Sewing project Archives

The (unseasonal) Party Animal Jumpsuit: Closet Case Patterns animal print Sallie Jumpsuit

Yep, this is a very belated sharing of my very last make as part of the Minerva Blogger Network, and it’s the Closet Case Patterns Sallie Jumpsuit in a rather in-your-face animal print. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!

Sallie Jumpsuit

The post actually went up in August so I’m more than a little tardy in blogging it here, and it’s definitely not seasonally appropriate (unless you’re lucky enough to live in the Southern hemisphere), but hey, if I’m going to catch up with all the unblogged stuff I’ve got to start somewhere!

There are lots of sewing details on the Minerva post, so I’m going to skip recapping all that and just muse about jumpsuits in general. Continue reading “The (unseasonal) Party Animal Jumpsuit: Closet Case Patterns animal print Sallie Jumpsuit”

The Sewing Bee Zebra Swimsuit: making Butterick B6358

Just popping by to share my latest Minerva Blogger Network post, which is a super-cute zebra print swimsuit, using the now out of print Butterick B6358. You can find out all the nerdy sewing details here: https://www.minervacrafts.com/blogger-network/post/the-sewing-bee-zebra-swimsuit

Butterick B6358 zebra print swimsuit

This post is also my penultimate Minerva Blogger Network post (for the time being at any rate), as I’ve decided to step down for a while. Continue reading “The Sewing Bee Zebra Swimsuit: making Butterick B6358”

The Black Linen Shirt Dress – Vogue 8903

Hey up! Now that summer seems to finally have arrived in the UK, what better time to share my version of Vogue 8903: a classic shirt dress in black linen. This is my June Minerva Blogger Network make and you can find the full post with lots of nerdy sewing deets here: https://www.minervacrafts.com/blogger-network/post/the-black-linen-shirt-dress

Vogue 8903 shirt dress in black linen

Continue reading “The Black Linen Shirt Dress – Vogue 8903”

The Margo Scuba Skirt: making the Seamwork Margo skirt with scuba crepe

Hello peeps! I’m back with a make I completed back in January, a lovely version of the Seamwork Margo skirt using John Kaldor scuba crepe gifted to me by Minerva in return for a 500+ review with pictures over on their blog, which you can find here: https://www.minervacrafts.com/blog/projects/the-margo-scuba-skirt

Seamwork Margo skirt in navy John Kaldor scuba crepe

Yeah, I made this in January! However, sometimes those Minerva Fabric Focus blogs can take a long time to make their way onto the blog. Even longer if you’ve been a bad blogger and taken ages to write the post up. In my defense, Daisy had heart surgery just after Christmas so my mind was somewhat preoccupied in the months after.

But what I really needed after the ordeal of Daisy’s surgery and post-operative hospital stay was an easy win. The Seamwork Margo skirt definitely fits the bill! Continue reading “The Margo Scuba Skirt: making the Seamwork Margo skirt with scuba crepe”

The Purple Not-a-Turtle Neck – Seamwork Neenah top hack

Hey peeps, I’ve found a few minutes for a drive-by blog post, so here goes! This is the Seamwork Neenah dress pattern which I hacked into a top. The real star is the John Kaldor Isabella Jersey which I received free from Minerva Crafts in return for writing the post on their blog, which you can find here: https://www.minervacrafts.com/blog/projects/the-purple-not-a-turtle-neck

Seamwork Neenah cowl top in John Kaldor Isabella wool jersey 1

Now, I absolutely love this top and wore it loads before the weather warmed up. Partly it’s that gorgeous colour, partly the Seamwork Neenah pattern, which I know by now works just right for this kind of snuggly, slightly looser but still narrow fitting garment (for other versions and hacks of the Seamwork Neenah, see here and here). But I think the real star is the fabric itself (affiliate link). It’s pretty much the holy grail of garment fabrics for me, as it has that soft drape from the 72% viscose content, the four way stretch and recovery from the hefty 8% elastane, and the snuggly warmth and general resilience from the 20% wool. I still have some decent size scraps from this and over a metre of the gunmetal grey I bought years ago and haven’t dared use yet, so there will definitely be more of this fabric appearing on the blog in the future… once I’ve figured out the perfect patterns for it 🙂

Seamwork Neenah cowl top in John Kaldor Isabella wool jersey #1

Random Musings

I’ve been feeling a little guilty about the fact that I only seem to blog my Minerva makes just lately, and don’t want this blog to come over as some kind of extended advertisement for them. Not that I don’t really appreciate Minerva for all the freebies and buy some fabric from them still in addition to that I receive free, I hasten to add.

