Thursday 2 April 2020

things from my stash, round two

Well, here we still are. I hope everyone's holding up. I'll admit I'm not at my best - I'm in a weird place where doing stuff is stressful, but also not doing stuff is stressful, and also it's now time for PMS so thanks for that. I've managed to bake some banana bread, make some reusable food wraps, and do a small amount of both my drawing and Python courses. The Python is really frustrating me; I can SEE that it's fairly easy and that I should be able to pick it up quite quickly, but the instructor is incapable of explaining the early stuff without using jargon I haven't learned yet. This is exactly what happened last time I tried to learn it, so I suspect it's a more or less universal problem. I fully intend to keep going, but right now it's like swimming through treacle. Eugh.

Anyway! I'm still struggling to sew, so here's some more fabric! I'm hoping that getting some ideas will help get my brain back in the right space. None of this is particularly precious, so I'm quite happy to take a punt on something.

Here we go:


Please excuse wrinkles. I had to pull this out of my ironing pile to photograph it. This is a silky viscose (very slightly more grey-blue in real life) that I was planning to use for a pyjama jacket and trousers set, but I wasn't keen on the tests and also I have to acknowledge that I will probably never wear a pyjama jacket. I still think this probably needs to be loungewear, but I'm not quite sure what. I have 5m of this, so there's room to do something a bit ridiculous.


Another viscose (it's slightly hairy? I'm not quite sure how to describe it, but it's definitely got a bit of weight to it) that I am totally stumped by. It doesn't look great next to my face, so most dress patterns are out, and I worry that with the wrong style of garment I'll end up looking... older than I am but trying to look younger than I am, if that makes sense. I have 3m of this.


I already made a dress out of this a couple of years ago, but I ended up with a 2m remnant that I've never matched to a pattern. It's a sweater knit, pretty fluffy, I keep hoping I'll find something more interesting to do with it than just a bog-standard jumper. It's now been in my stash since winter 2017, though, so I'd like to get it used up. 


This is an Abakhan find. It's a pink-silver rib knit (not quite as shiny as it appears here, but does have flecks of glitter thread in it), and there's about 1.5m of it. I bought it because I thought it would go with a lot of the colours I already wear, but then keep questioning whether or not it will actually suit me. I think I'm looking for a top not a dress here. 


Again from the "completely stumped" files: this is a knit, very soft but not overly stretchy, and there's just over 1m of it. I got this from a remnant sale because it was pretty and soft, but I have never had one single idea for what it could be. Do I just make cushion covers and have done with it? 


This is not a great photo (it's a loose-ish weave black sweater knit from Abakhan), and I already know what I want to do with it, but I cannot find the pattern. Does anyone know of a good cowl-neck sweater dress pattern? I'm struggling to find cowl neck patterns at all, let alone the sweater dress I have in mind. The only one I know of is the Sew Over It cowl neck pattern, and that one has no shape and makes me look like a pillowcase. 

Any ideas you have for any of the above gratefully received! I really want to get some semblance of my sewjo back. I cut out the Closet Case Patterns free pouf the other day, mostly because I'd quite like to get my bags of scraps used up, but I know it's going to have to be clothing to get things going properly again. Damn you, Past Jen, using up all your easy projects at once.

Regardless of sewjo, I can always write, so I will be posting something on Monday as usual. A lot of people have told me this has been helpful for them, so I'm going to keep it up as long as I can!

13 comments:

  1. How advanced are you in Python? I learned basic Python through what was then a free website called "learn python the hard way" -- I think it's now available as an ebook either for free or pay. It has very little expository explanation at all, so it shouldn't have the problems you're describing. It starts from absolute scratch, so you might be beyond it already.

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    1. And I loved it, in case that wasn't clear. I also really like your blog (for completely different reasons).

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    2. I've literally never done a line of coding before in my life, I'm starting from absolute zero! I just want someone to lay out for me in non-coding words what all the syntax is and what it does, and what the different terms mean. I feel like SOMEONE must have done this at some point!

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  2. Hmm, so many fun choices!
    Blue with flowers- given that you have 5m, I would go for a dramatic dressing gown (I always thought the Almada robe by Colette patterns looked interesting) if you want to stick to lounge wear. I could also see it falling into a "resort wear" style maxi-dress or coverup- something like Vogue 9253.

    Orange animal print- perhaps a dress with a black or white collar to keep it away from your face? I actually like using prints like this as the back of a knit T-shirt (copied the idea from anthropologie) but basically the front, sleeves and back yoke are a solid knit, and then I use a woven in a fun print for the back.

    Black & White sweater knit... Ruska knit dress? not sure if the weight would work for a dress, but you could use just for the top overlay and do black knit underneath?

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    1. Is the Almada robe the one with the ties attached to the sleeves? I would absolutely have gone for a maxidress if the fabric wasn't so... shiny. Maybe a dressing gown and matching slip dress?

      The sweater knit weight would be absolutely fine for a cold-weather dress, I made a long-sleeved Kielo in it years ago and it's the warmest thing in the whole world!

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  3. the leopard print viscose made me think of this: https://www.instagram.com/p/B75aWYMI1SC/?igshid=13iw7epeqa7nj (la bohème skirt from Vanessa Pouzet). Sounds like it would be the right weight for that as well (so swishy!)

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    1. Ooh, that might be a thing. Let me check if it'll fit over my hips!

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  4. Have you had a browse through Mood Fabrics free patterns? https://www.moodfabrics.com/blog/category/free-sewing-patterns/ There are a lot of possibilities there but the instructions are VERY brief. If you have a printer at home , plus a plentiful supply of printing ink, and can survive the horror of sticking pdfs together then this might be a useful scource of patterns. In any case just browsing the free pattern site might trigger off an idea for your fabrics

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    1. Thank you! I've had a quick look at the Mood patterns before but always been put off because the samples can be so... suspect. Maybe I'll see if I can find any better-made versions on Instagram!

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    2. I would be curious to see if what Mood pattern's drafting is like- I agree their samples don't seem to fit well, so it's never seemed worth the time to test them. But would love to hear if you find some good examples!

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  5. For the first viscose, from the "probably totally obvious" file - it would look so lovely as a kimono-inspired robe... I don't know if that's the type of loungewear you're likely to wear, but that's where my head and heart immediately go. I could also see a maxi-skirt in it.
    I really love that fabric!

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  6. I really love geometric prints (the blue) but then find myself not really wanting to wear them. Go ahead and make awesome pillows!!!

    The first fabric seems like it would be an AMAZING maxi but also, it seems like that print may be very large scale and hard to arrange the pattern just so. What about making lounge pants and a top that you will wear? I love my 3-piece set that I made with cozy top, pants and shorts. Makes each item go very far.

    I love that bold animal print as a skirt. If you're into ruffles/frill, I'd do a wrap that's finished with a ruffle and tie waist. Very bold but easy to dress down with a simple black tank or tee. Add a denim or moto jacket and...relaxed! Or it could be dressed up and be super glam!


    Hang in there!!

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  7. At last Mood Fabrics have a photograph of their new free pattern that looks as though some care went into the sewing. Plus it is easier to see the details compared to the fancy on location shoots that they usual have - possibly one of the good things to come out of the lockdown situation. https://www.moodfabrics.com/blog/the-olive-jacket-free-sewing-pattern/

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