Frantic Sewing

Do any of you have an event in the future and then decide you must, absolutely must have a new outfit(s)?  Then you try to break all sewing/knitting speed records to get the objects of your desire completed??

Well, I am doing that a bit now.  I am off away for a few days on Friday and have decided that as the climate in my chosen destination (NYC) is completely different from here in Brisbane, that of course I have nothing to wear!  Now, I am pretty sure that I wore clothes last summer, I don't remember the stares from walking about naked, so why do I need more clothes?  (let's call that a rhetorical question)

Short answer - I don't need new clothes, however I would like them!

Here are the items I cut out last night and hope to finish before my early morning departure on Friday:

Hazel Dress:
V-neck loose fitting top - BurdaStyle 101A 05/2012
Oversize top - BurdaStyle 07/2011
These are all pretty simple patterns, but I still don't want to rush the finish. I have started with the Hazel dress. What do you think my chances are of finishing these before I leave? I also work full time, so my time is limited. Still, it is good to have goals right??

Do any of you also do this mad rush before travelling or events?

Birdie Sencha

My first version of the Sencha Blouse by Colette.  I did a toile first which showed I needed to make a small shoulder adjustment as it was not comfortable to wear.

I underlined the whole garment as the original fabric was pretty sheer and used french seams throughout.

I used a size 6 in the top (and adjusted for narrow shoulders) and then graduated to a 12 for my waist and hips.  I found that due to the blouseyness (is that a word?) of the pattern an FBA was not required.

I omitted the neck facing and instead incorporated the underlining to make a nice clean neck finish.

I also omitted the back buttons as there is no way I could reach to do them up!  I cut the back on the fold instead and like the clean lines this option gives.  I may do a version in the future with a faux back button opening as I found the pattern has enough room in it to go over my head just fine.

For those followers, you may recognise the fabric, it is a hack of my previous fail garment.  I am much happier with this and took great pleasure in cutting the failure into pieces!!  I am really happy with the fit of this blouse and it is comfortable, wearable and I think flattering. I shall definitely be making more.

Ruffle Merino Top

I bought some lovely soft NZ merino recently and knew the exact top I was wanting to make. Of course I didn't have the exact pattern so modified one I already had, McCalls M4517.

I made the plain round neck top with long sleeves. I then set about constructing the ruffle. I cut a piece of merino approximately 120cm long by 15cm and folded it in half wrong sides together and sewed each end. I then turned it the right way out and serged the tube closed, and then ran a gathering stitch through to create the ruffle.


Starting where I wanted the ruffle to finish I then placed the ruffle on the top fiddling until I got the placement right. Once happy, I pinned it in place and marked with tailors chalk the line as it would have to moved around a bit to sew.



To stitch the ruffle in place I started at the bottom row, holding the other rows out of the way and stitched the row in place. Each row was stitched individually.

I don't normally sew knit garments having had some bad experiences in the past but this one sewed up nicely with none of the puckering dramas I have had in the past.  I sewed most of it with my serger and the seams under stress with a stretch stitch.  I also reinforced the shoulder seam with ribbon.  After this experience I may sew some more knit garments soon, I especially love the Merino it was lovely to sew and is toasty warm and comfy to wear.  Perhaps a bright colour for the next garment, I seem to be on a black theme right now - blame Winter!