I forgot to upload this picture. Zach did some of his first sewing for Christmas 2009 and I caught a photo. He worked so hard, and he had great results! Hopefully he is on to a lifetime of enjoying sewing as much as I do.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Monday, February 1, 2010
Lily's first summer set done
This is the "Piparminttu" jersey pinafore dress from the new Ottobre 1/2010 issue. It is the first sewing I have really done since Christmas, aside from mending some things and small items finished up that I started in November and December.
I found this dress to run very very wide. I actually narrowed it about 1/2 inch in both front and back prior to sewing, but it is still wide, wider than it actually looks in the picture. The lower armholes gape quite a bit. It is a cute style, but I want to narrow it more if I make it again.
Have I mentioned lately that I hate doing knit bindings? This striped ribknit stretched horribly and, even after steaming, it doesn't look great. Oh well, knowing Lily, it will be stained after a wearing or two anyway and won't matter.
Her leggings are "capri" leggings from Ottobre 1/07. I did like that pattern a lot and plan to make more of those. They are longer than capri on her now, but it is only February 1st, and these are for summer, so I have to make build in an inch or so of growth room at least. :)
I found this dress to run very very wide. I actually narrowed it about 1/2 inch in both front and back prior to sewing, but it is still wide, wider than it actually looks in the picture. The lower armholes gape quite a bit. It is a cute style, but I want to narrow it more if I make it again.
Have I mentioned lately that I hate doing knit bindings? This striped ribknit stretched horribly and, even after steaming, it doesn't look great. Oh well, knowing Lily, it will be stained after a wearing or two anyway and won't matter.
Her leggings are "capri" leggings from Ottobre 1/07. I did like that pattern a lot and plan to make more of those. They are longer than capri on her now, but it is only February 1st, and these are for summer, so I have to make build in an inch or so of growth room at least. :)
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
How to make the top I made - I will (hopefully, never tried before!) be uploading a .pdf file for the pattern, approximately size M/L in US sizing, or about 38/40 in european. You can see how fits me; I like them a bit loose and the top shown is with a very stable interlock, not much stretch. If you make it please let me know! I would love to see how yours turns out and whether you like it or not.
Click here to download the pattern file from google docs.
Material: Made for knits, 25% minimum stretch. Photographed item is from a cotton interlock.
Sizing: Size 40 european approximately, M/L, bust approximately 36" at full bust
Seam allowances: SA are noted on the pattern at 1/2". The sewing lines are also noted in case you prefer to cut off the SA or change them.
Yardage requirements: Approximately 1-1/2 yds of 60" wide
Other supplies:
1. One 23-24" piece of coordinating or contrasting trim for lower front. I used cotton trim in the sample. If using nonstretch trim, preshrink. I used 1 inch width.
2. One 6-8" piece stretch lace for the keyhole neck opening.
Instructions:
1. Cut out front and back on fold, sleeve x2. In addition you need to cut approximately 52" of 1" self binding for the neckline plus tie extensions.
2. Turn up 1/2 inch hem allowance on the shirt front piece but do not sew yet.
3. Measure your front bottom trim and place right side of trim to wrong side of shirt front, leaving trim extending below front piece. If you are using 1" trim, you can align the raw edges together and it will come out right (i.e., back piece is 1/2" longer than front). If using wider or narrower, you will need to adjust it so that the front and back will meet (see #11 below).
4. Stitch front hem and trim on in one pass, using double needle or coverstitch.
5. Hem back piece and sleeve bottoms with 1" hem, using coverstitch or double needle, to match front hem.
6. Pin stretch trim to keyhole neckline area, stretching it to fit.
7. Sew the lace neckline trim on, sewing close to the inner edge of the trim piece.
8. Cut off excess neckline fabric behind the lace trim, such that the lace trim has no fabric behind it, being careful not to cut through the lace.
9. Sew front of shirt to back of shirt at shoulders, right sides together. Topstitch if desired.
10. Sew each sleeve to respective side of the body of shirt, right sides together. Topstitch if desired.
11. Sew sleeve seam, underarm and side seams in one continuous stitch line. Be sure to catch the edge of the lace trim at the front bottom into the stitching.
12. Fold the seam allowances at bottom hem and sleeve hem towards the back and tack down with a small stitch line parallel to the seam (see photos). This is for comfort and appearance.
13. Pin the 1" self-binding to the neckline, placing midpoint of the binding at center back. Stitch in place, right side of binding to right side of neckline.
14. Press the binding upwards, away from the top. Fold in the raw edge of the binding towards the center and press.
15. Fold the binding to the back. Then topstitch on the front, securing the binding. Sew all the way down the ties, tucking in the raw edges at the end of the ties to give a finished look at the end of the ties.
All Done!
Click here to download the pattern file from google docs.
Material: Made for knits, 25% minimum stretch. Photographed item is from a cotton interlock.
