Keeping my mind off the floods

Much of Queensland is under water. My hometown of Ipswich was expecting record water levels but at 19.5m it did not quite get to the 1974 level. Thankfully the worst thing that has happened to family and friends is power lost and roads cut off. My heart goes out to the families where members lives have been lost. The events that happened on Tuesday the 11th were such a tragedy.



I have been weighing up whether it is appropriate to post that I have been sewing when so many have lost their possessions or at least their power. Sewing is my hobby but I use it as a time to reflect and pray. As I was sewing yesterday, I was just so thankful for my family being safe and sound.



This is Jalie 2804 - the empire crossover top. The pattern comes in a range of sizes, for children to plus size adult, and there are 4 sleeve options (sleeveless, cap, 3/4, long) and two front panel options (flat or gathered). I went with the flat front and cap sleeves.



Based on my measurements, I went with a size T. For reference, I use a Burda 38 for my upper body. I forgot to adjust for my sloped shoulders, so I ended up retro-fitting the shoulder area to get rid of the wrinkles. I used a hot pink viscose elastane fabric left over from a tee I made the other year.



It's a great fit, nice and fitted, but I don't like the way the modesty panel pulls at the sleeves. This is because the elastic is shorter than the panel length to fit snug to the body, but it just tries to compensate by stealing some of the sleeve and then gives some ugly wrinkles.

This Jalie pattern, when compared to my Kwik Sew patterns, has a lot more length. I decided that in the future, I would compare it and then reduce the length if I felt it was excessive. I feel it is a little unflattering as it stops at my widest point (a big no no for us pear shapes).

Well, the next day when I made it again, I shortened it by 6cm and did not bother with the modesty panel. I used a printed viscose elastane, from my local Bargain Box fabric store and eleccted to use the 3/4 sleeves, since I know that I will be needing them soon and my current ones are worn out.

I think this length is a little more flattering on me.

One of my goals for this year is to use more fabric than I buy. Instead of just shelving the leftover half metre, I thought I would cut out another top and sewing it up at the same time (you know, production line style).

This pattern is Kwik Sew 3032. It has some gathers at the front bust. My coverstitch machine was being a princess, so I sewed the neck and armhole seams with a zig zag stitch on my sewing machine. Before my CS machine, I would use a twin needle, but I was feeling rather lazy after threading and rethreading my touchy machine.

End of year post

As we will be busy with Christmas festivities and then going on our summer holiday, I am going to post a bit of a review of my sewing for the year.

I had a number of goals that I wanted to achieve this year. Here is my list, I am happy that I did quite a few of them. I did have a longer list than normal.

1. Winter coats for both the kids Only sewed Jalisa' coat
2. Flannelette PJs for both the kids Sewed PJs for Scott only
3. Sew up something using some ugly fabric
4. Jacket for me DONE
5. Sew something from a vintage pattern and post on Sew Retro
6. Little black dress for me DONE
7. Black pants for me DONE
8. Creative entry for the local show DONE
9. Discharge dyeing DONE
10. Tray dyeing using thickened dyed DONE
11. Make 4 pairs of work pants for DH
12. Make a body double DONE, just need to stuff it
13. Trial 12 new patterns for me DONE, I managed 16

In 2010, with everything included, I sewed a total of 74 things. 33 things were for the kids (including clothes, undies and bags).

The unwritten goal I was aiming to do this year was to do a lot more 'me' sewing. This year I sewed up 41 items for me.

• Dress = 5 (including 2 new patterns)
• Skirts = 3 (1 new pattern)
• Pants and shorts = 9 (5 new patterns)
• Blouses, tees and cardigans = 11 (6 new patterns)
• Jackets = 2 (2 new patterns)
• PJs and undies = 11 (1 new pattern)

I think I met that goals. Overall I am pleased with all the sewing I have done this year.

Jalie 2909 - Stretch pants

I love reading sewing blogs. There are some fabulous ones out there. One thing that I don't get, that I wish I could do, is sew something, then wait and get all done up and then take photos. Love it, but I don't have a lot of patience, and I want to show off what I have done to my sewing buddies at Crafty Mamas. See, I finished my Jalie shorts then raced out to snap pictures. No makeup, hair every which way, old top with singlet that is sticking out....I just don't wait. One day I will learn.

There is a lot of love for this pattern, so when CM (see link above") did a Jalie buy, this was the first one I knew I wanted. Simple pants, with rave reviews about a great cut. Now, being summer here is Australia, I knew I did not need pants, but shortened, they would be fab.

