The Sewing Workshop - Alex top

I recently bought some lovely black pants which are very slim in the leg (like leggings but a really firm nice fabric).  Sooo as always happens I decided I needed a tunic length top or two to wear with them.  After a little hunting around the web I ended up buying the Sewing Workshop's Alex and Olive pattern.   (For the aussies reading this, you can purchase this pattern here at Can Do Books.) Being tunics I needed a good length of fabric so bought some on my last visit to Brisbane at the Fabric Store.

I ended up with a gorgeous purple fabric for the Alex and stripe in green for the Olive.  The purple was marked as vintage and when I asked I learnt it came from a dance wear company that had sold stock off and it was from the 1980's.  The quality is divine, the colour is vibrant and I wish they still made fabric like this!  

I made the pattern to my bust size and think the sizing is pretty true.  The only change I made was to shorten the sleeve length.  The instructions were pretty good but I did insert the sleeves flat rather than follow the pattern instruction which does them in the round.

I love the details - the collar, the gathering at the back neckline and the insert piece in the centre front.  However the gathering at the back looks which lovely on Diana....

 on me does not sit nicely... 

That is about the only disappointment with this pattern. I have shown it here with my Mabel skirt but I love it with my new trousers (more than this combo).   So it has fit the bill.

Photo bombing kitten cannot be left out....

Ciao kittens , the Olive top soon...

Crafty shopping... live, laugh, love

To take a break from clothes sewing exploits, I will show you the results of a lovely Sunday out.   Saturday was miserable... wet, windy cold so on Sunday when the sun came out we went for a drive out to Highfields (just outside of Toowoomba) to a little precinct called the Village Green.. 

First I shopped at the Quilters Angel and then we sat in the sunshine and had lunch at the Chocolate Cottage.  At the Quilters Angel I knew I would find what I need to make some gifts and I also picked up a magazine.

After lunch we strolled some of the other shops and I bought a few pieces to decorate my sewing studio.  Theses are the pieces hanging on the wall.

And to give you perspective on how it looks from the doorway of my sewing studio.

Ciao kittens - some Sewing Workshop tops and (obviously) some crafty goodness soon...

Teal Jalie drop pocket cardigan 3248

I bought the most beautiful merino heavy weight teal merino specifically for this pattern from the Fabric Store in Brisbane,  Expensive but sooo worth it!  The pattern is Jalie 3248 the drop pocket cardigan.

I think the only alteration I made was to shorten the sleeve length which I do with just about every long sleeved pattern.  

What can you slay about a Jalie pattern... so great - fit is great, instructions are great and the finished product is ...well... great!

My only negatives with this pattern is that it is a fabric hog because of the doubled up fonts. Expensive merino... ouch!  The only other negative is that the cardigan does not meet at the front.  It is the design and is clear on the cover picture, but I didn't think that through.  However the style of it is perfect, just not for the coldest days!

This teal colour is so, so versatile on my wardrobe and goes with my two winter basics of black and brown so I have worn it heaps!  I think I wore it 3 times in the first week after I made it.

I also love it with my willow cowl.

I had a strip of teal merino left over and I wasn't going to waste it so I paired it with some leftover mustard merino (form this cardigan) and made a cowl (you know I love a good cowl!)

Ciao kittens...

Basics in brown... another Mabel skirt

As part of the basics I made a second Mabel skirt.  The same version 3 with kick pleat.  I made it a size down this time and still put some elastic in the waistband.

The fabric used was a leftover piece of brown suede-like double knit.

It is a great pattern given that it takes little fabric, is a quick make and looks smart with some nice features.

Another post soon with the teal cardigan shown above... Ciao!