Stash busting: Elastic Back Skirt / OOP Vogue 1247 and 9918

Redesigning out-of-print (OOP) Vogue 1247 skirt pattern into an elastic back version is all about comfort.  With an elastic back waist, there was hope that it can be worn with the back brace.  And I'm thrilled that it worked out.  

There were two patterns, OOP Vogue 1247 and vintage and OOP Vogue 9918, merged to create this skirt.  The front of the skirt with those lovely pockets is cut from Vogue 1247 and the back piece is cut from Vogue 9918.  

There were also several changes to the pattern pieces to make this fit over the lower part of the brace.  The back piece from 9918 was cut as a size 18 and an inch width was added at the centre front.  The front pieces also had an inch width added at the centre front.  The front darts were removed and the waistline adjusted accordingly.  The waistline curve at the front side seam was eliminated and straightened to match the shaping with the back side waist.  There is an added ten inches of length added to the front and the back piece was adjusted to match.  I should add an inch or two to the length on the next version so I could sew a blind hem.  This one is finished with seam binding to keep the length.  The waistband was cut narrower, shorter to fit the front section only and was not interfaced. 

The fabric is a medium weight cotton sateen with stretch.  It's been in the stash for years, many years.  It was pretreated with a tumble in the washing machine and dryer before hitting the ironing board for a steam pressing.   

Let's talk about thread for a moment.  I like Gütermann threads, but lately not so much.  Most of the Gütermann threads in the stash are cotton and made in Greece.  Love the quality, there are no complaints with the cotton threads made in Europe. 

But there are some spools that are polyester Gütermann threads in the stash that are the absolute worst for my Janome sewing machines.  The polyester threads entered the stash because I was trying to match colours with a project fabric and they were on sale.  Sometimes a sale is not a good deal even if the colour selection is wonderful.  These spools are made in the U.S.A., very thin / fine and feel like plastic.  When used in any of my sewing machines and serger, I have problems, skip stitches and constantly having to rethread the machines.  It's not a tension or needle issue, I've checked and adjusted and the problems persist.  I wish I checked online before picking these polyester thread spools as I would have discovered that others had issues as well.  And this doesn't seem to be a recent issue according to the two year old Reddit post.  So, I was careful to pick out spools of cotton thread for this project.  Now, what to do with the remaining Gütermann polyester threads in the stash?  Thankfully, there are not a lot of these lingering in the stash.  

 

Sewing IS Political

This is another Canadian made and tariff free sewing project.  All of the supplies used to make this skirt were found in the stash.  The fabric has been in the stash for a decade and was found at Fabricland, a Canadian fabric outlet.  The elastic was also sourced from Fabricland.  The scissors used to cut this project are from Merchant and Mills, an United Kingdom company.  They were purchased from The Workroom, another Canadian fabric outlet.  The Vogue patterns are products from the U.S.A. and are from a pre-Trumpian era, not contributing to the convicted felon's tariff economy.  

Project details

Seams:  2.8--3.0 straight stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  1.5 metres

Elastic:  0.7 metres

Seam binding:  1.3 metres

Patterns:  OOP Vogue 1247, circa 2011 and OOP Vogue 9918, circa 1980s.

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

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.  

March in Review

Sewing, Alterations and Mending

Left to Right:  Cotton Trapeze Dress, Merchant and Mill's; wool plaid scarf, no pattern used.  

March was a slow month at the sewing machine.  The scarf was just a project that I made to use up the last bit of yardage from this skirt project.  I've surprised myself with how often I've reached for this scarf as the weather warmed up and it worked well with this coat.  The dress has a sixties vibe that I adore.  I took it out for a spin pairing it with a turtleneck sweater and it's so comfortable.  This may become my go-to summer dress.  Although, I do like my Eva dresses and they will likely not be replaced.  

And there was a wee bit of mending to a piece of furniture that needed some care.  These sweatpants have a tiny hole in the left back side that needs to be closed.  I plan to mend them today.  Otherwise things were quiet in the workspace. 

Stash busting

This month 2.4 metres of fabric and two spools of thread were used from the stash.  I did pick up 2 metres of fabric this month.  And I quickly regretted the purchase even though it was on sale.  

