In Which I Attempt To Prove I’m Not a Complete Numpty

Remember my kimono wrap that turned into a Sorbetto top that was then turned into the bin….

..and my troubles with a crocheted dog’s nose?

Well, just to prove I can triumph from time to time, I will cast modesty aside and show you my Ultimate Trousers which fit me so well I daren’t put on or lose the tiniest bit of weight.

Made from this pattern by Sew Over It, they are very simple being four pieces plus a waist facing and an invisible side zip – the secret of course is getting the fit right.

I’m not overly keen on stylised pattern sleeve drawings because these trousers don’t really come out as narrow as that – well, not on my skinny legs they didn’t – but that can be changed along with the other fitting issues.

I signed up for a couple of lessons with a local teacher who is multi talented in that you can go to her with projects from patchwork to upholstery to dressmaking and lots of other things in between.  I thought if I could just get the fit right on these, being such a simple style,  I could use the altered pattern on any future trousers I might be tempted to make.

Anyway, it was very helpful to be pinned in professionally and guided through where I needed to make the alterations.  My crotch was O.K., you’ll be delighted to learn,  but my hips were way out and I wanted the legs narrower so I made the toile in a U.K. size 12 and then much pinning of seams was done by the teacher.    The resulting block veers between a size 8 in places through size 10 and I think the waist stayed at a size 12 albeit with a pinch taken out at centre front and back.  No wonder my original pair that I made straight out of the packet don’t come anywhere near fitting me.  Having said all that, there is a sew-along on Sew Over It’s blog which guides you through fitting issues but being professionally pinned in was very helpful as it would have been difficult to do that myself and it’s not something I would entrust to family members for many and various reasons.

So, a side view with me hitching up my t-shirt to show the whole thing.

and a back view to show you that success is possible even when you have a fear of trousers/pants which I was disappointed to find there is no word for – after all, there is even a word for a fear of beards (pogonophobia) and it’s not as if you see people running down the streets in panic when they see a bearded man or blocking up their chimneys at Christmas in case they catch sight of Father Christmas’s snowy white example.  Anyway, I digress.

This fabric was admired by those in the sewing class although I wouldn’t normally wear patterned trousers but this was something I had in my stash, I think originally intended for a shirt dress. However, they could be a wearable toile as long as I don’t eat too much or too little (the latter being less likely).

Anyway, I went to my bin, shook off all the bits of thread and pattern tissue paper thrown on top of it and retrieved the failed Sorbetto top.

I cut off the sleeves (which were a hack of the original pattern anyway) and bound the armholes with the same stuff I’d used for the neck….

….which looked fine and also served the purpose of getting rid of the slight puffiness on the shoulders I’d managed to incorporate when setting in the sleeves…..

……did a rolled hem on the overlocker

…… et voila.

It’s not perfect but it’s not in the bin either and Mlle. T. the Younger has already hung it up in her wardrobe ready for the warmer weather.

I’m now on the hunt for the perfect fabric to make another pair of trousers – not denim, not stretch and preferably not overly patterned – anybody got any suggestions?

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A Sunday Sorbetto

Time for Teal (2)

In case you thought I had totally given up on dressmaking in favour of patchwork and kitten rearing, I thought I’d post about a ‘wearable’ fabric item for a change.

Ages ago I showed you some fabrics I had bought on a shopping trip to Toulouse and, almost as long ago, I actually started to make something out of one of those fabrics. Since then, it has been on a hanger in my sewing room waiting for the warmer weather to make an appearance and inspire me to finish it.

Nothing exciting really, just a Sorbetto with sleeves but I thought it suited this gauzy fabric and the pleat down the front serves as a little ‘modesty panel’ because, as you can see below, you would need to have your best bra on if standing in front of a sunny window.

As the fabric is so fine, I used French seams.  These are apparently called English seams here in France in the same way (sort of) that those horrible ‘hole in the ground’ loos are called ‘Turkish toilets’ by the French but ‘French toilets’ by the Turks.  This is according to my friend Sandra who may well be mistaken – although she is French so I tend to take her word for these things.

