Entries Tagged 'Sewing' ↓

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.

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.

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! 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.

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…

Just a couple of tips from the sewing desk today. I’ve been making progress on February’s make, so much so that there is only the final hem to do. Sometimes I have to leave the final hem for a couple of days, pulling on and pulling off the almost finished garment, seeing how it stands up and trying to decide if it’s worth the effort of the final finish – a weird seamstress’s superstition I have invented, I think.

On to some little things that have made all the difference to this project…

This is a trick I first saw in one of my japanese sewing books. It is especially tricksy to turn up the hem of a knit fabric evenly, since the best thing about knits – their fluidity – is also what makes them a pita to sew with. Instead of having to re-measure your folded hem allowance constantly, simply draw a line on a piece of card and fold the fabric over the edge up to your mark. Nifty and quick – I had my sleeves pinned in mere moments.

If you are coming to dressmaking from more crafty kinds of sewing you may be used to fitting your machine with a standard needle and zipping away with no problems at all. Different fabrics present different challenges – what to do about a perfectly functioning machine that is suddenly skipping stiches? The answer is most likely not that your machine is broken, or even that the tension needs adjusting,  but that you need a different needle. The topmost line of sewing is done with a standard needle (90/14), and I had a few skipped stitches, so switched to a stretch needle. But lo – more skipped stitches. The skipping only stopped when I used a finer stretch needle (75/11). It’s a small thing but it might save you some grief – they aren’t expensive, and they can make a difference. I would probably now add needles to interfacing and pressing in the list of ’seemingly unimportant things that matter’. Never too late to get even more geeky about your sewing…

When it comes to plans, I’m pretty good. I’ve got tons. One evening I sat down and quickly wrote the things I could be doing if I wasn’t writing down the things I could be doing; I ended up with an 8 point list, and those were just the projects at the forefront of my mind. I didn’t go anywhere near the back, where the dusty projects lie, having been overtaken by other newer shinier ideas. Project butterfly, that’s me. It’s not very productive if I’m honest, especially not now.

Since the sewing needs to be slotted in rather than pounced on in every spare moment I’ve realised that what I need is much more detailed planning. Unless I head to the sewing room with a clear idea of my objectives I’m much more likely to faff about stroking ribbons and pulling out the fabric drawers one by one (a common complaint), and since I notice that we’re sliding towards the middle of February rapidly if I don’t make some sort of plan soon, then I’m going to be scrambling for a make on the 28th. Now the boy naps for a maximum thirty minutes, so five minutes rooting around in the pattern stash, and another five in the fabric…

There’s an upcoming family party, and it will be the first time Fitz meets some of Mr J’s extended family. I am still cultivating a mum tum with restorative Kit Kats (so hard to give them up when you’re tired), although battling the same with the help of a pedometer. I walk everywhere with the boy in his buggy and I love it, although since I can’t do one thing without something else falling out of balance I feel constantly guilty about not using the car enough to justify the expense, and worry that the battery will die. We will have to go to Ikea for a rug to redress this. This is a roundabout way of explaining that I want to have something to wear but am unwilling to spend money in a shop, since I feel my shape is in flux.

The red jersey was bought with the intention of becoming a second cosmo dress, with long sleeves this time. Then it got stuffed in the stash because I was up the duff (a legitimate excuse!). Now I can’t decide if it should be the cosmo dress, or become a delicious dress, which I would wear as a tunic (and thank you to Lisa for tweeting the suggested combination of tunic and trousers.) While I was debating, I realised that whichever I chose I would be partaking not just in a Make a Month, but also in Experiments in Dressmaking, which is Florence’s new obsession (so thrilling considering how she always said she couldn’t do clothing). Not as experimental as making my own patterns, but it will do.

And so my next thought was that if 2010 should have sewing themes (because I don’t want to be left out here) then my theme ought to be finishing. I mean that in both senses; actually completing projects, and also completing them with care and precision. So often when I make things for myself (not for others I must add) I slap dash my way to the end because I get too excited and want to use whatever it is I’m making. It’s unsatisfactory. I also think I’m not learning anything new by ploughing on like that, so a bit of additional care and attention, and a little use of a sewing bible, even when I think I know something, might prove illuminating. I think as well it might help to restore some of the lost joy – sewing for the fair felt too much like work, and I’m not in it for that.

