Summer sleepwear

All of the kids needed summer sleepwear this year, nothing from last year fit or was in a state to be handed down so after a quick stash dive I found around five yards of melon/orange interlock which I swear I didn't buy, maybe my stash is breeding?? It's not a colour any of us usually wear but for a quick batch of pj's it was just perfect.

Boy first and a chance to try out two new patterns that have been on my list for a while. The tank tops are from Ottobre summer 2005, #35 and the boxers are Jalie 2327. I made a slight change to the Jalie pattern and cut the front crotch piece on the fold instead of putting a seam down the middle of the crotch which sounded very uncomfortable. That gave me a little excess fabric on the centre front which I gathered to fit the back crotch piece, I could have sewn a dart in but again it sounded uncomfortable. The gathering has worked well and Boy reports they are a good fit and he would like some more please. The tank tops are a good fit too, it's not a style he usually wears but he is liking them for pj's and with how hot he gets at night I think I will make this my GoTo pj top pattern for him. The velvet iron-ons are from stash too, he picked them out.




Princess and monkey both have a modified version of my old favourite, Ottobre Summer 2007 #15. I changed the pattern to be A-line instead of having a separate gathered skirt and the edges are bound with green FOE. The girls picked out their iron-ons and the modelled versions have their initials embroidered on the chest.




Toddler has three new sets too, her shorts are Ottobre Summer 2007 #10 and the t-shirt is Summer 2010 #14. The shorts are an old favourite of mine, very quick and easy to make. This is my first time trying the t-shirt pattern and I like the fit which is a little slimmer than most of the others I've tried. It's also one of the few t-shirt patterns that uses a band on the neck and sleeve edges rather than binding which I think makes construction faster and easier. Two orange pairs and another one squeezed out from the grey flower print.




All done for another year :)

Summer shorts

My new issue of Ottobre arrived just as the weekend started, Summer 2011. There are a few patterns I really like and will get a lot of use from but more that I won't use at all. I'm never completely thrilled with the summer issues, this one does have a few patterns that I may come back to as my nephews get older and one fab looking pair of cargo shorts for Boy but my favourite is the girly Bermuda shorts, pattern #29. I think it is called Beach Boulevard, something like that. I made a pair for Princess, to match her new top.



The front has a fake fly, patch pockets with piping along the opening and panel seams with piping on the legs. The back has gathered pockets with more piping and leg panels, there's a lot of scope to make this pattern repeatedly and get different looks each time.

Here they are side by side with the top, she is going to look very cute in this set :)

Sick of Baby sewing yet?

Here's a few more :)

Ottobre 01/2004 #12 again, definitely our GoTo summer trousers!









02/05 #1, I prefer the fit of this tshirt to the one I posted here. The appliques are both from JuJu Designs and use fabrics to match the trousers above.





03/08 #2, another one I've been meaning to try since the magazine came out. I quite like it, it fits well and looks cute but I don't like how thick the binding is at the back keyhole where it overlaps and snaps shut. The keyhole is definitely necessary, no way was this going over Baby's head without it! This is the missing T from the mix'n'match shorts/T's I posted already.



Here's the back view with the keyhole opening.



02/04 #11, I love this! I meant to make one for Princess, then meant to make one for Monkey....Baby got lucky lol, I can't think why I kept putting it off as it goes together so easily and is very cute. The fabric is from one of my favourite lines, On a Whim by Amy Schimler as are the reddish trousers above. The buttons have tiny flowers on them, a lucky find in my button box.



Here are a few modelling shots, showing off the sailor style collar, side vents, pleats and general cuteness of the design :)



And a couple pics of the T's with their matching trousers, the apples trousers are still waiting on me sewing together a peasant top to go with them.



Phew! that took more time than I thought it would and it's not everything lol! A few more things are done that I'll blog another time, they have missing pieces and I want to show everything together :)