Weekly Mending Pile

Another mending Monday--a portion of the day devoted to examination of existing garments, sewing up broken seams, reattaching or securing loose buttons, re-stitching fallen hems and adjusting fit of pieces that still have some life in them.  

There hasn't been a whole lot of new sewing projects hitting the sewing machine lately, even though there are cut projects sitting on the side and thoughts of new projects floating around. 

First up are these black wool knit Palazzo pants that were made back in March.  I thought to leave the hem unfinished but they made it to the mending pile to take 5/8" off the left leg and hem them with a half inch cover stitched hem.  

Next up was a pajama top that was missing a button.  I misplaced the orange button that fell off and just went with whatever I could find in the stash that matched the size of the buttonhole.  I'm good with the mismatched button.  

And then this decade old dress hit the mending pile.  It has held up well over the years and only ended up on the mending pile because the a section of the blind hem was coming down. The request was made for a top-stitched hem.  

Next up is to take a look at the stitch length inconsistency that is happening with my Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine.  This is how a 3.0 stitch length is coming out, something is off.  The machine might need some TLC as well.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

 

Trending and Stash Busting: Stirrup Pants / OOP and Vintage Vogue 7630

Honestly, I had no idea that stirrup pants were trending this year.  And I swear I didn't go searching for a stirrup pants pattern to be trendy.  Here in the Canadian prairies, land of sweatpants, jeans, and shorts with t-shirts country, we're not well known for being a trendy or a fashion centre.  

This project ended up on the work table because I am trying to find yardwork clothing that will keep me covered up to, hopefully, prevent tick bites.  Something I can tuck into a pair of work socks and rain boots.  Man, I miss winter.  And words can not adequately express how much I miss the tick free summers of my youth.  But I digress.  This is not a post about climate change.  But here I am sewing clothes because of the effects of climate change.  

History of Stir-up Pants

Stirrup pants are a tapered style of pants with its signature feature of a strap or loop attached to the hem that sits under the foot.  This design feature helps to anchor the pants in place and prevent it from riding upwards.  They became popular as equestrian clothing in the late 19th century and were adopted as women's riding wear in the 1920s.  In the following decade this style of pants moved into other sports, such as skiwear, marked with an appearance in the 1936 Winter Olympics.  

In the 1950s and 1960s, stirrup pants remained in wardrobes moving into casual everyday wear.  

Stirrup pants returned to its athletic roots and reinvented itself into aerobics wear in the 1980s where its evolution continued into a mainstream fashion wear.  The pants became known as a wardrobe staple moving from sports and dance spaces into everyday wear.  

And then it quietly disappeared from our everyday wardrobes, but not for long.  Stirrup pants are showing up on fashion runways and according to British Vogue, stirrup pants "are replacing tailored trousers."  I'm not ready to go that far, these stirrup pants are entering the wardrobe as strictly work pants styled with rubber boots not heels as styled on the fashion runways.  

I was over the moon when I found this vintage pattern, OOP Vogue 7630.  The closest thing to stir-up pants found on the Simplicity website are patterns for leggings.  But there are a lot of stirrup pants patterns found via Etsy and eBay resellers of vintage Burda, Vogue and Kwik Sew patterns from back-in-the-day.  

The fabric is a medium weight woven cotton with some stretch.  The fabric's stretch did not meet the pattern envelope stretch guide suggested amount of stretch, but none the less, this fabric worked out well for the pattern.  The fabric was previously pretreated with a tumble in the washing machine and dryer before hitting the ironing board for a press.  

There were some alterations to the pattern.  They were shortened a lot!  I'm not hitting five feet at this stage of my life's journey and if I wanted the ankle design to work on the stirrup there was some adjustments to be made.  The casing for the elastic was sewn with a one and a half turn down and I used a one and a quarter inch elastic.  I made these in a size sixteen since my fabric didn't meet the recommended stretch and cut the crotch and ankle curve at a size fourteen.  I could have cut the crotch at the size twelve line but instead if I revisit this pattern, I will shorten the crotch length.  Again, Vogue patterns are not designed for the petites in mind.  This pattern did not contain any finished measurements on the pattern pieces and thankfully, the adjustments worked out just fine.  

