Projects Revealed

I know! Aren’t you impressed? Here I am again with more FOs. Gotta get them done before I forget what I did. And before the next batch is sewn.

Toasted Waffle Kimono Tee

Completed: July 13, 2012

Fabric: lightweight red-brown cotton waffle knit, leftovers from the Cowl-Neck Top. (And there’s still enough left for a camisole.)

Notions: Gutermann sewing thread, red-brown. Serger thread, dk grey (because I was too lazy to change it out!)

Pattern: Kirsten Kimono Tee, free download from Maria Denmark.

Modifications: I cut a size M at the shoulders and bust and then morphed out to about an inch beyond the XL at the hem. I didn’t want that area too tight. I also sloped the shoulders 3/8” and brought the neckline closer to the centre by 5/8” which reduced the boat-neck. I was afraid my bra straps would show too much but I think it might have been fine. It did make it easier to apply the neck binding though.

Comments: The pattern was very professionally created and the printout went together pretty easily. With just 2 pattern pieces and a neck binding strip, this is a very simple garment to make. I think it turned out really nicely and is very wearable, light and comfy. Now I want more versions! Perhaps a tunic length or maybe even a dress.

Then there’s this one that I just finished yesterday:

Oatmeal Top

Completed: July 16, 2012

Fabric: linen/poly blend, natural oatmeal, leftovers from Bib-Front Shirt and Anthro-Knockoff Top.

Notions: poly sewing thread, natural; serger thread, light beige. Buttons – 5 small, matte plastic, beige.

Pattern: top 7a from Simple Modern Sewing, (already used for the Rusty Sleeveless Top).

Modifications: This pattern was already slightly resized to fit me. I drafted the Peter Pan collar using instructions from Connie Crawford’s Patternmaking Made Easy. The pockets were just designed on the fly with a ruler.

Comments: I’ve now used nearly every scrap of this fabric on this third top! The collar was interfaced and finished at the neck with self-fabric bias binding. I’m quite enjoying wearing loose sleeveless tops in the current heat. Plus they use up some fairly small pieces of fabric that might otherwise go to waste.

Several successful sewings (like my alliteration?) have encouraged me to keep going on the Wardrobe Enhancement Project. I haven’t run out of ideas or materials yet! The benefits of a long-established and well-padded stash. I’m also trying for practical items that will work in my rather casual lifestyle yet provide me more mixing options with the things already in the closet. So far it’s working pretty well and I’ve even gotten a few unsolicited compliments. A good boost to the ambition, I must say.

I also spent some quality time yesterday knitting on the Cassia In Blues toddler dress and am nearly past the yoke. That’s the part that’s been stalling me. I keep making dumb mistakes. The pattern is beautifully executed with colour-coded nesting instructions for the different sizes. Unfortunately it’s like a DOS program (remember those?) and hops all over 8 or 9 pages like the old “if/then” statements. I tried highlighter pen but that didn’t help much. I should have just rewritten it for the 24-month size and eliminated all the rest of the confusion. Constant needle-size changes and all. Can’t wait until I get to the round-and-round part – it’ll be so relaxing.

Off to move the watering yet again. I’m doing the dye garden in 10-minute segments. Just standing there is way too tedious and things don’t get watered deeply enough. It’s doing quite well now with the weld nearly ready to harvest, madder sprawling everywhere, woad and J-indigo growing fast, and already picking flowers from the marigolds, calendulas and coreopsis. BTW, we picked our first big bowlful of blueberries this morning! I made blueberry pancakes with raspberries (also from the garden) and lemon yogurt. Yum.