I’ve started working on some summer buffer to keep the holidays relaxed. I made a few future Things today but the last one — a zipper pouch — is today’s Thing.

The outer fabric is Liberty leftovers and I lined the bag with some black polyester lining from my stash.

 

 

I tried to get all fancy and add lace. It probably would’ve looked better if I’d attached the lace nearer the bottom. Or left it off altogether.

 

 

To be honest, the bag didn’t turn out as well as I’d planned. The zipper didn’t go in great and I had to hand stitch both ends. It looks a bit wonky and homemade.

 

 

Still, it’s a good size for a wallet or passport case, or just an all-purpose pouch, which always comes in handy. And it was free.

 

Cost of this Thing: 0
Cost of all Things to date: €235.99

 

Martina is at a birthday party tonight. She took the crocheted bunny gift I made earlier this week.

Yesterday I sewed a little zip pouch for it and the other gifts. I still had some squares cut out from the great tissue pouch marathon. Martina picked four different ones and a purple zipper from the stash.

I don’t use a pattern or tutorial anymore but I found this one so helpful when I was learning.

 

 

I like how it’s four different patterns: flowers, dots, checks and stripes.

 

 

Martina filled it with the bunny, an EOS lip balm, Jelly Belly candies, Mentos and some cash. Then we wrapped it in tissue paper and cello wrap.

 

Who wouldn’t want to unwrap that?

 

 

Cost of this Thing: 0
Cost of all Things to date: €235.99

 

This evening I went to a birthday party of a friend and I brought her a travel set as a gift. The zip bag, tissue pouch and business card holder were made some time ago, but I wanted to add a little bag for some tiny soaps from the Fair Trade shop.

 

 

I had a couple of scraps of the bright flowered fabric, just enough to make a drawstring pouch. I added a one inch gusset to accommodate the stack of soaps. The hot pink organza ribbon is from my stash.

 

 

I love this bright summery set. It makes me want to go on a road trip somewhere warm.

 

 

Happy Birthday, Vivian!

 

* These photos are strangely filtered. Either it was too sunny or the lens was dirty but the colours are much more vivid in real life. One of these days I need to get myself some photography skills.

 

Cost of this Thing: 0
Cost of all Things to date: €235.99

 

It’s been an epic journey but I have arrived and the Belcarra blouse is complete.

Last night I hacked up the pattern again, raising the darts a bit and decreasing the FBA to one inch (from one and a half). I whipped up a third muslin based on the changes and the fit was almost right. The darts were just a touch too high now. This morning I adjusted the pattern one last time, lowering the dart point by a smidgeon. The front pattern piece is now more scotch tape than paper. See how shiny!

 

 

I didn’t bother testing it out and instead used the finalized pattern to cut into my Mitsi fabric from Liberty.

Sewing together the front, back and sleeves was a breeze. It was my fourth time, after all. The neckline took a bit longer. I was sewing with the wrong side facing up but then the front went all ribbly. I picked all the stitches out and sewed again, this time with the front facing up. That worked much better.

The sleeve cuffs were easier than I expected. I thought they had to fold up but that’s View C and I had cut out the pieces for View A. That explains why the fold-up cuffs didn’t work out so hot on my first muslin.

I serged the bottom edge and then hemmed with invisible stitching. Because this fabric is a dream to work with and presses crisp and clean this was my easiest and neatest invisible hem yet. I may take up the length but that’s a job for another day.

Ta-da!

First, selfie shot in my sewing room:

 

 

Then Sandor came home and I roped him into taking some shots of me outside:

 

 

The fit is great! This has been a huge learning experience for me, doing an FBA. Thanks, Caroline at Sewaholic for the sew-along and extra tutorials!

 

 

I just spent an hour in an un-airconditioned car so I’m a bit wrinkly.

 

 

We’re going out tonight and I’m going to wear my new blouse, paired with jeans and my favourite Camper heels.

I’ll be making more Belcarras.  It would be a pity to let all those muslins go to waste. I saw some slinky, drapey fabric at the Haagse Markt, and at 3 euros a metre I can squeeze it into my budget.

I also still have enough of the Mitsi fabric left to make a few small Things, which is fortunate given the state of the budget.

 

Cost of this Thing: €34.37 (27.57 for the fabric, 6.80 for the pattern)
Cost of all Things to date: €235.99