New top

It's been a while since I've had the time to make something for myself, but over the Christmas holidays I set out to do just that. Fabric is a light blue cotton gauze, and I used
Butterick's B4684, with some slight modifications with the sleeves.

New Skirt: New Look 6981

Finally got around to making a skirt from this pattern, New Look 6981, from which I had already made a top. It was very quick and easy to make. The only change I made was that the instructions called for a lapped zipper but I did an invisible one instead.

Productive week-end

For some reason I haven't been feeling very creative lately and it's been a month or so since I've sewn anything. Over the week-end I decided to work on some UFOs and get started on new projects. I was able to finish two skirts and cut out patterns for two new tops for spring.

This skirt used to be a strapless sundress I found in a second-hand shop some time last year, but I didn't like the top, so I cut it off then re-positioned the waistband and zipper:



This skirt was one of those long prairie-type dresses and was too long, so I simply shortened it and added an elastic waistband:



Feels good to get those done! Now I'm working on two spring tops which I'm hoping to finish before I leave for vacation in three weeks.

Tunic

I finished this tunic over the Christmas holidays, it's tunic A from the Japanese pattern book "Stylish Dress Book." What should have been a very easy project wasn't: I failed to notice that the pattern called for a gathered neckline, which I hate, so it ended up being too big. I opted to put in darts instead, and it turned out OK. Also, I used a size too big and had to take it in a lot, but I had already made the side slits (a variation on the pattern). I'm still not 100% happy with it and may go back and fix the side seams.



For the top stitch I used a metallic thread and had a lot of problems with the thread breaking. I've used metallic thread before without problem so I'm not sure what the difference was this time. After some research I discovered that a special needle should be used, so I had to go out and buy new needles... but now I know.

New top

This is tunic "E" from the Japanese pattern book "Stylish Dress Book". For some reason, I had a terrible time with this top - I had to re-do one of the sleeves, and although I was as careful as I could be lining up the pin tucks along the front, they aren't quite even at the outer ends, even though it is centered. What I discovered is that my body is not symmetrical, I have one shoulder higher than the other and it also protrudes more forward than the other, which means that my clothes always seem a bit crooked. It was more obvious with this top because of the pin tucks. I don't even know how to adjust for this.


As much as I love pockets, I didn't add them to this top because I felt it would have added too much bulk with this fabric, which is another batik called "Elementals: Lots of Dots" by Lunn Studios. I also shortened the length, and opted to add darts in the back rather than gathers (which I hate doing).

This will probably be the last piece of clothing I'll be able to make for myself for a while, as I'm busy preparing for several fall/pre-Christmas craft shows, including this one:

New Top

Tunic "O" from the Japanese pattern book Stylish Dress Book. The fabric is a batik called Willow (Aspen), by McKenna Ryan. I chose this top because of the shape, but I also wanted to learn how to do an elastic gathering. I hate sewing gathers, especially with elastic - I don't know how to gauge how much fabric and elastic is needed, or how to space the gathers so they look natural. I ended up removing the elastic after my first attempt because it was too tight, and replaced it with a longer length. This will be another nice top for fall; I love tunics, I find them really comfortable, and they help hide some of my more curvy bits.