Uptown / Downtown

Back at the end of last summer, I bought some lovely Isabella wool mix jersey in navy and black from Fabric Godmother (http://www.fabricgodmother.co.uk).  The idea was to make a dress similar to this one from Hot Patterns - but as usual I wanted to make a few alterations just to make my sewing life easier!   I hesitated for ages before cutting out as I was worried the fabric would be too clingy so I made a couple of t shirts first to see how it would wash and wear.

 

I've already made the Uptown / Downtown dress in sweatshirting.  It's a really warm, comfy dress but didn't turn out anything like the images above.  There is virtually no gathering around the elastic waist as the fabric is too thick and I really hated how the band sat around the bottom so ended up removing it completely.    Despite checking the sleeve length first, they were too short (not that I have monkey arms) and the cuffs didn't cover my wrists.  The only option at that stage was to double the length of the cuff band, which actually looks quite nice but...

It's an easy pattern for beginners especially if you watch the YouTube videos first to see how to make the neck and wrist bands.   The "quartering" technique of dividing the neck and band into quarters (or even 8th or 16ths) made it much easier to attach and I've used this method on other knits since.

Anyway for the latest effort, I decided to remove the elastic and the seam at the waist and flare out the skirt to more of a skater style. 

Having cut the pattern pieces out during the Christmas holidays, I finally got round to finishing the dress a few days ago and I'm quite pleased with the result.   I'm a bit of a novice jersey sewer but it's not as difficult as it first seems as long as you use the right needles.   I overlocked all the seams as I went along (I like my sewing to look good on the inside too) and used a twin needle to sew around the neck band and the hem.   This is a  really nice neck line and sits well once ironed.  

(I know the photos aren't very good.  I'm going to have to butter up my husband to take future ones as my 14 year old son wasn't very enthusiastic about being my official blog photographer!)

In the end I think this dress will be a bit of a warmer, Spring weather one as the fabric is not that thick but I do like how it looks with opaque tights.  It will also be one to wear on "thin" days as it clings to every lump and bump!

Saint Valentin

I've never really liked Valentine's day.  The day everyone felt slightly sorry for you because you didn't get any cards or bouquets delivered to work (even after you were married because you'd forbidden your husband to waste money on flowers that cost soooo much more than any other time of the year!). Too much pressure to be romantic on one day. What about the rest of the year?


Having said all that, yesterday I did prepare a little something for the four men in my life...

This was (most of it has gone already) based on a Paul Hollywood recipe for a Couronne with mincemeat and marzipan that I'd made at Christmas.  My boys loved it and have been begging me to make another one ever since.  I just made it more heart shaped, coloured the icing red and used almonds in stead of pistachios. 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/pauls_mincemeat_and_33176

My Granny always said the way to a man's heart was through his stomach and it is certainly true with mine.

Where does the General keep his armies?...

Why up his sleevies of course!   

Unfortunately I suffer from the cold and the South of France is not as warm in winter as you might think.   We get colder temperatures than I remember in London and certainly more frost and snow than where I grew up in Cornwall.  The difference here is that we don't get days on end of drizzly rain and grey skies .. even in February we get beautiful clear blue ....

My problem though is cold hands and feet.  My feet I can keep warm in a pair of sheepskin slippers but it's difficult to sew with mittens on!  In fact the worst thing is cold wrists and fashion seems to favour 3/4 length sleeves or ones that are just not quite long enough for me.   So when I'm making a shirt or t-shirt I always lengthen the sleeves a little bit.  

Last week I was still cold even though I was wearing a wool dress and wool cardigan and it was because the sleeves just weren't hugging my wrists enough.  And then I had a brain wave... socks!  I'd recently seen The Selfish Seamstress cut the feet off some socks to attach what was left to the top of a pair of gloves to make long gloves and thought why not do the same but make them into arm warmers.

So this is the result...  

First of all find an old pair of knee length socks.  These are old "flight" socks which have a slightly more elasticated bit just around the ankle...

Cut just off the foot part at heel line (marked in red) ...

Turn under a small hem and sew using a zig-zag stitch to allow some stretch...

And there you you go.. nice warm arms and wrists... 

 

Of course you don't have to use old socks but I was just about to throw this pair away.

 

 

The Great British Sewing Bee

 

So last night was the first episode of Season 3 of the Great British Sewing Bee.   This is the one programme that I will not miss, the one that I tell my three boys  they are not allowed to talk through, the one that I make them miss the end of Top Gear so that I can watch it from the very start.

Thankfully I live in France otherwise I'm sure my friends and family would have entered me by now.   And I really don't think I could do it.   Yes, I could make the clothes but not in the time frame and not with Patrick looking over my shoulder. 





It's really nice to see so many men in this years competition and I think you can tell that they have been sewing for some time.   I loved the pink cotton trousers Neil made - beautifully finished.  Whilst I wasn't quite so keen on the shape of his summer dress (those cutout bits!!), it was obviously very well made and a great fit.  He's one to watch.

 Lorna's dress looked lovely on her model but I really liked the shape and style of Deborah's  - I might have to copy this for this summer!

Sew bee it...

Well, I'm taking the plunge.   I've been toying with the idea of starting a sewing blog for a while.  Not that I'm an avid blog reader.  There are one or two that I look at occasionally to see what beautiful things other people are making or for hints and tips but that's about it. 

However, I love the idea of sharing my sewing projects and getting helpful feedback.  Whilst it's always flattering to hear "wow you made that!" only other people who sew really understand how much work goes into each piece. 

I've been sewing for ages (since I was about 6 or 7 years old) and have made everything from cushion covers to wedding dresses.  I once even made a new PVC cover for the gear stick of my old VW Passat.   I can't imagine life with out a sewing project but I still think my creations look "homemade" rather than handmade. 

I  drive my husband crazy as I spend half my time unpicking. I'm a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to stitching so would rather do it three times to get it right than leave a wonky line of stitches.  I'm also ever so slightly selfish as I mostly make clothes for me.   Occasionally I'll run something up for a friend or I'll make some alterations for them but I'll rarely make them an outfit from scratch.

I love starting with a flat piece of fabric and turning it into a new outfit.  It means I've never turned up at a party wearing the same dress as someone else but also that I have way too many clothes (or perhaps just not enough storage space).....