Keeping Out Of Trouble Part 1

Spring is in the air! I was a bit tired of the old winter wardrobe, and the beautiful week of spring weather recently spurred me to update the wardrobe a bit. I dove into the stash and found some nice medium weight denim, and 2 hours later....

a skirt! Pattern by this chickie, and you can buy it from here. I'm lucky (or unlucky, depends how you look at it!) to be the same size as I was the last time I made it, so I had the pattern all ready, and have made a few now so  it was a great quick make.

The top is another Alma blouse, the seersucker gingham *sigh* was bought specially for it- a few weeks prior! I love this fabric....I cheated this time and didn't put a zip in, as it fits easily over my head, and I could have taken a bit in the shoulders so the tight cardi doesn't sit a bit funny- but I'm hoping for less need for the cardi in a few weeks!

The warmer weather has (temporarily) altered the need for the knitted cowls; I threw together a quick 'infinity' style scarf, a long tube twisted and stitched together. I used some lawn from Spotlight as a practice, trying to get the guts to cut up some Liberty lawn!

Remember the Triple Zip swap I mentioned a few posts ago? Mine was very well received, with a wonderful blog post about it over here. I also received a gorgeous pouch, from manybooks4u (on flickr).

It was full of yummy goodies, I've never seen coloured magnetic snaps, and have fallen in love Glamping now I have a mini charm pack!

 And last update- the scrappy zig zag is pieced and ready to go....when I get to the Spotlight sale and pick up some batting!

This one's a keeper, that's for sure!

             Stayed tuned for part 2 where I reveal a special little job I was asked to do....

Something for me!

In between the kiddy stuff, I've been (slowly) making the Alma blouse. It was a bit spooky, as I was watching American Horror Story Season 2 whilst I made it, and there was a character named Alma....so I wont forget that show very quickly!

These pics are after 2 days of wearing...it's THAT good!

 

It has a side invisible zip, and I took in the side seams and made the darts a bit bigger, I cut a 14 out. It actually goes over my head without the need for the zip, so as good as that was to put in- I'm not doing it next time!

It's great for casual, but I can't wait to dress it up a bit. But the cuuuute collar is my fave, I think a Peter Pan collar dresses everything up! I have a few fabrics in the stash earmarked for more...

The only things I didn't like were my own fault- I didn't have enough fabric to make the facings match- I went with white, which I can see and it bugs me. Should've gone with navy! (it looks black and white, but it's a navy and cream voile from Spotlight). The other thing is a flaw in the fabric, down the back shoulder is a line where there is no blue dye- but Cam suggested a fabric marker, if I was really worried about it! I'm not, just annoying!

Hmm, the kid is getting a bit better at photos!

Sorry, more pics of me and my moon tan legs!

 I had to put that title, as I even I didn't know how white my legs were until I saw these! Can you tell I don't sun bake? At least I have a low chance of skin cancer on my legs teehee

My goal for this year (not a resolution, just a little goal) is to make more of my work wardrobe. I mainly wear pants and tee shirts, in winter with cardigans, and of course the skirts I made. But I wanted much more handmade work clothes that bought! So this post is to show off my three tee shirts I made, and the pants I am now living in!

These are the fabrics "Santa" put under the tree from Rathdowne Fabrics (well, actually, I did, and they weren't wrapped and I paid for them. Thanks anyway, Santa!) They were all different weights which made it interesting! I didn't end doing a production line because of that, but they were still pretty quick.

This is the pattern.... again!

This is a slightly 'slinky' fabric, ie I think it has a fair bit of polyester in it. Little Miss told me it was swimsuit fabric, but definitely not like the bathers I made her! I was worried the higher amount of polyester would make it a bit smelly at the end of a sweaty day, but I wore it to work all day and it's fine! And very comfortable. I left the waistband cuff at the bottom for this one, and love the sleeve cuffs, they are just so comfortable! Oh, and the fabric was quite cheap as it was a remnant.

 

The 2nd one is a thick cotton Lycra, about $10 a metre, I may have gotten a metre and a half, I cant remember. This fabric is the bomb! So spongy and comfy, and even on the hot day Monday I was cooool as a cucumber! The other reason these fit so well is I've lost a bit of weight and went down a size on the tee, so they fit a lot better I've realised!

  

And finally a black on- much batter than the one here, the fabric in the last one was too thin and had holes in the armpits from the needle along the seam. This is a touch thinner than the white cotton Lycra, still soft and lovely though. I left the waistband off this one (got lazy by the end) and used the twin needle for the hem; if it's not as comfy when wearing, I'll add the waistband back on.

Lookit that fit! My next job is new shorts, I'm sick of the sight and the wearing of these ones! But they were op shopped for a few dollars and have lasted a few years, so I shouldn't complain!

Tips for sewing with Lycra? Overlocker! (or serger). The top shiny fabric I still sewed the seams on the machine then overlocked with 4 threads; knowing how the last one got holes and the wear and tear I hope to get out of these, I didn't think I could reinforce the seams enough! And practice. We all fear something before we try it, then it's lots of practice, and being prepared to chuck out the fails!  I expect many more fails as I learn all about sewing stretch fabric!

Oh, a stretch needle too is great.

I also ran up some new pants from this pattern (which was half price at the last Spotlight sale = $2.50) and some of the ex-curtain fabric I was gifted from my daughters school (don't think I blogged that- I was told to 'take what I want' and ended up with about 10mts! It was going in the bin after all....)

They are The. Best. Pants! Elastic waisted, so no stressing your fly is undone all day! Yes, I have entered the 'stretch oant' stage of my life I think...letting it all hang out!

Outfit one TICK