At the beginning of the year, I said I was going to slow down my makes so that I could concentrate on drafting and fitting. Well, my creative impulses kind of ground to a halt. Not only has my sewing dried up to a dribble, but I did not really achieve any of the planning and learning that I intended to do.

I do not like winter, the dark and cold leave me feeling really down and this year the inertia set in hard. I’ve had a prolonged stretch when I just haven’t felt like doing anything and when my energy finally started to lift, I wanted to put it all into my other hobbies, especially my allotment – I really needed to be outside after feeling cooped up inside by the weather.

Long story short, I haven’t really sewn much this year.  I do now have some things to share and they are a few easy projects which didn’t tax me much and I enjoyed sewing them.

I made a couple of items early in spring which I took on a trip to Spain which was as much as anything to get away from the miserable start to the year and get an infusion of Vitamin D. We had a short trip to Malaga; the Spanish light always lifts my spirits.

My first project of the year was a two-piece made with one of the patterns that come with my sewing magazine. The pattern is New Look 6687 a top and skirt. The skirt in very simple, a pencil skirt with an elastic waist. Unexpectedly, it has darts in the back waist for shaping – I’m not sure they are necessary for me but every little helps when it comes to fitting, I suppose. The top has a few nice touches – the neckline is asymmetric giving it a nice accent and it has ruching on one side to give it and interesting silhouette.

The fabric was one of my Minerva Brand Ambassador packages. It is Minerva Exclusive Prints Loopback French Terry in the print Brushworks. In this colourway, it looks to me like a bit like another faux animal print. I like the effect.

This was such an easy make and I was so eager to get it done, that I flew through it without taking the usual progress images, so I only have finished article shots to share here.

This being a knit fabric, it was easy to make it entirely on an overlocker/coverstitch.

The finished item is right up my street, I love a pencil skirt and the column silhouette is a favourite. I’m not sure if it’s the busy pattern or the stretch of the fabric but I can’t really see the impact of the ruching but I do really like the asymmetric neck line.

Some reservations I have are to do with fit. I think I should have sized up as it fits quite tightly especially in the arms. Also, I think the close fit emphasises my tummy more than I wanted.  I’m also thinking maybe this fabric and pattern are not necessarily a good match as I think the French Terry fabric has less stretch than necessary, I think if this were a scuba or double knit with stretch it would be perfect.

However, despite my misgivings, I was happy to wear this as my travelling outfit as we set off for the flight to Spain. This was comfortable enough to fly then jump on trains, as always with a stretch fabric, you have comfort and don’t have to worry about creasing. It’s great for this cold, cold start we had to the year as well as it does have a good sweat shirt feel and is very warm and cosy both indoors and out. Bonus, as separates it can be mixed and matched with other items.

What do you sew when you don’t have the sewjo?

Thanks for dropping by,