More from auntie

My sister's baby boy was born last Thursday. Mother and child are doing fine and are being well looked after, both by a nurse (here in the Netherlands, specialized nurses come to care for new mothers and their babies at their own homes for the first week after the birth. I have no idea if this is specifically a Dutch thing or common in other countries as well) and by the proud new father.

As the sewing sibling, I obviously had to make another item for my nephew.

I picked this Knippie April/May jumpsuit. I made size 68 and altered it a bit to make it more suitable for a boy. Maybe it's just me, but I thought the neckline gathers and the elasticated waist would make it a bit girly. This jumpsuit has a feature which I think will be very useful in a garment for a baby: a snap closure along the entire inner leg seam.

I made the jumpsuit in a lightweight grey rib knit, with a bright blue patch on the chest with the baby's name on it (done in the embroidery letters my sewing machine can do. It's not that easy to read, but I hope the mum and dad will like this little personal touch anyway).

It's a bird...

It's a plane... it is...Super Baby!

Of course, I don't really know but isn't that the way any proud new parent feels about his/her bundle of joy? 

In fact, I didn't go out of my way to make the baby jumpsuit look like a Superman outfit, it just sort of turned out that way because of the colours. This bright blue was just about the only not-too-girly and not-too-gloomy/grown-up jersey I could find and the dull red was the colour from my stash which looked best with it.

As I announced before, I used pattern number 4 from Knippie magazine April/May 2012. A knit fabric jumpsuit in sizes 50 to 80. I made it in size 74 which should, according to my mother, be the size my niece/nephew will wear in the autumn. I had been thinking about adding a hood, just because I thought it would look nice, but in her comment on my previous post, new mother Ri-Twenty adviced against that, for practical reasons. I took her expert opinion on board and didn't make a hood.

I changed some things about the construction because I thought I knew better. I didn't make the chest pocket because I didn't really like the look of it. And I didn't like the treatment of the front opening: a curved strip which you have to apply like an inside-out facing, then press in the raw edge and edgestitch down. Fussy and potentially quite bulky. Instead, I just cut a straight strip on the crossgrain which was slightly shorter than the front and neck opening, pressed it in half lengthwise with the wrong side on the inside and serged it to the front opening, stretching it to fit (obviously, I stretched it out more at the neckline). Much easier, and, incidentally, the way this sort of thing would be finished in RTW...
Wake up! People at Knipmode...

Oh, and I added a decoration at the back. It's a combination of the first letters of the father's and mother's names, J and F. I simply sketched the 'logo' onto the fabric (after trying out on paper, of course), cut it out, pinned it to the back pattern piece (before any sewing had been done) and zigzagged it on. Carefully, to make sure I didn't stretch the fabric. It's jersey so it won't unravel. 
I just hope the parents-to-be will like this little touch. 

Here I go again...

This is shaping up to be the year of the jumpsuit... This is my latest creation: a playsuit which is a bit more like the jumpsuits and playsuits you'd find on the highstreet: an easy-fitting one. 

I made it from a small and irregularly shaped piece of drapey viscose/rayon which was left over from one of my wilder trouser-shape experiments. 
The hot weather we've had in the past two weeks has made me realise that although I have quite a few very charming summer-y looking dresses and other outfits, I don't own quite as many which are actually good in real summer weather... After all, a well-constructed strapless dress has to be lined and boned and a tight fit usually makes a garment feel warm, no matter what the material or the construction. 

It's a very simple piece of clothing: cut-on capsleeves, a short front zipper, a waistseam with elastic sewn to the seam allowance, and short wide legs with slant pockets. (please ignore my very white legs... they haven't seen much of the sun yet)

To be honest, this playsuit is also more than a little inspired by my time working with M. In her collection, which we presented at Modefabriek, there were no less than three easy-fitting jumpsuits. However, this really is my own interpretation inspired by her esthetic. All hers had long, tapered legs and were in fact too bulky at the top and waist to suit me (although they were great on other people). 

The loose cut and elasticated waist meant I could make do with just a short zipper. I chose one of the thin metal ones I bought recently and a applied it in a favorite way of mine: like a blind zipper. I love this look for metal zippers and I'm always surprised no-one else seems to be doing this.


P.S. Tomorrow, I'm going to start on grading the twisty top. Maybe I'll do some 'progress reports' but I'm planning to upload next week.

Did you really think I wouldn't?

I couldn't help but notice that no-one commented to my latest planning post. The one in which I told you about my continuing interest in making one-piece outfits. Of course, that may have happened because the post wasn't very interesting, or because there were more pressing matters to attend to. But maybe, just maybe some of you thought that, if ignored, my crazy love for jumpsuits might just GO AWAY.
Well, obviously it didn't and I'm proud to present my latest version (pictures were unfortunately taken on a definate bad-hair-day):

It has a long, wide legs, a seam at the natural waist, front and back pockets, a convertible collar and short band/cap sleeves. As such, it's quite a different creature than my beloved winter jumpsuit and I'm happy to announce that I got rid of the flaws which made my first one, the high-summer playsuit, pretty much unwearable.

