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! 

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?

The tale of the second pair of PJs...

Here we go folks, I said on Tuesday in my Tale of Two PJs post that I'd made another pair of pyjamas...and here they are. I'm smiling in the photo but...I just don't like them. There, I've said it. 

For this pair of pjs I used the Closet Case Carolyn pattern for both the top and trousers. I used a 100% cotton poplin bought from Edinburgh Fabrics and prewashed before cutting out. I love the green! I also bought pre-made satin bias binding so I could add flat piping. The five buttons were chosen from my button tin. 

Where do I start with this? Maybe the trousers as I sewed them up first. I've already made the shorts previously so I knew the body part fitted well size-wise. I'd already added a good few inches to the rise and didn't alter that for the trousers. I added quite a few inches to the trouser legs #sewingtall. I added the bottom bands from the pattern and added flat piping too. But...I don't like how thick the band is (I didn't alter this, they're cut as per the pattern). 

I absolutely love the pockets, though! The waistband is cut separately and sewn on. I don't like having a wide piece of elastic in a wide waistband like this so sewed two channels and added narrower elastic in each channel. I wish I'd made the waistband 50% narrower and used one length narrower elastic but this is just a personal preference.

But the worst crime of all is that they are too short. Just half an inch too short. But enough to be flappy...*shudder*. This is the stuff of nightmares for me. This was my fault as I trimmed too much off the leg length before sewing on the bands. Nobody else to blame here!

Now, moving on to the top. I hate the collar. It's just too wide and sits too high up my neck (I have a long neck). I like how the two piece undercollar is cut on the bias. I also have to say that I absolutely, totally and utterly HATED (yes I know I'm shouting) the instructions for sewing the collar and front facings on to the body. I think it is overly-complicated, has too many little steps in it and there are far easier methods out there. 

I added a 1" FBA to the front just to make sure there would be enough room. That worked well and there is a small dart. The front and back body of the top fits well and I really like the shirt tail curved hem shaping. The flat piping is a little wide for my liking but that's probably because there isn't any piping cord inside the take up the slack. I have to say, the piping does meet perfectly at the inner corners of the collar. 

By this point in the pyjama sewing journey I was fed up and just wanted to finish the damned things! I cut out but didn't bother sewing the sleeve bands. The buttonholes went in ok and I sewed the buttons on. Gave it a final press and tried it on.

Oh dear! That's when I found out the trousers were too short and the collar wants to sit it's own way. Taking these photos, I noticed that the sleeves each have a huge vertical wrinkle. Have you got any idea why? I haven't. I sewed the sleeves on flat as instructed by the pattern and also because that's how I do them, if I can. I matched all the notches and the dot at the sleeve top and shoulder seam. So why the big wrinkles? And what's going on with the top button and lower collar? Nothing I do makes it sit properly. 

I wanted to bin them there and then. But I decided to see if they would grow on me after a few wears. They haven't. I went back to my favourite pyjamas sewn using Kwik Sew 2811 last night and the green pair are lying on the bedroom floor ready to start their probably quite quick journey to the bin. I will remove the buttons first though!  

A tale of two PJs

You're going to need sunglasses for this post! The colours and prints are going to sear your eyeballs. Before I went on holiday to Barcelona a few weeks ago, I decided to sew up a pair of pyjama shorts and sleeveless top as nightwear. I've fancied trying the Closet Case Patterns Carolyn Pyjamas so I clicked 'Buy' and started printing and taping. I don't trace so I made my adjustments to the pattern and then cut out the pj shorts.

I love a bit of piping on my pyjamas so made some bias binding and added flat piping to the shorts cuff. I also prefer the waistband to have two channels and use two lengths of narrow elastic. I just find it comfier that way.

I used the Colette Sorbetto sleeveless top pattern as I wanted something sleeveless and quick to sew. I did an FBA on this but can't remember how much I added. I finished the armhole and neck edges with my self-made bias binding...not that you can see it. There's also a pleat down the front which you can't see either! I was scratching my head for a while over that pleat, I just didn't understand the instructions at all but lightbulb must have gone off at some point because it all worked out fine.

The fit on the shorts is good, it's roomy but that's how I like my pjs to fit. I love having pockets! The Sorbetto is very, very roomy, I could do with sizing down but it was fine in the heat of  the Spanish heatwave. I used a 100% cotton poplin purchased from Edinburgh Fabrics for both the shorts and top and construction was with the overlocker and sewing machine so all in all, a quick sew but something I needed for my holiday!

Why the title 'A Tale of two PJs?' Well, I made another pair of Carolyn Pyjamas but I'm keeping those for another post...I'm not entirely sure about them so I'm wearing them to see if I'll get to like them...