Make Nine 2021 (+ 3 more)

I have a lot of sewing ideas floating around in my head so thought I'd do a Make Nine for 2021. 

I have the majority of these patterns but have never sewn them so my Make Nine will focus on new to me patterns (although I also have a bunch on TNTs on my mind also that I want to sew). In 2021 I will endeavour to reach for fabric in my stash before buying new fabrics 😂 and (so far) need fabric for just one of them.

Pona Jacket - Helen's Closet

- I have a nice black linen cotton from Spotlight earmarked for this.

Glebe Pants - Muna & Broad

- these are already cut out in a linen/poly blend from MyHung. Just starting to overlock all of the edges.

Sea Change Top* - Lily Sage

- not sure which fabric for this; but I have a lot in the stash to choose from.

Lodo Dress - True Bias

- I have a blue ponti in the stash; and some scraps of woven "stuff" laying around that can be used for the facings.

Amara Vest - Tessuti

- will use a boiled wool remnant bought from Tessuti.

Nullarbor Cami * - Muna & Broad

- I have something in the stash to test this with AND if it works I have a big Gorman sarong given to me as a gift that I'd like to sew up into this cami.

Kelio Wrap Dress - Named Patterns

- there's got to be something in the stash to toile this.

Bardon Dress° -  Peppermint Magazine & Elbe Textiles

- this will be a shopping trip...oh well, it has to be done!

Ida Clutch - Kylie and the Machine

- I have some leather; and also some denim to first toile this in. 

* will need to buy the pattern
° will need to buy some fabric (oh what a shame)

Ofcourse, the day after coming up with my Make Nine I thought of three more "new things" to tackle in 2021...

Esme Maxi Cardian - Named Patterns 

- I have a fluffy grey knit bought from Nomura Tailor in Kyoto that's been put aside for years for this pattern!

Ninni Cullotes - Named Patterns
- I have a Plissé fabric from Spotlight to try this in...

Unides* 

- these are by Muna & Broad; but I've not yet settled on a pattern, although I have a few knit scraps set aside to try out.

I already know that I want end up sewing all of these - it's easy to get distracted by other projects; or tojust decide you cannot be bothered to proceed with something chosen earlier in the year. Watch this space though!

Wiksten Haori Jacket #2

I had always intended to make a shorter Wiksten Haori Jacket and had cut one out a while ago in this lovely slub-denim from Spotlight. And then it sat on my "to be sewn" shelf. I had been given some cute lining from Catherine and then spent a lot of time thinking about how I wanted the sleeves to look rolled up; as well as how I wanted the pockets to look.

Last week I went out for a work dinner - it was hot, but also a bit cool (ugh, Sydney weather) and I realised I didn't have a light jacket....which is how I came to make this unlined Wiksten Haori Jacket. 

I have made the size L (a size smaller than my first Haori) and changed the pocket style - they are unlined (but the top is reinforced with some iron-on-webbing-stuff from Spotlight). I like the way that sewing the sides of the pocket into the jacket results in a nicer looking finish than I can get with a patch pocket.

As I was sewing this and trying on mid-make I wasn't so sure about it. I was feeling certain it wasn't going to fit but once the neck-band is on (that I halved in width) it's a good fit. I did sew the side seams a little wider in order to fit all the bulk of the pockets etc...but it fits and the more I try it on the more I like it. Like last time I halved the collar width but I decided not to interface it as I didn't want it to be stiffer than the rest of the jacket.

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Pattern: Haori Jacket by Wiksten
Size: L, short-length
Modifications: halved the collar width, changed the pocket style, shortened sleeves 3cm, unlined
Fabric: Slub Denim from Spotlight 
Changes for next time: ?

Peppermint Wrap Skirt becomes a Sew DIY Lela Skirt

More rummaging in the stash cupboard unearthed this lightweight denim/chambray fabric. Not sure why I bought it, or when, but I think it's from Spotlight?

I decided to try the free #peppermintWrapSkirt from Peppermint Magazine designed by In the Folds. I sewed the size "I" which I think is a size or two too big at the hips so it was a bit puffy there. It seemed like too much effort to adjust this (undoing French seams and waistband removal) so I decided to reuse the fabric for another new-to-me skirt pattern. The wrap skirt was VERY long so I had enough fabric (with some tetris) to make into something new.

