Charlie Crafts Things

Crocheted toys, garments, and accessories, especially hats; sewn garments and bags of many kinds; calligraphy; wire and bead jewellery. Sometimes other stuff, too.

[charliecraftsthings]

Sweater - Abandoned House (DIL 15)

At some point, probably in 2025, I started crocheting another pullover, but didn't record any notes. I found it recently so I'm documenting what I can, reading my work to figure out what I did.

Pattern: modified from Done In Love Pullover by Katy Petersen

Hook: 3.5mm (might've used a smaller hook for the collar ribbing)

Yarn, collar: (probably) de Maille en Bas, l'Essential in "Ardoise" (cool slate semi-solid)

Yarn, main: ColorOfMyFiber, Merino Nylon Fingering in "Abandoned House" (pale, desatrated mauve with rusty speckles)

Construction

I've been trying to solve an issue with this pullover. The collar stretches out over time--both over the years, but also over the hours it's worn, the weight of the sweater pulling it down. The neckline on my partner's sweater is lower than he likes to wear--it's not a fashion statement he's eager to make!

I'm not sure the solution is just to make a smaller neck opening, because that will still stretch out, but I think it would help.

So this project uses a different stitch for the collar ribbing: yarn-over slip stitch (yoslst) in the back loop (bl-yoslst). This stitch makes a very stretchy fabric with much better recovery (mechanical) than back loop single crochet (bl-sc)--which is how most crochet ribbing is made.

Back loop slip stitch (bl-slst) ribbing is also nice and stretchy, but I find it requires vigilance about tension. Uneven tension will be very noticeable and loose stitches snaggle easily; bl-yoslst is way more forgiving of uneven tension (the extra y/o helps absorb and hide irregular tension). Bl-yoslst also makes a taller stitch, of a height comparable to bl-sc, which means I can generally use patterns that call for blsc without modifying rowcounts!

I also made the collar ribbing wider, using 12 stitches of bl-slst (instead of the more usual 6 to 8 stitches).

I'm optimistic that these changes will address the collar stretching issue.

Yarns

The ribbing is made from a dark grey semisolid, probably small-batch dyed. So I think it's l'Essential (fingering weight sock yarn, 80/20 superwash merino/nylon) by de Maille en Bas in "Ardoise" (slate), but I misplaced the label so who knows?

Below are some yarns I ordered from de Maille en Bas, including Ardoise (second from the left):

The main body uses a sock yarn dyed by Barb Stechl (ColorOfMyFiber) in the colourway "Abandoned House":

This is a lovely grey-lavender tonal with small sections flecked with rusty speckles. This makes a grungy appearance of corrosion that I apparently find very compelling to see on wool!

[charliecraftsthings]

Skullcaps

This past winter, I tried the Velo Run/Bike Cap pattern by The Last Stitch. The pattern is drafted for stretch knits and makes a negative-ease skullcap that can be worn under a bicycle helmet.

I didn't quite realise the negative-ease aspect until I'd made one. The Medium size fits me like a swim cap, which is not quite what I wanted:

Fabric: Nylon-spandex jersey; stretches crosswise 60% and lengthwise 50%.

I also tried making this in polar fleece that has less stretch, and it didn't turn out quite how I wanted.

Fabric: normal polar fleece without much stretch.

I didn't have much yardage of a stretchy polar fleece, but wanted to make a bike helmet liner for my partner, who bikes to work.

I have a little bit of stretchy Polartec Windpro, but it was expensive and I didn't want to use it all on one project without knowing how it would turn out. I compromised by making the headband and side panels from the Polartec: the panels panels that I felt benefitted most from the stretchiness and wind-resistance, and which would use the yardage most meagrely. The top panel uses the normal polar fleece; and you can see how the two "black" fabrics are different:

For the binding, I cut a strip of normal polar fleece.

I have mixed feelings about this pattern. I still feel it's drafted a little small for the head circumferences listed. Even when I use fabrics with stretch in excess of the recommended amount, the hats still feel small.

