Banksia tops

This Megan Nielsen Banksia top pattern was a destash item I picked up for cheap on Instagram. My first was just a test run to see if it would work for my shape. I made it in a thin Ponte Roma I had lying about and I cheated and didn't make the buttons a functioning placket. I thought maybe the stretchy fabric would let it go over my head!

It totally worked! And was actually a big enough hole to not need the stretch.

So when we were having a nice spell of weather in May I made another to go with a long skirt (another from the Emily/Kerry destash!)

I didn't have enough fabric for the big collar so cut it down a bit. I really liked it for work, though. it's lovely and cool.

So I made another! This is Japanese Kokka lawn from an Instagram destash - it was beautiful to work with!

And the same destash had a lovely matching linen that I made into a Megan Nielsen Kelly skirt.

I was short on fabric (again!) but fancied contrasting pocket facings and knew this lucky cat linen blend from Dolores would be perfect. It inspired the red top stitching, too.

And another necessary design detail was adding a red button when I didn't have enough brown ones! I just Tim Gunn-ed it - "make it work!" *grins*

Here's the finished outfit. I had no brown tights but I kinda love the mad fishnets - they have been controversial as Spouse does not like them! #toobad

And, of course, after that success I made one more. I wanted one to go with a favourite Brumby skirt. I usually wear a thick cowl neck top with it but it's a fine Chambray and really needs a summery pairing. This lawn was a whole £8 from Ebay - I *just* squeezed it out of  a a single metre.

Cute, eh? Spouse wasn't convinced until I made it up - now he thinks it's really nice.

So, another bunch of remakes. It definitely pays to make a pattern more than once - it gets faster the more you do it! (did you notice my photos improving in this post? The earlier photos have been nicked from Instagram - I appear to have had a phone clear out and don't have a lot of the originals! Ooops.)

Tovas and Ondees

I love the Wiksten Tova pattern. I bought my first from Emily Levey last summer and promptly made my first in a horse print. Well they get worn to death (they're a great after-work staple) so an extra couple were in order. When I spotted an online shop closing in the spring I sprung into their sale and grabbed a couple of 2 metre lengths. To run up these chaps.

I thought I'd wear the blue one more but actually this pink and white one is my favourite. It's just so clean looking!

And then I spied this lovely floaty stuff in a shop. Hmm. A Tova? But it would need a collar - so I drafted my own!

I need to wear a vest underneath but I love the effect it gives!

And also in the spring I was needing new Ondee tops for work. Emily Levey (again!) was selling a bundle of skirts made by Kerry. Two were my very favourite fitted waist full style and once I shortened them I needed tops to match. Ondees are perfect for this and I went with long sleeves since it was still really cold!

And, of course, I'm only wearing one of Kerry's skirts on my photos! The middle and on the right are old faithful Megan Nielsen Brumbys.

I am quite enjoying sewing the same pattern a few times, not only does it lock in the method but you start to tweak things as you go along!

pink and grey clothes

Right. Let's see some garment sewing.

This is an incredibly comfy Victory Patterns "Lola" dress. It's made of sweatshirt fabric and is cosy and generally a wardrobe favourite. Although I did have to replace all the trim after my lovely woolen rib stretched massively in the wash!

Chook shocked the heck out of me when she asked for a pink (PINK!!) sweatshirt. This is a much loved Linden sweashirt pattern by Grainline.

Grey Ginger jeans by Closet Case files. These are a mixed success. They are meant to be mid rise but are blatantly hipsters. and I don't mean in a man-bun no-fat soy latte sense.

But they are incredibly comfortable in the stretch denim. I just need to wear a long muffin-top hiding shirt with them! Bringing me nicely to....

...my Deer and Doe Bruyere shirt. I was attempting a girlish flannel shirt and it sort of worked. But my pearl snaps wouldn't grip through all the layers of brushed cotton so I had to make a million button holes and scramble for enough buttons! I must replace them with something nicer.

So I think this was my January sewing. Early 2017 at least - it feels like ages ago now!

Last of the summer sewing

A last couple of summery clothing makes were needed before we went to the Canaries last month. First up was a Deer and Doe Bruyere shirt. This fits like a wee glove right out of the packet and is so flattering. I have plans for a black one to wear with jeans.  I also figured out how to use snaps so I didn't have to make a dozen button holes! *g*

And then we had a Grainline alder dress. I bought this fabric with a voucher won in the finish along in the spring but (as you can tell from my expression) I wasn't feeling the shape at all. It feels nice - it's Cotton and Steel double gauze - but I just didn't think it looked that great.

But I belted it on holiday and changed my mind, it's not bad for holidays being looser. 

And that one on the left is a Kielo wrap dress which I DO NOT LIKE. The fabric and the pattern and everything is just not right for me. You win some and you lose some, right? 

