Brocade Waistcoat

 

This is a blue and gold waistcoat made for a friend 'A', husband to the lady with the frilled white shirts (S) and father of 'C'. It's for C's steampunk themed wedding.

'A' had been to a very traditional menswear shop and bought dark trousers, a white winged collar shirt and dark jacket with blue checks. He'd also got a wonderful steampunk hat and goggles.

He wanted a waistcoat to finish off the look, dressy enough for father of the bride, steampunky enough for the theme but also in keeping with his own style.

Fitting

I found a simple waistcoat pattern in my stash and made a fitting toile with contrast stitching marking the seams and centre front. 'A' tried this on and it did not meet at centre front. So we measured the distance between the centre front markings at several points and I wrote them down. He also asked for it to be slightly longer.

Fabric

Originally 'A's elderly mother was to make the waistcoat, however she is too ill to do so. However she still wanted to be involved and had provided some fabrics from her stash which were not suitable and a pattern in too small a size. 'S' had tried to source some fabric from local shops but had no luck. So we headed out to my fabric resources (plastic tubs in the garage) to see what I might have. In the end the only fabric deemed suitable was a piece of blue and gold brocade, with a label in Thai script, striped ends and fringe. (Anyone know what this is - I'm guessing a 1980s tourist keepsake of some sort - shawl/table runner?)

I thought it'd be fine for two waistcoat fronts (more on that later). We agreed to use some gold satin from 'A's mum's stash for the lining and back, and the blue side of the brocade.

Additions

A asked for pockets for his pocket watch (which we decided to use from his mum's pattern) and chose some buttons from my drawer. He also wanted a matching bowtie.

Alterations

After he had gone I altered the pattern. I added 1 inch length to the front and back at the lengthen and shorten line. I then attempted a 'portly gentleman' alteration by adding extra to the front at the sides so the centre front would remain on grain and button up properly. 

Layout

I then tried to layout the waistcoat fronts on the fabric. However it was only 18 inches (46cm wide) and less than 2 yards (175cm) long, with a border along one long edge and striped sections each end. I couldn't make it fit! 

Next I decided to split the fronts into 2 pieces, through the pocket area, to see if I could get the smaller pieces out of the fabric. For this I created mirror image pieces so I could layout all 4 pieces at once. They did not fit.

I then decided to use the striped section at each end for the side panels and cut the fronts from the centre section. I was able to make this fit, plus cut out the pocket welts and the pieces for the bowtie.

Fronts

I auditioned the striped sections - yellow and blue side up (I felt the yellow was a little gaudy) or gold side up (which I preferred).

Pockets

I did a lot of careful measuring and marking, more measuring, checking and some unpicking. I took it very slowly and kept checking because I had no more fabric, it's for someone else, and for a wedding. I definitely felt the pressure to do it right. Although I've done welt pockets before they were of the type where the welt is inside the slot. These ones had an external flap with shaped ends and a shaped pocket.

I made a few mistakes and kept the seam ripper handy. I left the pockets overnight before I cut the holes through the fronts. Eventually I had finished the pockets.

Other Construction

I had a rest after the pockets were done and came back to it the next day. Then I made up the back with back belt and the lining, sewed together leaving the side seams open, trimmed, snipped curves, turned through and pressed. I sewed up the side seams as far as I was able and finished the small gap in the lining with hand stitching. 

Buttonholes

I did a couple of tests, then marked and made buttonholes, carefully fray checking before cutting open. I sewed the buttons on by hand.

Bowtie

 

I made an elasticated bowtie from the gold side of the fabric using a pattern and instructions I found free online.

Final Outcome

I don't have a photo of A in his waistcoat but he was delighted with it and dressed up for us in the entire outfit

This has been an exhausting project for me and I have not sewn anything since I finished it

- the fabrics were difficult to work with, slippery and prone to fraying.

- I'm not very experienced with menswear

- I've never done this sort of welt pocket before

- It needed to be right as I couldn't get more fabric

Black Vogue Cardigan Jacket

This is the 4th black jacket. I used a floral black sweater knit with horizontal stretch but no vertical stretch to make the jacket from Vogue 2989

Black New Look Jacket

I made another black jacket. This one uses the scraps leftover from making a jacket and skirt for my friend C.

To fit the pattern onto the scraps I played a little with the orientation on the front. I also drafted and added some 5 sided patch pockets, as the pattern doesn't include pockets.

The pattern is New Look 6481

Here's the jacket and skirt I made for C

Black Boucle Clef Coat

This is  the Love Notions Clef Coat (more of a jacket IMHO) in a black wool mix boucle. The fabric was purchased back when I wore suits and separates to the office, but worked quite well in this more casual style.

This has a funnel neck, rather than a fitted collar. I generally prefer it worn open.

It's a fairly simple sew, though I've made a few small changes.

I rotated the pocket piece when I cut it out so that the enclosed area is slightly larger and can hold something like a phone whilst still being OK for putting your hands in.

I positioned the pocket piece slightly higher up to avoid it being too near the hem..

