MMM’13: What still fits

Posted on May 12, 2013 by Amy

Me-Made-May is more of a challenge this year than I expected, as quite a number of my handmade clothes have lost the battle with the bump and been packed away until more streamlined times. So the start of May was a timely investigation into what can still go the distance – click on the photos for the original garment posts! First up, some Sewaholic Pendrells:

Check out the amazing slimmingness of those princess seams… you wouldn’t guess from these photos that there’s a five-month-baby tucked up under there, would you? And still fitting comfortably (albeit with less ease than they used to).

Even more super-roomy, a Simplicity 2406 goes a long way:

I can see these lasting well into the third trimester (and they’re just a size 10, imagine the potential as a maternity pattern if one went up a few sizes). In fact, there is another 2406 brewing on the sewing table which will hopefully make a MMM’13 appearance! Along with loads more stretchy knits:

Sewaholic patterns triumph again with a snug Renfrew on the left, while on the right, I think this restyle may look even better now I’m rounder than it did back in February. Empire-line plus a peplum = perfect maternity shape.

Of course, this wouldn’t be a proper MMM round-up without a pyjama appearance. These only just work with the top button left undone, so there are a couple of new sets cut out and ready to sew.

Seven items down, 23 to go to meet my target – and we’re already over a third of the way through the month!

Here’s one I made earlier…

Posted on May 3, 2013 by Amy

…and forgot to post about here. But it’s one of the decreasing group of me-mades that still fits in my second trimester, so I feel it deserves a proper mention at last.

I’d finished it just in time to wear to Day 5 of the London Olympics last August:

We bid for quite a few different events when the tickets were first released, and ended up with women’s water polo (don’t knock it – I first watched a match at university when my friend Anna played for Yorkshire. It’s fast-paced, exciting, pretty easy to follow, and extremely violent. No, there are no horses involved. People keep asking me that.) And we got to see Team GB play!

We later lost 16-3 to Australia.

We’d probably have gone to pretty much anything though, to see the Park and soak up the atmosphere:

The fabric came from a thrifted slightly-too-big t-shirt that caught my eye in a charity shop: look, they’re actually proper little British lions!

When I checked the label, it turned out to be by Pringle of Scotland (prestigious luxury brand dating back to 1815), so a total bargain at four quid – as the lady at the till in the charity shop pointed out; she seemed a little miffed about the whole thing.

And it was just perfect for refashioning, because it came with two layers of fabric – there was a whole other t-shirt of the solid blue colour under those lions!

I managed to squeeze a Renfrew out of the top layer with some creative cutting and positioning, and then had plenty of blue for the contrast banding.

It perfectly fit the bill for a subtle show of London 2012 support – a very British design from a UK firm. And blue, just like Stella McCartney’s design for Team GB.

It was a brilliant day out, and I’m so glad we got to go – it’s probably the only time in my life I’ll actually attend an Olympic event. So I bought a keyring to show off to potential future grandkids, and legged it for the last train home.

Stretching, stretching…

Posted on April 29, 2013 by Amy

So one of the first things I did after finding out a baby was on the way? Look up maternity outfits on Pinterest, naturally. I didn’t get raring on the sewing machine straight off, but after the three-month scan it seemed like time to start planning my rather different wardrobe for the rest of 2013.

Source: megannielsen.com via Amy on Pinterest

Of course, Megan Nielsen patterns popped out and hit me in the face. As another sewist recently said to me: “she’s rather cornered the maternity pattern market, hasn’t she?” So I ordered the gathered t-shirt and the gathered skirt from M is for Make (and thanks Kate for sorting out blips in my order so promptly and efficiently!)

I’ll start with the t-shirt. Helpfully, the pattern says to use your normal (pre- or early pregnancy measurements). I confidently cut a safe medium:

I really like: the ruching down the sides, and the lovely generous length (always been a sucker for long tees).

Not so keen on: the baggy width in the sleeves, and that the shoulder seam sits right out on the edge of my actual shoulders.

I’m not sure that this top will go the whole nine months – you can’t really see it in these photos, but there’s already some pulling across the bust. Fit round the tummy is great right now, but another four months of growth might just go beyond the stretch.

So for my second MN make, I cut EXTRA LARGE:

And a good thing too. It does fit, but again there’s not much extra mileage in there. I used a thick knit fabric as recommended - and it sparkles! Perhaps I needed something stretchier… but did I mention that I cut EXTRA LARGE?! And it’s not uncomfy, but there was a little bit of relief in peeling it off at the end of the day. One of the things I enjoy about making my own clothes is the comfort of a really good fit, so…

…although I think it actually looks pretty cute and classy, I don’t love it. This now seems very predictably obvious – because I don’t like wearing pencil skirts, full stop. I’ve never made one: I sew big circle skirts, plenty of pleats, an A-line at a pinch. And somehow I thought pregnancy would make me a pencil skirt fan?

