Hard to Believe

I know! I've just sewn up a muslin for the Burda Plus pants (Spring/Summer 2007 E952 #402) and this is what they looked like straight 'out off the tracing paper!'

I think they look pretty good already - no major funny things happening. I'm so excited. I have a feeling this is going to be my first proper TNT pants pattern!

Issues that I needed to address in the above pants:

• side seams are pulling forward towards my belly
• the waistband is a little too tight
• the back is sitting out slightly at the top of CB and
• the crease lines (which are on the grain) are not sitting perfectly straight.

So, I let the side seams out by 1/2". This has stopped any of the pulling and allows the side seams to sit at my side instead of towards the front. I also took a wedge out of the CB seam, angling it in towards the top of the WB. This makes the WB sit in nicely against my back. However, I still have the problem with the crease lines pulling in towards the inner leg.

I think there is my problem. I've got a little bit of pulling on my front thigh. I also find that if I push the WB down a fraction at the CF (or pull up the WB at the side seams) the crease lines hang straight.

UP:
DOWN:

I'm going to have one last look in my fit books to see about the thigh issue, otherwise, I think this pattern is good to go! I'd planned to use this pattern in my mini-wardrobe #1, so I've got two fabrics ready and waiting to go. Hopefully, by next week, I'll have a couple of pairs of new pants!

Direction with Simplicity 3768 Shorts

I've gotten some great advice and I now need to try a few things.

One poster said that I need to make sure the front and back are level - that perhaps I've pulled the front up too high. I need to try the muslin on again, keeping everything level and take some photos from front, back AND sides.

Another poster has given me the idea of using the WB the way it is and using elastic as a kind of interfacing. If I don't attach it - just enclose it in the WB, then I can shorten it as I lose size. Great idea - and I think I'll do this, but so I need to get the pants fitting first? Maybe I need to cut out a WB, recut the top of these shorts according to the pattern and sew it together as it's meant to be in the pattern.

Yet another poster mentioned crotch length...apparently, the pattern should measure my crotch length plus an extra 1" for ease. I've measured my CL - it's 29.5". Next step is to measure the pattern and see if that works out.

Finally, I'm also going to try molding my crotch line with tinfoil and getting a template happening. There are a few threads on PR about doing this and it sounds interesting, so I'm going to give it a go.

Progress - Warning some TMI shots included

I have finally fallen to the dreaded bugs that have been so prevalent around here. I don't have anything really bad, but I have a sore throat and I totally lack any energy.

Having said that, I have done a few sewing related things this week. I tried on my shorts muslin and fiddled around with it for a while. It fits fine in the front and is plenty big enough, but I am getting some bizarre folds/creases and I don't know what to do about them. I'm going to post over at PR to see if I can get some ideas about what to do next.

I've also finally traced out the Burda Plus pants I plan to use in my mini-wardrobe. I've cut them out in muslin fabric and will stitch them together either tonight or tomorrow (probably tomorrow if I'm being realistic). I may also need to ask for help on PR for those too. I really want to get those ones right as I'd love to have a TNT pants pattern.

Mini-Wardrobe #1 and TNTs

I've decided that I need to get organised with some TNT patterns. I am going to start with pants. I wear far more pants than I do skirts. However, I don't want to fall into the trap of filling up my wardrobe with pants and have nothing to wear with them, so I'm planning to sew some simple tops at the same time to create a mini-wardrobe.

There has been much discussion of this mini-wardrobe concept on Artisan Square and Pattern Review so I figure I'm just going to jump on the bandwagon. Sherril Miller showed some beautiful combinations last week and I love the way she had photographed her fabric and presented her plans - so I'm shamelessly copying.

The ADHD in me is struggling to keep this to 2 tops and 2 bottoms - I'm already at 3 tops, but I keep reminding myself that if I keep it simple until I get some TNTs, I'll have a better chance of succeeding.

The other thing that is in the back of my mind is that I'm trying to lose weight. I joined a gym the other week and have plans for slowly and steadily losing 30 kgs. That will make all my work on TNTs completely redundant, but I figure I'm going to sew for the body I have now. At the very least it will give me stacks of practice in fitting and sewing techniques!

Anyway, here are the plans for my first mini-wardrobe.

