Some of My Other Summer Sewing Projects

In addition to the flannel shorts I was sewing up a few other things this summer as well. I made a tank top out of some fabric the mother had designated for a nightgown. It really looks like nightgown fabric, too. It fit pretty well, but I gave it to someone that would likely wear it more often than I would. She didn't mind the pattern. I thought it was perfect to test out new patterns until I got the fit dialed in. I made a t-shirt out of it as well, gave it to the same person. I realize that I need to go to curved neckline rather than a v-neck. I can't seem to get the change of direction to work properly. Grumble.

I also inherited a number of silk shirts, all of lovely rich colors. There was one that seemed very simply designed. I traced it out on the pattern tracing paper I have and whipped up this purple flowered blouse. I think it's a rayon blend, so it drapes very fluidly, similar to silk. The collar turned out wider than I prefered, a bra strap tends to show much of the time. I made a second one (no pic, though) from a similar fabric, same purple but with larger less frequent flowers. The collar turned out better on the second one. I made a third from a cotton weave, it's a much stiffer fabric compared to the rayon blend. It doesn't drape nearly as nicely, but I love the pale turquoise color. It looks a lot like a hospital scrub top.

After I finished my pink ducky shorts I had some fabric left over. My neighbor has a four year old daughter so I offered to try and make some pants for her. I borrowed a pair of simple elastic waist pants and traced them out. I simplified the pattern by eliminating the side seam, leaving only the inseam of both legs and the front to back center seam. There can never be pockets this way, though. Went together pretty quickly. But they are the reason I finished my blue duck feets shorts so late. J was very funny about the pants. First she didn't want to try them on and then we couldn't get them off her to be finished and finally she tried to lock Llelo in her bedroom so he could stay for a sleepover. I took Llelo up with me for the fittings, Gus isn't so fond of kids, so he was happier staying in the apartment. She adores Llelo and he seems perfectly happy to flop down next to her for tummy rubs and ear scritches. She tries to play fetch with him as well, but it gets complicated since her dog wants to play with Llelo or get in on the fetching, too.

After our outrigger capsize drill the first weekend in Oct I was chatting with some of the ladies about gear for winter paddling. I offered to stitch up some fleece hats. I copied a hat I found in a lecture hall at UCSC, chemistry class, way back in 1984. And whipped up these in a little over an hour. I still need to sew up some neck warmers as well, next on my list of things to do. That and a fleece pullover. I'm a little nervous about putting in a zipper, though.
For $5 you, too can have your very own fleece hat or neck warmer made expressly for you by me. Oh, and I think I have a pretty lame expression on my face when I am photographing my creations.

Pajama Shorts

I have a fondness for rubber duckies. Of all the fabric my mother collected over the years there are some pieces that she definitely bought with me in mind. Among them was a piece of cotton flannel, dark blue with bright yellow duck feets. Somehow I just knew that fabric wasn't going to be used on a new vest for my brother. About seven months before she passed Gus and I took a road trip out to visit. She sent me home with that piece of fabric and her old Singer Slant-O-Matic. As near as I can figure she got that machine around 1960. I remember her teaching me to thread and use that machine so very long ago. She also gave me a pattern for boxer-style shorts, the type I like to sleep in. I had all I needed to start sewing.

A local friend of mine, a sewing genius in my estimation, suggested I get a piece of fabric to practice on before cutting up the good stuff. I bought an old bed sheet at Value Village for $3 and proceeded to teach myself how to sew. After trying the pattern twice with some modifications to help refine the fit, to no avail, so I decided to ditch the pattern. I had an old pair that fit well but had been retired as they were rather threadbare. I got out my seam ripper and while watching a movie I deconstructed them. From those pieces I drew my own pattern. I also bought a piece of flannel so I could make sure I had it right before I cut the duckies.

Dang if they didn't turn out!!! The legs were, erm, generous if a bit short, but they fit. That was way back in Nov 2006. The seams were far from straight and I didn't know I needed to fold the fabric over twice to keep it from unraveling. The fabric wasn't duckies but it was cute, little starfishes.

