Wednesday 29 January 2020

Pattern testing version 2 of the Pattern Lab Swimsuit

Here is version 2 made from what I believe is proper swimsuit fabric and the front is not so low and possibly legs higher than version one so more like they are meant to be.

From Ralphs feedback from the velvet swimsuit- that the fabric is not stretchy enough vertically, so I decided to try to find some more swimwear type of fabric.

The mermaid swimsuit fabric I bought from amazon was absolute rubbish so I am sending back. I did fancy mermaid scales but its obviously not to be. Also it was £11.99 per meter so pretty expensive. I have bought two different pieces ( yet to arrive) from an Ebay seller so wil see what they turn out like.The seller assures me its proper swimwear type of fabric. There are absolutely no fabric sellers near to me so the internet is my only choice. The stuff I bought from Amazon is total rubbish and has virtually no stretch so I would avoid if I was you.


Version1 - velvet swimsuit
Anyway you can see my original velvet swimsuit right but its just not very good so I needed to make a second version and try to get that one right.  I rummaged through my lesser known bits of fabric stash so everything that is stuck at the back of my shelves where my fabric stash lives, knowing I had still got some of the striped lycra fabric I used for my skirt and trousers and this is probably the only real swimwear fabric I have bought ever. I am not certain its actually meant for swimwear but its stretchy enough and the right weight etc so more than likely its either swimwear fabric or dance wear fabric. It does sew into very nice flowy dancwear clothing though and made a nice summer skirt for my holiday.


So I cut a second swimsuit from this. I have not matched stripes because the fabric was just left over bits. Amazingly its turned out pertty much pattern matched anyway which is really good but a complete accident. But then I suppose its easy matching stripes.
Unfortunately, I ran out of elastic so I think the arm holes are tighter than should be. Obviously with wear this will relax but its not the best finish ever. Now have some more elastic so will try to get time to finish version 3 in the next couple of days.My first purchase of elastic seems to have gone missing in the post.
 

Because I refuse to freeze outside - and also do not particularly want my neighbours staring at me in swimwear in Northamptonshire in January - these had to be taken on the doormat in the conservatory because its the only place bright enough so you will have to excuse the muddy floor and wellies in the photos.



 This version I overlocked the edges of all openings, but did not cut off any fabric so the edges are a bit "fluffy" but I have kept the seam allowance.


Then I used this edge to cover my elastic. Again stretch zigzag for openings and overlocked the inside seams. I did not sew the elastic first to the right side like the first version and then flip it over and zig zag on wrong side. I think this was a mistake because it came out a bit irregular so in future I will not skip that step.


I was worried this version would be too see -through but its Ok as it turns out but I have yet to find out when wet.That will have to wait for summer unless I try it first in the shower which is probably the best option rather than embarassment on the beach. Mind you in summer this will work really well as under my trousers and skirt made from the same fabric so if it does not work as a swimsuit I will wear it as a body even though it has no poppers under the crotch. It will not really matter if I am not wearing layers after all.

So other than my dodgy elastic on my arm holes, I think this is a great swimsuit. I still have version 3 to finish though which is made from yet another stashed fabric. I will show you that one in a few days time once its done.
If you would like to help perfect this block and wish to test the blocks then please email Ralph at testing@patternlab.london  to get involved in this project.

See you soon,
Bracken

Monday 27 January 2020

Pattern testing - swimwear for Ralph Pink - Pattern Lab Swimsuit

I had an email from Pattern Lab land in my inbox just before Christmas asking for people to become pattern testers for swimwear for Pattern Lab / Ralph Pink. Well I was just trying to get back into sewing again and finding things pretty hard to do. I thought why not? I applied. I was so excited when Ralph got back to me and I became a proper pattern tester. It meant I actually have to do some sewing which I found very difficult when trying to get back into sewing after my op. Not just physically but I just lost all my motivation or creativity and its been a really good experience being a  pattern tester that I have enjoyed very much. Also out of pure chance this project fits in with Emerald Erin's Bra a week challenge. I do not intend to make a bra a week for a whole year but would like to make a few lingerie type items so this does make for a good start. I also really need more of these kind of items in my ever expanding wardrobe because I only seem to make outer clothing and its about time I got into making everything including undies and swimwear.

I have asked if its OK for me to blog about this and Ralph was happy for that and to let people know that this is still in testing phase and the blocks are not online just yet. But if people wish to test the blocks then please email Ralph at testing@patternlab.london  to get involved in this project.

