On the Sidelines by Twinkle

Today I am posting my new jumper.  I'm aware that "jumper" is not a universally understood term.  What would other people call it?  A sloppy joe?  A sweater?  A pullover?  Please excuse the headless shots. 
I do find headless shots disconcerting, but I have just had my wisdom teeth removed and the bruising does not fit with my colour scheme.  This 30 second photoshoot was taken by my son between activities this afternoon.

The fabric is a rayon blend double knit from EmmaOneSock.  The pattern is "On the Sidelines" from Twinkle Sews.  As usual, there are a lot of lovely details in the pattern;  oversized buttons along the boat neckline, kangaroo pouch with top-stitching details and rivets, topstitched details along the raglan seams and neckbands, raw-edged bands on the sleeves.  I'm sorry I forgot to get a closeup of the front neckline.  That back neckband looks a little odd...I wonder if it is that odd in real life or if it is just the camera angle??  I think it might be the camera angle.

I didn't like the construction techniques suggested in the book, so I did things differently.  This involved a lot of changes at the cutting stage, so if you are thinking about making this pattern, you may want to read my pattern review (I'll put a link here when the pattern review is complete).

When I was last making jeans, I had a lot of trouble with rivets.  Well, I found a new supply of rivets which are much easier to set.  They are not as flashy as the ones used by Wenlan Chia, but I'm just pleased that I found rivets that I can install.  There is a little shop in town, Bluebell Trading, which is mostly a gift shop, but also has a sign saying Singer Sewing Store.  It stocks a few quilting fabrics, a haberdashery line, and a lovely selection of buttons and ribbons.  The haberdashery line is called "Hemline".  I found a few goodies there, as well as the rivets.  I think I'll go back for more rivets.

I've had a few questions about how I print the patterns from Twinkle Sews.  Well, the answer is, "not very well"!  The patterns are provided in both pdf and adobe illustrator files.  I open the smaller adobe illustrator patterns in my version of Corel Draw.  Sometimes this works well and I can delete pieces I don't want, move pieces around, make changes etc.  Other times, the pattern labels end up all over the place and I have trouble getting them on the right pieces.  Corel Draw is new to me so I am willing to accept that this is a user error.  When I print them, the tile marks end up in funny places because they have been put in place for letter paper and I use A4, but I can usually work out what goes where.

The larger files have been zipped and I can't unzip them in Corel.  Then I have to use the pdf version.  I just let my computer do what it does and I did not realise for my first few projects that it was shrinking the patterns to fit on A4 paper.  This meant that the patterns were shrunk to 93% of their size.  I didn't notice, but that may be because a lot of the patterns are for loose fitting clothing?  Anyway, when I realised this, I started unclicking the "shrink to fit" box and printing full size, which means that a little bit is lost off the vertical edges.  I just stick all the bits of paper together with no overlap on the vertical edges.

I get a lot of error with all that sticking bits of paper together.  Seamlines often don't quite match.  Things end up a bit skewiff.  I just go with it and do what I can.  I usually compare the pattern to the most similar Vogue pattern I have to assess the fit and make any fitting changes before I cut into fabric.  I also read the instructions through a number of times to understand the construction before I start cutting, to know where it is important for bits to match up.

Each file only contains 1 size, so you pretty much want to determine your size before printing, otherwise that is a lot of trees being wasted.

That's all not very helpful for somebody who wants help printing, is it?  Sometimes I think it is easier to study the details in the Twinkle patterns and then adapt another pattern with these details.  I think Kwiksew 3045 would be a good start for this one.  Just add some external facings along the neckline, sew on the buttons, shorten the sleeves and add topstitched sleevebands.  I guess you just need to decide where you prefer your sewing pain to be??  And on that note, I need to top up my painkillers, so the pattern review will have to wait.  Good night.

Bouncing Balls Wrap

I have whipped up another version of the Butterick 5454 wrap dress.  It is such a quick pattern.  I did shorten the bodice a little on this one.  I helped a friend make a wrap dress so this is the 3rd time for this pattern...it is unlike me to get economical with patterns, but I wanted a more wash 'n wear version of this dress.

The fabric is a viscose knit from Tessuti.  The graphic print is a bit of a change for me.  I almost feel like I got dressed from somebody else's wardrobe.  A photographer friend told me that the fabric would be hard to photograph.  It is a bit hard to tell, but the "balls" are all black and white striped.  (BTW Tessuti have Liberty knits in...I didn't even know that Liberty made knits.  Check them out.)

I am wearing the dress over some pants I made before I started blogging.  The pattern is Vogue alice + olivia 2907.  I made the version with side tabs and buttons, which look great, but nobody has ever seen them because I don't tuck my shirts in.  I remember being quite excited when I found the fabric.  I had previously purchased a brown pinstripe denim from Kerryn's fabric world for $30/m.  On holidays in Adelaide, I found the same fabric in charcoal for $6/m.  Worth the bunfight it took to go fabric shopping!

Anyway, must dash off to work now, in my new dress.

Bubblegum Sewing

On impulse, I decided to sew up all my knit remnants on the weekend.

This is what my daughter ended up with.  She has worn all of these already, so one happy customer.

For my records,
The pink singlet was cut out months and months ago, from a RTW singlet, can't remember which one.
The watermelon pink singlet was made from the Ottobre close fitting t-shirt, Sz 110 chest 60 cm.  It is too big for a singlet in fabric this stretchy.
The blue shirt was based on the purple princess ballet costumes I made last year, derived from an Ottobre pattern, chest 57 cm.  It is a snug fit.
The knit shorts were based on a Burda pattern, Sz 6.

My younger son got a handful of t-shirts.

He wasn't too convinced about them so we had to embellish with freezer paper screen printing.  The boy on the scooter is from a photo of himself (Thanks Bernice & Paul for the idea).  The green fabric I bought from Knitwit 8 years ago when I sewed a heap of clothes for my first born baby.

The pattern was the Ottobre straight t-shirt, sz 92 with extra length.  The 2 shirts on the right were made with the Ottobre recommended neckband, but for this rib I really needed extra length.

I was having so much fun that I was a bit sad when I ran out of remnants.  So then my nephew scored a pair of pants, made using a Kwiksew pattern, Sz 1.

And lastly, I made myself a pair of knickers from Jalie 2564, with another pair ready for when I get more elastic.  I wore them yesterday and forgot I had them on, which is probably the best compliment you can pay a pair of knickers.  No creeping, pulling or tugging.

My knits remnant drawer is just about empty, making room for all my new knit fabrics.