Scrap Sunday: Luckily I know all sorts of people

Posted on 04/02/2018 by atelieroursonne

I think I have already mentioned the Lillestoff Glueckspakete – 1kg of surprise fabrics for 15 to 18 Euro. You don’t know what you’re getting, so the wait is quite exciting, almost like Christmas. Plus, it is often a challenge because you will get fabrics you would never have chosen. Sometimes, those are the most interesting makes with surprising results.

When I discovered a huge piece of ice hockey fabric in my last boys packet, I wasn’t happy. My sons are not interested in ice hockey. I am not sure if they even know it exists. And I do not seem to know any other boys who are interested in ice hockey. Clearly, I had to broaden my horizon. And all of a sudden, I actually remembered three female friends who are totally into ice hockey. Or rather in one particular player. I think they have even officially founded a fan club. Don’t get me wrong, I am sure he used to be an excellent ice hockey player and he is certainly a nice guy, I just personally don’t get this kind of fan obsession. They have pictures of him everywhere, know everything about him, make him birthday presents and cakes and write him letters. I suppose in case of the two younger ones it is still ok, a kind of sweet and innocent admiration for a father figure. Well, if you happen to have an ice hockey playing father, I guess. But when it comes to the oldest one of the three! I mean, she even knows where he lives and frequently hangs out there! Is that still appropriate for a woman in her extremely late 30s?

But back to my project. Making three tops out of that one piece of fabric was a bit of a challenge. So I decided to start with the shirts for the two younger ones. Simply because I like them more than the older one. She seems to think she is the boss of the three and wants to make all decisions. As if she was their mother! (Please don’t tell her, I don’t want to offend her).

I used the Pia pattern by pattydoo, a loose fitting sleeveless shirt with drop shoulders. I intended to make two similar ones, just with different colours for neckline and armholes. pattern: Pia by pattydoo, fabric by Lillestoff

I struggled to get them both out of one length of the fabric – it was about one or two inches too short and I stupidly sacrificed the smaller sized top. Oh the anger when I realised it would be too short – especially for someone who is still growing ! I had to save it somehow so I opened the hem again and added a (waist) band. I do like the look of it. More than the oversized style of the first one.

After cutting the two smaller shirts I only had a very narrow and long stripe of the fabric left. Big piece but too narrow to make at least one side for the third shirt. I really felt the need to make one for the third crazy fan, too. I didn’t want to provoke her. I told you, she can be a bit bossy at times so who knows how she would have treated the two other girls in her jealousy. So, I decided to go crazy, too and to make just one half of the front with the hockey fabric and combine it with some stripes I found in my stash.

To enhance the centre front seam, I overlocked it on the right side of the fabric with a narrow stitch and black thread (for a cool look). The result didn’t look like I had expected it. There was no link between the two sides. The obvious idea would have been a heart application or a pocket with the hockey fabric on the stripy side. But I think such an element on the chest “has to” be on the left side. Unfortunately I had put the hockey fabric on the left side. So, I ended up with a star at hip level, overlapping the side seam.

pattern: Sara by pattydoo, fabric by Lillestoff

Overall I am very pleased with the outcome. A huge piece of fabric that had seemed to be a total waste has found its purpose. Even if it is just for a laugh.

Shiny and even shinier

Posted on 13/01/2018 by atelieroursonne

Right, three more posts to go to have sort of caught up and I am actually already staring at the next completed project – a set of … oh well, lets not spoil the surprise about something that I will most likely be ready to post about in 4 months or so.

Todays project is about sequins. Yes sequins. I don’t know if you know reversible sequins (I am only guessing the English name here) but they are a big hit around here. At least if you are under the age of 10 I guess. Sorry, if I have just offended anyone.

If you don’t know them: They are like magic. if you gently stroke them in one direction they show one side – therefore one colour, if you stroke them the other way, they will flip and change colour. You can spend hours and hours going over and over again with your little hand. It allows you to dream, the little rustling noise will take you to the windy sea or to the top of a high mountain. Sure the teacher will call you absent-minded but she is just jealous because those T-Shirts don’t come in her size. (That’s what I would assume at least)

Apparently everybody, I mean everybody has got a shirt with reversible sequins. So we finally had to get one for the girl. With some kind of unidentifiable animal on it from one of the high street fashion brands. I am rather pleased with the motif as it is not too girly or inappropriate agewise.

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And as there is at least one high street brand that has a wide range of reversible sequins on boys clothes, the big boy got one, too.

And I finally started to get intrigued. Because there is a rather big difference in quality of sequins. Who would have thought. In the girl’s one, each sequin has one colour per side so if you flip them you get a neat picture (but not many different colours). The boys motif seem to have been painted once they were mounted so each sequin has a white / non painted part where it was covered by the next layer. And obviously if you flip them, you will never be able to position them perfectly so the whole picture is interspersed with white dots. So, while the motif might be more interesting, it actually gives you a headache to look at it.

