Saturday, May 30, 2009

An Ode to French Terry

I have a confession to make, I only recently (like really recently, about 2 months ago) figured out what french terry fabric is. Yup, no idea that my favorite zip hoodie wasn't some kind of weird sweatshirt but not sweatshirt fleece material. Had no idea what it was called or that I could even buy french terry fabric. Obviously, I have been living under a rock. Once I figured out what the favorite material was called, and hurrah! I can even sew something great up, I had to find some! So today's post is the result of my discovery.

All three pieces are from New Look 6734. The french terry is a stretch (FT comes in not stretchy too!) in a lovely mocha color.

Zip front jacket. This is actually the last item I cut, I ran out of the mocha french terry fabric for the back and used a lovely bird print jersey which was lined with brown jersey for stability.


The back of the zip jacket.


With the clam diggers. The pants were altered from a much longer capri pattern and did not behave nice when I shortened them, not sure what happened, but after ripping it all out and fiddling they worked out well.



The tee, this tee was wow short! About 3 inches above my belly button unhemmed too short as I forgot I lengthened the pattern like the first time I made it. I added the brown jersey at the hem for a layered look but I might try something else as I don't love it.




Little i's robot birthday tee, made the day after his birthday.

Pleat sleeve raglan from Woman's Ottobre 5/08 #14. I shortened the sleeves and probably should have sized up as the newsprint girls fabric is an interlock and not quite as stretchy as jersey :) I still like it though!

Well all of my other projects, mostly tee shirts, are in the wash so I will get some pictures once they are all clean!

Annmarie

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Work In Progress: Summer Play

Hello All
Halfway through May and the lovely weather is here to stay! Yipee! I love spring and summer, we spend loads of time outside so I don't do as much sewing but I do have a few projects to share. :)


The big work in progress: a play tent for the boys. It's made out of larger scraps of fabric and has wooden dowels and pvc joints. We were checking out the size here.

Uh oh! Mama there's no door! ;)

Almost done here. adding ties on the inside and had to run out to get more dowels and pvc joints for support.

Gardening apron and knee pads. We had loads of rocks along the garden beds, so I needed a bit of cush. Little i insisted on taking the picture.



Layered knit skirt, I cut an a-line skirt a size smaller than I normally wear and it fits very nicely. The waist is fold over elastic (foe) and I gathered at one hip with clear elastic. First time successfully doing that technique!


Frenchy Bag pattern by Amy Butler. I made up the shoulder bag, which is the bigger of the two patterns. Really fun pattern to sew and I had loads of fun appliqueing the print fabric to the bag, but unfortunately, it is not big enough to carry all the stuff we currently need. The cloth diapers can be a bit bulk and they don't fit very well. It will be a nice size for when I don't need extra diapering stuff though.


Another work in progress, but almost done! A one skein stole, using really fun zauberball yarn. A very easy knit and quick too. It's currently blocking and I need to weave in the ends.

Hopefully more projects soon!

Annmarie

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Springy Sewing

More fun projects that have finally made their way onto the computer :) Hope everyone is enjoying spring!


I was inspired by some lovely outdoor pictures and decided to try it myself. Um yeah, that sooo doesn't work well in Kansas, way to windy! Anyway, from left airplane tees (and pants for wild thing) made out of a blanket from target, Boatneck tee, and sun dress from ottobre for a friend's daughter.


Red french terry pants with fun drawstring waist, board shorts (burda pattern I think). The board shorts were way way big so I took them in quite a bit and now they are very comfy.

Modified sorta wrap skirt. I had made the Amy Butler lotus dress and didn't wear the dress for about 6 months. Decided to make it into a top and skirt instead. The waist is held close with snaps and the ties wrap around the waist.


Blue Sky Hat with the brim modified to 4 inches wide and Smarty Pants capris. The waist wasn't working for me as the pattern directed on the pants, so I made it a drawstring waist.

My first 'fancy' socks. The yarn is dream in color smooshy in chinatown apple and the pattern is (free!!) Hedera from knitty.com.

Decided to play with dyes too! All fingering weight for socks or shawls. The middle one is an over dye, the original colors didn't look nice knit up so I frogged what little I had done and overdyed with a different blue; toned down the turquoise and evened out the odd grey parts. The right started out as a lovely rusty red until I added too much black an ended up a georgous black cherry color. I don't know if I can make socks out of this one, might need to be a scarf or shawl!


I just had to share these photos of wild thing. I had told he we needed to change his shirt because it was filthy; this is what I got.

NO mama I love my doggies.


I not taken it off.

See how sad, no take off. Doggies has pocket. Mama make more doggie then take off. K?

Little i decided he didn't like the sap in his hair from tree climbing and apparently a bath at the end of the day was not going to fix the problem for him, so he decided to cut his hair. a huge patch right up in front. Out came the clippers and he now is sporting a buzzcut, like Daddy does, Mama!

Annmarie