Its the Black Slate High Low top which I got free by signing up to Melly Sews newsletter. I omitted the side darts which makes it more swing-top-ish. I found it a bit old fashioned feeling with the side darts but thats probably just me. It turned out to be one of the best things I ever made and despite the spider web lace trimming the sleeves ( not seen here but you can see on the link to the original page) I have worn this for work even in a corporate environment for the last 3 years and got away with it.
Its looking abit crumpled here at the end of a long day at work but when clean and pressed works well even with suits ( they cannot see the lace with a jacket of course!). I added black stretch lace to the neckline and black satin ribbon binding to the hem. Oh and its a synthetic mix stretch gingham. I made it here:
I made this top as part of a "gingham along". I also made several other gingham items from this fabric: a Skirt and Leggings and Jacket.
I actually wear the leggings loads but rarely wear the jacket or skirt. I have recently been considering altering this skirt to include the zip similar to the Working Wardrobe skirt ( its the same Burda pattern) and maybe also put right the dodgy frill which should not be sewn into the hem!I was not so good at sewing then but I do like the skirt so probably should sort some of these old items out now. Actually the Working Wardrobe skirt also needs alterations. I do not wear it because the zips unzip as I walk - making it very revealing!. It would work well if I was to turn the zips the other way up.
As for the jacket - not really sure what to do about that one. Its nice but too thin a fabric for a real practical jacket and not really very wearable. Maybe time for the charity shop?
I have to have a clearout of some of this stuff soon. I now have so much Me-made its taking up too much space and means if I put things away in my wardrobe they end up creased and I cannot wear them for work which defeats the object of having a wardrobe at all because I do not use it. I have a four poster pine bed and I leave everything I wear for work hanging off the rail.
Totally messy my bedroom at the moment! I need to decide what I do or do not want to keep and be ruthless and delete everything else.I am starting to get a pile of clothing on my sewing table that needs to be altered now as well!
I hate minimalism. I know that is unfashionable, but having been illegally evicted once by a landlord and lost everything, and I really mean everything, I tend to lean more towards the hoarding than minimizing school, and I shall stay that way.
However, there has to be limits and when you find you cannot put your clothes away, everything becomes messy and its time to re-think a bit. So clear-out time is coming up soon for me because it just has to. I may have to salvedge a few findings off the jacket though because I could use the buckles for example to make one that really does work. I enjoyed making that jacket so could make a second one from something more substantial such as velvet. And maybe even reuse the leather bits as well - got to take it to bits I think!
So what is happening then for me for me-made?
I am finding what does not work well and needs either removing from my life and recycling, altering or simply throwing out so that I end up with less items but decent clothing that actually works!
Maybe Me Made May is after all worth doing this year. I was getting a bit bored a week or so ago but its making me re-examine what I own including those items I am not wearing when they relate to what I am wearing - if you see what I mean here. There is a real reason I do not wear that stuff and being precious about it because I made it once - long ago now- really is not making my life easy.
See you tomorrow
Bracken
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