Leftovers (Simplicity 4076)

So after the dress I made last post, I had a lot of odd shaped scraps of that crinkly polka-dot fabric left, and I didn’t want to toss them, so I made a blouse. Specifically Simplicity’s 4076, and spoiler; I LOVE it. I didn’t even wash it before it’s first outing.

In my usual fashion though, I couldn’t leave well enough alone and had to make a couple of changes; some fabric related, some fit related.

• FBA (a bit trickier because of the weird shaped piece, but I probably could have made it easier on myself if I’d have done the next bullet point first.
• I cut the weird front twisty piece in half. Partly because it fit on my weird scraps better that way, but mostly because the crinkles would have been going the wrong way on part of the bodice, and that would have driven me crazy. This is fairly well hidden in this dark, textured fabric, but doesn’t work as well on lighter fabrics.
• I flared it at the waist, as I’ve found that shape to be much more flattering on me.
• I shortened it in the neckline to keep it from being indecent.
• Flutter sleeves from a different view. I like them because they fit my giant biceps better. 💪 I don’t have little twiggy arms, I have muscular (ok, and a *little* bit flabby) arms.
• Lazy girl method of taking in the back neckline. AKA I cocked the piece on the fold a little to take out about 1/2″ at the neck. Worked like a charm.
• Added something like 4″ to the hem. I’m about as short torsoed as they come, and this would have been nearly a crop top on me. I also “mulletized” the back a smidge, adding an extra 2″ in the center back, tapering to nothing at the sides.
• I didn’t do this, but would next time: add notches to the part where I split the pattern pieces to make lining them up easier.

This is how the pieces are originally oriented in their single piece form, but I changed the grain line of the top when I cut it off and made it perpendicular to the original grain.

Are these not the cutest sleeves?!

Knot a closeup. 😆

Here she is in entirety! I like the subtle flare.

So after this rousing success, I tried it again using all the same techniques on a lightweight rayon knit fabric, and it didn’t work. I think you have to have a knit with one way stretch, and cutting the top piece off on a non textured fabric that was a lighter color showed that seam, which was more noticeable than I was ok with. It may have been because the fabric was more drapey, or just because it was lighter in color, or both, I can’t say for sure. So, just be aware of that if you try it yourself.

PJs for Scotch

Fleece footed pajamas are ubiquitous, and also very hot. I finally had had enough of Scotch waking up every morning stinky from sweat. So last weekend I decided to take action.

Enter KwikSew 3126. It’s a toddler pattern I’ve had since Irish was a wee one, and it makes some really cute PJs. I also knew that I had some scraps of flannel in the stash from some PJ’s from Irish, so I got to work. I managed to get the measurements from an uncooperative toddler, and he was a perfect size T1 with the shirt length from T2.

The first version I made collarless because of the way I sewed the facings, and honestly, I wish I’d have just picked out the topstitching and made the collar–flannel doesn’t make very good bias tape. The seams are bulky, so they didn’t fit through the tape maker very well and it sews up bulky too. I should have known this, but I wasn’t thinking.

OK, so I had to buy some red flannel because I ran out of the brown…I made it work though. 😉

The second and third versions have collars, but I used some white voile scraps from my stash to make the button placket facing and under collar. I wanted lightweight to reduce bulk, but the voile maybe wasn’t the best choice. A slightly heavier cotton would have been a better choice, but voile was what I had, so I made do. Again I used leftover flannel from pajamas from Irish, and I was a bit short, so made the sleeves and collars in contrasting colors. I think they turned out really cute. 🙂

Cute!

I used my Singer 301a with her buttonhole attachment to make all the buttonholes, and while I’m getting better at using it, it still seems fiddly. I can’t complain about the quality of the finished product though. If anyone knows of a tutorial for tips/tricks on using one, I’d be interested.

Overall, I think they turned out cute, and Scotch wore the trial pair last night and didn’t wake up stinky!! Winning!

Bonus action shot on big brother’s bed. 🙂

Some quick Tee-NT’s

Ha, see what I did there?:-P Anyway, I recently went on a fabric binge at Needle Nook. Since I haven’t bought hardly any fabric in the last two years (>15 yards), I figured I was due.

*Most* of the fabric haul…

From top left:

• Rayon/cotton animal print
• Rayon polka dots (wasn’t impressed with this, see below)
• Hibiscus print ITY*
• Grey and black watercolor(?) ITY*
• Some sort of textured snakeskin jersey with little shiny “scales”

And, instead of stashing it, I went straight to making it up. <–This rarely happens, just sayin. I’ve been desperately in need of t-shirts for years, some of them are starting to look dated (literally, the one I’m wearing says 2004 on it), but for some reason I always feel like the stuff I make has to be for “good” at least until it starts to look like it should be relegated to the every day pile. I think this is because I get so few things done, that I don’t want to get them messed up right away. It’s probably along the lines of not being able to give up stuff we’ve made because we made it with our own two hands. This time I tossed that notion to the curb, and am so glad I did!

I used the two rayons to make up a couple of TNT patterns, so they were super fast to make.

Firstly, I made shirts:

Vogue 8670, for like the bazillionth time.

How amazing is this print?! And it’s so nice to wear! Would I be a total loser for getting it in the other colorways too?

Yes, I know, but I don’t care. I went with a round neckline this time, and they have already been worn several times. The only complaint I had is with the polka dot fabric. It came out of the prewash load already starting to pill, had some small holes, and holy cow it’s a bit sheer–which takes some doing on a black knit! I would say it’s almost tissue weight, and I’m going to do my absolute best to never buy another one like this. The recovery is also terrible, so even though I stabilized the neckline it stretched out and shows my bra straps, and it’s a lot longer (think mini dress length) because it just keeps growing longer and longer. The hot pink though….LOOOOOOVE. So pretty, so comfy, and I’m thinking about going back for the other colorways before they’re gone (if they aren’t already!)

So with the scraps I also decided to go on a knicker-binge with my trusty KS2908!

Scrapbusting at it’s best–and most practical! 😉

The last time I went on a binge, I had run out of elastic, so this time when I went in to get elastic for the bottom three pairs, I got some to finish up the top three pairs too. Since the top three were already assembled, it went even faster than normal. I will say that the black fabric didn’t even make good undies because it grows so much, so I basically wasted my time on making them because they’ll be shot in a couple of washes. Oh, well. Also, I hate the wide lace elastic–I mean, it’s pretty and all, but it’s not fun to work with. Someday I’ll get the hang of elastic–people who get perfectly tensioned elastic (especially FOE!) must be magicians, because I’ve made lots of undies, and I still can’t seem to put it on smoothly–there’s always a bit at the end where I panic and pull the shit out of it to get it to fit.

Next up? The shiny scales. 😉 Stay tuned!