Briar Variation

So,  I have recently started working from home a couple of days a week and the extra two hours (at least, probably more when you account for faffing time too) gained from not having to drive into work on these days are very productive....

The latest project I have completed is this modified Megan Nielsen Briar pattern. I really wanted a lightweight jumper and I found this grey knit fabric on Leicester market the other day for only £2 so thought I'd have a go at editing the pattern.

Firstly - this material was an absolute nightmare to so with!! it feels really nice because it is so soft and drapey but it catch on any bit of rough skin on your hands and absolutely does not want to do what it's told. 

I nearly gave up several times.

To get the fit I wanted I used the short version of Briar but cut straight across at the longest part of the back hem for both front and back. I also added about 1 inch to the back width (because I was going to put in a pleat but forgot, however, it came out a nice size anyway). I also wanted a much higher neckline on the front I added this mostly by guess work.

To finish the neckline off I did't use binding as the pattern suggests but overlocked some stay tape to the wrong side of the front and back pieces before joining the shoulder seams. After sewing up the shoulders I then turned over the neck edge by about 0.5 inches and sewed a single line of top stitching. This gave a nice stable and neat finish to the neck. 

I attached the sleeves following the pattern but altered the side seam to stop 3 inches before the hem. I overlocked the unfinished edges of the hem and the open side seams before folding under 0.5 inches and using a twin needle top stitched around the hem and side seam openings. The sleeves were also finished off with twin needle top stitching.

I like how the top has come out although as I said it was a bit of a headache to sew at times. It's not the best finished off garment in my wardrobe but it's perfect for throwing on over a t-shirt as we are heading to autumn. It has also left me with a nice pattern design to try out again with some other material, maybe I will add a patch pocket next time too.

Keyhole blouse

This is a simple sew pattern that I have remade several times making modifications each time.

The pattern has two views - one with a pleated front that I have yet to try. Both have a V-shape at the front and in the original version a bias bound neck that "closes the hole" to make a keyhole effect.

It's another easy to follow, minimal instruction simple sew pattern that came free with love sewing magazine.

I originally made it in the cream fabric with swallows on from sew over it exactly as the pattern said with the the bound neckline. I like how the blouse turned out but, with the neck binding, the shoulders are pulled in making it slightly narrow across my back.

Take two: 

For this version I used a fairly heavy weight linen effect fabric that's pretty stiff. I altered the pattern to give a bit more room across my shoulders. I also cut a front and neck facing to finish the neck edges off. I strolled a bit with the front V and actually ended put with a pleat in the front but I actually don't mind that too much. I took out the back pleat when I cut out the pattern as I thought that otherwise I would end up with far to much fabric in the finished top. For this version I chose 3/4 length sleeves and actually spent ages working out how to make it look like turned back cuffs - It involved a lot of backwards and forwards folding! for this version I used my new "overlock foot" to finish of the edges with a zigzag stitch. I love this foot for heavy weight fabrics it finished the seams so nicely. 

Take three:

This fabric is a super super light weight drapey viscose rayon fabric from Dragonfly fabrics with flamingoes on! I absolutely love the print although sometimes I wonder if it looks a bit too much like PJ fabric. This version is similar to version 2 except I tried to make the back more like a shirt by adding a shoulder section and then transferring the pleat to the bottom half - I think it works OK although I didn't think about the size of the top yoke bit and think it maybe should be a bit smaller? The neck edge this time I used bias binding that I folded in and top stitched down, this is my new favourite way of finishing edges especially in light weight fray-able fabric.

Take Four: 

This I think this is my favourite version. The fabric I bought in Hellerslea fabrics in Newport, whilst on holiday on the Isle of Wight. It's a viscose cotton with loads of drape and I absolutely love this shirt. The construction was pretty much exactly as take 3 but better because I knew where I was going with it rather than trying things out and unpicking loads. Also I used french seams to give the inside of the top a cleaner finish. Something I do a lot now with light weight fabrics.

Take five: 

This is a hybrid between the bias cut top  the latest sewing bee book "Stitch to Style" which I have made several times as a written but I wanted to use this material to make a long sleeved top. Since I really like the chevron effect when you cut stripes on the bias I used the pattern pieces from the bias cut top in the sewing bee book - there's a great tutorial from the thrifty stitcher for cutting the top to get the chevrons right - as a guide but adapted the shaping of the armholes so that I could use the keyhole patterns sleeves. I didn't think that a V-neck would work too well with the chevron effect so stuck with a scooped neck at the front. I used french seams and my favourite neck binding method as the material was another lightweight drapey viscose, this time from material magic in Leicester. The top is exactly how I imagined and I love wearing it tucked in to jeans with boots - not ideal for the current summery weather but I'm sure I'll get lots more wear out of it in the next few autumn months.