Embroidered cotton blouse - New Look 6808

Moonstone silver necklace from Jaipur, India.

Springtime last year, I had a brain-fade when I couldn't locate several summer tops (including this, this and this), and convinced myself they had be donated to charity in a wild KonMari decluttering session. They duly turned up in a suitcase (I hear you tut-tutting, Marie!), but by then I had already bought replacement fabric from Morelands to make another embroidered cotton blouse.

New Look 6808 was in my pattern stash, and I made this blouse using view D/E, minus the collar. Sleeves are shortened view A. By eliminating the waist darts, I'm able to pull it over my head, so I also got rid of the centre back seam and zip. As the fabric is quite transparent, the blouse is lined with cotton voile, which is cut to the neckline to avoid facing seams showing through. Finally, to make the most of the gorgeous scalloped selvedges, everything is cut with the straight-of-grain on the cross.

One annoyance was the embroidery on the fabric was inconsistent. I recut the front neckline slightly where this was particlarly evident, as one side had noticeably more lattice than the other. I also hand-basted the side seams before machining, because the embroidery pattern needed a bit of easing here and there in order to line up.

In Aotearoa, we've been enjoying the most glorious, extended summer (a real joy after a bitter winter), so it's been a blessing having more than one cotton blouses at hand. And yes, Marie, they all "Spark Joy".

Batik Print Top and New Look 6213

At the beginning of the year, Moreland Fabrics had a sale on their patterns, which tempted me into buy New Look 6213 - a  light and breezy top, with neckline and sleeve variations and an asymmetric hem.

There's a piece of silk chiffon floating around in the stash which I thought would be great to made using this pattern, but while cutting out the pattern pieces, I decided to toilé first, because it looked very full. So into the stash I went, and out came the remnants of cotton batik print fabric used to make this dress.

In hindsight, I should have gone ahead and used the chiffon, because it's drape would have been a better match for the pattern. Even though the cotton is very light, it still has just a bit too much body. I needed to reduced fullness around the hem by about 10cm, cutting 5cm off each side seam into nothing at underarms. Originally I cut version A sleeves, but replaced them with version D because they looked ridiculous - sticking straight out, rather than "fluttering". Once again, a fabric with less body may work better.

I very much like this top and have worn it a lot over the summer.

There's one last thing I would change next time. For some reason the back pattern piece is shorter than the front pattern piece, which I think must be a mistake because it's such a small amount. It annoys me when I'm wearing it (I constantly tug the back hem down), so I'd lengthen the centre back by about 3cm or so - I'd rather it be longer in the back than front.

New Look 6071 and the floral sundress

Buying fabric is exciting. The little thrill of creativity that strikes when you see it. Touching it. Getting inspired to make that something you can’t live one more moment without. 

Often I buy fabric with only a vague idea of what I’ll make from it. When I get home I race to hunt out the perfect pattern, hoping there’s enough.
The first time I made NL 6071 two years ago I used an old Indonesian batik sarong. It quickly became my favourite summer frock, so comfortable and easy to wear, with just enough va-voom at the décolletage for me. Now it’s getting very thin its been worn so much. Time to make a new one.

Two and two came together when I saw this floral cotton in The Fabric Store (previously Global Fabrics).

Both times I’ve made NL 6071 I’ve completely ignored the pattern is designed for stretch fabrics, because by carefully measuring pattern pieces, cutting a couple of sizes larger than “my size” and adding a zip, it can be made out of non-stretch fabric. I also lengthen the skirt by 10cm to a more “lady-like” length, and this time added short sleeves.

Did I mention it’s easy to make? Seriously, the bust wrap twisty thing is no where near as hard as it looks.

I love it so much, I’m even posting a ‘selfie’ wearing it to work yesterday, taken during my lunch break on the Petone wharf in a föhn wind (just caught the tripod before it blew over).

necklace and earrings = Trade Aid, sunglasses = ZenniOptical, 

watch = Skargen, purple suede pumps = Coopers Shoes

Rain, rain, come this way

Wellington has been experiencing the most glorious dry, sunny summer its had in 66 years. However, as there has been no significant rain in almost four months, (and one storage lake empty for earthquake strengthen since spring) there's now a total ban on outdoor water use (eg, cleaning the car, watering the garden) and we've also been asked to reduce personal water use by about 30 litres per person per day - thats about three minutes less in the shower, or ten half-flushes less of the toilet!

All this nice weather has seen me spending a lot of time outdoors, away from the computer and sewing machine, trying to shape the jungle that is my backyard into some sort of usable space. I seized the opportunity on the one slightly overcast day we’ve had to cut out a new winter jacket - of course with a little help. Here’s Sootsta demonstrating the ancient technique of cattus in unguem configere posset in exemplar (cat-claw-pins-the-pattern) leaving me no option but to retaliate with also very old simulant ad legere in nuntius-papyrus (pretend-to-read-the-newspaper) distraction technique.

And thank you to cation designs for the Sewing with Cats blog award. I'm honoured to receive it.

Renovating a Plischke

Where have I been? What have I been doing? Preparing for this!

Things I miss about summer - Part 1

The cacophony of cicadas.