Pirate Pants/Piratenhose

I made my third pair of pants from Ottobre 3/2009/26, "Zoom Pirate Jeans". I left off the back pockets and fairly threw them together, testimony to the power of the "TNT".



I could reuse the copied pattern since it was for a birthday boy turning three. The fabric was a ticking remnant bought at IKEA before I even had kids (so, at least 8 years old).

The best was when he unwrapped the pants and said "Look! Pirate pants!". Mission accomplished.

(OT, Blogger has been eating my comments and won't let me place links. Boo.)

Ich habe zum dritten Mal Ottobre 3/2009/26, "Zoom Pirate Jeans", genäht. (Leider kann ich keine Links zu den anderen setzen; Blogger frisst nicht nur Kommentare in letzter Zeit...)

Das Nähen ging super-fix; es hat wirklich was für sich, auf bewährte Schnitte zu setzen. Den Stoffrest hatte ich schon ca. 10 Jahre im Fundus; Matratzenstreifen von IKEA.

Der Empfänger, gerade drei geworden, packte aus und rief "Oh, eine Piratenhose!". Wie toll ist das denn?

TNT Girls' Pants/Mädchenhosen

I almost forgot the pants! (A sentence I luckily don't say too often.)

Ich hätte fast die Hosen vergessen. (Und das wollen wir doch nicht, oder?)

So here they are, made from my TNT girls' pants pattern, modified every so often due to growing legs. (This was originally a basic Ottobre pattern. I changed it to one pattern piece - no outer leg seams, cut-on waistband. I modify this pattern as needed, e.g. cutting a separate yoke/waistband, adding outer leg seams, etc.) The pants are Part IV of the unintentional Girl's Mini Wardrobe.

Hier ist also Teil IV der Mädchen-Kombi. Ich habe mein übliches Schnittmuster verwendet, das irgendwann einmal ein Ottobre-Schnitt war. Den habe ich modifiziert und in nur ein Schnittteil umgewandelt (Hose ohne Seitennaht mit angeschnittenem Bund), das ich nach Badarf verlängere etc. Hier habe ich z.B. einen separaten Sattel geschnitten sowie separaten Bund; manchmal nähe ich auch äußere Beinnähte, je nach Laune. Die Taschen mache ich idR frei Schnauze.

The material was a home dec linen remnant from IKEA, and odds and ends I had lying around.

Material waren ein IKEA-Leinenrest aus dem Stoffschrank sowie diverse andere Reste. Eventuelle Ähnlichkeiten mit einer heißgeliebten dunkelroten Cordhose, aus der meine kleine El leider rausgewachsen war, sind kein Zufall!

Girl's Pants - Mädchenhosen

It's spring and the kids are growing like weeds... I've given up on trying to make all - or most of - their wardrobes, but there's one thing that pains me to pay for, and that is children's pants. Here's why.

1. Too expensive.
   
   
2. Especially considering they change color (or shape) for good after the first intense playground session.
   
   
3. And how about taking kids' needs and bodies into consideration? (Instead of making skinny jeans out of non-stretch material. Ouch!)

So here's my latest but not last, mostly self-drafted/TNT girl's jeans:

(Front and back pocket detail)

Not fashionable. Cute and comfy, though!

(I seized the opportunity to try my hand at reverse appliqué. Fun!)

(From the outside)

(From the inside)

Die Kinder wachsen wie Unkraut und die Frühjahrsgarderobe muss aufgefüllt werden. Nach Kinderflohmarkt und städtischer Einkaufsrunde blieben noch ein paar Lücken, insbesondere in Sachen Beinkleider.

Streitschrift gegen gekaufte Kinderhosen:

1. Zu teuer.




2. Dafür, dass sie nach einem Nachmittag auf dem Spielplatz nie wieder die Originalfarbe aufweisen werden.



3. Mit fragwürdigen modischen Details. (Enge Jeans aus nicht dehnbaren Stoffen? Aua.)

Solange die Kinder mich lassen und Bequemlichkeit vor modische Anpassung geht, werde ich noch die eine oder andere gemütliche Gummizughose fertigen. Hier die neueste:

Vielleicht nicht so schick, aber sehr bequem. Und mit (wieheißtdasrichtigaufdeutsch?) ungekehrter Applikation (Bilder siehe oben).

