Pants Modelled

DS is wearing his new pants today and he's quite happy with them, thinks the details are cool and he wouldn't mind another pair of the same design in the olive canvas. He would prefer a longer crotch so I'll have to find out how to make that kind of alteration before making the next pair. They're very long but we think they'll be fine worn srunched up over shoes.


Here's a shot of the fit at the back with DS using the hip pockets.

Black Cotton Drill Pants

Happy to say that I've finished a pair of black cotton drill pants for DS(14) this week. I've got some delicious olive canvas waiting to make up so I thought I'd try this pattern out in a practice fabric. This is pattern #32 from Ottobre issue 3/2004, made in the largest size 170.

I particularly like the triple topstitching on the back yokes and the back pocket detail.



DS likes to be able to use his hip pockets so the diagonal design was appealing too, shown below. The front leg is split below the knee to add interest with some more triple topstitching detail. I had a cute soccer ball button which I suggested using but for some reason DS chose this boring black one ;-).

Here's another shot attempting to show the details. DS usually doesn't approve contrast topstitching but agreed to grey this time (he even nearly chose red on black!). So glad, it made all the effort worthwhile :-).

Ugly Duckling?

I finished one of my Ottobre SWAP 2009 garments today, Viscose Jersey Crossover Top design #17 in the Autumn/Winter 5/2008 issue of Ottobre Woman (size 44). I really thought it looked absolutely awful as I laid it out on the table for a photo. I thought it had been a total waste of time and fabric making this top :-(. See what I mean?


I was dreading the look of it on me but amazingly I was absolutely thrilled! The fabric feels gorgeous, a lovely soft stretchy viscose jersey, and the top looks alright after all (just standing a little awkardly I think, tired back after sewing and trying to keep my arm away from the side seam detail) :-). I think it'll look great with this skirt.


The side pleat detail is my favourite part of the top, 3 little inverted pleats giving the front a little 3D interest. It's also nice to have two layers of jersey fabric across the tummy, a little more forgiving of curves!


Alterations:

The pattern is able to be made with or without a collar and stand. I made it without the collar because I find jersey collars look a little limper than I like a collar to be and other members who have made this top commented on not liking the collar style. I may have tried using a woven for the collar if I had a suitable piece but couldn't come up with one!

I used pale pink ribbing for the neckline binding rather than self-fabric. I thought the jersey was too stretchy to support itself as binding. It peeps out a little but I can live with it, I'll just have to try to be a galloping horse ;-).

Being of shortish stature, as usual I had to cut 1" off the sleeve edges and 2" off the top length before hemming.

There are some funny lines under my arm, when I lift my arms it looks a little like the sleeve opening is a little too big. Surely my chest is not big enough for a bust alteration! Any hints ideas would be welcome, but be kind ;-)!

Star Trek Uniform and More Retreat Blocks!

Three more blocks arrived today from the USA :-) Beautiful floral fabric.

Thank you!

Now I'm off to continue sewing a Star Trek uniform for my 11 yo son who wants to look like Captain Archer on Enterprise. We found some blue velour in my stash and have chosen a jacket and leggings pattern from Ottobre. I've sewn two zipped patch pockets on the front and some yellow grosgrain ribbon over one shoulder and sleeve, I will have to get some more tomorrow for the other shoulder, I knew I should have bought extra! Here's a sneak preview :-)

We found a Space Shuttle badge and J used my machine's alphabet function to embroider "ENTERPRISE" on the badge, which is now sewn onto the left sleeve.

Brilliant Mail Day!

Three packages arrived in the mail today!

My Ottobre Design magazine arrived from Finland, see my excited waiting with anticipation post here!

My first delivery of April Retreat blocks from the UK and the USA. Don't they look great together, I love the contrast :-)



and I'm lucky enough to have an early Rail Fence swap block in my requested colours of yellow orange and red. Such sweet fabrics :-)

Thank You

Ottobre Waterfall Blouse

My Ottobre Woman 'Waterfall' blouse is finished, pattern #5 in issue 2/2009. Many thanks to Pam for her tutorial on sewing the draped cowl neck, I highly recommend following Pam's instructions for a lovely finish! This top will be worn with my new Ottobre 'Swing' skirt sewn earlier in the same fabric, although it looks quite nice with jeans and I think it'll be beautiful with my grey, navy and turquoise Ottobre skirts. Very versatile :-)

Surprisingly the sleeves are a little shorter than usual on me, you may like to add a bit of length before cutting to ensure that the sleeve finishes past the wrist after hemming!

I'm sorry there's no modelled shot, my photographer is away on a three day practice hike for the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme (Gold) :-).

New Issue of Ottobre - Summer 2009

The new issue of Ottobre is on-line and the magazine was posted out to subscribers on 20th April 09 (see comments on the Ottobre blog)!!! Time to stalk the postie for the big white envelope ;-)

Look at these beautiful shots, Ottobre do a lovely job presenting the new patterns. Here are just 4 of my favourites :-)

A beautiful baby dress with 3 inverted pleats at the neckline,

there are also patterns for a hat and pants to complete the outfit.

