Finished: a utilitarian nightie

Yesterday I finished a utilitarian nightie that I started about 5-6 months ago, thought I'd mentioned it before but can't find a post.  Anyhoo, its finished and from the Past Patterns late 18thC chemise pattern I've used umpty squillion times before.

As I was pinning the sleeves into the side seams I discovered that at some point (possibly when I started sewing it) that I'd stained the front with something (possibly black tea).  Not large but there to be seen (not in the pic).



It's soaking right now and I'm not sure it'll come out, but it's utilitarian & done. Lets be honest I'd have spilled coffee on it sooner or later anyway. At least it's not work clothing ruined before it's worn

sifting through a couple of hundred (or more) photos before posting

I actually made my MAGAM garment for April - need to post about it once I've got the photo ready to upload.

I also have lots of photos from JAFA and Ironfest, and I bought an extra 1gb of internet data so that I can to it while I remember to.

On the everyday garment sewing side of things, I'm reviewing my stash spreadsheets and selecting fabric for winter skirts and some trans-seasonal blouses. I'd very much like to use the Hot Patterns 1063, Deco Vibe Flippy Skirt. I've had the pattern a number of years - deliberately forgetting exactly how many. However it'll take 3 metres of 150cm wide, which is a bit hungry of it. Fairly sure that my already stashed, drapable yardage is all around 2m. I don't particularly want to buy another piece of fabric. What I ought to do first is mock it up and see if it suits me or not. Cos if it doesn't, everything else is moot.

Later this month I've got a weekend sewing retreat - so I need to have planned & cut out projects suitable for 2 nights & 2 days of sewing. I'm taking my UFO blouses, and my UFO brown wool skirt (presuming I don't finish it before then). Plus I'm thinking of taking my 1970's knit wrap dress pattern. I have the monkeys on green to use as mockup and the viscose lycra knit for the real thing.

Are my eyes bigger than my stomach when it comes to achievable projects??

Maybe I should also take my UFO early 1800s open robe. It's pretty close to finishable. But, BUT ... I need a decent working wardrobe for this winter. A much higher priority.

sudden whim for a nightie

As I've said, my brain is skittery-skattering across fabrics and patterns and clothing ideas. Anyhoo, a non-sewing/non-costume friend stay over as we were seeing a movie after work and like her I wouldn't want a 90 minute trip home after that!

Long story short - her nightie impressed me as being easy inspiration, and after work tonight I skipped to Spotlight as they now have Simplicity, Burda & New Look patterns for $5.  Can you guess which pattern books I skimmed ... and came hope with Simplicity 2254 which is close enough.

 

View C with instead an overlapping bodice, and view D/E length.

I'm hoping there's enough of this knit fabric remnant in my stash to make it.

a pattern idea for my faux-hooverette

Hmm, re my wraparound house dress - a faux-hooverette - I was wondering if I could adapt this dress pattern to be wrap front. I got it earlier this year and it's a good excuse the play with the pattern. I could put tape or ribbon at the crossing point & tie in a bow.

[edited to add:] a ribbon tie at the crossover point as well as a waist tie-belt.

using a stash pattern, but I may need to repurchase it anyway.

Today needing a 1930s jacket pattern surged to the front of my addictive-sewing lobe. Assuming there's a lobe of the brain reserved for obsessive sewing!

 So I popped onto Etsy to see what was available, only to notice that erm, a Butterick Retro pattern #6329 appears for sale more than once, and is already safely in my stash. So I'm not going to buy another 1930s jacket pattern but instead use the one I've had since 1999.

*hrmmmm* UH-OHHHHH It appears that I toiled this pattern in August 2008. I had no memory of this. Nor do I know where the pattern pieces and toile are. I may have to repurchase the pattern cos it seems I liked it!

my work clothing UFO list

I've got 5 items of work clothing started and incomplete, and this list is in order of preference.

