Hay you!
Posted: August 10, 2019 Filed under: Exercise, Fabric, Fehr Trade, Greenstyle, Independent Patterns, Shorts, Stashbusting | Tags: Birmingham, Exercise, Fabric, Fehr Trade, Greenstyle, Independent Patterns, Shorts, Stashbusting 11 Comments
Last weekend I had a lovely visit from my sister and a couple of her friends who wanted to visit Hay on Wye – a book town. We all love books and reading so it was the obvious place for them to visit but they hadn’t been before. It was many years since I was last there so was overdue a visit.
We had a fabulous day, and I wasn’t too nutty and only bought five books. The trousers I’m wearing in the photo are from my ‘missing time’. They are a rough approximation of a Uniqlo pair I bought and loved. They’re made in an ancient viscose from very, very deep stash and have been worn lots this summer as they are cool and very comfortable (secret pyjamas).
Anyway, conversations recently with my fabulous little sister have turned to exercise. She’s back at the gym, and is also running, so I thought I would get her to try on the bits I had made in the fabric I showed in my last post with the intention of making some for her …. sometime. Well she looked so good I sent her home with them all. Don’t you agree? Please take note that she has my 12kg kettlebell rather than the 8kg. She wanted that to be known 😂.
The deets.
The leggings are my self drafted pattern. Thank goodness we aren’t too far apart in size and that the stretch can accommodate her extra height.
The shorts are the Greenstyle Moxi again. I put the pocket into the back this time – I needed to make it a bit wider to take a longer zipper and enable my phone to fit. I have an iPhone 5 so if you want to use this pattern pocket for similar phones check the fit before you seal it up.
The top is Melissa Fehrs VNA top. I made it before (ages ago) and thought it worth repeating as I often wear it for yoga and thought another would be useful. Guess I’m making another nother.
I’ve had another day out this week – Birmingham again with the lovely Demented Fairy and Glenda. We were all astoundingly well behaved, well Glenda and I were, and only bought what was on our lists. HONEST!
I had checked in advance what I wanted for upcoming projects and stuck faithfully to what I needed. (In all honesty had there been anything I really loved I may not have been so good). One item was a Dylon Rosewood dye to transform some dismally boring beige cotton twill to use as a wearable muslin for a project I really want to start.
The fabric is now dyed and cut out. I’m going to save more information for next time. It’s from the long list of things I wanted to make, made from stash fabric too. Sorry for teasing! (Not sorry 😂)
Back soon!
Challenge accepted – and met!
Posted: May 1, 2017 Filed under: Butterick, Fehr Trade, Japanese Pattern Books, Patrones, Savage Coco, Sewing Challenge, She Wears the Pants, Stashbusting, Vogue Patterns | Tags: Butterick, Fehr Trade, Japanese Pattern Books, Patrones, Savage Coco, Sewing Challenge, She Wears the Pants, Stashbusting, vogue pattern 27 CommentsA long time ago (in a land far away…..) I joined a Stash busting Group on Facebook. Yes, I see the joke too. It hadn’t occurred to me that this would be so useful – and it also directed me to a group that were issuing Sewing Challenges. What better way to induce you to sew. I love a challenge!
So, back in January I joined a challenge – the SSW:Deep Stash Challenge. It seemed like a breeze to sew eight (yes, 8) garments from patterns bought before 31st December 2016 before the 30th April deadline. A mere two a month would be a piece of cake. Or so I thought before my gall bladder interfered so much.
I started strongly in January with the Fehr Trade VNA sports top and the self drafted warm ‘leggings/trousers’. The top was blogged here as my Jungle January garment but I never blogged the trousers. They were made from warm lycra from Funkifabrics bought an age ago and have been worn pretty much constantly since. I love these trousers, and the top has been worn for both yoga and running and I can heartily recommend it. I even managed to use Butterick 6388 for the first time.
February was OK too, I made up the Savage Coco Presto top as a dress, and also made the first incarnation of Butterick 6388 as a dress. Loved them both. Both patterns that had sat around a while, the Butterick unused until January and now a strong favourite in my wardrobe. Details here.
Although made in March (I’m pretty sure) the dresses I made next weren’t blogged until mid April. Yet another Butterick 6388 – didn’t I say it had become a firm favourite? – and Vogue 1410 by Lynn Mizono. Both now well established in my wardrobe (I have even cut out another Mizono for summer – ever the optimist!) and I seriously can’t work out what I had against wearing dresses for so long as it makes getting dressed a breeze. No trying to find matching bits. That truly appeals to my lazy side 🙂
Following this I got seriously slow and almost gave up on the challenge. We had the break in Cornwall, followed by a manic week clearing jobs before my surgery, and then a week recovering. And reading old blog posts, sorting through patterns, and making plans.
