Ottobre 03/2016-25, the Paper plane dress

One day last month, Myra had a rough day at school. My Ottobre magazine happened to arrive that day, so a mix of chocolate and retail therapy was clearly in order. I let Myra pick a few favorites from the Kitschy Coo web shop and make some plans for summer sewing. She chose this fun print with just this dress in mind.

This is pattern # 25 from the 03/2016 issue of Ottobre. It's a drop waist dress with a short, semicircular skirt and gathered flutter sleeves. The sleeves are finished with a rolled edge and the neckline is bound and then darted into a v shape.

The fabric is a cotton-lycra jersey from Kitschy Coo and the binding is interlock from Chez Ami. The pink in the print was a perfect match for the binding fabric! I love it when the stash comes through!

One interesting feature of the pattern is that the front and back are the same pattern pieces, so it can be worn in either direction. Myra prefers the bird side, but if she were in a more floral mood, she could wear it that way too! The v neckline is repeated on both sides, which is a pretty detail in back.

My only real beef with the pattern is how very short the skirt is! The picture in the magazine shows a just above the knee length and Myra isn't quite as tall as the size I made her, so it should have been plenty long. The pattern piece looked short to me, so I added an inch to the length, which turned out to be a good thing or this would have been indecent!

Despite the length, Myra loves her new dress and has already requested another, although she'd like it to be a bit longer next time. Yes, ma'am.

Ottobre 01/2015-25 Jungle January sweater

Since it's a bit of a Jungle January tradition for Myra to join in the party, I asked her to choose an animal print fabric from my stash and tell me what she wanted me to make. She's gotten very picky about her wardrobe and surprises don't always go over well.

She chose the small scale cheetah print that I had used to make my Deer and Doe Plantain. It's a lightweight sweater knit with some embossed silver foil in the print. Animal print and bling are a combination Myra can't resist. I used hot pink for the neckband and topstitching to tie into the rest of Myra's wardrobe. Hot pink is a neutral.

 

The pattern she chose was from the 01/2015 issue of Ottobre, pattern #25. It's a loose fit, boat neck tee with gathered 3/4 sleeves and a curved hemline. It's a great basic style that will suit a lot of fabric types and embellishments.

Since silver foil animal print with pink accents wasn't enough going on, I also added a butterfly crystal embellishment. Myra loves it, but I have my doubts about how well it will weather her rough and tumble play.

The length is great on Myra - just grazes the hip. Myra is 118 cm tall, so if your little lady is taller, you may want to add some length.

Overall, it is definitely a win! Myra loves the fabric and the bling. She'll wear it a lot since it pretty much matches everything she owns. Myra pretty much lives Jungle January all year long. This little apple definitely didn't fall far from the tree...

Ottobre 01/2014-25 100 day dress!

When I asked Myra if she wanted a 100 day shirt, she told me no. Silly Mom! She wanted a dress, of course.

A pink and purple and lace dress. With sparkles.

As you wish.

I used a pattern from the latest Ottobre, 01/2014. It's a drop waist, drop shoulder, simple dress that I thought we be good for embellishment as well as comfortable on the playground.

The lace and bling are in the form of an applique, which is black nylon lace over the same purple jersey used for the bindings. I added 5mm hot fix crystals to write the "100" in a random assortment of coordinating stones.

The pockets were an afterthought addition. When I finished the dress, I felt like it needed something to tie the lace in to the design a little better. I polled the usual social media outlets, and a lace ruffle or pockets were suggested. I thought both would be cute (although I was leaning toward ruffle), so I asked Myra, who voted for pockets. I went for a girlie gathered and bound pocket.

Myra loves the pockets and I love how they tie in the lace applique. Myra's been filling them with important things like her seam gauge and pincushion.

I think this sweet dress (and Logan's shirt as well) are going to get worn long after 100 day. Yay!

Ottobre 01/2009-25 "Nopsa"

Thanks to everyone for your thoughts on my mini wardrobe plans.  I think the solids (and the pinstripe - not a solid!) will be good and versatile, but if a cute print in a lavender/blue jumps at me, I may change my mind...

Logan's Easter ensemble is complete, so now I can get back to my selfish sewing.  Hee-hee.

These are to go with his Thomas the Train shirt that I made last week.  They are the "Nopsa" pants from the 01/2009 issue of Ottobre.  They use the same basic pant pieces that the "Teku" pant that I made him for Valentine's Day, which was great since I knew they fit and I wouldn't have to trace them off again.  The difference between the two is pocket style and placement, as well as a few belt and tool loops.  There were also supposed to be knee pads on this version, but since these are church pants, I left them off.

Here is the back.  I messed with the saturation so that you could see the pockets.  The color is actually a dark navy.  Aren't those nested back pockets cool?

Up close.

The other pocket is pretty sweet as well.  The front pocket curves over the side seam and becomes the upper  back pocket.

Next up is a Great White shirt for me, and I need to get to tracing and altering patterns for the Mini Wardrobe contest.  I can't start cutting fabric until the 16th, but I can get my patterns ready!

Ottobre 02/2005-25

Events have conspired against me and I really didn't think I was going to get to show this to you today.  That would have been troublesome, since we are going out of town for a few days without my sewing machine, so it would have been next week before I got back to it.  I had almost finished it - it just needed buttonholes and buttons, and was taking a few "preview" pictures when Logan spotted it and started taking off the shirt he was wearing in order to put on the new one.  Mitch shuffled me off to the sewing room so that I could finish it!

And here it is!  I seriously don't know how I sewed for my boy before I found Ottobre...  Oh wait, yes I do - same boring shirt over and over again.  No more!!  This shirt has the greatest details!

Here is the line drawing.  Check out those great sleeves!  They are two piece raglan with great curves.

Here you can see the curve of the raglan seam, as well as all the cool double topstitching.

There are also two chest pockets with shaped flaps and buttons.  These were supposed to be pleated pockets, but I didn't want to disrupt Thomas the Train's face, so I cut them as flat pockets.

Check out the epaulets on the shoulder.  How freaking cute are those???

And the hem has a hip vent for a nice comfortable fit.
I wish I could show you a modeled shot.  Of course, once all the buttonholes were hurriedly worked and the buttons sewn on would he wear it?  Of course not!  Ornery kid...

Well, I'm off to San Antonio today for Fellowship Interview #2.  Wish us luck!!  I'll be back in the sewing room Monday.  'Til then!