Burgundy 3/4 sleeve top

As I already had the machines threaded up in burgundy I cut into a remnant in a similar colour, though I did change the needle of the sewing machine to a stretch needle.

As the fabric was a weighty 100% cotton knit with no stretch I chose a simple boxy pattern - The Closet Core Tee - which is a free pattern.

I made the 3/4 sleeve version, in a length somewhere between the cropped and the longer length. Due to fabric limitations my 3/4 sleeves were not quite long enough so I drafted up some shaped cuffs to extend the sleeves.

Before I constructed the tee I embroidered a heart in contrast pink thread to add a bit of interest.

Using precious fabric (Irish Linen)

I put all the buttons and buttonholes on even though I'll probably always wear it with the top two open.

There's a challenge doing the rounds at the moment to use your precious fabric. After a bit of thinking I decided to pick this linen and make one of my TNT shirts.

This was a gift in 2008. It's Irish Linen, and was originally its natural colour, a warm beigey brown which did not flatter my skin tone.

In 2013 I included it in a dyeing session using Dylon Flamingo Pink machine dye after which it came out this lovely dusty pink colour.

I still hesitated because I wanted to make a shirt and wasn't sure my skills were up to it. I made a test of a pattern I wanted to use and it was not a good outcome. I parked that idea.

Time has passed now and I've made quite a few shirts from a Prima shirtdress pattern so I feel happy my skills with that pattern are OK.

My alterations to the pattern are:-

cut the dress down to shirt length

add a continuous bound placket to the sleeve.

replace the gathers at the cuff with two pleats

make the cuff deeper

add patch pockets with buttoned flaps.

New Look 6481 Jacket - now with pockets

 This is the jacket from New Look 6481. Sewn in the fabric leftover from one of C's jackets.

I made a few alterations before cutting out - a high round back alteration and a full bicep alteration.

The sort of high round back alteration I like to use needs easing or introduces a back shoulder dart - in this case that's what I went for.

Otherwise I made the jacket as is except for machine stitching the hems.

I plan to wear this over the top and skirt outfit I posted earlier.

The pattern doesn't have any pockets but I wanted some. So I followed this tutorial

(4698) Sew a one-piece Welt Pocket in under 10 minutes! - YouTube

It took me a great deal longer than 10 minutes, but mostly that was working out the placement and getting it the same on both sides. I did make a couple of changes.

I drew the box on paper and stitched through that with a shortened stitch length. I find that works well on my zipper pocket method. And I sewed up the three remaining pocket sides with separate passes as I had a whole jacket attached! That way I could just fold the jacket the opposite way each time.

I also made my pockets a bit smaller due to fabric limitations and the space on the jacket fronts.

I stitched the top corner of the pocket bags to the facing so they don't droop.

Some shots of how it looks with the pockets

Skirt for a dress look

When sorting fabric, I found some more fabric the same as I'd used for the lining on this top

So thought if I used it to make a simple double layer skirt (its very thin) I could wear the two together as a dress look.

As with the purple jersey skirt I used the back pattern piece from OOP Simplicity 4016 in the longer length. I cut it out 4 times and made two skirts which I stitched together at the top, then added a simple casing and elastic waistband.

The hems are finished with the overlocker in rolled hem mode, which has given a subtle but pretty lettuce edging.

I'm not one for big frills or ruffles generally but a little is a nice little feminine detail.

And here they are together with a purchased belt

Adding pockets retrospectively

 Having discovered I picked the lightweight shirts with pockets for walks on holiday (hiking on vacation) I decided to retrofit a couple of my cotton lawn shirts with pockets.

I dug out the scraps I'd saved and managed to cut two pockets and four flaps in each fabric. I had some matching spare buttons for the long sleeved shirt, but for the 3/4 sleeve I dug out some smaller navy buttons and I don't think its too noticeable.

I do find this sort of thing very fiddly to do but its definitely worth it to have somewhere to bus my sunglasses, bus ticket, key etc

Navy Dress for a friend

 Here's my latest make for C. A plain dark blue dress for work.

Its based one Simplicity 9122 with the rather wide neckline brought in by an inch on each side. I've added side pockets and moved the position of the front tucks down a little to suit C's full bust.

Purple Jersey Skirt

 

I used some leftover fabric to make a simple jersey skirt. 

I used the back pattern piece from OOP Simplicity 4016 in the longer length. I redrew the grainline (its a bias skirt for wovens) and cut it out of dark purple jersey. I also added a casing for elastic.

The fabric was leftover from making this Style Arc Molly top in September 2019

Together, with the top tucked in and a purchased belt over the elastic waistband, it looks like this.

I still have scraps of the fabric left so could make some sort of self belt/sash if I wanted to as the purchased elastic belt is pretty tight!

Sinclair Dune Woven Pant

This is my first try at a new pattern, with mixed results....

Dune wide leg woven pants with yoga waistband (pdf sewing pattern) – Sinclair Patterns

I love the idea  of being able to use some of my woven fabric stash but have comfortable elastic and yoga style waist. Perhaps it was the materials I used or perhaps I've misunderstood the instructions, but its VERY bulky at the waistline seam.

Here's the instructions saying how to insert the elastic.

I used a normal 1" wide elastic, a knit with good stretch and recovery and a polyester suiting fabric from stash. At the waist seam there are

Main fabric + Pocket lining + Pocket fabric + Elastic + Waistband x 2.

This has the elastic awkwardly folding, so I interpreted the topstitching as below this seam to hold the elastic down flat. This topstitching is then though 8 layers of fabric and the elastic which is a very bulky thing and not that comfortable around the waist.

Any suggestions?

 

The shape of the pattern pieces is such that you really do need the fabric amount mentioned as well as co-ordinating knit fabric and lining.

For my size this is 2.5 metres, and not all my stashed lengths are going to be enough. The polyester trouser suiting I used for this pair wasn't quite long enough and I had to cut the ankle length and do a tiny hem to fit them onto the fabric.

In lighter weight fabric like viscose would be less bulky but not strong enough to hold the complex pockets in some of the views so I'm unsure if this is really the stash buster of my dreams!

Katrina from Lifting Pins and Needles has done a video on this pattern but she omitted the elastic and relied on the elastane in her knit
(4517) POCKETS GALORE! BEST waistband on EARTH: Yoga yay! Dune (Sinclair patterns). Perfect fit :) - YouTube

Has anyone else tried this pattern? How did it work for you?