Free to Stitch

Little Bun and I decided to go out foraging on the last day of the holidays. Miss Rosey's teenage ways meant she could do what she wanted which was snuggle up at home with films. We miss her company a lot these days, but times change I guess.

It wasn't long before we were a three again though. We did a double take as we walked past a shop window and then rushed inside to purchase the happy gnome. He travelled home with a seat belt round him as I was afraid he might smash. Little Bun named him Mr Digby and being a slightly frail gentleman he's taken up residence on the kitchen windowsill.

Before heading off to for afternoon tea we had a quick rootle around in the old shop of all sorts of stuff.

Straight in the door and my thrifty girl spied a basket full of lace bundles, all a £1 each. She also required some invisible thread to do convincing flying of things in the mini videos she makes.

 

Now those Easter holidays are over and here I am with a couple of days holiday before I head back to work next week. 

 Today my man did the school run so I didn't have to leave the house once. That meant even more uninterrupted time to get on with my sewing plans.

When I realised I hadn't eaten my Easter egg the day just got even better

 

I'm saving my eggs (donated by Miss Rosey) in my Easter basket(made for me by Little Bun) for another day as half an egg finished me off.

 

I chose the bottom fabric for a simple top I'd planned to make a few weeks back. It's a mixture of the silk vest pattern from the first Sewing Bee with my own tweaks. 

Tweak no 1. I really don't like the exposed zip's on dresses and tops so I opted for making a placket, and a rouleaux fastening. 

I didn't have enough fabric to make the back facing which is usually the way when buying vintage fabric. Actually, I think the contrast of this yellow sheeting looks so much better. 

Which reminds me, I still have a dress half made in this fabric to sort out

A first for me was choosing to bind the edges of the facings rather than simply hemming them. I've always loved the internal finishes in Noa Noa clothes (often thin ribbons of velvet or lace with spotty satin linings). Now I have a top that looks as good inside as it does out. 

 As the front is darted and I'd taken out some of the ease of getting the top on and off by removing the zip bit, I decided to leave the bottom edges open. To tidy them up a bit I added a small bit of spotty yellow ribbon.

 

By mid-afternoon I had a finished top. 

One that I'm thrilled with and it fits perfectly too. 

 Being on my lonesome means there was only me to take some odd pictures to try and show you what it looks like on.

 I'm thinking I could add sleeves perhaps, make is longer, or even add a belt. Whichever I chose to do, I do know I'll be making a few more of these tops. They're the perfect way to get a brightness fix, they're really comfy to wear and I think they'll look just right with bare arms in the summer.

 

I do love it so when a days sewing ends in success not nasty disaster.