Figured I had earned it after polishing off my black linen skirt and finally getting the handles sewn onto the veggie bag.
So here’s what I did with some wonderful crocheted doilies gifted to me by Ali, who knows the woman that made them. (Thanks again, hon!)
However, I do think they could use a spot of colour, don’t you? Maybe some ribbon to hide the rubber bands. Hm…
Have been meaning to post this update to that peppermint stripe outfit: It started pilling less than a month after I finished it. Good thing I’d mentally tagged the fabric for stretchy muslins.
Oddly, the bermudas seem to be okay. Wait! Better check the seat . . . . it’s okay! Don’t feel so bad now.
click pic for original post
Have been wanting something in a solid green and remembered this from my Chicago days, languishing in the Needs Refashioning pile. Spent quite some time taking the waist apart, trying to figure out what on earth I’d done. It took a couple of long ripping out sessions.
But newly washed and ironed, it’s hanging whilst I gather my courage to cut into a summer dress I’d put in the refashion pile earlier this year. Hoping to use the dress for waistband facing and a sleeveless blouse. Fingers crossed! š
Meanwhile, hope everyone is surviving their season! ā£ļøā£ļøā£ļø
ps… The Guardian had an interesting article on craft/activismhere.
A squidgy fabric package arrived yesterday from out West and made my week.
In the spirit of āwhen copping a plea, go for the gold,ā Iām blaming it on Mrs. Maile (a.k.a., Tanya Hughes).
Being much taken with the fabric sheād used in her post (previous link), Iād meandered across her conveniently provided link to her fabric source – The Confident Stitch.
As one does, I wondered what else they had, and wandered around a bit, eventually looking at all their barkcloth (or bark cloth). I was surprised to be more drawn to a different fabric, which made me pause, wondering why.
click to go to The Confident Stitch
Being thorough, Iād also noticed their stock of independent pattern makers, including the Closet Caseās Charlie Caftan that Tanya used for her barkcloth dress. Then I remembered seeing it several times last year on Karen Ballās Did You Make That?
Fast forward a bit:Ā Having finally acknowledged the sad state of my summer frocks ~ 3 made at least 3 years ago ~ and also having resolved to remedy the situation, Iād contemplated enlarging my pattern stash. On that note, I spent some time reviewing both ladiesā posts on the Charlie Caftan (Karen made several).
Everything looked okay from my perspective, so I ordered the paper pattern, plus a couple of swatches, including that other barkcloth.
Oh yes, somehow a piece of cotton lawn got into that first squidgy package.Ā Which will be discussed at a later date because I decided it was a bit too sheer for a Charlie and Iād ordered the wrong yardage anyway.
#Ā Ā #Ā Ā #
Meanwhile time passed and because hot weather is arriving down here I was looking forlornly at my summer tops and sighing. Actually, doing a great deal of sighing, and wondering how to remedy. I had that lovely cotton lawn, which just needed matching threadā¦ and a pattern…
Just to relax last Sunday (really!) I went browsing on The Confident Stitch site. Up popped a pattern sale: 25% off through 28 April (Saturday).
Divine Intervention!
Which is how the cotton lawnās matching threadĀ andGrainlineās Hadley arrived in yesterdayās squidgy package, along with that barkcloth, which very possibly will become a Charlie.
Do tell if I’m the only one making such convoluted decisions.
culottes and maybe a Grainline Farrow dress… and 2 sweet labels sneaked in!
P.S./ Almost forgot. A couple more swatches also arrived yesterday, which look like great next additions to the summer wardrobe. Final decisions in a bit…Ā you know how that goes.š
So far this is about all that’s gotten done, buuut . . .
grainline’s farrow (click to go to their pattern listing)
I found where I’d noted my changes on my last renfrew, so will be ready to crack on with this once I’ve compared the two patterns and made my changes.
Jen, at Let the Sewing Begin, and I are sewing our versions “together.” That’s in quotes because she’s about 4 states north.
Last time we talked I was reading from Jen’s (the Farrow’s designer) initial post in her sew-along, which didn’t make too much sense to us at first.
from my personal copy
Then Jen (not the Grainline one) mentioned a little thing called ease and we promptly decided we’d better check that out. Left is the measurement chart for the Farrow.
Jen had also just gone to a local-to-her sewing guru and had all her measurements taken; we wanted to incorporate those as well. More on measurements in general in another post.
For those of you who haven’t seen this pattern, it has a lot of ease. I dutifully took the pattern out of the envelope yesterday and realised a couple of things whilst mulling everything over:
from my copy of the directions, with personal notations
There’ a Length at Center Front measurement but not one for Center Back. The back is longer. (Will try measuring the pattern pieces for this.)
There’s no natural waist line marked on the pattern, so I can’t tell if this is going to be really long on my short torso. I don’t want pockets at my knees, or some other more inconvenient place.
