The latest challenge with my sewing friends, Megan (meggipeg) and Katherine (sewblooms) was to make a two piece setacular. I loved this idea and immediately started looking at what I had.

First up was this mossy green wool which I bought at Knitwit Fabrics some years ago. It took up a lot of room in my stash, so I was pleased to make it.

I used the Milan AC Zero Waste trouser pattern again, using the smallest size and taking a centimetre off each side to accommodate the stretch. I made the Nina Lee London Southbank top to go with them. I can’t say that the slightly dropped shoulders worked well with this thick wool, but if I keep my arms moving it’s not that noticeable.

I used scraps to make pockets for the top and the front of the trousers. I finished up with very little left over from a big piece of fabric. You can see how much room the two pieces take up, I managed to free up half a shelf in my stash. Whilst I love this two piece setacular, I do refer to it as my “swamp suit”!

Then I decided I needed another setacular for spring, so I found a big piece of vintage blue silk, Japanese if the Kanji writing on it is anything to go by (and which I didn’t photograph, gah!)

Once again I chose the Milan AC Zero Waste trousers, this time darting the top and adding an invisible zip at the back. I decided to try hacking the Pattern Union Cora blouse by making it wider, taking out the darts, altering the neckline and making the bottom front curved and splitting the bottom back. I wanted to sew buttons on the split but it has given me a crease either side. This change needs more work! I also added a pocket make from the neckline cutout with a piece of the selvedge sewn along the edge. I used a “sustainable fashion” label on it.

I faced the bottom hem and used the technique I learned from Des (https://www.instagram.com/sew.professional/) where the interfacing is sewn to the facing right sides together, then folded back and fused. This gives the neatest finish as there is a seam where the overlocking would normally be. Unfortunately the interfacing made the front sit out like I had a hoop in there, so I used an idea I got from Diane (https://www.instagram.com/dreamcutsew/) and threaded wide elastic just through the front. This gathered it in enough to stop it poking out. Thank you for the inspiration Des and Diane!

This is the set that I chose to wear for the catchup with Katherine and Megan and luckily we had beautiful weather so I didn’t freeze. Here we are in our two piece setaculars, I took a gazillion photos and this is just a sample.

We also had a play with some crochet whilst we drank our coffee, so this is our seated photo.

Then I decided that I wanted a pair of plane pyjamas for a long haul flight we’re doing next month. I wanted something that I could wear on and off the plane in case I was too lazy to change. I used some gorgeous cotton knit that I bought at Mood fabrics during one of our trips to New York. I could never bring myself to make anything from it as I had quite a lot and I didn’t want to cut it up. These “pyjamas” are the perfect thing!

The photos are a bit dark as I was driven inside by the rain, but you get the idea. Lots of pattern matching with this one!

Again I used the Milan AC zero waste trouser pattern with the same adjustments that I used for the swamp suit, and yet another Pattern Union Cora blouse hack, this time changing the back to a single piece with a curve. Somehow the back has become wider so I must check my tracing to ensure that I haven’t inadvertently added a bit. I only interfaced the back of the top, not the front, so it drapes much better.

I didn’t quite have enough fabric so had to add a piece on each leg. A bit of a trial with the pattern matching but it cannot be seen when worn.

Slightly off topic but I tested the hacked Cora pattern on this top. It is another Japanese fabric and it’s quite special, but did have a bit of damage, which I managed to cut round.

The gold has been screen printed on. It’s really quite divine. I had forgotten to do the interfacing trick on the facing for this one, which was a bit sad, but it doesn’t show.

Finally I have an accidental setacular. I made this Nina Lee London Southbank sweater dress for a Sewover50 colourblocking challenge and I realised that it could be worn with my Hudson pants as I had used the scraps left over from them. Here I am after a swim to prove it.

If you got to the end of this marathon, well done! Your treat is, as usual, Miss G up to her shenanigans. She has discovered bags and had a lovely time pulling everything out of mine, and she is always fascinated by my watch when it’s being used as a remote to take photos. A surprising number of my photos are taken by her, including the last two here.