For my sister...

I caught up with my sister today, at my niece's birthday party - not my sister's daughter, but my sister-in-law's daughter.  Because our kids are all around the same age, we often all catch up together, like one big happy family.  Anyway, my sister's birthday is next weekend and because I wasn't sure if I would see her for her actual birthday, I brought along the trench coat I had made for her, as well as a dress I'd made through the week.

Are you going to blog me?  She asked as I snapped some quick photos on my phone...  well, yes, yes I am.

The sleeves came up a bit short on the jacket, but I was expecting that.  In hindsight I really should have left myself some "wiggle room" there.  My sister is small pretty much everywhere, except for the length of her arms.  Because I don't really have anything left in the sleeve hem, I'm thinking of adding an extra strip of fabric at the ends and making a little cuff thingy to give them some more length - it really only needs another inch or two.

During the week I also tested out my Oliver + S Ice Cream Dress pattern.  I was inspired by some colour block dresses I'd seen, like the ones here and here, and also this adult version of the Ice Cream Dress.  I already knew from my sister's measurements that the size 12 would (should) fit, so I picked up some brightly coloured polin and got to work.

In the back of my mind there was the thought that maybe the dress would fit me, but being a redhead, orange is not even close to my colour.  Plus I have curves, which is a real pain when trying to sew for myself.  It's pretty much the reason I don't do it.  And the dress didn't fit me, so my sister has scored it for her summer wardrobe.  That's if she is game enough to wear it - it is pretty bright.

Despite adding an extra half inch or to to the bottom of the top panel, it is still just a tad tight around the arms.  I've been trying to think about how I could add some room in there without unpicking the whole top section.  It fits as it is, but it could probably be a little more comfortable.  Plus if I was to make one again, I would make the neck just a teensy bit wider.  Other than that I think it looks great.  

The most impressive part for my sister was that I covered the button on the back with the same fabric as the dress.  Well, as they say, it's the little things that matter most!  

Love you sis!

Secret Agents 004 and 005

Ok, so I may have had just a teeny tiny problem putting the Oliver + S Secret Agent Trench coat pattern down.  I really wasn't planning on making so many of them, but it was so fun and easy to make, and the end result looks great.  Two of my nieces have scored a trench coat for birthdays already, and one more is about to receive this adorable strawberry version (in size 3) on the weekend.  I left the sleeve tabs and shoulder flap off this one, because I gave up trying to match the print!  Anyway, I think because the print is a bit busy, this simplified version still looks ok.

After seeing the red trench I made for my niece, my sister requested one of her own. At first she wanted a red one as well, but in the end she opted for a plain black one. I was a bit slack in getting started on this project so it has sort of become an early birthday present for her, which actually works out well as I wasn't quite sure what to get for her anyway! The weather is starting to warm up again now, so I hope she still gets some wear out of it.

My sister is tiny and will get away with the size 12.  If I was a couple of dress sizes smaller, I'd also be making one for myself.

Some Wintery Things

As usual, I have been doing more sewing than blogging lately. I've been busy working on some things for Katherine for Winter.

I bought this chocolate brown tweed fabric when Spotlight was getting rid of Winter stock last year.   I knew I wanted to use it to make a jacket for Katherine but didn't get around to it last year, so it sat in my stash instead. 

I found this pattern and thought I'd have a go at making the shorter jacket style in view B.

Here's how it turned out (excuse the chocolate bar - sometimes it takes a little extra encouragement to get my mini model to pose for my photographs!)

 

I made the size 4 and it's probably just a little bit too big for her.  I did add some length to the bodice though,  as on the pattern cover it looked like it would come up short.  I'm glad I did.    The sleeves though, are just a teensy bit too long - I actually did measure these on her before I sewed them up so I don't know what happened.  And once I had fit the lining I couldn't have been bothered unpicking it to shorten the arms.  Oh well, at least it will see her through the winter, and maybe next year if we are lucky?

 

The back has a little half belt tab thingy (I'm sure it has a technical name) and there are also cute little shoulder tabs as well.

I lined the jacket with some pink spotty satin that has a lovely soft cottony back, for extra warmth.  This was the first time I have made a lined jacket and although it's not perfect, I was really happy with how it turned out.

The other thing I've made is this cute poncho.  Has anyone else noticed them in the stores at the moment?  I didn't realise they were still in fashion.  Katherine chose this fabric herself ("the kitty fabric").  It's a polar fleece from Spotlight. 

I used McCalls 4912 (out of print) view B for this one - it's a hoodie style.  And partly because the fleece seemed a bit thin, partly because I can't stand doing things the easy way, I decided to line it as well.  I wanted it to be warm, and I wanted it to have a nicer finish as well.

