Feels like a long time since I posted any new projects! I did plenty of sewing in May, but none of it felt terribly exciting… but lucky you, here it is, in order from least liked to most favourite!
Least Favourite: Jalie Hoodie
This one is a lesson in print scale. I bought this lovely french terry locally, and it’s got great coral and turquoise in a very Liberty-esque print… but from a distance it’s just washed out and blah. I also was cheap and ran out of fabric to make full-length sleeves. I might try to go back and get some more, because it’s a bit pointless as is!
***BTW, have you seen that jalie is slowly releasing their new patterns this month? The first 3 patterns have been very sporty though – I’m really hoping there are some new clothing patterns too, because I can’t get enough of the Jalie raglan and hoodie!
Next Most “Meh!”: Grainline Morris
I want to love this one so much, but I actually prefer my first Morris! This one is made of really nice jegging knit, and I imagined it would be the perfect cropped denim jacket to wear over maxis on summer nights. In the end, I’ve got a few issues with it
1. It feels too long to wear with dresses. I wonder if it’s because I’m short but wearing a large size – is it longer because it’s bigger? It’s the same size as my first one, it just feels dowdy.
2. I probably would have liked it better without the contrast lapels and cuffs.
3. I chose the lighter side of the knit (instead of the darker cuffs/lapels) for the main jacket, but it really catches the light and shows wrinkles. Maybe the darker side would have been more flattering?
I’ll still wear it… I just haven’t reached for it yet!
Surprising Success: Cropped Kimono Tee
I haven’t been wearing this Maria of Denmark Kirsten Kimono Tee much this year, so on a whim I hacked it off and made a cropped shirt to layer over dresses. Cropped sweaters are all over sewing blogs this year, and I’m happy to jump on board. I made a cropped plantain with a tie hem last year that has been surprisingly useful. I figure between turquoise and this pinky purple, I’ve got a layering top to match any dress!
***Speaking of Maria of Denmark, have you seen her new wrap dress? It’s on sale, and every pattern I’ve ever made of her’s has been really well designed! I’m tempted even though I still have a Muse Gillian Wrap Dress on my to-sew list!
Best Makeover: Oonapalooza Dress
I never loved the Sewaholic Saltspring dress I made for Oonapalooza last year. I thought I’d love a high faux-halter neckline like this, but it turns out, I don’t!
So, one day during MMM I cut off the top seam of the front and back bodice, resewed it with a facing, and added more bra-friendly straps. (Not perfectly aligned in the back, but whatever.) I like it so much more now that i don’t have to wear a strapless bra with it, and I think the neckline is more flattering, too. It’s basically back to the way Saltspring was originally drafted, so I think I might make at least one more Saltspring this summer to add to the collection!
Turns out my favourite makes are both refashions! There’s something so satisfying about simple changes to make something more wearable. I had some fugly sewing fails in May too, so no-fail projects were much appreciated. I’m 10 days away from the end of the school year though, and then I’ll sew, sew, sew!
So tell me, what would you sew if you suddenly had two months with nothing but free time? (It’s unpaid and I’m not yet employed for the fall, so don’t envy me too much! 😉 Tell me your top three projects you’ve been dreaming of making if life wasn’t getting in the way!
Crafting A Rainbow 
I so love the cropped t – I’ll be jumping on the cropped sweater train soon too! If I had your time ahead I’d be making a sewaholic jacket (the name escapes me, duh I hate that, but the parka type of one with a hood) ginger jeans and a tessuti woolen jacket in that fairly recent pattern they released (memory is really not good today!) But then I’m in winter! Have fun and I hope the job situation sorts itself out soon.
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Minoru?? (It used to be a lot easier to remember pattern names, but there are an awful lot of indie patterns these day! 😉 Ginger jeans are totally worth the time… although I have two pairs half-finished right now that I’m ignoring. That Tessuti jacket is awesome! Hope you get time to work on some of those projects!!
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I love the cropped Tee too, as well as that dress refashion. The colours are fantastic and I love maxi dresses on anyone except me. I don’t know. Will you spent all that time sewing or taking a break PLUS sewing? If it was dedicated sewing time I might make something tailored like a good Winter coat or a nice suit. If I ever had any time I would love to make a long embroidered coat using hand-dyed silk velvet. I was so inspired by seeing the website of the lady who made the costumes from Game of Thrones, (http://www.michelecarragherembroidery.com/) although I never never seen the program as I don’t really watch TV at all. Xx
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There will be plenty of lying on the couch, and plenty of sewing. No travel or anything, because no income. C’est la vie, right?
OMG, hand-dyed silk velvet with embroidery??? You have got to find an excuse to do that sometime!!!
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I like the cropped tee – sometimes the simplest things work best, don’t they?
