Sustainable Sewing and Knitting
Not much sewing this week apart from this quick little mug rug using some leftovers from my latest quilt.
I stitched the fabric straight onto wadding.
Quilted with wavy lines of stitching and trimmed.
Perfect for a mug of tea and a biscuit (sadly no biscuits for me)
According to WordPress I started writing this post 2 months ago! Not sure were the time has gone……….. work, decorating, holidays, days out and a bit of sewing, not much clothes sewing as I am losing weight so hope I will need a smaller size soon.
Anyway on with the sewing stuff when I saw this Sweater Knit fabric on Fabworks Online, I thought if would be perfect for the Oslo Cardigan from Seamworks.
I didn’t bother to the add the cuffs, as the sleeves were already very long, or any fastening .
It really is long on me, but in the winter with jeans I think it will be fine. Not put off I made another version in a lovely black sweater knit again from Fabworks. This time I cut about 8 inches off the bottom of the pattern, but then I am only 5’2″.
I am so impressed with this fabric it is very fine and super soft but doesn’t crease, these photos were taken after it had been shoved into my bag all day at work.
As you can see the black version is a lot shorter in length!
I did manage to make myself a cozy quilt for the chilly evenings ahead
The fabric is mostly from the Makower Juicy range, all half price bargains from Cotswold Needlecraft apart from the owls, polka dots and plain white cotton which were all in my stash. 
This is a disappearing four patch pattern which looks much more complicated than it really is.
I love the cute little owls!
Sew Simple Chelsea Collection pattern for a skirt, trousers and blouse came free with issue 29 of Love Sewing magazine, I liked the look V-neck line (without the collar) of the top.
The fabric requirements are very generous at 2.4m of 60″ wide fabric, why do we mix metric and imperial measurements in the UK?. I had nowhere near this amount of fabric, I have had this cotton lawn from John Lewis in my stash for a couple years, left over from Vintage Blouse Pattern blogged about in 2014! I had nowhere near this amount of fabric more like 1.5.
By folding the selvages to meet in the middle I was able to create two folds to place the pattern pieces on. If you used a different plain fabric for the bodice facing even less fabric would be needed.
I cut a size 14 grading out to a 16 at the side seams and added 2.5 cm to the length, I wouldn’t normally lengthen a top because I am only 5’2″ but the pattern is designed to be tucked in and it was advised to do this if you intend to wear it loose.
The pattern instructions are very brief, so I did my own thing, added edge stitching to the neckline, finished the bottom of the bodice facing with over edge stitch.
Using shirring elastic was new to me and I was surprised how easy it was and the instructions for doing this bit were simple but clear.
Although the instructions were brief it didn’t really bother me and I enjoyed sewing this blouse. Oh and just because I wanted to I added a bias binding hem!
Anyone else made this blouse?
Its 6.35 and my husband has just left for a 12 hour shift, I don’t work weekends so I have the whole day to myself! He kindly woke me up with a cup of tea, so now I am wide awake and planing my day, apart from visiting and shopping for my parents both in their 90’s I plan to get some sewing done. I have not blogged for a while, busy working and holidaying in Scotland for 2 weeks, but always sewing. While on holiday I got some more work done on my EPP Liberty scrap quilt.
Before we went I made a couple of T -shirts from the Maria Denmark Kirsten Kimono Tee pattern with different results, it’s a free PDF from Maria Denmark I manged to squeeze the pieces on to what was left from Simplicity 2369 by cutting it a little shorter than the pattern requires, as I am only 5’2″ I didn’t think it would be a problem.
I cut a medium on the neck and shoulders grading out to XL for the side seams. As with all Maria Denmark patterns the seam allowance has to be added to the pattern, but the instructions advise a 1 cm seam allowance, 2 cm on the sleeves and no seam allowance on the neckline, but of course I read these instructions after I had finished sewing it up!!
For the second one in a lovely soft jersey from Fabworks Online, I followed the instructions and the neck is a bit wider , I think I prefer the first version, has I have narrow shoulders it fits better.
Twin needle didn’t work so well this time and I resorted to a zig zag stitch around the neckline.
Oh and I also made the Dee and Doe Plantain T-shirt, another free pattern download, how I love a free pattern!!
I really like this one has it flares out over the hips, which is great for me and with the option of 3/4 and long sleeves this will be great for the cooler weather or in the UK anytime! Again fabric from Fabworks Online.
I will leave you with a picture of my hanging baskets just because they were on the camera and they are very pretty!!
Bye for now
I have enjoyed seeing all the MMM16 this month on blogs and IG and although nearly all my clothes are now me made I am far too lazy and camera shy to take photos every day.
During May I have been busy sewing up the linen I ordered from Fabworks Online, 2m of each.
New Look 6354 – View A
A quick make as I made 3 pairs last year so I knew they would fit ok. I finished the seams with the overedge stitch on the sewing machine and bias binding on the waistband seam and hem, just because I love making and using bias binding!
Next more trousers but this time Simplicity K1467 which was free in Sew magazine
Black linen trousers with pocket, I left off the pointless tie thingy.
Again more bias binding!
Maria Denmark Edith Dress/blouse pattern has been on my to do list for a while,there are lots of lovely versions all over the internet and I thought the Duck Egg blue linen would made a great dress version.