I ended up drafting larger panels, but I felt a disproportionate amount of trepidation doing so--probably because these are for stretchy knits and I felt unqualified. But they turned out ok! My partner now has a liner for biking in cool weather, and I I also have a sheepy skullcap!

Fabric: boiled wool exterior, brushed knit interior.

I am absolutely enamoured with my boiled wool skullcap!! For the lining, I used the same lining from this self-drafted circle cape: a beautiful brushed knit with an autumnal print. It's incredibly cozy soft!

There's something really compelling about this skullcap. I think it's that I took a pattern drafted for modern, performance athletic knits, and made it out of a rather traditional fabric. It just tickles me and makes me smile every time I look at it! High performance boiled wool skullcap!

It's also fairly windproof and very nice to wear in cold weather!

[charliecraftsthings]

Just a quick post to say: I'm still around. I've been doing a lot of sewing, but I've been finding it difficult to write posts about it.

I'm using Threadloop.App, though not necessarily posting all my projects publicly. I'm hoping that writing journal entries about my projects there will help me write posts here; but maybe it's replacing it isntead.

[charliecraftsthings]

A second sports bra

After sewing my first Jalie Coco sports bra, I promptly made two more! This post will showcase the first of the two.

Pattern: Jalie 4014 Coco Sports Bra

Fabrics:

Supplex knit from Our Social Fabric (Navy blue)

Supplex jacquard from OSF (black medallion)

Swim Lining from Marshall Fabrics (black)

Power Mesh from OSF (black)

I've been into "batch sewing" lately, where you make more than one of a pattern in parallel: do step 1 for each bra, do step 2 for each bra, etc. Working in parallel also allowed me to test a change on the first bra, and if it didn't work, I could do something different on the second bra. This would come in handy for a particular fit issue I had with my first make.

On my first make, I felt the bra was too long, by about an inch or so. This was very noticeable in the back, but also the front. I decided that the way to solve this was not by drafting new pieces, but by cutting the partially-sewn garment before attaching the underbust elastic:

I zig-zagged the raw bottom edge and put it on for a test fit, marking the approximate line to cut. After taking it off, I smoothed out the curve, tried it on again, and adjusted the cut line. Then I folded the bra in half along the centre front/back line, holding all layers evenly with clips. Cleaning and oiling my sharpest pair of fabric shears (and taking a deep breath to settle my nerves), I carefully cut through all layers!

Doing it this way had a slight drawback: part of the opening for the (optional) foam pad pocket got eaten up by the cut. In future makes, I'll reposition this opening.

On my first make, I used Power Mesh for both pairs of Panel G (cup lining), cut at right-angles (ie: one pair on-grain, the second pair cross-grain). I found this a bit aggressive for my needs, so this time, I cut the skin-side pair from knit lining (cross-grain for less stretch) and the inner pair from power mesh (on-grain for as much stretch as power mesh has).

To finish, I opted again for a stitch-in-the-ditch underbust band topstitching (instead of the zig-zag as in the instructions) using an elastic thread. I like this look of this finish better, but I think it's harder to sew accurately:

I should also mention that I used a stretch stitch (lightning stitch) for most of my construction seams (instead of Jalie's recommended two-step process). The downside to using this stitch is that the threads can be quite visible:

But overall, I'm very pleased with the final result!

Another modification I'll have to make in the future is Panel E (underbust band). This panel is joined straight, and when the band is folded on itself three times and encasing the joined elastic, it creates a thick lump of fabric! You can really see the difficulty I had stitching through all that, on the last photo (inside-back).

In the future I'll modify the panel for a diagonal join to spread out that seam allowance.

Below are some photos of me wearing the bra.

I don't think these are particularly risqué (the sports bra has good coverage), but since I don't normally post these kinds of photos, I thought I should give a heads-up.

Yeah! I made that!!

[charliecraftsthings]

Jalie Coco Sports Bra

I sewed a sports bra for the first time!

Pattern: Jalie 4014 Coco Sports Bra

Fabrics:

Supplex knit from Our Social Fabric

Knit mesh from Our Social Fabric

I've hestitated about writing this post for a few months now, for several reasons: my first make didn't turn out very good; I didn't take many photos of it; and it's a rather personal item (it's underwear!).