But I have been making things that aren’t Minerva makes and with three kids to look after I just don’t find much time for blogging them. I have to blog the Minerva ones and have deadlines, so they always jump to the top of the queue. I’m thinking I might just have to do really short blog posts to clear the backlog of projects. That would make me feel a whole lot better about the situation.

And the fact remains: if it weren’t for my Minerva Blogger Network allowance I wouldn’t be able to sew much. Spare money is hard to come by in this house at the moment, so I really appreciate the chance to splash out on fabrics and patterns I wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford. I’ve been choosy about my projects, though, and am planning them to be things I really feel a need for in my wardrobe, or that the kids could do with (there are a few kids clothes projects in the pipeline, so watch this space for cuteness!).

I have been thinking about my big stash of old clothes and decent size scraps in the loft, though, and am hoping to get them all sorted through in the next couple of weeks so that I can start using them to make new garments (possibly for the kids as they use smaller pattern pieces) or failing that, something like washable cloth wipes. I’ll let you know how I get on with that one.

Right, I’d better get off as I have to wake a sleeping baby then take the boy to his swimming lesson. Cheerio!

The Skinny Pedal Pushers – Jalie Éléonore Pull-On Jeans

Hi everyone, hope you’re all enjoying Me Made May! This is my fourth year participating and I’m loving it. Tell you what, though, I’m kind of wishing I’d chosen a different challenge as all I want to wear every day is my latest make: these cute and comfy pedal pusher “jeans”. They’re the Jalie Éléonore Pull-On Jeans and I love them to bits! More details on sewing them up over on the Minerva Blogger Network. For rambling thoughts about jeggings, personal style and the like, read on here 🙂

Jalie Eleonore Pull-On Jeans #1

I always used to consider “jeggings” a bit of a dirty word. They were the comical pretend jeans that were a sure sign you were letting yourself go. Then along came child #2, and the delights of maternity jeans. No, seriously, I was a convert. With my first I’d only ever had those weird over-the-bump maternity jeans but second time around I bought a pair of Red Herring jeans that had a soft elasticated waistband, but looked just like regular jeans from there on down. I was smitten. Comfiest jeans EVAH.

And I didn’t want to take them off once Gabriel arrived. When I finally had to admit they were getting dangerously loose I looked around for some non-maternity equivalents. I wanted proper stretch denim, but with a flat, elasticated waistband. Tricky.

In the end I bought some Next jeggings which were comfy, but made of that weird faux denim jersey. They bagged out horribly at the knee and I ended up getting rid of them. I then found a fairly decent pair of more proper denim jeggings at White Stuff, but they were expensive, the denim was thin, and I didn’t like the way the waistband looked–too gathered. Still, they’ve lasted me for a few years and it’s only just recently that I’ve realised they’re getting too baggy what with the post-baby #3 weight loss.

I didn’t fancy forking out for another pair from White Stuff, given the issues mentioned above, but then I remembered the Jalie Éléonore jeans, and thought “surely I could make my own jeggings”.

Yes, yes I could. These are the result, and bloody comfortable they are too!

I’m counting these as one of my Make Nine projects, as well as one of my capsule wardrobe for the Sew Your Kibbe Challenge, which I still haven’t properly blogged about. Maybe I’ll find the time next week…

Regarding the Kibbe Challenge, I know the cropped look doesn’t really fit in the Dramatic Classic guidelines which really only specify one kind of trouser:

Pants: Simple tailored styles with pleats and man-tailored detail are best. The pants should be clean, sleek, and elegant.

AVOID: Fussy or ornate styles. Tapered or pegged style. Wide, baggy, or unconstructed styles.

Yeah, that’s quite limited. However, I reckon these pedal pushers are a fair fit for a more casual look. They certainly don’t feature any of the things to avoid, at any rate. I love wearing this length of jeans in the summer months and they have that vintage vibe I’m after without being remotely costumey.

