Merry Christmas!!!

Wishing each and every one of my dear readers..... a very Merry Christmas!!

Happy Sewing Everyone!

Leggings before Lunch | Ottobre 05/2016 no. 9 Classic Black Leggings

Channeling a little 'Cindy Lou Who' this afternoon in my new red leggings.  :)  Melissa gave me these green socks and they are the softest comfy socks ever.

Okay, okay, in all seriousness I've made 3..... count 'em 3!..... more leggings from the Ottobre 05/2016 no. 9 Classic Black Leggings pattern and I've got it down to less than an hour from start to finish.  Yes!  A turtle no more!  There's 2 black pairs and 1 red pair freshly made below.

Wearing one of my black pairs here with my new jacket.   I am living in this jacket right now!.....

..... and it's long enough, to sort of cover all angles enough, to wear with my leggings.

Tunics are going on the queue soon as these leggings are so comfortable I want to wear them every day.  But need longer tops.  Because.  I do.

The last pair of black leggings was made before lunch this morning..... thus the post title.  1 hour, 48" of fabric, 26 1/2" 3/4" non-roll elastic and you're good to go.  Less than $9.00 are in each pair.  All three of these were made using Wal-Mart's $5.44/yard Pontiroma knit fabric and I LOVE them!  Because the Pointiroma was a little thicker than my last pair, I added 1/4" to all side and crotch seams and it is perfection for me.  Added a little grosgrain ribbon 'tag' to note the backs.

This is a great issue....

..... with lots of great designs.....

..... especially no. 9 Classic Black Leggings.  Again, modified the elastic waist construction by quartering my elastic, figuring out where the quarters were on my pants, (there's only an inner seam.... no outer seam) then serging the elastic directly to the waistline seam.   Add my little ribbon, then turn down and zig-zag top-stitch it down.  These sit at your natural waist.

The front part of the leg seam is cut a little shorter than the back part.  I've come across this before in other patterns, and I think it's to help the pant sort of all stay up with less bagging.  Anyway..... here's how I sewed this together.  I measured down around 6" on the back seam edge, double pinned, then pulled the front leg seam up to meet the back and pinned evenly.

Here's how it looked before running it through my serger.  The double pins are a head's up to myself that I need to gently pull it to match from that point to the crotch.  Also, in the top pair, you can see where I put a pin to tell myself which side is the back as well as the right side of the fabric.  It's hard to tell the right/wrong sides of knit sometimes!

Zig-Zag stitch the hems, then pull the serger threads through the back of the serged seam stitch, then do a little top-stitch to hold that seam flat.  I keep these supplies in my Alabama Great-grandmother's little box.  This has got to be so very old, yet it looks brand new.  Not sure she may have ever used it.  I like it.

And closing with a southern view of our distant mountains.  The way our land lays, we have 360 degree distant mountain views during the wintertime.

And for a day that began ever so cold, with a thick layer of frost on the ground this first day of Winter, it closes with the most beautiful blue sky and mild temps.

Happy Sewing Everyone!!  :)

a perfectly perfect hiking jacket | McCall's Pattern M5252

Beginning to feel a little better today, and it was great to get outdoors for a bit with my pup.  Methinks we color-coordinate well, no?!

Wanting a comfy fleece jacket, McCall's M5252 was purchased sometime last year. 

I made view B, standup collar, no hood and no extra breast pocket.  Wanted to keep my lines clean and simple.... and I don't use earbuds on my walks.  Sort of love listening to all the outdoor noises and sounds. 

This plaid fleece was also purchased sometime last year from Hancock's Fabrics, which is now out of business.  *insert sad face here as I loved Hancock's so very much*  Have absolutely no reason at all why I chose this pink/black plaid.  Not even sure I liked it that much and only used it here because it was taking up too much real estate room in the stash.  It was the only fleece I had on hand and I desperately wanted.... needed!..... a fleece jacket.  May I say I adore it now!!  

Took alllllll sorts of time matching plaid at the front.....

.......sides..... sleeves.... you name it.....

