Cartoon Print Lounge shorts

 

My other half had a desire for some shorts he can just lounge round in. (And maybe use as underwear if he pops down the shop on a sunday morning wearing his track suit!). These are based on the New Look 6142 track pants. I just cut them shorter.

I have made these kind of shorts  a few times for him but never before included them here but decided this pair is really good. I have had a lot of practice since I have made probably 5 or 6 pairs of these, but I am really quite happy with how these ones have turned out. You can get 2 pairs of these from 2m of average width poly cotton so they are very inexpensive to make. I bought the fabric from Coventry Market. 

The pictures actually show two different pairs made in the same fabric. I improved them as I went along.

In all the previous versions except the purple ones I just encased the elastic round the waist in a channel. Usually - like this pair above  - I use 1 inch wide waistband elastic that I buy whole rolls of because I use it for just about everything ( particularly leggings).  On the purple version below, I actually made two channels and had two rows of narrow elastic.

but I decided ths time I will anchor the elastic in place so I used a stretch stitch all round after adding the elasic. Its an extra step but will stop the problem he has had with other pairs of these where the elastic moved and turns over inside the channel and its impossible to get it back to flat again.

  Well its just a small make this week. I am having to wait before I start any major projects because I have run out of overlocker thread and needles - bad planning I suppose. I am very good at planning my makes but less so at keeping my machines in order and of course the one does not happen without the other, so this week while waiting for things to arrive I will be cleaning and oiling everything ready to begin again. I must admit I do neglect my machines in my enjoyment of sewing. My partner has even told me off for it when machines start to become noisy so this week will be my week to do maintainance.

I have also been thinking loads about #MeMadeMay. I never took part last year because I had started to find it a bit annoying. Well I know you can join part way through, and I nearly did, because I missed it so much, but in the end never did it last year so this year I will definitetly be doing #MeMadeMay so will try and sign up for that this week too.

Take care

Bracken

White fleece Burdastyle hoody.

  

This is another version of Burda style 103, 01/2017. I made a grey marl ( with glitter) version a few weeks back. I decided to finally use this white fleece I have in my stash. The turquoise is a snood so not part of the top.

Its worn here with my Burda track pants. I really should make another pair of them as well. Maybe in a brighter colour for spring because I have worn them loads.

I am also wearing my recent successful hand knit black mitts - it was cold when these photos were taken! You can get the mitts pattern from here if you want it. https://brackencrafts.blogspot.com/2021/04/black-glitter-hand-knit-mitts.html

 

I do not very often wear white because its really not my colour, and never white fleece. Or at least this is a first for me. This fabric ended up in my stash being just £2.49 a metre so was just impossible to walk past and not buy.

I like the grey version of this hoody so much I decided I could actually handle this white fleece fabric in that style. It seemed a shame not to make something from this warm fabric and I have a need right now for warm tops. Also the top is so easy and fast to sew up and I had even already traced the pattern. So its a kind of bonus top in a way due to the lack of effort needed to make it ( no pattern tracing or sticking together for this one!) and its very warm. 

After making this it suddenly went cold again with flurries of snow flakes but now its gone warm again so with the changeable spring weather its actually perfect for the UK at this time of year.

Again, just like my grey version this was really easy to make. One thing that did occur to me after finishing this was the fact you could sew the pocket inside and flap it over so making for a non-topstitched top edge. I am not sure whether this would look better but if your topstitching is a bit uneven ( like mine) and you decided to use a contrast thread - I stupidly went with grey thinking it would add to this but realy it just shows up my dodgy stitching so I should have done it all in white.

I actually only ended up with grey stitching along the hood hem and the pocket sides because I unpicked the rest and did it in white because it just looked home made with my skill level in grey stitching. Other than that though this worked out very well I think and its perfect for spring - even if I do feel rather bright and white when I first put it on!

Take care stay safe and happy crafting

Bracken

Grey wool hoody - Burdastyle 126, 11/2016

 This is possibly made because I felt so cold when we took photos of my white shirt the other week. I traced and cut this out so fast and it was a relatively fast sew as well so I am pleased to show you this one. 

