Aaand Back!

Anna Krista

The Good: After a month, I finally have my computer back from the repair shop.

The Bad: It’s near the end of its life and will have to be replaced sometime in the next couple of months.

The Random: I have thirteen (13!) finished sewing projects to share.

… But that’s if I manage to actually take photos of all of them. It’s a lot to do all at once, especially since I don’t have a safe place outside to leave my camera & tripod when I run inside to change – I have to bring it in with me every time.

So aside from sewing up a storm I also sorted and decluttered my fabric stash. Most of it I kept, but I did get rid of some inherited fabric that I didn’t particularly like and knew I’d never use. And I discovered (or re-discovered, really) that I have far too many cotton fat quarters, leftover from my bag-sewing phase. I have 67 of the things! Ack. Fab colours and patterns, but what am I going to do with them all?

Parker, as always, has been ‘helping’ with the making. I never sew alone.

I don’t have much free time left this evening, but I’m going to see if I can’t at least get my Everyday Dress cut out. It’s out of stashed cotton, because of course it is. I had to shorten it by six inches and it’s still going to be longer on me than it is on the pattern model. Being short is fun.

Nooo!

Anna Krista

Well. I have two new Montrose tops, a new pair of pajamas, and a new Fringe blouse, and I can show none of them to you because my computer fried itself during an unexpected power outage last week. The repairs aren’t quite in the budget yet so it’ll be a while before I can pick it up from the shop. I’m less than pleased, but I do have a phone, a Kindle, and my sewing machines… it’s not like I’ll go nuts without it.

Again with the PJs

Anna Krista

Three more pairs of pajama pants from the same 5 Out of 4 pattern, because when I said I wanted to use up the mystery flannel in my stash, I meant it. I have enough left for one more pair and for a blankie for the cats, but I need a break from clothing that I can’t even wear at this time of year. I suppose I could have waited until fall to deal with the flannel, but then I’d have to have it in the stash all summer, looking at me. Yep.

The yellow pair is made from the strangest, stiffest flannel I’ve ever felt. It’s still adequately comfortable, at least.

The future-cat-blankie fabric was popular when I laid it out as a decoy so the cats would stop attempting to sleep on my pants-in-progress. I figure I’ll just fold up the edges and zip around them with the machine so they don’t fray, and then the little monsters can have their soft fabric fix without furring up whatever I’m working on.

Photos and Photos

Anna Krista

New feature – Post Galleries! Sometimes it’s nice to just be able to see photos gathered in one place rather than having to scroll through categories and/or tags. I’ve added a few of my favourite (not necessarily best, but favourite) photos from my previous space to start things off but from here on it’ll be a collection of all the photos I post in entries.

And So to Bed

Anna Krista

What to make when feeling less than stellar? Pajama pants! And, I mean, what else am I going to do with the mysterious flannel in the stash I don’t remember buying?

I used a free pattern from 5 Out of 4 Patterns; even for something as simple as pajama pants there are a couple of details I really like. First: pockets! As far as I’m concerned there is no item of clothing intended for my lower half that could not be improved by pockets. Second: the low-rise option only applies to the front waist, meaning there’s a nice curve that makes it sit right where I prefer it in the front while still rising high enough in the back to cover my not-insignificant butt when I’m lounging around.

The pattern is unisex, and recommends sizing down for women – I went down one size from what the hip measurement put me in and they fit fine. Actually, more than fine. I really like the fit, so I’ll definitely be making these again.

Say hello to Autumn. She’s apparently feeling like a bit of a goof tonight.

Blue & Beachy

Anna Krista

It’s a windy one today! My shirt was floating around like crazy the whole time I was outside. Rest assured it fits better than it looks, but after countless photo attempts I basically just said “yep, good enough”.

So this is Workhorse Patterns’ Ione shirt. As drafted it’s a boxy high-low hem top with an enclosed yoke and sleeve bands, and I intend to make that version of it at some point. For this one, I used the “hack pack” version that combines the yoke and body into one piece and softens the shoulder sleeve line. I lengthened it by three inches for more of a tunic style and graded up two sizes at the hips because of that. It doesn’t show thanks to the wind but I used the dipped hem piece for both front and back, and I had to shorten the sleeves by two inches and the bands by half an inch because I’m all of 4’11” tall. I also narrowed the square neck because otherwise it would have been falling off my sloping shoulders.

Full disclosure: I have no idea what this fabric is. I’ve had it for yonks. It feels almost like a cotton/poly blend, and it has minimal stretch even on the bias. It worked well for this version of the top, but when I sew it as drafted I’m going to want something lighter with more drape.

Foxy, and: Release the Kraken!

Anna Krista

Another overcast day and I’m still doing the timer-and-scramble technique with the camera since I’m remote-less at the moment. I’m also still on a Montrose kick, as I’m the type of person who, when she finds a pattern she likes and that fits well, wants to make one in every colour and every print in existence.

Yes, the hems pull up in the front, likely because of my protruding belly. I don’t hate the look of it, on me, so I’m not yet in a hurry to make adjustments to counter it.

It doesn’t show well in the photo but the black-and-orange print has little foxes! I loved both fabrics as soon as I saw them (I’m a sucker for cute/fun prints) but there was just a metre and a half left on the fox bolt so I used a scrap of black cotton for the sleeves. I also used store-bought bias tape for the neckline, which isn’t my favourite as it tends to be stiffer than I’d like.

I’m thinking about my next projects, now, and being super-indecisive. I have no problems grading between sizes – it’s necessary for a good fit, for me – but I often find myself balking at grading up entire patterns when they don’t come in my size. Not because I can’t, but because I’d rather support pattern makers who include me in their measurements. That gets difficult, at times, because I’m often at the upper edge of even so-called plus-size sewing patterns.

Graduation Time

Anna Krista

I don’t have the time or spoons for many words tonight, but I wanted to share these two photos from a session last week. These five guys have been friends since kindergarten, so their moms arranged for them to have photos taken not just at their high school, but at the elementary school they met at, as well.

Boys can be a challenge sometimes, but this group was super-easy to work with.

Leafy Montrose Hack

Anna Krista

The universe tried to defeat me today as far as photos go. It was cold and windy with a thick layer of grey cloud, and I had equipment issues, to boot. I misplaced the quick-release plate from my tripod, so the only real option I had was the edge of the parking lot where I could set my camera on a car; then the remote refused to work so I had to resort to setting a ten-second timer and scrambling into place after each click.

Issues aside – yay, I have a new dress! It’s a Montrose hack. I lengthened the hem and flared it some, gave it a mild high-low cut, then added elastic and a fabric tie belt to the underbust. I should have traced the edited pattern pieces before putting the dress together, but I didn’t think about it at the time, so if I decide to make another in the same style (which I likely will) I’ll have to pin the dress out and trace from there.

I swore I was not going to be that person who puts a photo of her cats in every post, but Parker’s asleep face-down on a pile of seersucker and it’s the cutest thing.