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It obviously ended with me thinking that I should do it myself. Before you start getting worried, I do not mean that I ever had in mind to stitch every single sequin on by myself. There are ready-made application patches or rolls of fabric. Both seemed hard to get in Austria and I even called the fabric shops in Vienna and eventually found some at Komolka, the big shop in one of the high streets.

I felt really good after this very succesful shopping trip and was also very pleased with the final garment.

The fabric is a simple stripy sweat by Lillestoff, so it is actually organic and ethically produced in Europe. I do wonder if that is the right fabric to put sequins on or if I should be in a moral dilemma. I can only hope that these days they are stitched on by machines and not by little children.

I have used the klimperklein Traegerkleid pattern with hood and I really like this combination in its simplicity. But back to the shiny sequins.

So, there is a black heart …

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and the most amazing iridescent green-purple side.

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And by the way, I made such good use of the fabric that I actually had to cheat a bit, but don’t tell anybody.

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So, one might think, a huge success – we have already been thinking about manly applications for the boy, maybe a shark or some kind of big machine, like a digger. But even before the first wash, quite a few sequins came off and in the first wash we lost a couple more. I am not sure why, if it is the fabric or if I did something wrong. She can still wear it, one could even read some meaning into the broken or bleeding heart but I am a very disappointed. Obviously this dress comes easily in the top 3 of my daughter’s favourite mum-made items.

I would be more than willing to replace the heart with a new one, I have still a big piece of the sequin-fabric left but only if I knew that it didn’t happen again. I am currently heartbroken! so I haven’t tried yet. I guess I need a break but I will definitely do a few tests on the sequin fabric to see if it is worth to give it another go.

PS: And in case if you wonder about the mess in the background of the pictures:

If you know me personally: Why are you wondering?

If you do not know me personally: These pictures are carefully designed and each and single item is placed there carefully to add a natural and likable personal touch to professional fashion photos.

If you are my mum: Yes, I know I should tidy up, at least before taking pictures to put online but there was no time before the dress gets worn to school and comes back covered in all sorts of colours.

December 3rd, I might turn this into an advent calendar

Posted on 04/01/2018 by atelieroursonne

Today I will shut up (I will try at least) and mainly let the pictures speak.

As I said, I made so many items in the last few weeks that in some cases I don’t even remember anymore for whom I made the thing, so it will be a random selection only.

Lets start with a variety of Leos by pattydoo, for a variety of children.

for my nephews, partly custom orders:

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a birthday present for my new favourite neighbour after the following sand pit dialog (neighbour 1 – the favourite, neighbour 2 – nice boy but clearly no sense for fashion or the true meaning of handmade clothes and my son):

N1 (observing the nearby playing toddler in a super cool mummy made shirt): Is it normal that your mum makes all your clothes?

N2 (very determined): No, it’s not.

Son: Hmmm.

N1: It’s great. His shirt is soo cool.

Me (with a trembling voice): You really think so? Would you want me to make you something? Isn’t your birthday coming up? You could come over and choose a fabric from my stash and I will sew something for you. (I did tell his parents too, no worries, I am not a crazy cat lady)

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One for my little one, I couldn’t wait to use this fabric (Lillestoff), you might remember his”matching” romper with the lions.

20171113_075323 fabric: Titus Tiger by Lillestoff

another iconic Lillestoff by susalabim design, surprisingly chosen by my 6-year-old…

20171113_075251 fabric: Hundeliebe by Lillestoff, design susalabim

surprising fabric choice by my 9 year old niece…

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a hoody for my little niece who found her brother’s hoody so cool that I had to make one for her.

20171121_132128 fabric: Tina das Einhorn by Lillestoff

a present for one of my husband’s work colleagues

and two very belated birthday presents for a set of brothers – very dear old friends from London. For both I used fabric found in one of the surprise packets by Lillestoff.

for a set of twins back in England, the left overs of Titus the tiger for the boy….

pattern: Leo by pattydoo, fabric, Titus Tiger by Lillestoff

and Bo the lion for the girl, using the pattern Raglankleid in tunic length by klimperklein and adding some of the sleeve fabric on the sides as I did not even have enough of Bo. It was a little bit hard to let those two scrap fabrics out of the house and not using it for my little one. But he has really plenty of clothes and the nice fabrics don’t stop appearing anyway.

pattern: Raglankleid by klimperklein, fabric: Loewe Bo by Lillestoff

I have used the same pattern for this shirt back in summer for a little girl, using again the Tina unicorn for the sleeves….

…mainly to link it with the dress of another girl who she knows. The other girl is already 12 and far too old for this fabric, but her name is Tina and she loves unicorns. So I had to make her a dress and she can wear it as a nighty I guess.

pattern: Raglankleid and Traegerkleid by klimperklein, fabric: Tina das Einhorn by Lillestoff

a little tunic for another of my husband’s work colleagues

pattern: Knopftunika out of Babyleicht by klimperklein, fabric: Lillestoff, out of a surprise packet.

And last but not least (for today), two Tonis by Fritzi und Schnittreif for my children. I really love this pattern and clearly need a second one for myself too. The back is a little bit longer which I find not only cool but also cosy for my poor old kidneys.

pattern: Toni by Fritzi und Schnittreif, fabric: Snoewl by Lillestoff.

