Another UFO completed

 I've got navy on the machines at the moment, so picked out an old UFO to complete.

This was originally cut out (in 2008) as the bag from Simplicity 4699 from the leftovers of this jacket made from that pattern.

I decided I was not likely to use a short handled tote bag, so instead changed the construction to have 2 tabs coming out of the ends of the bag and a single longer strap, as well as a zipped closure. I plan to use this for choir as its large enough for an A4 folder and a few other things.

I would advise not leaving the pattern tissue pinned to the fabric for 18 years. They were rusty and hard to remove!

Zipped jacket upcycle

I thrifted this jacket from the £1 rail for the zips but then thought I could enlarge it to fit me.

In the end it turned out to be a lot more work than I'd originally imagined!

The original jacket had had the sleeves shortened and neatly hand stitched in place. This meant they were too short for me. So I added cuffs in pink knit fabric.

The jacket was too small so I added strips of pink fabric into the sides of the body and sleeves. To do that I had to unpick the white binding round the hem. The front and back hems had a very deep scoop, which I didn't like at the front, so I unpicked the zip and made the curve less exaggerated at the front.

I cut some binding strips from my pink athletic knit and attached them round the hem. The white binding then looked odd, so I unpicked the binding round the hood and replaced it with pink and also bound the front opening. I put in a different zip down the front in a pinky burgundy shade.

I removed the white drawstring and replaced it with a pink shoelace.

I did debate making a pink chest pocket to cover the logo (siksilk) but had run out of steam by this point!

An online shot I found of the original jacket

Green Print Libby Wrap Maxi Dress

 

This is my version of The Weekend Sewing Club pattern for March - the Libby Wrap Dress. I extended the cut on sleeves for a bit more arm coverage and added a neckband instead of the facing.

I used a Medium for the top and a Large for the skirt. The fabric is a silky polyester knit from Pound Fabrics.