It's a man-made knit with a metre long sticky tape residue at the centre fold and right side of the fabric. It's not the kind of fabric I go for but it was a good deal and I thought that I could use it as a toile fabric.  I didn't realize it was damaged by the tape residue when I took it to the cutting table and the sales clerk did not point it out when she measured it.  If I had noticed this, I wouldn't have picked it up.  I should have known, the sale price was too good to be true.  Thankfully, after three tumbles in the wash and a heck of a lot Shout stain remover, the tape residue is no longer noticeable.  But I digress.  

When the addition of toile fabric is considered, I didn't do much stash busting this month.  And there were some new patterns added to the stash.  Three new patterns from The Assembly Line (The Tulip and Balloon skirts and the Puff sleeve top) and a new Style Arc pattern to test out with the above fabric.  I hope to get to those projects soon.  Hopefully, April will be a more productive month.  

Stand Strong, Elbows Up and Keep Sewing!

Year in Review...

January

The year began with speculation if 2023 would become the year that Covid-19 is declared an endemic.  Hopeful speculation as it came to light that 2022 was the most deadly year for Covid in Canada.  Yet the public sphere would illustrate otherwise as many citizens ignore this January 30, 2023 Government of Canada advice, "[a]s Covid-19 activity continues and hospitalizations remain elevated in Canada, layers of prevention, including keeping up-to-date with Covid-19 vaccinations and personal protective practices remain our best approach to reduce the risk of developing severe illness and limit the burden on the health system."  Face masks, once the hottest fashion trend, are not part of the 2023 everyday wear as provincial governments drop restrictions and Covid updates are erased from newscasts.  

Sewing projects continue to reflect pandemic life and trying to avoid the public sphere as much as possible and stay healthy.  No need for dresses or going out clothes.  Most of this month's sewing were gifted.  Only a sweatshirt toile as I tried to work on an oversized sweatshirt.  

February

Global inflation continues to be found in every aspect of daily life.  Even sewing.  Dreams of a 100% cotton sweatshirt fabric are out reach when I spotted it priced at $45.00 / metre.  Looking to make something to keep me warm, I reached for a boiled wool fabric that I picked up for $5.00 / metre many moons ago for my oversized sweatshirt fabric.  I couldn't be happier with how it turned out and used up all the scraps left over from other projects as well to make a second version.  God had a different plan and it was better than mine.  

March

A wrist fracture put a halt to sewing activity this month.  It actually took four weeks to detect the fracture because the x-rays were obscured with the arthritis in my hand.  I might be coming to terms that my sewing days may be numbered?  

April

As spring is fast approaching and my wrist is still in a cast, the need for pull-on clothes rages on.  But my sewing ability is limited.  Thankful that I managed to sew a pair of pull-on pants.  

May

Remember that fracture diagnosis last month, it was actually a misdiagnosis.  A CT scan confirmed that I should not have even been in a cast!  The doctor is now calling it a sprained wrist and shoulder.  Sewing is my physio as the doctor's instruction is to "work through the pain."  It's just nice to be free of the cast.  Sewing projects reflect another recent weight gain as I stopped walking while in the cast resulting in need for more ease in my clothes.  

June

Yardwork has been taking over my free time that I hoped to devote to sewing.  It's surprising there was even yardwork done along with these sewing projects!  Physio exercises also monopolized my free time.  The sprained shoulder is taking awhile to get back to pre-fall condition.  

July

Last month the weather was hot, like July hot.  But this July, the temperatures are on the much cooler side.  Early July felt like autumn was in the air and my sewing thoughts did turn to cooler-weather wear. 

   

August

Celebration was in the air this month as the sewing machine was busy stitching together two dresses for a very special occasion.  

And with some left-over fabric, I was able to refashion my "Every Child Matters" t-shirt into one that I can fit into.  

September

September sewing was motivated by sewing for others and trying to sew comfortable items to accommodate weight gain.   

October

October sewing came to a stall when the serger went in for repair.  Thankfully, there were a few items that came out of the workspace.  

November

Once upon a time, people sewed clothes before home-use sergers.  The pinking shears came to the rescue this month.  And then Covid stalled worked at the sewing work table.  

December

People need to stop saying that the latest "it" variant of Covid is "mild".  It's not.  Not for some of us.  On the positive side, I did manage to lose ten pounds while dealing with Covid and now can fit into my wool pants that I thought I would have to refashion. 

This past year, despite all the start and stops in the sewing workspace, there were 27 items made for moi and 14 items sewn for others.  There were two household items, 1 outerwear garment, 15 tops, 5 undergarments, 6 pull-on pants, 3 skirts (+ 1 refashioned), 4 dresses, 1 cardigan and 3 sleepwear pieces sewn this year.  One top and dress didn't work out and were donated.   

