2019 in review

Once again this year I chose to set myself a ‘make 9’ to help focus my sewing to patterns that have been waiting around or wardrobe gaps which need filling. I found it really helpful in 2018 to have a combination of focus, and freedom and I think it has been successful again this year. Once again, I needed to change and review the plans part way through the year to accommodate the baby bump so these are my thoughts on the year as a whole.

My make 9 ended up looking like this after my mid year review, so how did I fare with completing it?

So all but one of my plans was completed, and I think several of them have been huge successes in either my wardrobe or the skills that I have been developing. I’ll go into more detail about some of the successes and failures when I do my top 5 hits and misses for the year, but I do have some initial thoughts on each of the projects.

Taylor Trench

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This got off to a great start with the Rebecca Page sew along early this year, but stalled somewhat once I got behind and hasn’t got going again. I love some of the trench coat details and am proud of the accuracy involved in finishing them well so far. I really do need to get this coat finished because I really want to be able to wear it in the spring! I have got to the point where the main body of the coat is complete and the lining is almost there, so the two just need combining and finishing off.

Alder Shirt

This hasn’t had as many opportunities for being worn as I would like. I’m not sure if it was actually worn again after taking these blog photos because I was already starting to get a little bumpy. I’m hoping though that it will be in more regular circulation next year, especially as I find button-ups a practical clothing choice while breastfeeding.

Eugene Henley

I haven’t done a huge amount of sewing for Matt this year so this Henley is one of the few pieces that have been for him. It definitely wasn’t prefect in the construction, and the pattern instructions were a bit problematic too, but the finished item is happily worn in rotation with all his other t-shirts. Its nice that it is something a bit more interesting than the basic metro tees I have made in the past.

Oslo Cardigan

This has go to be one of my most reached for items, especially during the end of my pregnancy. It fits over a couple of layers, but is still slim enough to wear under a coat. It worked with a huge belly, and is still getting worn as a practical option for breastfeeding too. I’m so glad that I finally got around to sewing it up! I’m actually contemplating another with some mustard French Terry that I bought recently too.

Virginia Leggings

I haven’t been wearing these leggings so much in recent months because I have been firmly in the maternity leggings, but they did get lots of wear in the spring and I am confident that once they fit comfortably again they will continue to be a wardrobe staple.

Ascent Fleece

I have only just started to wear this, but I’m already feeling confident that it will be in regular use over the winter. I hate having to take layers off when it is chilly, so in combination with an Amber tee it is a really practical way of feeding without getting cold! I like it as a fleece too, so I’m sure that even once feeding is done it will get lots of wear, and I’m tempted to make other fleeces or jumpers from the pattern without the extra feeding zips.

Bunny Coat

This has to be one of my favorite makes this year because it is just so cute! Toby has been wearing it quite a bit now the weather has cooled down, and though the sleeves are still too long it does mean it should fit him comfortably all winter. I also love it for the complexity and precision of the sewing. It was really satisfying to sit down at a more complex project and just tackle the next step. I’m definitely inspired to make him something similar for next winter, and have been dreaming up lots of variations with different animals too!

Honeydew Hoodie

It feels like this has been in Toby’s wardrobe for ages, but it still fits comfortably. Admittedly, it’s not the first jumper to get pulled out of the drawer so I’m not sure that I will make another, but it is pretty practical and I really like the reversible nature of it. It was fun choosing two fabrics that co-ordinate, and Toby gets to match with either my Oslo Cardigan or Matt’s Eugene Henley depending on which way round he wears it!

Amber Dress

This dress feels nice to wear now but it did end up a bit long originally! It turns out that my previous Amber dress also needed shortening, so I need to note that with the pattern for future reference. I’ve been wearing it more now that I’ve shortened it, and I know that the style is something that will be really practical for the duration of breastfeeding so it will definitely get worn lots in the spring. It feels lighter and more spring appropriate than the previous Amber Dress that I made, but I have been wearing it with a long sleeve underneath recently too.

I haven’t quite decided how I am going to structure my sewing plans for the new year yet, but there are definitely a few ideas floating around. Some of the projects that I have enjoyed the most this year have been the ones which have stretched my skills a bit, so I’m hoping to add a few of those again mixed in with some much needed basics, unused patterns and possibly a few easy wins for when I need a bit of a mental break. Its going to take a bit of getting used to having two small children around who need me too, so I’m not sure yet how that is going to affect sewing time opportunities either!