I’m definitely going to use the Jalie Éléonore pattern to make more trousers in the future. Much as I love wearing skirts and dresses, jeans and casual trousers are definitely more practical when wrangling small children. I’ve always tended towards skirts and dresses as I have a really long rise and RTW trousers rarely fit comfortably. Now that I feel more confident in tackling trouser fitting issues, thanks to the pedal pushers I made a couple of years ago and now these, I’m definitely ready to refine the fit of these and get a real TNT pattern for me. I know I have a fair amount of work to do still with the legs which are doing something odd, but at least these fit really nicely at the top.

Right, that’s it for now. I’ve cut out a couple of projects to sew for Gabriel and Lauren next, who are currently winding each other up on the floor next to me. Gabriel has chickenpox and is going a bit stir crazy at home. I think I need to make a cake with him now or something.

Adios, amigos!

The Hoodless Hoodie – my latest Minerva Blogger Network make (Burda Style 6847)

My latest make, Burda Style 6847 (affiliate link) is now up on the Minerva Blogger Network. It’s a casual sweatshirt jacket, and it’s probably one of my favourite makes ever! You can find out all the details of sewing it up over on the Minerva Blog.

Burda 6847 knit jacket

I first saw this pattern on Dr T’s blog when she posted a huge list of patterns suitable for the Dramatic Classic Kibbe type. Without wanting to go into all the theory behind Kibbe and why I think I’m a Dramatic Classic (that’s for another post, at some point soon), the key things Kibbe says about jackets for this type is that they “should be crisp and tailored, with sharp shoulders and elongated line. If unconstructed, they should be very narrow and fall below the break of the hip.” Continue reading “The Hoodless Hoodie – my latest Minerva Blogger Network make (Burda Style 6847)”

The Knot Your Average Top

Okay, this is the last of my catch-up links to Minerva projects I’ve made over the last few months. Phew, now I can start writing posts about all the other things I’ve made and haven’t yet blogged!

Knot Your Average Shirt 5 out of 4 patterns

This is the Knot Your Average Shirt and Dress from 5 out of 4 Patterns and I first made it as a dress a couple of years ago as it’s one of those cunning concealed breastfeeding access patterns. You can find my full Minerva write-up of this top version here: https://www.minervacrafts.com/blog/projects/knot-your-average-shirt

I really love wearing this top and I think that’s down to two main reasons. Firstly, the fabric is incredibly soft and drapey, and it feels wonderful against my skin. Secondly, it’s a simple enough style in a neutral colour that goes with most of my wardrobe. The twist at the front adds just enough detail to elevate it above a simple black tee, but it’s as versatile as one.

My only regret with this one is that I didn’t go ahead and put clear elastic all along the neckline, as the viscose does grow slightly with wear. It’s not enough to cause a wardrobe malfunction, but it can show a little bit of bra at the centre front if I’m not careful. Mind you, nursing bras do come up high at the centre front, so it probably wouldn’t be a problem if I wasn’t still wearing these beasts.

Anyway, that’s one more wardrobe success for me, which is great. I’m definitely getting better at this “making stuff I want to wear” lark. About bloody time, really. I’ve been sewing clothes for ten years now!

Coming up on the blog next week (hopefully) — I want to catch up on some of the new year type posts I meant to do in January, but was way too busy with Daisy’s operation and its aftermath. So there will be a belated Make Nine, along with some year end round ups and a couple of challenges I’ll be attempting this year. Yay!

See you again soon

The Spotty Cowl Top

Daydream Patterns Sophia nursing top

This is one of those “whoops, I thought I’d already posted this” posts! Yep, finally sharing February’s Minerva Blogger Network post over here. You can find it at: https://www.minervacrafts.com/blogger-network/post/the-spotty-cowl-top

I have to admit, this is not one of my most successful makes and it’s currently in my wadder pile, hopefully to be harvested for fabric to make something more “me”. It’s not the fault of the pattern, which was really well written and fun to make. It’s not the fault of the fabric, which although a polyester (boo!) jersey is really comfortable and pleasant to wear.

It’s just… not me. I’m starting to realise this is one of the pitfalls of trying out new styles when making your own clothing. With RTW you can try it on in the shop and have a good peer at yourself in the mirror, before deciding it doesn’t suit you. With sewing you generally have to wait until you’ve basted the side seams before you realise that it makes you look like an out of style pregnant hippo. Not that this top does that. But I don’t think it’s terribly flattering on me.

