Retrospective, mini wardrobe

You might have noticed that I've not been blogging lately. Primarily, this is because I have not been sewing quite as much, yet my sewing output has been greater than my blogging, so I've a few out of date things to show you  a mini collection sewn earlier to write about.
These garments were sewn/knit for my older daughter, loosely according to the seasonal 6pac series planned by the fabulous Dr.E.

I started with a white t shirt, there is hardly any harder working garment in a young woman's casual wardrobe. This one is from Burda Style 11-2014-113, but without the undersleeves.

That might be why I made 4 of these, one for each daughter, and one each for my two eldest nieces, who (gasp) are now approaching regular Burda sizes, this up to date t shirt required only minor tweaking to work for young teenagers (some shortening and side seam slimming), whilst for my daughters I used the size 34 provided in the magazine. I used a robust cotton/lycra knit from Stretchtex for all four t shirts. I particularly liked the self fabric band at the hips, which is not only fashionable,  but meant that I didn't have to get out my coverstitch for hemming.

The t shirt is shown  with a RTW pair of mint green shorts, purchased by my daughter, which were the provoking factor for the mini collection.

Next up, naturally, was another top, this time another variation of the marvellous free Sorbetto pattern. I've made several of these previously. The fabric is an allegedly Liberty tana lawn (but no liberty name in the selvage), which despite its doubtful provenance is a lovely light fabric for a little summer top.

To actually transform these tops to a collection, the next item was Burda Style 03-2011-131 lavender drill shorts you've already seen, picking up the lavender in the print.

Followed by the self drafted crinkly woven singlet top you've also seen previously.

 

There was also this white sundress with pink and green in the border that I showed you a while ago too (self drafted, fabric is a 1950's sheet).

Taking much longer to complete, was the transitional piece, a casually loose jumper, knit from Sublime soya cotton, from a Sublime soya pattern book. Its an easy pattern, but my knitting is not terribly fast.

This jumper not only works with the shorts outfits and over the sundress, but transitions the tops to autumn/subtropical winter garments by also working with jeans.

The accessory was sewn by my daughter. Vogue 2907

3 bottoms (2 purchased)
3 tops
1 dress
1 overlayer
1 accessory =  a wardrobe boosting mini collection.
If only I had been so organised for Winter......

Sorbetto second serving. Lace.

One of the advantages of taking on an ambitious project, is the opportunity to stretch the sewing repetoire. Having lace in The Formal Dress means that I have been making practice garments with lace in order to refresh my skills. This has led to some very pleasing garments as a (much more useful) side effect.

I made this little top to use up some remnants, but ended up liking it just as much as the practice dress (which I haven't shown you yet due to henious inavailability of the model)

The pattern is Sorbetto again, this time made in its original sleeveless version, and with the centre panel folded out.
The underlining is poly/cotton batitste, and the outer lace a non-stretch but mysteriously non-ravelling lace yardage I bought a few months ago from The Remnant Warehouse.

  

I sewed the lace and underlining as one( using a size 60 universal needle) except for a few centimetres at the side seam, where I sewed the pieces separately  to allow a free hanging, shorter hem for the lining.

 The neck and armscyes are finished with bias binding made from the batiste, turned to the inside and sewn to the underlining by hand - as per the excellent pattern instructions.

To finish the lace hem, I sewed the trimmed scalloped lace edging to the lace yardage using a zigzag stitch, following the inner curves of the lace motifs. This also makes the top a more suitable length for my tall daughter-the-first.

I am very pleased with the effect. Sorbetto is rapidly becoming one of my favourite patterns, and I am keeping to my goal of restricting small pieces of fabric in my stash.

Sorbetto

Thank you for all the kind comments re everyday sewing. It is reassuring to read that other people like to see real life clothes!
My latest project was very quick, easy and pleasing.

I had some scraps left over from my latest work blouse, and thought I'd try the free Sorbetto pattern from Colette patterns. I am possibly the last sewing blogger to try this, but was a bit put off by comments from some curvaceous persons who found this unflattering, so had it lying around in the sewing room waiting for the right remnants.
Well, it is just perfect on a slim teenager, even if she has an hourglass figure.
Size 0, with the sleeves from Sew Incidentally, not even scaled down to a 0 (the sleeve is about a 6), and with no adjusting of allegedly incompatible seam allowances. I told you it was quick and easy! (I think it took about an hour to cut out and sew)

I was actually inspired to make this by  SusanKPs pretty blouse in her latest 6pac. I didn't use her good idea of  mid section gathering, but used the pleat in the pattern.
As I had to cut the front out in two sections, with a joining seam, I used a machine embroidery feather stitch in a hopefully disguising manner along this seam, and also used this stitch to embellish the neckline binding.

The hem is bound as well, as the top is actually for my older daughter, who is not only taller than daughter the second (there wasn't a lot of fabric left), but lives mostly in Brisbane, a few hundred km away, so can afford to introduce the same fabrics as her mother wears into her wardrobe, as no one will ever see her mother.
Now I am under strict instructions to make a second one for this particular model, or maybe 3 or 4?
Stashbusting statistics - about a metre of remnant cotton. The benefits of sewing size 0!