Yikes! Disappearing Lynz...

Oops! No posts since August?! Well that won't do at all so for my record keeping there may be daily posts for the next week to catch up! Let's do garment sewing today.

This is my first Renfrew top with the cowl. I love it to bits (I'm wearing it right now at work!) and it washes like a wee hanky. And is cosy! I have 5 full work outfits now - haven't had RTW on for weeks!

Another work wardrobe item - a Briar in a pretty stripe. It's a very slinky viscose knit and actually a bit TOO slinky, it clings and rucks up a bit. But it's good enough to wear and is great under a long boyfriend cardy. And my space invaders Arielle skirt gets lots of wear to work now! 

And lastly a groovy Linden sweatshirt for my Chook. Dontcha love it when they ask you to make them stuff? This ponte roma print is so her and she was complaining the other night that it's gone bobbly so I'll need to shave it. Shows it's getting worn though, eh? *g*

I will in all probability be back tomorrow with more sewing. or maybe knitting. I've been busy just not online much!

Blue Monday

When I started making clothes last summer  I kinda wasn't expecting it to take off for me like it has. And now I have so many clothes I can't possibly wear them all at the weekend. So what else to do but start wearing the appropriate ones to work, eh? So with that in mind I sewed my first for-work outfit.

It's a copy of my favourite Brumby skirt and Ondee top pairing. I love the high waist/crop top style.

The Ondee top is a lovely destashed pinstripe I bought from an Instagram friend.

And the flowery chambray came from the same lady. I had just enough to squeeze out the pockets and the orange zip already. Chook picked that!

Tah dah! So I need a couple of tops and I have 6 outfits for the autumn for work. Awesome!!

Garment deets:

Skirt 

Pattern: Megan Nielsen Brumby

Fabric: flowered chambray 

Size and changes made: small, as the pattern

Top

Pattern: Deer and Doe Ondee

Fabric: cotton blend (viscose?) knit

Size and changes made: 40, as the pattern

Black and white

As soon as I saw this Lecien canvas at The Village Haberdashery (in the sale section no less) I knew I was having it for a new Grainline Moss. The pocket linings and facings are a green hedgehog fabric that were a gift from my aunt in Australia,  the button is a vintage one out of my Grandma's button box.

And after the success of my last two Linden sweatshirts I channelled my inner Where's Wally into this fleecebacked affair.

And both together.

I'm not as convinced about this combo as the other two. The sweatshirt fleece doesn't drape like the Ponte but it is very cosy. I think once we're into winter with a pair of boots and a scarf I'll feel it more.

Garment deets

Skirt

Pattern: Grainline Moss

Fabric: Lecien First of Infinity canvas,  1m

Size and changes made: size 6 out the packet

Jumper

Pattern: Grainline Linden

Fabric: fleecebacked sweatshirt from EBay. Maybe half a metre of each?

Size and changes made: size 8 out the packet apart from the neckband which I cut 1 inch longer since the sweatshirt fabric isn't so stretchy.

Shopping and sewing

A couple of weeks ago an Instagram friend was having a big destash after having a clear out. She had lots of jersey knits and useful bits and bobs so I had to help her get rid of some, right? Right.

First up was a much needed pair of jammie bottoms.  My first pair for years that are long enough!! The white cotton with yellow and blue stripes are a great match for my favourite snuggly top and I accidentally have yarn for matching cosy socks!

And second up was a comfy pair of yoga pants in a navy Ponte roma. 

The other two lengths are a pretty flowered chambray and a striped cotton for a skirt and top combo. Bargain clothes! *g*

Garment deets:

Jammies

Pattern: Kwik Sew k3602

Fabric: cotton knit, maybe 2m

Size and changes made: I started with a size small but they were HUGE at the crotch. Like Hammer trousers round my knees.  (The pattern is for woven fabrics so thats maybe why) So I adapted them to match a favourite RTW pair I have.

Yoga pants

Pattern: the "if only they would nap" free pattern 

Fabric: navy Ponte roma

Size and changes made: as the pattern - perfect!

Kiss jumper

I made a variation of the Coco dress using this lipstick kisses Ponte Roma back here and had some of the fabric left.  So when I had a sewing itch that needed scratched last Sunday using up scraps seemed like a great plan! 

This is another Grainline Linden sweatshirt. For reasons of lack of fabric it has short sleeves and I used Grainline's own hack to add a split hem waistband.

Awesome! I love this pattern, it's cute and comfy and goes great with my Moss mini skirts - of which I have several!

And it was totally free since I had the fabric and pattern already. Even better!