Sewing IS Political

This is another Canadian made and tariff free project as the convicted felon throws more tariffs at Canada.  [Insert eye roll here.]  But I again digress.  Everything with the exception of the pattern was found in the stash.  The fabric has been in the stash for years and was found in the discount section of Fabricland, a Canadian fabric outlet.  The vintage Vogue pattern, circa 1989, was a recent Etsy find purchased from a fellow Canadian.  The fabric scissors are from Merchant and Mills, an U.K. company and were purchased from The Workroom, another Canadian fabric outlet.  The elastic was also pulled out of the stash, not sure where it was purchased, could be Fabricland?  The label is from Kylie and the Machine (KATM), an Australian company and were purchased from another Canadian Etsy seller.  Side note:  KATM labels are now shipping from Canada--Yippeee!  This means domestic shipping and no extra fees or tariffs to pay.  And the thread, all pulled from the stash, are cotton Gütermann threads and were purchased at Fabricland.  

Project details

Seams:  2.8 straight stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  2.10 metres

Elastic:  1.10 metres

Pattern:  OOP and Vintage Vogue 7630, circa 1989

Label:  1 -- "MAKE ᐧ WEAR ᐧ WASH ᐧ REPAIR"--KATM label

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Cutting table, paper scissors, fabric scissors, pins, wrist pin cushion, tailor's chalk, Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, Janome AirThread 2000D serger, walking foot, safety pin, threads, thread clippers, cello music and coffee.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

Wrapping Up Me Made May

Reflecting on Me Made May 2026, I thought that it was the same old from years before.  That may be true in the underwear and pajama department.  But looking back to last year, there has been a lot of changes as well.  Many of the me-mades from 2025 are no longer in rotation.  

My favourite Rachel Comey skirts, OOP Vogue 1247, were given away recently and replaced with elastic back versions.  The first Eva dress that I made was recently refashioned into an elastic waist skirt.  After wearing it a couple of times this week, I'm thinking I may have made a mistake.  My cream coloured wool pants didn't see the light in May because it was waiting to be ironed and when I finally got around to it, I noticed little holes happening on one of the side seams.  It's days seem to be numbered.  My favourite DVF wrap dress is sitting near the work table as I contemplate a refashion project.  The Closet Core Ebony t-shirts were given away recently.  The Merchant and Mills Trapeze dress was refashioned into a reusable grocery bag.  Another favourite skirt, OOP Vogue 1378, is sitting in a pile of I-can't-part-with-pieces because it no longer fits.  I also recently said good-bye to my favourite hoodie.  This year's celebration of me-mades was challenging.  

There were many days that I stood in front of my clothes and thought that I have nothing that I can wear.  In reality, the statement should be I have nothing to wear with the back brace.  I'm trying to change that.  I'm actually thinking about breaking out Vogue 8909 and sewing another pair of sweatpants which seem to be the most comfortable pair of pants to wear with the brace.  And I recently found another copy of OOP Butterick 6253 in a larger size combination and there are plans to recreate that favourite hoodie sized to fit over the brace.  

Well, that wraps up another Me Made May. 

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

Monday's Mending Pile

These me-made sweatpants from 2024 made it to the mending pile because I wanted to replace the cuffs.  There was no ribbing in the stash when I made Vogue 8909 back then and I thought that I could get away with cutting the cuff pattern pieces in the fashion fabric.  It was a mistake.  One that was evident during the construction process.  And it didn't feel right when I wore these otherwise very comfortable pants.  

Today, I finally corrected that mistake and cut out some navy ribbing that has since entered the stash.  

First I had to cut off the cuff at the stitching line.  There was no way I was going to even attempt to remove a knit stitch by hand.  I'm at the stage of life that I am losing height so I don't think I will miss that 5/8" allowance from the leg length.  

Ah, that feels better.  

Elbows up and keep sewing.  
 

Stash busting: Black Cotton Pants / Butterick 6717

The latest version of Butterick 6717 was given a little more ease at the sides to see if they will fit more comfortably over the lower part of the back brace.  

