[Tamara]

I have just finished the most darling little croquet dress! And here I go again dreaming of more!

Next though is another shot at a simplicity jumpsuit for my eldest. Seeing as I couldn’t get anymore of the original fabric I will start again and use linen instead.

• This reply was modified 8 years ago by Tamara.

[dubhels2003]

@thejennigirl What nightie pattern did you use? I’m going to make the big girl a summer nightie. Her winter one is a simplicity one I think. I was thinking of using the badminton dress without the scallops.

I have a playtime dress which just needs button holes and then the top fastening onto the bottom. I should just crack on with it really.

I’ve also done the top for the big girl’s duvet cover. The bottom is cut out. It just needs interfacing, sewing together and then press studs putting on. Basically there, again just needs finishing!! Come back motivation, I miss you…!

[Tamara]

I can relate @dubhels2003 motivation would be really nice right now!

I am currently stressing a litte. The promise to help tape pdf patterns together and cut out the tracings went totally out the window. I have only just measured the girl and she’s jumped two sizes! No wonder the jalie jeans I made her last August don’t fit, we are looking at over all expansion!

So I have compiled a list and the sizes I will need to use. Double checked on certain styles of pant etc and made sure to ask about zip up hoodies or over the head hoodies – zip ups are preferred.

So now, when I get home I just need to print, tape, trace, cut the pattern and then get the fabric out and we might just have a couple of items by the time term ends!

[thejennigirl]

@dubhels2003- It was actually a winter-ish/springtime in Pennsylvanis nightgown. Flannel with short sleeves, lol. I do really like the pattern, and I’m sad that this is the biggest size in the envelope, although, I’ll probably grade it up for another year or 2. I use Ellie Mae Designs K157. I really like the fit, and it offers a matching American Girl doll sized pattern as well. It’s a nightgown and a top with pants. It has a very vintage feel to it. I’m thinking of making the shirt part with shorts for a summertime, as our summer nights aren’t all that warm most of the time

[thejennigirl]

I’m feeling a little guilty. I made zero Easter outfits this year. I’m still battling this horrible wet cough and the prescription meds leave me tired and honestly, I don’t fee quite up to safely running a sewing machine. I cannot wait for spring to finally trump winter. 70*F one day 32*F the next and back up to 58*F the next day is wreaking havoc on my respiratory system 🙁

I am getting some more pattern tracing done for when I do feel better. I’m also toying with FBA the O+s patterns for my rapidly getting bustier girl. She;s still too small for juniors and too busty for Gymboree. I’m thinking of doing a FBA on the Fairy Tale and the Library dress (maybe as a top?). Both, I feel, are good candidates. Maybe the Croquet dress. Either bust increases with added/increased darts, or via gathers of the underbust/overbust to allow fullness. Lord have mercy on me, because she’s just so darn teensy tiny everywhere but her chest. :S I wish I had more local sewing buddies to help me figure out fitting her. We’re now at the point that commercial clothes are a lost cause for fit, and it’s looking like making her a full wardrobe is going to become necessary.

[with love Heidi]

I’m working on a silk Lullaby layette jacket:)

[with love Heidi]

The fairy tale might be a good place to start because it already has darts.
I have recollections of seeing Nicole’s daughters in their hopscotch tops as they developed. It seemed the gathers gave a bit of extra room. I wonder if the class picnic and badminton gathers would too? Or you could do an FBA and rotate the excess into the gathers already in the design.

[thejennigirl]

I’m afraid we’re bustier than Nicole’s girls were, although I have been looking at what patterns @motherof5 used as her girls were developing for inspiration. I’m going to measure her after school today and see how much of an increase we need. This girl is one of the 3 shortest in her grade of over 130 kids, with a teensy waist, narrow shoulders, and not much for hips, mostly just booty in the back, and then the bust issue. I’m trying to keep her from looking like she’s wearing a tent

• This reply was modified 8 years ago by thejennigirl.
• This reply was modified 8 years ago by thejennigirl.