I added a cute pom-pom trim around the bottom edge of the poncho to finish it off, sandwiched between the outer layer and the lining at the bottom.  Technically, it's fully reversible, but the lining is a bit thin and the kitten fabric is a lot nicer to have on show anyway.

My Little Ladybug

My littlest lady is turning two this week and we celebrated yesterday with a ladybug themed party.  We had already decided on a theme, and then I was lucky enough to stumble across a fat quarter of some super cute ladybug patterned faux fur at Spotlight, so I decided to make a little fur vest for the birthday girl.  Of course, the only thing missing then was a red tutu so I made one of those too (too), and then she was set!

Isn't she the cutest bug ever?  Here she is eating cake with her Great-Grandma.

And slipping into a cake-coma.  Sometimes I make this face when I eat cake too.

My sister dressed her girls in red and black, to match the ladybug theme, and so I managed to get some nice photos of Ashy wearing her Oliver + S Secret Agent Trench, finally.  And just between you and me, that grey dress of hers is currently on my "dresses to copy" list for Katherine!

It was a lovely day and we were so lucky to be able to share it with so many of the people we love.  

Happy birthday, my beautiful girl!

      

The Busy Girl's Spring Trench

Ok, so I know it's still only Autumn (although the frosts in the mornings lately have been trying to trick me into thinking it is Winter). But I saw this fabric at Spotlight on one of my recent jaunts and just had to have it.  It was so bright and busy (just like my girl!) that I knew it would be the perfect fabric for Katherine's Oliver + S Secret Agent Trench.

I made the size 5 for my tall-but-lean 4-and-a-half year old, with some modifications. I was generous with the seam allowance in the sleeves and down the sides of the bodice to help slim it down a bit and I also had to take about an inch off the length of the sleeves. I kept the original length of the skirt and it sits just on the knee. I wasn't overly concerned about the length as I still want it to fit her in the Spring.

I wasn't 100% sold on the pink and white polka-dot buttons.  I did have some red ones I was thinking of using, but in the end I went with the pink ones as they were just such a perfect match for the bias I used to bind the seams with.  Plus the red buttons kind of got lost in the print.  I think I like the pink ones.  They give it a softer look.

I made the bias myself with some quilting cotton I had on hand.  I still have a bunch of it left but I am already thinking up a project to use it on.

I love this pattern - this is the second time I have made it now and I've got a couple more to make yet before I can put it away.  My sister has even put her hand up for one after I made one for my niece.  I even dreamed last night that I made one in a red and white polka dot... now there is a thought!  (Yes, I dream about sewing too, I am sad!)  It was much easier to make the second time around - I sewed it over three nights including making the bias tape and tracing and cutting the pattern. I like that it looks so much more complicated than it is!

Secret Agent Trench

When I saw the new Oliver + S patterns last month I thought the Secret Agent Trench Coat pattern was the cutest thing I had ever seen.  I snapped it up, with plans to make one for Katherine and for my nieces birthdays this year.  Ellie will miss out as I couldn't justify buying the smaller size as well - but eventually she will get to wear big sister's coat once she grows out of it, so she will have to be happy with that I'm afraid!

So Niece #1 had a birthday last weekend and as such was the lucky first recipient of this trench, which was made up in red drill. I was a bit daunted at first, tracing it off and then cutting out the pieces, as there seemed like there were so many! But it really came together quite nicely and with a minimum of fuss. I also really enjoyed learning how to trim the seams with bias tape (although after I was done I read something online about using satin ribbon instead and wished I'd seen it before I made the coat! Oh well, next time...).

Unfortuately the photos that I took weren't great.  I really should have taken some photos at home, but we were a bit rushed on the day and I didn't have time before we headed off to my niece's birthday party.  Then it was raining and so the photos were taken inside where the lighting wasn't great, and I couldn't find a decent spot as there were kids everywhere! 

Inside view - the jacket is unlined and the seams are bias trimmed.  I'd never done this before, and it was a bit tricky to get the hang of it (Oliver + S instructions are for the most part very clear and easy to understand, but I ended up having to consult Google on this one!) but I love the end result.

 

I managed to get a pic of it being modeled but the birthday girl wanted to get back to her friends and so I didn't get a good one.  But this will have to do!

Incidently, this was a size 6 on a petite just-turned-7-year-old.  I did add an extra inch on the hem as I was worried about it coming up short.  If I was making it again, I wouldn't bother adding that length in as it would have been fine without it, but at least this way she can grow into it as the weather cools down.  It is a longer-style coat though so it didn't seem too big even though it is currently knee-length on her.

The only question now is what colour trench to make for Katherine....?