Summer Outfits for a Little Cutie!

Granddaughter wearing McCall's 8416, which she accessorized with a bike helmet & Mom's Crocs

My daughter and her family recently went on a camping trip. They had lots of fun. My granddaughter, who is 1 1/2, likes to run everywhere. Unfortunately, she's at an age where she often falls down. Being out in the woods on this camping trip, my daughter thought it might be a good idea to get some lightweight woven pants so my granddaughter would have a layer of fabric between her and the ground.

When she mentioned this to me, I went into research mode. Immediately, I found woven joggers on Waves and Wild, Little Lizard King, and Patterns for Pirates. I texted these three patterns to my daughter. She said these were just what she was looking for but had no preference between these patterns.

I chose the Uptown Joggers from Patterns for Pirates ( these also come in women's sizes) because of the options included: a variety of pockets, high- or mid-rise, and elasticated cuffs or rib knit cuffs. I chose to make the mid-rise version with the elasticated cuffs in a size 2. I didn't make any pockets because my granddaughter doesn't care about those now--although she probably will next year!

I have some pale pink cotton double gauze in my stash. It had come as a supplementary fabric in a Sew Hayley Jane subscription box. I had been hanging on to it, because I only had a little more than a yard. When the idea of these joggers came up, I knew just what to do with it! But for the initial pair, I used a less precious sage green single gauze. 

These were super easy to sew and will be a wearable muslin. Making them helped me determine that I'd want to take off some length and shorten the elastic. 

Then I went on to make McCall's 8416, a Laura Ashley pattern. This is an easy pattern BUT there is a significant mistake in the instructions. At the beginning, it tells you that ALL seam allowances are 1/4" unless otherwise specified. Okay. Except, the instructions for adding the skirt seem to be for a 5/8" seam, but don't say that. So, I contacted McCall's on the Simplicity.com website, leaving a message and email trying to get clarification. Of course, I didn't hear back from them for a day or so, so I went ahead and made the bodice with 1/4" seams in an ancient lavender gingham from my stash, but I attached the skirt with a 5/8" seam. I had it all constructed (except for the hem and buttons) when I heard back from them. Oops. The seam allowance instruction was a mistake! ALL seams are 5/8". Phooey.  

I had tried the dress on my granddaughter, and it could benefit from larger seam allowances, but my daughter and grandson both liked the dress on my granddaughter. Since this dress will only fit her this summer--and definitely NOT next summer--I decided to go ahead and amend this one. 

I had enought fabric left to cut out a new skirt. I used the old skirt to cut out a new bodice. While I was at it, I also cut out a seersucker version in a really cute fabric that had caught my eye at Hobby Lobby. I usually don't shop there, but I had to have this fabric, and as luck would have it, I had won a gift card for the store.

Since both fabrics worked with white thread, I was able to sew both up simultaneously. Easy! Especially since I now knew the right seam allowance! Because of fabric limitations, I added a center back seam to the skirt. Other than that, no changes were made. Oh, I did shorten the skirt and eliminate the tuck.

Unfortunately, I only have a couple photos of the lavender gingham dress. Trust me, it looks adorable on her!

I hope you are having fun at the sewing machine and enjoying the weather wherever you are!

Happy sewing ~ Peggy

I'm Back and with a New Outfit!

Hellooooo? Anybody there?! I've taken quite a break, but I thought I'd come back on to share some of my recent makes.

By the way, I also have a YouTube channel, Bespokeability Sewing, which I have also neglected--but not for as long as I have this poor blog. However, I have realized that I really enjoy writing about my sewing adventures, so I thought, "Why not come back?"

I have been sewing for multiple people; me, my daughter, her husband, my grandson, and my granddaughter. It's lots of fun, and I like sewing for a variety of different ages, genders, and circumstances.

I'll start by sharing a recent summer outfit I've made for myself. I do like to sew outfits! I used the Closet Core Patterns Pietra Pants in the cropped, wide-legged version. I made quite a few of these last summer, and I see no reason to stop! For the top, I used the Zoey Blouse by Atelier Jupe, but with several changes.

I made the top once last summer, basically as designed, except I eliminated the sleeve band and added elastic. Last summer's top was made out of a Nerida Hansen fabric I got in a Think Pink box from Beyond the Pink Door. 

