Patterns for Pirates linen loungers in silk wool houndstooth

I made a bunch of major changes from version 1 (here) to this version.


I went from S to XXS.  I lengthened the legs by 2 inches, and I used the yoga waistband.  I also switched up the pocket options.

This pattern went pretty smoothly the second time around. The fabric is a silk-wool blend which tends to be slippery and shreds.  I went for as many french seams as possible though I did not enclose the waistband.  I realised my mistake and went back over it with FOE (not sure this was the best option.)  It looks a bit ridiculous inside but holds everything in.

I still used the shaped hem, I had to cut the straight edges off it since my lengthened leg pieces continued to narrow, but they still matched up at the important curved bits.  

I could definitely have gone with the XS instead of exaggerating!  These are a snug fit.  The pockets are useless because my thighs need that space.  And this drapey light fabric also creates really a different kind of fit.  Once I made these the weather changed and I didn't get a chance to wear them.  They were sitting around waiting for me to take photos and decide what to do next, when my housemate saw them and fell in love.  She is slimmer than I am and they look great on her - the slightly shiny fabric suits her aesthetic perfectly so I donated them right away and I think she has been wearing them for 2 days straight : )  I'm pretty happy with that result.  If I can get her to take pictures I'll add them!

Next time I will go with the XS.  I could imagine playing with the yoga waistband again, but I would wait until I could serge it (no overlocker was available when I made these.)  For now as the weather cools I have no intention of making more shorts. 

Colette Mabel miniskirt x 2 and a bonus tank top comparison

I went to work one nightshift, and in the middle of the shift realised the thing missing in my life was a miniskirt.  The Mabel Colette miniskirt.  Because, like everyone before me, though I know I could draft my own or muddle my way through, the interests of a well fitting miniskirt in 1 hour flat trumped any interest I had in the self-drafting learning process.

So two days later I had two miniskirts!

First of all I took that pattern home and decided to sew the size S, based on my hips.  I shortened the version B by a few inches - making it 19" long.  The version A is supposed to be 17" long.  I removed the kick pleat.  This is a lovely purple stretchy merino with a funny texture that almost looks felted, which I have had around for a long time and really adore.  I'm happy to finally be using it.  The skirt turned out way too big though, hanging on my hips pretty loosely.  I also used a zig zag that was pretty loose and so my stitches came undone rapidly.

Version two is view A, size XS, and in a funny merino that is smooth faced with a terry like interior that is scratchy.  It is a blend with some poly and retains its shape well.  It is the perfect miniskirt, and I'm hoping the scratchiness will go away with time.  Despite that I have worn it a lot!  I've worn the other one too even though it was big, but I plan to take off the waistband and take it in when I can get to the overlocker.

The pictures of Skirt 2 are with a bonus Deer & Doe Givre tank top.  It's a size 36 at the bust sloping to a 38, and other than needing a little scoop out of the armscye it fits great.  I was comparing it to the Patterns for Pirates Essential tank, though I know they have quite different shapes I was curious how they would compare.

The P4P top is a size XS.  I shortened it by 2 inches but kept the shape of the hem.  I made these two tops too fast, and so the hems are not done very well.  That bothers me a lot.  The shape of this tank top is otherwise really nice and I like the racerback.  Probably it's good to have both some racerback tops and some plain tops in my wardrobe.  I also find the Mission Maxi tanktop to be a perennial favourite (that's what the jungle plant top is, above). 
 

Me Made May, week 2

Well hello again.
This week of Me-Made-May included the following, a lot of which is unblogged!  Posts of those unblogged items will follow once I have gotten some suitable pictures.

Thurlow Jeans
Many of the same things from last week
New Mabel miniskirt x 2 (I wore both of them, a lot)
Ondee top
Persephone pants
Briar in yellow (unblogged and likely to remain that way.  I have nothing new to say about this top)
Cocoon cardigan
silk Penny top
mystery swimsuit no. 2

I am happily at work in my pants-binge.  I have to say that the amazing new pants patterns coming out are overwhelming me with the quality of their instructions, the quality of my results, and I'm really excited to see the final 2 pairs (of 4 planned) as they become real,wearable things!  I've avoided making pants for awhile because I have so many awesome pants from op-shops/consignment shops that I don't really NEED to make pants.  But a girl can only make so many tshirts before she has to expand the me-made wardrobe a bit...

Patterns for Pirates Linen lounger shorts in ikat

Sewing day, episode 3.

My friend Tessa has been inviting me over once a week for a sewing day.  This has been very instructive.  First, to see how someone else sews.  Tessa is prolific.  Also she has returned my faith in just taping pdf patterns instead of tracing them.  But I have mostly been buying A0 printouts which is fantastic.

Second is that when I have a day to sew, and I really can only sew during that day, but it's also fun and social, I am very clear on what I plan to do.  And I do it.  And then afterwards I go home and I honestly assess if I care to wear that item and whether it was worth driving around and not surfing all day.  It's helped me to stay honest with myself about how sewing really should not be the centre feature of my existence. 

I decided to make some shorts for Sewing day, week 3.  Last week I was doing some pattern testing which was very stressful, and in fact Tessa will be lending me a sewing machine so I can do some sewing at home to finish all the pattern testing. So, will I turn back into overstressed sewing Sonia?  Remains to be seen...

These Linen Loungers looked great - so many options.  In fact other than the overly bubbly pattern presentation, my big problem with P4P is that there are so many options for each product that it can be hard to tell what you're doing, or follow instructions in a linear fashion.  For these shorts, you can make them short, longer, even longer, or as pants, with two different types of pocket, with or without a fly, with two different types of waistband...egad!

