New Trousers (Cardis and Socks) for a New Year

Did you manage to get any sewing done over Christmas/New Year?  I was lucky enough to have a two week break from work (woohoo!) and got LOTS done.  I've already blogged about the Christmas sewing, waistcoats and Princess and the Pea (x6), so now it was back to sewing for ME!

I needed to make some more work trousers - I made some this time last year and they are now too big on me.  I like baggy as I like to be able to move, but I definitely needed to go down a size or two.  Fortunately my TNT pattern just needed an inch taken off the side seams and all was well.  I'm thinking thought that I will probably need to make further adjustments as the crotch curve is now bordering on being too large, but that is for another day!  My trousers are based on McCalls 5239.

One pair as made out of a lovely brushed wool (I made my father's waistcoat out of this fabric, and their was just enough in the off cuts to make one for Mr. SDSC - I'll share that once I have finished it!).

The second pair was made out of a woven cotton stripe (yep, Mr. SDSC's first waistcoat was made out of this fabric).  I am finding that the odd shaped leftovers that I have after cutting out trousers for myself tend to leave just enough fabric for a waistcoat, although an agreement has been made that a waistcoat (my father or Mr. SDSC) and trousers (me) made out of the same fabric are not to be worn at the same time - none of this matchy matchyness going on in this house!

Both pairs were lined with some apple green lining picked up in the bargain bin in my local fabric store.  They discount a lot of linings - so it is a matter of buying it when I see it, despite the colour!  I try and use Bemberg wherever possible, but this has a slight stretch to it and is almost a lightweight satin, so along with the cheery colour I couldn't resist.  I have a feeling it may be some kind of lingerie fabric - it is very soft and silky!

I also made a couple more pairs out of a light/medium weight wool suiting that was on sale for just $6/m.  I bought a lovely charcoal grey and black.  I did take pictures of these trousers, but to be fair - they just looked like black/dark grey trousers - hard to differentiate between them.  So here is a down and dirty montage!

I also completed a couple of cardis based upon Burda 8869. The first one was with some very loud pattern fabric that is made up of my colours:

Below I am wearing the brushed wool trousers that I mentioned above:

Lovely.  I put four brown snaps down the front, but this cardi looks much better opened.  The second one I didn't even bother with buttons or snaps - I like it as a 'slip on' casual long-line coverup:

I also finished off my first pair of socks for the year.

There is a story to this pair of socks, one I wish had never occurred, but a story nonetheless.  I started knitting them a month or so ago, had reached the stage where I was getting ready to to decrease for the toes, and tried them on to check for foot length. I have knit this pattern so often, that it is not necessary to try the socks on prior to this moment, but on this occasion, just 20 rows away from completion … . disaster! I had used a different cast on method and the sock was too tight. Sigh. After a trip to the frog pond, I cast on and started up again . . . . .

So, instead of being the last pair of 2014, the ended up being the first of 2015!

Good Evening Mr Fox, and other Projects!

Well, this week has been a long week.  Having been lucky enough to have had a full two weeks off over Christmas and New Year, this first week back seemed reeeeeeeealy long, and the weekend was most welcome.

Whilst I am working on a Big Project (well, a big project for me, more about that later), I wanted a couple of quick and easy projects.  I always feel somewhat cheated if I do not complete a project over the weekend.  Top of my list were a scarf and a small wallet.  First, the scarf.  Prudent Baby had a lovely pattern and tutorial on her blog for a fox scarf, and so I made one!

How Cute is this?  The scarf is 60" from the tip of nose to the end of his tail (the width of the fabric that I used.  The top layer of fabric is some checked suiting from my Mum's collection.  There was a half yard, so not enough for a skirt, I suspect that this was some leftover fabric and that she had already made a skirt from it.  The white furry fabric is white furry fabric - it is really soft and fluffy - just like cuddly teddy bears!  I had some teddy bear eyes that look really cute, and that is about that.  It was a quick make, although the furry fabric reminded me why I don't like using fur.  My dining room looks like there has a been a snowstorm in there and I am now obsessed with getting the fluff out of the seams.  I am sure that some people may find this offensive, but I can assure that no animals were hurt in the making of this scarf.  I love it and will be wearing it to work in our sub zero temperatures.

