Monthly Archives: November 2012

Kids Clothing Week Challenge

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Life got in the way. It probably wasn’t wise to attempt KCWC when I knew there was a side of pork arriving mid-week, and the rest of life still to be dealt with. Anyhoo, I finally have four of those garments done.

First Up in the Four Finished Objects: 2 bodysuits for the tiniest niece who is now 3 months old. I did check these would still fit. All I had to do was add the press-snaps.

I bought some snap pliers and boy they make a difference. Next time I will make the binding strip wider as the snaps are a bit too wide and bite into the body fabric making a weak point. These were made out of assorted recycled tshirt cast offs from family members.

And garments 3 and 4 were for my son. A couple of shirts. Perfect now the weather is warming up???? Only loosely based now on the Colette Negroni shirt, shoulders widened, arms shortened and narrowed especially from biceps to wrists, nipped in at the waist, collar converted to stand+collar.

I’m particularly pleased with the buttons and buttonholes. I’ve reduced the width of the buttonholes, making for a more polished finish. Also buying a button-sewing-on-foot was a revelation. It is like magic. My little trick is to use the wash-a-way wonder tape to stick the buttons in place while you sew. Why didn’t anyone tell me?

Finally some awesome use of plaid/check (which is it?) on the back shoulder yoke.

I’m glad these garments are no longer part of my to-do list.

Surrogate sewing

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My sewing knee (the right one) has been playing up which has limited my sewing, but when I sent myself home from work on Tuesday I got to indulge in some surrogate sewing. In the hallway were some pieces of fabric out from the stash – my son had been through the cupboard and found some fabrics he wanted to make into gym wear. The grey merino was from the Fabric Store earlier in the year – purchased by my mother for Zac on a trip to Melbourne with the plan to make a long sleeved tshirt. Some had already been used as lining in a bush walking vest. Zac asked if there was a pattern with instructions he could use. I recommended the Sewaholic Renfrew pattern as they are so clear and straight forward.

Then Zac found the tshirt pattern we’d drafted for him earlier in the year, I adjusted it for a now-broader chest and he cut it out, sewed it up and wore it to the gym on Wednesday morning. He used the overlocker for most construction steps, the regular sewing machine for some reinforcement on underarm and shoulder seams, and the cover stitch machine for hemming sleeves and body. I’m totally impressed with the quality of output – and pleased to have passed on some sewing skills and confidence to the next generation.

And it passed the gym-wearing test ( photo taken just before), and it is now waiting to be washed. PS : The photo quality is rubbish thanks to this photographer lying in bed and using her iPad to take it.

Next up he wants to make himself some shorts.