Raspberry Ripple Top.

Sorry for the absence of late, I have so much going on, and as much as I would love to think I'm wonder-woman I'm not :(.

 Unfortunately I think posting is very much going to be irregular for at least the next two if not three months, I just don't seem to have the time, this house move is taking it's toll, and with so much sorting, painting furnishing and house sewing to-do and the rest, it's leaving little time for 'fun' sewing, sketching and blogging, I hope you'll bare with me :)

To the Sewing.....

The garb

My latest make is a self drafted top in shades of raspberry, white, pastel yellow and mint  hence the name raspberry ripple (make that with a hint of mint too Hehe!)

 I love wearing legging in the warmer months, all winter spent in jeans is no good I tell ya' But I cant abide short tops worn with leggings, the ones that finish at your hip bone type of tops (no offence if that's your sort of thing but it's no for me) so bum skimming or longer tops float my boat. I decided my pattern cutting skills were getting rusty and I was in need of some oiling, and with only a meter of fabric at my disposal I decided the best use was a tunic style top. 

Details:

Using my trusty Winifred Aldrich pattern cutting book, I used the kimono block. As this was a loose fitting block I choose the xsmall size.

 I set about lowering the neck-line front and back, lengthening the block and adding a small dip hem to the back. I drafted a small patch pocket and mock cuffs for the sleeves and did my first self made bias binding to finishing the neckline, which adds a more professional touch I feel. I decided to cut the pocket across the stripe of the fabric so it stands out. 

Fabric:

Another piece from my stash, 'I'm so into stash busting right now' (check out this board on pinterest for stash busting ideas)

This was another of my remnant bin finds from John Lewis, £3 for the meter. It's a cotton viscous blend with a tiny crinkle effect to the fabric and a slight open weave in some of the stripes. Although it's a tad on the delicate side with the open weaves, it handles pretty well and sewed up no problem. The only negative is that the neckline is a bit wonky thanks to me not stay stitching it,as the fabric does have a bit of give. 

Overall:

I know I say this with most of my makes but I really am happy with this top. I think it's the fabric choice that makes it spot on, I've had so many dodgy fabric choices it's just nice to be able to wear something that doesn't rustle and feels nice against my skin. I'm also pleased with my style details and it's got my pattern cutting bug back - now if only I could find the time ;)

A side note: 

As I said previously I'm meant to be taking part in me-made-May, well not all is going well, I keep forgetting to bring things to the new house, or think I've brought them when I haven't, basically I'm useless! I am try to wear some me-made items, but unfortunately I'm not sticking to my five times a week rule, so instead of a weekly round up I should think one at the end of May will be ideal at my rate.

What's everyone else sewing?

Me-Made-May13: Week Two

Pan Am Skirt

T-shirt - T.K Maxx

Shoes- H! by henry holland

The long awaited Trench Coat

Longsleeve top- primark

Spotted top just seen- Mango purchesed in a charity shop

Jeans- La redoute

Boots- south

Stripy sobetto

Cardi- H&M

Jeans-la Redoute

Boots- south

Watch- Redherring for Debenhams 

Stripy knitted top

Trench coat As before

leggings- Asda

Boots- south

How it went

For three days I didn't wear anything me-made but I pulled it together towards the end of this week, wearing four out of my target of five days, and a double whammy today of wearing two me made items!! I think it's fair to say I do ok.

What I learnt
 Most of my me-made's are summer items and with the turn in the weather mid week made it tricky deciding what to wear and weather I would be warm enough in work!
I also realised that I desperately need a pair of trousers and leggings in my me-made wardrobe as well as more knitted/jesey tops.

I really enjoyed wearing the pan am skirt and paring it with a t-shirt for a relaxed casual style. The downside was the stripy knit top, the inside of it is rough on my skin, it's too loose on my shoulders and the sleeves are out of shape- one for the recycle bin!
The stripy sobetto is another negative fit wise, it's definitely too small under the arms but despite my fears of looking like Andy Pandy in it I've come to like the top, but once I'd been it for five hours all I wanted to do was to get out of it, which is another task in it's self :/

How did your week go?

One That's worth a look:

I love things that are off beat and unique and this websiste also combines them with chic. Perfect combination.

Messy Nessy Chic is my newest fascination in the blog world. This blog completely fascinates me with it's unusual articles that satisfies my thirst and intrigue for knowledge of the off-beat. ( I love it when I find out about unusually situation or beings in the world! don't you?)