In the final analysis, I think a plain fabric would have worked better, and the neckline is too high for my liking. Also, the whole top is a bit shapeless at the front. Ideal for disguising post-childbirth tummies (this has a cunning–and optional–hidden breastfeeding access design), but not so good now I’m mostly slimmed down again.

So, going forward I’m going to do my best to avoid future wadders by sticking to patterns I know work for me (hello, Cleo dresses!), or styles that I’m pretty sure will work. It might not result in the most adventurous sewing for me, but I figure I can get my fix of adventure by sewing more for the kids. I’ll have more about my personal Ottobre Sewing Magazine kids pattern challenge soon. When I get a moment to write a blog post…

Right, this afternoon I’m going to try to finish a top (black and silver stripy fabric, but taking a bit of a risk with a boat neck), and then maybe embroider or crochet a cactus. Yes, I’ve decided to take part in #The100DayProject in an attempt to get me going on some purely fun crafts again. I’m going to stick to cacti and succulents for motifs as I love them, but will have a go at making them in various different media. I reckon I’ll dust off my crochet, feltmaking and embroidery skills, as well as having a go at machine embroidery and applique. And when I’ve had enough of the textiles I might do some watercolours and drawings. Maybe even a lino cut. Who knows?

I’m hoping that by the end of the 100 days I’ll have a collection of little decorative items and pictures for making gifts and cards. And perhaps a few things for myself too. I’ve fancied a cactus pincushion for years now! Check out my Pinterest boards if you’re interested in seeing some of the things I’ve been contemplating.

See you in a couple of days with one more catch-up post for my Minerva makes.

The In the Navy Bodysuit

Just popping in to share my latest Minerva Blogger Network make, the Megan Nielsen Patterns Rowan bodysuit in a lovely navy viscose jersey. You can find all the sewing details on the Blogger Network here:

https://www.minervacrafts.com/blogger-network/post/the-in-the-navy-bodysuit

Megan Nielsen Rowan bodysuit in navy viscose #1

I have to admit, I was so excited about sewing a bodysuit for the first time (I’ve been thinking about making one for a couple of years now) that it wasn’t until I was almost finished that I thought, “hang on a minute, this isn’t breastfeeding friendly!” Whoops!

Still, it’s not such a problem as Lauren only feeds a couple of times during the day now. That little girl loves her food, and would rather munch down on jacket potatoes, stew, chicken korma, and just about anything else she can get her hands on. No boring baby mush in this house!

I’m thinking I need more bodysuits in my wardrobe. I want to make more skirts/trousers with a slightly dropped waistline and I need to make sure that anything tucked in stays tucked. Generally I don’t tuck in tops and just wear them hanging over the top of the bottoms, but I’d like to try this different silhouette as I think it’s flattering. Admittedly, most of my current skirts and trousers are high waisted, but going forward I’ll be sewing some a couple of inches below my natural waist.

This Rowan top is really lightweight and probably best worn as a base layer as it shows every lump and bump. The fabric is also just transparent enough to give a hint of my bra, so I reckon I’ll be making a skin-toned bra at some point soon.

However, those slight issues aside, this Rowan bodysuit is super comfortable, I really enjoyed the challenge of making it, and I can see it making the base of lots of pattern hacks with other knit tops. Yay!

I still have a couple of recent Minerva blogs to link, so expect to see them popping up this next week. Until then, happy sewing everyone 😀

The Plum Pudding Cardigan

I’m finally linking the blog I wrote for the Minerva Blogger Network back in December–oops! It’s another Jalie cardigan (I’ve made two of their Drop Pocket cardigans blogged here and here) and another real winner. I love the shape of the front at the hem and those long, statement pleats down each side. My only gripe? No pockets!

I have some serious love for this cardigan. It accompanied me to the hospital back in January when I had to pack a capsule wardrobe to last two weeks while Daisy had her surgery. I can honestly say it goes with practically everything in my wardrobe, and I always feel stylish and put together when wearing it. The fabric is warm while still being fairly lightweight, and although it is now pilling a bit, it’s nothing my lint shaver can’t handle.

