Ottobre Autum/Winter

I thought I would share some images from the new Ottobre women's magazine. There are some patterns in it that I  would like to sew and some that I would not!  I am planning on canceling my subscription now as I feel I have enough patterns to keep me going.  Some of the styling here is not to my taste, though I always try and look past the styling and study the line drawings.




 I like the jersey dress although I think I would like it in a solid fabric.  The text by it suggests you will need control underwear to go with this dress!  hmmmmm...kinda puts me off.  I also don't want to have to just breathe in while wearing a dress.

The line drawings

 I like the stripey tee.  Always good to have tee shirt patterns.  I am tempted to make these.  I can see that I also like the styling of the pictures here, and the model's short hair. So am I swayed by the pretty pictures into choosing what to sew?  

I think this tunic tee would be a good wardrobe staple for me.  I wonder what it looks like if she turns sideways though.  I like the little pockets.  I am thinking of making this one.

I am intrigued by the parka - I would love the challenge of making a practical coat.  Do I dare take on a complex project though?  One that would require proper fabric buying?  I seem to be drawn to making quite functional garments at the moment...jeans, tees and now a parka.  Whatever happened to sewing pretty dresses?  

But urgh, I don't like the turquoise knit jacket .  I don't even like it in the line drawing.

  I guess there is a nice simple dress there...it's just that fabric makes me shudder!  

Another look at the parka...hmmmm...got me thinking....

 

FO: Red Shorts Simplicity 2258

As we reach the end of August, I have one last summer make to share.  After making my red skinnies, I had just enough red denim left to make a second pair of Simplicity 2258 shorts from Phillippa's giveaway pattern.  

 I had liked my blue shorts and kept wearing them, so a second pair seemed a good way to use up the last bits of the red denim.  I used some stash floral cotton to make the pockets as I couldn't manage to squeeze pocket lining from the fabric.

I used the same red buttons that I used on my blue shorts. I really like the tab and button.  It's the little details that make me like a piece of clothing.

I have been wearing these shorts a lot.

They are great holiday wear, so a big thank you again to Phillippa.

Summer interrupts

Sooooooo, summer interrupted my sewing process quite rudely and very thoroughly:

 I have sewn one and half things. 

 I haven't had much time for commenting on blogs, I hope to catch up soon. 

A large part of my fabric stash was unceremoniously stuffed in a binbag and shoved under the stairs to make room for the kids to have friends over to play.  It is still there.  

I think I have lost my blogging direction..who knows... maybe it will return.  

My sewing machine is not working well. (See below)  

I am thinking about what to make in the autumn. 

I realise that I have a zero budget for autumn sewing.  

I am rethinking what to make in the autumn from my existing stash.  

I am determined I will finally sew with the wool crepe bought three years ago that I have been too scared to use.  

My sewing machine has been temperamental this summer.  I took the time to oil and clean it a few weeks ago and all went smoothly for a week or so.  Then it began snarling bobbin threads again.  I know I have to drive past the sewing machine shop later this week so I guess I will take it in for a service.  I hate having to do that.  But I realise I have had this machine for two and half years now, it has sewn A LOT for me and hasn't been serviced.  How about you?  Do you wait till your machine is throwing out knots and jamming before booking it in?  Or do you do all your own machine maintenance?

Look away if you cannot bear to see sewing notions mistreated.  Yes, that is a flour-encrusted piece of giant ric rac she's chewing on.  What can I say?  It was a long day.  

Gone to the beach

Gone to the beach.  I don't want this summer to end, boo-hoo.  

Back soon....

FO: Red jeans

Hello there, I am in the midst of summer holidays and climbing toddler mayhem.  This means little time to get my hands on my computer to read blogs or write any posts.  But I did finish my red denim skinnies a few weeks ago and have since worn them a lot. 




Once again I used the Sew Liberated Simple Skinny Jeans pattern.  I used red stretch denim from Ditto which has a slight sheen.  It is completely different to the dark blue denim I used for the first pair. It is 3% elastane  and is a lighter less dense weave than the dark blue which makes the red jeans more summer appropriate.  I have found  my dark blue jeans too hot to wear recently.  Although I cut the red jeans to the same size they feel slightly roomier and are not really skinny, more skinny-ish. 

I bought 1.5 metres and had just enough fabric left over to make another pair of shorts! You will have to wait to see them.  I used a thrifted red tee shirt for the jersey waistband.

I don't usually photograph my backside...but here it is just to show you the reverse.  These jeans are great...so comfortable and they suit my life at the moment.  How's summer treating you?

