carrotflowers

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.

framed botanical pillow

I’ve yet to make any pillows. Would be nice, though! Here is a really pretty design, with instructions, that I saw at the purlbee.

tutorial link: baby kimono top

By now I have 2 different books with a pattern for this exact kind of top. But maybe you don’t! So here is a link I found for a free pattern. It is very pretty! Click here to visit the site.

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.

more tutorials than you can shake a stick at

I meant to do better at keeping up my project notes. I have several drafts regarding my most recent projects, but I’m just not finishing them. In the meantime, I’ve run into a number of fantastic tutorials and I must link to them so I can always find them! Some of these I want to have, some of these will just be awesome gifts, and some, like the dollhouse, I may never make but it is so amazing I need to bookmark it.

A few of them came from this year’s sewmamasew Handmade Holidays. They also held a tutorial contest for contributions to this year’s affair, and I dug through the contenders to find some that I liked which didn’t make it.

• napkin set with linen case
• tea wallet, what a cool idea!
• combo reading glasses holder/bookmark
• dollhouse!
• make toddler pants out of a t shirt (in this boys’ clothes roundup from sewmamasew)
• awesome toddler dress out of button down dress shirt
• fabric bead necklace
• charging basket
• notebook and pencil holder
• brooch keeper
• best bib
• classic tote
• fabric postcard
• patchwork kitchen mat
• passport sleeve tutorial
• bamboo handle bag
• hanging bed organizer
• patchwork kitchen towels
• quilted patchwork hot pads

Kayaki top #10 from Home Couture

Project Notes: I actually made this quite awhile ago, back in the summer, I think. This is the second time I’ve sewn this pattern - well third, I made a test version out of leftover curtain fabric. The test version is one of the first things I ever sewed, so I have a certain sentimental affection for this pattern. It’s also sweet and so simple and fast to make!

This pattern features raglan sleeves. The first time I made a wearable version, I consulted my go to person for sewing advice (whom I’ve sadly moved away from) and she taught me that I needed to match up the bottom end of the sleeve (the end near your armpit) and not worry that the top, by the shoulder, doesn’t match up. She also had me pin where the stitching would be, to then open it up and see if the seam appeared to line up correctly - a great tip. I have now mastered the raglan sleeve!

Mistakes/Complications: Well, I made the elastic a little too tight in the sleeves.

Notes for Next Time: Ummm…don’t make the elastic too tight?

Made: ottobre outfit

“Suzette” sash pants sans sash & the Maya top

Project Notes: This set was made for a friend’s daughter. The buttons are self-covered. The patterns are Ottobre Design, both from the first issue of 2008. The pants are drafted with belt loops and a sash but I skipped those for simplicity’s sake, and because I thought the sash was overkill (at least in this version, with my already busy fabric choices).

Mistakes/Complications: Well, these pants threw me for a loop. Every 2 out of three seams it felt like I ended up undoing. Matching pieces up wrong, sewing on the wrong side so that one crotch seam was in and the other seam the stitching was out, instead of the stitching both being in. Dumb but reversible mistakes. I cleverly sought advice on the pants after I’d made them. Turns out this is the sort of pattern where you sew the inseams and side seams, then put one leg in the other and sew the crotch, as demonstrated in this tutorial. I just winged it the best I could, and in the end it turned out ok. The pants also seemed waaay too wide in the waist so I ended up taking in the elastic twice. I also didn’t quite get how to do the leg bottoms’ elastic. I did each leg differently; one seemed better than the other but now I don’t remember what I did. I’m waiting to long to type up my notes and defeating the purpose of my sewing journal!

Notes for Next Time: Well, I think the top was a bit short and wide - this is a sort of common flaw with the Ottobre patterns, in my opinion. So next time I’d take it in a little and add to the lengthen. It might also be fun to add a band to the bottom, maybe in fabric matching the binding. About the pants - they were just way loose in the waist, just something to keep in mind. It might be fun to add a little detail to the join in the pants - maybe ribbon or rick rack going around?