Revisiting the multifaceted Halifax hoodie pattern, by Hey June patterns

 This was so long overdue but in my head, there were too many pattern pieces and it was complicated...because there were three versions to this top.  Ridiculous excuse.  I got excited when I had this vision involving some long stashed etro jersey (so buttery, so amazing) and my forever in the queue idea to upcycle cashmere jerseys.  Holey ones.  I finally realised I didn't have enough holey jerseys to make a pair of loungepants, but I might just barely have enough to LINE AN ENTIRE HOODIE!  A friend had just given me the orange one and that was the inspiration to get on with it.

Anyway I started with version B size S.

I shortened it 2" as my previous blog told me to (here) and I used the reverse of the fabric, a merino blend from Otara in Auckland, to create some visual interest.  Great, easy, simple, happy. 

The hoodie took a LOT more thinking and effort.  First I had to tetris pieces of the cashmere to match each pattern piece.  I had to then patch all the holes - I laid more of the same cashmere on, after I interfaced the scraps, and I zig zagged it in place.  I salvaged hems from the black cashmere to use as the cuffs and somehow magically had black rib sitting around to use as the hem.  The pockets are also lined.  And the yellow lining is actually a lighter weight silk cashmere blend I had lying around which was a mystery item, not a sweater.  I didn't have enough sweaters on their own.  It's a little heavier because of the silk, but worked out fine.  

 

Sewing the hoodie together didn't have too many challenges, it got to be many layers but my overlocker managed ok.  I interfaced the fronts of the hoodie - all 4 of them, prior to installing the zip and it's not quite perfect but it's close enough - at the hem something jumped out of place a bit which is always exasperating but not worth fixing.  I had huge issues when I got to the hood though.  I have recently bought massive grommets and I was really sad that I didn't think to use them.  I used normal sized ones.  The hood was jersey plus cashmere folded over, so the string had to pass through a tunnel of cashmere...and it was catastrophic. I could barely get it through the grommet.  It got lost and tunnelled down through all the layers to some netherland in the mid back of the hoodie.  I had to open my stitching and save my string.  I got it in place at last (2+ hours of torture!) but unfortunately I think it will need to be redone with some very thin waxed cord, because I actually want to pull the hood tight to wear this when I'm cold and it hangs up on the channel and on the grommet hole.  That's a fix for another time.  The hoodie is long despite my previous 2" shortening to the pattern - because the fabrics drag it down a bit.  But it's pretty amazing!  

 

I was, as you might notice, inspired by the construction zone state of my house to advance my photography a bit.  Probably I should put more effort into good photos more often.  I get in the habit of just thinking I'm really quite ugly because I don't bother to take more flattering pictures.  

I was going to do the cowl neck sweatshirt version too but my attention span moved onto something else, so maybe next winter. 

Tilly & the Buttons Zadie dress, upcycled take 2

I made this dress just about a year ago, using upcycled tshirts and size 3, which matched my measurements on the size chart. See it here.

It was huge and it was long. (Oops I didn't shorten for the second version 4" like I said I should.)
I didn't like it at all, I didn't enjoy the process. I felt like I was over this dress before I started - my enthuasiasm for it was years ago and I just couldn't get there again.

But I still felt like I had to try again.
So take 2, in more upcycled tshirts, size 1, (I match size 3 on the size chart) with a 1/2" shortening through the bodice.
I'm not sure I needed to shorten it. The skirt felt proportionally too long, though overall the fit was good.

I would recommend sizing down if you are between sizes, but not by 2 sizes. The tshirt jersey is much thinner than the ponte type jersey recommended for this pattern.

I knew pretty early on that I hated this pattern.  I loved the main tshirt I was using, and I think initially I'd hoped I would love the dress. It didn't happen.  I just don't suit this style anymore.  The instructions are still ok, I still hate instructions with color photos.  I did a lot of shortcuts because quality wasn't on my radar.

This is wearable.

Also, after about 8 months as a pile on my floor under my sewing table, it's gone, and that was the main benefit of finally working through it.  Thank god...for lockdown? The pile of UFOs under my table is magically GONE!!

Tilly and the Buttons Zadie dress review

I was enthusiastic about this pattern when it came out and bought it shortly afterwards.  It was separated from me for a long while and I just got it back! 

I had read many reviews on this and knew that it runs large, but still went ahead and sewed a size 3. The measurements for a size 3 on the envelope: 34-28-37 so I was already being generous sizing up.  I'm 33-27-37. Caveat there - My front bust is probably more like 32, the rest is my wide back.  Unlike everyone, my upper bust is larger than my bust, thanks to my fondness for upper body calisthenics (ie surfing.)

I used upcycled tshirts for this venture so some piecing creativity was needed. I can note a few things: the shoulders hold the weight of the dress, so it's best if that fabric and seam is strong.  (I used a rather worn tshirt for that bit, unfortunately.) Also it's good if the pockets match the dress because the pocket fabric does peek out a bit, though that might depend somewhat on how precise you are when sewing the 3-way seam at that juncture.

I found the instructions annoying - I really don't like colour photos as instructions - but they were fine. I didn't have any trouble with any steps, though that could also be that this was a muslin and I didn't care.  Things always go better when you aren't trying hard...

Possibly the colours of the V at the side seam are supposed to match up, though mine don't.

I'm not sure why I'm gracing you with so many photos, I don't really find this project that exciting!

Finally: this looks surprisingly ok in the photos, but it is huge.  It fits decently through the shoulders and is way too big from there down.  I will make a size 1 for my next version.  (More upcycled tshirts.)  I do worry that the size 1 will look small across the shoulders, but I think overall I'll be happier with it.  I'll also shorten by 4 inches or so. 

