Summer Sea (navy and cadet blue): Blue cardigan

Here's the last item in the Summer Sea collection (I'm also including the RTW top with long sleeves shown under the cardigan here) which is a cardigan jacket made from an ikea throw.

Using my old favoutire Prima jacket adapated a bit.

A similar pattern to this which is more easily available would be McCall's 6084

Because of the marl in the cardigan it would go with black or navy, white and various shades of blue and turquoise quite easily. I found 5 necklaces from the necklace wall which would work with it and different tops.
Thankfully the fit on this is fine. The acrylic does have a tendency to stretch out on the shoulders and neckline so I stabilised this version with some blue decorative briad across the shoulders and back neck.

Here's me assembling the collection all together, it'll be great once I've tweaked the fit of the other pieces.

I've put the stripe top in both sides out, but I'm pretty sure its going to get remade inside out. Plus I'm not buying those shoes.

Summer Sea (navy and cadet blue): Navy skirt

This is the most boring item in the collection, and like all the others needs some alterations (sigh).

Ages ago I had a RTW knit dress. It had a waist seam and a lovely skirt which flared slightly and draped beautifully. I traced the skirt off at the time so I could add it to my favourite tops to make a dress.The dress has long gone but I kept the tracing.
I've not used the skirt panel for a while so when I came to this ponte skirt I added a bit to the sides and the hem and then added a hidden elastic waist.
The end result is too big. Obviously I made the elastic the right length so it stays up but it is just too big so will need some sort of alteration. It may get morphed onto the dress where the waist is a bit tight (sigh) and a new waistband cut for the skirt off the dress and made into a skirt?
Anyway we'll see how that works out next week sometime. Other wise I can just unpick the elastic and take the skirt in a bit, no biggie.
Once that's done it should be handy for the two navy wardrobe orphan jackets and a colourful blouse to make a nice outfit.
I've been looking at navy sandals, wedges and nude wedges as good shoes really help the outfit. Problem is can I walk in them?

I'll keep you posted
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I went to George at Asda living after work and tried the shoes on. They were not suitable so I won't be buying them. The size 6 (euro 39) were too large and the size 5 (euro 38) were too small. The section across the toes seemed very low cut also.
I tried a lot of other shoes on also and then I bought these.

Off to see what else I have in Leopard darlings!

Summer Sea (navy and cadet blue): Navy dress (wardrobe orphan solution)

The third item in the Summer Sea collection is a navy dress from the same ponte as the trousers.

This looks great on Doris Dressform, but not quite so good on me as the waistline doesn't flare out quite quickly enough and is therefore a bit tight over the stomach area which isn't hugely flattering. I could add a waist seam and bring the skirt up a little as it is plenty long.

I used the dress view C from Vogue 8679 as a starting point, but made some changes.

1. lengthened and flared the skirt
2. added a central back seam
3. lengthened the sleeves
4. changed the neck gathers to pleats

I planned this to help be with a problem I had with a wardrobe orphan, a lovely office jacket bought on sale, navy with pink pinstripes.

It looks very smart with navy shoes and a lovely warm pink and greyed blue silk scarf I have had for about 20 years.

Summer Sea (navy and cadet blue): Barcode Striped Tee

Here's the second item in the Summer Sea collection

When cutting out I was concerned about how striped it was and wanted to break the stripes up a bit so I did a cutabout arrangement for the front. I cut the back on the fold and then gathered the back neckline onto the neckband.

The top overall is too big, and the lack of a centre back seam means terrible pooling at the back waist as I've not accommodated my sway back.

This fabric has a navy back ground which is then printed in white, sky blue and the turquoisey cadet blue. The cadet blue/turquoise is not very evident so it reads as too cool in colouration and too high contrast for me.

And I've also realised that the print reminds me of traditional blue striped pyjamas, which isn't good for a daytime top.

Here's a shot of the inside showing the dark navy base fabric with a little of the lighter colours bleeding through from the print the other side. Its much nicer, I think, than the right side.