I love the bow and pleated detail on the bodice of this dress.

Isn't this the cutest sailor you've ever seen!

There is a little sailor dress too.


Here's one for my son, t-shirt and shorts with an elephant feature.
I enjoy the little extras Ottobre comes up with to make an outfit look less 'homemade'

Thank you Ottobre !

Ottobre Swing Skirt

I've sewn up the Ottobre Woman "Swing" jersey skirt, design 11 issue 2/2009, in a beautiful polyviscose fabric from Knitwit (Autumn 2009 portfolio no. 24 Chelsea Printed Knit Teal).




There is only one pattern piece for the 10 gore skirt, but to make cutting out easier I traced two pattern pieces. The skirt is hemmed with a twin needle using teal coloured thread. I've also used a twin needle to encase the elastic waist. I cut a length of 25mm wide elastic about 2 cm shorter than my waist measurement and overlapped the ends about 1cm to join.

The fabric was tricky to sew, being quite slippery, curly and fine so I basted most of the seams first and then sewed the real seams, unpicking the basting stitches afterwards. You certainly realise how long around the hem of a 10 gore skirt is after sewing around it a couple of times ;-)

I also have the "Waterfall" top cut out in this fabric, ready to sew! Hopefully it'll be a little easier to sew.

Ottobre Elegance Pants

I couldn't wait to try this pattern out when the new Ottobre Woman (issue 2/2009) arrived! Ottobre now gives their patterns names, this one is called "Elegance" pants. I had some orange striped denim in my stash ready for a nice pair of elegant jeans, and this was the pattern that spoke to me :-)

I find that a shaped leg is more flattering on me than straight legged jeans and I love the wide hem at the bottom of the pants.

Darts (at the back) and a shaped waistband give a nice shape to the top. The best feature of all is that there is no chunky jeans zip at the front!

The front hip pockets are really interesting, like a bound button hole, it'll be interesting to see how they cope with wear and tear and how they sit during everyday movement. There is an invisible zip in the side seam of the pants. I followed the directions and put the zip on the left side but being a right hander I think I'd put the zip on the right hand side next time, I'm finding it a bit awkward to manage!

The inner waistband is bound with bias binding, made with a pretty yellow print in my scrap box. The wrong side of the fabric is a bit bright isn't it, LOL!

I only made a couple of modifications; I cut 8cm off the length of the pants (being petite) and had to fit the back of the pants by bringing it in 3cm at the centre back to cater for my sway back (or should that be my big butt ;-)) grading it gradually back to the centre back seam. I didn't sew on the back pockets, I thought the back would look better without them and I couldn't face trying to match the stripes :-P.

The front could be a bit more fitted, perhaps I should bring in the centre front seam a bit too. Sorry, not the best shot . Any suggestions?

Next time I'll choose better placement for the belt loops, I was trying to follow the design sketch but I'm not entirely happy, they're too close together at the side seams and not close enough at the front of the pants.

Despite these negative comments, I'm absolutely thrilled to have a new pair of more dressy jeans :-).

Sudoku Skirt

sugar snap 112
Originally uploaded by gock's frocks

Not only can you incorporate a Sudoku puzzle theme into a quilt but it also works well in clothing :-). Isn't this outfit divine!!! Handcrafted by Gock's Frocks using the sudoku skirt and orvokki jersey blouse patterns from Ottobre Design issue 1/2009.

For more kaleidoscope of colour visit Gock's Frocks' blog, she's celebrating 200 posts with a 'Great Give Away'.

Bird Shorts

I had some fun frayed stretch denim in my stash that I thought would be great made up into the stretch capris from Ottobre Woman issue 2/2007, #14.


The pattern included a pretty little bird pattern for the back pocket which was really easy to machine embroider with a straight triple stitch along one continuous line, plus a separate curved line underneath to finish the branch.









The triple topstitching on the back yoke and around the front hip pockets is a nice design feature. The topstitching was done in a medium tone grey for a more subtle effect than white, which is what I was initially contemplating.


The pattern has a leg cuff included but by the time I got to the stage of sewing them on, the capris were already much too long and would have been ankle length by the time I added the cuffs! I decided to leave off the cuffs and shorten the length by 10cm and keep a little slit in the side seams. I already had a matching set of buttons for the waistband and cuffs so I decorated the top of the slits with the little buttons.


I love these shorts, very comfortable and they feel fun!

I have sewn for myself this year

My all time favourite jumper was a white cowl neck jumper, fashionable in the eighties :-). I fell in love with this cowl neck sweater Ottobre pattern when it came out late last year, Ottobre Woman issue 5/08, #18. I had a lovely wool knit in my stash which was just waiting for this pattern, absolutely perfect :-)


I don't normally wear tops with raglan sleeves but the shoulder pleats provide beautiful shaping. This was a brilliantly quick pattern to sew up, cut one day and sewn up the next, even though I sewed the inverted pleat AND the cowl neck on the wrong way out the first time, LOL!!