Dragon scale trousers to go with my hoody

 

Well I knew when I made my dragon scale hoody that I would also make these track pants but to be honest I suspect its going to just be far to OTT even for me on an outrageous day to wear them together. Maybe in winter as PJs but not I think out and about. 

The outfit with the matching hoody is just too much. I might handle them worn together on a holiday when as they say "anything goes when know one knows your name"😀.

These are the Lekala Track (Sports trousers) pants pattern, but I got rid of the side splits at the hems, where the pattern used doubled fabric. I did not like that when I did make them on my original version of these.  Can't believe I made them right back in 2015! 

The fabric is just too thick and cumbersome round the ankles in that design so I changed that on my second version and every subesquent version and it was a good alteration to make. So long ago now I doubled over the hems part and taped it to the bottom of the trouser legs and have used the pattern like that ever since.  Really I should probably trace around it and make a new pattern and I will one day when the current downloaded pattern starts to disintegrate. Right now its a lazy option but works a treat.

Of course ankle splits in trousers have come back into fashion again so you could do worse than to use this pattern for making trousers with them because in a nice lightweight fabric they would give a good finish but I tend to make heavier weight trousers from the pattern which is why they were to bulky round the ankles with doubled over fabric. If I was to make ankle splits I would just have the single layer there anyway and leave the side seams undone and hemmed with splits, Anyway, this is the version I like to make.

This is one of my TNT patterns and no mistake. The fact it was, when I got it, also a free pattern, really does make this a great pattern to own. Lekala don't give as much away these days. I just wish I had downloaded more when they did. But still this pattern is really good for me personally and its definitely been well used. I suppose because Lekala are now known to make good patterns that fit, so people just go there anyway and they don't need to give so much away.   I would recommend this pattern for a basic pair of track pants even now you have to pay for it. This and the other free pattern I keep using for yoga pants are my staples for sports trousers - and leggings as well of course.

 

I have no idea what number this pair is now. I have made so many of these. I even made two pairs in grey glittery fabric and have at least enough recently bought similar fabric for another couple of grey glitter pairs. Though my newest tracksuit fabric is a darker grey than the original glitter pants were. I plan to make them when winter is a bit closer. 

The difference between this pair and the red camo ones I made recently is in the hems. In the case of this pair I just sewed round the edge to stop them coming undone on the side seams, and left the hem edge raw. It kind of feels more "beachy" if beachy is a word.

I did similar on my camo version which are now very old and pilly though still worn for gardening and decorating, and anything dirty. In that case though I added a second layer at the hem and sewed a strip of fabric round the bottom meaning there were two layers of raw edges. I made two identical pairs of the green camo ones as well.

I reckon maybe that hem looks better? I still haven't decided on that score as yet.

They are worn here with a black ribbed top McCalls top and my white fleece. I reality both work better than my dragon scale top which matches fabric-wise but the overall effect is just a bit too much for me. 

Ah and yes, hair colour is "Electric Mango" . It has not quite covered all the blue streaks up as yet and I am still getting used to my reflection in the mirror, but so far so good.

Have a great weekend

Bracken

Tidying up and a new challenge!

Its a slight skewing of my New Years aims which I have pretty much stuck to, until now anyway, but I am faced with either sending loads of useable fabric to landfill or finding ways to make use of it and I hate planet killing waste. So today marks the start of a new adventure into finding uses for small pieces of fabric that I rediscovered hiding in my stash.

Well I say hiding but really they are just ignored and over looked. This is a rather large bag to hide really!

My stash busting efforts this year have not been in vain, but this big bag of bits should be used or a home found for them. I am currently even considering asking a local school if they could make use of some of it for the art classes. 

I have still got tons of fabric in my stash, and I was given money to buy more for my birthday, which of course I did, so my fabric stash has shrunk less ( so far this year) than I was intending. Anyway I was trying to fit some of these new fabrics on my shelves and realised I still have this bag of offcuts and possibly useful bits of fabric in a large bag.

The bag is intended for under bed storage but works well as a stash bag for bits and pieces that would otherwise keep slipping off shelves and make a mess and it can be pushed right behind all the nicer looking folded pieces of fabric that I bought more recently and want so much to get round to using. 

I can honesty say I have not actually opened this bag for at least 2 years so really I need to investigate.

So, Ihad a look at what exactly is in there because I honestly have no idea:

There turns out to be a few quite sizable pieces - like just under 2m of some red shiny ribbed fabric. Really this is just too large a piece to just throw away which is obviously why I decided to stash it in the first place. I recall making a top from this. I got rid of that top ages ago so this is now quite old and I need to use it up. It was very cheap Ebay fabric but that does not mean it should just be wasted and then throw into landfill. Thats just immoral and I do try not to waste things and not to pollute the planet. I bought this so must get round to using it and now seems the time to clear out all these useful offcuts and make something from them. And by so doing make space for my birthday present fabrics. Of course it will mean I cannot sew them right now but never mind.

Well there are other pieces in there too. Some scuba I made some skirt sets for a holiday that was 2 years ago etc etc.

Several differet types of synthetic plain black fabrics - surely I can do some kind of patchwork item with them at least?

Some satin I used to line a parcel bag at Christmas - was that 2 years or 3 years ago?

And assorted Tshirt fabrics and velvet bits. There is even some swimwear fabric in this bag!

I decided, well really, this bag needs to go. Some of the fabric offcuts go back years so its time to make some decisions. For me as a sewist thats hard. I hate to throw away any piece of fabric large enough for even a pin cushion so you can imagine the range of fabric bits I have here. And of course this is not the only bag I have like this. I have at least one more bag this size and two boxes filled with similar bits of left over offcuts.  