 

I currently have mismatched toggles but please ignore them. I have yet to received the new ones I have bought - and they are tiny grenades of all designs!

The fur fabric comes from a second hand fur coat. That turned out to be the cheapest way to get hold of fur. So this is partly upcycled I suppose.

I did have to piece it but it does not notice so I am happy enough. The grey wool coating is the same fabric used for my winter work trousers. I do intend to wear them together - like a suit but a bit more fun and trendy

The pattern is Burdastyle 126, 11/2016 which is my most used Burda magazine ever. Soon I will have made nearly everything in this one. I actually bought it for this coat so its taken some time for me to get round to making this. Its been on my "to make list" since it came through my letter box back in 2016.

The jacket has a high low hem  and it has no pockets which is slightly annoying. I could have added them but I reckon it might destroy the nice lines so did not do that.

I made two sizes up to my usual Burda size because I want to be able to layer this over thick arans.

Its closed at the neck with  yoke - like the Burda version with bought frogs. 

 

These came from Ebay for just over £5 for the three and were a real pain to sew on. I am not sure how these closures usually come but mine were glued into shape and if you were rough with them the glue came undone meaning its hard to hand sew them on. Otherwise they were fine though and very affordable.

This is a great jacket. 

Different, but still respectable enough even for work I think.

Its worn here with my black track pants. I am not so sure about them right now. I am concluding I made them with the fabric wrong way round! Terry side out that is. I may just have to make either some more trousers or a top with the rest of that fabric. Right side out tho next time. 😏

Its snowing here right now making this jacket perfect for the time of year. For once I actually made something that fits the season!

Take care and stay safe

Bracken

White frilly 1980s style Burda shirt

 

I was actually shivering for these photos, which I think shows unfortunately. I might try and get some more pictures when its a little warmer!

I need to make a white vest or cami to go under this. Yellow is the lightest I currently own and being see-through means I prefer to wear a vest underneath. 

I bought the broderie anglais as cotton but its actually probably polycotton, so I am not so happy about that because I also bought black at the same time. Yet to use that. Still its not so bad I suppose, and was not too expensive really. Though I would have paid less if I had bought some from elsewhere that was described as polycotton. I hate it when you are miss-sold something though. I bought this from poundametre.com. 

I have had quite a few problems with poundametre.com recently. They seem to often describe things wrongly or even send a completely different colour out and then try to make you pay return postage when you need to send it back. I actually received one piece of so called "premuim" cotton that was so faded it was unusable. They offered me a 15% discount on my next order in compensation but honestly that was such a rag I would only have used as a dustsheet for decorating so I had to get Paypal involved to get refunded. I luckily always use Paypal to pay so thats easy to sort out this kind of problem, but be aware of this if you decide to go for any of their bargains. Its also worth knowing that Paypal do free return postage if you get something you are unhappy with. I did not realise this until a few weeks ago. Despite all the hassles I have recently placed another order with the same company, because the fabric is mostly ok and very cheap. Usually even if not quite rightly described its still useable and generally I buy fabric with no ideas what to do with it. Anyway, be warned if you choose to buy from this company. I would certainly say do not give them credit card details because you might just need Paypal if there is a problem and Paypal does make life easy when you need to make a claim. It takes months to claim using credit cards and often it has to be over a certain value. Not so with Paypal who do make online shopping very safe.

Anyway back to my top - you can see from this photo that the neck has a tendancy to curl under which is not good:

I started this shirt in July last year and got as far as doing the neck. Then I stopped because I have made a mess of it. Instead of using bias binding - which I did not have in white and also had no white fabric to make any, and there was not enough left over to do so from the rest of the shirt, so I used ribbon.

 The ribbon not being bias makes the neck out of shape resulting in a  pulling look and this top is 4 sizes too big as well so its not FBA  problems here. I will still wear this probably for work, but its a complete cock up round the neck area. Mind you I have yet to press it which I think it needs. Maybe that will help a bit?

It does not work well at all. It kind of sticks up a bit due to not beig bias and it pulls weirdly at the CF point of the neck. I did consider hand sewing CF down to try and stop it, or even taking appart and starting again but that is very difficult to do with the ribbn so well stitcheed round the edge and in the end its wearable and I am better to just make a second perfect version I think and get rid of this one from the sewing pile.

