Azuki workpants muslin, Matchy Matchy PJ set,

 Okay - what HAVE I done in the sewing room the past few weeks?

I guess I have spent it working on the Azuki pants, thinking about the Kilt upcycle skirt, getting ready to do the PJ set... Also a fabric pilgrimage to Montreal to buy fabric to fill my summer!

Montreal haul

AZUKI WORKPANTS

I bought some stretch denim from the discount table to make these up as a muslin. After consulting Pattern Review, and my own local frock friends about which way to use the stretch - horizontal (usual), or vertical (as my good fabric stretches).

I decided that, because my pattern does not call for stretch, I did not NEED the stretch horizontally, and that vertical stretch could help with movement (think lifting your knee up to climb, for example.) My local frock-friends concurred. 

This meant cutting the muslin fabric on the cross grain, to mimic the final fabric.

I decided not to make ALL the pockets and accessories of the pattern for the muslin, and in spite of that I just had enough fabric... and I have the same amount in the good fabric. Uh oh!

So I cut the pocket bags (top and bottom), and waistband facing out of scrap fabrics, and in the end, maybe there is enough left for a few extra pockets in the yardage I have. 🤞If not, the pockets I DID put in are probably as many as I need. But the pockets are such nice design features...

Waffle pattenrs FIT together beautifully. So when I went to attach something and it did not fit, I knew enough to step back and reconsider; I was putting it on the wrong way. What I did NOT like was the fly construction (will do differently on next version; just not sure how). Also the adjuster belt in the back... I sewed at 1/4 inch seam allawance, instead of the 1/2 inch, and was 'just' able to turn it right side out. There is no way I would have succeeded had I followed the instructions. And anyway, I like the somewhat wider piece.

  

I had to unpick the waistband twice - my mistakes. I use a technique that I recently 'discovered', where instead of sewing the waistband to the outside, then folding in the facing, and blindly topstitching from the right side, just hoping to catch that folded over bit... instead of doing that I pin and sew to the inside, then fold the waistband to the outside, (the allowance has already been folded and pressed up). Pin it in place, then topstitch that bit in place. This works fairly well, but depending on how well I have sewn the pieces together I sometimes don't 'hide' the first stitching line. But I can remove it if I need to.

I also sewed the back pockets too low... I used the wrong placement line... oh well, it is fine.

My only conern at this point is that the back thighs are too roomy, so lots of pleats. Not sure if this will look better on the drapier finished fabric.

The stretch denim can be a bit odd to work with. There are wavy seams, and so the side seams might be too wide, or it might just look too wide due to the wavy seams.

low pockets!

Will need to sleep on it before deciding.

LIBERTY PRINT LOUNGEWEAR

poor lighting - not this yellow

So the rules for the March Matchy-Matchy contest stipulate that the set is not to be 'sleepwear'. I was going to make PJs. I can call them loungewear🤣. It doesn't matter, I don't qualify for any votes, since I have won a contest within the last four months. I am looking forward to making this for the Great Adventure! (The final workpants are also for the Great Adventure... which begins end of March!)

I am making the Closet Core Carolyln PJ bottoms (Again!), and using the Kalle, with long sleeve extension, for the top. I am using the lighter fabric as the main, and the darker as the contrast:

The bottoms are done, and the top is well under way.

It looks like I will also have enough left to maybe make a tank top - make this a really crazy loungewear outfit!

KILT UPCYCLE

As suggested by one of my local frock-friends, I had CB wear the waistband to determine the best size. From there I adjusted the top of the skirt and we had as econd fitting. So I am set to sew... I would like to finish this before the Great Adventure begins, too!