I was happy though to be able to practise my button holes with the wrap skirt. It had been so long since I did a buttonhole (and I do them so rarely) that I forgot exactly what to do so got Dave to read the machine instructions as my brain was malfunctioning. We got there in the end!

So my wrap skirt got chopped it up to make a toile of the @sewdiypatterns #lelaskirt. I found the curved hem tricky so it's just turned up once, not twice. The front & back aren't cut on the fold as I didn't have enough fabric and for the same reason the waistband is cut against the grain. I top stitched all the seams so it's easier to iron. I probably should've made a smaller size as I think it's a bit poofy at the front...but my measurements said 22. 

I think this will be a good beach/pool skirt but I think it's going to go into the charity bag as I don't love it. 

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Colette Patterns Myrtle Dress

Back in 2014 I made a slew of  Colette Patterns Myrtle Dresses trying to get the fit right on me with the main issue being armholes that were too high and too small; and the back neckline would stretch out. I finally got a wearable dress in the end but shipped it off to a charity donation for some inexplicable reason as I really liked it?

When I was rummaging through my stash cupboard recently I rediscovered this light-weight Polyester Elastane from Lincraft (bought back in the good-old-days when they had a bricks and mortar store in Parramatta). I think I purchased it for an Ebony Tee but as luck would have it I had enough to make a dress. I think this fabric is pretty ugly to be honest but it transformed itself into something not-too-bad once sewn into garment. 

I decided to make the bodice of dress, just to see if I was happy with my adjustments from 2014 and to see if it still fit me. I did have a slight mishap with the overlocker but recovered from that, took a deep breathe and moved on. I added 1"of length to bodice and mucked around with the armhole depth a bit more. This is the size XL with an inch added to the bodice. Fits. Happy. 

After a bit of lunchtime and after-work sewing I had the full dress nearly complete - but it sat with the hem undone for quite a few weeks. I wanted to do a rolled hem on the overlocker but resisted as I didn't want to faff around changing my overlocker settings. I'm sure we all know that feeling.

Took a few goes with various elastics to get to where it's comfortable at the waist. I'm glad I added some length to the bodice as other versions have always felt a bit too short. 

After procrastinating for a few weeks I did finally hem this dress. I did do a "proper" hem to start but it was B.A.D (wonky and wobbly - which probably would've been OK if the dress was black as it would've hidden my mess). Fiddled around for ages to get the rolled hem on my overlocker looking good and then had to do it twice as I missed a bit a left a hole. But it's done and I like it...

I have this dress now nicely folded on a shelf in my wardrobe. I'm super worried about the back neckline stretching out like it has before so better to be safe than sorry as I really like this dress! 

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Pattern: Myrtle Dress by Colette Patterns
Size: XL
Modifications: Armholes changed to Size L; and then lowered at the arm pit by 1cm.
Fabric: Polyester Elastaine from Lincraft (the same print I made my very first, too small, Myrtle out of).
Changes for next time: None, though I'd like to try it in a "not" polyester elastaine.

Seamwork Bobby Dress - Toile

I've become a bit more interested in trying some new-to-me patterns. I've not had much luck with Seamwork patterns to date but thought I might give their Bobby Dress a whirl with an idea that perhaps it could be a Frocktails contender for whenever we can have a Frocktails again. 

I found some fabric at my local MyHung - it didn't have much hanger appeal to me in the shop but sewn up I think it looks quite nice. 

To start with I made a toile of the lined bodice - a size 18 Curvy. It was quite low cut (too low cut for my preferences) and I think the bodice needs a bit more length on me. The pattern suggests you either reinforce the V-neck with interfacing or elastic. I used interfacing but the neckline stretched a bit. 

I was lucky to nab some more of this fabric for a Take 2 of the bodice. I raised the v-neckline an inch and instead of stabilising with interfacing I used clear elastic. I used clear elastic on both the outer and lining pieces and it feels to bulky to me - so perhaps I'd used interfacing on the lining and clear elastic on the outer next time?  I also think the armholes are a bit big/too low slung so need to think about that also. 

Overall I'm fairly happy with this dress, but it's only a toile so I don't think I'll wear this version. I added some length to the bodice but think I might remove a bit of length (Goldilocks much?) Next time I will shorten the skirt a bit and I want the armholes at the back to come over a bit more. My elastic also needs to be a smidgen tighter. 

