Liberty Sophia Top

This pattern was a free gift with Love Sewing magazine a couple of issues back (Issue 19 to be precise). I'm dreadful at utilising free patterns from sewing magazines, but this one caught my eye - I liked the shape and it looked like it would work as a smart top to wear with jeans.

The top is a simple design, just front and back pieces cut on the fold with cap sleeves - it looked like it would be a speedy sew. In fairness, the actual sewing of the top didn't take long at all, it was the fitting that seemed to take thousands of years. I lengthened the front and back pieces by 5" as it's more of a cropped style in its original incarnation. Size wise I cut a size 14 at the bust and a size 10 everywhere else. My first muslin (yes, there were more than one!) showed that the front and back necklines were quite baggy and there was a lot of gaping at the armholes, I removed ⅝"from the front neckline and ⅜" from the back neckline which solved the neckline issue but the gaping armholes weren't so easy to remedy.

I tried to make a dart pivot adjustment (explained very clearly here) but just couldn't get it to work. I even cut a size smaller at the bust to see if that made any difference but if anything it seemed to accentuate the problem! In the end I added two armhole darts - not my finest fitting hour, but by this point I was past caring. They blend right into the fabric anyway and you hardly notice them. I got there in the end and I now have a sweet little going-out top, but crikey, what a rigmarole.

Onto the fabric… Will from Abakhan contacted me this week asking if I'd like to make something from one of the new Liberty Lawns they've just started stocking. Liberty Tana Lawn is my absolute favourite fabric to work with, so I gladly accepted his offer. The one I eventually settled on was a bit of a surprising choice for me - A Boy Dreams in green, designed by Graham Coxon from Blur for the Liberty Rocks collection. At first glance it looks like a plain, dark green fabric, but get a bit closer...  look, little kissing faces!

It's very plain and you wouldn't really know it was Liberty fabric unless you were in the know. I do like it though, and as is always the case with me, a plain top provides a perfect backdrop for a big, mad necklace!

...and accompanying big, mad face

The Graham Coxon print seems to have already sold out, but it's still worth hot footing it over to Abakhan to take a peek at the other Tana Lawn Prints in stock. They're currently half price (usual price £22.50), which is the bargain of the century!  Better hurry though, once they're gone, they're gone! Have a great weekend. x


Fabric was given to me free of charge to review. All views my own. 

Swedish Tracing Paper - review and discount

Let's talk about Swedish Tracing Paper! I've heard lots about it but never actually worked with it, so when I was asked if I'd like to review it recently, I was keen as mustard! I know lots of sewists trace patterns as standard to preserve the original, but I'm not one of them. If I'm really not sure of the fit then yes, I'll trace it, but if I can avoid doing so, I will. Which is why I've only just got round to trying it out (it was sent to me in September…)

The company who produce it in the UK - The Swedish Tracing Paper Shop - describe it as 'a soft and translucent paper, resistant to tear but easy to see through, making it ideal for copying the detail from existing patterns.' It's also described as being suitable for making toiles as it's relatively strong and can be sewn. I needed to blend a pattern between sizes and make a toile, so thought I'd put it to the test for both uses.

The appearance of Swedish Tracing Paper is a bit like interfacing, but because it's a paper rather than a fabric its texture is stiffer. It's very easy to draw on and mark with pencil and I could see through it perfectly to trace my pattern.

Even though it comes on a roll, it still lies nice and flat. The pattern I was tracing was a relatively simple design, so I didn't even bother with pattern weights. You might need to weigh it down though if you were tracing a pattern with lots of markings or darts on it.

Later that day I traced a second version of the bodice piece and made a couple of adjustments at the neck and bust. There was a fair bit of sellotape involved and the Swedish Tracing Paper didn't tear once. Impressive!

When I came to sew the pattern pieces together to make my toile, I found its paperiness was a disadvantage. It doesn't have the drape of a fabric (or even an interfacing) so crumpled like mad during its stint at the sewing machine. Here's what it looked like after I'd sewn the front and back together.

It presses well though, I used a low setting on my iron and the creases came out immediately.

