Black Cami Top

This wasn't a top that was ever technically supposed to be worn on its own but I discovered in taking these photos that I actually really like it. I think it's best described as a bonus make! I actually created this top to be worn underneath this one. The sheerness of the fabric meant that a plain black top needed to be worn underneath and I decided to make one rather than buy one. Because it was designed to be an undergarment the design is very simple but that's actually what I like about it.

At the time of making I wasn't, as I mentioned, anticipating wearing this top much and because of that the entire process was very quick and very inexpensive. I had a look through the crepe fabrics at fabric land and settled on this one. I'm not entirely sure of it's content but I believe it's actually a poly-viscose meaning that it was cheap but also feels fairly luxurious. I often draft patterns myself rather than using commercial ones, the only issue being that I then spend slightly longer cutting the fabric than I usually would because the pattern isn't exact and I don't want to waste any fabric. However, what was liberating about this project was that the cheapness of the fabric meant that it didn't actually matter whether or not it was cut completely wrong. On top of that, I knew this wasn't going to be a well worn staple which meant that I sped through the sewing process.

I don't think that speeding up on these two aspects made the top any less good; I still took my time on necessary details, I just wasn't as worried to do them quickly.

The only thing I would say is that the top was way too tight the first time I dried it on. To solve this, I pinned it to my mannequin and then measured dimentions of a trapezium. It worked beautifully and completely solved the fit issue, and I actually really like the addition of a side piece in the side seams as it adds a nice feature to a very simple design. The entire top is lined, which was really easy: I just made sure I cut two of everything. The lining is sewn in place along the top and I then cut it slightly shorter and hemmed it at that shorter length so that it wouldn't show.

Because the design is so simple the v-neck really stands out. I added this design to both the front and the back, the v at the back being deeper which I love. The shape also stands out really nicely when being worn with this top. The final addition was the straps which are really fine and delicate, the perfect finish.

Needlecord Top

I find that each time I make a garment it's something else that inspires it. Sometimes it's a trend I want to copy or the fabric jumps out to be made into something in particular. For this make it was all about the details. I started out with this gorgeous pink cuffing that I knew I wanted to use. I started with only a vague idea of wanting to use the cuffing and adding the detail of an elasticated hem and ended up with a top.

The cuffing is the main feature of this top and my favourite part. When I went to the Knitting and Stitching show at Alexandra Palace back in October, the stand that I was most excited about was Stoff and Still. I was fortunate to be able to visit one of their many shops in Denmark around almost two years ago (you can see some of the things that I bought there in this post) and it is possibly my absolute favourite shop ever - and I've been to quite a few! The quality and range of their fabric is amazing, it's just a shame that the shops are a plane journey away... 

I believe it was their first time at a sewing show and rather than bringing fabric on the bolt they brought with them pre-cut pieces of a few different fabric collections. While I didn't buy any of their fabric I did buy a few pieces of accessories, one of which was this gorgeous cuffing. I love the idea of adding details to homemade garments to make them seem more proffesional and cuffing is perfect for that.

This top hasn't actually photographed particularly well possibly due the the dark fabric and to me it feels a bit more special in real life. I wanted the cuffing to stand out so knew that pairing it with a black fabric was the way forward. Amazingly, upon rumaging though my fabric leftovers I discovered enough black needlecord left over from this dress to make a top! It did involve some careful pattern placements and there were litterally threads left by the end but I was so pleased to have been able to get another garment out of the fabric, usually pieces I have left over are too small to be made into anything else.

The other detail that I added to this top that I also love is this elasticated hem. It's a detail that I've seem on quite a few ready to wear tops lately and again I think it just adds a nice professional touch. I was really pleased to find the adjustors in my local craft shop they are such a lovely finishing detail. This top was really fun to plan out and see come to life, rather than the fabric or pattern it's the finishing touches that make the top and I like that about it.

The Knitting and Stiching Show - Dressmaking Competition

You might have heard of the Knitting and Stitching Show, a sewing show which provides everything from fabric shopping to sewing workshops. In other words, the perfect day out for anyone who has a love of textiles. I went to the show for the first time for my birthday back in October. I then spent the most wonderful and magical day there last weekend.

For the first time the show hosted a dressmaking competition, for which there were three categories (Upcycling, A Dress From Your Stash and Go Green). You may remember this top that I made last summer, created from several old pairs of jeans and much loved during the summer heat. As a somewhat spur of the moment decision I entered it into the Upcycling category and was simultaneously shocked and delighted to hear back that my top had made it into the top 5 of it's category! The top was posted immediately and was then displayed at the show in a gallery during it's 4-day duration and all that was left for me to do was to count down the days until I would be going!

The first thing I did upon arrival was to visit the gallery where the 15 garments were displayed. Seeing my top on a mannequin in a exhibition was such a surreal experience but I think what felt the most extraordinary was the plaque next to it. My name was displayed on the wall! My words that I wrote about my top! It was, for want of words, the best feeling ever.

Having recovered from the initial shock of seeing my top on display I was able to properly look round the gallery. Some of the other garments were just incredible and I think that the categories really allowed for creativity to be explored and as such the makes were amazing. My favourite dress was one made out of maps, in the Go Green category there were dresses made out of all sorts including umbrellas and bubble wrap.

For me, the day was already crazy enough but there was still an element remaining, and one which took my definition of crazy to a whole new level: the finalists catwalk. A catwalk is definitely not the kind of thing I could ever imagine myself doing and despite being nerve-wracking it was also incredibly fun and thankfully very informal! The atmostphere was lovely too and I just about managed to survive my first (and last) catwalk. I don't believe a catwalk was something any of us had ever done (or considered doing!) which was quite a relief. I very much doubt that I'll be doing another catwalk any time soon but I'm so glad to have had the experience, it was a lot of fun!

After the morning's debacles I spent a wonderful afternoon at the show too, looking at patterns, exhibitions and discovering new crafts. I bought some fabric too, of course! I also met Esme Young, the judge of the Great British Sewing Bee as well as some sewing pattern designers. You might recognise the top I'm wearing as my beloved gingham top which I'm so happy to have worn to such a special event. I think it's safe to say that I had the most wonderful day and I still can't qutie believe it!