Velvet t-shirt

I've been so busy with a large amount of 'un-fun' stuff that hasn't involved sewing that I'm only just now getting around to blogging a few more makes from the end of 2016 and the start of 2017. You'll see what I mean by the Christmas decorations in the photos! Oh well, I know you're here for the sewing, so that's good.

I bought 'Sew' magazine and got a free New Look pattern. Who doesn't like that?! So I thought I'd use it to make myself a velvet t-shirt/top. I also found some teal coloured stretch velour in John Lewis and bought some of that. It was my first time sewing velvet/velour but I didn't have much of a problem sewing this up. Then again, my walking foot is permanently attached to my sewing machine so that probably helped a lot. I didn't want machined hems so I hand stitched the sleeve and body hems.

Can you imagine using bias tape to finish the neck on this?! There lies insanity! I drafted some front and back neck facings and used some iron-on stretch jersey interfacing. And do you know what? It was absolutely fine and didn't show any flattening of the pile. Maybe that shows how resilient polyester is! I would not treat silk velvet in that way.

What I didn't do, and I put this down to my laziness so this is entirely my fault, I didn't do a full bust adjustment and I really should have. I used the overlocker for most of the seams and inserted the sleeves flat as I always do if it's humanly possible. I also used a clear crystal vintage button from my button tin at the back neck. However the neck is large enough, and the fabric has some stretch, so I can pull it over my head. That's just as well because the rouleau loop I successfully managed to turn inside out (using that strange wire-tool-with-a-hook-at-the-end) for the first time ever in my life, is too bulky to stay closed over the button. So I sewed the button loop almost closed.

Do I like this top? It's ok. I haven't worn it since these photos but it's been very cold here in Edinburgh so that's not a surprise. I also think I've gone off the fabric too. However, I will use this pattern again though, and make myself do an FBA. There is always space in my wardrobe for a good top pattern!  

A jazzy paisley patterned shirt and some black wool trousers

Yep, it's another one of those hi-lo hem shirts I made before and have washed and worn. Time to make another! The fabric is typically 'me'...loud with lots of colours and...look!..it's paisley pattern which I absolutely adore.

I bought this fabric from John Lewis in Oxford Street when we had out little holiday in London last November.I haven't seen it in the Edinburgh John Lewis so I'm glad I bought it when I saw it. I think there's a lot of viscose in it because although it's lovely and silky to the touch it crushes as soon as your head's turned. I can't even remember the cost per metre but I know I bought my default 2 metres. It takes that much to make a shirt for tall, long-armed me and I also wanted room for manoeuvre with pattern placement. This fabric was a fray-er to work with, though!

I used New Look 6374 and cut view A. I didn't change add any length to the body and I think I may just have added 1" to the sleeve length, I can't remember as I cut and sewed this up during the Christmas and New Year break. Yes, it's taken this long to get round to taking photos! Mind you, I've also had a stonker of a cold and bad cough which everyone seems to have had, so I haven't sewn a thing for 2 whole weeks. I must have been seriously ill!

The sleeves are supposed to roll up and button with a tab. I managed to sew one tab on the inside of the sleeve and the other tab on the outside of the sleeve. Numpty! The lurid pattern must have dazzled my eyes...that's my excuse! Anyway, I unpicked the 'wrong' one and haven't got round to unpicking the other one as I've now decided I won't be rolling these sleeves up. Lazy!

The other mistake I made was to use a woven fusible interfacing on the collar stand. That thing just isn't going anywhere! I used the same interfacing on the plackets but it doesn't seem too bad. Live and learn, people! It hasn't stopped me wearing the shirt though so that's fine. 

Right, I'm going to tag on a pair of black trousers I made recently to this post because...they're black and almost impossible to make them look interesting in photographs. The fabric was a lovely black stretch wool, probably crepe, that I bought in Mandors in Glasgow when we were there for a wee overnight stay in September. The pattern is rapidly becoming my favourite and has superseded my Ultimate trousers pattern. I love the wide yolk and can see I'll have to add some pockets to them in the future.

There's quite a lot of lycra in this fabric, so much so that I decided not to line them at all and pray the lycra would prevent bagging at the seat and knees. So far so good! 

See? How do you make black trousers interesting? I used the New Look 6035 pattern that I got free with Sew magazine last year and have used once before. I took ages to finish the hems. Isn't that always the way? They were hanging about on the dining room table for weeks on end until I had a tidy-up. Glad I did as I've washed and worn them a few times. Yes, I'm happy to wash wool and I prewashed this fabric before cutting. I always use the Wool cycle on the washing machine, a wool liquid soap and hang them up to dry, nope I don't dry them flat. It's survival of the fittest in my wardrobe! 

A simple top

Well, how is everyone today? If you're anywhere in Scotland I expect you'll be rusting by now as it's rained all day and been quite chilly. But....I've just started two weeks of annual leave so you know what that means....yes! expect lots more sewing posts. Here's a quick make I cut out last Monday. I also have another unclogged finished piece I need to blog. This week, I promise!

So, this is the third top I've made from a free pattern I got when I bought an issue of Sew magazine. It's New Look 6217 I've made here and here. It's probably worked better in a woven fabric than the jersey of the plain cream top! You never stop learning!

So, this fabric is one I bought on holiday in Portugal. There was about 1 metre and there's still a bit left. There would have been more if I hadn't made bias binding for the neckline but the finish is on the neckline is worth it. I think I'll need to wear a camisole underneath as the fabric is quite thin but that's fine. With the sun behind it, it would be too see through for my comfort and probably that of onlookers too!

So here's a close up of the neck. There's really not much to this top, front and back cut on the fold, self made binding on the neckline, sleeve and body hems turned up twice and machined. Nothing fancy here! But I like the colours and I'm sure it'll be a good wardrobe staple....if summer comes back at all *stares wistfully across the Firth of Forth*....