OOP KWIKSEW 1359 Tracksuits for Izzie

 Anyone who has been reading me for a while knows I don't enjoy knit sewing however I will also give pretty much anything a go.

If I have to sew knits I try to make them as professional looking as possible. I spend a lot of time pressing and top stitching as well as looking at current finishes on Pinterest

I recently topped up the sweaters and trackies section of our wardrobes and I had a lot of bits leftover, too big to toss but too small for much use. I decided to use them up on baby tracksuits figuring that even if not suitable as outerwear they would do as pyjamas.

I was seriously not prepared for how tiny these pieces would be. I cut and sewed the smallest size which I guestimated to be a 0-3 month size.

Were my babies ever that little?

To my utter delight, Elsa liked them and popped them on her straight away.

Tilly, Izzie and Trixie

The pink is so pretty. The fabric came from a job lot I purchased from Market Place. The lovely lady had a small business but was closing down. I purchased all her stock, 20 rolls of pure cotton fleece manufactured in Melbourne, for $150. 

For the wee grey marl set, Tilly and Liddy got creative and made a Cricut stencil that was very us appropriate, sheep!

Black face Suffolks?

For the navy set (pieced with grey) we continued with the night time theme but went a little bovine more in line with Izzie's Daddy's work.

Snoozing while Daddy studies.

More snoozing on Mumma.

This is a very handy wee pattern, out of print but it often pops up on eBay and Etsy and you may find it in a OpShop. It uses the smallest scraps of fleece and ribbing so it is a great stash buster but if you have more fabric to play with, it has a hood and built in bootie option. I recommend this one if you can find it.

Thank you for reading ... xx Nicole 

République du Chiffon Danielle Dungarees deuxième partie

Continuing the Danielle dungaree journey
 

I was so happy with my denim versions I wanted to try some other fabric variations. First up, a black cotton drill pair, from my endless roll of black drill fabric

Black is super hard to photograph.

These are definitely not as comfortable as my denim versions and I find I need to undo the waist buttons on a long car trip.

I don't mind, totally worth it as they are so cute.

Those that have been reading for a few years would know we have a dear little one room beach cottage near Robe. To make life easier, I leave a compact Bosuns capsule in situ. Of course it needed a pair of dungarees.

My Bosuns capsule colours are navy, pink and white so this pretty stretch denim I purchased from Lincraft, was just the job.

These are so adorable!

(One of those situations when you WISH you had purchased more fabric)

They are warm, stretchy, comfortable and snappy.

I kept the stitching details plain and used a matching pink for topstitching.

I love these so much.

Please excuse my grumpy face.

Holiday mode...

Finally, for now, I wanted a pair for work (mainly painting) so I didn't spoil my denim ones.

I have a HUGE roll of purple, mercerised cotton I picked up for $35 dollars. I have no idea how many metres are on it, 50+ I think. It is extremely hard wearing and I have been making Jerry's work trousers from it for years.

Proof I wasn't exaggerating...

Before and after. Isn't it funny I never seem to find mending MY sewing nearly as tiresome as RTW....

I didn't spare the topstitching on these as I wanted them to be sturdy.

I lined the pockets with scrap poplin.

It is very important to use a sturdy fabric for your pocket bags or it will wear thin too quickly.

As I will be wearing these for work, I wanted a firm fit across the back so hay and gardening detritus wouldn't fall down my legs BUT I still need ease to move.

A simple fix was to add elastic to the back waistband.

Not the most flattering fit but very safety conscious as they are firmer.

Loose clothing is not a good idea around farm equipment.

~In Conclusion~

I love my Danielle dungarees.

A bit of effort in the drafting and fitting and you have a go-to garment you will sew over and over.

I know I will!

Thank you for reading.... xx Nicole 

OOP Style 4550 dress for Beatrix

 This is an old sew but I found it in my photos and thought it too sweet not to share.

I love the Sailor suit style outfits. Trixie is also a child that does not like firm clothes so a swingy dress is just perfect.

To modernise the look I chose to sew it in a block colour. The pink poly/linen was from my stash and was given to me by a lovely local lady who was downsizing her own sewing supplies. It has a medium to heavy hand and will need minimal ironing. Although it hangs nicely it was nice a pleasant cloth to sew and frayed like the Billy-oh!

The back yoke gives a neat and tailored finish. I think this would look lovely sewn in a contrast or embroidered fabric as a design detail.

Red bunny rabbit buttons from my beloved #elizasofsunshine add a touch of whimsy and tone down the sophistication of the deep dusky pink.

I added some extra length as Trixie is reasonably tall (one of my tallest children).

Full skirt but not too pouffy.

Perfect for twirling.

It wouldn't be a Trixie outfit without her special touches, fox tights from Aunty Mandy and yellow shoes from Aunty Sarvi.

I can't believe this was sewn FIVE YEARS AGO!

Trixie has just turned 10 and is an Aunty!

Thank you for reading, stay safe and well....xx Nicole 

Oliver+S 2+2 Blouse and Pleated Skirt for Isabelle

 My last post was Elsa and Nic's wedding and this one is an outfit for their sweet baby girl, Izzie.

The 2+2 blouse and skirt was always a favourite of mine.

So many sweet photos.

Elsa likes quite pretty, girly clothes for Izzie whereas I am a bit girl-ed out and tend to go with a earthy palette so I asked Liddy to choose the fabrics.

The pale blue with rosebuds is a very old remnant that came from my late mother's stash. The pink cotton drill was from a job lot of fabric I purchased from Bullrush many years ago. Both pieces were less than 1/2 a metre.

Lidia choses pink buttons (I would have plumped for mother of pearl) but I think she was right. They are the perfect pink match to the skirt. The skirt button is very special. A dear friend purchased them for me in Hong Kong. They have wee holes that you can thread with your choice of embroidery thread.

The perfect finishing touch.

Be still my beating heart!

This sweet girl looks like her Daddy.

I was reading an old blog post hat suggested a skirt on a baby was like putting flippers on a duckling, superfluous. However, I cannot argue with how adorable it looks and is not constricting on her in any way.

Liddy was right, the pink buttons are perfection.

I think I shall enjoy my 'Nan Era'.

Thank you for reading... keep safe and well.

xx Nicole.

Tutorial for sewing blouse

Tutorial for sewing skirt

Tutorial for sewing skirt 

tutorial for sewing skirt