Everyone needs a Holiday Capsule Wardrobe right?

I've been quite intrigued by the capsule wardrobe concept recently.  I have a mostly handmade wardrobe now, but without a lot of thought as to what I needed and what actually goes together.  I'm very big at just sewing what I like.  I have little time to sew, so I often don't want to bother with the boring stuff.  Thing is, boring stuff is actually pretty easy to make!

So I thought I'd test out a mini capsule, by making stuff I REALLY needed.  Christmas outfits. [Insert hilarious laughter from my audience]  Seriously guys, I have a problem, I did not need more Christmas clothes.  What I do need is pants, and more separates.  This plan did have a silver lining though. I DID actually make several separates that are totally not really Christmasy and work together in various combos (when I don't wear them with Christmas socks ;) so it was actually a win-win for my wardrobe!  Actually everything I made an be worn beyond.  I do have two pretty kitschy pieces, but I made them in previous years, and they serve to Christmas up my outfits!

Lets start with the subtle:

Sloane Sweater (basic sweater knit) with double gauze inserts.  Super comfy and casual for every day.

Now pair that sweater with a crazy Gnome print skirt and red tights?  CHRISTMAS PARTY TIME. Seriously, I wore this to my work party.  We went indoor glow in the dark mini golfing.  I beat my bosses boss.  That's good for my career right?

Now on to the less subtle:

Washi (expansion pack version with the BOW clearly) in Christmas washi fabric!  My mom knows my love of Christmas clothes and bought this for me this fabric in the summer and told me to make a dress.  So OF COURSE it had to be a wash.

Don't worry I don't normally go around with no sweater in the winter.  (Sweater hand knit by my fabulous mother in yarn first dyed for this sweater and now a standard colour over at Indigo Dragonfly yarn)  and red tights of course.

Now back to the subtle..

Day Tripper (Shwin Designs) in this super soft bamboo knit and a self drafted gathered skirt in this neat woven Japanese fabric (it's probably really to light and stiff for a gathered skit and I probably should have made a pleated skirt, but whatever, to late, and it's still works.

I also tucked it in, but I think I need a different shirt maybe to do this with (time to make a red tank for summer? haha)  This shirt also goes will with my other skirt and even just with jeans!

And just to round out this post and confirm I like kitschy Christmas sewing, here are some pieces I've made previously but have no good photos off!

Who doesn't need a Made by Rae Ruby in Rudolph fabric (with bodice mod to allow nursing)

Lane Raglan (lengthened probably 4 inches) and self-drafted tights in Christmas Sweater knit fabric!

8 Days a Week - Last Chance Knit Pants..... And a Zippy Top

Quick, only 12 hours left to get in on the great deal that is the 8 Days a Week collection from Pattern Anthology!  I'm finally sharing the last pattern I test for this collection, the knit pants!

This pants pattern is pretty much every pair of knit pants you'd ever need to make in one pattern!  I made up a pair of leggins, but the the lounge pants are on my list!

I live in leggings on weekends, and had not yet gotten around to making my own.  And I'm glad a did!  They are a super quick sew!  I may never buy leggings again! 

I used some luxuriously soft bamboo knit from Fabrications and it is kinda the softest stuff ever, perfectly stretchy for these!

Oh and the top?  While it's not part of the collection, it is a pattern by one of Pattern Anthology's designer See Kate Sew!

It's the super versatile Zippy Top!  I wanted a simple top pattern I could use with some of my errr crazier quilting cotton fabric peices and this pattern fitted the bill perfectly!

It says to use lightly wieghts, but the heavier quilting cotton just makes it a bit boxier which I still love!  However.... I really should remember to iron it...

I looove this fabric by the way, turquoise horses?  Yes please!  Thanks Cotton + Steel!

Oh and don't forget to check out the Pattern Anthology before the bundle is gone!

Strawberry Season!

I'm going to attempt to blog more regularly, and am hoping to give this here blog some spring cleaning.... here goes on the more regular blogging part!

As you fine readers may have noticed... I love dresses.  And lately, I love sewing with knits.  I also love strawberries.  So well yeah, when I saw this fabric on L'Oiseau Fabric's site, I clearly had to buy it.

After some thought, I decided to make something simple and not childish.  Thankfully Salme Pattern's had recently released a V-neck Dress pattern which fit the bill. 

