Friday 29 January 2010
My overlocker should be home safe and sound next week, I can't believe how much I miss it! I'm practically paralysed in my sewing without it, but I have got a whole slew of projects lined up waiting for the seams to be tidied up before I finish them. The bad news is that although I can pick it up on Monday, that's my first day back at work in 14 months so I don't think my boss will be too happy if I nick off early just to pick it up! Guess I'll pick it up on Thursday which is my day off....

In the meantime though I've finished the top that actually broke my overlocker, or was the final straw in any event because it seems my overlocker has been broken for a while and I've just been ignoring the really bad tension. Luckily I had overlocked all the edges of the pieces in white thread before I changed the thread colour and things came to a shuddering halt.

I seem to have a thing for blouses with frills at the moment, which is so opposite to my usual minimalist simple style. I made this blouse from Burda 8/09 pattern 117:


So simple, basically just a few rectangles joined together with a big flounce down the front. This is my version:

I made it exactly to the pattern since it's meant to be loose fitting so it didn't need any pattern changes. I've made it from a lightweight wool in cream (super 120s made in Italy according to the selvedge), bought from a garage sale last year. I wanted to do a rolled hem in black thread on the edge of the frill but that caused my overlocker to go beserk, so instead I did a narrow rolled hem and then topstitched it in black thread using a decorative stitch on my machine. Luckily the back and front look the same because the way the frill sits you can see the underside:

I also did a few lines of shirring in black stitch to cinch it in evenly around the waistline, and also as a feature because that big expanse of white was a bit too much for me. My shirring however is pretty bad, with crooked lines and bad tension so it didn't gather as much as I'd like, but unpicking shirring elastic is really painful so it's gonna stay! I did however only do a few lines of shirring so that I could still wear a belt over the top if I want:

I can also tuck the top in, and if I wear it with a high waisted skirt it covers the shirring lines too! The bonus is that I never wear this skirt (an Adam Bennett wool pencil skirt bought from an op shop) because it is an orphan and I'm a bit matchy matchy in terms of jackets and skirts when it comes to office wear, but I think this look could even work for a night out:

Thanks for all your loving re: my fabric stash - it makes my heart sing every time to see it so I'm happy to share the love! I don't know if I've mention this before, but I work in town planning (also known as environmental or city planning), so I always think in a very spatially organised way. Plus I'm a little bit obsessive, you should see my pantry. My dymo label maker is almost as beloved as my sewing machines....

Tracy - what a brilliant idea to use clear plastic sheeting over the shelves, I had been thinking of using some Ikea fabric I bought originally for the lounge room curtains but this might be better. Michelle - those shelves are screwed into the walls to make sure they don't rock and tilt, but I'm hearing you on the uneven walls and floors - our house certainly has it's fair share of those. Levanah - if I'm buying fabric fabric with no particular project in mind I'll buy at least 5m if it's suiting fabric so I can get a skirt + jacket and sometimes pants out of it, and at least 2m to 3m of other fabric depending on price which is enough to get a dress or pants from. And Vicki - you're a wicked, wicked woman!

Verobirdie - Anna does have a tinge of red in her hair, which is very surprising indeed because I thought that her dad' black chinese hair would be dominant. Especially since red hair is not common in my family, my brother and sister and I being the only ones out of a gazillion cousins to have red hair and even my parents don't have it. I should have listened better in high school biology.

Teresa aka Marie Sews, what a great perspective to compare UFOs to completed items because I've definately finished more than what's in that box. Now I don't feel so bad at all! Marie-Christine, I agree with you completely that there is a good chance that old UFOs are unlikely to be in my current style, but to clarify I did a huge edit and chucked out at least half of my UFOs before putting them in that box. So that box is full of things I think I'll still like when I finish them. I guess I either had really good taste all those years ago when I started those UFOs, or I'm stuck in a rut..... But my best example is this simple white dress I posted about here, which was my oldest UFO (12 years) but is now worn frequently:

Happy weekend everyone, I'm going to try and cherish my last few days of freedom! I suppose I shouldn't be so melodramatic since I'm only going to be working 3 days a week....

25 comments:

  1. Good luck on your first week back to work... I remember when I went back to work, and I was SOOO nervous, but now I'm so glad I did... You'll be great!!

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  2. Wonderful new blouse. Good luck with work.

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  3. Great interpretation of the blouse and love the decorative stitching.

    Good luck next week, Thursday will be around soon enough.

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  4. The blouse looks great with the skirt. This blouse is also on my list, but right now it is far too cold for that :-)
    Your 12 yo UFO is great too, and I love the shoes you wear with it. Oh, oh, if I could find some ...

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  5. That is the prettiest version of that top that I've seen. I love how you embellished the edges.

    Good luck with work! You'll do great.

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  6. Do enjoy those last few days because "only" 3 days of work a week will seem like a lot as you juggle Anna, husband, work, and the rest of life. Didn't that time off just fly by? Watch out 'cause it only goes faster as you get older. I do not know how my youngest got to be 14 when I am a mere youngster myself! Love reading your blog and seeing what you create. Thanks for sharing.

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  7. lol..you're funny!
    Enjoy the weekend. My poor Sofie went back to school today - she is not a happy camper! I am sure she would sympathise with you :)
    BTW, very nice version of that top. The black stitching really ties it in with the skirt. See, I am a matchy matchy person too. And that is a GOOD thing :)

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  8. That is a super gorgeous blouse.

    I love your new haircut, too.

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  9. Love that blouse!! I'd been wanting to make it, but couldn't get over the boxiness of it, which you totally fixed! I also really like the contrast hem on the flounce. Very nice!

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  10. Nice blouse. You look very good.

    Good Luck at work. It was nice to have grown up conversations when I went back.

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  11. This top is adorable! Love the black and white contrast! Well done!

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  12. I LOVE that bouse!!! That has been on my list to make for awhile. I really love the decorative stitching on the edge of the flounce.

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  13. Cute top! I love the shirring and the edgestitching on the flounce!

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  14. Great blouse...
    Hmmm, I'm a jacket person... I would think that you could find a plaid or print of some sort that could tie in all sorts of stuff... thus making it matchy too!
    Enjoy the weekend!

    My youngest grandson is now walking too! He will be 18 months soon... so now DD is going to be chasing after all 3 of them! LoL... she was concerned about exercise... don't see that as a concern any longer!

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  15. Kristy we really have to do some sewing together soon. We seem to like the same patterns. I traced off this pattern last week, but haven't cut yet.

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  16. What a great version of the blouse and I love, love, love the decorative stitch on the edge of the ruffle! It lifts it from the normal to the extraordinary...and heels are those heels I spy! The black and white heels are perfect with the white/black dress!

    And please you are not going back to work yet...3 days a week...that means you are still home more than you are at work! ;)

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  17. Just GORGEOUS!!! I love your version of this blouse!

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  18. I really like the black decorative stitching you did on the flounce. It's just terrific. The blouse looks great on you.

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  19. the blouse is beautiful-I also just got my serger back from the repair-hell without it isn't it?

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  20. So, how was your first day back at work? Hope it was a good day!
    So.... did you miss the little one, or just feel glad that she had a good time at day care?

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  21. Hope to finish my version of this blouse in purple cotton voile today to wear to my niece's christening. Love the top stitching on your version.
    And that wall....(sigh!)

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  22. You look fabulous and it's funny how machine issues always make things work out and sometimes even better! I wish I looked half as good as you do after I had my daughter. Awesome pattern.

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  23. That is sooooo nice! I'd love something like that to wear to work. Very nice. (P.S. I'm so jealous of your fabric stash!!) :)

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