Sunday, September 4, 2011

In love with bamboo jersey

I am literally up to my ears in bamboo jersey. I've been making good progress toward stocking every color I can get my hands on for Bamblue Fabrics, so I have a ton of it lying around. But I haven't gotten around to sewing much with my own stock lately, because I've been so busy sewing for the kids (and all that embroidery takes a LONG time!).

Last week, I decided to change that. I cut off several yards from my rolls, washed it up (it does wash up quite nicely - I even put the stuff in the dryer, but I know that freaks some people out). And then went through my patterns.

First up is Simplicity 2554. I used my burgundy bamboo fabric for this - what a dream to sew! The quality is just TDF. This is a fairly simple pattern, and I just love how it shows off all the delicious drapiness of the fabric.




The next pattern I did was McCall's 6408. It seems I can never have enough of these drapey knit cardigans during the winter. They are the perfect thing to wear over leggings! This particular pattern is fantastic. Ridiculously easy, and I just love how the ties give it a little something special. For this pattern, I used my mocha bamboo jersey.


Can't decide which picture I like best, so I'll throw in this one too:

Finally, I made McCall's 6078.  I have made this pattern before (although a different view), but I somehow managed to lose the shirt. I remember modeling it for a picture two years ago, and I have not seen that top since. It is so annoying, because I really need a black cowl neck shirt like that, but I refuse to make another, since I KNOW that top has to be somewhere in the hourse! Grrrr.

Anyway, I made View A this time, in my new forest green bamboo jersey. Love it. all the pleats are a little fussy, and I really don't like how the instructions say to stitch down the length of the pleat. Why is this necessary? Maybe I'm doing something wrong, but I don't like how that looks. I spent about 45 minutes carefully picking out all those stitches after I'd sewn the whole thing up.





And now for something completely different.

I was poking around on eBay the other day, and I came across the Matilda Jane Wendy Dress. What a fantastic use for all those knit scraps I insist on saving and never use (except for undies)! I spent about 10 minutes grabbing various knit scraps that looked long enough for the tiers, and then used the Farbenmix Uta dress as a base for the pattern. I love how it turned out. I still need to wash it so the hems (which are all unfinished) will curl nicely.



Pattern: Modified Farbenmix Uta
Leggings Pattern: Ottobre

Thanks for looking!

PS - all that lovely bamboo jersey is ON SALE at Bamblue Fabrics for Labor Day! Just use coupon code LABORDAY and you will receive 15% off anything in the store, including sale items.












3 comments:

  1. I love this. Shared it on my facebook page handmade dress haven. I love it all!!!

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  2. Thanks so much Kathy! They were fun to sew - I can't wait to make more.

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  3. I just made this top! Totally agree about the pleats, what a pain on a knit! Love your version :)

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