Co-ord sets

I remember back in the early SWAP (Sewing With A Plan) they advised sewing a matching skirt and top from a print fabric as a core to the 11 piece collection. Now many years later there's something called a co-ord which is a matching top and bottom from the same fabric!

I got a lot of wear from the Blue Culottes and Blouse Co-ord Set I made in June, particularly when it was hot. So I decided to have a go at making some more. The best thing about a co-ord is that it's like a dress, wear the two pieces together and you have an instant outfit! But even better you can (theoretically) split the items and wear them separately.

 

In both sets I used the same patterns.

The blouses use the body and collar of Simplicity 9200 View C, and then a sleeve adapted from NewLook 6669 with a self drafted band.

This was in order to use the fabric in the most economical way.

For the culottes I again used the trousers from NewLook 6438, though altered for my crotch curve, and elastic waistband and slash pockets. The pink floral are self fabric, though a modified pocket shape to suit the fabric scraps.

I had slightly less of the navy print, so the waistband and pockets are from scraps of a plain navy viscose I'd kept for such a scenario.

Once completed I noticed that the puffed sleeves pulled on the shoulder seams causing the sleeves to fall off the shoulder - not a good look. However viscose can shrink unpredictably, so I've added stitched tucks - 1 in each shoulder for the navy, and 2 in each shoulder for the pink. If the fabric shrinks widthways I may remove these later. If not the tucks are a nice detail.

Really neither of these co-ord sets would make a good base for a SWAP for me. 

The navy and white is only 2 colours, so doesn't meet the SWAP guidelines of  2 neutrals and a colour, but will be easy to mix and match with plain navy, plain white or any bright colour. 

The pink print was a charity shop purchase. A dark grey background with ochre, white and 3 shades of pink. I could wear the culottes with a plain white top and the blouse with some grey linen pinstripe trousers, but that's about it. I'll have to see if I have any suitable plain pinks......

Dusky Pink Cable Knit Cardigan

 

I'm really pleased with this dusty pink cable knit cardigan. I bought the fabric in Boyes last year sometime but it is available at Pound Fabrics (for those in the UK)

I used Wendy Ward's Kinder cardigan, with a few changes. I did a high round back alteration, made the cuffs a bit smaller and gathered the sleeves into them, changed the pockets to my own design and added buttons and buttonholes down the front.

What I like most about this pattern is the sleeves which are roomy (good for having sleeves underneath) but also come from the shoulder. With my tighter cuffs and button front it becomes quite cosy!

The last three items all used the same overlocker thread but do vary a bit in colour.

(excuse the rumpled shirt, I worn and washed it, but not yet ironed it!)

And finally my totals so far

Fabric sewn so far in 2025 - 17m, fabric purchased zero!

• 3m of teal jersey
• 2m of print/brown sweater knit
• 3m of animal print jersey
• 3m of brown poly knit
• 2m of pink cotton poplin
• 2m of mauve mauve knit
• 2m of dusty pink cable knit

Mauve Metra Blazer

 

I used some Mauve Wave rib knit from Pound Fabrics to make a Metra blazer

I interfaced the pocket tabs and the area they are set into to control the stretching.

Fabric sewn so far in 2025 - 15m, fabric purchased zero!

3m of teal jersey

2m of print/brown sweater knit

3m of animal print jersey

3m of brown poly knit

2m of pink cotton poplin

2m of mauve mauve knit

Pink frill neck blouse

I wanted to sew a blouse with a slightly Victorian feel that I could wear as part of my steampunk outfit for the upcoming steampunk wedding, but also felt enough like me to wear on other occasions too. So although the classic look would have been white, I went with this lovely rose pink. I bought the fabric at my local Boyes. It's quite a narrow width, but I had 2 metres which was fine to get my TNT shirt out of.

I altered the collar stand and cuffs to be a little narrower with squared off ends to accommodate the frill. For the frill I cut fabric 2 1/2" wide and about 2.5-3 times the area taking the ruffle. I cut two long strips one used whole for the collar, and the other halved for the cuffs.

I finished the ends right sides together and turned through, pressed the whole length in half, stay stitched and then hand gathered with double thread (rather than trying to machine gather a double layer of cotton poplin.

I used these delicate metal buttons as they felt antique but also slightly industrial. I made buttonholes on the front of the shirt. I left the top button off, but can add a brooch there if I want to.

I had multiple tries at making buttonholes on the cuffs, but the gathers caught on the buttonhole foot, so I switched to snaps on the inside and buttons sewn to the outside. This looks nice when they are done up.

I'm going to wear this tonight with black jeans and a jacket to attend a concert with my friend and then later with other things instead. I'm hoping it will prove a versatile piece.

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Fabric sewn so far in 2025 - 13m, fabric purchased zero!

3m of teal jersey

2m of print/brown sweater knit

3m of animal print jersey

3m of brown poly knit

2m of pink cotton poplin

Cyclamen Pink Top

 

Another turtleneck this time in a cyclamen pink double knit from the remnant basket.

