Trouser fitting

This pocket is finished, where the white dot is, I am also checking the length of the trousers, bottom white dot.

Here is the fold again with a longer view, I have had to really turn up the brightness so that I can see the image.

I knew when I started these trousers I was going to have bother with this fabric, you can't buy good fabric for £4 a metre.

Everytime I press a seam the fabric creases where steam has been so I haven't pressed the creases in the trousers as you can see. I am pressing my seams as I am going, when I am finished I will put the creases in.

I have another problem......do I put the extra effort in and line them.....is it worth it because I am not happy with the fabric. On a good note though, I like the style and the fit (with a few tweaks here and there) I am happy with them. I thought they maybe a bit too wide but after seeing the photographs they seem alright.

Trouser fitting

I have been fitting my navy trousers, this is a back view, I don't like this fold where the ? mark is. It may be just the way I am standing. I have finished the pocket on the ? mark side and not the other side so once I have finished the other pocket it might eliminate the fold.

Thread tracing

I have cut my trousers out and started to thread trace. I have marked the darts with chalk and tacks. I am going to try and make these trousers very tailored so I am reading up on the techniques.

I haven't made any really tailored clothes .......such as suits and jackets, so I am going to give it a try, I always stick to safe things that I know I can manage, I pushed the bounderies with the chiffon blouse I made, it was tricky sewing that fabric but I like the results and it boosts your confidence when you have tried something new.

This fabric is a fine wool in dark navy blue, I generally go for a natural fibre with a bit of synthetic........I think this has a little bit of lycra in it.......which means it has stretch.

I got it for £4 a metre and was told it was fabric that is used by m&s, so I thought that can't be bad m&s use good fabric. We will see how they turn out.

Transparent fabric

I thought this picture gives a better idea of how transparent this fabric is.

We had a lovely day.

We have had a lovely day at the christening of my nephew Ellis.

There was a beautiful spread afterwards and a disco for all of the kids, they danced, slid and generally ran amuck on the dance floor and they had a great time. I think there was about 80 people invited, it was more like a wedding than a christening.

I have posted some photographs of my finished blouse. I did make a camisole to go underneath my blouse, it was more like a vest really. I wanted it to cover my bra straps, it is made out of lining fabric....I wanted a duchess satin or a silk but I couldn't get the right colour,those fabrics were just changing the colour of the main fabric so I just opted for lining which was a perfect match, that was a nightmare to sew as well. Never mind I am happy with the results and I felt really comfortable wearing it. Trousers next on the adgenda.

I am shattered now so I'm putting my feet up to watch the telly.

Work in progress

I have been on about a fortnight making this blouse for a christening I am going to. I have also got to make a camisole top to go underneath it because the fabric is very see through, it is polyester chiffon, what a nightmare it is, it is certainly make me use my brain sewing this together so it doesn't look too homemade. It frays, slips when you sew it, shows all the inside stitches and the hems have to be handsewn because they don't look right when top stitched. I don't know if I will finish it in time because I don't want to spoil it now by rushing. The christening is next Sunday.

Here are some photographs.

I have put some ties on the back of the blouse for a change. I am in the process of hemming around the neck by hand, I have got half done.

My muslin is done

Well I have finished the muslin for my trousers, it wasn't as traumatic as I thought it would be, I have just taken my time and worked my way through the fitting process.

I am quite pleased with the fit although I had to make quite a few alterations to the muslin. The legs on the trousers were really wide so I measured a pair of ready to wear trousers that I liked and tapered these ones to the same width.

I have sat down , bent down and generally moved around with these practise trousers on and they seem fine. They seem to be sticking to my bum in the rear view, oh dear! it's where I've been sitting lol lol lol lol lol

I have chosen to do them in a navy, wool and polyester mix, they will also be lined with side pockets. I have to transfer all of the alterations I have made onto my pattern , then pre shrink my fabric, straighten the grain and wash and press the lining. Only after I have done all of that can I start sewing.

I may have to put them on hold for a couple of weeks because I am going to a chritsening and I could do with a new blouse so I will probably make that first, the same as the one below only in a floaty material.