Vacation wardrobe (Simplicity 2363 revisited)

Three weeks ago I had the opportunity to come with my class on a trip to Mallorca. Well, they asked me if I wanted to come along already in January, so I had known long that I was going. That also meant that I had quite some time to prepare some kind of vacation wardrobe, you know, shorts and stuff.

Lately, I've really been into sewing trousers, for example skinny denim trousers in blue and pink, so why not shorts too?! I found a good pattern in Sömnadsmagasin.

I made two pairs, one in dark blue with white polka dots and the other one striped in white and dark blue/black. I used jersey fabric for the waistband and that makes them really comfy, but at the same time they don't look too casual either.

I changed the stripes on the pocket.

I just love this cover stitch on my sewing machine. I used it on the pockets and on the hems.

I aslo decided I needed a sleeveless dress and wanted to make Simplicity 2363 again. Since the first dress turned out so big I altered some of the pattern pieces to make it smaller from start and it turned out pretty well. I went from size US18/20 to US16.

I used green bias tape round the arm holes instead of lining the whole bodice, I didn't have enough fabric anyway, I even had to make the pockets from another dark blue fabric.

The fabric I used is from my mum's stash, given to me last year, and I've been waiting to find a good project for it, and this was really good! I'm quite happy with the result. :)

Erm, just so you know, the photos are not from Mallorca, but from my garden... :)

See you (real) soon,

Johanna

Compliments

I started work last week and this week the students are back too. So I wanted to look nice off course, it feels good to wear nice clothes. For Thursday I decided on my polka dot Simplicity 2363 and yesterday (Friday) I wore my Macaron muslin.

I got a lot of compliments on both dresses and I felt very comfortable in them, so now I've decided on making more of both patterns! At first, I wasn't sure about the Macaron dress, but after wearing it for work a whole day, I will make another one. The polka dot dress I liked from the start, but after wearing it several times and liking it more and more, I must make another one.

So, let's go fabric hunting in my stash.... :)

Bye for now,

Johanna

Simplicity 2363 - a potential camping mate

Before we went on vacation (btw, we're back home again), I wrote that I was going to make Simplicity 2363 in a short, short-sleeved version. I was going to use the navy blue polka dot fabric I recently bought. I traced the pattern and cut out the fabric, using size US18 at the bust and size US20 at the waist and hips. The day before we went away I sew like a maniac for a few hours, just because I wanted to see what it might turn out like. I did everything but hem the sleeves, neckline and hemline and finish the French seams in the front and the back, but it held together and I could try it on. And it turned out to be.... a TENT!

I didn't have any time to ponder this since we were off early the next morning and with the packing and everything. But during the vacation the dress popped up now and then and I was thinking of what to do to get the silhouette I want.

The answer was to take it in 1,5 inches at each side seam and do wider (than normal) French seams in the front and the back. The result was pretty fitted over the bust and looser over the waist and hips, just the way I wanted it to be.

In the pictures I matched the dress with a red belt, red clog sandals and a red scarf. I'm happy with the look.

Here's the dress from the back without the belt.

Here you can see that the finished dress bear no ressemblance to a tent... :)

From the side. Personally, I don't think it looks like a preggie dress, which is always a hazard with gathers or pleats near the stomach area.

I decided to make pleats on the sleeves, because they look so big and just stood out a lot. It turned very well I think.

In these two pics, you can see how wide the Freanch seams are. Above, the side seam. Below, the front seam.

Here's the dress just hangin' on the coat hanger.... Lovely pink bias tape at the neckline, huh?!

Well, some things to think about, if you're going to make this pattern, think about waht silhouette you want, the pattern is pretty big/has a lot of ease. I think I could have cut a size US14 for the top, and I'm usually a US18. But if you want a loose-fitting dress, go with your usual size. The sleeves are also very wide. For me the length was perfect, I only used 2-2,5 cm/1 inch for the hemline, but I'm quite tall, 175 cm. I cheated a little bit, but it's acutally possible to use French seams everywhere. I cheated at the armscye and the gathered bits. I also didn't feel like using facing for the neckline, so I went with bias tape instead.

Will I make this again? Possibly, now that I know what changes to make. (I know I could have made a muslin, but sometimes I just don't feel like it....)
Would I recommend the pattern? Yes, but think about the things I wrote above.
I'm I glad to be back from the vacation? Actually, yes.... (Really boring weather=no going to the beach=frustrated kids=frustrated (pale!) parents tired from entertaining the kids....)

Bye for now,

Johanna

Vacation headscarf and upcoming dress

I thought I'd make a new headscarf for our upcoming vacation. Always nice to have something new for when you're going away.

I used some lightweight cotton fabric from my stash, originally from my mum's stash. The pattern is the one I drew up myself using a Christine headscarf as a template, see my first version here.

Not the greatest photo, since I had to take it myself in front of the mirror...

I must say it's a relief to be able to make these scarfs myself, to get the fit I want, because I feel the bought ones can get a bit stretched out and then they're just too big and sort of float on my head instead. The ones I make myself, I can make them a bit tighter and get a better fit.

I'm actually working on a dress as well, from the navy polka dot fabric I recently bought. I traced the pattern of Simplicity 2363, a pattern I bought from Sewessential a while ago.

I will make the shorter dress with short sleeves. But I probably won't have time to finish it until after our trip.

Bye for now,

Johanna

New sewing patterns

A few weeks ago I ordered some patterns from Sewessential. I was so glad to see that they had patterns to reduced prices. That NEVER happens in Sweden, it's ALWAYS full price. So I found five I liked, two of them only cost £1.85 each! And the others were £4.15 each. And the postage wasn't too bad either, so totally worth it.

These are the ones I got:

Simplicity 2702 - I like this type of silhouette, I find it flattering for my hips (which are not 46 inches, but 44!). The patterns looks very versatile too, with all the sleeve variations.

 Simplicity 1878 - another Lisette pattern. They are so cute. I was looking for a A-line dress and this one looks fab.

 Simplicity 2363 - I think the front yoke looks interesting, with the possibilities to embellish in different ways. Also many sleeve variations.

 Simplicity 2219 - This also looks very flattering for big hips. But I think I will save this for when I get an overlocker/serger.

 Simplicity 2444 - I have seen many versions of this dress, but this one by Cynthia made me want to make one myself. I have no clue if this type of dress will look good on me, since I have no waist and big hips. But I will make one anyway. I like green a lot and think I have enough of some cotton fabric I got at the local charity shop. It seems kind of the same shade as the one on the envelope. Well, I hope I can muster the energy and make this my next project...

Bye for now,

Johanna