Super Kallle go ballistic, sleevies are a huge plus!

Some of you may be thinking that the title of this blog post should be sung to the tune of that song from Mary Poppins, 'Supercalafragalisticexpialadocious'. I'm not a fan of musicals and prefer to pay homage to the sheer genius who thought up the Sun newspaper headline in 2000, 'Super Caley go ballistic, Celtic are atrocious', for the performance of Inverness Caledonian Thistle winning the Scottish Cup 3 - 1 over Celtic. Got to love an underdog! I'm not into footie but will be watching the F.A. Cup soon. Probably supporting the nicest coloured strip!

But let's get back to my Me Made May pledge and the second seldom garment I wore last week, On Sunday 12th May was my first Kalle shirt with the long sleeve expansion pack. I bought that as soon as it came out and made up this shirt using a lovely 100% viscose from Guthrie and Ghani. they are another one of my favourite online shopping places with fast delivery.

I made a few changes to this Kalle shirt. First of all, I shortened the back length. Me! Shortening something...unheard of! I cut a new pattern piece for the bottom so I can use this shorter length again. The original length is quite long even on me, and the back hem almost reaches the back of my knees. This was the first time I used the sleeve extension pack. I knew straight away I didn't want the extra wide cuff, that would just annoy me so I reduced the width of it by 1". I think I added 'the lost inch' to the sleeve length. 

However, I made a simple, stupid mistake! Anyone else make those?! Can you see it in the photo above? Yes, I put the button and buttonhole the wrong way around. It really bugs me and I think that's partly why I don't enjoy wearing this as much as I should. So, that's a pretty easy thing to sort out and I think I will do that. I still think the cuff is too wide so I'll narrow that in the future. The other reason I don't like this as much s I should is that the fabric has a lot of white in it. I'm not a fan of white on me, I'd rather have cream. There's quite a lot of white in the polka dots and in the flowers. However, the fabric feels lovely against my skin.

So, is this a hit or a miss? Well, I think it's hit and I'm going to keep it.

Closet Case Carolyn Pyjamas

I love pyjamas! Especially ones that are long enough in the arms and legs and are made of cosy brushed cotton. Like these new ones are! I spent about a day and a half cutting out the pyjama pieces so the pattern would match. The pattern pieces for the sleeve cuff and leg cuff are cut on the straight grain, unlike the other pyjama pattern I sometimes use. Next time I'll cut on the bias and save myself some time and the inevitable 'pattern un-matching' during the sewing process, Exhibit 1:

I added piping, using No.1 piping cord and purchased satin green bias binding. I also bought some green fish eye buttons. There wasn't anything suitable in my button tin. The fabric was bought last summer from Minerva fabrics. All other notions were from Edinburgh Fabrics. 

I've tried this pattern before and hated the pyjamas so much I 'disposed' of them. I followed the instructions for the collar and just didn't get it right at all. This time I went my own way and the collar is good. It took a couple of goes to get the piping to meet exactly at the join between the facing and collar but it's worth taking the time over this detail. You'll be looking at it in the mirror every time you wear these and only you can judge how much that will annoy you! Or not. This collar is a weird beast. When you're wearing it, it sits beautifully. When you're ironing it, it doesn't behave. 

I added length to the legs and cut the cuffs as per the pattern. They're deep cuffs but in proportion to my height. I used my sewing machine for the piping and sewing the cuffs to the sleeves and legs and overlocker for everything else. Pattern unmatching Exhibit 2:

I like the waistband casing being a separate pattern piece you sew on. I sewed two channels in the waistband and added two narrower pieces of elastic, maybe 10mm wide. It's just what I had at hand. I didn't add the pockets and quite frankly I was probably fed up of cutting out fabric and just wanted to get on with sewing them together!   

This was a far more successful 'go' at making this pattern and I'll be using it again in the future. I'm glad I gave it another try, I like using a pattern more than once. I've actually got a length of brushed cotton and another length of cotton/viscose so there will be two more pairs of pyjamas coming in the future, that's for sure!

A wafty Kalle shirt

I know some of you live in hot climates and I also lived a few years in Italy, working in 44 degree heat, and this statement will make you laugh but yes, we're having a 'heatwave' in Scotland! It seems to be consistently at least 22 degrees or more and we're having a proper summer. Hurray! I love it and I'm also loving all the shirts I've made too. See what I did there? Here's another shirt I'm enjoying wearing...

It's a Closet Case Kalle shirt, I think it's in the tunic length. I haven't added any length and I'm 5' 9" tall. This pattern is a size 14 and no alterations made to pattern. The fabric is from Cloth Spot and seems to be sold out as I can't see it on their website. It's more of a lightweight viscose, and has all the lovely drape and hang you'd expect. It's lovely and wafty and cool to wear!

