Sparkly Pencil Skirt (or another New Look 6128)

Hello lovely people,

I've been at a meeting in Carlisle today for the new job. I get that for other people the travelling for work thing becomes tiresome very quickly, but I'm riding the wave of 'a day out of the office?' Woooo! We got the train (love trains) and I got a chance to chat to more of my new colleagues, and I had m&s falafel and hummus followed by too many sausage rolls. So a winner all day really.

I've been a bit tired recently due to the new job, I think it's just tiring using your brain a bit more, trying to get your head round a lot of new concepts, even chatting to new people. It all adds up, so sewing has been more of a difficulty this week, just because I'm so tired when I get back that I want to veg out. But I have managed a couple of gifts, two of which need to be posted,,,, now! So I'll be wrapping and finishing things this evening (once I drag myself off the sofa).

Otherwise, I'm very much feeling the festive cheer. I'm looking forward to catching up on my blog roll (I'm so behind due to aforementioned work tired), plus I follow so many now that keeping on top of it can be hard when I've got a good book. But I refuse to remove anyone dammit!

So anyway, here's another New Look 6128. This is my fifth version of this skirt, so there isn't a lot to say except only that three of these now exist 'cause I keep making them out of wool, which I then shrink in the wash. So I'm glad this is 100% washable (apart from the sequins).

This is one of my favourite outfits, I love the shape of the jumper mixed with the straight skirt. I wear this to work, and at the weekend, and any other day I can get away with basically. It feels smart, and comfy, and I love that this material has been recycled. 

I could possibly have ironed this.... ah well! I bought this fabric back in the bygone days of my working at Abakhan in Manchester. It's lovely stuff with white sequins on the fabric. I originally made it in a dress, but in standard style for back then I made it up as I went along pinning on my dummy (that isn't even the same size as me, pinning and adding straps as I went along in hope of making a well fitting dress. 

It did fit ok... but I had so little knowledge of sewing then that it was a bit of a mess. I loved the fabric though so I took it apart, and made a new skirt from the leftovers.

The pattern matching... almost works! And if you squint it works perfectly

So that's it! Hope you're feeling festive now, and have everything ready and are laughing at poor fools like me who thought we could have it all!

The Fantastically Generous Bloggers Shirt

I had a week off from le blog last week, sacrilege I know! But as you may know from my previous post, I started a new job and as we are on the countdown to Christmas there is just so much to do! I've been bringing a few things together, including some ideas for my secret santas. I decided to take part in two this year. One by A Krafty Kat, the one that I took part in last year, and have grand plans for my pressie. Also I have taken part in a newer crafty secret santa by Stitched Up from the Start I've got a great person and can't wait to get it all wrapped up and sent away.

How has your week been? Mine has been good, the new job wiped me out for the first week, lots of meeting new people (even though I've only moved down the hallway) and wrapping my head round a whole world of new acronyms. But I'm feeling good about the move, and can't wait to go to my (two!) Christmas parties.

When I got this new job, I started to think about getting some more work appropriate clothing. I would say that work clothes are one of the things that I love most about making my own clothes, I think I might have mentioned that in my Washi post. I want something that shows my personality, can be dressed up or down, and is layerable (because I sit on an air vent... not as exciting as it sounds). The photos in this are terrible, you can probably tell that yourself but I thought I'd mention it, sometimes it's either terrible pics or freezing pics while your neighbours watch you whilst clearing a garden. I went with bad pics.

Enter my Pauline Alice Cami Shirt

I got the buttons, and lovely... especially bad photographed bias binding from my secret santa last year, I snuck in under the line for making this before the next Christmas! This lovely packet came with instructions, I was to make a shirt. I hope I did you proud Santa!

Unfortunately I didn't find a place for the light blue ribbon, but it awaits in the stash for the perfect project. 

The detailing comes from another lovely bloggers de-stashing from the 2013 Birmingham blogger meet-up, unfortunately I didn't make this years... I was hungover (to my eternal shame). But hopefully it will be on again next year and I can tag along because it was a brilliant day. I got the following material from Amy of Almond Rock, in the great de-stash/ swap, and added it to cuffs and collar.

The shirt is a little tight in the back (see slightly unflattering picture below), I did widen the sleeves as per the adjustments I thought of from the Zig Zag Cami, including a wide shoulder adjustment, which did work as the shoulder seam now sits comfortably on the edge of my shoulder. However, I don't think I widened the arms enough and that is what is causing the tightness. On to the next version!

I bought the skirt in this post from a charity shop in Edinburgh when we lived up there, it had weird little tacked on badges of squirrels and owls, which I removed. It's a great skirt for walking up a hill, or going to the office, and is super warm for chilly knees. The lining was recently falling apart so I attached a new lining to the inside of the skirt, using the edge of the old lining to stitch to.

I love a colourful lining, this was another purchase from the blogger meet-up... there have been a few things languishing in the cupboard for a while ey? Feels good to be using up the stash.

Overall I'm very happy with this shirt, this pattern is on its way to perfect, and once it's right I have so many plans for pattern hacking. I'm very excited!... but should get back to making Christmas pressies. Selfish sewer? Who... me? Hope you have a great weekend.

Debs