But making my own activewear and underwear has been a goal for some time now. My favourite sports bra was discontinued by the manufacturer; they released an X-back bra that was similar, but I didn't like the crossing straps.

Jalie Coco's View A seems like a copycat for this sports bra, but they also offer a racerback version in View B.

I also appreciate that Jalie offers step-by-step photo tutorials for this pattern! I found steps 34-35-36 a bit under-explained in the instruction PDF and I might have misinterpreted it, if had been my first time doing something similar ("burrito method"; here's an explainer video by Seamwork).

This was my first time working with clear elastic. Again, I found the PDF instructions basic (but not inaccurate!) and would have appreciated more guidance.

I read several reviews and blog posts about the pattern; including this one by activewear sewing designer Melissa Fehr, who gave this tip:

cut your two layers of lining stretch mesh for the Lining Side piece (G) at 90 degrees to each other. Stretch mesh is always more supportive in one direction than the other, and this has been my trick for years for preventing both up & down and side-to-side motion

Melissa also describes how the Band panel (E) is sized incorrectly for the wider elastic (link). The pattern as written can be made with a "40 mm" wide elastic, but what they really mean is 38 mm, because 1½ inch elastic is sometimes sold as "40 mm". If your elastic is 38 mm, no adjustments are required; but if it's 40 mm, you need to widen the panel by 6mm.

Clear elastic is applied to the neck and arm holes. Because I used a mesh lining, the elastic could be seen and felt on the skin side.

I also tried making the pocket for foam cups, but had a very difficult time zig-zagging the pocket openings!

Some more thoughts about the construction:

The instructions have you cut two Back panels (D) from the main fabric. Wearing the finished result, I didn't like how heavy it was, and in future versions, I cut one Back from Main, and one from Lining.

The final fit felt a bit too long for me, by about 1" in the front and 1.5" in the back.

Sewing the band was incredibly difficult, going through so many layers of fabric all at once! I would cut the Band (panel E) with a bias join in the future, to distribute the seam allowance over more distance.

The very last step is to close the band with a zigzag stitch all around. I didn't feel my machine could do that and produce a good result, so I switched my thread to Eloflex (stretchy thread) and did a straight stitch. I wasn't able to always grab the lining correctly underneath, but I think this looked better, and would be less prone to breakage.

After trying this out for a few weeks, I ultimately gave it to a friend who was looking for a new sports bra. She's very happy with it, wearing it for dancing, and showing it off at every opportunity! I wish I'd taken some better photos before I gave it away, but I'm very glad that it's being used!

Since making this one, I've made several more, and I hope to post about them soon!

[charliecraftsthings]

I was featured in the C2 newsletter!

Staff Selection of the Month – by MCML Curator Andrea Reichert I know that winter hat season is on its way out (hopefully), but you need to check out Charlie Wong's work. As I crocheter I appreciate when crochet looks elegant, and Charlie's work is so precise and the designs are both fun and fashionable. If you don't need a hat right now, you will come fall, so make sure to drop by to see what we have in the C2 Shop!

Read the full newsletter here.

Find my work for sale at the museum shop here.

[charliecraftsthings]

Overdyeing Double Gauze Fabric

I bought some cotton double gauze on sale. It came in a pale peachy-pink colour...

... but I wasn't a fan, so I decided to try overdyeing it blue. I used Tintex powder dye

I pre-soaked the fabric before putting it in the dyebath, but it still came out a little unevenly:

I actually kinda like it like this! It reminds me of clouds, especially with the fabric's texture.

Close-up of the fabric's extra-wrinkly edge when it came out of the dryer:

The bolt width was 135 cm, but after washing it shrank to about 124 cm. I've got about 4m of length, so I'm thinking about what I would make with it.

[jazzeria]

Projects I Completed in 2025!

I wanted to do a roundup of textile projects I completed in 2025 (for which I have any sort of documentation). I felt like I made a lot of things, and when I checked--holy crap I made a lot of things!!! 2025 was a friggin' decade for my partner and me, with several large Life Milestones.

