Stitch and bitch #7. Hanging by a thread

Oooh.... I like that blouse

I have ordered myself the Frankie Jacket from sew over it, I fancy a warmer jacket for winter and also having a go at a lining.

Also printed off a cross-back apron pattern for great niece (god that makes me feel old). Waiting on a chest measurement to see if I have enough fabric or will need to get more. She's two and I have no idea how big toddlers are!

I’ve got bloody Covid again! Was wondering why I couldn’t motivate myself to start a toile

no worries, I thought i'd ask because there are a lot of experts here.

I'll try it (when the fabric has dried) and report back

i think you’d need to do something to hold the skirt into the waistline because the difference in weight and stretch ones between a light tshirt fabric and poly cotton high am will drag the skirt down and probably unevenly.

I’d be thinking about an internal elastic at the waist or a doubled over waistband between top and skirt. But that would need to be interfaced and you’d need to have s side zip or something to get the dress on.

the other way to do it would be to make a seam at the waist, but attach pants to it so it’s a skirt attached to a body (one of my favourite Donna Karan patterns goes this). But again the difference in weight is going to pull the T-shirt down. There’s so little structure in a ready made tshirt.

Then - how are you going to cut the skirt? Aline or gathered? Straight up and down will be too narrow. And with any checked fabric, you’ll need to match the checks I. Some way, not just sew together randomly.

A drop waist dress might work, but honestly, in my experience , it’d take less time to cut and make up a properly constructed whole dress!

I think this is why I’d fail the Sewing Bee transformation challenge. I can’t be bothered to spend time making something unless it’s really well made and better made than I could buy.

My toile of the Style Arc Richmond skirt is mostly done.

I'm really not sure!

It's maybe a tiny bit too snug for my mental comfort...

I like the length. And my planned fabric is a plain linen mix.

But...it's not making my heart sing!

And I HATE their way of doing box pleats. It's so messy.

You know the phrase, “a poor workman blames his tools” or something like that? Well, I’ve decided my sewing motto is “a mediocre but perfectly adequate sewist blames the shitty instructions” because I am sick of taking a gamble on awesome-looking patterns, only to come a cropper when following utterly incomprehensible instructions!!!

Not at all related: has anyone sewed the Sew Over It Isabelle?! The placket/neckline binding section (text and drawings) had me wanting to set the entire thing on fire yesterday. Thank Christ I decided to do a muslin.

(Hello, BTW: I’m new to this thread but not to Mumsnet. I’ve lurked on this thread for a while for inspiration, but this latest disaster brought me out of lurkdom. I’ve sewed for years and would describe myself as a competent hobbyist)

Thanks @NutellaEllaElla. I'm planning to use a plain greyish blue linen/cotton. So I want something with nice details that will elevate the plainness of the fabric.

I just want a nice skirt!

@eldorado02 welcome and I sympathise with the poor instructions. I made a New Look top a couple of years ago where the instructions made no sense whatsoever and in the end I gave up on the facings and placket, bound it all instead and it just pulls over my head now.

I haven’t sewn any Sew over it patterns but I’ve put the Isabelle on my to do list. It’s got everything I like in a dress and raglan sleeves are a bonus. Pondering yet another change of mind for the dress I should have finished last week

I love working with stretch . I started when my grandson was small , and still now , years later , make him one off hoodies and t shirts . They last too . His favourite I made 2 years ago , and he grows like a weed , so I unpicked the side and sleeve seams , added a contrast gusset . Unpicked the hem , added a wider one , and its good to go for another 2 years .
I am lazy though , as I make myself lots of tunics from stretch , but maybe because I like to be comfy ! It is so easy to work with if you buy decent quality ( as with most things to be fair )

@Jins best wishes for a speedy recovery.

I made the apron for great niece. I will team it up with some toddler-safe craft items and I have my first Christmas present! My first ever 'made in a day'.

That's a great apron @GnomeDePlume , I have a shop-bought one in the same style and I much prefer it to the type with ties at the neck and waist as the neck straps always rub.

Thank you, @Jins and @NutellaEllaElla

I love raglan sleeves on me, so I bought a few patterns to try out, but I’m consigning the Isabelle to the “hell no!” pile for a while, until my Mum visits and can make sense of it for me (she’s an utter wizard).

I can see how it would be lovely, though, so anyone more competent than me, particularly with extensive experience of plackets, would probably fare much better! I’m very glad nothing more than £1 a metre fabric was harmed in the making of this so-called garment.

Don’t cut into your good fabric if you’re not feeling it @TragicMuse! I agree with NutellaEllaElla. I don’t think the positioning of those pleats would be flattering for many people. How about something like the True Bias Mave? That should work in a nice linen. Or any of the ones linked above by NutellaEllaElla. I love that second one. Reminds me of the Grainline Reed.

Thanks @GnomeDePlume. Not too bad at the moment, a bit of a sore throat, headache and a bit fuzzy headed.

I love the apron. I’ve just started wearing aprons for messier tasks after resisting for decades. I might make a couple like that with huge pockets.

Thanks for confirming my doubts!

I wonder if it would work better if I undid the box pleats - What do you think?

Or inverted them?

Yes! Like that!

OR forgoing the pleats and just using a gathering stitch across the top.

Hmmmm, @TragicMuse - I don't think there's enough fabric in that pattern to get a really lovely floofy skirt. For me, the drafting of the pattern (not your toile) looks wring and a bit mean & skimping with the fabric.

The box pleats look the wrong way round - I'd invert them, and I'd double the amount of fabric - those box pleats look skimpy, as if there's not enough fabric. I'd also put the box pleats in all around - so! a totally different look ... (not helpful, sorry).

I also think that you could reshape your waistband a bit to make it a bit smaller at the top so it defines your waist more - at the moment it gives you a sort of 'boxy' look, and I think a more nipped-in waist would be more flattering.

For me, it's the pattern itself. Not a great design in my opinion & for my taste. I've had fun making this one a few times:

https://patternvault.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/vogue2184.jpeg

Not box pleats but a lovely defined waist & floofy skirt.

Gorgeous aprons, @GnomeDePlume

I think that pleating looks beautifully smart especially with a stiffer fabric. Gathering is tricky with a rigid fabric.

The apron was a very satisfying make. It would make a useful Christmas present for an adult. I'm thinking of making one for DM.

As this one is for a toddler I am thinking of opening the shoulder seams so that I can add buttons and buttonholes for a bit of size adjusting.