Making trousers

Helloooo!  I do apologise for the lack of posts since the New Year, but things have been a little busy. In a good way, I hasten to add!

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and New Year.  As I said previously, we had DD home for the holidays and it was bliss.  Pure bliss.  We pottered and puttered and had a relaxing time.  Because we weren't rushing around, we finally had a chance to explore making her some trousers.  She normally wears skinny cords and the like, but needs more dressy trousers for certain times, such as when she was on her internship last summer.

In the same way she has difficulty buying shirts, as she is so tall and slim, trousers are a similar problem and the ones she bought last summer proved to be a disappointment.  One pair, from a large department store, started to come apart after a couple of weeks, so that was very frustrating.

Anyway, it is years and years since I have made trousers, so we selected a simple pattern, with built in alteration help.  It's a McCalls Palmer Pletsch pattern, number 6361:

We weren't keen at first on the photographs, as they looked a little old fashioned, but looking at the schematic on the back, it seemed to be just what she wanted.

Palmer Pletsch patterns come with detailed instructions on how to tissue fit, as well as 1" seam allowances on main seams, for extra adjustment to further fit-as-you-go.  There are extra hints and adjustment lines drawn on the pattern pieces to help you too.

After measuring DD we selected her size, added 1" to the leg length, and folded out all the adjustable width in the legs.  We tissue fitted (a bit fiddly, but easier than we thought) and seemed satisfied with the rest of the fit.

The trousers themselves were easy to sew.  The zip insertion was a little unusual, and I think I would do it the standard way next time.

DD wanted them to be 'ankle grazing' length, but we think we will make the next pair full length, although they would look better if she had put socks on!  She always wears brogues with trousers, so we don't have to accommodate heels.

DD was reluctant to pose for photos, but I got the best ones I could before she wandered off...

The darts in the back sit better in real life than in the photo, and the pockets sit flatter.  I think the flash on the camera must have highlighted them, and not in a good way!

In readiness for the next pair we have folded out a little more of the fabric on the rear thigh, to slim them down a little more.  I will also make the pockets from a lighter weight fabric, to prevent them showing through.

For a prototype though, we were quite pleased, and DD said they fitted better than any of the trousers she bought last summer for her internship, so I was very happy!

Once we have perfected the fit, I will be able to churn them out and post them to her, like I do the shirts.  

I love sewing for DD, so I am pleased to have added something else to the equation.  Even more pleasure to be had.

Donna x 

A Handmade Christmas

A very happy Christmas to you all!

I love the whole Christmas season and this delicious bit between Christmas and New Year, when life doesn't seem quite normal, (I'm fortunate to have the whole time off). The days run into each other, filled with lazy afternoons, catching up with friends, eating leftovers, long walks with Daisy Dog and watching the odd film.  

I've also been crocheting and playing with yarn, as the rush of making Christmas gifts only ended on 23rd December and it all got a bit busy making sure everything was finished and wrapped on time (I made boxes to put small items in).

I photographed lots of things I made, but sadly not everything.  I kept forgetting towards the end!  I find making several gifts from the same pattern makes things speedier as the pattern obviously flows quicker the more times you make it.  By the time I was on shawl number 12 though I was ready for a change!

Anyway, here are a few of the things I made:

Twelve 'Your Mileage May Vary' shawls, from The Crochet Project.  What a great pattern this is! I'd highly recommend it, as it's so versatile and looks great in different yarns.  I also varied the size of some of them, and that was so easy to do.

Drops Baby Merino, 4ply

Sirdar 4 ply cotton

Rowan Panama

I made 2 or 3 in each  of the above, plus a couple in a very soft 'Sublime' DK cotton (in the 'forgot to photograph' category) That came out a lot bigger, of course, but was destined for a friend in Canada, who apparently has worn it every day this week, indoors, as the temperature is -45 degrees Celsius, taking into account the wind chill.

I made this hat, for the other half of the Canadian couple.  This was in a chunky, super warm, merino/alpaca blend:

Sirdar leaflet 9207

I made a lot of bookmarks too!  These are all in Scheepjes Bon Bon (now known as Sugar Rush), on a 2mm hook.  I stiffened them with Aleene's fabric stiffener afterwards, (but not the tassels).

These were adapted from Leisure Arts leaflet 2594.  The original had ribbon threaded through, instead of a tassel, but I do like a tassel on a bookmark!

My MIL lives in a nursing home, and is partially sighted, so I made her a large corsage in bright colours, to wear on her cardigan:

I made a little keyring from the fabulous Attic24 pattern from this year's Yarndale programme.  I made mine in Scheepjes Bon Bon, instead of DK, and is so teeny-tiny cute!

I  made Daisy Dog a ladybird fleece coat, to keep her warm and snugly 

She was glad of it today, when we had a long walk on the beach.  It was freezing!

And, of course, there were yet more shirts for DD...  I only photographed (partially) this white one.  The other was a red and cream Liberty Lawn.

There was also all the soap I made too, which was boxed up in handmade boxes.  Boxes are fun to make, and I use the 'Aleene's Boxmaker', which I bought when I lived in Canada, many years ago, but there is something that looks similar on Amazon UK.  All you need is some heavy cardstock, and some double sided tape, and that's it!  I buy organza ribbon bulk to tie around the boxes.

I have derived so much pleasure from making gifts for those I love, and I hope they have enjoyed receiving them.  Next year I may just start a little earlier though...

Donna x 

A very peaceful Christmas

Christmas Eve has arrived.  The fire is on and I am sitting here listening to Carols from Kings College Cambridge.  Darling Daughter is home (hurrah!) and is singing along to We Three Kings.  POH is having a little rest at the other end of the sofa.  Daisy Dog is asleep in her basket and Mango Cat is sleeping on one bed or another.  This is probably my favourite part of Christmas.  The dark, sacred evening is here, and all is still and quiet in our village.  Peace, perfect peace.

We've had a lovely day today.  As is our tradition, we went for lunch to the wonderful Inn at Whitewell, deep in the heart of the Ribble Valley, and had lunch sat by the fire. It was wonderful.  We played one of the games provided and had a really lovely couple of hours.  

Then it was time for church.  I like the tea time service as I am not good at staying up late. We sang carols and watched the children in the congregation dress the crib.  

This is also a very poignant time of year for us, as my late husband died on Christmas Day a few years ago.  Christmas was, on that day, changed for ever, and we celebrate in a much more reflective and low key way, but still embracing the true meaning of Christmas.  My late husband is buried at the church I attend, so I take some flowers and look at the book of remembrance.  Tomorrow we light a candle in his memory and know that he will always be with us.  POH takes part in all of this with us, (he too is widowed).  Both of the anniversaries are shared experiences and I am very grateful for that.

As I  said earlier, DD arrived home earlier in the week and it is such a joy to have her home with us.  We went to Ilkley on Friday and had lunch at my favourite tea rooms in Yorkshire - Betty's.   As well as exquisite food and wonderful tea, which they blend themselves, I just love their window displays...

I had a lovely surprise when I got home as DD has somehow, secretly, bought me a little box of fondant fancies, as I had said how pretty they were.  

Being a nice person ;) I shared them. They were as gorgeous as they looked!

It's time to go and make our Christmas Eve buffet tea/supper.  I've just realised how wrapped up (no pun intended) in Christmas traditions we are, but we like it like that, and I wouldn't want it any other way :)

Whatever you are doing this Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, I hope you have a wonderful time.  From our house to yours, a very, very happy and peaceful Christmas.

Donna x