Attempting to conquer my mountains of UFOs again

Hello - anyone still reading along? I've never been a particularly regular or prolific blogger, but I have let things slide in the past few weeks. To be honest, I've been having a bit of a blog crisis and was seriously considering ending it - I am a bit overwhelmed at the moment with life and there just isn't enough time for everything I want to do. Since I don't plan to use my blog to make money or launch an overpriced line of amateur patterns I didn't think I would miss it. And I know I'll never have a flashy blog with amazing photography in cool locations and I don't sew the uber popular indie patterns that everyone seems to go crazy over, so I'm not deluding myself that my blog is a 'must read' for anyone.

But then I remembered what I do get out of blogging - it's a way of keeping track of my projects and alterations made, and it's enabled me to make many new friends and contacts in real life who share my love of sewing. I was reminded of this last weekend when I went on a sewing retreat with my local Australian Sewing Guild - without my blog I wouldn't have met these funny and amazingly talented ladies.

I was also reminded when I sat down to finish a UFO that was started in my pre-blog days (that would be more than 8 years ago!) - without any project notes I have no idea of what changes I may have made to the pattern. Despite several attempts over the years to clear up my many UFOs that are lurking around, the sad fact is that I still have more than a few many unfinished projects from the 18 or so years I've been sewing.

Sadly it's not the first time I've confessed my UFO habit and tried to do something about it - in this post back in 2009 I talked about the very same thing, and I have 18 posts over the years referring to UFOs. Judging by the two big boxes of UFOs I know have I didn't achieve much progress since then, but if my Burda style challenge has taught me anything it's that forcing myself to do something routinely it eventually becomes habit. So I'm declaring my intention here: from now on I'm aiming to finish one UFO each month until they're all gone.

I'm also planning to analyse why I let things become UFOs to see if I can identify patterns or weaknesses that I should also try to address. And by blogging it all, not only am I making myself accountable, but I might even make some of you feel better about your own UFOs, or make those of you that are very diligent to feel mighty glad that you don't even have any UFOs (I bet you don't have a fabric stash either, do you?!).

First up, one of my more recent UFOs: Kwik Sew 3915 Ruched Neck Top

I cut this project out this time last year to take away to a sewing weekend retreat but I didn't get time to make it then, and I forgot about it when I came home and packed all my things away. So no real reason for this one becoming a UFO.

I am really annoyed with myself for taking so long to finish this one - it's a great pattern and top and I've worn it several times already in the last month since finishing it. Funnily enough it took less than 2 hours to sew it, and it only took that long because I was sewing it at one of my ASG neighbourhood group sewing days and there is more talking than sewing going on there!


The fabric is a wool knit, quite lightweight like a merino although it's a bit scratchier and doesn't have a great deal of stretch. Being wool it presses really well, and was easy to sew with. The fabric is leftover from a maternity dress I made back in 2012, and was originally purchased from the Remnant Warehouse.

Let's talk Kwik Sew patterns for a minute - they used to be a bit unfashionable, with 'sensible' styles that hardly set the sewing blogging world alight. But I think they have great simple styles and the patterns are really well drafted. Now that they have become part of the McCalls company they seem to be trying to make their pattern covers more enticing and modern - but as always if you look beyond the cover picture you might just find a gem!

I made a size xs from this pattern and it fits me well, although I went off the flat pattern measurements and not the body measurements stated on the envelope.  The shoulder seams are a little wide for my narrow shoulders, and I do have some pooling in my lower back which is to be expected from a pattern without a centre back seam. Looks just like all my RTW tops do anyway, so I'm fine with it.

It's a relatively easy pattern, although I imagine sewing those loops for the buttons on the front would be fiddly in a knit (I didn't bother with them) and getting a good finish at the bottom of that V-neck seam in the centre front proved impossible even though I tried a few times. It has a slight bubble, but it's not too bad and probably not too noticeable at all.

I didn't interface the collar so it's a bit floppy and doesn't really fold over that well as it's designed to. For the next version (that will not become a UFO!) I will use some interfacing, but possibly will reduce the width of the collar so that it doesn't need to be folded over anyway because only the smallest amount folds over and it doesn't really look intentional.

So that's one UFO done from many still unfinished. This is going to be long road, but I just can't let all those fabrics and time invested in half finished projects go to waste, so I am determined to finish a good chunk of them at least. The good news is that I finished four other UFOs last week, so I'm making a good start on my UFO challenge.

Thanks everyone for reading along and commenting on my blog, and especially to those who I sometimes bump into in real life that take the time to say hello - it's always lovely!

Burda of the month: 4/2016 #135 Girls Shirt Dress

I just snuck this Burda project in while it was still April, so I've managed to keep my 100% success rate going for another month at least. Funnily enough I thought I would get my April project finished in March since my magazine arrived a few days before April and I had originally planned to make a simple top for myself. But Anna asked for a new dress, so I set aside my own plans to make this dress instead and for a number of reasons I procrastinated on finishing it until I was forced to by the end of the month deadline.

I made 4/2016 #135, a button front shirt dress for her:

Unusually it's not modelled in the magazine, but instead just the garment is pictured.  I think it's a cute dress, and looks nice in the navy blue fabric they've used:

I let Anna pick out some fabric from my stash, and she chose a poly/cotton pink and grey plaid fabric that has been in the stash a long time and was either an op-shop purchase or a gift. It is a lovely soft and drapey fabric, but boy was it difficult to sew with. Not only was it shifty when I was handling it, but pulls in the fabric kept occurring when I was sewing the vertical seams, even though I tried several different needle types. A bit of tugging to pull it back into shape and pressing seem to fix it though.

Pattern wise it's a pretty simple design - just a button down shirt with a three quarter circle skirt. The skirt is self drafted which required a bit of mathematics, but is nice and full. I was pretty close in matching the side plaids - I like the diamond pattern it makes:

The collar piece is simply sewn onto the neckline without a collar stand, and then the neckline is worn open to create that notched collar effect. It has a fold back facing that extends to the shoulder seam and then a bias strip is sewn along the back neckline. Again, an easy way to do it and it looks pretty good:

The pattern is designed to have elastic sewn to the seam allowance of the waistband which is a method I hate - it's really uncomfortable to wear and doesn't look that good either. Instead, I sewed the seam allowance down to the skirt to create a casing and slid some narrow elastic through - this created a nice amount of gathers at the back:

The elastic is supposed to stretch all the way around the waist to the centre front, but I found that pulled open the placket because there isn't a button at the waistline. Instead I only used the elastic on the back, which gives it a bit of shape although the front is a bit shapeless but a 7 year old does not need a form fitting dress so it's absolutely fine!

Anna's verdict - she likes it and plans to wear it (phew!). I like the pattern and will make it again when I find the right fabric, but next time I will increase the length of the skirt and reduce the length of the sleeves slightly. I will probably add a lining to the skirt as well, because the full skirt will probably cling to tights. The sleeves do have an opening placket which is a bit fiddly, but apart from that it's a fairly easy make and I do recommend it if you are looking for a smart winter dress for girls.