An experimental, two-sided top

So there I was, staring at everything in my sewing room, wondering what to do. I decided I had to put away some stuff first and packed up some patterns into their envelopes. As I picked up a few pattern pieces (Butterick 4056), I realized they had been left out because I thought I would make a few more easy little tops.

Back in the Fall, I had made three of these little pull-over tops in silk which are great for under any suit jacket. I remembered I had some small pieces of fabric left over from these shirts I made years before I started this blog. In those days, I was using a shirt pattern (McCall's 8053) that fitted very loosely, with long tails that you had to tuck in - way too loose for leaving outside of the pants or skirt. When I got this fabric that resembled silk (but was polyester and so washable with no ironing), I remember the store table had about a dozen beautiful jewel colours and all I got were two - a burnt orange and a pea green. When I went back after realizing how great the fabric was, it was all gone. Boo.

So I went to the stash and found a piece of orange and one of green, not enough to make a top out of each. But I imagined that I could use the front part of the pattern and cut and green side and an orange side and have a "reversible" top!

I found some green thread and some orange and loaded a bobbin with the green and put the orange on the top thread. It's such a simple top, there are only facings around the neck and they were easy.

I hemmed the facings by machine, with the matching thread on the outside (but forgot to take a picture of the hemmed facings).

Here's the top with the two sides stitched together, lying on the ironing board.

And here it is, with the neck facings on. I am going to stitch the hems all by hand, as I did for the silk tops. I haven't tried the top on, under a jacket, but I believe it may work. I hung it on the hanger with the "front" hanging down so you can see the "back" but when I wear it, it should be balanced so the "back" hides beneath the jacket. It's an experiment! Of course, I'm in no position to wear a suit jacket these days but it'll be ready for when I am. Looking at the final picture, I am reminded of the Go Fug Yourself girls: "ooh, shiny!"

The doldrums

Sorry about the dearth of blogging. But thanks for all the kind comments you have been sending lately. They are appreciated! I feel like I just don't have mental energy and what physical energy I do have, I use it to go to the gym to keep myself semi-fit and sane. I do yoga combined with tai-chi and pilates three times a week at the gym. It's an hour of quiet exercise where I don't sweat but I feel good after. But then I am tired a lot and I just come home and read (or nap). I wanted to devise an original jacket for myself during chemo but I don't have the energy for it.

So I finished my little bags and still haven't given them away. Each large bag has a smaller one inside. One is going to my Mum when I see her this weekend. Don't know about the other two!

So I decided to look at ALL the new patterns I have bought over the last few months. And compare them with the fabrics I have in my stash because I'm not going to buy more. I have some shirt fabric of course and could make some of them but I would like to try out a new pattern. Maybe not the pants - those will require effort to fit properly. I have some twill that I could use for an unlined jacket. I have some nice wool for a work outfit. Not sure when I will be going out to work next! Anyway, that's the plan now - I'll pick a pattern and some fabric and just make something easy.