Floral skull trousers with side splits - Jamesia

I thought with it nearly being Halloween I should show you these floral skeleton trousers. I actually made them in September - hence the photos which were taken on holiday in Cornwall.

 

I realised after these pictures that perhaps I have a sway back. I need to go back and check out some older photos and see if this is a common issue or if this is a one off with these trousers. Its not something I have noticed before but I am very aware that I am more and more critical of my own sewing.

I did really enjoy wearing these on holiday and it was not so hot in September that you were often wanting to wear shorts any more, like in the summer, so they worked really well.

This is the Free Mood Sewciety Jamesia pattern - made just as they direct but I left the sides open for side splits and hemmed round the splits. They were really nice for the end of summer and I might just wear these for Halloween as well - if its not too cold by then that is.

This is my floral skeleton fabric which is 100% cotton and cost me £6.99 per half metre so expensive:

Kind of a pretty print for Halloween but its also easy to wear for every day life - in summer that is.

I made the halter neck top back in the summer.

Happy Halloween

Bracken

Jamesia wide leg skulls and rainbow trousers

These are my first pair of cotton - non-stretch fabric Jamesia Trousers which is a free Mood Fabrics pattern. I have made two pairs before from stretch fabric so Imade a smaller si\ze to get the fit right. This meant these were a slight risk because I did not know what size to make them. In the end I just went up a size. Whereas my previous two pairs are pull on these have a side zip. Although I have made a slight error by putting the side zip into the right hand side not the usual left hand side of the trousers. Since AntiBrand ( the Goth brand) do this anyway I think whatever! I have a bought pair of AntiBrand trousers with this. Its a bit strange when you are used to the normal left hand side zip but there is really no reason why it must be on the left not on the right.
  
I like them!

I have had the fabric which is 100% cotton, for probably 5 years so yet another stash buster. I am enjoying this part of lockdown I must admit. The time to do what I enjoy. Sadly less so the improsonment which means I do not get to wear any of my new clothes to go out somewhere. Not even to go food shopping. Never mind. Hopefully that will end soon though I am happy enough not going to work. You cannot stay for ever locked in though - well I do hope not!

 A slightly weird pose! 

I was trying to show you the flared leg.

 

 The top is scuba and is made based on the Mood Fabrics free Bixa sweatshirt top pattern, though I did change the sleeves slightly to eliminate the top section and just have the normal sleeve with the overlay. You can read about my versions of the Bixa here:
https://brackencrafts.blogspot.com/2020/03/bixa-top.html
https://brackencrafts.blogspot.com/2020/04/pink-flares-and-bixa-version-2.html

 

Thanks for popping by and stay safe

Bracken

Dotty dungarees from Mood Jamesia free pattern

 

I am getting better. I can now wear proper shoes - even if velcro fastened! 

My leg is no where near as swollen. No idea as yet if both legs are the same length, because of the swelling, but its looking much more like they could be. Of course my left leg is also eventually possibly going to need a hip replacement. The Xrays showed decay, but not as bad as the right. It does not hurt so could last 20+ years yet, but as they say - they come as a pair so tend to wear as a pair, the fact there is a breakdown of the joint will mean it could be shorter when I stand up. Its looking pretty close now though so I am hoping they are the same length. There is no pain though, even with the discomfort from the operation itself. I am on pain killers, but before the op I was on similar, and they did not work. My hip does feel a bit different but I suppose thats cos its a bit of metal. 

I am getting much stronger. If it was not so slippy outside where we took these photoes I could stand without crutches now. I cannot yet walk properly though but thats getting better with the physio making me much stronger by the day it seems.

So anyway enough of that, here are my dotty dungarees made from the free Mood Fabrics Jamesia pattern. I made these a while back.

I am not allowed to sew for at least 6 weeks - its killing me believe me!

If all goes to plan I can sew early December.

