Fabric Find of the Week

Here's the challenge: what can I make with a piece of black cotton jersey, less than half a metre, which cost the grand sum of .50 cents?

It has good body and good recovery when stretched.

I've been wanting to make up this Vogue pattern No 7607 so this might be just the opportunity. The pattern, $1 at the charity shop, contains only Views C and D. Also it's a size 10 and designed for non-stretch fabric. Watch this space to see how it works out.

My First Bash at a Burda

With my thoughts still running on beach wear, I was keen to try out a Burda pattern using a length of stretch terry that was purchased when my last child was a baby. He's now nearly thirty!

The pattern, Burda No 2565, is designed for lightweight jerseys but proved more than adequate, with a few alterations, for my beach hoodie project.

I had in mind a casual coverup to go with the pants discussed in the last post.

I cut the fabric out adding a little extra length and a straight side seam instead of the more fitted waist of the pattern. Even the most creative placement of pattern pieces couldn't provide enough material for long sleeves, but three quarter is fine for summer days.

Although the hood in the pattern is not lined, I've lined mine with some interlock left over from this project. The colour blends nicely with the pants.

I top stitched the seams of the hood and the shoulder, which gives a pleasing finish, and used a white bias binding to neaten the neckline seam.

The front pocket was an impromptu addition, not included in the pattern, after I discovered a small smudge on the white fabric.

I'm very happy with the fit of this Burda pattern which I'm thinking will get a lot more use.

Beach Bum

The pants I was threatening to make in my last post have finally materialised. In fact, I've already worn them twice. 

The cotton seersucker is a little lightweight for pants, but as I plan to wear them walking on the beach and such like, they'll do very nicely. And they're a fabulous summer colour.

I was trying out Style pattern No 2991 (1980) to see how the fit would work. Pants are notoriously hard to get right and I really don't know the first thing about fixing the problems. I'm now resolved to book a private session at Geelong's newly-opened sewing school for a measure and fit.

The pattern is a size 12 which is designed for a 24 inch (61 cm) waist, which I had aged twenty-five. Now, four children and forty-four years later my waist is 27 ½ so I gained a little extra fabric by using only one dart on each quarter instead of two. I cut the waist a bit wider too and somehow, in spite of a few fittings along the way, it's a trifle roomy, but comfortable.

The waist is high in the style of the 1980s which I wasn't wrapped in but, having worn them twice, I appreciate the comfort factor. I've worn them each time with a cotton sweater so the waist is not on view.

This pattern is a little deep in the crutch for my particular nether region but I don't think it's noticeable.

The fabric has a subtle pattern of flowers and butterflies the latter of which all sit the same way up. Not a soul in the world would notice if some of them were standing on their heads—except me, that is. Adding to the cutting-out issue was a limited length of fabric. To cut out a pair of pants with a one-way print, you really need twice your length. I only had 73 inches (185 cm) to play with.

I circumvented the problem by cutting each front leg in two separate pieces so there is an angled and top-stitched join just below the knee. This rough drawing shows the pattern piece layout.

So, a solution to the shortage of fabric morphs into a feature, I always like that.

While the fit of these pants may not pass inspection by the trouser-tailoring police, I'm still pretty happy with them for knock-around summer gear. And for a $1.50 outlay for the fabric, whose complaining?

Fabric Find of the Week

This week's fabric bargain, with summer in mind, is a length of seersucker 185 cm x 105 cm for $1.50 (what is it with me and seersucker?) with a subtle pattern of butterflies and flowers. Nice.

I'm thinking slacks. I've used a Vogue pattern in the past with some success but this time I'm going to try View 2 of this Style Pattern No 2991 from 1980.

Loving the Scarf

Scarves, it seems, have made a big come-back in recent years. After watching a You Tube video on the different ways to wear one, I was firmly convinced that we could throw out the sewing machine and just wrap ourselves in a length of fabric!

I made this scarf with its little scrunchie holder from a fifty cent remnant.

The scarf and the scrunchie are almost identical in construction so instructions for one will be relevant for the other.

For the scarf you'll need a piece of fabric, with a soft drape, around 50 inches (127 cm) long by around 14 inches (36 cm) wide.

The scrunchie requires a 20 inch (51 cm) length by 2 ¾ inch (7 cm) width.

To make both scarf and scrunchie, fold the fabric in half lengthwise and stitch, leaving a 2 inch (5 cm) gap at both ends. I like to make a second row of stitching so fraying won't be an issue.

Pull through to right side.

Now, with right sides together, pin the ends and stitch, forming a loop.

To make closing the gap neat it's a good policy to press those seam allowances in place using the tip of the iron.

For the scarf I hand-stitched the gap closed.

But as the seam won't show on the scrunchie, I've stitched it closed on the machine leaving a small hole to insert the elastic (but not yet).

Press the seam of the scarf flat without pressing the edges, as you want it to be soft and flowing. 

That's it for the scarf, now to finish the scrunchie.

The scrunchie can be pressed flat to make the next step easier.

Stitch along both sides forming a channel in the centre for the elastic.

You'll need about 4 inches (10cm) of elastic for this scarf scrunchie. Thread the elastic through the channel using a safety pin. Firmly stitch both ends of the elastic together and pull back into the channel. Hand-stitch the gap closed.

Scrunchie complete!

I've trimmed mine with this cute brooch made by a crafty young miss for her stall at a school fete.

Checked and Buttoned

Spring in the antipodes! The weather is warming up and the check cotton mentioned here is now stitched and ready to wear.

With only 1.35 metres of fabric it had to be a short-sleeved model which I like a lot now that it's finished.

Off-the-peg clothing sizes have altered so much in recent years that I must keep reminding myself my pattern size is 12, not 10 or 8 as I would buy ready made. Hence this Style Pattern No 1064 (View 3), which is a size 10, was never going to fit in its original form. Only when it was cut out with darts and seams stitched did I finally get the message that it was really not going to fit. Sigh.

I liked the way this pattern shaped in at the waist but the back darts had to go. Next the side seam allowance went, with a gain of another 1 1/2 inches. Almost there.

The final gain was made by cribbing some of the front facing, which was a folded piece, and turning it into a button band.

With these adjustments, the size 10 converted to a size 12.

The darts in the front give a nice shape at the waist even if the back darts had to be sacrificed.

A shortage of fabric meant no chance of matching the checks on the side seams.

I like the collar …

And the little bit of puff at the sleeve cap.

And I like the cuff on the sleeve and the pink buttons from the button box … In other words, I LOVE this shirt. Considering the fabric cost all of $1, I think I'll get more than my monies worth from this make.

Fabric Find of the Week

This week's charity shop crawl netted a summery, lightweight cotton fabric for $1.

I'm a sucker for a check shirt, or a striped one for that matter. I'm tossing up what to do with the collar. Perhaps a regular shirt collar with a pink gingham collar stand?

Or maybe the collar of View 3 in this Style No 1064 pattern. There is only 1.35 metres of fabric to play with, so enough for a short sleeve—with a cuff?