Back to School Clothing

Back to School Clothes... All Ottobre patterns....

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Summer Sewing... or is it canning?

My daughters finished these over the weekend....

Canning
This the season... and it has occupied much of this week... Blackberries, greengage plums and transparent apples.  The transparent apples are so wonderful for baking and applesauce.  And a tasty no-sugar added juice too!  The problem with transparent apples -- they have NO shelf life.  They are a soft and immediate use apple... so they are ripe - now they are applesauce!

The past few days have included multiple batches of apple sauce, apple juice, greengage plum jam, blackberry juice, blackberry jam, and chocolate blackberry jam.  

Oh but there are more apples... these are only the large apples from the other trees.  I don't know the varieties of these apples... but they have a longer "shelf" life... so they are headed home from the beach!  And I'll deal with them in September...  Probably more apple sauce and sliced frozen apples...

Garment Sewing

Here is the Burda Style Braided Neck Tank I made myself. Printed fabric is a poly-Lycra blend, solid fabric is a rayon-Lycra.  Instead of doing a full facing front & back, I cropped the pieces and made a shelf bra.  

And my sons second pair of pants. These still need the waist band sewn, and hemmed...

I really liked how these went together, but didn`t quite understand the instructions for the back pocket so ended up just  going on instinct! 

Quilting

I got 4 of my dresden plate blocks basted!  The fifth has been cut into an octagon and I`m adding the extra 1 inch strips to the cut edges.

My daughter commented the blue sheet I`ve been using all summer as a design wall is empty...  I am packing my sewing area... to move back to town...

Getting things done!

My 5yo!  I drew the lines on so she could follow them.

She did quite well as long as she was reminded to stay on the line.

I spent most of last week wondering if I'd get anywhere with my sewing... The kids were sewing!  Even my 5yo showed interest and started sewing with her sister.  They each made small purses.  It was great that they were taking an interest and getting things made... they made gifts and items for themselves... They have one get well gift, a birthday gift and a Christmas gift finished.   As well, they have started another Christmas gift, and the baby quilt is nearly done -- Grace's quilt is being hand-stitched so it is now in my hands.

Sewing flowers - with help from the cat

A few of the projects they have been working on haven't been photographed.  The girls also started a macrame plant hanger, and I think we'll finish that tomorrow!  As well as their completed purses to hold their mice.  And they were sewing flowers with buttons...

Mug Rug - Front

Mug Rug - Back

Disappearing 9 Patch Bag with Zipper Open

Disappearing 9 Patch Bag with Zipper Closed

Hunting through the button jar is fun!

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Quilting

• I have started hand-sewing the binding on for Grace's Quilt.
• No further progress on any projects.

Garment Sewing
So how are my projects coming along? I have been working on back to school clothing for the kids.  I have one outfit completed for each child, and another outfit started for each.

I even used the fabric from Finland that my husband brought me home last year!  

Completed Items

• Tank top for me (Braided Neck Tank at BurdaStyle)
• Tunic for each girl 
• Ottobre 4/11 #28 -- Orange/Yellow/Pink Cotton-lycra knit from Finland
• Ottobre 3/2008 #12 -- Pink/Purple Cotton-Lycra knit from Finland
• Leggings for each girl 
• Ottobre 4/11 #32 - Pink Knit -- this fabric is quite light weight and has pretty poor recovery...  but it was in my stash... and will do as a quick pair of leggings as she wore holes through most of her leggings this spring!
• Ottobre 1/10 #18) - Purple Knit -- this fabric is a really nice weight, but possibly too heavy for the pleating detail on the legs.  
• Pants for my son (Ottobre 1/11 #39) - Green Cord
• Tshirt for my son (Ottobre 1/10 #24B) -- Blue/Green/Yellow stripe Cotton-Lycra from Finland.

Started

•  Second pair of pants for my son (Ottobre 1/11 #39) - Blue Twill

Cut Out

• Blouse for my youngest (Ottobre 1/20 #11)
• Pinafore for my youngest (Ottobre 4/11 #14)
  

Planned items

• Skirt for my older daughter (Ottobre 1/11 #31)

Canning
It is summer here... and the fruit are starting to ripen... we have a number of apple and plum trees trees as well as numerous blackberry bushes!  Sunday we made 8 litres of apple sauce, 1 litre of apple juice and 4 - 250mL jars of greengage plum jam.  Today we were working on Chocolate Blackberry Jam!