Happy sewing!

Boy's Pants "Pont Neuf", Ottobre 4/2010

I sew quite a bit, but I have to admit that I mostly buy the vast amounts of pattern magazines for my own entertainment; if I calculated the average number of garments sewn from one magazine that would be somewhere in the 0.1 vicinity.

The current Ottobre children's magazine, however, has already paid for itself! I made not only the girl's coat, but also these boy's pants from it:



I'd already made a pair of girl's pants from this corduroy fabric (a total fabric market steal, I think it was 5 Euros for 2.5 metres) and wasn't sure at first about the color for boy's pants. I'm very happy with the result though.

I hadn't realized from the pattern that these were - not typical for Ottobre - "skinny pants". I dared cut them really small width-wise, and they fit like a glove. I used a dark olive stretch fabric for the inserts/coin pockets and hope I now have enough left for a skirt. I also used a quilt fabric for the inner waistband and added a hook at DS's request. Details:

As you see, I even added a real zip fly! (And it didn't kill me! Dare I try a pair of grown-up pants soon?) I think I will use this pattern again; it's a really good cut for (slim, long-legged) DS.

Thank you for your encouraging comments regarding the last post! The children seem to be on the mend, and I'm just so thankful to live in this age of modern medicine...

Girls' Pants and Pinafore Top

First of all, thank you for the many lovely comments on my blouse and last post's girls' pants! I decided to follow your advice and wear the blouse for a bit to get used to it. Wouldn't you know it - I received quite a few compliments, so of course now I have to keep wearing it!

Also, instead of giving up I got stubborn and sewed another pair of girls' pants. Quite a bit tighter, and with fewer details. It went fast, it fits, whew.

Another thing DD lacks is sleeveless tops. I got it into my head that a pinafore top would be perfect, as it is wearable over a t-shirt as well as for a sleeveless top.

(To be honest, all I really want is a pinafore dress for myself, ever since I saw this gorgeous number on Casey's blog. Not being sure whether the style is right for me, and where to find a good pattern in my Burda mags, I did some vicarious sewing for DD.)

I very roughly followed the Ottobre 4/2009/11 pattern "Viola". I left off the buttoned front and pockets, cut front and back on the fold, added a side zip and raised the front between the straps.

I also made my first fabric covered buttons. Being too cheap for the pre-packaged covered button-making pack, I used simple shank buttons, interfaced the fabric, cut circles, stitched running stitches all around and after inserting the buttons added a few more criss-crossing stitches in the back. Viola! They seem quite stable; ask me again after the first few washes!

Today I played with the new Blogger design options a bit. Do you like it?

Girls' Pants or: Body Dysmorphic Disorder, Once Removed

To start: my son, who has more fashion sense than I do apparently, noted that DD has a purple dress, albeit dark purple. So I was given free rein of the purple fabric.

As intended, I made a pair of girls' pants from the basic pattern/sloper I made a while ago. I did verify the inner leg length (yup, grown a bit) but didn't think to check whether the sloper really matched the (well-fitting) turquoise pants I thought I'd made from it. Um, no.

I happily went ahead, put in a few more seams (like a yoke and separate waistband) and some decoration... And, in a pattern I recognize only too well (see DS's last pair of pants, or just about any kids' pants at first try), finished a nice pair of pants that DD can wear... when she's six or so (currently 4 1/2)! (You'd think I have a sewing blog for noting this kind of thing. Well, I've noted it now. Remains to see whether I will read this before the next attempt!)

Do I have no sense of the children's true size? Or am I so afraid to cut out something that will turn out too small? This doesn't usually happen with my own garments, but then I try on a lot. And I really dislike having the children try something on. It just invites too many opinions...

Well, here's the finished piece, and on to new shores. Happy sewing!

Me-Made-May: Day 2

Today's outfit is for knocking around the house, a.k.a. hoping to get some sewing done. No makeup, no styling, as befits the day's intent.

Me-made: A pair of elastic waist drawstring pants, sewn more than ten years ago. I don't remember the exact year, but I remember handsewing the seams in a little car on our way to Tuscany. The pattern was from "Brigitte Mode zum Selbermachen". Anyone remember those?

What I gained from MMM today: The realization (again): I really ought to sew more basics. I might wear them still ten years from now.

