Seamwork Sadie jumper

Is there anything more magical than when a toile (aka stunt garment) turns into something that you can actually wear. In public. I think not!

Behold my very wearable toile of the Seamwork Saide jumper that I whipped last Sunday. I wanted to make this jumper as I thought it might be a good item to take with me to Japan when we go for Christmas/NYE. The fabric is from the Remnant Warehouse - definitely 100% synthetic and only wearable in the depths of winter when breathability isn't really an issue. I do like the colour though - you certainly won't miss me in a crowd (coupled with my red beanie I'll look like a Christmas tree...hmmm).

This was a very easy sew - so much so that I left the printed booklet at work and didn't suffer from not having the instructions. I did read them online however and decided to stabilise the shoulder seams with some clear elastic which is not a step included in the instructions. I think this would be a good introduction into sewing knits.

Turtlenecks aren't really my thing - I don't feel the are all that compatible with big boobs, but I'm willing to go with it for a big, drapey cowl.

The pattern does come with patch pockets but I left those off as I think that if not done properly/neatly the really make a garment look "home sewn" in the worst possible way.

My only quibble with the pattern is the fact that the front piece (on the bottom in this photo) is longer than the back piece (the top layer of paper in the photo below). Surely that can't be right, can it? Either way...I'll level them up for next time.

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Pattern: Seamwork Sadie jumper
Size: XL (from their Curvy Block)
Modifications:  none other than stablising the shoulder seams
Fabric: mystery knit from the Remnant Warehouse - don't stand near any open flames in this garment as it might melt!
Changes for next time: Fix up the length of the back piece so it's not shorter than the front. 

Midi Mabel Skirt

I think I've made about 30 Mabel Skirts since the pattern was released (no exaggeration). Some successful. Some destined for the bin.

About a week ago I started obsessing about NEEDING a black calf length pencil skirt. No idea where the desire came from but I thought I'd better make it happen!

The fabric is a ribbed jersey from The Remnant Warehouse...bought online when I was searching for ribbed knits.  I'd originally set out to make a Simplicity 1366 dress from it but the neckline stretched out and the whole thing looks frumpy. I couldn't rescue the fabric despite trying so ordered more specifically for this skirt.

I'd already lengthened View A of the pattern to make it knee length on me, plus 10cm added to accommodate for the wide elastic waistband I use. I then lengthened all of this by 20cm and added a 2" hem to get a length that hits just below my calf. I pegged the skirt in a bit at the bottom and think it would be better a bit more fitted still - but then I might not be able to walk, which could be an issue?

I'm wearing this skirt at work today...very comfy. I think I made the waistband a bit too loose though (despite unpicking the whole thing and bringing it in by an inch). Good thing is if it does feel way too big I can take the waistband in even more...

The weather is cooling down in Sydney now (thank goodness) and I am keen to find some ribbed wool-knit to make a snuggly winter-version of this skirt. Any ideas where one could find such a fabric in Oz?

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Pattern: "Mabel Skirt" by Colette Patterns
Modifications: 5cm elastic waistband (added 10cm to the pattern to accommodate for this), 35cm added to length, pegged in the bottom by. 1cm added to the CF and CB to accommodate for middle-aged spread.

Fabric:  Superior Rib Jersey- Black from The Remnant Warehouse (Cotton / Polyester / Elastane)

Size: XL, sewn with 3/8" seam allowance

Simplicity 1366 - a wearable toile

Simplicity 1366 is a pattern I've seen around a lot on social media - specifically the top, not the cami or the very fancy frou frou skirt. It's designed for woven's but I think it would be perfect for knits...and it is!  I made this is a viscose/jersey from The Remnant Warehouse.

