Hippy Chick Trousers

At this time of year, when The Great British Sewing Bee is on, I suddenly remember that sewing is something I can do.

So this year I decided to make my some trousers, with this lovely piece of Africa waxed cotton, that I bought from a charity shop for £6. The pattern I used is New Look 6271. It also contains a pattern for skirts and shorts, so thought it was good value. My one worry with it was would that the waist look too elasticated. I am usually a jeans girl, and avoid elasticated waists when buying trousers. This waist has a combination of elastic in a channel, and a functioning tie, which confused me a bit at first. But I am really happy with the end result. The thing I really like about this pattern is the width of the legs. They are quite wide, but not silly wide.

 

My daughter was here in Cornwall when I finished the trousers, and also liked them so much, that she tried to persuade me to let her wear them to work. Before I had even worn them out myself! I pretended to be annoyed, but was actually quite flattered that she liked them so much. So they are still my trousers, but I now have two more pieces of fabric to make some for her. Pleased about this, as I love to get more than one garment out of a pattern.

 

After that I am planning to make, in the style of The Sewing Bee, a blouse out of an old embroidered table cloth. I have a few of these to use, but if anyone can suggest a fairly simple pattern, without gathers so the embroidery will lie flat, I would love to hear from you.

A Dog Called Wilson

I was watching "The Great British Sewing Bee" last night, and the little dachshund called Wilson in the middle section (where the contestants had to make a dog outfit out of recycled tent fabric) reminded me of a very similar dog with the same name, for whom I knitted a sweater. But I couldn't find it on my blog, and then realised that I made this sweater before I started my blog, back in 2011. Oh it was a simpler time ....

I do love the sewing bee programme, although I can't think of anything worse than sewing to a deadline. When I sew it just has to take as long as it takes, which is often weeks. I'm sewing something at the moment, and cutting out the pattern pieces and material must have took me at least 2 hours. I also think there must be short cuts, as it really would not have made very interesting TV, me sitting on the floor cutting out tissue paper. I would also like to look at the inside of the garments, to see how much is neatened. But enough of me rabbiting about sewing ...

So partly because I have nothing else to write about (I'm working on a knitting pattern which just isn't going to plan), I thought I would show you the photos, and you can click here if you want to see the wool and pattern details that I used. Wilson's Fair Isle Sweater.

He was very cute, and had to come to my house twice for fittings. I would quite like to make something similar for my own dog, but the idea has been frowned on by the rest of the family. But I might do it anyway ...

Just a reminder that there is still time join in my Ginx Woolly Linx party for March. Click on the photo above or at the top of the page to find the party. I would love to see what you have been working on this month.

Mr Ginx

Have you ever tried to do a photo shoot, and your model just won't behave? Inspired by the Great British Sewing Bee, I decided to make Mr Ginx a dressing gown. He has never owned one, well at least not as long as I have known him, and although this isn't very seasonal, I thought it would be ideal for next winter. 

I do enjoy watching the Sewing Bee, although the idea of competitive sewing under a time limit is really horrendous. The dressing gown has taken me ages, and some days I will just sew one little part. It definitely wouldn't win any prizes, but it has got me thinking about some other sewing projects.

He very reluctantly agreed to model for me. I had the idea to get him to pose in the way models used to on old-fashioned patterns, perhaps pointing into the mid-distance. This he refused, and however much I tried to get him to behave, he just couldn't help being a bit silly. (Actually I am quite pleased that he has agreed I can post these pictures, as they are much more fun than what I had in mind.)

This final photo was taken after he had been told off for all the mucking around.

The dressing gown was made from this pattern which I bought online, 

although I added the cord detail to jazz it up a bit. I had the idea that it would be an easy sew, but have had a great deal of difficulty with the stitch on my machine. It was fine at first, but then started to skip stitches. Despite researching on the internet, buying a new needle, cleaning out all the fluff, altering the tension, I still cannot get a good stitch. If any of you have any other ideas I would really welcome them. You can probably see that I still have to top stitch around the sleeves. I think the problem is to do with the thickness of the fleece, as it only goes wrong when I am stitching through two layers.

My Little Sewing Bee

I am handing my blog over to my daughter this week, and she is going to tell you how to design and sew a really fashionable top. I have never seen our local fabric shop so packed, and I think sewing my have taken over the country since The Great British Sewing Bee has been on television.

First design your top. I used these templates from the computer.

Don't let your fabric get the better of you. This fabric only cost £3.99 and is jersey cotton.

Mum said I should press the fabric first. Only do this if you are old enough to use an iron.

We used one of my favourite old tops to make a pattern.

I pinned it onto fabric, and we realised we had bought far too much. I will have enough left to make something else.

I cut out really carefully.

I was going to used my own sewing machine ...

...  but we did some test stitching on a scrap of fabric, and it was really bad.

Mum said it was because we needed to use a jersey ballpoint needle. So she let me use her sewing machine.

I pinned the shoulders, and checked with the ruler.

I sewed really carefully.

Then I had to press the seam open.

And topstitich on either side. I made the stitch longer for this.

Then I pinned right round the hem.

And sewed twice around it.

We then had to pin where the sides of the body would be, and measured carefully to make sure that it was the same on both sides.

Mum has some black binding for the neck, and I had to be really careful sewing this on.

Finally, we made the straps from and old T-Shirt. The trickiest bit was turning them the right way out.

With the straps on I was ready to model my new top.

I am really, really pleased with it.

Back to me now. We had a really fun afternoon. I realised that although she does a lot of hand sewing, we had never made a garment. I recommend you only let your children loose with irons and sewing machines, if you know they are very sensible. Even then keep a very close eye on what they are doing.

What was really great was to manage to work from her own design, to get a wearable garment that she is really happy with. I think she learned a lot. Particularly about pressing and topstitching, and being careful with every stage. Although my own mother would have probably have had me tacking seams. Perhaps we will have another go. Maybe to learn how to do gathers would be fun.