Victoria Blazer 5.2

Well the sleeves are in! A few minor hiccips with easing them in  ... as easing isn't easy! Very pleased I've done the contrasting cuff - think it looks fab.

The grand unveiling of the final product will be with you shortly.

Victoria Blazer sewalong 5.1

So the next episode is sleeves, but tonight I've only managed cuffs. they are very exciting though. I'm pleased I went for the contrasting cuff - I think it looks super spesh. What I do wish I had done is got some white bias binding to finish off the inside sleeve. I've used pinking shears to finish the seam, which is fine, but I just think it would look nicer with the seams bound.

Onwards and upwards - probably the weekend before I can finish the sleeves now though.

Victoria sewalong 4 - prepping the collars and cuffs

Where's post 3 I hear you cry? Well, post #3 on the sew along is for versions 1 & 3 only, and as I'm doing v2 I got a break. So straight to step 4 - prepping collar, cuffs and lapels. I've decided to go for a contrast cuff using the lining fabric - that zebra is too fab to stay on the inside. But this does mean the collar and cuffs don't match  ...

There's not a lot to say about this step - very simple. So I would like to share my favourite turning implement. For the collar, cuffs and lapels you want sharp corners. My new item of preference for this is the propelling pencil (no lead!). It's got a small point which helps for sharpness but isn't sharp itself, meaning I don't go through the fabric - bonza. It's the small things  ...

House coasters

Well here they are - cute huh? Really simple and quite effective set of coasters; perfect as a house warming present. The design is from an old Sew Hip magazine by Jo Ebisujima who designed the Travel Tray I made for hubby. The only deviation from the design was to leave out the spoon hoop - didn't quite see the point of those  ...

Anyway, the very exciting aspect of these are that hubby got involved in making them - they are for his brother after all. He did the (sewing machine) applique stitch around quite a few doors and windows as well as sewing the layes together and turning through a couple. Have I converted him to sewing? We'll see.

Hopefully the B-I-L will like the gift!

On a roll

Well, whilst I'm waiting for the next sew along post I'm desperate to get sewing something else. I've put an orde in for some fabric for another project  ... more on that when it comes through. But wait, what's that? Brother-in-law moving house in less than a week? Well I must make a house warming gift! So I had a rummage in some old Sew Hip magazines and found a cute pattern for house shaped coasters  that will be a great stash buster too.

Victoria Blazer SewAlong - 2

Well  ... Already it's got some shape and it looks like a jacket. I was quite anxious about creating the front dart but it was actually quite easy, especially with the pictures and extra instruction from the sewalong.

I'm a little anxious about the length. It's a cropped jacket; my original intention was to make the full length but there was only enough zebra fabric for the cropped so that was decision made. I did add an extra inch to the length when cutting out but I'm wondring if I should have gone for another one as well. We shall wait and see.

Victoria Blazer Sewalong - 1

Exciting times. A new project and I'm not doing it alone! I'm joining in with a sewalong so hopefully I'll get a bit of guidance as we go. I was put onto By Hand London by an old friend via Facebook. The Victoria who designed this blazer is her niece. I'm not really a suit kinda gal but sometimes you want something to throw over an outfit to go to an event and I thought this might do the job.

I was very excited to get the patten through - it is beautifully presented in a little cardboard wallet and you even get a label to sew into the item once finished. I got my fabric from Pumpkin Patch in Hailsham. I saw the zebra print and knew straight awy I wanted it. i'm not quite bold enough to have that as the main fabric (maybe one day  ...) and they only had a limited amount of it so with that as my lining I went for a plain black outer. I had intended to make vesion 1 - full length - but my limited fabric means I'm going for cropped.

So sewalong episode 1 is tracing and cutting - all good so far. Looking forward to getting stuck into this.

Wrap dress - completed!

All done! Relatively easy sew, although preventing the fabric stretching was a challenge. I like it  ... I think it's a bit big but hubby thinks it's the right size. I guess I just like to show a bit more cleavage  ... And I think the sleeves feel a bit big.

Anyway, I do like it. The fabric works nicely - i think it will work well as a work dress, althpugh I may attack the neckline at some point.

It was a test for me though - do it the quick way and maybe get ot wrong or do it the long, slow way and get it right first time. I'm not a fan of basting but when it came to the neckline I felt I had to hand-baste as I think I used too much seam allowabce meaning I didn't have much to play with and just pinning made it look like it would end up significantly wonky.

Trousers - the epilogue!

Well, here you go. They've survived a trip thrpugh the washing machine and an ironing by hubby. Not bad eh?