Little Bird Skirt

Easter lunch over and I just had to finish the skirt I started yesterday, it would have been finished yesterday but I got interested in a film that my husband was watching and I thought the bit of hand stitching I was in the middle of was best left until daylight.
 The fabric is Michael Miller 'seedling' cotton, I had to rethink what I was doing as the fabric was not as wide as I thought and the skirt became a straight one.   I also started off with a small pleat centre front and back but on trying on it this didn't look right so out they came and darts were added.

Sometimes making it up as I go works and sometimes it involves unpicking which is what happened here as it was only when I had the waistband on did I try it and decide the pleats looked silly on a straight skirt.

Only trouble with those darts is that they have chopped the birds heads off!  Not to be phased by that I will simply wear a top that covers it up.  Of course you are going to get that happening somewhere as the birds are staggered and the only way around it would be if your clothing had no shaping whatsoever.

I made this skirt just above the knee but it started off longer, summer it will be good and winter I will wear opaque tights.  When I ordered this it was supposed to  be black but it is definitely dark grey.

In life it actually looks lighter than these pictures and there is a real difference between the lining and the fabric.  I have seen a few images of tops with a ribbon or sash tied and gathered through the neckline front and back, a bit like a child's pillow slip dress.  I think a top made like that in black but possibly with orange ties would look good with this for the summer.

Right I'm off to read my book 'The Girl Who Fell from the Sky'  enjoy the Easter break.

Long Sleeve Tie Front Blouse

This blouse has to be the quickest make this week which is funny as I have been putting off using this fabric as I was uncertain what style to do with it.  I knew I didn't want buttons and as I had bought enough fabric I also had it in my head that this garment would have long sleeves but beyond that I was a bit stumped.  Then I had the idea that is so typical of me that maybe I would do a dress again as there was enough of the fabric. No!! I had to stop myself, it was supposed to be a blouse I need some tops to go with jeans.   So I stared at it for a while then I thought just keep it simple with a tie at the waist to give it some interest.

I used the sizing from the red top I made and just allowed a bit extra all around so that this would still pull on over my head.  The fabric is lovely and drapes well but I'm not sure what combination of fibres I'm wishing I made a note of it when I bought it now.

Now as the dummy does not have arms I got my son to take a few pictures of this one on me.  Also the in the mirror pictures don't turn out as good and I do not have a tripod to attempt timed self images. So my son kindly dragged himself away from his console to take these.

Mmm... I'm never sure what I'm supposed to with my arms in these pictures. (Ha!)

Or my hands!

Anyway odd poses aside as you can see just a few pieces to cut, front, back, sleeves, long piece just over an inch to fold and use as a neck facing/binding, and another long piece about 2 inch wide to fold and make the bottom tie.

I stitched the tie right sides facing the whole way around the bottom starting from centre back to ensure even amounts were left at the front.  I then folded it then stitched it on the inside be careful not to pull it out of shape.  I had also cut a small semi circle at the bottom centre front where the tie would meet.

I am sorry there is no actual pattern to share as I rarely use them but I would like to have a go at putting some of my own together at some point if I ever get courage enough to put up the initial outlay!

Really I have to say how much I am enjoying all this spring sewing, you go to work and get bogged down with other stuff and then you suddenly get time to do more of what you love and you think 'oh yes, that's me!'

Red Ruffle Sleeve Top

This top was completed yesterday evening and after thinking it was going to be a very quick make it ended up taking much longer than I anticipated.  I have mentioned that I need T-shirts to go with jeans but as a lot of the fabric I am drawn to tends to be printed cottons I often end up making more skirts and dresses.

There is a dress hanging in my wardrobe in this fabric, I made it a few years ago and it gets lots of wear during the summer.  I had a piece large enough for a T-shirt so here is what I came up with.

I didn't want it just plain so I thought I would try something different at the neck and sleeves.  I'm not sure if it possibly needs two buttons at the top to even it out a bit.  The neck was what took up all of my time, I faced it with a grey and red pattern at first so it was showing and I was going to continue that around the whole neck.  It didn't look right so that came off, then I tried it in the jersey but it didn't hold the shape so that came off too.  It was all the careful unpicking that was time consuming.  In the end I went back to the grey cotton facing on the inside of the key hole bit.

I have a couple of T-shirts that have this ruffle effect on the sleeve so I tried that, I didn't use elastic as you should because it is a clear specific type that is needed.  It was only the look that I was after and not the additional stretch, so I hand gathered it then top stitched it in place.  There may be a  small cuff added at a later date if I find it feels too frilly when worn for a day.

Here is a picture without the button and ribbon and I wasn't sure if it did look ok as it was or if it is more finished with that detail.

The v is more obvious here as it is prior to facing it, I lost some of the sharpness with the stretch in the fabric.

It didn't take much fabric as you can see here, front, back, sleeves and a bit of facing.  There may not be enough jersey in my sewing stash for more in just one colour. So I may have to do two colour versions or have a look at some of my old stuff that I don't wear to see if any items can be upcycled

into wearable tops.