carrotflowers

Made: pants from Start Walking, toddler book

Project Notes: This is the second pattern I’ve made from my Start Walking (translation) Japanese pattern book. The pattern used a technique I’d hitherto not seen for making the casing. Essentially, you leave a space on the side seam, sew a securing rectangle around the gap, and fold over the top, and sew that down. It means the hole for the casing is not cut edges, and is additionally strengthened by the stitching around it. I really like the technique, although I botched it a bit this first time. I’ve used it since, and figured out that the trick was to sew the securing rectangle a small space after the gap.

I also altered the pattern by adding an inch or so of length, after consulting a current pair of my son’s pants & guessing they would be too short. In fact these pants are now a tad short on him. Otherwise the fit seems right though.

Mistakes/Complications: The fabric I used was a very thick, wide wale cord. It was a total nightmare in terms of slippage. Really horrifying. Such an unpleasant experience that afterwards I sought advice and got a walking foot for my machine. Even the foot doesn’t keep it from becoming at least a little unaligned. This cord is tough stuff! Other than the casing not being quite right as I described above, this pattern was a breeze.

Notes for Next Time: I used a fabric that was at least part linen for the pocket. The flaps of the pocket, upon being washed, got really wrinkly every time and wouldn’t lie flat. I ended up taking them off. I’d skip them altogether next time, or sew them down, if I bother to add them.

Made: top from Start Walking, toddler book

Project Notes: I totally love this design! This is the first pattern I’ve made from this Japanese pattern book for toddlers. All of the patterns in this book are really striking, unique, yet very simple looking as well. It’s a great book if you have a boy, as there are a nice amount of boys’ designs, and they’re all lovely designs.

Mistakes/Complications: No real problems putting this together, except when I tried it on my son, the opening was too small, so I had to adjust that a bit. I also did the button wrong initially, so that I sewed the entire opening shut, and had to rip that out and start again.

Notes for Next Time: Based on the mistake I just mentioned, I might slow down for the final step! My son really likes the top though, so I plan to make more.

Made: elastic pants from Pants de Go

Project Notes: These pants were super easy to make! They also fit pretty well. I can’t wait to try trickier stuff from this book. I used a thin cord so they probably won’t last too long.

Mistakes/Complications: I added patch pockets, something not on the pattern. I used a contrasting corduroy for the pocket’s outer, but a patterned cotton for the lining. Cord & cotton don’t play that nicely together and as a result, the lining peeks out a little. Boo! I’d pin more next time, but now I’ve got a walking foot I’m probably ok.

Notes for Next Time: Now that I’ve worn these for a few months, I would probably try narrowing the legs a little if I make this pattern again, which I suspect I will! Very comfy pair of pants.

Made: top from one piece blouse and smocks

Project Notes: This is the first thing I have made from this book, which I had for half a year before finally taking a shot at it! The top works nicely as matrnity wear, but I don’t know if I’m going to like it so much otherwise. I like the fabric, though!

Mistakes/Complications:
This was a difficult pattern for me to construct. It’s hard to describe why, but it was finicky to attach the bottom to the top. Also my top and bottom didn’t line up quite right, I had to undo and re-sew many times. This was also my first time mitering anything (bias trim in this case) and that was a challenge. It turned out well though!

Notes for Next Time: The overall look is not that flattering on me I think. Maybe if the torso part hit me a bit lower, or I made the next size up? Maybe with some washings, the fabric will drape more. It should look a bit flowy, but it fails to right now.

Made: top for my Mom

This is the top for which I made this muslin. It was for my mom, and I really labored over it. First I made several muslins while she was here, trying to get the fit right. Altering patterns is not something I’m experienced in, but I have to say, I also didn’t love the pattern.

My mom had brought me some kimono fabric and I decided to use it on her top. Kimono fabric is narrower than typical fabric here, narrower than 45″. Also in this case, it was from a kimono and had been taken apart. Therefore for the back pattern piece, I ended up sewing fabric together to get it wide enough to cut out the pattern piece!

Project Notes: I did not love this pattern. Mostly what I did not like were the facings that were to be sewn along the inside of each front piece. They were overly large in my opinion, and the directions for sewing them made little sense. I cut them to be a simpler, smaller shape and ignored the directions.

I decided to make my own frog buttons for this top, after I failed to find any I liked at the fabric shop. What an adventure! I bought a loop turner to make the tubing. My method could use some improvement, but I’m glad I did it, I think it added a nice touch to the top.

Mistakes/Complications: The fabric itself frayed like crazy so I ended up using some fray check on it.

Notes for Next Time: Yeah, I’m not so much making this top again. I think maybe my tubing was a bit wide, maybe the buttons look better when made with thinner tubing, or tubing made from a less thick fabric.

Made: Ringo pants from Ottobre 1/2008

Project Notes: These pants did not go so well. They looked very nice in the end, however and I might make it again. Sadly they are also already too small for V. I tried the one leg inside the other method for these pants, and it worked great.

Mistakes/Complications: The waistband was the biggest issue. First I realized that I had traced the pattern piece incorrectly, it was way too short. But when I did it correctly, and sewed it together it was waaay too long. I had to fudge it to get it to fit, and it ended up looking a little off. Actually the pants were just too loose, but too short - I had to take in the side seams and the darts, and in the end I just added a button so that the band could be closed more tightly.

Notes for Next Time: Next time, if I make it again, I’ll try measuring his waist and compare that to the waistband before I sew. They are flattering looking pants, but I don’t know if I’m going to try it again.

Made: another headband

I actually made this quite awhile ago but realized I never wrote about it. This is actually my 2nd, the first I wrote about here.

