Saturday 13 September 2014

The week that was OWOP 2014

Well that is it over, One Week One Pattern (OWOP) is done for 2014. This is the first one of these types of events I have participated in and I am so pleased I managed it.  A big thanks must go to Handmade Jane for organising it as well.

For OWOP I decided to wear the Delphine skirt from Love at First Stitch by Tilly from Tilly and the Buttons.



Day 1 - OWOP did not start off too great as I was unexpectedly in the wrong city to my skirt!  However, as soon as I got back to Glasgow it was off with the jeans and on with my botanical Ikea print Delphine with black top and cardie which I wore to go out for a meal with my OH.


Day 2 - Sunday morning was supposed to be a morning for making a second Delphine.  However it didn't quite work out like that and it was back on with the Botanical Ikea print Delphine with white top and pink cardie to go shopping with my mum.  (Please excuse the headless shot - the OH took it quickly when we were rushing out the door as we were late - and I was also insisting he got the new pink shoes in!)


Now at this point I still only had one skirt and was thinking that OWOP was not going to happen for me this year.  I had managed to start my denim version of Delphine but decided to add in some pockets, which I had never done before so this had slowed down the process. However, as we ended up being out most of the day, by 11pm I still had a bit to go and was very frustrated after seam ripping the waist band off the skirt twice and remaking both waist sections from scratch.  I was ready to give up and not bother, even though by this point I only had the waistband to sew down and to hem it.   However,  after some encouragement from people on Instagram and Twitter I got up early on Monday morning and finished it off.

Looking back I think the problem was I was tired and as there was no pattern I think I had been putting it on upside down!

Day 3 -  I made it and wore the newly completed denim Delphine  to work.  It was a slightly odd top combo but I was running late by this point and just needed to get out the door!



I do love the pockets that I added in to this skirt.  However, the fabric doesn't hold a crease very well as it has a wee bit of a stretch so I think the pockets sit a bit funny and could have done with being top stitched.  No idea how to do that now without sewing them shut so if anyone has any suggestions please let me know!



Day 4 - Denim Delphine with orange top.  I love how versatile this skirt is and I can see myself wearing it lots.


Day 5 - It was off to a work away day in my botanical Delphine with white lottie blouse and blue cardie.  This was my best 'me made' day of the week and one of my favorite outfits which I know you have seen before. When I first made this Delphine I was really not sure of the pattern but it has really grown on me over the week and this week has helped me get over the fact that the pattern is a bit more bold than I am used to.



Day 6 -  Wednesday night was spent making my red Delphine and I finished the hem on Thursday morning before going to work (recurring theme here!).  For this one I decided to add in some belt loops.  I do love the colour of the fabric, again from Ikea, but it creases like crazy.  I am also not sure what I did during construction but it is also the tightest of the three.  Never mind I still really like it and it got a lot of nice comments at work.


Day 7 - For the last day of OWOP I was torn between wearing the denim version again and my red one.  The red one won in the end, figured given all the fuss I had making three this week that I should at least wear it twice!  This time i teamed with with a white top, grey cardie and my hot air balloon scarf - which matched the red perfectly!


And that was my OWOP - featuring the three Delphines! 



Reflecting back, starting OWOP with only one skirt was not the smartest move and I did get my self into a bit of a tizz trying to get the other two complete.  However, the support out there on Instagram and Twitter was amazing - thank you ladies for all the encouragement.  It was nice to feel part of the wider sewing community and I loved seeing all your makes.  It has also added a few more patterns to my ever growing sewing to do list!

From reading other blogs I was slightly worried about my choice of a skirt for OWOP and while I didn't find it difficult wearing a skirt all week I did have a wee bit of trouble finding tops to go with it.  I normally wear dresses to work and jeans at home so a lot of my tops just did not sit right with the Delphine skirt.  I did however, like the change and it has encouraged me to make some more tops so that can only be a positive!

Would I do it again?  Absolutely - roll on OWOP 2015!!

See you all soon x

P.S. I love to chat so feel free to leave a comment!


Thursday 4 September 2014

That doesn't look like a skirt.....

In my last post I mentioned that I only have one skirt made for OWOP which starts on Saturday and that I was going to get sewing.  Well I have had a week (and a bit) off work on holiday and I have made good progress ..... on knitting a cardie!  Yup I still only have one skirt for OWOP...............Ahhhhhhhhhhh! 

*disclamer: rambling excuses follow*

In my defence we have been out and about quite a bit, visiting relatives and organising things for our wedding and as the knitting was far more portable (and sociable) it won!  However,  I'm trying to figure out how to fit in making another two skirts in the next couple of days, since I am not in tonight and we have things planned for the weekend .......  suggestions welcome!!!!!  Now I can get away on Saturday with my first Delphine skirt but let's face it work (and anyone with a sense of smell) are going to think I'm a bit odd if I wear the same skirt for 7 days in a row!

Now I could just give up, but I don't like doing that. I am hoping that a trip to the fabric store to get some more fabric for Delphine number 3 (yes somehow I only have enough fabric for one in my stash!) will give me inspiration.  Also I could just set the alarm early on Saturday/Sunday and get cracking before we need to go visit people/have visitors

*end of ramble*

Anyway, what I have been knitting instead was the Rocky Coast Cardigan  by Hannah Fettig from the Costal Knits book.  I fell in love with this cardie way back in 2011 when the book was published and promptly purchased it.  Since then it has just sat in my bookcase gathering dust! Figured it was about time that changed.

Now i have not done much knitting in the last couple of years, mostly because I started sewing, but this is knitting together really quick.   I only started it last Wednesday and I am almost finished the back - very speedy progress by my standards!

I will talk a bit more about construction etc when it is complete but thought you may like to see progress so far.


Back soon x

P.S.  I like to chat so feel free to leave a comment!