Patching Jeans

Everyone has those favourite jeans that they like to wear the most and in my husband's case they are much worn and patched.  He has other pairs we are not short of things to wear it is just that he likes the fit of this particular pair and when he bought them they already had that distressed look with a couple of strategic mock patch areas.   The trouble with that feature is it has usually been stressed during manufacturing to get it just the right shade in certain areas, these areas are then of course weak and will not last under any strain.  That is what has happened with these, this will be the third time I have patched these and today I did three areas.  It is worth doing though as once they are done and ironed the effect is only the same as on the ones you buy in the shops.

This is where the legs off old discarded pairs of jeans come in handy, they don't have to be the same colour as it is going underneath.  Sometimes I use the right side of the fabric and sometimes the reverse.   The first job is to undo the seam down the side, I find it is just so much quicker to do this than try and force a large area of leg under the machine.

 It will be a quick job to just run that back in again it is only a straight seem after all.

Next I cut the piece of scrap denim a bit bigger than the area that is damaged and pin that in  place.

I used the wrong side of this fabric as it was a bit darker.

I then make sure that the hole is together and lying flat then I stitch forwards then reverse using a straight stitch, the effect you get is random criss cross, I concentrate more on the areas where the fabric comes together but up to the edge of the patch underneath.   The threads you can see in this image are just places where I moved it back by hand to line it up again, they are trimmed off afterwards.

Then when all the patches are complete just turn it through to the wrong side and sew the seams.

This is a finished patch near the pocket, I used a light blue cotton to go with the denim but you see some jeans where a contrast has been used to make the patched area stand out.  I think I prefer it less visible. 

Does anyone else have different ways of doing this?  Do you like to see the patches or make them blend in? Let me know in the comments section, I always enjoy reading the comments.

Sewing Goals and Fixing Sewing Errors

So far this year I have made a number of things and two of them were on my to-do  list from the start of the year.  I wanted to make a tie neck blouse and you can view that here and also a shirt dress that can be seen in this post here. I still have to make a fitted cardigan and some straight cut trousers but that is just a case of seeing just the right fabric for those two items.

I don't usually set myself any sewing goals as so many things just come up throughout the year, I am often just taken by something I see and then I want to create my own version of it. If I make lists I find that can be limiting but I know some people love them and this is how they function.  Saying that it is a good idea to know where you are heading but I always like to bear in mind that diversions happen and that is ok.

Sometimes those diversions can create design features that never occurred to you before.  I have made lots of clothes in the past where something went a little bit wrong or there was not quite enough fabric (because I buy the skimpiest amount in the name of economy!).  This is not the end of the road for a project, it make me sad when I read that someone has discarded a garment because they hit a little bump.  I know it can be hard when you have invested time in it but just set it aside and have a little think, jot down any ideas and come back to it with a clear head.

When I started to make my red sweatshirt I knew what I wanted but there wasn't enough fabric so I decided to split the sleeve into two halves with piping at the elbow to give it a feature.
Here it is here

There are lots of ways you can save a garment...

• You can change change the length of the sleeve if that is where the mistake happened.
• You can remove the sleeve or add detail to cover or join another piece.
• Binding can be added to necklines or changing the shape can help.
• Add a contrasting hem or panel if  the garment is too short.
• Strategic pockets may hide a rip or tear, or perhaps an applique.
• Godets can give fullness to a tight skirt, lots of colour options there.
• Contrasting side panels can save a tight skirt.
• If you run out of buttons - make them all odd so it is a feature.
• Experiment with darts, in the right places they make everything fit.

So if there is any problem there I haven't addressed leave me a comment and I will answer you, usually the only real reason I don't wear an item is because I decide the fabric doesn't suit me.  There is not really a lot I can do about that but you get better at choosing over the years.  Now I just make the odd blunder.

Quick Bunting

This post is going to be not only quick bunting but a quick post, I have just sat down from being on the go all day and I want to watch the last episode  Money Heist, it has been really good, it is a Spanish drama that we have been watching on Netflix and I love world television.  There is always something different.

After tea I made up the dust sheets that are going to cover the large open cupboards at work, nothing flash just a channel and a hem, I will put net wire at the top.  I then made a bunting using some scrap fabric and a long length of ribbon I bought for this purpose, it was quite difficult trying to cut with my pinking shears as the handle has snapped!  A gift to myself needed there I think.

