Travel fabric haul - makes (I)

There are many sewists who keep a fabric stash. There is even an acronym called 'SABLE': stash acquisition beyond life expectancy.

Although in the past I used to buy remnants with no plan, I have never aspired to be in that group. I have usually been very deliberate in my fabric purchases: I decide how I am going to use something as I am buying it.

Sure, some of it sits around before I get to that project, and some of it changes plans. And all bets are off when I am travelling! (As I have demonstrated in the previous few posts.) And although for many of the fabrics I bought I had an idea of what I was going to make, this was not the case with a few impulse purchases!

So that meant that I needed to whittle down that pile as quickly as possible. So I started sewing as soon as I returned.

In fact, the first items were sewn in between the two legs of my trips. I made a pair of palazzo pants out of navy linen purchased in Hanoi, and a tank top with the patterned linen purchased at the same time. These were very useful for leg number two!

Butterick 6750 & Itch to Stitch Santorini tank

 

 

After my return to Ottawa, I started with easy projects. 

I had purchased two 'Marimekko' style cotton prints. Just because! My first make was a pair of seat-cushion covers with the pink/red "Marimekko'. Easy-peasy... one down! I kept the remnants to put towards a new pouf (Ziggy needed one for his house, I decided.)

onigiri design placemats

Second inspiration - what to do with the onigiri print cotton? Napkins? No, too thin, and lined napkins seemed weird.

Placemats! I made two, (each lined), and had enough fabric for one more (two pieces) OR, mix and match.The striped fabric for Ottawa daughter's 'Apron dress' would match well, so the two extra pieces were saved for that.

mix&match

 

I wanted to get get my summer makes done in time for, well, summer! So I made up a pair of ITS Angelia cargo shorts with the Autralia Indigenous "dreaming' print. Perfect plan. And there was enough left over to make a cover for one of our larger seat-cushions. I kind of disappear into the chair when I wear the shorts and sit on that cushion!

  

  

  

cushion cover bonus

Next, a man's short-sleeved shirt, withe the shirting from Hanoi for the resident entomologist. Pattern MCall's 6044. This is a popular pattern - several people have sung its praises, and now I do too!

  

 

 

 

 

 

The striped cotton (mustardy yellow & grey) was alwys destined to be a dress for Ottawa daughter. She had seen a dress in a shop in Tokyo, and so we bought this fabric with that in mind. Serendipititiously, I stumbled across a very suitable pattern, the Tessuti Bondi dress. Muslin number one appeared too tight for her around the shoulders. That day she was wearing the self-drafted sleeveless top I had made last summer, and it gave me the idea to use the shoulder width and armhole shaping from that project in this dress. This worked out well - and during the end of July heat-wave she has worn it and even asked for another one!

 

Look - pockets

 

Now, to continue summer makes - what to do with some of the Ghana cotton prints? I made a playful Waffle Brownie tunic dress with the turquoise 'citrus' print. It needs to be worn with shorts or pants, but it is also fun to wear!

 

 

 

pretty inside, too

The black and white 'Marimekko' inspired cotton (I think it is a type of twill?) was made into Tessuti's Harlow shirt, which has an side seam which angles to the front. It looks like a cross between a jacket and a shirt, but will go well with jeans. Not in love with Tessuti's instructions. They are too wordy and become convoluted! Also they use photos to illustrate, and these are sometimes not very clear - you can't always see the detail. I have learned that as a rule I prefer diagrams in instructions.

I tried to do a full-bust adjustment, which involves adding a dart. The dart was too high, so I lowered it, and now it is too low, even though I DID try it out on the muslin!

I started working on the not-silk projects. I was all set to try the Geneva blouse again, but a close inspection of the previous make convinced me that I need to remake a muslin using the next size up. The size I used is tight across the back, and the bust point needs to be lowered.... so that will be finished for another post.

 

used the selvedge to make a strap

And finally - for now! I made the apron.

the raw material

I purchased a vintage yukata as a consolation for not being able to shop in Nippori Fabric town on my first day in Tokyo - because it was Sunday! At first I did not have a plan for it (except to use it as fabric). As I travelled in Japan and Vietnam I became quite intrigued by the barrista aprons I was seeing... so the Yukata has become a mostly self-drafted apron, and there is enough left to make a top of some kind. Or maybe shorts... I had to wash it and hang it out to dry and spray it with vodka (!) to get the musty smell out. Seems to have worked!

strap holder

I used an old Japanese apron pattern as a basic (made it much shorter and less wide.) I used a Fabricland tutorial for the back strap-holder idea, and just googled aprons to see various models. I made a chest pocket to hold my phone - so it doesn't bang against the counter when I lean in, and I made a strap on which I can carry a tea-towel if needed, and various other pockets just because! I used the hook system to attach the straps. I think that will not go through the wash well. OOPS!

I self-lined the entire apron to make it more sturdy.

phone pocket

strap for tea towel, and random D-ring

 

I also moved forward on the pouf for Ziggy. It was just one of those projects which said 'make me now'. I include it here because I did use remains from the pinky Marimekko print, as well as off-cuts from our living room furniture re-upholstery project done while I was away.

view from above

side view

zip on the bottom

handles for easier moving