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Reaching new heights

Since the last blog post I’ve managed to finish sewing my Ascent Fleece, and I’m happy to report that the second half of the construction was much more straightforward. Most of the complicated steps do occur very early on in the construction order. Sadly I can’t model it yet, because there is no way that it will fit over my bump, but I’m really glad to have it finished ready for wearing all winter!

Like many shirts, one of the trickiest or most intimidating parts of this was the collar. The instructions suggest using lots of wash away wonder tape to keep everything aligned while putting in the neckline zip and finishing the collar. This was definitely good advice, especially with the fleece as it can’t really be thoroughly pressed into position.

The tape helped to hold the seam allowances securely while stitching, and I think the finished collar looks pretty neat, even on the inside where I have caught down the bottom edge while stitching in the ditch from the front.

I chose to stitch my sleeves to the bodice flat, before closing the side seams, rather than do as the instructions suggest and add them in the round. I’ve always found that sewing the whole sleeve and body side seam in one go is simpler. I did baste all the intersections between the contrast stripe and the main navy body to make sure that they still aligned really well once I attached them on the overlocker, and I think it did make a big difference to the level of accuracy.

My twin needle did not like stitching over all the seamlines at the hem in particular, so I have needed to redo a few sections. I’m still glad I chose to use the twin needle though over a stretch or zigzag stitch because I think in an athletic garment it probably does look more professional.

Matt would say that one of the markers of success on a project like this one is that it looks like something you could buy, meaning that there is nothing about it which screams ‘handmade’ by being less than professionally finished. For me, that seems like a compliment, especially as this performs better than anything I have seen in shops, with the nursing zips adding a lot of functionality.

I will be tempted to make another nursing version, and I would also consider using it to make basic fleeces in the future too. Without being able to try it on yet it is difficult to know if there are fitting tweaks that I could do with making in subsequent versions, but I am provisionally happy with how it has all turned out!

Ascent Fleece- on the climb

The Ascent Fleece is the final project from my amended make 9 for the year (excluding the unfinished Taylor Trench). It’s not finished yet, but I always find it helpful to know a bit more about the instructions and construction methods when using different pattern designers, and this is the first thing I have made from 5 out of 4 patterns.

When I was cutting out, I did notice a few of the notch markings didn’t sit quite on the lines, particularly as you went up though the sizes. It wasn’t always easy to follow the size lines either because the fold lines had been printed slightly offset for each size, but not enough to be clear. It might be better on a colour print though, because I just used black and white. I chose to sew the size S which is a bit of guesswork into which size will be best after baby is born, but I’m hoping it will be comfortable!

These fleece fabrics come from Pennine Outdoor, which specialises in outdoor and technical fabric. I chose the Navy and Denim Blue microfleeces, and I’m really pleased with my colour selections. The fleeces are a perfect weight, and very soft. I have some of their wicking t-shirt fabric too, which I’m hoping will be good for some technical walking t-shirts and was a bit of a bargain too!

I’ve used a scrap of sportswear lycra for the pocket linings in the hope that it will be nice and breathable. This fleece requires a few extras including 5 zips if you choose to put in the pockets and the nursing option which is a bit daunting! The instructions are a bit unusual in that they contain lots of hyperlinks to jump you around to the next step for your version of the pattern. It does seem to work ok as you are sewing, but is a bit confusing to skim read through in advance and I definitely would advise using a digital copy rather than a printed version.

I found the diagram and instructions on joining the two zips in the contrast seam (one for the pocket, and one for the nursing access) pretty confusing. I made my best guess at it, but it did make installing the zips very bulky at the join. I think next time I would just install each zip separately, one at a time and then trim back anything that wasn’t needed.

There is no easy way to finish these seams once the zips are in either. For this time, I’m not going to worry about it. Almost all of the seam is covered by the zip and pocket anyway, and the fleece doesn’t fray. In future, I might consider finishing the edge of the piece before putting in the zip though.

There is just one pocket piece provided for all the different sizes, which is fine, but the instructions suggest stitching the pockets to the front bodice piece as an option, and I have found that on the size S the two pockets overlap one another in the middle. I did still manage to attach them to the front piece, but I ended up having to stitch up the centre line of the front to secure both pockets at the same time, rather than attaching them individually. They are both nice and secure though now.

