Tag: #edinburghblogger

Seamwork’s Skipper Sweater

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This Liberty fabric has been sitting in my stash for a wee while now. I knew it was going to be a sweater but was unsure which pattern I was going to go for.  I think originally it was going to be a SH7’s Toaster but changed it for the Seamwork’s Skipper purely because it was going to be in my size range for hips.

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Seamwork’s Skipper
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Sew House Seven’s Toaster
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“Heketh” (Snowdrop) Liberty Sweatshirt Fabric

The fabric was bought online from @FabricsGalore a while ago and now is no longer stocked (sorry!) although you might be lucky and see if eBay has it.  I bought 1.5m of it, it was £11.00 per half a meter, so not cheap.  Although the pattern asked for 1.7 for my sizing, I managed to get all the pattern pieces out of the piece of fabric – PHEW!

The humble snowdrop – Galanthus nivalis is my birth month flower (January) and I always look out it at this time of year, so this jumper will always fill me with joy.  When I was born, the snowdrops in my Gran’s garden came up and my gran always referred to me as “Granny’s little snowdrop” even when I was thirty!

“Already now the snowdrop dares appear,
The first pale blossom of th’unripen’d year”

Anna Laetitia Barbauld, “The Snowdrop” (1835)

My Gran & Grandad lived up in the Cairngorms, so any school holiday we (Mum, my Brother and I) were up walking, orienteering, ski-ing (both cross-country and down-hill!) and get our bit of fresh mountain air, not forgetting engulfing ourselves with Gran’s fudge and gingerbread cake and listening to Grandad’s tales of Billy Gruffs and Trolls!

Right, better skip back to Skipper.

Cutting the pattern out was really straight forward. I graded it from a 20-22 bust & waist to a 24-26 hips as i didn’t want the top bit to be too big.  I left the pocket out as I thought that the busiest of the fabric pattern would be spoilt.

Constructing the pieces was a dream and this was my first sweater pattern, so was super surprised how well I coped. I found Cheryl from Stitchy Bee’s tutorial a real help doing the neckline.  It’s also a really good vlog on how different materials look different in the same sweater pattern (Cheryl used Grainline’s Linden).

So hear it is …

 

 

 

Oooopsa lacy!

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Since the 5th May I’ve been on a fabric ban but this Friday past I broke it and I broke it hard!

You see when you see something RTW and the stock is low in your size but you have the sewing skills (this does not include boning or lace!!) you go what the heck and go all in, pretty much head first.

So this is the RTW dress I’ve fallen IN LOVE with and just wanna swosh about in.

The RTW dress is a beautiful Monsoon one but as said a second ago, the size I was looking for had gone out of stock. I would definitely pay £139 for it but that’s if they had it. But I’m not going to buy that dress, I’m going to make it eeek!

Fabric:

After ordering several different swatches and doing a ridiculous amount of searches for “mint guipure lace” online I wasn’t anywhere forward. Locally I was starting to loose my confidence in getting what I really wanted. It was on the final straw that I took the tip from a previous co-worker to visit Fabric Focus. It should’ve been first choice – doh!Above the linings, there lay the beautiful lace guipure in exactly the colours and shade I was looking for and too even make my July better the lining was there to make it pop! It’s a-lot more minty than the photo suggests. The lining is a skin tone. But I may have to double it up with a cotton because of the boning!

The Pattern:The pattern was a lot easier to find and in the end the McCalls 7720 was a very close fit.

I’ll get the boning, hook & eye, threads and zip organised at a later date. I might make a toile and see how that goes before I start back at my evening classes in August if I get other projects finished! I can’t thank Kevin at Fabric Focus and his lovely Mum (who actually served me) enough for stocking this lace. You made a very happy lady. This is just a perfect example why we should support local shops like this!

Disclaimer: all opinions are my own!

Fabric Addictions: Recent Additions

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Some of you may know I have a little problem with fabric and I just love collecting it, so much so that my little Billy “fabric wardrobe” is full (I can just about squeeze in a couple more, but it will be a squeeze!).

