Summer Uniforms

Last week, or maybe it was two weeks ago, (it's summer, and time is not measured during summer break), I read this post about summer uniforms.  Now, it's not nearly as glamorous as a skirt, but I present to you my summer uniform:

Behold, the Maritime Shorts!

While tinkering with deepening the rise by 1/2", I realized I was essentially grading the rise from an 8 to a 10.  I went back and tried on the gray twill pair I made in May (the reason for the crotch deepening), and admitted that I could probably use a little more room in the hips, too.  I mean really.  Who wants tight shorts in the summer when it's wiltingly hot? The waist fit, though, and normally, grading up one size between the waist and hip is old hat, but honestly, grading the pocket pieces stumped me a bit.  

So I went the easy route, and just made the size 10.  Comfier?  Definitely.  Flattering? Well, no.  I had room for a good size algebra text book in there.  You know, those big, heavy ones.  

Hmm.

Okay, so I removed the waistband right at the center back, took in a good size tuck, tapering to nothing just past where the pockets start, and shortened the waist band to match.  Which may not have been the best solution, but considering the shape of  my shape, it worked.  

I've worn these twice since they were completed on Wednesday, (small children = frequent laundry), so they are field tested and approved.  I transferred the changes onto the pattern, and I'm set for factory level production.  

Front view + belly flash

Side view of improved pocket action

The picture that I'm sure had our neighbors wondering why my husband was taking a picture of my butt in our driveway.  

Oh well.

If the blog's quiet for awhile, just picture me churning out an army of Maritime shorts and little Renfrews, set for fast morning dressing and world domination.

Pattern: Grainline Maritime shorts

Fabric: cotton denim from Joann's, quadruple washed

Notions: 9" zip from stash, medium weight Pro-weft interfacing ( Best. Stuff. Ever.)

Cambie Dress

  

Given my much established love of the Renfrew, it's only fitting that I branch out to other Sewaholic patterns, and honestly, there is a reason everyone loves the Cambie dress.  I know I'm slow on the uptake, and I think at least half the world has made at least one of these, but this dress is amazing.  It is fast, easy, looks good on everyone, and I honestly haven't seen a version of this dress that I don't love.

I had ordered the pattern a while ago, long before sundress weather, and waited for fabric inspiration to strike.  When I finally saw this while cruising on fabric.com, I fell in love with it immediately.  Teal, aqua, limey green, voile, big abstract-y floral print? It's my bag, baby.  And when it arrived? Soooo dreamy and soft.  It's a pattern/fabric match made in heaven, and I knew it would be the perfect summer dress  for baby showers and outdoor weddings.    

Fabric: Joel Dewberry Notting Hill cotton voile, (here),  ivory cotton lawn for lining

Pattern: Sewaholic Cambie

Notions: 22" zip

Time to complete: 2-3 evenings, including tracing the pattern

I wore this at the beginning of June for a sweet baby shower, followed by a family reunion.  The day was hot and muggy, as only Missouri summer can be.  This dress was so light and airy, though; the cotton was so breathable, and it didn't stick at all.  I will definitely be making more of these, especially with the same fabric combination.  Maybe with the a-line skirt though, for a less-frilly version for work.  

I honestly don't know what more to say about this pattern, that hasn't already been emblazoned across the web, so I'll just include more pictures.

Action shot

Not too poofy skirt.

Skirt pockets in lining fabric.  They are awesome...but surprisingly tricky to locate at times.

Matching Hug-Snug seam binding for lining hem, just because I could.

Inside of dress.  I underlined the bodice in the same cotton lawn, then lined in the fashion fabric.  I was slightly worried it might show if the neckline gaped a bit, had enough yardage left over, and honestly, who wouldn't want cotton voile against the skin? 

Inside view of lining attached to the zipper.  Pretty neatly finished, woot woot!

Gratuitous shoe pic

I've also been seduced lately by the Lonsdale dress, and have that coming up soon, after I finish more shorts.    I dominated a new pair of denim shorts I'll post soon, and took a break from sewing for myself to fix my niece's camp swimsuit, and finish some promised projects for others.

E has been busy brewing up Halloween plans already, so in addition to my own plans, my dance card is getting full.  : )

I already knew I had problems with finding an author I like, then glomming on to and reading their entire back-list, but it now seems like I might do this with patterns, too.  

Anybody else prone to glomming onto entire pattern lines?  

Pajama Party

Thanks, Karen, for inviting us!

When Tasia released the Tofino pattern a few weeks ago, I put it in my cart immediately without a second thought.  Sewaholic?  Yes.  Pajama pants?  Hell, yes.  Ooh, a pajama party?  Sure, why not? I've got stash fabric just waiting to become pajamas!

In the mean time, my helpers and I went to the fabric store for flannel for new baby gift, and for their assistance, they demanded fabric of their own.  Considering all the selfish sewing I've been doing lately, who could resist such sweet smiles?  

Like all good pajama parties, we stayed up way too late watching terrible movies 

and eating popcorn in our jammies.

Three Ninjas Knuckle Up (truly a terrible movie) was on, and how better to celebrate new pajamas than with popcorn and ninja moves of our own? 

Popcorn!

All the ninja moves we need to know we learned from tv.

The Details:

E's racecar jammies:

Pattern: Simplicity 9499
Fabric: cotton flannel from Joann's
Notions: 1" elastic for waistband.