It sounds like I’m not a fan of the pattern based on my observations so far, but I am actually really looking forward to the end result. These little niggles are all things I will bear in mind if I make the pattern again, but so far none of them will stop me from using it. The drafting of the pieces themselves seems really good, and both the method of construction and the instructions have been pretty helpful so far. I’m looking forward to seeing the finished article.

Top tips for t-shirts

The last little while on the blog seems to have been taken over by baby clothes, but normal service is resumed today! I’ve been making a few more Megan Nielson Amber‘s, and being as this is a real tried and true pattern for me I thought I would share a few of the little tips and tricks that I have picked up in the course of making them. Some of this applies to most jersey top (or dress) patterns, and some is slightly more specific to the Amber. (I’ve already blogged t-shirts here, here and here, a dress, and a t-shirt hack)

This time I’ve made a dress and a couple of tops, all from cotton spandex jerseys from Girl Charlee. The dress is this lovely muted floral, with some of their solid cotton spandex for the modesty panel (I always keep a couple of colours in my stash for cuffs, and t-shirts). I’ve also made a short sleeve t-shirt version for now in this feather print, and a plain navy long sleeve for layering when the weather cools down. I plan to be wearing these for at least the next year or so during pregnancy and breastfeeding so I’m looking forward to having a few more options this time around.

My first deviation from the pattern is to stabilise the shoulders with some narrow ribbon. I do this to all the adult t-shirts or jersey dresses that I make whether or not it is included in the pattern instructions. The shoulder seam takes a lot of the weight of the rest of the garment, and over time that could stretch. Sewing some 5mm ribbon into the seam allowance before I start construction is a great way to help them look good for longer.

The Amber top has a lot of neckline to finish neatly before you can carry on with putting the whole bodice together, especially if you include the modesty panel. Some of the curves are quite tight, and the fabric has to stretch quite a bit to sit neatly. Before I sew these neckline edges, I always press and then fuse hemming web into them. It means that I don’t need any pins which makes the sewing up a doddle and the hemming web gives the neckline a bit of stability, preventing it from stretching out as you sew. I always buy 2cm wide hemming web and cut it into either halves or third widths depending on what I need. I’ve also never worried about finishing these edges on the overlocker because the jersey doesn’t fray, and the hemming web also helps to keep the possible curling up of edges under control. Most of my Amber’s have been worn and washed regularly over the last two years and the neckline still looks pristine on all of them.

On my first Amber, I decided to skip the instruction to baste the pleats and then baste to the waistband before overlocking or stitching properly and it nearly ended in disaster! There are quite a few fiddly layers to manoeuvre at the front of the bodice, and I managed to catch one of them in the overlocker knife. Fortunately it was only a little nick and was concealed in the layers, but now I always baste this step and I haven’t had any issues since.

This tip works for all jersey garments- if I am planning to finish the hems (sleeves or at the bottom) on the overlocker, I always do it before attaching them to the rest of the garment, and always before sewing the piece into a circle. It is so simple to overlock a straight edge, but a bit more fiddly to start and finish a circle neatly. You can also press a ‘memory hem’ at this stage too, which is just a fancy way of saying press the hem allowance up then unfold again before stitching. It makes hemming really easy because there is less fiddly pressing in a circle.

For sewing t-shirts I usually just use my overlocker for all the seams but I always need to stitch hems on the sewing machine. I use either an even zigzag (usually 2.5mm width 2.5mm length) or a twin needle. I don’t mind the look of either, so it often comes down to laziness in deciding to change needles and re-thread for the twin needle version!

If you don’t have two spools of the same thread for a hem, an easy fix is to load a bobbin with the same thread and use that in the second needle. Especially if I have been overlocking in white, I will often put white thread in my bobbin for the hem and use the coloured bobbin thread in the twin needle. It stops me having too many part-filled bobbins of odd colours. Here I used the end of a bobbin of dark blue thread which blended in with the overlocking.

So these are the finished Ambers. Right from the start of the year I left a planned wildcard but with thoughts of making a jersey dress in my make 9 so I’m counting this as another project ticked. These dresses really are so comfortable so I know this one will get plenty of wear, especially with leggings as the weather starts to cool. In this one the fabric does contain a bit of rayon which makes it a bit more drapey than all the other versions I have made. As a result the length seems to have grown a bit, so I’m not sure if it looks a bit nightdress-y? I might re-hem so that it sits above the knee like my other dress version.