Ralph sent me a basic high leg low from and back swimsuit block. I started off making in stretch dancewear type of velvet. My main reasoning really if I am honest is that I was trying to use up my stretch velvet bits and in theory it was stretchy enough.

I had to order elastic. Well, my elastic never arrived so having sewn the body together I was just waiting and in the end opted to use my fold over elastic which I bought loads of years ago and still have not used hardly any. Anyway bright green went really outrageously with the black velvet so I used that.






However I did not fold it over but added it like regular elastic and then folded back on itself making it half the width and its still a bit wide really but does work. I have since read that fold over elastic is OK for sunbathing which I never do and in the sea, but not in the pool so if you do this remember that else it may just fall to bits on you.


Despite my first attempt at sewing swimwear its lovely and fits well. Much better than my RTW clothing tho not sure how my stretch velvet would stand up to swimming. Its got an almost leotard look tho definitely is a swimwear pattern rather than leotard. Thats the fabric of course. I had to use fold over elastic since the elastic I ordered has apparently gone missing in the post, but I have not changed the seam allowance since did not fold it over. Or at least its folded onto itself rather than round the edges.  See photos below. Please ignore coffee stains on my table. This was thirsty work!

I had a few issues with the green of the elastic showing through or being pulled through the velvet but nothing to do with your pattern.

I suspect due to using a normal not ball point needle. You can hardly tell when its on. Of course I will always see this.

Used a stretch zigzag rather than normal zigzag for the elastic and overlocker for the main seams.




 
I do like the black velvet although not quite usual for swimwear.





I sent the first photos to Ralph for analysis. 


Ralph says is pulling at front and is therefore lower than it should be with high rise being quite low on the side seam and the plunging neckline being quite low. It is very low.
It feels OK and very comfortable but he is the expert and knows what it should look like.







From Ralphs feedback I decided to have a go at a second one. 

See my next post for that.
Thanks for popping by,
Bracken

Wednesday 22 January 2020

Check coat - UFO finished for New Year 2020





I started this coat in the summer of 2018 thinking it would be quite nice for Autumn but not warm enough for winter. I cut out the check part and it was meant to be part of the capsule wardrobe. Well that was that. I stopped then and it has remained most of the time on my sewing (dining!) table ever since. I did move it most weeks to clean and to cut out new things or to trace patterns but sewing.......NO! It just ended up back on the pile.






So its been here for ages. I have made lots of excuses for not sewing this up - most notable the truth - that I did not have clue what to use for a lining. I sewed the outside part but since I had nothinhg for a lining I just kind of ignored it till last summer.

According to my pattern it needed to be a stretch fabric for the lining but nothing in my stash seemed suitable. Then in spring 2019 it was still unfinished and I bid on loads of Ebay fabric and won most of it which is most unusual in itself. I was after neon brights. The same seller listed a neon yellow, neon pink, neon coral but I never expected to win it all so then I bid on what on my screen looked like another bit of neon yellow. Then I won them all. Its quite good really that this bit of bright yellow was not the same fabric as the neon yellow cos then I would have had 7m of it. I am unsure what I could do with so much over-bright fabric. They were just in fashion then but who knows for 2020. Mind you I am quite sure I will find uses for all of ths fabric haul.


The lining fabric I used in the end then is a stretch scuba type of crinkle stuff. I hate the right side but have (extensively) got into using the wrong side to make all sorts of things which you can read abut in many many previous blog posts.

I will not bother to link back because you can pretty much select any post with stretch fabric to see what I do with that stuff.





The photo of the coat on the floor is rubbish I admit, but my house is small, and there is really no where I can actually lay something this big so that you can see it all at once.

Anyway back to the lining fabric which I think is a kind of scuba and is, when reversed, very good as a substitute for the performance types of fabric used by companies like Rab to make their somewhat expensive polyester jackets. Right side I hate the stuff. Wrong side I will not say love it but my intention to never ever buy more was dashed as I found ways to use it. It seems to contain lycra and wears well even on the reverse though the reverse is more delicate that the crinkle front. It does make for extremely warm excercise leggings though. The outer layer is a very thin and lightweight fabric with stretch widthwise but not lengthwise. I made a skirt from it previously. With a lining from this scuba fabric it becomes more substantial for a lightweight coat.
Ignore what I am wearing underneath this. I had one of those days you have where nothing quite matches but you wear it anyway😁
So I ended up with 4m of normal yellow and 3m of neon yellow so plenty yellow fabric really. Especially since I am not that fond of wearing yellow!

