working ,stitching & knitting..

Blimey, where did that week go?

One blink and its gone. Works been pretty busy and of course we are now back to the usual traffic jams during commute times. I am so looking forward to being back in a base in the city where I can get uses in and out. What a luxury that will be.

Nothing exciting has happened this week, just the usual Monday to Friday routines, nothing that you'd be interested in reading about. I did manage to get a knit project finished this week, remember the yarn I hand dyed 

well its finally been knit into a cowl to wear with my denim dress, I love it.

 Terrible light/pic sorry.

My goal this weekend is to finish the Lundy sweater, I am almost done on the last sleeve so should easily get it done. As long as I don't get distracted by this

I dug out the sewing machine this morning, I've not used it for months and really want to try and develop my skills this year. I have a box of fabrics that are just itching to get transformed into garments. I'm please to say it worked perfectly !

This is the first thing I want to get done

Love this fabric, bought it at the Craft4crafters event I went to last year. I want 2018 to be the year I wear colour ! I really admire Sonja over at 100 acts of sewing, she is inspiring me to be brave enough to wear my own hand made colourful clothes ! Ivyarch has also made some fabulous clothes, go check out her blog. But first I need to make some !

Those of you that have been reading the blog  for a while will know that I have been tinkering with making clothes over the past few years but have always been conscious about what others think, due to my body size and being a novice sewer. Well no more !! 2018 is the year I finally do it. When it happens I will even put a pic up on the blog !

So this morning I grabbed the bits of fabric I had cut to try this pattern out. Cheap as chips cotton, not necessarily to wear but more to play around with the pattern so its fits my shape. 

Well I did it. I managed to alter the pattern enough to get a good fit first time out ! go me.

I removed the bust darts as they really don't suit my body shape, altered the neckline as didn't want that dip thingy and couldn't be bothered to faff about with trying to sew pretty matching ribbon on it. Here is the finished top. 

Its actually a very bright lime green !

 Its a stiff fabric, I  really should have washed it first. 

I haven't done the hem.

Things that didn't go so well were setting in the sleeves, I pulled up a 'sew over it ' tutorial which was really good , but as I had decided against the bust darts my cutting was a bit out. I also didn't manage that nice loose stitch gather before setting in the sleeves, a washed softer fabric would have helped. But I did it. However it does look like I have put pleats in and I really don't like puffy sleeves !  Then, when I went to try it on, I realised that I have stitched up part of the arm to the seem, not much but its obvious, went to get my stitch ripper and its broke, so have left it as is until I can unpick it. I will do the hem then as not sure quite how long I want it, this will be a house top as I really don't like the fabric . No idea why I bought it to be honest, must have had something in mind for it.

Now that I have made the first draft top, I am undecided about putting in the dip front thingy, without that shape the neckline is quite high, which I like, but the tye dye fabric lends itself to the dip cut out I think. Especially if worn in a relaxed way with jeans.The sleeves are bell shaped, so need to get the fabric washed first as the shape does not lend itself to stiffer fabrics. If it doesn't soften up with washing I think I will save it for something else. 

I am feeling quite pleased with myself I must say. I just need to remember to take my time and remember to do the prep before I get carried away with sewing it up.

 I  have this lined up for a bigger project but want to feel a bit more confident before I try it. 

The Farrow Dress by grainline studios.

pic from grainline studios

i'ts an advanced beginners pattern, but that whole diagonal seam with pockets scares me. there's some great dresses made from this pattern though. It is definitely a make for 2018.