Comfortable Sewing

As dressmakers we often make things for best, or at least I do and that is something I have done over the years but have been trying to remedy in more recent years.  When I first began making my own clothes at sixteen the focus was always on an outfit for a Friday night out and not having much money being able to flick through  the catalogue and copy expensive dresses was such a thrill. Handmade and sew your own clothes was not such a movement back then so I was something of a novelty among my friends.   As  I got older and moved out I  no longer went out as often but I still used to save clothes for best and that was a bit of a waste.  This month is at the very least pushing me to wear all my clothes that I spend time on rather than wearing the same things. I have even adopted the system of turning the coat hanger the other way when I have worn something so I can try and wear something different each day.  It will be a test as some things are for the winter and I won't be wearing those clothes so it will be interesting to see if I can make it through without duplicating.

Now at first I thought I may be a little dressed up for around the house but now I think why not? Why is it ok to get dressed up to go out but not when you are at home with the people you love the most. So there, hopefully this will inspire me to wear what I want whenever I want in future.

Today I am wearing for me made May 2020 day14 my first mock jumpsuit, the fabric only cost about £6 in total for two metres and it is a cotton challis.  It was self drafted and to be honest the trousers  are a little low slung now I know I have a bit of this left somewhere so I could probably remedy that by putting a v shaped yoke in the top.  I will give that some thought  because I have worn it all day for gardening and dog walking and it is super comfy.  That is probably a good reason to solve the only issue with it to make it perfect.

The trousers are flat at the front with an elasticated back panel and belt loops, there is also a tie belt (I do love a tie belt).  The top was just cut from an existing vest top and faced with bias binding.  I am still wearing it, it's like wearing pyjamas but a bit smarter.

 Here I am contemplating my trainers.

I have spent quite a bit of time outside again moving on plants and we even tried our local nursery as I need compost and grow bags but it was packed with a very long queue so we took one look and drove away.  Maybe I will try again tomorrow, here are a few little plants out in the beds. They don't look much now but if they are like last years they will quickly fill out. 

Four little ones in there.

Five plus in this one as they were close together in the pots I planted them in and I didn't want to disrupt the roots so we will have to see how they fight for space.  There is certainly room for them to spread out.

I moved this pot that I planted up onto the wall and I am now hoping it doesn't blow off.

No making to  show for the day today as I have been doing other things, I always feel a bit like something is missing if I haven't sewn something.  Anyway I am going to say bye for now as it is nearly time to go outside and clap, back soon. 

An Old Favourite

Today has been quite busy, finishing up a bag and planning another, making a couple of face masks for my friend and sorting a few things on my laptop.  I can say I needn't have worried, my son sorted it out with the new part, restored everything and it is now running much faster.  It is difficult sometimes to remember they are now grown up and capable of so much, where does the time go? I was talking to grown up son earlier about something and he said 'do you want me to come and have a look?' I said no it is fine I'll sort it. Ha! what is going on there, how the tables turn, wasn't I just teaching him to tie his shoes and now here he is building computers.

For me made May day 13 I have on a favourite dress, again a number of years old but I love it.  Now I did find it is now a little tight across the chest, not too tight just so you can feel it.  If I gain even the slightest it will not fit  and that will be such a shame.  It is a self drafted, fitted shift with a satin lining and side zip.  I do tend to make things so they really fit but then that doesn't leave any room for slight gain or even a large lunch;)

Leggings with this one today as it has been so cold, when I took the dogs out it was paired with a big fleece and trainers.  Still no jeans this month, aren't I doing well I made a promise to wear this little lot this month and get through it I will!

I feel I ought to stress I do not spend a lot on clothes, and wearing all these outfits it might seem as if I do but no.  I keep my clothes a number of years, new ones I make are usually the result of fabric bought with birthday money.  I have a good eye for getting all sorts out of just one metre of fabric, recycling charity shop fabric when I can, and more recently this last year or so I have been fortunate to fabric test for Minerva  so that has provided me with some lovely fabrics to try out. One product that I got to test was a grab bag with lots of offcuts in it, I made all sorts from that  including a lovely little shirt and matching hat for my friends son, all completely free!

Yesterday I shared a bag make that was to be for me, well there has been a development and I have decided to list that one and keep the grey one I completed today.  The grey is more quirky and I like that with the brown more traditional. My husband said maybe list the one that is more suitable for sale, well that is hard to know as I liked them both but do people prefer unusual?   Anyway I rant on, I am keeping this grey one here...

 This grey faux leather is a bit different and I like the colour differences in it, I have used it on the reverse of the strap as I did on the brown one too.

After watching the one show last night and the talk of making face masks I thought I would make a couple as my friend has requested one, so she can have one to wear and one to wash.  I am not sure of the size so one is slightly larger.  They were just the basic pleated version as shown on the show but there was no real talk of how big.

They are double thickness, I had a bit of elastic but will need to order more so one has very slightly thicker elastics.  I have seen images of these all over the place but I am still holding out hope we won't have to wear them unless in really confined spaces. How sad if everyone was always covered by a mask we want to be safe but to never see people smile...

Take care.

Mending and Making

A quick  bit about todays  me made May first, another self drafted dress this time with set in sleeves the quick and easy elastic waist with ties and a lovely strawberry thief fabric ( not liberty but it looks like it).

I have seen fabric like this at twenty pounds a metre and more but this one was seven pounds a metre so much more affordable.  I would say where from but I can't remember, online I know that much.

My husband has walked down the back of his jeans, he does this a lot rather than have me turn them up when they are new he insists on wearing them too long until eventually there is a tatty bit at the back.  They had reached the point where they had to be sorted but due to the nature of the rip it didn't leave much to hem as you can see here I have had to cut up to the torn part and taper it a litte.  I had some other denim scraps so I have cut some thin strips that I joined to the hem to give me something to turn up.

After I stitched the strips on I overlocked them in navy and then turned the hem very close to the join.

Here it is on the right side and fortunately we have hardly lost much length just the amount that should have come off before they were ruined!

So that was one job done then there were a few holes that needed attention.  This style of denim is distressed but the trouble with that is they go through quickly on the faded shabby parts.

I patched them on the wrong side and then stitched on the right side too where the denim may fray out.

Here are the little holes on the right side, I don't quite get why it was distressed in this way to begin with just random bits on the back it is a bit odd.

My making for today was a new bag for myself, I have cut out two, one for me and one for my Etsy shop both different of course but using the same foxy fabric.  I decided to do this today as I keep collecting these little bits of fabric and then I am loath to part with them, so I thought I would do two styles and one is for me.  

So this is a gift to myself, it is a bit autumnal I know but I just loved the colours, the other one is almost finished and that one is grey with the fabric on the diagonal. 

What have you all been up to? Maybe a few have returned to work or managed to get out for a little longer in the fresh air.  Keep yourselves safe whatever you are doing, back soon.