U-handblog

Patchwork Peekaboo, where are you?

As you know, obtaining new fabric for your stash is always a good idea - and buying pretty fabric (even though you don't have an immediate use for it) always makes good sense!   :)

Take these 2 Moda, Bluebird Park charm packs that I had squirreled away. When I bought them last year I knew they would come in handy at some point...

...to make a patchwork duvet cover for Mabes! 

Mabes thinks to herself : 'Whatzdat? What's underneath this white floppy curved thing?"  "It's bunneez mummee!!!"

 

Of course when I went check the fit of the patchwork top against the duvet I discovered the duvet was larger than the dimensions stated in the shop. I should've checked it first!  Ah well, now I have to add a bright border around the patchwork. That's no hardship, it'll be fun and it'll look cheery.  I'm going to add Kam snaps as fasteners for the duvet cover.

 

And when she's grown out of this duvet I will unpick the border.  I'll then increase the patchwork top size by adding more squares to make her a quilt.  That's one of the great things about making stuff - you can (pretty much) do whatever you want!  

HeeHee! I now have a great excuse to buy more charm packs. Do you buy fabric to squirell away or are you 'good' and only buy as you need?

 

Serged Summer Dress (just in time for autumn!)

It's always the way, as soon as you try to sneak in a bit o' summer dress sewing - the temps begin to cool. Nice one!

Ah well, this dress for Mabel was very quick and fun to make. Stitching it was a most enjoyable way for me to get reacquainted with my (had it for ages) Baby Lock Imagine Wave.  As the chill increases and it becomes time wrap up, I have vowed to use it a lot more in the coming months. I'm looking forward to whipping up snuggly leggings, pants, dresses and sweat tops for my Disco Kid.

Here's the dress I made.  It took 4 days from patterning to finishing up.  I could've have made it in a day, but I am a mum to a toddler (so uninterrupted sewing sessions are an artefact of my childless past - or only possible when she's living it it up with her Grandies).

Click on images to enlarge.

All seams are stitched and finished with the overlocker (serger) except for the bib, straps and hem.  The dress is unlined.

 

Cross over shoulder straps are a must for fidgets!

The strap bases are elasticated (because mummy is a softy like that - and she saw it on another dress and thought it a great idea) and this prevents the straps from digging in during energetic disco dancing.

 

Double layer ra-ra hem.

Very proud of my first attempts at a rolled hem (using a 3mm rolled hem machine foot). So neat and fast, no ironing needed. I must look for other things to insert a rolled hem into!  And very easy (once you figure out how to feed the fabric into the curl of the foot).

 

If I begin my autumn sewing now I might have items ready for her to wear before Summer 2015!

 

My first ever me-made jeans.

Question: what feels nicer than sewing on your sewing machine?  Answer: sewing for someone you love of course!

Having never made jeans before I thought to myself: 'I really want uber cute turn up jeans for my daughter'. Seeming as I couldn't find what I wanted in the shops (and I certainly wasn't going to look in designer stores). Jeans making looked like a very worthwhile challenge. In the end was it?  Ummm....YEAH! 

The design process began with a list of specs that I wanted insisted upon:

• Denim or baby cord fabric
• Adjustable waist - Mabel is tall and slim (unlike her mumy).  All kids trousers should have adjustable waists!
• Lots of room for growth - if I'm going to bust my a%s learning how to make these things I want her to be able to wear them for a good while!  I made the waist roomy and adjustable (see above) and I made the legs extra long.
• Fully lined - to make them comfier against the skin (than denim), to accommodate awesome turm ups; and to make them harder wearing and warmer. This also makes them great for 3 season wear.
• Faux fly - which half opens to accommodate a snap button closure
• Squillions of pockets - to store all the toddler treasures.

Missions all accomplished. HOLY MACKEREL what a learning curve!!!!!  It was hard, there was pain, frustration and much swearing, but it was so worth it  Just for the confidence I've gained alone!  I'm delighted with the jeans, Mabes loves the turn ups and I've had other mummies ask me where I got them from (I've earned my smug stripes for sure!)

 

Whilst I'm in charge of dressing Mabel she won't look like a girly girl. Pink is awesome, but only if it is tempered with edgier colours/shapes. :)

Back patch pockets. I pimped one of the pockets by adding a faux piped edge (love how the faux piping looks like sun rays) to the pocket top (and pimped even more by adding bar tack stitching to the top corners, because I could and it's fun!)

Fabric is 8oz black denim and Anna Maria Horner Pretty Potent fabric.

Lined and curvy shape cargo pocket flap - peekaboo!  You can't see so clearly in the pic, but the cargo pocket itself has a gathered bottom edge.  I wanted the cargo pocket to look a bit girly (to soften the look of the dark denim).

In this pic, you can see a bit better the gathered bottom edge of the cargo pocket.  Simple curved hip pockets lined in the flower fabric.

So the fly is a little bit like a normal fly, but without the zip.  All the usual fly top stitching is there (and a smidge of bar tack stitching), but it only opens halfway down to accommodate easier wriggly toddler dressing.

A lot going on here; I bound the waistband bottom edge because it looks nice and it meant that I didn't need to fold it under (things where getting bulky enough without adding another layer) and I didn't have to worry about the topstitcing (from the front catching all of the inner waistband bottom edge)...

I made buttonholes in the inner waistband (for the elastic) using the auto setting on my machine (which is immensely satisfying and they look fab!)

I made the lining open up in a V-shape at the front to accommodate the fly opening. 

Have you pushed sewing-wise lately?  If not go for it, it'll be OK in the end and you'll be so happy with yourself :)