Button themed Rug and Fabric

Apparently available from August (when the new catalogue comes out), though not yet on the website, I was hugely excited to see this button themed rug (I think called Tastrup) when I was in my local Ikea for something else.

I didn't buy it as it wasn't on my list, but I may have to purchase on a future occasion, because it is just fabulous for a sewing room. In the UK the rug is £35.00.
There is also matching fabric, though I didn't see that in store, and from the pictures it does not appeal as much as it does not have the same random arrangement of the buttons as the rug.

I may be back in Ikea in August!

Test garments - jacket muslin fitted

Yorkshire Lass and I had a very successful sewing weekend, and long overdue as it has been ages!
I wasn't quite sure what to mention first, but I think the muslin of the jacket was pretty good once we added some back darts (not on the pattern), let out all of the seams below the waist and gave me one shoulder pad one side and two the other, since I'm a bit wonky.
This is what it looked like afterwards

Looks pretty good for something quickly run up out of some upholstery fabric remnants doesn't it?
I can definitely go on and make up a jacket with this pattern now.

Below are some of the during fitting shots

I am basically the next size up from the waist down and just need to remember that as we found it was the case on knit tops too.
So this jacket has
- forward head alteration (wedge removed from the front)
- round back alteration (wedge added to the back, and removed from the neckline at centre back)
- sway back alteration (shaping in centre back seam plus two back darts)
- additional ease added for full tummy/bottom
- extra shoulder pad for uneven shoulders.

I have used New Look 6082, which has process seams at the front and a centre back seam.

I am washing bedding and throws etc whilst the weather is warm enough to dry outside, plus painting tatty furniture in the garage so not managed to implement any of this yet, but I was very happy how productive this session was.

Thank you Yorkshire Lass!

Test garments

I'm generally not a fan of making test garments becuase it seems like a waste, but sometimes even I have to admit that when I'm trying a new pattern, or need to fix an obvious fitting problem, its often the best approach.
Once I had finally figured out how to alter for my forward head/rounded upper back, my knit tops just fit so much better. So I've used two remnants of burgundy uphostery fabric to make up the jacket from
New look 6082 which I used to make the knit jacket for the SWAP. I've already made the forward head/rounded back alterations to the pattern, but want to tweak a bit for sway back plus check out how it works in a woven rather than a knit.

I may get YorkshireLass to take a picture as she's going to help me a bit with some fitting this weekend (woo hoo). Once we have the fit nailed, I will probably do a Ruthie and make about six of them (to match existing skirts/trousers) and then will have suits. Then I'll roll in into making up some boiled wool for the winter (soo warm and comfy).

Anyway I'm completely pooped from sewing up the test jacket, so need to pop off to bed now.

P.S. I tried on the red dress I made recently and the fit is spot on. Neat through the shoulders, neck and bust, slightly looser through the tummy but with the suggestion of a waist at sides and back and then the skirt flaring out and skimming over the peary lower parts. I already prewashed the fabric so hopefully won't get any shrinkage, and it works great with the RTW jacket I planned it to go with.

I wonder if I would get any wear out of a white below knee length short sleeved version of the dress for when I want to feel fresh at the weekend..... I have some fabric, but have trouble keeping white clean. It would looks cute with red/navy or turquoise/fresh green.

Bunting embellished tee

You may recall I made some geometric print red knit into PJ pants, they now have a top.

I found an old plain black RTW tee in the wardrobe and customised it with bunting flags cuts from the scraps left from the pants.
Each flag is 2.5" high and 1.5" wide. The 'rope' was created by stitching with the cover hem from the wrong side. I then spaced the 'flags' out along it and coverhemmed right side up, and then zigzagged on the top of that, so it is all nice and stretchy and should be comfortable to sleep in.
Here's the PJ pants the top goes with.

Wouldn't be able to buy these in the Mark and Spencer nightwear department!!!!
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These were a little challenge for my upcoming sewing weekend, so you might even get a  photo of me wearing them ;-)

Fabric Shopping

On Saturday I had a trip to the local discount fabric store and raided their remnant bin. I was pleased to find a few tubes of knit fabric, but as usual there, not quite what I went in for.

Top row
Top left - grey/burgundy/white striped tubular knit remnant - destined for winter PJs, prob as the top, with burgundy rib bottoms.
Top centre - salmon pink rib tubular remnant - either a turtleneck top or more winter PJs.
Top right - cream twill for bags with blue webbing for bag handles - neither quite the colour I was looking for but close. (off the roll, not a remnant).
Bottom row
Bottom left - 2 remnants of tubular sweater knit, black with cream, will have to see which side I like better. For a sweater.
Bottom centre - self stripe black knit, black is always handy.
Bottom right - grey and white stripe tubular knit, probably a turtleneck top.

Other than the bag components, this is all more winter stuff, so will not get sewn up for a while. We are having a heat wave here so I have got my box of summer clothes out, but do fancy a multiple fabric gored skirt - think plain red/red polka dots and red paiselys would be too much???