Happy New Sewing Year

Happy New Year! Hope you all had a fantastic Christmas. I have kicked the new year off with some sewing. Hurrah!

Tartan Trews for the boys!  I thought they would be fun, and they are.  A bit bright, but they can carry it off; they are not jeans and t-shirt kinda boys.

Apologies for the wriggly nature of the model: photographing an eight year old boy is an epic ask. My younger boy wouldn't play ball at all, so I guess I should be grateful for whatever I can get!

The pattern is an easy one from an old book called "Children's Wardrobe" which accompanied a BBC TV show in the 1970s; my copy came from my Nan's stash. I don't remember if she made me anything from it, but the boiler suit pattern was cut-out with pinpricks in it so it's possible.

The fabric is a heavy cotton and is from Ditto in Brighton's North Laine. The pattern is just one main piece with an elasticated waist. It would have sewn up very quickly if the fabric hadn't decided to fray like crazy!

I had to clean out my machine three times: little bits of the weave entangling itself in the bobbin race. I guess this happened because it was a loose weave. I finished the seams in a variety of ways to ensure these survive the wash; my boys are not kind to clothes, so these will likely spend a lot of time bobbing along in the machine.

The legs I machine felled - not sure I did it right as it felt too easy (I previously had thought it was meant to be tricky). The crutch I zigzagged with a small stitch, and the waist I bound.

While sewing these two pairs of trousers, I got to reflecting on how far I have come as a stitcher. I am pretty neat with my sewing now: very unlike my first makes where ne'er a straight line can be seen! This sewing lark has proved addictive. 

Well, I class these a success. They'll certainly get worn anyway.