The arm holes were a little bigger than I wanted so I cut the shoulder seams as well and will resew.
Also adding a third pocket to cover a bleach stain.
Now to get some thread.
P.S. I don't sew facings anymore but love the pattern piece for altering necklines, arm holes and some other things too. More on that later, 'cause I just realized that's something I need to look at more.
Sometimes it's good to find a field to stand in (or even on the edge of).
This one is across the street from where I work. It had a "For sale" sign up but that's gone now. There was a petition for it to be used as a park as it's on the edge of a public trail but a lot of areas like this here are used for apartments. It's pretty amazing that it's been like this for as long as it has.
It would be a good place to stretch your wings (and there are many that already do).
I hope it does become a park.
A good place to take a deep breath.
We all need that.
I've finished updating my summer/hot weather wardrobe and am starting to re-imagine clothing that isn't worn much or scraps from the stash that have potential to be transformed.
A few more new things for the wardrobe. Two more versions of the top from The Act of Sewing by Sonya Philip. These were both made from the top pattern.
Fabric: Cotton voile
Construction notes: Ruching on the shoulders with elastic. It gathers up the fabric to create a ruffle.
Thoughts: Supper comfortable to wear on a hot day. I added the ruching as an afterthought. It made the shirt fit better.
Fabric: Cotton knit
Construction Notes: Cut two of the back pattern pieces to have a shallower neckline, otherwise the neck opening can be too big.
Thoughts: A knit fabric drapes well and is flattering.
Notes to self: Remember to use clothes pins when hanging this shirt to dry.
Do we create our own story with the things we make?
Storyteller as a personality type.
Thinking about the story a wooden spoon, homemade apricot jam and a dress might tell.
Fabric: rayon
Pattern: Top and skirt from The Act of Sewing by Sonya Philip. I overlapped the two patterns to make a dress.
It swirls in the breeze.
I can't help but think of a dance.
I've been waiting a year for those strawberries....
A simple salad of butter lettuce, local strawberries, olive oil, vinegar and a pinch of salt.
Skirt done and top almost done.
They go great with my green pullover.
Widget was absolutely no help and it was a relief when she went to take a nap.
Something that I am trying to do with my work clothes is to build sets of clothing that mix easily.
I fell in love with this print (cotton double gauze), looked at it for over a month, and then decided okay, yes.
But there is a rule I've set for myself with prints... I have to buy enough fabric to make a skirt and a top so that it is an outfit on it's own and each piece has to go with something else so that there are multiple options.
The yellow and brown were picked to match the print and I thought maybe would go together.
The original plan was yellow top, brown pants or skirt.
After living with the fabric for a few days, I don't think that I would wear the yellow (cotton) without another color in the mix though. Too...something (loud?). I am leaning towards two tops or pulling the brown from this mix.
This is an easy decision, pants made with a light denim. All three other fabrics will be just fine with the pants as tops. This is probably as close to making my own jeans as I am going to get. The more I look at the yoke part of jeans, the more I think no.
The fabric will make a minimum of 5 pieces. It's very likely there is enough of the denim to make a cropped jacket bringing the total to 6. It's also possible scraps can be pieced to make one more top with just this mix. It is certainly possible with other fabrics added in. And masks. There is certainly enough for a mask or two.
I need to look at the rest of my wardrobe and make some choices.
Loosing fitting so that I stay as cool as possible, but covers more than a tank top.
I cut apart a shirt that was a bit shorter than I liked and a pair of pants that didn't fit very well, and added a scrap leftover from the original sewing. A french seam was used for all the piecing.
The pocket fabric was a gift from Mom and Dad.
The details: It's made of two squares about 36 inches wide (my shoulders are about 24 inches), plus the pocket. The neckline is from another pattern, cut on the fold. The arm holes are about 14 inches. It's four seams of sewing to put it together: along the sides from arm hole to hem and the shoulders. The neckline is finished with bias tape.
That's it.
As for the garden,
it's rose season again!
I am really not sure where today went...
nothing much that I planned to do happened.
And I am not sure how I feel about that.
Maybe it was what I needed.
I did spend 15 minutes sewing.
The button marks the front of a skirt and the wonky patch the back neckline.
It's kind of like "This side up."
The intention? To make nine items of clothing in 2021 (inspired by The Make Nine Challenge) using material that is in the stash... which is mostly bits and pieces left over from other sewing projects.
There was one exception. I had three yards of this fabric.
First attempt was dress length. (What was I thinking?)
Second attempt tunic length. Not there yet.
Third attempt shirt. Yes, this I will wear.
And everything that was cut off? It would make a good lining for a vest or jacket.
Along with the sewing, I also went for a walk in the sunshine. The creek at the park was running fast.
I think I could make yarn this color.
I am not sure that I will ever look at winter the same way after this year...looking for colors other than dark green has been very worthwhile.
And there was winter pasta.
Pasta + dried tomatoes + oil cured olives + canned artichokes + thyme + feta + olive oil.
And all about "why not?" Just put it out there.
Two altered photos:
Thinking about Raku.
And so many layers I lost count.
And because I keep forgetting:
The pants dyed blue.
Don't look too closely,
one leg is slightly bluer than the other.
Super comfortable but the next pair I make will probably be two sizes smaller.