Tuesday, July 15, 2014

The doona cover that keeps on giving

Last time I mentioned a doona cover that I had made a few things out of. I found it in one of the Goulburn op shops. Here's a picture of most of it: I'd already cut up a bit of it for a top. It was almost brand new and for $6 for metres and metres of fabric it was a steal!


Combined with an opshopped pillowcase, I turned the missing part into a top called a Scout Tee, which is basically a woven  tshirt pattern. Here's a pic - accessorised with the season's latest hats as made by Ellie and I for our local school fete ;) Are we stylish or what!


The top part is the pillowcase. It has a weird wavy pattern on it that would seriously hurt your eyes if it wasn't a light beige colour. Just the bottom part was from the doona. It's a very simple pattern to make up; no darts, no facings, just a bias binding edge on the neckline. It's not terribly flattering, since it's not at all fitted, but it is nice and cool to wear in summer. 


The back is also partly pillowcase and partly doona cover, but cut from the plain beige section. I wanted to have the whole back as the pillowcase fabric, but it didn't stretch to that. So the plain beige was a compromise.



Although it is very comfy to wear, I felt like it was a bit on the large size. So, I made up a second one the next size down using some floral fabric pinched off my Mum and some red broderie anglaise that I had bought to make Ellie something as a baby and never got around to it. So not really recycled, but at least repurposed!


I think this second version is a bit nicer than the first one. Unfortunately the red colour ran badly in the wash. I haven't let that stop me wearing it a lot. Taking these photos was tricky as it seems that every time I go out to do so, a big wind picks up. Nearly every photo looks like the one below, which I kept just for a laugh. I really have to pick my moment and use a fast shutter speed to take a picture that is usable.


The other thing I've made so far from the doona cover is a pair of drawstring pants. I love this pattern and have used it about a million times. It's Simplicity 7229 and I picked up the pattern in the Yass op shop a few years ago for 20 cents. I don't know if it's still in print, but I would highly recommend it for an easy pair of pants, shorts or A line skirt that is super comfortable. 


The reason it is so comfy is the yoke/waistband, which is cut on the bias. The pattern says just to add a drawstring but I use a piece of thin elastic and sew two shorter drawstrings to each end. This makes it much more comfy around the waist. I mostly made these pants to do my Tai Chi in - they are perfect for that. 

I liked how the pattern placement worked out. But the first person to see me wearing them laughed (not unkindly) and said that from a distance they looked like I had a pair of old fashioned lacy undies on.... 


I guess they kind of do. But I don't care. I still love them! 





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