Simplicity 1699 and Spirit of Winter

Over the last couple of weeks I've managed another couple of finishes.
As I'm trying to stretch myself and learn new techniques, the first was a dress from Simplicity 1699.  The new techniques were princess seams and inserting a zipper.  While I've inserted zippers into bags and purses, I've not done it in dressmaking.

 The photo makes the fabric appear blue, its not. Actually it is purple.

 In the photo it appears the fabric is blue, its actually purple.  The fabric was on special at Spotlight and is a double crepe.  The cost of fabric was $17.50 and I have enough left over to make a top.  I'm thinking of making the Colette Sorbetto which is a free design.

I will make this dress again.  Next time I will lengthen it as its a bit on the short side for me and I'll use something with a slight stretch in it like a cotton sateen.

My next task was to make something with a lining.  Again using Simplicity 1699 I made the jacket.

This is a pale purple linen and is a good match for my polka dot dress.  The fabric was from Centrepoint and cost just $7.

In an online class at Craftsy the tutor said to interface linen to stop it creasing.  Thinking that was a good idea, I cut out the pieces and then fused interfacing to it.  Disaster!  When fusing the interfacing, even though I pressed rather than ironed, it distorted the fabric.  The two front pieces in particular were baaaad.  When I put the pattern against them, in some places it was off by as much as 2 inches.  The back wasn't too bad, and the sleeves were a bit distorted but again not too bad.  Fortunately I had just enough fabric left over to re cut the front pieces.  This time I fused the interfacing before cutting out the pattern.  However I did notice that the grainline was altered significantly.  While it looks reasonable, the proof will be when I come to wear it.  As the grainline was off so much on the front and sleeves the jacket may end up twisting when I wear it.

Apart from the interfacing disaster, it sewed up very quickly and the lining was very easy to do.

I'll definitely do this jacket again, but probably not in a linen.  Or if I use linen, I won't interface it.

I finished page 20 of Spirit of Winter by Heaven and Earth designs

I can see the end in sight now as I'm about to start the last row.  After 5 years on her, only around another 6 months to go.

Another tunic Simplicity 2054

I finished another tunic.  I made it to wear over leggings, but it is long enough to be worn as a dress on its own.  However the colour is a bit brighter than I realised, a bit too bright for me.

This is Simplicity 2054.  Fabric is a ITY jersey from Centrepoint and cost $17.

I made a mistake with the neckline.  I sewed the facing on inside out so the raw edges were on the outside.  As this is a knit fabric and I used a stretch stitch it was going to be just about impossible to unpick it.  I decided to hide the raw edge by covering it with lace.  I first trimmed the raw edge  as close as possible to the stitching and then attached the lace.  I was lucky that I had some lace in my stash that was the exact colour of the dress.

 I'm pleased with how that mistake turned out.  It looks as though it was meant to be and even adds interest to another wise plain garment.

New shirt and Spirit of Winter update

I finished another shirt.   Last year I bought a solid red fabric and a small red check fabric. I combined these on the new shirt.  This is another of the New Look 6963.

Its been a long time since I finished a page on Spirit of Winter.  Finally page 19 is complete.

This weeks (week 8) TAST stitch was chain stitch.  These were my examples of its use.

First is part of a combination seam on a crazy quilt block.

 And used as a filling stitch in a goldwork piece.

This week I'm aiming to make another tunic to wear with leggings.