Style Arc: Riva T-shirt and Becky Yoga pant

I got a lovely package of patterns in the mail last week, this top and 3 pants patterns (Becky yoga, Wendy pant and the Tori pant). I like buying from StyleArc, makes me feel all good supporting Australian pattern makers plus I really like their patterns!

Riva Tops:

I got this in a sz20 (about a size up from what I would normally order), it has zero ease and I wanted it to skim not fit too tightly. The only alterations I had to do was remove about 1cm from the front bodice shoulder seams and lengthen the sleeves and lower the neckline, otherwise this fit is straight out of the packet! It fits very similar to RTW on me, a bit of excess at the lower back and at the front of the armholes but nothing too major.

The grey material is Supplex from a recent fabric.com order, its a surprisingly thick knit and sewed up beautifully, the black is a pique from Lincraft that I've had in my stash for ages. The pique isn't quite stretchy enough so tends to ride up at the neck a bit but the supplex fits really comfortably.

I always thought you needed a specific machine to be able to use a twin needle but on our Brisbane meet-up I learnt that as long as your throat plate will allow it you can use one in any machine (thankyou!). I thought it would be a fiddle around to use but it was so easy. I truly love the finished look and the stretch that it gives, no more popping stitches and its so quick to sew!
I was lucky enough to win a prize from Maria Demark for blogging  about the Day to Night drape top and part of it was a packet of twin stretch needles - bonus! She also sent some lovely knit material.

 

Becky Yoga Pants;

 

I had a beloved pair of Running Bare Yoga pants that have slowly disintegrated over the last decade. These are the closest fit I've found since so I'm pretty happy. I made these out of the leftover Pique from the tops, its kind of crappy, very shiny and not quite stretchy enough so I had to add to the sides. These are a sz20 with about 1' added to the inner leg on the back pattern piece and the crotch curves scooped out more. The original pattern has an elastic waistband, I did do it but didn't like the fit as much as a foldover one so I cut it off and added a wide band.

I did make another pair out of the supplex which fit a lot better (the fabric has a lot more stretch), but I can't find them at the moment so I couldn't get any pics! I swear I put them in the wash but for the life of me I can't find them.

Banksia Top double up

 

I feel like I'm just using the same patterns over and over again lately! My daughters best friend came and stayed and fell in love with the Banksia top so they both plotted to have matching tops for their upcoming school camp.

 

They picked out yet another cutesy fabric, little yellow duckies this time around. I still think they look like pajama tops but got outvoted!
My daughters top is a Small, with a sloping shoulder adjustment and the darts raised by 1". Her besties is a sz XS with the darts also raised by 1" and a 1/2"SBA.
The placket is a lot easier to sew this time around, I know it has to be really well marked and measured for it to turn out evenly.

I like the inside finish, I used self fabric bias binding to finish the armholes and collar and serged the shoulder and side seams. It makes a nice neat and hardy finish.
Now these are done I have a pile of new StyleArc patterns that are calling my name :)

Tiramisu take 2 and Brisbane catch-up

I cut out this version straight after finishing the last one, I love this pattern!

I've had this fabric in my stash for a while, it was one of those preshirred fabrics that are hemmed on one end and shirred on the other, I suppose its so you could make a really quick strapless dress out of it. I chopped off the shirred bit and just used the bottom half. I had plans for this to be a teal knit on the top and the stripes on the bottom to break it up a bit, but the teal ended up too tight and got chucked aside. Luckily I had enough to cut out the bodice from the leftover stripes! I always seem to struggle with knits being either too stretchy or not stretchy enough!
Same sizing as last time, I did add about 1cm to the bodice front though and it sits nicely underbust now.

I love the stripe layout, the pattern makes it really easy, I cut everything in a single layout using this technique. It means the stripes are identical and makes it so much easier to sew.

I read a blog post the other day about the perfect hem length. My thigh and calves are the same length oddly enough so I need my skirts to hit straight across my knee. I don't usually hold too much stock in things like this but it does seem to work and I look less frumpy with this length skirt, so take it FWIW.

The Brisbane catch-up

 

 

Even though it was very short notice Judith and Summer Flies managed to meet me for a cuppa and a chat. It was fantastic meeting them face to face even though it was absolutely bucketing down with rain! I really enjoyed Brisbane, it's such a well laid out city and so easy to get around in. I did get a chance to drop into The Fabric Store and got some nice material for a future StyleArc polo top (I found the sales assistant a lot nicer/politer than the Melbourne ones!). On the way home I stopped in at Ballarat Patchwork and got some lovely material. If anyone is going thorough Ballarat stop for a look, the shop is such an explosion of colour and the most beautiful quilting fabric!

Kimono Dressing Gown.

 

I made this using a great tutorial here. I've used it before I started blogging and was really happy with how well it works.

