Yet another Anza and Cross stitch update

I think this is the 5th Anza dress I've made.  Pattern by Itch to Stitch

This was made in a lovely cotton linen called Blue Hibiscus from Spotlight.  As linen can be a bit see-through I underlined the skirt in white rayon.

I had enough fabric left over to make a little cross over body purse.

I had a bright pink zipper that went well with the flowers.

This is a good way of using up those bits of left over fabric as it doesn't use much.  The purse is big enough to take my phone, keys, cards and hankies.

The last 2 rotations have been spent on Old Friends by HAED.  I've finished the top row!

 Next up in the rotation is His Eye is On the Sparrow.

3 woven tops

I wanted tops that I can tuck into skirts.  The Cadence dress/top by Love Notions has different sleeve options and looked like what I was after.

The first I made was this top out of poplin from the clearance table at Spotlight.

Excuse the creases,  I'd already worn this and had to take it out of the laundry basket to photograph it.

I like this top, I lengthened it by 1" and it is a good length for either leaving out of skirts/pants, or tucking in.

For the next top I just added 1" to the height of the back of neck.  I like to be well covered on the back of neck as I always get sunburnt there if I don't cover up.

This is a rayon from Smart Dress Fabrics.

And the third .....

Again a rayon, this time from Spotlight.  This is beautiful and soft.

Both of the rayon tops have a burnt orange colour in them.  I have some linen in a burnt orange that I want to make into a skirt so these tops will go with the skirt.

IN summary, these tops are a quick and easy sew, around 2 1/2 hours each to sew.  I think these will be my go to tops in the way the Laundry Day T is my go to T.  Very happy.

However on another note, I wanted to make the Cadence dress.  Prepped the pattern for the below knee version and it was ridculously short.  When I prepared the pattern I added 2" to the length and even then it seems to be about 8" too short.  I felt this was too much to adjust myself, so abandoned the idea of making a dress,  I checked the pattern against my body and also compared it to my other dress patterns. Second dress fail from Love Notions, I won't be trying another one.  However their tops are winners for me.

Sonata dress and Sans Souci start

I just finished the Sonata dress by Love Notions.

This dress has a high waist, elastic in the back and comes with sleeve choices of sleeveless, short, bishops and flutter.  I chose the flutter sleeve. It also has options to make it lined or unlined.  I underlined the skirt in a white rayon.

The in-seam pockets were unusual in that they were part of the skirt pattern pieces, not separate pattern pieces.  So you just sewed around the skirt and pocket piece then tucked them inside.

I made this in a digital printed cotton linen Hibiscus blue from Spotlight.  I lengthened the skirt by 2 inches. 

My thoughts.  I really like the dress pattern but thi9s is going to be a wearable around the house muslin only as:

I umm'ed and aah'd about whether to follow their construction of the pockets.  If it is so simple to just draw the pockets onto the skirt, why don't all designers do that?  Would it make the pockets not sit right by just tucking them in?  Yes, there is a reason all designers don't do this with pockets, they don't sit right tucked in.  I ended up adding bartacks to the pocket openings in an attempt to get them to lie correctly.  No matter how much pressing, they gape.

I wondered about altering the bust darts.  Should have.  They are too high and too long.

Even though I lengthened the skirt, it is still much too short.

Personal preference I prefer my back higher at the back of neck to keep the sun off.

So will I make this again.  Yes I will but first I will:

• Lengthen the skirt another 2 inches
• Raise the back of neck 1 inch
• lower the bust dart 1 inch and shorten it by 1 inch
• trace separate pattern pieces for the pockets and remove them from the skirt pattern pieces.

I'm already thinking what fabric to get.

I finished my first rotation on Sans Souci by Long Dog Samplers

Enjoying watching this one come to life.

More Love Notions and cross stitch update

I've had some light weight crinkly wool bought from an opshop in my stash for a few years.   I've not been sure what to make with it until I made the Love Notions Boyfriend cardigan in my last post.

So here it is

I had to cut my head off/disguise it in the photos as I 'd just washed my hair and it looks a mess.

I had enough left over to make another Love Notions Laundry Day T.

I'm glad to have used up this fabric at last and on garments that I think will get a bit of wear.

I haven't updated my cross stitch for a while.  I did my first rotation on His Eye is on the Sparrow by Heartstring Samplery

I also found a cute wooden box for storing my project bags.

And these cute scissors.  They are great as they are sharp right to the pointed tips so cut really close to the fabric with leaving frayed ends.

Currently in my rotation is Sans Souci, by Long Dog Samplers, a new start.  My long dog needle threader is threaded with the silks

This rotation finishes on Sunday.  On Monday, the roulette wheel tells me my new start will be

Old Friends, my focus piece.