Wiksten Tova - round 2

Despite not being entirely happy with the fit of my previous version of this pattern, I have worn it most weeks since it was made. A remake was in order.

After taking my shirt to my last Meet-up group meeting, and getting some advice from my lovely friends, I made the suggested changes and sewed it up again. After a minor brain fart with the sleeves, I re-cut and sewed them.

The fit is now pretty good.

this hem is straight - just would have looked better with an iron!

The changes made;

- an FBA as detailed in my previous post.
- added 2cm right across the front, back and sleeves at high bust height.
- cut the front yoke on the bias for interest.
- added snap closures to the front band.

- after setting in the sleeves with the 2cm added, realised that the angle of the sleeve meant the shirt was mostly unwearable (think straight jacket chic). I ripped them out again, re-jigged the sleeve.
This involved tipping the 2cm gap I had made into nothing at the centre of the sleeve, and then adding the length I has lost at the top of the sleeve cap to the sleeve side seams.

Will add a pic of the altered pattern piece when I get to taking it.

A change I made last time that I have not incorporated, was to add a couple of fisheye darts to the back for some waist shaping. I may still do this yet.

Made By Rae Parsley Pants

As I've mentioned previously, my older son is small in both height and girth, which makes RTW pants an impossibility.
The current solution to this, is that I make his pants for him.

When Made by Rae released their new pants pattern, I showed it to my son who immediately latched on to the tartan pairs!!

I took myself off to Spotlight to look for some suitable fabric to try the pattern, and found some forest green and oatmeal check on the clearance table - sold!

I sewed them up, and handed them over for a try on and opinion. He liked them, but asked if I could make them warmer. After a bit of thinking, and a dive into my stash, I decided to underline the next pair with flannelette.

This time I took him with me to Spotties to pick his own fabric, and we came awaywith some 'interestinng' choices.

Lazer Beam pants!!

Cartoon pants

He is really pleased with his 'warm' pants, and they are in regular rotation, at least once a week or more often if they go through the wash.

'scuse the wrinkles - I had to spirit these out of the washing basket while he wasn't looking!!

He has a couple more pieces of fabric chosen for more, when I get to it too .....

Indie Pattern Month

Indie Pattern Month is being hosted by Mel of the Curious Kiwi, and Kat of Modern Vintage Cupcakes. Head on over to their blogs to find out more, and join in the fun.

Despite, having quite a substantial pattern stash containing both Big 4 patterns and Independent pattern designers, it is the Indie's I tend to reach for the most. 

Case in point, the last few patterns I have made;

Hot Patterns Cabana T shirt

Hot Patterns Superfantastic Shirt

Made By Rae Parsley Pants 

Colette Laurel

Jalie Winter Accessories

Jalie Mens and Boys Rugby Jerseys

Liesl + Co Woodland Stroll Cape

and about a dozen different wallets and bags from Michelle patterns.

On my immediate to-do list (this list is really long, so this is just the highlight reel)

Jalie's .... so may Jalies.

Most of the Hot Patterns catalogue, most notably their pant/trouser patterns ;-)
And these beauties below ...

Decades of Style 1930's Capelet

Decades of Style 1950's Object dArt Dress

Onion Coat with cut on Collar.
If you order your patterns from shopOnion, you can even have the instructions in English!

For even more Independent Pattern Designer inspiration, head over to A Good Wardrobe for an ever expanding list.

Colette Laurel

Well! After my camera went AWOL for a bit, it has turned up again so I can get on with photographing a bunch of finished projects (not necessarily in the order they were completed, though)

First off, is Colette patterns most recent release, the Laurel shift dress.

I will be the first to admit that when this pattern was released, I was not really very ennthused. I just wasn't convinced this was going to be a good shape for me. After having seen a few iterations made up though, I felt it was at least worth a try.

I chose a cotton poplin that I just loved when I first saw it, but have had sitting in my stash for a bit because the 'right' pattern hadn't presented itself. It is a happy fabric, but not too out there.

I made the pattern up as drafted, except for tracing off the length of the largest size, which gave me about an extra inch to play with. The only other deviation was to machine stitch my sleeve and neck bindings down rather than slipstitch by hand as suggested in the pattern.

This is a really quick sew, particularly as I left out the back zip. I basted the back seam together to check the fit and discovered I could comfortably take it on and off without a zip, so didn't bother!

While this dress is comfortable, and I'm pleased with how it came out, I'm still not sure if this is the right style for me. Time will tell how often this makes it out of my wardrobe.

Final Word: happy enough, but no immediate plans to make it again.