velvet top - pattern trial

  

I bought this fabric a couple of years ago. It was £0.90/m so I got 3m. It was bought online and described as burt out velvet in a dark green. I think its more brown and I am not a fan of brown but it was not worth returning it at the price it cost. Postage back to the seller was more than the fabric so I hung on to it with the idea it will be ok for testing out new patterns so thats what I am currently doing. 

I traced the pattern last January 2022 but never got round to sewing it up so this is a first for me and this cheap fabric is ideal for pattern testing.

I cannot remember which Burda magazine this is from which is bad. Usually when I trace a pattern I write that information on the traced pieces because its easier later to find the instructions. Well not on this occassion!

Luckily this is an easy make, so I probably was better not reading Burda's usually very confusing instructions anyway.

 The fabric definitely looks brown here too.

Its got a short puffed sleeve with long lower sleeve which I find interesting and makes for  nice change to my usual basic long sleeves. You could just make this short sleeved too and of course make it in two fabrics Burda Style  (see below). There is another view in the magazine which is just one fabric like mine, but since I cannot remember which mag this came from I had to nick the photo from my New Years blog post!

It is though, on my New Years sewing aims list, so thats one I can cross off. I am aiming to make a skirt to match with the rest of this fabric - pop back next week and with a bit of luck I will have done that too, Thats the aim anyway. I found it much easier to sew this week so maybe I am getting back into it again.

So this is the Burda version:

Despite the suspect colour and the fact its very much a floral print, I do like this top, though possibly should have made it earlier when the weather was colder. Still its England/ UK and its going to be cold and rainy before we know it so it will get worn before next winter.

 Trousers are my work worthy tubular ribbed cotton ones.

You can also see the colour has now nearly washed out of my hair. Have to say this modern semi-permanent colour is much better value than the old 1970s crazy colour was. In this case I got sick of the blue ages ago and have been washing my hair every day to try and fade it. I will do a new colour soon though because there are so many to choose from but I think I might give indigo a miss in future. 

As for the pattern, well its a little loose around the waist but I like the sleeve length and the general fit so I might just taper the bottom in a bit next time. Though I do need to be careful. I lost quite bit of weight when I got covid a few weeks ago, and will almost certainly put it back on again because I am unusually thin to my norm, if you know what I mean. I actually like it, but I really do not see me staying this thin for long. I cannot starve myself to do so so will probably gradually get back to normal over the next few weeks so maybe I should not make any tops narrower round the waist area!

Have a great week,

Bracken

Paisley skulls tunic/ dress - Burda Style hoody 103, 01/2017

 

Well finally I started to feel better. Since the variant I probably had of covid was likely to be Omicron I seriously feel sorry for those who had the earlier variants because I felt ill!

But I am better and decided to try to use up my paisley/ skull scraps from my trousers I made a couple of weeks ago and I had almost enough for the Burda hoody I enjoy wearing. I added black bands to make up the extra fabric I needed.

This pattern is very " segmented" which on this occassion means I can get a hoody from my scraps. I really wanted to make a top similar to this red skully one:

 

The red skull top is made using one large piece of fabric for each of the front and back but I just did not have big enough offcuts. This green paisley skull top has "princess seams" so the front piece (and back piece) is made of 3 smaller pattern pieces. Plus the pocket. The red top does not have a pocket and yes, pockets are a bonus really. I do like pockets.

 

But I just did not have enough large bits of fabric to make that and this Burda version is nice and works well. I have used this pattern to make several hoody's from sweatshirting, scuba and stretch velvet. 

 

I love the pattern because its goes together really easily and neatly and you don't have to guess where to stick the top and bottom of the pocket like many patterns because it goes straight into the princess seams so you just pin into position and lie it flat and its easy to get the pocket dead on centre. Then you sew the top down and sew the pocket sides straight into the princess seams. The bottom of the pocket goes into the bottom band so its very neat!

Most hoodies are not so easy to get right. You have to do loads of measuring and it takes much longer than this pattern. However, because I had only scraps my pocket skulls are not perfectly in line with the body but I expect only I will ever notice but ideally I would have matched them better. There was simply not enough fabric for that perfection this time though, and to be honest I am happy just to make this hoody from what I had left over from my trousers.

So far I never took a photo of this top with my trousers but will try to add that later. This is really more likely to be worn alone or with leggings or flares anyway. Ah and here its worn with my black velvet flares which were made as winter PJs. In the case of this pair I never widened the flare which I have on more recent versions so these are really just the basic yoga pattern. They were made back in 2018 so they are old now. I was also a lot bigger when I made them so possibly they are more flattering now than they were then. Either way they are a basic pair of trousers I seem to still wear pretty regularly. 

