Name these shorts!

Can you tell which pattern I used? 

There’s a slight hint in the hem of the white pair… They are, in fact, Prefontaine Shorts! Except I got quickly bored with sewing the distinctive piping, and then I got bored of sewing patch pockets, and voile - I have 3 pairs of very basic shorts! 

I think the pattern is excellent - I was so pleased to find that the back crotch curve almost perfectly matches my TNT Style Arc Elle pants.The front crotch curve is all kinds of crazy on me, but I find I really don’t care. These are shorts for lounging around the house or doing errands. And for that, they are perfect!

All three pairs are made with stretch twill with about 30% stretch. The pockets are lined with quilting cotton. I wanted to avoid unflattering gathered fabric in the front, so between the two pockets the waistband is stable and not stretchy. The other 3/4 of the waistband have elastic, though really, I should have been brave and pulled it tighter. They all slouch down pretty fast… but then again, I don’t really care! 

It’s been a few years since I had shorts that fit, so I’m really enjoying throwing these on when the weather is hot! (The rest of the time I can be found huddled under a quilt on the couch… :)

Of course, this is the time of year when teaching suddenly becomes the best job ever. Two whole months of vacation? Oh yeah, baby. Of course, Jamie and I are both unpaid over the summer, and I don’t have any work yet for fall, but ya know, vacation!!!

We live in a little triplex apartment, so summer is filled with the sounds of people and kids talking, fighting, playing, and listening to universally terrible music. I’ve been enjoying the luxury of having time to paint my nails: black fingers, in Jamie’s honour, and pink, orange and gold toes. I’ve also been seeing lots of friends and family, which is a real treat. We also bought an eliptical machine, and have been trying to work out at home. So far so good, although MAN I’m out of shape!

Most fun of all, we adopted a second cat two weeks ago! His name is Frank (Both cats are named after the mad scientists from Mystery Science Theatre 3000). Frank is 8 years old and very chill… Clay is now 1 year old, and rather spooked! They are both getting more relaxed by the day now, even going so far as to sleep or play in the same room for short periods of time. It’s progress! Having cats to watch and care for really does make our lives so much richer. Three cheers for cats! 

Have you tried anything new this summer? Food, patterns, hobbies, adventures… new flavour of chips? What’s new in your world?

Have you tried knits from quilting cotton designers?

Wow! I’m relieved that you enjoyed my fabric haul videos - and glad that many people took the time to leave really in depth comments. Thank you! 

One of this topics that came up in the comments is how more and more quilting cotton companies are starting to release knits. I think this is a brilliant change in the industry - but are the knits any good? I thought maybe we could pool our experiences so that we can shop smart!

Looking around online, here are the quilting cotton lines that seem to branching out into knits - and what I’ve heard, if anything, about their quality!

(And since several people mentioned how pleased they are with shopping at Hawthorne Threads, I figured I’d use their site for links. Thanks to Gail who pointed out just how many knits they have now!) 

• Riley Blake: They’ve been into knits for a while, and seem to have a good selection of basic graphic dots, stripes, and chevrons. I know Steph from Sewing Cake has been pleased with the Riley Blake knits she’s used… according the post I link to, she says they wash and wear well, don’t curl badly when you sew, and are printed on grain!


• Westminster Knits, including Anna Maria Horner: Listed as interlock, so probably quite stable? 


• Robert Kaufmann Laguna Jersey: These have been around for quite a while too. Lots of variety of solids and prints! 95% Cotton/5% Spandex. Robert Kaufmann also has other prints. 


• Briar Rose Knits by Heather Ross:  Finally one I’ve touched! I bought some of this from fabric.com and it was AWFUL. It’s interlock (which makes me afraid of all those other interlocks) with almost no stretch and the same crusty ink that bugged me about Girl Charlie fabrics. Definitely NOT something I would recommend! It’s made by Windham, so I’d be wary if they start releasing other knits…


• Art Gallery: They are releasing a bunch of interlock prints in September - I’m curious to see how they are! 


• April Rhodes: Also produced by Art Gallery, but these are a 95% Cotton/5% Spandex blend. Heather made a top recently in this tomahawk print, and she said the quality is good - like a slightly lighter Lillestoff, I think she said, which is high praise! 

