Sew: Colette Patterns Negroni Shirt in Liberty Samols

For the second year in a row, I made my husband a Liberty shirt for Christmas. He gets other gifts but I love the idea of giving him a handmade with love Liberty shirt. I think I've found myself a new tradition!

His last Liberty shirt has been a definite winner. He wears it a lot. You can see his 2013 Christmas shirt here.

This shirt was inspired by a shirt I saw in a shop window early one morning while walking through Melbourne Central. I could see the price tag, which was well in excess of $300, and thought there was Liberty fabric which was similar and that I could make my own sailboat shirt. To my surprise, the Liberty fabric was tiny little pirate ships. Bonus!

Try not to stare at the fabric too much, it gives you a bit of a head spin and headache. These photos are in focus but the print makes them look blurred. There is no horizontal pattern in this print but there is a vertical pattern which was a bit tricky for me. I deliberately did not match the pattern on the pocket. Living on the edge!

Project Details
Pattern: Colette Patterns Negroni shirt, size L
Fabric: Royal blue on white Samols Liberty of London cotton lawn from Shaukat
Alterations: Shortened sleeves by 7cm
See Also: True Bias | Needles & Haystacks | Sewn By Elizabeth | Thornberry

I love making Liberty shirts. The process is very soothing and enjoyable. It is an extra bonus that he he clearly enjoys wearing them.

L x

Sew: Colette Patterns Negroni Shirt in Liberty Capel

I made my beloved husband a Liberty shirt for Christmas. He's a collared shirt kind of guy and I thought it was time he embraced Liberty. I nearly fell off my chair when he agreed to the floral Capel print. Partly because he never wears floral, but mostly because I thought I might score the fabric if he disapproved! Thankfully he approved and away I went. I love this print and the dark blue background is beautiful. The flowers are a yellow cream which is striking against the dark blue. Love it. I bought him another two Liberty prints which I'll make up soon. Especially now that this shirt is such a success. It has already been worn many, many times!

I have to say that this is my proudest make to date. And that is a big, big call! It was such a pleasure to sew and the girls at Sewjourn can support that. Everything came together beautifully. The diagonal floral stripe matched perfectly. Not only on the front but across the yoke and side seams. And, can you see the pockets?? No, me neither.  

The pattern is of course the Colette Negroni. I've made it once before with limited success. The fabric was a dud. Too drapey and with some weird polyester content. I also made it too big. This time, I went down a size and chose Liberty, a beautiful crisp cotton lawn. 

Project Details

Pattern: Colette Patterns Negroni shirt, size L

Fabric: Dark blue Capel Liberty of London cotton lawn from Shaukat

Alterations: Shortened sleeves by 7cm

Just looking at this shirt in detail again makes me want to get stuck in to another shirt. I first must unpack all my sewing things from Sewjourn. It was almost a month ago!! Once I'm done with his next two shirts, I'm going to do the Archer for myself. It will be just in time for Winter by the time I get around to it...

Want to make a Liberty Negroni now?? 

L x

Sew: Liberty Lily Party Dress

Inspired by Rachel's modified Gabby dress, I made a modified Lily dress for Mr H's 3rd birthday party. Not that I need an excuse to make a Liberty party dress but it is the perfect time of year to crank out the summer party dresses. Mr N's birthday is in a month, so there may be another party dress in the planning stages. I think it might involve my Mood Ikat cotton...

I originally bought this fabric for a Cambie dress. Not sure what I was thinking but I quickly decided it was a bad idea. So it sat for almost a year waiting for a better plan. I really like Rachel's dress and I love a good sack dress on a hot day. The fabric just screams fun, party and ruffle to me. Anyone else get those vibes?? No? Oh well...

I started with the Lily dress pattern because I adore the neckline. I sized down from my previous Lily dress and then graded the side seams in 10cm on each side at the hip level. The ruffles needed to start at my high thigh so I cut the hem off at 80cm. The ruffle is a gathered 30cm strip of fabric the width of the fabric (attached front and back). I used a 6.5cm hem to give it a bit of weight (which failed) and stiffness at the hem.

Once sewn up, I had to play with the side seams to get the fit just right. I ended up taking in the side seams another centimetre at the top grading back out at the waist. The armholes and neckline are finished with self fabric bias binding.

The back grabs a bit on my undies and I should probably wear slinky undies but the skirt has a tendency to fly up in a gust of wind. So it's a fine line between good solid undies that you can show the world when a gust of wind presents itself or a pair of slinky undies that won't grab the fabric. Tough decisions, tough decisions. 

Overall, a perfect dress for a sunny afternoon BBQ with a bunch of kids under 5. It was lovely and Mr H had a wonderful time.

Project Details
Pattern: Tessuti Lily Linen Dress, size L, modified
Fabric: Liberty Pointillism in Red from Shaukat
Alterations: Shortened to 80cm from shoulder, reduced width by 10cm each side, added 30cm ruffle (6cm hem)

My boys are a little Lego obsessed. So I decided a Lego cake was in order for Mr H. It went down a treat and he was beside himself with excitement. It tasted pretty good as well!

