Stitch and bitch thread #5 This whole thing is fabricated.

[NutellaEllaElla]

Welcome back seamsters! It is soon to be September and Autumn is on its way.

I love Helen’s Closet patterns but I’ll be interested to see how the fit is for you, I’ve found them to be oversized.

So I’m going to Morocco for a long weekend and one of my new favourite things to do on holidays is browse fabric shops. If I see some inspiring fabric, I don’t have a project in mind, how much would you buy? A maxi skirt is a real possibility, a dress might be a lot but I am addicted to making dresses so can’t be ruled out.

I tend to buy 3-5m if I'm not sure what I'll use it for. Depends on the width I guess - wax print fabrics can be narrower than usual. You'll find some beautiful stuff - Google which souks are best for fabric.

Fabric shopping on holiday. I am very envious!

I’m jealous too! I rarely buy more than 2.5 metres of anything, but that’s probably because I stay away from maxi/ midi dresses etc because those don’t really work for me. Do you have any maxi skirt/dress patterns in your stash that you can check for the recommended meterage?

I’ve sort of finished my Moss skirt toile, but am having major fit issues. There’s way too much fabric at the back, which is a relatively easy adjustment to make, but I’m also going to need the wonderfully named “full tummy adjustment”. I have no idea how to do that on a skirt that doesn’t have darts and I think the fly and pockets will present an extra challenge if all of those need to be redrafted too.

To be honest, I’m not sure I can face yet another toile either. Do I just make all those changes to the pattern and hope for the best...or just start something else altogether 😂

I usually buy 3m of fabric I don’t have a plan for but I do tend to go for midi and maxi length dresses or ones with gathers. I can usually get a top or two out of remnants.

Barrett bralette was going well until I messed up the understitching on the second cup and put a pleat in it. I can’t see black thread on black lace and powermesh well enough to unpick so it’s in the rag bag.

@Craftybodger , thinking about it I already have many pinafores and a cross back apron, so I shouldn't order any patterns, but
the models on the Helen's Closet side all look generously proportioned and the clothes shape look accommodating, so I'd expect them to be quite big. The models look nice in the clothes though

My first attempt at making trousers was a shock - shop sizes are not the same as dressmaking sizes. You probably knew that. My very badly made trousers were snug to say the least.

How oversized would you say they are?

About 2 sizes?

I don't think I've made anything that requires more than 3 metres, I'll check some patterns but think that'll probably be about right.

You need to look at the actual measurements guide and the finished garment measurements if you can. You need the finished measurements to be bigger so you can breathe and some will be designed to be tight or baggy, this is called Ease.

I’ve only made the York pinafore from Helen’s Closet but I found the fitting instructions in the pattern very thorough and clear about how the pattern was designed to fit, which may not be what your personal fit preference is. The York pinafore is a cocoon shape and isn’t designed to be close fitting.

I’ve got the orchard dress printed out (on my long long list of things to make!) looking at the size chart and finished measurements I fall between the 14-16 based on bust measurements, but my high bust is more like a 12 so I’ll go with the 14.

Helen’s Closet York Pinafore, I’ve made a dress size 4 for a friend, the fit was true to size and measurements. I’ve also made it for me, I’m plus size and had to trim several inches off the sides, it was very oversized. Having said that, now I’ve got the fit right I love them and have multiple versions, mainly in chunky cord.

Finished baby dungarees today then had a tidy up in preparation for starting on curtains.

@GnomeDePlume those dungarees are fabulous-love the poppers and lining material too!!!

Managed to turn my dress around in time before we flew for holiday which pulled together in a week or so in evenings and cracks of time!

Quite pleased with it and going to wear it out tomorrow night!

Wear it with pride!

I'm now on curtain wrangling. Did I mention the curtains are for a bay window? So each curtain is 2.8m wide and 2m long.

Lovely work @GnomeDePlume and @Toomuch2019 . Those colourful poppers are a really nice touch 😍

No sewing for me this weekend. I decided I am going to remake the Moss skirt I made last week, but unfortunately my fabric didn’t arrive in time. At least that gave me plenty of time to tweak the pattern. Fingers crossed it will now work a bit better for me 🤞

A big chunk of yesterday was sewing for my daughter’s dance group. Today I’ve been trying another fabric for Angel dresses for the Nativity. Need to make a spotty top for Friday at some point this week too.

I've finally managed to get back to my sewing machine and finish off the children's oodies I'm making for nieces and nephews.

because they are now off my WIPs pile I've felt less guilty about starting other things. My lovely blue tweedy wool brumby skirt is almost finished, the waistband facing needs some hand sewing (which I hate) but it's the perfect task for spending time 'spectating' at after school activities tomorrow.

I'm thinking some sort of floaty leopard print skirt next, and I desperately need a couple of cardigans and cropped jumpers to go with skirts.

everyone here has been making such lovely things recently, I'm always glad of this group as it reminds me that everyone else is going through the same sewing issues as me, not like the perfect pictures of completed projects and professional photo shoots of Instagram!

That's super big-good luck @GnomeDePlume post a pic when they are finished and up!

I've almost finished the Seamwork York top - a free pattern if anyone wants a useful 3/4 sleeve top. As ever it's too wide at the neck so I'll need to do a narrow shoulder adjustment next time, but overall I'm pleased with it.

I made the Friday Pattern Company Adrienne Blouse. I did a lazy FBA by putting 2 inches in the length at the front, and took about 5 inches of the fullness out of the sleeves as they were enormous.

I probably need to give my FBA a bit more space though, I have some cheapy black sparkle lurex stuff and I reckon the pattern would work for a nice party top.

That is a lovely top. It looks great and I love the fabric.

Can anyone recommend a site for patterns. My new machine should arrive shortly and I want to make a sleeveless top in a silky fabric, to wear under my work jackets. Also recommendations for online fabric shops. I have a pile stuff to alter as lost a stone for DD’s wedding and it went from hips and legs so trousers all hanging off me!

The Fold Line is great with all the filters and it has hundreds of patterns.

I didn't buy any fabrics on holiday, which is good as I had already make a couple of online purchases, one of which is washed and ready for cutting asap.