I'm not quite sure how well this colour suits me so I'll make sure I add a tag in case I need to donate it later.

I do seem to be having a Pink phase recently

Pink stripe top

 

Another turtleneck from OOP New Look 6008. I've altered the sleeve for a full bicep and the back piece for a high round back.

Pale Pink Top

I used the long sleeved collared top from OOP New Look 6008. I've altered the sleeve for a full bicep and the back piece for a high round back.

I have made lots of tops from tis pattern now, but not all of the colours looked great up by my face, so some have gone on to other homes. 

Woodrose Pink Trousers

 

Trousers to match the jacket, using a pattern from Burda March 2011.

Here are the trousers with the jacket.

There's a waistcoat in progress too

Woodrose Pink Jacket

 

This is my wood rose (dusty pink) jacket in faux silk dupioni fabric (possibly intended for home dec) made from Butterick B4610 View B. I added a little bit of extra width in the sleeves 

For a pattern rated as 'Easy' I didn't find that it was really, though a lot of my issues were to do with the very stiff and fraying fabric I used. I love the colour and slubbed texture so persevered.

I found a suitable button in my button drawers. Hopefully this will work over the purple skirt and top.

Here's the pink jacket over the purple two piece.

I'm planning on making some other Woodrose pieces as I have lots of the fabric. Next up some wide leg trousers, then maybe a waistcoat and skirt or dress.....

A Pink Pipa Pouch

 

Here's my latest Pipa Pouch in the larger size.

Free PDF Bag Sewing Pattern, Pouch PDF Sewing Pattern, Bag Sewing Pattern, DIY Purse Sewing Pattern — Sewing Patterns by Masin

I cut this one out in December but didn't manage to sew it up then.

I lined it with a bright poly cotton print which I also used for the tabs. The outer is hot pink baby cord.

Used an old (rather battered) pink metal dress zip and added a bit of ribbon to make the pull easier.

I hand wound at the point I was sewing over the metal teeth and had no issues :-)

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.

Travel Capsule Wardrobe for South Africa Garden Route

Do you remember me sewing things for my Start With A Scarf Wardrobe? I used those clothes along with a few RTW pieces as a travel capsule wardrobe for a trip to South Africa's garden route. I even took the scarf with me though I didn't actually wear it!

I also took footwear - walking shoes, walking sandals and silver flat sandals as well as sunglasses, underwear, PJs, socks and toiletries. Everything packed up into the packing cubes nicely. DH and I both had some clothing in each other's checked luggage and spare undies and top in our hand luggage (rucksacks), though we didn't have any issues with our checked luggage.

I did wear everything, and as we were away 3.5 weeks, we visited a laundrette half way through and had a service wash done of some items (underwear, socks, tops and dirtier bottoms/layers).

All my bottoms and layers were plain colours, as were some of my tops, and I stuck to a colour palette of black, sage green, burgundy and pink, this let me mix and match whatever was clean and suitable for the weather that day. We had rain, sunshine, heat and cold, so lots of different combos were in operation!

Coat

I took a Craghoppers lined waterproof jacket with hood and pockets. In the pockets I had gloves, beany hat, tube scarf/buff and a lightweight peaked cap. These fold up small, but were great for protection from the sun (peaked cap) 

Bottoms

I took seven bottoms, perhaps it could've been slightly fewer. They were

Black stretch woven trousers, worn on all flights and over the joggers on cold morning and evening safari drives.

Dark grey slim leg joggers, worn for relaxing in the room/cabin, one night as PJ trousers when it was cold and as thermals under the black trousers.

Black stretch jeans, worn for evening meals and some around the town days.

Stretch woven tan shorts, worn a lot on the hot days. The internal zipped pocket was great, though banged a bit on my leg when I put too much in it.

Black culottes skirt, an alternative to the shorts on hot days.

Olive green Craghoppers trousers. Worn for hiking with a belt but not good for a boat trip - the fit isn't  right when sitting.

Sage green stretch woven trousers. Worn for wine tasting, some evening meals and etc. Fit not right on these either.

Layers

2 lightweight fleece jackets from Craghoppers (one burgundy, one pink), and a self sewn cardigan in sage green. I wore all of these but could've probably managed with only 1 of the fleeces + the cardigan.

Shirts

I took 4 shirts, 2 self sewn (sage green and floral) and two purchased Craghoppers in Pink and Regatta in Burgundy check. More shirts would've been good and the ones with pockets were more useful. The floral shirt was worn the most and washed twice (once by hand, once at launderette).

3/4 sleeve tops

Wore all of these and washed them too.

Short sleeved tops

Useful as layers under the shirts, as well as self sewn I took quite a few RTW t-shirts, mostly from Decathlon.

Summary

Overall things worked well. Secure pockets were definitely useful. My self sewn items worked out quite well. My RTW pieces have been bought over the years and were not expensive. I have pieces from Regatta, Craghoppers and Decathlon. The better my sewing gets, the less RTW I wear :-)