I used black tubular ribbing for the bottom band and the cuffs. I never added mitts to this top because I am wearing it probably mostly this summer. I therefore just added the narrow bands needed to pull the sleeves in slightly rather than the longer mitts/ bands I usually use. It seems to work well and the sleeves are the right length for me. 

When it came to the bottom though I decided to double the usual width I usually sew on because then this will be a bit longer and more like a dress or tunic which should work with leggings and also still work with my trousers which will match if they are worn together.

And it does work - though its a little more baggy at the bottom than I accounted for. 

 

If I do this one again I will narrow the bottom band rather than just double the width. But still, I have enjoyed it so far. And it does work alone as a dress as well so will be great if I ever get to the beach this summer.

I hope the weather is as good where-ever in the world you are, as it is here right now. Its not too hot yet but its 20 deg C today so its getting there. Summer is coming! 

Have a great week won't you,

Bracken

Basic black ribbed flares

  

I don't think I yet posted these photos though they were taken a while back. You can still see daffodills in the pots and they are all died down again now.

Well I still have covid so these are the best I am going to be able to offer this week.

I still feel horrible, and I have done no crafting this week whatsoever. I decided not to take part in #Me Made May this year as well so although I have worn me made every day I have not taken any photos etc. #MMM is not so much of a challenge anymore. I have nearly all me made these days though when I have time to take part its always a fun thing to be doing. I have too many familly issues this year taking up my time. Having had one familly member in hospital a few months ago the business of my life has not really ended since, so there has not been time for me to spend on #MMM this year. Besides right now I am definitely not up to my usual health levels. Covid has really been a downer for me.

So instead of having something new to talk about I thought I could show you my black flares. They have proved to be a favourite though pretty boring to look at I suppose. But then thats actualy a very wearable item of clothing which is why they look pretty boring. I rarely show the more ordinary boring clothing so I suppose you can at least see from these, that actually, I don't just make lovely luxurious velvet multi-coloured clothing but also I make the more mundane every day stuff as well. Often with both kinds of clothing made from the same patterns.

These were made really fast because they are an easy make and the fabric sews up a dream. So no not really a challenge other than the fabric choice anyway.

Its the old TNT free yoga pants pattern I have used over and over again but this time I bought some tubular ribbing and thats entirely what these are made from. 

It works well, though the lycra does not keep them in shape. There is supposed to be lycra anyway!

The fabric does return when washed but tends towards baggy knees when being worn which annoys me a bit. Its not as good as your normal cotton lycra fabric anyway.

The tubular ribbing is really meant for making the hems on sweatshirts etc. I decided this should work then and back in the 80s and early 90s there were loads of dresses and tops made from tubular fabrics. These days its a rarer thing to come accross. I might have to try a few old 80s patterns though.

This tubular ribbing also comes in a huge range of colours so there is potentially lots of colour choices available.

I got the photos taken when it was still cold hence the aran jumper being worn with them. I really made these as comfy (slobby?) work trousers but have actually been wearing them quite a lot. They work well with sweatshirts as well as slightly posher work tops. And with trainers of course or with "work" shoes.

Anyway, thanks for visiting my blog and with a bit of luck I should be back on form next week and able to do some actual making!

Bracken

Skulls and paisley

 

Well I have Covid.

I probably had it when these photos were taken but I was not that ill yet. Then a day later I thought I had flu. Not nice the flu and its probably been ten years since I last had it. I have been vaccinated for both Covid and flu, but, well I suppose a vaccination does not stop you catching it, just lessens how bad you feel when you do catch it. Slightly, cos I feel ill.

My other half decided to do a Covid test though neither of us thought we had covid but then we still have some of the tests so why not. He did the first test and then immediately he did another because the first test was pretty much immediately positive. I then tested and yes I have it as well. Hence I have not got round to blogging this week. I just felt ill.

Until now I have managed not to get Covid but I suppose it has to get everyone in the end. 

So I am feeling slightly better today but still not 100%.

I bought the fabric for these trousers last year and this was actually the only fabric that I bought last year!

Its a cotton french terry oekotex fabric. Pattern is the Lekala Sports trousers but I changed the bottom. Original pattern has splits in the sides. 

I do love this fabric but it was a bit difficult deciding what to make from it - or what to make that I will wear.
I originally bought enough for a hoody dress but having made my red camo trousers decided I would handle this fabric in that pattern hence thats what I made. I have quite  bit left so hopefully I can squeeze something else from the offcuts of this fabric in the next couple of weeks.

