May distraction. A UFO moved on, but still not a success.

The plan, to concentrate on the Me Made May assessment, and do any minor fixes as I find them, continued. But I'm also trying to move Unfinished Objects (UFOs) to the Finished or Remodelled list. 

I'm counting the green French Terry jacket as a May project, although it was started last October,   remodelled starting in April, and finally assessed as a failed UFO. It had a miscut back neckline, a tendency to duck tail, and I simply felt swamped and uncomfortable in the boxy cut. I decided to unpick it and see if the fabric could be pieced and reused. A skirt wasn't going to work, but I'm still short of mild weather layers. Are these called overs or toppers nowadays?  I want something that can be fastened for warmth at centre front in the mornings and evenings, but can be opened up when warm with scurrying, or if the weather improves as the day moves on.

Unable to quickly* find a pattern with deep set in sleeves (there are plenty of raglan or drop shoulder around but I'm not yet working on fitting them), I decided to trace an old black pj top and add a front fastening.  Various adjustments for a first attempt. I've kept the nice detail of a small bodice extension before joining the sleeves, which have a wide and shallow sleeve cap, the kind I usually see in toddler knits. A few fitting changes at the shoulders, plus I've given myself an additional quarter inch at high hip, 1" total extra ease.

* Rant. Of course I've stumbled across two or three candidates since. But I'm rubbish at guessing search terms. 'Tops sew pattern' really doesn't help narrow down the options, set-in doesn't seem to be indexed on the search engines.

I pieced fabric big enough for the sleeves from the dismantled dropped shoulders version and some scraps, zigzagged in an arc at back neck. Unfortunately, the horizontal seam affects the drape - shame, cos I've been fantasising about lower waste layouts for the next version. Unhappy about both the the wider-than-anticipated-neckline and the backward shoulder creep, I tried a centre back/neck dart. And hey presto, fit and drape improved no end. I've added buttons but not buttonholes at the front. Will probably just add press-studs for now. Not a spectacular rescue, perhaps I'll replace the sleeves now I've found the missing remnant, but certainly better than its predecessor.

One extra thing happened towards the end of the month. If this is an indoor to outdoor layer, it needs pockets. I spent ages pinning rectangles in different proportions to try find a phone-friendly size. No luck since I simply don't have a flat front, or a large enough area that approximates a flat front. Keys, tickets and a few coins or a note will go in, but will have to take a bag for my phone. Since that functional requirement couldn't be met, I subbed in the pockets from Tilly and the Buttons Stella Hoodie. Well, divided the kangaroo pocket into two, then lined and stitched both on. Yet again, I need more practice to stop it looking amateurish. 

I've worn this a couple of times for coastal or woodland walks. It's much more comfy than RTW, and practical around the house and on the dunes. The bad news: it looks lumpy and miserable. It'll do temporarily. Next time (and I have another length of French terry in brown,) let's revise the high back and shoulder shaping, which is not far out. Try sleeves without piecing so I can assess where the excess is, and maybe add a smidge at high hip. Narrow the neckband: it doesn't have the tension of a continuous front to keep it tidy at the overlap. Raise the neckline to compensate, and maybe a bit more to cover the assorted tee shirts that show awkwardly (most of them). Or just continue refining my tee necklines outward and downwards, which is happening anyway..

Wish me luck!

2022 April. Mostly Freyas. An unexpected capsule.

On the knitting front, I've struggled a bit. The Horseshoe scarf is supposed to be an easy project. My brain, though, was definitely still addled post-covid recovery. I did finish it, and prepped yarn for a proper version. But having lost momentum, I haven't started this or continued with the Talvi sweater. Mid-month, I finished the tiny cardigan in mint and purple. Started a preemie size hat with the remaining 25g or so, increasing to 56 sts before continuing straight. Finished May 1st, so let's include the hat in April too.

I'm running short of decent mild weather tops, and somehow refitting the familiar TATB Freya top pattern in stages has worked better than knitting. I'd planned one more attempt in a white plissé fabric, and found two bonus garments with the leftovers. Then, since we had more work in the flat, so I still couldn't unpack my fabric boxes, I thought I'd buy another metre of paisley grey brown plum poly silk to make a faux dress, when put with the March Freya and Mica tops. Impulsively, I bought 2m to see how I'd like a faux jumpsuit as well. Good move: the trousers took just over a metre, the skirt a little less. And got a bonus garment from the paisley - more on that later.

The white plissé jersey has a zigzag border. To make the most of it, I cut out a TATB Freya top with a front skirt* and a plain back. I'd toyed with the idea of statement sleeves, but decided to go with plain and a necklace as more versatile. Tweaked the sleeves, and finally rotated them to the angle of my own arms. Is there a Forward Arm Adjustment in the catalogue? Over the next few weeks, I adjusted the lower hip, having cut out the dress shape not the top. I quite like the flare at this length, but a flaw in the border at the side seam was affecting the drape. I also reshaped the skirt seam twice, to sweep lower. Another time I would attach lower than the waist, to give the choice of tucking into a skirt.

* to avoid a curved edge for the border. 

There was enough  plissé from the other selvedge end for a long cami mashed from the So Zo vest and the TATB Freya. Since I'd just worked on fitting the Freya, I used this below the armpit and, roughly, the SoZo Vest shape above. This version had the FBA eased in, rather than darting it. The body sewed together beautifully - however I hadn't taken account of the plisse expanding when pressed. Still 'need more practice' pressing the binding to shape. But, unlike last year's vest attempt, there are no stitching gaps attaching it. 

