[Tamara]

Hi

I’m busy making a list of all the patterns that I want to use to get some winter things made for my two children. My daughter is 8 years old and wearing a size 12 in Liesel’s patterns and because she is so tall, I’m having to do some lengthening along the way. My son is still in the chunky stage and being also very tall for a 5 year old I have been hesitant to make pants for him. I have the sandbox pattern so will give this a shot in a size 8 most likely just to see how it goes for fit.

I managed a music class skirt for my daughter in a red and white stripe cotton – she loves it so I plan to make more in corduroy for her for the colder months (not that it gets really cold here!) The music class shirt though didn’t turn out so well so when the time warrants I intend to have another go.

Can’t wait to get my hands on the Family Reunion pattern – just lovely!

[lattemama]

Well, two sizes Seashore dress, two sizes Family Reunion, two size Class Picnic and one size 6 Playdate dress traced and cut out on pattern interfacing. My back is killing me!

Now on to sewing – Family reunion first – in CW! I managed to convince Isabel on that. Yay!

[Justine J]

Will’s a shorts boy, Nicole! The pants are made from black cord – he’s just still in denial that he’ll need to have some long pants for Winter. (he really wants me to make him some more shorts with my precious Monaluna stash – how I wish I’d bought more of it!)

I’m still drafting and cutting too – my pile is becoming huge! (but it’s much easier to do this with the kids at home)

Where are you, justsewit? You must be near us Aussies if you’re also doing winter sewing!

[Nicole]

You are so right Justine!

I am doing the same,but slightly worried by this HUGE pile of sewing!

Well Done Lotta,mental back rub on its way to you!

[Tamara]

Hi Justmejay

I’m in rural Western Australia, where the lowest temp gets to about 15 during the day and the highest can be up to 49 degrees C! Yes I know such a range in temperature.

I want to make good use of the school holidays and get some clothes sewing done and with reading everything that everyone else is doing, I’m wondering what I am actually doing with my time!! I find it easier to sew without the kids around to be honest but because I don’t have to do bus runs and out of school activity runs, it means the time can be utilised with the sewing machine.

I have this lovely pink cotton with white pindots that would look so gorgeous in the school photo dress pattern. The trouble is, it is committed to something else so will have to add that to the list when I make another purchase.

Winter school pants need to be done as the bought ones never seem to be long enough in the leg for my daughter and not wide enough around the waist for my son. All I can say is, thankfully there is such a thing as being able to recify the situation through making it yourself. Any suggestions for patterns on this?

[Nicole]

I am making my sons winter pants with the Nature Walk pattern in stretch drill-so quick and easy-I have had to add some width but I just did that by splitting the pattern in half length ways and adding it to to the middle.

[lattemama]

I just sewed up a Family Reunion dress in that pale yellow CW for Sofia. It’s so ridiculously cute I can’t get over it! I still have the hemfacing to sew on but it’s looking so good. Lot’s of steps with all those pintucks, but it’s worth it.

I have a red CW Family Reunion dress cut out as well for Isabel, but I can’t decide on what thread to use for the pintucks – it’s a difficult shade of red. So I have a huge batch of pasta salad made in the fridge, I’m packing up a piece of the fabric and my thread choices and heading into town to the studio where my aunt is sewing theatre clothes to ask her advice and provide lunch for her.

I love an unexpected vacation!

Nicole – I was thinking about adding a faux-felled seam down the outside pant leg of the Nature walk for Isabel by doing the same with the pattern piece – and I fear I have to start adding 4″ to the length for her soon. The pink sweatshirt Nature Walks I made her have either shrunk more in the wash (not impossible) or she has grown in the last few days.

[Nicole]

Thats a great idea Lotta,to make them look a little more ‘grown up’.

I was surprised Son was happy to wear them to school,but evidently they are very good to play football in.

I am sewing Sailboat skirts and pants today,and still trying to come to grips with my overlocker.(I think it secretly wants to eat me)!

I am not looking at the new patterns ………really!

[Justine J]

Hi justsewit

Another Aussie!

For pants – the Nature Walk are super fast and easy (made my first pair on Sunday) – but I love the Sandbox pants the best – I think they’d be good school pants too as they have pockets!

