New Look 6641 and My New Toy!!

It came!!  Yay for Ken's Sew & Vac! They were totally great about replacing the coverstitch machine, and it is already here!!

Here it is, along with the other members of the family, except my Singer Touch & Sew. She lives in her table. On the monitor is Belinda's amazing tutorial for pulling the top threads to the back.

Since I've been waiting for her a while, I already had a couple of projects ready to go. Logan wears pretty much nothing but knit shorts and tees shirts, so I stitched up a couple of pairs of easy knit shorts from New Look 6641.

Not too exciting, but needed. Since I am learning this as I go, I decided to try two different stitches, and in two different applications. For both pairs I used the coverstitch to finish the elastic waistband, and to hem.

Here is the three needle/four thread coverstitch on both hem and waistband. The machine purred right through all of those layers of the waistband, including elastic with no difficulty at all.

On the striped pair, I used the two needle/three thread coverstitch. Again, it breezed through without any difficulty. I still have to try out the narrow two needle and the chain stitch. And there is the binder attachment I got... Oh, I love my new toy!! I may be sewing a lot of knits for a bit.

McCalls 5500 and New Look 6641

I'm blogging these two together because together they will be worn.  And the tee shirt is boring...

Here is the combo as it will (hopefully) be worn.  We may add a belt, but Logan hasn't been a fan in the past, so that may not happen.  The tunic is McCall's 5500, made of cotton broadcloth from Fabric Mart.  This pattern actually did call for a lining, but I used bias tape here.  Mostly because I didn't want to add an extra layer, as staying cool is an issue, even in November.

The applique is made of some leftover green shiny stuff from this jacket.  I didn't like any of the applique patterns that came with the tunic pattern, so I used an online coloring page to roughly outline a dragon shape.  I think it looks pretty cool.  Logan loves dragons.

The tee shirt is from New Look 6641, which I have used for tees before.  I really only used this pattern to save myself the hassle of adding seam allowances to an Ottobre, but I repented while I was sewing it.  Ottobre patterns are so much better drafted and I HATE 5/8 seam allowances on knits.  I've learned the error of my ways.

She sews!

Not me - the new-to-me vintage Singer 603E that I told you about in this post. I got a new throat plate and bobbin cover on Ebay and oiled her, and she sews like a dream!!

For her first project, I didn't want to tax either of us too much, so I made a pair of quick knit shorts for Logan (who is potty training and needs tons of easy on and off bottoms).  It gave me a chance to check out her zigzag stitch.  I even installed the elastic the Ottobre way by sewing through the elastic and she didn't have any trouble with it at all.  And let me just say, when I push on that knee lever - she GOES!  Janome is fast, but this baby flies through a seam.  So fun!

Now I just have to play with all her feet, cams, attachments and (cackles with glee) the buttonholer!  I have seen some beautiful buttonholes made on vintage machines.  I love Janome, but her performance in the buttonhole department is lackluster at best.  I can't wait to see how the Singer performs.

She needs a name...

Repurposed shorts

Finally! The last of the birthday sewing! Whew! These are the shorts that I made from the tee shirt that also gave me Logan's Ducky shirt. It was a really big tee shirt...
It was originally a shirt from a local middle school's Field Day, and I thought that their mascot was pretty cute, so I incorporated the screen print into the front of the shorts. The shorts are (again) New Look 6641.

Ducky Shirt

Here is my next to last birthday project. This is the top to match his Ducky Jammies. I used New Look 6641, but straightened out the side seams, since they form an A-line shape. Unisex pattern, my foot! This tee is actually repurposed from a XXL tee shirt that I bought at a yard sale for a quarter. I cut it out utilizing the old hems, so I didn't have to do any hemming and kept the old coverstitching. I also reused the ribbing from the neckband. Not bad, hey? There was enough material in the shirt to also cut out some shorts, so you'll see those soon. They're on Janome now.
I added a little ducky applique so that the jammies would match. I don't think it is too girlie, and I think Logan will like it.

Ducky Jammies

OK, back to the birthday sewing! You may remember from many posts ago, when I bought this ducky fabric and Logan claimed it. Well, I liked Ginger's idea of making an apron (I only had 3/4 of a yard), but Mitch thought that was too girlie, so we compromised with PJs.And here they are! I used New Look 6641, which I really like. It is a great basic kids wardrobe pattern, which I have used for both day and night wear. The shape of the tee is a little girlie, but easy to straighten out the sides and make it androgynous.
I did change it up a little by adding a vent to the outer leg side seam. Next up, a matching tee, but first, I have the first meeting of my sewing group tonight and I am SOOO nervous!! Wish me luck! I'll tell you all about it tomorrow.

Fishie shorts

I decided to try my hand at freezer paper stencilling. Thanks to this tutorial from Dana at MADE, it was no trouble! I wanted to start with something simple, and I liked the idea of goldfish (Logan and Makenna have that love in common!), so I found a cute fish picture online, added a few bubbles and we were off. I think it turned out pretty well.Not perfect, but I'm happy with my first attempt.
The shorts are New Look 6641 again. It is a great pattern for basics. I really like this shorts pattern, as it isn't just cut off pants, but a separate pattern in it's own right. I like the shape and the fit is perfect.
Logan wouldn't cooperate with a front view, but you can see that they are workin' for him. He likes the fishie, and I enjoyed the process, so you may be seeing some more of this. You know what they say - Practice makes perfect!

The final piece

... to the kids July 4th outfits was Logan's appliqued tee. He LOVES helicopters, so I made him a helicopter applique to go on the grey tee I made.

For the tee, I used New Look 6641, which is a "unisex" PJ pattern. I put that in quotes because the shirt pattern is simply the top half of an a-line nightgown pattern, and has some flair to it. It's a bit girlie, although in grey with a patriotic helicopter on the front, I don't think anyone will mistake Logan for a girl. Next time I make it I will be straightening out the side seams. Other than that it is a great basic tee.
And here is Logan, modeling his 'copter shirt, while touring a real StatAir air ambulance! How cool is that! Mitch met the company owners one night while he was working in the ICU and mentioned how much Logan loves to see their chopper on the helipad, and they offered us a tour, so we headed out to Killeen yesterday for a personal guided tour of the helicopter. It was WAY cool! Logan didn't want to leave.