By Hand London Zeena dress in upcycled Marimekko flowers

I planned to make this dress when I was in Ukraine, but somehow I lost the traced skirt piece and that put it on the back burner.  There are always many fun dress patterns to try out...

Finally I decided it was time.  I used a Marimekko sheet that I found at the Goodwill in Seattle. 
This dress is not lined, uses a facing, and has pleats to create the structure.  I didn't shorten it because it's meant to be very short for BHL - I just used about a 2 inch hem to shorten it somewhat.  I used size 6/10 which is my general size in BHL. 

I found nothing difficult in the tracing, cutting process.  I knew ahead of time that I would hate the facing, but I also hate making bias tape.  Unfortunately I should know better.  I really hate facings. 

I didn't do a lot of careful details with this because it was pretty primarily a muslin to see what I thought, although I did pay attention to the flowers not to have them in inappropriate places, or repeating oddly.  My Mum thinks it's cute but I don't like it at all.  The waist bothers me.  I really need to do an adjustment to the back to remove the extra fabric.  The pleats don't please me.  The fit is acceptable even without a swayback adjustment, but the style feels too cute.

As for the bad photos, my Mum needed cataract surgery and couldn't focus so I reckon they were still impressively good : )  (She's had it now and is doing great.)

Luckily I have enough left in this sheet to make something else, like a nice Willow tank! 

Fun with knickers + UFO completion potpourri

I started my sweatshop in Seattle with some knickers that I had cut out in Arizona erm just about 10 months ago.  4 pairs - Watsons and the free pattern from So Zo.  I did different bindings on them as I am still seeking the perfect binding.  So far all the picot elastic I've gotten on etsy has shredded in the wash.  And the Watson gives me terrible panty lines which I know and have accepted.

So far: the blue ones with folded tape actually are great, and the red ones with the thin FOE that I couldn't fold over are tighter than the others, and already falling apart, as this FOE from Etsy was only about 1/2" wide and so I have only zigzagged it onto the outside of the knicker - and the stitches are already coming loose due to how much my Mum's Necchi hates knits and skips stitches.  The other two, with picot elastic, are fine. I suspect the grey and the blue are the So Zo pants, and that the green and red are the Watsons, but I'm not entirely sure.

I finished a Grainline Scout which is upcycled from an old dress:

My final thought on Scouts is that the only one I have ever really liked is the double-gauze.  So I think I'm going to stick with that from now on.  The fit of a size  4--2 seems to be good with no other changes. 

I decided once and for all that this Ondee does need to be an Ondee and not an Ondee-skater.

And then I moved on to some new knicker patterns: the Acacia - 2 sizes from one tshirt! (XS and S - I was between sizes, and I think the S fits better.) Yesss upcycling!  I like the butt coverage of this pattern, and I liked the option to use 3/8" elastic.  However I also think that using picot bra elastic gives the nicest finish when you don't have a serger.  And the samples made by Megan are way cuter than using old tshirts and inspires me to actually buy fabric specifically to make knickers with - one day. 

And the Kitschy Coo Barrie bottoms, size 2, which pattern I had high hopes for as it uses normal bindings that might hold up better in the wash.  First one is the lower waisted cut from an upcycled navy rayon tshirt - very soft but a pain to sew.  This has worn well and is actually my favourite of the batch.  Second one is my mum's old blue tshirt circa 1980 and the higher waist - doesn't have much stretch, in fact, those ended up too small to even pull on.  I do like the rayon, the fit is good, they sit totally below the butt so while there are panty lines they are at least not so obvious, and the soft waistband is great.  Must make these in more nice soft stretchy fabric.

I was also very pleased by how many knickers I could get from one tshirt!  This is an upcycling win!  Although I think my Anima lounge pants are totally the winner on best upcycled use of tshirts - enough that I might do them again but focus on colourblocking them so they actually look good too. 

Deer and Doe Plantain: new and upcycled versions

I have made a lot of Plantains.  See here and here, always a size 38, plus a dress version.
But I thought of it as a different category than tshirts, for some reason.  Like it did not occur to me to shorten the sleeve.  I read someone else's blog and they were wearing Plantain tees and I was really startled that I'd somehow missed the obvious.

When I found a massive skirt by Metalicus at an op-shop in Napier, it screamed to be made into a Plantain because I could keep the original hem.  The skirt was pretty unappealing at first look.  It's a heavier fabric of theirs and I think it might have wool in the blend because it's really warm.  And it was covered in cat hair or something.  But Metalicus!  And so much yardage!

It did indeed turn into a perfect Plantain (with enough left over for some shorts!) and it washed up just fine, no more animal hair.  I cut a size smaller than I have used in the past (36) and I forgot how long the Plantain is.  This top was pretty loose, I guess because of the fabric.  I shortened it a bit since I didn't need a hem allowance but I do wish I had shortened it more. 

So I did that on my second Plantain, a beautiful drapey fabric from The Fabric Store.  I don't recall if it's cotton or a blend with rayon.  It is very light but not a tissue knit, it has a bit denser feel.  I zig zagged the hems for some visual interest but otherwise followed the pattern as usual, and I ended up cutting off about 2 inches.

Interestingly the green Plantain pulls in the armpits pretty noticeably.  The size larger never did that, and I do like the fit otherwise, so I'm curious to see how it wears.  I don't think it looks particularly bad but it's obviously something suboptimal in the armscye/shoulder fit.