And it worked!  There was also a little more ease added at the inner leg near the crotch area.  The length was shortened as well.  The hem lengths differ because of the shortness of one leg, all thanks to scoliosis.  But I didn't want to commit to a one inch hem because the shoes that I will wear with these have not been adjusted for the height difference.  This will give me the option to fix the hem if I loosen the purse strings for the shoes adjustments.  But I digress.  I left off the pockets on this pair, with the hard plastic of the brace it won't be an easy feature to use.  I'm just happy that I can wear these with the back brace.  

I used a printed copy of this pattern which I picked up years ago.  It is currently only available in PDF format.  I'm not a fan of PDF format patterns and I would have skipped this pattern if it were the only option back then.  I grateful to have the printed copy, the pattern for the pants is wonderful.  I like the dart free front and the elastic back is comfortable to wear.  I also like the shape of the leg.  

The fabric was labelled as a 100% cotton, I'm not a 100% sure about that claim.  I guess time will tell in how it wears.  It is the same fabric that I used to make this skirt.  It was pre-washed before hitting the cutting table and ironing board.  

Sewing IS Political

This project is another Canadian and tariff free creation.  All of the supplies required to make the pants were found in the stash.  The fabric came into the stash via Fabricland, a Canadian fabric outlet.  The elastic is Tailor brand and was made in China and also came from Fabricland.  The cotton thread used in the sewing machine is from Gutermann threads and was made in Greece.  The threads used in the serger are a combination of Gutermann threads and H.A. Kidd, a Canadian company, and were labelled as made in China.  All of the threads were purchased from Fabricland.  The scissors used to cut this project were made in Taiwan and purchased from Fabricland.  Butterick 6717, is an American product that entered the stash in twenty twenty-two before the convicted felon's resumed his tariff war on the world.  

Project details

Seams:  2.8 straight stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  1.5 metres

Elastic:  0.7 metres

Pattern:  Butterick 6717, circa 2019

Label:  1--KATM label

Additional Tools and Supplies:  Cutting table, pins, pin cushions, measuring tape, measuring gauge, fabric scissors, iron, ironing board, tailor's ham, screwdriver, tailor's chalk, Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, walking foot, blind hem foot, safety pin, Janome AirThread 2000D serger, thread clippers, threads, back brace and tea.  

Stand Strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

Stash busting: Black Wool Knit Palazzo Pants / OOP Vogue 1334

Out-of-print (OOP) Vogue 1334 is all about comfort.  It has an elastic waistband that I can slip over the lower part of the back brace.  And I love the wide legs on these palazzo style pants.  It has a retro vibe that remind me of late 1960's Italian fashion and designers like Emilio Pucci.  Minus the vibrant patterned fabric, this pair is all about comfort in a neutral colour.  

This is a Today's Fit pattern by Sandra Betzina.  They actually turned out better than I hoped after reading some insights found on Pattern Review.  I have no dislikes to report.  This is an easy pattern to sew and came together quickly.  I would absolutely recommend this pattern for a beginner willing to give sewing knits a try.  Sandra Betzina lays out different fabric, fit and fabric scenarios to help make this pattern a success.  I highly recommend reading the "Before You Start" section of the pattern instructions. 

The only changes to the pattern was to cut the pants at a size F with the exception of size G at the side seams which I graded back down to F by the notch marking.  I wanted the extra bit of ease since I will be wearing these over the brace.  The hem length were cut at the smallest size.  The elastic width that the pattern calls for is a one inch width but I thought that the crotch length looked too big so I went with a two inch wide elastic.  I could have gone with a one and a half inch elastic if there was any left in the stash.  I was working with what I have on hand.  I would like another pair of these pants (they are that comfortable!) and I do have some gray French terry to make another pair, so I think there might be an elastic run in the near future.  

The photo of my pants do look much wider than the photo on the pattern envelope.  I wonder if this a reflection of the "Make the legs narrower" instructions listed within the "Before You Start" section?  Or maybe the pants on the pattern photo were made in a woven fabric?  Sandra Betzina also outlines how to make the fabric switch.  I wish the patterns would mention what fabric was used in their samples.  Anyway, these are the only things that may explain why there appears to be a difference in the drape and width between this project and the sample photo on the pattern envelope.  

The fabric is a medium weight wool knit and it has a lovely drape.  It was pre-treated with a tumble in the dryer along with damp towels. 