If you've ever worn a jumpsuit, you'll know why this picture is relevant... 

And this time, I didn't forget to take some pictures of the details. This is the front.

Back bodice shaping.

And back pockets. Single welts with buttons.

Oh, and this is a garment which I think seriously looks as good with or without a belt. 

More planning

Thank you all for your comments to my previous post. In fact, some of your arguments made me stop and think about my favorite of the colour blocking options. I guess I should reveal now that my early favorite was option number 1. Before making those drawings, I loved the idea of the bodice/sleeve shape 3 and 4. I fully understand why 3 was popular with commenters, but seeing it made me think about how it would work for my shape: I already have and angular upper body, with the shoulders standing out more than the breast. I think the angles created by the sleeve and upper bodice in 3 and 4 would emphasize that (making it a perfect design of all those with round or narrow shoulders and a large cup size, obviously). 
Option 2 is one I had sort of written off because I didn't think the lower colour block seam in the bodice would work well with a belt, but I have to say Radostin's comment made me think again (also because I like the fact that it's the only option I made with a non-black collar). 
And then, of course, several of you agreed with my original idea, thinking that the first option might be best. 


What I plan to do now is this: This dress may not even be the project I start on this week, but I will start on it soon, making sure the idea doesn't drift to the back of my mind again. I will explore the colour blocking a little further, taking option 1 as my starting point. I think I will stick with the two coloured bands at the bottom of the skirt, just because of my grandmother's story (I've actually met the friend of hers that story is about. At the time, she was also her boss at the hospital labratory where my grandmother worked before she had children and after her youngest went to school. Now, this friend is well into her 80's. A tiny, stocky lady who still is quite a character. She uses a computer, still drives a car and does charity events and plays golf every week. She's no longer that into fashion, but I'd love to have at least some of her spirit if/when I get to that age).


Are you wondering why this dress may not be the first thing I make now? Well, it's the same old thing: I always have more than one project in mind. 
E's jacket is finished and between work and my mother coming home from the care home today (yeah! you go mum!) and still needing some help around the house in coming weeks (tasks divided between my dad, me, my sister and brother, so that will be quite all right) I won't have tons of time for very involved projects. So, I just plan on making whatever I like best. And at the moment, it seems to be all about one-piece outfits. Dresses and jumpsuits. In everyday life, I love seperates and I have sewn so many of those but now, I just don't really feel like sewing any. 


These are my rough sketches of the things I'm thinking about (this is how I actually sketch. free-hand and therefore rather wonky, and just intended to remember what I've come up with)

A jumpsuit with a bit of a vintage style workwear look.

A dress, in which I can develop the shape of my blue dress a bit further (this is only an option if the weather stays as cold and unreliable as it has been this month)

Another dress, strapless and with a huge skirt. To be made in cotton with a large-scale, fairly graphic floral print in yellow and brown on white. The fabric has been in my stash for two years, and I've always wanted for it to become a dress like this.

A very plain and simple jumpsuit in a stable knit. Do you know the pictures of Vionnet jumpsuits from the 1930's? That's sort of what I'm thinking about with this. Of course, it could go spectacularly wrong.

And, last but not least, friends are getting married on the first of June, so, obviously, I will have to make a nice little party dress. Although almost every bridal gown you see nowadays is strapless, I think with weddings being being mostly day-time events, a guest should (at least be able to) cover her shoulders. I'm thinking about making something like this, possibly with a little bolero or jacket, in a pink (!?!) jaquard-ish fabric I've just bought.


As you see, so many plans... and by the way, is it just me being suddenly addicted to all-over looks or is 'having dresses in mind' just something which happens when summer is coming?

A jumpsuit, seriously!

This summer, I made myself a cropped jumpsuit, playsuit or whatever you'd like to call such a thing.

It looked cute enough, but it could have done with a little more length in the torso... I won't elaborate on the implications but believe me when I say that I've only once attempted to wear it all day.

Ever since, I've been considering a revisit of sorts. At first, I just wanted to make a long legged version of it, with that essential bit of added body length. Later, I started thinking about other options. Strange though the concept of the jumpsuit may be, I've spent enough time around people who like it to be somewhat intrigued.

So, just before the holidays, I tried again.

It's a completely different design from the one I made last summer but it incorporates tried and tested elements.

I took the bodice of my pinstripe dress and changed the collar/neckline arrangement. To that, I added trousers based on my tried-and-tested belt pleated trouser pattern.

This did involve some choices and guesswork because, as I learned before, you have to add lengthwise ease to the body section of a jumpsuit pattern in order to make it work in real life. My pattern making book recommends between 3,5 and 10 cm. 3,5 cm is what I used before and which was inadaquate. Now, figuring that with the belt pleated bottoms, a low-hanging crotch might be OK, I went for 10 cm (which I think is actually intended for designs with blousey tops and with elasticated waistlines). Having horizontal seams in the body left me with the opportunity to alter this, if necessary.