This new top is in a size 44, and is made from a dotted Swiss that I bought at Mill End Fabrics in Reno, Nevada. Maybe it's called a dobby--it's not the traditional dotted Swiss that I'm used to, but I like the little tufts on the fabric. It's nice and lightweight--perfect for our hot weather! However, it's quite sheer. I don't know why I didn't underline it! I guess I wanted to make it as light as possible. This means, though, that I will be wearing a nude-to-me camisole under it--which kind of defeats the purpose!

For the top, I lowered the bust dart by an inch (gravity! 😏), and I cut off the bodice under the bust. I added a peplum, and added more volume and length to the sleeves. Why not?! I like the changes I've made, and being white, this top will be super versatile, although it is quite sheer.

The peplum is just 2 rectangles totaling 1.75 times the circumference of the upper bodice. I finished the hem by hand.

The sleeves are finished with bias tape and elastic.

The top doesn't have any closures. The neckline is finished with a facing made of cotton batiste because I didn't want the texture of the dotted Swiss on the inside. I tested white batiste to see if it would show under the fashion fabric; I decided to change it to a light beige (color: rice) batiste which is closer to my skin tone.

This is a simple top, but I love it. It's exactly what I wanted for this outfit. Next time, though, I'll lengthen the bodice by an inch--and I won't sew such a sheer fabric!

I will re-visit this pattern again, and I have a few more changes I'd like to try.

To go with the top, I made another pair of the aforementioned Pietra Pants.

I made a size 10 in these in the cropped, wide-legged version. This pattern also comes with a tapered leg or with shorts. The only change I've made was to add some length. These pants have a faced, flat front, and an elasticated back. They have super pockets--and I'm not a particular pocket fan--but these don't interfere with the hip line, they're roomy, and I like the interest they add to the front of the pants.

This pattern has great instructions and these pants are not difficult. The only thing I found slightly tricky was the pocket construction. I've learned, though, that if I press the pocket piece at the fold line (right sides together) early on, it'll help me later when I go to install them. 

The front facing is also called a waist stay in the instructions, and it is just that. I really like the security it provides over my tummy, yet it is extremely comfortable.

The fabric for these pants is a Lady McElroy Cruise Washed Linen in Caribbean Blue. It is 100% linen and has been enzyme treated. I've used this fabrication at least twice before and I like it very much. I purchased this from Stonemountain and Daughter in Berkeley, California.

These pants were also hemmed by hand. They call for topstitching, and that would be fine, but I like the clean finish of a hand-sewn hem. 

Last summer, I made these pants in red, sapphire blue, pink, peach--and I'm probably forgetting some! Will I make more? I'm not ruling it out!!

Anyhoo, thank you for coming back to my poor, neglected blog! I hope to be back fairly soon (i.e. way less than 3 years!) with more recent outfits I'm concocting. And who knows, I might also resurrect my YouTube channel!

I hope you are having fun at the sewing machine and enjoying the weather wherever you are!

Happy sewing ~ Peggy

Butterick 5362 (from 1998) in Navy Floral

I've had Butterick 5362 for ages, but I had never used until this project. The pattern is from 1998, and it seems readily available on Etsy, Amazon, and eBay.

My daughter, the not-her-real-name Mehetabel, is nursing her baby (my grandson! 💖), and I am determined to make her some usable (and hopefully cute) clothing. Yes, things that button up the front are great choices, but I got to thinking that a dress that zips in front would be easy to use. That's where Butterick 5362 entered the picture. I was perusing my pattern stash and couldn't find exactly what I wanted, so when I saw this pattern I thought it would do.

The pattern is for a pullover dress without closures. Instead of cutting the front bodice on the fold, I added 5/8" seam allowance so that I could add a zipper. I knew that just putting a zipper in the bodice wouldn't be enough, so I also added a center front seam and seam allowance to the skirt.

I used a 22" invisible zipper down the front, and I'm happy to say it works well!

I decided not to use the included skirt pattern because I thought Mehetabel might prefer something looser in our 100 degree heat. The skirt is made up of two rectangles the width of the fabric--one width in back and one width (split down the center) in front. I then added a 12" (plus seam allowance and hem) tier to the dress--this was made with 3 widths. 