I do like fluorescents though. I made a couple of items last summer in yellow, pink and green fluorescents but never used the bright non-neon yellow and so far I still have the neon coral as well. Roll on spring for that one!

The non-neon yellow was lying on my sewing / dining table. As my partner who was sick of me trying to decide on a stretch fabric for a lining for this coat and asking him if this or that fabric would work best, said "why don't you use this bit of bright yellow for that" so I did.

Finally, in spring 2019 I found a lining fabric, cut it out and started to sew. As usual the Burda instructions are terrible but I muddled through. Then half way through construction I decided to add a hood. Its not part of the Burda pattern but I reckon I will wear this far more if it has a hood. Its a very lightweight mac type of garment anyway so will be worn in spring now, or maybe even on cooler summer days, and later in 2020 in the autumn. The hood is from New Look 6142 in sixe XL which I used to make several hoody's for my partner. Its a basic hood and has no pull cord or elastic but will  make the coat just a little more wearable for UK spring and summer weather. I think it was a good addition. I sandwiched it between the outer and lining layers of the Burda pattern pieces and it seems to work well.


So I cut this out nearly 2 years ago for a would-be summer mac for work. I have finally sewn the last bit of hand sewing this week which is round the back vent.Two years for what is really quite an easy item to sew!

Unfortunately it was quite windy when the photos were taken which has meant you get to see wind-blown pieces rather than how it actually looks. The back vent is nigh on perfect honest. I am not so happy with the puff-ball effect hemline though. Thats an accident.The outer fabric is too light weight for this garment I think. But all the checkes pretty much line up all around thecoat so just for once I have managed to accurately pattern match. Shame its pretty much a throw away coat really but thats the very light weight fabric I used for the outer. Still it will give me an extra something for this spring. And I can get away with it for work even if its imperfect.

 

I finished sewing most of this in probably, August 2019 but never got round to the hand sewing of the back vent. I could not work out how to do that by machine. Since I really hate hand sewing I left it and despite it being the right weather for this in Autumn I never finished it. Being unable to sew with a sewing machinefor the last few weeks does indeed have some very few advantages. It made me get round to hand sewing at last.

Its definitely got a few imperfections like I have a tuck in the bottom of the lining on one side which you can see on the photo on the floor, but when worn, or even hanging up, no one other than me is going to notice that. I am not good at adding linings probably because I need more practice. I have not made many items that are lined.

I am despite the obvious imperfections happy to make this at last. I am very happy to finally get rid of this from my sewing pileas well. I am sick to death of moving it around and dustig round it. I feel I achieved something by finishing it rather than just sticking in the plastic storage box which is hidden in my airing cuboard with the rest of my UFOs. Interestingly all my UFOs are coats and jackets!


I am also very happy that the two fronts ended up exactly the same length. And I will have a nice lightweight work mac for spring and summer 2020.There is one slight problem with this coat that it should have been a puffball. Or at least it would easily lend itself to becoming a puffball coat because of the very lightweight fabric I used. You can see how the outer layer almost puffs around the bottom in the photos. I actually own Burda's puffball mac pattern as well ( the Tikva Trench ) so I am seeing this as an opportunity missed. It does though make me now desire to make the puffball coat in the near future. Maybe with a definite intention to finish it in reasonable time, or at least certainly to make it faster than I managed to make this mac.

I have a few things I can make from the rest of the bright yellow fabric as well so it will not be wasted and for £2 it was a real bargain - even if it is bright yellow. If nothing else it will make for a wearable muslin fabric for future trials of patterns.


Bracken

Thursday 16 January 2020

Orange fluffy jumper






































I knitted this jumper whilst recovering from the hip replacement operation. I needed to do something creative and was unable or rather not allowed to do sewing, so knitting seemed a great option.
 yarns were

The orange fluffy mohair type yarn - I say type because I do not think there is actually any real mohair in this - was bought from Ebay a few years ago when it came back into fashion. Its meant to be original 1980s yarn. I believe the seller because the modern stuff is usually much more boring and pastel colours than the older 80s yarns were. They were BRIGHT. Because there were no labels I was unsure of the metre-age and I had two very similar yarns so alternated with 6 rows of the darker colour and 4 rows of the brighter but the knitted pattern had a repeat of 16 rows so the colours are not on the same part of the pattern each time giving a more random look. I like the overall effect though it turned out when I finished I could have stuck with just one of the colours. Never mind I can make something else later. Now I have an idea of metre-age too so it will be easier to esimate. The original magazine pattern uses a yarn with small slubs or bobbles and thats what this stuff has too so it was a good match.