The curious thing that jumps out at me is that so many companies are coming out with interlocks instead of jersey. Why? (For reference, a classic man’s t-shirt would be made of interlock. Beefy, little stretch, not much drape. I stand corrected! Lisa G points out below that men’s shirts are jersey… I did some research and an interlock would look like the right-side of jersey on both sides. Could be soft, thick and stretchy, or very stable.) Is a stable knit more appeal for people used to sewing with quilting cotton? Or is it more popular for kid’s clothes? To my mind, a cotton/spandex jersey blend is much more forgiving, both for sewing and wearing. In my dream world, they’d make drapey rayon knits too!

Now to my point: Have you touched/bought/sewn with any of these brands of knit? If you have, or know of a blogger who has, please let us know what the fabric is like in the comments below. I’ll make a second post with more detailed reviews, if we come up with more information! And if you haven’t sewn with these knits, what kind of base fabric would you like them to use?

Oh yeah - and what brands did I miss?

Online Shopping Review: Haul Video from Fabric.com and Girl Charlee!

Remember a few months back when I was debating shifting from fabric shopping in person to shopping online? Well, I’ve put in a couple of orders online, and I thought I’d do a review! I’ve done two orders from Fabric.com, and one order from Girl Charlee. Both have low prices, and a wide choice of knits. **Spoiler: I’m much happier with one shop than the other!**

The challenge of ordering knits online is trying to decode the written descriptions to guess what the fabric will really be like in person. To help share my own experience, I thought I’d try “haul videos” so that you can really see the stretch and drape of each fabric, and the overall quality of each store!

(Yes, this concept might just be self-indulgent and weird. If you don’t watch I won’t hold it against you! ;) 

First up: Girl Charlee

And here are links to the fabrics I ordered:

• Striped slub knit (They call it medium weight, I think it’s a tissue knit!) 


• Feather print  and navy with triangles (They say soft and drapey, I say crusty and stiff.)


• Royal blue striped ponte (They say it’s 45% cotton, which is a surprise! Feels like pure poly…)


• The other fabrics are out of stock now, it seems…

Next: Fabric.com

More links to what I ordered:

• Yarn Dyed Tissue Jersey Knit Stripes Jade/Royal


• Stretch Yarn Dyed Slub Jersey Knit Stripes Mint/Navy


• Stretch Bamboo Rayon Jersey Knit Polka Dot Navy/White


• (The two-wided knits and ITY are sold out…)

Overall Thoughts:

In the end, I found fabric.com to have much more accurate and reliable descriptions of their fabric. In all three orders I’ve ever done at Girl Charlee, a lot of their fabrics turn out to be thinner and more stable than the descriptions indicated. I just can’t get over the caked on ink in their custom prints, either. I’ve had good and bad fabric from both places, but I’m disappointed enough that I won’t shop at Girl Charlee again. 

What has your experience been of shopping online? Do you have any suggestions for what I could make with my thin, stable, and not-drapey knits from Girl Charlee? Help! 

Toronto Sewcialist Meet-Up!

We’re having another meet-up in Toronto! I know there are a few people who aren’t part of the Facebook group, so I wanted to post about it here too. (Sorry to those of you who aren’t in southern Ontario!) 

We’ve had a couple of big meet-ups in the last year and a half, starting with this one that Adrienne and I organised last spring. It’s always fun to meet like-minded people who love sewing! (The hilarious bonus is the conversations with first-name-only mentions of this blogger or that new pattern… i.e. “Did you see Heather’s Tiki Anna?” Totally unintelligable to anyone but a sewing blog reader!) 

We’ve shopped the fabric district a coupe of time, and checked out the sewing supplies in nearby Hamilton… so as a change, we’re going to go check out the Bata Shoe Museum instead. It’s one of my favourite museums in Toronto because it’s just the right (small) size to visit without getting exhausted! They’ve got a new exhibit called “Fashion Victims: The Perils and Pleasures of dress in the 19th Century”. (Thanks to Rochelle for bringing the exhibit to my attention on twitter!)

Afterwards we’ll find a place to eat, drink, relax, and have a little swap! Not sure where though - Torontonians, do any of you have a suggestion? 