The material is strong enough to take stitches, but because it's paper there's absolutely no give. I noticed this particularly when I tried the toile on. The pattern I used wasn't an especially fitted design, but I found it impossible to get it over my head without ripping it. The lack of drape wasn't helpful in determining the fit either. I don't think it's similar enough to fabric to give a true idea of how a finished garment would look.

My toile -  after it was tried on

My conclusion is that for tracing pattern pieces Swedish Tracing Paper is excellent. It has good transparency, lies flat, is easy to draw on and easy to apply tape to - I'm a convert! As a material for making a toile with, not so impressive  - I probably won't use it for that purpose again.  I'm glad I put it to the test though!

If you fancy trying Swedish Tracing Paper out for yourself, you can claim 10% off by using the code JANE here. Happy Sunday! x


A roll of Swedish Tracing Paper was given to me free of charge for review. All views my own. 

Faux Fur Scarf Tutorial

For instant warmth and chic, you can't go wrong with a faux fur scarf. They immediately add glamour to an outfit and they keep your neck warm at the same time! They're also super easy to make, so today I've put together a quick tutorial. 

The majority of faux fur scarves in the shops are black or brown, but I decided to go for a silvery grey, with a royal blue satin lining, just to be different. The fur is a lovely neutral shade and will go with everything. Both fabrics are from Weaver Dee, who stock a great selection of colours for each type of fabric (faux fur here and satin here). 

Before we start I should point out two things I discovered whilst working with faux fur.

1. Once you cut it, faux fur goes everywhere, so have a dustpan and brush handy to keep all that fur and fluff under control.

2. The combination of faux fur and satin is hellish in terms of shifting around. I'd highly recommend a walking foot if you have one and use lots and lots of pins! 

Faux Fur Scarf Tutorial

You will need:

½ metre faux fur

½ metre satin for lining

1. Cut two rectangles, one from the faux fur and one from the satin, each measuring 10" wide x 59" long. I based this measurement on the full width of the satin.

2.  Pin the rectangles right sides together. Don't forget to use lots of pins to stop the fabrics shifting.

3. Using a ½" seam allowance, sew all the way round each side, leaving a turning gap of about 6" along one short edge.  

4. Snip the corners diagonally and trim down the seam allowances of the fur by half to reduce bulk.  Your scarf will be looking a bit of a mess at this point, with fur everywhere, but have faith!

5. Turn the scarf the right way round through the turning gap. Poke the corners out gently using the end of a paintbrush or similar.

6. Press carefully using a low heat setting and a pressing cloth if needed. Make sure the seam allowance in the turning gap is pressed under too. 

7. Hand sew the turning gap closed.

Ta-da, you've made a gorgeous faux fur scarf!

I think these scarves would make wonderful Christmas gifts. The satin and faux fur gives them a luxurious feel and there's no tricky fitting - one size fits all!

I hope this tutorial is useful and if anything doesn't make sense, please shout! If you do make your own scarf, I'd love it if you sent me a link. Happy sewing!  x

The fabrics for this tutorial were kindly provided by Weaver Dee

Quilt plans

Despite having made three quilts (here, here and here), I still haven't exactly been bitten by the quilting bug. All three quilts were gifts for family members, so maybe it's because I'm always one step removed from the finished product? I'm not sure. Whatever the reasons, I've decided to give quilt making another go, but this time, the quilt will be for ME!  Call me an old lady, but I like nothing better than to be wrapped in a blanket whilst watching TV or reading on the sofa. The blanket I currently use is a ratty old fleece specimen, so a replacement in the form of a quilt is long overdue. It can serve double duty by brightening up the end of my bed during the day too. 

Colour-wise, I've been inspired by this beautiful baby quilt by Crafty Blossom. 

A Quilt for Harry by Crafty Blossom

Mustard and grey are two colours that crop up quite a lot in my bedroom furnishings. They feature in this print by Eloise Renouf...

...and in the fabric that covers this chair

My bedroom walls are painted cream and green/blue so I'll be picking out both of these colours too. The fabrics I've chosen are all from M is for Make, with the exception of the Hemingway grid print (RHS in the second picture) which is left over from my 1950's shoulder tie dress. 