Me-Made-May and Girl's Pants Ottobre 1/2008 no. 11

I mentioned in passing that I joined Me-Made-May, as created by the, well, creative Zoe. I loved following her adventures in homesewn garments during Me-Made-March, probably because I could relate to her - while she may have (had) more self-made garments than I did, she hadn't been one of those sewers, admirable as they are, who have sewn the bulk of their wardrobes for many years already. She challenged herself to wear only me-made clothing for a whole month, which meant wearing homemade garments that hadn't made it out of the closet (often), sewing hard to fill the holes in her self-made wardrobe, and combining creatively. She also managed to look gorgeous throughout the process, which may be a reason why so many sewers have signed up for Me-Made-May! (Don't we all want to be irresistible in, Oh, this old thing I made myself (twinkle in eye)?)


I couldn't realistically clothe myself in all-me-made garments for more than a weekend (full of parties preferably, given my weakness for sewing dresses). So I signed up for Me-Made-March-Lite, meaning to wear one home-sewn garment per day (someone mentioned pajamas; well, I'm not going there anytime soon!). Zoe clarified today that the point about Me-Made-March is for it to be a challenge, not to set up strict rules that apply to everyone. Excellent concept! As it is, the (original) idea of MMM-Lite of one garment per day is enough of challenge for me, so I'm sticking with it.



Actually, it is quite the challenge! As you know me, I've been planning and revising, but of course, since signing up for the challenge, I haven't sewn a single piece for myself. A pair of girl's dungarees/overalls, yes, but I'm not fitting into them, and aren't we glad for that...

- Interrupting the regularly scheduled sewing for this kiddie clothing message:

Pattern: "Iguana Dungarees no. 11 from Ottobre 1/2008"

Alterations: many.

Re-Alterations: countless.

Relief factor on being done: v. high! -

What I'm hoping to gain from Me-Made-May:

• Fun! I'm not usually the playful type or one to run with the masses (unless in blogging, ha!), but this seems a wonderful way to enjoy our craft, dress creatively, and all in the company of fellow sewers who inspire!



• Wearing my (already) made garments more often and, as follows, more creatively.



• Making up some more garments under the pressure, erm, challenge, of MMM, and thus upping both my wardrobe size and sewing skills.
  

In true Zoe spirit, I'm hoping to make some progress on my blue SWALP before and during May, adding a few vaguely nautical pieces to my wardrobe. I always loved this style, and Zoe showed some great navy blue and striped styles. So this time around, instead of sewing nautical dresses for DD and pirate jeans for DS, I'm joining the navy myself!


If you haven't already, head on over to Zoe's blog and get inspired!

"Zoom" Pirate Jeans Ottobre 3/2009/26

The kiddos are in desperate need of pants (aren't they always?). Since I'm getting more and more stubborn about buying RTW when I can just as well make that, and from the stash (never mind the hours it takes!), I decided to sew up a pair for DS.

(front)

I took this cute ribbon/border by Farbenmix,

a self-made patch created with the border in mind, and the "Zoom" pirate jeans pattern by Ottobre that I already made these pants from.

(back)

I lengthened the legs, added a bit of width, left off the darts and tabs on the pant legs, and abandoned the instructions. Oh, and I added a carabiner hook (?) for attaching odds, ends and bike keys that can be left hanging outside or put in the pocket.



Yes, the topstitching/seam matching is a bit wonky here and there, but I really can't be bothered ripping apart perfectly functional seams on a pair of kids' pants that will be worn one year, max! One more thing on topstitching: I'm a bit cheap when it comes to buying notions - really, the thread, interfacing and fastenings can ruin the best fabric deal! So instead of buying the fantastically expensive topstitching thread I've switched to using two strands of regular thread (and one strand in the bobbin). It works just fine and looks good, I think!


The pants might be a bit wide-legged I'm afraid. DS will return from a sleepover soon to try them on, and I hope the legs won't need altering!

(back pocket detail)

I made the first pair of pirate jeans from the same fabric. Ottobre had a tutorial on giving the jeans a worn look; I decided to leave them be and see how actually wearing them (and washing... and wearing...) would affect the fabric. Here's the original pair and today's pants for comparison:




I think "life" ages them just fine!