Next up was a teeny tiny wallet.  Mr. SDSC believes that I have some kind of medical disorder due to all the wallets, box bags and pouches that I have made.  Meh! Anyway, I made a quick and easy wallet to hold my business cards for work.  (I can't for the life of me now find the pattern, but this is very similar).

The men in white coats are on their way . . . .

Finally, the Big Project. I'm the kind of seamstress that likes to knock out two or three pairs of work trousers over a weekend or a couple of cardigans.  I know that I can finish a bra in 2.5 hrs, a waistcoat in 3.5 hrs, a small pouch in 30 mins etc., etc.,  I'm not bragging, I just like repetition and timings.  And I like finished projects.  But lately, I have noticed that my wardrobe has been sadly lacking on one major area.  Casual clothes.  I have one tired pair of light brown cords that I wear at weekends (my jeans no longer fit size wise, and never really fitted properly anyway) and I need more.  So this weekend I jumped on the Ginger Jeans bandwagon.

I spent all day today working on these (excluding the time spent on the cute wallet above), and just have to sew on the back pockets, add the buttonhole, belt loops and hem them.  So, a big project as far as I am concerned.  Due to natural light during the winter, my window for photos is pretty limited, so I will have lots to share next weekend, along with some work trousers and two cardi's that I finished last weekend but don't have pics for.  So far, I am really pleased with the jeans, and with a few tweaks, I think that I will be making many more of these.

Do you time your projects?  Do you categorise projects?  Am I maybe just a little obsessive?!

The Princess and the Pea

In August I wrote a post about some little dollys that I was making that would fit into an Altoid tin.  The pattern was called Princess and the Pea by Larissa Holland, and although I had made two sets of Princesses, I was just not very happy with the Princess.  I loved the bed and how the tins worked, but the wooden beads on the hands and feet bothered me.  A few weeks ago, Shiny Happy World released a 'Christmas Elf' pattern that dealt with the bead issue - but the face just didn't feel right.  What to do?  Why, take the good bits from both pattern and create a hybrid . . . . now I'm happy!

And here we are, 6 sets later - I love them!  I would have loved one of these when I was little.  I used to make my own toys (no need to shed a tear, I just had a vivid imagination and loved making things!)  I decided not to make the 'wardrobe and mirror' from the original pattern - 12 Altoid tins means an awful lot of mints!

Each dolly has a bed with four mattresses - one has the 'pea' on it, a pillowcase and a bedspread.

Here are a few more pics - just for kicks!

All the bedding fits inside a tin nicely!

This last photo reminds me of a scene from 'Gone with the Wind' where all the unmarried girls have to go upstairs and have a snooze before continuing with a daytime party.

As I have a bit of a pouch fetish, I thought that I would make these wide mouth pouches (a similar pattern can be found here on Noodlehead's blog), aaaand I'm done!  Phew, that was a marathon - it was fun, but making up SIX sets was a little tiring.

Unfortunately there were some decapitations going on with the 'Frozen' fabric - I bought a half yard a squeezed all six bags out of it - along with the drastic hair cuts!

Although I made the dollys and bed in between Christmas and New Year, I didn't finish the pouches until the New Year - so these serve to be my first makes of 2015.

How are your first makes coming along?!

2014 - My Year in Review

Last year I wrote up a post, summarizing my sewing for 2013.  Although it takes quite a while to write/sift through photos etc., I find it very interesting to see what I did/didn't achieve in the year.  So I am going to do the same again :)

January

The start of January was very cold, and I made myself five garments during that first week.  I love TNT patterns!  So here we are, two pairs of lined pants and two cardigans as well as a fleece jacket.  All these items were worn frequently - sadly the cardis were made from some ponte fabric that pilled, but I made more as you will see later in the year!  Total: 5 garments.

 February

This was a really busy month - looking at my posts, it is hard to believe how much I made, but when I get going, it can be like a production line in my sewing room!  I turned out four pairs of PJ's, two pairs of pants (one grey wool, one houndstooth), two dresses for my SIL and five, yes FIVE more cardi's - using cotton jersey rather than ponte.  I wear the PJ bottoms frequently, but the tops were just too big for comfort and surprisingly warm.  The cardis and pants were all worn a lot until I lost weight . . . . .   Total: 17 individual garments!

