I was in Spotlight a few weeks ago and had a scrummage through the big sale table. Junk, junk, junk…and a few okayish fabrics at discount price that I picked up. This, being one of them – it’s a ponte knit and was reduced to $6 per meter. I’m beginning to get more familiar with different types of knits – this one probably isn’t best suited to a cowl-neck top because it is thick and more rigid than most knits, but it was cheap and for $12 I was happy to experiment and didn’t really mind if things didn’t work out.
I’m really quite happy with the finished top though. I do have to fold and set the cowl neck into place as it doesn’t really drape nicely on it’s own, but it’s a nice, sturdy top and washes really well. The pattern is the Renfrew Top. I definitley could have drafted my own, as it is really a basic shape, but sometimes I just want to take the easy option and have it all laid out for me! It was a quick and easy sew, although I did totally confuse myself with the cowl and unpicked it (ugh! I hate unpicking overlocked seams!) about 3 times before I realised I had it right the first time around!
All in all, a successful finish and I’ve worn the top at least half a dozen times in the last two weeks. I can definitley see a few more of these in the near future as it incorporates two of my favourite styles – 3/4 length sleeves and cowl necks. Next time I’ll try with a softer knit, perhaps some Stella in more funky colours!
Well, I decided to join in on Kids Clothing Week Challenge over at Elsie Marley. I’m going to use the week to sew some much needed items of clothing for the kids…things that sit in my “to sew” list for a long time but other more exciting projects always seem to overtake!
Some of my list includes:
long-sleeved tops/short-sleeved tshirts for Tommy
long-sleeved tops for Oscar
undies for Lil
church pants for the boys
leggings for Lil
PJs for Tommy
baby clothes (not for me!)
Yesterday was Day 1 for me (a little earlier here in Australia!) and I churned out a few pairs of undies for little girls. I cut 10 pairs (6 for Lil and 2 each for my nieces) and managed to get 6 pairs finished last night. The other 4 are half-done…all that attaching waistband and leg binding was becoming a bit monotonous so I’ll have a break and finish them later in the week!
I limited myself to the knits scrap basket for these, so they are all pretty similar to last time. It doesn’t really matter what kind of knit you use for the undies, as long as the waist and leg bands have a good hit of lycra in them – Stella is great for this.
I’m feeling accomplished and happy to (almost) tick something off my “to sew” list! And it seems that those little girls are happy to be taking some new undies home to Sydney with them today!
On Thursday night I was writing my “to do” list for Friday (I can’t go to sleep without a list for the following day!) and I looked out the window and it was pouring with rain and the weather forecast was freezing and I decided that I wanted to do a bit of “just because” sewing.
Then I remembered the super cute cowl neck dresses that Anna had made for her girls a few weeks ago and thought that I’d better start thinking about winter clothes for the kids. I was sorting out my fabric cupboard last week and decided that it was getting out of control and promised myself that I would sew as many clothes for the kids as I could rather than buy them. Which means I need to be organised and predict what they are going to need before they actually need it otherwise I end up buying on the spur of the moment.
So I quickly ordered myself a copy of the pattern from Etsy and it was in my inbox when I woke up the next morning.
Just over 1 hour of sewing during the day and Lil came home from school and put on a brand new dress! I’m loving it. So fast and easy to sew. Very practical and cute as can be!! With a pair of stockings or tights, she’s going to be one snug little bug this Winter!!
SUPPLIES: Cowl Neck Jumper Dress, Heidi & Finn Hilco Campan Knit in Pink/Red (purchased at Crafty Mamas)
I have just sent off my next pattern to testers and photographers to do their stuff and am treating myself with a little bit of “just for fun” sewing.
For a long, long time I have owned the Children’s Undies pattern by That Darn Kat with intentions to have a go at sewing some for the kids but the project just kept being pushed further and further back. Lil has just outgrown her last purchased undies and I am sick of complaints of wedgies and seeing more than I need to under her skirt when her legs are spread! (The people that design kids undies should really keep in mind that little girls flash all the time and actually require a bit more coverage than adults do!)
These undies are sensational. I made six for her and one for her cousin and they are quite a quick sew once you get the hang of it. As I was sewing them I did wonder if I was totally wasting my time – not sure if they would compare with Disney Princesses and My Little Pony, but I need not worried. She was over the moon and looooves them. She has been wearing them for about a week now and doesn’t give a second glance to the store-bought undies in her cupboard.
As you can probably tell, I didn’t put a lot of thought into the fabric combinations…I set myself a rule to only use fabric scraps and just mixed and matched without worrying about the finished look. Some of the fabric is scraps from other projects and others are saved bottom halves of t-shirts I have cut up to make Cupcake Dresses from my book. I like ’em though, a little crazy – just like the wearer!
I can tell they are totally comfortable. And the fact that they actually cover her bottom with no gaping holes is great. I was starting to wonder what we would do about the flashing under her school uniform next year, but now I think I’ll whip up a batch of navy blue undies and my problems will be solved!
I personally love it when she gallops around the house in undies and singlet now – cutest little bottom ever…
The pair that didn’t make it to the photo shoot…I like this look better than seeing the top of her bottom when she bends over!