Stay Safe and Keep Sewing!

September in Review

National Sewing Month

Sewing sustainably is challenging in the era of fossil fashion where most natural fiber fabrics are mixed with man-made fibers to bring down the costs and increase profits for manufacturers.  Synthetic fabrics derived from fossil fuel are incredibly cheap to produce.  

Synthetics, like polyester, have overtaken the selections found in the clothing, fabric and thread aisles.  A post by Fashion Revolution Canada this month highlights the growing demand for synthetics is fueled by "cheap clothing and sneaky marketing campaigns" and that "plastic including synthetics could account for up to 95% of future growth in oil demand."  

Have you noticed the appearance of clothing and fabrics being marketed as 100% recycled polyester?  The phrase "recycled polyester" is marketed to give you a warm-doing-good feeling about wearing polyester.  But let's be clear, it's still polyester and the fibers degrade every time it's recycled.  

This polyester knit sweater made last November, did not perform well and ended up in the donation pile earlier this year.  I should have know better.  I did know better but I fell for the print.  It didn't last the winter and it didn't keep me warm and the static cling it produced was not fun.  But I digress.  Polyester is not known for being a breathable fabric and has a high tendency for pilling.  

Although, there was one sewing project made this month from polyester fabric, I tried to steer away from petroleum based fabrics.  It was a fabric that had been in the stash for decades.  Otherwise, sewing sustainably meant mending and refashioning.  A long held onto dress that no longer fits was transformed into a pull-on skirt.  And all of the other projects were made with natural fiber fabrics.  

Sewing, Alterations and Mending

This month was all about sewing basics, a few projects for others and a few for moi plus a refashion project.  Top L to R:  merino wool skirt (OOP Butterick 5790), polyester knit half slip (OOP Butterick 5790, one of two cotton knit undershirts (OOP Kwik Sew 3645 and gifted), wool, silk and cotton plaid skirt (The Assembly Line maxi skirt), wool winter white pull-on pants (Butterick 6717), refashion project (snug dress into a pull-on skirt), Super Mario cotton print shirt (OOP and vintage Butterick 2122 and gifted) and butterfly print t-shirt (OOP Vogue 9057 / re-issued as Vogue 1733 and gifted).  

Stash busting

This month there were eleven metres of fabric, 3.7 metres of elastic, 3.5 metres of Knit 'N Stable tape, 0.10 metres of fusible interfacing and 5 recycled buttons were stash-busted this month.  One new pattern was used this month.  

What's Next? 

For certain, more continued work on sewing sustainably.  

Happy sewing!   

Me Made May 2023: From the Me-Made Collection (Part IV)

 

I'm not feeling my best and when it comes to picking out something from the closet I'm just looking for loose fitting items.  

It's getting hot  outside with plus thirty temperatures.  If I didn't have a follow-up doctor's appointment regarding my wrist I would stay indoors the whole day.  

Another hot day calls for loose-fitting shorts and a short sleeve t-shirt (RTW) to run out for a physio appointment.  Still not feeling great and after physio and errands it was into a robe and early to bed.  

I did manage to get in a short walk this morning and then the rest of the day was spent still not feeling my best.  Another early-to-bed day and rotating the heat pad from various body parts.  

Don't be fooled with the wool cardigan, it was another hot day that I spent in an air conditioned environment.  

I managed to get a walk-in appointment and yup, still not feeling well.  Thankfully, I was able to fill a new prescription and will soon be on the mend.  And then maybe my me-made picks won't be so boring?  I feel like this little exercise has become Me-Made-Jammies instead of Me-Made-May.  

Most of the week they are calling for rain and thunderstorms so this morning looks like my chance to get some grass cutting done.  RTW jeans and an old me-made t-shirt (not shown) to do yardwork before changing into these me-mades.  

Well, so much for those thunderstorms the weather channels and evening news were predicting.  It was a sunny hot day spent indoor in the air conditioning.  My clothing choices reflect the need for loose-fitting comfortable pieces rather than dressing for the heat.  

Me Made May 2023: From the Me-Made Collection (Part II)

 

The sunshine came out and it's starting to warm up again but it was all about managing back pain and finding easy to wear items.  

The thunderstorm held off until the evening allowing for some flower bed clean up and errands to be done.  

