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Poll

Vote for the winner of the Having the Blues contest - everybody has 3 votes

#1 Bodgeitandscarper's 1st entry
9 (5.1%)
#2 Stitches' entry
5 (2.9%)
#3 Efemera's 1st entry
37 (21.1%)
#4 Efemera's 2nd entry
16 (9.1%)
#5 Efemera's 3rd entry
3 (1.7%)
#6 WildAtlanticWays' entry
5 (2.9%)
#7 Toileandtrouble's 1st entry
0 (0%)
#8 Bodgeitandscarper's 2nd entry
1 (0.6%)
#9 SewRuthieSew's entry
2 (1.1%)
#10 Ploshkin's entry
34 (19.4%)
#11 Sewingforfun's entry
33 (18.9%)
#12 Indigotiger's entry
29 (16.6%)
#13 Toileandtrouble’s 2nd entry
1 (0.6%)

Total Members Voted: 61

Voting closed: August 14, 2019, 08:36:34 AM

Having the Blues contest - voting thread

Manuela

Having the Blues contest - voting thread
« on: July 05, 2019, 13:38:47 PM »
#1 Bodgeitandscarper's 1st entry

I used Butterick 6101.

On the pattern, there is a sort of overlap/flap at the bottom strip, but I've omitted that as the fabrics's pattern wouldn't really show it anyway. 
The fabric has been marinating in my stash for a year or so, another one of those "too nice to waste, dunno what to make" pieces.  It has a border print along the selvedges, so I made use of that for the bottom edge pieces and the collar, although deciding how to use a straight border print for a curved section was interesting.

Apart from having to unpick, re-cut and then sew on the right way up one of those bottom border bits, it went together quite well.  I did as much as I could on the overlocker, but some fiddly bits on the sewing machine.

Next time I have a lovely patterned fabric, please remind me that it only needs a simple design...

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#2 Stitches’ entry

I have made a tunic based on Angel Wolf's Linda

Fabric is a jersey I got from the market
self-drafted princess seam

Have used my pattern before altered neck to make it in to a tunic  it went together really well

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#3 Efemera‘s 1st entry

This is my entry for the Blue contest.
The pattern is from Ottobre magazine Winter 2012
I changed the plain single piece bodice to a two piece button up.
The fabric is in between a lawn and a voile, it’s cotton. I made deep hems, 3” on the sleeves and 5” on the hem. This gives it some weight. It’s to be worn over skinny cropped jeans.

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#4 Efemera’s 2nd entry

This is my second entry.
It’s Simplicity 8641, made from a duvet cover. It’s a lovely soft washed denim.
I didn’t made any changes apart from cutting an 18 top and 22 bottom.
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#5 Efemera’s 3rd entry

This is my third entry (just squeezed it in before hollibobs )
The pattern is The Juniper Cardigan from Jennifer Lauren
https://jenniferlaurenhandmade.store/product/the-juniper-cardigan/
It’s the sort version with 3/4 sleeves


The fabric is a piece of crepy knit from  Immanuel
This was meant to be a toile but it turned out OK.

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#6 WildAtlanticWays’ entry

Here’s my entry. 

The first finished garment that I’ve made that actually fits. I’m so chuffed.  :D

What did you make and what material did you use?

Style Arc Estelle coatigan

I used a blue and white Ponte Roma knit fabric (another first)

A short description on how you made it/problems overcome/etc.

It has pockets in the side seam and I love anything with pockets. The sleeves went in really easily even though I was convinced they’d look uneven. I also did my first flat felled seam.
 After wearing and washing, I overlocked some of the seams as the edges looked a bit frayed.

....Yes, I have blue hair  :P

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#7 Toileandtrouble’s entry

Short sleeve shirt from KwikSew 3484.
Piece of shirting from stash.  Polycotton, although I would have preferred a pure cotton, but really testing the pattern for some pure linen I just bought, so really a wearable toile.
 Only alterations were  to shorten the body 1" and stitch up the hems deeper than they said. I wasn't sure the pressed up hem would stay in place with just an edge stitching. (Oh, and customised it with the tiniest drop of oil, but that might be lost in the first wash).  I think next one I will use a size smaller and do a broad chest alteration, maybe do turn-ups instead of a hem on the sleeves, and narrow the collar slightly.  [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]  




#8 Bodgeitandscarper's 2nd entry

Simplicity 8387

Another jersey and georgette top, this being the one I was intending to make first.  This time I've made the front bodice a bit longer, so the gathers of the skirt section sit under my boobies, looks much better from the side.

There may be a bit of a mistake, actually quite a big mistake, but if you don't know, you won't know!!
I put the back skirt section on the front bodice, and vice versa, so there is a seam down the centre front of the skirt.
Georgette is an absolute bu**er to work with isn't it?  I don't expect for one moment that hem is anywhere near level...