There's more I want to say about "the new year" but it hasn't all crystallised for me yet. But for now, I want to at least state a goal for 2026: to be more consistent with my project documentation! At the very least, I will aim to take more photos of my works in progress; but I'd also like to write more, and take photos of the finished works sooner.

Ok, let's get into it.

Here are the projects I completed each month:

January

Circle cape with hood (self-drafted)

Pattern weights (tutorial by Hello Sewing)

Give it a Whirl crocheted toque, pattern by Adrienne L (free)

Wallets for my partner and myself (self-drafted)

February

Wearable muslin Pixie Pea Coat by Twig + Tale

Several Peaches the Mouse by my-darling-boy (free)

March

Cat-eared Traveller Cape by Twig + Tale

Goth Trailblazer Vest by Twig + Tale

Purple Percale Breeze Shirt by Twig + Tale

Canvas muslin Fedora by Twig + Tale

Jacob Pajama Pants by Mimi Couture, for me and my partner

April

Fabric-wrapped rope bowls (tutorial by Beth Ann Williams)

Denim blue Breeze Shirt by Twig + Tale (I haven't taken a photo of the whole shirt yet)

Bentley the Tailor's Ham (free pattern by Cornelius Quiring)

May

No documentation for this month. My partner and I moved and generally had a very busy month!

June

Reusable face masks, free pattern by Jesse Killion, more info here

Tailor's ham for face masks, self-drafted based on above

Repaired my partner's headphones

a whole bunch of stuffed birds, mostly self-drafted and poorly-documented

July

Felted dryer balls, incorporating dog wool from Mooglie

Two more Fedoras by Twig + Tale

August

Obnoxious cat backpack (Len Backpack by ithinksew)

Purple Prada Re-Edition Inspired Handbag by Miko Crafts (free)

Huge, Disappointing Handbag (Seth Bag by ithinksew)

House slippers for my partner (self-drafted)

September

Cross-back pyjama shirt, self-drafted

Pumpkin Pullover, adapted from Done in Love by Katy Petersen

October

Pigeon toque #1, self-drafted crochet

"Salvaged Seth" Prada Re-Edition Inspired Handbag by Miko Crafts (free)

Zafu floor cushion (self-drafted, based on product by Amma Therapie)

Crocheted alpaca sontag shawl wrap, self-drafted

Needle wallet for hand sewing needles, self-drafted

Not pictured: mending my partner's jeans

November

Pigeon toque #2, self-drafted crochet

Blue wearable muslin Sorbetto top, free pattern by Seamwork and Colette

Asymmetric cape from McCall's 7855 costume pattern

Several fleece toques based on Velo Knit Cap by The Last Stitch

Wool earflap toque, self-drafted crochet

Crocheted texting glove for my right hand, self-drafted with no documentation and unlikely to be repeated for my left hand

Crocheted little fingertips for texting gloves

Several drafts for a wide-brimmed hat

Witchy rain cloche, self-drafted crochet

December

The loveliest wool neck gaiter ever!

Travel wallet for my friend CB (self-drafted, based on a discontinued product by Victorinox)

Sports bra, Jalie 4014 "Coco"

More fleece toques based on Velo Knit Cap by The Last Stitch

Machine-knitted toques

Sewing needle wallets

Not pictured: lots of clothes mending

I feel like you can tell that the December projects are recent because most of the photos are just right on my worktable, instead of staged with good lighting and positioning.

I don't think I can count how many items I made in 2025--and honestly, when is it "making an item" and when is it "mending" or "modifying" another item? (Why did I feel that the headset repair was worthy of including; but not all the other wool dryer balls I worked on; or the clothes I mended?) Largely, I included the projects where I had photos because: if I took pictures of it, it was probably a large or significant enough project.

Which brings me back to that goal for 2026: to be more consistent with my project documentation.

Happy new year! May it be as fruitful as you desire!

[charliecraftsthings]

Obnoxious Cat Backpack

I got this beautifully obnoxious cat print fabric from IKEA and was "saving it for something special"...

... but if you never use it, it'll never get used.

So I decided to dive right!

