Yes peops! FINALLY the sewing famine has ended. Elliott started back at school on Monday and I was back in my sewing room like a rat up a drainpipe as soon as I’d dropped him off. So today I have 2 finished projects to share with you. A pair of jeans that I thrifted for £2 and refashioned from full length bootcut to cropped skinnies (see here for how); AND this pleat front tunic that has been rattling around in my head as an idea for weeks…..
I used this vintage pattern as a starting point and then set to work adapting it to fit my design. I fitted the bodice much more closely (seriously the ease on this pattern was ridiculous!), added bust darts and then sliced the pattern up a bit so I could insert the pleated panel……I opted for a more simple, ungathered skirt portion. I’ve dropped from a size 14/16 to a size 12 (Yay! Yes, you may congratulate me 😉 in the past few weeks, and I didn’t want a heavily gathered skirt adding volume to my newly trimmed down frame!! I think the simplicity of the lines works really well………
I’m putting together some diagrams of the drafting process for later in the week. It’s super easy and I will definately be using the technique again to add some detail and interest to plainer fabrics and garment styles..
There’s a bit of a funny story attached to this make. I wore this outfit on Tuesday to a meeting I had in London to do with the…shhhh…..TV thing…..;)
I had been in a rush to make this tunic the day before and in my haste had neglected to finish the armhole seams securely enough. (I don’t have an overlocker so opted for a simple zig zag seam finish). Well….act in haste repent at leisure! Turns out this fabric (a lightweight wool blogged here) is a b****rd for fraying. Half an hour before my meeting I realised that it had frayed right through my flimsy seam finish and there was a messy and rather obvious hole in one of the underarm seams! I spent the whole meeting with my right arm glued to my side and trying to only move it from the elbow down so as not to expose my slapdashery!
So I shall have to put my thinking cap on as to how to try and rescue this make. I rather like it and it would be a shame to see it consigned to the scrapheap after just one outing!!
