Take 4 - the pants edition

Pinstriped pants and matching cat!

During a de-stash last year, (which saw me sell 4 boxes of fabric no longer "sparking joy" at Fabric-a-Brac) I came across three trouser length pieces of lightweight wool - one black, one navy, and one brown with blue pinstripe, each $3 at the Sallies some years earlier, and 5 metres of $5 per metre "fire-damaged" grey wool/cashmere from Pete's Emporium.  (A good wash and line-dry in the wind shortly after purchase got rid of a faint damp/smoky odour).

Desperately needing to replace my black work pants after 6 years of wear, I grabbed my favourite self-made trouser pattern, and promptly cut all four fabrics, plus lining to the knee for each. 

Then they languished for months, until my sewing bee a few weeks ago.

Since returning to work this year, they've all been worn at least once, and will be fabulous when the seasons turn towards the cooler months again.

Each a welcome addition to my wardrobe.

Blue Wool Pintucked Dress - Simplicity 8165

Earlier this year, I made a summery, short sleeved dress in linen and Simplicity 8165. Much loved, upon completion I decided to make a winter edition.

The blue wool crepe is from the stash, another score from Fabric-a-Brac. Following my notes from the first use of this pattern, I cut a size 6(!!) long sleeved version. I elongated the cuffs after seeing this picture of the Duchess of Cambridge, but I wouldn't recommend copying this look - it takes a bit of gymnastics to get all the buttons done up each time. Mostly, I roll the sleeves because I don't have time/can't be bothered.

I'm a bit meh about the dress -  it always feels a bit "Little House on the Prairie" nightgown-ish. But it's comfortable and I wear it often anyway.

Silk chiffon tunic for summer - New Look 6803

Not usually a fan of chiffon, $6 for 2+ metres of green and black silk seemed like a bargain at Fabric-a-Brac. Belatedly, I discovered why - there was a white mis-print stripe right down in the middle, more than 20cm long. Had to be crafty cutting around it.

After stiffening the silk with gelatin, making it much easier to handle, I cut New Look 6803 view D, plus some button-back tabs to hold the sleeves when rolled up (although now the gelatin has washed out, they don't stay rolled for long).

Definitely another success, however, if I use this pattern again I'll shorten the centre front opening by about 12cm - not because it was indecent, but because the big open edges flap about in my peripheral vision like a moth! Adding a dickie (or modesty panel) closed the gap this time, putting an end to swatting at 'moths' under my chin.

Graphania plena (Green Carpet Owlet) image from here - http://www.terrain.net.nz/friends-of-te-henui-group/moths.html

Blue Linen Pintucked Dress - Simplicity 8165

Hands-down my favourite make so far this year has to be this blue linen pintucked dress.

Inspired by a dress I tried on last spring (a weird fit, gapping armholes, and too short for my liking), from then on I had a hankering for a pintucked dress. Boy, I hunted high and low for the perfect pattern, all the fabric shops and opshops, but nothing was quite right. Finally, on the soon-to-be-extinct patterns table at Morelands Fabrics, I found Simplicity 8165.

Because I intended to use linen already in 'the stash', a few adjustments to the pattern were necessary to accommodate the fabric meterage. The hem and sleeve lengths were both shortened, and I eliminated the centre front seam (and binding), instead cutting a facing.

This pattern sizing runs LARGE. After the first fitting, I cut 10cm (4 inches) off each side seam, which was a shame, because I also felt I need to add a 8cm false hem. Had I known I could have cut 2 sizes smaller, which would have allowed the patterns pieces to overlap in the lay a little more, giving me the extra length.

Never mind, I still love the results, and have worn it often this past summer.

At present I'm considering making a long-sleeved winter version, and will 'shop the stash' this coming Easter break to hopefully find suitable fabric.

Blue Linen Tunic Dress - Style 2040 (1979)

Necklace from Farmers

I'm not at all sure what drew me to this pattern when I saw it in St Vinnies. It doesn't have the most enticing envelope, very dated, in fact. But the more I looked, the more appealling it became. It's a very basic tunic style, with an all-in-one yoke and sleeve detail giving it a point of difference. Paired with 2.5 metres of lovely quality blue linen purchased from an early Fabric-a-Brac and just a few easy alterations, I felt I could make a dress that had very little resemblance to the envelope image.

The most obvious changes made were reversing the yoke opening from centre front to centre back, and getting rid of the zip. I also lowered the front neckline by about 2.5cm. Using the short sleeve version (without the cuff extension), I narrowed them at the hems by about 6cm after first fitting.

Did I mention the pattern has pockets? Tempted as I was to topstitch them to the outside, in the end I went for a clean look and just stitched a length of selvedge between them as a stay.

Very happy with the finished garment. Problem is, we had a bit of a rubbish summer here in Wellington, so as lovely as it is, it didn't get much wear. Never mind, there's always next summer (and the next, and the next...).

