Colour My Bubble Fuchsia Coat - Simplicity 8467

Got to say, loving working from home - the hours saved by not commuting - more hours for crafting!

I couldn't quite believe my luck when I spied this fabric in the Sallies last year. Pretty sure it's wool/cashmere, about 2.5 metres and the most beautiful vibrant fuchsia colour. Unfortunately, it looked like orange juice had been spilt on it, but at $6 for the piece, I took the chance it would wash out. Mostly it did, just a wee stripe of hard-to-see discolouration remains on the back (about shoulder level - know you're going to look!).

Luckly, I decided on a pattern and found matching thread and buttons just before lockdown. I liked the French darts on Simplicity 8467, but didn't have enough fabric for the front angled overlap, instead making a standard 3cm button overlap. However there was just enough fabric to 'grow' the neckline into a simple stand collar.

Such a simple coat, so snuggly and lovely to wear.

Colour your bubble.

Hydrangea print blouse - Simplicity 7084

Another fabric found for a dollar in the local St Johns charity shop was this beautiful hydrangea print stretch cotton sateen. The piece was clearly a left-over scrap, almost a metre, with a bit extra on one side, and a bit less on the other where a sleeve had been cut out.

Initially, I thought the most logical garment to make would be a pleated skirt. However, I really couldn't imagine myself wearing it, so after a few weeks contemplation, I chose instead to make a blouse.

Using tried and trusted pattern Simplicity 7084, view B with view A's sleeves, there was just enough fabric. Super quick and easy to make as there are no fastenings, it simply pulls on over your head.

Its lovely to wear and has received many compliments.

UPDATE

With everthing going on at the beginning of lockdown, I found it difficult to concentrate on any project for too long. So, I found this tutorial and made a few masks with fabrics at hand.

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.

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.

Purple plaid jacket mash-up

Five years ago, I received a wonderful suprise gift from my aunt. She was having a clean-out, and gave me two lengths of wool fabric – enough grey camelhair to make a coat, and a lovely piece of wool plaid, predominantly purple in colour.

At the time I was working in a very exposed south-facing office with floor to ceiling windows. It permanently cold as it saw no direct sunlight—ever. I made the most of every bit of the plaid fabric shortly after receiving it by making it into a dress. It was like being wrapped in a cosy blanket, and was on high rotation during the following winters.

My work moved into its current office early last year. Now the temperature is at a pleasant level, I no longer need to wear the dress. However, as with most other countries in the world, in winter, layering is de rigueur.

Since the fabric was still in excellent condition, I decided to unpicked and recut it into a jacket. I liked the velvet inlaid collar from Simplicity 3146, but unfortunately couldn't use the rest of this pattern because there wasn't enough width for the kimono sleeves. Instead, I turned to Simplicity 3120 (circa 1959) for the body and sleeves. However, there was absolutely no way of matching the check across the body to the sleeves, no matter how hard I tried. Disappointed, and though the jacket was near completion, it became a UFO, hiding in the back of my closet.

Fast-forward to last months TMS challenge when Bracken mentioned she also had unfinished jackets and coats hanging around. We challenged each other to complete one of them in time for November's Amnesty Day. Out of the closet it came.

It was actually very close to being finished, just the sleeve linings need attaching and buttons and buttonholes. But after trying it on, I decided to also re-position the side bust darts and add a velvet cuff – the sleeves were just a touch too short for me.

While I'm happy to be finished with it, I have to to be honest and say I like it but don't love it. The fit is still not quite right, and I don't at all like the velvet cuffs – but they're ok rolled up. Still, it will get worn next winter, I'm sure.

Simplicity 6068 grey wool houndstooth jacket

Late last year, my mother and I were browsing in an Op Shop and spying a piece of wool jersey, I commented "You don't see fabric like this anymore". Returning home, she disappeared into her sewing room, and reappeared sometime later with a lovely piece of grey houndstooth wool jersey. She can't remember exactly how long she'd had it, but for many years. Would I like it? "Yes please!" I love the kind-of punk fading check pattern.

There was about 1.2 metres (a rough-cut metre), x 1.4m wide, not much more than a skirt length. But it didn't feel like a skirt to me. At first I entertained the idea of making a tunic dress, before settling on a short jacket. From my own stash I pulled Simplicity 6068 a pattern from 1983, but soon realised there wasn't going to be enough fabric even to make that, so I need to get creative.

To achieve the fade from hem upwards, the body pieces had to be cut on the crosswise grain (hem on the selvage), while the sleeves were cut on the lengthwise grain. But there still wasn't enough fabric. I scoured the shops until I found matching grey leather in The Fabric Warehouse and cut a yoke and pocket trims. It was a very tight squeeze, the facings are scraps patched together, and there are virtually no left-overs.

