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Butterick 4219 – Hoodie

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I’d bought this pattern a few weeks ago with the intention of making the hoodie for my son. Even tho it’s a girls pattern I didn’t think he’d mind, as long as I don’t make it in pink. 

I rummaged in my stash to see if I could find anything to use as a toile (for me!) and found a remanent of salmon & black jersey, and some soft black jersey, I had to make the hood and arms in the black as I only had an 80cm length of the salmon. 

Here’s cutting out the back and front….as you can see the top was always going to turn out a bit short….

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Managed to just about squeeze a cropped hoodie from the fabric, even used pins in the process…..my mum will be impressed!

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Was a bit of a nightmare top stitching the sleeve seam , ended up with the entire sleeve around the foot of the sewing machine. If there’s an easier way can someone let me know (please!).

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Here’s it all finished, I couldn’t hem the bottom otherwise it would have been too short, so I just overlocked it for now. If I manage to find some suitable black rib I’ll add that to the bottom later.

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A busy day…..chilli, new top & an afternoon with friends….

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I had that Sunday feeling again today (ie woke up with the urge to sew) only this week I wasn’t starting work at 8am like last Sunday. Weekend off…..YEA…..!!! Don’t get so many of them.

Wasn’t sure how I was going to squeeze in a little project today tho, I had to make a BIG pan of chilli and be at the cricket club for 12. All the kids who have played in Yorkshire Under 11’s B team this year were having an end of season getting together. Mums & Dads too….well, idea was for mums to get together and kids and dads would tag along. We picked today as it was my weekend off, but DOH, forgot Harrison was going to France for the weekend with school!

When I got up at 8:30 I should really have started making the chilli, but nooooo, I got my sewing machine out instead. I’d recently bought an easy pattern for some tops which should help reduce the size of my stash.  I decided to try it out with some cheap semi sheer fabric I bought from Leeds Market.  £2/metre…last of the big spenders!

Here’s the pattern…I decided to have a go at view A, it’s McCalls 6604

Here’s my arms print semi sheer fabric, it’s not very soft and curled up on the edges when it went any near the iron. No idea what it’s made up of.

I didn’t bother using a contrasting fabric for the arms as I didn’t have any fabric of a similar or lighter weight that would match. To say its only a top I needed almost all of my 1.5m as the front is cut on the bias.  I nearly decided not to bother but then rethought myself. Didn’t think with this fabric it would make much difference and it hasn’t, but at least I’ve done it properly.

By 10am I was well into my sewing, I’d cut out, faced the back neckline and sewn together at the shoulder seams. It was time to start the chilli, didn’t want to look gorgeous in my new top and have 60 hungry mouths looking at me chilli-less!

I was really pleased with the finish on the neck facing. It should have had what I call proper facings but I thought the material was too lightweight and it may show through.

By 11am the chilli was made and my hubby surfaced…..boy can he sleep!! He said “is that to wear today?”  when he spotted me bent over My sewing machine.  I think that’s the sort of remark any of our hubbys would say knowing what us sewists are like when we’re on a mission but any of our friends would think we were crazy!

Needless to say I was showered, hair done and wearing my new top, armed with a pan of chilli by 11:55am! Girl done good!

Here it is….my hubby took the pix when we returned home this afty……

(Please excuse bad posture! Don’t think I was quite ready for that one!)

I think I’ll be making some more of these, but in the next size down. When I get round to it I’ll probably trim this down over the hips, but not today as I’m busy planning my next project. It’s only 5:30pm, maybe time to make a new frock before the nights out! Or maybe not, X Factors on tonight!!

McCalls 6612 – My First Frock in Years!

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I made this dress from start to finish in a day, including shopping for the pattern and fabric……

I made view B, but made it floor length.

The pattern was quite bold and I spent ages laying it out on the floor trying to get the sides matched up. I’ve since learnt that I need to cut out on my kitchen hardwood floor, rather than the lounge carpet – I found the bottom layer gripped the carpet and the top layer slid all over.

It was simple to make.  I love simple! I made a knee length slit either side so I could walk. I didn’t bother hemming the bottom – it doesn’t fray and no one has noticed so far! Hemming it is at the very bottom of my to do list!!

I plan to make all of the versions of this dress but need to get the pattern back of a friend. She now has 3 new dresses and also said it was easy peasy!

I’ve only got one pic of me in this dress……  Here’s me with my family at a Golf Club ‘do’. My sons just about the same size as me but I was wearing killer heals!!

THE GREAT BRITISH SEWING BEE TUNIC

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Back in the summer, (which seems like a distant memory now) I bought the British Sewing Bee book which was on offer at my local supermarket. I’d not seen the series on TV but had heard lots about it. I thought I’d give the tunic a try first. It can be made in three different lengths, roughly waist, hip and knee length.