[Tamara]

@thejennigirl I can definitely relate to this. My eldest is only thirteen and busting out like you wouldn’t believe! She even notices the size! But then she has it in her genes poor girl with two busty grandmothers, who can compete? Think of it this way, at least your daughter will have no need to get an enhancement in this area because she’s been blessed naturally😀 and she may even out as she grows and they won’t seem so big on her once the development is done.

Yes measure as you may be suprised. It is like anything with growth, they don’t shoot out or up in all areas at once but unfortunately, it seems the bust gets going first before the hips and waist start taking shape. I would measure high bust and under the bust also and this will make it easier when sizing her for the under things. And I would measure every three months or so as the changes can be significant in this time frame.

You can always add more gathers to the mentioned patterns above. I did some small amounts of smocking to get my girl through but she outgrew the actual size before we could really take advantage of the benefits of those gathers.

It is hard to imagine our little girls needing bust adjustments when they just seem to small for them. Take it all in your stride. We’re here to help (emotionally and for the sewing side of things) because we are or will go through this everyone of us eventually (and some of us several times over). So any tips you can share will help those that will be not far behind.

[Nicole]

@thejennigirl How lovely you are.
As a girl I was very tiny but full busted and it was hard to find nice clothes.
You are correct, my Twins are quite a different size. They have full derrieres but are very small chested. They ‘out grew’ O+S pattern before they ‘grew out’ of the size range, IYKWIM?

May I suggest the Liesl+Co Bento tee? I made the XS for my daughter in a very drape-y knit and I can actually fit into too (DD cup size) so that would not need an FBA and it very pre-teen appropriate.

Why don’t you start a topic, asking for suggestions?

I am therapy sewing a Liberty Aime Comme Marie Mister shirt for my man-child, Hugo.
It is not actually his turn yet but sewing back to back teenage girls was stressing me, somewhat.

[Tamara]

Does anyone know where to find a decent raglan t shirt pattern for men? We want to mix up the styles this winter and use a raglan tshirt style along with the metro tee for the mancub. And I think it would be nice to sew for the hubby too.

Today though, I am printing, sticking, tracing and cutting out the patterns for various things. I may do some selfish pattern altering today and make myself something.

[Susan]

What about Paxson from Seamwork Mag? I’ve not ventured into sewing men’s clothing (yet!) but that looks like a good basic pattern, and it’s from a reputable source!

[Lisa]

@justsewit, there is a men’s raglan shirt pattern on the Lekala site. I’ve never tried anything from there but I see that Nicole has been making beautiful things for her girls with these patterns. I don’t have the experience/confidence/desire to venture too far from Liesl’s excellent instructions! I was recently at a sewing class and several women there were looking for men’s raglan shirt patterns, it seems they are hard to come by! Maybe one day the field trip will be expanded into men’s and women’s sizes just like the metro, I would not hesitate to purchase if so!

[Tamara]

@ldk237 Thanks Lisa. As it so happens I jumped over to Lekala after I posted the above message and saw it. I just have to pin the boy down and measure him which will bring joy to both of us😉 – he is the worst to measure!

I am hoping that Liesl will do one in the men’s range as it would be nice to have another t shirt style to choose from. And if they are hard to find yet highly sought after, it may be the bite of the cherry we need to persuade her.

I have been busy printing off a couple of patterns from a company called Cashmerette. I believe Heidi has tried the Appleton dress. I had great trouble figuring out my size as my measurements are not fitting into just one size and they jump several! I also have to hack one of them to allow for nursing capabilities. No sweat! I plan to chop the Appleton and make a top as my “muslin”. That should cover all the bumpy bits and then we can conquer the length after that. For the Washington, I thought of maybe using the Appleton bodice to hack a nursing version. It will be nice to have a few decent dresses to wear. I was going to wait until she released her new patterns but I can’t wait. I need something now.

Oh and my patterns that I ordered on the 29th February finally turned up!

[Tamara]

I have been busy tracing and altering patterns for myself. As yet I have one dress in pieces yet to be sewn and I traced the field trip pattern last night in order to sew a few basics for the baby.

Today I will trace an adult raglan pattern for my eldest and see if I can get a few t shirts from the seemingly minimal knit fabric range I have.

The aim for the first week of holidays is to sew t shirts and get started on long pants and the week two can be for jackets and pj’s