SarahLizSewStyle

 I hope everyone had an enjoyable Christmas, celebrated in the way that you like.  DH and I had our planned very quiet day, spent relaxing, listening to Carols, reading, opening presents and eating.  I made a new top for the day - only it was colder than I anticipated so I wore a little cardigan over the top to keep warmish. As the fabric is quite ornate, and I did not want to spoil the floral montage, I chose a very simple pattern.  New Look 6273, which has a simple, unfitted shell top.  It has side seams, a back seam with button closure, 5/8 inch hem at bottom (turned in and then turned again), and it is supposed to have binding at the neck and sleeve hems.  I used binding at the sleeve hems, but cut a facing for the neckline, as I think a facing adds more stability and does not stretch.   The size I used was 14.  I hummed and hahhed about this, because this gave a finished measurement at the bust of 40 inches.  My bust is 34 inches, but as the top does not hav

I want to wish all of my wonderful sewing blogger friends and followers a Merry Christmas.   And some nice quiet time to think about your next sewing project. We usually have a quiet time in our house.  J has the Christmas period off, and then will be doing the five day medical  cover during late December and through the New Year period.  So we usually use the time to do some overdue relaxing and catching up - we don't see much of each other during the many  demands and responsibilities  of the year. Do please all have a wonderful Christmas  yourselves, in whatever fashion that you enjoy.  Or if you don't celebrate Christmas, enjoy this time of year anyway, in the spirit of friendship and goodwill. Sarah Liz

I have hankered after a plain, navy, classic sort of shirt dress for ages now.  I think it is a useful sort of dress to have in the wardrobe. The pattern I used was Vogue 8797, which has been on my list to make for a few years now.  I think the pattern is still in print : This is an open collar shirtdress - by which I mean, the collar is not mounted on a collar band.  I find this is a bit cooler to wear in summer, and can be quite flattering to the face, as it opens up that area under the face nicely.  I just don't like making them, as I find the finish is not quite so professional as a collar stand.  It's the way the collar is turned under and slip stitched, but I go over with machine stitching and get everything firmly anchored in place. I used a cheap Spotlight cotton, I think it was Prima homespun.  Just a little lighter than Spotlight's broadcloth.  I'm not fond of it, but it is not expensive, and for the first version of any garment I tend to use a ch

I have to admit I am not sure whether I like this dress or not, but I made it for a reason. (AND, I only noticed after I had taken the photographs that I did not straighten the collar. But I am not going to take these pictures again...). The pattern I used was Butterick 5897 now OOP. I decided to make size 8, because the garment had generous ease.   I tested that this would fit me by making a quick muslin down to my hips - I've tossed that, because I am trying to tidy the sewing area every time I finish a garment. I cut the pattern to exactly the size 8, including length.  I hoped that the dress would be longer on me than shown on the pattern envelope.  I am shorter than 5'6", which is the height patterns tend to use.  I was using a piece of craft cotton that I did not really like, but with this garment, I was also going to use a technique I had not used for years.  So this was, once again, a technique practice garment.  The technique I wanted to relearn wa

Hi everyone, I accidentally just published next weeks post, instead of scheduling it.  My apologies, the post is now scheduled for next week, for those of you that have seen the accidental publishing of this post and want to know more about this dress. As you know, I did a lot of sewing recently, and am catching up on the writing of the posts. My post this week is about my new white pants:  Lots of you have probably seen this already, but if you haven't, you can find it here: THIS WEEKS POST - WHITE PANTS. Sorry about the confusion, I was having one of my Whoops moments. Sarah Liz

I live in a major regional, post industrial centre  on coastal N.S.W., and the de rigeur mode of dress here is very casual verging on sloppy.   I found this hard to come to terms with when I first arrived post marriage, because I don't really go for the laid back, casual, rough and ready, basic life. So over the years, I  have needed to fill up my wardrobe with clothes that suit the environment (while ignoring it as best I can) and that I will actually wear.  And that suit my age and personal lifestyle now. And these white pants fit the bill.  The pattern used was McCall's 6568: I didn't bother with fitting these, as these are loose, casual pants that are going to look a bit scrunched up in any case.  I cut XS legs and hips  and made the waist/tummy area a little larger, S.  I cut the crotch as a size S, and  I added 6/8 inch to the front rise and 1 3/8 to the  back  rise to make the pants waist level instead of below the waist.  And then made them up