All that was left of the white plissé jersey was a 40" x 20", a 6" x 18" ish and some hand sized scraps.  If I pieced the back near one sideseam, surely I could get a short cami mashed from the So Zo vest and the TATB Freya? There was just enough! Did a better job easing front to back, and a better job pressing against a rolled cloth. The binding still needs more practice, though.

After a photo session, I continued to tweak all four Freya descendants. Though I notice today folding clean laundry that the Mica hem is still only tacked (hand-basted) up. Oops.

Mid-month decided it was the time of year for moving the cold weather clothing to less accessible drawers, and trying on the mild weather clothing to see what still fits. As usual, the quantity is fine, though there are too many near orphans, and some items show their dozens of wears. The detail is in my diary, and may feed into my Me Made May verdicts, too. I did take action on remodelling the teapot shirt to remove a dead collar and remodel the worn-out cuffs. A few more minor repairs happened too. Still thinking about the two mid-grey short sleeved tees. These barely get used as we rarely get hot overcast weather here. Can I use one to make long sleeves for the other? 

Came back to the paisley grey brown plum poly silk fabric. After playing with layouts to use New Look K6217 trousers, I decided the darted waist wouldn't be good with this print anyway. Toyed with the idea a thin cardigan, too. But in the end plumped for an ancient joggers pattern, Successful Sewing 8 (henceforth SS8) combined with a Freya-derived skirt. I was pleased with the low-waste solution  - a CB seam and a non-obvious change in print orientation was a compromise worth paying for a bonus garment rectangle. Both projects are more wearable toiles rather than office or formal clothing.

With the SS8 gathered trousers, I fixed some grainline and shaping (fit) issues which had annoyed me on the last iteration.  When sewing together, I realised I have relapsed into the habit of rushing fabric through the feed dogs. When what I actually want to do is support and steer the fabric, but let the feed do the work. Bother! One leg puckered and had to be redone. I've still to test wear for a day - too cold so far - but borrowed them as emergency pj trousers and they were really comfy overnight and at breakfast. Next time, I'd like to try wider elastic rather than what was accessible this month.

The Freya-based skirt needed some changes at the waist - a dress doesn't need the same support. Since I don't currently have a well-fitting skirt, this is likely to get a lot of wear, with either of the matching tees or any of my black, white or grey tees. This info also fed back into my main Freya tracing in the abdomen area.

And the bonus garment? Patterns For Pirates Peg Legs cycle shorts in pieces of paisley -  a patchwork project. As well as solving piecing problems, I'm still trying to get relative heights at back front and side seams right. I am happy that I improved the fit, especially around the waistband, but still have some grainline issues and leg length (at inseam relative to outseam) to solve. These have been tested as undertrousers for a full day, including a Tai Chi session - and are even nicer to wear than last year's pairs.

And the capsule? I'd thought to pattern test, making a faux dress and a faux jumpsuit**, plus a top for a cooler weather formal occasion. The bonus garments were great for refining fit and feeding it back into my tracings. I was pleasantly surprised at the combinations. From the paisley, a Mica Tee and  Freya Tee, SS8 gathered trousers, a Freya skirt and Peg Legs shorts. From the white plissé, a Freya Tee and a long and a short cami. From older makes, a white jersey Mica Tee and  Freya Tee. Add RTW or much altered RTW, a black long-sleeved tee, beige silk trousers, a black light-weight fleece, two grey short-sleeved tees, and a Chanel-shaped unlined jacket.  Sounds like a great combination for a city break, when that becomes easier. 

**I've still to make up by mind on the faux jumpsuit, preferring the patterned trousers with a plainer top. But love the skirt with plain or a either matching tee. We haven't had any hot weather yet, so don't know how well the poly/silk will breathe. Fingers crossed everyone.

Me Made May 2022

 As proposed and explained at http://sozowhatdoyouknow.blogspot.com/2022/03/me-made-may-22.html, the Me Made May challenge is very flexible, and each participant can decide their own aims.

This will be my third May attempting the challenge. My aim (not as formal as a pledge) is 

to bring out appropriate items for my May activities, prioritising Me-Made or significantly refitted, and assess them after a full day's wear.  

• Is it still suitable for me? 
• Is there an easy fix? (Adjust hems, add or remove waistband tucks, replace buttons, trim hanging threads are the usual suspects.)
• If I'm reluctant to part with something on its last legs, what aspect would I note? (Some quality of the fabric, scale of print, ease of movement etc). Is some part of it refashionable?
• If I dislike something, but wear it anyway, is it donatable? What would I like to replace it with? (Usually something similar that fits better or isn't worn out yet.)

I don't intend to keep strictly to May - I've already overlapped  into April, and may run into June. And I don't intend to post the gory details, though I plan to take or dig out archive pictures for my own use. 

At the end of the month, I hope the process will help me set priorities for the next tranche of makes. 

The quick try on test, April 2022, already shows I have loads of scruffy clothes, some very formal outfits, but not much left that is up to meeting standard. What I need is sturdy layers for walking on paths not pavements, comfy but tidy layers for tai chi, sturdy footwear and tidy clothing to wear into town, one or two respectable outfits for the odd day's voluntary or paid work. A few accessories to dress up the respectable stuff.  Easy-to-pack clothing for duties and for pleasure has been a theme in the past - and would be a bonus even in these strange times, for laundry and for drawer space.

Looking back on last year's assessment, I still haven't plucked up courage to get rid of many tired but comfy items. Some of the 'make more like this' garments have had the patterns refined, but not yet in better fabrics. 

Am I alone in this hanging on to old favourites?