Brown Jacquard A-Line and a NEW WINNER ...

Having fine tuned some fitting details on my previous A Line, I was excited to put this lovely little one into action .... purchased at Scone during the last school holidays, it is a winter weight jacquard with a little elastane ..

Topped with my TNT Jalie 2682 -I had about 2 or so metres of this teally blue marle jersey, so as I laid out the pattern pieces I thought I'd be very clever and efficient and use the remainder to cut another envelope top. Man, I thought I was the king pin of efficient layouts ....... until ......

the construction process for the Jalie began ... and I failed to cut TWO of the Bodice Front pieces -each is cut on the fold - so there is actually another layer of fabric under the outermost one .... anyway, I had to piece together any little scribbly bits I had left to make a 2nd Front - the grain and stretch is all out and it's not till these photos that I realise that some of them are even sewn with the wrong sides - all over the shop!!!

Still, it will have to do, I can cope with these kinds of "design features" ..... I'm happy with the skirt - I just LOVE textures with oomph!!

And with regards to my recent giveaway, Wendy has not yet contacted me, so I have re-drawn, and it is my pleasure to announce that the winner is ....

Sharon from "Petite and Sewing" - PLEASE drop me an email and I'll send these goodies off - thanks again to all those who entered!

Black Widow

From the studio this time, we have McCalls 5941 Jacket made in some lovely Martin and Savage Fabric called Black Widow.
Pants for this outfit come from Simplicity 2860 - fabric from The Fabric Store, Surry Hills - a lovely fine wool blend.
I used some Lace Hem Tape for the jacket hem - the Selfish Seamstress put me onto this stuff - you simply sew it to the hem edge, turn it up and then hand stitch the hem as usual - it just takes away some of the bulk. I lined the jacket - though the pattern didn't include lining.
Please excuse my totally non photogenic and at times absent face - it was my cranky mum face instructing my 15 year old on taking photos - I am so not natural in front of a camera!!! Anyway, the fabric is of course the winner of this design - it is only 5% wool and the rest is synthetic - but it looks felted and it is soft and warm - I have since seen it made up in ready to wear in several shops and in magazines.
I wasn't sure how to complete the closures - the pattern calls for snaps to be sewn in quite a few places to make the collar stand up like a funnel - but my neck was obviously not quite as long as the funnel - so I just left it to one snap closure and allowed the collar to sit flatish.

I made my tried and true Jalie 2682 for the black top underneath - this is a great design and super quick to make up, although the fabric was just a low grade Lycra blend - it was pretty yuck quality wise and left me less than impressed .....
There's that cranky stern face again!!!
I wore this out last night. We went to see Richard Clapton - reliving our youth with a whole lot of others reliving theirs - it was a great night out - caught up with some old buddies and Mr Clapton was in fine vocal form.

KnitWit Fabrics & Jalie 2682

How many Aussies remember KnitWit Fabric Shops? They were all the craze in the 80's I think when stretch sewing became the flavour of the month .... well, now they are an online store with a retail store only in Perth and I recently purchased some lovely fabrics from them. I made two tops for my sister's birthday (it was a BIG number!!) - I used Jalie 2682 - I have made them previously - great pattern!

The first fabric is AFFINITY BURNOUT - Acrylic / Polyester 150cm wide @$24.95 / m - not cheap by any stretch but excellent quality. It has a lovely Black Grey two tone texture ...

The 2nd one is called Regency Jumperknit - wool / acrylic 120cm wide and $25.95 / m.

I am on the KnitWit email list and they are currently sending out free swatches - so head on over and have a squizz! Happy Birthday G!!

My First Jalie Jalie Jalie

This pattern was rated as a Top Ten Pattern by Pattern Review. I intend to make the Jalie Jeans that everyone raves about, so when making my purchase, I purchased this top pattern to make the cost of the postage worthwhile.

This is a great pattern - great easy instructions - very quick and simple to make.

I made the zippered version first with some cheap as chips grey rib from Clarksons at Erina, NSW. Then I made the non zippered version with this lovely double knit from Chic Fabrique.




And for the third of this triffecta, here is the brown fluffy super soft one - fabric also from Chic Fabrique.

Hopefully, I'll tackle the jeans next!