I just hung it there to show, I actually made two , one for each side of the room.

Hopefully it will stop the dust sheets looking so bland, the biggest job was ironing the dust sheets as they were full of wrinkles they look a lot better now and I have tried to roll and fold them.  I have a feeling the will be the same again by the time I get to work tomorrow.

So that is it for today, I'm going to have a hot drink and watch the drama, bye for now. 

Mushroom and Spinach Risotto (Wheat free Vegan)

Today I have made a mushroom and spinach risotto, I make this a lot and looking back I don't think I have shared my recipe before.  I did share a kale and mushroom version from a magazine once but it was not as good as my version I felt. 

 

I also opted to pick two of my yellow courgettes today as according to a few gardening blog they were at the perfect size.  if they get too big they may lose their sweetness.  As I was already tied to a frying pan making the risotto I decided to chop the courgettes into chunk and roast them. I'm glad I did as they were really nice done this way.  Along with that I also did some crispy tofu in a pan then into the oven.

I always really enjoy this so I will share what I do below but it is not exact measurements as I just pop things in as I go and it works as it always comes out well.  The amount I make serves four if served with an accompaniment. 

Mushroom and Spinach Risotto

3 handfuls of white & wild rice ( that is how I do it, or just add your usual rice for however many)

1 red onion

3 handfuls of spinach

2 garlic cloves

1 punnet chestnut mushrooms

1 veg stock cube

2 tbsp. of nutritional yeast

2 teaspoons vegan cheese sauce powder

quarter cup of soya milk

tsp basil

salt and pepper

A squeeze of lemon juice (optional)

olive oil

water

This is my own recipe, that is why it is a bit random but worth a try because it does taste good.

Heat the oil in a pan and add the rice, let it cook on a low heat until it is a little transparent.

Chop the onion and add to the pan, when the onion is starting to cook add a little water just enough to cover the rice and onion.

Let that cook down a little then add the garlic, keep adding more water as it cooks off, next add the stock cube by sprinkling it in, alternatively you could add to water first.

chop and add the mushroom, season and add basil.

Add the chopped or shredded spinach.

Sprinkle in the nutritional yeast, keep adding a little water as it cooks down.

Add the soya milk and sprinkle in the  vegan cheese sauce powder keep stirring now until it starts to cook down and catch a little.  You can add a little lemon juice as a kick but it is good without too.

 Hope that makes sense, I do it all the time with no measurements so don't be too pure about it, you may add something extra to your taste. ( Oh I forgot to mention there is an extra bit of the courgette in mine today too)

Here is one of the courgettes prior to picking, and it did taste just right.

Floral Jersey Dress

Well I was up and sewing straight away today to get my dress finished.  We have been out for lunch today, not something we would usually do on a Sunday as I always cook so a nice treat.  I wanted to get the dress finished so that I could wear it.  As a bonus when I had finished it I noticed that it goes perfectly with a belt that came with a £1 charity shop skirt from a while ago.  At the time I thought I wouldn't wear the belt but put it in the cupboard anyway, it just goes to show, minimalism has it's flaws because had I been ruthless with my decluttering the belt would have gone immediately.

You can't see in the photo but the belt has purple stones to the front of it, or aubergine?

It was another pattern free dress I just used an existing dress that I had made before, I added pleats instead of gathers and a little pleat at the shoulder also.

We did take a few shots outside but it was too bright, this was the clearest one.  I swear it is either too dark or too bright, a better camera needed perhaps? Maybe I will just push on with the one I've got, it does what it needs too really. I have a reasonably sized piece of this fabric left so I may make more of the Boudoir Shorts from the other day, now that I have tweaked the sizing a little for me. 

 The meal we went for was an Italian called Casa Mia in Sheffield and very nice too.  They do a separate vegan menu and cater for gluten free so if you are ever in Sheffield that is one to try.

The rest of the day the weather has been lovely so some reading in the garden, I have just started this...

So far so good I like the style and it is easy to read, I felt like I needed something easy going for now.  I started The Doll Funeral by Kate Hamer but I have put that down it was just off to a depressing start, I know I should tell by the title but it was an impulse grab at the library. This current book appears more light hearted.   