All aboard. I’m going to Finishing School.

I’ve decided to join Helen’s challenge for the year to make something every month using the stash. Oh the stash. Back when I first started sewing seriously I used to see people talking about their fabric stash, but at that point I was still buying for specific projects and had no idea how you could amass a stash of fabric and notions for which you have no plans. It seemed ludicrous and yet, here I am several years later, with a cupboard full of fabric, for which there are mostly no plans. Here’s how to go about getting your own stash if you don’t have one:

1. Become excited about your new sewing hobby & buy a book of projects, perhaps by Amy Butler or Amy Karol. Or both.
2. Earmark several projects you want to make & make a shopping list.
3. While you’re at it you might as well come up with several ideas of your own for things you want to make.
4. Expand shopping list accordingly, and add some things you know will come in handy one day, like zips, buttons, interfacing. (Yes, you should have learned to love interfacing by now)
5. Order some stuff online from your favourite retailers. Don’t worry about the extra stuff that falls into the basket because it looks interesting / inspiring
6. Make one project at the weekend instead of six because some friends came to stay and you went to the supermarket and you stayed up late watching a movie you’d already seen half of and you decided to make a cake and you went shopping for shoes.
7. Buy another sewing book and maybe some patterns by independent designers, because everything looks so interesting now your skills are improving. Make another shopping list.
8. Meet up with like-minded chums specifically for fabric shopping. Buy fabric for things you’ve already got fabric for because you forgot about the internet shopping you did. If the chums pick up anything nice get some too, and don’t worry what it’s for.
9. Decide it’s time you gave up buying small amounts and never get less than a metre of anything.
10. Repeat, repeat, repeat.

Helen is right. It’s time to stop saving for best.

My first make for the year had to be a swift one because I came late to the party, so I settled on finally running up the ‘taggie blankie’ for the boy. Fittingly Helen herself provided two ingredients for it, in the minky for the back and in a sample of wadding she sent me last year, which I impulsively decided to use when I thought it ought to be slightly padded. I also used the fabric Kyoko sent as a present for Fitz’s birth, which seemed only fitting.

One thing I’ve always had trouble with is cutting into the precious Trefle tape, since it is so difficult and expensive to get here, but once you start it’s surprisingly easy to carry on, perhaps in this case because I was doing it for the wee one. How nice to see the various bits of ribbon, ric rac and tape sticking out ready for inquisitive little fingers!

This only took one episode of Grey’s Anatomy (yes I’m sewing to a box set again) thankfully or I’d never have finished it in January (Helen said I could have an extension but I like to play by the rules). February already, I see, and it’s a short month, so I’d best not take too long to figure out what I’ll be making next…

Thanks so much to Helen for the inspiration and starting the flickr group!

In between balancing the baby on one arm and hanging up laundry with the other (I’d leave the laundry but we must have pants) I have managed to sneak myself into the sewing room for the odd half hour.

Here be proof. I began the make-up bags at the tail end of my pregnancy, and since Fitz decided to turn up a week before his due date (nice for me physically) they ended up languishing in the wip box. They’re now languishing on the desk, but I have at least written a series of post it notes for each step I need to do to complete them. And complete them I must because I am sharing a table with Helen and Florence at the We Make fair in Chelsea on 5th December. Yes I know, it’s very soon – they both said I was brave to even think of doing it. I suppose I’d assumed I’d have a child who took lovely long two hour naps. Oh the naivety of my previous life!