After a haircut appointment and afternoon bath, a second Eva dress made an appearance.  

This week is ending like it began, not feeling my best.  Back pain.  Wrist is still not as flexible as pre-cast and just fatigued.  

I was hoping to get the grass cut today but it didn't happen.  

Sometimes I forget how much pink is sitting in the closet.  

The cotton shirt was worn with jeans and rubber boots as I tried to get the grass cut before the heat settled in for the day.  I only made it half way through before I had to give up.  I'm not a fan of the heat.  And it's tick season so long sleeves and jeans are a must.  The skirt was worn with a RTW t-shirt that I altered years ago.  

It's all about wearing comfortable cottons today.  Another hot day.  

Rainy afternoon was in the forecast so the wool pieces came out of the closet.  

What did I learn this week about my me-made wardrobe?  Well, it is true that loved clothes last and that it does not end once an item leaves the sewing machine.  Many of these pieces have required some tender loving mending over the years to remain in rotation.  And all those Eva dresses are so comfortable and have passed the test of time.  It's one of my favourite warm weather picks.  But I really need to get to work on adding flannel sleepwear into the rotation.

National Skirt Day

One might argue that skirts are just clothing worn by all genders throughout history.  Or perhaps they are more?  They are loaded with history, stories and meanings.  They are political, cultural and personal pieces.  And I've sewn and worn a few skirts over the years.  

Out-of-print (OOP) Vogue 1247 has been a favourite skirt pattern once some length was added to the hem.  This skirt is all about comfort.  The A-line shape works for me and the front pockets are what makes this a favourite.   The pockets are secure and roomy enough that I don't have to carry a purse.  There is a sense of safety with this skirt.  Although, I've out-grown these four versions over the years, I've replaced them and currently have two black versions.  

OOP Vogue 9060 is a comfortable pull-on elastic skirt pattern first discovered in 2014 and very much present in my wardrobe.  Pull-on skirts are my go-to skirt looks lately.  Add to the list OOP Butterick 5790, a maxi-length, pull-on, tapered skirt, as another favourite skirt pattern.  It's all about comfort and that makes skirts worthy of celebration.  

Do you have a favourite go-to skirt pattern?  

Happy Sewing and National Skirt Day!  

Year in Review...

Twenty-twenty-two flew by and even though at times I felt like I wasn't sewing that much, I'm kinda shocked that a hundred sixteen projects came off the machine this year.  Mind you many of those were small projects like various bags and hats and scarves.  

• Fifty-one (44%) of these projects were donated or gifted.  
• Eight projects (6%) didn't work out as planned.  
• 117.1 metres of fabric were stash busted in 2022
• 17 reusable grocery bags were sewn in anticipation of the single use plastic bag ban that came into effect this year.  These bags was the most popular sewing project of 2022 and many were gifted after some people saw and liked them.  

Well, here's a closer look back at the time at the sewing machine this past year including December's projects.  

Have a Happy New Year!  And wishing you a productive and creative 2023 in the sewing workspace.  

January

Reusable grocery bags (OOP McCall's 4851), Men's shirt (McCall's 2447), Remote control caddy (no pattern used), 3-layer cotton face masks (Dhurata Davies), Waterfall Coat (Butterick 6244)

January's sewing projects were all about finding a distraction and trying to get promised projects done.  All projects, except for the reusable grocery bags, were gifted.  

February

Diane Von Furstenberg Designer Wrap Dress (OOP Vogue 1610), Robe (OOP Simplicity 6851), Pajama Bottoms (OOP Vogue 9217) and Men's Pants (OOP Kwik Sew 3663 and McCall's 6973)

During the month of February there was some gift sewing and a couple of projects for moi.  I was blessed to sew an authentic DVF wrap dress pattern, circa 1977.  I can cross that one off my sewing bucket list.  And on the third version of the robe, I finally got the button placement right.  It was a good month for sewing and mending.  

March

Unfinished jean jacket (OOP Butterick 6373), wool and cotton knit socks (The Wolf and The Tree, Going Rogue Socks), DVF wrap dress in black sweater knit  and cotton knit (OOP Vogue 1610), cotton knit top (OOP Simplicity 2372), table runner (no pattern used), reusable grocery bag (OOP McCall's 4851)

March was a mix of charity, gift, selfish sewing and one Lent sewing project for the church.  The highlight of the sewing this month would have to be socks, so many socks!  I made a batch of wool socks for moi and a batch to be gifted.  Oh and a version of the DVF wrap dress that I saved for Easter Sunday mass not anticipating a snow storm that would happen and would nix those plans.  