I wish everyone who celebrates Easter a blessed holiday with their families, and everyone else a happy (sewing) weekend!

Holiday Sewing and a Happy New Year!

Hello everybody!

The holidays are behind us, but the decorations are still up, and I am only slowly coming to... Although I have been sewing (more than I thought, now I'm counting), the sewing machine has been mostly off the dining room table for quite some time now, and I am ready for sanity (sewing time!) to return.

Everything on my holiday sewing list has been checked off, thanks to my cousin who was our houseguest at Christmas and babysat the children a lot, and due to my letting the jacket take a back seat (the shell is finished; I "just" need to install buttonholes and lining).

First on my list was another Ottobre girls' tunic ( for the others, see here) for my best friend's daughter. My, I love that pattern! I tried to sew under cover, because I knew what would (and did) happen if DD saw the pink-and-red-rose fabric: she'd want one for herself.

Then, what better time to decide DS could use a new holiday outfit than December 22nd? The waistcoat and pants were finished on the 23rd, I'm proud to report.

And DS was really happy; no forcing dressing up on him, oh no. He grabbed his shirt, his bow tie, and the new clothes, and dressed up like a gentleman!

A few details: Both garments are made from a very fine corduroy, almost like velvet. The pants are fully lined in red-and-white gingham cotton, and the waistcoat in a dark blue poly lining (for the back, I also used the lining fabric.). For the pants, I used the Ottobre Pirate Jeans pattern I made these 3/4 summer jeans from. I cut on the back yoke and the waistband, essentially reducing four pattern parts to two parts. I used the back pocket pattern, but self-drafted (read: haphazardly cut out) a pocket with flap and velcro closing for the front. The waistcoat is an Ottobre pattern (6/2007 no. 20) as well. To save time, I left off the facings and fully lined it to the edges. I also just sewed on a strip of fabric in the back, instead of the traditional fastening with two fabric strips and D-rings. To finish it off, I used three maritime iron-on patches (boats and lighthouse). Fast and easy!

Third on my list was last year's Christmas dress UFO. I took a good long look at it, decided it could use a new zipper installation but I had nowhere near the time for it, so I finished the half-installed zipper, hemmed the lining, cleaned up the seams allowances, and - voila!?

Then I tried it on and found it a bit too wide, but didn't remember that at all... This was probably why I didn't finish it last year; I've gained a bit since then so the dress is alright now, but it would have been too loose last year. Funny, the things one remembers (or not). The pattern, which I omitted last time, is BWOF 11/2007 no. 107.

After the festitivities, there was another one - DD turned four! This couldn't pass without something homesewn, so I cranked out a tutu without a pattern. I'm not in love with it and I don't have a photo, but DD wears it, so that's that. I will say this much for children's costume sewing: The most worn garments (by far) I made last year are the witch and the angel costume. The children have a dressing-up box and take these out every couple of days.

We had a Christmas witch and a tree decorating angel this year:

Tonight is New Year's eve, and then we'll be done with parties for a while. I'm really itching to get back to normal now. Karen said it best, and I hope she doesn't mind me quoting her: I really, really like to stay home and make things!

I think I'll pass the sewing recap, but it was a very productive year for me, and blogging and your lovely comments made it so enjoyable. I wish all sewers and all readers a happy, healthy New Year with lots of sewing time!

Girls' pants (again)

The jacket is slow going, so here's a colorful little something to cheer me - and you - up!

(front view)

These pants have been made up for a while. I finally gave in and drafted a pattern - one piece actually, using the preferred width, and crotch curves from a well-fitting Ottobre pattern. Now I don't have to trace around sewn pants anymore, and can vary the pattern by adding a waistband, pockets etc. as I like.

The corduroy is from a recent fabric market, it is fully lined in dotted poplin, the bird ribbon is by Farbenmix, and the woven bird patch is part of a gorgeous jacquard ribbon from Bänderweberei Kafka. I don't know if their ribbons are available overseas, but they are all beautiful! They also have a museum where the old looms - that are still in use - can be seen. I mean to go one of these days, since Wuppertal is only about one hour from here.

(side view)

More on the jacket - and backstay - to come!

Girl's pants (Phew!)