I wanted a backpack with a front panel that would really show off the print. I chose the Len Backpack pattern by I Think Sew. (Spoiler alert: I don't strongly recommend this pattern, especially not to beginners. But I'll do a more thorough review some other time.)

Before cutting the panels, I decided to treat the fabric for water resistance: I washed the fabric, then soaked it in a preparation of Nikwax Cottonproof, a wash-in waterproofer. After thoroughly rinsing, I put the fabric in the dryer on low. I only did some cursory testing of the treated fabric by flicking water droplets on it, which beaded up and rolled off the "right side", but had a harder time on the "wrong side". I decided this was probably good enough.

When cutting the panels, I wanted a cat face on every side of the bag. I wanted derpy cat faces to stare disconcertingly from every vantage, I wanted this backpack to say, "If you observe me, I will observe you back."

I think I was successful.

One major modification I made was adding a zipper flap for the main compartment. This was not in the original pattern, and I didn't thoroughly think through my execution here. I think the original pattern can be adapted to include a zipper shield, but it will take a lot better planning than I was prepared to do.

I made my zipper shield by tacking a long strip of lining fabric along the zipper tape before attaching it to the bag. However, this meant the bag couldn't be constructed per the instructions, and I puckered the shield when sewing over it. The fabric I chose was also thinner, so it gets caught in the zipper if you're not careful. I'm actually tempted to carefully snip away the shield (there's too much topstitching for me to justify unpicking the seams and re-sewing it entirely).

Although I don't wear the backpack often, I really get a kick out of taking it on mundane activities like grocery shopping.

I will absolutely make more bags with this fabric!

[charliecraftsthings]

Just a little meta-post: I have a post that I'm working on, but it's been automatically flagged for a Mature Content label by Tumblr. I suspect it's because there are pictures of zippers and Tumblr's object-recognition software thinks they're, uh, openings of a completely different sort.

Anyway, it's in Content Label Review and I have no idea how long it'll be there.

Update: I've decided I'll post it anyway, since review is taking so long.

[charliecraftsthings]

After making the first pigeon toque (to wear while answering the door on Halloween), I wanted to address the issues I noted.

So of course I made a second pigeon toque:

I think this turned out with the correct balance of cute and deranged.

Coo, coo!

[charliecraftsthings]

Upcycling a purse

After being very disappointed with my Seth handbag, I decided to take it apart and use the pieces for a different purse pattern.

I used Miko Crafts' free pattern for a Prada Re-Edition -inspired handbag.

I was so glad to find the original panels were large enough to cut the new purse panels out of!.

Having made one of these before, I customised the interior more to my needs:

That ridiculous single welt phone pocket still lays on the back of the purse--the side tucked against my body when held, so hopefully I can feel my phone vibrate. I decided to keep that side minimal.

Useing the panel with the zippered pocket for the front side, I added a little holster for my lip balm, and a D-ring for my keys:

Having learned from past makes, I used a cloth fabric for the zipper ends (instead of vinyl). I like how the denim matches the interior of the handle, and blends nicely with the navy blue zipper tape:

I still have improvements I would like to make.

While I appreciate the convenience of the fixed handle (the handle stayes upright so I can easily grab the purse), its fixedness makes it difficult to wear--both for its fixed position, and because during construction, it's difficult to find the correct length.

Instaed, I'd like to make this purse with D-rings and handles I can swap out (shoulder or cross-body lengths):

Overall, I'm very pleased with this bag! It feels like a bonus superpower, to be able to make a second purse out of an original purse I also made but didn't like! How amazing is that?

[charliecraftsthings]

This year was my first time handing out candy to trick-or-treaters. I decided to make myself something fun to wear while answering the door. Of course I could wear a pumpkin beret, but I wanted something new.

And so, pigeon toque:

For some reason, it was very important to use wool yarns. This yielded a very warm hat, not very comfortable to wear indoors.

The toque also turned out a little larger than was comfortable to wear for longer than half an hour at a time: the hat would start slipping down my head, sometimes over eyes.

