Letters from Wetville

"For all the days of her life she had reduced the uneasiness of bodies to paper and fabric, and perhaps it had become a habit, and so, out of habit, she tacitly rethought what was out of proportion, giving it the proper measure." - Elena Ferrante, Troubling Love , p.103.

Brighid & I went out with camera before her swimming lesson today, and took turns playing photographer. Endeavour trousers (Cake Patterns) in green linen from Spotlight Gillian wrap top (Muse Patterns) in grey knit from The Fabric Store. I've been working on culling my wardrobe, perhaps as preparation for attempting to read Marie Kondo.  I took two bags to the Sallies (yes it's school holidays!) and both times came home with fabric, clothes and bowls.  I think overall there is less in the house after the exchange. Next is book culling.  I'm doing that to the Rotary sale people, which means I can't purchase while I'm dropping off.  Most necessary after the op shop experience.

I finished my first Appleton yesterday, and persuaded my daughter to take a picture.  I didn't follow instructions and line the shoulder point up correctly, but otherwise I'm really pleased with it.  The fabric was $8 per metre in the Fabric Store bargain bin.  I'd make this again.  Next time I will lengthen the sleeves and I will make two right fronts.  The amount of crossover isn't as much as I would like.  I'd like to do this in Lillestoff fabric next time. I've also made another pair of Endeavour Trousers (Cake Patterns) and another Gillian wrap top (Muse Patterns).  I really like them both, and will share if I organise myself to iron and find a photographer.

There may not be a photograph. I made a muslin of the Blank Slate Novelista pattern out of an old sheet.  I've discussed my learning on shoulders here .  All week I've looked forward to two things: drinking Captain Cooker beer with my husband on Friday night and finishing my Novelista shirt. It's finished, and all mistakes are mine and not the pattern.  How can there be so much to fitting?  My new shirt, which is definitely a triumph in terms of new sewing skills, fits across the bust in terms of no gaping buttons.  But above the bust is a disaster - there is far too much fabric just where everything should be smooth.  And the collar looks enormous on me.  At the back, everything blouses out and I lose all back waist definition.  Sometimes I read that even an ill fitting blouse fits better than a RTW one.  But in my case, I can't do a fitted RTW blouse up, and this is the next step in terms of ill fitting but functionally wearable. Ba...

I spent many years sorting out full bust adjustments.  I still spend a long time on most patterns making full bust adjustments, but I'd branched out into other fitting challenges.  When sewing up some Jenna cardigans this summer (not yet photographed or blogged, but I'm wearing the yellow one as I type), I kept narrowing the shoulder on every iteration.  Finally, the blue version had a good shoulder fit, but it still fell off my shoulders if I didn't pull it on firmly. That made me think some more about items which DO fit on my shoulders.  I have a favourite Max brand green merino hoodie top.  I measured the shoulders on that (they fit perfectly) and they were tiny shoulders.  But because of the style of the hoodie, it didn't slip off easily.  My Sewaholic Nicola dresses are slightly wide in the shoulders, but because of the little cap sleeve, they look fine. Then I decided to have a go at a button through top.  At first I was all set to go ta...

I love these trousers.  I bought them as soon as they came out.  I made a test shorts version and thought they were a little snug.  That's until I realised I had sewn 1.5cm seams when I was supposed to have sewn 1.2cm seams.  Cake Patterns have a great personalised fit and I chose the 35" waist and the 45" hip.  This meant going down from my actual waist size and slightly up in the hip.  I'd made Cake Patterns' straight skirt pattern last summer and knew this was the sizing I wanted from then.  The fit is fantastic.  The photos don't do justice to the fit, as I'm on wonky ground and didn't bother to smooth the trousers before the photo.  I'm making some more as soon as I find the mid blue, heavier weight linen which I covet for the next version.  It's fabric shop sale season coming up, but most unfortunately my children need new shoes and school uniforms instead.  Ah well. The top is the Muse Patterns Gillian top, which I made last...

 After spending weeks on two shirtdresses, these were super speedy and satisfying makes by comparison.  The Myrtle is made from some not very stretchy cheap knit which I didn't know what to do with.  I'm wearing this dress now and it is very comfortable.  It's not work appropriate as much is revealed when bending down.  I could see it being more practical in a winter version with a long sleeved t-shirt underneath.  I made a FBA on this dress, and then found it was a bit more than I needed.  So for the next version I've altered the pattern to take out 1 cm at the front and back shoulder and a sway back chunk out of the back bodice.  I've straightened out the curve made at the side seam by the FBA and taken 1 centimetre off the bottom of the front bodice.  I've added 2 inches to the pattern (yes, I use whatever measurements work for me in a mixed up fashion for sewing.  My cutting board is organised into inches which makes adding length ...