.....everywhere but the back!!!!  Okay, we'll just call it the asymmetrical look back here.  :)

Jacket runs big and the reviews were not very kind to this pattern.  I made a small and it is still slouchy on me.  But I like it slouchy as it will be easy to layer underneath.  Oh my gosh, this fleece is so warm!  Like wearing a comfy blanket!!  Only modification to the pattern was to shorten the sleeves a total of 3".  Pockets lined with gray corduroy.....

..... and inside collar also lined with leftover gray corduroy from my recent pants.  This makes a real cozy jacket when zipped all the way up.  A few things I did differently than the instructions suggested.... was to machine-stitch the collar to the zipper tape inside out..... then turn it right side out and carefully pin the turned under corduroy seam to the fleece and machine stitch that collar on all 'round.  Yes I did that.  Couldn't believe it!  Actually.... the whole story.... is that I was going to be too chicken to machine stitch the collar in this way.... and had it all carefully pinned for hand-stitching as per pattern instructions for the final step, when my sweet husband suggested we go out to eat for dinner that night.  And oh how badly I wanted to wear my new jacket out to dinner, so I bravely ran the entire thing through my machine and it stitched a perfect straight stitch both inside and out!  Could.not.believe.it!

Trying to show you how I covered the pocket bags with an inner lining of gray corduroy.  This is an unlined jacket and I did not want those pocket bags to be seen if I should wear this unzipped.  Took me a bit, but came up with a very workable solution that I love.  Sort of gives the front of the jacket some structure which is a nice bonus.  Most of the inner seams are also finished with 1/2" black twill tape.   A first for me and I really like this touch.

A fuzzy inside-out shot.  Don't know what was going on with my camera..... but you can see some of the finishing details.

A 30" YKK Nylon Separating zipper was special ordered from WAWAK Sewing Supplies   for this jacket.  Instructions call for a 28" zip, that I could not find, but it was easy to install the 30" and cut the extra off.  The zipper teeth are soft and it zips up and down oh-so-easily.  Aaannnnddddd WAWAK included a Chocolate Crunch Cookie with my order!  The original photo has evidently disappeared into cyberspace, so a screenshot of my IG account must do.  Let me tell you, this simple cookie made my day!!!  This was my first order from WAWAK and definitely will not be my last.  :)

And through our winter-dressed trees, you can see the shadows of the Great Smoky Mountains to our north.

EDITED TO ADD:  Because I'm trying to track all the things I make, I want to include the new pair of linen pants made from NewLook Pattern 6216 I'm wearing in all the above photographs.  Constructed exactly like the recent gray corduroys..... you can read about here.   In this photo below, they are paired with the Burda Jacket #120 01/2016  and a rtw cream turtleneck.

Happy Sewing Everyone!!  :)

Ottobre 05/2016 no. 9 Classic Black Leggings.... only mine are blue :)

Trying to look all rock 'n roll in my new leggings!  Ha!  In reality I will probably never wear these out in public with this top and it cracks me up I'm sort of sharing it with the world here!

You guys are probably getting so tired of seeing NewLook 6374 top over and over again, but it's a top I wear constantly and with this cooler weather am finding it is a terrific layering top.  Here I've got one of my Alabama Chanin inspired tops underneath.  And yes, there are more NL6374 tops planned.... soon!  Hmmmm, from the modesty standpoint..... maybe these photos don't look too bad..... it just sort of feels like my top needs to be a little longer in both front.....

 .....and back.

Ottobre 05/2016 has been a great issue for me!

I love almost every one of her designs in this issue!  I've already made No. 15 top and have no. 8 Drape Front top cut out and ready to go.

This is no. 9 Classic Black Leggings..... only mine are blue!  :)  Denim blue fabric purchased recently at Hobby Lobby for $8.99/yard 30% off made of rayon/poly/spandex/denim blend.  A little stretchy, but not a lot, was concerned it might not meet the 30% stretch requirement of the pattern.  It did.  The inside of my fabric is sort of shiny smooth, so these go on like a dream.  Not a lot of pulling and twitching.  But my fabric is also on the thin side, so I think that's what sort of makes me feel these are more 'tight-ish' than 'legging-ish'.

