Finished - Dixie DIY Hot Cocoa Sweater, plus August sewing plans

During a rather futile attempt to try to squeeze my NYC fabrics into my fabric cupboard I was forced to come to terms with the fact that I have a bit too much fabric at the moment. Just a little bit. I've recently posted about my plans to make some things for my beloved, but I really need to crack on with a bit of winter sewing for myself, despite my NYC muffin top. I've had the Colette Beignet pattern for a while now, with the perfect combination of fabrics for it, plus I really need a couple more longer sleeve knit tops - I have a couple of basic knits destined for some more Burdastyle kimono tops and maybe another boatneck Renfrew. I'm really keen to make the gathered raglan sleeve Burdastyle top in a fine merino (and god help me there's a divine super fine navy merino at Darn Cheap at the moment for just $9.95/m - can you see why I'm helpless to resist them?). 

So here is my stash shopping/busting selection for August:

• Burdastyle kimono sleeve top - using a supremely awesome cat fabric which I am not giving a sneak peek to because it is RAD and needs to be revealed in one big dramatic moment.
• Burdastyle gathered raglan sleeve top - to be a wearable muslin using unexciting cranberry cotton knit rib.
• Colette Laurel blouse - will experiment with an FBA in an attempt to get rid of my cursed diagonal bust drag lines, long sleeves and maybe a frankenpattern with the Banksia collar (without placket) or the normal neckline and peter pan collar that I have already drafted. I have a gorgeous deep pink lightweight wool blend from Darn Cheap that will make a lovely winter blouse.
• Colette Beignet - in red corduroy, with french provincial print cotton for facing, and rayon stripes for lining. I fear those 16 button holes will unhinge me as my machine's button hole function is as temperamental as hell - I think I will lash out on some silk or embroidery thread to make my life a little easier on this one. 
• Thread Theory Jedediah shorts for the Man - using a grey/blue cotton twill recently acquired in NYC.
• Rubbed/drafted t-shirt for the Man - chocolate brown marle cotton knit.
• Negroni for the Man - using a green check cotton. Not sure if I'm being a little foolish making my first shirt with a fabric that will require some pattern matching....
  
  Pour moi!

Pour homme!

Am I being crazy to try to achieve so much? Maybe, but my love is travelling a lot this month, which means I get a lot more time alone..... 

Anyway, I also have a finished project - this was perfect to whip up in my jet lagged haze - the free Dixie DIY Hot Cocoa sweater found here. Its for a 34 inch bust, which is perfect for me, so I didn't need to do any grading. It's my first raglan sleeve make and was just so easy - the pattern came together really well. My knit is very stable though, so it was a struggle to get the neckband to fit - I had to stretch it like hell to make it fit and was close to cutting a longer one. If your knit is not super stretchy make life easier for yourself and make it maybe 2cm longer than the pattern. It's a very loose swingy trapeze kind of top, very comfy. It is my one concession to the current mullet hem trend - like peplums, the mullet hem really isn't my cup of tea. I think my top is slightly pyjama-esque with my cute blue spotty here (and that was exactly what my beloved said when he saw it!) so I decided to turn the wrist bands into folded back cuffs to make it slightly more dressy. The sleeves were long enough without the bands anyway - Dixie must have very long arms! 

It was absolutely freezing taking these pics, which explains the pathetic expression and posture.

I did try a new little trick when hemming it that worked very well. The hem allowance was only 1/2 inch, and despite loving how Steam A Seam makes hemming knits very easy (it prevents a ridge forming when using a twin needle) I do sometimes find it a bit of a fiddle to apply (and it's not cheap in Australia), so this time I decided to try simple glue! I had a purple UHU stick that dries clear, so I just applied it up to the edge, a few inches at a time, folded over the seam allowance, let it dry, then sewed with a double needle. It was very easy, and didn't gum up my needle at all. Am now officially glue converted.