Ooph, it’s about time I actually log what I’m stitching! I love sewing and work on a variety of projects at a time. But here’s what’s going on just now.
Adrienne Blouse
The Pattern
This blouse has been on my “to make” list for a while now, I love the sleeves so much and it feels like it’d be the sort of top I’d always reach for; either just with jeans or under a pinafore or dungarees (also on the list to be made). The pattern is from the Friday Pattern Company, based in the US.
Adrienne Blouse
The Adrienne is fairly size inclusive, with 10 sizes included from a 32 inch to 54 inch bust, it’s designed for knits with a bit of negative ease. I think this pattern would be pretty easy to adjust up or down and they have a great way of doing a simple full bust adjustment (FBA) in the instructions. I wouldn’t use it for a woven fabric, but for knits? Yup, it’ll work.
The Fabric
I picked up a deadstock panel by Roberto Cavalli last Summer, and it has been languishing in my stash ever since. Fear of cutting it has been strong! You can see the same print on the gorgeous Rihanna and get the idea below. This took some amount of Googling. The panel is mirrored, left to right but of course I didn’t take a picture before I started cutting! You’ll just have to imagine it. 🙂
Red and white Shell and Skull Fabric
The panel measured about 1.4 x 1.6m, so there was a bit of Tetris to get the 6 pattern pieces out of this; front, back, two sleeves and two ribbing. Unfortunately, there was no way of keeping the symmetry of the panel. So I’ve just tried to place the pattern pieces to get the most out of the design.
Isn’t this detail beautiful?
Adrienne Blouse Fabric
I’ve lengthened the front and back to be as long as I can get from the fabric. The pattern states that the top finishes just below the belly button, well this isn’t my finest body part so I sure as hell want to give myself options. A few inches have been added with the side curve adjusted, so I’m hoping for it to land lower on the hip. I can always take it up later, it’s easier to take away than add on!
Progress has been halted whilst I wait for some bra strap elastic to arrive. The impatient me was ready to butcher an old bra, but the reason it’s an old bra is because the elastic is tired so let’s just do it properly and not be so bloody tight. Or Rash.
What I’m Stitching – High-Top Sneakers
Many moons ago, before the Sneakers Kit was shown in the Great British Sewing Bee, I purchased a kit from SneakerKit in Europe for the white soled option. I have no idea why I put this off for so long, other than the fact I just couldn’t pick what fabric to use. Actually, I may have misplaced the kit for a while and, well…. Out of sight, out of mind.
Being surrounded by beautiful fabric is really lovely, but sometimes I suffer with a bit of “print blindness”, or get sick of certain collections after a while. This is why a lot of my sewing is actually using plain or solids, which I never tire of.
The Kit
The kit is still available to purchase at the link below. The patterns are all free to download from the website, although be aware the sizing is in European sizes, so I think you have to add 33 to your UK shoe size. I ordered a 40 for my size 7 slabs, so that seems about right.
I’m not sure if the packaging is still the same these days, but the kit arrives in brown paper packaging with the soles, insoles, thread and hardware inside. Perfect.
What I’m Stitching – Sneakers
The Fabric
The kit, and instructions, seem to be more geared for leather but a sturdy, quilted panel should be just grand. I’ve seen beautiful versions on Instagram and I think I will quilt using a foam rather than wadding/batting.
Anyhow, the fabric I always come back to is from the Lagoon collection by Rashia Coleman-Hale, one of the OG Cotton & Steel ladies and now of Ruby Star Society fame. The colours are jewel-like and delicious and the details are just gorgeous. I love it.
I picked out 11 of the fabrics in the collection, and cut a 2 inch strip off each. I then stitched these strips together into a larger panel and sliced 2inch strips in the opposite direction. This is the tangle I now have.
What I’m Stitching – Sneakers
The next step is to stitch these back into a panel of what will be 1.5 inch squares and then get quilting!
What I’m Stitching – Knitting!!
I have a post coming soon, with a bit more information about my new found love of knitting. But I’m bloody knitting! Gosh, it’s a whole new world of colour and texture and there has been a lot of rabbit holes of beautiful yarns.
I’d spotted the Shhh DK (double knit) yarns from James C Brett a while ago, they seem beautiful but affordable for an acrylic/wool mix in lovely self striping shades. Earlier in the year, I think, they released a few extra shades and I fell in love with a pastel rainbow shade, which appeared to be sold out everywhere online.
What I’m Stitching – Shhh DK Pastel Rainbow
On a wee toddle round Inverness, I stumbled upon The Woolly Sheep in Tomnahurich (tom-na-hue-rich; ch as in loch, not lock) Street and popped in. This shop is new to me, small but well stocked with a cracking rainbow of yarns and broad spectrum of fibres and weights. The shop owner’s Mam was in when I popped by and was super helpful, showing me through to a separate room with large workshop space to peruse patterns and do some yarn maths.
I picked up the pattern below, as I’m fascinated with lacework. It looks like a comfy fit.
Lovely Jumper Pattern
I’d only planned to buy a pattern, we like to support small and local after all, but on my way out I spotted the Shhh DK shade I was after!
The balls are quite a fine yarn for a DK, so you get a lot for your weight and at under £4 for a ball, this will be a cheap, lightweight summer jumper.
I’ve not made massive progress on it, and it will all be done in the one yarn, unlike the pattern, but here’s the current situation!
I am in love with the shapes you can create in the fabric with knitting, I don’t really understand it yet, but I’m happy to be amazed at these wee diamonds forming.
What I’m Stitching – Knitting
If you fancy checking out The Woolly Sheep, her Facebook page is below and regularly updated.
https://www.facebook.com/woolshopinverness/
How Do You Craft?
I’d love to hear what you’re up to, nothing makes me smile more than seeing what you make with our fabric in emails and messages.
How do you go about your crafting? Do you work one project at a time, until completion or do you have multiple on the go? Maybe you start more than you finish…. don’t worry we’re not here to judge. The whole point of it is to make you smile.
I’m going to try and keep updating with what I’m stitching each month, as it’s so easy to finish things and be on to the next without taking the time to proper acknowledge each project done.
Happy stitching,
Janey