FO: Simplicity 2258 shorts

It's hot here and has been for over a week...for the -last week I felt I really wanted to wear shorts.  Skirts are great but not so good when I have spend  lot of time on the floor playing.  My favourite shorts are in the loft, don't ask, it's a long dull story...so there was some sewing serendipity and luck at play this weekend when the dark blue fabric sent to me last summer by Jessica, met with a pattern that I nabbed in Phillippa's giveaway. How great is that?  It's a riposte to some friends of mine who dismissed sewing clothes as "too expensive"  - these shorts cost only a couple of pounds to make if I account for the ric rac trim and elastic from my stash.

I had initially planned trousers from Jessica's fabric but then started looking at shorts a while ago.  I loved the Ruby shorts from Burdastyle .  I know, I know, all the cool sewers made these several years ago....I never promise to be uptodate!   But I felt a bit to old and tubby tummied to be able to wear them.  When I saw Phillipa's Simplicity  2258 pattern in her recent giveaway, I immediately asked for it and was very pleased when it arrived as it has good potential for adaptations.  It also has a skirt and cropped trousers in the pattern.  The knee length skirt appeals to me.  So, here are some brief review type facts:
Size: UK 10 - cut out, no alterations
Fabric and notions: dark blue linen look sent by Jessica
red giant ric rac from stash and red buttons also gifted by Jessica
Time taken:  Cut out on friday, sewed up on saturday, hemmed, buttons on and tabs sewn sunday morning
Worn: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday....can you guess how much they are filling a wardrobe gap in our current UK summer?

The pattern is only 5 pieces, including tabs for the hem and a nifty pocket lining/yoke piece which is folded after attaching to the pocket front to create a yoke and lining in one. 

At first I was stumped, looking for a separate pocket lining piece...then the penny dropped as I re-read the instructions.  Maybe I am too easily impressed but I thought this was a clever one piece pattern design and an idea I may copy in future.

I had the oversized red ric rac in my stash and used it on the pockets to add a bit of colour. I used vintage style red buttons on the tabs.  You can't see here but the buttons have pretty flowers painted on them.  As you can see I have had my little white legs out coated in factor 50!   

A massive thank to Jessica and Phillipa...I am just loving my new shorts......if you don't read their lovely blogs you should check them out! 

Sew liberated jeans: a review

I finished sewing my jeans two weeks ago and have been busy wearing them.  I have tried to gather my thoughts about the pattern here.

• Fabric used: 2 metres of stretch denim from fabric land.  2 metres was plenty with enough left over for two bags.
• Instructions:  The instructions were clear but disappointingly the pattern lacks a sizing chart....I like to have a sizing chart, I also like charts giving finished garment measurements.  I went online and used Sew Liberated's size chart from the FAQ section of their website. 

• I found the instructions clear and easy to follow.  There is a code to a video tutorial but I didn't use it. 
• I checked the pattern against my favourite skinny jeans to give me a better idea of the sizes.  This was useful as I would have cut too big otherwise.  Thank you to Maryall for the tip.
• I cut an 8 which is a UK 10.  It is fine round my waist and hips but I ended up taking the outside leg seam in an extra 6/8th of an inch to make them properly skinny jeans in my eyes. I started the new seam at mid thigh and graded in.  This was after three days wearing, washing and pinching the jeans in with my fingers, muttering to myself and staring at other skinny jeans examples. 
• I didn't exactly follow the instructions - I found it more effective to do a batch of pinning and pressing, then a batch of machine stitching, rather than pin, sew, press pin, sew, press. 
• I am quite short (5 ft 3) and have short legs, I did not have to shorten the leg at all, so if you are tall or taller than me watch out if you make these.  I think a tall sewer could easily end up with unintentional cropped jeans.

I think sewing something as utilitarian as jeans is fulfilling my sewing plans to create a wearable functioning homemade wardrobe.   

Are these "mommy" jeans?  Is that a derogatory term?  Um, well, they are kind of.   The elastic waistband instead of fly and button is a quick cheat in sewing terms and in making them fit.  There is something about elasticated waists...a little voice tells me they should be the preserve of the over 60s and under tens.  But in reality they work, they are functional and I am wearing them almost every day.  They have given my extensive homesewn patterned top collection a new lease of life.  Sewing them has given me a confidence boost in the realm of sewing jeans and I am fully intending to move on to sew a pair of jeans with a zipped fly etc  in a while.  But first I have cut out and pinned a red pair of sew liberated skinnies, in a more summery red denim.