Jolanda's Sewing Corner

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 

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

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

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

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

I was a bit shocked to realise exactly how long I have been away from blogging! Time passes so quickly, I spend too much time looking at everyone else's blogs and neglecting my own. So here's a bit of what I have done in my absence: This green top was supposed to be for September's Magam . Although it doesn't look like it! I was very pleased with it... that is .. until I washed it. It shrunk at least 20cms in length!!!  the width stayed exactly the same so the whole thing was a mess. I had to buy another panel and insert it under the bust and make the under collar/bust straps shorter. I was very disappointed about this as the result isn't really good at all, its ok under a cardigan to hide the new panel, so I suppose I may wear it occasionally. But now to something perfect!! My first grandaughter arrived in October, oooh she is so tiny and cute. This is me with my mum, daughter and 3 week old grandaughter - 4