Getting the interfacing right was an interesting experience and a lesson in patience. But it's paid off and the collar sits beautifully. As the viscose is lightweight I used black iron-on ultra-soft interfacing. This still didn't have enough body for the collar to sit right or to provide enough reinforcement for the buttons and buttonholes. I cut another layer of the ultra-soft and ironed it on and that was perfect. It's sometimes a difficult thing to get right.  

This is a better image of the print even if the blue isn't blue enough. Nice horizontal stripe pattern matching in the front buttonhole band. I wasn't even going to try and pattern match the tiny motifs. Preferred to keep my sanity! It's good enough. The buttons were given to me by my mum and are a pearly white irridescent colour, set in antique dull brass coloured surrounds. I have no idea where she got them from and her button collection included some I remember seeing in the 1970's on clothing she sewed for me. There were only eight buttons and I'd love another one to put on the bottom of the shirt but they're such a good match to the shirt I really wanted to use them. 

I think there's still one more shirt to tell you about. You have been warned! I thin I made the black trousers I'm wearing in these photos. They were from a stretch cotton fabric from Cloth Spot. Using the Ultimate trouser pattern from Sew Over it. But black...so no point in photographing them. They get an honourable mention though. 

Till the next time! 

Monday bonus shirt day!

I know, I did say I'd be bringing you my new black corduroy quilted jacket I recently finished...but here's a bonus-post on my other favourite shirt pattern of the moment. Yes, it's the Closet Case Kalle shirt. Or to be exact, it's the tunic length. I just happened to take very quick photos of it on Saturday so here it it!

I absolutely love this pattern! It's so dramatic with the high-low front and back hem, the kimono sleeves finished with their tricky bands - got to match the notches and seams. I am 5'9" tall and I have not lenghthened or adjusted the pattern in any way. Just so you know if you're planning to make this and are not as tall as I am. Or perhaps taller than I am, either way! 

The fabric is a magnificent viscose bought from Clothspot, of course. This is such a lovely quality of fabric and is opaque. It's a medium weight viscose and I think it was under £10 a metre. I bought 2 metres and have a little bit left which will become pocket bags. I've been wearing it loads and if it's not in the wash or ironing pile, I'll be wearing it! 

The thing about a great pattern like the Kalle shirt is that you can make it may times and never get tired of it. I really like how different it it made in a draping fabric like this viscose, compared with a 'fabric with personality' like linen. I made a linen version last year and currently have a forest green length of linen which I've just pre-washed and ready to become a Kalle. So much fabric, so little time!

The marvellous Kalle shirt in merlot linen

After my mixed feelings on my green Closet Case Carolyn pyjamas, I already had the Kalle shirt pattern downloaded and stuck together. The merlot linen was purchased from Edinburgh Fabrics for about £14 a metre, prewashed and I was good to go. I absolutely love the finished shirt! This is a great pattern and produces a lovely garment with a high quality finish both on the outside and inside. 

Now, as I show you these photos of my tunic/shirt, keep in mind that I'm 5'9" tall (or 1.75m for metric folk) and remember, I didn't add any length to this. In fact, what you see is the size 14 sewn up without any alterations made to the pattern. At all. Heather's advice was choose the size based on the bust measurement, so that's what I did. Good advice.

I tried the burrito method of encasing the yoke and this time it worked out for me, although it was very strange and took some figuring out. Just do what the instructions tell you, look at the diagrams and put your trust in Heather's knowledge. The first time I tried it, on a muslin for the Kelly anorak which may or may not get sewn this year, it didn't work out and the shoulder seams were on the outside. Ah well, that's what a muslin's for, isn't it?

For the hem, I didn't want to make bias binding from this fabric. It would be too rigid and too bulky. I tried the baby hem, as suggested in the pattern but like Goldilocks, this just wasn't right either and didn't sit well at the hip curve. So I used the front and back pattern pieces to cut 3" wide facings. I overlocked the side seams together, then finished the top edge with the overlocker. I then joined the facing to the hem with the overlocker, turned the facing to the inside and topstitched about 2.5" from the finished edge. It's worked beautifully and adds some weight to the hem which gives it a certain movement that you can feel when walking. I think this treatment suits a heavier fabric like linen and I'd do it again.

I used black iron-on lightweight interfacing on the collar and button and buttonhole bands. I was swithering between lightweight and medium-weight but I reckoned I could do two layers of lightweight if it was too insignificant. I'm so glad I went with one layer of lightweight. It's beefy enough on the linen but isn't too rigid, thank goodness. I don't like seeing collars that 'fly' due to heavy interfacing.

I love the buttons. I finished the shirt and had a good investigation of my button tin but nothing grabbed me. So I took the shirt and went off to Edinburgh Fabrics where I found these little beauties. They're just right for this shirt! The collar is also the right size for me to wear it comfortably buttoned up, which is a new look for me. I like it!

Currently the shirt is on a wash and wear cycle, which says it all really. I could also be frantically trying to wear it as much as I can before summer ends which in Scotland will be in about two weeks time! Did I say I love this shirt?