 Knowing this, I made these before I had the op. So to my description: the fabric is a lovely dotty and very warm proper scuba fabric. I have no idea why I ever bought this fabric and its sat waiting for inspiration for nearly a year.

Then I decided I could use the Jamesia but like my previous version of this pattern I omitted the zip and made them pull on. You can see my other Jamesia trousers here: https://brackencrafts.blogspot.com/2019/11/sequin-trimmed-flares-from-mood.html

The fabric is stretchy enough for this. Its a more 1990s feel I think. Because I am not able to pose well right now its hard to see the flares but these are definitely flared and very nice ones.

I added the bib and braces as pure inspiration. When trying them on for the first time for fitting it just seemed to work. I am very pleased I did make them into dungarees because I think they will actually be much more wearable than as trousers because the fabric is a strange choice really. Being dungarees somehow makes them more acceptable and wearable.

I used the waist facing from the Jamesia pattern and no elastic. The fabric is actually strongly elastic enough I reckon you could wear as trousers with no elastic as well but with the bib and braces I really do not need any. They are warm though, and are going to be a very good additon to this winter's wardrobe.

I never sewed proper button holes. I hate sewing buttonholes. One machine (Janome) has an automatic buttonhole maker that never quite works and my other older Brother will do decent button holes but its manual and the day I finished these I really could not be bothered, so I just sewed buttons onto the ends of the straps to fasten them. The buttons I have had for years and years and cannot remember what I took them off. I actually have three of them but only needed to use two for this. They are diamante. I have since washed these as well and the buttons are for now at least intact.

 

I top sitched round the waist and enclosed the straps and bib using the facing which made everything very neat. It also keep the very springy scuba facing in place inside the trousers.

 

The top is my self drafted punk style top worn over my first version of Madalynne's Noelle bralet that you can only just glimpse - I will tell you all about that in the next few weeks.

My only regret with these dungarees is there are no pockets. 

I really have no more scraps of this fabric so thats not going to happen. Other than that small defect I really love these.
Bracken

Sequin trimmed flares from Mood Sewciety Jamesia pattern

I had my operation at last and I am definitely getting better. I will not be allowed to sew (with sewing machine) for at least another 4 weeks, but I made these just before the op and never had time to take photos of them. I am feeling pretty good today hence can stand for long enough to get them photographed. And I can only get better..........

These are a free pattern from Mood's Sewciety patterns. This is the Jamesia pattern. I have fancied making this since it was released.

Mood Jamesia FREE pattern

Unfortunately my bad posing on crutches does not show the flared-ness of these very well at all.

 

Please just take my word for it these are flares and very good flares as well. I will get some much better photos of these as soon as I can stand and walk - and pose- properly.

I used a scuba knit and I omitted the zip and darts. My reasoning here is without these the Jamesia is a very 90s pattern for a pull on pant in a stretch knit. I still treasure a couple of pairs of flares from the mid 90s that are very similar to these though possibly they are tighter on the thighs. Its an easy adjustment to make on future pairs though to take in the thighs. I added 1 inch wide elastic round the waist. Sorry not to know the cm of the elastic but its sold as 1 inch wide even though I am based in the UK where its usually metric. I expect it equates to 2.5cm wide.

I added the sequins in my efforts to cover up the mis-matched pattern at the sides and its does a pretty good job I think. At the same time lots of RTW clothing is currently " glam- glitz sportswear" so this sort of fits with that category. When I decided to add the sequins - they are stretch sequins and the black velvet stripe is a stretch elastic ribbon which I expect is meant for bra/ bustier straps - I thought I would possibly wear these at Christmas because of the OTT glitziness. Even for me its a bit much but actually as lounge/ PJ type house pants for my recovery I think I am going to like them lots. They are brightening up my world which currently contains no sewing.😞

I did not do a very good job at pattern matching unfortunately. I was very P***ed off with this at first but I suspect its realy not very easy, even if you are good at pattern matching ( I am not!), as it goes due to the curved seams and very large print.