I actually went back to My Hung and bought the last of this fabric that they had. I might use it for another go at this; but I'm not sure. I'm thinking of unpicking the skirt from the bodice so I can re-use it (albeit shorter) and salvaging the elastic also....but I might use a totally different bodice as this is not giving me life. 

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Size: 18 Curvy
Modifications: so many; see above

Fabric: Polyester/Spandex from My Hung in Parramatta. 
Changes for next time: again, so many; see above! 

Simplicity 1366 x 2

My SewJo has finally started to return...not sure what has bought about this comeback but perhaps it's due to hanging out with sewing friends; or just feeling like I have the mental & physical space at home to finally get a bit creative.

I bought this fabric after seeing it on Maai Designs Instagram page (@maaidesign). I had no idea what viscose spandex crepe felt like but who cares - the print (a Lady McElroy design) is fantastic and it had been so long since I felt quite excited about sewing so...Add. To. Cart! 

I decided to sew Simplicity 1366 as it is a TNT so I knew it would be fit. This was a pretty stressful sew however. I was so worried about messing this up that I jinxed myself. It looks okay from the outside but it's a different story inside. The fabric is so light weight - like sewing with stocking material - I was expecting the fabric to be heavier and it has not turned out as nice as I had imagined. I've not worn this yet...and I'm not sure if I will.

A bit of lunchtime and after work sewing last week resulted in another a new Simplicity 1366. This is a more cropped length for wearing with wide-legged pants and more voluminous skirts. I do have this tee already in black (my very first Simplicity 1366 but God knows where it is though). The fabric is a small cotton/elastane remnant bought from Tessuti quite awhile ago. 

Do you like this necklace? The pendant was made in about 5 seconds by Wendy @sydneyjewelleryschool in a recent wire-working class.

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Size: 18
Modifications:  For the "faces tee" added 7.5cm to the length, added 1cm to both the side of the front and back neckline and dropped the front neckline a bit. Shortened the sleeves by 5cm. For the "black tee" - I think this is the original length, added 1cm to both the side of the front and back neckline and dropped the front neckline a bit. Shortened the sleeves by 10cm. 
Fabric:"faces fabric" viscose spandex crepe from Maai Designs. Black fabric is a cotton/elastane remnant from Tessuti. 
Changes for next time: none

Mandy Boat Tee (x 2)

Here we have two Mandy Boat Tees - a free pattern from Tessuti that has recently been re-released as a multi-sized pattern over it's old "one size fits some" iteration. I've sewn quite a few of the old and new versions of this pattern - and in both versions I have modified the boat-neck finish to allow me to use a neckband to finish the neck. I find this a much neater way to finish the top and also feel it extends the longevity of the garment as the fold-over boatneck never keeps its shape on my tops. 

This black and white fabric is a "sweater knit" donated to the recent fabric destash I attended - donated by @LynneSews.  I don't think this fabric had great "hanger appeal" but sewn up I really like it, REALLY like it. The sleeves are a smidge too tight but I think that is a result of the fabric and its level of stretch. 

The fabric for this second Mandy Boat Tee was another donated to the fabric destash, this time by @NatashaSews. It's an absolutely lovely viscose-type knit -- I'm not sure why it was donated as it's so pretty but I pounced on it as soon as I saw it. This top fits well and is very comfortable but annoyingly I sewed the neckband on backwards so the join is at the front 🙄🙄🙄 - but the fabric thankfully hides this quite well....

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Pattern: Mandy Boat Tee by Tessuti
Size: Size 4
Modifications: lengthened by 4cm. Also, added a neckband.
Fabric: B&W sweater knit donated to the fabric destash by @LynneSews (orignally from Fabric Deluxe)
Fabric: Floral knit donated to the fabric destash by @NatashaSews (originally from Pitt Trading)
Changes for next time: none

A picnic, a fabric swap + a LB Pullover

A few weeks ago a new (to me) social sewing group hosted an afternoon tea picnic and fabric swap in Sydney Park. I had some fabric to donate and, like most people, was keen for some time spent in the great outdoors (whilst being Covid-19 safe of course)! It was lovely to meet new sewing friends and catch up people I already knew too.

I took home four pieces of fabric (after donating two, so the clearing out of my stash didn't really work). Two pieces were a sweater-type knit and the other two a viscose jersey.

I decided to sew up the brown sweater fabric straight away. We were headed up to Katoomba for a few days and the weather was still sort-of coolish so I'd at least get a few wears out of this before packing it away until next year.

