Three baby bibs and a frock

I haven't done much sewing lately. I'm going to New York in 2 weeks (yay) so I have been knitting hats, cowls and socks! I want to try and wear a frock while I'm there, despite the cold. I have a down coat and fleece-lined tights so I'm hopeful! (Understand that I have only been in freezing weather one day of my life. I have no idea if I can do this! Exciting!)

I have made a frock from wool interlock. I was inspired by this frock from Selfridges, which I saw on The Fashion Police when it was Dress of the Day:



I frankensteined this pattern (view F, just widened the neckline) which I have made previously:
...with the long sleeves from this pattern, which Moggy kindly sent me in a care package. I took about half the volume out of the sleeves due to lack of fabric, and also they were HYOOOOOGE.
I'm going to stay with a friend in NYC, who will be having a baby this year. I sewed some bibs (still need to attach velcro) which Moggy kindly embroidered for me using her awesome embroidery machine. One of them goes up to 11! I owe you Mog. Luckily I found some pink/black shot stretch bengaline for you, which I hope will partially repay your kindness!

coverknit floralshirr

So I sewed one of the knits I bought on Monday. Of course I had to buy a new pattern (huh?) for it.... I chose New Look 6936, view B.


I coverstitched the neckline, sleeves and hem, and did the rest on the 4-thread overlocker. I had a bit of a struggle with the coverstitching, but it worked better once I used the clear foot instead of the fancy metal one.

Instead of drawstrings on the shoulders I used clear elastic, zigzagged on the wrong side. I shirred the waist from the underbust seam down - I spiralled it down until the elastic in the bobbin ran out (happened that it was at the side seam where I started, how about that for luck!). I also put a stitch or two where the top crosses over to stop possible gaping.


Verdict: comfy! easy!

More shoppingks - knits

I popped into Spotlight again this morning to check out their sale knits to play with on the new overlocker.

The "dry knits" are on sale for $2 per metre (there does seem to be a bit of variation in which shops have what knits at the sale price, but I digress). These knits have a matte finish and I think they are poly-lycra. Nice and drapey.

I bought 5m of this one - I think it looks like the detail of an etching...

A floral with a black background - I am hoping it doesn't end up too eighties Laura Ashley but that will depend on the pattern I choose...


A huuuuge orchid print (yes, that's my hand):


And one of the not-$2 prints at a different shop - large scale rose (each one is hand-sized)

Now to think of patterns - I reckon McCalls 6081 for one of them and a wrap or wrap-style dress or two for the others.

I heart Sergio

A new serger deserves a new cover, so I used Sergio to make a grey denim cover, and embroidered a lovely calavera from Urban Threads on it



Today I trialled the knit top from New Look 6977 to put Sergio through his paces. The whole thing took 1 1/2 hours - I think it would've taken less than an hour if I was more used to the rethreading.

I sewed half on the 4-thread safety, then the hem and sleeves on coverstitch:

...then back to the 4-thread safety for the sides and neckband. So three threadings altogether. I had a few issues with thread breakage but realised it was because I had a missed a bit of the threading.

Here it is on:


Verdict:

New Look 6977: yay!
Sergio: double yay!