It went well, I cut a size bigger than my normal thinking I needed too based on measurements (I actually have a thick waist compared to the rest of me, surprising, I know.)  But I ended up taking it back in.  I also realize how much I hate facings on knits.  I don't care what you all say, they Do.Not.Stay.Down.  So I topstiched anyways.

I also added some red knit to the shoulders for some interest.  I'm not yet sure if looks neat or vaguely military. Thoughts?

Also, my oldest son is a crazy kid, and insisted on being in the photos, so I thought I'd share his silliness too.  Just wait till you see some of the photos of him modelling some new pieces I've recently sewn for him.  Man that kid has the poses down!  If I didn't know better, I'd have thought he'd watched Zoolander.

Final note.  I recently discovered some ridiculously awesome Canadian retailers of serious awesome patterned knits.  Simplifi Fabric in Ontario, and the aforementioned L'Oiseau in Alberta.  Not to mention a few awesome Facebook groups.  My sewing budget is basically blown.

A Green Top for Spring

It's currently snowing outside now on the first day of Spring up here.  Oops?

All the more reason to start spring sewing right?  Yes!

I've also learned that I seem to get the most sewing done with a random self imposed deadline.  For instance, I bought the gorgeous Nani Iro double gauze at Fabrications a few weeks ago and then decided I MUST make a shirt from it for St Patricks day.

Please excuse the wrinkles! I had just taken it of after wearing it for a while!

I'm not Irish remotely, and I'm not big on celebrating random holidays, but hey, any excuse to make something right?

So I finally made up a Wiksten tank.  I've been meaning to make one for basically years, and I'm glad a finally did.

It's a quick sew, and super cute.  I was also able to get this out of a single meter of fabric with only some slight adjustments to make it a bit narrower (which I had already planned anyways) and voila!  Oh I did also cut it to the length of a medium to account for my height too.

I also kinda love how the design is kinda unbalanced as a result of me having to cut out the front and back beside each other not above.  I think it's a neat effect!

Will I make more?  I hope so!! I can see a whole summer of these!

Staple Bandwagon

Some decided sewing time on my birthday a few weeks ago finally meant I got to finish a few projects for me!  So I thought I'd join the bandwagon and make that Staple Dress by April Rhodes people keep bloggin about.

Simple, cute, can use most fabrics for it = win for me.  I hoped I could make it my go to pattern for quick dresses, because well, I love dresses and have limited sewing time.

I purposely just made the XS, hoping it would fit well enough and I would alter any future versions.  With the elastic shirring waist, I figured it would fit ok regardless.   I'm not however a fan of high necks for a few reasons, mainly because I'm still nursing little E.  So I did grade down the neck a good bit, and out a teeny bit.

I was also sewing with a quilting weight cotton, not ideal (but super cute!), but again, I figured I'd try it.  I also wanted to try the drop hem.  Drop hem + this weight of fabric = not the best, but again, ok!

So results?  Definitely quick, easy and cute, but the XS is still way too big on me, with gaping across the bodice under the arms.  Sure its a relaxed fit, but not this much.

Solution?  Added a inverted box pleat to the neck line at the front and a little one at the back.  Sure this meant my neckline doesn't allow for nursing, but it brought everything together.  I could have taken in and redrafted the sides, but this was a quicker fix for this one.

Next time?  I need to take a inch at least out of the centre on the fold, THEN with an adjusted neck?  It should equal awesome.  Knit version next time maybe?

2013 - A Short Review

Sure I didn't sew or blog as much as I wanted in 2013 (I'm blaming getting used to having two kids and trying to sell a house!), but I'm still happy with what I made!

So heres a little recap.

And here are a few things that I made by haven't blogged (and might not blog) yet.

I also started making these scarves from woven wraps to sell just last month.  I've sold a number, and we'll see how it goes, I do love them! (more details on my Facebook page HERE.)

What in store for 2014?  I'll keep it simple.

- Sew mostly from my stash.  I managed to acquire a LOT of new patterns and fabrics this year (probably because I have easy access to all the lovely stuff at Fabrications!)  So I plan to sew mostly from that this year!
- Learn to draft patterns.  I'm taking a course on drafting a skirt at Fabrications next week so hopefully that will go well!
- Organize and finish setting up my sewing room, I moved and started this in the summer, and when it's done it will be awesome!  I also plan to better organize my fabrics/patterns/projects (in an app or database)  I so easily loose track of what fabric I have and what I plan to do with it!

How was your 2013?  And whats planned for 2014?

