Ella Shawl

Before this blog was a mostly sewing blog, it was a mostly knitting blog. I used to knit all the time. Really all the time. Until, suddenly, somehow, I was sewing all the time instead, and only picking up my knitting needles on the odd occasion (I mean about twice a year!)

My old knitting basket sits in the corner of the sitting room still, next to the logs. It's full of unfinished things. There is one thing I pick up from time to time, and that is a one-sixth finished olive green lace shawl. It has been on those needles at least a year and a half. It gathers dust mostly.

 The other day I actually had a bit of a rummage in the basket and brought out a shawl I had honestly completely forgotten knitting (I still only remember choosing the yarn - it was years ago...I really don't remember knitting the shawl at all). The poor thing was fully complete, except for all the ends I hadn't sewn in. I still can't believe I had gone to all the effort of knitting something like this, only to leave it festering away somewhere just because I really am far too lazy to sew in a few ends.

Sewing in the ends took no longer than ten minutes. I am ashamed of myself.

Anyway, I gave the shawl a really brutal "stretch and steam" today instead of blocking it properly (I am too lazy), and the stitches opened out beautifully, and instead of being a seething, bobbly mass, the shawl is now at least three times its starting size, and the drape is wonderful.  I will find this useful on summer nights outside, when the air turns cool.

 Now I just have to finish the Kidsilk Haze Navy Cardigan I started, and all the socks, too. Oh, and the olive shawl. Thanks, Sarah, for reminding me how much I used to enjoy my knitting!  I am going to take it up again in the evenings (I don't sew in the evenings).

I just picked up the shawl on a whim this morning and, as I hadn't planned to do this today, I just took photos in what I was already wearing.  Look!  I'm wearing my Vintage Vogue V2859!  Fab shirt - great with jeans.

Pattern: Ella
Yarn: Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sport something or other (sorry, too long ago)

Sewing:
 (The skirt with the big pockets was coming along nicely, by the way, until this week, when it stopped, as I had to spend the whole week doing our company invoicing, and it took up all my time. Back on the skirt soon).

McCalls M6083

Thinking this "playsuit" was a bit of gamble (due to the trouser bit of it - though hardly fitted - and also because I thought I might look totally mutton - as in old, not deaf*/** - in a playsuit), I made up a muslin first.  No need to have worried!  This is a fab little pattern, which I first saw at The Mahogany Stylist (I really like so much of her stuff).  From cutting out the pattern to actually taking the photos took an afternoon.  It does say this pattern is suitable for beginners on the envelope, and I can see why...it was lovely and straightforward to make.  And the trouser bit is perfect.  And I don't think you have to be a whippersnapper to wear it.  Made in a suitable fabric, it's quite dignified (but then, who cares...?)

Others have said that the bodice comes up way short on this pattern.  Boy, were they right!  My catch-phrase seems to be "I'm only 5ft 2", and now I find myself saying it again: I am only 5ft 2, yet I had to add a centimetre to the bodice length.  I could have added more but if I had the usual bodice length for me, the crossover front would gape too much (usually I shorten the bodice on patterns, though).  That has to be kept in mind.  As it is, I can just about squeeze this on over my shoulders (from the bottom, up...you step into it of course).  The shorts are pretty short, too.  I didn't make them any shorter than the pattern suggested (and I'm only 5ft 2, as you know!  Hehe!)

I really do think this pattern would suit lots of people.  I would really like to make this up again, but in a longer version I could wear all year round.  Mid-calf length, perhaps.  I would make it in a floatier cotton maybe.  The cotton I used for this version is a thicker cotton than my beloved Liberty lawn.  I had this in my stash for years and I'm so glad I found the perfect pattern for it.

Roll on warmer weather!

*Mutt'n'Jeff means "deaf" in cockney rhyming slang
** Funny thing is, I do have hearing aids in both ears, as I only have 20% of what I should have in some tones.

By the way, the large-pocketed dress is postponed for a few days, as I realised I wanted muslin for the lining, and black interfacing, so I had to order them online.

Breaking the Rules

Thank you to (again) Catherine Daze and Just Skirts and Dresses for awarding me the Leibster Blog award.  These are two of my absolute favourite blogs (and you will understand why) and so I have been very flattered that I should have been chosen by them.  Catherine, I'm sorry it's taken me so long to get around to this.