Finally Posting - Fall Dresses

OK I forgot to post these... a while ago!  These are the dresses I made for my daughters for my cousins wedding... and back to school... These are both Ottobre patterns. The pink one is Ottobre 3/2010 #27,28. I think the purple one is from 2002, but I'm not sure...

They absolutely love these dresses and get lots of wear out of these!

My grandmother is 94 years old and still doing well, although she is currently recovering from a fall. She loves visiting and seeing the kids!

With their Great Gramma!

Friday Night Sew In - Lots DONE!

I had a very productive Friday Sewing....

These are the projects I worked on

• Vest for youngest, using Ottobre Design 1/07 #22 sz 98 lengthened, with short sleeves
• Swim Bottoms for older daughter using Ottobre Downloaded Pattern
• Swim Top for my son using a hacked Ottobre Design  #3/10 35 sz 140
• Tshirt Remake for my husband (made it smaller), recut with KwikSew 
• Lycra Circle Skirt for me (self-calculated)
• Top for me using Ottobre Design 4/10  #29 sz 170
• Applied the binding to Quilt  #3

And an added bonus, in searching for some of the fabric I did do some cleaning of my sewing room.... A great productive Friday night!

Loveliness Dress (Ottobre 2/10 #16)

Loveliness Dress
Originally uploaded by l3designs

I needed a dress for my cousins wedding. I made this dress using a lightweight poly and lined it with a thicker weight poly (same fabric as the sash).

The dress has a side zipper, so I took out the centre back seam. I also changed the lining to remove the darts to take the bulk out of the waist.  I interfaced the bodice with some broadcloth as I didn't want to use fusible. I made a sash style belt instead of the one included in the pattern.

I made the following pattern modifications for fit:

• lengthened bodice (for a long torso)
• shortened above bust point on front
• shortened skirt (I'd lengthened the bodice...)
• tweaked dart fit

Ottobre Sewing & Prize Drawing

At the end of 2004, I discovered Ottobre Design Patterns and not long after ordered a subscription.  It was the best decision I'd ever made.  I love their patterns, love the style and the multi-sized patterns that come with each issue. 

Dress: Ottobre 2/2005 # 3
Capris: Ottobre 2/2005 #8

Dress: Ottobre 1/2005 #18
Hat: Wild Things
Undershirt: Ottobre 4/2004 #33
Leggings: MacPhee #435

Here are two of the items I made from my first few issues I received.  I love that so many of the patterns have such simple lines and are so easy to change up...

I have made the dress from 2/2005 a number times...

And that brings us to the current issue
The most recent woman's issue has some wonderful items in it. I am impatiently waiting for my issue (truthfully I'm still sewing from previous issues, so if I get a move on I can start items from this once it arrives...). Ottobre Design is currently running a draw on their blog. The prize sounds wonderful!

Today's Progress

The box of stuff I have cut out...

• shorts (1pr for each girl)
• skorts (1 for each girl)
• back to school dress for my youngest
• back to school skirt and blouse for oldest daughter
• tshirt and pants for my son
• two tshirt remakes for my husband

This is my dress. It is started, darts have been sewn, basted, test fit, basting pulled out and the skirt has been sewn together on one side. Now to sew the bodice together, then to add the skirt

My sons new back to school top. From the latest Ottobre - more info once the pants are finished.

And two bread bags out of Australian fabrics (birds and flowers) as well as a newly covered food cover.

The blankets I embroidered for my mom.

Tshirt Remake

Original Top - April 2009
From My Sewing and Crafting

In January 2009 I made the following top, but didn't post a photo until I finished my jeans in April 2009 - Jeans.

And this past week I remade the shirt into something that would fit now. I used Ottobre 2/10 #9 and did add about 1.5" more ease at CF as I needed it to get it to fit onto the older tshirt, and then I gathered it into the neckline.
I also lowered the sleeve cap and shortened the upper bodice between high bust and the shoulder.

New Top -- August 2010