It's not a nest - it's Simplicity 1253

"Is that a nest?" inquired Mr B.
"Er, no.  It's a drey"
"Fox?...Badger?...Ah, Squirrel"

Nests, and by that I mean an arc of mainly paper based objects surrounding my end of the sofa, have been outlawed. But we had just got back from holiday and there were a number of things I was looking at.  They kind of sum up what I have been getting up to or am planning to get up to.

• A vintage Yves Saint Laurent Vogue pattern bought to remember my visit to Yves Saint Laurent: Style is Eternal at the Bowes Museum.
• My noise cancelling headphones in a handmade pouch, I've made a couple of make up bags also.
• Sew Today magazine, only one and a half patterns catching my eye.
• Three Simplicity patterns bought in the half price sale (1253, 1504 and 1278).
• A plant catalogue.
• 'The Secret Adversary' by Agatha Christie; Partners in Crime is currently on the BBC (I'm not convinced by David Walliams).  We visited her house, Greenway, on holiday.

I've not been great at blogging recently so I thought I'd make a start with post inspired by the nest drey.

So first up - Simplicity 1253!

I've been eyeing up this pattern for a little while but I don't really like paying full price for patterns (or things in general) so it was a happy day when I stumbled on Simplicity's half price sale!  I ordered three patterns whilst on holiday and they were here waiting for me when I got home.  I've had this yellow, elephant print cotton lawn for a few months and bought the pattern with it in mind. (You can still get it in blue from ebay here but I can't find the yellow version anymore)

I cut a straight size 10, view A, after what I thought was carefully measuring the pattern pieces at the hip.

Turns out I must have forgotten a couple of seam allowances because I had to take in a very narrow side seam allowance for the bottom six inches.

I'm really pleased with the finished garment but I did make a couple of minor changes.

The instructions direct you to topstitch the neck facing down. I didn't want to do this because it would show up easily on my patterned fabric (I was using white thread but yellow wouldn't have been any better), the band is narrow so it might look weird (?) and I didn't think I could stitch round a curve neatly enough anyway. So I stitched in the ditch instead, which did need to be redone in places but worked well - next time I would just hand sew the facing down, it would be a lot less hassle!

I also didn't stitch over the neck slit and at the cuffs to avoid too much white thread showing (this wouldn't bother me on a solid).

I got to use seven covered buttons.  I love covered buttons.

And how about my accidental pattern matching at the back seam...

Time to go now I think- this post has turned out to be quite long!