Overall I'm quite pleased with the result--especially considering this was improvised and constructed that afternoon! I think it balances cute, derpy, and mildly creepy--especially when combined with the jerky head movements! In fact, I think I really scared a toddler who came trick-or-treating! 😅

But otherwise I had a lot of fun making and wearing this hat, and even received some compliments!

Coo, coo!

[charliecraftsthings]

Sewing Needle Wallet

A fabric company sent me some free samples (?), small pieces of felt. I decided to use them to make a book/wallet for organising hand sewing needles.

The only thing left is to add some kind of closure, probably hand-stitched at this point. The two options that come to mind are: a length of cord with a knot at the end; or a button on the front cover and loop on the back cover.

Materials:

Felt sheets (at least 1 piece)

Cover panel: a little larger than the felt sheet (anywhere from 1/4" to 1" larger, all around)

Bias tape binding (I used 20mm single fold)

Optional pocket panel (same width as cover, can be same height or taller)

Optional fusible interfacing

Optional closure

To draft the book's cover, I traced the felt and added about 3/4" to the top and bottom, and about 1" to the left and right. I'm assuming a seam allowance of 1/4", and decided to bind the raw edges (rather than turning right-sides-out).

I used scraps of fusible interfacing to stabilise and stiffen the patchwork covers; basted the covers wrong-sides together with an edge-stitch; then quilted them together with vertical straight-line quilting.

I decided to add a little pocket inside the cover, spanning both front and back. For this, I simply eyeballed how tall I wanted the pocket (just over 1/2 the book height), found a suitably-sized scrap, folded it half, topstitched near the folded edge; and edge-stitched the whole thing to the cover.

For the felt pages, I decided to make two (pseudo?) signatures of one leaf each, rather than stack both pieces of felt together. To do this, I folded the cover in half, then marked lines just to either side of the fold. Then I positioned the centre of the felt on these lines.

...This is a lot of words just to say:

I think this is a good size to keep at home, but I think I want a smaller size to tuck in a project bag. Having made this once, I think I've figured out the order of operations now:

Cut cover panel (x2) based on felt sheet size. Optionally fuse interfacing to the cover panels.

WST, baste then quilt cover panels together.

Optional closure: depending on your chosen method, it might be a good time to sew it on now.

Cut pocket panel (can be eyeballed).

Fold pocket panel and topstitch near fold. Align pocket on cover, and baste edges in place. Optionally stitch down the centre of pocket panel.

Bind the raw edges using bias tape.

Fold the book in half. Mark sitch line(s) for attaching the felt sheets.

Fold felt sheets in half. Sew down the centre of felt sheet along the marked stitch line(s).

Optional closure can only be hand-stitched now.

[charliecraftsthings]

Miko Craft's Prada Re-Edition -inspired Handbag

After my attempt at making an evening bag resulted in a clunky, stressdelirium-sewn vinyl bagpipe, I wanted to revisit the original goal: a dainty and elegant bag that could be worn, for example, to a wedding.

If you aren't already familiar with Miko Craft, I'm very excited for how excited you will soon be. Miko Craft makes high-quality, completely free bag patterns and video tutorials, including bags inspired by designer items.

(Aside: The following terms are sometimes used for this concept: "copycat", "knock-off", "pirate", "dupe / duplicate" etc; but these terms have an implication of cheapness or unoriginality, and I think that's unfair to apply in the DIY sphere.)

This was my first time sewing one of his patterns, but I've watched several of his videos now.

His video tutorials are thorough (though not always narrated; but there are captions in the video and from YouTube). For example: he instructs you exactly how to snip the gusset to make it fit around the curved bottom of the bag!

The downside is that there are no written instructions in a document. I think this is because many of his viewers are English users, but English may not be his primary language, so uses the medium (video) where he feels he can be best understood.

His printable patterns are also thoughtfully arranged. You have to use more paper than if all the pieces were crammed into the least amount of space required; but this also mitigates the error propagation that happens when taping many papers together. I think the paper consumption is a fine trade-off for bags where tolerances need to be much tighter than, say, garments.

In short: I very highly recommend Miko Craft patterns and tutorials.

Ok, onward!

