Orange Shirt

Okay, so we have another learning experience. Not too bad, just something that kinda sucks but is livable. I made Simplicity 2907 (is it discontinued now? i can't find it on thier website anymore... if so, i'm glad I nabbed it when i did!) from that orange plaid flowery fabric (again, sounds awful, looks good. lol)

The only thing is, I matched up the plaid to cut out the pockets, and then made and sewed the pocket! Perfect! Much swelling of the pride ensues. Ladeedah, we progress, and suddenly, alas and alack! I  made an error in judgement! I underestimated the pattern... I had to fold the button flap like, seven times! (slight exaggeration) So my perfectly centered pocket would have been hip to hip (hem to hem?) with the seam for the button hem. Well, after all the work on the pocket, I would NOT rip it out. and it would look much stupider with an off centre pocket than with the wierd Don Juan Hairychestman Wannabe thing that is going on here instead. From a distance it doesn't look too wierd. I think I might shirr it a wee bitty bit to tuck the neckline a little closer in though. The sleeves are slightly kinda shirred on the tops, which you can barely see because this is a wrinkly scrunchie elasticky kind of fabric.

However, mistakes aside, and learned from, I'm still proud of this shirt! It's cute, and the fabric was a remnant that cost less than a dollar (because it's buy 1 get 2 free for the remnants in my store)

I would definitely ... scratch that, WILL definitely use this pattern again. I can easy make a nicely matched up plaid with the .7m the pattern packet suggests. I dare to suggest that I could probably use .5m for the size 1/2 (oh simplicity, you size so generously... lol) as long as I didn't worry about matching up plaids/patterns. So this pattern packet + remnant bin = lots of shirts for DD & friends! And I'd also love to try the dress version of this shirt.

For those of you who don't check out craftstylish's blog, you should check out this tutorial on transforming a natty sweater into something cute. To be honest, I think I'd probably use the other side of the upper part instead of showing the hems, on the picture from on the pressing ham I think the other side looks pretty nifty. I think this tutorial shows a smart way to force a sweater to be big enough to make another sweater while still looking nifty! Coincidentally I had just picked up a merino sweater @ last weekends thrift store trip and was going to make it a cardigan but I think I may do this instead.

Cross-posted at Wardrobe Refashion

Except for this:

I am working on a new layout for my blog... I would in fact like to attract more readers, and I think a nicer layout might help. And if it doesn't, being pretty never hurt a blog. :D