Tag Archives: sewing

Scrap Sunday: Of parents and children

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I guess most of you will know that moment when children proudly present their “artwork” to their desperate parents. Who will kindly accept the offer praising the quality of the “artwork” whilst secretly already hatching an evil plan of how to accidentally lose the thing. After the necessary time to be buried in oblivion obviously.

I don’t know about you but this happens to me all the time. Like yesterday for example.

My dad was supposed to just pass to drop something off and pick something else up, so I decided very last-minute to make him a hat. And one for my mum as otherwise it would be really unfair, wouldn’t it. Quickly, I got to work, I only had half an hour. Oh they would be so thrilled! I only just managed to finish them. Almost. Actually they aren’t completed yet, but my dad did not even have the 5 min so I could close the 2cm openings after turning them inside out. So my mum will have to do that. Which I find very exciting. Could be a new concept for my etsy shop, coming to think of it. Half finished bags so people can get their hands on, too. It is all about DIY these days, very trendy (or whatever the trendy word for trendy is these days).

Anyway, here are the hats:

DSC_1161pattern: Minutenmuetze by klimperklein, fabric: Monster by lillestoff, stripes from stash

My dad is in his early 80s by the way.

As the hats are reversible, the other side might be slightly more wearable but you never know. Reversible clothing is all about being ready for any situation after all.

DSC_1160patterned fabric: Botanical Herbs by Hamburger Liebe

Oh, and these two hats are not the only ones I am currently making. I am doing a real autumn-cleaning in my stash cupboard. Which means that I am making lots of presents for family, friends and friendly neighbours while gently pressuring them into donating something to a charity of my choice. At the same time I am also making random things for the Christmas market of said charity so I have spent yesterday evening with cutting out about 20 reversible hats.

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Disappointingly, that looks actually much less than it felt sewing them together. I meant to get them done today but somehow my children insisted in getting food at lunchtime so there are a few left for tomorrow. Or the day after. It is getting quite boring and I am much more looking forward to the cute little baby stuff for my cute baby neighbours. Ok, you got me there, the whole mission is actually only an excuse to sew for them.

 

 

Lets pretend it is December 1st.

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About 24 days ago I took pictures of my new advent calendar to proudly show you that I have finally made new ones. I had to. The little one is 2 already, I would not have gotten away with not having bags for him. But it took me 24 days (or 23 days) to write the post. So lets pretend it is December 1st just for a moment. This would also give me plenty of time to write the Christmas cards I still haven’t written.

Anyway, instead of plain red and green like the old ones

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I made now a series of patterned red, dark green and light green. So unlike the old ones where it was two red or two green each day (because I had miscalculated the green fabric and never had 24 green ones), from now on it is one colour per child and therefore no surprise who gets what and always my fault if one of them gets the thing of the day in the wrong colour or pattern. And there is always one who gets it the wrong one, believe me.

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(I know, we didn’t only change the bags, but the stairs as well. We did keep the mess though.

 

But obviously this is all nothing compared to the one I got this year after mentioning that I hadn’t ordered any sewing calendar for me:

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If it was the 24th already, I could tell you that it was filled with small art work and vouchers for kisses and story telling but as it is only December 1st, I can’t know that yet.

So, I wish you all a lovely and relaxed December with plenty of time to get everything done in time for Christmas.

 

 

The epic trousers project

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For how long am I already going on about the trousers project? Officially probably since about 6 months but really I had in mind to make trousers already 18 months ago.

As you might remember I made a pair of lovely Carrie Trousers by SewOverIt this summer

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and all these Sachensuchershorts for the children

 

followed by a few leggings which I will be showing in a later post because we do not want to start a discussion if leggings actually are trousers or not.

I had been looking around for a basic pattern and found the Canelita e-book.

The first two pairs I made out of  light summer jeans, so a woven fabric.

IMG_6130 (2)pattern: Canelita by bienvenido colorido, fabric: summer jeans

IMG_6128pattern: Canelita by bienvenido colorido, fabric: summer jeans

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I really like the details on them which gives them a professional look. I wasn’t convinced by the fit, first of all because it is too low-cut for my liking (although the boy looks a bit like a young Mick Jagger. If Mick Jagger ever wore trousers with cars on them) and I do not seem to be used to woven, unstretchy fabrics for children’s trousers anymore. I am slightly worried, the seams will break when they sit down or do a sudden unusual movement.

I was close to look for a new pattern but laziness won so I gave it another chance with stretchy sweat using only left over fabrics and ta-da…

a perfect pair of clown trousers.

20170912_074444pattern: Canelita by bienvenido colorido, fabric: summer sweat Triangles by Petra Laitner

I had initially bought this fabric for a dress for myself but in the end, it became a cosy clown coat. Apparently the fabric was totally ridiculous and unsuitable for a grown up. Embarrassing. Strangely it is considered ok for trousers though.

The clown fabric has also been used for toddler clown trousers but I haven’t taken any pictures of it and it is peeking out of these trousers’ pockets.

20170912_185714pattern: Canelita by bienvenido colorido, fabric: brushed summer sweat

The main fabric is actually also a hoody left over which I haven’t been able to show. The dad of Mr. No Thank You hasn’t been wearing it yet.

Since this second attempt worked surprisingly well, we went fabric shopping to get some really warm brushed sweat …

20170917_165739pattern: Canelita by bienvenido colorido, fabric: brushed sweat by Stoffonkel

I had also ordered some corduroy to give the woven fabrics another chance but they are actually too thin for winter.

So far, the trousers project has been a huge success. At least partly. I think the pattern is fine for the girl, I might possibly make another one for winter and add half an inch at the hip to make it higher.

For the boy I am still thinking I’ll need a more suitable pattern for a pair of proper trousers, wide enough to move around and to allow a warm lining. Winter seems to be around the corner, so I might need to have to hurry up. Except that there are a few baby presents waiting to be made. Strange at my age to suddenly have so many friends having their first babies. I have already cut out the cutest fabric ever. Which I can’t show you as the new parents officially follow this blog. Not that I expect them to actually read anything these days.

Enough trousers for now, next time, I guess, I’ll have to show you some leggings and partner look projects. Mother – daughter – outfits have never really been my thing. Honestly.

 

 

 

 

Gangs of Vienna

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Since we came back from lovely quiet Black Forest to the fast and dark city of Vienna, I feel slightly unsafe. I don’t remember that there have been all these gangs of young dangerous looking people wearing hoodies. Have they always been around?

IMG_6130 (2)pattern: Ryan by pattydoo, fabric by Michas Stoffecke

even girls

IMG_6143pattern: Kimby pattydoo, fabric by Michas Stoffecke

and perhaps the most dangerous one of all of them, probably their leader

IMG_6149 (2)pattern: Ryan by pattydoo, fabric various left overs

 

The latter might remind you of these things

and possibly this one, they had all been made at the same time, many moons ago.

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Those of you who are actually paying attention to detail might have noticed those amazing trousers the older gang members are wearing. Spending all day in the streets of Vienna but somehow enough money for bespoke trousers. Unbelievable. More about those in the next post.