The rules say that I have to mention the award and link back to the blogger that gave it to me, then award it to five other blogs.  I'm finding it impossible to choose, and at least two of the blogs I would have chosen actually passed it on to me anyway.  So I'm going to break the rules, thank the two blogs that gave me the award and leave it there as I just can't decide on a list.  It's too much for my frazzled brain.  A cop out I know, but it would cause me lack of sleep for weeks and then I would lose my appetite and then end up too skinny to fit in to any of my lovely home-made clothes (as if).  As you can see, it's impossible.

This weekend I have cut out the fabric for my latest project.  Uncharacteristically it's in plain black lawn.  It has huge pockets.  So huge I have posted a pic, above.  Yes, that is the pocket. 
I am about to cook a roast dinner, it being a very rainy bank holiday where I am, so unfortunately the sewing has stopped for now.  Will be back with an update soon.

I hope you all had a good weekend.

M5661 and Beignet Skirt

I have said I'll post pics of certain garments being worn, and I haven't got around to it until now.

Here are my Colette Beignet skirt, made in stretch cotton drill, and my M5661, made in a crisp silk.

These are two of my favourite home-made garments and I wear them a lot. They both wash and iron well, and are comfortable to wear. I will certainly make a navy drill Beignet in the future. The Beignet really surprised me. I didn't think it was my sort of style but I was wrong. Just goes to show we should sometimes take a risk (small though it was!)

McCalls M6433

Firstly, apologies for the dog's bottom. Funny the things we sometimes don't notice in photos until later.

This dress is McCalls M6433, which I made in a very crisp batik type cotton. Description: Fitted, lined bodice, front and back darts, stitched shoulder pleats, back zipper and self lined cap sleeve. Obviously mine doesn't have the cap sleeve.


I made up a muslin first and found that the back definitely had some excess fabric, horizontally. I thought I could fix it by shortening the bodice by about a centimetre, as I have made this alteration on dress patterns before (seems to make sense, as I'm classed as petite in height, being only 5ft 2). However, although this worked in straightening out the back somewhat, it in fact brought the waistline up too high (and this is the final version I am talking about). I'm wondering if the fabric should have been pinched out higher in the back, and then the trunk area lengthened to stop the waist from rising too high. Aargh. I'm a bit frustrated about it. Also, the dress is too tight on the hip area, and across the tummy. But a bit looser in the waist. So much for making a muslin! I think something was lost in translation there...I would like to make this one again but next time I will be more careful at the fitting stage.

The pleats, which are sewn flat into place for a few inches from the waist down to the hip, were lovely to do in this crisp fabric. However, I did feel that it would be a devil to press the remaining length of the skirt pleats without any crease lines as guides after washing, and would be a bit hit and miss, so I sewed the creases along each pleat back and front, very close to the edges, whilst keeping the pleats free still. I think this will help.


For the lining I used a very fine and floaty silk. I think it works nicely with the dark blue fabric. And it feels great!

This dress was a real pleasure to make. I might make it again in the knit version they show on the packet.

McCalls M6436

I made this shirt, which is version D of McCalls M6436, a couple of weeks ago but just haven't made the time to post about it.

It's made in Liberty Tana Lawn, Pamela Judith, in the brown colourway. I love it.

I chose wooden buttons, which I'm really pleased with, and I've worn it a few times now and it feels great to wear. Liberty lawn is so light and airy and very well suited to shirts and blouses.

The fit on this is quite relaxed; it's not terribly fitted. Having said that, it still looks fitted enough when it's tucked in. Good grief, it's long, though! I know I'm only 5ft 2 but this is almost a dress on me. I think I may shorten the next, sleeveless, version I make.

I've discovered I really like making shirts. I liked using the sew-in interfacing, and I enjoyed all the slipstitching by hand, on the collar, cuffs and button bands. Also, I've found I like making buttonholes and even sewing on buttons. I find this hand finishing very satisfying (though I do the buttonholes by machine - I'm not completely insane). I french seamed the whole thing, except for the armhole seams, which I "overlocked" on my sewing machine.

Next I will make a short sleeved, pocketed version in the blue colourway. And I want to make a more fitted shirt after that, possibly Vogue 8772, which I already have the pattern for.

I have made a dress over the weekend, and it just needs hemming and I want to topstitch through the shell and lining around the armholes, by hand. I'll post it in the next few days, hopefully.