Hello Sailor! frock – vintage Simplicity 3120

Technically, I wouldn't quite classify this as a UFO, as it was only cut out (and fused) last November. But I knew if I didn't get it made this summer, it was in danger of becoming a UFO. And it was so worth finishing - it's my new favourite frock.

I used vintage Simplicity 3120 (©1959) for the neckline, updating it by cutting it straight through with no waist seam, and leaving out all shaping other than the bust darts. I used the sleeve pattern from New Look 6754 (view C), added pockets in the side seams and a tie belt and belt loops to clinch in the waist.

The pure cotton fabric was a Fabric-a-Brac purchase, quite a lucky score because I couldn't get to that particular event until near the end, so everyone else must have past over it for some reason or other. Meant to be mine!

Don't the buttons work fabulously with the fabric? There have been four of them in my stash for a while, not entirely sure where they came from, maybe the Hospice shop in Petone? Or Kilbirnie?

All in all, a really nice new easy breezy frock.

"Smashing frock!" "Thanks, I made it." - Simplicity 8498

Bead necklace from Farmers

Well, I certainly restocked the stash thanks to the latest Fabric-a-Brac. Two pieces of wool crêpe, metres of quality linen in two colour ways, and metres of black lining with white line-drawn chrysanthemums.

I was so excited to find this piece of purple wool crêpe, I bought it straight away, knowing exactly what it was going to make - another of Tara's patterns, Simplicity 8498 from 1969. There was barely enough fabric to make view 2, so initially I was going to make it sleeveless, but managed to squeeze out (shortened) short sleeves. Also had just enough to add the obligatory pocket...

The first fitting was nearly perfect, only adjustment was to shorten the bust darts so they weren't so pointy. I loved the dress so much it was deemed worthy of a lining, which was found on the sales table at Spotlight - $3 metre for a liteweight lilac-coloured silk! (You can see a bit inside the left sleeve.)

My colleges compliment me whenever I wear this to work. I find empire waists very flattering, and the stitching lines adds interest to what is essentially a very simple frock.

Simplicity 8498 is definitely a keeper.

Discovered this has been reprinted as Simplicity 3833

Getting to grips with The Stash

Like every other stitcher on the planet, I have The Stash. I'm pretty successful at limiting it only to nana's wardrobe, but it regularly gets close to saturation point – like now, and there's another Fabric-a-Brac in 2 weeks!

So last weekend I got stuck in and purged. I tell you, I was ruthless. All those "one day..." bits ("one day I might need it for xyz...", "one day, when I have time..." you get the picture) – out they went. Metres and metres of lycra (pretty much every garment I made in the '90s was out of lycra—ahh, to be young and slim again!), a pile of "what-the-heck-was-I-thinking?" and "where-on-earth-did-this-come-from?", and then there was the pattern stash...

All in all, 4 boxes of fabrics and 2 bags of patterns were donated to Fabric-a-Brac, plus another 3 bags of clothes made their way into the Child Cancer bin down the road. There's now so much room in the wardrobe I can fit all my patterns and trims inside as well.

While I was at it, I measured and photographed most of the remaining stash, and made myself a "stash flash card".

I'm so proud of myself, I think I deserve a treat – roll on 2 May!

Update 28/04/15: unexpected bonus – SunnyJim got inspired and had a sort-out in the study Anzac weekend. Can actually see the spare bed now!

Going dotty – Burda 7253 (shortened)

Haere Mai! Welcome to 2015!
Here in Wellington (actually, most of New Zealand) we've been blessed with the most glorious weather since the start of the new year. Hence, lots of time outdoors and not much at the sewing machine. However, I do have a bit of catching-up to do with things made between this post and the last.

First up is another summery top for work. The fabric was a last minute purchase at Fabric-a-Brac I wanted to spend every cent of the $50 I took, so offered the last $3.60 to the vendor for this piece, which they happily accepted. (BTW, bought loads of lovely fabric and quite a bit of thread for my $50.) I normally don't look twice at viscose but couldn't pass up the cheery print and colours.

I managed to squeeze a shortened Burda 7253 and a tie belt out of the teeny tiny scrap with a bit of difficulty. The grain was completely up the wop and no amount of tugging and steaming could get it straight; eventually I crossed my fingers and cut, hoping no one would ever notice it was off grain because of the crazy circles.

Eliminating the back seam and zipper made it was super speedy to put together, yet it still slips easily over my head without them. I'd nearly settled on a black button, before deciding to have one last look in a precious box of my grandmothers buttons, where I found three darling little clear glass buttons. Because the buttons are purely for decoration (there's no buttonhole) I stitched them close together to look sort of like a brooch. Lastly, after a couple of wears, I added fabric belt loops to hold the belt in place.

This is my favourite of the three tops I made recently. It works just as well with a skirt as it does with jeans. Plus, it used pretty much every inch of fabric = nothing left to add to the scrap bag. Don't you love it when that happens!