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you could say it’s full

I can’t say no to a bargain or a fabric pattern that catches my eye.   Working in a fabric shop is sheer dangerous for me as I rarely walk out from week to week without purchasing something sewing related.  Then again if I don’t get something as work then I usually buy fabric online or another shop.

In this post, I’d thought I’d share my recent purchases with you.  Usually, I post the fabric on my Instagram feed but I thought I’d give you a little more detail on what project/pattern I’m going to pair it up with, where I purchased it and the story behind it.

“Make Another Wish – Hedgerow” Lewis & Irene

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It all started with a customer trying to find the ivory version and I was helping to source it. We didn’t have much luck, but I did find the navy variation on eBay.  I kept this in mind and decided to splurge as I love the nature theme on it.  There’s definitely enough for a simple shift …

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Vintage Roses on Cotton 

This was bought from The Cloth Shop by Remnant Kings for my dress that I’m doing in the class I mentioned in this post.

I love the vintage print of the roses.  Those of you who have read the class post will know what pattern I’m using.  I’m going to pair it with a grey lining as it’s slightly thin and you can see through it.  The lining will also help give it a bit more body.

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Can’t wait to have tea and cakes in this dress!

 

Seeing Red

No. I’m not angry!  But it’s getting closer to the deadline for #thelittlereddressproject as I write!  It won’t be long until have to down the thread and scissors and show off my creation with the hashtag.  I’m crapping myself!  Have I taken on something too short of a time period?

Anyway, I saw this Ditte cotton Fabric in Ikea and thought what the heck, it’s only £3 per metre!  I don’t think it will be for the #thelittlereddressproject but it’s back up.  I think I have found a shade that I like and that would suit my skin tone at Fabric Focus but want to check that out when it’s daylight!

 

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It’s not that easy get the right shade with a solid colour!

That’s the 3 most recent fabric spurlges  … you will probably see another injection of colour pretty soon on the blog!

Emma

 

Lessons: Fabric Focus

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Yeap, I’ve signed up for a block of lessons: Dressmaking for beginners at Fabric Focus, Edinburgh. Ok I’m no beginner but I’m no expert. I think confidence is the key but it’s always good to pick up tips and tricks for future projects and gain that extra confidence and experience to make a garment. I’d say I was a borderline novice. I’m happy to go at the class’s speed and not show off. Plus it’s always interesting to see what other sewers are using for both fabric and pattern! I’ve already noted a McCalls pattern which I like the look off! Yes, I AM A PATTERN MAGPIE! 

Lesson one:

We were all sat down and guided through our hand outs. Abi introduced us to our surroundings and what we would cover in our classes. 

Lots of room in the sewing room!

There is a sheet for marking all your measurements in the handout, which will be handy for the project and for future ones too. Our task was to take our measurements and jot them down – Hips, upper hips, waist and bust are the important ones for this now as I’m making a simple shift dress, Well at least I’m hoping too!

Grading the pattern – my hips are wider than my waist, which is seriously annoying sometimes. Abi showed me how to do this for the front and then I did it for the back. We then all cut out our patterns according to our sizes. 

Abi has sent us all home with strict instructions to pin the pattern pieces to the fabric for the next lesson. This includes ironing the pattern but absolutely NO CUTTING! I’m chomping at the bit, I will NOT CUT THE FABRIC! 

Next class we will cut the fabric and start sewing! 

I’ve chosen this beautiful Vintage blue cotton twill digitally printed fabric (see image below) from The Cloth Shop.

I can’t wait to wear this!

It’s a simplicity number for the pattern and it’s good value being the “easy-to-sew wardrobe elements” pack as I’m eyeing up the coat to do next. 

Great value with Simplicity’s 4789!

I’m going with the “simple” shift dress (option C) for classes. I just want to be able to finish and wear it!

I’ll continue to update you with my lessons as I go to each one!