Colette Beignet Skirt

Well, my back recovered very quickly, as it happens, but I've had little time to sew. However, that didn't stop me from making my Beignet Skirt little by little in the evenings last week. It's surprising what can be achieved in just 30 mins or so every day.

This version was only ever meant to be a muslin, and not a wearable one. I had planned only to fit the shell of the skirt and "waste" this fabric in the process because I had thought the fabric to be unwearable itself. It's a stretch cotton drill and when I washed it (originally for a pair of Clover trousers, but that's another story altogether) no matter what I did to it I couldn't remove the creases made in the washing process. I even tried washing it again on a slower spin, ironing it almost wet...but nothing worked. Once I started making up the skirt, I was delighted to find that although the fabric wasn't behaving any better, it didn't show enough to be detrimental to the appearance of the garment, so I quickly fished out a remnant of Kaffe Fassett cotton and some really terrible, stiff lining that I had nearly thrown away a couple of years ago (after washing, the lining was much softer, though it frayed like a devil).

This pattern is made for a much more curvy, pear shaped individual than me. Therefore, although the size 4 waist fitted just right, the hips and bottom were HUGE on me. I took some of the excess out but there is still a lot of room in the hip area.

I really enjoyed putting this one together; I enjoyed attaching the shiny lining to the crisp, matt cotton and the curve where they join at the front (inside). I enjoyed making the little belt loops (though my drill fabric was so think I had to make my loops up in a totally different way to the pattern) and I even enjoyed making all the buttonholes. I must say, I think I got more satisfaction in making this skirt than I ever have in my sewing before! I keep looking at it and thinking "brilliant". I just love how everything came together so nicely, even though there were so many opportunities for things to go wrong, with three different fabric types and all those buttons, and the loops.

Things I have learnt and could really improve upon next time (I have already bought some navy drill - no stretch, and washes MUCH better - red lining and navy polka dot cotton for the facings):

Next time I will make sure the thread I use for understitching the facings matches the facings and not the shell. On the inside, the stitching really shows.

I don't think I can face ever using fabric covered buttons ever ever again. It took me and hour and a half to cover my metal buttons with such thick drill, even though I have the little "instrument" required. Honestly, the palm of my left hand was purple the following day, from pressing so hard. And I ruined about seven buttons by denting the metal.

I learnt to do blind herringbone stitch for the hem. It can't be seen at all from the inside, as it all happens within the hem. On the outside I still have lots of tiny puckers where I picked up threads from the outer. I found Sherry's advice so helpful - I just need more practise (or maybe stretch drill is tricky to do an invisible hem on). My stitches look beautiful anyway, if you pull the hem down and take a look!

Will I wear this skirt? You bet. I love it! (Will take pics of the skirt being worn when I get more time).

To finish off, here is yet another V2091 (it's one of the five versions I have made, and I must also say...please don't think I only ever wear these socks! I do have plenty of other types!):

Vogue V8184

I haven't sewn anything since the last time I posted, as I have hurt my lower back (a recurring problem) and cutting out fabric on the floor definitely makes it worse, as I have found in the past. It's frustrating as I have so, so many things I want to make and I can't. Well, I could, but then I would pay for it later!

So, I thought I would post a couple of dresses I made some time ago. I had already posted about this pattern, with different fabric, but it was almost two years ago (gosh) and I think I deleted the photo from my blog by accident.

I really wouldn't have thought I was a strapless-dress sort of person, finding them a bit twee and "alice-band-ish" in the main. However, I changed my mind for this dress. And it helps to style it in an unexpected way. For instance I would never ever wear this type of girly dress with heels (not unless it was boots). I would rather wear clumpy clogs or something to give it a bit more edge and balance the look a bit.

It's a lovely dress to make up; I found it very easy and enjoyable (that must be why I have so far made three of them). The bodice is self-lined and boned, but the skirt is unlined. The cotton I used is quite a thick one (Amy Butler) so, with the self lining and the boning, it could stand up on its own. I like it having some structure. It doesn't wrinkle but it still feels very comfortable to wear. In fact, I wore a version of this dress (in one size bigger) on the beach and found it practical and comfortable, even playing ball and running about in general.

I also sewed it up in denim, but a ridiculously thick denim. Seriously, the great all-knowing Universal Consciousness only knows what was at work in my brain when I chose this fabric. It's far too thick. As a result I have never been able to wear the dress, as it's turned out smaller than it should, and I can hardly breathe when it's on. Shame, as I really like it. The lining has sentimental value: it came from a huge pair of pyjamas I wore in hospital after I gave birth to Charles. One day I will fit into this dress. But then all the others will be too big. Hmmm.

