Stitch and bitch #7. Hanging by a thread

My shirt making book has arrived. I wasn’t entirely sure what it would cover, but it’s really thorough and even covers drafting your own patterns. I’m impressed!

Unfortunately I’ve had to cancel my fabric order, as the place I bought it from could only supply the length I needed in two separate pieces. That’s no good for me, so now I’m on the hunt for fabric again! At least I still have my old Granville shirt to keep me entertained.

Lots of fabric 😂

oh please no! 😂

Serious question - am I mad for considering making a shirt out of chocolate brown needlecord? Would it just scream 70s geography teacher/ cowboy?

There’s a choice of nice colours, but for some reason I’ve become obsessed with the idea of a brown shirt. I’m really not sure if I should be indulging this whim...

Unless you have dimensions of a model I would say it runs a high risk of making you look like a sack of spuds. Cord whatever the colour I personally think can be quite tricky for anything close fitting unless you are slim as womanly curves distort the nap. (I am not slim, so may be biased against it in that respect).

I've had similar thoughts about some brown cord I got in a lucky dip cord bag and I think it's going to become a pinafore or a skirt instead.

If you want a brown shirt I would choose a more silky / drapey fabric, satin or viscose perhaps?

I have been eyeing up cord with a view to making something cosy for the winter but am put off for the reasons @pastabest describes above. I think a shirt would work in a really fine cord, maybe something oversized like the Olya? Alternatively maybe something a bit more fitted/blouse like with a few nice details. Will have a think.

I tested the McCall’s M8147 yesterday to see if it would work as a copy of the lovely cream top Sara Pascoe wore on GBSB. Really pleased with it and now have to find the perfect fabric. I might make the bodice a bit straighter next time, and I need to think about how to do the cuffs.

I have 2 skirts made in cord and a couple of pinafores and I practically live in them in winter, they are so cosy - it's absolutely fine as long as it is fairly loose fitting.

I'm actually eying up some rust coloured babycord for another brumby skirt as we speak.

I think cord in a very light colour would be fine for a top/blouse, it's specifically dark colours that are problematic for top garments due to the nap - unless you have a figure shaped like a stick of celery and everything hangs beautifully.

I'm more potato than celery these days sadly

I love corduroy! I live in jumbo cord pinafores through the winter, the York by Helen’s Closet.

(Might have to name change again now!!)

Hmmm, maybe needlecord wasn’t that great an idea. Having said that, I do have a few fitted cord dresses, which don’t give me those sorts of problems, so may I can get away with it?! I’m not exactly celery shaped though 😂

Unfortunately I don’t have much use for shirts made from thinner fabrics. After my battle with flannel/brushed cotton (fine until you unleash the seamripper) I’m not keen to repeat that any time soon. I was hoping needlecord would make a cosy shirt, without too much hassle, but may be I need to rethink.

Help me get back into crochet.... I made a granny square baby blanket and put the hook down during the summer... I find crochet quite hard, I'm all fingers and thumbs!!

@longpathtohappiness start with big needles and chunky yarn until you're hooked again see what I did there?

InMySpareTime haha, thanks. Crochet though not knitting

Since we’re all getting autumnal and talking about cord - I’ve got some needlecord and chunky cord in my stash - anyone got any recommendations for trouser patterns that I’ll get out of 2m of fabric? Not cropped or ankle grazer, and not elastic waist.

I’ve still not made the Lander pants but I think they’d need too much fabric.

I've not seen any for less than 2m but then I am tall and usually need at least 2.5m to get the right length.

(Am a previous poster under a new username, time for a change)

@SBAM Merchant & Mills Quinn (up to size 14) only needs 2 metres in theory, but you may need more because of the nap.

The Pearl themed gift bag went down well (apart from the pearl barley). The boy did well for me with a vintage Vulcan countess toy sewing machine in original packaging and fully operational.

Back from Jersey - what a place - and now in South Wales doing a mini tour. No sewing until October

how fantastic, @Jins- will you be making Scotch Broth with the pearl barley?

Not sure about the pearl barley destination @Brefugee. I’m coeliac so can’t have it anyway but we’ve found a few risotto recipes that look possibilities as well as scotch broth.

@NutellaEllaElla sending sewing fairy dust your way, hope your button holes are perfect!

I can’t remember who warned me that Elizabeth Hartman patterns are tricky - you were so right! I’ve made a kelp and a seahorse and a manatee and I’m halfway through an octopus. They’re not perfect, but not terrible - I don’t think my sewing accuracy is the issue, maybe I’m not paying enough attention to cutting the pieces perfectly on grain?

😻😻😻

A cat in a shoebox is always cheering! Right, over to the new thread.