*I do not know why "The Happy Wanderer" always gets into my head when I think of this name. It just does.
You're welcome.
I bought the Sewaholic Belcarra pattern when she released it (on sale) as a pdf. It's probably the best deal I've had in a non-free pattern, since I have now made four of them, with a fifth in the offing.
I made the first one at the beginning of June, hoping to post it as part of the Sewaholic Belcarra sewalong. I did finish it on deadline, but didn't have time to take any photos then. We got these outside the mural at Dundas and Brock after the Provincial vote. This is view A, size 4, lengthening the waist by an inch (and then forgetting to subtract length from the hem, which meant I had a lot to cut off when I hemmed it).
I'm not really sure what to call this print. It's not exactly a floral, although there are floral elements in it. I got this fabric at Aberfoyle last year. It's fairly drapy, but has that slightly scratchy breathe-why-would-you-want-fabric-to-breathe polyester thing going on.
Patrick Grant would not be pleased with the pattern placement, even if the centre line does run more-or-less between the large floralish motifs. I'd like to say I was trying to avoid headlights, if you know what I mean, but the truth is I wasn't really paying attention. I think it looks more interesting this way. So there, Patrick!
Untucked, to show the overall shape -- not a good look with this skirt. I usually prefer shapes with more waist definition, but I was worried about not being able to put it on and take it off again.
The Belcarra is one of those patterns that I originally thought I wouldn't care for, but I was pleased enough with this top to plan a few more. I like wider necklines on me, even though it tends to slip off my shoulder quite a bit. This next one is view B with the sleeve bands cut on the bias and neckline slightly narrowed as per Sewaholic's tutorial. I didn't wear it shopping Monday afternoon as planned, but instead finished in time to go to the Black Dog that night to celebrate C's Canadian citizenship*, a far worthier deadline.
The sleeve pintucks are a little lost among all the stripes, but it was good practice and helps me figure out which side is front. More Aberfoyle fabric; it's a polyester that I'm super grateful the DC thought was too thick for coat lining. I didn't want to break up the stripes with lines of stitching, so I hand-sewed not-quite-a-catch-stitch at the sleeve bands, neckline, and hem. It pretty much doubled the sewing time, but it was worth it.
Belcarra #3 is another view B, made to wear to the Fringe's Chasing Margaret Flatwood at Campbell House. The play was kind of meh, but I'm very happy with the blouse. The fabric is some kind of crepe left over from cutting out a Mathilde blouse (to be sewn in the fall) and it sewed up really nicely. It also feels lovely on.
We had only enough time before the show to snap a couple of pictures, so this is a derpy pic of me but a pretty good one of the blouse. More hand sewing at the neckline, but unfortunately it didn't quite disappear like on the striped version; too many little dents in the fabric.
I had enough of the grey and black left over to make a fourth Belcarra with horizontal stripes in time to wear to Slut on Thursday at the Annex Theatre (not to be confused with the Randolph Theatre (which is in the same building), or the Bathurst St. Theatre (which is what the building used to be called))**. The play was incredible, and I'm not just saying that because Erin Thompson is the sister of two of my friends.
I didn't bother narrowing the neckline on this one becauseI'm lazy it didn't seem to make much of a difference. To keep it even simpler, I left off the sleeve bands and hemmed the sleeves, bottom, and neckline with ready-made bias tape. Which I have not yet figured out how to get to lie flat. However, I did a pretty good job with that stripe matching, didn't I. There are only a few places where it goes wonky, and once again, I'm refusing to be concerned about it.
So I've had a busy week; it turns out I really like the Belcarra as a woven top, and it's a great stash-buster -- I'm trying to keep myself from making one from the rest of the fabrics in my stash. I do have one more planned, to be made of the leftover white cotton eyelet from the sheath, but that's for next week. I mean, let's not go overboard.
*One of us! One of us!
**Of course I did. Have you met me?***
***Yes, online counts.
You're welcome.
I bought the Sewaholic Belcarra pattern when she released it (on sale) as a pdf. It's probably the best deal I've had in a non-free pattern, since I have now made four of them, with a fifth in the offing.
I made the first one at the beginning of June, hoping to post it as part of the Sewaholic Belcarra sewalong. I did finish it on deadline, but didn't have time to take any photos then. We got these outside the mural at Dundas and Brock after the Provincial vote. This is view A, size 4, lengthening the waist by an inch (and then forgetting to subtract length from the hem, which meant I had a lot to cut off when I hemmed it).
I'm not really sure what to call this print. It's not exactly a floral, although there are floral elements in it. I got this fabric at Aberfoyle last year. It's fairly drapy, but has that slightly scratchy breathe-why-would-you-want-fabric-to-breathe polyester thing going on.
Patrick Grant would not be pleased with the pattern placement, even if the centre line does run more-or-less between the large floralish motifs. I'd like to say I was trying to avoid headlights, if you know what I mean, but the truth is I wasn't really paying attention. I think it looks more interesting this way. So there, Patrick!
Untucked, to show the overall shape -- not a good look with this skirt. I usually prefer shapes with more waist definition, but I was worried about not being able to put it on and take it off again.
The Belcarra is one of those patterns that I originally thought I wouldn't care for, but I was pleased enough with this top to plan a few more. I like wider necklines on me, even though it tends to slip off my shoulder quite a bit. This next one is view B with the sleeve bands cut on the bias and neckline slightly narrowed as per Sewaholic's tutorial. I didn't wear it shopping Monday afternoon as planned, but instead finished in time to go to the Black Dog that night to celebrate C's Canadian citizenship*, a far worthier deadline.
The sleeve pintucks are a little lost among all the stripes, but it was good practice and helps me figure out which side is front. More Aberfoyle fabric; it's a polyester that I'm super grateful the DC thought was too thick for coat lining. I didn't want to break up the stripes with lines of stitching, so I hand-sewed not-quite-a-catch-stitch at the sleeve bands, neckline, and hem. It pretty much doubled the sewing time, but it was worth it.
Belcarra #3 is another view B, made to wear to the Fringe's Chasing Margaret Flatwood at Campbell House. The play was kind of meh, but I'm very happy with the blouse. The fabric is some kind of crepe left over from cutting out a Mathilde blouse (to be sewn in the fall) and it sewed up really nicely. It also feels lovely on.
We had only enough time before the show to snap a couple of pictures, so this is a derpy pic of me but a pretty good one of the blouse. More hand sewing at the neckline, but unfortunately it didn't quite disappear like on the striped version; too many little dents in the fabric.
I had enough of the grey and black left over to make a fourth Belcarra with horizontal stripes in time to wear to Slut on Thursday at the Annex Theatre (not to be confused with the Randolph Theatre (which is in the same building), or the Bathurst St. Theatre (which is what the building used to be called))**. The play was incredible, and I'm not just saying that because Erin Thompson is the sister of two of my friends.
I didn't bother narrowing the neckline on this one because
So I've had a busy week; it turns out I really like the Belcarra as a woven top, and it's a great stash-buster -- I'm trying to keep myself from making one from the rest of the fabrics in my stash. I do have one more planned, to be made of the leftover white cotton eyelet from the sheath, but that's for next week. I mean, let's not go overboard.
*One of us! One of us!
**Of course I did. Have you met me?***
***Yes, online counts.
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