If I had a big wedge of unhindered sewing time … I’d make a formal ensemble – I seem to have hit the age where all my friends are getting married! And a new coat. And probably one of the really complex costume projects that I can’t otherwise justify …
Enjoy your long summer holiday! (I still can’t get my head round the idea that you don’t have half terms. How do teachers on your side of the pond stay sane?)
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How do we stay sane? Frankly, I’m not sure we do. I’d cry about work a lot less if we had our holidays interspersed with the school year, I bet!
Oooh, formal wear is something I could definitely work on, too… not like I ever go to parties, but if I did, I wouldn’t have anything to wear! i always think I should have at least one nice dress in the closet, but mines all cotton and casual knits. Hmm…
HOpe you get some extra time to sew this summer too!
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It looks like it was a productive month for you, though I’m sorry the two from-scratch projects didn’t work out as hoped! I actually wrote a whole post somewhat recently with my mental list of things that would be nice to sew soon, given my post-baby/nursing-friendly limitations, so I won’t rehash the whole thing here. Honestly, I’d settle for sewing anything clothes right now, but I’m still in the waiting game and therefore can’t pick a size! I hope the job situation works out for the fall!
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At this point, are you looking forward to just getting birth over with? I never know what to wish people when they hit their due date – more time, or a baby NOW! 🙂
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Hooray for refashions! They’re a lot quicker than sewing a new garment and now they will make you smile when you put them on.
I’d sew what ever pattern you are dying to wear first. Maybe something new or another salt spring? 🙂
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I got distracted by the idea of a two-layer swing tank today, so that might be next… though that’s going to make me look as pregnant as my sewing dare dress, so will I hate it? Mostly I’m sick and tired and i just want to buy more fabric than I can afford. I’m sure you can sympathise! 😉
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It’s great that your refashions worked out so well! It’s a shame that Liberty style prints can look so pretty up close but a bit meh from far away. If I had unlimited sewing time I’d probably try another jacket, and I definitely need to try some more knit dresses!
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Have you ever done a wrap dress? I could see you liking the MoD one I mentioned. I maybe something with a fuller skirt, ’cause you rock those! 🙂
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I actually really like your Jalie hoodie. Maybe it just needs to sit in the magic closet for a couple of weeks? With the Morris, there’s something off about the proportions on you. I wonder if you’d like it better (without re-working the length) if you added some waist shaping or something. I think that boxy styles like that work better at shorter lengths. Congrats on the two refashions! I particularly like the dress save.
What three projects would I work on if I had unlimited time? My answers are boring. I need jeans, desperately, but I’m hesitant to work on them with the weather being warm. I also need shorts and probably will tackle those fairly soon. And I really need a light water-resistant jacket with a hood for our Seattle weather but have been hemming and hawing because at the moment, I’ll need to frankenpattern something to get what I want. (The Minoru would be great if it weren’t drafted for the exact opposite of my own body type.)
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The Jalie hoodie does get worn as pjs/house clothes… which makes it one of three Jalie hoodies I rotate, all of which are not quite the right colour/print and make me feel a bit schlumpy… but then, they are pjs, so whatever! I did make a really cute Jalie hoodie in bright green with navy and white striped trim, but I seem t have lost it somehow! Of course it’s the cute one missing, right?
Good luck with your shorts and jacket and jeans – whenever they happen! 🙂
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Ah,Gillian, you are too fast! I loved the new pattern from Maria Denmark, I love all of her patterns… but I just finished a wrap dress from Style Arc (pdf format, now, yes!), and they look very similar, so I am torn…
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I’m torn on the MoD wrap dress too! I’m sure I’d like it as a pattern, ’cause I love her stuff, but I don’t think I love wrap dresses!
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As someone who has been unemployed for far longer than I like to think about, I encourage you to make the most of the glorious sewing time! Sanity savers…sew from your stash and use some of those patterns you’ve tucked away. Try insane things like a frankenpattern knit dress. 🙂 Take your time and make your finishes amazing, because you’ve got the time. Make something tailored. Make something outrageous and fun.
For me, I love skirts, so I’m making loads of them. I want a few jumpers and a couple of dresses, so those are up next. In the middle of all of that, my daughter wants to sew and she’s just learning, so she needs my help along the way.
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Ugh, sorry you’ve got unemployment issues too! It’s demoralising – at least I can be fairly certain I’ll get work in the spring, but I’m 7 years into teaching and it could be easily another 5 years before I’m permanent. Boo!
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Gosh I love that maxi dress. Glad you figured out a way to make it work! Love the cropped tee, too.
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Cropped tops and maxis dresses – my summer obsession! I’m having a hard time sewing anything as dull as a t-shirt, as useful as they would be for work!