Sewing IS Political

This is a Canadian made and tariff free project.  All of the supplies used to make these pants were found in the stash.  The medium weight merino wool is the same fabric used for this hooded scarf and has been in the stash for a couple of years prior to the convicted felon's tariff war.  It came from Marshall Fabrics, a western Canadian fabric outlet.  The Vogue pattern is a recent Etsy purchase from a Canadian reseller.  The threads are Gütermann Threads and have been in the stash for a long time, likely from Fabricland, another Canadian fabric outlet.  The scissors are from Taiwan and were purchased from Fabricland.  The elastic is also came from Fabricland.  The label is from KATM, an Australian company.  

Project details

Seams:  Knit (lightening bolt) stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  4.5 metres (this fabric was 110 cm wide)

Elastic:  1.4 metres

Pattern:  OOP Vogue 1334, circa 2012

Label:  1--"one off" KATM label

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Cutting table, cardboard cutting mat (for table extention), pins, wrist pin cushion, paper scissors, fabric scissors, tailor's chalk, Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, walking foot, threads, Janome AirThread 2000D serger, tweezers, thread clippers, iron, ironing board, safety pin and coffee.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

Stash busting: Wool Pin-striped Pants / Butterick 6717

One more pair of wool pants to start off my stash busting year.  

Butterick 6717 hit the cutting table for one more pair of pull-on pants.  This pattern makes a comfortable pair of pants with the leg wide enough to wear a knee brace without looking overly wide.  This pair of pants, again, has side pockets, something I left off many of the earlier makes with this pattern for no good reason.  Butterick 6717 is a tried and true (TNT) pattern, a pretty basic and easy to sew pattern.  

The inner leg notch marking is off slightly but if you line up the crotch and the bottom hem, it all works out to being the same length, just ignore the notch.  I didn't follow the pattern instruction in the order they are laid out.  I was on board for steps 1 to 6 but I skipped to step 9 to 11 before sewing the pockets and side seams and then I went to topstitch the front facing in place.  

The only change, other than the instruction order changes, was to shorten the length of the hem and then shorten the left leg length another 5/8" to address the havoc scoliosis tries to cause with my sewing projects.  The hem was sewn with a machine blind hem instead of topstitching.  

The fabric is a lovely British wool suiting fabric which has been in the stash for too many years.  I will admit to being scared to cut into this as my collection of 100% wool suiting fabric is dwindling and it's becoming harder to find quality all-natural fibre fabrics like this now-a-days.  It was pre-treated before it hit the cutting table.  

Sewing IS Political

This is the first Canadian made and tariff free project in 2026.  Yes, the boycott continues.  Thankfully, everything used to make these pants were found in the stash.  There were no new purchases nor any funds supporting the convicted felon's tariff war or to businesses that support his administration.  

The British wool suiting fabric was from Mitchell Fabrics, a local Canadian fabric outlet that closed down years ago.  Butterick 6717 is an American product, circa 2019 which entered the stash in 2022 and did not contribute to the convicted felon's tariff economy in either of his terms.  The fabric scissors are from Merchant and Mills, an United Kingdom company and were purchased from The Workroom, a Canadian fabric outlet.  The threads are from Güterman threads, a German company and were made in Greece.  The threads were purchased from Fabricland, a Canadian fabric outlet.  

This year, I hope to source all my supplies, fabric and patterns from the stash to the best of my ability.  I can check this one off as my first stash busting project of the year.  

Project details

Seams:  3.0 straight stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  2.1 metres (150 cm wide)

Interfacing:  0.60 metres 

Elastic:  0.5 metres

Pattern:  Butterick 6717, no longer in print, currently only available in PDF format

Additional Tools and Supplies:  Cutting table, pins, pin cushion, measuring tape, tailor's chalk, measuring gauge, Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, walking foot, blind hem foot, Janome AirThread 2000D serger, threads, thread clippers, iron, ironing board, tweezers, fabric scissors, seam ripper, safety pin and decaf coffee.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

Gift Sewing: Baby Sweatpants / OOP McCall's 7367

Oh my goodness, these are so cute but it's hard to imagine that they will fit a wee little one.  They are so tiny.  Or maybe that is just my perception coming off sewing a pair of adult size pants.   