Looks a little 'meh' on the hanger but was so thrilled with the ease and quickness to make!  One pattern piece and an hour or so and you've got yourself a new pair of leggings.  Nice!

No modifications to the pattern at all.... except..... I just could not bring myself to insert the elastic into a casing as per the instructions.  Somehow that just seemed odd for a pair of tights/leggings so I quartered the elastic and figured out where the quarter should more or less lie on my pant and serged it straight to the pants.  I tell ya' I'm getting brave as I've NEVER done this before!  Worked great.  Otherwise cut a size 38 and added a 3/8" seam allowance.  Next time I may add @1/4" to the seams.  Maybe not.

One thing about rtw leggings I really abhor, is that for them to fit over my hips, the waist swallows me and rides down giving me the feeling of sort of losing my britches as soon as I start to move.  Not so with these.  My 3/4" elastic was cut to 26 1/2" and butted together, no overlap.... and it fits p-e-r-f-e-c-t-l-y!  Enough stretch to get it over my hips, yet tight enough to stay up.  Oh, and it's super comfortable.  *insert big smile here*

And have I mentioned how comfortable these are?! The fabric is very soft and moves well with me. 

For those who may want to see the pants in whole.... I am completely pitiful with hemming anything knit with double needles and this fabric was no exception.  It ridged/channeled terribly with every sample I tried to make.  So, no big deal, a small zigzag stitch hemmed these well, accomodating the stretch needed to put them on.  All other seams are 4-thread serged.

This is a more comfy at-home look for today.

For some reason the dogs were very interested in my little photo session.  They are such sweet companions.   

I've been sick with a virus-y bug this past week, and am beginning to feel better today.  Hope to share a new jacket with you soon!
Happy Sewing Everyone!!  :)

Gray Ribbed Corduroy Pants | NewLook 6216

These pants were cut out on a Wednesday night right before heading to bed, completely finished by 2:00 p.m. the next day and being worn out the door to attend a casual function at 2:30 p.m.  That's pretty quick for me!

NewLook Pattern 6216 is an elastic waist straight leg pattern I've made twice before, here and here.  I've always eliminated the cording in the casing.  Love these pockets!

When those earlier versions were made, the size 10's seam allowance was the width of the serging. This time I wanted to see what a true size 10 with a 5/8" seam allowance looked like and am quite pleased with these.  I like the more straight leg appeal here.

Warning... this pattern runs big!!!  If I followed the pattern's sizing suggestion, I'd be making a 14! No Way!

I'm a huge fan of elastic-waist pants because my weight tends to fluctuate back and forth a pesky five pounds.... just enough to affect the fit of fitted garments.... and these types of pants are simply more comfortable for daily wear.  But..... I do not want to 'look' like I'm wearing elastic-waist pants and believe the way to sort of get around that, is to size back to where the elastic waist barely makes it over your hips as you are putting the pants on, then that way there's not a lot of extra fabric gathered in the elastic waist.  If that makes sense?!

Wearing a rtw shirt and vest here and tucked the shirt in and added a belt to show you how the front rides a little high.  This is actually a little higher than my natural waist but though it was important to show you the entire pant.  Feeling a little frumpy here.

Ahhh, that's better.  The high front waist is a little bit of a bother, but one that's manageable. 

The back rides a little low on me, and next time may do a full butt adjustment.  Bwhahahaha!  Sorry!!  Everytime I say or write that it makes me laugh..... even though it's so true!!!

As I was setting up the camera on our deck this morning for this post, our woodland creatures were oh so active.  You'd be amazed at how much noise squirrels and chipmunks make in the leaves on the forest floor.  So much to my complete amazement... a buck and doe came through as if no human were around!  And oh what noise they made!!!  Thinking I'd missed my chance at a shot, but kept my camera in hand, a few minutes later the most clattering of leaves was heard as this adolescent deer came happily bounding by trying to catch up with mom and dad and sweetly posed for ever a slight second at the top of one of our trails for me.  *insert big smile here*

It's been a very nice morning!

Happy Sewing Everyone!  :)