Category: charlie brown

Autumn wrap – New Look 6149

~ velosews ~ 18 Comments

In anticipation of the cool weather, I have been considering New Look’s 6149. Today’s Mothers Day (Happy Mothers Day to you all) and it’s warm weather.

With the green print mesh I made this simple ‘as you please’ wrap top with long sleeves.

The first iteration was a bit short and the hem flipped up, so I undid the hem and cut the lining back so it now sits flat. It’s now in the charity pile – finished and ready for someone else to wear.

So I tried it again with 
– a bit more length (5cm)
– a larger front piece
– clear elastic along the front neckline seam.


This version was sewn on sewing machine. The cover stitch machine didn’t like the light weight knit I used.

The sizing of this version worked just fine and I’ll wear this with my Silhouette Patterns cargoes.

This third version uses a Charlie Brown remnant from Pitt Trading to go with my Minerva black jeans.

This has become a great autumn wrap top.

Here’s what the original print looked like.
This remnant has taken me a long to figure out how to use it on me and it’s now a fun top to wear. Petites can wear large prints.
Front wrap

 

Side view with sleeve joins matching

The back view
Now to move onto the raglan V-neck version of this pattern.

Remnants – my case ‘Your Honour’

~ velosews ~ 23 Comments

Why are remnant fabrics my weakness? Maybe it’s because they’re a challenge. Finding a pattern to suit the amount of fabric I’ve found is a challenge.

Vogue 8815 test using Cue remnants from Pitt Trading

Do remnant fabrics ignite my passion for puzzle solving? Should I see a shrink about trawling for fabric especially when the sign on the basket says ‘designer remnants’?

Original Charlie Brown remnant fabric from Pitt Trading

The case in my defence remains, remnants are a low risk purchase to test a future pattern. Making a pattern fit usually means testing it out. Using calico to test a pattern for knit fabric or stretch wovens doesn’t work.

This Charlie Brown abstract knit looked too big for a shortie like me, but I tried to used the main print where it made sense. I bought this fabric at Pitt Trading a few years ago.

See where the longest part of the print is? I’ve used New Look 6149 for this top.

And I’ve kept the front ‘clean’ at the waist. I love my Minerva black jeans.

Below is the second knit remnant I bought ages ago at Pitt Trading. Both prints were from Charlie Brown. The main buying guide I used was to choose strong colours for possible wearable toiles and at the time of purchase, I hadn’t made the purple skinny jeans below.

Test #1: This top above was my attempt at recreating a RTW top. The shaping didn’t come out as planned. The neckline gaped so I added knit lace so the neckline and armholes sat properly. This print gave me a practice at matching the print at the side seam and balancing it on me.
Test 2: New Look 6940 was tested using this fabric. Again, testing it with this fabric confirmed the fit and I got to play with print placement.

And the Bomber jacket above was made using an Ikea remnant. This jacket is a keeper.

Test 3: I used this remnant again to test the bodice for the PR Winter dress. I wasn’t sure about the neckline or shoulder fit. I was also curious about the waistline.  

So once I put this top together, I had just enough fabric left to put a band at the base of the top.

I rest my case ‘Your Honour’. 

Have a lovely Easter break everyone.

New top. New look 6940

~ velosews ~ 18 Comments
This cute top was the second time I made up with the pattern to go with my Raven shorts.
This is the test version using a Charlie Brown remnant knit from Pitt Trading.

I love how this knit has is a bold print in dark colours. A sense of the dramatic maybe. I have a few more pieces to work with 🙂

I wore this test top for a day and realised the shoulder seams were too short. So a slight shoulder seam adjustment and my usual sway back adjustment is all I had to do to make this top work.
On both of these necklines, I’ve increased the shoulder seams and made the front and back necklines narrower.
The neckline sits better and there’s no neckline gaping. That makes me happy.
Yes I did shorten the length of this top. And I lined the bodice with a mystery white knit fabric.
You can see the sleeve gather detailing better below.
My coverstitch machine found this fabric a bit too thin so I’ll have to buy some tear away stabiliser to make sure the stitching catches.

I used ‘steam a seam’ to stabilise the neckline of the test version. The hems are simply turned under once and sewn.

This is one wearable toile I’ll be wearing a bit longer.

Yalta by Lena Merrin

~ velosews ~ 16 Comments
In early January Lena Merrin  of the sewing space sent out a request for 10 pattern testers. I registered and joined 9 other sewers to test her new pattern – Yalta ladies pattern by Lena Merrin Patterns.
While the Jungle January safari continues,
I hunted through my fabric stash and struck down a Charlie Brown remnant piece I bought at Pitt Trading and made this version. Meryl Streep (out of Africa) wasn’t a real fabric hunter but I am.
While Lena’s pattern is designed for knits, the grainline goes across the body, so I caught another chiffon print and made a woven jungle version. My curiousity said, why not try it? It’s only fabric.

I love this style because it’s comfortable in our stinking hot summer weather.
I’ve never used a downloadable pdf pattern so here’s what my pattern pieces look like.

So I shortened the length and took 1.5cm off the shoulder seam. I cut and sewed this blue version in 2 hours. Here’s Mum’s larger version but still the same length I’ve made for her birthday. I also want to make a skirt for her too.

Warning: Jungle January is addictive. More jungle pieces are building a health safari collection. I just love the Meryl Streep reference Anne.
PS: I’ve posted more trench coat references on the right hand column.