Ottobre for my boy

I have recently made some new clothes for DS, but since they are good clothes, and he is generally grubby, I haven't bothered to take some photos until now. I am lazy so of course the shorts are the same pattern, as are the shirts.

The shirt is from issue 2/2003. This is a really good issue, I think I have made at least 6 of the patterns as well as an applique. This particular shirt (#27) has raglan sleeves with extra darts that you can topstitch as well as the usual pocket and collar (no actual stand but has that look rather than the lapelled effect.

The shorts are the "Ahoy" ones from 3/09 (Summer issues of Ottobre are the best I reckon).
The pattern came together really well, I left of the drawstring because I couldn't find something that I liked at home. The denim is leftover from my jeans, and the dog print is a SL poplin, again left over from Scott's first birthday outfit

I love Burda because

1. One issue can have many fabulous patterns
2. I can easily morph two or three patterns together
3. They are drafted so well.

This dress is #109 from Burda 5/2010. Actually, the dress is also from 3/2009. I traced the 109 and then layed it over another tracing to get the flare that I wanted. I like swishy over hip hugging. I actually wanted the neckline from #140, a plus size, but at the timeI did not feel like grading down a few sizes, I just wanted to sew.

The fabric is a cotton stretch, which is a dream to sew. I used the facing that came with the pattern, since I think it is crazy to add a lining to a Summer dress. The fabric is surprisingly opaque.

I took in the strap seam an extra 1.5cm, I suppose to account for my sloping shoulders. But I did forget to take out under the arm to compensate before cutting and sewing on the facings, so I did just fudged it a bit and called it a day. When I tried it on, I had the whole horrible, stick-out thing happening at the back, but it mostly went away when I extended the dart an extra 1.5cm.

I have already traced another pattern but using #106 to get the square-ish neckline that I want. I think that will be a lot more flattering on me that this ultra wide neck. I do like the way the straps widen towards the top.

I traced Burda Easy Fashion (2009) #4 pants a while ago. I liked that they have a wide waistband with a little fly and button closures (rather than the fly all the way up). I am pretty sure I traced the size 40 (which is my hips size, not my waist, I figured I could take the waist in). I actually traced these off between lengths, for long shorts. No way would I ever wear shorts like that.

I used a stretch poly rayon bengaline. When I tried them on, I was really dismayed. They were pretty tight. The pockets sticked out, making me look wider. And they come right up to my natural waistline (which is high, I don't like them that high). I really wanted to chuck them, because I really thought that the sizing must be different for the Easy Fashions. It is not apparently, and when I layed it over my other pants patterns, it was the same. Maybe I have put on a little weight.

Now that they are finished, I realise it is a pretty good fit after all. And I like how the bottom of the leg starts to flare out.

I was ultra confused about the pockets, which extend out to the fly, and because it is all in German (and being to lazy to find another pattern with a similar pattern piece), I just slapped it together any which way.

My next pair of shorts is going to be from Jalie 2909 (or 2908, the stretch woven pants anyway, not the jeans). When I layed this pattern over the Jalie one(have misplaced my tracing, argh), they are a similar draft, but the Jalie has a narrower waistband and no pockets. I do like to have pockets (to shove pens in when I am at work) but maybe I will be able to add bound pockets to them, like a pair of Esprit capris that I have.

Rainbow nightie

Okay, my theory for the dye patterns was this: blue dye reacts slower than any other colour dye. There are some little dots of dirt on my tray, since it was kept all winter up against the shed in the garden, and somehow the slow moving blue was attracted to the dirt and then reacted or stained the fabric from there.

Usually procion dyes will only react and bond to the fabric within a short time frame, not the 2 and a bit days my fabric was sitting there. It can stain I imagine.

Look at how pretty the fabric looks made up. This is a nightie for Jalisa. I used the freebie Ottobre singlet pattern (obviously shortening it by folding the pattern) and used the width of the fabric for the skirt. I tried gathering by zig zagging over some string - worked like a treat.
Thought I should take a picture of Scott too, since he has new jammies too. I reverse coverstitched the hems but got lazy with the neckline and just turned and topstitched. Tee is from Kwik Sew for Toddlers, shorts are some Ottobre pants (the pattern is for woven, but I used a size 62, so it works in a knit fabric without being too baggy).