I chose to make the ever-popular LB Pullover by Paper Theory. I sized down quite a bit from my LB tunic and end up sewing a size 16, which is still roomy but does not look sloppy. I was able to comfortably wear this over a t-shirt (I'm not one for wearing layers so this was a new experience for me 😊).

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Pattern: LB Pullover by Paper Theory
Size: size 16
Modifications: lengthened but cannot remember by how much?
Fabric: Sweater knit donated to the fabric destash by @LynneSews (orignally from KnitWit)
Changes for next time: none though perhaps a bit more length

Wiksten Haori Jacket

If  you click on the Instagram hashtag #wikstenHaori you'll see nearly 7000 posts! I liked this jacket and wanted to make one. But, it wasn't until I got to try on Catherine's that I decided to make my own (doing this basically confirms it will fit me; Catherine made a middle of the size range so I knew there was room on the pattern size chart for me). I also got to try on Dayle's a few weeks after I'd started mine and it also fitted - a size smaller than mine so perhaps I can size down next time...though that feels scary and feelings of "what if I do all the work and it doesn't actually fit me" are bubbling to the surface.

The Wiksten Haori is a Japanese-inspired jacket that has large pockets, a fold-over collar and is fully lined. The fit is oversized (more or less oversized depending on how big your frame is). It comes in short, mid and long lengths (I have made the mid-length jacket and am about 5ft 7" tall). My denim is from Spotlight (it has a tiny amount of stretch to it but it feels very un-stretchy to me!) and the lining was bought in Phnom Penh when I was in Cambodia in 2018 (IG post on it here; fabric from Watthan Artisans Cambodia). I "think" the lining might be rayon and I was worried about working with it as I've found it tricky (and slippery) in the past. Happy to report it was (mostly) incident free!

I took my time with the lined pockets (which is the first part of the make) BUT I realised AFTER I had made them that they were very narrow compared to what I was seeing IG. Turns out I'd made some sort of error in cutting out the PDF...so that was fixed and the proper, BIG, pockets were done. For me the big pockets are one of the great features of this jacket so it was worth the effort.

Look how smug I am with my big big pockets!

The lining method was very simple (no bagging out) but after I wore this jacket yesterday I noticed that the lining near the pockets was hanging below the main fabric (you can see that there's no turned up hem)...which I don't like. I think I will do some Macgyver-ing and run a line of stitching along the bottom near the hem to try and stop that fabric from dropping. The lining was also "somehow" slightly longer than the main fabric so there is a bit of dodgy sewing with a few tucks here and there to make it fit with the main fabric - lucky the lining is so busy so you don't notice.

I also decided that I didn't want the fold-over collar. I have made two Seamwork Oslo Cardigans (here and here) with that collar style and it drives me NUTS the way it always flaps about and becomes unfolded. I don't know what went wrong here but the collar turned out to be longer than the jacket -- by about 15cms -- so some chopping went on during assembly. I don't have a walking foot either so there are a few tiny tucks in the collar where it didn't quite fit (despite surgery) and I couldn't ease it in fully. Blah, whatever! I also have only interfaced one size of the collar as I didn't want it to be too stiff, but I think I could've done both sides and been fine.



I don't always want to wear this with the sleeves rolled up. At their current length they feel just a bit too long.  The oversized style of the jacket PLUS the very long sleeves make me feel a bit sloppy and smothered in fabric. It would be easy to shorten the sleeves so I'm pondering that. What do you think - lose a couple of inches?

Overall I really like this jacket. I wouldn't mind one in the shorter length and perhaps the next size down to wear with wide-legged pants as the weather heats up. It would probably be in denim (again) as you cannot go wrong with denim!

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Pattern: Haori Jacket by Wiksten
Size: XL, mid-length
Modifications: halved the collar width

Fabric: Denim from Spotlight & lining is (possibly a Rayon) from Watthan Artisans Cambodia.
Changes for next time: would like to try the shorter length; and perhaps size down and shorten the sleeves.

Cropped Kyoto Vest

I made my first Kyoto Vest back in June 2017 and it has been a wardrobe workhorse since then (though not this year as I've not actually left the house to go to work during winter at all). I remember back in 2017 thinking a short, black Kyoto Vest would be great for wearing over dresses.

I was sure I had bought the boiled wool and wool binding for this short version but could not find it anywhere so embarked a new project with some boiled wool from a fabric swap (didn't have enough fabric so had to piece it together) and some poly-binding kindly donated by Amy (thank you for being so generous Amy). The binding was a bit too stiff so I ended up putting the project aside.

