I have been wanting to make a pair of pants for Frida, that wasn’t as wide as the typical Ottobre or Onion pattern for woven baby pants is. After browsing through my patterns, I decided to try the “Vilkas” pants – again from the latest issue of Ottobre for kids. They are meant for velour, but I decided to go with the last bit of the velvet, that I have had in my stash since I used it for making another pair of pants for Frida (my first ever) - back in February when I first started sewing. I was going to show you by linking to them, but I just realized I didn’t even upload them to Flickr… However, this dress was made from the same velvet.

If anyone is unsure about the difference between velvet and velour – I was too. So I googled a bit and came up with two pretty good explanations:

“Velvet is a form of textile that is woven on a special loom. It is a tufted fabric in which the cut threads are very evenly distributed, giving it its distinct feel. Velvet can be made from any fiber. Two pieces of velvet must be woven at the same time. They are then cut apart and the two lengths of fabric are wound on separate take-up rolls. Looms which weave velvet must have two takeup rolls. Velvet’s knitted counterpart is velour. Velvet was very expensive.
Corduroy and velveteen, when first produced, were considered the “poor man’s velvet”. Velour is a form of textile, a knitted counterpart of velvet. It combines the stretchy properties of knits such as spandex with the rich appearance and feel of velvet. It is used in dancewear for the ease of movement it affords. Velour is also popular for warm,
colorful casual clothing.”

“The term velvet versus velour specifically refers to the construction of the fabric, not the fiber it is made of.
Velvet is a woven backed fabric with the cut pile, no stretch. Velour is a knit fabric with the cut pile, stretchy.
Both fabrics come in all sorts of fibers, from silk to cotton and many synthetic blends.
Woven fabrics are stiffer and more durable, but only have a bit of stretch on the bias. Knit fabrics are softer and drapier and a bit less durable, but they are nice and stretchy.”

There, that should settle it. So anyway, I made the pants.

I cut up the traced pattern in order to combine the velvet with some pretty embroidered fine cord which I have used once before, but other than that, I didn’t make any changes.

Everything went really easy, and the fit of these pants is great. In spite of the fact that I didn’t use a stretchy fabric for them, they are easy to get on and off, and the material works really well for a pair of baby pants. They will be nice and warm for the upcoming autumn, so all in all, I’m really happy with them.

And now for something completely different….

Computers – internet – blogosphere… Don’t you think modern technology is an amazing thing? Don’t you just love the possibilities the computer and the internet brings us? And aren’t you amazed at how the internet and the blogosphere can bring people together and minimize any distance as shown on a map?

I know I am! Every time I start thinking about it, it just blows my mind. I consider myself lucky to have been born into the internet age, and I was reminded about it again yesterday when this arrived in the mail from California:

Lisa who has the wonderful blog Bon Souvenir and her daughter Saga (“what a cool name”, Mads said – and he’s right too) sent a little something for Ronja and Frida. She wants to give them the opportunity to learn English from traditional English children’s songs by sending two music cd’s, which is such a sweet thought. Had you been here yesterday, you would have seen our two girls dancing around to the sound of Three Little Kittens, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, and Humpty Dumpty. And oh yes, Frida dances too – she holds on to the coffee table and bounces up and down – quite a sight, I tell you! Thank you so much, Lisa – we’re going to have loads of fun with this! I have no doubt you will be a popular teacher in your beautifully decorated classroom!