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Assassin's Creed Inspired Coat

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My youngest son wanted a coat in a similar style seen in Assassin's Creed, but wanted it to be everyday wearable and not too much a dressing up costume. This McCalls costume pattern was a good starting point.  We decided to concentrate on the coat and maybe add on a hood at a later date as we hadn't found a satisfactory pattern. I am not sure of the blue fabric content of the outside of the coat, it's a a twill weave that is quite soft so I think it may have wool in it.  I washed it before sewing but it shrunk slightly. The first part was to make a toile of the bodice.  We used cheap dust sheeting from Poundland (it was ok but probably won't use it again, I prefer calico or old sheeting) .  The stand up collar was heightened as the original was very low, very easy to do as just needed to add a few centimetres on the top of the pattern piece. The original front facings were extended out to make the crossover front panels and then duplicated to make the in
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A New Bag For London Trip

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Bag for London  A trip to London requires a new bag doesn't it? I fancied a bit making something using a logo from Depeche Mode from A broken Frame album.  First of all, I drew the shape in Illustrator and imported it into Husqvarna Viking 3D embroidery software.  Its a bit ancient but does the job! For the bag flap I made an applique design and left it rough on the edges as the logo represents a scythe and a sheaf of wheat.  By making the border stitches quite narrow it allowed some strands from the fabric to stick out. I also copied the logo into the Fabric Decorator module to make the lining. The bag strap was my first attempt at a continuous embroidery.  Its quite difficult to line up using an ordinary hoop - I definitely need practice with this or maybe stretch to buying a continuous/endless hoop. The end product! a very useful cross body bag just big enough for the essentials
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Another skirt from Burdastyle 2/2010

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Hello, You might recognise this skirt as I have made one previously in opposite colourways! I blogged it here I like the red and blue combination and thought it would go nicely with  my new top here which is also from the same issue of burdastyle Just in case I forgot who made it a embroidered a little note to myself inside! thanks for visiting Jolanda 
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Home made stretch stay tape

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Hello everyone One thing I forgot to mention in my last post was the method I used for hemming a quite stretchy knit. Uusually a twin needle does the trick but this time it kept missing stitches and looked very messy. I read somewhere about using a fusible stretch stay tape in the hem, but knowing I wouldn't be able to buy any here I though I would make some of my own, It's much cheaper too! I laid the stretch interfacing out on the cutting mat and cut strips of 1.5cm.  I did quite a few extra and wound them onto a piece of card for later. I simply ironed the strips onto the inside of the hem and then turned it up and stitched. The hem came out really flat and very nice looking I will certainly try this out again. I think you can just about see what I mean on the hem - sorry for bad photo Bye for now Jolanda
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Hi Everyone, This is a little dress made from Burda 9/2013 The original pattern has sleeves and I've modified the skirt by slashing and spreading to make it a little fuller. I originally bought this fabric and half made a top with it, but soon realised its not really me! so somehow I managed to get a dress and a pair of knickers out of it! Don't know where the green came from!?! The baby knickers are from a Knipmode magazine in the 90's And now for some selfish sewing! Another stripy top for me - I really don't need anymore stripes, but it has become a bit of an addiction This pattern is from Burda 2/2010 My first top from this pattern is here I've left the neckband showing and quite like this look. The jersey is a bit more stretchy than the previous top so fits a  little differently but still a good fit - if a little bit too low at the front!! nothing that a vest top won't fix. Tha
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Why does my camera hate red??

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I am currently in the process of making a red jersey dress;  the fabric is slinky and so stretchy. The stretch should be good but as the fabric is heavy it seems to be stretching too much, especially round the neckline. I'm going to have to unpick :(, but I'm not sure how I am going to solve this problem. The pattern is from Knipmode 10/2013 I'm sure this will be a really nice dress in the end. Sadly you can't really see the detail on the front as all my cameras hate red!!! Bye for now, I'm off to sit on the settee with my best tool, the unpicker!!! Jolanda x
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Good Morning, I had a great weekend..... sewing of course! from my favourite issue of Burda Style (2/2010) again. This believe it or not is the stripy top pattern #122. I find that Burda patterns are very wide across the shoulders and therefore low at front,  so I extended the pattern pieces by 3cm at the neckline. I did have to make  small adjustments on the sleeve seams to running up to the neckline as it was too wide. I now have a very comfortable top that isn't going to fall off my shoulders and show my bra straps. Even the back neck doesn't gape! A couple of weeks ago I made this Burda Style (7/2014) top #114 No adjustments were needed with this one.   I love the pattern on this fabric. I spend Sunday with my daughter helping her make her dress She is laughing not crying in this photo! Hopefully soon I will be able to show you a photo of the finished dress, it is looking really good so far! B
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