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A Make a Month – July

July 26, 2010 By 17 Comments
A little while ago I swore off making clothes for me, because my shape was all wrong. Well, I still wouldn’t go as far as saying that it’s all right, but it’s better. I have a little more definition, I’ve lost a few more pounds – nothing major but enough to make me feel a little bit better about it.

Hot Patterns Sunshine Tops

oh I’m all on an angle!

I had more of that red jersey cluttering up the stash – you remember, from February’s make? I haven’t worn that out of the house, but I’ve worn this t-shirt two days in a row (yes, I’m putting it in the laundry later). The pattern, sunshine tops from Hot Patterns, is what I can possibly call a TNT (tried’n tested), since I’ve now made a second and I’m as happy with it as the first. Incidentally, I just used the pattern pieces I’d traced and cut for the first one, and do you know, it fits pretty darn well. There’s a little issue with some pulling round the mamas, since they’re still a bit larger than before, but it’s not enough to make me want to howl and tear the t-shirt into pieces.

Hot Patterns Sunshine Tops

ok that’s a little better…

The thing to remember with Hot Patterns is that they are cut looser than your big 4 (in my experience), so to get a closer fit I think I made a size down from what was suggested by my measurements. I just like a t-shirt that doesn’t swamp me, but you might want something more floaty. I do really recommend this pattern, but don’t take size recommendations from me as gospel – see what happens in your sewing room, with your body and your fabric. Or, to use an ancient internet term: YMMV.

The only thing I would change could only be remedied by the purchase of a twin stretch sewing needle – apparently the twin stitches can prevent the lettucing effect you can sometimes get on a knit hem with only one line of stitching (think cover stitch machine finish). I actually didn’t get any lettucing this time around, and maybe this was because I was good and did all the pressing I was supposed to, and maybe I was just lucky. Whichever, July’s make has Win written all over it. (Not literally though, because I probably wouldn’t wear that.)

Filed Under: A Make A Month, Finished Things, Hot Patterns, Sewing - 17 Comments

A Make a Month – June

July 8, 2010 By 11 Comments
For June’s make I finished another version of the messenger bag I first made for the trip to Japan. It’s still such a useful size, though I noticed that my purse has become so fat with cards again that it no longer fits. I’m not going to make a whole new bag to deal with it, because my purse is really just another cupboard I need to get in and tidy. One day…

Tokyo Messenger

I started using this as my ipod grab bag when I go to the gym. The bag I usually leave the house with these days is so enormous and full of half bitten rice cakes, teething toys and muslin cloths that it actually feels like a special treat to sling something over my shoulder and barely notice it. I’m so easy to please these days – show me a clean set of sheets, fresh pyjamas and a written promise that I won’t have to get up for the baby and I am asleep before you can fluff a pillow.

Tokyo Messenger

The main difference with this one and the second one I made last summer is that I didn’t interface quite so much (oh I know!), and while I was at first a bit unhappy with the resulting soft feel of the bag, now I’ve used it for a couple of weeks I’ve really grown to like the slightly slouchy shape. I also left interfacing off one of the handle pieces, and this makes it much easier to adjust the strap. I also changed from using one magnetic snap in the centre to two invisible magnetic snaps at each corner of the flap, and I am soooo in love with them. They make me so happy I would probably use them for clothing, if I ever needed a pair of quick release trousers or a skirt a la Bucks Fizz.

Tokyo Messenger

Tana Lawn lining! How indulgent. The sections are now even in size, since it was just overcomplicating things to have different widths, but it makes very little difference to their overall usefulness. I’m still overawed at my ability to stuff it so full of things that I can exclaim loudly that I have definitely lost my keys, before upending the bag and finding they were in there all along. I could slim down the things I need to take out with me to a credit card, phone and my keys, since that’s usually all I ever use I’m out, but you never know, do you? And that’s how I know I’m turning into my mother.

Tokyo Messenger

Still loving the back pocket.

I’m really pleased that I’ve made it half way through the year and I’ve succeeded in making something from my stash, with various effort and deadlines, for every month so far. Back in January, making one thing a month was actually quite a stretch for me, and it proves how much easier Fitz is to look after now that it feels definitely do-able, so that if I fail it will be because I chose to sit and watch crap telly or go out to the pub instead. Now there’s a stick to beat myself with for the rest of the year…

Filed Under: A Make A Month, Bags, Finished Things, Sewing - 11 Comments

A Make a Month – May

May 11, 2010 By 9 Comments

I know!

Having taken a couple of months to make a top for myself, during which time my body changed enough to make the exercise almost futile, I decided to put down the needle with regard to clothes for myself for a while. I’ve still got a hankering to make garments, and realised I have the perfect recipient: Fitz. Being small, his clothes are too, which translates as super-quick to sew.

I was gifted this wonderful book by Kyoko when Fitz came along, which is a japanese pattern book dedicated to sewing with knits for babies.

