Lockdown Sewing

Well it's been a while since I last wrote something for my rather neglected blog.  I am still regularly writing and putting photos on my Instagram page though, you can find me there on justjulielou.

Currently New Zealand is three weeks into another lockdown, as the dreaded Delta Variant of Covid-19 has made it's way into the community.  After two weeks with the whole country in a level 4 lockdown (this has the most restrictions) the rest of the country except  Auckland  and Northland is now at level 3.  So I am at home with the teens, my husband is still working as he is deemed essential.  I am hoping it's not going to be a long one, like a lot of my friends and family in Australia are currently experiencing.  Luckily my family have all had our first doses of the vaccination.

While I can do some work from home, it does mean I am lucky enough to have more time for sewing. So far I have made two new garments. Both totally seasonally inapporpriate and dare I say simply chic in black

Firstly another Rhapsody Blouse.  This one was in a beautiful soft slightly sheer dobby silk/cotton blend.  Even though it is the same size as the last one I made and frequently wear, this one feels slightly tighter around the armscye.  I'm wondering if it's something to do with the type of fabric. Never the less, I am still going to enjoy wearing this.

The next garment is the Peppermint Wide Strap Maxi Dress.  I had bought the fabric for this about a year ago, and kept changing my mind about whether to use it for something else.  Finally I decided to just get on with it.  I made this in a size D for the bodice, based on my bust measurements, then graded to Size B for the rest of the dress.  It is fully French seamed, has awesome big pockets ( a king size chocolate bar can fit into them) and very bra friendly.  The fabric is a wonderfully soft eucalyptus/linen/cotton blend, which was beautiful to sew. I'm really looking forward to warm summer days so I can waft around in this.

While the black fabrics have now gone from my stash, I still have more fabrics ready to be turned into something new .

Rhapsody Blouse

 

 I had been looking for another boho style shirt to make, preferable one without buttons, when I came across a new to me pattern company, Love Notions and their Rhapsody Blouse,  The blouse has numerous sleeve options and can also be lengthened into a dress.

I purchased  and downloaded the pattern and bought some lovely floral rayon fabric from Spotlight. This was probably one of the easiest PDF patterns I have assembled because it required no trimming.  My measurements put me at a size small.  

The pattern itself had very clear instructions, I learnt a new technique - the burrito roll, and bought myself a new gadget - a 1/2" bias binding maker, which certainly makes making bias binding easier.  Still a faffy thing to sew onto clothing though.  The side seams are french seamed and all the neckline is bound with the bias binding I made. The sleeves were probably the easiest to insert from any pattern I have ever made.  I suspect I muddled up two sleeve options and have  subsequently made a new version on my shirt, I ended up attaching the cuff the way I learned in making my Bonn Shirt.

Overall I think it will be a very easy to wear shirt, that will be perfect for weekends or the relaxed wardrobe I need for work, and I am sure there will be another one or two made before summer begins.