I first machine-basted the trouser section to the waistband to see what the length would look like. I decided to keep it as drafted. Then, I took them off again and did the back pockets.

So, I ended up with a jumpsuit with a fairly fitted bodice, a dropped waistband and belt pleated trousers which taper towards the ankle. It has a blind zipper at center front, scoop pockets at the front and double welt pockets with button loops at the back.

The neckline can obviously be adjusted with the zipper and is topped by a partially free-hanging collar stand. And the collar and the tab at the waistband have bound buttonholes.

It's both un unusual garment for me, and yet fits in perfectly with my normal look. I think I like it. And I've been wearing it a couple of times now and it's very comfortable (it wasn't easy to photograph though. winter.... it may not be cold so far, but it sure is dark)

It's finished!

And here is the little jumpsuit!

First of all: I like the look (please ignore my less-than-happy facial expressions in the pictures. It's a very hot day, I'm using a self-timer and I had very little time to take these pictures). There may be more jumpsuits and shorts in my immediate future... (especially since the hot summer weather seems to have started today) The colour is also something I hadn't tried before and I really like.

There are some minor flaws: I would have liked to make wider front facings but I had to make do with a very limited amount of fabric, as a result this is the lowest I cut put the top button if I wanted to avoid showing the edges of the facing. I might have put it a little lower otherwise.

I'm also wondering whether I should have added a little more lengthwise ease. I can sit down without hurting myself, but only just. I think I will ask M about this, she's a jumpsuit-making expert.

As I mentioned before, this is a jumpsuit without waist seam. Those seam lines some of you commented on in the sketch are armhole princess seams which end in pockets. The back has simple darts.

I started out with longer legs but decided they looked best hemmed this short (making this the shortest thing I've worn in years, or at least my shortest pair of trousers of the past decade).

The first look, with the belt, is the one I was going for. As I put it on however, I realised the second look, un-belted and un-buttoned at the top worked as well. In fact, I think that would also look quite cool with full-length legs...

And, if I feel like using this thing for layering when the weather cools down again, I also like the look with a jacket.

Jumpsuit madness

Remember the post I did about considering jumpsuits? And the sketches of those as part of my summer sewing plans?

Well, last week, I decided to give it a go. I drafted a pattern for a cropped jumpsuit, sort of like a 50's playsuit. At first, I wanted to make the wrap-over version of my early summer sketches, but I kept thinking about something with a front closure. And I only had one meter of fabric.

I made some quick sketches and decided to go with this one:

It has no waist seam and I think I'll mostly wear it with a belt. I'm making it from simple cotton which closely matches the colour of my hair. It started out as an experiment for both jumpsuits and shorts, but I've tried it on as soon as I could during construction and I think I'm going to like it. If I do, more jumpsuits may follow...

I hope I can get this one finished tonight so I can show it to you tomorrow.

P.S. My boyfriend has returned home and those shorts I made fit him very well :)

Jumpsuits: Yea or Nay?

Jumpsuits, the changelings of fashion... And yet...

I've been thinking of doing a post like this for a while but as you may know, Gertie has beaten me to it. But that's not going to stop me from adding my twopence.

As a child in the 1980's I think I owned and wore a jumpsuit. A pink one with buttons down the front, which my mother had made. As far as I know, I have no pictures of it. After that, jumpsuits went out of fashion and I never thought about them anymore.

In recent, more fashion conscient-years, jumpsuits have been inhabited the same black spot in my sense of style as those other 80's favorites: leggings and tunics (although I did still wear leggings in the early 90's, I haven't embraced their recent revival).

However, jumpsuits are not a one-era phenomenon. Gertie showed great examples from the 1930's, which were news to me. The were utilitarian styles in the 1940's (of course, those were meant to work in) and they were hugely popular in the 1970's.

That much is shown, not just by my thrift store find but also by their presence in the 1970's issues of Marion.

And by this denim number which I will be knocking off for a friend (the original isn't in her size, she sent me the picture last year and I don't know where it came from).

And now, it seems, the jumpsuit is back. Of course, it's been on the verge of a come-back for over a year. Occasionally one might be spotted in a glossy fashion magazine, or on the back of some daring person in the street.

And now, I want to make one.

Not one of the kind you see most, like this (from H&M, just one of many in the online store. which really shows just how big the jumpsuit is for this season). I'm not a fan of that overall baggy look... Although it does solve the biggest fit problem of RTW jumpsuits: torso length is way more critical than with, say, trousers or dresses. Having loose and blousy bits on top ensures no problems with that.

No, I prefer the kind of silky jumpsuits Gertie described. And as much as I liked a lot of her examples, she missed what I consider the best I've seen so far.

This one, from the Yves Saint Laurant spring/summer 2011 show. I might not be above trying to create a knock-off of that... Sleek, silky and glamourous.

Although, of course, none of that solves the real problem with wearing jumpsuits: the bathroom problem...