L x

Sew: Vogue 8495 in Liberty Wiltshire

I think Wiltshire would have to be my favourite Liberty print. And this is by far my favourite colourway. This is my third make in this print. Like Kristie, I've been hoarding this fabric for a special project. Never mind the fact that I can always buy more of it.  

The original plan was to make a smock style top and combine a beautiful white cotton lace remnant with the Liberty Wiltshire. But I could never get the combo of the lace and Liberty perfect, or find the perfect pattern. I also just wanted a loose blouse that I could wear all the time in hot weather. So I gave up on matching the lace and Liberty and went with the simple plan.

The pattern is an old Vogue pattern that I bought when I first starting sewing my clothes. I made it in a silk cotton print that was beautiful to wear. The only reason I got rid of it was that my sewing wasn't very good back then and it fell apart. I was going through my patterns recently when i spotted it and thought it would go well with the Wiltshire print. A match made in heaven!

Project Details
Pattern: Vogue 8495, size 16
Fabric: Liberty Wiltshire in Red from Shaukat
Alterations: Removed yoke facing and finished neck and armholes with self fabric bias binding.

I wore it today around the house and to swimming lessons with my denim Moss Mini and a pair of polka dot Tom's shoes. I paired it with a red cardi this morning which really changed the look of the print.

Love it. Now Melbourne, bring on Summer!!

L x

Sew: Simple Skirt

This style of skirt is becoming my go to present for a little girl. I made a few last year for my niece which I believe are still in high rotation. I'm planning on whipping up a few more for Christmas and to restock my present stash. They are so quick and easy as well as a great way to showcase lovely fabric.

This version is made from a remnant of Liberty Wiltshire I was saving for a special project. Miss A was the lucky girl who turns 3 this week. Happy Birthday Miss A!!

Project Details
Pattern: Made Simple Skirt 
Fabric: Liberty Wiltshire tana lawn

L x

Sew: Saltspring Dress in Jack & Charlie

I know I say it often, but I LOVE this dress! I think it sums me up perfectly. Bright, quirky, loud with a little bit of classic. I'm not in to embellishment but I do like a vibrant good quality fabric that can take centre stage. This pattern is perfect for allowing gorgeous fabric to shine.

I omitted the centre back zip and cut the back bodice piece on the fold (after removing the seam allowance). This dress is easily put on and off without the zip. It is probably a little bit big which I will fix next time. I did grade the top in but left the waist and hips as the style is loose and relaxed. I will also add an extra inch to the bodice length in my next version.

As you can see, I also changed the straps to plain straps without ties. This was very easy to do.

Project Details
Pattern: Sewaholic Saltspring dress, view A
Fabric: Jack & Charlie Liberty tana lawn from Shaukat
Alterations: Size 14 bust graded to size 16 waist and hips, omitted zip, changed straps, lengthened by 10cm

The only problem I have with this dress is what bra to wear with it. If I'm wearing a cardigan I just wear a normal bra. Without a cardigan, I'm not sure if I can embrace the no bra option. So I bought a navy crop top from American Apparel which works perfectly.

This dress seemed to be my museum dress while on holidays. The first photo is taken at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. The second was on our last day in Los Angeles. We visited the California Science Centre to see the Endeavour space shuttle. The shuttle was amazing and not as shiny as I expected. A great place to visit, especially if you have three space obsessed boys!

It's funny as when we were planning our trip, Mr Sew Brunswick had this as his absolute must visit and I had Britex Fabrics!!

L x

Table: Sewaholic Saltspring Dress in Jack & Charlie

 

I've been eyeing off this Liberty fabric since it was released. When Sewaholic Patterns announced the Saltspring Dress, it was a match made in heaven!! It is just waiting for a red bombshell to vacate the machine...

I checked the forecast for Salt Lake City and Western USA this morning and it is definitely summer dress weather!! Yippee!!

L x

Sew: Vogue 7837 Liberty Pyjama Pants

 

Another pair of Liberty pj pants. I wanted to share this fabulous print, Reuben Nouveau in shocking pink. Excuse the wrinkles, I couldn't resist wearing them.

Project Details
Pattern: Vogue 7837, view E, size L
Fabric: Reuben Nouveau Liberty fabric in shocking pink from Shaukat
Notions: Red cotton drill tape & 1cm wide non-roll elastic from Clegs

Sew: Vogue 1027 in Liberty!!

How can you tell I really, really like this dress? I use a LOT of exclamation marks!!!!!! What's not to love? Liberty fabric - check! Beautiful soft jersey - check! Flattering classic pattern - check!

The fabric is a Liberty cotton jersey that is beautiful and soft but with limited stretch and almost no recovery. It drapes beautifully. It was a toss up between this "red" and a bright blue version. I chose this orange red colour so my mum purchased the blue version. Can't wait to see what she makes up!

I made a straight size 16, with no alterations. I've used a size 14 for this pattern before but this Liberty jersey has limited stretch and recovery. I used a strip of interfacing on the front neckline to prevent the bias stretching out. As usual, I omitted the armscye and simply turned it over 1.5cm and stitched with a twin needle. I finished the neck, arms and hem with a twin needle. I also inserted swimsuit elastic into the back waist seam to keep that firm.