Articles that have had me hooked included:

• The unlimited life time first class travel pass with American airlines - Imagine being able to jump from one city to another to a third all in one day then a day later decided to fly half way across the world all on one pass? well you could and by all accounts some still can.

• Kawloon walled city- A lawless, ungoverned and unregulated city, where 50,000 people lived in a 7 acre plot. A network of passage ways and interconnected towers where inhabitants could live for as little as 6 US dollars a month!

• The remains of Paris' Kawloon walled city. If you thought that only a walled city could exists in the Asian continent think again, during the second half of the 19th century, Paris built it's own walled city to inhabit 10,000 working class people.

• The 80's hip hop tailor: Dapper Dan donning custom made clothes for hip hops elite all made using rolls of Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Fendi knock off prints, and was one of the first to bring designer clothes on to the street scene.

I hoped this has wetted your appetite as much as it has mine, there are even categories to refine your interests such as C'est Chic, don't be a tourist, nostalgia and fashion for dummies to name a few!

In other News

Unfortunately sewing is still slow :( I just have to much going on to to be able to fit things in, between working, decorating, moving stuff, furnishing the house and generally being a proper grown-up (i,e having a house to keep in order) everything is taking it's time. I want to do it all so I need to find a routine to settle into but obviously priority takes over and turning this house into a home is top of the list!
I have done some sewing this week, but it's boring stuff- shorting curtains and the like :/ Although I did cut a pattern for a basic loose fitting T-shirt.

Taking part in Me Made May isn't going well at all this week, again clothes/shoes I though I had brought with me have turned out to be still at my parents.

 Who ever said this moving house malarkey was hard was certainly right, especially when you have a hobby you despritly want to do!! #sewingproblems

Me-Made-May- To begin...

Day 1

Day 2

Me-Made-May has already become challenging for me! I think I set the bar too high especially as I'm still moving!
Day two was a bit of a disappointment, with this nice weather I though I'd make the most of my more summer self stitched clothes i.e a skirt or shorts. After going  on the hunt for a good half hour for said items I came up empty handed, turns out those items were still in my parents house! ( I swore I brought them down with me) So I made do with the t-shirt which was free in a magazine awhile back and I customised it by drawing feathers along the neck-line with a fabric marker.

Then with Fridays outfit I failed to photograph it :( so yeah it's a 'good start'!!

I did happen to learn some things though:

• The top that I wore the first day keeps riding up until the bloody thing nearly chokes me, I'm not sure why this is- Any ideas? 
• Friday's outfit was a stripy top made from poly-cotton which was stiff and made a ruffling sound every time I moved!! note to self - don't buy cheap poly-cotton 
• lot's of my me-made outfits don't go with anything I own :(

To read more out each me-made item click below

Day 1 -  Burda top

Day 2- customised t-shirt - not blogged about but for inspiration for customising T's  visit here at Miss P's Blog

Day 2 - not yet photographed- but it's the top from my Pan-Am outfit.

How are you getting along with the challenge?

The Easy Kaftan Blouse

The blurb:

After being with out my machines for what feels like forever, I wanted something simple and quick to make.

This kaftan style blouse featured in an old issue of sew magazine (sept 2012) was the ideal make! 

Essential a rectangle of fabric with a hole cut in the middle, two button holes and a piece of ribbon, has made this the most simplest yet effective make that I've ever done. It doesn't even use a pattern and is great for stash busting. 

The fabric:

I'm really not sure what fabric this is, the motif it is a burnout fabric though. I picked the fabric up on holiday a while back, it was around 1.5 meters for only two euros!! 

The pattern:

You can find the instructions here on the sew website. The pattern for the neckline is here (scroll to the last page, it's the pink outline (you may have to sign up to sew magazine to access the pattern). 

A quick note about the pattern is that it's a one size fits all type, however I would say that if you are UK size 14 and up you may want to consider moving the button holes over as this pattern isn't as generous as maybe it should be!

Having been without my sewing machine for over three weeks has left my head in a right spin about what to sewing next. There is so much I want to sew that my head feels like it's gone into over-drive.  In the running is toss up between, a maxi dress, Gerties bomshell dress and a play suit, there's also now a small matter of 'do I don't I' regarding sew a prom dress - more about that in another post!!

What's on your sewing table?