Ahoy there!

Just sewing along at the end of week 8. It was my little girls time for a new something. I could tell she was getting a bit green with envy sat on the sidelines watching me make everyone else clothes. I said she could have first pick out of my new Ottobre magazine when it arrived in the post.

This fabric was a gift from Christina at A colourful life, she didn't need it and was having a clear out a while back. Thank you my friend. Meg loves blue so she snapped it up, it was the perfect fabric to use right now.

The Ottobre magazine I bought was in French - I didn't mean it to be but I must have clicked the wrong one on the drop down list. Anyway with a little French and an understanding of how most things fit together, it worked out well.



The pattern is called Olive star which is actually a dropped waist dress but when she put it on she didn't like it, usual behaviour from this one. I made this however after my Bettine dress so I used the same elasticated waist technique from that adult dress to add a waist to this one. Problem solved.

This pattern is easily adapted to a T-shirt which is next on her wish list but I am out of jersey.

We rummaged through the motif pile and found a funky strawberry which she liked and I did a lot of swearing with a popper tool before deciding on buttons for the shoulders.

One happy customer! Thanks for dropping in. 

Jo xxxxx

No Party Dresses Here

My fabric shelf was starting to become very uninspiring, too many bits of this and that, not enough to actually do anything with so I decided to do what any crazy woman would do and get it all out on the bed and have a bit of an audit.

I made a wonderful top from this stretch velvet which was an absolutely brilliant party top for over Christmas and winter, however, the fabric was so nice (and expensive) that I didn't want to throw any of it away leaving me with funny shaped pieces of uselessness. Time to get thinking...

First up, there was enough for a pair of leggings. Little M loved them and said they felt really silky on the inside. So far so good.

Next, I found some navy Cadiz jersey left overs and decided to make a tunic. I have made this for my girls many times before from my all time favourite edition of the Ottobre magazine. It is called the zig zag top.

With some careful cutting, ensuring that the stretch was going the right way, I made her a full comfy set. It looks divine don't you agree?

She wore it to watch our local Amateur dramatics pantomime with her brownie pack. It is also the ideal set to wear to a party which nowadays rarely requires a party dress. 

She was freezing. Quick Meg, get your cardy on.
Her big sister made her a scrunchie to match;only tiny slivers went in the bin. 

I am a totally satisfied stashbuster today. Thanks for dropping in.. Jo xxxx

Stretch Knit Two Ways

Whizzing up two useful tops in stretch jersey couldn't be easier. Both patterns are tried and tested ones for me so it was nice to just cut and sew for instant success. 

This is the top from New Look 6217. I have made this many times in both stretch, crepe and rayon. My recommendation is to go down a size when making the stretch knit ones otherwise the neckline is too wide. They make great pyjama tops too to go with your favourite trouser bottom pattern.

It is an intermediate make because there is a neck binding but it is easy to do with this fabric because it is quite firm and doesn't roll away from the sewing foot. The sleeves are folded over once and then sewn with a patterned stitch. 

This fabric colour works well with denim, grey and black. It doesn't crease so would be ideal for holiday clothes or lazy people who don't like to iron - needless to say I love it!

The second top I made from my two metres of fabric was the one hour top from Fancy Tiger crafts. It is a free pattern download from their website and apart from sticking the PDF pattern together it really does take an hour from cutting to wearing. I already had the pattern all pieced together. 

I did not use a serger/overlocker for either of these makes, buying four spools of thread in yellow seemed an extravagance too far. Instead, I selected a decorative stitch from my machine which would look good on the right side, stretch and finish the inside edges all at the same time. 

Here you can see the raw edge, right side finish and the inside all unpressed. I used a press cloth with this fabric to avoid any melt.

There is not a neck binding on this top so I would highly recommend it for beginners. You simply turn the neck edge over and sew as described. I did tack/baste the neck in place just to make sure I was concentrating on the sewing line and not on turning the hem over as I was sewing like I did on the straight cuffs and hemline.

Another winner, this one has seen me through Autumn. I have a mustard and grey checked wool skirt which will be the perfect partner for work wear. 

This stretch knit is a nice weight making a good autumn or winter fabric. It appears to be sold out but the link is to a similar fabric. Thanks Minerva for letting me review this fabric.

 Thanks for calling in as ever. Jo x

Sewing for Children

People often say to me why do you bother making clothes for your girls when you can buy them so cheaply? but to me sewing is easier than negotiating at the shops with two small children and ethically, I am not contributing to so much consumer waste.