The bodice is self-lined. I used my usual trick of trimming the lining about 1/8" smaller at the neckline and armscyes. I used the burrito method to enclose the armscyes.

Ties were added at the bodice to help draw the dress in.

I, probably foolishly, hemmed the bottom tier by hand--because I felt like it and I like to keep my hands busy while watching TV. But after I'd hemmed about a third of it, I was questioning my sanity! Oh well. It looks nice!

The fabric is something I've had in my stash for ages. It was designed by Joan Kessler for Concord Fabrics. I don't know exactly when it is from, but I'd guess the late 80s/early 90s. It's cotton broadcloth, and washes and dries like a dream. I thought the fabric would work well for a hot weather dress.

Now that I've worked out the kinks on this pattern, I might make it again--I'm thinking a double gauze would be nice. I also just made a muslin of Jalie 2787--the Criss-Cross Top. I'd like to make one for myself, and I'd also like to make some for Mehetabel because the top is nursing-friendly. I also want to make some shorts and I'm thinking of trying the Closet Core Pietras.

I hope all is well with you and that you are sewing up a storm! ~ Peggy

Butterick 6085 in Robert Kaufman Floral Cotton Lawn

Hello, hello! I'm back (!) with a top for my daughter, Mehetabel. She is the mother of a 3-month old boy--my first grandchild!--and she is in need of suitable/comfortable clothes for breastfeeding. I've raided my own closet for button-up tops for her to borrow, but I thought I'd make something for her. I remember feeling a bit dowdy and uninspired in my clothing choices back when I was in her position, so I thought an accessible top in a pretty fabric might do the trick. Plus, it's starting to get pretty hot here in the high desert, so why not something sleeveless and cool?

First, I tried the Melody Dolman from Love Notions. I just have to do the buttons and buttonholes on that one. I also tried a pattern from my stash: Butterick 6085. This pattern is now out of print--it was published in 2001--but it was in the catalog for many years. It's a classic button up top with a camp-style collar and various options. To see if this would work for Mehetabel, I made up a sleeveless version with darts at the bust. It is a little large, but I wanted to accommodate the pumping paraphernalia. 

The fabric is a Robert Kaufman cotton lawn in a pretty blues/teals/turquoise floral print, purchased from Fabric.com.  I didn't have any coordinating buttons in my stash, so I picked up some white ones at a local store.

I should've straightened the top before I snapped the photo!

The instructions have you clip into the seam allowance on the middle of the collar facing to enclose the neck seam. I've had success with this method multiple times, but I thought I'd try something else. I made a facing piece for the back neckline. I had limited success with this. I interfaced the facing (probably a mistake) and I had difficulty getting the facing to lay flat--but it's good enough.  I think I'll go back to the original method.

The only other change I made was to add three inches in length.

The interfacing I used for the facings and collar is pretty crisp; if I had had something lighter on hand, that's what I would've preferred. 

I thought I'd try using my sewing machine to sew on the buttons as I'd never done that before. I successfully did one, but it was too difficult to continue. I wound up buying a foot specifically for attaching buttons, but by that time, I'd hand-sewn the buttons on the top.

This is a casual top that'll work well with a pair of shorts or jeans. I'll see if she likes this size, or if she feels it is too roomy.

The armsyces were finished with store-bought bias tape. I was planning to make some from the fabric, but since I had a coordinating color on hand, I went with it!

Right now, I'm working on a dress for my daughter using another out-of-print pattern. I've created a center-front seam and am inserting an invisible zip down the front. I'm hoping this will be breast-feeding friendly. We'll see! It might be about time to sew an old favorite which won't be so much of a question mark!

Anywho, that's all for me. I hope you are well and sewing up a storm! ~ Peggy

A Lilly Knock-Off?

Well, I've had an eventful few months. But now I'm back and rarin' to go! This post will mark a turning point for me in that I will be featured in this post. In the past, the majority of my posts have featured my daughter, the not-her-real-name Mehetabel. But don't worry; there will be plenty of new Mom-made goodies for Mehetabel! This time, I'm sticking my toes in the water, ready for a day out, sans makeup.

