How I Spent My Summer Vacation, Part 1

Yes, it's time for the "how I spent my summer vacation" post....which could also be called "why I haven't blogged for more than an entire season of the year."  When we last spoke, I was sewing and packing for a trip to England and Scotland.  I'm going to share what I made, what I packed, what we did and what fabric souvenirs came home with me.   
Please feel free to leave the room whenever you like.  You see, I remember being much younger and my parents bringing out the slide projector and screen to show vacation pictures to perhaps unwitting friends and neighbors.  Now, thanks to the virtual anonymity of the internet I won't know if you clicked on this page and read all of the post or if you left in a nanosecond...and thanks to some eventual maturity on my part I won't mind if you leave quickly but I will be happy if you stay and join in the fun.
Mr. Lucky and I were last seen heading out to England and Scotland for another walking holiday.  I watch the weather patterns obsessively in the previous weeks and watched it go from cold and dreary to gloriously sunny, real Royal Wedding weather.  
Here are the outfits and sewing projects that I completed in time for the trip...and one that got left behind.  Layers are an important part of my travel wardrobe so first up was a Margarita Tank Top by Lyla Messenger, a staple in my wardrobe. Margarita Tank Top I wanted to use some navy stretch lace and auditioned several knit under layers.  White was too bright, navy was too dark and the lace detail was lost.  

Margarita Tank Top by LJ Designs

I ended up using an almost cornflower blue/purple which worked well with a solid navy cardigan and with this navy striped cardigan.

The selvedge had little pleat like the lace so I used it to finish the neckline.

Ok, that was one new garment ready for the suitcase.  Next up was a simple white lace shell from my TNT t shirt pattern, boring but oh so useful.

Pamela's Patterns Perfect T as a tank top

Now let's make a third layer that will go with that lace top.  I have had this tropical silk print (Fabric Mart, of course) in my resource center for years and the kimono pattern, Simplicity 1318 1318 is so classic that it is still in the catalog.  

Simplicity 1318 kimono jacket

And now something else new for the black cardigan that is a staple in traveling...a blue, black and white silk bias top sewn using a shorter version of a Sandra Betzina bias dress pattern that I love for summer. original post about Vogue 7823 bias dress 

Vogue 7823 as a sleeveless top

And then I decided to sew up one more blue and white item for that travel scheme.  I bought this oh so beautiful gingham print cotton lace-like fabric at a Fabric Mart fabric store buyout in the spring.  And I have my trusty boho tunic pattern ready and waiting, New Look 6110, now OOP unfortunately.  It was fussy sewing since the fabric is so lightweight and full of holes.  Used a Linda Lee suggestion and sewed with tissue paper underneath most of the seams and then tore it gently afterwards.  

I love, love the result but decided at the last minute not to pack it.  The fabric is just too fragile to stand up to much wear and tear so it's saved for special casual occasions but not for packing and unpacking.  And yes, it does need a white or flesh toned camisole top underneath it.

New Look 6110

So those are the me made items that went into my suitcase.  The next two posts will be about our time in London, the South Downs and the Highlands of Scotland.  And yes, sewing friends, fabric will be purchased.
Here's hoping you too are reminiscing about your enjoyable summer days and planning your fall sewing projects.