Well I guess being properly pregnant stops that horror of looking accidently pregnant in a certain kind of skirt (been there, my friends, been there). But still, I worry about my underwear line showing through, or the whole thing bunching round my empire line…

Nope, even with side ruching there’s just too much cling. This skirt did serve its purpose in making me feel a little glam at the epic V&A meetup, and it might score me a day’s grace during Me-Made-May, but I don’t see a repeat make in here.

On the other hand, I think a MN Maternity t-shirt + Sewaholic Renfrew mashup might be just the ticket…

V&A Sewing Meet-up

Posted on April 25, 2013 by Amy

If you read any sewing blogs at all, you must’ve heard about this event by now… look how many people were there!

I did take my camera along, but it ended up sitting in my bag all day – a) there was a professional photographer, and b) there were many other bloggers wielding clever-looking cameras with flair. So I thought hey, this is covered! and just went with the flow… Fortunately, I got to nose at all the photos here:

Can you tell I don’t know how to pose with a bump yet?

I only finished my outfit on Friday night, so this is the first outing and first photo of both skirt and top. And yes, the skirt is a Megan Nielsen pattern, as three or four sewists asked during the day (Megan Nielsen = synonymous with maternity patterns, no?). Each time, I launched in to a recital of my fitting issues with it – thank you for your polite patience if you were on the receiving end! – but I’ll save those for another post.

Actually, the item attracting most queries was not handmade, but very topical:

At the time, I had to give that most irritating of replies: “oh, it was a present!” but I have now googled it for all you interested parties. It’s the ‘Needle and Thread Overnight Bag’ by Disaster Designs, and available from Amazon and other online stores. Enjoy!

I came home with some beautiful things:

About half of which I bought in Goldhawk Road:

and the rest came from the goody bag and epic swap! Hurrah!

It was lovely to meet familiar faces for the first time (slightly like meeting a celebrity: I recognise you! And know quite a few things about you! Cos I read your blog! But you probably don’t know me! Is this weird yet?) and it was the first time I’ve ever said to someone: “Oh I recognised you from the back because of your dress” (Sally). Also lovely to catch up with bloggers I’ve met before – always a pleasure Jane, Roisin, and Karen. And of course, how fun to go pattern-spotting and admiring beautiful clothes – Shivani and Emily, your wonderful Wiksten Tovas have convinced me I must make one. It should just about fit over the bump!

Once again, thanks to Rachel & Co for organising the day!

Round here

Posted on April 12, 2013 by Amy

“Step out the front door like a ghost / Into the fog where no one notices / The contrast of white on white…” Saying ’round here’ always triggers my favourite Counting Crows song, but those opening lines do fit today’s weather: white hail (!) against a whitish sky:

So, round here, number (1): there are quite a few works-in-progress…

These are all made from old fabrics I’ve had for years, frantically stash-busting after the unprecedented step of putting all my various fabric hoards together in one place for the first time:

As Mr B said when he saw it, I can’t tell if it’s better or worse than I’d expected. But at least now it’s a known entity - though I’m bound to end up buying some new fabric at…

(2) the awesome meet-up being organised by House of Pinheiro: the V&A, handmade outfits, fabric shopping, swapping, and food. Perfect. And I’m so looking forward to re-meeting some fabulous bloggers. But I’ll look a little different to last time because…

(3) Like Zoe, I have had to put aside my original sewing plans for the last few months (miniskirts, princess-seamed dresses) and look into a whole new range of patterns: maternity clothes.

Source: megannielsen.com via Amy on Pinterest

Yes, one of the pregnancies I alluded to in my last post is mine! I’m coming up for halfway through, and finally feel up to regularly sewing and blogging again, rather than just lying on the sofa watching E4 re-runs.

(4) Talking of Zoe, I’m looking forward to Me-Made-May ’13 even though my pledge means I need to get on with lots of maternity sewing in the next few weeks because: ’I endeavour to wear 30 different handmade or refashioned garments over the course of May 2013.’ I set myself a slightly different challenge from last year, because I realise I ended up hitting the same garments pretty hard (ahem, pyjamas) to count as my ‘one item per day’. This time round, I’ll only count each handmade item once, but there’s some flexibility as I’m not tied to a daily quota.

Also round here, (5) I’m feeling it’s time to make this blog a little more exciting, and I’m using some of that sofa-time to ponder style and navigational changes. Please watch this space…

(6) …and if you’ve been watching this space through Google ‘days-are-numbered’ Reader, then why not Follow my blog with Bloglovin.

See you all soon – maybe in real life on the meet -up! – happy sewing x

Births and birthdays

Posted on March 20, 2013 by Amy

Sewing and making things for other people means… a big sewing gap for myself. I’m not moaning – of course I could buy all the gifts and devote my teeny-tiny creative opportunities completely to my own wardrobe – but I do like that little buzz from giving an individual homemade present.

