My sari dressing gown

Back in March when I shared my non-quilty sewing plans for this year, number 7 on the list was ‘wearables’ and I also shared a picture of the already cut out summer weight dressing gown, using a sari I’d bought from eBay.

Well it is done, who knew it’d make it out of my craft room so quickly?!

Our new house is super well insulated, and every summer we’ve been here when it’s warm I think to myself “I need a lightweight dressing gown” and this year - we’ve been here three years now - I finally have one.

And it’s glorious, I’m so pleased with it - let me talk you through it.

THE IMAGE FROM THE MARCH POST

I bought both the pattern and the sari on eBay, the pattern had the tie belt pattern piece missing but as I’d also bought the men’s version of the same pattern I used that one. As you can see the pattern was well worn, but it had the instructions and the pattern pieces themselves weren’t damaged.

As I said in March, I needed to get brave and start sewing. And those warm summer days spurred me on.

I’d already decided to make use of the sari’s pattern on the bottom of the dressing gown, and the bands around the neck and sleeves. This determined the length and I’d class the length as ‘pretty much decent’ if you know what I mean.

When I started to sew it came together pretty quickly. In my first sewing session I made the patch pocket, even though I was a bit thrown by the band instructions so may have improvised a bit, and then attached it to the front. The shoulder seams were sewn together and the prep work for the decorative band that runs down each front piece and across the neck were done, and it was pinned in place.

It was starting to take shape.

Next up, and on another day I attached the decorative band, and inserted the sleeves - and stopped to admire my progress.

Only briefly though as I decided to press on, and sew the side seams and the sleeves together - now it really was a garment.

The sleeve bands went on much more easily than the band on the pocket had, but I think I was getting the hang of what the instructions meant by then too. The tie belt was sewn, turned through and pressed and the hem was hemmed.

It was almost done. All bar the loops for the tie belt, and one to hang it on the back of the door. I searched my ribbon stash, but an emerald green was the closest I could get to the beautiful teal sari. And it wasn’t right at all.

Which meant I’d have to make my own loops, or otherwise I’d never be entirely happy with it.

And so I did, choosing a contrasting piece of material for the hanging loop, and the plain teal for the belt loops.

They were probably the most fiddly part of the garment, but definitely worth the effort.

Now there’s just the small matter of doing it all again and making MOH a summer dressing gown - I’ve got the pattern, and I’ve bought a sari which he’s approved, but first I think I might try my hand to a sundress - watch this space!

A perfect pre-holiday pouch

Before I went away I had what seemed like an ever growing list of things I wanted to do before I went, which at times got revised down so it was shorter, and then again to include just the essentials. But one of the things that stayed on the list was completing my new pouch, and spoiler I did it - I was thankful that there was a sewing group morning the day before we travelled so if I needed to I could devote those three hours to finishing it. I didn’t need the three hours in the end, but I did finish it the day before I went. Phew.

This pouch was in the Day 14 box of my Advent Calendar last year, and after moving a pile of projects in my craft room I rediscovered it, so I thought why not get it done.

The instructions were good, but I hit a small stumbling point early on. The kit was supposed to have four pieces of fabric, but I had only three - I knew this when I opened it in December, and well let’s be honest, I knew I’d have some fabric that I could substitute for the missing piece.

What I didn’t realise until my focus was on making this pouch was that I’d pulled a piece from my stash that worked, and used that earlier in the year to practice some quilting on with one of the variegated cottons I’d bought.

It was perfect, and just what I wanted - although it was about an inch smaller than the other pieces. Problem solved, my pouch would be an inch smaller. And so I followed the instructions (which were clearly written) and all was well until I got to the line which said: ‘quilt as desired’.

In my head that turned out to be hand quilt this with tiny chain stitches in three different coloured cottons, and follow the wavy design. I shared this picture in my This May post, so you’ll be pleased to know that progress happened, and the pouch actually got made!

And yes, I then did decide to hand embellish the substitute side as well, clearly I’m a glutton for punishment.

But they do look good!

The kit also came with a navy zip, but as you can see I opted for an orange one from my stash instead, I think it helps tie both sides together - and it’s far more interesting than navy!

It’s the first time I’ve added a tag on the side, and that worked well - the fabric is fussy cut from remnants from the lining fabric. I even added a custom sized internal pocket with three individual spaces to hold smaller items, which were just the size I needed them to be.

I’m really pleased with how this new-shape-to-me-pouch worked out, and I can see that I’ll be making some more. I love the finish the zip tabs give the pouch, and the boxy bottom means it stands up too.

So that’s another pouch to my repertoire, and a pretty and practical one at that.

A crochet bag for crochet

When I started going to my ‘crochet in the pub’ group I wasn’t sure how it’d go, or if I’d go back and so I wanted to take something relatively easy to do so that I could enjoy the group rather than have my head stuck in a pattern.

And so I chose some granny squares with some wool that I’d bought as part of a kit but which I didn’t really get on with.

I didn’t really have much of an idea what I’d do with them to start with, but as the weeks went by and my granny square numbers increased a plan formed - I’d make them into a bag for crochet projects, as a crocheted bag seemed a preferable option to one of the ubiquitous tote bags I was currently using.

So that’s what I did. I reckoned I’d need eight squares to cover the bag. Recently I reached that marker and joined my squares together, which could only mean one thing.

…It was time to sew in the ends!

Sewing in ends isn’t my favourite crochet task - yes I’m still sewing in ends to a blanket which was my lockdown project - but remarkably I had them sewn in in a few days, so the bag assembly could start.

Laying my assembled blocks alongside the bag I realised I could do with a bit more length so crocheted three stripey rounds at the top. And then turning the tote bag inside out - I’d decided that I might as well enjoy the patterned inside (formerly outside) of the tote - I put them together and using a dark thread attached them along the sides. Now this isn’t my neatest sewing attempt, but that’s ok - it’s functional!

I still wasn’t happy with the top though, that was until I added a row of single crochet to the top in the cream - to me it gives it the perfect finish. I was much more careful sewing the cream edging to the top of the bag, and it worked out really well.

Now I have a crochet bag for crochet! But I do need to find myself a new project to take along this week…