And today's learnings are proudly brought to you by "Think before you cut out your fabric with the stretch going the wrong way"

Especially when your item seems to be just that teeeeensy bit too small and a bit of stretch going the right way would've made it fit. Just.
Instead, if one of you is size S/M and finds she is cold while visiting, I can offer you a lovely slate coloured cardigan... I will not show you any pictures and will call this an unwearable muslin.

I'm changing the pattern as we speak and will cut it out again, with the stretch of the fabric the right way around...

The pattern btw is by iCandy. Stumbled across it via the lovely Ali from The Wardrobe Reimagined.
Thanks to both of you!

MMMay'13 - I made a top!

Burda 2/2013, 126 Raglan Top

My first of the three announced makes for MMMay'13 and I kinda like it. Although, as with every other top, I will have to finally come to terms with adding an FBA before I even start...
That's going to be a bit easier once I have done my Bodice Block Class (planned for end of July/August) but until then I think for ease of life, I will make muslins, and if they're wearable, awesome! I have too much fabric in my stash that I'm not using anyway and am enjoying making and wearing my me-mades, even if they're not perfect.
With more experience, I hope that I will be able to create garments that fit from the start.

Anyways... getting philosophical here... Burda raglan top with gathers at the shoulder seams back and front.

The fabric I used I bought in East London, South Africa almost exactly one year ago!!! It was some soft teal knit but quite transparent so that I had to line (is that the right word?) the front and back pieces with another piece of the same fabric (I had enough fabric) which makes for a very soft top. Feels a bit like wearing a hug really... I have a couple of meters of the same fabric in stone/grey colour. Maybe a cardi?
I didn't bother finishing the hem - yet. I had this fabulous idea of cutting the outer layers longer than the inner layers and then connecting them on the inside, leaving the hem a bit like in this H&M top... see what I mean?

 But that didn't quite work out as planned... so maybe next time!

In a desperate attempt to find a place to use my phone as a camera (It had to be indoors in the end) I managed to take a picture when I was pulling a weird face - great!

See that? Same old, same old. Should've really thought of that beforehand. Very narrow shoulders means there's loads of fabric floating around.
Keep thinking of Ann from The Great British Sewing Bee - take your time to measure upfront, the result will be worth it.

Me Made May '13

As my MMM'13 challenge, I have decided to make at least three new items as the weather might not be good enough to wear any of the already existing ones and I'm staying true to my word.

Wednesday evening I copied out the Burda 2/2013 gathered sleeves top pattern as seen on many other blogs such as the lovely Melissa's at FehrTrade, who made the long sleeved version.

I totally forgot how much hard work it is to copy patterns out of Burdas. Also, is it just me, or has the quality of their pattern print gone downhill? Line printing is transferring onto facing pages. Irritating and confusing!

Anyhow, I am going to cut the fabric either tonight or tomorrow and by the end of Monday I'm planning to have a finished shirt ready to wear to work on Wednesday. The fabric I'm using is a petroleum/teal soft but rather see through knit (so I might have to wear a vest underneath) that I bought almost exactly one year ago (!) in East London, South Africa!

I also have a question for all of you... Is this a case of FBA needed?!? I'm thinking of extending this Maria Denmark Kirsten Kimono Tee to make a dress and wanted to ensure I've got the fit right. I wonder if a bit of twill tape on the shoulder line would've done the trick to stabilise the shoulders.

Also, I'm wearing something I've made myself (well, I did the other day!) and it's May! Whoop!

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Me Made May 2013

I, Ally of London Calling, sign up as a participant of Me-Made-May '13. I endeavour to create at least three new garments for the duration of May 2013 and wear (weather permitting) as many already created as possible.

All but one of my Me-Made item are summer clothes, so provided there is sunshine, you will see lots of them. If not, I foresee the making of my first cardigan, wintery/spring transitional dress and another longsleeved Renfrew.

I'm BACK.

V&A Ballgowns exhibition + a group of talented ladies = a fantastic inspirational evening

I know I haven't posted for ages. Things happened. Mainly the 'Lympics (Para- and O-). Some bag making for my sisters birthday. Spending time with very good friends. Trying to abduct their cat Molly (unsuccessfully... this time around). Watching my gorgeous godson walk into school for the very first time. And some other stuff. Good and bad.

Meeting up with some awesome ladies at the V&A Ballgowns exhibition organised by the lovely Karen of Did You Make That was a highlight. Karen even took a picture of the gang post-exhibition/pre-pub. See if you can spot me.

The ladies inspired me to get going on making a dress - a "proper" one, not one made of jersey (Because it's forgiving. And it stretches if I've messed up some of the sewing) but a "real" dress.
Now that I've written it all over the internets I will have to do it.
There.

Choir performance

Our last concert before the summer break. Rock Choir at the Byfleet 147th parish fest singing the beginning of "Somebody to love".