A shirt for my boy - Kwik Sew 1190

I have been sewing a fair bit for my daughter lately. I never got around to blogging them, but she has had a few pairs of leggings and some dresses made for her. Anyway, the boy needed a good shirt or two and he was finally big enough to try out the vintage Kwik Sew shirt pattern I had picked up when he was young from the op-shop. Back when the op-shops around town actually sold patterns and buttons and other sewing bits and pieces. Now many of those op shops have closed or culled their craft section.

 This pattern features a seperate collar and collar stand, a front placket, back pleat, yoke at shoulder and cuffs complete with sleeve slit. Usually I would lean toward using an Ottobre pattern but Otto just doesn't seem to do shirts properly. This pattern uses 6mm seams, with 3mm seams at the slit. The fabric is actually a brown and white striped  winter weight cotton fabric.

When I finished this the other week, I was glad to see the end of it. It really was not my best sewing - I made a heap of mistakes. The process  for the slits  (sew facing piece with 3mm seams, then flip and topstich the other side) ended up showing the unfinished edge. It would have worked had this seam been 6mm, but 3mm was just to little to work with. I however only noticed after I had attached the cuffs. My remedy was to zigzag the edges. Luckily you don't really notice when the cuffs are closed up.

The other big boo boo was sewing the button hole to the wrong side of the cuff - I had even cut it open and everything. Once again you can't see it when the cuff is closed but seriously,  it was not a good sewing day.

I love love love this pattern and will make it up again, if only for the proper collar and placket. No doubt I will follow Sherry's sleeve slit method  next time and while this may result in having to change the cuff length, I would rather that then the exposed seams that I experienced.

This boy cracks me up

This was Scott's favourite spot last week. He has to crawl through the dishwasher to get in.

I snapped some more photos of the boy's new clothes. The hoodie is from the newer version of Kwik Sew for Toddler. I made a size 4. Nothing special, just something to keep him warm in the cooler months. I had Wayne draw a picture of a hotrod to stitch on to the front. The fabric is polar fleece.

The pants are the Eskimo pattern from Ottobre 5/2006, #11. These were my trial pair in an 80 width and they were too wide. They are size 86 in the height, which is perfect for him, even though he is a lot taller than that. I had to use his inseam/outseam measurements to get it right. The thing is, I think there is a nappy allowance in the smaller sizes so I can't go too small without getting too baggy in the crotch. I used a beige coloured cotton fabric.

The back panels almost make a circle with their big , wide curves. The front panels only have a slight curve. It is an easy pattern, although the back panels look tricky to put together, they go in fast.

Here is a close up of the hot rod. I don't like how it picked up where I stopped and started, but I wasn't about to bin it when the mistakes are only noticed when you are very close.

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

Curved panel pants - with a tutorial

After cutting out a few pairs of too big pants for DS (still not sure what went wrong) I wanted to add a little something to my basic Ottobre pattern that I had sitting around. Enter the curved panel pants.

First trace your pattern. Draw a line were you want you it. Add seam allowance to both sides - I do it at 1cm since that is my regular seam allowance.


Now you have to trace off your new piecces.

Since the patterns include a seam allowance, they should not match up nicely (only on the stitching line). It is really important to draw the grain line on all pieces.

Cut out as normal

Sew up the panel seams. I don't pin - you can see how it doesn't look like it is matched up at the seam edge...

but you manipulate the fabric around as you sew for a smooth seam.

Make sure you clip the seam so that it will lie flat.

Yay - first sewing of the year, a dye and show and a GIVEAWAY

I finally got around to finishing off some shirts I started last year. Pattern is Ottobre.

I love collared shirts. I had planned on coordinating shorts but these will probably go with some shorts that I bought recently.
Okay, time for a essay! I have come to think that with dyeing, sometimes you have to prepare for the unexpected. When I decided to dye some 100% cotton jersey rompers/onesies, I thought they would turn out the same as the drill that I had been using the same day. Actually, I thought they would turn out better because I had actually had a chance to practice the marbling patterns. But when I took them out of the washer, I realised that most of the dye had run out and it only had very subtle pastel swirls.

Disappointed, I read through my notes and thought that they needed more time and the dye/shaving cream needed more colour. So the next day I made the colours stronger and lay them on the dye for 10 minutes each side. They looked so much more vivid when wet and the patterns I had done looked great. But again, they mostly washed out. Okay, so on Wednesday I decided the jersey I wanted to dye needed the stronger dye plus 20 minutes left on the dye plus longer than 4 hours to cure.

Guess what. I have come to the conclusion that, for the moment being, I am getting better results with the cotton wovens so I am going to concentrate on using them next time I dye.

Anyway, here are the results.

See the drill (folded up)- that was left on the dye for 5 minutes and cured for maybe 4 hours. It actually retained most of the colours I used. The jersey ended up with purple and some blue, when I had used blue, purple and pink, left it on the dye for 20 minutes and cured for 8 hours.

