SarahLizSewStyle

I'm not normally a lover of boxy tops but I did like this little Lisette pattern.  As I do have reservations though about boxy tops on me, I decided to make a wearable muslin out of two old white t'shirts, made out of the same material,  that had seen better days.  I also want to find out what I think about some of the techniques seen in Alabama Chanin knit garments.   I'm not sure if the aesthetic is one I like or not. The knit material was a fine cotton knit. I knew that I would need centre seams in order to use the pieces of fabric I had, and this top had  a centre and back seam.  I didn't have quite enough fabric, so I used a piece of white pin tuck voile, leftover from an earlier project, for the cuffs and the lower part of the back.  Back features are sort of in at the moment, so I thought this was a good use of the leftover voile. Plus it's now out of my leftover stash :): Voile section bottom half of back bodice. I cut size 10 and len

Yes, Finally - after a long and tortured history  with this variagated yarn I have finally finished a loose, throw-over jacket.  Just right for the current cold weather we are having. ONLY IT DIDN'T SUIT ME. Yes, once again, this variagated yarn is having the last word. This time I am listening. I am not going to try again with this yarn.   I also think the pattern book, while lovely, is filled with garments that are really not just me. I think I'll stick with my old tried and true basics in the future.  Made with wool I know and trust - standard 4, 8 and 12 ply, and patterns designed for these yarns.  Good old Cleckheaton, and Sirdar, and Patons, and Jo Sharp yarns and patterns.  In plain styles that I know work for me. So, for those of you wondering, this is the pattern book: Claiming that Knitting is Fun.  Not so sure at the moment... And this was the garment I chose to make: Yes, well oversized modern chic does not seem to work

 At night I am the first to go to bed.  Chinks of light creep into the bedroom, and I find these disturb me. So I wear a sleep mask. I made my first set two years ago, and they are rather old and shabby, and the elastic has perished.  I have put off making a replacement pair as I don't really like fiddly, small stuff sewing.  Still, needs must. I cut two pieces of soft cotton, and a piece of wadding is sandwiched between these.  I add a nose piece - you can see the pieces pinned in the picture above.  I place the elastic, ring and slider and then bind the edges: Done!  Two new sleep masks and about an hour's sewing.  I love these - they are rather oversized because when I first made these I traced an old sleep mask that I had purchased, or that I got on a plane.  Then I absentmindedly added a seam allowance, which you don't need for bound edges.  But I decided I like the large size - absolutely no light gets in at all.  And they are soft and snuggly.  Just

My t- shirt drawer is full of old, tatty, t-shirts that need replacing.  I would really prefer to buy cotton t-shirts instead of making them, because I really do not enjoy this sort of necessity sewing, which is all I seem to do! You know, all those good old basics that always wear well, but aren't the most inspiring sort of material for a blog. (Yes, I know it is sacrilegious talking about wanting to buy something on a sewing blog, but still, sometimes it can get tedious making the basics). It seems that nice, long sleeve cotton t-shirts with higher necks are not able to be purchased anymore. Not where I live, in any case. I've looked online, and all the t-shirts around at the moment have low necks - which makes for a cold neck area, shows my bones, if not slide off my shoulders altogether.  So, with much sighing, back to the cotton knits in the stash.  And I made two more black t-shirts - which I wear a lot, under jumpers and things.  I wear dark colours under woolies

 We are having a cold snap at the moment and my old corduroy trousers are threadbare.  And I only had one pair, and you really need a couple of pairs to get through the week.  I have already made one pair last week.   So it was out with Spotlight's stretch cotton corduroy, and on with some more fast sewing this week.  Necessity... And, just in case you are wondering about the lovely pullover I am wearing - I knitted this some years ago. I used my TNT  and already tweaked pattern for straight stretch pants, Kwik Sew 2960:    This pattern is now OOP.  A pity, because it is a great shape for the straighter figure types amongst us. And, it fits my better than Style Arc pants.  It is designed for stretch fabrics. As you can see from the pattern picture, the trousers have a front zipper opening.  I decided that this was not necessary for me, as I have small hips.   So I just used an waistband and threaded elastic through that.  There are darts at the back, and no darts at t