This gives me an idea, to cut the top apart at the seams and remake it inside out. I could add a centre back seam to fix the sway back and foreward head issues. I could topstitch down the feature stitching on the cutabout front and rehem it all.
It would need a new neckband though, either super skinny from the old band, or plain navy from another fabric.

Sadly the whole collection continues in this same sort of theme, so brace yourselves for a surprisingly choppy passage on the Summer Sea!

Thoughts on scrap tees here

http://ruthieksews1.blogspot.co.uk/2014_07_01_archive.html

Summer Sea (navy and cadet blue): Style Arc Barb trousers in navy ponte

So the first item to share is the Style Arc Barb trouser in navy ponte.

Mostly for my own reference, for next time, here is what I did.

I had the size 16 pattern, I measured between the 16 and 18 on my measurements. I have chunky legs for which they don't include a measurement, so I decided to add 1/2" all the way down both sides and at the top, but not at the hem. This makes the crotch longer as well as the legs and body wider.
When I sewed these up I waited until I could get some 2" elastic and worked on other pieces in the collection.
I used the measurement length for the size 16 elastic (37" but 3/4" for the seam), but in wear this is slightly too loose.
The pants are comfortable but fall down a bit at the waist, tightening the elastic would probably resolve that.

They also feel too short at the back waist, and pull down at the back waist elastic when sitting. It feels like I need an additional yoke of fabric at the back waist. (This has been a issue for me in RTW for my entire life so I don't hold it against StyleArc). Its not so much an issue when standing. The front crotch feels too long when sitting but seems OK when standing.

They were too long. I cut off 3" and did a 1" hem. This seems about right, though might be slightly too short if the waist sat higher up. For reference I am 5' 5.5" and normally shorten Burda by 1/2". I buy standard length trousers in RTW.

The front seems to hang OK. I have drag lines all over the back of the trousers though.

I have added some photos and will try to diagnose them from fitting pictures.
Sadly these look worse at the back than my track suit trousers I wear when I am being comfortable around the house. However that might be due to fabric rather than cut.

I suspect full seat, low butt and full calf all need to be accommodated.  Sway back and full thigh seem to be catered for in the width and elastic back.

Note to myself, favourite RTW jeans have 11" front and 17" back crotch measurement.

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Note to self for next time. I tightened the waist elastic slightly and scooped the back crotch. They do fit better than the photos above after that and have been worn a lot, but sadly the fabric is pilling. However they are very comfortable and have been worn a lot. I suspect even more improvements would be seen from a full front thigh and full back calf alteration as they do pull slightly in these places.

New Collection: Navy and cadet blue, very sea themed

Whilst I enjoyed sewing for the charity craft stall it has been a fantastic release to allow myself to sew clothing for me again.

I've joined the Summer 6PAC  (6 piece seasonal sew along) on Stitcher Guild reloaded.

I batted several ideas about but still had navy on the machines from the last lot of bags, so carried on with more navy pieces.

1 Navy ponte dress
2 Navy ponte skirt
3 Navy ponte trousers/pants
4 Navy blue and off white striped tee
5 Cadet blue cardigan jacket

These five pieces came about really easily, as is sometimes the case, but the sixth is a little more elusive though I think it will either be a tuquoise blue or navy tee of some sort

6 Turquoise blue or navy tee

However I also found some other pieces which co-ordinate with the cardigan though not really with the dark navy of the ponte, so there may will be a spin off set. Hopefully I can do the full six before getting distracted with something else.

My collection is not very summery really, however there is time after it , but still within Elizabeth's 3 month time frame to do some more summery things, based around the olive green tropical wool jacket which is STILL not finished.

Pictures of finished garments to follow soon!

Charity Craft Stall event

Here I am on the stall. The dummy with the scarf worked well, but I needed better ways to display the bags and jewellery.

Here are some other things I made for the stall

I'm going to have a break from the craft sewing for a bt now and sew something for me instead.
I would like to intersperse garment sewing with the craft projects, maybe sewing things that use similar colours in between each garment project and gradually build up inventory that way rather than 3 months of sewing for the stall.

