Pyjama Party!

Pyjama Party time - I got my PJ's done! (About an hour ago...) They aren't the best thing I've ever made but hey, they're pyjamas. They're comfy and have pretty flowers on them, so the pretty much meet my requirements. Also, pink and blue fit right into my Spring/Summer Palette, not on purpose - 1st item for the Challenge done! And I've been working on bits and pieces of the other items and have fabric in the mail (well, hopefully in the mail...). So yay for sewing!

I didn't use a pattern per se, I just traced an old pair (if you look closely you can see the holes in those purple PJ pants).

I just laid them on top of the new fabric - a blue flannel with pink flowers, 1-1/2 yds, on sale for $2.50/yd or something like that - and added seam allowances with a hem gauge. I just marked every 4 inches or so down the length of the legs, and closer around the curves. Note to self (or anyone doing this): take out the elastic before you trace. It's very hard to get a big enough waist otherwise and you may have to hack it to make them wearable.... um... yeah. You may notice a pink gingham inset on my final pair. Way too small at first. Then I kind of twisted and did weird things when folding the waistband over for the elastic, but whatever. It works.

Final product:

Yay for soft comfy PJ's! I want to make another pair in a cooler cotton - I love flannel but with the weather heating up I don't see them getting much wear until fall. Now I'm off to check out the other pyjamas!

Wooly Jacket

Way back when, I decided I wanted to use this pattern - Cynthia Rowley-Simplicity 2443 - to make a little jacket. I wasn't in love with it as designed, and you can see my inspiration on my mood board. I changed a few things around and this was the final result:

I used a poly/wool/silk blend that I got on sale at JoAnn and fully lined it in a cotton jacquard from Denver Fabrics. I didn't want to spend much on the fabric because I had no idea how it would turn out. I don't know if I followed the procedure correctly but I semi-bagged the lining (I think?), referencing this Threads article.

I realized this is the first thing I've made that I really like. I'll probably add buttons at some point (the thought of adding the buttonholes is stopping me), but there aren't any significant changes that it needs. The construction could be better, but that comes with practice.

Plain sleeves

Lessons and techniques:

• Restyling a pattern: I basically left off all the extras - no pockets, no tabs, no ribbons, no d-rings. That plus the sleeve changes really made it look different.
• Drafting/revising sleeves: I based them off a different pattern, because I didn't want them to be quite so puffy, a little longer, and... see the next point.
• Working with the fabric: The sleeves as drafted wouldn't have worked well with this fabric especially with the lining. The outer fabric is pretty loosely woven (and ravels), so I added a lining with a lot of body to give it some structure.
• Adding a lining: I used the included facings and then used the body pattern pieces for the rest of the lining. I don't know when/if I was supposed to convert the front darts to gathers or anything like that but I pretty much just constructed a second jacket and stuck it inside out inside of the first one.
• Follow directions: I messed up on attaching the sleeve lining to the outer sleeves and ended up just slip stitching them together at the sleeve hems. I would have caught this if I did everything in the order I was supposed to.

All in all, though, I like this. It fits me better than the other things I've made and I don't have plans to alter it. (My Spring/Summer Challenge is half alterations and UFO's.) I thought I had a picture of me wearing it but it looks like I deleted all of them... they were very blurry. I'll update if I remember to take one. UPDATE: Found them! More photos here.

Spring & Summer Palette Challenge 2012

It's time for Colette's Spring/Summer Palette Challenge 2012! I may still be updating things from the Fall Challenge, but that's cool, right?

Mood boards are funny things. I start making one and then tend to gather together the things I'll actually use and/or make instead of inspirational items. I love seeing everyone's mood boards (Caitlin's is especially pretty and Sarai's is so fresh and summery) and I love gathering ideas and inspiration (Pinterest, anyone?). But I like to have a visual plan and that's what I always end up making. I'm leaning towards blues, coral pink, and red colorwise, and trying to build in some items I need in my everyday wardrobe. Here's what I'll be working on:

I'm planning on five "full" items and five "fix it or finish it" items (and may need to extend the "8 weeks" idea):

1. Pastille dress in coral-y pink feedsack print - Colette Patterns
2. Bright blue Clovers - Colette Patterns
3. Cream/red bird print t-shirt - Simplicity 5133
4. Navy blue shirt - McCall's 6031
5. PJ pants - self-drafted - part of the Did You Make That Pyjama Party!

6. Grey Clovers - Colette Patterns
7. Pomegranate voile dress - McCall's 5388
8. Blue roses skirt - Alabama Chanin
9. Chambray dress - Lisette Traveler - Simplicity 2246
10. Skirt from dress fail (was Simplicity 2443)

I'll share some details on these later. I still have projects from the Fall Challenge to share! (Actually, that last skirt IS from the Fall Challenge...)

Thrift Share Monday

I actually found these two weekends ago, but Monday was, well, Monday and slipped right on by without a post. I dug through the pattern box at a local thrift share a few weeks ago and didn't find anything. This time, I found 3 patterns that a) I liked and b) were the right size, or close to it.

They're all Simplicity, clockwise from left: 7167 (2002 button up shirts), 5133 (1981 knit shirts), and 8193 (1969 A-line dress with collar). I can't wait to make the 60's dress - wouldn't it be cute in a lace or eyelet? I also got some wide hem facing and a purple linen shirt. Total cost for all that: $2.

I also found instruction sheet for Butterick 4818 inside one of the other pattern papers. It's another 60's dress, and it has an interested curved seam and button detail.

I should add that this post is linked up to Thrift Share Monday here.

Pink Jersey Maxi Skirt

Way back when, I mentioned this skirt I was going to make. I did finish making it, and I've worn it a few times, but only recently got pictures and only even more recently put said pictures on the computer. All that to say, here it is:

I haven't been exactly sure how to style it, and honestly it's not my favorite thing. I did like this outfit, though. I think the issue is that I didn't make it wide enough. It's a super simple skirt, with two layers (joined at the top as if you were seaming two pieces into one big one), just one seam up the back and elastic at the waist. I think I may try to refashion it into something shorter with more fullness. It's comfortable, though, and I may try something similar in the future. Also, I created a funny little fishtail train thing at the back, because I sort of angled out the seam (if you can make it out through the blurriness):

I didn't exactly mean to do that but didn't think about how the fabric would drape when put together like that. I don't really mind it, though. Anyways, there's proof that I DID finish things from my autumn challenge!