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#9 SewRuthieSews entry

I sewed set of 4 pieces which can be mixed and matched as summer loungewear (ie PJs!)

Far left - New Look 6216 trousers from some duck egg blue cotton sheeting. These are made as per the pattern, except I have added a working elastic/drawstring waist, so the waist is truly adjustable. (The pattern has a full elastic waist and a non functional tie sewn on)
Second from left - Floral top using the pattern from Prima July 2019.
Second from right - Floral culottes, using New Look 6216 as a starting point, but cropped with added width and no pockets.
Far right - Floral top from Simplicity 4276, lower bodice cut slightly larger on cross grain (instead of on the bias) to fit onto fabric scraps.

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#10 Ploshkin’s entry

I have made a Style Arc Tara top using a £5 remnant of striped Italian shirting cotton with a plain shirting cotton for the under collar and inside trims.
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I added 2 long darts to the back as there was no shaping and altered the front and sleeve band pattern pieces to be able to cut the inner halves from a different fabric.  The only fitting alteration needed was to take a bit out of the back armholes to prevent them gaping.  This is the finished top, front and back
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and the main feature which is the double collar.  That was a bit tricky to do as there were a lot of layers of fabric involved.
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#11 SewingForFun’s entry

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What did you make and what material did you use?
The Closet Case Morgan jeans (non-stretch "boyfriend" style). The main fabric is a 14oz non stretch indigo denim, the pockets and waistband lining are a printed cotton poplin, both from Raystitch in Islington. The antique gold rivets and buttons were a kit from Closet Case supplied in the class, but you can get similar online from them or on ebay.
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Pattern used (commercial or self-drafted, anything goes)
Closet Case Morgan.  I'll definitely make this pattern again. It's a really fun project, and not as hard as it looks if you follow the steps in the correct order. I don't think they look handmade, but the fit is definitely custom.

A short description on how you made it/problems overcome/etc.
 I made them (mostly) in a two day class at The New Craft House in Hackney on the 13th and 14th of July taught by Heather-Lou, the Closet Case designer, with a bit of final topstitching and hemming at home. Before the class, I made two toiles, one muslin, and a second "wearable" one, then the jeans themselves were fitted again in the class.

The pattern was true to shop size (I made, and normally wear, a 12). I scooped the crotch curve both front and back, and tinkered with the back length. We also made some adjustments to the hang of the legs. She recommended a knock-knee adjustment that I'll do next time, and I think a bit more leg tinkering is in order, but overall they fit a zillion times better than any jeans I've ever bought!

The topstitching was fiddly, and took some practice (and unpicking), but my oh my, what fun to do in a jazzy yellow on the dark navy! The wearable toile (as yet not quite finished) has bright orange on mid grey linen....  If you look carefully at the back view, you can see where I chalked a fancy set of initials onto one pocket, then decided my machine embroidery was not up to snuff. Another time.

My biggest issue was the *()&%$£ Pfaff Quilt Ambition 630 machines they have in the studio. I cannot say how much I hated this machine - it had an evil mind of its own, at one point just randomly starting to sew even though I was nowhere near the presser foot (we think I brushed the start button, which I didn't even know it had), and every time it also carried on backstitching even though I had turned off the back stitch. It also struggled with the heavy fabric, jammed constantly, etc etc etc.  :angry: :angry: The difference when I got back to my Bernina 1008 could not have been greater. It just sailed through the denim, even when there were lots of layers, and generally did just what I wanted it to do. Any craving I might have had for an electronic machine is now totally gone! :D

Oh and it's too warm to wear them! I put them on for the photo, and took them straight back off again. This is a problem I think I can live with.




#12 Indigotiger’s entry

faux-shibori popover dress

What did you make and what material did you use?[/b]
A loose lightweight summer dress suitable for the hot days of August, made from some wonderfully silky rayon broadcloth printed with faux shibori (japanese tie-dye) motifs in a very dark indigo colorway. Actual shibori is often done using indigo as a dye

Pattern used This is my TNT summer dress pattern, which I initially modified from the concept of this Nani Iro design back in 2010, mostly by adding triangular gores to increase the width and twirl-factor of the skirt, and to enlarge  I have made at least eight more over the years. A pattern that consists of primarily rectangles and triangles is easy to cut out and sew when heat makes doing anything a challenge

how you made it/problems overcome/etc
I really wanted to take advantage of the faux shibori border print fabric, so I cut the body panels along each edge to shift the motifs to a vertical arrangement, and cut the small front back gores, and the larger side gores from the remainder of the fabric. I like to stabilise the hemline and make hemming easier on these flowy dresses by adding a narrow straight grain band around the hemline, which meant that I could simply turn and stitch a hem rather than faff about with the curved edge. I had a different piece of batik rayon bias strip floating about the sewing space, and when it fell across this project, I decided to use it for the neckline binding, just for fun