March

This was another good month, I managed to finish three pairs of socks, as well as three cardis, three sorbettos and black jacket that went straight to wadderville.  Total: 7 garments, 3prs socks

April

Ah yes, April.  A sad month as we said goodbye to our lovely collie, Jess.  This meant that I really wasn't that interested in sewing garments, so I made 'mug rugs' instead!  17 of them.  At least.  Total: 17 crafty items.

May

This was a another month of socks and quilty stuff.  I have found that if, for some reason, I can't decide what garments I would like to sew, then I'll make something quick and easy.  Like mug rugs, 17 wallets, wall hangings etc.,  So May was a month of 'quick and easy'!  Total: 2 pairs socks, 17 crafty things.

June

This was a pretty quiet month.  I had started to lose weight, so I wasn't making many clothes for myself.  Instead, I made a few items for the Galgos del Sol and Alibar Dog Knits - they raise money to help rescue and re-home spanish galgos - similar in looks to greyhounds, but smaller.  Oh, and I made some socks for my brother.  Total: 1 crafty thing, 1 pair socks.

July

Oh July, how I loved you so.  You see, July was the month that I went to Hamilton in Ontario for a week for Boob Camp at Bra Makers Supplies.  It was fabulous!  Like, OMG fabulous.  I made three bras that week, and I think that I now have about 20 - we will see what the count is like as I continue throughout the year! 

And I made a few bits for Alibar as well.  They were auctioned, or sold via their Facebook page.

Oh, and two pairs of socks - the other pair is here!

 

Total: 2 pairs socks, 5 crafty things, 9 garments (bras)

August

Yep, you got it, more socks and bras!

 

I think that there is a pattern here!  Total: 3 garments (bras),one pair of socks

September

Oooh, interesting - although I took a sewing class this month, I did not complete any items . . . .

October

 . . . but I certainly made up for it in October!  I completed two pairs of socks, three 'box bags' that I use as project bags for my sock knitting, and four pairs of trousers - ones with flies, pockets and waistbands!  Total: four garment items, three crafty items, and two pairs of knitted socks.

November

This month was a 'bras, bags and socks' month.  I love small projects!  Total: two garments, two pairs of socks, two crafty items.

December

Now, I know that I was busy this month (and happily so!) and made waistcoats for both my father and Mr. SDSC, socks, various crafty items - box bags, a jewelry pouch, hot plate holders etc.  Total: four garments (waistcoats), three pairs of socks, eight crafty items.

In summary; 51 garments, 16 pairs of socks, 53 crafty items for a total of 120 items.  And I know that I have missed one pair of socks and there are three pairs of trousers that need blogging about . . . . !  Phew, I'm exhausted now!

Although I have not blogged as much this year, my production has been pretty high and there is a lot of repetition of patterns - this works really well for me and my wardrobe.  There were a few wadders (PJ tops, March's black jacket) but on the whole, most other items have been in regular rotation.  I took a couple of classed (bra making and trousers pockets & flies) and have put this knowledge to good use.

Well, this is one monstrous post, and is enough for today - how was your year?  As productive or enjoyable as you would have liked?

Vogue 8048 - the Old Folk Edition

My Dad is fondly known as 'the Old Folk', and when he saw Mr. SDSC's waistcoats, he wanted one for himself.  As you may well know - once I have a pattern that works, I like to churn out a number of versions.  This does not relate just to me, but also to Mr. SDSC - and now the Old Folk.

Fortunately, the waistcoat pattern fitted him well, so I did not have to make any changes.  I used a lovely, soft, brushed wool suiting in a dark charcoal colour - left over from some trousers I made myself quite some time ago.

He has quite the sense of humour, so I thought that I would use a bright colour for the lining.  And being a lifelong Liverpool FC fan, the lining had to be red.  I dug around in my linings and found a length from my Mum's collection.  She would have bought this to line a skirt - she used to make lots of perfectly fitted pencil skirts, usually in a tartan fabric (well, she was Scottish!), so I knew that the Old Folk would get a kick out of wearing some of her fabric.

So without further ado - I give you the Old Folk - posing for all he is worth on the deck, with the snow falling, as it was the only place with semi-decent light:

Suits you Sir, suits you!

I lined the pockets with Batman fabric again, and that is about it.  One happy Old Folk and you can't argue with that!