26/04/2012

KCWC Day Three: Old-Manligan

Taaa DAAAAAAAAA….

If I was going to try and wean myself off Manligans, the pep talk would go something like ‘Hey girl, don’t you think it’s time for a new gig, does anyone really need to see another Manligan?’. I doubt it would work, I’m too attached to the Darling Cardigan pattern. The possibilities for fun re-fashions are endless and once you’ve made a couple, you can start ignoring the instructions and take shortcuts.

The challenge was in getting all pattern pieces out of this ladies argyle sweater, including the ribbing. You need quite a bit here for cuffs, waist band and the front placket which goes all the way around the neck. Sometimes re-fashions have a magical way of working out especially when you make use of the already hemmed parts. I used the existing sleeve and cuffs from the sweater to save some work. The bottom band of the sweater then became the front placket and waist band for the cardigan.

Let’s just hope no-one was in earshot to hear ‘that’s it darling, climb into the suitcase for mummy’. He’s not silly. And made sure I knew it..

…with his best cantankerous old man face.

25/04/2012

KCWC Day two: Tamer of beasts

Boy Makes

I can see now there’s a lot to be said for using a pattern over and over, particularly when you’re project laden and time poor. Situations like Kids Clothing Week Challenge. It’s my fourth re-visit of the Oliver and S Sailboat top and it’s getting to the stage where I need a quick refresh of the instructions at the beginning and then it’s autopilot. I didn’t plan it like that, but hey not a bad strategy to remember!

You know, I would love to claim the full glory of this lion but he was already a happening dude when I pinched him from an old shirt. Complete with glasses and a printed bow tie, I was merely the cutter-upper and the sticker-onner. And a pretty good one too. Using fusible transfer paper, it was just a matter of ironing it onto the back of Mr Lion, peeling off the paper and ironing him onto the front of the top. However, I did fashion a little bow tie out of red felt. Yes, that was me.

I made another pair of Sarouel’s to go with lion top out of some interlock knit. The fact that I was able to erect these in the same day as the sailboat top is proof of how simple they are. A couple of you mentioned you might be interested in a tutorial, so assuming you weren’t just being polite (too late now) then yes, absolutely, you can have one…as soon as we’ve all recovered from KCWC ok?

Anyone else been freakin out about free photo editor Picnik closing down? I am not at all Photoshop savvy so have been milking Picnik for all it’s worth. Luckily, just in time for KCWC I Am Momma Hear Me Roar posted a great review of two new free photo editing programs. I like my photos clean and simple so usually pay attention to ‘adjust exposure’ tool and try to avoid the lure of ‘effects’. But the Daguerreotype effect (first pic), along with ‘intrepid’ filter (all other pics) on PicMonkey sucked me in real good.

24/04/2012

Kids Clothing Week Day One: Lil’ lost boy

Boy Makes

Phew! Day one went like a well oiled machine. I’m so glad I finally got around to this pattern, the ‘warm hoodie vest‘ by Dmk. It came together so quickly because there’s just not much to it. Four pieces, fully lined, no sleeves, no hems, no seam finishing. It would have been even quicker, except that when I saw the hood was arranged exactly like the ‘cosy winter hood’ from Oliver and S ‘Little things to sew‘ book there was no choice but to add ears.

The pattern gives the option of either a button or ties for the closure. First I just added a chunky black plastic button but it just didn’t go with the whole woodland critter vibe. I took a punt, replaced it with self-cover buttons, added an extra one and arranged the ties into button loops and the effect is a lot more ‘organic’. Self-cover buttons are perfect for those times when you don’t want a big chunk of plastic on the front of something.

Re-fashioning is a thrilling sport. As is thrifting. And I have to say I feel pretty virtuous when I get to make an entire outfit from old tees and pre-loved fabric. The vest is one such beast, made from thrift store knit fabric and pants that started out a men’s tee-shirt. You’ll have to take my word for it, I was too eager to start cutting so there’s no ‘before’ pics.

Okay, technically these pants are not part of Kids Clothing Week Challenge but hey now seems as good a time as any to whip em out. They’re Sarouel pants, or dropped crotch (I’ll take Sarouel) and are my very first attempt at drafting a pattern. And woot they worked. Skinny in the leg and baggy in the crotch with pockets, a drawstring and elastic in the back. Maybe not a look I’d rock myself but on a wee tot they’re cute cute cute.