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Ooh, I love it when refashions work out so well! That Saltspring looks great and I really like how the crop top works over the dress!
The top project I’d make with unlimited sewing time this summer would be a Sewaholic Minoru rain jacket – a lightweight one with netting as lining. The projects I’m definitely going to attempt even with my limited sewing time are a couple pairs of linen trousers and of course the Bombshell bathing suits made with the fabric you sent me last year! The pattern is all cut out already. 🙂
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Good luck with the swim suits!!! Can’t wait to see how they go!
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If I had a couple of months off to sew I can just imagine all the things I could do. My list of things I want to sew is massive. I just don’t know where to start. But I do know that I am needing a few pair of pants so those should probably be done first!
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Pants should be first on my list, but I admit, I find all those pockets and topstitching boring! Too bad for me, tho, bc I’ve got 2 pairs waiting to be finished! Chop chop!
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That’s funny! If I could top stitch everything I sew I would be soo happy!
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UFOs, baby, UFOs. Then I have to get on to those sewing dares and make my jeans. Then move on to those things I’ve cut out and are waiting to be sewn. Hmmmm… looks like I’ll need more like 14 months…
😉
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Thank goodness no one holds us to our sewing plans, because my brain always bites off more than I can handle!
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I know it wasn’t your favorite… but I gotta say… I really like that hoodie. Makes me want one in fact.
As for how to pass the time while you’re not working, sounds like you need some free patterns in your life. Have you ever checked out spitup and stilettos? I haven’t made anything from them yet, but they’re high up on my to do list. They have a whole women’s collection that’s free for download! Can’t hate on that.
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Oooh, I’ve never heard of them, but I’ll check that patterns out! Thanks!!
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Dude thank you for the link to the new Jalie patterns—I had noticed they were hinting on instagram but hadn’t actually seen any! They are pretty sporty, but I like the tank top and the running tights… I wonder if I like them enough to take up running? 😉
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Also, I love the Jalie hoodie—but I feel you on the 3/4 length sleeves in a sweater… I have much the same problem with my Lady Grey jacket. Still cute, though!
I don’t even know what I’d do with two whole months to sew… I think my brain would go “sproing” and I’d probably lie around reading blogs and petting fabric and hardly do anything! Although I did volunteer to put together a costume for a friend that’s going to eat up most of my spare time if I don’t get my butt moving (champion procrastinator here). I am going to have a whole two weeks off, and I am almost giddy from that alone, though we are planning to travel for part of that. Maybe I can take hand-sewing…
I will have my fingers crossed for your fall prospects! ;(
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Did you see that new Jalie dress released today It’s SO YOU! Frankly, it’s so me too. Which is a problem because it’s hard to justify buying it when I’ve got similar patterns… but I lurve Jalie, and they are always a good fit!
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Oh, it is cute! I especially love the “backwards” version… Hmm. Yeah, I too definitely have at least 3 other similar dress patterns… Maybe not intended for knits though!
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Both refashions are my favorite too! Great productivity
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Thanks Tasha! (BTW, I tweeted your Nettie’Ginger combo to Closet Case Files, and she’s following you now! 🙂
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aww, thanks!!
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I love that hoodie, but I can see what you mean about the print getting muddy – that’s what happened with my rigel bomber – UGH! I like the little bit shorter sleeves, I always seem to be pushing my sleeves up with I’m sewing and doing stuff around the house.
I think your Morris looks great too, but I wonder if you would have liked it better doing the reverse colour scheme, dark with light lapels. I really need to get on with making on of those!
Both your refashions look great! As always I love your colours and prints!
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I probably would have liked dark with light better… or really, all dark! Ahh well. Too late now! 😉
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I really like all your makes this month- they all look very wearable and comfortable! That cropped top is so cute- I like that whole cropped trend, you definitely made that top more wearable!! If I had a whole free month with nothing but sewing I would probably make myself a really nice every day bra and panty set, then a really fancy set, then probably a corset! and maybe one of those Grainline Morris blazers- I really like the look of that pattern!
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In a month, I’m pretty sure you could crank out WAY more than that! 😉 I’m so used to only sewing on weekends that once summer hits, it’s all sewing all the time. Not that I can remotely justify more clothes at this point, but that’s hardly the point!
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Thanks for blogging about your refashions. It’s good to see that if a garment doesn’t quite work it can be a good idea to rework it. I love the cropped kimono tee. Just lovely. 🙂
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Thanks Vanessa!
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I love the cropped Tee on you!! Perfect over dresses. Your changes to the Saltspring dress make it more wearable and I like the more open neckline on you. Looks like you had a very productive May!
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I absolutely love the hoodie and the fabric you used. I know we have to like something to wear it but I love muted colors and think they are flattering on youl. Cute hoodie.
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