Beading detail on tunic

 I decided to add 4 rows of topstitching and a little beaded detail to the neckline of tunic top.

This meets my March WIPGO challenge of "Item with beaded detail"

Teal Sew Over It Anderson Blouse

This is my version of the Sew Over It Anderson Blouse.

I am on the fence about this one, it isn't very flattering to my figure, probably in part as the fabric I used was just a bit too heavy in weight for the style.

I had just enough fabric left from the last two blouses to squeeze out an Anderson.

I did make a few changes, I did my normal high round back alteration, but it now seems a bit too high at the back. I narrowed the shoulder slightly and replaced the back neck bias strip with a shaped facing. I also overlapped the fronts a little more.

I did interface the front facing, though that's not in the instructions. I also added a clear snap to prevent the front falling open and elastic in the hem instead of a ribbon.

As I had some scraps leftover I made a narrow belt/tie which I could use with any of the three blouses made from this fabric. I tried using it to add some waist definition, but it fights rather with the hem elastic.

Here's what it looked like before I added the elastic to the hem.

I may take the elastic out and just use the belt.

What do you think?

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Updated to show that I removed the elastic and redid the hem. Here are the belted and unbelted pictures.

I think this is a style best worn tucked in or belted.

Teal Bias cut top Butterick 3131

 The same fabric, only this time cut on the bias for this cowl neck top. Another long OOP pattern Butterick 3131.

I made a size 18. I found setting the sleeves in and sewing the bias hem both quite tricky.

Teal Tunic OOP New Look 6677

 I have had New Look 6677 for many years but only just got round to making it up.

My measurements put me between an 20 and 22, So I started with a size 20.

I made a full bicep alteration on the sleeve and a high round back alteration on back.

When I made up the body and tried it on it was clearly too wide. I unpicked the side seams and darts, recut the pattern and front/back to a size 18, re stitched the new darts and side seams and tried it on again. Much better. I then inserted the sleeves and hemmed.

It is a nice neat fit which does look like the line drawing.

This is the first piece in my SWAP 2023 which is inspired by this fabric

Felt Hedgehog Pincushion

 Felt Hedgehog pincushion

Sparkling Stars - Emerald Blocks

 I've just finished making the Emerald Blocks for the Sparkling Star Quilt at TSP.

I've now completed the three Sparkling Stars tasks on my WIPGO board which looks like this

Sparkling Stars - Amethyst Blocks

 I've just finished the four Amethyst blocks for the Sparkling Stars Quilt at TSP.

Madeira Holiday Purchases

We recently came back from a lovely 2 weeks in Funchal, Madeira, where we enjoyed watching the Carnival and going on walks as well as eating, drinking and of course a bit of shopping for fabrics and haberdashery.

Tecidos Zarco

3 knit remnants, blue knit (joggers), brown print knit (top) and knit with holes (top)

Crosby Collection

Mini scissors, buckle, lace, trim.

Feira Dos Tecidos

2 metres of teal stretch woven (trousers) and a pretty knit remnant (top)

Bazar do Povo

Clear snaps, dungaree clips, turquoise shoelaces and bra findings.

Sparkling Stars - Ruby Blocks

I am having a go at the Sparkling Stars Quilt on TSP. This was a BOM challenge in 2021 when I wasn't able to participate. So its better late than never here are my first 4 blocks. It should be 5, but I don't seem to have quite cut enough bits for the 5th block, hoping to rectify that shortly.

Updated to show its now 5 Ruby blocks.

Zipped A3 art bag/paper folder

I have a few bits of A3 paper which were difficult to store neatly. I decided to make a stiffened fabric bag to store them in, but it would also be great for taking art materials to a class etc.

I wanted to use what I had 

- navy blue upholstery fabric with a white back - used for the main bag

- blue striped webbing - used for the handles

- navy blue polyester fabric - used for the cardboard pockets

- 2 brown zips, recycled from old home dec - used as the closure

- cardboard - used as the stiffener.

From the upholstery fabric I cut 

- 1 large piece for the front, back and bottom of the bag

- a long strip which I cut in half as the gusset containing the zip

- some small pieces for the ends of the zip area.

From the lining fabric I cut

- 1 large piece the same size as the upholstery fabric

Sewing steps

Sewed the two zips, end to end within the long strips of the gusset and topstitched. Added a bit extra to the ends.

Hemmed the long edge of the pocket fabric, then based it onto the back of the upholstery fabric. Stitched 2 channels to make the pockets to hold the cardboard pieces later.

Stitched the handles to the upholstery fabric.

Stitched the gusset to the bag, making sure the handles were sandwiched in the right place.

I then cut 3 cardboard pieces to size (front, back and bottom) and slid them into the pockets.

Then filled the folder up with all my outsize paper and cardboard.

I'm happy with my neat A3 storage

Fleece socks

 Great for keeping feet warm on cold days

I've adapted the Ellie and Mac Free Sock Pattern by adding a bit around the edge as although fleece does stretch, its by less than the pattern needs. I also generally omit the cuff and utilise the pre finished edge of the fleece blanket.

I make sure to cut the pieces out with the stretch going around the foot.

I have loads of these and wear them at home all winter.

Denim utility gilet

 Here's my latest make, I'll call it a gilet.

The fabric was pulled from the fabric boxes, I've had it for more than 10 years. It's a denim woven with dark indigo and a cream (natural undyed) cotton. This is the back of the fabric which shows more of the cream coloured threads. The combination reads as an olive green, and I used olive green thread to sew it up.

The pattern I used is New Look 6815. As this is more of a shirt/dress pattern I sized up for the gilet as I want to wear it over other things.

My version most closely resembles View C, but I added the pockets from Views A/B as well as the pockets from View D.

I originally cut the length for View C as well, but realised this would hang below my lightweight raincoat if I wore them together, so shortened it by 2 inches and moved the lower pockets up a bit. I omitted the belt.

I didn't make any other alterations and the fit seems to be quite good

Floral bags

We normally use Ikea packing cubes (in navy) - they don't seem to do them any more. But I fancied something prettier so made myself a drawstring shoe bag

And 3 zip front bags. As I didn't have any zips which were long enough I used 2 shorter zips in each one

Navy zip front trousers

This is my first front fly zip!

The pattern is from Burda 03/2011 #141. I made a size 48.

I left out the front darts, altered the back crotch and added cuffs and belt loops. I would use this pattern again for woven fabrics with little/no stretch.

Three Print Top

I thought I'd make a top mixing three different prints.

I started with a scrap of red, white and navy uneven striped fabric. Then picked out a red fabric with a white paint speckle print and finally another print which contains the red, white and navy as well as purple, burgundy and grey.

As all the fabrics were scraps left from other projects the only way to make a whole garment was to combine with other fabrics.

The back is cut from the red fabric with the white paint splashes.

The front and one sleeve are cut from the striped fabric.

The other sleeve and the neckband are cut from the multi coloured fabric

I'm on the fence about whether it works or not. Any two of the prints with a plain fabric would have worked I think, but the third print makes it visually much more challenging. What do you think?

The pattern is my old favourite, New Look 6735, heavily altered for high round back/full tummy, and with the back cut on the fold for this top.