Stop the Press!

I haven't felt the need to urgently blog for a while, but I want to share this pattern with everyone! It arrived nice and quickly on Monday after I bought it from here; and that wasn't very long after it was released by Tasia.

I have been DYING for a good PJ pants pattern forever, the commercial patterns I have I think are aimed at people with nappies- saggy bums! and low crotches. Anyone else noticed this? So to say I had high hopes is an understatement!

The first pair was a muslin- and I hoped wearable. I used some vintage flannel from the stash. I cut a straight size 10 (I went with the hip measurement, not the bust or waist) and did recommended seam allowances etc. I left the piping off the trial pair. And I LOVE THEM!

 

 

 Sorry about the bad iPhone pics- I was so excited when I got home I got the mini photographer to snap some pics! The thick flannel was going to annoy me around the waist I thought (nothing like feeling slim in your bedroom/ lounge attire!) I used some ribbon from the stash.

They sit on the hip more than the waist, and have a normal sized crotch and butt! Yippee!

  I have the next ones cut out- and these will include the piping, my first time making and using it!. I'll be in time for the pajama party!

 I think I'll be making a lot of these- summer, winter, shorts, and as tracksuit pants too. I wonder if I can match my Renfrew count? Six new ones last weekend, which I think takes my count to 12? These were all made with leftover fabrics too from other garments (expect the bottom left striped merino, it was just taken in a lot, but I count it as a new one!)

Anything old is new again....

I have previously blogged about this project...
only about 18mths ago! I quilted one, and it all pulled and distorted- the different fabrics and sizes just weren't working for it. The 2nd one was still in a little (hidden) UFO pile.

So I got on with it!

 Nothing a few hours/nights on the couch unpicking! And may I suggest unpicking 2 dirty old quilts for testing your pelvic floor muscles...there's a hell of a lots of dust and sneezing happening! 

  

I kept shaking my head and muttering about the seam allowances....and gradually felt the love for them, and spent the time thinking about the fabrics, where they came from, who sewed them together...I've decided a non-sewer, but someone that wanted to make something. And as I'd HATE to see my first quilt again, I forgot about the mess!

The unpicking was the easy bit...threads everywhere, dust- it took ironing, then a pet roller over them to get them all clean!

I then trimmed them all to 3.5" (I think) and counted...about 320!

All ready for the next decision! (what to make??)

Dresden madness!

I didn't realise I hadn't blogged these cushions- uploading pics to Google + takes forever, so by the time they're done, I feel like I've already blogged it! It's not till I went back through the albums....well, here they are!

I've made these before,  and have been itching to do a cushion for me, like this one. And I'm slowly making my bedroom over, so why not some big boofy bed cushions?

I used mainly fabrics from 'the pool room', ie my extra faves! Some were hard to cut into, but so worth it! The white fabric is a bargain- in my op shopping haunts I found a bolt of 'cotton/linen' for $3.25! I should have measured, but I wasn't fussy....but there will be LOTS of usage, it's a lovely fabric to work with.

  

Some simple quilting...

I found this cotton sateen in the furnishing section at Spotlight, and thought matching backs for all the cushions would be cute (after first thinking what a great frock it would make!) Some green binding 'makes it pop' according to my stylist aka Little Miss!

Another one I did was using some fabrics I've been collecting  from scrap packs! They are all made by Leslie, from Maze and Vale. Her fabric is- Just. Gorgeous! I'd wanted to try this type of quilting for a while, and thought this was a good project for it. 

 I love big fat squishy cushions, great for sitting up against while reading in bed!

To assist my pillow obsession, I came across this book, and snapped it up! Actually, I got it between the squares one and the Dresden, but can't be bothered changing all the pics around! I'm loving these cushions, as they are like mini or doll quilts, just cuddly haha.

So, another Dresden project. Hey, if you are onto a good thing, stick to it!

A colleague at work is having a baby, so I made a little quilt to gift from the team. I'd made an earlier one that I still love (and have, it will be listed for sale soon!) but some detective work proved that this colourway suited her better.

Oh, the best bit about the Dresden stuff? Quick! The longest bit is picking the fabrics! If you've never tried them, do it! My top cushion was a one day job!

 

I did some 'echoey' quilting (yep, I'm sure that's a real word haha) with a yummy stripe binding- that isn't on the bias, it's a diagonal print. 'Make me a candy cane toy' was the request from the Little Miss!

  I used a vintage sheet for the back, which thankfully she loved!

I'm not 100% happy- for some reason, I thought I'd go around the Dresden's a few times, and did some Dresden quilting in the big white space- but left too much unquilted space for my liking! Of course, I only noticed after I saw the pics...and it was gifted and up in the baby's room! Oh, well, next time!

