This will be a pretty short post (because there hasn’t been much sewing lately). Since Easter the sewing machines have been resting until this week. Some ongoing health issues combined with change of jobs and our son moving interstate for uni have been swallowing up all my energy.

Over Easter I was lucky to be a tester for Mari of Disparate Disciplines Avocado Hoodie for my son. It turned out really well – initially he was a little doubtful as he hasn’t been one to wear hoodies, but he put it on and didn’t really take it off for several days. I used a light grey merino/nylon unbrushed fleecy from the Fabric Store bargain bin. Over the Easter break his girlfriend also selected some merino to make the female version which is still in the planning stages, well at least I’ve printed the pattern. Looking for a photo of the hoodie I also found a waistcoat I made him in a hurry when he had a cocktail party to go to.

Since then I’ve been focussing on knitting socks as that is a small craft activity for me that can easily be picked up and put down. It was enough to tickle my itch to be creative. A month or so ago I cut out two Tiramisus from Cake Patterns. And the pieces  patiently waited for my energy levels to rise enough to contemplate sewing.

The deadline of Frocktails as organised by the wonderful Kat and an increase in energy levels brought about a clearing of the sewing area and the sewing of two Tiras this week – one slinky black knit, and another in grey ponte. I lengthened the sleeves for the black one so they are slightly below the elbow. When sewing and trying them on it really emphasised the difference that fabric makes – both are great, just different to each other. Sewing these was a little like eating comfort food – I’d already dealt with needed pattern alterations and understood the construction process. I really like being able to make two at once – the colour was close enough to use black thread for both and the fabric and sleeve options makes them a bit different. Comfort sewing? Like comfort eating without the calories.

And then I cut out another dress for Frocktails which is a little more ‘frocky’… the black Tira would be fine but the sewing bug has bitten me.

This piece of fabric has been lurking in the cupboard since 2011 on my first visit to Melbourne’s Tessuti. I fell in love with the bold design and imagined a simple but striking dress. But when I considered sewing patterns for it, they were all too fussy or uber-shapeless.This fabric had it’s name “Copenhagen” in the selvedge – another plus for me as I loved the city both times I visited and it reminded me of bold Danish design. This year a goal is to use more of my ‘special’ fabric and enjoy wearing it.

While I was pondering it, I decided to define where and when I would wear it – definitely a weekend or casual dress, somewhere I would like to be dressed well. Pigeonhole Cafe is where we start our Saturdays (and many other days if truth be told). And this is the perfect dress for the mood and place in my mind. Hey, people make dresses for one off events, I made one for every week.

So, to the dress. I googled “Apron Dress” for inspiration and came up with some ideas for wrap around styles. I realised many were shapeless, other than the pulling in from waist ties. This fabric is like a cotton duck – quite thick, but soft. I dug out the Alma blouse pattern for a semi-fitted bodice and based my dress on that.  I made a muslin, which let me know the curves around to the back needed to be much higher, starting only a few centimetres under the armhole. I basically traced around the Sewaholic Alma blouse pattern for front and back and made the following changes:

• Shortened shoulder length by 15mm as I wanted it as a sleeveless dress – ideal for wearing with a merino LS top in winter.
• Added some seam detail to the back – initially to make the most of my fabric, but essential for shaping more in this stiff fabric. I took out a curved horizontal wedge (3cm at widest point) about 5cm above my waist. I think this would be needed by people who normally do a swayback adjustment dur to the ties sitting below the waist making the fabric bunch weirdly.
• Drew a freehand curve just under the notch at the top of the side seam on front and back, swooping out to the centre back. I think it was still above the waist marking on the pattern, but you can see how it curves down when worn, giving a nice jagged hem. I used just under the full width of the fabric.
• Added two single-welt pockets. I placed these on the pattern by holding it up to me and marking with a texta. We won’t talk about how I unpicked one several times before I got it right.
• Sewed in ‘Alma order’ except I didn’t need a side zip, and sewed the ties into the side seam. Bias binding on the neckline and armholes. The sides of the dress are stitched together rather than being fully separate like some options I saw online.

My sewing knee (the right one) has been playing up which has limited my sewing, but when I sent myself home from work on Tuesday I got to indulge in some surrogate sewing. In the hallway were some pieces of fabric out from the stash – my son had been through the cupboard and found some fabrics he wanted to make into gym wear. The grey merino was from the Fabric Store earlier in the year – purchased by my mother for Zac on a trip to Melbourne with the plan to make a long sleeved tshirt. Some had already been used as lining in a bush walking vest. Zac asked if there was a pattern with instructions he could use. I recommended the Sewaholic Renfrew pattern as they are so clear and straight forward.

Then Zac found the tshirt pattern we’d drafted for him earlier in the year, I adjusted it for a now-broader chest and he cut it out, sewed it up and wore it to the gym on Wednesday morning. He used the overlocker for most construction steps, the regular sewing machine for some reinforcement on underarm and shoulder seams, and the cover stitch machine for hemming sleeves and body. I’m totally impressed with the quality of output – and pleased to have passed on some sewing skills and confidence to the next generation.

And it passed the gym-wearing test ( photo taken just before), and it is now waiting to be washed. PS : The photo quality is rubbish thanks to this photographer lying in bed and using her iPad to take it.

Next up he wants to make himself some shorts.

I finished several projects last week:

• Grey Coat from Patrones Joven #10
• Navy elephant Cambie dress
• Red machine knit jumper for Zac

and a new-to-me machine came to live in our house.

Here’s a coat lining shot for TJ

But I need photos of the rest. Because it is not a good idea to take photos of the new overcoat and dress AFTER tasting about 20 wines at the annual Tasmanian Pinot Noir Showcase. Well, not if you want to share the photos …