I went with a green rayon blend Bengaline from the stash. I knew this fabric was stretchy, but I did not realise that the stretch runs lengthwise (rather than crosswise). I had already cut out and sewn the fly before I realised. Luckily, I had bought enough fabric to cut out another pair. For Jalie bottoms, U seems to be the right size for me.

When I tried them on before sewing on the waistband, I realised that I was going to have to make some adjustments. I had a lightbulb moment when I researched the frowns that were appearing at the front that I might need to reduce the length of the front crotch seam. For some reason, I just was accepting this little extra bit, but having tried on several pants and pinching the front, I could see that the front instantly looked better with a smidge less length there.

The other thing that was bugging me was the extra folds under my butt. With lots of research, I ended up scooping out the crotch (which lengthens) and then taking out at the top of the seam. This works for the moment, since I have made up the pants already and could not recut, but the actual alteration is a little wedge removed from somewhere along the back crotch seam (not right at the top). I have since gone on to make these adjustments on some other pants patterns, so hopefully it is the right one. It is an improvement, and that is what matters to me at the moment.

Ottobre 3-way dress

Gosh, this dress was quick to make. Actually, it was quick to sew, being a pillowcase type dress (Ottobre 3/2009, #18). I had to hand dye the fabric and that took two separate occassions due to storms (and me rushing to get the fabric dyed before it rained down on me). Each piece of fabric wasn't perfect but there was enough between them make a good rainbow dress.

For the front piece, I cut from the graduated rainbow fabric.

For the back, I used the more random rainbow piece.

For the dyeing, I laid it on some other fabric to soak up the excess dye. I think it would work better with a 100% polyester fleece, but I need to buy some because I plan to use what I have on hand. I used procion dye on a stretch poplin, squirting it on and then using a paintbrush to soften where the colours blended.

I have another one cut, this time a plain + print combo, then I am going to make Jalisa a halterneck dress with flared skirt.

Burda dress for Summer

While I was trying to find inspiration in the sewing room, I came across this fabric that my SIL gave me many years ago. Despite not digging this print 100%, there was something about the fabric that kept me holding onto it and it was never chucked out in my recent clearout. It's actually a polished cotton. Clear colours with a tropical theme. I thought it would make a good dress to wear while on holidays. This time last year I made a couple of tropical print dresses. Maybe this will be a tradition - my version of those loud hawaiian shirts.

I used #123 from Burda 6/2005. Actually, this way one of the patterns for one of those dresses, but this time I morphed it onto a pattern with a flared skirt (just like I did my last Burda dress).

I like the look of a fuller skirt, especially for everyday wear. Sitting down is so much easier and there is a chance of not flashing my undies when I have to pick stuff up (like Scott's thong at the supermarket today).

This pattern has princess seams and a square neckline. The back is really high, which makes it a little hard to zip up. I really like the straps, which are curved slightly to sit flush with the skin and allow a narrower front than back.

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).

Aliens visited our house.

Last weekend, I used my dyeing tray to dye some rainbow coloured fabric for a nightie for Jalisa. I covered it with garbage bags and left it for a couple of days. I checked on it over the course of the two days that I left it, but boy did I recieve a surprise. I found all these little blue rings all over the fabric. Tiny crop circles if you like. It was a bit of a mystery at the time, but I think I have the mystery solved.

Can you guess what caused the blue circles?

Jalie 2908 - stretch jeans

When I saw Dawn's Jalie jeans on her blog, I was inspired to buy this pattern. She churned out some awesome jeans and it made me believe that I could too.

Being the lazy sewist that I am, the pattern sat there for awhile. I only trace patterns when I am in the mood, and it is not often. Meanwhile, Liz created some jeans from Ottobre which seemed to enthuse my mood for creating my own jeans once again.

I found some denim in my stash which seemed to have some stretch that I thought would work for a test pair. I read all the reviews and tips that I could find (mostly on Patternreview, a site I haven't really looked at in years).

Anyway, here they are.
Based on my measurements, I went with a size U. However, my denim is not a stretchy as the 20% recommended, so I used 6mm seams at the side seams instead of the 1cm allowed for by Jalie. I had read that the pattern can be a little tight in the thighs, and with my saddlebags, I am wondering if I need to add extra when I use this pattern next.

My sewing machine was happy topstitching with upholstry thread in the top and regular in the bobbin (apart from the buttonhole). I used Gutermann 887, which is golden brown.

I used a regular zipper, not the metal jeans ones. I could have bought a shorter one - the 8 inch was plenty big. I couldn't find any jeans needles, but my universal size 14s worked fine.

Love the back view. I have to wiggle to get them on, but they are comfy when all zipped and buttoned up.

I used the low rise version which was a good length for me (but then again, I am short waisted and have a long mid section).

I will be making these again, in denim as well as stretch cord.