The fact that I had run out of good weather by the time this top was nearly finished last October was not the only reason for the delay but I decided an ordinary hem wouldn’t look right on the fine fabric and wanted to do a rolled hem.  I can never be bothered to change the spools on my overlocker unless it is for a VERY good reason and I also don’t like unscrewing one of the needles in order to do a rolled hem so I kept putting it off.   The jersey pencil skirt I made recently, however, required a navy thread and, as a bonus, I broke the left hand needle while I was overlocking the seams so that presented me with the perfect opportunity to do a rolled hem on the blouse and complete an early ‘me-made’ addition to my Summer wardrobe.

I put it on for the photo but it hadn’t quite reached ‘thin blouse temperatures’ as you can tell by the tights so it’ll be going in the wardrobe until it warms up  a bit more.

I wish that Romeo bloke would just leave me alone.

The top photo – to get back to patchwork for a minute – is the second block I’m going to be sending off to Kate for her ‘Time for Teal’ quilt she is making to raise funds for ovarian cancer.  It’s been ages since I made a Dresden Plate block – I hope that doesn’t show too much – and big thanks to Ali at Thimberlina for sending me some pieces of leftover teal fabric she had after she also made blocks for Kate.  I was having trouble finding the right colours in my stash or in the limited local fabric shops.

I’ve just eaten a home-made hot cross bun – courtesy of my daughter – and I’m intending to tuck into some chocolate Easter egg tonight – courtesy of Mr. T .

A Happy Easter to you too.

The Wrath of the Tartans

Why make a simple Colette Sorbetto top  in just an hour when you can spread it out over several?

This is how you do it.

1.  Take a failed skirt project  – a Zinnia since you’re asking – ignore the beautifully done, probably never to be repeated, invisible zip insertion and attempt to cut out a new pattern from the salvaged fabric.
2. Remember the reason the original skirt failed was your inability to match the plaid but continue regardless, confident you will not make the same mistake twice.
3. Cut out two fronts by mistake.
4. Manage to salvage a back but in two pieces instead of one and about 3 inches too short
5. Find some toning fabric to make the back pieces long enough and try to make it look like a design feature.
6. Fail to match the plaid on the back and one side but it’s either carry on or bin it.
7. Make your own bias tape.
8. Attach the bias tape to one armhole, do it wrong and unpick it.
9. Realise you didn’t do it wrong after all and re-attach it.
10. Wonder if you could enter it in Sew2Pro’s homage to Vivienne Westwood competition as it is tartan and non-conformist.
11. Wonder if you should enter the next Great British Sewing Bee.
12. Resign yourself to wearing it only with a cardi or jacket over the top.

13.   Come to the awful realisation that, despite the front being cut on a fold and therefore must surely match, the pleat throws the pattern out again.  Definitely one for wearing out in the garden with a pair of shorts and chalking up to experience.

    At least it’s Easter so I can console myself with chocolate.

Just One Sorbetto?

Remember this Liberty fabric I bought at the recent Knitting and Stitching Exhibition?

Well, I didn’t really have any plans for it when I bought it but a friend of mine was looking for a pattern to make a simple top with some silky fabric she has and I remembered the Sorbetto top by Colette patterns which I had downloaded but never made up.  So, I thought it would also suit the tana lawn quite well.

Here’s me getting ready with the remote.  I am also testing out my daylight lamp as a photography aid.  My house is not very good for letting in natural light as it is very old and designed for keeping the heat out.  However,  I need to photograph some little people’s clothes for my shop and I am not satisfied with my results so far so I am experimenting.

The Sorbetto pattern is a free download which you can find here.  It is actually for a sleeveless top but I found a pattern hack here and added some little sleeves.

I seem to be looking unbearably smug in this photograph but that might be because I made my own bias binding to go around the neck and I also used it for the sleeves. Get me!

 So chuffed was I with it, I had to actually photograph it on its own.  I take my pleasures where I find them these days!

The gadget you need is this Clover bias binding maker which didn’t come with any instructions.  I followed this video tutorial by The Little Tailoress where you have the added bonus of somebody looking adorable in a pink floral Liberty dress but you can’t hate her for it as she seems so nice.

This little top is very simple to make.  I have seen claims of making it in 45 minutes from beginning to end.  Hmmm.  Maybe if you don’t add sleeves or make your own bias binding.  Maybe if your bobbin doesn’t run out and the postman doesn’t knock on the door.  Maybe if you don’t have to stop for a wee and a cup of tea halfway through.  Or is that just me?  Anyway, it is quick and you could probably squeeze one out of a metre of fabric if you mess with the layout and it is a very handy top for summer.  I will definitely be making more.