Zara~ Round Up

I finished Zara's turn on the #sewingrota.

A Liesl+Co Bento tee and City Gym shorts combo.

Or two!

A Lekala hooded jacket

Another Lekala, this time a wrap skirt.

Yet another Lekala, a tee-shirt.

A pair of Vado slim fit jeans.

Named  Alexandria Peg trousers.

A gorgeous Cynthia Rowley dress.

Finally...

Another Burda camisole.

I think she made some lovely choices. 

What I have learnt.
Sewing four outfits, for each of the older girls, is too much. Patience is not a strong point for teenagers and they want what they want, straight away.
Patience is not a strong point for tired mothers of wakeful toddlers either.


I really wanted to deliver an armful of beautiful clothes (and I hope I did) but they were already planning the next item when I wanted them admiring the one I had just finished, dammit!

We had some pretty horrid unpleasantness this time round. Both of us reacted badly (at times) and as I am the grown up I have to put my hand up and take the blame and sort it better, next time.

~Zara's Verdict~
I felt a bit awful to find out that I was upsetting mum.
 I agree with what she said above. I absolutely understand and agree with the idea to have only two outfits at a time. It will mean less of a wait for all of us for our turns. 
I love all of my items that mum made me and am really looking forward  to my next turn as it will be the making of my formal dress! 


Although this was a pretty exhausting experience I think all three of us learned something.
For me, I need to accept a 'thanks' and move on. If I want a enthusiastic response, share it with my sewing friends.

For the Twins, Mum has feelings too and that they need to plan what they would like a little better and be better at communicating.

If you got through all that, well done!

xx Nicole.

Jeans Baby

Do you remember the inspiration outfit pin?

Well, I have finished the shirt.

Now the jeans.

A vintage KwikSew 2123.
I made these a few years back, for Hugo.
I lowered the waist and added the groovy back pockets.
Check out the blog post above if you would like the details.
As he is still wearing them I didn't measure him up and just sewed the same size...

Um, yes, whoops. They were a bit 'toight'.
Thank you 5/8ths seam allowances. I just managed to salvage them.

The denim is a gorgeous denim/wool mix, available from Spotlight, it retails for around $17/m but frequently goes on sale.

To make them just a touch dressier I topstitched with blue topstitching thread I purchased here.
I used normal Rasant thread in the bobbin and a size 14 needle. The sewing was heavy going, a bit 'chuggy' but the results are were worth it.

The denim is quite thick so I utilised my clover clips, perfect for sewing the waist band.

worn with a Liesl+Co Metro tee

Argh, dark colours are hard to photograph.

They do look good, I promise!

~Hugo's Verdict~
I do have several pairs of these jeans but like my Liberty shirt they have become a wee bit faded and thread bare in places. So it was fantastic when my turn came around again to have some jeans made.
 I was quietly very excited. 
When I slipped into my jeans for the first time it appeared I had grown somewhat from last time and to quote Gold Member from Austin Powers I was "... very toight, toight like a toiger" After the seam allowances was adjusted the jeans fitted a lot better and after severals hours of wearing them I had ridden the jeans in so to speak. They are now a lovely pair of jeans which flatter me well and I am very fortunate to have.

I may have laughed far too hard reading that...

xx Nicole

Next up, his blazer

The Final Outfit dah dah dah, dum de de dah....

I may just be a little happy to be done with sewing for teenage girls, shhhhh

Zara's last piece is my absolute favourite!

My gorgeous sewing Gal-Pal Johanna sent me this pattern (with a box of fabric and yummy Texan spices) a few years back.
When Zara picked it I was so very happy, I have been keen to make it up.

I am sorry for the dark photos black is so hard to capture.
Zara chose a modal knit. It is very slinky and drapes beautifully but is very very slippery and the neck band took me over an hour just to sew that!

As per Zara's measurements I drafted the pattern to a size 10 through the bust, and 8 at the waist and out to a 14 through the hips.

This enabled such a nice fit with good fall from her derriere rather then cling or tucking under.