I'm very happy with the results, and as you can see by the rumpled photos, it has been worn a few times already.

Flying purple people eaters

A little over a year ago, I blogged about a pile of UFOs in my stash. I'm happy to say that apart from No 1 - the wool "Melba" jacket, I've now completed all of them, and even better, haven't added to the pile. Did having photographic evidence of my 'crime' motivate me into action?

The latest to be completed is No 3, "Perfect Purple Pants". They're really the second toilé in my quest to make the perfect fitting pants. They were cut in November 2014 straight after completing the first draft (so, so bad!), but have since languished unmade for 2 1/2 years. Vintage Simplicity 3082 was the starting point - why, I don't know, I have heaps of better fitting patterns. Maybe I wanted to look as rockin' in my pants as the women with the beehive on the envelope? I envision hers are gold brocade - awesome!

Clearly, I've lowered the high waist down to the natural waistline. I also added back pockets and simplified the ankle split (see insets), and made many, many fitting tweaks. The fabric is stretch cotton sateen, bought in a Spotlight sale. Wouldn't be my first choice colour-wise, but it was cheap, and the pants will be fine for India (with a butt-covering shirt, of course!).

I'm pretty happy with the resulting fit. There are still a few drag lines around the knees but I think I've found a fix for those, so we'll see in if it works on toilé No 3.

Zigzag blouse - vintage Simplicity 3120 (©1959)

Making notes of fitting changes made to patterns is a habit I really need to get into. I have a notebook for this purpose, which has been used, though clearly not as often as it needs to be. Here's the perfect example of how it all can go so wrong when it's not written down.

I used vintage Simplicity 3120 to make this lovely dress earlier this year. The dress is super comfortable and gets heaps of compliments, so I decided to re-use the pattern to make a blouse out of a piece of cotton purchased through TradeMe ($7 for 1.2m + bits). Thinking I didn't make any fitting alterations to the pattern, I cut out just the bodice pieces (and the sleeves this time), adding 20cm to the hem curving upwards towards the side seams like I did for the Crêpe de Chine blouse.

It went together so swimmingly I didn't bother trying it on until I'd finished - I'd already made it once, so it should be ok, right?

Wrong, so wrong. The back neck gapped. Whaaaaat! How did that happen? So I hummed-and-hawed for a bit, then decided really I didn't care enough to unpick and re-cut it, instead coming up with a cunning plan to run a gathering stitch through the neck edge by hand. It took about a minute, and I actually quite like the finished effect. See for yourself in the lower right image.

So once again Jeannie Gandar's saying "Make a feature out of a flaw" has paid gold.

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.

Sewing for the soul - Simplicity 5670

Sewing is my happy place, my zen, my bliss. And after the crappiest of crappy weekends, it's also my salvation.

You see, my 10 year old niece - Petal* - has spent the weekend in intensive care at the Children's Hospital in Brisbane.

It all started with the 'flu. Things took a turn for the worst on Friday evening. Her mother looked in on her before going to bed, and discovered Petal in a distressed state, struggling to breathe, with bloated face, arms and hands. She immediately rushed her to hospital, where she was admitted upon arrival.

Wellington being two hours ahead of Brisbane, it was early Saturday morning before I heard the news. By then the hospital staff had found fluid on Petal's lungs and high levels of protein in her kidneys, in addition to extremely high blood pressure. She was transferred to the Children's Hospital during the day, but was unable to be taken off the high oxygen-mix, so remained in intensive care.

My day past in a fog. How the usual weekend chores were done, I really can't remember. Night fell, the fire was lit, dinner was eaten. There was another update to say her condition hadn't improved.

Faced with a night of sleeplessness, I turned to my sewing pile. Next up was a dress I need to make for a wedding I'll soon be attending, but it just didn't seem the appropriate thing to make given the circumstances. Instead, I chose another shirt, red linen/rayon and Simplicity 5670 from 1982. Using view 4 as the base, I changed quite a bit - released the pintucks below the bust, shortened the full front placket (actually, I cut 4 sleeve cuffs and used two as the new plackets), left off the collar, using only the stand, shortened the sleeves to 3/4 length, and lengthened the hem by 20cm.

So in a blur, I sewed. Pintucks, plackets, topstitching, french seams, collar - on, then unpicked at centre fronts and lowered by 1.5cm. By then my eyes were heavy so I finished the night by chalking and pressing up the hems.

