Completed at last (!!), age 5 fur backed joggers and sweatshirts

 

These took far longer to make than anticipated and I lost and found my hex screws for my needles during the making. 

Finally though, and with much hassle from breaking needles, breaking threads etc they finally got finished. I ended up giving up on using either overlocker for these. 

I ended up with 2 pairs of joggers and 3 tops. I could probably get another top or some patchwork trousers from the remnants but the fabric is sheer hell to sew, so I do not expect I will be bothering. Or at the least not for a year or so until I can recover from this long winded tortuous episode.

There are enough garments here for any UK winter to boost a play clothes wardrobe aimed at outdoor playgroups. These are all made from fur backed sweatshirting so not your usual sweatshirting and the fabric is very thick. Its really not ( probably) worth the time and effort it will take to make another garment from the offcuts though there is enough fabric left and I hate to waste money. I will never be buying more of this particular fabric again. I knew it was hard to sew when I made the Unicorn dress but I forgot just HOW hard!

The Brother overlocker just bent and broke needles and broke the threads ( thats besides my losing a hex screw episode!) and the Janome just got the fabric stuck and refused to feed it and I thought one pair of trousers would be trashed. I did manage to save them, though they are slightly smaller than the other pair. Thats Ok, because the child they are for is a large aged 3 years and yes these trousers already fit.  I decided not to add the bands on the trouser leg hems though, thinking I can add them next year to make them longer, because he does not have the height yet of a 5 year old, though is not far off! The size is BTrendy 116cm. I am not sure I will be doing that though after all this hassle. They may just stay as they are. He can wear them with rolled hems until he grows and then just gradually unroll them. Its a style I bought actually but thought why not copy because it works well just having bits to unroll to make them longer. 

So anyway, after all the problems sewing this fabric, I have ended up with a mix of sewing techniques to get them finished.  

The green hoody is zigzagged round the neck to get the hood attached without problems.

For the blue trousers, I sewed the ribbed waistband to the trousers, added the elastic to the ribbed band then over locked the edge and sewed down using a zigzag. 

Not at all 100% perfect but should stand up to play including outside play. Certainly not saleable (though I never have tried) so not quite up to the RTW standards of most shops. Child won't care. Neither does Mum.

The green pair I added too short a waistband. Because its so hard to sew I did not want to do what I normally would, and unpick the waistband and change it. It was firmly attached and thats so hard with this stuff. So I had the idea to add a contrast lining to it and its turned out really well. I may do this in future to something just for looks. Its a nice twist. This pair have a normally made ( for me) elastic attached to the top edge of waistband, folded over twice and then sewn down. No issues with this because other than attaching to the trousers in the first step I was just sewing the normal fabric not this extra thick fur backed stuff. 

This was twin needle stitched. I can't actually decide whether its best using a zigzag or a twin needle but either works better than the overlockers which just cannot handle more than 2 thicknesses of fabric so won't sew for example over the pocket area or where the overlap is on the front of the hood neck. I suppose the front neck has a hemmed piece on both sides as well as the top fabric so has 5 thicknesses of fabric. Normally my Brother wouldn't balk at this with your standard type of sweatshirting or with wools etc. But this is really thick and so of course also really warm which is why I wanted to use it for a certain small person who likes playing outside even in the rain and snow. 

He was making icey mud pies not so long ago. It was scary to see his little hands almost blue in a  bucket of muddey icey water to be honest, but its just what he seems to enjoy. Anyway very warm clothing layered with thermals and outer fleeces and waterproofs is really the order of the day for this particular small person.

I am not sure you can tell from the photo but the backing is seriously like fur. I think though it would be easier in future if I make something like this, to make it with a lining rather than use this stuff. That would work just as well and be much easier to sew.

So this is my final photo of this lot. I have had a few lighting issues - it being deep darkest winter. Its also a problem with seeing to sew after 2pm (14.00) so I need some better lighting. I have not yet investigated that. I might just need a daylight bulb. Its just too dark to do anything right now. I do have a lamp which is great for sitting knitting but it does not light the sewing area very well so I need something better. 

I also ( today) need to pay a visit to the Winwick Mum website to see whats happening with this years Knit along - the Winter Haven KAL which is starting this week so I shall be taking part again in that.

 Just not sure what to knit as yet. Either the new free pattern or the easy lacey sock pattern I have been considering for ages. Lacey socks would be nice for spring and summer don't you think?

Thanks for popping by. I hope you are keeping well and if in the North hemisphere keep warm won't you. Its so very cold right now, and if the UK is cold, I am sure much of Europe is colder so keep well and safe. Have a great week,

Bracken

An interesting aside ( that might just help someone)

This is slightly embarrassing but hey! I often do stupid things so I don't mind sharing. Especially since this was an easy error and telling people could help save someone else both cash and annoyance.

