Kip the Keepsake Dog

This is my test dog from the Kip the Keepsake Dog pattern made from old hoodies of mine. I purchased the pattern from Funky Friends Factory.

I have been asked to turn two sweatshirts into Memory Dogs for some of DH's family.

My first one has a few wonky bits, and a some unpicking was required, but I've got a better sense of the how the animal goes together now.

Wish me luck with the next steps.....

Butterick 4659 UFO

Recently (when looking for something else) I came across a bag with two unfinished blouses in it. In both cases I'd hit a problem with them (many many years ago) and put them to one side.

Here's the first one. I remembered the pattern as the sleeves are quite distinctive. It is Butterick 4659, I think I have cut View B in a size 22.

Pinned to the blouse was a scrap of paper which said :-

    Tried the top on, 2 issues

    1 - understitching shows

    2 - remove fabric from centre front / front facing (see shaded area) and a little drawing.

    Back not bad maybe needs deeper seams at waist line.

So I'll need to start with trying it on to see how the fit is now. This could go back as far as 2007 as I can't find any mention of it on my blog. The pattern is dated 2005.

Fortunately I kept the scraps with the garment so I could use them if needed.

The second is another turquoise stripe and is much earlier still. I originally made a skirt from this fabric. You know the style two rectangles pleated or gathered onto a straight waistband with a side zip one side and a pocket the other.  And then made a shirt with what was left, only didn't have enough for the collar, so it's an oddly pieced thing I never got to work. It all has no overlocking so must predate my first overlocker (mid 1990s). From the length of the waistband on the skirt I must've been in my late teens (late 1980s). I remember unpicking the skirt some years ago in the hope I could finish the shirt. My aim would be to make myself a shirt of some sort from the bits as best I can.

Black wide leg trousers

 

As before these are adapted from the trousers in New Look 6438. I've got two slant pockets and a hidden invisible zipper pocket as well.

These will be nice to wear with the various blouses which have black in them and which don't work too well with other coloured bottoms.

Love Notions Melody Dolman

I bought quite a few patterns from the Love Notions May sale. The first one I've sewn up was this test of the Melody Dolman from an old duvet cover.

I'll wear it a bit to see if I like the body length or not.

The sleeves on this have a much bigger opening than the Bellissima Blouse which I found a lot more comfortable.

Bellissima Blouse

The May Pattern for the weekend sewing club was the Bellissima Blouse plus some extras for Club members.

I made the classic blouse in some soft cotton fabric liberated from Auntie Joy's stash. I interfaced the collar and collar stand with Vlieseline H180 (lightweight fusible interfacing).

I found the grown on sleeves uncomfortable, so recut the shoulders from my TNT shirt pattern and added some banded sleeves.

I'm happier with it now, but am unlikely to revisit the pattern

Navy Wide Leg Trousers

Last summer I made a few pairs of wide legged trousers and culottes adapted from New Look 6438 Views C and D. The ones made in viscose (rayon) were particularly good for hot sticky days. So I bought some plain viscose fabric in navy and black from Pound Fabrics to make some more to expand my options.

(excuse the weird flash detail, they are a mid navy all over.)

These are the navy ones, which got worn on the hot days when I was away. In this version I did add a hidden side zipper pocket in the right side seam, hand for a key, card etc.

The changes I made to New Look 6438:

I wanted elasticated waist trousers, so I omitted the back darts and replaced the shaped waistband with an elasticated one.

I also wanted pockets so drafted up some simple inseam pockets, and an optional hidden zipped pocket.

I have a non standard crotch curve, so used another pattern I have altered a lot for fit to alter the crotch on these, I extended the front and back crotch depth slightly, and raised the back waist. The result is very comfortable for me.

The Victory Trousers (April Make!)

Hello, and sorry I've not been posting. I have been away (within the UK) quite a bit, and squished some sewing in, but not shared here.

I have also been working on things for an Advent Swap with my sewing friend RealAle but can't share those until after she has opened them in December!

So I will do a couple of posts to catch up with what I can share.

Today I'll share the Victory Trousers from The Weekend Sewing Club by My Handmade Wardrobe.

This was the Pattern for April 2026, and I did make them during that month

For my version I did a full tummy, full butt and low butt alteration. They sewed up well, but I keep trying to put my hands in the buttoned openings thinking they are pockets!

I tend to wear my tops out, so the button detail is rather obscured. So I am a bit on the fence about these ones. 

Any ideas how I could add some pockets at the front/side to make them more wearable? 

I suppose I could open up the side seams and add in some simple side pockets. I have got a bit of the navy cotton twill left that I used to make them