Today is the deadline for the Sporty Summer Sewathon over at Did You Make That. Remember the Thurlow shorts I was working on? I hope not, because I never made them. Maybe after the summer? I just haven’t got the mental energy to face the learning curve. So many pieces, so many ways to get it wrong…

However, I still wanted to join the sewathon. I just needed to find a pattern that was both sporty and non-panic-inducing.

Esther bought two lengths of jersey print at the Haagse Markt the last time we were there. One is covered in photos of cats and the other in wild animals. They’re a super soft cotton with some lycra and a dreamy drape. She has her own plans for most of it but asked if I could also make a shirt from each of the prints.

It’s Renfrew time!

Esther had a particular design in mind: animals front and back with solid coloured sleeves and trim. I had some purple and blue cotton knit in my stash to fit the bill.

 

 

The print fabric is a great quality and a pleasure to work with. The cheap knit? Not so much. The purple neckline drooped, so I folded it over to the inside and hand-stitched it down. The blue sleeves got all stretched out and wonky when I tried to top stitch them. I had to cut off the cuff and start again. The knit doesn’t have great recovery either, so the sleeves and waistband on both shirts are a bit saggy.

However, droop and sag notwithstanding, my animal-loving girl is thrilled.

Which is great and all, but how are these sporty, you ask? Oh, I can spin this…

 

Jungle badminton

 

 

Cat-cycle

 

 

Snorkelling on the wild side

 

 

Kitty dreams: Pigeon hunting

 

That’s how.

See? Totally sporty.

 

Cost of these Things: €3 (Since this is Esther’s fabric I only am counting the cost of the amount I used for these shirts. The rest of the fabric will go back into her stash.)

Cost of all Things to date: €277.74

 

When I cut out the pieces for Esther’s blouse from the delicious Liberty lawn I was able to eke out a Hollyburn skirt as well.

This is my fourth Hollyburn and I’ve got this pattern down. I don’t bother with the zipper anymore. In fact, I only did the zipper on the very first one I made, the pink Hollyburn for Martina. I like it with the zipper but elastic is easier. The Path of Least Resistance for the win!

 

I used two inch elastic and the same method I used for Martina’s blue Hollyburn. It’s the method I learned when I attached the cuffs on Esther’s Minoru jacket. Basically it involves sewing the waistband into a loop, folding it in half and inserting a loop of elastic, and then attaching the whole thing to the skirt. This allows for a clean, neat finish and avoids a chunky back seam.

An invisible hem was the final touch and this skirt is ready to go. Unfortunately, Esther doesn’t have anything to wear it with — all her tops are loud prints or the wrong colour — so I may have to whip up a quick t-shirt this week. I think I have just enough blue jersey left.

 

Cost of this Thing: 0
Cost of all Things to date: €274.74

 

The last time I was in London I found this sewing book in a little discount bookstore near the hotel. It featured several patterns I wanted to try, so at just five pounds it seemed a worthwhile investment.

 

 

Martina chose some lightweight cotton print from the Haagse Markt for a camisole and shorts set. I got the bolt remainder of 2.7 metres (enough for a couple of projects) for five euros, along with a metre of solid purple cotton for two euros. Then, a couple of weeks ago, my beading friend, Hester, brought along a purple silk shirt for my stash. It had an irreparable tear on the front, but the rest was beautiful, usable silk. It wasn’t enough for the camisole/shorts set but it was exactly right for the contrast fabric on the Sweet Dreams Nightdress.

 

 

It’s an easy project with a few nice details like a keyhole opening at the neck, hidden by a wide grey satin ribbon (also from Hester).

 

 

I love the final product: sweet and light, just right for summer vacation. The silk adds a luxurious touch.

 

 

However, Martina wasn’t too thrilled. She finds it a bit too frou-frou for her taste. We gave it to her friend, Jessica, who loves it — so this Thing is off to a good home. I’ve already started on the camisole/shorts set for Martina.

 

Cost of this Thing: €11.30 (€6.30 for the book, €5 for the cotton print, with plenty left over)
Cost of all Things to date: €274.74