You can find the full post over on the Minerva site here: https://www.minervacrafts.com/blogger-network/post/the-plum-pudding-cardigan

Okay, that’s all for now. I’ll be back with another backlog (back-blog?) clearing post in a few days.

Adios, amigos!

The Mother and Daughter Leggings

Why hello, my dear, neglected blog! I’m sorry I’ve not been posting, but life has been somewhat crazy around these parts and finding a few peaceful minutes to sit at the computer has been as rare as getting a decent night’s sleep.

First there was the annual craziness that is Christmas, and making it special for three children. Yeah, I’m only now starting to really appreciate all the hard work my mum put in when me and my two sisters were little.

Then on Christmas Eve we got a call from the Children’s Hospital saying that they’d had a cancellation, so Daisy could come in for surgery on the day after Boxing Day. As we’d had her surgery cancelled in early December (after spending two days in hospital waiting) down to a lack of ICU beds, we decided to take up the offer and just get it over with. It meant going into hospital on Boxing Day, and spending over two weeks living in a little room at the parent’s accomodation. Not the best two weeks of my life, but it’s over now and she’s fully recovered, with a brand new metal valve in her heart which should last her for the rest of her life.

Here’s a pic of Daisy recovering in hospital (with the hospital dog!) wearing the last make I blogged here:

Since then we’ve dealt with swine flu, various coughs and colds, and I’m now starting to feel like life is settling down again. Till the next bout of madness….

Anyway, I’ve been sewing a bit, and even managed a few blogs over on the Minerva site. I’ll be linking them all over the next few days and then start playing catch up with some of my unblogged makes from last year.

First up, here’s some Jalie Clara leggings I made for me and Daisy (pictured at the top of this post):

https://www.minervacrafts.com/blogger-network/post/the-mother-and-daughter-leggings

I’ll admit, they haven’t had all that much wear since I made them, but that’s because I realised after a few wears that with fabric this stretchy, I probably should have made each of us the next size down. They are currently on the alterations pile, waiting for me to have the energy and inclination to deal with them. Not sure why I hate alterations so much, but I’m making more of an effort to power through them between other, longer projects.

I was going to write more but I now have a tired, crying baby on my lap so I think I’ll just have to accept that posts will be less than perfect, and press publish.

Ciao for now!

The Lionheart Nightgown (Simplicity 1504): my latest Minerva Make

Just a quick post to link to my latest make (Simplicity 1504) for the Minerva Blogger Network, and this time it’s an unselfish make for my gorgeous girl, Daisy. Who is going to be a teenager tomorrow. Eeek! I’m feeling really old now…

Lionheart nightgown Simplicity 1504

The story behind why she needs a button front nightie is up on the blog post (clue: it involves impending heart surgery) along with a fairly detailed post about the pattern. I really enjoyed making this one up, and it’s one of those patterns that fits from Gabriel’s age to adult, so I’m sure I’ll get more of these made. The pj version for Gabriel, natch. Although I’d totally make him a nightshirt if he wanted one. I’ve made them for my dad before, after all.

The fabric is definitely worth a mention as I’ve never worked with cotton broadcloth before, but it’s absolutely lovely stuff! Seriously, I want to sew with this all the time. I want shirts made out of it. And summer dresses. Maybe even a nightshirt of my own.

Right, I’m struggling to write this with a snotty baby on my lap and an equally snotty pre-schooler asking me if monkeys have red tails, so that’s it for now. I’ll be back with more finished makes soon, though. I’m building up quite the backlog!

PS, there might be a style analysis post too. I’m getting seriously into reading all I can about different systems. I think it’s to make up for the fact I have little sewing time, but plenty of time sitting up in the middle of the night feeding a baby. Hooray for smartphones and 24 hour wifi!

The Not-So-Boring Black Dungaree Dress

Hello everyone!

I’m just swinging by because I realised I still haven’t linked last month’s Minerva make, and my next one will be up in the next few days! No, there really isn’t much time or headspace to sit at the computer and get on with this sort of thing these days. Children. They’re cute, but they’re smelly and steal all your time.

