Springtime in the Swamp

You might remember that I set a goal to at least once a month sew something that has been in my stash for two years or longer. Well, I started this one in February so I'm going to say it counts. Besides, as long as I have an average of one a month at the end of the year I will still consider that I've met my goal.

I have had this green fabric for several years. It was another of the two yard pieces that the local quilt shop used to sell before they changed ownership. I love it but for a long time I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with it. Then one day about 2 1/2 - 3 weeks ago I just knew.

The pattern is Simplicity 1538. It's a good basic shirt pattern that I've used several times. The contrast fabric is a piece that I originally bought to go with something else but later found something better for that project.

Here's the back and you can get a better look at this lovely green fabric. The mossy color with the lily pads, grasses, and ferns makes me think of a swamp and of course the flowers and butterflies make it springtime in the swamp.

This is probably going to be the last long sleeved thing I will make for a while. We can still have freezing weather as late as the last week of April (In fact, our latest freeze was May 2nd a few years ago.) but it's beginning to look and feel like spring and I'm ready to sew for it.

* * * * *

As you might have noticed on Google this morning, today is the birthday of William Henry Perkin, the chemist who accidentally discovered the first aniline dye, a purple originally known as mauveine. So let's hear it for all shades of purple today. (Coincidentally, I just happened to put on a purple long sleeved t-shirt this morning.)

Stashbusting goal: 2/12

A Pretty Comfortable Outfit

This is another New Look 6963, my current favorite loose, comfortable shirt pattern.

I absolutely love it! The 100% cotton fabric had been in my stash for a year or two, I think. I had originally had in mind a shorter, more fitted blouse with short sleeves but I'm glad I changed my mind and made this instead. Sometimes you get an idea and you just know it's the right thing.

I also made the knit slacks.

Not much about them worth showing off but they are comfortable and the color goes with several tops that I already have. The fabric is a soft drapey 10 ounce cotton spandex from Nick of Time Textiles. You never can tell exactly what you're going to get when you order knits online. Even knowing the weight and percent of stretch doesn't tell you much because two fabrics that are allegedly the same weight and stretch can be vastly different. Anyway, I'm pleased with this fabric and the other one I ordered even though it's not exactly what I was hoping for.

One thing I was not pleased with was the shipping charges. Nick of Time is located in the northeast which means shipping cost is so ridiculous it almost seems criminal. Not blaming Nick of Time, not even really blaming UPS but I really wish someone out here in the middle of the country had a good selection of good quality cotton spandex.

Other than being made from a soft drapey fabric, they might be just a tad too long which would account for the wrinkles but they are comfortable and not so long that it will be a problem. When I worry about making things too short I make them too long and when I worry about making things too long I make them too short.

Dark Purple Drapey Thing

I don't generally go for this kind of drapey neckline but there's a gorgeous piece of fabric that I've had for a while (not this fabric but another one) and it seems like it needs to be something like this so I bought this pattern for it but I've still been hesitating to start it. Then I saw this extremely cheap dark purple polyester and thought it would be good for trying the pattern for the first time.

And here's the result.

I don't know... I sort of like it and sort of don't like it. I definitely don't like the way the hem came out. I'm going to blame the fabric for that. This was is a very easy pattern but this fabric was a bit hard to work with. By the way it's quite a bit darker than it looks in this second photo. That's it under the pattern in the first photo. It's closer to the actual color, at least on my screen.

Aside from the bad hem, I still have mixed feelings about it and I'm not sure if it's because it's that bad or if I'm just not used to wearing this style of top. It's indecently comfortable though. It's so lightweight I feel like I'm not even wearing anything.

I'm going to sew at least one more test top before I cut into the precious fabric but I still think this is the right pattern for it. I'm just not sure if I'm the right sewist for it.