Hi once again all out there in the world of creativity, up-cycling, thinking outside the box, those whom love to get so absorbed by that gorgeous piece of fabric in front of them that time just passes them by....

Kwik Sew 3385 pants continued...

Kate: Well after giving away the first pair I made I have almost finished the second (only waistband and pant leg hems to go). This pair I made in a M/L- medium on the legs and a L around the hips/tummy area. I tried them on at the side seams stage and they fit so far so hopefully I can keep this pair!
I am quite happy with how quickly this pattern makes up- even accounting for retracing the pattern and starting over again. The pattern has only 4 pieces to it and the fly front- to me anyway- seems almost a cinch, once I got over that you start out with a zipper so long then proceed to cut a good part of it off!
I hope to put some pictures up of both pairs of pants when they are finished. Unfortunately as I have no computer at home I have to rely on being at work or Fleur's to post, so it might take a little while.
On another note we just celebrated Australia Day here- very very hot day with most of us in the pool (those who weren't sweltering over the BBQ). Some of the guests at my (Kates) house walked down to the Perth foreshore to watch the fireworks that they lauch off a barge on the river, most of us however preferred to stay back and relax in/ around the pool, rather than fight the crowds. 3 of the barges actually caught fire (oops!) no-one was hurt and the fireworks still continued as planned- amazing!

Kwik sew pants

Kate: Had just got about 3/4 through making a pair of Kwik sew 3385 pants when I tried them on and realised they were too tight around the Hips /crotch area- disaster! I had previously made other KS pattern items up in a Medium (dress and tops and yoga pants) and had assumed that as the yoga pants I made in an M fit perfectly, these would too. So I didn't bother tissue fitting or checking fit before I trimmed the side seams and zigzagged them together - BIG MISTAKE!!!
Lets just say the look above the crotch was "unflattering" and leave it at that.
Luckily for me they fit Fleur perfectly - so she now has another pair of pants for work and I don't have to finish sewing something that doesn't fit me (it only had the waistband to go).
And I have learnt my lesson to always"fit" a new pattern - even if you always use that particular size in that company's other patterns- especially pants!
Also I still have more of the fabric (grey panama brought on sale from spotlight at $3 a meter and buy2 get 1 free) so I can make another pair up in it. Surprisingly for a fabric that I was so-so on and only brought as it was really cheap, once made up into something I really liked it!

What have we made?

Whew well after much fiddling with fabric, hangers and a digital camera with flat batteries we have a sort of record of some of the things that between us we have made or sewn so far (though Fleur found she still has heaps more stashed in her closet- her addiction to clothes is only rivalled by her shoe collection ;-) . As we make new stuff we hope to add new pics and maybe update some of the existing ones to actual "modelled" shots (modelled by us I'm afraid, we cant afford supermodels) as I think clothes tend to look better on. The following items are things we have made over the last couple of years...


Summer dresses made by Fleur, probably the oldest items we still have kicking around- made around 1998.
Red & white flowers: New look 6755, view A. Fabric- synthetic (?) from an op-shop.Cost to make-probably under $10 including pattern.
Blue/green dress: McCalls 2752, view B. Fabric- Pure cotton from an op-shop. Cost to make: approx $15 including pattern.


Close up of bodice of McCalls 2752 showing the cute pleats that are a feature of option B.

Black and white "Zebra skirt"- Made by Kate : Burda 8907, view A- a favourite pattern of ours! Only 2 pieces and easy to make (guess that's why its a Burda "easy" pattern) .

Fabric pure cotton craft fabric from Textile Traders clearance table ($2/metre). Lace- stretch with sequins on it , zigzagged over skirt after it was made. Black Crochet "doily" - originally from a much loved black singlet, rescued when it finally died and zigzagged onto skirt. Cost to make- probably less than $5 in total as pattern borrowed from Fleur's collection.

The same skirt as previous pattern , made by Fleur from vintage fabric and lace trim.

Fleur: Purple wrap skirt New look?????. Made from several pieces of fabric pieced together- this pattern has only 1 piece to it , but Fleur lined it to make it reversible with with a different fabric. Top is an old velvet evening dress with scoop back that has been cut and hemmed to make a top.

Burda WOF cowl neck top : made by Kate- top no 111 from 12/2005. Made from a scrap of red stretch t-shirt cotton type fabric from an op-shop for about $2. As used stretch fabric didn't have to put a zip in. Made a size 40 could have probably gone up to a 42 if I wanted the cowl to dip lower like on the model but it suits me fine as it (no flashing of bra!).

Necklace: recycled wooden beads by Fleur.

Boys "Pantaloons" - Burda 3292 (old pattern , picked up at a garage sale)/ Made from a Japanese "manga" style cartoon cat cotton print brought at "Fabric warehouse" in Mirrabooka for $3 metre.

Top and skirt by Fleur- Vintage brown synthetic fabric with yellow spots. Skirt is the Burda 8907 - with pleats/pinches sewn randomly on it. Top made without pattern in a halterneck crossover style from 2 triangular peices of fabric and scraps left over.

Face top: Made by Fleur - Fabric from "Knitwits" in Nedlands- approx $20 metre, Pattern "Sewing with Nancy" McCalls M4600- View "A" bodice with jacket view arms (more bell shaped). Pleats pinched and sewn randomly all over fabric.


Left: Close up of "Face" fabric - stretch mesh type.

Below:Another "wrap" skirt, reversible, by Fleur. White cotton fabric with silk screened cat design (Silk screening also done by Fleur)