A little bit of pouf...

I don't have too much to say about this one (Vogue 8252)...just popping the photos here for pattern review. I'm not too happy about the collar...if you look at the close-up shot you can see that it doesn't fit too well. I was hoping for a softer collar that sat close to the neck. Part of the problem may be that it is a size too big, but I also think the band width is too wide and the collar design too upright. I think Vogue 8196 has a much better collar, executed beautifully on this gorgeous blouse, at Sew Tessuti

A no-kimono kimono bag

I was inspired by the bag made out of a kimono sleeve in a recent addition of Threads ... alas I did not have a kimono, let alone a kimono sleeve to spare. There is, however, a local store called "The Quilted Kimono" which sells Japanese crafting fabrics...perfect!

I was also able to purchase these lovely wooden handles, which were sadly the only ones in stock. I finished the bag off with a wooden button and my first ever tassle.

Now for the hard part...posting it away as a present.

Whilst I was there, I bought some other fabric to make a singlet-style grocery bag. This is the first time that I have purchased fabrics to make bags, rather than use left-overs, so it is probably the most expensive grocery bag in the world. I can see that bag-making could be quite addictive.


And lastly, here is a picture of one of my bags made out of left-overs...I love all the different textures and have been using this tote every day since I made it.

50's pockets

I have added some 50's inspired pockets to a pretty simple skirt pattern (Vogue 7937). This is actually the first time I have ever sewn ric-rac, but the pockets make me smile every time I see them, so you may see ric-rac popping up everywhere in the future.

Silk Mesh Knit

I bought a colourful silk mesh knit from EmmaOneSock on a whim, and wasn't quite sure what to do with it. It fitted in with the other fabrics I was working with and at first I was thinking of a cardigan style, then I saw this top in in Oilily catalogue, and rather liked it.


Now, I think I'm the only person left in Sewing Land that has not sewn a surplice top. I was going to alter my own pattern, but found Vogue 2987 on sale....a lined, sleeveless wrap top with gathers at the right side, designed for two-way stretch sheer knits. I thought it was my lucky day.
I made up a muslin in a red stretch fabric, shown in the photos below. (It is not lined, being a muslin). I didn't like it....my suspicions that surplice tops were not for the flat-chested held true, even with a few modifications to minimise gaping.

So then I dug out an Ottobre pattern for a cross-over top that I had used in the past. The cross-over is above the bust-line, so gaping is not an issue. I used this for the striped top shown below.




I modified the Ottobre pattern by omitting the sleeves and cutting both the front pieces the same length, because the fabric was quite sheer. I draped one side, to distract from horizontal lines around my middle.

I could not find a matching fabric to bind the edge. The striped fabric was too flimsy to use directly as a binding, so I folded it over and strtched it onto clear elastic to make a ruffled, elastic binding. This was difficult to sew, so I stabilised my sewing with strips of plastic bags which tore off easily after the binding was made. This is shown in the photo below.


Here is my original review of the Ottobre pattern.