Tag: Stash 2015

Orange Swirls

On By Sharon13 Comments

I’ve got a new top!

This fabric was purchased from Cabramatta in May last year and has been tempting me every since to make it up.

I have again made another version of KS 3740, and this time I have used the base I adjusted back here.

One thing I forget to check with was the amount of stretch this fabric had and it just felt a bit snug when I first made it a week ago.

So during the week, I unpicked the 4 thread overlock on the side seams and added a 4cm tapered gusset to the side seam.

Thankfully with the busy print it is hard to see.

I can see this top getting quite a bit of wear during winter!

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2015 Stash Out: 5.85 m
2015 Stash In:13.5 m

Oh Watson, what have I done

On By Sharon13 Comments

but succumbed to the purchase of the Watson Bra and Bikini pattern by Cloth Habit.

The pattern is for a bra with no underwires, has a long line or regular band and also a bikini brief and is for knit fabrics.

The pattern instructions do clearly show you how to take your measurements and Amy does provide a bit more information about breathing when taking your Band measurement as well as holding a Sew Along to help us new to bra sewing.

I normally wear an underwire bra but thought this pattern could be useful for those days that I didn’t want to wear an underwire and also this is the style of bra my sister likes.

Taking my measurements I have a Band size of 30 and a C cup.

Sue, from fadanista pointed out that you don’t have to print all of the pattern out which can save you a quite a bit of paper.

I found some suitable sized pieces of the Cream Mercury Jersey left over from this top in my scrap bag for the cup, cradle and band.

The Straps are the first thing you finish and luckily I had purchased a few metres of Bra strap from Metro Fabrics at Tempe.  As I was making the long line bra I needed a 3-row hook & eye which I purchased from Booby Traps along with some 12mm and 6mm plush back elastic.

The cradle is interfaced or lined and I used some Lisa Ho Power Net for this.

As I wasn’t sure how this would wear I didn’t try and line the bra cups but Carolyn from Handmade by Carolyn has very kindly set out the steps to do this.

I will be trying this out for the next version as their will be a next time as I found this bra very comfortable and supportive to wear.

The only change I will make is reduce the width of the long line band by no more than the width of the elastic as it is just a tad too long for me and keeps folding up.

I will be trying the Bikini brief soon, however elastic and I haven’t had a good experience to date.

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2015 Stash Out: 4.45 m
2015 Stash In: 13,5 m

New Jeans

On By Sharon27 Comments

I really needed something to kick start the sewing mojo and The Jeans Contest over at Pattern Review did the trick.

With the weather getting cooler I finally admitted that my blue jeans needed to retire, so searching amongst my stash I found some lovely dark navy 10oz washed stretch denim which I had purchased from Spotlight back in 2010.  Thankfully it had been pre-washed and was all ready to go.

Again I have used the Jalie Jean pattern which I have made here and here.

One thing I keep forgetting to tell you is how I get the mirror image for the pockets.  Jennifer Stern told us about it during the Blueprints to Blue Jeans course over at Pattern Review and Jennifer was given this tip by an ASG member.

Once you design your pocket, you take a piece of nylon tulle and trace off your design with a Sharpe.

Lay the tulle over your pocket and then trace the lines with your Clover Chaco liner

Stitch your design and you have two perfectly mirrored pockets!

and here they are completed

I also dug out this lovely Vera Bradley cotton fabric for the front pockets.

This time I used Debbie Cook’s Jeans Fly tutorial and then the buttonhole wasn’t working with the automatic buttonhole foot, so I found a great video tutorial for a manual buttonhole over at 3 Hours Past the Edge of the World

Now for the completed Jeans!

Notions used:

  • Prym tool to install all the rivets.

  • Gutterman Upholstery Thread # 36 for all the topstitching.
No wardrobe is complete unless you have a pair of blue jeans so I am now ready for the cooler weather that is starting to sneak in.
I’m not too sure what will be next, there are too many ideas running around in my mind.

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2015 Stash Out: 4.2 m
2015 Stash In:  13.5 m