Wanted Velo Combo

Wow! Double the Indie Pattern Month action for the week’s offering. I’m lucky on two counts. Firstly, I’m a teacher and SCHOOL IS OUT! Secondly, I got this 5XL polo shirt in a charity shop for £1.99!

I had already purchased this amazing Geo Spring PeachSkin from Sewisfaction ready to make the Velo Culottes (see below) so I was very much ready to make a complete outfit. 

Having perfected The Vanessa Pouzet Wanted Tee earlier in Indie Pattern Month,  I decided to have another go with the fabric I had from this polo shirt find. 

I cut it out and I had so much to play with that I even managed to cut it out using the original hems on both the top and the sleeves!! 

Those who read my last post about this top will know that I found it to be a little short so I lengthened this by 4 inches and probably even more so as I cut to the hem which was already done! This was perfect for me as I don’t have an overlocker.  It was a super quick sew because of it, it took about 15 minutes!  

Original hems! Winner

Just a stream of thought but… I remember when I was first obsessing about sewing over the internet- I was obsessed with refashioning, thinking it was so easy, though nothing I tried actually worked. Looking back, I think refashioning is actually harder because you have to create something new out of something which already exists and to do that you need an excellent knowledge of how garments are constructed in the first place. I’m glad I finally feel that I have the skills to take something like this and give it new life. It certainly beats my first attempt at refashioning!

Now for my second item… I bring you the Sew This Pattern Velo Cullottes. I was advised to use fabric with lots of drape after I became Obsessed with Nicki’s of Sewalicious_x Versions on instagram. I love the way the pattern is styled and sold on the website. I picked up a cullottes pattern at Sew Up North. The Butterick b6178 which was free with Love Sewing Magazine Issue 40. Whilst I was grateful to receive it… the styling of it just made the pattern seemed old fashioned, so whilst I’m sure they would be nice done in a modern fabric,  I sold out to the enticing Velo pattern!

Hhmmm… Tough choice!

I used the said advice for drape as an excuse to buy this amazing aforementioned Peach Skin from sewisfaction. Don’t you love it when the perfect thread is in your stash… Thanks to Nana Joan for this Sylko Bad Boy. 

Can you see my thinking with the fabric for the Tee as an outfit?! You know when you are so excited about an outfit coming together? This is what this was! I love sewing when it’s like this. 

Anyway, the fabric –  It’s so light and flowing; I’ve worked with a couple of the fabrics from there now and I fully recommend them. I’ve just done the new Rebecca Page Riviera Ruffle in a Poplin. They feel really high quality and I enjoy working with them… Even though this one was a slippery little sucker. I changed my needle and pulled out some new pins, which I used LOTS of. 

Told you it was slippery… Owww 😦

I’ve been sewing for a year now and some of my original garments have now gone to the fabric recycling bank… Others are still in my wardrobe and it’s made me think that my current clothing will soon have been in my wardrobe for ages so I need to make it the best I can. With this in mind, I really wanted to make my Cullottes stand the test of time. So I French Seamed everything. It took me a whole afternoon to do the darts, pleats, pockets and side seams but I’m really pleased with the results. I wanted to do this fabulous fabric justice! 

They came together amazingly well and fit brilliantly, in my opinion. The waist-line is perfect and that pleat in the front is great. Definitely one to make again. It’s great because there isn’t actually many pattern pieces. They’re just big! 

Sometimes a sewist has to go shopping…

Pockets!!

I’m really pleased with how these garments pair together but they will also mix and match perfectly with other things I’ve made so I have a bit of a capsule wardrobe going on for my holidays! I’ll be posting my Me Made Northumberland on there so look out for it!