If you can join us, RSVP on the Facebook group or send me an email at crafting.a.rainbow.blog@gmail.com Feel free to grab the image from above and spread the word on your own blogs - The more, the merrier! 

I was going to ask if you have any meet-ups planned this summer, but that seems sort of cruel to isolated sewists… So instead, tell me: Can you shop in a group, or do you need to be on your own to make decisions? I almost never buy anything at meet-ups because I’m so distracted by chatting, and I don’t feel like I can take the time to pick something out. I’ve never been good at shopping in groups - even when I go to another city with my husband, we ALWAYS split up and do our own thing so that the other won’t have to wait around bored! 

Oonapalooza Plans!

Did you hear? It’s Oonapalooza month over on the Sewcialists Blog! 

Basically, the challenge is to get inspired by Oona’s sense of style, colour, drama and fun. Make whatever you want, but step out of your comfort zone and have some fun! 

I’m really excited about the theme, because summer is such a great time to add some sass and pizazz into clothes! I’ve been feeling the urge lately to experiment more with pattern drafting, and try out some new-to-me silhouettes, so this is the perfect excuse. (I’m seriously obsessed with this site.) Plus, I don’t have to wear work clothes until September, so it’s the right time to sew something flirty, or dare I say it, sexy? (I honestly don’t think I’ve ever sewn something sexy, and the idea kinda freaks me out! Which means it’s probably time to try it!) 

Baby steps first though… The first project I’m planning is a hack of the Sewaholic Saltspring. My awesome bloggy buddies Leila and Heather bought me the pattern last year, and it’s finally the right time of year to try it!

I’ve got 3m of ITY to work with, and I’m deciding between two options:

(Ooops, looks like I forgot to add green to the one drawing…)

#1: Straight-ish Mission-maxi style skirt with a slit, and wide bands on the Saltspring bodice.

#2: Raise the Saltspring neckline to be halter like I asked about here. Keep the tie straps from Saltspring, and go buy a strapless bra that fits! Draft an a-line panelled maxi skirt that would sit smoothing at the waist and be dramatic in a windstorm. 

I’m leaning towards version #2, because it has more elements that i wouldn’t normally sew! Everything I make is SOOOO practical, which makes for a good wardrobe but not much drama. Time to spice it up! 

To up the ante, I pulled out a few potential contrast fabrics and trims from my stash. The turquoise is ITY, so maybe I’ll incorporate it into a braided strap or something? The blue is a lovely drapey french terry which I have just enough to make a shrug of some kind. I don’t know how I would incorporate the elastic, but maybe as piping at the neckline or pockets, if I add some?

Here’s a better look at my fabric - it’s got a lot of my palette colours in it! Pink, minty turquoise, and royal blue, plus white and black. I’d love to find another print to clash/go with it - maybe even black and white stripes or something? If I make a shrug, it’s definitely going to need spicing up with some kind of contrast, trim, or something!

Are you inspired to join in Oonapalooza? Even if you don’t have a particular project in mind, just keep Oona’s voice in the back of your mind as you sew, and maybe you’ll surprise yourself! If you do make anything Oona-esque, upload pics into the Sewcialist Flickr group, because Oona will be giving out a wee prize! (That said, sew what you love! No point sewing for a contest if you don’t like what you make. I’ve fallen into that trap, and it’s just a waste of energy.) 

Also, which version of the dress do you think I should make? And how can I Oona-it-up some more?

June thoughts

June is always a busy month - the last month of school and my birthday! The math course I’ve been taking also ended - with the final project due the same week as report cards had to be handed in to the office! (If you aren’t a teacher, you may not know how many hours (days and weeks) go into writing report cards - it takes over evenings an weekends and becomes all-consuming!) All of my classes are getting rowdier, as if the kids can smell their impending freedom coming… well, so can I! Only 5 more days of school, then I’m going to sew, sew sew! 

In less complain-y news, I turned 32 last week! It’s a milestone number for me, since my mom had me when she was 32, and my granny had my mother when she was 32! Which means I’m now 1/2 my mom’s age, and 1/3 my Granny’s. Needless to say, I’m not planning on popping out a kid this year, but it feels like an important age nonetheless. 