Then because of the neck mess-up I did not bother with this shirt until last Monday when I had to have a day off or I would lose the day as holiday because its the end of the financial year where I work, so what do I do but sew of course.

I have been trying for several weeks to clear the buildup of half made items from the sewing area. I have nearly finsihed now, so its been a good way to go I think, though I have found less excitment involved than usual when I finish something thats been hanging around for ages, than I feel when I make something on the spot. Still these were all once things I decided to make. They all cost money and should be finished.

The pattern for this is from Burda Style October 1981.The magazine is German but there is an english suppliment so you can even do the knits!

The 1980s ( and 1960s and 1970s) burdas are different to modern ones in that the patterns are rarely multi sized.

Hence this is a size 44 when normally I cut a 36. Each design is in one or two sizes only. Of course you can grade up or down and there are online courses - with Burda (that was free) if it still exists after the pretty rubbish recent website updates. YouTube probably has courses as well. 

In this case I was slightly wary of the 1980s sizing. I suspect I need to go up one size or maybe two but not as many as I did. I also did not mind if it was loose fitting being an overhead top with no opening and I prefer loose to tight anyway. This pattern only comes in a size 44.

I did not include the sleeve frills and I simplified this because it turned out to have very long sleeves so I just folded over and made channels on the wrists because by then its been waiting to be finished for the last 8 months. I think it actually works rather well and I may even like wearing this despite the defects. I do intend to repeat this one. I think next time I do this pattern I may go whole hog and make it with the sleeve frills as well. But maybe not in broderie anglais. The frill edges are all overlocked with rolled edges which I find quite easy to do nowadays. That used to be such a big deal for me to be moving the cutters and dislocating everything then putting it all back again.

I would not buy this shirt in a shop, but by sewing I enlarge my choices surprisingly. Its really not at all me ( or at least I have never gone for anything vaguey this style before, even in the 80s)  but that in itself means why not make it. Its different. I really need to use the sewing I do every week of my life, to widen my choice of clothing. I also want to make a version that works properly. So this is a muslin and I will improve on the next one I make.

Making sportswear and T shirt tops is very good for me because if I buy RTW thats what I always buy. But thats not very adventurous. Its also not really a challenge any more because I have had lots of practice and usually they work very well.

When buying RTW I simply cannot afford, financially, to take risks. But making my own clothing means generally its less to do than to buy similar RTW. Making things means I also get to challenge myself in my craft, and also my sense of style. A lot of people seem to be making jeans again. Jeans are not so good for me because I hate wearing jeans, and only wear them really when I work in a lab which does seem to happen pretty often, but is down to what jobs are available at the time. My skills are a weird mix to be honest and range from chemical engineering though to administration and even enforcement. Right now I am not doing lab work. I own at least 12 pairs of jeans already, so although they are a challenge to make and seem very popular with the sewing community, I cannot see the point. Shirts and blouses though I will wear, though mainly for work, but they are a challenge. I always find joining the sleeve onto the bodice a challenge. Not so much with stretch knit fabric because in recent years I have really played a great deal with knits, but wovens is my current weak point, so I should I think spend some time making woven items. 

It also ticks off yet another magazine which I own where I agreed with my other half to make one thing from each of these magazines taking up room in our not very big house. That then justifies me keeping this one. I have about another 100 magazines to go😉 - thats keeping me busy at least the next 5 or so years!

I have actually stopped buying burdas and all other magazines at the moment since the last binge buying session, which was last August when I bought this one, I ended up with over 50 more to store. Of course I am happy to own all these lovely mags!

Yes I do need to press the hem as well but at least its finished. Ah and the trousers worn with this top are my upcycled real leather leggings.

Stay safe

Bracken

Black glitter hand knit mitts

 I finally made a pair of mitts that fits!

Again these are kitted flat so really easy.

So heres the pattern for this version:

Use 5mm needles and mohair /chunky. Cast on 30 stitches, Knit 1 purl 1 rib for as many rows as you want for your wrist so if you want them to be longer just knit more rows. I did 8 rows for both the wrist edge and the top edge. Continue in Stocking stitch for the body of the gloves. I knitted for 4.5cm in stocking stitch then did the thumb. 