Anyway, last month’s make is this gorgeous (if plain) black twill Cleo dress, which I’ve been wearing loads as none of my old Cleos fit me at the moment. You can find out more details over on Minerva’s site: https://www.minervacrafts.com/blogger-network/post/the-not-so-boring-black-dungaree-dress

I’ve been sewing when I get the chance (finished my first bra–so proud!) and doing plenty of wardrobe planning. I had myself the perfect little autumn/winter capsule planned using patterns from my stash and have bought most of the fabric I need. Then I discovered the Kibbe types and they made a lot of sense to me. I reckon I’m a classic face on a dramatic body, which explains why dramatic (and dramatic classic) clothes look great on me, but the necklines are sometimes too harsh. I think I can get away with classic and probably even some soft classic necklines (like sweethearts and cowl necks) so long as the rest of my outfit is pretty dramatic in style/colour. It’s got me thinking about my capsule plans anew, particularly in terms of necklines and knitwear. It’s also got me wondering if I should rejig my rockabilly librarian style board…

Hopefully I’ll find time to do a more detailed post on this soon (and blog some more of the things I’ve been sewing), but until then, anyone else gone down the Kibbe rabbit hole and come up for air?!

Ciao for now!

The Tropical Scout Tee (and a return to blogging!)

Grainline Scout tee in tropical double gauze

Hi there; long time, no blog! I’m not apologising because that’s just the way of life with a newborn. However, Lauren is now four-and-a-half months old, Gabriel is back at nursery and Daisy at school, and finally I’m starting to find a wee bit of time here and there to get back on the computer.

I actually have a fair old backlog of projects to blog, including my first button up shirt for Andy, some cute baby clothes, and a few things for me, as having a tiny baby to look after didn’t actually stop me from sewing. It slowed me right down, admittedly, but for sanity’s sake I managed to find the odd few minutes here and there to sew a seam or do a bit of pressing. I’ve also done a fair bit of knitting too. Yay!

Anyway, first up for sharing is my first Grainline Scout Tee. Yes, I know I’m late to the party with this one, but that’s just the way I roll. Totally unfashionably late! It’s my Minerva Blogger Network post for last month and actually went live on their site weeks ago, but when I went to share it here I somehow managed to break my website. Yep, every single page gave a 500 error. Wah!

After going away and crying for a bit I eventually pulled up my big girl pants and went searching for solutions. I’m not all that techy really (not sure why I didn’t stick to WordPress.com rather than this self-hosting lark, but there we go) but once I figured out what had gone wrong (a bad pinterest plugin) it was remarkably easy to fix. Go me!

So, if you want to find out more about making the Scout tee then head on over to Minerva. The tee was pretty hot off the machine when I wrote it and I’ve since had more time to see how it fits into my wardrobe. At the moment I’m unsure. I’ve worn it a fair bit and love the comfort–I definitely want to sew with double gauze again next summer–but I’m not convinced this print suits me. I’d love to try this top again in a monochrome polka dot print–perhaps in a drapier fabric too to see if the silhouette is more flattering that way.

What do you all reckon? Is this top “me”?

I’ll be back in a few days with another Minerva make. Until then, what are you working on at the moment? And have you ever sewn with double gauze?

The Dark Floral Maternity Agnes Top

Floral Tilly and the Buttons Agnes Maternity Top

This is now my third time making up the Maternity Agnes pattern from Tilly and the Buttons, but it’s my first time making it as a top. You can find my previous dress versions here and here. The photos were taken back in early March, but this still fits perfectly over my huge “almost there” bump.

I feel like I’ve already said much of what I want to say about this pattern already in those two posts, but there was one thing I did a bit differently this time around. I’d noticed a drag line between the armscye and bust in my last two versions, but wasn’t sure what to do about it other than some kind of complex full bust adjustment, which I didn’t really feel like figuring out as I have never had to do an FBA before!

But after reading a post on the regular Agnes top by Sew Becky Jo, I realised that the problem might actually be with the large armscye, as a lot of people seem to have the same issue with the Agnes top (whether they’ve noticed or not).

I thought back to my TNT fitted knit top, the Knit Sweetheart Top from Gertie Sews Vintage Casual, and looked at pictures to confirm I didn’t get that crease/fold with Gertie’s pattern. Then I compared the two paper patterns and sure enough, the armscye on Gertie’s pattern is significantly higher and smaller. It’s not the easiest thing to spot seams in this fabric, but you might be able to see how high the underarm seam is below.