So I finished the Ottobre pants, and DD still didn't have a thing (read: lined pants) to wear. I still had a remnant of teal corduroy from this dress, and enough surplus energy/frustration to cut into it right away.

I put a suitable pair of pants on top, and started cutting around it. Wait... Let's not cut in anger, unless you want this to happen:

1. I cut the thing too small/tight.

2. I discovered I'd cut on the cross-grain. With corduroy. Very funny.

3. To remedy 1., I decided to put in side panels, didn't find a piece of corduroy big enough for it, rummaged around some more, finally found one, and cut apart one of the legs.

4. After sleeping on it, and considering trashing it all, I decided not to let a few little glitches get in the way of a nice pair of pants. I proceeded to patch together a new pant leg from the remnants, cut pockets, put in the side panels and a lining, and even added a little matryoshka to offset all the negative energy.

What can I say? DD loves the pants and hardly took them of since.

Here's to unintentional design elements. Anyone care to tell me about theirs?

Girl's pants Ottobre 1/2008 no. 7

I've been sewing a bit, two pairs of girl's pants. Here's the first:

As always with Ottobre I was a bit exasperated with all the time-consuming details, but the end result is worth it. As is not usually the case, the made up size 104 didn't fit DD. I had taken out a bit of width before sewing, but she's not only swimming in them width-wise, they are also much too long. With the leg tabs and the fact that I fully lined them, I decided not to alter them, but wait it out. They ought to fit next winter.

The details:

Next up: the pair I sewed together without a pattern after finding out these were too big!

Boys' pants Ottobre 1/2008 no. 25

The pants are done, have been fiercely worn already, and I lo-o-ove them. At first, I was sceptical - such a high yoke? Such low pockets? But this is a neat visual trick; it makes the pants look fashionably low-slung (via the pockets) without actually being so. They cinch right at the waist, so they don't fall off DS's non-existent butt! (No, really. The pockets are wider than his behind. Quite funny.)

(front)

DS was sceptical, too, what with the (slanted) "front pockets" being in the back. But as the big front pocket is large enough to hold a stone, a card game, three used tissues and a piece of candy (no, really! He tried this out today, all in the interest of science, of course!), he is mollified.

I used a wide-wale corduroy bought years ago for a pair of baby pants I never made (yes, I barely squeezed it out!), a fat quarter of quilting fabric (Orange Afghan Hexagon by Jay McCarroll - Woodland Wonderland), and some ribbon I bought at the most recent fabric market I never blogged about. Ahem.

(back)

What I did differently from the pattern: I put in a mock fly and left out the zipper. DS's waist-to-hip-ratio is basically 1, and the pants have an elastic waist, so I figured he'd get the pants over his hips without a zip (and he does). For visual interest, I put in a functional buttonhole and button.

In between sewing I got a bit frustrated with all the pattern parts, topstitching, etc, etc. and had visions of the three or so simple pants I could have made instead. But I find the result is worth it; I just hope DS doesn't trash them before the winter is over!

(details)

Kids' fabric loot and pants

First of all, I want to say thanks to everyone who has commented on my blog so far (and thank you for the especially nice comments on the girl's dress!). There are so many great blogs to read and comment on and only so many hours in a day, so I appreciate everyone who takes time to respond to a newbie blogger like me!

Yesterday, I chose to spend the spare hours in my day not blog reading, but sewing - again - girls' stuff - again. Will I be able to stop when fabric runs out? No, wait, I ordered more, so it won't. Oh well!

My dd is growing out of everything at the moment, plus with the weather warming up she needs lots more playground clothes, so I decided to sew up a quick pair of pants. It really isn't quite as crooked as it looks in the pictures, but it's a quick little number, having traced off an existing pair, altered for the simplest elastic waist, and only putting on some topstitching, back pockets, borders and appliqués for interest (without it I'd have finished in half the time, though, but where's the fun in that?).

My ds is getting jealous, so I ordered some more jersey in boy colors for a promised bunny shirt. Happily, he isn't at 5yo tuned into what's "cool" or "manly" yet, so I'll let him wear bunnies for as long as it lasts!

I might use the green/pink flowered buttons for last post's dress; I don't know what I'll do with the iron-on angel yet, and the borders... well, I just order them every chance I get.



All of it from http://www.koenigreich-der-stoffe.net/.

("Herzilein" means little heart)