I do like these dresses so much but I think it's because the skirt is straight. I'm not sure I would like the pattern so much with the full skirt. I did buy some black and white gingham and some stiff interfacing to make a sort of fifties style version but I think I went off the idea.

I'm waiting for some blue drill to arrive, for a Beignet skirt. That could be my next project. Or it might be V1236 in a black, slightly twinkly fabric.

I got the book Patternmaking For a Perfect Fit by Steffani Lincecum and I'd like to try the rub-off technique on a fave simple top to start off with. Again, it's having the time.

I am still trying to come up with enough names for the Leibster Award but only have two so far, as most of the blogs I read already have more than two-hundred followers.

Vogue V1228 and My Fifth V2091!

Thanks very much indeed to the most wonderfully stylish Catherine for nominating my blog for the Liebster Blog Award. I would never have anticipated that, and I appreciate it. I will try to come up with five nominations of my own in the next few days.

Though it is much milder outside today, it was still jolly chilly taking photos without sleeves, hence the frozen expression on my face.

As you know, I really like V2091 a LOT and I now have five of them. This one is a yellow, grey and green lycra something-or-other. It's relatively thick, and very soft and warm. The look of this fabric takes me way out of my comfort zone. I forced myself to buy it. Weirdly, I like it, so it does pay to take a risk sometimes.

Vena Cava V1228

Somehow I haven't posted for about three weeks. I don't know how it happens! We had the school half-term hols last week, and so far this whole week has been spent doing some (boring) accounts for our company, but that's finished now, so back to sewing. Actually I have made a couple of dresses in the last few weeks, and have another couple of things planned and strewn across various tables, making the place look even more untidy than usual.

One of the dresses I finished was Vena Cava V1228. I wasn't sure the shape would suit me, as I'm short and tend to look swamped and shapeless in clothes that aren't very shaped themselves. This time I made a muslin and I quite liked it so I went ahead with the dress, and cut it out in a lovely Liberty Tana Lawn I have, called Chilterns. It has a special place in my heart as the village we live in is in the Chilterns (not right in them, but you can see them from the window!) I didn't want to ruin the fabric so I was playing safe (talking about wasting fabric...I've decided I actually detest the red dress in my last post and every time I see it hanging in my wardrobe I feel hatred towards it - what a waste of a lovely fabric that could have made a wonderful, summery shirt).

I really did enjoy making this dress up; it was very straightforward. It has kimono sleeves, so no sleeves to sew on (apart from the cuffs, but that is okay). There is a horizontal pleat at the front just below the square neckline, and one in the middle of the upper back. There is a concealed zip in one side. I had never put in a concealed zip before, but it was easy with the concealed-zip foot, though fiddly at the top and bottom of the zip. I hand sewed the top and bottom in...I don't know if this is the usual thing to do but I couldn't see how one would manage to take the zipper foot either all the way up or all the way down.

All the seams are french seams, except where the cuff is attached, but that is folded back on itself, to cover the unfinished seam, and slip-stitched in place (and then turned up again).
I did make a change to the sleeves, of which I'm quite proud, as I'm usually not very innovative with my sewing and tend to just follow the pattern without even considering I could ever do anything differently. In the case of the dress one is supposed to actually sew the loose end of the shoulder tab permanently at the seam where the cuff is attached (after hooking it over the sleeve fabric) but I thought it would be crazy for future laundering, as what you would have is a long sleeve, which is supposed to be turned up at the end (and the turn up is not sewn into place ) and then the whole thing ruched under the shoulder tab. There would be no way you could ever iron it properly, or dry it properly. Instead, I sewed a popper on to the end of the tab, and the inside of the cuff seam and now I can easily undo the whole thing for laundering, and no one would ever suspect!

I see that some have said the neckline is too low on the dress, and that it's difficult to find a bra that doesn't show at the corners of the neck. I found that a balcony type bra solves this problem for me. I don't have a large bust - maybe that makes a difference.

I really really like this dress a lot and just can't wait for the warmer weather in which to wear it. If it wasn't such a distinctive shape I'd make another.

Roll on spring!

(sorry the photos aren't too good. I will try to do some better shots tomorrow).