The sharp eyed among you might recognise these flowered ‘what nots’ as the garment The Management called ‘scrousers’. The pattern was from Patrones magazine and was first made in July last year (details here) and worn more than I expected. I decided that they needed to be shorter and have pockets this time.
Since the originals can be worn facing in either direction I didn’t want to lose that when I added pockets. Easy alteration to do – side panels make adding the pocket a very easy alteration. There is a (very) minor nod to current fashion by using a floral cotton from very deep stash for these. Nice to clear that away, and I know that when it is positively tropical here in July/August I’m ready . Stop sniggering – I told you I was an optimist.
I really thought I had given up after making six of the eight garments required to complete the challenge and then I saw Carolyns blog and another of her gorgeous makes from her Japanese pattern book collection. Back on the horse Hood!
Now Carolyn had adapted the last incarnation of the top she made but I knew I had that book (She Wears the Pants by Yuko Takada), knew I had taken it off the shelf frequently with the intention of making several of the garments inside, and had made precisely ….. none. Time to change that.
I really liked the Square Top (No. 11) and decided to make that first – although I had cut out the other top at the same time. The ability to wear it in two distinct ways appealed, and though I like it as a straightforward top it really is very square. The clue was in the name so I should have known. I will wear it like this but I think I prefer the way it can be buttoned up, turned around, and worn as a shrug. Magic!
The red striped top is the Top with Epaulettes (No.4 in the book) that I had been admiring on Carolyns blog. Why didn’t I make this earlier!!!!! I freaking LOVE this top. This will be worn to death (despite the fact that I look a bit ‘Where’s Wally’ in it) and will spawn lots of friends in my wardrobe.
So that’s it. I actually got to the end (and well done if you have too) and made all 8 garments needed in the time allowed. Just.
What have I taken away from the challenge? Get those unused blessed patterns out and start sewing woman!
So what about digging out a pattern you have been giving house room to and never made, or an old favourite that could replace one of the worn versions you made and love. You must have liked a pattern enough to stump up cash to buy it so off you go! Which pattern are you going to make? I have an idea which of mine you will be seeing soon.
Kim
Jungle January
Posted: January 31, 2017 Filed under: Fehr Trade, Independent Patterns, Jungle January | Tags: Fehr Trade, Independent Patterns, Jungle January 37 CommentsOh dear, again I am really late posting what I have made for Jungle January hosted by the lovely Anne at Pretty Grievances again.
I did join in a couple of years ago when I made a pair of zebra print leggings. I knew I had a bit of this fabric left and had been hoping to get it made into something, ANYTHING! I bought a pattern from Melissa at Fehr Trade which I loved but had totally forgotten buying (I’m sure there will be many more of these occasions as I trawl through the detritus in my stash – both fabric and patterns) and knew this was it.The VNA top was beautifully designed, the PDF pattern fitted together with no hitches when I traced it so I was ready to go. Until I was diverted by something else and lost my tracing. Anyone else as disorganised as me?
I searched high and low, gave up and traced again – measuring myself again and discovering I needed the size smaller than I had traced anyway. Probably just as well it got lost. Anyhoo, this exercise vest was made entirely from ‘scrap’ fabric as the zebras were leggings leftovers, and the contrast black section was from a client project that left lots of chunks of black lycra. The sewing instructions were very clear, and the point at centre back is a particular delight. It probably took less time to cut out and sew than I spent searching for the original tracing.I have worn this a couple of times out running and to my yoga class and it performs beautifully – but as Melissa is an experienced runner herself I wouldn’t have expected any less. I love this and will certainly be making more as I prefer vests to t-shirts when exercising but I will reduce the hip circumference a little (I basically have no hips).
Feeling flushed with success I cut out a top from Butterick 6388 which I bought a while back when it was on sale. I loved the neckline and thought it would be absolutely perfect for the bleak grey weather we are having. Again the fabric is leftover from another project – Fadanistas Sneaky Shrug. The fabric was dirt cheap from Birmingham Market so I have absolutley no idea exactly what it is – but I have washed it and it survived, it has a bit of silver twinkle in it, and it has a leopard print. What more can you ask? I have worn this combination of leopard top and warm leggings (not blogged yet) pretty much since they were finished. I love them both – expect to see more. Sorry it’s such a lousy mirror selfie but I took it very quickly to be able to get it posted.
I have done more in January but the whole idea of retirement has gone to my head and I haven’t been taking photographs or blogging (although I have been trying – and largely failing – to keep up with reading blogs). I promise to update the January makes very soon. Honestly promise.
Kim 🙂
The Material Lady 