About 4 weeks later I was rearranging my sewing storage and found the wool and binding I had been storing since 2017 and now we have a black, short Kyoto Vest. The wool binding is from Ribbon Kids on ETSY - I 100% recommend them as they are very reasonably priced when compared to what is available in-store here.

I do like this but, for me, it's not as comfortable as the longer version for some reason. I made the armholes bigger than the pattern provides - but I think they could've been a bit bigger still. The armholes on the unaltered pattern feel very high and small. Don't tell anyone but I have kind of stretched the armholes a bit just by pulling on them (shhh, don't tell).

It seems like such an effort to get properly dressed with hair and makeup done just for a few blog photos so here I am in a tunic I would wear to work; worn over tracksuit pants with three day old hair and no make-up anywhere near this face. Living that Covid-19 life.

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Pattern: Kyoto Vest by Tessuti
Size: XL, shorter version
Modifications:  made the arm holes bigger (but not big enough)
Fabric: boiled wool from Tessuti (I think) & wool binding form Ribbon Kids on ETSY
Changes for next time: none...except for the armhole modification

LB Pullover - tunic

Like many people in Australia (and worldwide) I've been working from home for quite a few weeks now. Or is it months? Who knows - time seems to have stopped making much sense lately.


During that time the weather has gone from warm to coolish as we head towards winter. I've been wearing the same leggings and tops during almost that whole time and am really lacking some comfortable, but not too pyjama-like clothes for "work".


I've not really felt much like sewing as my "office" now takes up the whole space where I usually sew. I hardly sewed at all last year as we lost the space due to our flat flooding so this work from home thing is really cramping my creative outlets.  BUT I looked through my fabric stash the other day and saw this knit fabric bought on our last trip to Tokyo and I thought it would make a nice top or tunic (IG poll said Tunic was the way to go).

I've used the LB Pullover by Paper Theory (again) and added some length to it. Intially I added 15.5" (39cm) to the pattern but I think that was a bit too long so chopped off an inch and sewed a 2.5" hem.


Intially I sewed up the size 20 but it was HUGE (previous vest version was meant to wear over tops so the size 20 was good) so I took it in quite a bit and perhaps it's now a size 16 - 18?

This dress feels comfortable to wear though the fabric is a little itchy. Looking at the photos it still looks a little big but it's for "working from home" so will be fine for that purpose. It's currently in the washing machine (I wash everything after I've made it and before wearing it for the first time) - I might chuck it into the dryer and see what happens to it size-wise.

My overlocker is currently set up behind my work computer on the tiny part of the dining table that is free. I've set up my sewing machine on a litte foldout table I bought when this all started as I wanted a space to write or colour or whatever. Cutting out fabric now happens on the kitchen floor - the only room with currently enough floor space to lay out big lenghts of fabric. This is the new sewing "normal" for now.
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Pattern: LB Pullover by Paper Theory
Size: size 16 - 18 (not quite sure)
Modifications: lengthend by 14.5"
Fabric: Knit of some sort from Tomato in Tokyo
Changes for next time: cut a smaller size (18) and reduce the lenght by another inch.

LB Pullover - vest

This is a project from the middle of last year - a vest using the popular LB Pullover by Paper Theory. The idea was stolen directly from my friend Dayle who wore her LB vest to brunch with me - I'm really wanting to recreate her version (here); but perhaps she will gift her vest to me if I hint at it often enough 😊😊😊.

 

I sewed this up at a sewing afternoon with my sister-in-law, Lynne, who also sewed the same project. Lynne made hers in a non-stretch and my fabric has a little bit of stretch to it (but not much). Both of us were very happy with the results of the sewing afternoon. I added a few inches of length to mine and sewed it in a size 20 to wear comfortably over other tops.




I like this top but I've not actually worn it yet. I thought I might take it to London/Paris with us over X-mas and New Year but I just don't think I have the right tops to go under it so it stayed at home.

The fabric is a Wool/Nylon/Viscose from The Fabic Store. I really love the cool cut-outs and it feels a bit like felt - very warm.

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Pattern: LB Pullover by Paper Theory
Size: size 20
Modifications: lengthend but cannot remember by how much?
Fabric: Wool/Nylon/Viscose from The Fabic Store
Changes for next time: none