A little while ago, just before Christmas I somehow lost a hex screw from my Brother over locker. I bought some replacements from eBay. They were also available from Amazon but delivery was said to take longer so I went with Ebay for speed despite they were fractionally more expensive.

Well Ebay took ages!

And then a second look on Amazon discovered some available for slightly more on Prime. I almost bought a second lot.

Then they arrived.

Lovely man, my partner, offered to fit them for me and since I had managed to lose one I accepted.

Generally, I am stupidly overzealously feminist. Not this time.

So he fits it for me, and surprise he realised the original ( as in the not lost) hex screw on the other needle was rather raised to what the new one is. I thought ah well I don't care so long as it works and made him a coffee.

Came back with said coffee and would you believe I never lost that "lost" hex screw. I had screwed it in on top of the other one!

So yes, I do feel a bit stupid, but this could happen to you, so I am sharing, because, while I waited for my new hex screws to arrive, I wasted over two weeks of sewing time. I really struggle to find time to sew so this is bad and frustrating.

Maybe this might help someone though, so I decided to share.

Now I have ten extra new hex screws, and a new very useful tool for undoing/doing them up, which should keep me sewing for quite some time!

Take care

Bracken

Winter weight Blue leggings and a baselayer top.

These are the blue leggings I made months ago before my operation. They are to match my patchwork Geodesic sweatshirt. I also made a rainbow pair that are very similar but I nver got round to wearing these ones until now. In fact its my first time wearing them when these photos were taken. Second time wearing for the baselayer top below. I like them, they work.

I knitted the jumper a few years ago after trashing the first version ( which was blue) by washing in a washing machine. Never again will I do that despite the machine apparently has a hand wash function.

They are french terry so very warm for winter next to the usual activewear or cotton lycra leggings. They do contain lycra. Having made several pairs of joggers, children's clothes and dresses from very similar fabric, I am confident they will keep in shape when worn so I finally decided to go for it and make some interesting winter weight leggings.

I actually have a few metres of another two french terry fabrics which I am now considering for a couple of other pairs because two pairs is not enough. I do have a pile of plain black RTW french terry leggings but they are a bit boring when you can have something like these. The black work great for work but right now I am not working so should make the most of it because it cannot go on for much longer. Unfortunately I am not rich so I do need to work. 

The fabric has metallic gold flecks and is quite unusual. Pound Fabrics still sell this so I may have to buy some more. It was a surprise when it arrived because although it is described as gold I never expected the metallic type. I though it would be a browny yellow. Its very nice!

Not sure if you can tell its metalic by these photos. Waistband is just black ribbing and standard sewn in elastic so it won't flip over and be annoying. Bound inside and out ( as in turned over twice) because thats more comfortable.

Hopefully I will get time ( and space!) to cut some new ones out of the French terries I have. Winter has become very cold the last few days. We even got some snow yesterday and today is freezing and frosty.  

As is usual I don't get much sewing time or sewing space to enable sewing for the Christmas break but now New Year is out the way I really need to decide on what I am doing sewing wise for 2026. In all honesty I have been too busy to make such decisions until now but hopefully over the next coming week I will get some time to do this. 

Normally the aims are done around New Year but I really have not had time, though I have a ton of ideas. I do find that having my ideas and aims written down does keep me on track. I made more the years I did a plan, than the years I did not bother, so its something I really need to spend a day or so doing. Hopefully that will be the next blog post. I prefer to do this sooner rather than later. It keeps me motivated.

I have managed one top during the holiday period. I decided this very thin synthetic fabric was perfect for a baselayer and yes, it works as well as a RTW baselayer top I bought which cost 10 times as much (£20 when this cost me about £2 including the thread to sew it up! I used the pixie top pattern I like because its quite close fitting without being tight and yes this works, though my overlocker didn't like sewing this at all. Too thin I think. I left the hem edges just as overlocking but they would be better as a rolled edge next time.

Ignore the broken hoover please. Certain small people seem to want to keep it to play with and my other half allowed it. It was meant to go to the recycling centre before Christmas but we had tears, and its ended up staying in the garden for the kids. Its the upright part only. The rest has thankfully been disposed of. It does no harm, just makes our garden look messy. They will tire of it soon so I can "disappear it" then. 

I have a second top cut but yet to sew  that one, so I might attempt that one using my Janome rather than my Brother and see if it sews easier on that machine. I will let you know how that goes at some point. The fabric was £1/m so very cheap but its perfect for a baselayer. I previously made two nighties from it.

Thank you for popping by my blog. Have a great week and a happy and prosperous 2026.

Take care

Bracken 

Merry Christmas

This is just two gingerbread kits, some Christmas cake decorations and some leyladii cuttings. I think it makes a really nice table decoration. The sprinkles were done by a not quite 3 year old but even those work for us.

