More Snowstorm Sewing

 As we are finally in spring (ohhh was it a long, cold, wet spring), I thought it was about time to post the other sewing I did during the first couple weeks of the school year in January, when we were doing virtual school and I had pretty much no work. 

Megan mentioned that she'd like another Lovesick Bra (now called the LBB) by George and Ginger. I had the idea that finally I should try to make it reversible. It has a separate band, so I knew I'd have to do a few things. Well, those first things did not work and I got a mobius tube that would not work LOL. 

I found this video which helped tremendously. It still was a little tricky to follow along because she uses purple fabric for both layers, and the fabric looks the same on the right side and wrong sides! I wasn't keen on topstitching to close the bottom of the band, but in the end it looked okay.

I wanted a new one too, but with a higher neck for doing yoga. I got to it, pleased it was going so well despite having to remind myself a couple times which was the fold on the back piece, and which was the side.

Apparently I didn't remind myself enough, and when I went to sew it together, I found out that my front side seam was way longer than the back piece. 

I compensated with some tidy pleats. It's a little more low cut than I'd like at the side, but considering what it could have been, it's a very functional fix.

This picture shows how the back is way too high in the centre. Oh well. 

This time, I somehow found a different YouTube tutorial: https://youtu.be/SN59u1QM5i8  I searched and searched, using different words, and this one did not come up the first time. It's a great looking channel!

To end off the sewing spree, I made my Mom some women's Boxerwear. She said she had been wearing Dad's to bed. I had been too, and had swapped out some of the fly fronts for a flat front. So I felt she deserved a proper pair made from the woman's pattern (now just called pouchless I think). I don't know if the fit is different than the men's, but I hope so. I didn't get any feedback from her...I should ask!

They are so comfortable to sleep in! They don't get all twisty like loose boxers. 
I'm looking forward to the summer, and hopefully doing some more sewing!

Tire Tracks

Or...when your underwear matches your t-shirt.

I don't sew a lot for Rob, except the Boxerwear and the occasional t-shirt. I bought dress pant pattern from Thread Theory, but haven't gotten to them yet. I was thinking of making him a dress shirt, but then he got a huge box from his BIL.  All really nice, expensive shirts. So t-shirts and underwear and all he needs from me LOL

I started with the shirt, picking up this fabric on a clearance sale. I think there was only 1m available. 

1. 

Then, December 2018, just after Christmas, maybe for Boxing Day, the Jeep fabric came up. There was only 1/2m available and I snagged it fast. I planned to make my Dad some more Boxerwear. Then a couple days after Christmas, he took a sudden turn for the worse and was admitted to the hospital. My fabric arrived on Jan 2, and instead of the Jeep fabric, they sent more of the tire tracks! I sent off an email and she said there was more and would send it. Two out of the first three orders from this company were wrong, though they were great about fixing the errors. 

What can't be fixed is the fading. The Jeep fabric faded pretty badly.  Rob says it's cause it's Jeep quality LOL.  The tire track fabric did fade some too but has more shades to begin with. Some of the other black based prints I've used for his Boxerwear have held up great! Those were bought in a destash though and I don't know the original source. 

Not the best picture, but oh well. It's been hard to find men's fabric that isn't video game, sports teams, or designed for boys. I want manly fabrics, not boy fabrics! 

Let's Get Caught Up

I had a really good trip to Value Village earlier this spring. I hadn't planned to go, but I got to Fabricland and they weren't open yet, so I headed over to VV.  There were some great options in the fabric section! I hadn't been in awhile because the last time I did, I scored some great fabric. Large pieces of knit fabrics, possibly rayon knit. So, I didn't need more but I couldn't pass up what I did find. This prompted me to finally sew up something from the last haul.

There was enough of this fabric for a dress, so I had been saving it to make a dress. But I don't really wear dresses in the winter and my dress section of my closet is full. So I decided to make a top and skirt. Because of the busyness of the print, I opted for my good old TNT, New Look 6735.  

 With a scrap, I "made" a cleaning cloth for my flute. Okay. I was practicing in our "music nook" which is next to my sewing room. The scraps hadn't been put away yet. This was the first I grabbed. And yes, I actually went to band wearing that shirt, and with that cleaning cloth. I'm unique.

I made the skirt from New Look 6735 as well. I was tired though, and somehow cut out 2 of the sections that needed 4 and 4 for the sections that needed 2. Although they are similar, one is cut on the fold and one is cut flat. I went ahead and sewed it together anyway. It seems a little flat at the front. I added pockets, following a tutorial I found for adding pockets in a knit dress. I had read to use interfacing on the seams to stop them from stretching out. I used the lightest non-woven/non-knit interfacing I had, but I think I should have used the knit interfacing. Though to me, that would defeat the purpose. I wasn't all that happy with the pockets.

Then I tried the skirt on, and it was too big. So I unpicked the elastic in two places, snipped it and made it shorter, then resewed. It was still too big. So I unpicked the entire elastic, re-did the top corners of the pockets and sewed all the seams slightly smaller, and stitched in the elastic (after shortening it more). It's not tight, but I might be worried if I have a "skinny" day. I haven't worn it yet since spring is still hiding with the groundhog. Well, yesterday wasn't too bad and today looks nice. Edit:  I did wear it, I think with a black top. Comfy though the elastic might need to be tighter still.