Here is the giveaway. A size 1 romper, marbled dyed pastel shades of yellow, blue and green. Just leave a comment and Jalisa will draw a name Friday night.

Christmas presents from last year

In all the rush of the festive season, I never did get around to taking pictures of the handmade gifts that I made.

First, here are the butterfly wings in action. Jalisa was too busy rushing around for me to capture a good shot
I hand dyed the fabric, using shaving cream and dye. I fumbled along and made my own pattern/directions for the wings - I think they would make great presents so I might make a few more prototypes before passing them out.

Chalkcloth mat

The outside of the chalkcloth mat

Apron and oven gloves - the other apron is around somewhere...

Scott's I spy quilt - I still haven't done the binding. Not really sure what fabric to use.

I regret not taking photos of the Gratitude wraps that I made for friends - they looked really cool.

Got some sewjo back

Okay, so I might have my sewjo back but I still am having technical difficulties. I have put a non-sewing picture up first...Scott when he was messing around at dinner time. DH had made the potatoes super runny that day.
Okay, here is one of the dresses I have made the in the last couple of days. I whipped this one up this morning. Fabric is embroidered voile, pattern is Ottobre, Jalisa decided to get changed and wear this dress instead today.

Yesterday I made a dress using the tee pattern from last week (puffy sleeves). Jalisa wore that straight away too, and so has some dinner all over it before I could get a decent picture. And I could not be bothered to show the blouse and the romper that I finished. I have been making such boring stuff lately - it almost makes me feel down when I know I can create more intersting things, but I find being creative exhusting.

I love dog prints

Here is Scott's birthday outfit, not modelled because I was way to impatient to wit until he woke up. I used the woven romper pattern from Ottobre 2/2005 (#5 ).

The only modification I made was to get rid of the back flap - Scott is a nightmare to change at the moment (must hold a book or something to stop the kicks and rolls) so I did not think an opening at the back would cut it when I am in a hurry. (I should try it one day though, as I might find it easier that way, but it appears as though you have to stick their legs back in and that did not seem practical). To make the lower back into one piece, you just have to trace one part and then overlap where the opening would normally go. I added a little extra to the front and back lower pieces so I could put snaps in there.

I was really pleased with this pattern - the sleeves were looking like they would be too big but they were exactly the right length - no gathering needed. The pattern is really easy to put together - just lots of topstitching.

If I were to do this pattern again (already have one half sewn) I would choose a plain fabric rather than a print - you cannot see all the wonderful topstitching on a print whereas a plain fabric would highlight the topstitching and seams better, showing all your hard work.

Happy birthday Scooter

So mad at myself for not taking more photos - actually, these were taken by my friend Anna.

Here is the birthday cake - Wayne did the decorating and this was the best cake I have made - the cake and icing tasted so yummy.

It ended up storming all night so the house was a mess

as party stuff was placed willy-nilly and then shoved out the way so people could eat their BBQ dinner - ah well. The kids and I are all wearing Mama made - I will have to do a review of Scott's outfit because it is a new Ottobre pattern (for me).

Naughty Mummy

This is what happens when I go online when Scotty is awake - somehow he got the left over porridge (still feel Jalisa must have gotten it down for him even though she denies it) down from the table where I left it and spread it all over the floor and himself.

A playdate and some fab-ulous patterns

I looked after a little boy for a friend for a couple of hours yesterday. The boys had a lot of fun together.
And this is a couple of the patterns I picked up on my op shop crawl. I especially love the bottom right pattern. I am going to make up the jacket soon I think - it has be most gorgeous lines to it (there is a side panel and the sleeves are set in square).

Thank you to who ever was cleaning out their sewing book collection. I mananged to pick up Kwik Sew Sweatshirts Unlimited, a vintage lingere sewing book, a pattern drafting book, two machine embroidery books...there were other ones there that I had to leave, I had already blown the budget enough.

Where has the time gone?

I find it hard to believe that Scott is 7 months already. He is such a delight to watch - he is doing all kinds of stuff that Jalisa never did

Like making a mess when eating his food. Okay, so Jalisa made a little mess, but boy is the guy messy

Jalisa only started doing head stands just before Scott did

Scott is crawling now - Jalisa only ever commando-crawled (and in a lopsided way too). And why is it that I only notice all the little things Jalisa has left of the ground when Scott has already found them and has them in his hands and or mouth?

Time for some photos

Felt like it has been a while since I have posted some photos of the kids.


This is Wayne and Scott at the beach - we ended up going back down after our holiday, just so we could have a swim at the beach, pool and go to the fair.
Jalisa used to hate sand last year, but can't get enough of it at the moment. She had to go and play in it again while we packed up.

Jalisa asked if Scott could watch Playschool with her.

Wayne just has to take photos of the kids sitting in the boat. His smile makes me melt.