Summer clothes for A

A few months back I did a bit of impulse sewing for A, whose wardrobe was getting outgrown...

First up I made another of the New Look 6444 jumpsuit.

It's the same size 12 that I'd made back here in february, and while that one still seems to fit, this one is a bit small.

I wonder if it's the double gauze fabric shrivelling a bit with each wash. It might fit better if I was bothered to iron it. :) Anyway, it was a cheap fabric from Spotlight and whipped up with whatever stashed bias binding I had. It's been worn a few times, but might not see the summer out.

The next garment I knew would be a winner. her all time favourite sewing pattern; the Class Picnic Shorts from Oliver + S

The shorts were cut from the leftovers of a beautiful jacquard cotton that I gifted my mum for Christmas last year. The promise was that I would sew her whatever she wanted (already delivered, just not photographed). More fabric details to come.

There was enough leftover for these shorts. I knew she'd pretty much outgrown the pattern, so I've made the size 12 and split the pattern pieces for the front and back vertically down the middle and added 1/4" - giving a full inch extra circumference width all round. the facing pattern pieces needed a 1/4" added at the same spot and the waistband just needed to be cut 1/2" beyond the pattern piece. It all came together perfectly and fits well. Not too loose, not too tight.

The top was just for fun. The fabric is a long stashed Soft Cactus cotton from Maiidesign (like 5 years plus). I'm not sure I've seen her wear it yet, but it's always an enjoyable sew and since the pattern was out...

New Look 6444 Birthday Jumpsuit

 For A's birthday this year she had put in a request for a dress, with very definite specifications....

I always like to make a surprise outfit, so I figured I'd need to sew something else alongside that dress.

I'd bought this lightweight seersucker-like fabric, probably a rayon, at Spotlight on their $2/m table and stashed it. I'm sure she'd seen it at the time, but presumably forgotten about it.

She'd also seen the pattern: New Look 6444 and had approved of it.

Based on her measurements I went with the straight size 12. Previously I'd have added length but her torso length seems to now match her pattern size. It's just her limbs that are probably still closer to a size 10. 

But with the ankles having an elastic cuff it didn't look like it would matter if the leg length was overly generous. 

The fit is really nice and I can see that the bottom half would make a good pair of pants on its own. Maybe even with wide leg leaving the ankles uncuffed.

The bottom half on its own would also be a much quicker sew. In contrast, the top part was quite time consuming: a narrow rolled hem all the way around that ruffle and then bias bound armscyes and bias casing for the waist elastic. Some neat finishing but pretty involved sewing.

She's not been entirely enthusiastic about home sewn clothes lately, and so I was quite amused when she went to open this present. She'd decided that of the two presents on the table left to unwrap, one was from us and the other from her granny. Since granny often gives her clothes she decided the "squishy" package must be from granny...

She opened it and was delighted, gushing about how great it was and how clever granny was to have chosen it for her. Her brother started sniggering as he pointed out the label he'd chosen for me to sew into it: One of the KATM Sweary Sewist labels that read "Hand-Fucking-Made" :)

Does matching your brick wall backdrop to your hair work? not really. :)

Details:

Pattern: New Look 6444

Size: 12

Modifications: none

Fabric: cheap rayon seersucker from Spotty