Unusually tasteful colours, isn’t it. It was part of the surprise packet by Lillestoff and whilst I could convince my daughter to let me make a jumper for her, she hasn’t been wearing it yet.

Phew, that was a big step in catching up. Out of the top of my head there are only three big projects left to show you but they probably deserve their own posts. One involves sequins (and to be honest, I would need to transfer the pictures from my phone first and ~~delete the mess in the background~~ edit them first), the two others are about finding the perfect gift so I might write these posts a bit nearer to Christmas. Plus one involves editing about 50 pictures, the other is more about getting Mr No Thank You’s dad to wear the stuff so I can take pictures. So we will see what happens first.

Lets focus on the highlights

Posted on 02/01/2018 by atelieroursonne

I don’t know about you but in my universe today is December 2nd. Because I really meant to write the next blog post straight after the last one.

Speaking of it, I am clearly really good at time management and also keeping on track… Not sure, if I have mentioned it already but I am currently very concerned about the fact that I will soonish go back to proper work and if a career change might be an option. With my skills I should definitely look into something like a management position where you have to work to deadlines. Any suggestions?

Anyway, as I am realising that some of you might insist it is already January 2nd, let me just wish those crazy people a happy and healthy new year. To all the other reasonable and believing in my universe, enjoy a peaceful December full of relaxed evenings with mulled wine and ginger bread.

And since we will never agree on this issue, I might just focus on the more exciting projects lately rather than trying to post every single item I have ever made. Because I did have a very good few weeks sewingwise. I was working like mad to reduce my stash to have an excuse to get a Lillestoff Glueckspaket (or 3 to make the shipping costs more reasonable). Lillestoff, the organic fabric company sometimes has 1kg of fabric for 18 Euro which corresponds to 4-5 pieces of surprise fabric which really is a bargain. And exciting. But back on track.

I think I have mentioned before that some of my friends have finally reached an age where they could safely think of having a baby. So I can finally make some cute little things for cute little babies. Plus they have the right size to use up some tiny pieces of scrap fabric. But before doing that, I had to buy some of the cutest fabric ever: Zwergenwelt (world of dwarfs) by Susalabim. Before said babies had even been born.

I will still be able to use up plenty of fabric at a later stage. I am sure. One of the new borns is a girl and luckily, I will be able to make cute dresses and tunics …. Even in the extended family I am just about running out of cute girls with the youngest girl turning 3 already in March.

The other baby is a poor little boy who keeps getting dressed in 48 shades of blue and grey. His mum has already started to send me artsy fartsy black and white pictures only to hide that he is wearing another blue and grey outfit. She can’t hide it though as I can see it anyway in his disapproving and begging-for-colour look.

For this extended cuteness project, I have even invested in new patterns, especially designed for small baby items as I am planning to sew a lot for them (and you know how determined I usually am to turn my plans into reality)

The perfect newborn present seemed to be the Wickelshirt by klimperklein which can be opened at the front so no need to pull anything over the head.

So this is the girls version in 62:

20171204_141244 pattern: Wickelshirt by klimperklein, fabric: Zwergenwelt by Lillestoff, design Susalabim

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And the boys version in 68:

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I have also used this pattern for another new-born who needed a “partner look” with his older brother

20171204_141135 pattern: Leo by pattydoo and Wickelshirt by klimperklein, fabric by Hamburger Liebe

For me that is perfect partner look as the fabrics are individual enough but still visibly connected.

Lately, I had also spotted a few super cute baby garments online using the book Babyleicht by klimperklein. A book that I so not wanted to buy as it has only patterns up to size 98. So almost too late for my children. But there was a super cute tunic and also a super cute pinafore dress in it so I finally decided to buy it and I do not regret it.

Initially, I meant to use the Zwergenwelt for a tunic in 62 as well but it would have destroyed the very large pattern, so I went for a different fabric.

pattern: Knopftunika out of Babyleicht by klimperklein, fabric: left overs

I thought I needed some trousers to go with it and enthusiastically made these…

pattern: trousers out of Babyleicht by Klimperklein, fabric: left overs

I made superlong cuffs so they can initially be folded and then grow with the baby.

To be honest, I think it is a bad match but they can still be worn separately.

My last project for today is the little pinafore which I made for my god child. I used the left overs of a fabric that my daughters friend chose for her birthday present dress. A rather unusual choice (not sure if I showed it here already) but in any case perfect style for a pinafore I think.

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pattern: Latzkleid out of Babyleicht by Klimperklein, fabric: left overs

I find this sooo cool, unfortunately my daughter is far too old and uncute for this style. But if the little one comes after his brother, I might still be able to make another one at some point 🙂

Enough for today, Part 2 of the highlights produced lately will follow soon, probably on the 3rd, I would assume.

Atelier Oursonne

handmade for you

Category Archives: sewing

Scrap Sunday: Luckily I know all sorts of people

Shiny and even shinier

December 3rd, I might turn this into an advent calendar

Lets focus on the highlights