Completed Projects for 2009

• 37 hot pink sequinned circle skirts
• 11 aqua sequinned circle skirts
• Aqua/white sparkly tulle ruffly dance skirt
• Navy pants (Burda)
• Green print Kwiksew shirt
• 1 sequinned Redondo for DD
• 2 x black knit skirts for me (McCalls 5434 and Kwiksew 3412)
• Blue/green/brown T-shirt for me (but too small)
• Jade and black print knit dress for me
• Jade/black mesh and black knit t-shirt for me
• Black skirt with Jade/black mesh overlay for me
• 1 x doll's quilt (first quilt for me - ever!)
• Peasant Blouse
• Baby jumper (knitting)
• Black maternity dress for Rachel
• Black knit pants (McCalls 5434)
• Navy knit pants (McCalls 5434)
• Green jungly knit mesh tunic top (Simplicity 3624)
• Cream knit tunic top (Simplicity 3624)
• Kharki Skirt (Simplicity 4701)
• Ottobre straight skirt multi coloured stretch linen
• Denim skirt (Simplicity 4701)
• Puppy print nightie for DD
• Chocolate brown wrap skirt (Ottobre)
• Aqua slub knit tank top (Ottobre)
• Ottobre gathered neck t-shirts x 5
• Undies x 3
• Cupcake pants for DD
• Ladybug and Polka Dot pants for DD
• Strapless navy top (McCalls 5434)
• Spindle sundress (Ottobre) - wadder/nightie
• Blue Tracksuit pants for DD - school uniform x 3

So far (8/8/2009) I'm up to 87 garments/projects completed this year. Granted most of them are fairly simple, but I need to fill up my wardrobe with enough clothes to get me through the basics, then I can spend some time on more involved and intricate projects.

ETA (14/8/2009):

Have finished a few more items - mainly UFOs - it feels good to get them out of the room!

• Baby Quilt for Rachel
• Doll's quilt #1
• Black/Jade Print T-shirt
• Green knit top
• Brown jumper

ETA (18/8/2009)

• Pink tracksuit pants for DD
• Cupcake tracksuit pants for DD
• Jade Knit Top (KwikSew 3658)

ETA (30/8/2009)

• Black Burda Plus Pants

ETA (9/12/09)

• Pink/White Bikini for DD
• Orange Hawaiian Bikini for DD
• Blue Hawaiian Bikini for DD
• Bright floral one-piece swimsuit for DD
• Black/Red Bikini bottoms for DD
• Yellow/Pink Leotard for DD
• Yellow/Pink Dancing Skirt for DD
• Pink Leotard for DN
• Pretty Ditty Apron for MIL
• Watermelon linen shorts for Me
• Striped Linen shorts for Me
• White Shorts for Me
• Pink Cupcake Hoodie for DD
• MORE sequin circle skirts (about 30) for Dancing
• White panties for Me
• Doll's quilt #2 for DN

Now up to 141 projects for the year :-) And I've still got some Christmas sewing to finish.

Up-To-Date List of UFOs

I'm going to keep track of this here so I can find it and update as needed...

Projects which need finishing:

• Coral shirt
• Choc/olive t-shirt
• Watermelon linen jeans jacket
• Jeans for me
• Jeans for DD
• Beige panties

UFOS which are DONE:

• Baby Quilt for Rachel - DONE
• 3 x Bikinis for DD - DONE
• Pink cupcake hoodie for DD - DONE
• Pink tracksuit pants for DD - DONE
• Cupcake tracksuit pants for DD - DONE
• Doll's quilt #1 - DONE
• Black/Jade Print T-shirt - DONE
• Doll's quilt #2 - DONE
• Green knit top - DONE
• Brown jumper - DONE
• Jade knit top - DONE

Keeping track is a wonderful thing!

And doing it on the computer means I can't lose it!

One of the things I struggle with on a daily basis is my ADD tendencies. I'm great out of the blocks, but not so great finishing things off. I also tend to take on WAY too much, get overwhelmed, then abandon everything. Case in point, the LONG list of projects that need to be completed...

I'm not going to kid myself that I'll get it all done this week. I haven't got time, it's DD's birthday this week and I'm still getting sorted for her party. BUT, I can fit in a little bit of sewing each day. Hopefully, if I can choose to work on something from the list, I can finish something this week.

Projects completed since last update:

• 11 x aqua sequin circle skirts - DONE (even including a couple of extras for last minute RSVPs)
• 1 ruffly tulle dancing skirt (learning how to use ruffler foot)
• Navy pants

Work done on:

• Baby Quilt for Rachel's baby

Once this crazy birthday weekend is over, it's full steam ahead on crafty projects. I did some clothes shopping this last week, so I'm not under any pressure to finish anything up for our holiday, which helps enormously. It's funny, I'm so much more productive when I'm not under pressure.

Plans include clearing out some of that mountain of UFOs and making some shorts for our holiday. I'd also like to complete a mini-wardrobre ala Sherril. We'll see...