With the white background and array of colours, this t-shirt feels bright and summery so it’s had some good outings already. It might not be quite the right thing over the winter, but I’m sure it will be worn plenty again in the spring.

Conversely, this navy blue one felt a bit dark and boring when I was sewing it up, but I know it’s moment is almost here. I love a good long sleeve for layering in winter so this will end up underneath all my dresses or even other t-shirts to make them more seasonally appropriate. This might be the most times that I have used any single pattern, so it has been a great value buy. What is your ‘can’t live without’ pattern?

Bunny coat- all finished and ready to wear

So, I’ve managed to finish a coat! This is quite a picture heavy post because there are lots of details to look at, and I had to show off my gorgeous little model! There are some more pictures of the construction process in my previous post, so I thought I’d focus on the later parts of the construction like the lining, and the finished coat for this post. This is also another tick from my make 9, so I’m feeling pretty smug with 7 out of 9 complete!

The lining of the coat is designed to be a couple of centimetres shorter than the outer, so that when it’s all put together the hemline is really cleanly finished, and the intersection between lining and outer sits on the inside. It just takes a bit of precision in the folding and sewing, and trust that it will come together as planned!

There are both poppers and toggles to fasten the coat. I like the way that from the outside it is just the toggles that are visible which looks quite traditional, but the poppers add a lot in terms of functionality. They help to keep that baffle tightly closed against a breeze and make sure that the coat stays cosily fastened right up to the neck. I installed mine with Vario Pliers, because I find it a lot more precise than hitting everything with a hammer.

Like the penguin dungarees, the pattern doesn’t include markings for either the toggles or the poppers, but does include good instructions to help you position them for yourself. I used wash away tape to hold the ‘leather’ for the toggles in place while I sewed because I didn’t want to put extra pin marks into them.

I decided to include a hanging loop which isn’t in the instructions, but will make this a bit more practical for everyday use. I made sure to sew it in twice, because the finished coat is fairly heavy, and that little loop will need to support the whole weight of it. I also included one of these beautiful Kylie and the Machine labels. I’ve not really used labels in the past, but I thought that for such a special sew, with all the work that went into it, it needs to be celebrated! These little ‘handmade’ labels come from a pack with an assortment of rainbow colours, so I’m sure you will be seeing them again in things that I’m feeling especially proud of.

The bunny ears do make the hood quite heavy, but look so cute hanging down the back! When the hood is up they flop down either side if the head rather than stand up tall because they are so heavy and don’t contain any interfacing or stiffening.

I like the little peek of fur at the end of the cuffs too. The lining is cut slightly longer than the outer on this version of the coat to facilitate this, but on the other coats in the book the lining stays hidden so it would be easy to change it in this coat too if you preferred.

The sleeves are too long on Toby at the moment, but rolling them back looks fine because you just end up with a bigger furry cuff!

This is going to be one cosy coat! It just feels beautifully weighty and soft. Having tackled this first coat for Toby I think it would be a nice tradition to make him another next winter but perhaps choose another of the animals. I’m definitely tempted by the fox for next time! Maybe finishing this one will give me the boost that I need to finish off my Taylor Trench for myself too.

Bunny coat- sewing in progress

This coat is coming together so much more quickly than I anticipated! I am just loving seeing it come together, and that it great motivation for fitting in just one more little seam. Initially I wasn’t sure what the experience of sewing with the fur would be like, especially with the constraint that it can’t really be pressed so many of the seams need topstitching flat, but so far it hasn’t been a problem at all.

Speaking of the fur, it is so satisfying teasing the trapped sections of fur out of the seams once they have been sewn. On the seams where there is fur sewn to fur you can hardly see the seam once it’s done because it gets covered over by the pile.

I did a few test swatches of the settings that I planned to use for the applique sections and ended up choosing a much shorter stitch length than the book recommends. I just preferred the way that the dense stitching completely covered the cut edge of the applique piece.

I also found some suitably coloured and themed quilting cotton to line the pockets. The patch pockets would be so bulky if they were lined in fur like the rest of the coat, so it was definitely a good choice. I like these leaves because they remind me of autumn which seems appropriate in a coat.

The hood is also partially constructed now, including these amazing bunny ears! They are pretty heavy, and I was impressed that my sewing machine coped with 7 layers of corduroy and 2 of fur plus seam allowances without complaint! I did switch to a slightly chunkier needle for that section though. The inside of the hood is just so soft and snuggly!

