Fitting & tension issues

Well, I hate zips!!

I've had no end of trouble inserting an invisible zip, I finally got it on the third attempt. I managed to do it fine the first time except that it wasn't lying flush with the bodice and it was altering the fit, so I redid it. I also added the facings as I hadn't bothered initially.

On the second attempt I managed to sew one side of the zip the wrong way round! Right side to wrong side... then spent ages wondering why I couldn't do it up! Finally inserted it correctly on the third attempt, it's still not perfect but it's a lot better than it was!

Oops! 

I'm still having problems with the fit of the shoulders, I'm just not sure if taking it in at the seams will make it lie flat or shorten the bodice too much. I also had problems with getting the facing of the neckline to fit properly, pinning it flat to the neckline ended up shortening the overall thing by an inch and a half so my shoulder seams aren't matched and don't meet at the back of the bodice.

Having finally sorted out my tension problems this zip completely screwed things up and I've not been able to fix it since. These are the loops on the underside of my stitches, which I believe means that the top tension is incorrect. I just can't seem to win, I've tried all of the tension settings for the top needle now and nothing has worked.

Top tension set to 8.

Top tension set to 2.

If anyone has some advice I'd be very grateful!

A Growing Sewing Stash

I don't watch a lot of live TV, mainly I watch downloaded programmes through BBC's iPlayer and save them up to watch when I'm knitting or when its quiet on nights in work. Recently (like everyone else!) I've been watching the 3rd season of Great British Sewing Bee which was bloody awesome. It has given me a huge kick up the arse to get back into sewing more regularly too :D

I was so chuffed for Matt when he won - his look of surprise was just awesome. I was really sad to see the others gradually leaving though, so it was nice to see how they have been doing since the series was filmed last year. I discovered Deborah's sewing blog two nights ago, then stayed up reading it to find out how she'd made that gorgeous navy polka dot dress! Turns out its an Anna dress, so I have a new pattern to add to my pattern list.

Speaking of which... I've been on a bit of an eBay bidding spree in the last fortnight. I'm pretty sure my postman hates me now, he's been knocking every day for the last week! I took some pictures of the patterns that have recently arrived;

Love the pin tucks down these blouses - but this is definitely something to aim for. Not quite at that standard of sewing yet!

This pattern is far too big but I'm hoping to alter it to make it much smaller. I need to learn how to regrade patterns anyway as my bust is usually a size or two smaller than my hips on most patterns.

I do love a good 60s dress!

This is a suit & blouse pattern, but I mainly bought it because I like the style of the jacket. Looking forward to trying this one out.  

I've not been just buying patterns however, I did buy some gorgeous blue solid Ditte fabric from Ikea on Monday at £3 a metre. I'm planning on using it to make a dress using this pattern:

I know absolutely nothing about different types of fabric so I'm hoping buying a variety will help me learn through feeling and playing with them. I'm going to make a toile first though as this pattern only includes finished garment measurements and doesn't state back length etc.

I've also made a toile for a sencha blouse, which needs to be altered. I'm off on annual leave for the next 10 days so hoping to crack on and teach myself how to alter the fit using Tilly and the button's superb book which also arrived last week!