Yay! I've finally been able to sit down at the sewing machine for more than 2 seconds and I actually did a garment from start to finish! To say that I'm thrilled would be a bit of an understatement.
These pants are the Kaarna lined corduroy pants from the 6/2009 issue of Ottobre. I really like lined pants in the cooler months for babies - especially boys - because then I don't have to put tights or leggings on them under the pants. These pants are lined in a woven cotton, so they're more appropriate for early to mid-fall or early spring in this latitude. Perfect for right now, anyway. I'm enamored of this style, too, because it's so reminiscent of the baggies that mini Boden sells in their catalog, with the knit waistband.
Overall, the fit is good, though this pattern runs bigger than I'd thought. I think these will still fit him in September, since I can turn them up twice and they still only come to his ankle. Of course, September can be really warm here so he might not wear them in the fall, but I'm not bothered by that. Next I'll be making a shirt from the same issue to go with these pants.
I wasn't sure about the colors, though I fell in love with the lining fabric the minute I saw it. I actually bought it before this issue came out and had it in my mind that it would be an excellent fabric for something for T, though I wasn't sure exactly what it would be. A week later my magazine arrived and I knew that this was the pattern for that fabric - all I had to do was get the brown baby cord. For some reason I'm really drawn to brown pants for T and I find that unusual since I like so many bright color combos for the girls. Maybe it's because I like monkeys for him, too. He now has 3 stuffed monkeys, plus a scary sock monkey that I hate and won't put out. I didn't buy it - it was a gift. It seems I'm drawn to brown animals, too.
I plan to make these pants again, despite the fact that the pattern runs big. In fact, I already have a pair cut out, from a striped fine cord. Very cute and more colorful, though the predominant color is brown! I plan to line these with a teal cotton that I have had in my stash for a very long time. since they're already cut out I'm going to just go ahead and make them the way that they are, rather than take the time to alter them in some way. I may decide to make them with a 5/8" seam allowance, rather than the 3/8" that I've cut, in order to take in the fullness somewhat. I have a third pair planned for part of his Easter/1st birthday outfit. This pair will be made from a green cross-dyed chambray and I don't plan to line them, so I'll have to finish all of the inside edges with the serger. I'd rather do that and have him be able to wear that pair into the summer. Plus, I'm considering not adding a seam allowance at all when I sew that pair, so that they'll be less baggy. We'll see. The shirt of this birthday outfit will end up being a traditional button-front shirt made from a Liberty of London lawn in a car print. It's super cute.
After the shirt to go with the brown pants, I've got a little outfit planned for Miss Gwyneth, since she seems to want something for me. I was able to finish another one of Maeve's SWAP items - the Olivia blouse from the 6/2007 issue of Ottobre. All it had needed was the buttonholes, buttons, and the elastic on the sleeve edges, but due to the machine malfunctions I'd had it had gone unfinished, languishing in a basket until a few nights ago when I did all the buttonholes and buttons. Tonight I finished the sleeves and it's now hanging in her closet. Pictures of it tomorrow, I think. Anyway, Miss Gwyn was hinting that I needed to make her something. "Next Mommy, you need to make my Easter dress and then the skirt for me," she told me. I've got to trace the patterns for that - Farbenmix Insa skirt and the Rachel dress - but I felt that she was looking for something right now, so I quickly traced out the Farbenmix Nala leggings and top, which I will cut out tomorrow. Fingers crossed that I have enough of the fabric. I've planned to use a floral print and Campan stripe from my stash, but didn't realize that I only have a 1/2 yard of the stripe. Thankfully, Miss Gwyn is tiny and I should be able to squeeze the leggings out of the 1/2 yard. I'll let you know.
I am glad you are getting some sewing done. I love the trousers...I really like this pattern but stll haven't made it. Who knows why!? I put my boy in brown a lot too, I don't see it as dull. I think it is nicer than blue all the time, plus it seems to suit him well. Speaking of Boden, I bought some Boden remnants from ebay recently.
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