I received a possible order for a similar quilt on the back of this one, from another colleague- but unfortunately they have had to pull out- so it will also be listed for sale. keep and eye out here for the listings/announcement/whatever-shop I decide on opening!

Something for me!

In between the kiddy stuff, I've been (slowly) making the Alma blouse. It was a bit spooky, as I was watching American Horror Story Season 2 whilst I made it, and there was a character named Alma....so I wont forget that show very quickly!

These pics are after 2 days of wearing...it's THAT good!

 

It has a side invisible zip, and I took in the side seams and made the darts a bit bigger, I cut a 14 out. It actually goes over my head without the need for the zip, so as good as that was to put in- I'm not doing it next time!

It's great for casual, but I can't wait to dress it up a bit. But the cuuuute collar is my fave, I think a Peter Pan collar dresses everything up! I have a few fabrics in the stash earmarked for more...

The only things I didn't like were my own fault- I didn't have enough fabric to make the facings match- I went with white, which I can see and it bugs me. Should've gone with navy! (it looks black and white, but it's a navy and cream voile from Spotlight). The other thing is a flaw in the fabric, down the back shoulder is a line where there is no blue dye- but Cam suggested a fabric marker, if I was really worried about it! I'm not, just annoying!

Hmm, the kid is getting a bit better at photos!

Kids Clothes Week Finish Up

So I'm pretty happy with what I got done this week. keeping some kiddies warm, that is! It was fun too, sewing outside my usual stuff, and getting to understand knit fabrics a lot more.

The leggings I put new elastic in have come up great- they have the little gather at the bottom too, which is cute.

 

Comfy elastic around the top, and the pj's mentioned in the last post have been worn successfully as well. No more 'tourniquet pants'!

 

The long sleeve tees were so easy! I used this pattern,  I had made a short sleeve one before but she didn't really wear it. The verdict now? "I don't wanna take it off!".(FYI I made a 11/12, and the pattern goes up to a 13/14. There are 2 patterns, but you can get size 12mths- 14 for $16, a major bargain I say, I def recommend it if you have kids!). These are '4 step tees', and I did them nearly all on the overlocker.

 I used leftovers from the stash, one knit a bit looser than the other, so I used bigger seam allowances.

 I stitched a bit of ribbon for the back, saving the labels for 'the good stuff' haha

 

 I used a trick I've learnt of knit-sewing friends- some fusible tape ironed on...

  hem folded up and pressed again. It doesn't move then when stitching. I tried to do twin needle, but my cotton kept breaking, so I used a zig zag instead.

 

sorry, pic overload, I love them a bit!

 

and the H man didn't miss out- he scored some velour track pants

 

and inspired by an embellishing challenge on the Great British Sewing Bee final I added a little pocket. Too. Cute!

I used 2 different patterns, which gave 2 very different results! 

I went around today and measured length etc, and added some cuffs to the velour ones.

I'm glad I set myself a little challenge, or these may have taken weeks to get finished! I have periods of 'non finishing' and I'm glad I'm through that at the moment!

Kid's Clothes Week

Even though I've been blogging and sewing for a while now, I haven't done this week before. I decided I needed a challenge. For those that don't know, every season there is a 'challenge' of sorts to spend and hour a day on your kids clothes... And now I have an extra kiddie to sew for! Baby stuff is instant gratification, really, and usually small and rarely needs interfacing!

I actually made a few things last week, and decided I could count these trousers- started and nearly finished during Episode 3 of The Great British Sewing Bee! I went through the stash and got some faves, and pulled out the book; (more pics of them here too. I have made them before, but can never find things in the archives when I need them!)

Why wouldn't you sew for such a happy customer? No whinging, negotiating for photos and I force him to cuddle me at the end! Perfect!

 and this cute t-shirt says "Born in 2012'. So. Cute! This dino fabric matches one of his bandanna bibs, such a stylin' little man now.

 He had his first 'test drive' of a high chair today, a few weeks and he'll be trying food! But this shot is to show something else I'll make him this week, so bandanna 'drool' bibs. Backed with minky they are super absorbent, and are sooooo much cuter that the traditional ones.

 I picked up this pattern today and some micro fleece, and spent the hour today tracing and cutting (1 pattern piece only, so easy!) and started some tracky dacks!

 For my girl, last night, I replaced elastic. Bor-ing! But necessary. The store bought elastic on these were like a tourniquet on my girls tummy;

  and some leggings I made her last week were too big in the elastic! LOTS of unpicking later, they were super quick to fix, saving me money! Ca-ching!

Little Miss doesn't need too much more for winter, but I realised tonight she has about 5 pairs of PJ pants that fit, and no tops- so I'm thinking some long sleeve tees?

 Stay tuned for more...