Friday 8 December 2017

Building on the basics

Still catching up on the procrasticrafting makes... As I thought I was nearing the end of my self imposed sewing distractions, I was handed a couple of others. Bring on the quick, easy distractions I yelled, and dove straight in.

First up, my mother in law was knitting a new dress for A and suggested she needed a slip to wear under it. She even brought over a small piece of navy slippery lining type fabric. Challenge accepted, I said, immediately putting down my Frocktails dress pattern yet again.


Here I've used the Oliver + S Pinwheel Slip Dress as my starting point. I'm pretty sure I added a couple of inches length as I was leaving off the flounce at the bottom, but sadly I didn't make contemporaneous notes and can't remember.

The main changes I did make was to cut the front and back pieces on the bias instead of the straight grain, and altered the facing to a simple binding. Cutting it on the bias worked exactly as I'd hoped it would and has made a really nice drapey, trapeze-y camisole.


Instead of the deep facing of the dress I just cut a single fold bias strip of about 3/8" finished width and used that as a mini facing. At the corners where the straps attached I just made a little fold in the bias facing and kept going. It's a quick, slightly bodgy method but it's fine for an under-thing.

And once the dress once finished it became clear I would have plenty of time to perfect my camisole bias facing technique as I'll need to make another before time she grows into the dress. Oops granny, it's a wee bit big. :)


Next up, A needed a plain black t-shirt to wear for her gymnastics end of year performance. Easy peasy when you've nothing more important to do.


This is the Oliver + S School Bus T-shirt with a couple of little modifications too. Firstly I shortened and curved the sleeve hem to create a much smaller cap sleeve. Partly to girly it up a bit, partly to get those gymnastics arms out and moving but mainly because it allowed it to fit on a remnant of mysterious black stretchy leftover fabric.

The only other change was to do a bound neckline rather than a neckband. It lowers the neckline a tiny bit, but also saved me having to go rummage for some black ribbing. I'm a lazy procrastinator even when I'm making a thousand things and looking busy!


10 comments:

  1. Love the pink dress, just gorgeous and you have reminded me, Tilly needs a red tee for Presentation Night.
    xx N

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  2. Two perfect pieces for A, and there is a lot of growing room in that knitted dress.

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    1. Thanks Sharon, there sure is. Based on her brother wearing it very nicely, we're guessing it will fit when she's about ten years old!

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  3. That knitted dress may be a shade too big, but it is going to be GORGEOUS when it does fit!! I love it! Very nice basic procrastinating makes, too!

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    1. Thanks Inder. It is going to be lovely. It really did look gorgeous on her big brother :) I've got a feeling my mother in law dived straight back in to make another, but this time after swatching like a good knitter (he he)

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  4. That dress is so lovely! If she’s anything like my girls, I’m sure it will delight her that she can wear it for longer ;-) And wow, I wish I were as productive when I’m procrastinating!

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    1. thanks Emi. I've had to pack it away to save it from bugs. let's hope I don't forget about it until she has outgrown it!

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  5. Lovely makes and gorgeous knitted dress, never mind that it's too big - gonna be too hot this week to wear it anyway :) Best wishes for the gymnastics performance!

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    1. THanks Marisa. I had to work a late shift and missed the gymnastics performance. From all accounts it was "quite entertaining"

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