Sew liberated jeans - #2

Two spools

After my last post about these jeans a couple of you commented that you had twin needles but had never tried them.  Well, Catherine and Gingermakes ...I am daring you to get to work with your twin needles, because if I can do it, you two certainly can. 

Last week,I looked at my machine and realised the star shaped hole on the right of the top was an extra spool holder hole, a quick look at the accessories that came with the machine and I found a spool holder that fit in the hole.  Cue me: "Ohhhhhh, that's what that's for".  I only had my machine for three years before realising. 





The front faux pockets

I chose to use two shades of blue, influenced by my friend's jeans.  While chatting last week I was surreptitiously checking out her jeans and their two coloured top stitching.  (Since starting this project, I keep checking other peoples' jeans for details and shape.  I have been trying to do it without looking like a staring weirdo.)  Threading the two threads was a bit fiddly as you have to ensure they don't twist and they want to twist!  Then I had a practice go and was pleased I didn't have to fiddle with the tension as I had expected. 

The back with a yoke

So I pressed on and sewed the faux front pockets and the back yokes.  Next, is the patch pockets.  But I was worrying about sizing so I decided I would first tack the jeans together to try them on.  I wanted to make sure I had the size right before spending time on the details.  I cut out a size 8 which I think equated to a UK size 10 but I am not too sure. I had followed Mary's tip of comparing the pattern to my usual RTW skinny jeans.  The pattern looked big next to those especially on the legs.  I cut out the 8.  The front looked so tiny to me that I had to check I could squeeze into it.  Answer: I could!  The legs seem wide though and there are some fitting issues round the crotch.   I am next going to unpick the tacking and carry on with the patch pockets and tackle the leg fit when I sew the leg seams for real. 

Finally, I will leave you with this picture: Little I learning to sew!  Dressed for the occasion in pyjamas and a carnival mask of course.  She was saying " Put the needle in, pull the needle out" over and over. 

Frilliest skirt

I asked Little I to pose for photos.  Look, straight away, no hesitancy at all, she stepped into a sewing blogger pose.  Is this the result of watching her mother take self made garment photos for the past few years??  Um, I guess it probably is. 

I love this tutu-style skirt.  It was a very simple make but the fabric is just fabulous.  Due to its unfinished frilly nature, I didn't bother hemming it.  I bought the fabric from a shop called Meme in Exeter.  They are in the process of closing down their 'real life' shop and transferring to being an online retailer. 

As a result there was a sale on in the shop. 

This fabulous textured fabric was £12 per metre, reduced from £24. The assistant said it was polyester.   I only needed half a metre.  I had ventured into the shop originally looking for denim with a bit of stretch in it, but it wasn't the type of fabric shop that sells stretch denim.  They seemed to specialise in feminine pretty prints and floaty chiffon types of fabric.  All very pretty.  All screaming out (in a discreet lady like way) to be made into partywear for almost six year olds.

I was tempted temporarily to make a frilly skirt for myself, but then sense prevailed, and I made the skirt for Little I.  I just wasn't sure I would wear such a frilly skirt as often as she will.  Plus she does go to a hell of a lot more parties than me!  Plus she has better shoes and tights to match it.

But I am compromising and planning a grown up ruffled skirt for myself!  I was swayed by seeing a woman walking along, in her forties wearing a 3 tiered light brown skirt, knee length, with a sequin trim on each tier.  It was a perfect mix of grown up and frills. 

FO: Autumn flowers dress

 I started this dress in late August.  I am sure I was channelling Jessica and her floral dresses when planning it.  The fabric is from my mum's vast fabric stash.  It is liberty-esque or possibly even liberty.   I used the dress pattern 3c from "Simple Modern Sewing", but left off the sleeves as I didn't have enough fabric. 

The dress is a simple A line with a boat neck and a casing at the waist.  I put some pale pink ribbon in the casing but am planning on swapping that for something darker, as the pale pink looks too lady's nightie for me.

The pattern is easy to follow only two main pieces and two facings, one casing.  I made life more complicated by trying to be clever and sewing the neck facing on the outside to create a yoke.  It didn't work.  At all.  The yoke wouldn't lie properly so I had to unpick it and sew it back on to the inside.  I made the centre front have a little notch as it is a very high boat neck. 

Instead of the arm facing I made and added bias binding. (Not a fan of arm facing)  I handsewed the binding and hem as it is easier to find pockets of time for handsewing than machine sewing.  Quite a lot of this was sewn in the car outside school or while watching the i-player with a sleeping baby on my lap. 

Today I test drove my new dress.  Despite it being a floral best suited to summer, I enjoyed wearing it more than I expected.  The floral dress with tights and boots is a bit of a 90s throwback and I liked that.  It was comfortable and practical enough for a walk and bus ride morning out. 

This strange picture is me on the bus!  Brown woolly tights and green boots.

The bad points about the dress?  I sewed a size large and it is a little too big on the top, the neck is a bit too high.  I am thinking I could lower the front neckline easily enough by about half an inch.  I am not so sure about the bodice fit.  My bust size is a slowly shrinking measurement as I still nurse RG but not as frequently as when she was younger.  So I am tempted to leave the bodice fit until next year and hopefully only have to alter it once.  (I am also too lazy to do it now, and too keen to move onto the next project)

Strictly casual dressing round here.  Smart, well dressed people need not call round. (just joking)  And yes of course I always co-ordinate my colours with RG's clothes.

So I am happy with my summer floral dress completed just as Autumn edges towards Winter.  I hope to manage to sew something seasonly appropriate one day.

MM May days 22 - 26 and being upstaged

Another catch up for May....lying in bed at 4.00am this morning having been woken by by the neighbours happily and drunkenly shouting, I thought of all my me made clothes that are still in the loft....I bagged lots of summer clothes up when pregnant in the winter and shoved them up there to create space.  Now suddenly it is hot I want them back! Still never mind, I am wearing what is not in the loft.  I have new found love for my Portfolio franken trousers made last summer.  They are practical and cool on a hot day and great for running around in.  (My favourite RTW summer trousers are still in the loft).  I still love my Simplicity 2259 tops - the reason why I haven't made a Sorbetto is that I already had this simple tank pattern.    

Day 23 - Simplicity 2259 in tartan, Simplicity 2245 portfolio trousers

On the way to school, Day 24 - my first ever Simplicity 2259 and portfolio trousers



Upstaged by Rocket Girl



 Little I took the photo below for me, waiting for her big brother to come out of his classroom.  I am totally upstaged by Rocket Girl.  Oh and that is not a picnic basket but the basket that Little I needs to transport the selection of pink tat she HAS to take with her.

 On friday the flickr group theme was water and I tried a shot in the bathroom, the light was so bad it didn't work, plus look who got in on the act? Totally upstaged again.



Upstaged by Little I



Day 25 -  Mariposa tunic

I haven't yet blogged my new tunic - it is another Mariposa by Anna Maria Horner.  I used some echino linen and pink polka dot bias binding.  I am not sure if it is too much crazy pattern or pretty.  I will do better photos and a related post soon so you can decide for me.  Much better to let others make decisions. 

On Saturday  I was pleased to find my summer Simplicity 3964 dress was not in the loft but at the bottom of a drawer.  It is a  great dress to wear on a hot day as it is so loose and made in some lovely Kaffe Fasset shot cotton.  





Day 26 - Simplicity 3964 - note door is shut to keep out those upstaging kids