Tag sewing

New make: Thread Theory Comox trunks

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I made man pants! Man underwear! Man trunks! Whichever your linguistic preference (and I’m sorry American friends, but I will no doubt use “pants” a lot), that’s pretty fun. I asked my husband what he would like me to make him, thinking of a shirt, or jumper (sweater) and he replied that pants might be a good idea. I have been trying to hunt down menswear companies already (not a lot out there huh?) and had come across, and signed up to, Thread Theory’s lovely blog before. A local fabric shop was having a sale a few weeks ago and I spotted the Comox trunks printed pattern for sale and snapped it up. Done deal!

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The League of Adventurous Dressmakers

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I saw someone recommending the League of Adventurous Dressmakers course a few weeks ago and decided to give it a try. To be honest I wasn’t sure if it was way too advanced for me, especially after I had joined and saw a few (very experienced) names I recognised in the group. Having partaken of two months’ worth of lessons now though, I can say that I think it would be useful for just about anyone who wants to tighten up their skills. Continue reading “The League of Adventurous Dressmakers” →

New make: Beatrix Nani Iro top

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20160213_142544I bought a few pieces of Nani Iro fabric from Miss Matatabi a few months ago and have been looking at them every now and again since then. I said I’d make a bag for my mother-in-law after she admired the Noodlehead Cross Gatherer bag I made a few weeks ago, and her favourite colours are red and yellow, so I thought I’d use this gorgeous red flowered brushed cotton I have from the Nani Iro pile. However, that’s going to use very little fabric, so I looked for a pattern that I might be able to squeeze out of the remaining 1.75m. I’ve been admiring the Beatrix top for a while – it was the View A + placket version I saw on the Made by Rae website that finally sold it to me – and it seemed the perfect project to show off this vibrant design. Continue reading “New make: Beatrix Nani Iro top” →

New make: the rite of passage Circle Skirt

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I like circle skirts and I’m not sure why I haven’t made one yet, since it seems like a good project for a beginner. Plus I like maths! (I know.) Anyway, after a bit of a struggle with a rayon challis tshirt dress (bad pattern tracing and bad cutting), I decided to step back and make something quick and hopefully easier. Continue reading “New make: the rite of passage Circle Skirt” →

Fighter pilot baby leggings plus some nautical extras

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Yes: fighter pilot baby leggings. And some nautical themed ones too as I wanted to try two different methods! This project was a lot of fun and combined my desire to 1) make some more leggings for Joe in different ways 2) work on something inspired by a great visit to the Museum of Flight here in Seattle and 3) do some more stencilling. The fighter pilot result was these leggings!

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We went to the Museum of Flight recently and I must say it was wonderful. A plane museum has not ever been something that would make me jump up and shout “Ooh ooh ooh. Let’s GO!”, Continue reading “Fighter pilot baby leggings plus some nautical extras” →

New make: Moji trousers, pants

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I still can’t bring myself to call trousers pants, but I’m sure it’s just a matter of time until I’m saying pants with the best of the Seattleites. Anyway, this pattern represents the first pair of adult trousers I’ve made and I was looking for something simple and casual. I’m in the middle of losing-baby-weight, so I definitely didn’t want anything too fitted.

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When I saw the Moji trousers from Seamwork Magazine by Colette Patterns I figured these could be them. I wasn’t totally convinced the style was going to do much for me, but I gave them a go.

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New bag: Noodlehead Gatherer Crossbody Bag

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20160113_121659I have been greatly enjoying reading posts from a lot of different blogs (still at the stage of finding new ones every day) about the year’s hits and misses in terms of makes, and plans for 2016. I can’t really write one of those as I haven’t made enough stuff (!), but I did outline a few things I was planning to make in a post last week. Well, I already changed my mind on one of them. I came across a free pattern from Noodlehead for the Gatherer Crossbody Bag and thought: I know the fabric for that! A lovely pink/yellow/black barkcloth that I picked up from Miss Matatabi a few months ago. Actually, I only bought half a metre as a remnant, so it wasn’t enough for my original planned bag anyhow. Continue reading “New bag: Noodlehead Gatherer Crossbody Bag” →

Monday montage: Jan 11th

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Happy Monday everyone! I hope you’re all set up for a productive week! I have around 4 almost-finished projects sitting here waiting for: a button stud, an ounce of wool, a grommet tool and a new crochet hook, respectively. Slightly annoying, but it will feel like a productive week when I finish them all!

So, on that note, I thought I’d take a look at cool supplies or supply-related items for crafting. I’ve gone back to Folksy for this round up and here are my picks: Continue reading “Monday montage: Jan 11th” →

Beginner’s Bootcamp – Made Sewing Studio

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I had such a great time recently at Made Sewing Studio. I booked the Beginners Bootcamp course a couple of months ago and was hoping to get some good solid basics down to help me progress with my sewing. The syllabus at Made was slightly more diverse than most – an Infinity scarf or two, a tote bag and a pair of pyjama bottoms, all in two 4-hr sessions. Sold! Continue reading “Beginner’s Bootcamp – Made Sewing Studio” →

Discoveries of a novice: Independent pattern companies

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As a newbie in the world of sewing, I’ve been delighted to find the depth of community that exists, both relating specifically to sewing, and also in the wider crafting arena. Most importantly, it’s incredibly accessible. Continue reading “Discoveries of a novice: Independent pattern companies” →