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 

Helen's Closet - Blackwood Cardigan

I've not done a lot of sewing this year...for a few reasons.

Firstly, I just don't feel like it. I have enough clothes so making things seems pointless. And then I've lost a bit of weight and in just wanting stuff that fits "right now" I've been shopping for any new things I need (or want) like pants (which I don't tend to sew anyway). For me shopping is still the quickest and easiest way to fill wardrobe gaps. And, perhaps the biggest reason is that back in February our unit was flooded during a great big storm in Sydney. Whilst my sewing area was OK we had to move everything out of the flooded rooms and into the dining room so we could repair the flood damaged rooms...and the dining room is where I sew. We're on the last leg of fixing up the flat with just the study repairs to go...so in 2020 perhaps I'll have sewing space again.

All of that aside I have sewn two versions of the Helen's Closet Blackwood Cardigan. I've sewn the XXL in the original release (Helen has now also re-released the pattern with a plus-sized option). This first version is made in a stretchy, textured cotton knit from My Hung Fabrics. It was actually a bit big in the sleeves when I finished it so I washed it in hot water and put it the dryer...perfect fit now. 

My second version was sewn up at a Spoolettes sewing day where the chosen pattern for the day was the Blackwood Cardigan. I have had this fabric (from Cabramatta) in my stash for AGES...desperate to make something with it, but what? I've sewn the XXL again and I knew the sleeves would be OK as this fabric has less stretch than the black fabric from my first Blackwood.

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Pattern: Helen's Closet - Blackwood Cardigan 
Size: size XXL
Modifications: none
Fabric: Various from My Hung and from Cabrmatta
Changes for next time: none