I collect yarn. Similarly, to my fabric stash, but I rarely do anything with the yarn whereas I do use the fabric regularly. Mostly, my yarn lives in two large storage boxes in the loft. And by large I do mean large. One is actually a plastic box meant for storing garden implements in (outside in the garden) so is a mini shed. It does work wonderfully as a yarn box 😊. I put it together up in the loft. There is a window in the loft though it has never actually been converted into a room, so I need to keep the yarn etc in the dark. Luckily all this yarn does not really weigh much!

Well whilst recovering I was unable to get into the loft and my lovely long suffering Mick went retrieving it all for me. I mention this because it really not a small thing, and for him was difficult and loads of hassle, but he did it for me anyway. If I ever need the other hip replacing I will have to think ahead better and make sure everything I may need is within easy reach. This last time I never did. It meant for lot of explaining about things and where stuff is stashed. Also, he now knows just how big my yarn stash really is and thats never a good thing!





The jumper is from an ancient 1980s knitting magazine - Sandra - which I bought new (in October 1985) and have never knitted anything out of. Until now that is. I own loads of these.

Just look at the price!

You know I thought this was expensive back then. I was 21. I thought buying one of these took a big chuck out of my available spends. can you beieve that?

Yes, its something all the oldies seem to say, but its also true.
One of this years resolutions is to make something from every sewing and knitting and crochet mag I have lugged around with me for most of my life. Many I have never even tried to use. They just collect dust and take up space. Time to make it worth owning every single one of them. 

Even with Burda I seem to just use a couple of mags. The 11/2016 I have nearly made everything from, yet I must own 40 more that I have never used. This year I am using all of them to justify my owning them. Or at least I am going to start working through them because I suspect using them all in one year may prove a little too timeconsuming for the available time I have to sew and knit. I am giving this a go anyway.


This is the magazine picture of this jumper which is somewhat deceptive. I normally just knit until it fits and is the right length etc. This time I exactly followed the pattern. It measures what it should do though it looks longer in the above picture. Maybe the model was short?  It looks a bit shorter on me thats certain. I had enough yarn to continue but lost confidence and followed the pattern rather than measuring against me. Its probably much better for work to have it as it has turned out really because it will look good with work clothing, but I had originally intended to make a large baggy play jumper to lounge about it. Of course it may stretch a bit though hopefully not too much. When I began I expected this to be harder to knit than it turned out so that was a big plus. Its just a lace pattern really and no cables which I thought would make the zig zags.

If you own this magazine there is a mistake in the pattern chart - see below:

I am now going to make a few other jumpers from different Sandra issues. Hopefully they will all turn out this wearable.

Bracken

Thursday 9 January 2020

Polka dotty dungaree skirt


My partner reckons I am getting a bit "Arty" with this mix of clothing. I never till now thought of myself as at all arty. Still maybe all the creativity is finally working 😉

I made this skirt at the same time as my dungarees. Its a very basic pattern. Well not even a whole pattern because I only used the front of section of New Look 6230. I did this before when I made my fluorescent green outfit back in summer 2019.

When these pictures were taken I still needed my crutches. Now I don't.

This skirt is a bit shorter than my green one. I won't be wearing this for work so prefer it a bit shorter. Its a scuba fabric so very warm. I did not have enough scuba for the straps though so they are faux leather. I think it works despite the simplicity.

Or it maybe that simplicity of the design is why it works?

Its worn with my black and cream one shoulder tops. You can read about the one shoulder tops here:




Now my hip is done I want to be me again. No more hiding behind old lady clothes with midi skirts down my calves. I always, all my adult life, like either very, very long skirts ankle length skirts or at least ankle scimming or very, very short skirts. I reckon at 55 I will not wear quite so short a skirt as I did at 20,  but I can still do this sort of short skirt so thats what I am aiming for.


Its got an elastic waist. Not really sure it needed that and perhaps draws the waistline in more than it needs. But I added the bib and braces as an after thought and topstitched round the waist above the elastic. I am not sure that was the best decision but despite this I do like the fact its a dungaree skirt.
 
The braces make it a bit different which is nice. They're a bit creased but I do not like risking ironing faux leather. The bib is really a bit too small I think ( and not quite rectangular!) but it was the very last bit of scuba I had so that was that. I could not even choose to line with different fabric and make it bigger since its made of an offcut which meant its a weird shape and unless I added a seam down the front of the bib there was no other option. In the end I opted with a slightly small bib and self lined it. It does work. I love the scuba fabric for this. It does not crease and is so very warm. And its a fun fabric which I will not wear to work so why not?
Its a bit cold for the time of year wearing this and I am having to wear it with leggings rather than tights which I admit does ruin the look a bit, but I am still so far unable to put my tights on and leggings go on easier. Once I can use my leg properly again I shall more than likely wear it with tights because it would look better. I do not mind really, though must admit having invested in 4 pairs of warm tights it is a bit frustrating.