Sizing: Size 40 european approximately, M/L, bust approximately 36" at full bust
Seam allowances: SA are noted on the pattern at 1/2". The sewing lines are also noted in case you prefer to cut off the SA or change them.
Yardage requirements: Approximately 1-1/2 yds of 60" wide
Other supplies:
1. One 23-24" piece of coordinating or contrasting trim for lower front. I used cotton trim in the sample. If using nonstretch trim, preshrink. I used 1 inch width.
2. One 6-8" piece stretch lace for the keyhole neck opening.
Instructions:
1. Cut out front and back on fold, sleeve x2. In addition you need to cut approximately 52" of 1" self binding for the neckline plus tie extensions.
2. Turn up 1/2 inch hem allowance on the shirt front piece but do not sew yet.
3. Measure your front bottom trim and place right side of trim to wrong side of shirt front, leaving trim extending below front piece. If you are using 1" trim, you can align the raw edges together and it will come out right (i.e., back piece is 1/2" longer than front). If using wider or narrower, you will need to adjust it so that the front and back will meet (see #11 below).
4. Stitch front hem and trim on in one pass, using double needle or coverstitch.
5. Hem back piece and sleeve bottoms with 1" hem, using coverstitch or double needle, to match front hem.
6. Pin stretch trim to keyhole neckline area, stretching it to fit.
7. Sew the lace neckline trim on, sewing close to the inner edge of the trim piece.
8. Cut off excess neckline fabric behind the lace trim, such that the lace trim has no fabric behind it, being careful not to cut through the lace.
9. Sew front of shirt to back of shirt at shoulders, right sides together. Topstitch if desired.
10. Sew each sleeve to respective side of the body of shirt, right sides together. Topstitch if desired.
11. Sew sleeve seam, underarm and side seams in one continuous stitch line. Be sure to catch the edge of the lace trim at the front bottom into the stitching.
12. Fold the seam allowances at bottom hem and sleeve hem towards the back and tack down with a small stitch line parallel to the seam (see photos). This is for comfort and appearance.
13. Pin the 1" self-binding to the neckline, placing midpoint of the binding at center back. Stitch in place, right side of binding to right side of neckline.
14. Press the binding upwards, away from the top. Fold in the raw edge of the binding towards the center and press.
15. Fold the binding to the back. Then topstitch on the front, securing the binding. Sew all the way down the ties, tucking in the raw edges at the end of the ties to give a finished look at the end of the ties.
All Done!
Thursday, October 15, 2009
No pattern!
Okay, I know some of you whip up things without patterns all the time, but it is out of my personal comfort zone. But I did it. I made this top with no pattern. I cheated a bit though, okay a lot, in that I had a top I loved that developed a large grease stain on the front. It was totally unwearable! I set it aside (after trying multiple times to get out the stain). Finally today I cut it apart, very carefully along the seam lines, traced around each piece, added seam allowances and hem allowances and thus created a pattern from it. Woohoo! Then I tried out my new pattern by sewing this up. It came out pretty close to the original with just very very minor variations. Love it!
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Ottobre 4/09 hoodie, 4/08 pants
Ack, I haven't posted in forever. I have been sewing, sewing, sewing though! Here is one item I'm happy with. It is a reversible hoodie and knit pants for Lily with little VW cars print. The reversible/dual layer top is so warm and cozy without being too heavy or bulky for her, and she loves having a hood. The pants are a cute little boot cut knit pant pattern, just adorable in person. I don't know how long this outfit will last though as it is apparently so comfortably she feels free to get it really dirty, muddy, greasy and grimy, not to mention covered with food stains.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Finished Lily's quilt
I started this quilt when I was pregnant with Lily and had just found out we were having a girl. Well, she will be 2 years old in a month or so and I'm finally finishing it up! She loves it though, and so do I. And I'm glad to have it done as I hate to having unfinished projects lying around. Now I have to paint her room with fresh paint to be a nice backdrop for her quilt! LOL
Thursday, September 24, 2009
New Pants!
Zach is very hard to fit now that he is 7 years old, pretty average height, but still under 50 pounds with a 20 inch waist! We have been getting those adjustable waist pants with okay results, but each year they get baggier and saggier as he grows up but doesn't grow out much. It is especially hideous looking in dress pants, so these became a necessity to sew. I settled on Simplicity 5732 for my pattern for him and sewed these up. I measured a bit off the first time, and these too are a little large, but much better than typically and a belt makes them definitely wearable. I just picked his size based on hip/waist and lengthened them. I will definitely be sewing this pattern again. It had a lot of nice features seen in menswear, such as the back seam sewn last extending into the waistband for easy alterations, real fly, side seam pockets, pleats, belt carriers, etc. It did have the hidden button plus hook/eye closure in the front, but I modified that to have a hook/eye plus a snap as I thought the button would be a little difficult for him still. And he will have a nicer shirt than that t-shirt when he wears these. :)
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