Tunic obsession

Do you find that you seem to obsess over certain items in your wardrobe. Over the past few months all I seem to have been doing is searching on line for Breton tops! I now have quite a few in different colours. What I don't understand is that as a sewer why I'm not making my own!!
They must be one of the simplest items to run up and yet so far I've not made a single one.
Admittedly in the past there were very few places to buy a really nice weight cotton jersey, but today that's not so much the case. Okay some of the nicer knits are not cheap, but at least making your own means they actually fit you!
Well that little obsession has taken a back seat at the moment 'cos I've now progressed to tunics.
Last year in the sale I bought two from one of my favourite retailers. One in a gorgeous gold with cream spots and another in teal. Whenever I've wanted to look good and feel really comfortable, it's been these that I've returned to again and again.Worn with crops on cooler summer days and they go just as well with skinny jeans or leggings for Autumn.
And there's nothing worse than finding that your wardrobe staple is suddenly past it's best, so knowing that I will be very sad when this happens and unable to find exactly what I wanted in a commercial pattern I decided to hack a pattern myself. Never tried it before, but what did I have to lose.
I thought it wise though to try a muslin first, before I started on any of my treasured fabrics, and so what do you test out a pattern you've made for a knit top out of.....A woven cotton of course...'Not!!!

So how lucky am I? I must have been a bit generous with my seam allowances without realising it, as apart from slightly snug sleeves the top worked brilliantly ( thank you dear friend Joan for the fabric! She gave it to me to remake some cushion covers but I think its much better as clothing!).
And once I realised that the pattern really worked,............ well...

Next up came a shorter sleeved more dressy version in a beautiful fabric I bought at the Knitting and Stitching show at the NEC way back in March and my latest...

One actually made from jersey this time. Birch organics maritime sanderling to be precise which I bought on line from Billow Fabrics.
I love it and there are lots more similar designs out there to try...and I even managed to pattern match the pockets, something I'm usually not too good at!

Well I'm still going to be sewing over the next few days but not for me this time. I have another costume to make, a pumpkin for youngest grandson. Hope it turns out as easy and effective as his brothers Tudor one and then I shall breathe a sigh of relief!

Always helps when you have a willing model, Bless him.

Hope you too have a productive week whatever your passion

TTFN

Jenny xx

THE DEVIL MAKES WORK............

Well believe me when I say he didn't get a look in this weekend!!......

My plan was to make the green tomato chutney and start on some slipper orders.....Well thats what I did but somehow I seem to have got a bit carried away...not that I'm complaining as next week I will probably achieve nothing....

First of all the chutney, 9 one pound jars stored away for Christmas. The recipe from this book....

was so easy and the instructions very clear. It smells lovely and I cant wait to see how it matures.

Then I decided to do a bit of sewing for myself. I purchased these patterns the other week,

I started with this......

with the intention of  using up some of my stash of fabric. As I havn't made any of them before I didn't want to use my best fabric, but as two of them are knits making a muslin first was not an option. Any way for the top I found a remnant of a boucle type knit I once made DD a top out of and as is usual I am rather pleased with the result, but no doubt when I use a fabric that's a bit more pricey it won't go as well
I did make a few adjustments though.  I made the top 4 inches shorter and the neck band only half the width it was supposed to be.My fabric was quite bulky and I thought any more would have been too much.
I bet on some of you younger folk the original length worn over a top, with a belt and some contrasting tights would look pretty good and certainly keep you snug when the weather really turns.

I then started on the cashmere coat I mentioned in a previous post, but not the style I had intended at all.  I found this, unlined coat pattern which I really like...

Much less formal and a perfect solution for weekends away.  I will line mine as I am not keen on unlined coats. It is all cut out now so I'll show you my progress soon.
The dress pattern will have to wait until I find some knit fabric that inspires me as believe it or not there was nothing suitable in my stash...mind you most of it is linen and cotton so it's not so surprising.

Finally I made some of these....

for Emma at Land of Emma for her Christmas stall to raise money for 'Help for Heros'.  If you have any thing hand made that you would care to donate and get to her by November 10th, I am sure she will be more than grateful.

Well thats about it really, apart from having a rant about blogger!!!!! what is going on????
I have been trying on and off to do this post and upload photos since 4pm.  I have never had this problem before they changed things.  I always make my photos smaller in photoshop so that they do upload quicker, but it's taking so long now I seriously considered packing it in today and just reading everyone elses!!!!

Anyone else having this problem or is it just me and my machine!

Off to have a very stiff drink....or two now....

TTFN

Jenny xx ( Oh those extra grey hairs!!!)