Year-end Wrap Up. Sort of.

Note to Self: Stop procrastinating.

Briefly: Earlier this year last year I decided I would try to remake some of the clothes I liked but just didn't work the way I preferred. Some of the changes were minor so I don't know why it too so long to do them.


This dress, for starters. All I had to do was shorten the hem about three inches.

For this dress I just had to lower the bust darts by a couple of inches (from the bottom of the [clear] ruler to the pen) and now I have much needed breathing space.

I tightened up the fit of this sweater.

I'm in the process of changing this dress into a top. I cut the sleeve facings for the new top, plus the pockets for the following skirt from the soon-to-be detactched skirt portion

This picture is only included because it now, with the cut-outs,  looks like some kind of designer frock.

I fixed the black trousers, but all that entailed was removing the icky lining and pulling out the elastic from the back then taking the back in by about four inches. They are so much nicer to wear now.

I worked on a fixing a few other things, but they still require some tweaking.


I made one new thing this year (other than my cast and walking boot covers, but that may, or may not be, another post).

I've been wanting to make the suffragette day skirt for awhile now and I finished it in September. I thought I had taken a picture of me in it, but I can't find it, so here it is now in it un-ironed glory

The only picture I do have is the one I took to see if my slip is showing (and a  frightening view into the workings of my mind).

I really like the skirt tho' I feel rather like I am wearing a traffic cone, given its bright colour, but I am fine with that. The more visible I am on my bike, the more I like it.

I have no hard-and-fast plans for this coming year. I"m must going to take it as it comes. I may accomplish more that way.

Happy New Year Everyone!

This is What 19C on November 9 Looks Like

This is What 26 Degrees in October Looks Like.

Projects That Almost Aren't

Note to Self: How am I supposed to become a better person when I am constantly being rewarded for procrastination and sloth?

Briefly (or not:) I bought this paisley wool challis as a bolt end over 25 years ago. I made it into a loose jacket-type shirt over 12 years ago. At one point I added a few tucks to add waist shaping but I never really liked the fit. At the beginning of April, I started working on a revision.

The top ends at the widest part of my hips.

No waist definition.

My first plan was to open up the side seams from the hem up to the bottom of the sleeves and re-cut the front and back with the shoulders attached, saving myself the hassle of redoing the neck and button band. Then I decided I shouldn't be so lazy and at least remove the sleeves, even if I did leave the shoulder seams intact.

For some reason I decide to cut the sleeve out first.

Then the pattern pieces didn't match the remaining material available unless I did not want to use the existing neck facing.

The front was worse than the back, so I reattached part of the original sleeve piece to the edge of the armscye.

Then when I overlapped the shoulder seams, the back didn't fit. I briefly considered giving up.

So the back of the sleeve was reattached to the back armscye. (Are you starting to understand how this would have been so much easier if I had just opened the side seams and cut everything out with it flat?)

I sewed the sleeves in flat, then redid the side seams.

The result is better, both in a trimmer fit and shorter length.

Plus the curved hem land where I start to curve in.

Is anyone taking bets that I won't be doing things 'properly' next time?

Re-Made by Me May

I decided this year I would not take part in Me-Made May. I am fully aware I am a very fortunate person and to me, it seemed kind of...show-offy...to have such a display of my good fortune. I wear Me-made clothing most of the time so I thought it was time to up the ante, so to speak.

I have in my wardrobe a number of things I like but don't wear, possibly because the fit isn't quite right, or the style is wrong for the fabric. I also have some clothes I have thrifted because I liked the colour or the textile from which it was made, but the fit isn't quite there. I'm going to rework those as well.

I've tried this once already, and it worked relatively well, I've also redone a sweater, un-blogged yet, and with mixed success, but I think I can make some improvements.

Below are four items I am going to re-work, or finish re-working in the next few weeks.

A paisley wool challis top I made about 15 years ago. The fabric is lovely but they style is not the least bit flattering. I've been slowly fussing around with this for about a month now.

 An orange linen dress. The fit in the shoulders is off, the neckline is too wide, and it needs to be shortened a bit.

Thrifted green linen shirt (too big in the shoulders, to wide across the chest, and the sleeve treatment is just odd) and black linen trousers that have an elasticated back waist. I suppose that helps with fit for some, but it just gives me an odd shape in the back. I'll see what I can do to improve both.

Let's see how this goes!

Easy Needles; Learn to Sew Patterns?

I popped into ArtsJunktion a couple of weeks ago just to have a look around; one never knows what one will find.

This time I find two parts of what must have been a Learn to Sew kit.

I don't know what cards these two patterns are, but they both make reference to cards, S2, S3, S4, S6, and S7. It would be interesting to know why there isn't an S5 card and what the other clothing patterns were.

The premise seems to be having one size pattern on the card that can be adapted to other sizes after tracing out the pattern and slashing and spreading on one straight line.

I have a lovely border print I purchased at a Beacon of Hope fundraiser that I plan to use for the sleeveless top.

 It will be interesting to see if these patterns are as easy to adjust as claimed.

Has anyone else heard of these sewing cards? I cannot find any reference to them on the internet.

The '90s are Vintage?!?! A Plaid Top and Skirt

Note to Self: Everything becomes vintage at some point.

Briefly: This is the draped skirt, without the drape, and the top I made to wear under an open necked shirt (another experiment) because sleeveless tops don't fly solo here in the winter.

practicing good posture

 The top is New Look 6393 circa 1995. I made the dress view that same year, the summer I spent working in Norway House. (I'm always amazed how things are catalogued in my brain. I had a grand time while I was there. I went up the first time in the early spring that year. When we were approaching the airport that first time, I was somewhat worried as I could see no sign of a town. The residents of Norway House used the Nelson River for most of their travel so the majority of the houses around 'Government Point' are spread out along the river.)
I first made the top last summer from an apricot-coloured double gauze with a laughing hippo print. I wore the top to my mother's 80th birthday party (as one does) but I can't find a picture right now, and it is tucked away until spring. (Marie made her beloved a pair of pyjama pants from the same fabric, if you are at all curious about what this laughing hippo double gauze looks like.)

Ok now, focus on the current project! (Apparently I don't do 'briefly'.) The front of the skirt is still partially on the bias.

 The plaids match in places, (rather amazing since I just cut down the draped front to a straight skirt,)

and at least merge slightly on the other side.

The pullover shirt the sleeveless top was made to go with.

 It looks better in this photo. (That's the difference between taking photos before rushing off to work and on a Saturday morning.)

It's more 'edgy' and 'structured' when you make a top from a felted wool instead of the recommended knit. And that is soooo important, because your know, I am am all about wearing clothes that are 'edgy'. :P I've used the top from this pattern a number of times. The skirt, not so much, as I don't do ruffles, and I have yet to try the faux wrapped front.

Here is a rather bad selfie of another version, with long sleeves.

yes, that is an oar hanging in the background.

Apparently, unbeknownst to me, this look is becoming quite trendy. Hot Patterns has just released a pattern along these lines. Go have a look and see what a I mean. I'm un-accustomed to being on the bleeding edge of anything. Tho' come to think of it, the Geek and I were way ahead of the super-short-haired trend too.

There are a great number of asides in this post and very little actual information. I thank you for your patience.