The only problem that I have run into so far with sewing this up was entirely of my own making. When trying to topstitch one of the seams while keeping the fur out of the way I managed to stitch through my finger! ouch! fortunately it was only the skin at the very tip and it seems to be healing nicely but I’ve been a lot more cautious and careful since then!

I still have the lining to construct, and I’m hoping that it won’t stall me in the same way that lining my Taylor Trench seems to have! I really need to get back on to finishing that coat project too at some point soon! In the meantime, I’m really enjoying the process of creating something which will hopefully be a treasured hand me down for children in my family for many years to come!

Bunny Coat- an introduction

When I made my penguin dungarees, in my mind I was using them as a test run of instruction style before diving into a more complex project from ‘The Fox, the Bear and the Bunny’. In my make 9 this year, I planned to make Toby a cute coat and there are three suggested designs in the book, one for each of the title animals. I went with the bunny coat, partially because I don’t know if Toby will let me dress him in a bunny coat next year, but figured that at 18 months be was going to be too young to protest!

The patterns from the book do have to be traced because they are double sided and overlapping in some places, but you would probably want to trace children’s patterns anyway so that you can make them again in the next size up. One thing to look out for though is the tiny arrow on each piece which is the only indication as to the grainline. Its much smaller than the convention on most patterns, so definitely takes some getting used to!

This is quite a complex pattern with a lot of pieces. The book does helpfully give some indication as to how much of a time commitment each of their patterns are in the instructions. It will depend a lot on how much un-interrupted time you get to sew, and how fast you are comfortable sewing, but it was a helpful indicator that this coat would be around 1-2 hours of cutting and preparation, and 8-10 hours of sewing. Contrast that with the dungarees, which recommended 20 minutes for the cutting and 1-2 hours of sewing time.

I picked up most of the fabrics locally, and chose this cream/grey corduroy for the outer and a velboa synthetic fur for the lining and accents. I prewashed and dried a test swatch of the fur because ideally I wanted to be able to chuck the coat in the washing if it got too grubby, and apart from a little shrinkage the fur was absolutely fine with a wash and tumble dry- definitely a useful test!

This was a bit of a mammoth task tracing off and cutting out, especially as the fur shed like crazy when it was cut. Fortunately, I was able to do all the cutting on one day so that I didn’t get in a muddle over the nap of the corduroy, and actually interspersed it with some other sewing so that I didn’t get too bored or stiff working on the floor.

I still need to source some toggles for the front fastening. I’m not sure yet whether I will buy them ready assembled, or do as the book suggests and make my own. It does feel like one big hurdle completed to have the bulk of the sewing preparation done though, and now I’m starting to feel more excited about starting the construction.

Size-wise, I’ve gone for the smallest size again which is 1-2 years. Toby will be 18 months at the start of the winter so I’m hoping it will be a good fit. If it’s a bit long though I’m not too worried. We can always turn back the cuffs for him too if it’s too long in the sleeve. It means he might get a longer wear out of it too.

Seamwork Eugene

Matt doesn’t always get a look in between sewing for me and for the babies, so I decided that it must be his turn again, and time to tick another make off my make 9 list. I’ve made loads of Metro tee’s for him in the last couple of years, so I decided it was time to try a different t-shirt pattern. I’ve had a Seamwork subscription on and off for a while so had loads of credits to use on this Eugene Henley. Its quite a different look- a bit more going on in terms of construction, and a slightly looser fit.

Though Matt’s measurements put him between the M and S we went for the size S, especially when comparing his measurements with the finished garment ones. I didn’t want it to end up too oversized and I think that was the right choice. It still looks a loose fit, but not too huge.

As mentioned by other bloggers, the instructions around constructing the collar and placket are pretty poor. I did deviate from the instructions a bit, constructing the collar and placket before adding the sleeves and side seams. I also ended up hand sewing the inside of the placket down so that I didn’t have to top stitch a section twice. Next time I would do the edge stitching for the placket at the same time as sewing down the inside edge.

The placket is definitely not perfect. Its a bit wonky at the bottom, but I decided that I was unlikely to make it any better by trying to redo it! I’m happy enough with it, and Matt doesn’t seem to mind! I finished the placket off with plain silver snaps because I didn’t fancy trying to get neat buttonholes, and I didn’t really have any suitable buttons anyway.