I've drawn the hem onto my pattern pieces as my printout didn't have the hem marked (maybe I turned too many layers off). I've put elastic into the wrists, but not yet into the main hem. I may go back and add this in later.

I couldn't find any indication of where the buttons should go, so made up my own spacing. I interfaced the front bands but nothing else.

Style Arc Rowe's Top/Tunic

Many years ago I bought some Style Arc pdf patterns, printed them off but didn't get round to sewing them all. One of them was the Rowe's Top/Tunic.

I decided to make the top in black black viscose jersey as a bit of a test to see how much I liked the pattern. 

I decided to lengthen the sleeves as much as my fabric remnant allowed and drafted a shaped cuff for the wrist.

It's quite a relaxed fit and the neckline is quite wide and low. They give an option to interface the neckband which I didn't do, so maybe that would control things a bit more. It seems quite stable compared to some viscose jersey but the weight of the body and sleeves has pulled it down.

Maybe another version in a cotton jersey would be quite different.

The neck band is made from 3 shaped pieces which might be a handy thing to remember when using scraps. I don't always have enough width to cut a straight neckband.

At one point I dropped a piece on the floor and was a bit baffled as to where it went back so might do more marking another time!

As this is an older Style Arc patterns there are written instructions and a single diagram. It is not suitable for beginners, but perfectly achievable for a more experienced sewist. 

Newer Style Arc patterns have more detailed instructions and are easier to follow.

This could be a good scrap buster project due to the pieced neckline and back yoke.

Spring Lamb - well a sheep anyway

For our latest online family Crafternoon, the theme chosen was sheep/lambs.

I took a slightly bobbly fleece blanket and some offcuts of dark denim and made a sheep shaped cushion.

I used these free instructions from the Bernina blog.

Sew cuddly toy Sew a cuddly toy with this free pattern for a plush sheep - available in two sizes » BERNINA Blog

The only alteration I made was to add a long strip with rounded ends between the two sides so the feet are separate.

Black Ponte Metra Blazer

 

Black is not in my 'Sophisticated' palette but is useful for choir events and traditional funerals, so I dug out some black fabrics from the stash and have started making a few cardigans and jackets for such occasions.

The first one is a Metra blazer from a black ponte remnant.

Sadly I found a fault on the back when I was part way through construction.

So added a stitched down half belt detail to cover that area.

Pink Floral Blouse

 A shirt for me from a floral cotton poplin, using my TNT shirt pattern (adapted from Prima Mar 2020)

I've added front patch pockets with buttoned flaps.

And found some bright pink buttons in my button drawers which worked well. I sewed them on with matching thread.

For those in the UK, this fabric is still in stock at Pound Fabrics - its called Flower Heaven Cotton Poplin in colour White.

Flower Heaven Cotton Poplin Fabric | Pound Fabrics

I really like this fabric its nice to sew and lighter weight than some other cotton poplins I've used.

I like to have shirts with pockets for travelling as well as everyday wear.

White blouses for a friend

I've just finished two white blouses for a friend. They are both from my TNT shirt pattern, traced off in her smaller size and slightly altered.

The first blouse was made from an organic cotton duvet cover (cotbed size) which I bought new from a charity shop. I used some vintage broderie anglaise (eyelet) lace trim which someone had given me in a box of saved pieces of lace. A some little pearly buttons also rescued from something else.

I think this is such a beautiful blouse.

Lace trim before I pressed it.

The cotbed size duvet set

The second blouse was made from pure white cotton poplin from Boyes. For this version I made a self frill for the collar and cuffs, 2 1/2 inches wide and 3 times the length. The buttons are a brassy gold half sphere

My friend hopes to wear these with her steampunk outfit, but also with other clothing too, as a pretty white blouse is always handy!

Aubergine and navy joggers and a bonus

 I'm just about finished on Aubergine

Monsal lounge pants from a remnant I bought on holiday in September 2024 (its the middle one)

Its a purple ponte with a navy abstract print over the top.

I used a different fabric for the inseam pockets as t was a small remnant!

Monsal Lounge Pant pattern from the Wendy Ward Book "A Beginner's Guide to Sewing with Knitted Fabrics".

After the repairs

Before the repairs

I also repaired some cord trousers I made many years ago (2015). I'd put a not very well matching zip in the wrong side and clipped rather close resulting in fraying. Plus they were too long.

Sew Ruthie Style: Giant (but comfy) corduroy trousers for gentle critique

I unpicked the waistband and the zip and the opposite side seam. I put in a nicely matching invisible zip in the correct side and re stitched the waistband , which is now slightly narrower. I unpicked the stitched hems, cut 2 inches off, and re-hemmed. 

I can now wear them again.

If I add these into the Aubergine Collection it looks like this

I have 4 tops, 2 in knit fabric and 2 woven shirts.

I also have four toppers  - a fleece, a button front cardigan, a zip front lined jacket and lapel collared cardigan jacket.

And four pairs of trousers - wide leg border print, plain which match the zipped jacket, corduroy with side zip and ponte joggers.