Makes for the Boys

A few knit fabric practical sportswear I made for the men in my family. These are patterns that I've used many times and I've tweaked enough to fit the recipients.

First - two joggers for husband and son. The fabric and the pattern are the same, cotton and viscose, very light french terry for the home office in the summer months. The pattern is Jack by Vikisews, which i bought for husband, when he was a size bigger. Being lazy and thrifty in the best way :), I just adjusted the width to fit his new size (-1 cm from all parts, a total of -4 cm). 

I've tried several other men's joggers before, Burga and Shkatulka, but Jack from Vikisews is the best, in my opinion. My husband prefers his joggers with an elastic at the ankles, so I added coordinated grey rib knit.

Pattern: Jack by Vikisews

Size: 44 (L) Height: 178-184 cm

Fabric: cotton viscose French terry

Time to make: 5 days

The second pair is for our son, his has straight legs without the rib knit and is one size smaller - so I removed -2 cm width from every pattern piece, a total of -8 cm. I also had to add some length to the legs, to compensate for the lack of rib hems.

Pattern: Jack by Vikisews

Size: 42 (M) Height: 178-184 cm

Fabric: cotton viscose French terry

Time to make: two weeks

The third make is for my father - a long sleeve blouse. I've made this pattern many times for the boys, this time I chose the biggest Burda size - 54. The fabric is very soft and stretchy cotton with lycra.

Pattern: Burda #132 from 12 / 2020

Size: 54 with with added length

Fabric: cotton knit with lycra

Time to make: 4 days

I made some of my usual mods - I added a small pocket for interest, I also added cuffs to the sleeves and finished the neck, using my favourite method with a contrast knit fabric tape. I hope it fits well.

Yellow T-Shirt for Gaby's Boyfriend

The overlocker was threaded with yellow threads, the yellow cotton fabric, which I bought for the lining of Vali's yellow hoodie and the yellow ribbing were out - there was no doubt in my mind what my next sewing project should be - a new T-shirt for Vali. 

I used the tried-and-true Burda #132 (12/2020) T-shirt pattern, which is my go-to for any men's T-shirts I make. There's really nothing more to say about this T-shirt, the only "novelty" I did was to use ribbing for the neckpiece, sleeve cuffs and pocket.

Pattern: Burda #132 (12 / 2020)

Size: 46

Fabric: cotton knit, cotton ribbing

Time to make: 3 days

The finishing from the inside - I covered the back seam, as they do in high-end T-shirts, and I also added my personalized label, because - why not :) I hope he likes the daring colors :)

Quick Christmas Sewing

The time around Christmas, when Gaby visits us, is usually, apart from all the family cooking and feasting and all the other activities we do together, also time for some last minute frenzied sewing. I'm just that kind of person, I love it when I can make something with my own hands for my close and extended family.

This summer I sewed some curtains for Gaby's kitchen and as an addition to my Christmas presents I decided to sew a matching tablecloth for the kitchen table. I bought a big piece of fabric and made two tablecloths - one for Gaby and Vali's kitchen and a smaller tablecloth for our kitchen table too, out of the remaining fabric. Yes, I love using up all the fabric, when possible!

Earlier this year I made a t-shirt for Vali, which he loved, so I bough another piece of cotton viscose fabric and made him another t-shirt for Christmas.

The fabric is divinely soft and pleasant on touch, I really hope he likes his present.

Pattern: Burda #132 from 12 / 2020

Size: 46

Fabric: cotton viscose knit

Time to make: 2 days

This year Gaby joined a folk dance club in Vienna and she asked for a simple black t-shirt and short black skirt for her folk dance practice. For the t-shirt I chose a true-and-tried-many-times Burda basic t-shirt pattern - 6820. My light modifications - I shortened the sleeves to make them 7/8 and raised the neckline, which I finished with a simple covering band.

Pattern: Burda 6820

Size: 36, shortened sleeves, raised neckline

Fabric: black cotton knit

Time to make: 1 day

The skirt is a shortened version of the skirt of the Willow Wrap Dress by Love Notions, which I made this summer for myself, so I knew the pattern. It is super simple, with two seams at the sides and a waistband with an elastic.

Pattern: Willow Wrap dress by Love Notions

Size: xs, shortened

Fabric: french terry

Time to make: 1 day

Navy Blue Burda 6202

My third Burda 6202 blouse this year! I believe this is the sixth short-sleeve version I’ve made for myself from this favorite pattern.

Apart from the fact that I love the fit - and I have tuned the pattern to my preferences to perfection - it's a tiny blouse that requires very little fabric. I often manage to squeeze it out of remnants as a side project.

Thus, out of the 1.8 m navy blue knit fabric, that I bought in July, I made one pair of calf-length joggers, one long sleeve hooded top, this short sleeved Burda 6202 T-shirt and I even managed to combine the leftovers with other knit fabric scraps to make three pairs of lingerie for myself.  I love using my fabric to the last centimeter, especially when it’s this good! This navy blue is not only a perfect match for my complexion, but it’s divinely soft against the skin—a total win-win.