So instead of cutting out new items and thereby making even more offcuts I am now going to set myself the task of using these bits up even if I just make some leggings or a few vests or knickers from whats in this bag.

This might mean a deviation from my New Years plans but I might yet be able to icorporate this into them. I really don't know as yet.

I will probably start with the larger pieces and see what can be made and then go onto smaller pieces. This bag has caught me though and these fabrics will be used. I really feel so strongly it woudl be wrong to just throw them away and yet using them is a challenge. And thats why they have been sitting stashed all this time!

Still I am up for a challenge right now so we will see.

If I manage to make anything remotely wearable or useful from this lot I will post it because its going to take me some time to think of what and how to use at least some of these off cuts. Still this blog was begun as an adventure into sewing and I have felt for some time my ideas have become a bit stale. Time then to step up and try something a bit different.

Have a lovely week,

Bracken

Mermaid/Dragon scales Hoody top

 

Not an original make, but I just loved the fabric so much. Its described as "dragon scale print" but its very like the mermaid prints too.

Its a french terry in cotton with lycra, though I suspect the lycra is not really very good at keeping things in shape for long. It seems not to be very strong on other similar fabrics I have bought previously. Either way I could not resist and I like this fabric so much I just bought another 2m of it!

This is the hoody from a sport trousers/ tops/vests pattern (again!) which has been mostly used for my partner. Though I have made a skull print top before from this pattern .I used the mens pattern and just sewed a very shallow hem - possibly this is a mistake because it keeps flipping over to the wrong side of the fabric when I wear it so this may have to change.

I have not decided one way or the other as yet about my hem. I made it very narrow to make this as long as possible because I thought it would also work as a short T shirt type of dress. Or beach dress. I wore this on the beach and it was great.

I also narrowed the sleeves because when I tried it on with the width it was cut out with it just flet lumbersome and bulky. Hacked into a narrower sleeve it is much easier to wear and now I like the final sleeve very much. Its probably too long by most standards but perfect for keeping warm on an English beach. Or anywhere with winds.

Otherwise its just as my other versions.

Have a great week

Bracken

Black pointy pixie dress

 

The title of this post is "pointy" due to the hem and the hood both ending in points. So kind of witchy or pixie -ish. The pattern is a "pixie pattern". Its Simplicity 1251.

This is a cotton looped back french terry fabric which turned out really good for this particular pattern.

I previously made a stretch velvet top and a dress in thinner lycra type of fabric from this pattern and neither works as well as french terry to the extent I intend to make a second terry version of this dress.

The hem is too narrow though so I might change that because as you walk the front hem flips over to the wrong side showing a white back to the fabric which sort of ruins the look. Its easily sorted though so when I get time I will unpick the hem and resew. 

Construction is slightly unusual for this but very easy. The front and side back are cut together so to insert the sleeve you must first join the side seams. I prefer usually to sew side seams and sleeve seams as one contuous seam. You cannot do that with this pattern so have to ease the sleeve in as you do with most coats and jacket patterns. Other than that its one of the most straightforward patterns you can find yet looks a bit "different".

 I really love this which is good because when this fabric arrived I was not impressed. Its got a space print with planets rockets etc and is a nice print but I just could not see how I could wear it.

How wrong was I in that?

This is possibly the most wearable dress I have made this year!

There is a slight flare to the bottom sleeve edge which is nice. I never actually realised that until making this. The cuff flare is a nice added bit of interest on an otherwise straight boring sleeve. I kind of think real pixies  would want some practicality in their lives too so maybe the straighter sleeve is just better all round.

There is an alternative funnel sleeve you can make for this dress/top that I used for both my previous versions but I find it does get a bit annoying constantly having to tuck the wide sleeve in to do ordinary things like wash up a cup. Sadly not being an actual magical pixie I cannot just magic my cups clean - at least not yet anyway. so thats why I made the straighter sleeve and I am happy I made that choice. I will make it like this next time too I think.

This is a brilliant holiday dress. Not too short, nice childish print which appeals to me and pointy bits on top and bottom. Whats more to want?

Have a great week, 

Bracken

Long velvet skirt - pattern trial

 

This is actually on my New Years to-do list and was also on last years list but last year it never got made so I finally get to make this skirt. In fact its been on my to-make list since 2014 when it came out so its taken me a while...............

 

Its from the Burda Style 09/2014. It has a high low hem - kind of because its actually got a small train at the back. 

 

This meant me having to hold the skirt up today when I wore this to Rugby town to go shopping in Asda, where I found myself on an escalator and the reality of being pulled into the mechanism and revealing my undies suddenly hit me. Well I would have had to get out of my clothes quick had I really got sucked into the steps on the escalator and stuff anyone if I reveal my knickers to get free. Well it did not happen but there is definitely a risk if you wear this skirt somewhere like that.

 

The fabric is the same very cheap velvet I bought by accident and kept just to make this skirt so this is a big tick off my New Years list of things to make in 2023. And despite I am not a big fan of the fabric I love this skirt so I am glad to tried it out. I will have to make a proper one - as in in fabric I love.

And it means with the top I made a while ago, I have an actual outfit which is something I never make normally. I mean I felt really dressed up today going to town in this though to be honest its the wrong outfit for a hot day in June. Still I will give it a wash and stick it in my winter clothes pile for later in the year and I think this will be a great outfit closer to Christmas.

So I have actually not only achieved an aim I set myself but eliminated a large piece of fabric from the stash. I am feeling happy this week. 

Have a great week,

Bracken