I also managed over a couple of evenings to cut out the jersey for this 3 Graces muslin (yes I’m calling it a muslin) and run it together on the overlocker. It is a very comfortable top to wear, but various reviews around the internet have said that it comes up a bit big, and I’d have to agree. It feels a bit tent like so I’m going to trace off a size down and see how that fits, and just wear this one in bed – nothing goes to waste here. Incidentally I got the jersey from this ebay seller – big range, good prices, fast despatch. I’m going to try the cross over version next but can’t promise progress before Christmas. You can mime my wry smile for yourself…

In the middle of my pregnancy I had a mini wardrobe sort out and moved the things I could still wear to one end. This meant I could only open one door of the wardrobe and not be taunted by some favourite things that simply would not fit. Hilariously even though I knew it would be impossible I’ve been trying on some of those items, and becoming slightly downcast that they will not accommodate the giant boobage I am now graced with. Actually grace is not a word I should be using in the same sentence – man, they are unwieldy.

However, I did slip on the trusty old cosmo dress and found that it fitted (with the right undergarments). Of course! It’s a knit! There lies the answer. I bought some red jersey in February that needs to made into another cosmo I think, this time with long sleeves for the winter, and yes I’ve checked – the wrap front allows for boob access so I can still feed the bottomless pit we call Fitz. Not entirely sure when I’ll get the time to get in there and get it cut out, never mind sewn up, but I do feel like I could do with some time behind the needle, and maybe I just have to force the issue with myself.

The other things I’ve planned for my fourth trimester wardrobe are the new t-shirts and trousers from Hot Patterns, which finally arrived at the weekend, thanks to the postal strikes. (I mean, up the workers and all that, but selfishly I wanted my patterns…) That cowl neck t-shirt is almost identical to an old Jigsaw favourite that the moths got to, and I’m deeply excited to think I can replace it (if I can find decent jersey of course). Shortly after I placed the order Trudy only went and released two new patterns, and I love the look of the dress (for which there is an excellent tutorial on youtube, which should just be compulsory viewing if you want to make clothes/use knits/do both).

The pattern for the t-shirt is traced off and cut out (go me!), so I’ll hopefully be able to do a trial run sometime over the next week, and see where I am with sizing. And no, there is no photo to accompany this post but I hope to remedy that with the next one, and a good one at that.

Just like that. Truthfully it is my favourite season, and one I couldn’t do without. I opened the door to leave the house this morning, feet clad in the only shoes a) I can put on easily and b) still fit, which are my trusty havaianas flip flops, and was confronted with driving rain and completely overcast skies. I kept the flip flops and added an umbrella and headed off for a workshop on breastfeeding. Baby school has been the thing for us this past week, with two full days of antenatal classes in addition to the workshop, and so my head is spinning slightly, but in a good way. There is so much support available for new mums now, and I thank all of those mothers and midwives before me who have fought and argued to put it in place.

That’s not all there’s been though – I did have one last outing on a train, having discovered that it is the easiest thing in the world to jump on a train near my house and end up in a fabric shop with Florence. Delicious. One last outing to have a brief lunch with three quarters of the full complement of Teacakes, and one last fabric shopping opportunity, so that the fabric cupboard is now as well stocked as my freezer for the next couple of months, should I choose to use it.

In between my days out of the house, I have sat quietly at my desk, slowly and steadily ploughing on with some makeup bags, and some distracting telly. In a way I wish I had more to show you, which is a way of wishing that I had some of my old energy levels, but I don’t really mind. I have intentions, all the time, but these are generally made with my old self in mind, not this new self, who is settling down to wait in between naps. I don’t have an urge to travel far from home anymore, so I’m simply going to enjoy my remaining days in this chair, as peacefully as possible, steadily sewing. It must be one of the best ways to welcome in both the new season and a new member of the family.

I took part in another session of early morning crafting yesterday, since it was again too hot to lie a-bed, wondering if the croissant fairy was going to visit…

On my last visit to Ikea some time ago I apparently bought some of their lightweight cottons, half a metre a piece, which I’d completely forgotten about. A rummage in the stash cupboard can be terrifically rewarding. I’d planned to make new cushion covers since the last ones I made were a couple of years old and looking a little tired, so yesterday set to, and produced one before Mr J had even opened one eye. But why is it so crunch-worthy?

The fabrics are quite thin, and therefore see-through, so I backed it with some lightweight white material my friend had given me when she was having a clearout – nothing more fancy than binding the edges with the overlocker, honestly.