Simple Crafts: beaded earrings and bracelets

Also for the charity craft stall (but great for gifts or just to make for yourself). I got my bead box out, took over the dining table and made these.

20 pairs of earrings, these still need putting into presentation packs. I cut card to size on the guillotine and cut two slits for the ear wires, then pop the whole thing inside a small plastic self seal bag. This is easier for people to rifle through on the stall.

And twelve bracelets with stretch elastic

you may be able to see that some of the bracelets and earrings use the same sets of beads.

When I have a few co-ordinating beads (but not really enough for a necklace), I see which ones I have two of and arrange pleasing combinations for pairs of earrings. Then I take the co-ordinating but odd beads and string them together in a bracelet. I've done this with the black and turquoise bracelet on the top row, using the spare beads from the earrings in the bottom row. The turquoise beads came from a mixed pack, but contained quite a few odd ones so mixing them in with the shiny black beads (where I had a lot all the same) seemed to work quite well.

It feels like whilst I do have enough earrings (There are another 16 pairs from a previous beading session), the bracelets are a bit low in volume. I would be happier with 20 or 24 rather than just the 12 above. I have plenty of beading elastic and the bead box is already out so maybe this afternoon once all the other prep is sorted.

Simple Sewn Crafts: Hair scrunchies

These are the most recent ones which are made from strips of jersey fabrics.
I have a basket full of all different colours and fabrics as people like to be able to choose.
I started making these when I had longer hair, now its cut too short to need them myself, but lots of girls and young women have long hair (the fashion these days) so hopefully a few will buy. 

The things I have been showing recently are just items sewn up in the last few weeks.
I sew and create on and off all year and have a few things from previous times as well.

So on the stall I have

Infinity scarves
Straight scarves
Cushions
Draught excluders
Shopping bags
Drawstring bags
Scrunchies
Leather book marks
Earrings
Cufflinks (made from shank buttons and wire)
and Chilli Chutney which DBF and I made together.

I will try to take a photo of the stall this year, lets hope I make lots of money for the chairty.

Simple Sewn Crafts : Draught excluders and Shopping bags.

More goodies for the craft stall

Draught excluders

And shopping bags (I made 3 the same, but only one is pictured).

Simple Sewn Crafts : Drawstring bags

These bags are great for gifts, travel or craft stalls. I make them in all sorts of sizes with one or two drawstrings depending on what I think would work best.
The main thing to remember is to leave a gap in the side seam when you sew it up as this allows the ribbon/cord to come through.

 One medium green and floral striped one with a jade green shoelace as the cord.

 Two large pink and floral striped ones with lilac ribbon. These would be great for laundry bags

Three smaller blue floral ones (again with lilac ribbon as I had a whole reel of it!). Great as shoe bags or to keep the delicates separate in a suitcase.

And one smallish medallion rose print with a green ribbon which matches the rose stems.

I make them to suit the sizes of the remnants I have available. I had sold out of all of the ones made previously so thought a new stock would be good.

I have some plainer blue ones cut out ready but requiring a change of thread colour on the machines before I can proceed. They may show up later in the week.

Simple Sewn Crafts : envelope back cushions

I make these for the charity craft stall but they are also great projects for anyone learning to sew or as gifts.

I take small remnants of attractive home dec fabric, like this heavy weight tulip print jaquard fabric, find a co-ordinating backing fabric which I use to make a simple envelope back. This one has a slightly deeper soft pink back.
Add a cushion insert (I used a standard 18" one here) and its a quick project.

These cushions are wider than they are high as I wanted to maximise the lovely fabric pieces. They have a plain off white back and custom cushion inserts made from a cheap IKEA duvet cover cut to the right size and stuffed with wadding. Making your own cushions to the size you want is really easy. I find buying cheap pillows and cutting them open is a great way of getting inexpensive wadding. If you make your own inserts you can have a cushion whatever shape and size you like which is great.

More projects tomorrow!