A Ruby Christmas

Since I don't have girls to make Christmas dresses for, I figured, I could make one for myself right?

I bought some of this fabric at my local chain store because I LOVED the Rudolph cartoon as a kid, and my son loves it now too.  I figured I'd make like a pillow or something, so I just got a meter of it.

But then I thought, maybe I could make a dress!  I thought a bit, and wondered if maybe Made by Rae's new Ruby dress might fit the bill as it didn't need much of the main fabric.  Sure it calls for more than a meter, but with some careful cutting (it's the Dutch part of me) and since I only needed to cut an XS, it was JUST enough.

(Please excuse my crazy hair ;)

I paired it with some blue cotton and bingo.  Only one problem remained, this dress is NOT accessible for my eager nursing babe.  So I thought, can I just add a button placket.  Not too hard, just cut the front bodice in half at the centre and lengthened each side a few inches so I could make a placket.  I still finished it with bias tape (although the wider stuff was all I had on hand)  It's not perfect by any means, but as Christmas dress that won't get worn very often, it was ok.

The final issue was that the top bodice is NOT long enough to access the girls.  So I slit the skirt down 3 inches in the centre front, rolled a tiny hem and top stitched it.  With the gathers in front it isn't obvious, but gives a bit more room.  If I make this again (which I likely will as it's a quick sew even with the changes)  I'd go down another inch, add a proper facing (I just zig zagged around the bottom of the V, but it'll give out with repeated use.) and a small snap or so as it may gap if longer.

So now we're ready for Christmas! (please excuse me while I finish sewing three more gifts)

Oh and I'll share too that I made a couple lengths of Christmasy bunting this year too.  I wanted quick safe ornaments for our tree, and so I've hung the bunting there this year,  its a bit big, but ok, and in future years I can hang the bunting elsewhere!

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS ALL!

Facebook and a new endeavour

So I've finally created a Facebook page for these here lil blog.  Sure there isn't many of you followers, but I thought why not!  Check it out here: http://www.facebook.com/oldhousemamawears

And plus, it seemed a good platform to hawk my new mini endeavour.  Making infinity scarves from woven wrap fabric, Didymos indios in particular.  After making one up from a scrap and getting such a positive response, and encouragement to make more from other mamas in my local babywearing group, I thought hey, why not try it!

This is the one I made for me from a hemp blend indio called Lila.

I have several other indios to chop up on the way, and one here already.  So you all should go check them and me out here  http://www.facebook.com/oldhousemamawears  sometime.

Selfish Sewing Week: Lemon Saltspring Dress!

I finished something!  For me!  It's kinda miraculous!

It's the new(ish) Saltspring Dress by Sewaholic Patterns.  I've been on the lookout for a go to knit dress.  One not too simple, but not too involved, and I think I might have found it in this dress!

It's a pattern for wovens or knits, but with a good knit you can omit the back zipper which I did and it's an easy fit, and super comfy dress!  And it hides those middle bits you might not like so much too!

I'm not convinced yellow is my colour, but I thought I'd try it, and it sure brightened up my fall!  And with a sweater and some boots I think this dress, despite it's rather summer friendly looks, can be an all season dress!  And well I even wear my summer dresses in the dead of winter with sweaters and tights so for me there are no seasonal limitations on sleeveless dresses!

Despite some issues with this fabric (I really think the triangles should be point up, but thats not the way it was printed)  The weight of it was perfect, and I actually cut this from 2 meters (probably aided by cutting a size 2 and having narrower back pieces without the zipper.)  And I think it's the perfect size.  I'm a size 2 up top, but a umm.. 6 or 8 at the waist (depeding on time of day)  But all I did was cut my elastic the length recommended for the size 6 and it worked fine!  I suppose the skirt is a teensy less full, but I like it!  I Also cut the bodice and skirt longer (the length of the largest size) to accommodate my long torso and long legs!  

And bonus (and one of the reasons I like this dress) it's nursing friendly.. just untie a strap!

Now off to hopefully finish my second project before I fall asleep or a baby wakes up!

Selfish Sewing Week Plans

I have big plans to sew my back to work wardrobe, so having Selfish Sewing Week happen now is perfect!

I have a pile of patterns and fabric I want to sew, but I'm hoping to make a dent on these three projects;

The Ginger skirt and the lisette shirt dress have been cut out forever!  And I just cut out the Saltspring last night.  

