Ok, so this isn’t actually a plushie, but it was made for a friend’s plush bear so it still counts! I didn’t want to try resizing a standard hoodie pattern, so I used the Apostrophe Patterns MyFit Tee for the bodice. You can enter the measurements of whoever (or whatever plush / doll) you are making for, and the pattern is generated for you, with your chosen seam allowance!
That bodice would give a t-shirt or a sweater, but my friend wanted a hoodie for their bear. So, I printed off the hood from the 12 months Ellie & Mac Around the Block Hoodie at 75% and removed some of the height of the hood to fit the bear’s head.
Well I think it’s quite clear that my resolution to sew more in 2021 (or at least blog more) didn’t actually materialise! Following on from my grand clear-out of fabric offcuts & those fabrics I bought with great intentions several years ago but never actually used, I thought this year’s 9 to Try should be things I already have the fabric lined up for!
I know the ‘classic’ name would be “Make 9” but that always makes me feel like I’ve failed if I don’t achieve making all nine! So I feel “nine to try” is better, as that counts any that might get started and subsequently abandoned.
My Nine to Try for 2022
Hey June Handmade Amherst Shirt* A friend gave me some fabric for Christmas several years ago, with the idea I made it into a lap blanket. I think the fabric would be much better suited to being a shirt, so that is this year’s aim! I also have some England Football cotton (probably originally designed to be a duvet cover, given the size of the print and the extra-wide fabric), and some “splotchy” purple cotton which would also make a couple of great Amherst shirts.
5 out of 4 Zen Trousers* A couple of years ago I bought a “stretch fabric mystery package” online, and received a white floral cotton lycra, and a black crepe-like jersey. Along with the purple cotton lycra I’d originally bought to make a top from, I’m hopeful that these will make some comfy Zen trousers.
Ellie & Mac* Around the Block Hoodie* Bright blue and navy sweatshirt fabric (as long as the colour doesn’t bleed out from the navy!) would make a striking Around the Block hoodie, with those diagonal lines being much more noticeable than on my original Around the Block make.
Woven PJ Bottoms I have some Winter themed cotton that would make a great pair of PJ bottoms – I just need to finalise the pattern I want to use!
Tilly & the Buttons Joe PJ Bottoms I bought the pattern and fabric a couple of years ago, to make these as a present for a relative. Unfortunately the relative was reluctant to actually let me measure him… but this year I’m determined to make these PJ bottoms!
Woven Nightie Much like the Joe PJ bottoms, the woven nightie was meant to be a gift for a relative. I’m hoping that this year she’ll let me measure her, so I can get the nightie sewn!
Blank Slate Bookworm Shirt Depending on the fabric content (I thought it was cotton, but I’ve got it written down as jersey), this will either be another shirt for K, or a t-shirt! Whatever it’s going to be, I’m aiming on getting it made for his birthday in the Spring.
Megan Nielsen Dawn Jeans or Winter Wear Designs Endless Summer Shorts* I have quite a bit of denim set aside to make jeans, although I have put weight on since lockdown, which isn’t a problem but does mean I need to re-measure myself and maybe change the size of pattern I was making previously! If I don’t feel confident enough with the jeans, then I do have some fabric that would make Endless Summer Shorts (and that pattern is easier to amend the sizing).
Megan Nielsen Matilda Shirt Dress I’ve never actually got as far as making myself a shirt dress, and this is actually the only one on my “9 to Try” that I don’t have the fabric set aside for. However, I do like the idea of dresses, even if I can’t wear ones with a zip in the back as I really hate the idea of having to get someone to help me zip it up!! My alternative to the shirt dress is to finish the faux fur bears I’d cut out years ago but never actually got as far as sewing.
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Going through my photos, I realised there were quite a few sewing projects that I hadn’t actually blogged, so be prepared for some random changes in my hair length with photos!
This is the Around the Block Hoodie, which features a contrast diagonal panel across the bodice and sleeves, plus in-seam pockets and a cross-over hood.
I didn’t want my contrast panel to be really contrasting, so I picked out two designs of French Terry which had matching background colours, while still being within the same nautical theme.
The hood itself is lined with the contrasting fabric, which I also used for the ties. So far I’ve not been able to find some quality ribbing to use for the cuffs and waistband – everything I’ve used has either been quite thin, or has lost its shape after a few washes. Rather than risk that again, I stuck with the main fabric for the waistband and cuffs – if that stretches out in the wash, then at least the entire hoodie will stretch along with it!
The only thing I wish I had done, is shorten the pattern to allow for being 5′ tall! This hoodie is considerably longer than the ones I’d normally wear. However, after wearing it for a while, I’ve got used to the longer length, and it does keep my warm!
Most, if not all, hoodies have a kangaroo pocket on the front, but because of the diagonal panel, the Around the Block hoodie has in-seam pockets. They weren’t hard to sew, but sometimes I find myself going to put something in the pocket on the front – which of course isn’t there!
My nautical hoodie is finished off with some multi-coloured topstitching – I had some Gutermann red white and blue variegated thread left over from a previous project, which worked really well.
With the way our weather seems to be heading, it won’t be long before it’s chilly enough to wear this again!
I’ve seen lots of photos of women wearing rompers, and thought I’d take the plunge myself in making the Ellie and Mac South Shore romper from some scuba crepe.
I’ve got the side seams tacked at the moment, as I wasn’t too sure on the sizing – I added in a little extra fabric, but I think that’s making the top a little too baggy. My main problem at the moment, however, is that the top isn’t really possible to take off in the way you would need to for a romper!
I’m not sure if that’s down to the stretch of the fabric, or an error in my measurements (or an error in my seam allowances), but at the moment it’s looking like it’ll be a South Shore bodice, with the skirt of the Sunset Dreams dress!
But one advantage to mashing a dress pattern onto the romper bodice, will be that I don’t have to strip to go for a ‘bathroom break’! Overall, I think a dress is probably the most practical option, don’t you?