Early summer I made another pair, a bit longer and legs not quite so wide this time. The seams were somewhat straighter and there was less unraveling. This print had little moons and stars. Turned out pretty well. In August I made my third successful pair. The flannel was awesome, small pink squares with little rubber duckies! I used a double needle and finally figured out how to roll the edges under for a more finished look.

Last weekend I decided I was finally ready, ready to cut the duckie fabric. I took a deep breath and began to cut, again modifying the pattern, a little longer this time. It was getting late Sunday evening, I just wanted to pin a couple of the seams. Then I thought, 'If I sew this one seam I can pin this other part'. Next thing I realized it was around midnight and I was nearly finished, very tired but I didn't didn't want to put it down with only the waistband to finish. At 1 am I had completed my, uh, masterpiece? I tried them on and they fit great. I thought they looked pretty good, too, but then I am partial to the duckies!

I think the mother would be pleased with how much sewing I've been doing. It was rough to get back into it after she passed, I think it took about a year. I know she was pleased to see my first pair of shorts. I had the chance to show her before she passed. I think I'm ready for the next generation: side seam pockets!

Another Mother's Day

Another Mother's Day has come and gone, my second without the mother. I'd spent Friday and Saturday feeling poorly, so opted to begin my day slowly, seems to be my regular routine on Sunday anyway. I had been wanting to cut some fabric to sew a new t-shirt. I finally cleared all the old family photos off the sewing machine where they'd been since my return from Colorado. I flipped through a few of the mother and then set them aside so I could locate the pattern and the proper piece of fabric. Something nice, but not so nice that if the project failed utterly I wouldn't be bummed at ruining a piece of fabric I really liked. I choose a piece she had marked for a nightgown.

I traced the pattern onto pattern tissue paper and pinned it to the project fabric. So far, so good. Last time I tried to start a similar project I burst into tears and was unable to continue. That was around Christmas time. Time for a little background: My mother loved fabric and all things relating to sewing. Fabric was her vice, if it could be called a vice. She belonged to a number of fabric co-ops where roll ends would be purchased at fantastically low prices and those savings would be passed on to the co-op members. She regaled in telling me about the $30/yd wools that she bought for less than $5/yd! And she bought vast quantities! I'm sure she had countless projects in mind for herself, my brother, and me, and then there were the pieces she bought because they were lovely and the price was great with no idea what so ever what it would be used for. When I helped her move from California to Colorado there were no less than 30 plastic totes filled with fabric. After she passed I looked through all the carefully prewashed and folded fabric (she would prewash each piece as soon as it arrived, fold it and place it on the shelves) recognizing some pieces that were purchased with me in mind. Some of which gave me pause, what *was* she thinking?!? Five yards of pink denim and five yards of pink and white striped denim? Now I like pink, don't get me wrong, but what did she have in mind for 10 yards of pink denim?

And now back to our story ... I got the fabric cut, selected the nearest approximation regarding thread color because I didn't have a proper match, and read the instructions through two or three times. It was time to begin assembly. Sewed the shoulder seams, no problem. Attach the sleeves, no problem. Sew up the sides/armpits, hmm, not sure this was in the correct order, but no visible problems. The collar looks challenging, I think I'll hem the sleeves and bottom, no problem. Now, all that's left is the collar. Harumph. I re-read the instructions, wondered how it could possibly work. I finally pinned it into place and stitched it on. I ended up hand stitching the collar at the base of the v-neck.

It fits better than I expected, I was quite pleased. I had cut the sleeves a couple inches longer than the pattern called for, that worked well. The shirt length and fit around were good. Next time I'll have a couple new tricks for the collar and I plan to make the sleeves a bit larger around; these were not too tight, but I'd still like them to be a little bit larger. I can't think of a better way to spend Mother's Day than doing a sewing project in homage to the mother.