Friday, January 29, 2016

Go To Leggings Again and Again and Again......

(This post contains affiliate links--if you buy through the links in this post, I get a small commission. Thanks for supporting my blog!) 

http://gotopatterns.myshopify.com?rfsn=125002.a38a


Go To Leggings are one of my favourite patterns.
A definite staple here for my dress loving girl.
I thought it'd be fun to do a bit of a round-up of all the different versions of Go To Leggings I've made.

From top left, white, purple, turquoise, brown, grey, brown, and the white
are the new ones. 

I whipped three pair up the other day--they are already all in the wash and I got one of them modeled on my daughter before they were rendered too dirty for pictures.
So, the bottom left picture (the white ones) are one of the three pairs I just made. It's one of two white ones and a grey one, so there should be two more in the collage.

They are also on sale for $7 instead of $10 as well right now, along with a number of other Go To Patterns, so be sure to check it out!






Saturday, January 23, 2016

Winter Wear Designs Blog Tour--the Provence Pea Coat

I've never sewn a real coat before.
 Well, other than when I first started sewing and sewed up a size 3 coat for my then 3 year old. I had followed the measurements exactly, re-measured my son a number of times and compared his measurements to the size chart, and was super excited. He had picked out the lining fabric on his own, and I stretched my sewing skills with a zipper and fully lining a coat. Then he tried it on. He was swimming in it. Seriously. Now, 5 years later, he can still wear the thing. I could have made him a 6 month size and it may have fit him at 3. That was one of the paper patterns from one of the big pattern companies.
So, fit wise, my first and only other coat sewing experience was a complete failure.

But, I wanted to stretch my sewing experience and when I had the opportunity to sew up the Provence Pea Coat from Winter Wear Design, I only hesitated briefly, and that was only because I wanted to be sure I could finish the coat by the time it was due.

What a different experience!
I used the size chart and according to that I graded two sizes together since my measurements spanned two sizes.
You can see the results below.


At over $40 per metre at Fabricland, I opted not to go with a really warm Melton wool.
I wouldn't dare to cut into the fabric!
So, I went with a much more reasonably priced wool suiting in a beautiful black and purple plaid.
The lining is broadcloth. I had picked out a different lining fabric from the clearance section that was nicer, but because it had no original price on it, they wouldn't sell it to me. I even asked the manager if he could just make up a price. But he refused.


Rather nervously I cut into the fabric, and then started the process of sewing.
All the different pieces make it a bit of a longer process, but really add to the shape/fit of the coat.


Other than grading the pattern, the only thing I did different, to avoid hand sewing, is to add seam allowances to the sleeve lining and facing, and then to sew the sleeve lining to the sleeve main by pulling the sleeve through the opening and stitching them right sides together. After turning it right side out again and pressing I top stitched to give it a clean finish.


I love the pockets as well, and they were definitely needed while taking pictures. It was -30 C below with wind chill up here in sunny Alberta. And, with the coat not being a thick Melton wool, it's not quite able to keep the cold out in that kind of weather.

Thanks for stopping by!

Be sure to follow along all week and check out the fabulous bloggers!
1/17/16: Larissa from Connected By A Thread
1/18/16: Ula from Lulu & Celeste
1/19/16: Tibeca from Sewing By Ti
1/20/16: Kelly from Handmade Boy & Tameka from Savannah & Co
1/21/16: Essence from Adventures with Bubba & Bug & Teronia from Crazy Crafty Haute Mama
1/22/16: Cindy from Cindy Parrett & Patricia from Sew Far North
1/23/16: Sharon from Sweet Pea & Pumkins & Fenna from Fabulous Home Sewn
Don't forget to pick up your own copy of the patterns featured this week from Winter Wear Designs and save 20% off any purchase of $5 or more through the 25th of Jan with the code BLOGIT20!
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Sunday, January 3, 2016

Little Hunter

Good friends of ours recently had a baby boy--their first boy after two girls, so I knew I wanted to make an outfit.
The only thing was I wanted it to be something a little different than just a plain pair of pants and shirt.
It needed something original and fitting.
 

With the last name of 'Hunter' and the dad's moose hunting adventures as inspiration, I came up with a fun freezer paper stencil.
Some fun fonts and a moose head silhouette from Shutterstock and I ended up with this graphic.



The shirt is a pattern from Ottobre (3/2013, Brave Fireman, #9). It originally had short sleeves, but I lengthened them, and omitted the sleeve cuffs.
The pants are from Go-To Patterns--the Tree Climber Trousers. (affiliate link)
I think this is one of my favourite pants patterns--quick to sew up, but the fun topstitching details really make it stand out!
 


 
I think the fabric is a type of suiting--I bought it years ago, and have used it for pants before.
I love the softness of the fabric and how the contrasting topstitching stands out on the fabric.

 
Congrats again G & L!