Beige sweatshirt

I like to buy remnants at fabric stores, especially when you need to search in big boxes%) This is like hunting for me. So I made my new sweatshirt from such remnants which I bought in Dressew shop last year. I was looking for some pattern with raglan sleeves and found one in La Mia Boutique magazine, 01/2009 (Russian version Шитье и крой, 12/2009)

I saw my sweatshirt with wide hem band and long sleeve bands and with pretty loose fit. Finally I got little bit different sweatshirt. I think I had to cut one size up for more loose look and make bands not so wide, also I like my sweatshirt this way too. It is pretty comfy and goes well with a lot of my wardrobe.

Back view

I used a friend's serger for sewing and this was first time I use this kind of machine. But I like outcome, now I want my own serger too.

Maybe I should make narrow hem band

The neckline was made not perfect, with some puckering on the back because I cut too short stripe for finishing neckline. Hope next one will be much better.  

Not perfect neckline

Facts:

• Fabric: 0.5m of rib knit, 0.8m of terry cloth
• Pattern: la mia boutique 01/2009
• Fabric was bought first because of good price and knit cotton can be used always%)
  
• Notions: thread
• Time to complete: 4
• First worn: last week
• Wear again: this week
• Total cost:  2C$ for fabrics, 2C$ for magazine = 4C$

Turtleneck, KwikSew 2403

I am not very good blogger this year. Also I am not very productive seamstress this year too. But this post is not about 2014 summary%) This one is about recent me-made.

I made stripe turtleneck from KwikSew 2403 pattern. I bought it in thrift store. This was first time I used this pattern company. I cut XS but for my opinion this size was too big for me so I took a lot in side seams and underarm too. Also I narrowed the sleeves a lot! I will transfer these changes to my copy and will have nice turtleneck pattern for next garment.

Kwik Sew 2403

For stabilizing shoulder seams I used stay-tape by Collins instead of piece of fabric but I think now this was waste of money because it was itchy. Good lesson for me. Maybe I will find use for it but I am not sure.

Front view%)

This garment is my first fully Canadian as the fabric and the pattern was bought in Vancouver%) Even with itchy shoulders I like my "memade" especially neck and long sleeves, I am big fan of long sleeves, next time I will make cuffs with holes for thumbs.

Awful winter light%(

Facts:

• Fabric:  remnant of cotton rib knit, 1.4 m, I still have pretty big piece of it.
• Pattern: KwikSew 2403
• I bought the fabric and the pattern without any specific plans.
  
• Notions: thread, twin needle, stay-tape 
• Time to complete:  5.8 hours (too much because of alterations)
• First worn: November 2014.
• Wear again:  already.
• Total cost:  2 Canadian $ for fabric + 0.5 for pattern (was $1, but I used it twice)  = C$2.5

Burda Sew-along - Raglan shirt 02/2013 127

In the end of April I decided to participate in Burda sew-along. Almost all my garments were made from Burda patterns so I couldn't miss this sew-along%)

I made a raglan shirt from Burda 02/2013. I liked this pattern from the first moment. I used a fabric from my stash but now I think that this was not the best choice. The fabric is too thin and sheer, I prefer more thick tees. Also I had problems with a neckline and ripping (small holes formed on the fabric, rrrrrrrrrr).

So, my pattern review:
Pattern Sizing: 34, 38, 40, 42, 42. I cut 36.
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes, the look is pretty the same.
Were the instructions easy to follow? Yes. But I did a neckline a little bit different. I made the shorter stripe for the neckline and sewn stretching the stripe. Also I topstitched neckline with twin needle. But this is not saved me from stretching neckline a little bit%(
What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I like raglan and the gathers on the shoulders, they look nice, and don't like the low armhole.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: I didn't add 7cm at sleeves for hemming. Also I made the tee a little bit shorter. My shoulder seams are 1cm lower because I made mistake and when ripping I made holes on the fabric, so I had to sew with bigger seam allowance to hide the holes. This was not bad because the tee was little bit to big in the shoulders.
Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? I will try to make it with more thick fabric. Also I will cut 34 size next time.
Conclusion: Nice raglan tee with interesting details.