I've had this fabric in my stash for ages, I got it thinking to make a dress out of it but its way too bright for me! Great for a dressing gown too, and being cotton its so much nicer in all this hot weather we've been having than the current polyester one I've been using!
'

Because its such simple shapes and no fitting I spent a bit more time on the seams finish. I flat felled all the seams, including the side seams which are on a right angle under the arms. Not sure what the proper method is in dealing with it so I cut them on a 45degree angle and then satin stitched over the raw edges.

 

I'm not really sure what the seam finish is called that I used on the neck and hem bands, its the same way that you sew the placket on the banksia blouse, and the same as sewing the waistband onto the Jalie jeans, makes a really nice neat finish and encloses all the raw edges as well.

 

I added a couple things on - pockets, belt loops and a belt and satin ties at the waist to keep it closed. It was a nice easy project though and another thing from my Autumn SWAP drawings plus it used up some stash fabric.

Megan Nielsen 2102: banskia top

 I made this for my daughter, it's a trial run before I cut into the cat fabric from Melbourne for her. The top itself is nice and simple, I always struggle to fit my daughter in a woven fabric though, I think it's because she has opposite adjustments to what I need.

There's still some problems with the fit, the shoulders were way too narrow on her and therefore the sleeves were too high and tight so I cut them off.  This is a size small with the bust darts raised by 1" and the collar pointed. Next version I think I'll make a sz medium and attempt a SBA with a small sloping shoulder adjustment. If anyone can pick up any more fitting issues please say, any advice is welcome!

The fabric is cotton poly blend from Spotlight, it has a cute Kawaii type print on it, I kind of think it looks like pyjamas but Amber seems to like it. All I can ever imagine with cutesy prints like this is Michael Kors popping up and saying  it looks becky homecky! Buttons are from the stash, think they were from Spotlight as well.

 

And all I can say about the poses is I think I've showed her Amanda's blog too many times, lol!

 

We are headed up to Brisbane soon, if anyone has any tips on where to take the kids (on a budget) and what fabric shops are good please comment or email me! We are up there for 4 days, my daughter is competing in the Goju Ryu Karate Nationals on Sunday but we have a couple of days to fill in as well, would love to meet anyone at a decent fabric shop for a chat and a wander (sorry for the short notice though!)

Cake 0144: Tiramisu Dress

I was never that happy with the top that I made from this pattern, the underbust seam never sat right and it was too clingy. After seeing all the great versions at the Melbourne social shopping event though I figured it was worth another go.

This version is made from a cotton interlock from the clearance bin at The Fabric Store and the midriff band is black Ponte from the Alannah Hill outlet.
This fabric is a bit thicker and sits so much better! So I'll be using a plain interlock from now on, no more lightweight knits.

Pattern adjustments - the back is a 45, front is a 40D and the waistband/skirt is a 42.5". I extended the sleeves by 1.5" and widen them slightly by about .5". I find the pockets a bit floppy but not sure what can be done about that, plus just having pockets is worth it!

 

I am so glad I had another go at this pattern, it is just so comfortable and it skims the lumps and bumps so nicely. I actually jus cut out another one ready to sew up!

Melbourne Social Sewing trip

Also known as the stashbuilding exercise (because of course, the one thing I need is more fabric.......Ha!)

 

It was a great day, big thanks to Kat for organising it and driving me around the city. I got a huge kick out of recognising patterns walking around (a few Tiramisus, a hollyburn and a Surreau!), plus matching voices to faces and meeting some other sewists (especially anyone who can get a Simpsons Frogurt reference!). It was a huge day though and I was absolutely knackered by the end of it, the heat, a thumping headache and my usual ability to stress myself to pieces over new experiences/meeting people/new places means I was pretty haggard by the time we finished!

 

Got some great fabric though and discovered some new shops, I really loved Rathdowne Fabrics, GJ's Discount fabric, Darn cheap and the Alannah Hill outlet. I love the ones full of fabric rolls or remnant bins that you have to dig through to find a gem, the fancier ones intimidate the hell out of me quite honestly, not really sure what that says about me.......lol!

  

 

New fabric - Kitten approved!

 

The greys - bengalene from Alannah Hill (pants), stretch wool blend suiting from GJ's (more pants) and a pleated knit from Darn cheap (Renfrew)

 

Lace from Alannah Hill (eventually a lace macaron) and some Black ponte (skirt and jacket), Purpley knit from The Fabrc Store (I loved everyones Tiramisu dresses enough to give it another go out of the purple knit) and a linen/cotton blend from Darn Cheap (pants).

 

Denim!! Left is a remnant from GJ's discount fabric (jacket) and the right is Bettina Liano denim from Rathdowne Fabrics (topstitched Jeans) its got a beautiful weight to it and just a touch of stretch.

 

The prints - out of all of the fabric I think I love the cat print the most! Its been earmarked for a Banksia Blouse for my daughter. That and the stripes are from the Alannah Hill outlet (Renfrew again with a grey ribbing for the bands and maybe a front zipper). The dots are a Viscose from Darn Cheap for a Lekala wrap blouse.

 

We got home on Staurday night then I spent Sunday and Monday helping a friend move houses so all I've done is wash and fondle my fabric, I am just itching to start sewing it all up now!