These are the pants from out-of-print (OOP) and vintage McCall's 7367, an infants layette pattern from 1994.  Super easy to sew, even a sleep deprived parent can whip these up while the baby is sleeping.  Or maybe sew them before the baby arrives.  😉  There are no side seams, and only two pattern pieces.  The only challenging part was sewing those tiny little leg bands.  I am thankful for the stretch of the fabric which made it a manageable task.  The fabric is a cotton French terry.  

I was disappointed when I found that my original copy of this pattern contained a disappearing pants pattern.  Half of the pattern did not print.  I'm really thankful for a second copy that I recently purchased after I discovered I lost a pattern piece for the onesie.  Once all of that was sorted out, this was a quick project to cut and sew.  I spent more time changing the threads on the sewing machine and serger.  

Sewing IS Political

This is another Canadian made and tariff free sewing project.  Everything needed to sew these pants were found in the stash.  The fabric came from Marshall Fabrics, a Canadian fabric outlet.  The patterns are printed in the U.S.A. but I'm happy to report they were not tariffed items nor did they contribute to the convicted felon's economy.  The second pattern that I picked up earlier this year came from a Canadian reseller.  The elastic used is a Tailor brand, an American company.  It is a product that was made in China and has been in the stash prior to the convicted felon's global tariff war.  The label is from KATM, an Australian company.  The Gütermann threads were made in Greece and were purchased at Fabricland, a Canadian fabric outlet.  The fabric scissors are Merchant and Mills, a U.K. company and were purchased from The Workroom, another Canadian fabric outlet.  

Project details

Seams:  Knit (lightning bolt) stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  0.5 metres

Elastic:  0.45 metres

Pattern:  OOP McCall's 7367, circa 1994

Label:  1--KATM "made with love" label

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Cutting table, fabric scissors, black marker, measuring tape, measuring gauge, Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, walking foot, thread clippers, seam ripper, Janome AirThread 2000D serger, iron, ironing board, pins, pin cushion and tea.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

Wool Pants: Butterick 6717

This pair of pull-on wool pants, Butterick 6717, has pockets!  

These are the first pair I've made with this pattern that do have pockets.  There are eight pairs of pocket-less pants previously made.  I left them off the previously made pairs.  I don't know why.  Maybe it's because that pocket pattern piece looked small but they don't feel that way when I wear these pants.  

Butterick 6717 is a keeper.  I do have a hard copy of this pattern but it's no longer available for sale on the Simplicity website.  It is, however, available in PDF format here.  I made these in a size large (16-18) with no changes to the pattern other than shortening the leg length one and a half inches.  The pants have a one and a half inch blind hem.  They were easy to sew and the pants are comfortable.  

The fabric is a charcoal coloured British wool fabric that has been hiding in the stash for many years.  It was pre-treated prior to hitting the cutting table.  I do have enough fabric to sew another pair of pants.

Sewing IS Political

This is another Canadian made and tariff free project.  Everything used to make these pants were found in the stash.  The fabric came from Fabricland, a Canadian fabric outlet.  The Butterick pattern, circa 2019, was made in the U.S.A. prior to the start of the convicted felon's global tariff war and did not contribute his economy.  It was purchased as a discounted pattern from Fabricland.  The scissors used to cut this project are Merchant and Mills, a U.K. company and were purchased from The Workroom, a Canadian fabric outlet.  The sewing machine needle was replaced with a Schmetz needle, a German company and was purchased at Fabricland.  The threads used were Gütermann Threads from Germany.  The label used is from KATM, and Australian company.  

Project details

Seams:  2.8 straight stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  2 metres

Interfacing:  0.70 metres (fusible)

Elastic:  1 metre

Pattern:  Butterick 6717, circa 2019 (printed copy now out-of-print)

Label:  1--"2025" KATM 

Additional Tools and Supplies:  Cutting table, pins, wrist pin cushion, measuring tapes, measuring gauge, fabric scissors, tailor's chalk, Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, walking foot, blind hem foot, screwdriver, thread clippers, threads, Jean-a-ma-jig, Janome AirThread 2000D serger, seam ripper, ironing board, iron and tea.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

October in Review

Sewing, Mending and Alterations

Clockwise top L:  cotton sweatshirt fleece baby onesie OOP and vintage McCall's 7367, wool and polyester skirt Daughter Judy pattern no. 407 (Henry skirt), cream coloured cotton fleece and gray merino wool saddle covers for a scoliosis brace (no pattern used), cotton pants OOP Vogue 1739.

