (although the collar was a pain) and now I've made it once I should be much quicker. Really useful pattern with lots of options (I love getting my money's worth ). Make sure you use very lightweight interfacing though, if you even bother using it - I might try without next time.

Ironically the sleeves have no interfacing at all but they're very sticky-outy!

Thanks, @dubyalass! Now I just need to buy some fabric but I still have some of my Christmas vouchers for Sew Fabrics!

I’m just recovering from a non Covid flu like thing that has ruined my weekend and my sewing plans.

I’m not feeling in the mood to wrangle metres of fabric so I’m going to have a go at the Barrett bralette
madalynne.com/product/barrett-bralette-sewing-pattern/

@Jins id be interested to know how you get on with it, I downloaded it ages ago but I’ve never sewn lingerie so I’ve shied away (plus I’m a G cup so unsure on how wearable it would be anyway)

@SBAM I’ve done the basic construction for the cups so far and I’m already in trouble 😂

I had to go for X large based on full bust measurement (36.5 - 38.5 😡) but according to the find your size section which is based on band size (😡😡) I should be between a medium and a large. The ‘cups’ look to be too big at the moment but obviously if I take them in at this stage they’ll become suddenly too small.

Sewing with stretch lace and my trusty white Lycra to line it as power mesh is too see through. It’s a challenge for sure but I’ll feel great if I can make my own lingerie.

I don’t think there’s enough support for a G cup but I think it could be adjusted fairly easily along the princess seams to give more space and possibly sew in cups. Looking at the way it’s constructed most of the support will be coming from the band.

I’ll definitely update though

Anyone care to offer an opinion please? I'm going to a wedding in September so I'm looking to make a trouser/jacket combination.

I'm thinking of making the jacket in the batik and trousers & v neck top. In the plain.

What do you think please? For reference, I am short, fat and middle aged. Dont worry, I can take it if the sofa word gets mentioned.

@GnomeDePlume nice idea! I’m not a fashionable type, but I think a pattern jacket and plain top will look more stylish than plain jacket and patterned top.
My only worry with that blue would be - if it’s warm and you take your jacket off could the matching top and trousers look like scrubs?

@GnomeDePlume a further thought, how about the jacket in the patterned fabric, trousers in the plain blue and then make the top out of a crepe or a satin type fabric?

@SBAM that's a good thought about scrubs. I will check that point with DDs.

Some high speed whatsapping and DDs have suggested trousers in cream (the colour the jacket in the picture is in) with plain blue as V neck top and batik as jacket.

I agree with SBAM that it could be wandering into scrubs territory.

For me, also short, middle aged and plumper than I’d like to be, that jacket is crying out for an Ogden cami underneath
truebias.com/collections/all/products/ogden-cami
In a lovely drapey viscose or similar and made a bit longer than the pattern suggests it would be lovely.

If you prefer to stick with the top you know you like (and I don’t blame you) then again SBAM has nailed it with alternate fabrics. If matching the blue is too difficult you could pick out another shade from the batik.

You're right in my colour palette there. You’ll look fab

Thank you @Jins I looked at the cami. I do like the look but I'm not sure I have the shoulders for strappyness, I also worry about wearing a bra underneath ( I need all the support I can get). I was thinking of doing the v neck as sleeveless not short sleeved. So much wider straps. I am also thinking about how to make the armhole a bit smaller. I will experiment on that with one of the tops I have already made.

The Ogden is a very bra friendly cami @GnomeDePlume but I know exactly what you mean

Barrett bralette update. From this point on it won’t fit on my mannequin and I’m sure as hell not modelling in person.
All that’s left is straps and associated hardware, tucking in ends and a bit of hand stitching here and there.
Absolutely not as complex as I feared.
I’ve altered as I went along and it now fits and is surprisingly supportive. If the central open triangle was closed it would give more support and that would be very easy to do. I’m sure I’ve seen a hack somewhere. That open triangle is great for summer though.

The only thing I’m not so keen on is the bulkiness of the seams, particularly on the cups. I’ve graded as much as I can and understitched. Probably a thinner lining would help.

This has made me wonder how seams are done to avoid the bulk (to the point where I had a rummage in my own bra!). In my own bra the seam feels very flat though quite wide. Is it worth taking an old bra apart to see how the seam has been created?

I can think of a couple of alternative methods of construction that would help but I’m sure it’s down to the thickness of the Lycra I’ve used as a lining. If I’d lined with powermesh I doubt there’d have been a problem but I didn’t want it to be see through.
It’s been a fabulous project to learn new skills. I’m settling down this evening to hand stitch the rest.

All quiet - is everyone stitching away?
I’m back from my weekend away and the next trip is the festival at the end of May. I’m pretty well set for it but I’d like to make a cami with shelf bra and some cycling shorts.

More importantly is the reunion on 21st. I’m almost settled on the free pattern I got from Minerva but it’s a McCalls one and they rarely fit www.minerva.com/posts/1122074

One of my cats was ill so he was on cage rest. I couldn't pull out the table to do any tracing. So I did some stash busting and made some loungewear. ( luna trousers from made by rae and Cupidon from I AM patterns)

The cat is much better now so I've managed to trace off my dungarees and cut them out. I might get them sewn some evening this week.

I'm on holiday and am hoping to find my sewjo again soon x

Yesterday I made a short sleeved cotton blouse (from an old sheet!) to wear instead of a T shirt in the warm weather (what warm weather?) and today I made a kitchen apron from a remnant. Neither are photogenic!