Notes:
These are the boy's size small, and are just about perfect. He is a tall and thin boys size 6. I put in a narrow hem 1/2" double turned hem, as I'd like them to still fit come Christmas time.  Also, the pattern calls for 1/2" elastic in the waistband, but I used 1" because that's what I had.  I sewed an X on the center front waistband so he can tell front from back.

I think this version is out of print, but this pattern looks to be the exact same one with a new number.   Weird.

B's Robot jammies:

Pattern: McCall's 4643
Fabric: cotton flannel from Joann's
Notions: 1" elastic for waistband

Notes:
I don't know how this happened, but I managed to lose both the pattern instructions for E's pants AND these.  Good lord. Not that I needed them for pants, but I sewed the robe in the pattern as the baby gift.  Luckily, I'd made it before as well, and could figure it out.  Also discovered you can download the instructions from printsew.com. It looks like this is also out of print, though.

Sizewise, he's three, and I sewed the 3, because who wants to wrestle with measuring a wriggly ninja? I ended up hemming them to size them based on a pair of his pants, and even then, they are too long.  Also, again with the X on the front of the waistband for marking.

My Um-I-think-they-might-be-leaves Jammies

Pattern: Sewaholic Tofino
Fabric: clearance quilting cotton from Joann's
Notions: 1" elastic-->I did this at 11pm

Notes: 
This pattern is awesome.  I'm considering these wearable muslins--I used quilting cotton that for some reason I was thinking was lawn, but as I started cutting it, realized it was not. *shrugs*
I omitted the piping due to time constraints, but did topstitch the front and back seams.  Which you can't tell at all, but at least I don't have floppy pajama seams.  I also used 1" elastic, and aesthetically, they really need 1.5" elastic. I ran by the store today for wider elastic, and my next (yep, I said next) pairS will be good to go.  These are a straight size 8, and fit pretty perfectly.  AND, I hemmed them to capri length.  It's like 100 degrees outside, and who wants sweaty ankles?

So, thanks again Karen for the party, and thanks Tasia for the great pattern.  When my husband sees Sewaholic on the bank statement, he can't help saying under his breath, 'Yes. Yes, she is.'

Me Made May: The Final Days

I've been lazy, and in all honesty, lovin' every minute of it. Summer comes, and some days, I don't even fix my hair.  This is the real joy of teaching.

Day 23: The Beginning of the End.  Burda Heidi dress in bright green Swiss dot.  This was my last day of work for the school year, and at this point in the day, I was ready to be out of those shoes.  Looking at this picture, I'm not sure I even like those shoes anymore.  

 Day 24: First day of vacation, can't be bothered with  pictures.  Wore the same Burda 3/4 sleeve shirt (previously pictured twice) with shorts. Maybe I put on shoes, who knows.

Day 25: More vacation laziness.  Again, not pictured, but as I wore the exact same outfit from last Saturday, I'm including it here, and we'll all just pretend.

Day 26: It is amazing how quickly you (I) can lose track of days of the week. Burda gathered raglan sleeve shirt, the short-sleeved version, plus crazy-old Old Navy shorts.  

Day 27: Yay!  I finished a project and can show you something other than my old ratty shorts!  New shorts!   These are the Maritime shorts by Grainline, made out of some cotton twill from my stash.  They look grayish in real life, too, but I swear it was described as 'distressed navy'.  Hmm.  I will blog these separately later; I do like them, although they may be a little on the shorty-short side.  I also may lower the crotch seam a smidge.  I have plans to make more of these in stretch twill.

Day 28, Day 29, Day 30?  I have no idea what happened.

Day 31: Pulling my self back up for a strong finish. Completed this week: another Simplicity 2215 skirt made out of gingham seersucker from stash.  I recently finished reading The Secret Lives of Dresses by Erin McKean, and I REALLY REALLY liked it (read: stayed up way too late reading until I finished it), but it did leave me feeling a little slouchy in my ratty shorts.  This fabric had been in my stash for awhile, and I think I really did intend to made a skirt when I purchased it, but just got sidetracked by other new, exciting projects instead.  This is not a very flattering picture, but it is tornado season here in the Midwest, and the humidity is wretched on hair.

What I've learned:

• My summer wardrobe is completely different from my work one.  If I were to do this next month, too, I'd need to get crackin' on shorts and t-shirts.  I do have two pairs of shorts and two new t-shirts planned, fabric pre-washed and ready to go.
• Wearing me-made clothes is not hard, and I've started thinking about how to re-work what I have to prevent orphans.  Pictures were hard, but also totally useful.  I 
• The crazy weather we've had this year helped out; I was able to wear the more winter-y clothes I had made, adding to the choice.  
• We got a lot of jeans days this month at work.  I am not yet ready to make my own jeans, but I am more frustrated by where RTW ones don't fit.  One of my resolutions for the year is to make a pair of pants, and I've got my pattern traced off, but it is on the back burner for summer sewing.  I think shorts count as a warm-up to pants, don't you?

Most of all, though, the whole experience was amazing!  I loved seeing what everyone else made and how they styled it, and I have so many ideas for future projects!  Everyone was so supportive.  My only regret is that I had a hard time keeping up with others' pictures, and I felt like I missed so many in the group.  There were a lot of beautiful pictures posted in the group, and I think next year my goal will include keeping up with group photos as well. 

So that's it, back to regularly scheduled blogging.  Maybe I'll have on shoes.