marfy blouse - uaine on the bias

This poor skirt was sitting on the euro rail last year - I got it as I like green, and its a viscose linen.  As a bias skirt - I wouldn't be able to wear it, bias enhances any potential curve (I think bias skirts are to be avoided at all costs  for pear-me ......) but as a top it could work out quite well indeed - I probably should have ironed the skirt before photographing as the creases do it no favours.  

I had come across a few versions of this marfy top online, and I was also curious about their patterns as there was a discussion on them somewhere on fb - so as this pattern was free, it was one way to find out.  I cut for a size 44 and did french seams.  I double checked on seam allowances before cut, and there are none so I added 1.5 all round, and as there would be no hem allowance, I decided to use the frill as the hem (which turned out to be an excellent decision).  

I ironed a crease at the centre front and centre back of skirt pieces to get the true bias, before laying the pattern over each.  In the pattern layout photo, the pattern is laid on the fold and then the side seam hem edge is at the skirt frill join on both, so that worked as my 'marker' or notch when I went to sew, I then marked 1.5cm seam allowances at the sides, armholes, and neck.   I put a small facing on the back for the opening, and then sewed the top, gathered the front and then bound the edges.  I decided not to use the neck band as I had seen one version without and liked that, and when I went to cut I may not have had sufficient fabric for the bands (judging from what was left over).  The top was quick enough to run up, and probably quicker for anyone else as I tend to hand hem bindings (my machining of them is rough at best), but in all I think it was 2 or 3 hours (I took apart a dress in-between).

I am incredibly delighted with the top.  This marfy pattern was easy to use but I don't know how true this is for their other patterns as they seem to give limited instruction from what I gather on their site - but then again, early vintage patterns don't give too many clues at the best of times either!.  

Uaine (wen-ya), is an old Irish word for green - it is specific to something being coloured green as opposed to naturally green, and this month is going to be a Uaine month!  In January I did a bit of a rethink of what I was at with all this sewing and cutting, - and I am still without a master plan but now have a modus operandi!!!!  I had to find some focus, as I seemed to have lots of ideas, and projects started all over the house.  So now I am doing projects by the month and by general colour or theme as when I went through everything it turned out that there is currently enough charity shop buys to see me to the next 5 months of making! (its far too easy when things are 1 and 2 euro)  So I divided them into colour and drew up some plans for each, and also catalogued my small stash, so now I am only working a month at a time to stop me flitting from project to project, and have a bag with the next 4, but no more................

a month of swatches - patou in pieces (patou overblouse)

Just before Christmas, I got a text with an offer of some old fabric and wallpaper swatches  from an interior designer friend. Obviously said yes - and what amazing swatches books they were.  They are mainly Zophany - so seriously  swanky stuff! I opened up some books, divided the swatches into colour, and then kept re-arranging them....and seeing what end pieces I had which could be used up. 

 I am trying to finish writing up some patterns for upload before the end of the month, so this would be a perfect opportunity to get some small projects done and write up the last bits of pattern - and for the most part these swatches will be bags, cushions, slippers, but I am hoping to get some incorporated into clothes so I tried to make a small top this week.


First up - the patou top.  I had hoped to make the coat from this pattern , but that is not going to happen for the moment, so I did like the look of the top, and wanted to try it out.

I made up the front from a series of rectangles and used a grey band at the bottom from a 1euro charity dress which was a good neutral for backing.  The colours looked good together but the fabric weights differ enormously - so I lined the inside with fabric instead of facings.  It should be okay, but the grey fabric is a very thin cotton silk, so I am going to baste it at the hem,  and launder and then see if it needs a different treatment at the hem.  I have another swatch of this which I am still putting together with some odds and ends here so may try to make that that up yet for my unsuspecting sister..................