[Jennifer1568]

I love this pattern for shorts. I have made it into shorts 3 times this summer. I lengthen in front panel and eliminate the articulated knee. I shorten the back panel. I make it without the cargo pocket. I like the ease in the seat, the wide legs, the waist construction, the large pockets, the belt loops. the faux fly, and all the topstitching. https://www.flickr.com/photos/66494254@N06/14815719054/in/pool-oliverands, https://www.flickr.com/photos/66494254@N06/14795025616/in/pool-oliverands/, https://www.flickr.com/photos/66494254@N06/14814935021/in/pool-oliverands/, https://www.flickr.com/photos/66494254@N06/14631327617/in/pool-oliverands/ , https://www.flickr.com/photos/66494254@N06/14631394579/in/pool-oliverands

[Jennifer1568]

I made minestrone last night. I used a recipe sent to me by my 22 year old daughter. She is a college student and just started cooking. I loved the soup and will add it into rotation with my other soup favorites.

The recipe includes wine, zucchini, and 2 types of beans. The soup is served with 2 T of pasta in a bowl, the soup, and is finished with parmesan. It is something healthy to eat. http://allrecipes.com/recipe/jamies-minestrone/ .

[Jennifer1568]

I have just finished a Jumprope Dress made out of stripped shirting for the first day. I made short sleeves, view A. I love that pattern. I also bought red linen fabric for a simple, sleeveless Fairytale to be paired with a cardigan in cooler weather. I am planning a couple of Badminton skorts, too.

[Jennifer1568]

I would need enough fabric to complete a project and my daughter wears a size 8 so I think I would use option 2.

[Jennifer1568]

It is beautiful, Lightning. I love the fabric.

[Jennifer1568]

I haven’t used the tutorial yet but I am going to. Thank-you, Lotta.

[Jennifer1568]

I just looked at the Family Reunions that I made last year. The sleeve is puffy. The puckers are supposed to be there. Gather between the marks on the sleeve.

[Jennifer1568]

I think it is a gathered sleeve.

[Jennifer1568]

I added a crystal embellished, Peter Pan collar to the Playtime tunic. The tunic is black, lightweight, woven fabric and the collar is white with diamond crystals. I bought heat set crystals at WalMart. The sheet cost around $3. The simple directions are written on the back of the sheet. I used my iron to set the glue. After the crystals are set, they are impossible to remove. I traced the collar pattern piece, marked the seam allowances, and then embellished the fabric. After that I cut it out and sewed it. I have washed the top twice in regular laundry and the crystals have washed without incident. I can’t scrape or pry the crystals off the fabric.

[Jennifer1568]

I messed this part up, too. I made the dress out of corduroy. I kept trying to understand the directions and illustrations. Finally I ignored the notches and pictures because the piece is symmetrical and used intuition and figured it out. I sewed the outer waistband with the piping and the facing wrong sides together with the bodice which was basted together between them (the outer waistband and the bodice right sides together) and then graded the seam allowances and then attached the skirt to the outer waistband bottom. I just matched the centers of both pieces. Then I edge stitched really close to the bottom seam of the outer waistband, under the flat piping, to secure the bottom of the facing. Then I realized that the nap of the corduroy on outer waistband was turned the wrong way and had to rip it all out. The stiches were really short and the seam allowances very narrow. I sewed everything back together with a less than 1/4 inch seam allowance. I finished all the edges before I sewed it the second time. It took about 2 hours to rip it all out. Even with that mistake I loved sewing the dress. It is really cute. My daughter picked the fabric and the flat piping color. I will make it again, soon. I blame the nap issue on myself. I should have thought of it.

[Jennifer1568]

Nicole, is the difference in fit between school trousers and jeans a result of the fabric? Is it because the jeans fabric is a little stretchy?

[Jennifer1568]

I have made this pattern twice. My daughter is a tall size 7. Her waist is 221/2 inches and her hips are 25 inches. She is 52 inches tall. I made a size 7 and there was plenty of ease particularly in the rise and front. panel. This pattern is cut really long. If you look at the samples, the trousers drape over shoes. For the second pair I made a size 6 into shorts. They are pretty snug. They won’t fit her next year. I want a tight fit for the look that I am going for, though. The reason the finished waist measurement is large is because the elastic waist cinches it up. I was worried about the fit so I made my first pair with inexpensive fabric. They turned out really cute and I love them. The back and the welt pocket are what I like. I am going to make a third pair this week and I will use the size 7 traced pattern again. I think you should use the pattern size that is recommended when you plug the child’s measurements into the size chart.

[Jennifer1568]

I loved that dress, too, Tamara. I want to make that pattern again. I have been pondering fabric choices. I want to use something with texture.

[Jennifer1568]

I keep dropping my irons. I dropped my Rowena last year and it broke.

[Jennifer1568]

I like all the clothing previously posted. The Secret Agent Trench is cute, Nicole. I love that pattern. I just finished the Art Museum pattern and I love it! http://www.flickr.com/photos/66494254@N06/9951708354/in/photostream/ I like complex patterns like the School Photo, the Secret Agent, the Fairytale and now I love the Art Museum.