Taking photos of the SWAP items

Here's a shot from today when I was trying to get in position for the self timer before it took the photo. It didn't work too well as I was a teeny figure on a big photo of the garden so DH took pity on me and took other photos.
I do like the movement in this photo though and the way the wind caught my hair.

Simplicity 4076 Gather Neck Top Finished

The Simplicity 4076 gather neck top is now finished. I started it this morning and have worked on it a little bit at a time through the day.


I think I may have slightly overdone the gathering as the neck is quite snug, but its a good top for causal days.
Its made using a remnant of teal t shirting from Abakhan fabrics in Preston. It sews quite nicely except the edges curl like mad and it does not have a lot of stretch.
I have put 7/8ths sleeves on - straight instead of the flared ones on the pattern. There is a centre back seam so I could angle in at the back neck and flare out for the hips/butt.

Simplicity 4076 Knot front Top Finished

The Simplicity 4076 knot front top is now finished. I added a centre back seam and shaped it in at the back neck and back waist to fot my curved spine.
It now sits nicely.
Compared to the original pattern I have straight 3/4 length sleeves and the body is approx 2 inches longer.
I have also shortened the front neck edge slightly. The neckline is turned, stabilised with 1/4" steam a seam 2 and then stitched. The hems are turned and stitched.

Top cut out and underway

The top is cut out and I have constructed the knot front as per the instructions. It worked out fine.
I pinned it the front and back together and tried on. The back isn't great - especially at the top of the neck so I'll need to come up with something to address that - I think either gathering onto a strip of self fabric and turning under or a centre back seam.

However its paused for now until tomorrow evening when I will decide what to do.

Next up - Knot front top in black/white print

Next up - Knot front top in black/white print. This is going to be using Simplicity 4076 which is very popular on Pattern Review. I have made the wrapover top from this pattern but none of the other views.
I am planning to make both the knot front top and the gathered front scoop neck top.

On PR this pattern has 142 reviews and was one of the best patterns in 2008.

Jalie white and turquoise top

Here's the completed Jalie white and turquoise top.
The fit is quite good. I've put in a sleeve from a Butterick top as the Jalie sleeves are far too tight. This is a size V.
I've sewn it all with 1.5cm (5/8") seam allowances. Is that right? I could not find anything in the instructions to say otherwise.

Burda Trouser Jeans completed

The Burda Trouser Jeans with butterfly embroidered pockets and teal top stitching are completed.
The photos are here.

These use the same basic pattern as the previous wide leg trousers. I've used a lightweight denim (black and ivory weave) and added classic jeans back pockets (traced from some RTW) and embroidered with butterflies in shades of teal as well as some top stitching in teal.

I kept a faced waist (hand sewn underneath) and an invisible centre back zip for a more flattering line about the waist/tummy areas as the usual bulk jeans add here is not something I want :-)

Not entirely sure that someone with a large derriere (like me) should have bright turquoise butterfly pockets, but they make me happy.

Charcoal Cowl Neck top - finished

Charcoal Cowl Neck top - finished at the weekend. I've called it charcoal but its that colour which looks grey against some things and brown against others.....

Charcoal Cowl Neck top - part deux

I made up the Charcoal Cowl Neck top and it looked like the picture on the envelope - only bulkier.
Warm top which is off the shoulder, leaving your neck freezing - no thanks. Also a bit loose all over.
So I removed the shaped double layer collar, took the top in on the side seams, sleeves, and raglan shoulder seams, recut the front neckline to come lower and cut a new single layer classic cowl neck with a centre back seam.
I like it a lot more now, and will try a photo tomorrow.

Charcoal Cowl Neck top

I started a cowl neck top this evening for the SWAP.
It's from New Look 6534 - rated Easy, and it is :-)
Mine is made from charcoal textured knit.
I just need to attach the collar to the rest of the top and its late so decided to do that tomorrow, then neaten the serged ends and try on for tweaking the fit.

The textured knit is interesting - its an over all soft knit with elastane knitted into the back layer so the front has little cushions all over creating the texture.

I've been careful to serge all the exposed edges to catch in the ends of the elastane cords neatly.
Photo of the completed garment should be available tomorrow.

McCall's M5818 arrived today

McCall's M5818 arrived today. I really like everything in this pattern, though I bought it for the jacket.

Black trouser jeans

Have cut out the black trouser jeans - well the legs anyway, as the sewing room as eaten the facing pieces. I've sewn the darts, serged the edges ready..... but not sewn anything together yet.
Not sure if I want more embroidery in other places, and if so where. If I am going to embroider I reckon it'll be lowish down on one leg (knee to ankle), but maybe the jeans would be more wearable if I just stick to the pockets having embroidery and teal topstitching.

Wearing SWAP clothes

I've not finished my SWAP yet but lots of the clothes have migrated into the wardrobe and are being worn. Hopefully I won't have any accidents that mess the clothes up.

Today I am wearing the 3/4 sleeve print knit top. I think it might be a little long, but its very nice and I even got a compliment on it which always gives a buzz.

I stayed the same at weight watchers which is better than gaining I suppose but still not great.
Not done much sewing though so will go and cut out those black denim trouser jeans which are going to have the embroidered pockets.

Trying to felt wool

I found a piece of wool in a box when unpacking from my house move - bright teal in colour 150cm wide and 3.3m long.
I decided I'd like to felt the fabric a little to be more a coat weight rather than the medium weight it was. I sewed the ends together to stop it tangling and decided to use my standard front loading washing machine.
First up I put it in the washer on a delicate cycle but with the temp at 60 degrees Celsius. The cycle finished I took the wool out - it didn't seem a lot different, I hung it up to dry.
I decided it wasn't different enough, so later I put it back in the washer, this time on 70 degrees and on the cotton cycle, I also added a little bit of detergent for delicates.
This time it came out a bit wrinkled (the cotton spin I think) and did perhaps feel a little thicker (definitely softer).
It now measures exactly the same as it did before!! Which I guess makes it magic wool - or maybe washable wool?
I'm not quite sure what to do with it now, but at least I know whatever I make from it won't shrink in the wash!

Butterfly Embroideries

The embroideries came out really nice, and even better - exactly the same as each other.
I used different colours than they suggested, but marked the spools 1-5 as I used them, to make sure I used them in the same order the second time.

Here's a link to the machine - selling for under £400 pounds at the moment, though I think the very weak pound will mean that prices will be going up shortly.
http://www.jaycotts.co.uk/acatalog/Janome_200E___More_details.html

Here are the embroideries - now just need to decide on what garment to use them on. I am thinking about the Burda wide legs pants I already made several times, done in black denim with teal top stitching and the embroidered back pockets. I am probably too old to have embroideries anywhere else :-)