Pattern: Burda 6202 from Burda Catalogue 1 / 2020

Size: 34, shortened

Fabric: cotton knit

Time to make: 2 days

I especially love the puff-sleeve detail on this blouse; it's a small feature with a great effect.

We are still enjoying beautiful, sunny weather here. It’s hard to believe I’m taking photos of a short-sleeved blouse just a few days before Christmas!

Green T-shirt

One more short-sleeve T-shirt for my husband. I had a piece of green cotton fabric with almost no stretch, which was a remnant from another project, so in this year's spirit of clearing my stash, I decided to turn it into a blouse.

I used again my true-and-tried Burda pattern, size 50, but with some tweaks. The pattern is tailored, but I made it straight and I also played a little with the neckline, widening it 1.5 cm at the front. 

As I often make t-shirts for husband, based on this pattern, you might think, that I can make these now by heart - but nothing could be farther from the truth. Every time I decide to cut a new t-shirt, I start measuring and tweaking and guessing what had I changed the previous time to get a good fit.

So, I've decided to make a cardboard copy of the pattern and to introduce all of the tweaks and mods I find necessary, based on this latest t-shirt, so that next time I wouldn't need to guess what kind of elongations and other changes I need to make, to get the perfect fit. And as I am really curious how this would work, I am very much inclined to visit my favourite fabric shop and buy a piece of knit fabric, just to try the modified pattern with all the latest alterations. Expect a new men's t-shirt here in the nearest future :)

Pattern: Burda #132 from 12 / 2020

Size: 50 with with added length

Fabric: cotton knit

Time to make: 2 days

Green Burda 6202 Blouse

As I mentioned in a previous posting, Burda 6202 is one of my favourite T-shirt patterns. I like its fitted design, open neckline and feminine puffed short sleeves. The purple blouse, which I made at the end of February, has been one of my go-to blouses for hikes. I wanted one more of these, but out of cotton-viscose fabric, for everyday walks. 

Teal is one of my most favourite colors, so when I saw the teal viscose fabric with lycra at the shop, I had to have it. I bought enough for two blouses and I made an identical one for Gaby, as I know that she loves teal too.

Pattern: Burda 6202 from Burda Catalogue 1 / 2020

Size: 34, shortened

Fabric: cotton-viscose with lycra

Time to make: 2 days

For the new teal blouses I reverted to the 34 size and I also lowered the neckline back to the original line at the front, but lifted the neckline at the back by 2 cm. For my blouse I also graded the front and the back from the waist to the hem to 36 size, as I don't like my blouses hugging me too tight at the hip.

The fabric is divinely soft and comfortable to wear, the fit is as I wanted it and I believe this little blouse is going to be one of my favourites this spring and summer.

Three T-Shirts For The Boys

Whenever I visit my favourite fabric shop downtown, I always check the knit fabrics section for fabrics, suitable for men's t-shirts. Husband and son have plenty already, but I find it so difficult to restrain myself, when I come upon some really good quality fabric, especially when it is also at a good price.

Thus last time I bought a piece of this super soft cotton knit, extremely pleasant to the skin. The piece of fabric was supposed to be 1.8 m, perfect for two T-shirts, but when I came home I found out, that the seller had made a mistake and the piece was only 1.3 m. Well, it's human to err, so all I was left was to figure out how to make two tall men's T-shirts with half a meter of fabric missing. Spoiler alert - I managed!

First I cut the t-shirt for my son, as he wears a smaller size and then I started playing Tetris with the remaining fabric and the pattern pieces for my husband's T-shirt. The solution I came up with was to add decorative elements out of another blue piece of fabric and to cut the back out of two separate pieces.

Pattern: Burda #132 from 12 / 2020

Size: 50 with with added length

Fabric: cotton knit

Time to make: 2 days

The seam at the back is covered with a strap of the lighter blue fabric and I also added another strap for good measure.

I personally love this T-shirt the best of the three I made and I am especially happy that I was left with practically no remnants of the darker blue fabric. It gives me always such a satisfaction to use up a piece of fabric to the last centimeter :)

The lighter blue fabric is a gorgeous cotton-viscose knit with lycra, which I had bought for the lining of a hoodie I made last year for Gaby's boyfriend. After I cut the lining for the hood, I was left with plenty of fabric and I had been planning a t-shirt for him out of it ever since. I had the patterns out and the overlocker threaded, so all I was left to do was to cut the fabric and make a third t-shirt.

Pattern: Burda #132 from 12 / 2020

Size: 46

Fabric: cotton viscose knit

Time to make: 5 days

And this is the first t-shirt, which I made for my son - it is super plain and unadorned, as he prefers them, with just a tiny label added to the side of the pocket.

Pattern: Burda #132 from 12 / 2020

Size: 46 with with added length

Fabric: cotton knit

Time to make: 1 day

 The three men's t-shirts I made this week - time for something girly!