I am finding recovery from my hip replacement is actually much slower and much harder than I envisaged. Its not that I have a leg that is swollen now because the swelling subsided a while back, but just that I am unable to reach the foot and bend properly despite being signed off by the consultant to do that now. Hence no tights!

In fact I kept getting dressed with a wet foot which is not nice due to not reaching properly to dry myself. You just do not think of these small details when you agree to have an operation. Not that I regret it, because I think the surgeon has fixed me! The pain is mostly gone. Other tha from the op itself anyway. I suspect most of what I am having painwise is from muscular recovery and the bone knitting to the implant.

They say 6 weeks recovery, but when you are actually doing the recovery that is very optimistic. If I had the kind of job where I could work from home I reckon I could do that. Unfortunately I don't!

I think the fact I am much younger than, for example my Grandma who was into her 80s when her hip was done, meant in my own mind that I would recover very easily and its really not so easy as I expected. Despite the consultant signing me off from the "precautions" - bending over 90 degrees etc - I am not actually able to bend that easily. My lower leg is "dead" so I am unable to kneel easily. I am doing physio to sort that though.

I am also still fainting and therefore unable to drive (legally), which I need to be able to do to get to work and really cannot take the risk of killing someone else or myself so its really not worth risking driving but I am still stuck and reliant on others. My BP, which is apparently naturally low anyway is just taking ages to return to normal, so every now and then it drops and I just go out - as in faint - which is embarrassing as well as totally inconvenient. Last time was in front of the entire physio department. I suppose at least I was in the right place! I am now taking iron since a blood test said low haemoglobin levels though my Doctor did not seem worried. I invested in iron anyway and have taken it since.

My operated leg hurts, I do take pain killers but the pain is still there. I am not able to walk as well as I thought I should do and as I said I cannot yet put tights on. I suppose realistically the bone has to grow over the implant and the muscles have to recover. Its very frustrating anyway. I can walk downstairs now but cannot get upstairs. I make daily attempts to walk up and down stairs. Down is not bad at all but upstairs so far is impossible. Physio encouragingly tells me its normal. I simply cannot control my leg very well and it collapses. Thats not too bad on the house stairs because they are carpeted but I would not want to fall flat on my face on a public staircase. Thats going to hurt!

So I have yet to even attempt to sew. Its 8 weeks now, the day I am writing this. Since I still have to lift my operated leg with my hand to get it to where I want it for example when putting shoes on. I can now tho do socks which just a couple of days ago I could not do myself so I am definitely getting better steadily. I would have been better off if this had happened in summer because it would not have been icy in the mornings so reducing the risk of falling which I MUST NOT DO. I could have worn walking sandals with velcro fastings all the time and I could have got back to work more easily I think. Note to self - have the next hip op in summer then!

Anyway, I reckon I may have to wait a couple more weeks yet to be able to operate the sewing machine foot properly. At least now though, I can get in and out of the shower, so thats a real improvement. Our shower is over the bath. I have yet to try to have a bath because I think I may end up stuck.😉

I am hoping in a week or so my physio will pay off and I will start to be able to walk properly again. I actually ditched my crutches for a few days and ended up with terrible pain in the unoperated leg so saw my doctor who told me to go back to using my crutches again. Its hopefully the pressure on the unoperated leg causing pain rather than I need a second operation. Time I suppose will tell with that one. I am sure my hip replacement is actually a great success because it turns out there is only 3mm difference in my leg length which is a relief and means I do not need a built up shoe or in sole to raise it.

Moans over! 

In the meantime my sewing project ideas are growing and I'll be hard put to decide what to make first. I went through some of my stash the other day which was not easy because you need to bend to get access BUT I have some lovely black sequin fabric in my stash so have been going through lots of Burda mags hoping to decide what to do with it. I have owned it at least 3 years so probably should find a way to use it. Also I think sequins work not only with Christmas festivities but also into January with knitwear and as you know, I have been knitting. I will let you know on that one once I decide what I am making. With luck I should be sewing again soon.

And just to finish off another photo of this skirt. 

I am pleased with how this turned out.

Thanks for popping by
Bracken