Ottobre, with Sprinkles on top

So many things I should be sewing, but I really wanted to make this cute outfit from the 06/2016 issue of Ottobre. So I put the practical on hold in favor of the cute.

Myra's a fan. I'm always happy when something I created makes her want to dance.

Both pieces are packed with adorable details. The top (06/2016, #29, the Shy Eyes tunic) has a triangular shape which comes to points at the side seams. The flattened hemline is filled in with an adorable ruffle. The fabric I used is a digital printed jersey from Kitschy Coo, although I got it a few years ago so this print is no longer in stock.

Just in case sprinkles and ruffles weren't enough cuteness, I added a graphic decal to the front. The black is glitter and the shadow layer is pink metallic. It's hard to see them in photos, but there are also large multicolored, flocked sprinkles surrounding the words.

The pants (#30, also from the 06/2016 issue) are a slim leg style with an elastic waistband. While they are similar in shape to the Jalie Elenore pant, there are a few critical differences that made me want to try these out. The fabric is pink stretch corduroy left over from these jeans. It was nice to get the last of that out of the stash, but it is a very soft corduroy, perfect for comfy, kid pants.

From the rear, the inset heart was the detail that made me want to sew these. So cute!! Also a huge pain, but worth it. I think it's adorable and so does Myra. You can also peep the cute little keyhole in the back neckline of the tunic. Ottobre doesn't miss a trick. I love all the great details.

Another nice feature of these is functional front pockets. I did some hearts as the pocket topstitching, just for fun, and because I feel like Vera's decorative stitching is sadly underutilized. Myra likes them. Hearts, ruffles, sprinkles and glitter can't lose! She's already worn it two days in a row, so It's a win for sure.

Ottobre 03/2004-29 Faux fur jacket - Jungle style!

We've had some chilly weather around here lately. Myra has a nice warm wool coat that I made her last year. Sadly, she has decided that she is too sophisticated for a pointy gnome hood... Fortunately, I had a piece of faux fur that was just the right size for a Myra coat.

She loves it so much that she refused to take it off after I gave it to her. She even wore it over her nightgown when she got ready for bed. I'm so happy that she loves it! Faux fur and satin are an unholy combination. There was a significant amount of seam ripping, and I even managed to sew my finger trying to get this bulky stuff to feed.

But all is forgiven, because it really is adorable. The pattern I used is from the 03/2004 issue of Ottobre. It is designed for faux fur, so the sleeve cap is quite low and has no ease. There isn't any shaping in the body, which works for this bulky fabric. The wrists and top of the hood are fitted with elastic, which makes them even cozier.

Size-wise, I made it a size larger than she usually wears, and patterns from this era of Ottobre tend to have more ease than the more current ones. As a result, it is large on her, and I'm hoping it will still fit her next winter, since we don't have a whole lot of winter left this season.

The coat is lined to the edge with hot pink crepe back satin. It's nice thick satin, which should serve to block the wind. The fur itself is quite thick, with a heavy knitted backing, so the two layers together are plenty warm for our climate.

Myra is particularly enamored of the round patch pockets. I lined them with the pink satin, and she loves how soft they are. Overall, this coat is a total win. And thanks to Myra's love of all things animal print, we're still on for Jungle January!!

Ottobre 03/2008-29 & 03/2011-6

Well, after a slow start, I'm getting some things done for KCWC. I started with the tee shirts for the boys, mostly because Logan has been really excited about the Mater fabric I found for him.

Here are my cuties in their coordinating shirts! The fabric is a cotton interlock from Print Knit Studio. It's a nice sturdy knit, but still soft. Perfect for kid's clothes. The ribbing is cotton rib knit from Fabric.com. I debated what color to use for the ribbing and binding. None of the blues I had seemed quite right, so I let Logan choose. He surprised me with the red! I really like it. So much so that I coverstitched all the hems with red as well.

Logan's shirt is from the 03/2008 issue of Ottobre. This was my first issue ever and I have sewn a ton from it. This is the first time for this particular shirt though. It is a basic tee with slightly forward shoulder seams, a rib knit neck band and stitched hems. The neckline is a little larger on this one, which is actually good for Logan, as he has a pretty large head and small necklines freak him out. It has a relaxed fit, which Logan also prefers. I did add 3/4 inch to the length of the sleeve. They looked a little short to me, and I think they were. The finished length here is just about right.

For Duncan, I used #6 from the 03/2011 issue of Ottobre. It is photographed in pink on a baby girl, but it looked like a good boy shirt to me. It is a sleeveless tee with an envelope style neckline. It is a great fit on Duncan without alterations. Since all of the neckline and sleeve edges are finished with binding, this was a super fast sew on the serger and coverstitch machine. It only has the two side seams to sew! Everything else is bound. I'm definitely going to make Duncan a few more of these.

Silly boys!

I did want to add just a little note about sizing in general. I've noticed that the newer issues of Ottobre (after about 2009) have a much closer fit, while the older issues are much more generously sized. You can really see that in play in these two tees. Both boys fall between sizes based on their chest and waist measurements. For both boys I used the larger size. Logan's tee (from a 2008 issue) is quite loose fitting with a slightly dropped shoulder line. Duncan's top (from 2011) has a very snug fit and the shoulder is right at his shoulder point. So, for those who sew with Ottobre, just be aware that the older back issues do tend to have a bit more ease built in to them. If you are looking for a closer fit, go with a style from a newer issue or size down

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