Folding sitting mat

 

This is my new homemade folding sitting mat.

It uses part of an old shower curtain, an old seat pad cut into 4 strips and some coloured elastic.

Yellow floral culottes with pockets

Yellow floral culottes with pockets. They come to just below the knee and look like a little skirt when I stand still, but then you can see the legs when I move. I plan to wear these with a plain pale blue, grey-green or ivory tshirt.

These use my basic elastic waist trouser pattern with inseam pockets I drafted myself, and for this pair the legs widened as much as the fabric allowed. The pockets are from a scrap of ivory fabric.

Batik trousers for the heat

 Multicolour cotton lawn batik trousers, have side pockets and adjustable waist

Not at all my usual style, but the fabric is lovely and thin for this hot weather
The front and back

I wear them with a plain navy tee and flat sandals!

Navy trousers with zipped pockets

 Navy trousers made from what I think is polycotton, though its very lightweight.

Elastic waist, 5 belt loops, 2 front pockets (accessed from the top) and 2 zipped side pockets.

A few pictures below before I sewed up the side seams showing the pockets

I added an extension to the hem with leather triangles reinforcing the splits

These are based on New Look 6216 but I've altered and adapted it so much that its nothing like the pattern really anymore!

Woven Tee from Vogue 9246

 

After making the long sleeved blouse from two pieces of fabric both about 1.15cm, I had largish scraps leftover, one full width of the fabric and about 50cm long, and another full width of fabric 40cm long, as well as a small rectangular scrap.

I wanted to use the scraps to make another garment and after a look through my pattern stash Vogue V9246 View C, a woven blouse looked possible.

I used size L flared out a bit at the hipline. I was able to cut the front yoke and body on the fold as per the pattern, though by shortening the sleeves by an inch.

I raised the back neckline by about half an inch and narrowed the front neckline slightly.

To cut the back out I had to include a centre back seam in both the yoke and body, and move the yoke seam down a bit.

I also had some curved scraps left which I was able to use to extend the sleeve length a little bit.

I made 1/2" wide self fabric bias binding and used this to do a bias facing to the neckline.

So a nice cool top out of the scraps.

Vogue 9246 View C woven tee

Long sleeved floral blouse

 

I had two pieces of this cotton lawn so was able to cut the long sleeved shirt with cuffs.

I used the same pattern as with the previous shirt, but just curved the back hem down a little, for a slight high-low hem look. I've used burgundy buttons, stitched on with burgundy thread which gives a lovely subtle detail. 

Classic Striped Tee

 

Using my TNT tshirt pattern.

Navy knit top with ruffle detail

A plain navy knit top from my TNT Sew Look 6735, felt it needed just a little bit of extra so added a ruffle detail at the front.

Summer Floral Blouse

 

Cotton lawn blouse with 3/4 sleeves and button front.

Fabric : Remnant purchased from fabric shop in Madeira on holiday in Feb 2020, when we managed a holiday before lockdown.

1.2 metres of 140cm wide with a directional print, so could only squeeze out 3/4 length sleeves with hem bands and couldn't attempt pattern matching. I only have a piece large enough for a pocket left over.

The fabric was gorgeous to sew with, and should be very cool to wear.

Pattern used: Shirt dress pattern from March 2020 Prima magazine, shortened to be a shirt.

Patchwork Denim jacket

I was gifted some denim rectangles, and used some of them with some dark denim offcuts of my own to sew an unlined Patchwork Denim jacket. All the denim was stretch denim, though the percentage stretch varied a bit.

The jacket is based on the cardigan jacket from New Look 6082.

I made 8 sections of patchwork slightly larger than the corresponding pattern piece, sewing long columns of the denim rectangles first, and then overlocking those seams. Once the columns were complete I then sewed them together to create the patchwork piece, and overlocked those seams. Once each panel was completed I pressed it, before cutting out the garment piece. Remember to flip the pattern piece over to get a left and right!

I widened the centre front panel so the bands would overlap rather than being edge to edge. I interfaced the front section of the neckband so it would support buttonholes and buttons.

I also added patch pockets with a flap and button.

I've now got a little red and blue capsule

Green Camo Joggers and Top

Maybe I've been watching too much M*A*S*H but for some reason I wanted to make up some green camo knit fabric, and the matching plain green knit into some joggers.

I used the camo fabric for the front and back, and added side seam pockets, waistband and hem bands in the plain green.
I did debate the hem bands being elasticated, but for now have left them alone.

There was some camo fabric left, so I've got the front and sleeves for a top from it, with a plain green back and neckband.
Not sure I'd wear them both together as a co-ord ;-)

Wearing the Platinum Jubilee Dress

 The event we are attending is on a cricket pitch so I've gone for plimsolls with the dress.

Upcycled Curtains -> Futon cover and Cushions

In the new house, the sewing room has an old futon. It is very comfortable but the cover is terracotta and faded unevenly. I've had a throw on it, but have now replaced that with a fitted cover. The seat depth is a little too deep for me so I like cushions to support my back. Its a great place to sit when unpicking, drinking morning coffee, or for OH to chat whilst I sew.

It can also be a spare bed for guests, and the bedding is all stored underneath.

I didn't buy anything new for this project, which is good from both a financial and a reuse/recycle perspective.

The sofa cover is made from old curtain lining fabric. It is just a simple envelope with the far end left open. 

I went for huge cushions, 65 x 65 cm, and stuffed them well as they tend to flatten down with use.

The cushion inserts are made from the front of the same curtains (plain thin cream cotton) stuffed with wadding from various unused smaller cushions etc.

The cushion cover fronts are made from another old curtain of mine, and the back from some really old curtains, from a friend's house many years ago.

Platinum Jubilee Dress Completed

I've finished the Platinum Jubilee Dress.

It has one sleeve and the outer wrap front in the Union Flag print (on the diagonal).

The other sleeve, other front and back in red. The neck band and ties in dark blue.

Pocket for a Polo Shirt

 I had this shirt which had a logo on it (related to something I was involved in many years ago).

As the shirt was still in good condition I decided to add a pocket to cover the logo (for the photo below  I have coloured over the logo as its not relevant).

I chose a quilting fabric from Auntie J, which I interfaced and lined with plain purple fabric from Auntie A.

I plan to wear this with olive or tan pants as it doesn't particularly match the other purples in my wardrobe (purple is not a key colour for me)