As I'm a beginner, my previous quilts have all used the simplest of designs. So this time round, instead of using all squares, I'm going to be using…. rectangles and squares, talk about edgy! For the design, I'll be using the Strawberry Fields Bricks Pattern by Amy Smart for Moda, which seems relatively idiot proof. And because I can't bear the thought of cutting up countless plain, cream squares for the lighter accents, I'll use these pre-cut squares. It may not be strictly ballroom, but do I care? Nope. 

I'm making slow progress so far. I've almost cut out all of the rectangles and I'm hoping I'll soon be able to play with the patchwork pieces on the floor to make a pattern, which is probably my favourite bit! If I get my finger out, I may get this finished by Christmas, as long as there aren't too many party dresses clamouring for my attention in the meantime. The fact that I've outlined my plans on the blog will certainly give me a bit of a kick up the arse anyway.  Anybody else have any mad quilt plans? x

Walkley in stripes

Behold my latest stripey top, made from the Walkley pattern from Wendy Ward's MIY Collection.

I have to be honest, some of the MIY Collection patterns are a little too unstructured for my taste, but this one caught my eye after seeing Scruffy Badger's deliberately mismatched striped version. I'm not edgy enough to go for mismatched stripes myself, but I liked the fact that the top looked both contemporary and smart, so into the basket it went. 

The Walkley is a very simple pattern for a sleeveless vest or dress. The PDF version tiles together using just eight sheets of A4. And if, like me, you don't go down the different fabrics/colour blocking route, there's only one front and one back piece to cut out, yay! The only thing I was wary of was the boat neck. I can't tolerate very high necks and this one looked a bit borderline. I always seem to end up with gaping too, especially if the boat neck is very wide. I compared the pattern piece to other boat necked patterns I own and it did seem wide, so I removed a 1" wedge from the neckline using this tutorial. That was the only adjustment I made.

The pattern comes in three sizes depending on your bust measurement. My measurements corresponded with the middle size, but I cut the smallest size as I wanted a closer fit. The style is supposed to skim, not be skin tight. The finished vest is quite fitted, but that's the result I was after and I'm pleased. If I was using a lighter, more clingy fabric, or making the dress version, then I'd definitely cut a larger size!

Constructing the top couldn't have been easier, not surprising really as the front and back are cut from the same piece. I sewed the whole thing on my regular sewing machine for a change. I used a jersey needle and sewed the shoulder seams and side seams with a tricot stitch, which is one of the stretch stitch options on my machine. I only discovered this stitch recently when I was looking through my instruction manual for something else and it's great! It has lots of stretch but is very strong. The only downside is that it takes ages to sew. The neckline, armholes and hem were turned under and hemmed with a double needle. These areas are all drafted with additional shaping so that they lie flat when folded, which I thought was a nice touch. 

Part of the general pattern instructions is a Working with Knit Fabrics section which gives some useful tips, including stabilising shoulder seams with tape. A tiny gripe, but I would have preferred this tip to have been in the step-by-step instructions instead - it's the sort of thing that can easily be overlooked in a general section. There was also no instruction to stay stitch or stabilise the neckline, which I think is especially important for a wide boat neck. Having suffered from baggy necklines in the past I wasn't taking any chances and zig-zagged standard stay tape to my neckline, about 1cm from the edge. This, coupled with the wedge I removed from the pattern piece definitely made the neckline feel more stable. Apart from these two points, I found the instructions were well explained with clear illustrations.

The fabric I used was a Kitt waffle knit from Fabric Godmother, which tragically they seem to have sold out of since I bought it. It's a lovely ponte de roma knit with an unusual waffle texture on the right side and a soft, fleecy texture on the inside. It has a decent amount of stretch but is still quite a stable knit - there was no rippling on the hems. I think it works particularly well with this pattern.

I'm pleasantly surprised how much I like the Walkley vest! Although it's simple, it feels like a cut above lots of my other striped tops (of which there are many). I'll almost certainly be making other versions, especially as it's so quick to put together. Happy Tuesday! x