Thirty gifts for Thirty - 80's Striped beach shorts

Hi guys,

My next installment of Thirty gifts for Thirty is a super simple pair of 80's Striped beach shorts, made from a vintage pattern.

I have used this pattern several times to make shorts and pajama bottoms for Mr. F and they have turned out great. The pattern is so simple and quick to sew up that you can have a snazzy pair of shorts in around an hour...



Or you should be able to if you don't encounter any problems. I had a bit of a nightmare with these shorts, well, not the construction but the lead up to it. I bought some fabric from Abakhan from the quilting cotton section, because I wanted something lightweight but with some body to to it. I selection a nice green and white striped pattern that I thought would go well with pretty much everything.

 As most will know at Abakhan the vast majority of its fabrics are sold by the weight, and are displayed in wire baskets for you to rummage through to your hearts content. I love a trip to Abakhan, as I usually come back with something really quirky. but I have shall we say, had the odd mishap when buying fabrics from there. I found my fabric, checked the yardage and I had just enough to fit my shorts pattern on there nicely.

Now I bought this fabric weeks in advance of making these shorts and I didn't think to even look at it again once I got it home, foolish me. A few weeks later when I got the fabric out to cut out the shorts I noticed a stain, then another, then another... but these were not easily visible, and I had obviously missed them under the shop lighting, there were dye marks, streaked all through the fabric.

 Anyway, I didn't have time to return the fabric, or buy new, and I tried all my best stain remover techniques and nothing would shift the dye. I had to alter the shorts pattern to take some of the fullness out and do some serious pattern placement wizardry to get these bad boys to fit on to the dye free remaining fabric. I managed it with only a few specks on the waistband which when gathered, they are completely unnoticeable and one small patch on the leg. I had planned to add some embellishments to the shorts once they were finished anyway so I just covered the dye spot with a original 80's woven patch. My mum kindly donated it to me, it has been in her sewing box since she used to sew for me and my bro and was intended for a pair of my brothers shorts way back when.

So here we have them, gift number two of Thirty gifts for Thirty, nothing super spectacular, but a pretty functional pair of beach shorts....

These shorts are a basic design with just an elasticated waist, fake fly front and side seam pockets.

Here you can see the fabric a little clearer and of course that amazing woven patch! Secretly I am super jealous of the patch and wish there were two then I could have had one for a shirt or something, I think it is pretty rad!

I also did labels for the shorts as well, this time as a swing design.

Sadly no modeled shot as it has been way too cold here to even think about getting the shorts out! 

But Mr. F liked them, so I am hoping that they will be a success this summer.

Thanks for stopping by to see some of my menswear makes! I have really enjoyed sewing for someone other than myself, and I am hoping to sew some more menswear for my Dad soon. It is getting rather close to Fathers Day over here....

 Has anyone been making anything special for their dads?

Would love to hear if you have any special fathers day projects lined up?

~HJF~

Selfish sewing week round up

So selfish sewing week is over...:(

I have so enjoyed spending a whole week sewing up new patterns and old ones alike. I have taken on three new patterns this week and feel I have learnt a whole lot. So incase any of you guys missed it, here is a quick round up of my makes in what was a really fun #selfishsewingweek!

I managed to complete;

One tank top for my mum, not particularly selfish, but I gave it to her on Mother's Day and she was over the moon with it!! It was kind of selfish because it was a wonderful excuse to use some of my all time favourite Cotton and Steel fabric by Sarah Watts.  You can see more details about that here. 

My first ever Emery dress also got completed, and I have to say, I now know what all the hype is about!! I love this pattern, so beautifully drafted, and I have high hopes of making a few more of these for the summer. See more pictures here, and if you like silly gifs of people twirling in skirts hop over to my instagram here!

Garment number three is the chiffon blouse that is from a self drafted pattern. To hear about my lucky fabric find and my attempt at testing out a new bit of kit take a look at this post. 

Number three is my mustard Tilly and the Buttons Francoise dress, I chat about fit, fabric choices and my indicision over colour, take a peek here. 

And last and least impressive is my self drafted polka dot vest top. To read a little more about my FBA process and salvaging projects click here. 

Thanks for stopping by over the last week, I have had a lot of new visitors thanks to Selfish Sewing week, I hope you will all visit again.

That's all for now, up next on the sewing table is a new navy dungaree dress, don't go too far. 

~HJF~ 

Tokyo Train Ride Tank Top

Sooo..... I did it y'all!!

I completed the first garment on my list for #selfishsewingweek.

Well... Technically I don't know whether it qualifies for the above hashtag, because, well, the first garment on my list is for my mum. 

It is Mother's Day on Sunday and I like to make my mum something each year when I can. When I showed my mum my new stash of Cotton and Steel from my favourite collection (Tokyo Train ride - by Sarah Watts) she loved the Train Ride print as much as I do and mentioned she would like to make a top from it. I knew she would never buy the fabric for herself though. 

So I ordered extra yardage of the print, from the wonderful The Village Haberdashery and set to making her a top.

The pattern is a vintage Simplicity pattern that has been tweaked beyond recognition and in no way resembles it's former self, so I have no pattern info for you. As you can see it is a basic tank top pattern with just two bust darts at the side seams, and it is my mums tried and tested, go to pattern for the summer.

Unfortunately I didn't have enough fabric to pattern match the side seams, but I think it can handle it due to the amount of awesome pattern going on!!!

I kept it simple with a super fine binding finish for the armholes and neckline. The pattern calls for facings usually, but this fabric is quite a thick linen blend and I think it would have been just too bulky. 

I love this print soooo much, and am super jealous of this top, good job it isn't my size or my mum might never see it ha ha!

As ever I would love to hear any comments you have. 

Is this your favourite fabric collection too?

Thanks for stopping by, next up will be will be my Emery Dress, so don't wander too far!

~HJF~

#SELFISHSEWINGWEEK Selfish Sewing Week - plans, prep and patterns

Hey folks,

I decided to take part in #selfishsewingweek over on Instagram this week. In preparation I cut out five garments to sew and patterns for three others, so I thought I would share with you my hopes for this week, it seems I may be hoping for the best sewing week of my life!! 

1 - Vintage Simplicty tank top 

2 - To toile my first Emery dress (Christine Haynes) 

3 - To toile my first Francoise dress (Tilly and the Buttons)

4 - Self drafted digital print chiffon blouse

5 - Self drafted swing tank top 

The patterns I have cut in preparation for use are

1 - The Alder shirtdress - Grainline Studio (with pattern alterations)

2 - The Workroom Social Tate Top

3 - A self drafted swing tank top 

Phew! It's quite a list and I am pretty sure I am not going to get though it all this week, but it has been a good motivation to get sewing again. 

Anyway..... Feel free to check back to see how my sewing mission is going.... Wish me luck!!

~HJF~