Ottobre 5/2013 has landed
- At September 05, 2013
- By Kelly
- In Patterns
- 0
It’s always fun to flip through the latest Ottobre pattern magazine when it arrives. This issue is no exception.
This coat is done up in wool, but I’d like to give it a try in a heavy Polartec fleece.
There are a couple tops that are also extended as dresses. I like this raglan. The fabric choice in the dress gives it a different look, too.
There are a couple blouse patterns and some dressy office clothes that I don’t see myself wearing, but they are nice looking if I were in need of such a thing. This wrap dress as cute and not too dressy. I just don’t know where I would wear it!
Did you get this issue? What are you planning to sew?
Happy Sewing!
Kelly
Stash Game – pajama pants love and a ruffle skirt
- At September 05, 2013
- By Kelly
- In Sewing For The Kids
- 2
Pajama pants are a great way to sew up a fabric stash. My growing-like-weeds-children all need them. Of course, they need pajama tops, too, but pants are quick and easy. I’ve been in need of a quick project that would get me back to sewing again. After finishing 3 pajama pants for Zoe, I cut out a pair for Jack and sewed them up. To celebrate, Zoe and I went to the fabric store. Though we really did practice much restraint, we still ended up with nearly 12 additional yards. So, on Monday my stash game tally looked like this:
Zoe pj pants (qty 3) = 1.25yds + 2 notion points = 12pts * 3 pairs = 36 points
Jack pj pants (qty 1) = 1 yd + 2 notions = 10 points
11.91 yards of fabric purchase = -96 points
Current tally: -50
So, ummm, yeah. But I finished up two more pj pants for Jack!
I’ve been using the same Kwik Sew pattern (3275) that I used for Zoe. Jack’s only 7. He’s perfectly happy with pull on elastic pants with no fly. The fact that it’s a girl’s pattern will be our little secret, okay?
I finished this up today, too.
Zoe picked out this fabric on Sunday. I bought only what we needed (2/3 yard) and am happy to have it sewn up. I was sort of dreading sewing it because it is thin and wiggly and let’s face it, the thought of matching up those ruffles is intimidating! Fortunately, it went together quickly. I used wonder tape to match the ruffles up before sewing as in Mel’s tute here. It needs a quick run through the wash to get rid of the tape bits before I let Zoe wear it.
So, that sewing helps the stash game tally over here –
Previous Tally: -50
Jack pj pants (qty 2) = 1 yd + 2 notions = 10 points * 2 pairs = 20
Zoe ruffle skirt = 2/3 yd + 1 c/l scrap for waistband + elastic because I didn’t trust the c/l = 7.333
New Tally: -22.667
Well, I’m still in the negative, but hopefully the more serious stash gamers are making better progress. I’m claiming this as a victory because it’s more sewing than I’ve gotten done in a while!
Next up – a crib skirt for my new nephew or tops to go with all these pj pants? Hmmmm…
Happy Sewing!
Kelly
Kwik Sew 3275 – Girl’s PJ Pants
- At September 02, 2013
- By Kelly
- In Patterns, Sewing For The Kids
- 2
Happy Day! I started and finished something!
These are Kwik Sew 3275 in size 10. I took 2″ off the rise and added 2″ to the inseam, which made them the same length as the size 12.
I used 24.5″ of 1″ non-roll elastic for the waist. The pattern calls for 21″ of 3/4″ elastic. The non-roll seems to be a little less stretchy, and Zoe wears her pants a little lower than her natural waist. 21″ of elastic would not have been comfortable.
Since it was such a wacky day, I even got out my iron and pressed my hems before coverstitching. Check it out!
I’ll subject you to one more closeup just because it looks so pretty! That iron thing really does work.
Kwik Sew patterns are some of my favorites for their consistent sizing and ease of use. This is a one piece (cut 2!) pattern, super easy. The pattern also includes a top and both the top and pants are designed for knit fabrics with at least 20% stretch across the grain.
If you are playing Stash Game, this pattern used 1.25 yards of fabric and gets two notion points – elastic and size tags, so 12 points!
But wait, there’s more! I was so excited to actually finish something, and equally pleased to have used up good a chunk of this fabric that has been curing in my stash forever, that I decided to make a second pair.
Happy Sewing!
Kelly
September’s Challenges
- At September 01, 2013
- By Kelly
- In Challenges
- 1
Hooray for September! September is one of my favorite months. The kids go back to school, the weather cools and we head into fall, my favorite season.
September’s Monthly Challenge
Be a Stash Buster!
This photo is from Sue Shimomura.
September brings the fall stash game, so it seemed only appropriate to challenge you to participate this month! The idea of the game is to sew up your stash!
If you haven’t signed up yet, here’s the link! As luck would have it, that’s also the link to the rules. And, you can join the game even if the month has already started. No excuses, so sign up and get sewing! :)
Now, to complete this challenge, you must COMPLETE the stash game. What does that mean? It means you have to sew something. And at the end of the month, you must submit your point total. Easy peasy, right?
September’s Christmas Challenge
(Tree) Skirts
Credit (or blame?) for this month’s challenge goes to SewingMel.
Tree skirts had been on my idea list for the holiday challenges, but I’ve been trying to keep the challenges flexible for those who celebrate winter holidays that don’t include trees. And for those who don’t celebrate holidays, options for simply using a winter theme. But how the heck can I possibly ask you to make a tree skirt? What if you don’t need a tree skirt?
Barb (fw221) made this great tree skirt! Your tree needs that, right? And if you have a fear of circles, a tree skirt doesn’t even need to be round! Check out this one from Lori H. Designs.
If you don’t celebrate Christmas, or you do and you already have a tree skirt, or you don’t have a tree, or one of the bazillion other reasons why a tree skirt would be an utter waste of your time, do not fear! Go ahead and make the skirt without the tree. After all, a round tree skirt is really just a circle skirt, right? Make a holiday or winter themed skirt for you or someone you love! And it doesn’t even have to have trees on it. But it could. Trees are always nice.
Once you’re done creating, don’t forget to share your projects on our Runway!
Happy Sewing!
Kelly
August’s Sewing Challenges
- At August 01, 2013
- By Kelly
- In Challenges
- 2
The calendar says August, it’s been feeling more like late September lately. We’ll see what August brings. Hopefully no snow! :)
August’s Monthly Challenge
Unneccessarily Complicated
Create a highly detailed quilted potholder, jeans with lots of topstitching and extra pockets, a dress with yards of hand stitched ruffles. Carefully match your threads to fabrics, use those size tags and decorative labels. Use the iron. No, really. Put a lot more effort into something than you normally would. (And when you’re done, pat yourself on the back and stand in the glow of your awesomeness!)
And, to balance the unnecessarily complicated with something that is intended to be less complicated:
August’s Christmas Challenge
Potholders
Create some holiday or winter themed potholders. Or just one, if you’d prefer. I really need to complete this challenge because this is what’s currently in my kitchen drawer:
And those are recently laundered, yikes! I’m fairly certain at least a couple are older than my eldest child, who is a high school senior.
If you don’t celebrate Christmas, perhaps you have another holiday where food is eaten and pans are hot? Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or a celebration of the Winter Solstice? Or feel free to create with a more generic winter theme. Unless you are planning to hibernate this winter, it’s a good bet that you’ll be eating at some point!
Once you’re done creating, don’t forget to share your projects on our Runway!
Happy Sewing!
Kelly