April 

Cotton print top (OOP Butterick 5891), reusable grocery bags (OOP McCall's 4851) and French terry cardigan / jacket (Butterick 6495)

I wonder if April blizzard warnings will also bring May flowers?  Maybe it was all the unpredictable weather that zapped my sewing mojo this month?  

May

Wool sweater (OOP Kwik Sew 4192), 2 cotton slips (OOP Kwik Sew 3645), Men's denim pull-on pants with front facing leg pockets (OOP Kwik Sew 3663), Pear print dress (Tessuti patterns Eva dress), shirt (McCall's 7940), dress (OOP Simplicity 2372)

Thankfully, there were no more blizzard warnings this month.  Instead, it was replaced with lots of rain!  That meant staying indoors and sewing, most of the projects sewn this month were gifted to others.  

June

Yellow and gray reusable grocery bags (OOP McCall's 4851), flannel pajama set (Butterick 6296 and Vogue 9217), bag (no pattern used)

Summer officially arrived and most of my free time is dedicated to yardwork and avoiding mosquito bites.  There was some gardening and planting of squashes, tomatoes, herbs and sunflowers that took me away from sewing.  And my simple life is reflected in my sewing projects, no fancy sewing found here.  

July

DVF Wrap dress (OOP and vintage Vogue 1610), Donna Karan shorts (OOP and vintage Vogue 2092), failed attempt at recreating RTW culottes (OOP McCall's 6748)

During the month of July, I was able to squeeze in a little bit of sewing in between yardwork and gardening.  The pants and the shorts were made with thoughts of cycling more than materialized.  Maybe next month?  

August

Scarf (no pattern used), cell phone cover (no pattern used), reuseable grocery bags (OOP McCall's 4851), black and white jacket (OOP Vogue 8430), floral gathered empire waist girl's dress (OOP New Look 6493), girl's reversible dress (OOP Vogue 1455), failed attempt at culottes (OOP Vogue 9091), failed attempt at recreating a RTW t-shirt (OOP Vogue 8582) 

Mid-August my sewing move into high gear with the start of Pattern Reviews stash-busting contest.  All of these fabrics have been in the stash for years, some even decades.  Four items were gifted, two for moi didn't work out to be wearable.  

September

Waterfall coat (Butterick 6244), failed attempt at culottes (Vogue 9246), flannel pajamas (OOP and vintage Simplicity 6851 and OOP Simplicity 2372)

September was not the most successful sewing month.  The pants were way too big, the waterfall coat was not warm enough, the gifted pajama set was stressful with indecisiveness and complaints along the way.  Yup, sometimes sewing for others can be stressful.  

 

October 

Flannel pajama set (Butterick  6296, Simplicity 2372 and Vogue 9217), plaid pull-on and elastic back pants (OOP Butterick 6717), plaid scarf (no pattern used), finally, a successful pair of culottes (Vogue 9246), bag (OOP McCall's 4851), pull-on and elastic back pants (OOP Butterick 6717)

October was a mixed bag of sorts.  There were sewing bloopers and success stories.  Half of the sewing projects were gifted.  

November

Wool scarves (no pattern used), hats / tuques (The Littlest Studio, free PDF tuque pattern), wool cardigan (OOP Kwik Sew 4192), cotton knit top (OOP Simplicity 2372), polyester knit sweater (OOP Simplicity 8529), half-slip (OOP Butterick 5790), cotton knit skirt (OOP Butterick 5790) and wool pants (OOP Butterick 6717)

Most of November's sewing projects were about filling needs.  All the hats, except for one, were sewn for the church which put out a call for hats and scarves for newcomer families.  The other hat was gifted as was the short-sleeve t-shirt.  The cardigan is a replacement for the one I made in the spring but recently gave away to someone in need.  

December

Second attempt at recreating a RTW T-shirt (OOP Vogue 9057 / reissued as Vogue 1733), knit front knotted top, (OOP Vogue 2925), a little girl's velveteen and silk Christmas dress (OOP McCall's 5795 / available as a digital download) and a black knit maxi-skirt (OOP Butterick 5790) 

I would have probably sewn more if sewing time was not interrupted by a Colorado low that brought several days of snow that needed to be cleared right before Christmas!  

Happy Sewing!