Sunflower dress
Rødvig
Corn
Ronja is wearing the new pants today, and we just had a bit of sunshine, so I got to take a picture. It’s quiet here right now – Mads is reading, Frida is taking a nap, and Ronja has taken the opportunity to play with her toys, without interference.
Tonight we’re going to dinner at some friends’ house. What a nice Saturday.
So I did it again – I made another pair of the Onion pants from pattern 20022.
It’s my fourth pair made from this pattern, but Ronja is growing out of the first two ones, and they just really work well, look good, and are easy to sew up. The pants came together over a few evenings this week, after the girls were in bed. I used a floral baby corduroy along with a soft pink one, both purchased cheap at a local sewing shop. I quite like the result, and Ronja has new pants that are easy for her to put on and take off.
Still, I will have to be on the lookout for a new pants pattern – can’t keep doing this one… 
Alright then. I have to say now, that the object here is not so much what I made, but the fact that I made something.
That being said, Frida needed some new pants, so I digged up the Vilkas pattern from Ottobre, that I used a few times before, and this time I went with a soft and warm, pink velour. I made them the same size as before, except slightly longer than earlier – and they fit fine. If anything, they’re a little bit big. I think I proved, that this is a versatile pattern, right?
I’m happy with the result, and more importantly – I did some sewing, and it felt pretty good! 
**UPDATE**
I’m getting several questions on the waistband, so I want to share the source for the instructions. Charlene from the Ottobre Group did a photo tutorial on the subject a while ago. It explains how to serge on the elastic, and I wanted to give it a try, even though I normally use my sewing machine for that. It worked really well, so this is definitely a recommendation!
Today I made another pair of pants for Frida from the “Vilkas” pants pattern.
This time I used fine corduroy only, which has no stretch at all. They fit fine, but I may make them slightly higher at the waist next time. As I did last time, I cut up the pattern for these as well (you should see my pattern – it looks like a jigsaw puzzle by now…) – only differently. I wanted to spice up the plain corduroy with some fabulous printed corduroy - also found in the new line from “Stof og Stil”. I think I’ll use that same fabric for making Ronja a pinafore dress – but that’ll be some time soon.
I went a little crazy with the topstiching… I don’t know if it shows above, otherwise maybe you can see it more clearly here:
Maybe it’s too much? Maybe I should’ve used a contrasting thread? You be the judge.
…something I made for me. I haven’t been sewing much for myself – I’m kind of hesitant because of the fitting-issue. Whatever you make for an adult needs to be fitted to some degree, and also the sizing just isn’t as simple as it is for kids.
However, I made something simple.
Or at least, it should have been. It has been in the category of unfinished stuff for quite some time – basically it didn’t turn out the way it should have. First I didn’t like the neckline from the original pattern, so I redrew the neckline while wearing the top and looking in a mirror. Then I wanted to finish the neckline and the sleeves with bias tape, but it just didn’t work out – I think I may need some practice in that department. The neckline kind of stood up in a funny way, so I undid the seam, and didn’t get any further.
A while ago, when my mother was visiting, she gave me the idea to make a facing instead. For a while I still didn’t get around to it, but this weekend, I did. I drew the pattern for the facing with the top as my template. Cut the facing in a different fabric to add a bit of contrast. And for something that initially didn’t turn out the way I wanted it, I’m pretty happy with it. This is me wearing my Ginger Blossom top. The pattern is an Onion pattern – 5005, however heavily modified.
And this is Frida – she knows where I keep my sewing machine… Also, she models the “Vilkas” pants - already a favourite.
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.
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!
I did a bit of sewing today and made a pair of pants for Frida.
The pattern I used is one from the Ottobre issue 01/2006, and even though there is one for girls, I chose to use the one for boys - just like that one better. For a while I have been looking at the rest of the linen I used for the “Tie-back” tunic, and I have wanted to try to match it with another Sandi Henderson design from the Ginger Blossom line. I decided that these pants would work well for that combo.
It did prove to be a bit of a challenge, since the printed fabric proved to be off the grainline. While cutting, I had to kind of come up with a compromise between following the grainline and following the design. If I had gone by the grainline only, it would’ve looked like I let Frida cut it on her own - which I didn’t. I think it went fairly well in spite of the grainline-issue, though – there are not that many straight lines, so you don’t really see it unless you look closely, as well as know what to look for.
The pants came together nicely – the only problems I had were caused by the vividness of the linen. It stretches and moves quite a bit more than the quilting cotton, which makes it hard to control at times. Anyway, I didn’t have serious issues this time, and I even decided to try out one of my sewing machine’s decorative stitches!
The pants are a bit big for Frida still – I made them in a size 68, and I worried that they might be too small, but no need. I would like to make a small peasant blouse to go with it – we’ll see if I get around to it!