And as there seems to be a baby boom this year among my family and friends (six announced for 2013 so far), I’ll be making lots of small person thingummys like this:

I used this tutorial for the second time for baby number 1, realising I have no idea how big a baby’s head roughly is. Big as my fist? Bigger? Hope it fits, baby Lara!

baby girl hat 1

To vary things up, I’ll be digging this pattern out and making some more of these cute-as-a-boot shoes. Perhaps even for the sibling of the baby (now toddler) that I made these shoes for:

In more advanced birthday news, Mr B turned 30 recently, and while this was not the year I finally got round to making him a shirt, I did russle up what I think is a pretty cool cake:

awesome cake 1

…with all of his favourite things

awesome cake 3

in Lego!

Happy birthday Mr B!

Progress and results

Posted on February 19, 2013 by Amy

Because some sewing does still get done around here from time to time:

Patchwork-in-progress: Tasia’s recent quilting post reminded me to dig these out and at least think about finishing them off…

…but for something more decisive, the results of my Sew Grateful giveaway are in!

Giveaway Feb 13

The Socks book goes to Nessa, who said:

“I’d love to try socks – it’s something I’ve always avoided – I think it’s the heel turns!”

Hope you enjoy it, Nessa!

Restyled dress to peplum top

Posted on February 17, 2013 by Amy

This dress came from last summer’s House of Fraser sale for £11 – I bought it for the zingy blue and the nice thick knit fabric. But I didn’t like: Restyled dress So restyle choice number 1: to stick with the dress and lengthen it with a contrasting panel of fabric; or go even shorter and turn it into a top? Meandering across this pin speeded up the decision-making:

Source: minimestyle.com via Amy on Pinterest

A peplum! Perfect: once I’d removed the skirt and unpicked the original pleats, I had loads of fabric to play with. I shortened it (keeping the hem intact), improvised some new pleats, and ended up with this:

Peplum top

The neckline created restyle question number 2 – I had that cake/frosting dilemma kicking around at the back of my mind. Should I keep it blue and basic for easy co-ordinating? Or frost it up a little with some stripes… yeah!

Peplum top neckline

For a moment, I was worried I’d gone a bit too Dr Seuss with it, but I think I’ve got in in perspective now. You can’t beat mixing bright blue with a little red, can you? Outfit-wise, I’ve played it safe with jeans so far, but I’d like to have a go with a pencil skirt a la that pinspiration outfit…

Peplums: love em or hate em? How do you wear yours?

Sew Grateful Week 2013

Posted on February 10, 2013 by Amy

I’ve enjoyed following Debi’s fabulous Sew Grateful week again this year - while being constantly thwarted in finding time to blog about it. So at last, on the tail-end of Sunday evening: a giveaway and a project! (And I know it should be something Sew Grateful, but I hope you’ll forgive a rather woolly contribution?)

As usual here at Diana & Me, I’m giving away a book:

You’d think the title is pretty self-explanatory, but there are also quite a few slipper patterns and a big section on baby booties: 30 different projects altogether plus a techniques section. This was a thoughtful gift from my mother-in-law last year, with one problem – I don’t knit. My grandmothers taught me as a joint effort (competition?) and I can still basically stocking-stitch, but… nah. (On the other hand, if this book was about crocheting socks, I’d have been all over it by now.) Any knitters out there interested? Leave a comment and I’ll announce the winner on Monday 18th February.

As for the project, well I’m still firmly in crochet mode:

I followed two free tutorials, one from Family Bugs Blogging for the basic hat and one for the bow-like detail at Vallieskids. Doesn’t the sparkly hairclip just finish it off? I’m thinking of trying a chunky black version with a dramatic brooch for a more grown-up look…

Happy Sew Grateful week! And thanks Debi!

Quick(ish) crochet

Posted on February 2, 2013 by Amy

I really am working on sewing projects at the moment, but on the slowest possible setting short of ‘stop’. I started a miniskirt before Christmas made from one single piece of fabric (plus pockets and a waistband), which is progressing at roughly the rate of one seam/dart a fortnight. I’m not sure what’s happened overall, but recently a rather migraneous week has put paid to a pounding sewing machine or the intense concentration of pattern drafting and cutting.

Somehow crochet still works, with the dual advantages that: this granny square sunburst pattern is now autopilot for my fingers; and I can do it while watching E4 re-runs of The Big Bang Theory and How I Met Your Mother from the sofa.

I started the above blanket about 15 months ago, and haven’t touched it in the last 9. To be honest, the only reason I’m working on it at all is that I saw this beauty on Pinterest:

Source: craftster.org via Amy on Pinterest

No way am I allowing myself to have two unfinished crochet blankets on the go, so the old must be finished before I may even contemplate yarn for the new. Is it a bit odd that I can only complete old projects by dangling the reward of… yet another project?

Still, it’s going together quite nicely, I think. My rigid assembly rules have turned it into a sort of sudoku puzzle (no horizontally or vertically touching squares can have the same colour in the same position, i.e. two green centres or two yellow outer circles.) Though actually – I think I can admit it here - that makes it really rather fun.