Things have been rather hectic lately. I have finished embroidering and sewing an irish dancing costume for my niece and due to go up to bling it on next week, and while that was being sewn, the sew social group started - no photos of either yet!. The sew social group is great, there is a brilliant mix of people and skills, and extra people coming the second week. It is to run for 4 evenings and 2 evenings to go, and I am hoping to be shown how to knit properly there soon.
I made this blouse and skirt a few weeks ago, and have worn both a fair bit, and I am still in the middle of crocheting the sweater (if a crochet project goes on too long there is always the danger of a change of heart and I will unravel it, so I am hoping to finish it this week)
meanwhile
The blouse
Red is a tough colour to photograph. The red blouse was on the euro rail. it was a light jacket/blouse with shoulder pads (and a few stains), and its silk
I laundered it, took it apart and thought to make a blouse which would also work as a base layer for under sweaters. I don't normally like collars, which was just as well as I barely had enough fabric but got their in the end. I had to peel off the fusible which was on the facing of the original blouse to use as side panels in the front - which worked out fine.
I used a 50s dress pattern as a base for the tucks at the neckline, and I was going to face the neckline but used a simple binding instead, and a zip closure at the back.
The skirt
The day after I got the blouse, I was cutting out the denim dress (2 or 3 posts back) and ran into a spot of bother with the cut, so I went out for a stroll to think it out (rather than cut any further), and I strolled towards the charity shop. This tweed was in with some pillowcases, and about .75 of a metre, and 2euro. When I got home, I put it with the 'pile' and it looked so well with the blouse - that I figured I had an instant outfit. I had originally planned a box pleat skirt, but there was just slightly too little fabric.
I used my TNT pattern, vogue 7776, and did the version with the front slit. I pretty much did everything as per the pattern except I did a facing for the waistband (petersham is recommended). I left the hem at 3 inch allowance which is a lovely weight for the tweed. Had I known it would turn out so lovely, I should have considered interlining with organza (its a couture technique I think). Its perfect for a long-life tweed skirt as it helps any potential bagging/sagging issues at the seat, and its perfect for holding the hem.
I had some habatoi mock silk lining in a fun orange shade, but I didnt realise until I went to cut how off grain it was................ I was a bit shocked. So I cut on grain, one piece at a time and just about fitted it in - the photo above shows it laid out and going with grain. I cut the back on the fold and the 2 fronts just about fitted it in.
I did a top stitich on the skirt but only used sewing thread so its barely noticible, and the only other blip (besides the low quality lining) was there was a tiny hole in the weave (probably due to age) in the back panel which I didn;t notice until I was holding towards the light to inspect the dart. I put a small darn in it, and then ironed on some vilene.
so - an outfit for about a fiver - blouse 1 euro, tweed 2 euro, zips taken from other garments, lining would have been about 2euro......
I made this blouse and skirt a few weeks ago, and have worn both a fair bit, and I am still in the middle of crocheting the sweater (if a crochet project goes on too long there is always the danger of a change of heart and I will unravel it, so I am hoping to finish it this week)
meanwhile
The blouse
Red is a tough colour to photograph. The red blouse was on the euro rail. it was a light jacket/blouse with shoulder pads (and a few stains), and its silk
I laundered it, took it apart and thought to make a blouse which would also work as a base layer for under sweaters. I don't normally like collars, which was just as well as I barely had enough fabric but got their in the end. I had to peel off the fusible which was on the facing of the original blouse to use as side panels in the front - which worked out fine.
I used a 50s dress pattern as a base for the tucks at the neckline, and I was going to face the neckline but used a simple binding instead, and a zip closure at the back.
The skirt
The day after I got the blouse, I was cutting out the denim dress (2 or 3 posts back) and ran into a spot of bother with the cut, so I went out for a stroll to think it out (rather than cut any further), and I strolled towards the charity shop. This tweed was in with some pillowcases, and about .75 of a metre, and 2euro. When I got home, I put it with the 'pile' and it looked so well with the blouse - that I figured I had an instant outfit. I had originally planned a box pleat skirt, but there was just slightly too little fabric.
I used my TNT pattern, vogue 7776, and did the version with the front slit. I pretty much did everything as per the pattern except I did a facing for the waistband (petersham is recommended). I left the hem at 3 inch allowance which is a lovely weight for the tweed. Had I known it would turn out so lovely, I should have considered interlining with organza (its a couture technique I think). Its perfect for a long-life tweed skirt as it helps any potential bagging/sagging issues at the seat, and its perfect for holding the hem.
I had some habatoi mock silk lining in a fun orange shade, but I didnt realise until I went to cut how off grain it was................ I was a bit shocked. So I cut on grain, one piece at a time and just about fitted it in - the photo above shows it laid out and going with grain. I cut the back on the fold and the 2 fronts just about fitted it in.
I did a top stitich on the skirt but only used sewing thread so its barely noticible, and the only other blip (besides the low quality lining) was there was a tiny hole in the weave (probably due to age) in the back panel which I didn;t notice until I was holding towards the light to inspect the dart. I put a small darn in it, and then ironed on some vilene.
so - an outfit for about a fiver - blouse 1 euro, tweed 2 euro, zips taken from other garments, lining would have been about 2euro......
