Simplicity 1366

Simplicity 1366, a drop-shouldered, cropped top has been doing the rounds of late. I thought it looked good, but wasn't going to buy it. Then three bloggers whose style I adore made it up, and I decided to take the plunge. Check out Mixed Emotions version,  Groovy Baby and Mama's version,  and Lily Sage & Co's version.

To start, I decided to make it in leftovers of a viscose I bought from Tessuti last Christmas - I made a pair of Suzy pants and had about 1m leftover. So I made a 1366!

Warning: these photos are fairly terrible, sorry. It was rainy and yucky and I was en route to work and had about 2 minutes to get photographed. My motto these days is to get things photographed. Otherwise they never will.

I made a size 12 and after some advice from fellow Instagrammers of similar height to me, lengthened it at the hem and at the sleeves by 2.5cm.

In future versions, I will pinch about 1cm out of the back neckline. It is a tad too wide across there.

I wore it with my black Libby A-Line skirt. Perhaps a teeny bit short for work, but I am used to government attire. Would never wear this to a government job, but I was sitting in my office all day that day. Although I did go out for lunch with my boss. I think next week I will wear it with my black Papercut Patterns Pleated pants and brogues.

I think this looks like one of those professional school photos were you turn slightly side on and smile, usually with a white sheet behind you.

Have you made one of these? I'm going to make a Liberty one soon (maybe at Sewjourn), and like the idea of lengthening it into a dress - perhaps in a nice rayon or viscose. How about you?

Just an Australian Girl, Up in the Tokyo Streets*

* 5 points if you get my lame attempt at a pop culture reference....

Well, I'm not in the Tokyo streets (unfortunately), but I am rocking around in a Tokyo Jacket by Tessuti. I only became interested in making this recently. I desperately wanted a loose, swingy, casual jacket. The Tokyo fits the bill.

I made this in a medium-weight viscose from Tessuti. A lovely fabric - frays like hell, but drapes in the most amazing way. Didn't slip under the needle either. It has a self-stripe that adds a teeny bit of interest.

I tried on the size extra-small in Tessuti Melbourne one day. It fit, but I perhaps needed a smidge more room across the shoulders. So I made this in the size small. I am thinking for my next one I might revert back to the extra small, but keep a small at the shoulders. This size small feels a tiny bit too big and slips off a tad.

That young girl of mine cracks me up

I left off the pockets. The pattern has you put the pockets on, hem the back section and then join it at the side seams. This means your side seams are not tucked under a hem. That didn't appeal to my anal-retentivness, so I left the pockets off and joined it at the side seams before hemming it. I hand-stitched the hem, and instead of attaching the collar band by stitching-in-the-ditch, I also hand-stitched it. You can sort of see in the picture below.

This jacket is a nice sew. It is rewarding - you get a jacket, but for no where near the effort you have to put into a more tailored jacket. I highly recommend!

What are you sewing this long Easter weekend? I have to sew Miss M a few pairs of pants, and I'm hoping to start sewing a more tailored jacket too.....