So this time instead of just hacking on the neckline from the Knit Sweetheart Top, I went for the whole upper portion of that pattern including the sleeves. I think this has worked as I now have a much better fit both in the armpit and the bust. I didn’t actually bother with retracing a pattern as I figured this is the last time I’m likely to make the maternity version, so I simply cut the fabric for the Gertie bodice down to just below the bust, then laid the Agnes pattern over the top and carried on cutting with that version. There was probably a little blending/grading at the join, but it’s been such a time since I made this I can’t remember which pattern was the larger!

The only other thing that made this more of a challenging make for me was the fabric I used. Now don’t get me wrong–I adore this fabric and it’s incredibly soft and comfortable to wear… But (you sensed there was one coming, didn’t you?!) it’s not the easiest to sew. I picked it up from the Girl Charlee stall at the Great British Sewing Bee Live last year, as I’ve been wanting to work more bold florals into my wardrobe. The colours really appeal, although yellow isn’t something that suits my skin tone at all. However, this minimal amount of yellow mixed in with the black and turquoise really works, I reckon.

So, the fabric looks and feels gorgeous, but boy, it does not want to co-operate on the cutting table or under the machine. It’s a rayon/spandex/cotton blend with significant 4 way stretch. The drapey rayon combined with all that lycra made it shift about like crazy. I had to cut on the single layer with my rotary cutter (which I usually do with knits anyway), and put tissue underneath while sewing seams or the lightweight fabric got sucked down into the machine. I also had to use lightweight stretch interfacing strips on the neckline band and the hems to stabilise them.

I’m just glad I’ve had plenty of experience sewing viscose and stretch knits, but if you haven’t I wouldn’t recommend this fabric. Not unless you’re a bit of a sewing masochist and want to stretch your skills, that is! That said, it is beautiful to wear and I’m really glad I went for it. Often the fabrics I love wearing are the biggest bastards to sew.

I’m really happy with the finished top and have worn it loads. Originally I thought I might hack it down to shorter sleeves once the warm spring weather hit, but we’ve had such a cold spring I’ve needed that sleeve length! At first I thought I’d only be able to wear it with my plainer bottoms, like a denim skirt, jeans and a black pencil skirt. But then I remembered a fabric I love with a floral on a b&w polka dot background, and figured why not try it with my polka dot maternity skirt? I’m so glad I did as I love the combination, and it’s given me more confidence with print mixing, which can only be a good thing.

One of the things I really like about this top is the generous length. It fits nice and snug under the bump, which means there’s no risk of those awful top bands on my maternity jeans and denim skirt peeking out from underneath. It also covers up the maternity support belt I’ve been wearing while walking for this last month. I didn’t go for the optional ruching cords included in the Agnes instructions as I figured this fabric was probably too lightweight and tricky to make them work, but it turns out they haven’t been necessary in a fabric with excellent recovery like this one.

This is one of those maternity makes I love so much I’m planning on refashioning so it has life after pregnancy. It should be simple enough to let out the side seams, remove the ruching and the extra length on the front, and then redo the seams and hem. I didn’t do my usual neckline treatment with the pleats to turn it into a sweetheart neckline as I thought there was probably enough going on with this fabric as it was, but I might consider adding those for life after maternity. We will see…

The deets

Pattern: Tilly and the Buttons Maternity Agnes Top frankenpatterned with the upper portion of the Knit Sweetheart Top from Gertie Sews Vintage Casual (affiliate link)

Size: Complicated! Size 3 waist from the Tilly pattern, graded to a 4 hip, and a size 6 for the top portion.

Fabric: This gorgeous viscose cotton spandex blend floral fabric from Girl Charlee UK.

Modifications: The frankenpatterning, obviously.

Time to sew: 1 hour 37 mins (this doesn’t include pattern tracing, cutting out, threading up machine, trying on for fit purposes, and general waffling!)

Costing:

Pattern: £2.38 (originally £7.13 in Black Friday sale, but used three times)
Fabric: £12 for 1.5m (special GBSB Live discount price)
Notions: £0
Total: £14.38

What do you reckon: would you mix florals and polka dots like this?

Disclaimer: some of the products linked above use affiliate links, meaning if you follow the link and make a purchase I will receive a small referral fee (at no added cost to you). Any extra income to help fund my sewing habit is greatly appreciated, but rest assured I only recommend products I love and think you might find useful too 🙂