Blouse

This is the shirt I am trying to make.

Well I have eventually made a new pattern. I have been on for a few weeks now making a muslin and I have fitted it and refitted until there comes a point where it is the best it is going to get. I know it is not perfect, but this is an on going project to get a nice fitting shirt, I will probably keep tweaking after every shirt I make.......well I've got nobody to please but myself lol

This is a very basic shirt with a yoke, long sleeves with a cuff and a v neck opening, slits at the sides and it isn't fitted.....it's more of a loose fitting shirt.

This is the fabric I am using.....I bought this last year, it isn't fabulous quality it was about £5 a metre but I am not going to waste it. It has a flower design which goes across the fabric in strips. I didn't want the flowers across, I want them down so I have had to mess about with it to get the flowers the way I want them, I have wasted a bit of fabric in the process. This fabric is light and airy .....a very fine cotton. I am nearly finished cutting out then at last I can do some sewing, I hate fitting......it's so frustrating.

Here is one of my sweethearts, this is Sky....she is 9years old and she is a working cocker spaniel. She is lying on her favourite blankets that are a little bit smelly to say the least, but she loves them.....yes they have been washed over and over. If she moves her blankets are carried with her, she stands on them and wonders why she cannot move lololol. Sky lives in the house now as she is the oldest dog we have got. I am besotted with her, she has got such a sweet nature and she loves to pose for the camera.

New Phone

I have been treating myself to one of these little beauties. I have had so much fun messing around with this iphone. I tell you it can do most anything you ask it to do.....well most things........expensive but worth it.

Navy chino cotton trousers

Trousers.....I am even bored talking about them, but with my lifestyle that is what I wear mainly.......anyway here is another pair. White cotton tee shirt and white shoes, I haven't got any decent navy shoes so they will be on my list to buy. I could possibly wear trainers with these trousers as well for another casual look.

Back view....the sun was shining into my dining room and onto my leg.

Welt pocket.....I haven't got tired of this style yet.

Trousers with a blouse I made about 3 years ago.....needs navy shoes.

Closer look at my blouse.

Next on my list...... I am still trying to perfect the fit of my shirt, I don't think I will ever be satisfied with it.

Must do better

I am my own worse critic and I don't need anyone to tell me my work just isn't good enough. I am trying .........not succeeding some of the time.......to go for quality and not quantity. I haven't got a lot of time to sew, but I really do enjoy it and with my kind of lifestyle I don't need lots of clothes. So I am trying to perfect my sewing. I thought I would take a few pictures of some of the things that need some practise. The picture above is of the finished closures of my waistband, not too bad to look at.

I have lightened this picture so you can see what a mess this buttonhole is.....this buttonhole at the pointed end of my waistband gives me a huge amount of grief......I think it is bulky in that area and my machine doesn't like it....I will have put up or shut up on this one.

Here is the same buttonhole after it has been tidied up. I put a double layer of stitch and tear underneath before I stitched my buttonhole....when I cut it open the white from the stitch and tear can be seen........I then took a blue marker and coloured in the white bits, this isn't my idea I read it somewhere. It doesn't look too bad now. I think if you sew you have to be an expert at covering up mistakes because you just can't be perfect.

This hook should go into the waistband and only the end bit should be seen, I will have to practise this one, I am frightened I spoil my waistband altogether if I try it on the actual garment.

This is the inside of my waist band which was stitched both top and bottom by hand. I have to search for my sanity on this one because it takes hours to do. Hemming stitches along the bottom into every machine stitch and felling along the top of the waistband.......it makes for a non bulky waistband but it is an awful lot of work, I need to try something different.

I only have the hems to do now but I have to go grocery shopping this afternoon.......not my favourite activity......maybe I can get somthing done tonight.

Happy sewing

Busy, Busy

I still haven't finished my trousers, but there isn't much left to do.
The trouble is I am also treasurer of a dog club and Jan. & Feb. are really busy for me so the spare time I have for sewing is being used up by the club at the moment.
hclairec asked........ what breed of dog was Niamh? pronounced Neeve...... she was a working cocker spaniel, I still get choked up when I think of her.
I am on my way up to my mothers, my sister and niece are there waiting for me.....we will have a good old natter tonight.

Comments

Sorry to those who commented on Niamh's post and your comment isn't there....I thought I had published them all but when I looked some have been lost. Thank you for your kind words I did read them all.

Niamh

Sweet little girl.

This post is for Niamh, Sharon and Linzie's little pet who had to be put to sleep yesterday. They loved her so much.
Niamh deserves a post all to herself and for me to remember this little bundle of joy who brought so much joy into our lives.
A little pet who when entering the house would greet you and roll on her back in submission just to be stroked and would wander behind you carrying her toys. I also absolutely adored her.