I actually made this top for my daughter a few years ago, but it was never something she cared for so it's been sitting in the time-out pile for awhile. I loved the fabric, so I decided to re-vamp it for myself. But actually, all I had to do was cut off the hem and raise it by about three inches. Easy-peasy. 

I eliminated the center-front seam in the yoke and the center slit. The yoke was cut on the fold. Other than those tiny changes, nothing else was done to the pattern.

The fabric was purchased several years ago from Joann, so I doubt it is in stock any longer. It was a relatively easy sew, just a little fiddly putting in the yoke. I made self-bias binding for the armscyes and (re)hemmed it by hand.

You might recognize the fabric from this out-of-print pattern envelope:

The pattern I used is out-of-print McCall's 7128 and since I prefer some upper arm coverage, I will wear it with a coordinating cardigan or perhaps a denim jacket. In this case, I'm wearing it with a hot pink RTW "Charming" cardigan from Talbots, RTW slacks, my Peter Beaton Sconset hat, and my Superega sneakers.

The fabric is a paisley cotton lawn which reminds me of a Lilly Pulitzer print. It's cool and comfortable and will make a nice addition to my wardrobe.

So, that's about it. When will I post again? Hmmm. We'll see!

~ Peggy

A Pants Hack

Hello there! A recent post was about some life changes and my upcoming sewing plans. Well, speaking of life changes(!), as you might know, I've had to scrap the plans for my daughter's back-to-the-classroom wardrobe! Why? Well, for one of the best reasons possible. She and her husband are expecting their first child! I'm going to be a grandmother--and I'm still wrapping my head around that.

I am so happy for them. They will be wonderful parents and I want to do what I can to support them. I'm thinking babysitting, meal prep, hugs, whatever--but particularly sewing! Now, as you may know, Mehetabel (my not-her-real-name daughter) is 6 feet tall, and regular patterns always need to be adjusted. Throw pregnancy into the mix, and that adds another challenge. A challenge, yes, but not insurmountable! 

When they first talked about trying to get pregnant, I looked around for maternity patterns. There was nothing in the big four books! I found some current, independent patterns, and made some purchases. I also looked at eBay, Etsy, etc., to look for out-of-print and/or vintage-ish patterns, and made some more purchases. I didn't know what time of year all this would hopefully happen, but now I do: mostly winter. 

I should also mention that I still have many of the patterns I used when I was pregnant in the early-80s. I doubt Mehetabel would want any of those--including Nolan Miller's Linda Evans/Dynasty maternity patterns. I was also pregnant in a much warmer climate and primarily during the spring and summer, so our clothing needs were and are completely different.

On YouTube, several people have videos about how to hack RTW jeans for pregnancy. What a brilliant idea! I immediately bought a pair of Levi's on sale in Mehetabel's size--I could not find any RTW maternity jeans online that would be long enough, so this hack seemed like the answer.  Instead of winging it, I decided to use the stomach panel pattern pieces from a recently purchased older pattern: Butterick 5964. The rather cryptic information on the back of the pattern said to purchase fabric with 15% lycra/spandex for the stomach panel which wasn't easy to find. I did find some--only in gray--at Surge Fabrics online. I quickly bought some and awaited my package.

I was nervous about cutting into the jeans, but nothing ventured, nothing gained. I used the pattern pieces to trace out the area to be removed, and used the stomach panel pieces to cut out the 15% spandex tummy piece. 

Sewing was a breeze. I sewed the panel piece on my regular machine using a stretch stitch, and finished the seams with the serger. I considered doubling the fabric as shown in one of the videos, but I was worried that that would make the garment too hot. So, using the pattern's instructions, I finished off the top of the panel but with my coverstitch rather than the regular stitch of the instructions. By the way, the panel fabric has 50 UPF protection, so her stomach won't get burned!

This was a super quick and easy project. The jeans fit Mehetabel well, and she's pleased with them. Although, if I make them again, I will probably start the tummy panel a little higher up and leave a little more of the front fly. Who knows if these jeans fit her throughout the pregnancy, but we'll find out!

Next up, I'm either going to make some gray jeans for me, or pants--or--a top--for Mehetabel. Definitely on the list: more maternity clothes. Who knows what I'll make?!

Thank you for your kind comments following my recent news. I am recovering very well and am looking forward to new challenges.

Until next time ~ Grammy Peggy