Dress-ups

Dress-ups tend to follow gender stereo-typical lines around here...tutus and mermaid costumes for the girls and camo gear for the boys.

The tutu was made using Jalie 2915.

I used the same pattern to make the top of the mermaid costume.  The mermaid costume was made out of scraps left over from all those ballet concert leggings I made last year.  This Jalie pattern is great for scraps because the princess panels mean you only need little bits.  The skirt is basically a tube.  The tail is scraps of the lycra sewn onto an organza background.

The camo pants were quickly whipped up to go with an existing shirt. It was only worn for a little while though...turns out he prefers his elf costume from last year.

Zero waste or madness?

Scraps are taking up too much valuable realty in my stash wardrobe.  I generally buy good quality fabrics, and it seems a waste to throw out even scraps of them.  After seeing this post by "sew i do", I decided to use up a few scraps on boys jocks.  I made a pattern off a RTW pair and then I ordered Jalie 2327 so that I would have a range of sizes.  I lowered the rise on the Jalie pattern, more like the RTW pair.  For one child, I cut a larger size and gathered it more onto the elastic as he likes a looser fit in the legs.

I also got the chance to use up some button-hole elastic that seemed a good idea when the kids were little, but in fact was never strong enough to hold up trousers.

Sewing jocks does seem to be bordering on sewing madness though.  The boys are happy with them, even the child who does not want to wear homemade clothes anymore.  I guess everyone likes comfy undies.  I have been making them whilst the kids are home on holidays.  I would feel guilty sewing for myself whilst they were home but I don't seem to feel the same guilt for such utilitarian sewing. 

I even got out the coverstitch machine out to practice both hemming and flat-stitching.  I threaded the bottom thread with fluffy and it has been behaving so well that I have not wanted to change threads.  It seems cover stitches pull out so easily when they are sewn well but are difficult to remove if they are not, so I need to improve my skills to sew straight and require no unpicking.  Undies are a good place to practice.

Whilst I was ordering pattern from Jalie, I bought a racer back tank,  Jalie 2565, for my daughter.  Here she gets a new knicker and cami set from scraps of a shirt that I have not shown you yet.

And finally, I got a set, using scraps from a dress that I recently made a friend.

Aprons

Try as I might, I could not get the whole self-timer thing happening today.  Too dark, too light, too far away, too close.  Patience is not one of my virtues.  It was easier to revert to my bodgy-in-the-mirror shots.  Which is a shame, because they really are the loveliest aprons that I have ever worn.

I completed the patchwork for these aprons so long ago that I can't remember the designer of the fabric.  I bought one of those packs of squares and then filled it out with an Amy Butler print leftover from something-or-other.  I made up two rectangles, originally planning to make an apron for me and another as a gift.

 I bagged out the rectangle, to hide all the patchwork seams.  Then I held it around me and marked where I wanted the pleats, which you can see from the inside view below.  I added a waistband and then ties.  It fits rather well.  How very sewing-nerdy of me to be concerned with the fit of a an apron.

The second apron also fits rather nicely.  Again, I bagged out a rectangle, held it up to me, and marked pleats to fit.  I sewed the ties over the pleats to hold them in place.  The upper sides of the apron are folded under in a traditional BBQ apron shape.  The strap is the perfect length, unlike every other apron that I have.

Now because I am wearing an apron and feeling all very domesticated, I thought I would share a recipe that is a favourite around here at the moment.  It is a recipe for Rocky Road, as I remember making it when I was a child.  It is so yummy, that I keep coming up with excuses as to why my children can't eat it...no, you haven't tidied your room, you've already cleaned your teeth, it's too late, you've had enough sweet things already today...all the more for me.

Ingredients:
I pkt marshmallows
1/2 pkt jubes
A handful of almonds
1-2 handfuls of shredded coconut, toasted lightly in a dry frypan
I block of cooking chocolate, melted

 Method:  Combine ingredients in a bowl.  Stir until all ingredients are coated with chocolate.

Transfer to a container lined with baking paper.  Pop in the fridge until set.

C

Cut into slices or squares.  Most delicious.

 This is my fourth batch since Easter.  Must stop soon.

Burda Tunic for girls

I adore everything about this Burda tunic (8/2010 #145).

The care-free style.

 

The drawstring shoulder ties.

The drop-waist casing and drawstring, and hip pockets.

It is what I would want to wear if I was 8 years old.  Actually, my Mum made me a very similar dress when I was eight and I loved it.  Only it had large patch pockets with zips.

After paying so much for the buttons on my previous shirt, I went and bought a jar of buttons from Vinnies for $3.  None of the buttons for this tunic are identical.  They are all the same size, colour and shape, each with a different logo embossed on top.  I don't think anyone will notice.

We have all been doing a bit of sewing today.  The last photo is of my youngest son, using the pencil case that he just made himself.

Sewing clutch, beta version

Ever since I saw Amy Butler's project for a fashion checkbook clutch, I have been wanting to adapt it to make a sewing clutch.    I have the fabric.  I even have the peltex.  I keep forgetting which length of zipper to buy. 

I have been stalling though.  Then I realised that it was because I didn't want to sew an expensive, fiddly project if it turned out to be not-quite-right.  Which leads me to...the beta version. 

I made this clutch using a travel pouch from our last holiday that came with our tickets, itinerary etc.  I sewed lines down the existing pockets to create smaller pockets.  I sewed in a mini pincushion.  I had to slide a piece of plastic in behind the pincushion to stop the pins coming through to the outside.  I sewed in a couple of zip-lock bags to hold buttons and hooks-and-eyes.  I sewed in a length of elastic to hold cotton reels.  Twenty minutes and almost zero cost.

I love that this clutch is flat, and can be carried easily amongst books, magazines etc.  It will live in my tote bag, because I like to carry around my hand-stitching for the odd times where I am sitting, waiting...football training, gymnastics carnivals etc. 

If it works well, I may go on to the real version, but then, if it works really well, I may not need to.

Re-fashions

 It is a shame that I did not take a before photo or even do a tutorial for this first re-fashion, because it is such a useful re-fashion for fast-growing children.  This was a long-sleeved top that had become too short.  The younger cousins are out-growing my children and it was possibly a tad too grubby to give to the op shop, so I turned it into a tank top.  Tank tops have a lower neckline than t-shirts, so the length was just about perfect.  I used the existing hem, side seam and neckline.  I laid the "Brooklyn Tank Top" pattern from "Sewing clothes Kids Love" over the top to cut the shape of the armholes.  I then made the straps from fold-over elastic, but you could easily use the fabric from the cut-off sleeves to make straps.  Quick, yet satisfying.

 

I do have a before photo for this next re-fashion.  It was a women's t-shirt with voluminous sleeves that I picked up from the op shop for $2.  The fabric was a lightweight cotton knit with a lovely sheen.  It looked hardly worn.  I guess somebody regretted those sleeves when they got home.

I turned it into a singlet and knicker set for my daughter.  Not sure why.  I was pretty busy that week.  I guess I just needed $2 worth of fun.  The singlet was based on an Ottobre pattern, though I added the frills.  The knickers were made using a Jalie pattern.