Stitch and bitch thread #6. What a yoke!

[NutellaEllaElla]

The other thread is so painfully slow so lets hope a shiny new one will run a smoothly as a well behaved sewing machine. Pin your places here my lovely stitchers

Ah bad luck jins. I wouldn't know where to start with the adjustments.

I was supposed to do sewing this long weekend but other things got in the way. Some chores, but some laying in the sun in the garden with an ice cream. I love the sun!

I’ve cut out the patterns for the Springe jumpsuit and the Cedrat camisole. The Springe may still need some height adjustments but I’m just doing a toile for now.

F

Welcome!

Welcome new people!

I finally finished my TatB Mabel blouse - shirring wasn't too bad, but I struggled getting the tension right at the start. It doesn't look too bad, I wore it to the pub straight after so I'll grab a photo when it's clean. MrKittys verdict was "oh you made that, thought you'd bought it" which is as good as it gets I suppose. I think it's a bit titsy, but nothing indecent.

Another reason to love the independent pattern designers struck me yesterday. I had an email about a newly released pattern. The line drawing looks right up my street but it became clear when I looked at the testers examples that this was not a pattern for me.

Not much further on the Sauvie front. Measured pit to pit against an Ogden that’s a perfect fit they seem the same width. So it’s definitely the darts at fault. I’m going to try lengthening the shoulder straps but there isn’t a lot of wiggle room before the v front becomes obscene. I’m going to toile again in viscose as well which is often more forgiving and I’ll go for a patterned fabric rather than the plain linen I had earmarked

I feel that I shouldn’t give up as I splashed out on the pattern pack from CLC thinking this may be a go to pattern for years

@Jins if it’s baggy under the arms but tight across the bust is it worth sizing down and then doing a full bust adjustment?

I had a quick look on Instagram as I wasn’t sure what the sauvie looked like - its cute but there’s definitely a few with darts that are a bit pointy/high.

My machine will be ready to pick up on Friday - good news as my cut out and ready to sew stack is getting taller and taller - summer clothes for my two children, plus some things for my niece, nephew, a friends toddler, and two new babies expected in a few months.

I've just taken delivery of some lovely extremely soft waxed fabric from an outlet that I suspect is actually Barbour fabric so I'm now dreaming of a lovely waxed coat with a patterned quilted lining as my next project.

Late to this thread, but there was a stall at Preston market (maybe still is?) where I have bought Jaeger from end of rolls from their factory, and they often have Barbour fabrics. Ditto Huddersfield & Leeds markets - a couple of stall-holders who get beautiful quality stuff (in amongst the not so quality polycottons!) from the Yorkshire mills.

@SBAM smaller size with FBA is the next step but I’ve don’t measure for anything more that A/B sewing cup size. I think I’d be better sizing down and doing a broad back adjustment. Honestly I might as well have designed it from scratch!

The next toile in viscose with longer straps will tell me all I need to know. The first toile is cotton lawn and I always find it a bit unforgiving.

I was hoping this would be a quick project that I could wear to a party on 10th. I doubt I’ll have solved the fitting issues by then

I've just collected a couple of sewing patterns that were half price in Hobbycraft. I must stop making dresses though, tops would be far more useful and I can't help but think I should try to get with more current fashions but dresses are what I get excited/inspired about the most so whatcha gonna do

@NutellaEllaElla I have that problem- too easily led by stylish insta posts and I end up making things that don’t really suit me/my lifestyle.

The joy of sewing is you don’t have to be current though, which I’m pleased about as I feel like everything I see in shops that has potential is either made from horrid fabric, or has some detail I can’t stand. I remember ordering a seemingly cute maternity top in broderie anglaise with flutter sleeves. When it arrived the sleeves stuck straight out and I looked like an American football player! I never make flutter sleeves for myself now.

I suspect that geographically there is every chance the supplier I got it from gets it from the same place as Preston Market!

I'm always swayed by dresses but I rarely wear them! Could definitely do with more tops.