My ironing has been completed while watching TED talks and listening to music, this time slot and habit is one  I have stuck to  and no longer feels a chore, there may also have been a glass of wine involved.  One of the TED Talks I watched was by Shawn Achor and can be see here  it is worth a look, he talks really fast but he is funny so stick with it.

Fabric Shopping

Yesterday while I was out doing the food shopping I decided to visit a craft shop I had heard of near me.  The reason I haven't been before is that I thought it was mainly for classes as the website advertises these and only shows a few bolts of fabric.  I went in mainly to get some trim for the shorts I was making but I was pleasantly surprised at the selection of fabrics, the website doesn't do it justice.  So I was in there rather longer than I intended and I came out with two pieces of fabric, lace, elastic and some interfacing, oh and a loyalty card. The fabrics are mainly craft cottons which I don't mind as I like to make clothes with those, they had just a small selection of other dress fabrics and I spotted some lovely jersey there.

The colourful one on top is the jersey, some craft cotton under that and then when I arrived back from the shops my Minerva crafts fabric had arrived, that is the one in the bag underneath.  I will share on the Minerva fabric another time as that is going to be a post for them.  Getting back to the jersey, that is going to be a dress of course and it is cut out ready at the moment.

Nice simple shape, scoop neck, short sleeves and pleats.  There will not be time for finished photos today but I want to wear it tomorrow as we are out for lunch so I will post more on that then.

I love the colours in this fabric it is so bright, when I first started sewing I always used to go to a stall at the market to buy fabric.  Whenever they had new bright prints in and I used to choose them the lady stall holder used to say 'I knew you would buy that one'.  Maybe I haven't changed much, I am trying to add some solids to my wardrobe so I can mix and match more but these prints just jump out at me.

We were out most of the day and I also had a look in the charity shops to see if there any vintage patterns or any patterns going.  I would quite like to join in some of the vintage make groups that people start.  If anyone has any ideas where these can be obtained at a reasonable price let me know.
(I do mean actual vintage patterns not the reproduction ones that cost an arm and a leg!)

Duvet Cover to Boudoir Shorts ( free pattern link)

I am trying to get into the habit of trying new things with my sewing,  I often stick to things I know will work or do things my way.  That works for me but I thought it would be nice to try something different.  There are lots of links out there for free patterns to print off so I thought I would give some of these a try.  As they are new to me it can be a good idea to not try new things on  best fabric until the fit is sorted.  After my big sort out the other day I can quickly lay my hands on my thrifted duvet sets so I thought I would use one of those today.

This free pattern is for boudoir shorts and I saw the link on pinterest you can see it  here Boudoir shorts, other than the hat pattern I printed out the other day I have not used a print out pattern for clothing before.  It is a bit like doing a little jigsaw, I will keep this in a clear wallet now once I have amended a few pieces.

For my shorts I used the duvet cotton but backed it with white cotton so they are not see through, I like to lounge around the house in mine so that is why.  I used some mint lace as the trim,  now I have tried this I will get some nice soft jersey that I love to make more.  These are nice but jersey is softer and will hang better in this style.  Also the fact that mine are double thickness is making the waist casing a little bulky, that is ok on this pair as it was an exercise in trying them out first of all.
Here are mine...

Now I went for the small size but they came out big, I have already taken a little from the top of the shorts to shorten band here, I have also run in the seam where the front side meets the back pieces with a large seem as they were big there too.  Maybe I should have done xs or use bigger seems to start but I have read a few comments linked to this and other people think they come out big too.  Don't let that put you off though, I think it is a great free pattern and good for anyone just starting, just remember to do a mock up first so you can see how the fit is on you.

I will probably make a little top to go with these now, and I'll keep a look out for cheap and cheerful jersey to make the next pair.

I chose to print this out in black and white as my ink is running low, that is why it looks stripy.  There are images to show you how to stick the pieces together and a layout guide.  There are no pattern pieces for the casing band it just shows you on the layout guide where to cut the long rectangles.

I think these would also be good as regular holiday shorts, in a different fabric and leaving off the embellishments would probably make them look more like day wear.  Let me know if you have tried this pattern and what you thought of it.