Annoyingly I had to trace the pattern as I was pretty sure going with the biggest size on offer, my usual sewing strategy, would just be too big...I traced and sewed the size 18 and it fits well. Tracing is really annoying, fiddly and annoying. Not a fan

I've read that the top is very short so I added 7.5cm to the length - it's not a bad length now for wearing with this type of skirt, but if I were to wear it with a pencil skirt I'd probably want it longer to cover my belly. I was also told that the neckline is very wide so I added 1cm to both the side of the front and back neckline and it fits well on my shoulders. The top also has a very high neck so I dropped this a bit...I hate high necklines! I also shortened the sleeves by 5cm as it's summer and even at this elbow length it could get a bit too warm.

 
I'm really happy with this top...I wore it out to lunch today and it was very comfortable and I think the fit is good. Of course, just as I was snipping loose threads to give it a final press I snipped a hole in the back at the neck...gah! Luckily it was very small and I've been able to sew it up without it being overly noticeable.

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Pattern: Simplicity 1366
Size: 18
Modifications:  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.
Fabric: Viscose/jersey from The Remnant Warehouse
Changes for next time: none

Black Mandy Boat Tee

Not a very exciting make, or a new to me pattern - but I've (finally) made myself a Mandy Boat Tee in black jersey. Of course it probably would've been wiser to do this when the weather was cooler as it's a bit hot to wear this now. This fabric, from The Remnant Warehouse, also doesn't have a light breezy feel to it.

I've taken a different approach with stitching this top - using a straight stitch for the neckband (and hem) as I think it looks much neater than my wobbly zigzagging and I saw someone on Instagram doing this and she said she had no issues with popped stitches. I increased the stitch length a bit to ensure the neckline does have a bit of give and won't pop when I'm putting it on, but the hem is sewn at the regular length as no stretch is needed there. Arms are still sewn with a zigzag as the sleeves are tight and they do need the stretch a zigzag stitch gives.

...and the back...good bum coverage!

Like my other recent Mandy's the hems are sewn at 1.5" - 2" - I really like the look of this "deeper hem".

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Pattern: Mandy Boat Tee by Tessuti
Size: One size fits...most
Modifications: lengthened by 9cm (I think it's a bit long but I never seem to make it shorter as I'm lazy and also indecisive), the sleeves/arms made bigger for me a sewing class I did at Tessuti.
Fabric: Viscose knit from The Remnant Warehouse
Changes for next time: might lop off a few cms at the hem, but probably not.

Tessuti Isla Top

When I popped into Tessuti last week to indulge in some new jersey Colette showed me their soon to be released top pattern -- a lovely simple top with an interesting yoke detail at the back. She said it would be right up my alley - am I that transparent? Obviously as I bought the Isla Top within the first hour it was released, taped it together during a slow day at work on Thursday and sewed up my toile on my Friday off (yesterday). The sewing is pretty sloppy as I was just so desperate to know if it would fit me or not.

I sewed up the XXL and made no changes other than to lower the front neckline a bit as it felt too high for me and subsequently add 2" to the neckband (and about 5mm to the neckband width to make sewing it easier).

The top also felt a bit long at the XXL size so I sewed it with a 2" hem (same with the sleeves). Next time I'll make it a bit shorter and also shorten the sleeves - the 2" hem is a bit too chunky. For summer the sleeve length will be too hot for me, so I'm thinking above the elbow would be good (so I'll probably hack 8" off the pattern). In summer I'll wear the Isla with skirts but in winter it would be worn with pants so I'd probably stitch to the original length. I'm thinking I might also make it a little more snug at the hips...

worn with my newest Mabel Skirt - they look good together I think!

 Back view - I've pulled it up a bit so it sits properly on my hips, hence the bunching.

Here you can see the detail of the back yoke - I like that it adds a little bit of interest and looks different to all the other top patterns I have. The lower back piece is meant to be cut on the fold, but I wanted to preserve fabric (I use this stuff for toiles) and had plenty of room to fit the pattern piece on the fabric and allow for a CB seam. 

Other than my sloppy sewing I had no issues with sewing this up. Even the neckband went on first go no problems *gasp*. I'm keen to make another but am just going to think first about what I'm going to wear it with -- as that will determine the modifications I make to the pattern.