Pattern: Prada Re-Edition Inspired Handbag, free pattern and video tutorial by Miko Craft

Materials used:

Exterior: discount upholstery remnant

Lining: stash cotton in a pale lilac colour

Piping: black bias tape, 2mm nylon monofilament (bad choice)

External zip: #5 nylon coil in black; 2 silver pulls

Internal zip: #3 nylon coil in matching lilac colour

Generic/unbranded fusible interfacing

The pattern calls for one internal zipped pocket, but of course, I want maximum pocket. Balancing the level of functionality I typically desire in my wearables, with "dainty evening bag" was...difficult. I wanted an exterior pocket for my lip balm and eyedrops. I wanted an adjustable strap! But again: dainty evening bag.

So I settled for two internal pockets: zippered pocket on one side, welt pocket on the other. I also made sure the welt pocket was large enough for my phone, but didn't bother with the "angled phone pocket" nonsense from before.

I put the welt pocket on the back, thinking I might be able to feel phone vibrations through it. I'm not sure this was effectual.

This was my first time working with piping (which was optional, but I wanted to try it). I didn't have 3mm piping cord at the time, so I used 2mm nylon monofilament, which I sometimes use in hat-making.

This was not ideal, for two reasons:

the cord was too thin

the cord was too stiff

Combined, this led to the stiff cord poking a hole in the bias tape. Thankfully this is only visible on the back side.

The printed upholstery fabric makes any interruptions to the weaving very visible. When my sewing needle punches through and pulls on the woven threads, it misaligns the print and leaves a visible steak.

I'm glad I noticed this property on this project, because I'd like to also use this fabric for a garment soon. I think the effect can be mitigated by using a sharper needle that's designed to cut into wovens (eg: denim needle, upholstery needle, or possibly microtex).

I've test-driven this bag a few times now, and find it holds my "essentials": phone, wallet, keys, lip balm, medicine, with room for a few more items (eg: thin gloves).

Although I wanted my wallet in the zippered pocket for security reasons, my wallet is too bulky for these pockets. I don't think the security is much improved by a second zipper though, so having the wallet loose in the bag was fine.

I'm looking forward to customising the bag interior to specifically hold my everyday carry at more formal events, and finding a balance between spartan functionality, and "dainty evening bag"!

[charliecraftsthings]

Seth Handbag

I went to a wedding this summer, and wanted a dainty, elegant little evening bag to go with my outfit. And I figured I would just make one.

Unfortunately, this has been an incredibly busy and stressful summer and I didn't get around to sewing until the day before we left for the wedding. I was so busy and stressed out that I didn't thoroughly read the sewing pattern I'd chosen before getting started. It was not a dainty little evening bag, it ended up being a big purse, a Bag Of Holding.

I chose the Seth Bag by I Think Sew, and it was my first time sewing this pattern. I don't really recommend this pattern, but you should keep in mind that I was in a terrible headspace for sewing.

The bag is pleated for both the exterior and the lining; but these layers are not pleated together, which makes for some weirdness when sewing, and makes the two layers rub against each other when the material flexes. This is probably fine for most materials, but I happened to use a fusible that sounds papery when touched, and this was quite unpleasant.

Materials Used:

Exterior: Printed faux leather from Emmaline Bags, and a scrap of grey upholstery vinyl

Lining: Quilting cotton (or cotton lawn?)

Zipper: size #5 nylon coil, navy tape with gunmetal black coil; 2 gunblack zipper sliders

Strap: scraps of denim and black faux leather

My printed faux leather wasn't tall enough to cut the entire gusset. I decided I would use a scrap grey upholstery vinyl on the bottom, thinking no one would see it. Turns out, the bag bottom is actually pretty visible when worn on the shoulder!

This was my first time making a bag with this construction method, where the raw edges are finished with bias tape. (The method I'm more familiar with is often called the "birthing" method because you turn the bag inside-out through a small opening, as if it's giving birth; also called a "turned" lining; it might also have other names, I think "bagging out a lining" refers to the same technique but for garments?) Which, again, I probably wasn't in the best headspace for learning a brand new construction method.