Can’s wait to see the Family Reunion dress, Lotta – and don’t you just hate it when you don’t have the right colour cotton??? (I’ve got some cord sandbox pants cut for Lucy and no matching cotton – grrrrrr)

Justine

[lattemama]

Justine – I spent all my aunt’s lunch (half) hour and then some yesterday chatting with her and her colleague at the theatre costume studio in town. It was so much fun seeing all the costumes and designs and drawings.

We agreed on a lovely shade of blue to go with the dress for all the top stitching. It’s an unexpected colour thread with the red I guess, but it matches the branches perfectly.

I was considering orange as it went with the little flowers but it looked too “off”.

Today I have sewn up a Class Picnic shirt – it needs hemming, but I have to try it on Isabel first to see how much to hem it. The pattern says 2″ but I think that will be too much for her. So it’s either a narrow hem, or a contrasting hem band as I’ve run out of the shirt fabric (French General!).

Working on the shorts now.

[homefire]

So….. Remember those Easter dresses I cut out in Feb.? Well I have ONE done and am starting on the other today. I was going to do pants, vest, and button down shirt for ds but time is ticking so I might not get to the shirt. He has a RTW that will be fine. I’m also in the middle of a good house clean this week but dh is working A LOT so I’ll have more free time in the evenings to sew. Speaking of cleaning, I had better get off the computer and get busy!

[Tamara]

I have just finished a pair of sandbox pants for number one son. I made them with an added 5cm at each side (because his hip measurement was way off the chart) and used size 8 for everything else except a 6 for the length.

I used a cotton print gingham with picture of loaders and trucks for the pocket linings and I also did elastic right the way around instead of drawstring. The main fabric is denim and I top stitched all the seams so they look like a pair of jeans.

I have to say they look fantastic and can’t wait to try them on the little MR. who is currently in a bad mood due to his train set being packed away (without his consent).

They were quick to put together, great to test out the new overlocker (serger) and I think I will do about 4 more for casual and some for school too. My 8 year old daughter tried on my first attempt (I made when I first got the pattern) which was a size 8 to the pattern. They are too narrow at the hip and seat but the length is fine so will adapt the pattern to see if she can have a pair or two also.

I’m sort of getting the impression that the ladies who cut out lots of the one pattern do a sort of assembly line when sewing am I right? Maybe this is the way to go? I’m used to making one at a time but now with the overlocker things will be quicker.

I want to save the extra denim – I have been visualising a denim music class skirt and whit long sleeved shirt for some reason. Next project? Maybe.

[Toyota888]

Although I had the fabric for another School Photo Dress and my first Playdate cut out, on the Thursday before this Easter break I got it in my head that instead of doing my usual endless search for cotton school pants for the boys (eczema) and inevitably having to buy 6 pairs of an unnecessarily expensive designer pant I would sew up school pants from the Sandbox pattern (over the 5 day Easter/ANZAC day break of course!). I found some really amazing black cotton drill (twill?) at a remnants store that had a couple of huge bolts of work-wear drill. It is SO thick!! I have six pairs (3 for each boy) cut out and so far I have sewn all the pockets – 12 front pockets and 12 back!!! Phew. I am going to do a built in knee patch which I have cut using the pattern pieces as a guide and am thinking I might kind of quilt the two pieces together with a grid of stitches – anyone have any other ideas? I too am going to do elastic all the way around to save time and to make them more “uniform”. I am also thinking I will do some “fake” flat felled seams by sewing the serged edges down to one side – never done this before either so if this sends of alarm bells for you old hands please say!!

[sayiamyou]

I have a paper to polish up this week and then it’s sewing for me!! Cut and ready to go:

* 3 pairs of Puppet Show shorts

* 2 ruffle halters

* 1 Swing Set top

I’d like to get a Family Reunion blouse made, but Niblet just chose the pink/green colorway in one of the new MW fabrics so I’ll shoot for a seashore dress first.

[Mandy1977]

I had put everything on hold so sew for Easter but now that that’s done, it’s back to it!

I have 2 popover tops to finish up, then it’s on to a 2+2 skirt and a green chambray 2+2 top. After that, I’d like to copy Lotta and do the Reunion top in the Pink Park Ramble.

… then on to the rest of my “master list”. I have to say that I really am LOVING sewing all of her clothes this year!