Sleep came and went. Sunday morning dawned chilly and bright. Another update - still no improvement, but with a dreadful suggestion of an illness that - like the Harry Potter books - shall forever remain unspoken.

A comforting shroud descended with the whirring of the sewing machine. Collar fixed and topstitched, hems too. French seams for sleeve heads then side seams. Neat - like the neat kid on the gurney 2,500km away.

Sleeve bands, a final press, photography in the garden for a change.

No word.

I had to keep going, find more to do. Did I believe my stitches could mend a child by proxy? "Yeah, Naa", that fabulous/irritating Kiwi saying. Yeah?

Ahh, mending, hole in sweater, dropped trouser hems, missing buttons replaced.

Finally, finally, deep into the evening, the update. The swelling was receding, Petal's poor battered little body was now accepting a lower flow of oxygen. While the chest x-ray was still bad, she was about to be moved to the pediatric ward. 

Blessed relief.

Today, Petal is slowly showing signs of improvement - eating, propped up in bed, asking to see her little brother, whom she adores - she really is that neat a kid.

It will be a week until we know for sure whether there's permanent damage to heart, kidneys, lungs. Cross your fingers and kiss your kids.

All because of the 'flu.

* Name has been changed.

Two shirts to wear in India - Style 2568 and Simplicity 7521

I'm travelling to India once again at the end of the year, during their winter. This time I'm heading south, where the temperatures will be warmer, estimated between 17-33°C. During the Rajasthan visit two years ago temperatures were between 7-23°C, so I spent most of the time wearing jeans and layering several merino sweaters on and off, one over the top of the other.

Conservative dress is advisable in India, which I don't have a problem with (working corporate requires conservative dress anyway). Nothing too tight or revealing, keep shoulders and knees covered, plus if your wearing trousers, cover "the shape of your backside and front". Remember my camel riding shorts which were wisely left behind?

I bought kurtis (tunics) and had a salwar-kameez (tunic and pants suit) made last time, but it's looking unlikely I'll have a chance to shop before my tour starts. So I decided to make a couple of shirts using fabrics and patterns from the stash to tide me over, light enough to wear in the heat, while also offering some shade from the sun.

Simplicity 7521 (from 1978) is very much like a kurti style tunic. The fabric was given to me by a lovely woman I met in a St Vinnies store. After doing a burn test, I'm thinking it may be a light weight wool - it's just a bit scratchy, and steams beautifully. I lengthened the tunic to knee length and left off the sleeves cuffs, instead gathering them into an elasticated band. I also added a couple of waist darts in the back for some subtle shaping. The contrasting neck and sleeve bands are simply the wrong side of the fabric. Bonus, the fabric has flecks of blue, green and grey in it, which matches nicely to these navy linen-cotton trousers.

My original intention was to make the second shirt using the same pattern. However, because the fabric was originally a sundress, when I laid the pattern out I discovered while there was plenty of width, there wasn't enough length. Eventually, I settled on Style 2568 from 1979. I always loved the fabric - a lovely soft lawn, and do like the resulting shirt, however I feel like I have gone from one extreme to the the other in styles. There was something about the fabric and pattern choice of the sundress that always made me feel like mutton dressed as lamb. Now I feel like I'm wearing Grandma's gardening shirt! It does look surprisingly good tucked into a pencil skirt though, so I'm sure to get some wear out of it.

Happy!

"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

Viva Las Vegas top - Simplicity 3790

Years ago, I spent a few memorable days in Las Vegas with the girls. Of course, outlet mall shopping was on the agenda, but unuse to the pace and heat, I started to wilt after a couple of hours. The solution was to change out of jeans into a newly purchased bright and breezy sundress. However, a new problem soon developed - as the fabric was super stretchy, the shoestring straps kept on stretching to the point of indecency! By the end of the day the straps were a tangled mess of knots tied in an effort to prevent a complete wardrobe malfunction.

Back in New Zealand, the straps unpicked from the dress, a piece of blue lycra from the scrap bag found to make new ones, it was all tied together ........ and became a UFO for several years.

Enter my wardrobe gap of work-appropriate tops. Looking at the fabric again, I decided I would get more wear out of it if it was a top. Choosing Simplicity 3790 (view F, sleeves view E) from my recent St Vinnies haul, I laid it out to cut, then realised the pattern doesn't have a back yoke, only one in the front. Because the yoke would be in the contrasting blue lycra, I wanted it to continue around the body, so whipped up my own back yoke pattern. I also cut contrasting strips of blue for the sleeve hems, and left as much of the original sundress length as possible.

The result is a lovely floaty tunic, casual yet smart enough for work, which has now been worn more times than when it was a sundress!