The house kit is from some random shop and was given to the small child who helped make it. I bought the tree kit from IKEA.

Have a great holiday whether you celebrate Christmas or not. 

Thanks for visiting,

Bracken 

Still keep the me- mades coming.....

I really must put that hose away before it gets much colder! Ignore the swing frame. Its waiting for a tip run to get rid of it. If you can see any broken flowerpots thats because Hugh, the dog with a white paw eats them and destroys any plant in them!

In all honesty today I am feeling somewhat depressed. Not in a serious medical sense but just an every day frustration type of depression. In a sewing way I am depressed.

My needle hex screws never arrived. I have since found an identical set on Amazon prime for £2 more. If tge original (Ebay) order doesn't arrive this week I shall buy them again from Amazon.

So no overlooking yet. I dare not sew the fur backed sweatshirting with my Janome overlockers. They near enough died last time and thats why I bought the Brother. They will come eventually one way or another.

In the meantime I have traced 117 and 118 10/ 2023 Burda Style tracksuit. I have not cut it yet but I have cut out a dress in sweatshirting so I feel I have done something useful this week. 

I have also finally finished two dog coats I have been making half heartedly for about a month. They were sewn on a sewing machine hence I got round to them. They are essentially free as well since I had the fabric left over from the dry robes I made last summer and I already had elastic for the waistband strap and leg straps and the clips for closure.they are the best dog coats I have made so far. 

I made a silver reflective waterproof version of these for the old dogs but those coats were always a little small for these current boys.

The waterproof outer is heavy waterproof canvas. Water drops just bead on it.

The fleece inner is, well fleece. 

I added inside leg straps though the current boys are quite old now and the coats don't seem to shift much when they walk. Of course if we are lucky enough to get some snow then these old darlings will become puppies for an hour or so and the leg straps will be needed. I had not in fact realised how old they are until we don't need the leg straps!

Their other coats all have them except the denim jackets I made for the very old dogs I had previously and which were simply an extra warm layer for cooler days (or when our heating broke in the winter for them to wear indoors.

The leg straps got nuddy first wearing! 

And these coats fit my current dogs better than the coats they inherited from their predecessors. Until now they just had cast-ons. Thats not actually so bad. Most dogs don't have 3 decent coats each but it is nice to make some to fit them better and these will last into their old age. Both dogs are over 7 now so they will enjoy coats I think. They seemed to like them even when I got them to try them on several times during construction to check size and fit.

Otherwise, all I have done this week is knit some of my jumper which seems to be taking forever, and also a bit of sock knitting. I am almost at the heel flap now of sock 2. Again thats also taking a long time. I am a slow knitter!

Not the most productive week but then, like most people I lead a busy life, let alone its nearly Christmas.

Have a great week and see you soon,

Bracken

Setbacks and trials just never stop coming do they?

 

This week I had great intentions to get some of the large pile of To-Dos done. The childs tracksuits age 4-5 have been on the to-do list for ages. When I bought this fabric said child was 6 months old! Well they do grow quick as they say!

Luckily, I bought 2m of each colour of this fur backed sweatshirting so I have enough even now and really I think its better used for a 4 year old than a baby anyway. This particular child likes playing otuside even in rain and ice so this fabric will be perfect in the next few months in the UK. Its hardly even winter yet so plenty of time thought me. It should work well under salopettes and even under snow gear if we get lucky!

I was doing OK and sewed one top ( except for the hems) and half sewed another top and two pairs of trousers. I tend to treat this kind of sewing like a factory sewist and do loads of similar seams and then finishing at the end for all garments. The second ( grey) top will be a hoody so there should be some choices with these items hence I had thought to mix up the fabrics.. 

AND well here the machine breaking its needle did do me a favour I think, though the subsequent loss of the hex screw that holds my needle ( in my Brother overlocker) has been a serious setback. 

These hex screws are tiny. I dropped the needle inside the machine. Its a "clever threading" thing where the whole of the bottom threader moves in theory to make threading easier. I prefer the more fiddly older style it turns out, because when you do something like drop a needle inside, its easier to access the older types. 

Not this model. Even a magnet would not get the needle out. I ended up turning it upside down to get the needle out. Then of course the threads went everywhere and tangled - so now I also have to totally rethread it. But more upsetting I never did the hex screw up right. I work in a university chemistry lab and some of the equipment ( for safety reasons) does up the wrong way to usual. I must have gone into lab mode and undone not done up the tiny hex screw. Disaster. I lost it and cannot find it anywhere. 

I completely cleaned the room ( well overdue!) looking for this. Cannot find it anywhere. It turns out both Amazon and Ebay sell them. Ebay are slightly cheaper and come quicker so I went with them. Both sites sell the exact same item from the same manufacturer so hopefully the things will fit. It is actually surprisingly cheap and £8.99 for 10 sets of screws and a tool. At least if I do this again I will have spares!