I've done a lot of small projects this year, that I haven't posted about. Like, slippers. I needed new slippers. The ones I made for the Florida trip were getting holes. The gold ones I made are nice but I wanted something light for summer. I posted a picture of the ones I made to Facebook and my brother's MIL (who was on the trip) asked for three pairs. My SIL asked for a pair. No problem! It seems to take forever to make more than one pair LOL. I totally messed up one for the MIL (sewed the heel piece on upside down). So she got two pairs to start with. I finished the other pair after.

The icky ones in the middle are the Roadtrip slippers. Yes, I used the same fabric as for the muslin I was just making. Great use for those scraps. Okay, I can't find a picture of the gold ones. I can't find the slippers either. Mmmm....

I've also made a lot of underwear.

 I've had this panel for awhile. I think it's a quote from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but I like it anyway. However...the fabric felt "tight", but it still had stretch. And when I tried them on, it was obviously not enough stretch. I could wear them, but I won't.

I did have to piece my bands and made the leg ones a little narrower to fit them all on the piece.

Then I went to do this pair. I noticed this fabric also had that glossy, slick feel to it. I cut the back out and then questioned if I was going to end up with another bad pair. So for the front, I use my colour block pattern, and did my regular 95/5 Cotton-Lycra fro the front sides and the bands. This pair is so, so comfortable and supportive!

These are some I made in the winter. I struggled so much with the waist band of the blue pair. It just didn't seem to be long enough. And when I tried them on, I was shocked. Then I laid them with the other ones....I don't know what happened. 

I had a stack of underwear that didn't really fit me. Some were before I altered the pattern to fit me better, some were RTW. I decided to take the ones I've sewn and fix them up--add an upper belly wedge for a bit more length. This pair I also cut a new waistband. Much better now. 

I have some light coloured pants, so for a few pairs I did the backside in white, and then a print on the front--my pants are not usually as tight at the front, and you don't have to worry about the "squat test". Nothing is worse than squatting and finding out the print on your undies suddenly show through!

When I was picking up new solids from The Fabric Snob, I found this fabric in the clearance section. 

Thought it would make cute underwear. I washed it, and the selvage did not shrink the same as the rest of the fabric. It was very puckery. This is why you shouldn't include the selvage in your pieces. At least not until it's been washed. I snipped off the selvage to let the fabric relax. I was worried it didn't have good recovery so I did the bands in white. Hubby says they're fine, but when he sleeps, the fly is not ....containing him...the overlap is not enough or the opening is too low...

Boxers Update

I wrote briefly abut changing the fly on the Boxers to a "H" style, and using athletic mesh. I made another pair with a totally different mesh, from Len's Mills.

Just a refresher on how the fly pieces now look, and overlap.

There was bright green in this print, but when I cut the pieces out, not much actually showed.

It's kind of a waffle knit athletic mesh. Pretty bright in real life! I did such an awesome job lining up the butt seam with the fly dart!!

My dad has been having a rough patch with his health, so I made him some boxers too. In the green pair above, the elastic is on the outside, and this pair, it's on the inside. I don't know which is better, but no one has specified a preference. I stuck with the regular fly...partly because of habit and partly because my dad's mental clarity isn't all that great some days due to morphine, so I don't want to confuse him at an urgent time :)

 I bought this brown cotton lycra from Midnight Mountain Fabrics to make a brown shirt to go with the skirt from the last post.  I ordered a metre, but when I opened the package, it was only half a metre! I know I'm short, but that's not quite enough for a t-shirt with sleeves. I emailed them, and within a few days I received the full metre. I used the mistake cut to make these boxers. I really appreciated that I didn't have to send it back. As it was, it cost almost $15 to mail these to my dad. I vacuum sealed them, but I think the size of the "envelope" added to the cost. I'm glad I could cheer him up a little and add to his collection.

I Sewed Slippers!

I usually knit slippers, and felt them. Although  I have a huge yarn stash, felting wools are getting low (at least, felting wools that would make good slippers for me). I also have a large fabric collection. And I really needed slippers. I found that Stitch Upon a Time had a free pattern on their Facebook page (in the files). Looked good. I dug out some fabrics.

I used some fleece Lucy had bought to make pajamas for her BFF's Christmas present. I had some matching blue fleece that had shrunk when I washed it and was really thick. That became the soles. I got a little confused with the pattern because my insoles and lining were the same print as the outer. But all in all, they weren't too bad. And much quicker than knitting and felting!

New Year's Eve at my parents.

They also tend to make an appearance in my flat lay photos.

They lasted about six months before I started getting holes in the outer layer of the sole. The inner layer hasn't worn through but it won't be long. I know I need to make another pair. The fabric choices are endless though. I do have some suede left from Tinkerbell's slippers and might see if I can get the soles from what's left. Or even use it as patches over the sole? I might not like the feel though. We have a Consew industrial sewing machine which I want to use for the next pair (though I sewed the suede with my Kenmore before. These have a few more layers). Rob keeps saying he's going to add pulleys to slow it down so I've been waiting. And we have only black thread. LOL.