I have more of this scuba knit though, so I may make some leggings because its a lovely though large print and very warm fabric. If there were no side seams - as in leggings - then it would mean it would be less obvious a mis-match. You would only see it on the inside leg seams. Of course the back and front seams ( CF and CB) would need matching but I did not do too bad  a job matching them - at least the front matches anyway 😀. They are not perfect but I am not unhappy with them.

Tucking in my top also does not help the look but really I am unable to adjust once standing at the moment so this is the best I can give you. The reasoning was; you can see my waist better with tucked in top. Also the top is not the best colour to coordiate with these trousers. I am reliant on my partner for my clothing choices at the moment, since I am unable to bend over 90 degrees and cannot get into my wardrobe easily, and we do not necessarily agree colour-wise on what goes with what, but being stuck at home it does not really matter what I wear - except of course when I decide I am well enough to get some photos taken.

Never mind. If you want to read about this top which is a favourite for winter and a very easy make its here: https://brackencrafts.blogspot.com/2018/03/two-tops-and-my-latest-stash-builing.html. 

Again I need some more photos of these trousers I think, at a later date.

I suppose now I am "temporarily disabled" I should take the time to plan what to make from the numerous magazines I own. I know other people who sew have done this when they have a hip replacement. Its a good idea and will help focus the frustration I am already feeling. I am only 1/3of the way through the minimum recovery period right now as well.

My intention, once I am better, is to actually make one item from every sewing mag. This then justifies the room they take up to store and my owning them at all. I have no idea how many mags I own, but easily over 60. I have complete years for 3 years of Burda alone so 36 mags, and then all sorts of odd ones bought from Ebay going right back to the 80s. Thats more than a years worth of posts if I manage one item a week. I seriously have collected loads of Burda, Patrones, New Mode and others which I cannot remember and currently I am unable to get to.  My partner can help with that though and bring me a few at a time. I even own a couple of Turkish magazines. Hopefully I can work out how to make what is in them.

I intend to write down in a notebook exactly what I intend to make and what fabric will work with it. I also am unable to access the fabric stash right now but I pretty much know what I own so thats probably going to work most of the time. Of course, I will not be able to actually measure my fabric bits, but I should get it right most times I reckon as to what can be made from what. And, I am planning a fourth The Vampires Wife inspired dress for my Christmas party dress. More on that later. Anyway back to these trousers...............


 


I seem to have lost a bit of weight since I made these - hospital food? but I do not think that matters. Being a bit loose is better right now because I have yet to have my stitches out. I expect I will put the weight back on anyway.

These are certainly not my best modelling attempts. Its hard on crutches to actually pose and I do not think these photos show my lovely trousers very well, but at least it keeps my in touch with you, my readers, and with my sewing. The slippers are stopping you seeing the flares. The trousers are accurately shaped just like the Jamesia pattern on Mood's website. Its my modelling not showing it well.

Mood have several versions or Reduxes of these trousers in loads of sizes so well worth a look at their patterns - all of which are free and so far everything I have made works and fits with zero adjustment. I actually feel as confident of Mood at the moment as I do of making Burda so thats saying quite a lot about these patterns.

And I have to be honest it has really cheered me up to be able to blog again even if I cannot sew. I usually make far more than I actually post about, so maybe its time to try and catch up and show you other items I have made. There's probably quite a lot I can wear even though on crutches because generally I prefer comfortable, sport type of clothing to fitted clothing anyway. It works better in my life so should work OK for my convalescence as well.

These trousers have a quite definite flare - very fashionable in fact though not yet many seen on UK streets. At least in the Midlands. There is the odd person seen in flares but people do not like to be trend setters though do they?

Hence there are not many flares as yet.

There will be. I can seriously recommend this pattern if you wanted to make some flares for the coming seasons. And you cannot fault a free pattern though in all honesty I would happily pay for the Jamesia. And I do not say that very often!

Wishing you well and see you next week

Bracken