Black and white swimsuit for Eva - 3/2016 #27

I wanted to do a more fancy swimsuit for Eva after the 1st attempt. I used the same patern from Ottobre 3/2016 #27 - size 92 just a few more changes:

   We been down with stomach flu this last few days, both kids and me so so project didn't turned up as sharp as I wanted. It is still cute and I did quite a lot of experimenting with it. I tried to line it in a thin mesh so it will hide all the blocking and skirt seams.
   I used decorated elastic for shoulder straps and seam finishing.
   I added a new block to the front and then skipped the side seams on the black portion having just back and skirt seams.
   I tried to add 2 rows of ruffles as the skirt.
   Somehow I am not really pleased with it even if it is cute. I will need to do more.

Lekala 4511 V top with dark side panels

Like I said in the previous posts this week I was all free both days last weekend and it was all for sewing so after warming up with Lillian & Pocahontas tops for me and Eva I sorted out a bit my already traced and cut pattern and I stopped for this V tee from Lekala. I was the 1st Lekala pattern to sew for me and I think it is one of my favorites.

The possibilities for it are so so many and I find myself often wandering how it will look in this and that fabric. It is also a great pattern to use up left overs from other projects. So the 1st two ones are both from Lillian left overs and the last one is a simple textured black one.
    I had the pattern already adjusted to fix me closer to the body so all I had to do it sew it up. On the red one I skipped the back darts - I think is not such a big lost and I rather not had that mess up the print pattern, the other 2 have the back darts.
    One of the things I did not try in the previous versions were dark side panels in the front so all 3 of this have that and I think it's a nice visual effect. With the recent weight lost and this I look really skinny. I missed that for a while.
   The red one has red back as well and it was the 1st one done. I think it looks nice both front and back but a little weird from the side with the color change there so I tried something different on the green one and did the back black on the green one and I think it looks more consistent like that.

   I had a nice stretch textured black fabric that I used for the next one. I often find myself in need of something more simple that I can take under a cardigan and with the machines all threaded for black I thought i should just go for it. It went really really fast with  all the warm up I had with this pattern. I thought I should still add a bit more interest even in the monochrome black so the front and back inserts as well as the side panels are cut on bias. it is not that easy to notice but if you can see some lines changing direction I I like it.

And I am still not done with it. i have a white cream one cut out that waits for the thread changes in the machines and still tempted to try it in other fabrics as well.
Even if 2 of the tops only used scraps to make I will still give myself one point for each so i will now have 8 points total this year and I have just spent them this morning by ordering 4 new printed knits online. 4 new fabrics is not little but at least they are knits so it ill be easy to sew and if I did not had not this self imposed limitation I would have probably ordered at least twice that much since they have many new prints in stock and it's really painful not to order them all...

Ottobre swimsuits for the kids

   Last summer I bought some really nice and expensive fabrics for swimwear for the kids and not only but I didn't got around yet to sew any of it. With the PR active wear contest I was hopping to get the party started but I still didn't had the heart to cut into the good fabric so this are the muslins made in a sporty fabric of really good quality found online here in Romania.
   For Eva I used the retro pattern from Ottobre 3/2016 #27 A - size 92:

And for Andrei I used an older Ottobre pattern 6/2010 #16 SIZE 116:

   Eva fit is pretty good - just a bit to long on the body but with her gaining height so fast it will probably be perfect in the summer. So I can now make more and focus on design elements. I didn't want to spend to much time and thinking on the 1st one just in case the fit was not that good.
   The shorts for Andrei were not that great even if he seemed quite pleased with them and kept repeating me he feels good in them I think the waistband is to high and maybe the legs could use just a bit more length. I will probably sew it again since I may be to lazy to find another pattern and prep it but I will have to do some adjustments.

 I skipped binding on the leg openings and sewed the straps in the back slightly different : it forms a V rather then an X. It seemed right like that with I tried it on on her before attaching the straps.

Both items are lined at the crotch with the same fabric. I had some green mesh fabric but somehow I didn't feel like bothering with it and I thought it might look better with the same fabric...

I will be generous with myself and give me 2 more fabric points. It is a bit to much I know but doing this muslins is a big step in getting some really cute swimsuits for the kids this summer.
Update with some pictures taken half year later in the summer:

Plaid Lillian Top and little Pocahontas dress

I was away from my sewing room from the beginning of the year. It was not easy to be away. But life happens and some time is hard to find free time especially with 2 small kids. I was happy last weekend to finally have some time alone and do some sewing. I wanted to start with something easy and familiar so I used 2 patterns that were already open on my table and one of the last year late purchased fabrics. My top id PatternReview Lillian top and Eva dress is from the Pocahontas top pattern from Ottobre :

I made my top without the extra ease on the hip. I think it still makes some unpleasant wrinkles under the arm and I should try and fix that if I will be doing that again. I am just not sure how...I think some sort of bust dart will fix it. I should at least try it.

The fabric is quite unusual. On the outside it looks a bit like Lycra blend knit and on the inside it has a flannel look and feel. I am a bit curious how will behave. It was not hard to sew and it was not expensive so I am happy with it so far.

 Eva's dress is longer and without a tie. I also skipped the neck binding and just turned and cover stitch. I skipped the elastic at the sleeve as well - just cover stitch finish there as well.

She may have liked it a bit shorter and I think it would have been more flattering on her like that. But she is growing so fast so probably it will be shorter soon :).

I also started a new system to help me limit my fabric purchases this year. Every item I sew I get 1 point or so ( maybe more or less sometimes depending on difficulty and amount of fabric used ). To buy a new fabric I need to spend 2 points. So here are my first 2 points for there year and another one for making new curtains for my sewing room :

I have a for other easy tops waiting for some finishing touches and reviews so more points to come soon. Justin time since one of my favorite stores just have a new set of printed knits that have been really hard not to order already...