I’m a Sewaholic and a bird lover

I know it’s been a long time since I shared a decent garment (no, socks or slippers don’t count) and to remediate this, today I’m showing you three. They are all from Sewaholic patterns and they have been completed on very different dates. The Alma blouse was done in late Spring, I reckon, and I wore it several times, me feeling guilty all of them for not having blogged about it (what if me wearing it causes horrible wrinkles that will last forever and the photos are not good enough?). The skirt was made in early Summer and it also got some worn before the temperatures went crazily high and my weight crazily low. The Belcarra blouse was finished about a couple of weeks ago but I didn’t add the trimming until last week.

Gerry decided to join me this time during the photo-shoot, so be prepared for a great dose of bird cuteness. This is the first time I take pictures in our new apartment. Even though it’s much more spacious than the previous one, the other seemed to have more natural light, and well, this pictures were taken on a very grey day, so I had to boost them a bit on my computer. Also, please disregard the clutter and cables that appear on the pictures. I found this was the place with the best light, but it’s also where we have all our equipment plugged.

I have used size 4 for the three garments, as usual for Sewaholic patterns. For the Alma blouse I used some fabric that I bought by the kilo in my hometown last Christmas. I think this piece was about €2, so after adding the thread and zipper, the total cost of this blouse is around €5. The fabric is a cotton blend and it’s quite breathable. I wore it during the hot months here and it behaved extraordinarily.It looks good both with and without the belt, and I wore it also with trousers. I think it’s a lovely blouse and very easy to wear. The only adjustments to the pattern was shortening the length by one or two cm but not where it’s usually done. I did it on the chest, since I found the darts a bit too low. I was not very confident about this strange mod at first, but I am pleased with the fit. In hindsight I could have skipped the zipper, since I’m able to put it on without unzipping it. Like for almost all my blouses, I French seamed it, even on the size with the zipper. I love French seams.

I was so happy with my Cambie dress that I wanted to make a skirt using the same pattern pieces. This was before the very hot temperatures, before I got used to showing my bare knees. Seeing now the pictures makes me want to shorten it a bit but I guess I’ll leave it like it is and reserve it for formal occasions like… funerals?

I added a black rayon lining where I used for the first time my brand new pinking shears. Oh, I love this finishing for thin linings, since the faux-overlocker of my sewing machine is a bit overkill for this. I probably should have widened the original waistband but it’s not that bad. I think it’s a classy skirt, and black goes with everything.

For the Belcarra blouse I had in mind using a double gauze that I purchased some time ago at Telaria, but I wanted to make a wearable muslin first because I was not sure that this style would suit me. I used the remnants from my first Thurlow trousers pockets fabric. Yes, I find that the fabric requirements are always too much and I have lots of fabric left. I had just enough for this blouse but not for the cuffs, so I hemmed them using the same method than for the neckline. I just used regular bias tape. It makes it a bit stiff but it’s quite a clean finish.

I just added the flowered trim because I thought this blouse was lacking something. I am not sure of the purple tone of the flowers, but as I said, this is just a wearable muslin. The fabric is not great for this, since it feels stiff and boxy, but at least it has helped me to wrap my head around this design. This is again size 4 with no mods. Seeing the pictures makes me think that I could have gotten away with a size 2. Also, if I make this again, I would make exactly the same mod I did for my Cambie dress, and it’s cutting off one cm from the shoulders. Thinking of it, it’s a bit similar to the mod I did on the Alma blouse. It seems I’m smaller on the shoulders than how the Seaholic designs are meant to be.

Uggh, this picture is a bit granny-like. I will never wear this blouse like this with this black skirt.

Now that I have made this blouse I am not sure that I will use my double gaze for it. I wanted to think that I’m not in love with this because of the fabric I’ve used for the muslin, but the truth is that I’m really not into loose tops. I understand that loose tops with cigarette pants are very trendy nowadays but I just don’t look good in them. I think we should try new things, go beyond our comfort zone, but we should also realize when this was not a good idea.

Nevertheless I’m happy that I decided to make this blouse since it was in my queue for a long time, and tucked in a skirt is not that bad, am I right? And yes, those are the slippers I recently made.

We have to thank Gerry for joining us on this post. It’s definitely fun to do things with him around, even if he tried several times to chew on my remote, my tripod and my camera. At least he loves me enough to fly to my shoulder to show his infinite cuteness.