Jodie says she has so many irons in the fire she could be a blacksmith. Me, I have my fingers in so many pies I could possibly be Little Jack Horner. Starting with a dolly I need to finish before next weekend.
In an effort to head off second-sock-itis, I have started my second tropical fish sock...
As part of KCWC , I finally moved these jeans from my UFO basket and completed them. They have been sitting in the basket for months waiting for me to sew them together.
The pattern is Paperback writer, or design 31 from the Winter 2010 issue of Ottobre magazine. I really like the name, the song was playing in my head whilst I was making these jeans.
These jeans are made for boys with long, very skinny legs. It is recommended for those that have a waist size 4cm smaller than the charts in the magazine, so if you've got a skinny-mini, then this pattern is for you.
One thing I would do differently, is I wouldn't add a seam allowance to the curved edges of the front pockets pieces and facings. I did for this pair, but I've gone and chopped it off my pattern pieces because the pockets get in the way of the fly area.
I've added rivets to the top corners of the back pockets and to the side-seam corner of the front pockets as well as to the top corners of the coin pocket. One of the rivets on the coin pocket is completely hidden, so was un-necessary. I would recommend that if you plan to add rivets to the jeans, they can all be added at the end, anyway, so that would be the way to go.
Another point with the rivets is that I have used two kinds, only because I started with one type, and then realised I didn't have enough. So the two rivets on the sides of the pockets are different to the other rivets. I prefer the look of the other rivets, and they also have skinnier post, which means I can push them through a smaller hole more easily.
I used three sewing machines to put these jeans together; my regular machine for the seams, my over-locker for neatening the edges and also the industrial machine for the top-stitching. You could make these jeans on one machine, but by using my industrial machine for the top-stitching, it saved me threading and rethreading my machine over and over. I used Gutermann upholstery thread, in colour 968. This is a 100% polyester thread and is quite a bit heavier than the regular, sew-all thread. A 100m reel is about the same size as a 250m spool of sew-all. Sadly, I have heard rumours that Gutermann are discontinuing the upholstery thread, so I will be on the look-out for a suitable replacement.
I think the most exciting part of making these jeans is that I got to try out my new jeans snaps and dyes for the snap press. I really need to be making lots more jeans to make the investment worthwhile, but don't they look fantastic?!
I'm enjoying sitting at the machine with the window open in this beautiful weather. I decided that it was high time I pulled these two UFOs (unfinished objects) out and turn them into WIPs (work in progress). They are from when I went to a Don't Look Now workshop.
Once a UFO is being worked on again, it is no longer a UFO, it is a WIP.
Before I do any quilting, I always check my tension and do a little practice on my practise sandwich.
I think I may need to make a new practice sandwich soon, as this one is getting a little full.
Does anyone else over-lap their practices like this?
See who else is playing along with Our Creative Spaces over here.
This is what I was working on today, since I need some green thread for this project, I thought I would practice my quilting by working towards finishing the cushion covers I was making in Kellie'sclass. Now I need some Gutermann 111 as well...
I was chatting with Karen a little later, and she mentioned that she was putting some UFOs (Unfinished Objects) on her blog.
I mentioned that I have a few myself, and this is just a small sample of them...
Some embroideries that I was doing even before I got my embroidery machine, to make a quilt out of for the cradle. Now that I have a baby on the way again, I have reason to complete this. I was wanting more quilting experience under my belt before beginning this. I feel reasonably confident that I can put it all together now.
This is a grow suit, it never got finished because the snap up the top didn't attach properly and I had trouble getting it off. Now that I have a snap press, it really shouldn't be too difficult to sort out. Does anyone have any tips for removing dodgy snaps though?
Some bibs that I was making, using this free pattern from Nicole Mallalieu. I think I just never got around to it? It will be a while before I really need these, because they are really toddler size, but it would be nice if I just finished them.
I have noticed when looking at UFOs, that both my sewing room and my head explode. There is stuff everywhere, and my brain is bursting with ideas for a whole host of new ideas of things to make, surely some of which will be my future UFOs. Does this happen to anyone else?