Surprisingly, there was some sewing this month.  Even though I felt like I spent most of the month coughing up a lung or two, I did get some work done at the sewing machine.  Two items were gifted, the skirt was a fail (I got the sizing all wrong) and the saddle covers were the best thing I sewed this month.  Oh wait, it's probably tied with that cute little baby onesie.  

There wasn't a lot of mending and alterations done this month other than I managed to fix a couple of small holes while continuing to edit the wardrobe.  A shout out to Brace Buddies for designing the body sock tank top.  I am now able to wear the brace and sweaters (jumpers) without the worry of damage them with the velcro straps on the brace.  And best part, they are made with cotton knit.  Maybe, I can try to copy this design and add a couple more down the road.  We'll see.  

Stash busting

This month I stashed busted 6.4 metres of fabric, half a metre of twill tape, one snap, two sewing labels, one vintage button, one hook and eye set, three spools of thread, three sewing patterns and 0.6 metres of elastic.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

Testing out a Pattern: OOP Vogue 1739

UPDATE

This is a finished version of out-of-print (OOP) Vogue 1739, view C.  I can finally call this one a wearable toile and it has been gifted into happy arms.  Phew PHEW!  

There were several alterations to this pattern.  The copy of Vogue 1739 is the smaller size combination and I could have used a larger size.  This meant there were some adjustments made to the upper seams at the centre front, back and sides.  The length was shortened approximately five inches and the pants have an inch top-stitched hem.  Since I didn't know if this would work I didn't interface the front waist facing.  Instead of two rows of elastic, there is one casing made to fit an inch wide elastic.  

FITTING NOTES

This semi-finished pair of pants is a toile version.  There is a lovely wool fabric that is waiting to see if this version fits or if it will need some more adjustments.  

The request came from Mama R who is complaining that her pants are not feeling comfortable anymore.  She also does not care for wide leg pants.  I've made her pants in the past using her treasured out-of-print Simplicity 2372.  As of this moment, I can not find that pattern, not even the back-up version I have somewhere likely packed away for safe keeping.  ~sigh~  But I digress.  

The pants made with OOP Simplicity 2372 currently are too snug across the mid-section when she is sitting down.  So it's back to the cutting table to make a toile with another pattern, OOP Vogue 1739 that I have in my stash.  This pattern features a wide and slim fitting leg and elasticized back.  

Mom is not sold on the elasticized back and is requesting a full elastic waist.  But with the slim leg.  This is why I'm not a fan of sewing for others.  I have basically had to beg her to let me try out this pattern and then work from there if there are changes to be made.  The planning stage of the project was not at all a fun process.  If I can get the basic shape down and if she's still requesting a full elastic pants, I will do as she please.  

Overwhelmed with all her complaining about the fit of her pants and what she likes and doesn't like, I turned to my sewing library for help.  My sewing library is currently packed in cardboard boxes and trying to find the resources that I was looking for also sucked every single ounce of joy out of sewing this toile.  It didn't stop me though.  I love my Mom and am determined to finish a toile for her to try on and prayed that it would be a success.  Or at least a starting point.  

I was searching for Sandra Betzina's Fast Fit, I know that I own a copy of this book but after going through many boxes, it is nowhere to be found.  I did find Slacks Fitting Book by Nancy Zieman which was helpful.  

I used Zieman's method to increase the waistband without leaving the grainline and front darts as marked.  Fingers are crossed for the fitting results.  

Determined to give this pattern a try, I got to work cutting the fabric.  My toile fabric is a medium weight cotton stretch fabric that has been in the stash for decades.  There is a part of me that is sad it was used for toile fabric but then if I haven't used in the past decades what am I saving it for?  If it works as a wearable toile I would be thrilled.  The fabric was previously pre-treated and project ready.  

