It all started when I was looking around my craft room and realised how much fabric I had sitting there, bought way back yonder when I had every good intention of making something straight away. Pfft! Since when does this ever happen? A decision was made to dive into those piles of fabric and turn them into something wearable. The bonus being that they could serve as a kind of muslin or test run of different patterns that I had been eyeing off but wasn't feeling confident about making with exciting new fabric in case the patterns needed tweaking with the fit.
Proceed to blow the dust of the sewing machine, because that's what is what's called for when one forgets to replace the cover after the last bout of sewing, back from goodness knows when.
Top 1. Pretty yellow floral fabric that I had bought at the op shop several years ago (oh my word, it really has been a long time!). At last, a use for the material aside from the dainty little girls dress that had been floating around in my mind since acquiring it (unfortunately my little girls are not so little anymore and would definitely not indulge this mother's dainty dress fantasy!). Not to worry, because this mother was happy to sew some daisy trim around the neck opening, thus satisfying all original intentions for the the fabric.
Result: A lightweight top for the garden, hiking or wherever the wind may take me on a warm, sunny day where sun protection is needed. And because the cuffs fold back, I don't feel obliged to tell anyone that I never got around to sewing on buttons and making buttonholes, shh. ;)
Top 1: New Look - 6205
Top 2. Made using the same pattern as top 1, sans sleeves. What is it about navy blue and white polkadots that just screams vintage and calls for some kind of frilly action? Pleased that I seemed to have found a comfortable, blousy top pattern that fit well enough without any fiddly darts to navigate through, I went forward and sewed my way through those navy polkadots, adding the essential cream ruffle that I had floating around in my mind's eye.
Result: A top to wear when you're riding in a car with friends, the roof down, hair contained in a bright headscarf and great tunes blasting from the speakers. Oh, yes, the perfect top for that.
Top 2: New Look - 6205 again!
Top 3: Very similar to previous two tops but actually from a separate pattern altogether. Made using some printed cotton purchased from the quilting shop eons ago that was intended for another purpose altogether of the non clothing kind.
Result: A really comfortable top that is great to wear in the garden and still looks presentable for doing the school pick up, mad dash errand run and any other general running around that is called for. Patchwork cotton is certainly very easy to wear! I'll definitely be more alert to the options it presents in future fabric scouting expeditions.
Top 3: Simplicity 7223
\
The patterns!
Frock: A while back I was on an outing with my mom at a local quilt exhibition. Browsing through the stalls that were offering an array of quilting supplies, I spied a bundle of rolled up rayon begging to be bought. Needless to say, it came home with me and awaited it's fate in the fabric drawer. What to make, what to make? It flows kind of well, flowy like, so some kind of pattern was in order to accommodate it's flowiness. It's also a very nice thing when you can pick up a pattern from your local craft shop for a third of the price from time to time when their sales are timed just right!
Result: I call it the 'Sack & Belt' number. Simply because without some kind of waist fastening, the frock hangs wide in a potato sack like fashion. But, it was super fast to sew and so (sew?) simple too, being assembled completely in an afternoon, including the cutting out of the pattern! A good one to wear over leggings with boots, and again, really really comfy. I'm not completely sold on the fabric belt though..still thinking about that one...
Frock: Vogue V8915
Top 4: Quite possibly the first time I have worn a halter neck top in my life! The fabric was leftover from another top I had made when my girls were actually little. I just couldn't resist, just for fun and am glad to have made (and worn) at least one halter neck top in my life!
Result: Hmm, not something I would want to wear all the time, but for those hot, really really hot days in the height of summer when exposed skin is called for, I could certainly see myself pulling this one out to have it's turn in the sun. I also think it could be enormous fun to do a version in polkadots. Ahh, yes! Polkadots, my new favorite print! (I'm thinking olive green with white spots!! Oh, wait, maybe white with small navy dots, or even large white spots on tan..ahh, the possibilities!)
Top 4: Simplicity 5057
How about you? Have you been sewing lately? What kind of things have you been making?
(Thanks to my 14yo for being so handy with a camera for this post)
