First time using an overlocker to make a garment- conquered the FEAR!

A cowl jersey top from a magazine article pattern in SEWING STYLISH seen somewhere in August 2016. It's two rectangles really.

Finally conquered the fear I had of the new overlocker I got for X-mas last year. I did sew by about June, 6 months later! First it was samples and so on and I HATE the noise it makes but the sewing is so good and the speed is amazing.

Back of the top. Loose and perfect for work or dancing. Cotton jersey. Very fine.

 
Neat overlocker stitching and finally have hand finished the ends and sewn them in neatly.
those long overlocker twisted bits you have to have.

It's simple I know but am quite proud of this anyway.

A Liberty Print Shirt - back to a bit of sewing.

For many years now I have yearned to make a Liberty print shirt and I had the fabric in the attic for many years, bought in the 1990's for a summer dress I think.

Then finally the other month I just DID it. I used VOGUE pattern 9127.

I made a fixed collar and cuffs instead of the changeable ones.

 
I added a contrast as the inside yoke and the inner collar stand and cuffs sort of Boden style.
Although way back in the 1980's when I sewed shirts I used to add contrast collar, cuffs and front bands too.
The sleeve placket is beautifully designed but a bit wide and big for me.
Possibly also because I did this in contrast also.
 
 It's a superb fit and really comfortable. I made a size 12 and it's a ''very loose fit'' Vogue patterns style.

 And am loving the tortoiseshell buttons!!! Quite proud of my sewn buttonholes for the first time in many years also.

Colourful African flower crochet bag

Hi there, today is a brief interlude of colour before we continue the cabled throw.

I made this as a ';'dog walk bag'' as the old one of granny squares made in 2005 finally fell apart with all the chewing and use it had over all those years...

This is made of African Flowers for which the pattern can be found here:

http://heidibearscreative.blogspot.co.uk/2010/05/african-flower-hexagon-crochet-tutorial.html

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=AFRICAN+FLOWER+CROCHET&espv=2&biw=1536&bih=1101&tbm=isch&imgil=8Tu5ZsKA7edmOM%253A%253B_OZXvxh8o3ERVM%

I used DROPS Paris cotton yarn and a 5mm hook.

I attached the hexagons in the as-you go method at the corners but then sewed the sides together also as I wanted a solid fabric for this bag.

The bag will hols a water bottle and bowl for the dog, my phone for music as we walk and ''pick-up'' bags...

For the lining I drew around the connected hexagons 

onto some lining fabric I had with a water soluble pen. I added a 3 cm seam allowance all around and sewed a strip - 8 cm wide  and the full circumference of the top of the bag -folded in half and seamed into the top of the inside for the drawstring.

For the across the body long strap I crocheted a chain and then worked a ladder of 1 ch and a double treble repeated across the length with a dc row to finish.

I sewed a fabric lining strip to fit into the ladder gaps and threaded it through then sewed in the ends and sewed this to the sides of the bag.

The hexagons laid flat.

Here are the colours I used, I do not have all the labels but for the ones I have these are the colours from DROPS PARIS:

 
 FROM LEFT TO RIGHT:
dark turquoise = colour 10
pale turq.= 02
royal blue=09
olive green
deep pink
bright pink=06
deep coral=38
paler coral

The 2 hexagons at the top form the flap of the bag.

I crocheted the sides together with the dark pink.

And made a cord by chaining and slip stitching back to the start chain.

A small dc square sewn together is the guard section that holds the drawstring cord.

These were fed through the channel sewn into the lining and the ends knotted.

 front

back

 
the lining is rather fun too...
 
the lining was hemmed by machine and then hand slip stitched into the crocheted completed bag.
 

VOILA! A colourful fun new dog walk bag!