Nautical but nice
15 August 2009, 12:46I made the KnipMode puzzle trousers back in hospital (#12 from the May 09 KnipMode), but I wanted to add a quick and easy knit top to it so a few weeks ago, I also made a BurdaStyle Lydia top in navy and white jersey to realise the Breton shirt I’ve been wanting for a while now.
These photos were also taken a few weeks back, but it means you get to see my red wig, and the rather photogenic crane barge that’s now two boats over from ours…
I must say, I’m rather proud of my awesome stripe matching skills on the side seams (and sleeve seams)!
You saw the trousers and their weird construction in the earlier post, but they’re finished now (if a bit washed out by the sunshine) and still too tight…
Here are some better shots of the unique seams, taken with a real camera, and with the final buttonholes and aged brass buttons added!
If you’ve forgotten how these pieces all fit together, here’s some of the diagrams I put together for the earlier post:
These are going to be the last tailored or fitted garments you’ll see for a while from me – my weight gain is making sewing for myself really frustrating, as I’ve got a whole wardrobe of beautiful clothes that now fit badly, but I’m in no way motivated to sew temporary fat clothes (it’s not like I can go anywhere anyway). So now I’m concentrating on sew two dresses for my mom before she leaves (one down, one to go), the awesome KnipMode Weekend bag (waiting on handles), the odd loose knit top for myself, baby gifts, and some lingerie. Low blood = no energy = no exercise + others doing the grocery shopping = “look we bought you comfort food” arggh == FAT (Believe me on this one – I have very well honed photo editing skills, you’re only seeing the photos above that don’t contain grotesque muffin top. Situation is bad.)
tags: burda-style, knipmode, knit, top, trousers
That’s a really lovely overall look and fits the setting really well. Looking lovely!
— Jali Aug 15, 04:30 PM #
The striped shirt looks great! Now you should rent “To Catch a Thief.” Once your treatments are over and you get your strength back your doctor should know about exercise plans. My sister and I were born in the sixties and my Mom said that she wasn’t allowed to leave the hospital until the nurses showed her some exercises that would help her back to her normal weight and she says they actually worked. But unfortunately she can’t remember them. I only bring this up because both my mother and my sister gained alot of weight with their chemotherapy for breast cancer and neither of them has taken it off. I find it very frustrating but it’s none of my business. This may not be either but I just wanted to give you some support for the future.
— Karen Aug 15, 06:09 PM #
Hi,
Nice job on the shirt and pants! Haven’t I read on your blog you have a coverstitch machine? Either way, how do you do the hems in the shirt? I made a cotton knit shirt for my niece. My new cover stitch/serger bunched up the hem. Then I used my sewing machine & the wrong stitch. Now the hems won’t stretch!!!
— Lisa Aug 15, 09:31 PM #
Your shirt is quite nautical. Red shoes would look great with that outfit. Love the red hair. My hair is quite red also.
— gwen Aug 16, 02:36 AM #
Great combo! The lydia shirt looks great, makes me want to sew one up too! Just curious – did you lower the neckline? I always thought I’d have to do that if I made one as it looks really high in the line drawing.
— racheljm Aug 16, 09:48 AM #
I ADORE a nautical style shirt and yours look fabulous!
Great pants too!
— Tany Aug 16, 11:57 AM #
I like the shirt. Good job as well on finishing the neckline. Now, that is something I can never get right. I hope you’ll feel better soon, and have the chance to get back into shape.
— lauriana Aug 16, 05:34 PM #
You must have the only sailor t-shirt on the planet with matching side seams :-). Looks great too, especially as you’re a real seafaring woman.
Don’t sweat the clothes thing, it’s frustrating but you really shouldn’t flog yourself over it, things will settle down eventually on the body side. A couple yoga type pants will tide you over, and since the 80s are in you can concentrate on baggy stuff that’ll look totally cool when you can wear your regular clothes again. Hang in there!
— Marie-Christine Aug 16, 08:41 PM #
My favourite bit on the top is the neckline — the little radiating stripes look fabulous!
— Terri Aug 17, 06:38 AM #
Love the hair! And the clothes too, of course :)
— Christina Aug 18, 06:22 AM #
Very impressed with your stripe matching. And TOTALLY love the wig.
— The Slapdash Sewist Aug 18, 09:50 PM #
Like the clothes a lot, love the hair!
— ghainskom Aug 19, 11:10 AM #
Great clothing. I love the Breton look on you. The red wig is definitely fun.
— Nancy k Aug 19, 09:56 PM #
Re: fat clothes – I think you should definitely consider making at least a few nice things, which would probably have decent resale value as well (particularly if you made e.g. vintage style dresses) as good quality, natural fibre plus size and inbetweenie things are so bloody hard to find. And speaking as someone who gained a fvckload of weight over the course of last year and has (rather unexpectedly) lost about half of it since the start of this year, it’s totally worth having a few decent things that actually fit, even if you are too spoonless to go anywhere much, and even if they won’t fit you for that long.
(of course, that’s subject to actually having the spoons for making nice things, which I totally didn’t, but I bought a few things and that was good, too.)
http://kateharding.net/2007/11/16/to-hell-with-tiny-pants/ this is mainly written from/to the POV of people who are unlikely to lose the weight, but I think it’s still worth reading.
— Anwen Sep 11, 10:07 PM #