Cropped Marlo

 Hello everyone I hope you are all well. We have had a different time this past week and a half as one of my older dogs is not well.  So many trips to the vets and on two occasions last week he sort of said that's it because of her age. However she is still with us and hobbling around the house but not I must add unhappy.  She is still herself very bright eyed and loving all the attention, he thinks it is a disk in her back but she is at an age where they would not entertain operating and we wouldn't put her through that ordeal either.  She is on steroids and pain killers but has not really shown any sign of being in pain just unable to walk as she did.   So being carried down the steps to do her business,  and escorted on the garden but she can get around just slowly and with a wobble.  My hsband has bought her a harness that support if she needs further help but obviously she can't go for a walk and for a dog that is the thing isn't it?  We are back next week unless she gets worse but at the moment she seems much better so we will see ehat happens.

So it has been a bit up and down, I am sure many of you who are pet owners can understand as dogs do become family members.  

Changing the subject entirely onto sewing now, a while ago I saw this woodland sweatshirt fabric and really loved it.  It is furbacked and I know more suited to children's wear but I love it all the same so I put it on my wish list.  Now I have done this a number of times and by the time I get around to purchasing any they are usually no longer in stock so I thought I would treat myself to a piece.  My husband is not a fan of it but I am, so there!  Any way I decided to make another Marlo sweater by True Bias and last time I made the long line version so this time I opted for the cropped cardigan.  

The pattern still states 2 metres, and as this fabric is not cheap I chanced it and bought a metre.  It is wide so I made this work, but there were a few things I needed to do to eak out the fabric.

I had to keep the fabric design all in the correct direction but I did manage to cut the bottom band in three pieces (it should be one on the fold)   I placed the small piece center back and it is barely noticable.  Also the front bands were just running short of what they should be on one side, so I tapered them slightly where they meet at the back neck.  Again this is not really noticable when worn, none of these things would have been an issue if the fabric was plain but mine had a directional print.  

Here it is...

Now I am wearing a print skirt here so I won't be doing that but it is very warm, I only had mismatch buttons of this size and they don't bother me as they are both white with four holes.  It is oversized enough to get other garments underneath so that is a good thing and very quick to make up. I know I will be making this cardigan many times in the future as they are just so handy.  My husband said but who wears cardigans these days? Er lots of us! 

If you have made this pattern let me know how you got on, I think it is a very good pattern if you are a beginner as  it comes with a nice little booklet with clear instructions.  They are not cheap though so make the most of it!

I also made McCalls 7802  in Tropical Tiles viscose challis from Minerva.

This was really one of those fabrics that came alive once made up, I particularly love the big sleeves and midrif panels.  A few details sometimes can make all the difference.

Today I have been working on a bag, amongst other things and I dont think I shared the last one so I will pop that one below too.

I have a skirt in this fabric which is a favourite of mine.

There are of course quite a few other things tht I have been up to making and what not, I will put them in the next post before this turns into too long a ramble.  Take care, where ever you are.

Denim Quilted Jacket Make

 Hello everyone I hope you are all having a good week.  What a funny one it has been with deep snow and beautiful blue skies, the snow here is mainly all gone now and I am hoping it will warm up enough for us to have our weekend away in the caravan soon.  

So this past week or so I have been working on a quilted denim jacket inbetween other jobs.  I didn't want to rush it as i had a very specific idea in mind and couldn't find it among my patterns.  I had thought of using a pattern from my book Basic Black but I know the sizing is tiny and on further inspection the pieces looked too small to my eye. When you look at patterns every day you can often tell when the size is wrong just by looking at the pieces so I abondoned that idea.  Then after much thought I decided to use burda 6053.  Now this is more of an edge to edge cardigan pattern but I knew I coyuld tweak it and the size and shape were along the right lines.

I cut it out just a touch bigger to allow for the quilting I was going to add, also I planned on lining it.  My next idea was to add a small stand up collar.  Well I must say my son suggested this when I was showing him what I thought, he suggested rib like on a bomber but I went with the same kind of shape but in denim and I quilted it the same as the rest of the jacket.

Next was to change up the pockets, the ones on the pattern felt too small for a jacket so I drew my own shape on paper and cut, quilted and lined those.  

The biggest most time consuming part was drawing the grids on the denim ans sewing in all the lines through the denim and wadding.  I am so glad I did this though as the end result is just what I wanted, I have lined it with leftover viscose challis from another project but the sleeves are lined with regular red lining fabric.  I hand stitched the lining to the denim facings and bottom on the inside.

Finally it closes with a good zip with metal teeth.  I am sort of sad it is complete I enjoyed the process so much, that is a good thing and I think I need to have more slow projects on the go as I complete most things in an afternoon.

It is very warm so the wadding has done the trick.

I think the wild lining goes well with the denim, it was also good to be able to use these pieces of fabric as the denim was a piece that was in the large amount I was given when a lady passed away. It now has a purpose and each time I make something  I think what a kind gift it was from her daughter.  I only bought a small amount of wadding and the zip for this project so I spent £7!  Not bad .

A lot of photos but I am very pleased with it!

That is all for today, have a super week and take care.

Recovery and Dress Making

 Hello everyone I hope you are all doing well. We have not had a very good past few weeks as we all came down with the winter sick bug a week ago and it wiped us all out for a week barely able to get out of bed!  Then we have recovered but are still all very lethargic, I think this is due to lack of sleep as we were very sick and while trying to rest you can't really when running to the bathroom all the time plus lack of food for a week.  There is is not a lot on us to start with so going without food all week has left us seriously depleted in fuel.  Anyhow sad story over and know there are people dealing with much worse but it does set you back, March is here and I would love to say I am raring to go for spring but just puttin one froot in front of the other at the moment.  We do have a little break away booked so I am hoping we will be in full health by then. 

I have caught up on a few quilt blocks these last few days, made some more undies and also my work.  A few days ago I made this cord skirt using some of the fabric I was gifted a while ago.  Even the lining was gifted.  There was a mishap with rushing to get on with it as I made it with the nap going in two different directions!  Tried it on and spotted it, so I had to unpick the whole thing and recut a front and back panel.  It all worked out well in the end and i wore it yesterday, it is very comfy.

I have made this skirt before so I think this is possibly why I was so complacent cutting out, but I should have known better with cord.  In my defence I had been ill so maybe that was it. 

Here are a few of the things I have made since I recovered for work projects...

This is a Burda top that ties at the sides and can also be worn as a dress full length, this one is being sent on so not for me.

This one is New Look 6866, it does not have a belt on the pattern but it was a very loose fitting shape and I do like things to fit to me so I made up this belt to bring it in at the waist and I really love the look now.

Burda 6632 blouse, I really like the details on this although again it is very oversized on me and I made the size 8!  Maybe it is the lack of food last week!  All these fabrics and patterns are from Minerva with the exception of the olive gifted cord in the first image.

I love this blouse although there are such a lot of pieces to this blouse, the whole botton is interfaced and lined but it does give it such a lovely shape.McCall's 7978.

                                                       This is the style arc Courtney top.

I also made this little bag for my Etsy shop as I haven't made one for a while, some of the fabric was in the gifted lot, the charm pack scraps I already had, recycled denim and other repurposed bits.  very bright for spring.

My next plan is to make a quilted demin jacket by quilting some denim fabric that I have,  I have so far changed my design three times the last time being earlier when I was about to cut it out.  I think I am settled on a final plan now? Also changed my mind on the lining fabric, I will now cut out tomorrow before I dither any longer.  I am quite excited about this so fingers crossed it works out how it looks in my head.

That is all for today, enjoy the rest of the weekend.