KS3101 girls pants + top | fuz-o-ramma

These were left over pieces of fabric from my friends pants. I lowered the waist by a whopping 2 inches as Imogen said "I like my pants really low". I put these on her bed yesterday and she is wearing them today. Confirmation she likes them!

Silhouettes 3400 Yoga Pant | friend-wear

My dear friend was always cold so a couple years back I made her a fleece-type yoga pant for lounging in. Before Christmas she mentioned she nearly worn them out so I said I'd make her a few pairs for Christmas. So she picked out 3 of the 4 fabrics. She got a bonus pair from the owl fabric when we found a flaw and received another piece to make it all work!

This is an independent pattern company run and designed by a woman out of Texas. I omitted the elastic in the waist and reduced the waist by a couple inches as it is all stretchy fabric. That way they are tight to not fall down without the bulk of elastic.

Fabric was all purchased at our local Fabricland store.

Change purses from scraps

Wow these are so perfect for the kids "spending" portion of their allowance. The kids picked the fabric scraps for the inside and out. I was inspired by this post of SnugBug http://pattythesnugbug.com/2011/tutorial-how-to-make-a-simple-zippered-bag/

Great way to use up fun scraps!

KS3234 Boys PJs

The topics from the KS pattern that has been one of my most used patterns ever as the top is sometime for sleeping in and other times for sleepwear.

Did the top in flat construction where all ribbing applied in the flat then seams are stitched. I threaded the serged-seam-thread back through the seam when done and it's holding up well. And trust me this kid is tough on his clothes!

The pants are from the book. Another favorite pattern.

Fabric for the top is well aged from Uni days while the pants fabric was picked out as a gift from Imogen at Unique Textiles, a locally owned shop.

S4767 Girls PJs | Strawberry Shortcake

This was the second time around with this pattern--a top rather than a dress. So I moved the neckline up by about 1". Worked well.

Imogen picked out fabric at a converted post office in Hague, about 30 minutes away, called Prairie Chicks. It's owned by women who have dairy farms!

The bottoms are actually another pattern that is not as wide so they fir onto the narrow fabric (39"). From a British mum of two who wrote this book that includes the patterns. Some are super cute.

S4786 Girls Nightgown

This was so fun to make. Imogen picked out the fabric at local fabric shop, Unique Textiles. She also picked out the lace from my stash. She loves sitting down and curling her legs up to her chest under her nightgown. I think the neckline is a bit too low though...a fix for next time.

KS2704-onesie PJs

Here is one happy 5 year old wearing classic fabric (meaning fabric from when I worked at Fanny's Fabrics during Uni some 20 yrs ago). I creatively (another word for making a mistake) cut the leg-length for the smaller size, thus the bottom cuffs are elegantly long. Go big bird go!

We wore these fuzzy warm PJs as yesterday was a balmy -48 degrees Celsius. Yep that's really cold. Today is to warm up.

Pattern organization

Well I've collected a few patterns over the years so organizing them is a challenge so you can find what you need. So I started to take the pattern envelope and slide them into page protector in a binder--all by category (tops, bottoms, dresses, knits). I use the extended tab dividers to clearly a mark the sections

Here is a shot of my "kids and mens" binder. The pattern guts are put in a ziplock style bag and filled in a old dresser drawers by number. Simple!

Then for independent pattern companies that I sew a lot from (Hot Pattens and Trudy Jansen) I just copy the photo from the envelope or website and joy down fabric requirements. Guts are then filed.

I just take my binder shopping with me and I have all the info I need while shopping without lugging tones of pattern guts.

New Year, New Lifestyle

Well new year, new lifestyle. I've packed in my marketing job in commercial real estate to be at home with my two kids and help out Friday's in our family business. I needed more balance as way too much wasn't getting done while being a working mum supporting a family business -- suppers just to name one major staple in life.

So I finished just before Christmas and used my daycare in December to enable me to finish a whack of Christmas gifts. I made fuzzy PJ bottoms for a friend (who is always cold) and she has worn the darn things out so I said I would make her another 3 pairs. From the excess fabric, I also got 2 pants and a top for my daughter -- bonus! However, this is the messiest fabric I've EVER worked with as there is fuzz all over the room and me. Once all the major seams were sewn, I threw the lot in the dryer to de-fuzz and it worked.

Here are some photos of my sewing room -- with these projects waiting to be hemmed -- and a stack of new projects sitting by my comfy chair.