Partner overalls, by Ready to Sew, a review

So there are patterns that take a project which feels really complex and they baby sit you through every stage of it so you have these warm fuzzy feelings of security.  Nothing could go wrong!  

This pattern isn't like that.  It provides you enough info to make the overalls but the real nugget of truth is that overalls are easy.  They just look hard.  There is missing information (by missing information what I mean is that the Dawn Jeans instructions had it, and they are the Gold Standard for best instructions ever) about how you need to tie topstitching thread by hand on the back of your work rather than trying to backstitch to secure it.  Small details like that which just raise the quality of your result.

There are so many size choices that it's overwhelming to choose.  I think I could have gone bigger to get a baggier look, as it is they are in between baggy and fitted, kind of an uncomfortable lukewarm option.  I went with size 38. My hips are 37".  My fabric is a kind of windowpane poplin and I lined the bib with some liberty that I wanted to use up - same thing inside the pockets.  Ok so really you should use self fabric on the pockets because otherwise it peeks around the edges.  And I have no idea why the instructions have you do a partial bib lining instead of a full one - but I guess that's if you use self fabric and it is heavy...still I avoid partial facings whenever possible and it was simple enough to do a full one here.  I did the same thing lining my pocket then turning it right side out to topstitch it down.  

There were some kind of weird instructions about the pockets too.  A lot of the topstitching literally defines the space so it's kind of scary to start because you pick a spot and go!  I was using Mara 70 topstitching thread which is lighter than usual topstitching thread, allowing me to treat it as normal thread.  My metal bits are a KATM kit from Miss Maude NZ.  (These kits are excellent quality.  Do not hesitate!) 

I spontaneously shortened these by removing an inch off the waist.  The bodice is a bit short actually as a result, but I can fix this somewhat by lengthening the straps.  I would advise against shortening them because it's better for overalls to be baggy and have some extra lengthwise room.  That might be part of why I feel confined in them when I wear them.  I have a really short torso and I would say this pattern fit me pretty precisely.  Because of that if you are in doubt, size up on the very ridiculously precise size chart.  If you are long waisted consider lengthening the bodice.  The result of this though, is that now I have the sense that Ready to Sew is a block that fits me really well which might entice me to actually sew up other patterns of theirs I have loitering around somewhere.

 

I did these in a day because it was my last sewing day with my friend Tessa before moving far away and I was Going To Finish.  And I did!  Aided by how, as I have mentioned, overalls are actually easy.  There are no buttons, no buttonholes, no zips, no flies!  In this case also nearly no distractions, though poor Tessa didn't finish her project because she was under great stress to Entertain Children and their Friends, Fetch Stray Husbands, Buy Emergency Bias Tape etc while I just binge sewed (though in my defense I did supervise the children decorating cupcakes in her absence and I took the requisite number of photographs of the event).  And yes that means this was already six months ago, sorry, moving took all my attention!  It is now cold here and I am not going outside barefoot.

In the end I find these to be really kind of ok.  I feel weird in them like they are a trouser straitjacket.  I have been peer pressured to keep them and try harder to like them and they do look quite nice over my knitted cropped sweaters so I suppose they will have a place in my closet. 

Pattern Fantastique Glacial skivvy x 3, ready for winter!

 I bought the set of three tees by Pattern Fantastique.  I like the two I have made so far - the Equinox and now the Glacial.  However it's so hard for me to remember which is which!  This (I've checked) is the Glacial.  It's a fitted top with a curved hem and different hem and sleeve length options.  The sleeve is dropped slightly.  On me this is a perfect fit baselayer top.  I made the long sleeve length and it's delightful.

I made a straight size 8. 

This pattern is cut flat rather than on the fold.  It is really annoying, but truthfully it uses a lot less fabric that way - I had a scant metre of the merino and would have struggled to get it cut on the fold.  The other annoying thing is the neckband is cut as the same length as the top so you MUST cut it shorter.  I really hate doing that as my estimates of neckband tightness are variably successful.  I generally was cutting off about 4". The other fun feature is that the hem bit is separate to the body in my pattern pieces and there was a mistake on the pattern with both the front and the back called front.  My little hem piece was incorrectly labelled.  I cut the longer hem on the first flowered version but I accidentally put the back hem on the front and vice versa.  Once I realised, I tailored a random new hem that is somewhere in between, lengthwise. When you buy these three patterns together you get them at a low price with no instructions - though there are instructions online.  This all suits me just fine.  One less thing to find fault with...

The flowered fabric is from Ansje Handmade, it's an Art Gallery oeko tex cotton spandex blend, perfectly spongey and amazing. Not there anymore.

The rainbows are from my order with blended thread awhile ago and were the precious fabric that actually tipped me over the edge to make the order, this is their bamboo or modal blend.  I still would not order from them again; the shipping etc were just too much and too many of the fabric bases are not really to my liking. 

I went with a shorter hem on the rainbows which feels surprisingly cropped, I must be getting used to having longer tops.  Thus I stuck with the correct version of the longer hem for my white merino. 

 

In terms of the white merino: I had a sudden vision of this top awhile ago.  Dunedin is blustery a lot of the time and merino makes sense.  I'm still wearing clothes at work (the scrub threat hasn't materialised) and I realised I absolutely needed a white baselayer top.  I actually went to the fabric store and picked out my perfect fabric to make this.  THIS is the advantage of having shops local.  I would never have made a white top otherwise!  It's really satisfying to realise I don't need to rush to buy fabric, since it's there just down the street.  I used pale aqua overlocker thread and it's fascinating how totally you can see through the top despite the cool honeycomb pattern of the merino. 