We argued about the length.
She wanted it very very short, I talked her out of it.
I could see this being a very hard working piece but not if it was a sky high mini dress.

We compromised and the four inches that I cut from the hem I made into a sash, so she can hitch it up now if she pleases.

Lightened to show the sash.

The sleeves slits are oh-so-natty and fall just below the elbow so they are elegant rather then punk.

~Zara's Verdict~
This dress is made out of absolutely amazing material. It is a really cute dress. The sash that mum made to go with it was a good idea. 
I love it.


I think I may love this more then she does.

Thank you for reading!
xx Nicole 

Peg Trousers

I actually made Zara a pair of these last year and 
I am not sure I blogged them...

Alexandria Peg trousers in velvet backed apparel vinyl.

The Alexandria peg trousers by Named.

Seriously groovy and well designed patterns.

Sewn up in some stretchy poly/cotton with a slight sheen.
I used some slinky cotton/modal to make the two piece pocket bags. It makes for a better sitting pocket with less bulk.

Zara requested and elastic casing cuff and the draw string is faux.
Worn here with one of her Bento tee's.

They fit lowish on the hips with the pockets hidden under one of the double pleats.

Back pockets.

Good bottom ease.
These are the size 6 with the legs shortened by 2 inches.

~Zara's Verdict~
These trackies are love, these trackies are life! They are amazing. Really comfortable and I love the material. The little faux draw string tie is really clever and cute. Well.... what else is there for me to say. I can't really say how much I love them. : D 

I guess she likes her peg trousers.

Next, her last and my favourite, item on the #sewingrota.

xx Nicole 

Back on Track #zara #sewingrota

So, after a wee detour we are back to Zara.

A pretty silky rayon currently available from Spotlight for around $17/m.

The same pattern I used to make Elsa's tops.

For a simple pj top it makes a lovely cami.

I swopped the ribbon straps out for self bias.

Worn here with City Gym shorts.

~Zara's Verdict~
This is my absolute favourite top in my whole entire cupboard. I love the fabric so so much and the pattern is one I have been looking for, for a while. Its absolutely divine. 

I am glad she is happy.

xx Nicole
`Thank you for all your lovely comments on my last post`

A Little Liberty Break

I am starting to think sewing for The Twins, back to back, is not such a good idea.
Whilst sewing Zara's jeans we bumped heads.
It was not that big a deal but I had had enough. I try very hard to sew groovy clothes for all of my children. I deliver what I promise to the best of my ability.
To the best of my ability with what I am given to work with. Sometimes what my girls envisage is not quite what I think they are after.

We have since sorted it all out but I was seriously peed off with my daughter so I left her turn of the rota and jumped to Hugo.

A perfect palate cleanser in the form of Liberty lawn and the Aime Comme Marie Mister shirt.

Image from Pinterest

Hugo sits his UMAT this year and asked me to make him the above outfit, to wear to his interview. 

The shirt took me an easy five hours to sew, over two nights.

I adore the sleeve plackets, such an elegant detail.

I used reversed MoP for the buttons but I wish I had used ecru rather then white thread for the button holes.

The back has a lovely shape, slim but not fitted.

The back yoke is in two pieces, it gives some wearing ease and certainly sits smoothly.

And speaking of smooth...

How smooth is this?

That's my cheeky chappy.

~Hugo's Verdict~
I already have several lovely shirts that I have a hard choice in selecting to wear.
 My favourite though has always been my aqua Liberty shirt but alas it was beautifully sewn for me too many years ago so it has begun to grow threadbare. So I was really excited when my turn came earlier than expected and I could have a new Liberty shirt made. I was even more surprised to find my new shirt completed two days later when I returned from work. 
The shirt itself fits slimly but still leaves room for me to grow which I expect to with a year of labour. Although the fabric is more floral than I would have chosen when younger, I think it suits my (what I think) is an unique wardrobe. I can't wait to show off this shirt tomorrow at my cousin's christenings and I will be very keen for my turn to come again to have my other garments made to wear when I take the UMAT.


Thanks Hugo.

xx Nicole 

Next, back to Zara.