I highly recommend this pattern if you don't already own it. It is a great pattern that is flattering on all body types and is especially lovely in Liberty!

Project Details
Pattern: Vogue 1027, size 16
Fabric: Liberty Granton Cotton Jersey in Red from Shaukat

I love this dress so much, I might just make another. STAT!

L x

Sew: Kwik Sew 3149 in Liberty

Being the mother of two boys I get a little stumped when it comes to what to buy for a girl. I was cutting out another Vogue 1027 in this beautiful Liberty jersey when I realised that it would make a great gift made in to a little tshirt for one of Mr N's first friends. Once the dress was cut out, I managed to squeeze the pattern pieces out. Just.

Miss L was turning 4 but is quite petite (I think every child is petite compared to my two bruisers). So I made a size 3 as the pattern is quite wide and simply lengthened it by 2.5cm. I opted to use self fabric for the sleeves and neck instead of contrasting rib binding. I think it looks very sweet.

Project Details
Pattern: Kwik Sew 3149 view B, size 3, self fabric binding
Fabric: Liberty Granton Cotton Jersey in Red from Shaukat
Alterations: Lengthened by 2.5cm

I stitched this up in about half an hour late on Saturday night, finishing the hem with a twin needle early Sunday morning. Nothing wrong with last minute stitching... If you have little kids, this pattern is invaluable for the basics.

I am very grateful for two boys as I don't think I could hold myself back if I had girls. Imagine all the Liberty dresses, shortie shorts and tshirts I would make?!

L x

Sew: Liberty Scout Woven Tee

 

 

It is safe to say that I love the Scout Woven Tee pattern. It is just so comfortable yet stylish making it a very valuable addition to my "Mum" wardrobe. I also think it is great to showcase beautiful cotton fabric in the same way that the Tiny Pocket Tank does.

 



Project Details
Pattern: Grainline Scout Woven Tee
Fabric: Liberty Wiltshire in Peach from Shaukat

That is all.

L x

Sew: Simplicity 2215 Liberty Dress

 

 

Simplicity 2215, how I love thee?! I've made the skirt three times now so it was time for the dress version. I asked you all what to do with this Liberty way back in March. It was a choice between the Colette Peony dress and Simplicity 2215. The Simplicity won out.

 

 

 

Yet, it was almost not meant to be. I had great difficulty with the neckline gaping, both back and front, and was very tempted to cut the bodice off and turn it into a skirt. Wouldn't it be a great skirt with a red grosgrain ribbon as the waistband?!

 

 

Despite the temptation I persisted and make a few alterations to achieve the finished result. I inserted two small darts in the back neckline to remove the gaping. Thankfully Liberty prints are very forgiving. I couldn't use darts in the front so I asymmetrically overlapped the front by an extra 1cm at the top to remove the gaping. I then simply stitched the buttons on in a straight line. The bottom four buttons are non-functioning and stitched right through. The top button is also decorative with a snap to close the front. You need that to open so you can get your head out.

Project Details
Pattern: Simplicity 2215 Dress
Fabric: Liberty Tatum Dark Blue from Shaukat
Alterations: Inserted two small darts in back neckline and overlapped front top by an extra 1cm.

I really need to sort out this alteration for back and front neckline gaping. I have noticed it a lot in dresses I made last year which have high necklines. Fit for Real People has no helpful suggestions. Any suggestions?

 

 

I'm really pleased with my new Liberty dress. I do love a bit of Liberty. I'm actually sewing a Liberty Lonsdale dress for Mr H's birthday party tomorrow. It is coming together superbly.

 

I'm off to bake a rainbow cake!! Wish me luck.

 

L x

 



Sew: Black Wool + Liberty Minoru

It is done... finally! I got a little sidetracked while making this jacket but the sudden onset of cold weather spurred me on. I am very pleased with the end result and have worn it every day since it's completion. A sign of good things!

Hidden pockets!

Side seam pockets!

I didn't make the hood this time as I find the collar a bit bulky with the hood folded in to it. I didn't think this would work with a wool coating and I am glad I made that call. Even though I chose a relatively lightweight wool for this jacket, it was still quite bulky to sew (especially the cuffs). I also inserted sideseam pockets made from the Liberty lining fabric using the template from Sew Well. Perfect for my keys and tissues. I omitted the velcro on the inside pockets and made them a little bit longer to fit my iPhone and Myki. I find that I can't get my phone out of my summer Minoru quickly enough.

The other change I made was to use a slippery lining fabric for the sleeves so that my cardigan and long sleeve tops didn't get stuck. This was a great decision and I highly recommend this.

Overall, a fantastic jacket that I am sure will get much wear over the coming months.

Project Details
Pattern: Sewaholic Minoru Jacket (size 16 - no alterations)
Fabric: Main - black wool coating from Tessuti Melbourne, Lining - Liberty Lantana from Shaukat (for body) and Black Bemberg Lining from Tessuti Melbourne (for sleeves)

L x