My fabric is a scrap of ikat I have been saving for shorts - purchased in Thailand.  It was a big step to go ahead and make untested shorts out of it!  But in a way that's why I sized up (if anything; my hips shrank in Nepal so now maybe they are 36") - because I reckoned for sure they would fit on my body, at least. 

I cut a size S based on my measurements.  I used the inside pockets and followed all the instructions for the bias binding despite initially thinking it seemed unnecessary.  It gives a great finish, and means the pockets are solid.  I used the curving hem bottom which also was a bit of work but is a nice finish.

And of course I went crazy over-overlocking, just because I could.  I now understand that you are supposed to straight stitch the seamlines, in order to get the correct seam allowance, and then overlock to finish things.  I get it now.  : )

My personal opinion is that there is a lot of fabric in these.  They are very relaxed fit.  And because of the waistband, and the ikat fabric being relatively thick, I feel like I ended up with a lot of fabric between my legs.  For people, anatomically speaking, who have thighs that don't touch, this is great.  But for those of us whose thighs rub together, I do not want extra fabric, because it turns into a big puddle right in the front of my crotch when I am walking.  So I was suspicious.

However everyone on instagram loved these right away and I have gone ahead and worn them every day to test them out...and they certainly function fine.  Nonetheless, for a second pair, were the right fabric to call my name, I would make the XXS, using the yoga style waistband, and lengthen them somewhat.  This length really is a bit on the short side.  Hah, ironically that means the excess fabric is sort of a comfort, if they are short at least they are baggy...

So at least for now looks like my friends hankering after these won't get them. 

Cocoon Cardigan x 2 by Patterns for Pirates

I saw a reference to this cardi, and to this pattern company, a little while ago and completely discounted it for a very good reason: you have to measure and cut out your own bands!  Quel horreur!  Couldn't be doing any of my own measuring, no chance, and so I never considered the pattern more attentively.

And then one day at work I realised my radiographer in the office sewed and she was wearing a beautiful grey cardigan...by the end of that shift I had the pattern printed in my hot little hands.  I cut a size XS.  I had to have a friend over for moral support when I made the pattern piece for the bands, but I survived just fine (it's not hard.) 

My first version has been showcased here.  I wanted to get an idea of how the pattern came together, and I knew that long and grey were in its future.  I used the short body, with the wide cuffs, long sleeves and long sleeve cuffs.  No pockets.  I thought it was a bit silly as it's really short and doesn't come around to the front very much, but in truth I started wearing it the minute I made it and I wore it, um, until I made the second one.

Which I know took exactly an hour and 20 minutes to make, because I made it before work on my last shift before vacation, and I was late to work. 

In this version, I used the long body, wide band, long cuff and long sleeve, I think. Plus the pockets, which are totally amazing.  I made it for my birthday, took it to Australia with me, and wore it every day.  This fabric is a blend of merino and silk, I snapped up 3 meters at Designer Textiles in south Auckland - where I went on a fabric field trip in early August.  Because of the silk in the fabric, it drapes really nicely.

Then I had to make a striped one which is exactly the same as the grey one (except in plain merino):

 I was getting a bit rushed so some ironing of the band didn't happen - that really helps to make it lie flat.  But do you see something amazing!?  Do you see that I managed to match my stripes?  Including on the pockets?  I think I must be on a roll as I also got working on a plaid Archer around the same time.

Musings on pattern placement

This post has less to do with the patterns that I used (which are the Patterns for Pirates coccoon cardigan and the Sewaholic Renfrew) and more to do with planning, reflection and instinct in sewing.

I am reminded of something that Sophie first put on her instagram. (here) She didn't blog about it.  I'm not sure that link will work for everyone but the gist of it is: she bought fabric from the Fabric Store because a piece of fabric said Take me home and make this dress!  And the vision was absolutely electric - the dress is crazy but it works and she looks amazing in it.

When I do that - when I know exactly the fabric, when I have enough background about the pattern, and I have the skills, ie I'm not pushing my level too much and can therefore push the pattern to be its very best - when I demand that the result be not just wearable but amazing - it is.

And I don't bother to do that very often.
I think that instinct is the hallmark of the sewists that we follow, although taking good photographs probably helps.  They have, by luck or by hard work or by talent or by experience, figured out their own style and they are willing to put in the work here and now in this project to make it as close to perfect as possible.  And the results look amazing, they are worth the effort. They are that magical thing we all want to achieve: better than RTW.

I bought a huge amount of mountain print merino in Auckland at the Designer Textiles warehouse.  It had paint splotches on it and a few holes here and there so they gave it to me for 5 dollars per meter.  Of printed merino.  I took lots.  And my first goal was to make a top with a mountain on it, similar to a certain one that I coveted by icebreaker.

I had some plain cream fabric to use as the accents, but despite my instinct, I went with mountains for the sleeves.  This project quickly fell out of my favor.  The mountains on the chest are somehow in...the wrong place.  The mountains on the sleeves are...annoying the hell out of me.  The whole business doesn't work. 

I took this and toned it down.  I listened much harder to my inner voice and popped out this little Patterns for Pirates cocoon cardigan.  I was careful to make the upper sleeves only pieces of blue sky, and the cuffs and the hem band are cream merino, not the patterned stuff.

This one works a lot better.  In fact, this was a chance to test out this pattern and I went crazy shortly afterwards and made lots more cocoon cardis!  Patterns for Pirates has my attention!

I was very reflective after this experience.  Making one project badly definitely led to thinking harder about making the second project right.  But what kind of commitment do you have to make to each sewing project to make every single one count?

(PS I still had friends who liked the Renfrew so off it went to a new, happy home.)