Most used pattern to date: NewLook 6216

Hello there! School has started again, and - by some strange coincidence - my house has become less messy and chaotic almost overnight. I am sure there is no correlation between those two facts. Okay, maybe there is a link!

Anyhoo... this is my new top: a blush viscose jersey made into the short sleeved top from Newlook 6216, my most made pattern envelope ever! I have made the trousers twice here and here and the long-sleeved top twice here and here. This make completes the envelope. Considering I bought it during a half price sale, the cost per item is in pence rather than pounds. Kerching!!

I did add the pocket which was considerable effort, only to find that the placement was under my arm going by the pattern markings! I am not alone in this: Hannah from Hannah Knits Stuff made this top recently and did exactly the same thing! The placement on the pattern must be off.

Even without the pocket I love the simple shape and cute detail of the bands on the sleeves. Plus the neckline does not gape. Wahoo! Really pleased, as I need a few more tee shirts for layering now it is getting cold. So, this pattern may appear again. However, I am ridiculously busy at the moment, and eager to make a new dress for my birthday. And some fancy trousers too. So there will be no tee shirts coming anytime soon!

I am fearful that the dress for my birthday will fall by the wayside under time constraints. Do you have lots of makes on your wish-list? How do you cope when they don't get made up?

See you all soon.

Practising with jersey

Half-term greetings! Today I am stepping out of my comfort zone: woven fabric is my safe area, and I always feel a little bit uneasy sewing with knits. This year I am determined to get over this fear, and learn some skills. So, I am sewing up some basic T-shirts. Do you make your own basics or save your sewing for fancier stuff?

I actually rather enjoyed sewing this in the end, and happily it was a quick make. This is New Look 6216 and is defined as "easy". Nice comfy looking T-shirt; I chose this as the shape looks easy to wear and nice and baggy without being the classic shapeless box T-shirt.

The pattern does not disappoint. As it is such a loose shape, there's no need to fit, just follow the pattern. It is also very comfortable to wear, and drapes nicely around the body. I rather like the bat-wing shape to the sleeves. It's like being in the 80's all over again!

The fabric has a cute  print of grey, blue and black circles, and is a thin viscose jersey from the fabric Mecca that is Fabricland. I do shop in other places, honest! But having three children drastically curtails fabric shopping time and Fabricland is near, large enough to get into with a buggy, and - best of all - cheap.

I often struggle with neckline finishes on knit fabric, though I think a lot of it is psychological! This shirt has a neckband to finish the neck. I actually managed to get my head around what I should be doing. I just don't have enough hands: one hand holding the shirt, one stretching the neckband to fit the neckline; now, all I need is another to put in the pins, and I'll be fine!

I top-stitched the neck with a zigzag as I don't know if my machine would work with a twin needle. It only has one spool holder on top. Need to dig out the instruction manual for future reference.

It's not a bad job on the whole, but there is a tiny pucker on the back neck - not bad enough to warrant unpicking though!!

I feel like I should just keep making T-shirts till I get it right! In fact I went out today and bought some cotton jersey to have another go at that neck.  Hopefully, practice will make perfect.

These outdoor photos all look a bit sun-bleached. But they'll have to do as posing in the garden in winter is only possible when the sun is high in the sky.  Roll on spring...