I'm back to show you another Issie top! I recently helped a friend out with some sewing jobs. She generously gave me some fabric money in return.  I made the grey Issie top from some of the fabric I bought, as well as this one, and another I'm yet to make.  For this top I used a thicker sweatshirt/windcheater type fabric I found at Spotlight.  Since the fabric is thicker I decided to make a plain top without ruffles.  I also copied Mijke's idea for this one and cropped the length of the top (by 8cm) and took a bit off the waist band too (4cm).

Today I am sharing one of the Issie tops I made for myself with the recently released Issie pattern for women.  When the pattern was released last week I hadn't had a chance to have some of the tops I made photographed since I was working full time during the day and the weather was wet and grey at night.  I finished this top on the weekend.  It is made from grey sparkly French terry I found at Spotlight.  Unfortunately, the sparkles are hard to see in these photos, but I appreciate the subtle bling.

I laughed yesterday when I read Ros' post on her first washi dress, saying she was probably the last sewing blogger to sew up this pattern.  Nope...here's mine!  I actually first saw this dress about a year ago when my sister Jules (who is also a keen sewer) bought the PDF and made it up in a grey and white polka dot voile with neon pink piping - cool!  I loved the pattern and since we share all our patterns, I promptly traced a copy and filed it away for later.  I am not a total washi virgin...I made the tunic about seven months ago here.

So here we are a year later and this week and this lucky fabric find spurred me on to make one.  The fabric was from a lucky stash I was kindly given my the mother of a friend.  My friend's Mum used to be a keen sewer and is still a fabric lover.  She collected fabric from all over the world and this is one of them.  She kindly donated a box of fabric of my choosing which included wools, denim, some cottons, velveteen, broderie anglaise and this lovely cotton - which has a seersucker texture.  I really love the detail in this fabric - unfortunately I am not sure of it's origin.  I think it looks quite Parisian?

I just can't help putting my hands in the secret pockets in this dress - so comfy!  It happens to go well with my saltwater sandals...bonus.  I sewed up a size small which fits me nicely (I am an Aussie size 8/10 - usually 10).  I omitted the notched neckline.

My eldest sister is in Melbourne from out of town so I donned dress and brought my camera to the park with her, my brother in law and our collective brood where she took some snaps - Thanks Jack.

Gotta have a go on the swings when I go to a park....

Hopefully I will have one more garment to share for Selfish Sewing Week....will see how I go tonight!!  Adding my pics and having a look at what other's have been making this week here.

The pattern is Burda - Shorter Days top 11/2012 (although I think it should be called "longer days top" since we are nearing daylight savings here in Australia!).  I am very fortunate to have a big stash of current Burda pattern magazines at my local library (which is a two minute walk from our house)...love it!The fabric is a poly/cotton (with a tiny bit of stretch in it) from my local op shop and knew it would be cool for something.  I finished the neck and armholes with royal blue bias binding for fun. 

As you can see, you need to wear a singlet underneath as the armholes are a bit gapey.  Unfortunately, the stretch in this top is minute so in hindsight it was not the best choice of fabric for this pattern.  It is tricky to get on and off but I still know I will wear it because I love the look.  I will definitely make it up again in a stretchier knit.   The pattern can also be made up as a knee length dress which would look cool. 

I hope to get two more garments finished this week - my first washi dress that I started yesterday and a little skirt I have cut out ready to go!  This is fun!

 

I found this lovely red and ivory striped super stretchy viscose/spandex stripe and thought it would suit an adult more than a child.  I used one of my stretchy long sleeved tops to trace the basic pattern and used Sarah's pattern as a guide on how to cut the big cowl.  Since this fabric was super stretchy, it was very forgiving in letting me ease the neck and cowl edges together.  I sewed the whole top with my overlocker (serger)...I have never done that before - it was cool!  No skipped stitches or stitches breaking when I pulled the garment on and off. The only downside of constructing the top like this was that I couldn't make a mistake, unless I wanted to unpick four rows of intertwined stitching.  But luckily, I had a win and made no mistakes. 

I love how this top turned out.  It is super comfy, easy to wear and a little bit stylish...which is something I need more of in my wardrobe!!  I hope to make and blog two more garments for Selfish sewing week - a Batwing t-shirt from some thrifted retro poly/cotton and a gathered blue and white seersucker skirt with big pockets and a little button placket.  I will be adding this project to the Selfish Sewing flickr pool - check it out for some grown up sewing inspiration!!

 

This shirt has been sitting, half sewn in my 'to do' bag for the past six weeks and I thought I better get it finished before it gets too cool to wear it.  It is a washi tunic from Made By Rae's pattern.  The fabric has been in my fabric stash for ten years.... yes, ten years!  I bought it when I was visiting a friend in Bali just because I liked it.  It has moved from Bali to Warrnambool to North Fitzroy, Abbotsford, North Fitzroy and Box Hill!  It is soft and feminine and I'm glad I finally found a use for it!

The back has pretty shirring across the centre.  I like it. 

Photos of me don't feature highly on my blog...I mostly sew for my kids but have decided to start trying to sew a bit more for myself too (if I can find the time).  This is me in a skirt I made this week. 

I didn't use a pattern - just traced it from a skirt I have and made it shorter and added these cool pockets.  The idea was inspired by this skirt I have pinned on one of my boards.

 

The stretch denim is from The Fabric Store and is nice and comfy.  I am vowing to wear more skirts and dresses this spring and summer instead of my staple outift - jeans and fitted stretch top!

 

Linking up here today.