The Latter Six Months of 2016

Mid-year I shared a blog post with you all about the dressmaking progress (mostly!) I’d made since starting out in January. As it’s now the all but final day of December, I thought I’d document the last six months. 

The Bermuda Shorts

Remember these bad boys? Ironically, considering how long I worked on them, I completely forgot about them until I saw them in my clothes drawer the other day! I think it’s because I didn’t have chance to wear them before summer ended or my legs tanned (the latter never happened). So they were resigned to the drawer in preparedness for Summer 2017.

Still pretty proud of these. 🙂 

The Pintuck Betty Blouse

After the taxing nature of the shorts, I opted for a quick basic t-shirt in yellow floral chiffon. The pintucks down the front started out well but the distance between the rows did lengthen as I grew impatient. Would really have loved to have had a pintuck foot on my machine for this one! 

The pattern was so simple due to being only two pieces but the neckband was fiddly to put on as chiffon slides about so darn much! 

This is one of those ‘okay’ tops that has been, and will be, worn but it’s not one I’m particularly pleased with. It’s more of a slouching-around-the-house-in-summer type of make.

Dotty Chelsea Blouse

After the butterfly top I made in the earlier part of the year, this blouse is my most worn make. I love it! I recently got to proudly show it off to my Grandma as well, which was special. 

My only gripe is with the length – I should have lengthened the body as it’s only suitable for high-waisted skirts or trousers as it is.

Rushed Bike Sweatshirt

I was so desperate to sew after an enforced hiatus due to uni work that I scrapped together this sweatshirt rather than take on anything too long-winded. Strictly household only attire!

Er…

Emmbarassingly, that’s it for 6 months worth of dressmaking! :S I have not had the time to dedicate to my hobby as much as before so projects are much fewer and further between. 

I’m currently working (slowly) on a grey blazer, which is looking promising. I’m stoked to have a jacket that fits my bust and my waist at the same time!!

I fancy making up the dress from this pattern pack as well.

Aside from sewing projects, I have been crocheting more. I’ve recently completed two rugs, a pouffe and several baskets using t-shirt yarn. I’ve also been plodding on with my purple blanket occasionally and toyed around with different stitch techniques in mini projects.

On Yer Bike!

I finished my quick sweatshirt make with mixed results. Using a pattern from Burda Style magazine as guidance (but it was from their plus size section so too big for me if sewn accurately), I chopped some grey fabric with multiple black bikes all over it into two parts and measured out strips for the cuffs and collar band. 

I wanted a very loose fit in the body but tighter on the arms. I fancied a wide neck as I was going for the ‘Oh-just-shrug-it-on-after-exercising’ look (even though I don’t exercise that much!) so a slant to the side to expose a shoulder wouldn’t be a bad thing. 🙂

It’s no work of art but it was okay to make and I was impatient to finish it! 

I’ve blocked my face as I’m a bit under the weather so my skin does not look good. 

It’s quite cosy and the sleeves worked out well. The back comes down lower than the front which is perfect for if I’ve worn leggings to exercise as it covers one’s bottom! 

The fabric was stretchier than I’d thought so it wasn’t as easy to work with as I’d hoped but I got there in the end. I did lots of stitching  around the cuffs, hem and neckline to give it a proper sweatshirt finish. 

I guess it’ll do.

I don’t feel I can spend too much time on detailed projects at the moment because I always feel a guilt for not spending the time studying so quick projects are what I’m doing right now. However, I have got some lovely fabric (below) to start on my dress for a close friend’s wedding next summer so I might make a start on Christmas Day so it can progress as slowly as it needs to in order to be perfect. 

In other news, I made this basket the other evening using some of that fabulous Tek-Tek t-shirt yarn I mentioned before;

I seem to make a lot of circular crocheted things! It might be a Christmas present but for whom I know not. This only took a couple of hours to whip up quite leisurely during an evening whilst watching TV. It’s not easy to see in this photo but the gray has speckles of turquoise in it so it co-ordinates with the main yarn colour really well. 