Shaping for thumb k8, 5 stitches onto stitch holder or safety pin, cast on 5 stitches and keep on stitch holder and then continue in stocking stitch for 9cm.

Do top ribbing - 8 rows and cast off using 6.5mm needle.

For thumb pick up the 10 stitches from stitch holder and do knit 1 purl 1 rib for 4cm then cast off using 6.5mm needle. Sew up thumb then sew side seam ( which is actually part way across the wrong side and not actualy at the side.

repeat for second glove remembering to do the thumb on the opposite side to the first glove so you get two " handed " gloves rather than have one with a seam on the top.

So now I am happy to finally get a pair that really does fit me and just in time for the snow that keeps landing. 

I will try these in an aran next I think because I suspect mohair is aran/chunky weights so half way between the two and it may well work for that going by needle sizes. And I have some aran in my yarn stash. I  would also like to start to have a play with patterned gloves made flat and see what I can come up with.

Please let me know if you knit these and any problems you find or if the pattern just does not work. 

 Thanks so much.

Enjoy!

Bracken

Burda Style hoody 103, 01/2017 - Glittery grey track suit

 

I am so excited! Yesterday I showed you my glittery grey track pants. Today I actually got off my arse and sewed the Hoody to go with them and how good is this for a track suit?

These are my trousers:

The hoody is lovely. I don't know why its taken me so long to get round to this top. It was also very easy to construct. Though I did spend the last few days wondering about the eyelets that you are meant to put into the hood. The pattern has eyelets to thread a pullcord through on the edge of the hood. It does look good on the photos but I was unsure about this.

I actually woke up today and asked my partner - "do you need the pullcord in most hoodys"

His response "No". He rarely uses them they are just for looks. Then follows a conversation about eyelets, pullcords and hoodys. He also pointed out that they often come out even when its a RTW garment leaving a hole and then he usually just does DIY in them. So then, I also know I am rubbish with hammer in fixings. Its not so bad the poppers. They often work well, but eyelets and rivets I seem unable to do well. 

 

And really I also only really use the pullcord on outdoor jackets, such as waterproofs, when yes you do need them. There was an option to do a small button hole I suppose. I have done that before, but again its just for looks really so I decided; stuff it. I am not adding a pullcord. If the design was slightly different you could probably just have a pullcord coming out a channel round the edge but the overlapping neck means this will not work. Ok so no pullcord.

Once thats decided this was a very quick sew. I did take a few breaks but it was pretty much a few hours long project and its done. 

The order to sew for me was started with the pocket and hood - overlock edges and twin needle as needed for hems. 

Pin pocket to front CF panel and it fits so well its really easy to do this because the shaping pretty much positions it for you. I left the bottom pinned to the CF till I pit the band on the bottom at the end.

 

I broke 2 twin needles doing the pocket. Luckily I have spares. They come from an Ebay seller direct from China so I had best get an order in because I have only one left now and they take about 3 months to come but they are as good as the expensive ones. I used my broken twin needle, (there is only 1 broken) as a normal needle to sew reinforced corners on my pocket top by just taking out the second thread. This stops it tangling.

Then add on side panels - very nice finish to my pocket! 

 

On to  CB then - add side panels, add sleeves. Take a break because I did not want to wreck what looks to be a nice top. 

Burda use 2 bands for the bottom band. I just did one the full width of what 2 would have been because if I removed the seam allowance off two edges that gave me enough fabric - yes it was that close! I might though next time put the seam that is CB on the band this time at a side. 

Then add hood and then another break and the bands. One of these is not quite perfect. probably a cutting error because I only just managed to get the bands out of my scraps and I think one is not quite perfectly a rectangle. It looks fine on me but I know its slightly twisted inside. Never mind. It hangs well enough.

And here are more pictures of my lovely comfy glittery track suit:

Well usually I do not take photos inside because they tend to be somewhat dark. It was too dark outside by the time I finished this so we took inside. What can I say? This outfit was just meant to be!

 What a productive weekend!

 I so love it when you finally get something finished that you have planned for months.

Have a brilliant week!

Bracken