Velvet Pomona pants, a new sewing room, requisite disasters

 Not much to say here that I didn't summarise on Instagram: Don't Forget the Nap! 

So I finally organised my new and very messy sewing room.  Having moved from a spacious three bedroom house to a tiny postage stamp house, there is just STUFF everywhere which I find exasperating.  It made it hard to have the spacious thinking that inspires me to sew.  But I was getting itchy to make some things before I have to wear scrubs at work because it's quite a bit more fun to make a thing and then wear it the next day.  Rather than making it and not wearing it for 18 months, which is what often happened in Gisborne.  So.  

I made the tactical error of making these while listening to an audiobook.  I don't really multitask when I sew.  For good reason. 

My Pomonas are like a sewing rut. I do them the same all the time. Size 4, 1" taken out of the upper pelvis area below the waistband.  I have marked front pockets on the pattern after getting tired of doing them last and poking myself in the thighs 56 times while trying to get the pockets straight.  (Nonetheless, they are not quite even.)

This is the narrow leg version, the wide leg version I think I like less.  I did however lengthen the legs of these back to normal, I had shortened them an inch previously and that's just the right length to get hung up on bike pedals (which is worse with the wider leg cut).  I think I'm over cropped pants now.  It's too cold in Dunedin.  Even in midsummer.  I cleverly (not cleverly) used less fabric by *totally forgetting about the nap and putting my leg pieces in opposite directions.*  Otherwise the sewing was great! It took about 3 hours or whatever, because my audiobook and the velvet made things a bit slow, or because my sewing room mess, etc.  The velvet was its usual obnoxious self but velvet is so drapey that the end result is beautiful, if you don't, you know, try to catch me in the light.  

I finally paid attention to previous pain and made the waistband elastic 2" longer than I think I need, and I finally have a waistband that isn't too tight.  I'm not sure why it took me so long to figure out.  Part of it is that elastic shrinks when you put it in the wash!  Who knew?  So it's best to be a bit too loose initially rather than too tight as I have always tended to go. 

 (Photos: me, pensive, wondering if you can see how ridiculous this nap problem is.)

There were opinions on Insta that I should flip the same side pocket so it looks like a Design Feature but I think I'll just try to wear these so much that all the nap goes crazy and no one can tell which side is up.  They feel great.  Pants just like these by some New Zealand designer, probably made from the exact same fabric, and in the same colour are selling for $300 (though it probably goes without saying they have done the nap properly...) so I'm now a fashion maven.  

Mile End hoody in both views, by Closet Core patterns

When this came out I wanted it right away but I was in the middle of a winter hoody binge and it really seemed like I should keep using the patterns I already had.  Eye roll.  I should have bought this right away. The papercut patterns undercover hood will always live in my heart but I think I've hacked it to its limit now and need to move on.

This is an amazing pattern.  The back seam wraps around to the front.  The sleeves are in two pieces and have an elbow dart.  The hem is also pieced.  

So add to that story: beautiful rainbow striped terry cloth from Blended Thread, and me post night shift.  

What could possibly go wrong?  ...with pattern matching across 6 pieces on no sleep?  OOPS

I made size 4 and I ran a commentary to my best friend as I tried to pattern match and that kept me awake and in good spirits through the drama.  It was pretty dramatic!  Because as much as you want it all to line up overthinking in my case always wins and everything is always off by 1 mm.  Just that little bit.  And then it all goes to hell with those elbow darts.  BUT at the top of the sleeves my matching is perfect, and it ends up that's the only spot that matters. 

 

I love this. It is a classic oversized, cropped hoody.  It's not super long.  I do however feel the draft up the sides, and in this fabric it's not warm at all.

The blended threads terry cloth is a bit stiff and not very stretchy, making it hard to get the bands on.  There's some white that shows through when it's stretched.  I love some of their designs but I have so far not been impressed with the fabrics and I don't think I would pay the shipping again. 

I obtained white terry cloth fabric from The Fabric Box to make the next one in the other view and ice dye it.  I have determined it's best to make an item and then ice dye it rather than the other way round, however the distressing problem is if the dye job comes out ugly you have wasted some time.  Making the hoody was slow because I was deep in moving, but it was fun as projects go and forced me to get friendly with my coverstitch machine, which is not a bad thing.  The ice dyeing was literally one of the last sunny days I was in Gisborne and was a bit stressful (ie late to work) but I love the result (and the other things I dyed are also amazing.)  In this case as well I had band problems - I absolutely could NOT use self fabric bands the length of the pattern piece.  I had to remove one half sewn on.  I think I added 3-4 cm and that was still barely enough.  So if you are not using rib, considering extra length on the sleeve bands.  The hem doesn't require as much stretching so it's not relevant there. 

 

Sadly I have to say - these are both beautiful, nicely made, based on good inspiration, I have no complaints...and I can't really find any place to wear them.  They are roomy so they aren't warm.  They are quite short so anything under them hangs out and looks sloppy - and I'm short.  The sleeves are really spacious.  The hood on the hoody version is gratuitous, it's the kind of hood you never wear up. 

I have been inspired by the many hacks on Insta - it's definitely roomy enough you can make it in a woven then just add stretchy bands.  It's tempting to try something like that.  Also I get now that the front tie pulls it in, and though I didn't like the look of that in the pictures, it's possible I would love it in real life and that it would make the hoody feel more cozy. 

So now that I have made both of them (sorry my new photo spot is not getting me very crisp pictures and my hair really needs more attention...) I think I'm done with this pattern for now while I mull over whether I have any use for it.  Unlike a lot of my projects I love both of these and I'm keeping them despite not knowing how I'll wear them.