The Ginger is cut from some gorgeous Nani Iro brushed cotton I got from Fabrications, and the lisette fabric is from Carolyn Friedlander's Architextures collection.   The Saltspring from some generic knit I bought from an online store that shall not be named as I'm a bit disappointed with the (it wasn't clear what the direction of the triagles were and they are not the direction one would expect, and my three yards arrive in a 1 yard and 2 yard piece...  The site doesn't say fabric is continuous cut, but one would expect it to be...)  alas, I hope the yellow isn't too much for me, it's not my normal colour but I thought it was worth a shot!

Now to get the children to nap ;)

All wrapped up in red

And finally here's my third Megan Nielsen maternity pattern complete!  And it turned out pretty good I think!

Its the Wrapped Maternity top.  It uses a ton of fabric (and a ton of thread hemming the two wrap pieces, but was well worth it.  Still a pretty easy sew, and it looks cute.

It does though take some time to wrap and adjust properly, but I like that I'll be able to adjust the length later and wear it post maternity too.  Its cross over front will make for a good nursing top too!

I made it about 2 weeks ago (pre-KCWC), so that's my 30 week belly, and it's growing these days!

Also a few words on the pants.  I got my hands on a pair of second hand, barely worn Gap maternity cords, and used this tutorial from Cotton and Curls to make them into skinnies.  Perfect for fall!

I had a few more maternity projects planned, but I may give up soon, as I only have 4 more weeks of work left, and a ton of other stuff I need to get done for this baby!  We'll see, perhaps you just start seeing more sewing for teeny babies here instead!

Polka Dot Ruched Maternity Skirt

I've been eying several of Megan Nielsen's patterns for a while, long before I knew I was pregnant again.  So after acquiring a few on a recent trip (from the only store in Canada that seems to physically stock them (love you the workroom!)  All I had to do was wait until this cute little baby gave me an evening I didn't want to just spend on the couch to make something!

Last pregnancy I was mostly pregnant in the winter and wore lots of pants, so while I have a fair number of maternity tops, I wanted more skirts!  Hence the ruched maternity skirt seemed a good start!

It is SUPER quick and easy to sew (especially when one doesn't bother to switch to a double needle to hem, which I think I might resew with as it needs the stretch!)  It took maybe an hour or so.  I have a pile of this navy and white polkadot fabric as well, and seemed good for a trial of the skirt.  A bit thin perhaps, but super stretchy.

Results?  As other bloggers/sewists have noted, its sure is one sexy little skirt!  No room to hide any bodily imperfections!  Which also makes it awesome to show of your growing bump!  Yet very, very comfy.  I do love that pregnancy makes it ok for a grown woman to wear lots of elastic stretchy waist stuff to work!  So much more comfy than fussy waistbands, zippers and buttons.

Poor yellow grass!  We're in a serious drought up here, it's been super hot and dry for weeks, something not too common here.

I made up the XS (which is my normal pre-pregnancy size, although I think if I make it again with a slightly weightier knit I'll make a S.  I just barely got it over my hips, even with the stretch!  I'm thinking I've widened more than I thought from my pre-pregnancy size!

I see at least one more of these in my near future, along with attempts at a few of her other maternity patterns hopefully very soon (assuming baby junior co-operates of course)!

December Delivery

So the announcement I mentioned?

That's right, December will see our family of three become 4! (or 5, with the kitty)  We're very excited, little M claims to love babies, so we'll hope that continues!

I didn't do a great job of recoding my pregnancy with M (aside from a picture or two every month or so) so I wanted to do something a little more organized and fun.

And in the last few months, I discovered the awesome DIY Maternity blog!  Started up by Megan Nielson, designer extraordinaire, it has tons of tutorials for making your own maternity clothes!  So there I found the tutorial for the Maternity Calendar shirt designed by Miranda of One Little Minute.

It's pretty simple, although a bit time consuming on account of all the cutting out required.  But I like the slightly rough look my numbers ended up with.  The only things I changed was to just use a fabric marker to cross off my weeks rather then fabric paint.

So, what's next?  Well, I've had to abandon my dress a month project, as most of my planned patterns don't accommodate a bump!  A few do, and I've got some maternity projects planned that will likely include a dress or two!  I scooped up a couple of Megan Nielson's maternity patterns on a recent trip, and once the end of July gets here and I know if this munchkin is a boy or a girl, more baby clothes must be made!   Oh the possibilities!

And yikes, my bump looks big in these photos!  I actually like that I'm showing a good bit, makes it all seem so much more real!