I’d bought some cotton floral fabric whilst on holiday in Scarborough and tho it wasn’t in the suggested fabric I thought it would be ok.
Originally I made it knee length but it hung like a sack and wasn’t very flattering. So I chopped the bottom off and made a long strip of ruffling (not sure what else to call it!) and added it to the bottom. When I tried it on my hubby said it reminded him of an old fashioned swimming costume!! Undeterred I pressed the ruffle flat, so it didn’t stick out so much and was happy with the result.
I also changed the zip insertion. I used a normal zip showing it on the outside, which is supposed to be ‘on trend’.
It was quite simple to make, tho a little bit fiddly inserting the facing. I’ve worn it loads, with white shorts in the summer, and I will definitely be making more in the future. I think next time I’ll take a bit more notice of the fabric suggestions.
Here I am wearing it at my son’s cricket match. It’s a bit creased as I’d been sat down quite a while.
I’ve just remembered, I also lowered the neckline at the back, only by about an inch. Here it is freshly pressed…….!
If you’ve not read the book it has some great sewing tips in and patterns with simple instructions. If comes with one free printed pattern but the other an be downloaded from the Internet. Here’s the info page for the tunic. It’s very well laid out and tells you everything you need to know before starting your new project.

WOW – FROCK FINISHED

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Finished!! Can’t believe I got it done. Had such a busy day at work. Did most of it on my break, and just spent 30 minutes finishing it. Need to trim seams etc but wearable tonight. Yippeeee!!

Read here how I managed to sew it in and around a 10 hour Ambulance shift!

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I must be mad!

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Woke up at 5:30 – alarm set for 7, working 8/18 today. Have to make something to wear for tonight!! I’m off to the new Leeds Arena to see a famous Bollywood singer, not sure of his name tho! Being invited by a golfing buddy – she has a box and its a freebie! Taking my mum and one of my best buddies, Martin, too.
Rummaged in my stash (quietly as to not wake my hubby) and found a metre of a gorgeous bright slinky jersey.

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I cut out version D of newlook 6648, omitting the gathered waist band, but extending the top the full length of the fabric. Hopefully it will be long enough to wear as a dress! Fingers crossed!

It’s now almost 7am & I need to get ready for work, load my machine into my car and go and save some lives. With a bit of luck I’ll get it done between call outs. Failing that I get a whole 37.5 minutes for my break!

Pattern Review – Newlook 6648

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Here is a top I whipped up in around an hour

(Worn with Simplicity Sewing Pattern 1696 – Misses’ & Miss Petite Amazing Fit Pants – review to follow shortly).

I’d called at my mum’s for a cuppa and spotted this pattern whilst having a rummage in her stash. I quickly said goodbye and dashed home to see what I could find to make it in.

I chose a black/grey/white chevron fabric in a slinky jersey which cost me £4.50 for 1.5m from Leeds market.

It was REALLY easy – I didn’t use the instructions except for sewing the neckline. I made view A. 

Here is my full review:

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? 
Yes
Were the instructions easy to follow? 
For the neckline yes. I’d never used that method to finished off a neckline before.  The neck band was placed on the right side with 2 rows of stitching. I then pressed it and top stitched on the outside. The neck band was slightly smaller than the opening. I pinned it in at the front, back and shoulder seams then evened the fabric out and stitched.
What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? 
It was so, so easy and was quickly sewn up.
Fabric Used: 
Slinky jersey fabric – not sure of the composition as it came from a market stall.
Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: 
I didn’t double over the waist band – I wanted it to be longer to cover my bottom, but I can ruche it up if I want to.
Would you sew it again?
Definitely! I think my stash will be drastically reduced due to this pattern.
Would you recommend it to others?
Yup – I’m going to recommend it to my mum especially, I may even give her it back!!
Conclusion
A fab easy top, can be made in jazzy fabric for nights out, or something more subtle for day wear. The opening on the neckline is a little too big, but can be worn off one shoulder if you had a matching bra strap showing, or could be worn with a contrasting vest top.
Here’s some more pix…..
not sure why the photos haven’t come out too well, my 11 year old is no David Bailey, but he sure beats trying to do it myself in the mirror!!
 Me n h

Scarcroft Golf Club

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Scarcroft Golf Club

Had a great day golfing with the lads from work yesterday, got a little bit wet but managed to come 2nd & won £35 in ‘high street’ shopping vouchers. Apparently you can spend them at over 20,000 shopping outlets, but checked online this morning and there’s not one fabric or haberdashery store! Gutted!!!

easy outfit from only 1 metre of fabric

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Here’s one of the first things I made when I recently got back into sewing. I bought a metre of fabric from minervacrafts.com intending to use it to line a bag I was knitting. When the fabric arrived in the post it was much too nice to be hidden in a bag. I draped it all sorts of ways around me wondering how I could make this metre into a dress. It HAD to be a dress!

Eventually I plucked up the courage the cut into it………not able to make a dress I opted for a long skirt and ‘boob tube’ style top……

My bust measurement is about 105cm so I only sewed a narrow side seam and adding the elastic to the top just helped hold it in place. I overlocked the top, and turned over the top just enough to fit the elastic.

I did the same with the skirt. This had a little more ease and enabled me to be able to walk! On reflection tho’ I wish I’d have made a slit in it to enable me to take bigger steps!

Here it is finished…………

I had to chop my head off due to bad hair day!!!!

I tucked the top into the skirt, added a belt from a dress I bought at Wallis and a tan pair of wedges. I was sooooo pleased with the results. From start to finish it took less than an hour.

Here is the outfit making it’s debut. I wore it to Lady Captain’s night at the golf club……

All the ladies were very impressed! I felt amazing. An outfit that cost less than my earrings!! Also, with the elasticated waist it meant I could eat my pudding and still breathe!