In the Easter holiday week there was an ideal example. Bis Sis had grown out of her leggings - again. We bought three pairs at a cheap shop in a hurry because everyone was hungry and tired of shopping (we had already done sandals) but when we got home they were wrong, all wrong: legs just the right length, waist huge and bum too small. How can that be? How can a girls waist need to be bigger than her bottom!

I pulled out my trusty Ottobre magazine and traced off a pair of leggings. I made this top (same as the strawberry one) and leggings in ninety minutes. Perfectly fabulous with her dungaree skirt. As for the cost, they did not cost me a penny. It is leftover fabric from my last Bettine dress.

She loved me for it too which is always a bonus!

Jo xxxxx

Lined Cleo Dungaree Skirt

Having a dog is taking me to new photo shoot places. This is only three minutes from our house but it makes a great backdrop for my new Cleo Dungaree skirt with a filter on.

The story... I made my first Cleo in a cord that was too lightweight probably about 16 wale: it stuck to my tights, it rode up at the back, the clips were too heavy for the straps etc. etc. So I embarked on another one. This cord was in a donated box I received in January from a work colleague. It is more of an 8 wale weight. Luckily in the box, there was also some lining. I decided upon a lined Cleo to solve some of the wearing problems.

I had a few fit issues with the last one too. Although it is a relaxed style is was way too big around the waist, add to that a swayback and I could get a loaf of bread through the back straps. I took some off the waist but now I have to wiggle to get it over my hips but it is not a problem, it feels much better.

Here is the front...It hangs so much better now. This time, I am wearing the pinafore not 'it' is wearing me which is what it felt like in the olive green one. 

And the back...The sway back is obvious but not an issue when I am wearing it.(so is my frozen shoulder injury with a dipping shoulder like that!) 

Anyway the cord and lining were perfect which was all free so it feels like a win win project all around. Here is a photo of the true colour without barn door filters.

I am going to revisit my original one next, take off the facings (liberty fabric which is top stitched Gulp!) and line it with the rest of the gifted lining fabric - at least I can enjoy wearing it then.

Thanks for stopping by. Jo xxxx

Edit: Corduroy is found in the construction of trousers, jackets and shirts. The width of the cord is commonly referred to as the size of the "wale" (i.e. the number of ridges per inch). The lower the "wale" number, the thicker the width of the wale (e.g., 4-wale is much thicker than 11-wale).

Strawberry Girls

I have taken the opportunity to remeasure my girls this week and use up some smaller pieces of fabric which have been hanging around my cupboard for long. I have had my fingers burnt before making them clothes when they are at school only to find they don't fit when I have the Ta dah! moment with them when they get home.

At the trade show I attended in February I met the lovely people from Ottobre on their tiny little stand and I was really waxing lyrical about their pattern magazines because I absolutely love them, a bit too much probably, I may have looked a bit of a loopy super fan. Anyway, she gave me a badge each for the girls and a couple of copies.

The girls swooned over the childrens copy choosing items to wear. I traced off the long sleeved sweatshirt called 'raw edge detail'. I had some strawberry sweatshirt fabric to use. Originally I had bought it for myself but the strawbs were much bigger than I thought and it just wasn't right for a grown up. It is however perfect for a 9 year old.

...and a 7 year old.

This is the sort of useful sewing that I like to make for us to wear everyday, with mixed weather options of course! 

Jo xxx

-3 Photo Shoot

Who would have thought I could write 1000 words about a sewing pattern but I have, especially this brilliant pattern: Simplicity 1332A. It is a pattern review for Sewing World magazine.

 

The girls chose it from the Minerva website. What a brilliant choice! It encompasses an entire wardrobe in just one pattern. I made the whole shebang over Christmas just so that I could test it all out.

I learnt a new technique for applying net to the hem of the skirt so it is not too scratchy on little legs.

This printed chambray is from Minerva, not too stiff and great for all year round wear. I always make a double casing when I make elasticated skirts for the girls, so much more comfortable for them.

Now don't judge me but it was -3 degrees when I asked them to remove their coats, hats and gloves to get photos for the magazine. This was way back in December. They dutifully posed and then I togged them back up and poured hot chocolate from a pre-prepared flask. I did get some funny looks from other National Trust visitors though.

I really recommend this pattern if you are sewing for girls. It takes you from an easy skirt, to beginners jersey sewing with the T-shirts and leggings, on to the more time consuming gathered cardigan. It has a large size range in the one packet too so I will be dipping in and out of this pattern for a while. 

A real corker!

Thanks for stopping by. Jo xxx