21/04/2012

Psssssst…

Boy Makes

There’s a buzz in the air! I promise you it’s not coming from my computer but the fast approaching Elsie Marley Kids Clothing Week Challenge. It’s hard to pick what I’ve been looking forward to the most. There’s the hot pot of inspiring sewing to be discovered in the KCWC flickr pool. Then there’s the thrill of your own challenge…how much sewing can one get done in one week, without things going to complete you know what around you. But what I love the most is knowing everywhere, normally functional, responsible mothers are turning themselves into crazy sewing ladies for a whole week.

Every KCWC I watch in awe as fellow sewers and bloggers systematically, calmly and probably with clean kitchens, churn out beautiful garments day after day after day. Me, I like to go for the all or nothing approach. My first KCWC was manic. I managed one a day for the first three, got burnt out, sewed nothing until day 6, decided there was still plenty of time. And sewed my finger. Last KCWC, I had bigggg plans. We were in another town, in someone else’s house and in the end sanity and sleep won out.

This time I’m adopting a new plan… fabric is cut, sewing nook is organized. No signs of that Mad Sewing Lady yet. I’ll be attempting four outfits and a bonus one. So if by day five I can still wade through debris to my sewing machine and all fingers are in tact, there’s still two days left to attempt the bonus outfit. Sounds sensible? Achievable? I hope so, though these little doodles are looking deceptively simple on paper. There’s a re-fashion, a new pattern I’ve been wanting to try, two self-drafted experiments and another bloody manligan. Hope to see y’all in the pool!

14/04/2012

Jenny Skirt + Banksia Blouse

S.E.W.N.

Well, that was a break I didn’t see coming! Ill never take my arms for granted again, after living without them for the good part of a week. Who’s novel idea was it to try a Crossfit class?! Sure, it was hard. And not being able to grip the steering wheel on the way home, well, that’s just a sign of a good workout right? But two days later I couldn’t cut cheese, reach behind my head to do hair or a bra. Talking on the phone was lying my head on the table with it on speaker. And taking aim at my mouth with painkillers to stop the burning in my T-REX ARMS! Which were puffy…muscle trauma perhaps? Doctor in the house? Anyway, that’s my excuse so I’m hoping to appease with two garments, finished pre-incapacitation.

Here’s Jenny. I’ve been hanging out to make this perfect Burdastyle pencil and made a really adult decision here. I had this heavy stretch cotton set aside for a second Vogue 8280 wiggle dress. Only thing is, I actually do want a very wearable hand-made wardrobe even if it means reigning in the statement dresses. A tough call but the skirt won out on the grounds that it would go with nearly all potential ‘blouse’ fabrics in the stash. Pretty mature I thought.

Loved: Jenny is a great shape. Using a heavy fabric with stretch means no lining too.

Loathed: Inserting the zip twice. The first one got snagged where the skirt seam joins the waist band. I don’t think invisible zippers like this bulk.

Adjustments: Invisible zip, adding two inches to the length like Gertie’s ( she added three, and next time I’d add at least three to get it below the knee). I took width out of the sides for a wiggle shape and shortened the back slit.

Triumphs: Blind stitching the hem by hand really is worth it, as is using a co-ordinating serger (over-locker) thread. For two years I’ve been living in fear of my over-locker. I’ve wanted to change the thread but tend to avoid manuals like the plague. It quickly became insurmountable. Until recently, when I took the beast to the shop, hoping for a pity re-thread and got charged $15! When I actually opened it up, there were diagrams and the whole thing took five minutes. Sans manual.

Pattern: Megan Neilson Banksia
Fabric: The softest, sweetest cotton floral. Gosh I love it. A thrifty find from my one and only (and bestest) real live sewing buddy. They’re in short supply!
Loved: Just the cutest blouse and great instructions. A definite make-again.
Loathed: High bust darts. And their accompanying wrinkles. When I make it again, I need to move them. Any tips on lowering bust darts? Or raising busts?
Adjustments: When I attached the collar to the bodice the ends of the collar finished about an inch either side of the placket, which is not how it looks in the picture. Paunnet mentioned this here and adjusted her collar pattern. I re-fed the collar around the neckline, so that it met the placket and to do this I really eased the neckline, not quite to the point of gathers but it worked.
Triumphs: A placket! The pattern comes with two versions and I chose the easy one.