The night before my birthday, I asked Twitter if I should make a new dress… and of course, Twitter said YES! 

Voila! It is, of course, a Tiramisu/Mission Maxi mashup, like this dress that I wore in Me-Made May. The only issue I have with it is that the contrast band really shows up how my bewbs squish down the band under the bust. I think that happens on all my Tiras, but it’s more obvious here with the contrast! If the crossover is any longer, it looks baggy… so I guess this is just the way it’s going to be, unless I start interfacing the midriff or something. 

This is my first polyester ITY maxi, and I’m pleased to report is was nice to wear even on a hot day! ITY is a bit like light-weight bathing suit fabric, which as a beginning sewist I was very wary to use… but I like it now! It’s not clingy, it has great stretch recovery, washes perfectly, and while it’s a bit warmer than a cotton, it’s not sweaty to wear. I bought this fabric locally, but its also a very easy fabric to order online. ITY seems to be a very standard weight and quality, so it’s easy to predict when you’ll get! 

Another recent project was this tie-up t-shirt!

It’s a total knockoff of this pin. I saw it, I wanted to try it, and an hour later it was done! I used Deer and Doe’s Plantain tee as the base, but any tee would work. I raised and widened the neckline, and eyeballed the length in back and front. I folded and stitched the bottom hem, but the slash up the front centre isn’t hemmed because I couldn’t figure out an easy way to finish it! I’ve seen lots of cute cropped and knotted tees lately, and this was a fun way to try out the trend. I’m planning on wearing it over maxis mostly, as a cleavage coverup or instead of a cardigan!

One thing I’ve been experimenting with is how best to tie the know so that it lays flat. In the 2nd pic from the left, I’ve tied it once… in the centre pic I’ve tied twice (right over left, right over left)… and my fav knot, second from the right, is also tied twice (right over left, left over right). Thinking back to being a Girl Guide, I think the most successful knot is called a square knot? Any of you have tips for how best to tie a neat, flat knot in clothing?

Next, because I’m a crazy cat lady, here’s what my cat was doing while I was taking pics on the balcony!

I grew up with outdoor cats, but she’s an indoor cat since we live a) in a 2nd floor apt, and b) near a major road. She’s never been ouside, but boy is she interested! 

Finally, thank you all so much for your awesome suggestions of halter patterns! I can’t believe how many great options you found for me - now I have to whittle them down to just one! I really appreciate the help though - I tried looking myself and just wasn’t finding anything. I knew the sewcialists would have all the best intell! 

Oh, and just a sneaky teaser… I’m hosting an Oonapalooza in July over on the Sewcialists website, so if you love Oona’s flamboyent style as much as I do, start looking for some bright and crazy fabric to work with! Rules are going to be wide open - anything goes, as long as it’s bright, joyous, and just a bit crazy! 

Can you help me find a pattern?

Hi everyone - I need your help! I’ve got a couple of weddings to go to this summer, and of course, I’d like to make a dress to wear! I’ve got a style in mind, but I can’t find a pattern. Help!

I’d like it to look like a halter from the front, like these, but have a back just like the front (i.e. coming up in a trapezoidal shape to attach to a strong or collar at the neck.) I find actual halters a PITA to wear, but I love this look. (In fact, I put a downpayment on a wedding dress in this style before finding the “right” dress!) 

Other criteria/thoughts: 

• I’ll sew mine in an ITY knit, but seeing the pattern shapes for either a woven or knit would help me figure it out


• it’s probably more flattering on my body to have a waistband component, like the blue dress above… but I can alter any pattern to include that


• I quite like the look of a slit in the back or front bodice (like the orange, blue or white versions above)


• I also like the look of a wider collar around the neck (like the white or black one) instead of just a string… but I wonder what kind of closure the collar part uses?


• Mine will be a maxi (or maxi with an Anna-esque slit?) but again, I can draft for that if it’s not in the pattern!

Can anyone suggest a pattern that would be a good start? And also, what on earth is this neckline called? I found the pics on pinterest by searching for “halter” dresses, but to my mind, it’s really not a halter at all if the back connects to the collar too! What do you think?

Thank you!