Upcycled Merino to Yoke Tunic and How to fix those holes

I've meant to sit down and post this mini tutorial a number of times this week.

Last night I suddenly felt ill ( something from dinner didn't agree with me ) and all this week has been busy with appointments expected and not.  

Poor Little J, had a tooth pulled and a broken arm in one day on Monday....I guess he'll think twice about jumping of the shed from now on, and the teeth well that's another wonderful genetic hand me down.....as he's got Hyperplasia on several of his molars....theres another tooth coming out next week.  I've been seeing an osteopath to finally get decades of back trouble sorted, and we've finally met our ASD co-ordinator for Big J and now we've had an appointment come through from the Middlemore Cleft lip and palate team for Mr B.

So I see many more appointments ahead of us, after two years of relative calm.

Now I sit here in the early hours to show you the little top I've been trying to get finished, this past week.....and it had it's own troubles, as I made many silly mistakes with it.....but yay! its finally done now....albeit a bit tight under the arms....oops!

 I upcycled a old merino of mine for this tunic,  and I used the last of the car fabric for the yoke....though I usually use the original hemline from the merino when I make these little tunics, for some reason I decided to start cutting up the sides ( heads in the clouds ) so when I came to serging the hem line, it stretched out terribly, so I used the sleeves to cut out a band, and gathered and sewed the 'would be' hem to the band....its not ideal, but it works.....crisis averted.

But not to be the only challenge my buttonhole foot just didn't want to work, so this cute little vintage covered button I made.....

will sit in my collection for now...

Instead I went with these sweet vintage snaps....aren't they cute!

 

Anyway's I thought I'd show you how to fix those pesky holes that all merino tops seem to succumb to eventually!

 

Can you see that big hole there? Its right smack in the middle....and I cut my tunics an inch or two above there.....so the following are the steps I take to fix the holes I can't cut around.

Step 1: I zig zag around the hole, about 1/2cm away from the hole, this is to stabilise it.  Then I zig zag up and down through the frayed hole....to effectly give the hole some substance again.

 ( try not to push or pull the fabric through, let the machine guide it through )

 

Step 2: Using an wool setting on the iron, (or iron over a damp cloth ) and iron out the waves in the fabric that are made when you zig zag.

Step 3: Cut out another piece of Merino from your top, big enough to cover the hole, pin it in place and zig zag around it as in the picture

 

Step 4: Make a pocket or a decorative patch to cover your hole..... And you're done!

.I would recommend the fabric you use is light, as I'm not sure a heavy cotton would sit right on a light weight merino.

 For my Lil Miss, she has a little pocket to put her treasures in....or the slugs and snails she currently likes to collect!

Next on the list is to fix that hole in those leggings!

Joining in with Leonie at Show and Tell