La La La Pattern book - Overlocking for Babies

Knits are wonderful for little ones, especially once they get to the wriggly, shuffly stage that Fitz has reached (so quickly!). It’s also good practice for me to work with the overlocker (or lock machine as they call it in Japan), since I realised that my skills aren’t quite as smooth as I’d like them to be, though I think in part the trouble is confidence, for which the only remedy is more practice.

I decided to make the little trousers on the front cover, since they have a gorgeous flared hem, and a cute inset bottom. Sadly I didn’t have contrast jersey so it’s all one colour, but Mr J offered one of his red t-shirts for next time. I’m yet to be convinced… The sizes in the book are 60, 70, 80 and 90 cm, and I made the 80cm – wonderfully, even if they did turn out to be a little long, Fitz is going to continue growing. Rather splendidly, the trousers are called Monkey Pants, which I was compelled to call out several times during the making of, just because it sounds so joyous. I’m still compelled to shout it whenever I put them on him. I really ought to find other ways of being entertained.

La La La Pattern book - Monkey Pants

Florence has just done a great post about japanese pattern books, so I won’t repeat anything about how simple they are to follow, especially since I hope you can see from this picture how indecently easy these were to make. (One thing I will mention though – I so want the little plastic clips used throughout this book instead of pins. So clever!)

Monkey Pants!

Monkey pants! A little long, but no matter. He seems happy enough in them, and in all I think they took less than an hour to make. It might have seemed longer but that’s because I made the pair of shorts on the facing page at the same time. See? Indecently easy.

Monkey Pants!

They’re not pressed due to ‘must make the baby wear them immediately’ excitement, hence the slightly wibbly looking seam – it’s not wibbly really. I’m going to make another couple of pairs, which will hopefully save some more of his better going out of the house clothes from weaning disasters (weetabix, tomato based sauces …) and give us go to house pants for days when we can’t be bothered to get dressed. Cheap, cheery and above all, replaceable.

You know, I kind of want some for myself…

Filed Under: A Make A Month, Finished Things, Fitz, Sewing - 9 Comments

A Make a Month – February

May 6, 2010 By 5 Comments

It seemed as if this tunic would never be finished, but it is and I’ve learned some valuable things in the making.

The most important one is that the adage ‘sew for the body you have’ does not apply to new mothers. Your sewing time might not come as frequently as you desire so it will take you much longer to sew a garment than you anticipated. This means two things. The first is that the winter top you were making might seem a little warm when you finally finish the top well into spring. The second is that in between starting and finishing you might do something radical like finish breastfeeding and discover that your bust measurement is now a good three inches smaller.

Good Times Tunic

Dear me. It flaps about a bit. Which is a shame, because I do like the fabric and I do like the design, but I may as well be wearing a kaftan for how glamourous I feel in it. I remember reading somewhere that Hot Patterns sometimes make up big, which is another way of saying they have a generous amount of ease, but in this case I could do with rather less. I’m thinking that I might have a go at taking the side seams in a bit, and see if I can give it some shape. Another thing, which is possibly related to the general tent like proportions, is that it is rather revealing in the boob area and could not be worn out without a cami underneath, lest I wanted to get myself in trouble. (There is an option for a modesty panel but I declined to add it.)

Pluses are that I like the tunic length, I like the gathering for skimming over my  midsection, and I like the rouleau loop and button fastening on the sleeve. Would I make it again? Possibly, but about three sizes smaller…

I also realised that I need to practise a lot more with the overlocker, and with knits in general, which has led me happily to my make for May. Perhaps that’s the other lesson I learned – sewing begets sewing, and the more I do the more I realise my potential and limitations when it comes to sewing time, which is making the whole process much less fraught than it was a couple of months ago. Onwards!

Don’t forget to vote today, UK folks!

Filed Under: A Make A Month, Finished Things, Hot Patterns - 5 Comments

A Make A Month – April

April 30, 2010 By 8 Comments
Yes you are still waiting for February’s, but not finishing one thing has never been a bar for me moving onto something else. This week I decided that Elizabeth‘s idea of sewing for 30 minutes at a time was a good one, given, oh you know, everything. I also figured that it was about time I sewed some bibs for my dribbly boy, who has entered a new phase of teething. The previous phase was mainly about red, hot cheeks, but this one is all about soaking the outfit in fifteen minutes flat.

Blue Amy Butler Bib

I know I made them, and therefore should display some English modesty, but I love these bibs. They really look like part of his outfit, rather than just something flung on to protect the outfit from drool. I made a little batch in various fabrics so that he has something to go with all of his different coloured tops and trousers, but I could do with making another bunch of them since he gets through them so fast…

Cockerell Bib

This was taken later the same day, as we were on our way out to our baby group. I just love that fabric, which was part of my japanese haul. I have also been loving the weather this week, which has been warm enough for picnics in the park – we’ve had three so far and it’s not even May. Naturally, with it being a Bank Holiday weekend in the UK, the temperature has plummeted and the rain has returned. It doesn’t matter at all – we’ll just have fun in the ball pond at home.

Wherever you are, whatever you do, long weekend or not, have a great time!

Filed Under: A Make A Month, Finished Things - 8 Comments
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