FINISHED! Isle of Wight Archer

Just in the nick of time, I finish my Archer for Archer Appreciation month.

I made it up in new season (Spring Summer 14) Liberty of London, Isle of Wight C bought from Tessuti.  Here's some information on the print.

Isle of Wight C Tana Lawn from the Gallery of Prints collection by Liberty Art Fabrics.

Created in-house, using washes of ink and Rotring pen, the Isle of Wight fabric design was inspired by the vintage-style memorabilia found in the fourth floor’s RE concession room. 

The Fourth Floor fabric story celebrates Liberty’s interior decoration floor. Each design pays homage to a different area or department, taking on the intrinsic mood of each individual space. 

Despite being a lover of print (understatement :)) and really loving this print ( it has been the one that stuck me first out of all the new season fabrics) I was a bit worried about how 'full on' it would look. I love it though. I think the Archer is the perfect pattern for it, taking it out of the too cutesy realm that it could have easily fallen into with a different pattern.  On the other hand I don't really consider myself a button down shirt kind of gal but it feels so me in this fabric. I'm also happy for the camouflage that the fabric provided to some dodgy stitching in places.

I originally did a quick and dirty muslin of a size 4 but wanted it to be slightly more tailored than the 4, so decided to just cut the 2.  I think it might still be a bit big across the shoulders but only marginally.  I also took an inch off the length and off the sleeves.  Very simple adjustments have rendered the fit pretty great.

I barely looked at the paper pattern, but rather followed along with the Jen's sewalong. It was great and helpful and kept me going. If you remember I had a plan for this shirt. Yes, it felt like a bit of a marathon, but the sewalong helped enormously.

The most annoying thing I did was cut the collar upside down so now the little swimmers are upside down.  I didn't fix it because it's not such a big deal but urrgh.

I like it all buttoned up and neat - it seems more me - in an uptight way (by the way it is all even at the bottom but clearly I don't stand evenly and the shirt is a little wrinkled).

I think this shirt will be a real work horse. I tried it on yesterday all tucked into my work skirt and it looks great.

This is my third 'shirt' for 2013, the drop waist and Cami before it.  I still struggled a bit with the collar, but this one was better, although after I had inserted AND top stitched I decided that it wasn't neat enough so tried to reinsert... with barely a 1/8" seam allowance in there.  Not smart and of course I didn't make it any neater!  I'm confident I'm going to nail my next effort. And there will be.

Thanks Jen for the pattern and all the help in the sewalong. You deserve all the love out there for Archer Appreciation month.

Archer Appreciation Month - A plan!

So, I'm a little bit late to the party, but I'm in for Archer Appreciation month hosted by Lucky Lucille and Miss Crayola Creepy! After purchasing this pattern within seconds of it being released back in February, I'm finally getting around to making it up.

Spurred on partly by the release of some new season Liberty at Tessuti and one in particular that I hope will make a very cute Archer (I'll know for sure when it arrives next week) and second, well, right now I feel like I need the discipline of a sewalong to get me out of a rut and to keep me calmly sewing through the Christmas season instead of panic sewing.  Oh there will be plenty of panic present preparation and a little bit of panic Christmas sewing, but I feel like I need this to keep me sane.

Unlike Amy, who managed to sew her fourth (!!!) Archer up in a day (eeek??!!)  I'm just planning on having this done by 31 December (ok - I'll probably try and rush it earlier but let's start out with a realistic date given I'll be away from the 23 - 27 December) just in time to make the Archer Appreciation deadline.

I've set out steps in line with Jen's sewalong that she did earlier in the year.

1. Assemble Pattern Completed Friday 13th! 
2. Cut Muslin
3. Sew Muslin
4. Make changes 
5. Prepare fabric
6. Cut fabric
7. Interfacing
8. Make button bands
9. Pockets
10. Assemble Back 
11. Attach yoke (method 1 or method 2)
12. Sleeve plackets
13. Sleeves and side seams
14. Collar
15. Cuffs and hem
16. Buttons

Mmm, 16 steps by 31 December 2013 in amongst Christmas mania?  Do-able I think.

Are you managing to sew for yourself while also prepare for Christmas? 

Btw, does anyone know how to watch the Liberty of London 4 part TV show in Australia?

FINISHED! Marion Mini Moss

Last week, having so much fabric left over after cutting out my Charlotte skirt, I decided I needed a Grainline Moss Mini and here it is!

 

My first finished item for the year was a pair of Grainline Maritime Shorts which I made in a size 6, as at the time this was closest to my waist measurement. The fit of those was way too big despite taking them in on the sides. Clearly I'm not too worried about fit as I still wore the shorts a lot in Summer (two days into Autumn and it already seems like a distant memory).

For the Moss, I cut out a size 4.  Again though, I had to take them in quite a bit on each side.  The fit post adjustments is ok but they are still a bit loose around the waist and the adjustments down the side aren't as neat as I should have made them (I'm blaming the fact that I couldn't see the thread on the denim - I know I know poor excuse).  On the size guidelines for the pattern, my hips sit at the 0 but my waist sits at 4 so I'll have to rethink the size I cut out next time I make this skirt.  I had the same fit problems with the pleated pants I made last year when I went off the waist size.  Perhaps there's something in this that I should investigate.  Having said all that, I do like the skirt, I think it looks pretty cute and it will definitely be going into my suitcase.  These photos show a crease in the front but I think that is also partly to do with how I'm standing and with my hands in my pockets.

The pattern is easy to follow and Jen's zipper instructions are great.  It still seems a bit like black magic how the zip goes in, but as long as I follow Jen's instructions I'm ok and I end up with beautiful zipper.