The ease isn’t given for the hips.
So a day was spent looking at IG and blog photos trying to see where hems (front & back) and those pockets were on everyone.
Unfortunately that didn’t help as no one I looked at mentioned lengthening or shortening either hem or torso, and I had no idea how tall they were. (They all looked lovely though.)
Dear & Most Wonderful Sewing Community of Bloggers ~Ā Any suggestions along these lines?
Completed my handkerchief linen duster this week and gave it some good wear testing, but totally forgot to get any photos.
(click any pic in today’s entry to go to large photos & comments)
Decided to use totally different buttons, which suddenly reappeared and are the ones I’d originally thought of before the others seduced me.
I sewed on one of the favoured, large plain buttons (the one below in photo) but it was too heavy and bright. Apologies, Dear Readers, for asking your opinions and then ignoring them.
The orphan dresses I’ll mostly wear with this duster are more subdued, and this button sets theĀ mood. Shoulda toldja that before, right? Sooorry. š¢
In a package from Vogue Fabrics in Chicago was more petersham ribbons, and that horsehair braid I hoped would be perfect for a hat brim. Nope.Too flimsy for the denim. No idea what to try next.
Reading is still in progress, with an addition from Nanacathy‘s latest list. Blue Monday was written by a husband & wife team, Nicci (her) French (him). I found the premise interesting, but too wordy, and a bit too psychological just now.
Some pretty shots to hopefully brighten your week.
From my soon-to-be retired used bookstore owner friend Keith, in Chicago. Lovely comments from Keith, and delightful poses from author Hodge, Chicago’s Most Famous Cat, at the end.
āFluid. n. A body whose particles move freely among themselves, and yield to the leastĀ force impressedā¦
āJanuary isnāt the time for me to be making resolutions, ’cause all I want to do is rest up from a hectic December. Butā¦
There are some patterns sitting on my cutting table, so Iām sharing them with you. Theyāre things Iāve seen and admired on Ruthās (Core Couture) and/or Feliciaās (Older Babe Sews Clothes) blogs.
My plans would include lighter weight fabrics, and V- or scooped necklines. And elasticated waists. And pockets, inseam or elsewhere.
So, with all that in mind, letās look at some piccies, and please donāt hesitate to share your thoughts afterwards!
Vogue 9193 (click to go to pattern)
Vogue 9193Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Love the hem on this top & would do whichever version Iāve linen enough for, but sleeveless. Felicia reports problems with those dolman sleeves, and solutions. As I’ve had similar thoughts about similar styles, will have a long think before tackling. Fabric: Linen (summer), knits? (winter)
Butterick 5655 – āFast & Easyā (click to go to pattern)
Butterick 5655 – āFast & EasyāĀ Ā Ā Hm. Am thinking a short version from some viscose in stash. Although it might be fun to play with the sleeves
& that front insertā¦ Hold thought for another season. Fabric: Rayon or maybe linen
Vogue 8813Ā Ā Ā Ā Still pondering what to use with this oneā¦ cannot locate a decent knit is the main problem. Or excuse. š
Vogue 8813 (click to go to pattern)
Vogue 1508Ā Ā Ā Ā Like the shape of the top’s hem very much. Trousers are too slim for my taste, plus the back is contrasting fabric from the front. Not my style. Fabric: Linen
photo of my downloaded pattern pageVogue 1508 (click to go to pattern)
VeraVenus Cardigan Coat (free)Ā Ā Ā (Click link to go to pattern.) After seeing this several times on people & reading how comfy they found it, I decided to switch my plans for a mustard wool to this pattern. Have a rayon piece cut out now, to check fit, etc., before cutting into the wool. Fabric: wool (winter), rayon (summer)
Butterick 6377Ā Will change neckline as I don’t do anything that tight round my neck. Fabric: Any stash stretch fabric to pair with V9193 trouser (above).
Butterick 6377 (click to go to pattern)
SUMMER
Vogue 8975Ā Ā Ā Liked the jacket on this, but the dress is also a possibility. Fabric: Linen, rayon.
Vogue 8975 (click to go to pattern)
Farrow Dress, GrainlineĀ Ā Ā Have not purchased yet; keep trying to talk myself into it. Needs neckline re-do, but that back fascinates me, along with the longer length. Fabric: Almost anything from stash.
McCallās 6083 Lounging ONLY, in the green version. Fabric: Rayon from stash
Grainline’s new Farrow dress (click to go to pattern)McCall’s 6083 (click to go to pattern)
(click for complete poem & painting on wikipedia) Illustration of poem “To Autumn” by John Keats, painted by W. J. Neatby. From “A Day with Keats: With numerous coloured illustrations” by May Clarissa Gillington Byron and illustrations by W. J. Neatby
A lovely bit by John Keats reminded me it’s supposed to be Autumn now.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā SEASON of mists and mellow fruitfulness!