There are a couple of other options included in the pattern instructions, including giving the t-shirt a split hem. I used some grey twill ribbon to finish the split, and I really like the effect. Its nice to sometimes make a project more complex than it needs to be. I’ve done a lot of really simple sewing lately, and it was great to have a bit more of a challenge in terms of skills and techniques.

The fabric from this t-shirt might look a bit familiar, because I used it not too long ago to make a Honeydew Hoodie. The t-shirt was actually the original intended purpose of the fabric which was bought ages ago from Fabworks, but amazingly it can still be bought in a couple of different colourways. This one is a medium weight interlock, and has a slightly brushed texture so is really soft. For the contrast I used some solid cotton spandex from Girl Charlee in burgundy, and a scrap of cotton in a very close colour match for the contrast inside the yoke.

This definitely was more time consuming than the t-shirts that I have made previously, especially as quite a few steps need to be done on the sewing machine instead of an overlocker. I think I would consider using it again, but the instructions and finishing of the placket would definitely need a bit of consideration and would be done my own way in future. Matt seems to like it though, and I like it on him as a change from a more basic tee.

Adventures in double brushed poly

Well I’ve finally got back on the blogging train, and have a couple of things written and ready to go in the next few weeks. First of which was a bit of a fabric experiment for me. Double brushed poly is one of those fabric types which I had seen cropping up on other blogs and in online fabric shops, but still wasn’t 100% sure what to expect when I finally took the plunge and ordered this one from Girl Charlee! I was feeling a little apprehensive about the polyester content because I usually make all my t-shirts from cotton jerseys, but this actually feels super soft and drapes really well too.

I’ve gone with one of my most sewn patterns from the last year- the Megan Nielson Amber. It really is one of the patterns I’ve had best value for money out of. It makes me feel comfortable while I’m pregnant, but I also know I will get loads of wear out of it after baby arrives too for nursing.

This particular Amber is definitely my current favorite. It comes straight out of the wash and gets worn again! Both of my previous Amber tops are solid colours, which makes them very practical but not quite so fun! This floral print is perfect for wearing with most of my plain bottoms.

The fabric does make this one feel a little warmer and less breathable than the cotton spandex versions, so maybe not perfect for the current high temperatures, but I can see that I will be wearing this all the time once it cools down again, and I’m going to love it next spring too because it feels so cheerful.

So that’s another of my revised make 9 now complete. Its one that will be cropping up some more in the next few months because I already have another top cut out, and have fabric earmarked for at least one more top and a dress, so sorry if this gets a little repetitive, but you’ve got to love a pattern that really works with your lifestyle!

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

It feels like this poor blog has been a bit neglected of late. I have been sewing, but the poor weather hasn’t given me much motivation to get out and take pictures and my sewing has changed direction slightly over the last couple of months. I shared my make 9 plans at the start of the year, but I think it is always good to review and adapt plans if they are no longer going in the right direction. My make 9 is all things I would like to make, and I’ve actually made quite a few things from my plan already, but the next part of the year is going to have a slightly different focus.

It turns out, that we are expecting another baby, so suddenly high rise fitted jeans don’t seem like such a good plan! I’m quite sad about putting my Ginger Jeans on hold for another year, because I have some really lovely indigo denim, but it just doesn’t seem wise to make something that isn’t going to fit me for months!

Instead, it has given me a fresh motivation to sew the sorts of things I will be wearing. I know from last time that I practically lived in my Amber t-shirts and dress, and they were also my favourite things for breastfeeding afterwards too. It seems to make sense to focus my attention on things that I know I am going to be wearing for the next 18 months.

This time, baby is due in November, so I think I may need some more warmer layers which will fit over my bump. I only had one fairly thin jumper last time and some fleeces for work so I’m planning on making a jumper suitable for breastfeeding in winter when I know I hate taking layers off all the time! I’ve decided to go with the Ascent pullover from 5 out of 4 patterns, who I haven’t used before, but I like the concept of concealed zips between the jumper panels, and I’ve already sourced some suitable fleece.

I’ve also been scouting out more cute baby sewing patterns and discovered a whole load of new to me ones that I’d like to try out. I’m particularly keen to try the Wee Lap Tee from Patterns for Pirates and the Footed Pants from Vagabond Stitch. I think they will make a great cosy outfit over a vest and both are free which is a real bonus!

So here’s to the second part of the year and success with new plans! How are your sewing plans coming along?