#13 Toileandtrouble's 2nd entry

Toileandtrouble Entry 2

Pyjamas from Simplicity 8323 OOP pattern.
Material is M&S  wincyette  from stash.  Bought in the days when their material was made here and I could get over-runs from the market. It is the last piece, great quality. Ready for winter now!
Used the pattern as is, except to add 2" to the arms and legs because DS can't get bought ones long enough. 
Slight hiccup with the pocket, I was trying to match to the design on the jacket front but picked the wrong paisley leaf to match and only found out after I had neatly sewn on the band at the top and then had to do the whole pocket again. 
It is unusual in having a shirt hem on the jacket, but if I did it again, I think I would cut it straight. Apart from being easier to hem, I think it  would look better. 
Had it all sewn up and was sitting down to put in the elastic and sew on the buttons just before bedtime on the 31st but then got a phone call and had to make up beds for visitors,   If that is too unfinished and it is disqualified, I'm still pleased to have got it done. The elastic is just fastened together roughly, waiting to be fitted properly on its new owner.
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Had to squash the legs up a bit to get the picture.
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« Last Edit: August 07, 2019, 08:37:34 AM by Manuela »

Manuela

Re: Having the Blues contest - voting thread
« Reply #1 on: August 07, 2019, 08:40:05 AM »
Voting has started, yay  :D

BrendaP

Re: Having the Blues contest - voting thread
« Reply #2 on: August 07, 2019, 08:44:39 AM »
Another hard decision, but I have voted.
Brenda.  My machines are: Corona, a 1953 Singer 201K-3, Caroline, a 1940 Singer 201K-3, Thirza, 1949 Singer 221K, Azilia, 1957 Singer 201K-MK2 and Vera, a Husqvarna 350 SewEasy about 20 years old. Also Bernina 1150 overlocker and Elna 444 Coverstitcher.
http://paternoster.orpheusweb.co.

Bodgeitandscarper

Re: Having the Blues contest - voting thread
« Reply #3 on: August 07, 2019, 10:01:45 AM »
Having seen one of the entries "in the flesh", I wanted to give it all three votes  0_0

Pearl

Re: Having the Blues contest - voting thread
« Reply #4 on: August 07, 2019, 10:08:25 AM »
My usual criteria when voting for garments is 'what would I like to wear?'  As 90% of my wardrobe is blue, I'd wear any of these.   -<  So many beautiful garments. 

Inspired to give dressmaking another go.
« Last Edit: August 07, 2019, 10:10:52 AM by Pearl »

Lachica

Re: Having the Blues contest - voting thread
« Reply #5 on: August 07, 2019, 11:31:05 AM »
They're all lovely, beautifully finished, so difficult to choose so I went with @Pearl and chose those I'd wear myself. Congratulations to all the entrants.
Mary
2020 stash: not gonna count, not gonna feel guilty.

Vezelay

Re: Having the Blues contest - voting thread
« Reply #6 on: August 07, 2019, 14:40:15 PM »
All worthy entries so I just voted for the two that grabbed me and made me think "I wish I'd made that". Well done all.

Iminei

Re: Having the Blues contest - voting thread
« Reply #7 on: August 07, 2019, 20:47:31 PM »
you can vote for THREE @Vezelay
The Imperfect Perfectionist sews again

Kenora

Re: Having the Blues contest - voting thread
« Reply #8 on: August 07, 2019, 22:34:00 PM »
I've been over and over and over them, but have eventually chosen my three. A really hard decision - such high quality. :)
Minding my P's & Q's in Portreath

Vezelay

Re: Having the Blues contest - voting thread
« Reply #9 on: August 07, 2019, 22:35:20 PM »
you can vote for THREE @Vezelay

I know @Iminei - just couldn't decide between the rest  :)

Happymrsg

Re: Having the Blues contest - voting thread
« Reply #10 on: August 08, 2019, 21:33:45 PM »
I've voted. It wasn't easy - they're all lovely.
I love blue.
It's a shame the blue fabric I bought to make a dress for this challenge is still in a bag, uncut  :angry:

Catllar

Re: Having the Blues contest - voting thread
« Reply #11 on: August 08, 2019, 23:32:13 PM »
Voted. :drink:
If life gives you lemons, add to gin and tonic !

indigotiger

Re: Having the Blues contest - voting thread
« Reply #12 on: August 09, 2019, 04:28:01 AM »
It was a real challenge to pick out which entries to vote for... each month I am so impressed with the effort and quality of what we all are sewing! I think that all of us are winners in that respect
Read about my daily life at Acorn Cottage: Acorn Cottage Artisanry

Ohsewsimple

Re: Having the Blues contest - voting thread
« Reply #13 on: August 13, 2019, 15:16:47 PM »
Sooooo hard to choose.  Well done all.