Sunday 25 November 2007

#21 Green wool jacket finished

#21 Green wool jacket is now finished. I added silver tone buttons which have the print from a Roman coin which I rather liked, but DH thinks they are too shiny and I should have black or dark green instead.
Thoughts?

Saturday 24 November 2007

#21 Green wool jacket progress

Last weekend my mum (another sewist) and I promised each other we'd work away at some of our sewing tasks - alterations, finishing things off etc and update each other on Sunday.
Well I can't let her down, can I? So I've been hand hemming the green wool jacket I started 4 years ago in sewing class and hope to add buttons and buttonholes pretty soon.
Since its winter I will actually get to wear it too.

Pics will follow.

Friday 2 November 2007

Picture of New Culottes in Action

I appear to have saved the scraps so a cute little waistcoat (vest) will be forthcoming!

Tuesday 30 October 2007

#18 Black stripe culottes done

#18 Black stripe culottes are now done and I will try to post a picture.
I followed the construction methods from Threads August/September 2005 'Sew Clothes that keep on fitting' - this is how to construct garments so they are easier to alter as you lose weight.

My construction order was as follows
Sew fronts together, attach front facing.
Sew back darts, insert invisible zipper in centre back and sew up rest of back crotch, attach back facing in two sections.
Sew side seams through facing pieces in one seam - this is where the alterations will come in future.
Sew inside leg seams, hem and hand stitch facings in place.

the resulting culottes/gauchos/wide leg cropped pants fit beautifully which is a happy accident of a TNT pattern.

I'm now just hoping I was in hoarding mode rather than declutter mode when I cut them out, and have kept the scraps - because matching waistcoat (vest) fronts with satin back would be lovely and make a nice fashionable little outfit.

More alterations

Yesterday I managed some alterations, adding elastic into the back waist of two pairs of pants, and altering a third by several inches.
I think tonight I will work a little on another of the UFOs - #18 Black stripe culottes.

Sunday 28 October 2007

Some projects may die

Its hard for me to admit, but some of my UFOs are going to have to be either trashed or reinvented as some completely new item.
This is largely due to poor fabric choice, ugly fabric or out of fashion styles.
I'll try to do before and after pics of any in this category which are salvageable.

I also have a big pile of alterations and a few small mending jobs too. Today I managed a hand stitched trouser hem, sewing on a button and a new kitchen tablecloth so all is not lost!

I need to take in the centre back on some RTW pants - a usual alterations for me - and various other smaller projects.

Saturday 4 August 2007

#16 Burgundy Polka Dot Skirt


This skirt is made from pink burgundy polka dot viscose (rayon) fabric I bought from Boyes in York, probably 14 years ago.
The original skirt pattern had a button front and partially elasticated waist.
Roll on to last year when I had another go at completing this skirt. I sewed up the front seam and added a back zip and hemmed it but never finished the waistband.
Today I finally completed the waistband and sewed on a giant press stud closure.

However I'm not sure I like the colour any more so may investigate dying it a prettier shade.

1st UFO completed! #23 Burgundy Wide Leg Pants


I have completed my first UFO (Un-Finished Object) of the Pattern Review UFO Contest!
These are cotton wide leg pants from my TNT Pattern in a bright burgundy colour.
The weather has finally started to improve so I could use some wide leg cool cotton pants so here they are.
All I had to do on these was under stitch and top stitch the facing and sew the hems.
I think these pants were originally started as part of my Autumn Berries Mini SWAP last year but didn't make it!

Friday 3 August 2007

Where to start?

Unfortunately many of the UFO's had have the pattern pieces removed, so I have no idea what the pattern was.
I think I'll try to see this as an opportunity and do things in a more current style where required.
There are so many items I have no idea where to start on them

My list of UFOs

UFOs found so far
#1 teal and cream print skirt
#2 cream jacket
#3 navy jacket with purple lining !
#4 light grey jacket with turquoise slubs
#5 dark grey narrow leg pants
#6 red tiered skirt
#7 navy shorts for DH
#8 navy batik blouse
#9 navy strip skirt
#10 green/navy stripe skirt
#11 mint elastic waist culottes
#12 mint and teal print dress and blouse
#13 coral/sage jacket (cut out but not sewn for wardrobe contest)
#14 floral knit top (cut out but not sewn for wardrobe contest)

There were also some unredeemable garments fit only for re cutting as something else - i.e. pants into skirt etc. - are these part of this contest or do I need a 'recycle' contest for those?

more sorting out and more items found

#15 Flared jeans
#16 Burgundy polka dot skirt
#17 Turquoise stripe blouse
#18 Black stripe culottes
#19 Brown stripe pants
#20 Rust pants
#21 Green wool jacket
#22 Khaki shorts
#23 Burgundy wide leg pants
#24 Burgundy faux suede jacket
#25
Burgundy faux suede skirt
#26 teal strip blouse
#27 Pale pink stripe camisole

Pattern Review UFO Contest 2007: Rules

Alrighty, start your engines and give us a good college try!

The Rules:

1.Projects should have been started before particularly recent memory. More importantly, is your judgment however, if it’s bugging you and you think of it as UFO not WIP, then it is a UFO in terms of this contest.

2. The items need to be a “new” sewing project not mending. The material can be recycled, so long as you aren’t simply remaking something. I.e. Knits from men’s xxxxl tess, or a dress from curtains.

3. To be considered a UFO the project needs to be at least cut out but not necessarily sewn. An intended project (all the notions, all the fabric matched with the right pattern) does not count as a UFO.

4. Points will be distributed per completed object as so:
4 pts- cut out, completely unsewn
3 pts- more than half the project is left to do
2 pts- less than half the project is left to do, but it is more than just hemming or attatching buttons
1 pt- hemming, attaching buttons, slipstiching a single edge, or something of the same variety.
One person, with the most points will receive a prize (undecided as of yet)

5. A complete object is one that can be worn or used in the state in which you claim it is finished. A lined jacket, that you are planning to line, then, needs to be lined. A quilt top, but unquilted does not count.

5. Also, the most creatively finished project will be voted upon, so make sure you include the story in your review! Creative finishing means that the garment in question cannot be finished as it was originally intended (Used notions for another project, not enough of the right fabric, this isn't fitting or different buttons used, but a major obstacle for completion.)

6. All types of sewing are permitted.

7. An honorable mention goes to the person with the oldest UFO completed. Dig out the goodies!

8. Please start sewing no earlier than Midnight, Aug 1st. Pacific Standard Time and stop no later than Midnight, Sept. 31st. PST.