Project details

Seams:  2.8 straight stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  3 metres (width, 115 cm)

Elastic:  0.6 metres -- 1" width

Pattern:  OOP Vogue 1739 (circa 2020), formerly OOP Vogue 9305

Additional Tools and Supplies:  Cutting table, paper scissors, iron, ironing board, fabric scissors, pins, pin cushion, measuring tape, measuring gauge, tailor's chalk, Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, walking foot, Janome AirThread 2000D serger, tweezers, threads and a pumpkin spice latte.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

Me Made May 2025: The Third Week

 Days 17--24

Other than going to church on Sunday and a few errands, my wardrobe and week was very low key.  It was a week of yard and housework.  

The only observation that I have to share is that I have clothes in my closet that don't fit my current low key lifestyle.  I have next to nil occasions to dress up.  Case in point, the teal coloured dress was the second time I wore this dress since I made it almost two years ago.  

Well that's all for this third week of Me Made May.  Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

 

Me Made May 2025: The Second Week

Days 8 to 16:  

Top row L to R:  purple bamboo and cotton pullover top (OOP Vogue 1247), 100% cotton denim skirt (OOP Vogue 1247), black and white front buttoned top/jacket (OOP Vogue 8709), cotton knit skirt (OOP Butterick 5790) and 100% cotton pullover dress (Butterick 6784). 
Middle row L to R:  pear print pullover dress (Eva dress by Tessuti patterns), 100% cotton pullover dress (Trapeze dress by Merchant and Mills), reversible apron (OOP Butterick 5263). 
Bottom row L to R:  Butterfly print cotton knit t-shirt (OOP Vogue 9057), cotton knit skirt (OOP Butterick 5790), cotton and linen pullover top (OOP Vogue 9317), wool suiting pull-on pants (OOP Vogue 1642) and cotton pullover dress (Eva dress by Tessuti patterns).  

Can you believe that we're half way through Me Made May?  This week threw me from my typical May wardrobe choices.  At the start of the week we had some uncharacteristically warm hot weather.  It reached plus thirty-seven degrees Celsius (98.6℉) on Tuesday.  Sleeveless options, unless I'm wearing it with a t-shirt or turtleneck, are typically unheard of in May.  But here we were digging through summer time clothes.  Things have since cooled significantly and we're having some much needed rain.  

Here are some observations during the second week of Me Made May, 

1. Adding a rain jacket or coat would be nice.  Maybe something upcycled from a vinyl tablecloth?  I've watched some videos where that was done and they've turned out well.  Maybe I can turn a shower curtain into a rain coat?  I could do without as well, it's more of a fun project than something I need.  
2. I've started seriously thinking about that sports bra project after I stumbled across a pattern on sale.  The Pika 2679 by Jalie patterns is currently sitting at the work table.  I need to trace it out and adjust the pattern.  It will be nice to have a comfortable custom-made option to wear under t-shirts.  
3. I'm making more cotton undergarments with OOP Simplicity 8229.  The last set of panties had the elastic sewn on with the cover stitch machine but it didn't hold up as well as the earlier versions sewn with the zigzag stitch on my sewing machine.  I going old school with this new batch.  
4. I've noticed that I'm reaching for older pieces during Me Made May.  And I'm spending more time repairing and mending these than spending time creating something new.  Most of my sewing has been behind the scenes and often involves hand-stitched repairs.  Poor sewing machines are collecting dust.  

Well that's the latest Me Made May update.  Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

Me Made May 2025: The First Week

 Days 1 to 7:  

The first week of Me Made May arrived and there are a few observations that I can make.  

1. I feel like I am working with a new wardrobe as there were a couple of pieces that I haven't been able to wear the last couple of years.  The red floral Eva dress (Tessuti pattern) and a plaid skirt (OOP Vogue 1378) were packed away after I gained weight.  And now these were reintroduced to the wardrobe after some weight loss earlier this year.  
2. What I chose to wear is mostly dictated by how I feel rather than what I want to wear.  Clothing choices are sometimes limited by the need to wear the scoliosis back brace.  Pullover or pull-on garments rule over zippers and buttons.  
3. If I could get away with it, I would live in pajamas.  I might want to sew one more pair.  
4. I would really like to try my hand at sewing a sports bra.  Something that I can modify to accommodate the physical changes happening to my back caused by scoliosis.  Something that doesn't hurt when I wear it.  And something that I can pull over or that has front closures.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

Happy Valentine's Day!

Oh sewing, how I love thee.  Let me count the ways.  