With all the hurricane problems, I’d forgotten. We had 3 days of cool, dry temperatures whetting my appetite for more.
But it’s hotted up again.Ā Ā š±
not keen on finishing this but, to quote Hila (Saturday Night Stitch), “done is better than perfect.” and she’s right.
Which means I’m still very much in summer dresses mode.
Which means those linen plans are still firmly in place. But that’s a good thing.
The current issue of Threads’ magazine has a great article all about linen.
things about linen
Itās a cellulose material made from fibre stems of flax, anywhere from 5 to 21 inches in length.
More than 30,000 years ago, people were using flax fibres to make linen-like cloth.
Egyptians did the first linen manufacturing about 4,000 years ago.
Itās highly absorbent, like cotton and rayon, but allows evaporation more quickly than either, thus making it cooler for warm weather clothing.
Those qualities also made it ideal for undergarments.
It is extremely durable, with a lint-free surface that also resists dust and dirt.
It doesnāt stretch, making it ideal for painting canvas and embroidery.
Lack of stretch makes it wrinkle more easily.
It takes paint and dyes well.
It can be damaged by bleach, mildew, and perspiration.
Continual creasing in the same places (think folds, hems, etc.) can weaken and break the fibres.
Linen is strongest when wet! Best to iron when damp.
And the list goes on!
Plus, the article has ideas about how to handle your linen garment once it’s made, including different ways to dry it to get different effects. And ways to avoid ironing it, if you like that look.
I threw this 100% linen camp shirt (rescued from a Virginia charity shop) into the dryer for 5 minutes when I decided I didn’t want to iron it. (Note that I liberally sprayed it first with water to dampen it. Dry linen gets drier in the dryer, and that’s not good as fibres can break.)
What do you think about the effect? It’s very soft and no Fabric Police accost me when I wear it in public. He-he!
For my first participation in Me Made May I didnāt set the bar very high – new job & didnāt want to be stressing out on what I was wearing. So I made a pledge that included upcycled items, and discovered thatās a large portion of what I was wearing.
Thinking about the experience, part of the outcome was influenced by a third of the month having much lower temps than expected, and Iād already packed away those items.
(To be honest, I donāt like making hot weather clothes & have lagged behind inĀ sewing those projects.)
Another bump in the road is a decision to retire the DKNY Vogue pattern used for three of the dresses, because the front neckline pleats make the dress āfront heavy.ā Fabric weight doesnāt make any difference. Iām constantly pulling them back into place.
Now, what to replace it with is the big question.
Maybe I should give the McCallās 6117 pattern I used for the cinema dress another go, as it doesnāt have the same problem (so itās not my posture going wonky).
Know I need to make several more pairs of shorts for sleep & lounging, and could use some solid coloured tank tops to go with them (and with skirts when it really gets hot).
One thing I discovered is I really like having space to put colours together: all beige/white blouses, red & orange, yellow. It makes it much easier to decide combinations. I can hold up a patterned top or bottom half and decide what will (or more frequently won’t!) match it.
So much to sew and so little time to do it in!
inspiration:
Last Sundayās Guardian had a list of 50 summer dresses for London, so I picked out a couple of silhouettes I liked ~ 2 kimono dresses, a modified shirtwaist, and one simply because itās green. (Hopeless, I know.)
Surmounting the daily question of how bad the fumes would get was the more burning question: WHEN am I gonna get to that linen dress Iāve been wanting to sew?
Maybe tomorrow? F-I-N-A-L-L-Y!
Nah, I havenāt cut it out yet today, but the sun hasnāt set yet. š
Am faffing about this weekend, wishing the malodorous fumes from the outside painting would stop entering this tiny box as I don’t appreciateĀ the corresponding headache. (Sorry for the whine.)
Don’t let the new photo on the right confuse you!
In my cyberspace sleuthing to see who’s done what with this pattern, saw some who wondered if it was an old lady dress.
Is that why they changed the photo?
I know I can faff about some of the strangest things… but given that reprinting a pattern jacket (cover? folder??) costs time and money, am wondering why they did.
What do you think???
Looking at the new photo brought more questions to mind ~
Belt all that fabric around my waist? Are they serious?
A belt that wide would cover half my you-know-whats!
How many heads high is that model (the same model as the original pattern)??
Guess I’m more of an old lady than I thought . . .Ā or something.Ā š Meanwhile, goal for today: read pattern directions & note changes I want to make… do those center front gathers/pleats firstĀ . . . . . .Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā (maybe play with my pin tuck foot?)
Have been meaning to post this update to that peppermint stripe outfit: It started pilling less than a month after I finished it. Good thing I’d mentally tagged the fabric for stretchy muslins.
click pic for original post
