Alterations

It actually doesn't look much different but I feel more comfortable in it and that is more important to me.

I didn't know what I had let myself in for and I don't know how many times I pulled buttonholes out that had gone wrong...ugh.... anyway the first 2 buttonholes were really tight .....I used my sensor buttonhole....until I realised I would have to use a bigger button in the back of my buttonhole foot to allow for the depth of the covered buttons, after that the buttons went through the buttonholes quite easily. I also used some fray check on them incase they started to fray.

I spent a good few hours changing the loops to buttonholes, which wasn't an easy task because there is only a double stitched small hem up the middle at both sides.

I thought about this for a few days before I actually did it because I was worried incase I spoilt it.....I thought I might be able to put an interfaced facing up the front......I decided the top of the interfacing would have a messy edge to it because I could not continue right round to the centre back because of the neck ties. I decided to put buttonholes onto the double hem at the front. I used a double thickness of stitch and tear.

I made this top , view C, sometime last year.....I have never been satisfied with it because of these

loops instead of buttonholes.....I have still worn it but I always felt that the middle gaped and looked untidy.

Ready to go

These photographs never go where I want them to.....any way I have dressed myself to the best of my ability lol lol and OH has taken these photographs. I must admit I like this pair of trousers I have made and the silk lining feels lovely on my skin, lovely and ligt and airy. I hope when I have worn them there is no static, the silk has been washed and rinsed in fabric conditioner before I started to make these so hopefully it will be alright.

What is on the cards next? perfecting the fit of a tee shirt, I think, unless I change my mind of course.

Shoes

I have been on a shopping spree, well last week really.
Left is a beautiful red nail polish by Clarins, I also bought some tinted moisturiser which is a foundation ( I can't wear heavy make up) also from Clarins both were quite expensive but they will last me a while...if you keep your nail varnish in the fridge it will last a long, long time and won't go thick and awful.

I went to numerous shops looking for shoes....I didn't want high heels (they are alright if you are going out and just sitting) I wanted shoes that I could actually walk in and be comfortable. Could I find any? No in a word. Eventually after shopping for 3 days running I was successful.

These are the ballet shoes below, they are from M&S and are reasonably priced at £35.....they are really comfortable.


I absolutely love these sandals below.....they are from a Charles Clinkard outlet shop, the designer is Marco Tozzi. I saw these sandals and tried them on, they are very comfortable and the heel is just right for me......they are round about the £50 mark, but because it is an outlet shop they were reduced to £39.99. If however you bought 2 pairs of shoes you got the second pair for 25% off.....well I wasn't going to pass on a bargain.....I searched that shop high and low for another pair of shoes that I liked but I couldn't find any. What did I do?

Here you see below another pair the same only in a tan leather. These are also very comfortable and the sales assistant informed me if I had to have them heeled to make sure the person who is heeling them knows there is a shock absorber in the heel and not to remove it.

So all in all I was very happy with my purchases.

At last they are finished

I have finished these trousers at last. I love this welt pocket but I practised it a few times before I tried it on my trousers.

To be fair to myself there are a few of the finer details that I had never done before so I spent at least 2 weeks trying to perfect them. I am really pleased with the fit of these, I have made them 3 times before but I always thought the legs were too wide. To get a better fit I took one inch seams instead of the usual 5/8 inch on the width of the legs and right through the hips and waist. I then narrowed the darts by 1/8 inch on all legs to keep the size of the waist the same.

I couldn't take a full picture of myself.....I didn't look my best lol lol

Back of trousers...I love the fit through the back and the way the welt pocket looks. I didn't put any belt loops on, I don't wear a belt and I don't suit clothes tucked in to my waist.

I also like the fit at the front and the crotch seem to fit better on these trousers than on the others.

On the sewing front

Here is a view of the zip.....this is the best zip I have put in.....I used Sandra Betzina's fly front method, I must admit this fabric is lovely to work with and it is polyester.

I have taken a couple of pictures of this welt pocket. When I did my second sample of this welt pocket it was nearly perfect, but not quite......what happens when it's the real thing.....mistake after mistake. The corners of this pocket are not right by any means, I did the best I could and had to put some fray check into the corners to stop them fraying, which has left a mark, yes I did a sample first and it didn't mark, grrrrr. I don't think the mistakes are that noticeable but I know they are there. Never mind I will forget about them in time.

I couldn't get the right colour lining for this fabric, which was rather expensive for me at £15 a metre ( I needed 2mtrs 20cms), so I decided to make them a little bit special and line them with white silk( I bought 2 mtrs at £8 a mtr) .....it doesn't change the colour of the fabric so I hope I have made the right choice. I must admit it doesn't feel very sturdy for a lining fabric.

I have just been adding up...these are not cheap trousers, approx. £50 for the fabric then take into account electricity, thread etc. and lots and lots of time spent on them. I hope they last me forever lol lol.

Here are just a few details...side pocket, topstitched.

I am making another pair of my TNT tailored trousers.

Valentines flowers...ah sweet

This flower is a small ornamental cabbage on a stalk.....I have never seen a one this small before.

The colours are beautiful.

I got a beautiful bunch of flowers from my DH for Valentines day, I thought I would share a few pictures because they are sooo lovely.

Camera....ugh

I am afraid I can't upload any pictures as my camera is broken and I don't think it can be mended. I think we might be going for a new one sometime this week. We haven't had this Canon camera very long and it cost £350.00.....I am not paying that much again I can tell you, I hope I can get a one a lot cheaper than that.
I have made a second welt pocket and it is much better than the first one....the pattern I am using for my trousers doesn't have a welt pocket pattern so I have made one. I read all of the instructions the ladies from the Stitchers Guild gave me, then I altered the size to suit myself......I wrote all of my instructions down (needle positions, stitch sizes, every little detail I could think of) then I made a pattern. I can now add a welt pocket whenever I feel like it. When I make the welt pocket on my trousers I will take photographs (when I get my camera) and add them to my instructions.