Work clothing UFOs
blue linen/rayon herringbone 1930s skirt - half cut out
Decades of Style 1930s matinee blouse - 80% sewn
aqua knit top - cut out
paisley self drafted pattern - 50% sewn
teal knit top - half sewn

I really need another couple of skirts at least and more tops ... I don't think that last one is going to be suitable. IE a bit lightweight on it's own and summer gets too hot+humid for me to wear camisoles as well as a top.

But I'll focus on finishing these this month and see what I can think up that's vintage inspired while still being professional work clothes.

Edited to add: I've got 2 retro Butterick patterns that I'm going to make. 6700,for which I may use a knit fabric (a 3/4 sleeved version of the blue (no ruffles on my hips) and 6701 with 3/4 sleeves again .... I'm looking forward to sewing something new.

switch my focus to work clothing

I found out yesterday that my job will finish on the 23rd of this month, 2.5 weeks from now. It's not even 4 months into my 12 month contract so I'm definitely disappointed that I couldn't get another role in the organisation once my boss has left. As I'm likely to be interviewing (and probably temping again) my working wardrobe needs sprucing up, so I'm going to have to focus mainly on Real Life (TM) clothing. First I'll finish my UFO Decades of Style skirt, as half cut out is closer to finished than not cut out projects. Also the UFO DoS matinee blouse. The 2 cut out shirts that I was going to pay a friend to finish will need to be done by me as she's moving cities and probably won't have time to do them. so although they're mojo-less they're at least cut out.

Baby steps back to new clothing

I got the two front seams done tonight, and I'm trying to decide if I overlock them together, press to one side and then topstitch, or if I overlock them individually and then press open.

I wish I knew why this is photographing lighter than it is, but it's not important really. Getting it sewn & in rotation is.

Edited to add: no wonder I'm dithering on that decision. I just looked at my stash/usage spreadsheets and the last time I made a skirt that WASN'T a costume was in the first half of 2007.  Cos the skirt I half cut out January 2012 didn't actually get finished. Though now I've replaced the pattern I can get onto that.  Sheesh, no wonder my clothing is wearing out and I need a new real life clothing sewing habit.

I'm not going to throw myself into a frenzy of sewing, but get back to sewing 15-30 minutes a day. Getting something done every day is a habit I want to have again.

Start with pre-shrinking

I'm actually making incremental progress towards stitching.

Winter is coming. For realz ... it's the last couple of weeks of autumn this side of the world and I need more work clothes that fit & look good.  I've selected some deliciously dark chocolate brown wool in a sort of crepe weave to make a skirt.  I've selected a skirt pattern I used back in January 2007, from a 2004 Burda magazine.
I'll start stitching the hobbit skirt tonight ... I would have last night but I had a crampy tummy {rolls eyes} ... crampy for none of the obvious reasons.  At least all the threads etc are together.

Here's the choc brown wool - this photo is really bleached out ... that's a navy top I'm holding it up to. Yep, navy not blue. n The Burda pattern is style 148 from the December 2004 magazine.

the Robson Coat from Sewaholic patterns

Yesterday I ordered the Robson trench coat pattern from the aussie site Sew Squirrel, who have them in stock.  It's what I'd look for in a trench, that is some shaping & not a tubular volume. I need to show I have a waist or I look like a sack of potatoes with a chest.  I may leave off the flaps, depending on what fabric I use from stash. The fabric recommendations are "Light to medium weight woven fabrics such as cotton twill or canvas, cotton nylon blends, gabardine."



 I love that it's from a pattern range designed for 5'3"-5'4" tall pear shapes, because although I have the acreage up front, my back & shoulders are narrow in comparison to my hips.  It's just that my bust balances it out overall.  Due to the shaping this takes quite a bit of yardage, 4.3m of 150cm wide. I've got some fabrics that may work, although truth be told I'm very unlikely to get this made this winter, as by the time I've recovered from my op it'll be winter and I really need winter work clothes as I have a coat that's worked so far. Yes it needs replacing, but it should last 1 more winter when I don't have enough tops for work. I'm playing a smarter game & prioritising my sewing plans.