I taped the side splits part onto the bottom of the main leg part of the trousers a couple of years ago and just make them as straight track pants since and I just love this basic pattern. I even made it in woven fabric one summer though that was a bit slobby and they do work better as sweatshirt trousers I think.

This top is one of my favourite makes and is a Burda Style hoody cowl.

You can just see the windmills in the background here, which are down the road from where I live,

I had a major disagreement with my father about these windmills - well all windmills really. He is adamant they "pollute the landscape" and I really cannot get through to him that no they do not because in 25 years they can be dismantled with zero damage to the land they stand on. Apparently he would prefer a nuclear power station because at least you do not have to see that all accross the countryside. I know the older generation often dislike windmills but I really have found this viewpoint surprising!

Anyway this is a pretty short post because to be honest I am just not up to writing a longer one right now. Should feel better next week hopefully though I have no idea what I will have to blog about because right now I am really not up to crafting.

Take care

Bracken

Green starscape french terry top

After last week's success - well I actually sewed something up and finished it! 

I decided to make a top. Another TNT pattern this one but never before made in french terry so thats a new experience. Have to say this stuff is very easy to sew though. I am converted. Or would be completely converted if it was not so expensive. Even at half the usual amount it costs per metre its not a cheap fabric but its quite heavy weight without being very thick so should last a while. 

 

I spent ages pinning the pattern pieces onto the fabric for this and trying to get the pattern to line up and match.

 

One side of the top is great it matches, or nearly anyway, and thats good enough for me. But the other side just doesn't match. Its a bit disappointing bearing in mind the time taken in trying to get that to work. Still I never used to bother with such things so its really not the end of the world. And of course most high street clothing is not cut to match anyway but I did want for the side seams to look matched.

 I will have to try and always stand with the matched side showing when out and about. 😁

 

The pattern is Butterick 5562. Its a much used and easy to wear top pattern and will work well in this fabric I think. And get worn loads. I have previously made both work and play clothing from this pattern so its a good one.

I actually originally bought all my pile of french terry fabrics to make some tops but ended up making the track pants instead last week. Mind you I like them so much I really must make at least one more pair for spring and summer. I just need to decide which are the best prints.

Though at least this week, I am actually making what I intended to make. You know: what I bought the fabric for, rather than my latest idea. I also need this top having had a massive clearout back in January and most of what was donated was tops so I am very short on changes right now. This will serve my purpose well. It should also be wearable with most if not all of my current clothing.

It will also transition nicely into summer due to the almost tie dye print. I only bought 2m of this fabric so there is no real scope for much else and I decided not to buy more of this one. Its a nice print but I reckon might be difficult to wear so I don't want loads made from this. The offcuts are quite large though so I am now considering baby dungarees maybe? Or a baby hoody?

I did make a baby hoody a while ago. 

The first hoody was in black "dragon scale" fabric - I recently bought something called that and its much better than calling it snakeskin don't you think? 

I also made the track pants in sheen fleecey backed fabric which also have been worn a bit. Since both were made using scraps I think they were a big success and well worth my time and effort. Both are Burda magazine patterns.This black outfit includes one of 2 baby hoodies I made in a 0-3M size. I actually ended up altering this with added ribbing as wrist and ankle bands and taped the inside seams later but have yet to get photos of the finished hoody. I will try to do that to include here but this was the first attempt here of sewing baby clothing. Sorry no baby wearing them because Mum does not want baby on social media yet. Probably sensible. Baby can make their own choices later.

I never blogged about it because - well you just don't blog about everything you make do you, or you would never have time to do the actual making. And although I do like to blog, and to catalogue my makes its just not worth cataloguing everything. 

Anyway the baby hoody I made was actually quite good and has been used a lot so I reckon a new one in a larger size in this kind of fun fabric could be good. 

What do you think? 

This starscape tie dye fabric is a kind of child-ish fabric really. Anyway more on that idea of baby stuff once I trace a pattern in the right size.

Also I am not good with making such small items. I find the tiniest error shows far more than on adult clothing - but partly thats why I feel this challenge calling to me; and also I will have loads of nice french terry prints left over from my current projects. I think the offcuts will make really interesting and "different" baby clothing.

Ah the camo trousers are made from scuba and were made a while ago. They have become my latest rediscovered nice spring trousers. Wish I had also made a blue pair but the fabric is all sold out now.

 

So thats what I have been up to the last few days. 

Have a great week

Bracken