Project Notes: The first time I made it, I thought it was too wide and too loose. This was a long time ago, but comparing the 2 headbands, I suspect I either sewed the 2nd with a larger SA, or just cut my pieces down a little.

Mistakes/Complications: I didn’t really make any mistakes per se, although the result was too tight to be comfortable. Comparing the 2 I see the overall length of the 2nd was shorter by almost an inch. I shortened the fabric, and then lengthened the elastic - but not by enough.

Notes for Next Time: The overall length of the first headband, (after I’d adjusted the elastic) ended up being good in terms of comfort. Next time I make it, I need to make sure the overall length of the headband matches the first, a little over 10″, even if I shorten the fabric length and lengthen the elastic.

Made: birdseed skirt

Ever since I saw someone’s skirt (on the Flickr Sew What Skirts pool) made from Alexander Henry’s birdseed fabric in aqua, I wanted one. When a fabric co-op I belong to ran a contest for a spring skirt, I decided my skirt’s time had come. Unfortunately the skirt ended up being not really wearable, and so I’m left feeling really down about the whole project. I shouldn’t feel so discouraged, I know, but I like to have something that has a purpose every time, and so when it turns out like this, I feel really upset for awhile.
Note that the date of this post is actually the date of the project - I mention this because most of my posts have been done out of order and some time after the subject of the post.

Project Notes: I don’t have a lot of skirt patterns. I wanted something reliable as well, since I didn’t want to spend a lot of time on it. I’d already drafted a couple of A-line patterns using Sew What! Skirts, and made muslins that fit, to boot. I decided to use the one I had drafted that was a copy of an Ann Taylor skirt. I used a 1/2″ SA and I also placed the pattern about 3/8″ away from the fold to widen it a bit. With a zipper closure this might have been just right, albeit high waisted.

Mistakes/Complications: This did not go too well. One small mistake was that when I was snipping one of my seams in half (to do an enclosed seam, I was cutting one in half and sewing the other, folded down, over it. You get 2 visible stitchlines instead of just one at the seam, but on the inside everything is enclosed and neat.) I accidentally snipped a little V on the other seam, the one meant to be folded over. Boo!

The big problem was simply that the skirt was too snug. When I made and tried on the muslin, it was meant to be a zipper closure, so I’d left a zipper length opening in a side seam when I tried it on. So the upshot is with this skirt, it is very hard to get on over my rear. I can do it, but then it’s maybe a little too snug. Now I do have a bit of a maternity waist going on, so maybe after the baby, this skirt will fit a little better. But since I already went wild snipping and enclosing seams, I can’t really take it apart easily and loosen the seams.

Looking back at the Sew What! book I see that the drafting instructions for an elastic waist are a little different, you would use your hip measurement for the waistline rather than your waist. Since this pattern I used was based on a skirt with a zipper, I think it was a little doomed from the start. I could have loosened the side seams a little but I think then the A-line would have flared too far from my body for my taste.

Notes for Next Time: Well next time I attempt an elastic waist skirt I’ll draft a new pattern using the elastic waist instructions from that book, or use a pattern intended for an elastic waist.

Also as far as snipping a seam in prep for the type of seam I was sewing, I think next time I should lay the piece on the cutting board rather than the ironing board, for more precision and control, so hopefully no cutting accident next time.

Made: top from Sewing Patterns For Everybody #8

This is a pattern from the Japanese pattern book loosely translated as “Sewing Pattern for Everybody”. First, a picture of the muslin. It’s hard to tell from this little pic, but I struggled a lot with the bib piece. You can click on it for a larger view. I couldn’t quite work out the instructions for this part, as far as the cuts to make on the outer piece before matching it up. Regardless, I think the 2 pieces just don’t line up well. In this next picture, you can see the pattern pieces, and see the big space between the 2 where they are actually to be sewn together. Other than that however, the sewing went smoothly for this practice run.

Now, with the ‘fashion fabric,’ as they say:

Project Notes: Well I’m glad I did the muslin, because after that, I decided to hand baste the bib piece on for my real version, and then machine stitch, and that went much better. The sleeves might be a touch too much off of my shoulder, so maybe next time I’ll try to modify that. I could also do without the pleat on the back, so maybe skip that next time, and modify the pattern.

Mistakes/Complications: The bias binding on the sleeves was not very evenly done on one side. The trouble was the bias strips themselves, which I made.

I didn’t take the time to start with nice straight pieces. Also, on closer inspection I see that one side of the collar is slightly larger than the other.

Notes for Next Time: I think from now on, for collars, I’m going to draw the stitch line before sewing, to make sure that it turns out even on both sides.

Made: two new bags

I recently made a couple of bags for a friend. I’ve made each of these patterns before. The first is a pattern from Amy Karol’s Bend the Rules sewing book. It’s a sweet little pattern, although it makes for a tiny bag. So I decided to also make a larger bag as well, based on the tinyhappy pattern. The trouble I have with the tinyhappy pattern is closing the strap. First I don’t sew by hand very well, and second it tends to get a bit bulky for me, where the ends meet and need to be hand sewn. I had the idea to not sew the ends into one strap at all, but to instead add buttons and have the 2 ends button together to form the strap. I also added a ribbon closure instead of doing a button and loop.

Project Notes: The modifications to the tinyhappy pattern, modest as they were, went well. The trickiest part for me is having the ribbon face the right way when I sew it in.

Mistakes/Complications: The repeated mistake I make is easily recovered from but not ideal. I often forget to leave an opening in the lining to pull the outside fabric through, and I have to rip stitches to make an opening. Not properly closing the seam on each end of the opening does not please me.

Notes for Next Time: I’ve begun marking the 2 spots, on the piece which needs it, where to leave the opening. This helps me remember when I’m sewing.