Kate's Suit

I'm going to harp on again about the lack of actual, real life fabric shops where I live..... but for some strange reason we have tonnes and tonnes of curtain fabric shops - I mean hundreds of them! My focus on sewing must be somewhat different from the general population of Northern Ireland who regard what hangs over their windows more important than what they hang on their backs. Anyway, I decided if that was my only choice of fabric shopping then I was going to use it..... the following outfit is made entirely from curtain fabric.

I've no idea of fabric content, as curtains wouldn't be washed as often as clothes and there is an assumption that they are dry-cleaned, there are rarely any care labels, but it looks like a linen: quite a coarse weave, slight sheen and in an light golden sand, lineny-type of colour. I stood in the shop and scrunched this fabric up as much as possible until a sales assistant came over to ask if she "Could help?". I explained that I was doing a wrinkle test. Her face told me I shouldn't ask for a flame test......

So I bought 2m at £9.99 - not the cheapest garment cloth but is actually, surprisingly, wrinkle resistant, and takes a good crease for a pair of trousers for Kate in SWAP '13.

The pattern is TNT Vogue 8751. Really, I can't believe this myself - I cut out a 14 and sew it! No messing about, no alterations, no muslin - and they're great trousers too.

Side pockets, wide legged, high waisted, deep waist-band - I think this might be my fifth pair. I love them. Isn't it great when you find a pattern that just works? As an added insurance against excess wrinkling I also lined this pair to calf length (that's all the lining fabric I had).

Here's another post I've made about this pattern - white linen.

But in this case it wasn't just the pattern that worked but the fabric too. It frays quite a lot - a hazard of using furnishing fabrics - but a few zig-zag stitches along the seams soon sorts that out. I was so enamoured with this cloth that I returned to buy more for a matching shirt - guess who was serving that day too?

I bought another few metres  to make Vogue 1246.

This is a shirt / jacket thing. 

The shirt has interesting details on the sleeve hems; a V held in place with a working button. 

The front can be worn open or closed over, and there is a little bit of interest at the back with a string tie - your choice to wear loose or fitted, even tied in front. The single fastening on the front is secure enough to hold the shirt closed and decent.

Single button closure

 The sleeve heads are bias bound with a bit of left over patterned silk which really helps as this is the queen of fraying fabrics. All the inside seams were finished too by pressing over the seam allowance and sewing flat - then, of course, another pressing.

So here's everything together......

 Just in case you thought spring had sprung and there was heat in the sunshine - we still have snow on the ground!

So back inside, 'cause it's freezing.......

I also like the outfit with a white shirt underneath - to break up the single head to toe colour and to add another layer in these freezing temperatures.

I had my reservations about this shirt - while I love the Laganlook style and I love wearing loose baggy shirts and jumpers, I am gradually realising that I look better (wee bit slimmer) in fitted (not tight) clothes. Opinions please... is this shirt a keeper?

So Katherine has now three items to wear in SWAP '13 - starting to catch up with Audrey but only one month to complete the rest!!!!