As-written, the pattern calls for one zip-pocket in the lining. Because the lining is also pleated, I wasn't entirely sure what the maximum pocket depth could be, but I definitely wanted maximum pocket, so I played around until I found a depth I was happy with.

It's very important to me that you, dear reader, understand the chaotic headset I was in when I decided to start this project. I was not thinking straight. I probably should not have been sewing. Nevertheless...

I also decided I wanted two interior pockets: zippered one one side, and a welt pocket for my cellphone on the other.

I wanted this phone pocket to hold my phone securely enough it wouldn't fall out on its own, but also at a depth where I could easily retrieve the phone without having to dig.

I decided the best way to do this was with an angled pocket, and I spent way too much time drafting this:

This pocket allows my phone to peek out just a little bit so it's easy to grab, but generally stays put until then.

The bag pattern was drafted for woven fabric, not the faux leather I chose. Where the straps connect to the bag have so many layers that it barely fit under my presser foot. If you're making the Seth Bag with faux leather or other thick materials on a domestic sewing machine, I recommend opting for a fabric zipper tab, not vinyl.

Hammering down your faux leather may also help, but it was very late at night by the time I was working on the strap, and I didn't want to wake the neighbourhood.

After some awful attempts through the domestic machine, I ended up hand-stitching the strap using a leather needle and strong upholstery thread. You can see some of those toothy stitches:

I'm objectively displeased with how the bag turned out.

But when I think about the greater context, the headspace I was in when I made it (I finished this around 5 AM, staying up to complete it), it makes sense, and I'm more forgiving about the whole thing.

My partner's mother, who sews, complimented my fabric choices, saying that they coordinated very well together! (I also chose this print because it somewhat-matches the dress I wore--though I didn't wear the bag to the wedding after all.)

As I was constructing the bag, the thought did occur to me that: this isn't what I wanted, maybe I should stop now? I decided to continue so that I would at least have a finished something at the end of this, while also avoiding elements that would make it difficult to salvage and reuse the materials later.

I've since sewn a petite, elegant handbag, and I think I can salvage enough of this Seth bag to make the new one with!

[charliecraftsthings]

Breeze Shirt

Continuing with sewing garments by Twig+Tale this winter/spring, I tried their Breeze Shirt.

Fabric: discount cotton/poly percale sheeting from Marshall's (you may have seen this before)

This is a loose (breezy, even) shirt pattern for woven fabric, intended for both shade and ventillation in summer. A Mandarin collar extends coverage up the back of the neck. A fabric loop button is a simple closure (no butonholes or button plackets) that also allows for the non-stretch fabric to fit your head through the opening. I think it's a very well-designed top--for its intended purpose.

The bottom, as I understand it, is meant to be billowy. The pattern includes the option to use an elastic at the back to cinch the waist for a more form-fitting look, but I didn't choose that option.

I'm shorter than average so after sewing their Trailblazer Vest, I decided I should shorten this top. I may have shortened it a bit much, in retrospect.

I opted for a sleeve length just past my elbows (not sure if this is quite three-quarters). I have mixed feelings about it; I find myself wishing sometimes they were some three inches longer, or two inches shorter; but sometimes it also just feels right.

It's quite roomy at the bottom! Here I'm pulling out the slack, then turning so you can see how much slack there is.

For my first time sewing a shirt, I think this turned out quite well! There are some puckers in one sleeve head, but I think I picked the correct size for the shoulders.

I think because the shoulders and collar look so good, it tricks people into thinking it should be a tailored (fitted) shirt that contours to my body. Although I'm choosing to interpret this as a good thing (that the shoulders and collar look really good!), but it does also make me yearn for a very nice tailored shirt.

I think I may have an atypical upper body build. Shirts that fit me in the shoulders, I often find tight in the bust. But if it fits me in the bust, it's too large everywhere else. I'll be looking into adjustments I can make for a fuller bust.

The Twig+Tale Blog has two tutorials for a Fuller Bust Adjustment (FBA): simplified FBA which is recommended for increasing the bust by one size (up to 5cm); and FBA using darts for increasing two or more sizes.

As a beginner sewist, I really appreciate T+T's patterns and blog / repository of useful modification tutorials.