I've just done a wearable toile of the Cedrat cami by Maison Fauve and I quite like it, although I think I might modify the tie bits otherwise it looks a bit girlish. I don't know what it is about camisoles, they look a bit weird on me. Perhaps it's because it's a V neck, they tend to make me look flat chested when I'm definitely not. This one is lined but I don't think I'd bother lining it if I was using a more opaque fabric.

everything I see in shops that has potential is either made from horrid fabric, or has some detail I can’t stand @SBAM this is so so true and a large part of the reason I sew too. The quality of fabrics in shops is God awful. Even buying more expensive brands doesn't guarantee it.

I'm wondering... I've seen reviews of dress patterns where people have turned it into a top. Is it fairly easy to do? Maybe just adjusting the length and hemming?? While I want to make more tops, I still want them to be interesting and I think that's why I keep making dresses, because they are a bit more detailed/ elaborate in some way?

Just googled your cami @dubyalass , it looks lovely but I see what you mean about the bow ties. If you weren't to line it, how would you finish the necklines?

@DollyParkin that Preston market stand sounds like a hidden gem! Amazing bargains.

Also, sewing Bee has really motivated me to make a bag of some description now. My to make list is now, in no strict order:
Finish dress for sister
2 X water bottle holders
Shirt dress
1-2 dresses from the recently purchased patterns, maybe could make a top from one
Jacket for husband
Bag

That's quite a long list

I think I would use a facing instead but it's going to take a bit of working out!

On the bag front I've been looking for a weekend holdall for ages. Found a pile of patterns in a charity shop, including a holdall pattern from a magazine - how serendipitous. Only a quid too. The Sewing Bee has inspired me although I'll be allowing a lot more than 3h15...

@NutellaEllaElla turning a top into a dress is usually as simple as leaving pockets off and hemming. I’d say start with making it to hip level, then once it’s made up you can tweak the length of the hem so it looks right with the shape of trouser/skirt you want to wear it with. You might also want to consider using a facing or only doing a half lining down to the waist seam if there is one rather than a full lining.

@dubyalass it is a cute top, did you make it with darts? I’ve had a browse on the #topcedrat hashtag and some do look a bit flat at the front without.
Theres also some cute hacks with scalloped necklines and someone called lecieletlalune on Instagram did one in Aug 2020 of putting sleeves on it which looks more grown up to me.

@DollyParkin that stall sounds like a great find. There was one on Birmingham rag market last time I went that had some fabrics that looked and felt very much like Liberty cotton for under £10/m. I wonder if every market has one stall with a great supplier?

Yes it has darts but maybe I need to move them slightly. I love the scalloped necklines and I think I could hack a scoop or square neckline too. It suits me better than the Ogden cami at least!

I do love a cami. I’ve got quite a few patterns but I only make Ogdens. The complete lack of shaping in the Ogden suits the complete lack of shaping in me. I’ll put an alternative one on my to do list I think because my summer uniform seems to have become Love notions Allegra shorts and an Ogden

Hoping to do the Sauvie viscose toile today but I’m not sure I’ve got any sacrificial viscose. I’ve been trying to avoid a trip to Abakhan but it may be inevitable

@SBAM whenever I'm in Brum I op into the Rag Market (I travel a fair bit for work). I once bought a roll of William Morris print for curtains for about £2 a metre. Old-style markets are great for rummaging (not the new "artisan" sort) but you need to know your fabrics and makers.

That said, I like the Birmingham rag market or Abakkhan's buy-by-weight deadstock for cheap poly crepe or polycotton fabric to make toiles.

I used to live near a liberty fabric factory outlet. I used to go when I was a very new sewist and didn't really appreciate how fabulous that was.

I had some really beautiful tana lawns from there at silly prices that I absolutely butchered in my early sewing days where I was basically just practicing. It makes me so sad to think what I could have done with those fabrics if I had them now!

I still have a few bits but in designs that aren't really my style. I should probably destash them!

Hi all 👋 pinning my place before returning later to read through the 18 pages 🙂

Welcome!

As it happens the Ogden Cami in next up for me. Thought as I’m still a complete beginner, it’d be a good one. When I learn to do darts, I’ll give the cedrat a go as well. Meanwhile I am pleased with how my Stevie top is coming along and definitely feel the practice is improving my technique after making the wearable toile of the tunic, (which incidentally I am wearing, rather than consigning it to the disaster heap!)