This first post is a fairly boring one. I’m currently sitting in a very empty house in Wellington, on rented furniture, devoid of sewing machines, notions, pressing stuff etc. Why? Because we’re still waiting on the delivery of our container-full of stuff from Sydney, including most of my handmade clothes. BUT, I realised that I happened to have with me three recent makes that would make for a good starter post. Why boring? Because they are all from the same pattern. And they are all wardrobe basics.

Before leaving Sydney for Wellington I had a bit of a panic: I needed more warm clothes! So during the Frog’s naps, and sometimes while she sat watching me (that girl is going to love to sew), I managed to make up 3 versions of Sewaholic’s Renfew top. And if I can do it with a newborn, you know its a quick an easy make.

I used fairly stable knits to make life easier. On the left is a lovely silky merino. Cut and sewn straight from the pattern. In the centre, I added a slight mullet hem (longer in the back) to work with the stretchy skinny jeans I started wearing while pregnant and dammit, I just can’t quit them! Its also merino but very lightweight. Finally is a miscellaneous wool-poly blend. All bought at The Remnant Warehouse for next to nothing. I’m going to miss that place!

I’ve developed my own method for doing neckbands on knits, which isn’t that far off the pattern directions. No, I don’t have a serger/overlocker. I don’t believe in them 🙂 Rather than zigzagging the topstitching as per the instructions, which I think looks a bit messy, I just run a single line of stitching on the bodice side of the seam, securing the fabric underneath then trimming it to the stitching line. I use a very slight zigzag when stitching knits and have yet to have a seam pull out on me.

Also, none of these have managed to get pressed yet, because the iron and board lived in the closet in the frog’s room, and you must never wake a sleeping baby.