Vogue 9207 Patricia Underwood Hat. Desert Island Sewing

Do you remember Desert Island Sewing?

 No, neither did I, until I was doing a little, much needed, tidying in my sewing room and unearthed a few patterns.

 I have been meaning to make this for a very long time. It is a terrific hat. Version B. The first one I made from an old denim skirt and an ex-shirt of my husband.

The crown was too tall, which was easily fixed by a tuck, but I didn't get to wear the hat, as some other people kept stealing it.

 It is always flattering to have one's clothing approved by the teenage fashion panel to this extent, but to actually add to my own wardrobe, I had to make myself another one, from purple denim (Gorgeous Fabrics).

These hats are lined, with grosgrain ribbon covering the somewhat unsightly seam joining the crown and brim (Next time I may join the lining and outer crown separately to the brim)

There are two layers of heavy interfacing in the brim, which was still a little floppy until the many rows of topstitching were completed, and then it behaved beautifully. 

 I objected strongly to losing the first hat, and guess what, someone listened to me! 

Here is her version, even better than mine, possibly because she used cashmere/cotton twill from Michaels Fabrics for the outside, how luxurious. I love the contrast lining and how she has turned it over to form an edge on the outer brim.

I am pretty sure there will be many more of these hats in our future - or maybe I can find the more recent Patricia Underwood hat pattern, I'm sure its somewhere in my pattern collection.

Burda Style shirt 02-2010-106 : Desert Island sewing

It is fortunate that I gave myself a full year to sew my desert island patterns, as I've only just finished the second garment from my list, and my deadline is the end of August.
This one is almost ideal for a desert island garment, see me with my escape paddle?

The shirt is from Burda Style Feb 2010, where it is offered in several versions,with differing sleeve and hem lengths, one of them being a tunic length shirt worn in the photo shoot as a dress. My almost tunic version has rather a lot of added width (I must have been feeling plump when I cut it out) both at the side seams and in an added back pleat, as this shirt is intended to be worn as an overgarment, to keep me out of the sun, and a loose garment tends to be cooler to wear than something more fitted.
The fabric is a light voile from Spotlight (2010), trimmed with a shirting cotton from Michael's Fabrics/A Fabric Place.

I do like this shirt pattern, but on reflection, this is not as versatile pattern as I thought when I put it on my desert island list. My earlier version, in cotton seersucker, fits more closely due to the nature of the fabric, but this version is rather unflatteringly boxy - not really a problem for a beach cover up, but not what I want to wear in other circumstances. I plan to hunt out another Burda shirt pattern with more darts, and waist shaping that I do not have to add myself.

I have added a few details to keep myself happy in my camping clothes - contrast inner cuffs, with the plackets made to David Page Coffin specifications, and the contrast extending to form a hem trim on the outer side of the cuffs,

a contrast front placket and inner collar stand,

a contrast tab to reinforce the pleat, a contrast undercollar

I've worn this quite a bit over summer, so it wasn't such a bad selection after all. However, my pattern fickleness has struck, and I currently have no interest in sewing this very useful shirt again in the immediate future. I would like another shirt pattern, with a few different details, that I will have to fit all over again. Who said sewing had to be sensible and time efficient? ;)

Stashbusting statistics, around 2 m of 2010 cotton voile

Desert Island Sewing trousers Burda 04-2009-118 + bag

Once upon a time a few months ago I announced a self inflicted plan of sewing up all my Scruffy Badger inspired desert island patterns in the next 12 months.

 You might think I have actually been transported to a desert island, given my recent lack of internet presence, but this is not the case. I have in fact, been torn away from my sewing machine on multiple occasions in the last few months, and have somehow not managed to blog about what I have sewn, but am still thinking of this plan at odd moments.

Naturally, there has been some construction going on- after all, I still consider myself sane and reasonably even-tempered, things that might not be the case if I had nothing to make.

Here are my desert island jean-trousers, Burda World of Fashion Magazine 04-2009-118



The fabric is extremely cool. It is denim, and linen-hemp, and both soft to touch yet crisp looking. I had been stashing in a "what fabulous garment can I make from this amazing fabric" fashion for about 3 years after a fortuitous appearance on Michael's Fabrics website. A trip to chilly variably temperate Melbourne in October was the occasion for its use. (I am just a tad behind on my blogging)
As this is my TNT trouser pattern, I have little to report on the construction, other than the very sad loss of my adjusted calico pattern pieces. I had to readjust from the original tracing!!! This was not such a major project as the first time I did it, but still caused some muttering.
I loved these trousers for Melbourne. They were not-too-cool, not-too-hot and were  surprisingly free from any nasty crushing with wear. The grey tones of the fabric went with lots of tops, and my deep purple rain jacket (vital for Melbourne), and looked a bit more smart than regular jeans IMO.  I had added nice deep front pockets, so useful when out all day, and used these as a front stay, which keeps them looking shapely after sitting for too long.
However, the denim was surprisingly lacking in robustness.
This is what the inner leg of the jeans looked like after a mere week of second daily wash and wear.



It might have been due to my choice of transport during the week of my conference.



Fortunately this bike hire scheme was great fun - almost worth sewing another pair of trouser jeans.....maybe for next time I visit Melbourne.

I had already used up the very last of the hemp denim - this is from the free pattern soho slouch tote I made a week too early for the virtual bag making event at Stitcher's Guild , .



 It seems to be lasting quite nicely - maybe being reversible and lined with thick embroidered linen helps - but I plan to write about this bag later if I ever get around to my leather version, and can report back on the denim properties then.

Stashbusting statistics about 2.3 metres of linen-hemp denim, 2010 and 1 recycled dress.
Melbourne souvenir fabric purchased
Alannah Hill outlet shop, Brunswick
3 metres of frivolous silk chiffon and assorted trimmings



hmmm - fortunately the liberty blouse (2m stashbuting) went to Melbourne too, so I am still ahead in my personal fabric accounting system ;).