Facts:

• Fabric:  1.1m (width 1.5m) of rayon knit, very thin.
• Pattern: Burda magazine 02/2013 127
• Fabric was bought first, to companion to my blue dress.
• Notions: thread, twin needle, fusible stay tape
• Time to complete: 7.20 hours. I spent a lot of time for the neckline and fixing my mistakes on the shoulder seams.
• First worn: 26 April for walking.
• Wear again:  Yes! Yesterday%))
• Total cost:  8.8 euro for fabric + 0.9 euro for thread + 2 euro for magazine  = 11.7 euro

New sewing list for me!

Only one unsewn item remains in "current sewing list" so I will write the next one! These lists motivate me pretty well!
Really my backlog of ideas, wishing and sewing plans is huuuuuuuuge! Also I have a huge box of different UFOs so I decided to include them too in my current list so not only new projects will be realized.

New projects (from scratch)

• Maxi-skirt from knit - done (22/06)
  
  
  
• Muslin for leather jacket
• Scarf from silk 
  
• Green trousers from last summer - done (27/07)
• Burda sew-along - Raglan Shirt Burda 02/2013 - done! (26/05)
• Knit skirt for my friend - done (28/06)
• Simple bag from linen - need to buy ribbon for handle
• Simple jumper for cold summer nights form finish green fabric 
 

Refashion, changing, repair etc

• To finish summer brown skirt
• Winter dress - need new long zipper
• To fix some technical issues in orange bag
• To finish changing of red Simplicity dress - decided to keep it like this, it is ok!
• To remove pockets on new red skirt (I don't like how they came out) - done (26/06)
• To change Asos dress to skirt - done (05/06)
• To look on the waist of new red dress (belt or alteration?)
• Repair a pocket of the bag - done! (28/06)
• Repair a lining of Semeon's jacket

I have to finish this list quickly because I want to make the next one and sew my coll ideas!%))

Turtleneck for dress and quick hat

Print jumper

I bought this knit fabric specially to make a jumper for my blue dress. It was not cheap but I liked a print so much! Also it was wool so I took it.

I was thinking to use this pattern but as usually I hadn't enough fabric%) So I chose a turtleneck from Burda 09/2010.

I cut size 36 without seam allowances because my fabric was pretty stretchy and I wanted fitted garment. I didn't follow Burda instructions - I cut a ease from sleeve's caps and sewed sleeves flat (as I understood it was common for knits to put sleeves flat). For neck I found great post in pictures. I used only overstitching stitch at my machine (I haven't serger), so I will test how this stitch will behave in wearing.

Back view

I didn't manage very well with print matching on sleeves and a body because I didn't pay attention that the print had 3 different lines not two%)) But I am Ok with this! I should be more careful with prints in future%)

I like the long sleeves of this turtleneck and pretty loose neck.
Also I made fast hat from remnants%) I draw pattern myself. 

Close-up

Facts:

• Fabric:  1.15m (width 1.5m) of wool knit, very thin.
• Pattern: Burda magazine 09/2010 121
• Fabric was bought first, to companion to my blue dress
• Notions: thread, twin needle
• Time to complete: I started it in end of March, have finished 14 April. Sewing time - 5.05 hours. 1.40 for preparation, 3.25 - sewing.
• First worn: 20 April for walking and photoshoot
• Wear again:  Yes!
• Total cost:  16 euro for fabric (it was pretty expansive but I like print so much! And this is wool!!) + 1.5 euro for thread (magazine was present)  = 17.5 euro
 

Current sewing list

I hope this winter is over so I updated my winter sewing list for something little bit more light.

I decided that I had to concentrate on my stashbusting. To be more exact, on not increasing it%) So I will not buy any new fabric before I finish 5 specific garments. If I finish them I can by one or two pieces of fabric during my May trip. 

So this is my list

• Turtleneck 09/2010 - already finished
  
• Raglan Shirt Burda 02/2013 from light green rayon - pattern is traced
• Knit dress Burda 11/2012 from grey knit wool - done
• Skirt from KnippMode from red check wool -  done
• Birthday dress - done

Fabrics for long sleeves

This should be birthday dress

Skirt from KnippMode