That’s all for now, folks!

The Seamstress Tag – My Response

Okay, it feels a bit weird to use the term ‘seamstress’ in some kind of reference to myself as I’m only an amateur sewer but this is the title of the mini ‘about me’ quiz Hollie at Hollie Sews devised.

Who are you?

I’m Felicity, I’ve newly turned 29 and I live in the Midlands with my partner and adorable house bunnies, Millie and Rodney. I only started dressmaking in January 2016 so it’s been a whirlwind year in terms of learning with many highs and lows along the way!

Favourite/Proudest make?

I’m proudest of the strawberry blouse I made using a New Look 6732 (option E) pattern because I didn’t cut any corners with it, I used French seams throughout and it’s a piece of accurate sewing. Ironically though, I don’t wear it. The item I wear most and am pretty proud of is the Chelsea blouse from Love Sewing magazine.

Disastrous make?

Have you got all day?! Perhaps oddly, I don’t count my unfinished makes such as the Pink Tank dress or the self-drafted maxi skirt as failures as I’ve taken time away from them so as not to screw them up further and thus eventually get them finished the right way. So my most disastrous make was probably the first skirt I did (nicknamed the ‘Nun Skirt’ due to my poor choice of colour combo) or the second Kate dress because it was going so well and then I gouged a big hole in the neckline so it’s never been worn!

Favourite place for fabric shopping?

I have Generalised Anxiety Disorder so I rarely venture into fabric shops except big ones like John Lewis. Shopping in small businesses stresses me out, especially when the staff try to help by asking what you’re after. I always end up buying something I don’t want so I can leave. So I buy most stuff online. I like The Textile Centre, whom I discovered through eBay, as they have a wide range for amazing prices. I just bought 6 metres of navy fabric with grey flowers on for a dress for a friend’s wedding for only £17!

Most used pattern?

I don’t like to make things twice because I get bored of doing the same thing but I have made two Kate dresses, neither of which have ever made it outside the house! I probably will make another one at some point when I have a nice fabric as I really like the style.

Most dreaded sewing task?

Cutting out! It is soooooo tedious! Seriously, if I could buy patterns ready cut to my size then I would. I like the construction part of sewing, not the prep. I have to do it on my living room floor as it’s the largest space I have so I always have something interesting on TV to watch. And I do it in the evening so there’s no promise of being able to sew that day in an attempt to encourage myself not to rush it!

Favourite sewing task?

Ooo, I love putting in darts! Not sure why! And I quite enjoy putting sleeves on. There is also something rather wonderful about the thrill of putting a zip in correctly first time round!

Favourite sewing entertainment?

Usually film scores on repeat or musicals, but I did go through a Woman’s Hour (Radio 4) and The Archers phase! Tea is a must and chocolate doesn’t hurt either.

Printed or PDF patterns?

Never used a PDF pattern as I think it would make me crazy so I can only speak for printed. Burda Style magazine has beautiful designs but the tracing is a nightmare as it’s all crammed on to a couple of sheets of pattern paper so you find yourself feeling dizzy trying to follow the correct lines! Simple Sew ones are nice as they are, as the name suggests, simple.

What sewing machine do you use?

I inherited my fashion designer sister’s old machine, which had lain dormant for many years, so it’s a Husqvarna Viking 425. It’s ace but difficult to find parts for from more mainstream shops.

Any other hobbies?

Crochet is something my blog readers know I enjoy, and photography. I also enjoy baking, creative writing, horse-riding, reading, studying and volunteering with children and/or animals. I adore theatre and singing. I love eating out, visiting National Trust places and spending any kind of time with my partner, who is my rock.

I decided to have a Sewing Sunday this weekend as I’m seriously having withdrawal problems! I’ve kept it simple though- just a baggy sweatshirt which comprises of only 4 pieces. All will be revealed soon! 🙂