The buttons for the back came from a ‘handful for 10p’ in the wimbledon sewing centre a couple of years back, so the cost for those is negligible. Even the thread I was using came free with the overlocker. The only thing I paid for was the material, and that came in at £1 for a half metre, which is just the right amount for a 50cm cushion. If you can’t sew and you have to go shopping, you cannot change a cushion cover on a whim for a £1. You just can’t. Not for something you like anyway.

My week is looking fairly empty, and the heat seems to have broken finally. I can open the curtains in my sewing room today without fear of being blinded or roasted alive, so as well as making the other cover, I’m hoping to get some other crafting in, rather than lying about, perspiring. Of course, all things are subject to change, but best to travel hopefully.

I finally have my first handmade maternity garment, made from Hot Patterns Boho-de-luxe Peasant Tops. Like all the HP patterns I’ve tried so far it went together very well (once I applied myself) and has resulted in a fantastically comfortable top, just right for this amazing weather we’re having in London right now.

Sadly I cut this out so long ago, and was remiss in my pattern piece marking, so I have no idea if I went up one or two sizes from the usual, but the advice from Trudy (Mrs HP herself) in having a summer pregnancy was to ‘embrace the volume’. I suspect this will start to make even more sense when I’m 8 months along and it’s August, but it is nice to wear things that don’t cling to the skin when the skin is asking to be naked to the wind, as it has for the last two days.

For contrast and a bit of glam I decided to ditch the self fabric binding, and instead used some dark charcoal satin bias I had in the stash for the sleeves, neckline, and then doubled it over to make a ribbon for the empire line tie. I think making the version with the tie is the best decision for maternity wear, otherwise you do end up feeling like a sack of potatoes- pregnant curves are nice, so why not point them out? I also lengthened the top so that it’s more of a tunic length, which should give me enough growing room.

Incidentally, it’s meant to be slightly shorter than this, but I have become deeply lazy about hemming, and just overlocked the bottom, so that I could wear it because of the weather. I’m sure I’ll hem it properly eventually… (I did this with a pair of  trousers at the weekend too, which has to be the laziest way of altering ready to wear ever. I mean, I didn’t even cut them to the right length – I just whacked them through the overlocker and let it cut them for me. Oh the shame.)

So as far as I’m concerned it’s another winner, and the pattern will still be there for me next summer, which is much better value than having bought specific maternity patterns. The other pattern I bought for maternity wear was Delicious Dresses (a possibility for some very nice silk I have), which will last in the same way. Money well spent.

Nothing that we didn’t know before: that it’s hard to pick up a habit you’ve dropped; that there aren’t enough hours in one day to do your cat job, craft, blog, prepare healthy meals, take care of the house and see friends; that given the choice of finishing one thing or starting on the next you are more than likely to do the latter.

Well, I am anyway. (Sorry, Susanne – I haven’t finished the top.)

Next week being Easter and school holidays I have cat sitting duties up and down iCal without a break in between. This means oodles of keys, which usually rattle around in my bag, and the ones I need are always the last I fish out. An ideal time to get on with the key holder I planned ages ago, and then never did anything about. (Something else we’ve learned: that procrastination is a lifelong habit.)

I conquered my fear of making my own bias binding today. It was such a treat to use one of the little gadgets I got in Japan – every time I pick something up that I bought while I was out there I get transported back to the fabric shop, or the haberdashery, or the bookshop, and it feels just that little bit closer again. It’s been on my list of things to do because at some point soon I’d like to try my hand at a wee quilt.

This tutorial has steps and illustrations for two methods, which was especially useful when I couldn’t figure out how to attach my two strips together – something about introducing a basic maths concept like 45 degree angles meant my brain went to complete mush. Like so many things, once you actually give them a go you realise that there wasn’t very much to be afraid of in the first place.

Materials, cut out and set aside. And then I had to have a jolly long nap, because I spent a good deal of last night lying awake but with my eyes shut, pretending I was sleeping. So not only did I not finish the top, I didn’t finish this either. Shocking.