Project: 2am Pants

Last night I made and sewed a proper muslin for what is turning into the longest active project ever for me, my Butterick 9265 dress.  Having finished that (which actually was fairly quick), I didn't feel like doing more to that but I did want to sew/overlock something else.  I decided to make a pair of pants for Mango.  In the hot weather we're getting I've been dressing her in long tunic tops, but they're not quite long enough and I've been thinking crisp, white cotton trousers.... So I set to work, glancing at the clock as I did and seeing it was 2:18am.  Ah, it'll only take an hour and I'm in the mood thinks I!

I drafted the shape off a pair of pajama bottoms of hers and to speed things up, I placed the lower hem against the selvedge edge so they were ready hemmed!  I cut them on a fold so I only had to pieces of fabric to stitch together.  I also wanted to do something decorative to the bottom and being keen to practice pin tucks on the overlocker, I went with 5 rows of tucks on the bottom of each hem.  It wasn't easy, it should have been, but a combination of inexperience and weariness made a bit of a botch job but it looks passable if you practice the 3 foot rule and I've decided it looks better than no detailing!  The weariness factor also caused me to somehow (and I really don't know how) stitch the crotch on the right side of the fabric - twice!!  I also had a nasty incident with the overlock knife shearing off into the leg which was only fixable by taking a good half inch off the fabric (luckily Mango is a skinny'un).  Apart from that, it was a fun little project, mostly because it is so satisfying making stuff for her and I'm pleased with how they look (I can live with the pintucks).  Mango wore them today and did a good job polishing the kitchen floor with them so they've had the wash test on my stitching tonight already!

 

For some reason my child just will not look at the camera anymore!

  

One of her favourite hobbies is emptying boxes, evidently we don't pack them correctly.  First the pasta packets on the floor, then the contents of the washing basket.  Cherub.