1. make A line work skirt with taupe fabric found in stash
2. make summery top with green floral fabric...in stash
3. make blue floral tea-dress
4. make black cord skirt
5. make tunic top with left over 70's fancy dress fabric in stash
However, best laid plans and all that...
I actually ended up having a 'play date' with my godson Saturday afternoon. Its amazing how long it takes to go and post a letter in the post box at the top of my road (usually a 30/45 second stroll) when accompanied by a 4 year old !!! Once out of the house and letter posted, he produced 13p from his pocket and said he'd been 'saving' (and searching his sofa apparently!) for money to go to the toy shop with and would I take him as its only over the road!
I pointed to the very grey/black clouds looming and was assured that we would make it to the toy shop and back before it rained.
He was VERY well behaved and chatted the whole time we were out. After picking out one of everything in the toy shops stock, we negotiated and it was agreed that I would buy him a policeman's uniform and a set of handcuffs!
On the stroll back home, via walking on every wall he was able to (why do kids love to do that...why do the responsible adults let them??), I was instructed that good doughnuts were to be found in the local Lidl and NO, he didn't mind standing in the ridiculous queues at the checkouts. So, two doughnuts and a stupidly long queue later, we carried on with our journey home, along yet more walls!!
What should have taken no more than 2 minutes to post a letter turned into nearly 90 minutes of shopping 'heaven' ??!!! well, heaven for a 4 year old !!!
By the time he was collected, I didn't have the energy to start on any sewing...I'd already spent quite a lot of time being 'handcuffed' to table legs/chair legs and being thrown in 'jail' and generally locked up for being a 'robber' ... a very vivid imagination at that age!!!
So the sewing list shrank rapidly to item 4. the tunic top.
I used a New Look 6086 pattern and cut out size 14 all over...it had quite a bit of 'ease' given on the pattern and I'm quite small 'up top' but big hip...a proper pear!! and as the pattern had side vents, thought I'd have plenty of room regardless.
I had to virtually halve the length of the sleeves, which was purely down to lack of fabric - I was using a very wonky approximate 1m of slippery georgette and other than that, made no other alterations to the pattern.
As I've used georgette before, and as I don't have an overlocker, I thought I'd have a bash at french seams...haven't done them since I was at school...but so pleased I did, they're a little bit fiddly and although the pattern did suggest these seams, I gotta say, my sewing skills aren't quite up to a 6mm seam allowance in georgette!!! mine are very probably larger purely so I could manage them better. But what a difference they made. So neat on the inside and almost invisible from the outside - very pleased with them. I only wish I'd remember to do the same of the sleeve seams - fool for forgetting.
Talking of sleeves, I had an hour to pin and sew them before the last one of Line of Duty on Sunday night...but I only managed to get them both pinned in...general consensus on my Facebook Feed was that I shouldn't rush them as I'd mess them up...and the finale of Line of Duty was far too important to miss!!! .... I did as I was told...wow such a well written and acted drama...roll on Series 5 !!!
Anyway, I digress.
I actually got the sleeves inserted first thing today (Bank Holiday - woo hoo day off!).
I was going to do a rolled-hem but it didn't go so well this time - chewed the fabric - which might have been because I forgot to reduce the stitch length, might have been because I was using quite a blunt needle...or both! but this was only supposed to be a 'practice' item so what the heck....zig-zagged and turned up...bobs your uncle ...done.
A lovely top to wear on a warm day...just wish that day was today...what is it with the early Bank Holidays?! its been chucking down most of the morning, the wind is blowing...a proper indoor play day! I was going to start no.4 of my list but realised I don't have a 19cm black zip...and there's no way I'm going out in that weather to hunt one down ... best I save that for tomorrow in Canterbury when I'm back to work :-)
So here is my first #MMMay17 offering... my May Day Top...