I love thee to the sewing table and back

Reusable grocery bags, OOP McCall's 4851

Even when all I am sewing is a sack.  

Coat, OOP Burda 7304

I love thee freely, as my creativity soars

Sweatpants, OOP Kwik Sew 3663

I love thee purely, as it mends my grief

Covid-19 era scrub caps

I love thee with kindness, as it give me purpose

Boys' Super Mario shirt, OOP Butterick 2122

I love thee quietly in my solitude as I transform fabric into pure joy

Velvet and silk Christmas dress, McCall's 5795

I love thee with a love that is hard to articulate, the calling of the sewing machine is undeniable no matter how late.

DVF designer wrap dress, OOP Vogue 1610

Thank you my love.

Favourite Makes of 2024

I thought I would pop back in and reflect on the top ten list for twenty twenty-four.  

Oh my goodness, Vogue 8909 is such a great pattern!  I made these back in May.  This is the second pair I've made from this pattern.  And I wear these a lot.  It's comfortable to kick around in and I can even dress them up a bit with a nice top to go out and run errands.  They are made with a navy cotton French terry.  

This top has saved me from abrasion wounds in the underarm region while wearing a scoliosis back brace.  It has extra padding in the underarm region.  It was made with out-of-print (OOP) Kwik Sew 2899 and a yellow cotton French terry.  It will have to go down as my favourite makes just on comfort level.  It entered the wardrobe rotation in the end of October and even though I have had this for a short time it quickly became one of the most important pieces in the 2024 wardrobe.  

Is there anything better than wool pieces for survival during a prairie winter?  I do tend to live in ski-pants while outdoors in the winter but sometimes you want to show up at church in something that doesn't make noise when you walk.  I am saving this outfit for such occasions.  The top was made with Sew House Seven's Toaster sweater pattern.  The pull-on skirt is OOP Butterick 5790.  Both pieces were made in October.  

Here is another October make and another Sew House Seven Toaster sweater in merino wool.  It ended up being a wearable toile as I was playing around with an oversized version.  It has since shrunk a bit--an intentional shrinkage and fits much better.   

Oh my goodness, I wish I kept this top!  I made this cotton French terry top with OOP Butterick 5790 back in October when I was much heavier.  Since then I lost quite a bit of weight, although there is more to lose, I am sure that this would fit me today.  This top made it to the favourite list because this was nostalgic sewing.  Back in the day, when I first had a copy of OOP Butterick 5790, this was a favourite pattern and item to wear.  Even though I never got to wear this version of the top, it was fun to revisit this pattern at the time.  

This is a lovely Katherine Tilton design, Butterick 6784.  I made this dress back in April after dreaming of a second version in a cotton for the hot summer that promised to come.  I did wear this dress often during the warmer months, it's comfortable and I adored the print.  It reminds me of the decorative tiles I saw many moons ago in the Azores.  

This wool jacket was a labour of love.  It was made with OOP Vogue 2571.  If you come across this pattern, it is one that I would recommend.  I love that I found some beautiful vintage real wool fabrics at Winnipeg Sews that was unmatched to the wool blend or polyester faux-wool fabrics found in today's retail landscape.  This jacket is unbelievably warm and kept me warm on days that the wind chill hit minus forty-two. I was thrilled that I found leather toggles online before the postal strike.  There is nothing close to the quality of these toggles in the local retail stores here.  I completed this project during the summer before the cold weather arrived.  Just one sad note about this project, Winnipeg Sews, the business that I found this lovely fabric, closed this month.  It is sad to see another resource disappear.  

This butterfly print top was made back in June shortly after I received the scoliosis back brace and was searching for tops that could be worn over the brace.  There was some extra ease added to the back to help it fit over the additional bulk.  The pattern is a much-cherished Katherine Tilton design, OOP Butterick 5891.  

This is another gifted make, a wool winter coat made back in April.  My heart wasn't into making this at the time and it was a real struggle to get it done.  I guess it made the favourite list because of the fabric.  It's made with a beautiful wool find from Winnipeg Sews.  It turned out well , maybe because I've made so many coats (this is the fifth version) using OOP Vogue 8934.  Previous practice helped in getting it done.  

Well, there are my top ten makes of 2024.  Happy New Year! and wishing you joyful sewing in the upcoming year!