But first instead of making a toile/muslin I decided to make the blouse version first to test the sizing. So after the usual printing and sticking I cut out a size C40 on the neck and shoulders grading out to a size C44.
The fabric was bought from Abakhan in Chester while on a short break last year, sold as dress fabric by weight about £6 for around 3m, I also used this fabric for the lining of my Shawl collar jacket.
The kimono sleeves mean its a very fabric economic pattern needing only 1 m of fabric. Having made the blouse and being happy with the fit I cut out the dress version.
Finally found a use for nine of these button which were a gift and have been in my stash for a while.
Although the instructions advise that the armholes can be turned under and stitched I prefer the bias bound version, I also used bias binding on the hem.
This is a great pattern as long as you remember to add the seam allowance!!
I have also made two lined skirts from left over fabric this one with fabric from the Shawl collar jacket and a brown linen one from the trouser fabric, both Butterick B5466 my most used pattern.
May is my Birthday month and my husband bought me a lovely new shiny sewing machine. I managed to sew all 9 buttonholes on Ethel without any problems and without holding my breath.
My new order of fabric has arrived, lots of jersey and sweater knits again from Fabworks online, its a good job I live so far away from the bricks and mortar fabworks!
Happy Sewing
I had a yen for a causal summer jacket, something I could wear with jeans or a summer dress
I found this pattern in a book I have, the pattern is downloaded from the books website, all 61 pages of it!
Step 14 caused me some grief but eventually I managed to get it stitched together.
Originally the fabric was purchased to make a shirtdress, its Brushed Cotton from Fabworks Online.
The lining is left over from a yet to be blogged about Edith blouse and the sleeves with left over polyester lining.
The button is from my tin of old vintage buttons !
The only thing I am not happy about is that the lining of the pockets show slightly around the edges.
In other news I was lucky enough to go to a Liberty Remnant sale a couple of weeks ago at Alice Caroline’s Studio, a barn in the hamlet of Conderton on the edge of the Cotswolds, so very close to home.
I came away with this small haul.
So that should keep me busy for a while!
Two years ago I made my sister a quilt for a special Birthday (which I didn’t photograph or blog about) this year I made a matching cushion with the left over fabric.
I used what was left of the charm pack called Happy-go-Lucky, some left over fat quarters from the same range and plain white cotton.
I used a fusible fleece for the wadding and lined it with plain white cotton.
I
So that’s more stash busted!!
After success with Simplicity K2369 tunic view C here I though I would give the dress version a go, view B.
The fabric is a AVOCA Liberty jersey described as a 100% cotton light weight jersey print. bought online from Fabworks.
The dress went together without any problems, using the stretch stitch on the sewing machine.
I was able to use another buckle from my recent ebay purchase.
Twin needle stop stitching on the sleeve and hem.
I am really pleased with this dress, I think I am getting the hang of sewing with jersey, but looking at the fabric on these photos I think the pattern is upside down, oops!!
Have you ever sewn with Liberty Rossmore Needlecord? It is unlike any other needlecord I have used before, so fine, soft and silky, its feels beautiful and is so lovely to sew with. I have made a skirt with Isla Rose Liberty Kingly cord before which is lovely but firmer and not so silky.
Liberty describe Jack & Charlie as “a conversational pear print”!
Probably the most expensive fabric I have ever bought at£21.95 per metre, but with 20% off as a special offer at SewBox not so bad and as the fabric is 150cm wide and only needing 80cm for my favorite skirt pattern, I think its well worth it.
So once again out came my most used pattern Butterick 5466 but for the first time ever View B, which is the same but with a narrow waistband instead of facings and no waistband. A simple skirt with a invisible zip and navy lining.
Happy sewing!
Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to make my favorite and most made dress pattern, McCalls 6696 Shirtdress in a tartan fabric, with so many pieces to pattern match, cutaway pockets, yoke, bodice, wasitband, sleeves, cuffs, buttonband and gathers and darts to think about (or not in is case).
Nearly matched the pockets.
When cutting out I though a lot about matching the pattern across and down, but didn’t take into account the effect the gathers and darts would have on the back of the dress.
I cut the wasitband, yoke, buttonband and cuffs on the bias, mainly to save on the pattern matching!
I altered the sleeves by adding a simple cuff cut on the bias instead of the wing cuffs.
I feel I should have cut the pattern so the dominant black lines were centralised on the back and more equal on the front. I also had a problem with the gathers and darts on the back of the dress as the pattern disappears.Ah and the buttons, these grey ones were my original choice, but I have lost them, yep lost in the depths of sewing room so I gave up looking for them and used some from my button tin, I can’t remember where they came from!
Overall I am pleased with the finished dress in that I wanted a cosy winter tartan dress and that’s what I have but disappointed that I didn’t think it through more, but its a lesson learnt on the great sewing experience!
The fabric is a grey and turquoise polyviscose tartan fabric from Oh So Crafty.
And if you are interested in the difference between tartan and plaid……..
Plaid’s original definition is ‘as a woolen cloth having a checkered or tartan pattern’ It evolved to mean any such checkered or tartan pattern.Tartan’s first definition is a ‘woolen cloth woven in stripes of various colors at right angles to form a rectangular pattern; also, the pattern and design of such a cloth’.
So now you know!
the small sewing room 