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Pattern: Isla Top by Tessuti
Size: XXL
Modifications: dropped the front neckline by about 1.5cm and added 2" to the neckband. Sewed the hems at 2".
Fabric: Viscose/spandex knit from Remnant Warehouse
Changes for next time: Shorten sleeves by about 6" - 8" so it sits above elbow, bring hem up by about 2" and narrow at the hips a little.

Our Fave Top #3

This is my third version of Tessuti's "Our Fave Top" and I don't think it will be my last. I love the way I can be VERY lazy with this top and finish the it with a rolled-hem on the overlocker. The top looks great with textured or wrinkly fabric - like this fabric brought from The Remnant Warehouse.

I sewed this top up yesterday morning -- it look about 3 hours including cutting time -- and then wore it into the city for lunch. For this version I added 2.5cm to the sleeve length on top of the 2.5cm I'd added to the pattern previously. I also finished the sleeve with the cuff. I'm still finding the lower sleeve a bit tight so for my next version I'll add a bit more width to the sleeves.

I love the shape of the top from the side...it's very voluminous, not sure if it's the best silhouette for me but life is too short to worry about stuff like that. I would like to add a bit of length to the top but not quite sure how to do that given the shape of the pattern. 

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Pattern: "Our Fave Top" by Tessuti
Size: One size fits...most
Modifications: added 1cm to the width each sleeve piece which continued under the arm and tapered off to zero at the bust. Lengthened sleeve by 5cm and added a cuff.
Fabric: from The Remnant Warehouse
Changes for next time: add some more width to the sleeve

Grey Linden Sweater

Yes yes, another Linden! I wasn't 100% happy with my last Linden so I wanted to make another one so I have options for what to pack on my upcoming holiday to Japan.

I really like this make, well as much I ever like anything I make. This time I removed all the additional length I had added to previous versions (which was about 5cm) and added back 3cm to the length. I also removed 1" from the sleeve length. I think both of these small changes have worked out quite well - the sleeves are a much more normal length now!

The fabric is from The Remnant Warehouse - somewhere I don't go very often as it's a bit of a schlep from my house.  It's a poly/viscose/elastane knit that feels a little bit like wool so I thought it would be warmer than the butterfly ponti Linden for Japan.  The price was great at $12/pm - bargain!  The white print on the fabric feels like puffy paint and is raised up off the material. I had to iron this with a pressing cloth (translation: a chux cloth) as otherwise the iron would've melted my fabric! I also sewed in all my overlocking tails so I'm getting much more neat with my sewing - go me.

I got a bit lazy with the sleeve band and didn't want to add it "in the round" after I'd sewn up the sleeves as it's a bit of pain and things do tend to get a bit stretched out of shape. This time I sewed them onto the end of the sleeves before I sewed the sleeves up. I think it's worked out fine, but I can feel the exposed seam on the inside of wrist (where as with the other method the seams are all nicely sandwiched between the two pieces of material).

After extolling the virtues of the Linden neckband in my last post I had a bit of trouble with this one. It turned out it was too short for the sweater (no idea why as the fabric is pretty stretchy) and I had to unpick my overlocking (or the 3/4 of this that I had done) - there goes a good 90 minutes of my life I'll never get back. I then recut a longer neckband (added about 3cm) but I think it could be smidge tighter - as evidenced by it lifting up on the shoulder. I also added 1cm to the width of the neckband just so I had a bit more width to play with.

...and the view from the back...sufficient butt coverage I think...

The Linden is such a great pattern and the possibilities from changing it up each time are endless. I could've had contrasting sleeve/neck/hem bands this time, but also really wanted a sweater that was 100% the same all over. I'd like to go a bit fancy next time and use some lace on the front panel somehow.

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Pattern: "Linden Sweatshirt" by Grainline Studios
Size: 16
Modifications: lengthened by 3cm; sleeves shortened by 2.5cm, different method of attaching sleeve bands
Fabric: Knit from The Remnant Warehouse
Changes for next time: none.