 

I'm wearing it here with my Grainline (copy cat) lace scout tee. I wore it around the house a lot prior to taking these photos hence the crinkled back.

I think it will look fantastic with a Briar but I just need to find the right material.  I'm thinking that a Briar to go with this skirt, will be my last sewing project prior to our holidays.   I had hoped to make another Mathilde and a Grainline Archer but I just don't think there is time and plus the Archer looks hard, so will need the hand holding of a sewalong I think.

Marion: A vision in paisley denim x2

I'm sure you've heard this story before: Last week I popped into the fabric shop to get buttons for my Mathilde blouse and walked out with fabric.  Yep!

The fabric in question is 'Marion' an indigo dyed paisley denim (58% cotton, 40% poly, 2% spandex).  As soon as I saw it I knew I needed it to make another Charlotte Skirt.  One for autumn. The Charlotte is such a classy shape, I really enjoy wearing that style to work and I know that this fabric will be just perfect, it doesn't really look like denim (except when you turn it over). I grabbed the roll and bought 2 metres.

Today, we had a friend of Oliver's over to play which meant they were entertaining each other and Elliot so I snuck in some sewing time.

After cutting out the Charlotte skirt I found that I had over a metre left  as I was able to put all the pieces side by side.  This by the way is going to be such a nice make.  I'm not planning to line it and from the small bit of sewing I did today, the material is sturdy but soft so holds well for darts (not like the linen and the lining of my first Charlotte). A real pleasure.

I got to thinking what on earth will I do with all that denim left over. I think it would be a bit 80s to do a matching vest or jacket don't you think? Actually it could work, but no, instead I'm going to make a Grainline Moss skirt. 

I am having great visions of both skirts.  Charlotte for work and being smart and sexy and the Moss for all other times when I can wear a miniskirt.  The Marion Moss being a cool and stylish little workhorse on our trip to France which is only 3 weeks away (eeeek).  Stockings, ankle boots, a little Moss skirt and a Briar perhaps!? Why not!!  Mmm, I do need to go to the fabric shop tomorrow to get zippers for all these skirts, so perhaps I'll spot something for another Briar there!!!

But first the Marion Charlotte.

P.S  Please don't tell me it's weird to have two skirts in the same fabric! I've already work shopped that and
P.P. S I love it when clothes have a name rather than a number!

FINISHED! Grainline Scout copy tee

Yes, this scout tee was absolutely inspired copied from the fabulous one by Jen of Grainline.  I am becoming something of a Grainline fan girl.  First the maritime shorts and now the scout tee.  Of course I'll also be wearing them together like a Jen copy cat.The only differences are that I hemmed mine instead of cutting it and I used lace to bind the neck rather than her suggested organza bias (because I didn't have any).

To be honest I hadn't really thought I'd ever make the scout tee, but I grabbed this lace material on sale at spotlight on the weekend and I immediately remembered the lace scout tee I had seen on the Grainline blog and knew I had to make a copy cat version.  

For those of you who haven't made it, the Scout tee is a really great pattern, it is super easy and has a lovely shape. I suspect this won't be my last Scout tee.  I made a size 4 and I think the fit is great.  I also used Jen's tutorial on how to do French Seams although I should have followed it a bit closer and clipped the seams, because there is a little bit of bulk.  I was going to put a peter pan collar on it but once I'd sewn it up I decided that it might be verging on twee so left it off.  I'm glad I did.  I am sure that the collar will find another home on another top one day.

The blue of the lace isn't quite as bright as the blue in this photo and is probably closer to the colour in the first (headless) photo (yes, still no-one around to take my photo- so this was my attempt at a self-timer minus a tripod!) but I love how this photo shows off what will definitely become my go to outfit.  The Scout Tee paired with my much loved stripey tank and spotty pants.  I LOVE this combination! 

FINISHED FIRST! Maritime Shorts

Happy Go Lucky 2013!

Yay! My first finished item for the year!  

I started these shorts a couple of days ago and then spent the morning finishing the waist and hemming them. It's nice to have done one piece of sewing during the Christmas holidays. I'm back to work tomorrow for a few weeks before I take some more time off towards the end of January.  Aah summer holidays.  Too short.

Pattern: Grainline Maritime Shorts
Material: Checked seersucker from the stash (bought at A2F in 2010 or 2011?) which I found during the post Christmas cleanup of my sewing cupboard.  I was inspired and thought they would look good as shorts for me. I had previously made a pair of long pants for Oliver out of this material but he wore the bottom out of them sliding down a skater half pipe at a birthday party.  Needless to say the pants never really recovered.
Size: 6 but next time I'll make a 4.  They are way too big around the waist and even though I took them in a bit at the back they are still a loose.  The ease will be ok if I ever wear them with stockings underneath.  Which I might.  But I won't be wearing them with anything tucked in.

This was my first time sewing a Grainline pattern and I will definitely sew it again.  The instructions and tutorial  were great.  There was quite a bit of basting going on with the zipper but I managed to get it in and overall the shorts are good.
The only real problem with the shorts is the matching of the material.  I thought I did the pattern placement really carefully but obviously not. Not at all! There are three slight 'issues'.

1.  Matching at the sides, although they do line up in a shadow way (the red stripe with the yellow).
2.  The pockets, but hey, now you can see the pockets! and
3.   The way I've cut the waistband onto the material.  D'oh.  It's curving the wrong way at the back.  I probably could have fixed this, but I'm calling them design features.  All of them.  I'm not that worried about the back waistband because the shorts are too big to tuck anything into anyway, so no-one will know.

So I'm calling these a win!  

Happy 2013 sewing!