So having started this I am now stuck. I do have two older overlockers but I actually bought this Brother because this particular fabric which I previously made a dress from, sent the blades out of line as well as blunting them, so I do not want to use the older Janomes to sew this fabric. Not for the sake of waiting a week for the spares anyway. The Brother handles far heavier fabric and wonderful though this fur backed stuff is its very thick and heavy in weight.

Anyway, always one to look on the bright side I had decided to mix and match the two fabrics (so green pockets as in the grey trouser leg above and the top at the start of this post has contrasting sleeves, but since breaking that needle and getting stuck, I decided the items look better in just one or other fabric. The pockets on the trousers will remain and the almost finished top will too but I intend to cut a new body for the green hood and sleeves, and new sleeves for the grey ( and maybe a hood?) and do the trousers with matching legs now. I had intended to do green one side and grey the other on the trousers. 

Luckily, I still have enough fabric left to do this. The child these are intended for will end up with the one shirt with two coloured fabric, but they rest of the ensemble will be more conventional because it will look better. So, I expect to end up with 3 tops and two pairs of trousers. Possibly I may yet squeze a third pair of trousers out, but I don't know yet. I need to cut some new bits for the one colour tops first. If I do get a thrird pair of trousers then they may in fact end up in opposite colours rather than waste the last bits of fabric. I will show you some time soon when I get these spare hex screws. 

You know all my life its always been a worry I may lose a needle screw but until now I never have so maybe I should rejoice it took me around 45 sewing years to have this happen. Thats not so terrible when you think of it that way. I started sewing at primary school so have really been sewing all my life. And now I should have spares assuming I bought the correct size.

So I have not actually not sewn anything whole this week but I have had to take a sewing break due to unexpected problems. Never mind I should get the new hex screws by Friday so I can carry one then. I might in the meantime hem the one top but the rest will wait. 

The top is hoody Jacob from Made By Oranges B Trendy which comes as a download and the trousers are B Trendy B1965 which you need to trace ( though you can buy a PDF). I made both before though never blogged about the trousers but they should work out ok. 

Have a lovely week and thanks for visiting,

Bracken

Fixed, repaired and upcycled - my me-made tartan skirt.

 

I made this tartan skirt from very expensive hand woven scottish tartan a long time ago. Or at least it feels so long ago. I never made it fit right. Really the fabric was very expensive and I was so scared I would wreck it so I cut it two sizes at least larger than I was and since then I have dropped 1-2 sizes more. I ended up trying to get the skirt to fit by adding side adjusters in the form of faux leather straps. Did not work well. The garment was just far to big for me so raely got worn and being a very warm wool skirt that's very sad.

It does not look so different but in fact its now much smaller. Below is the original skirt:

Around this time last winter ( 2024) I decided to take it apart and put it all right and make it fit. But because of the fabric again I hesitated. Then summer came and it went on my UFO pile.

But having just upcycled my very old River Island skirt I have decided I should really have another look at this one because in the end whats the point of making clothes if nothing ever fits and you are too scared to sew them to make the do so?

It took quite a long time of pinning unpicking and unpinning, folding and sewing then resewing to make this right. 

You can see from the back its not quite even pattern-wise. My original pattern matching is slightly out but I am more skilled at that kind of thing now ( or so it would seem) and I did my best with what was available. I am not unhappy with the result. I actually removed excess fabric from the two side back panels rather than the sides because the pattern worked better there, so this has a different shape to the original Burda pattern. That does not matter. It works and the pattern is not too far out to get away with:

I then had to also take in the lining of the basque and make it match the tartan outer. 
It's come out a bit shorter though I think that is the length its meant to be on the Burda pattern and I prefer it. I had to lose a few cm from the skirt peplum (?). I also moved the CB peplum back seam to the side where its actually meant to be, but I messed up when I originally sewed this up. This makes the front (virtually!) the same pattern on each side of CF. Thats how I cut it and something that's annoyed me for yonks. 

And it now fits!

This is as close to perfect as I can currently make. Especially given I originally cut it pattern-wise slightly ( only slightly though) out. Its lined n the basque part. 

I finished the inside with overlocking and rehemmed the skirt where I needed to unpick and make it slightly smaller. I am happy and it's wearable and just in time I would expect for the cold weather to arrive. We have had a few cold frosty days but it's really just begining so I now have a warm skirt to wear and it's even in fashion. And I am enjoying upgrading/ upcycling my own me-makes. Much better than just giving them away though it does not help my rather large fabric stash which has grown recently due to me being unable to sew. Ah well. This skirt is a win and thats what I am focussing on.

These are the same photos but worth seeing together I think to get an idea of how this actually has worked.

The green polo top is here if you want to know more about that one.

Have a great week, thanks for visiting,

Bracken