Getting back to basics

There are times when making a basic can be so satisfying!  I had a metre of this gorgeous wool in my stash, which came from Simply fabrics in Brixton a year or two back.  I think I'd bought it for exactly this purpose but as any of us with a sizeable fabric stash know, buying the fabric happens much faster than sewing it up!

I used New Look 6873.  I've made view C a couple of times before, here and here and really wanted to try view B.

I love making patterns that I've made before because a) they come together much more quickly and b) its really easy to know the adjustments that need to be made.  I lengthened this pattern, by about 5cm and added a lining but other than that, I made it up as instructed.

The lining was made from some gold rayon scraps that I had in my stash.  You can see the threads that make up the dots from this side too.  I thought the wrong side was really cool and if I'd had more of the fabric I'd have been tempted to use the wrong side for something too.

The skirt and waistband are really not this wonky, I just couldn't get it to sit correctly on my mannequin.

I love the curved yoke on this skirt, it makes it sit so well on my body (although not on my mannequin).  However, trying to get photos where you can see how awesome the spots look was really difficult!

This is my entry for Rosie's sewdots challenge.  Go and check out the other makes and donate some money to this worthy cause!

I'm really happy with my new, perfect for twirling skirt!

I made pyjamas!

When Heather released the Carolyn pyjamas I thought it was super cute but felt that I was unlikely to wear a full set of formal pyjamas. However when all the pyjamas that I do wear started to fall apart, I thought I might dip my toe in the pyjama making world with some pyjama bottoms.

I wanted to use a strawberry print cotton that I've had in my stash for years. It was a part of a coupon that I bought in marché Sainte Pierre a few years ago. I have used some of it for smaller projects over time but I really wanted an item of clothing made from it.  However my slightly saner side, the one that tells me not to dress like a toddler dissuaded me. However, I figured I could get away with pyjamas.

My Dad had bought me the patten for Christmas, I was excited as it was my first closet case files paper pattern.  I traced off a 14, grading to 10 at the waist.  I was tracing off a bunch of other indie patterns at the same time and inevitably made some comparisons between them and I have to say I was disappointed in the quality of the tissue pattern, I found it very flimsy and easy to tear and thin which made tracing off more difficult.

I probably could have got away with a 12 overall and a 10 at the waist as I ended up taking the legs in a bit and you can see there's still quite a bit of fabric pooling under the bottom.  I added 2 darts in the back to adjust for some of the excess fabric I had there due to the difference between my waist and hips.  There's still quite a bit of excess but if I had taken any more out I wouldn't have been able to get them on over my hips.

The way I've 'styled' (I'm using this term loosely) these makes it look like an outfit to wear in public.  However, much as I like these, they're not going to be worn outside of the house, I just wanted to take advantage of the first glimmering of spring and take photos outside.  I need to find myself some good outdoor locations again now the weather is, sort of, improving.  However, since it started to snow about an hour after I took these, I may not be planning too much time outdoors in the near future.

I am now getting to a stage where I'm starting to have a largely handmade wardrobe and actually it's felt really nice to have such a pretty, handmade basic item.  I'm really tempted to make the full pyjama set now, I can totally be elegant and classy for bed!