New Project : Simplicity 2596 Top

Look! I am actually making something for myself, not the dolls! This is Simplicity 2596, aka the Top for Lisa's Wedding. This time I am making it in a kind of satin fabric that has a divine watercolour pattern on it. I am a sucker for these watercolour fabrics because that is my medium when I go to paint a picture.

The lighting was not too good in these photos, but it gives you an idea. All I need to do is sew up the side seams, insert the neckline facing and do the hems. I think I will just hem the sleeves rather than do the elastic finish.

Here is the version that I made for Lisa's wedding without the hems done, and then on me finished. I don't like myself in photos much, so you have copped the back view.

The weather is really starting to warm up here, so rather than make a jacket next, I think I will make a few more summer tops using mostly my tried and true patterns.

The Lure of the Sale!

A sale at your favourite fabric store is like the call of the Siren. When it is a private sale for holders of the store card, it is hard to resist. The 4 day sale (ending tomorrow) at Spotlight offers the card holder the privilege of buying $100 of goods in one transaction, and receiving $40 off. I....must....resist...! I am having my own GFC with the amount of fabric that has come in to my possession, without the corresponding output of finished garments and craft projects.

Already having had a mini splurge at the New Look pattern sale, my appetite is satisfied for the moment. These are the ones I bought for $5 each:

I like the princess seams on the jacket of this one: 

Finally, here is a look at my current project which is Simplicity 2596 which is in some kind of silky slippery fabric. They are not consistent with how they name their fabrics at Spotlight, and usually give them dreamy lovely names that have little to do with what kind of fabric it actually is. They always tell you what the fabric content is though, which does help. I had to buy a Microtex Sharp needle to sew it with as it moves around on the sewing machine like crazy and puckers a bit. As you can see from the photo, the overlocking has curled up at the edges slightly. The ladies at my friendly craft shop suggested using the Microtex needle in the overlocker. My overlocker book suggests loosening the differential feed. I am making this top to wear to a friend's wedding in October, so I have to have it finished then; I am a very slow sewer! I will probably put the elastic in the sleeves but not the hem.

I have to do the gathers at the front again because the fabric moved around so much, they are off centre. You would probably never know as there is a lot going on with this fabric, but it would annoy me to know it was not right.

Close up of fabric design

I had to be extra careful cutting it out so that the horizontal bands of designs matched on the sides. Luckily I bought extra fabric, so I was able to cut it out comfortably. I will show you my progress in later posts.