Garment deets:

Pattern: Grainline Linden

Fabric: Ponte Roma from Ebay, maybe a half metre of each

Size and changes made: size 8 short sleeve adaptation

Holiday wardrobe

 I was thrilled to bits last summer holidays to wear handmade skirts 4 out of the 5 days I was away. Well this year I only wore a pair of jeans on 2 days that I hadn't made. My other jeans, skirts, tee shirts, tops, shirt, shrug, sweater and hoodie were all my own. Yaay!    

There was a full length mirror on the halfway landing of our cottage so getting a mirror self everyday was a breeze!  I mixed up a few outfits, too, wearing different tops and jeans/skirts than I have before. Lots of fun! 

My favourite newly found outfit was this one that I didn't actually wear on holiday! But I was still off work when Chook and I went Pokemon chasing on Sunday so I'm counting it. *g*

Did I show my Linden sweatshirt? I was convinced Spouse would hate it "why are you wearing an old lady's curtains?" but he keeps saying he loves it!! I do like it paired with this Moss mini - I have plans for another outfit but in black and red. 

Gotta go now, gotta catch 'em all! #pokemonmania

A hoodie

I'm off on holiday to North Yorkshire next week and really wanted a new hoodie to take. What a job I had finding one with any length in the shops (they all stop at your waist) without it being mumsy. So, I would just have to make my own, right? Well it's surprisingly difficult to find a zip up pattern and not an over-your-head one. But I came up trumps with the Halifax Hoodie from Hey June Patterns. Check this out.

Cool,  right? Keeps my hips and bum nice and warm. 

And the fabric was a bargaintastic £5 a metre from Girl Charlee! It's slight seconds, apparently, but I've yet to find any faults. It's a lovely soft sweatshirt jersey with a brushed cotton reverse side. The cotton jersey for the hood lining and zip binding was from them, too.

Speaking of zips I was so chuffed with how it came out - see how nice the bottom is? 

Here's the top of the zip with one of my Black Sheep Co labels. I took out 5 teeth at the top of the zip with pliers (as instructed in the excellent pattern) I think that makes all the difference to a neat finish. 

And my pattern matching of the stripes is not too bad. I deliberately left the bottom cuff with horizontal stripes to keep the longline illusion of the body but switched it up to make vertical ones on the sleeve cuff. 

It's a nice big hood, too! I didn't put in a cord since I didn't have any eyelets and didn't want to do buttonholes on the hood. I never use the cord anyway but I do like how it looks - maybe on the next one.

The pattern comes in 5 styles - this one, a pullover with hood and a pullover with cowl neck all with the same body style. And another two with an interesting twisted side seam and a high/low hem - one a cowl neck and one plain round. Definite, definite room for lots of playing!!

Garment deets:

Pattern: Hey June! Halifax Hoodie, view C

Fabric: striped fleece back sweatshirt from Girl Charlee,  2m. Floral cotton blend knit, half metre.

Size and changes made: size M, no changes

finding the perfect tee

I've discovered Fabworks.co.uk have a great selection of cotton knits for a fiver a metre. And they are great for trying out tee patterns to match my jeans. Awesome! 

I had to have the skulls, right? And this pattern is a new (to me) free one from Sewing Cake - The Tee, no 2224. 

I wasn't sure about the smaller neck hole but it works nicely, actually! And I like the cuff at the bottom. This pattern is half self-drafting. You join the dots to your measurements and decide your length yourself so its very customisable. I kept it short to sit on my jeans - it's a wee bit too short but I can fix that next time! It's a dolman sleeve, too (like a kimono) so no sleeve pieces. Yays! 

Speaking of kimonos, this one is a remake of my favourite Maria Denmark Kirtsen kimono. No changes, just right out the packet. The fabric is a viscose knit from the Village haberdashery.

I'm now wondering what it would be like with a hem band like the skulls. I have a length of swallow print cotton, that might be what happens with that. 

I also made this chap which is a MiY Brightside Shrug. I absolutely love it - it's such a handy piece to own.

Here it is worn at the weekend with my Morgan jeans and that striped tee above.

Yes, that is very much my style! So I think I'm pretty good for holiday clothes now. I might have found the perfect hoodie pattern after much searching and a grey and green striped fleece sweatshirt knit but that has to wait til next week for payday. I can sew one piece in ten days, right? Right. *nods* And my search for the perfect tee continues.

Garment deets:

skulls tee

Pattern: Sewing Cake The Tee no.2224 

Fabric: cotton knit from Fabworks, 1m

Size and changes made: size 36, 25 hem, no changes apart from construction - I added the neckband in the round because I like the finish better 

striped tee

Pattern: Maria Denmark Kirsten kimono tee

Fabric: viscose stripes from the Village Haberdashery, 1m

Size and changes made: size small, no changes

grey shrug

Pattern: MiY Brightside Shrug

Fabric: grey mark interlock knit from Ebay, 1m

Size and changes made: size , no changes