Papercut Peagsus, Philippa Pony + Pixie Puddles

Greetings Monthly Stitchers,

Today’s post is brought to you by the letter P!

** Warning: This outfit is a lot of outfit. I can almost hear Heidi Klum saying, ‘Miriam we question your taste.‘ and I’m thinking, ‘Yes Heidi, my mother has been thinking the same forever.‘

I really didn’t think I would make another post for IPM this year. Then I just got a burst of procrastinating from other stuff enthusiasm and thought… why not?

As I lay in bed thinking through my stash, and what I’d like to make, all the Ps fell in to place. (I do love a theme!)

Papercut Pegasus

I was lucky enough to win the Kobe pattern from Papercut  in week one of IPM. I love the shape of it and that it’s essentially a t-shirt shape (so easy to wear) but with glammy details. The gorgeous pegasus fabric is from By the Yard and the pink one, which feels like it might have some wool in it, was from an op-shop. Ideally I would have done the whole top in pegasus’s (pegasi?) but I didn’t have enough. In hindsight I feel a fabric with even more drape would be better.

The pattern comes together really quickly but I completely screwed up the shoulder pleat bit and didn’t realise that until I was trying it on at the end and wondering why it was all twisted up. I had a look at the online tutorial and unpicked the overlocked(!) and stitched seams. Re-did them, hand stitched and then sewed. I lengthened the front by about 5cm too because I have a great fear of midriff reveal! Aside from that I like the pattern. I like the little details in the pattern when it tells you to neaten all the edges at one point.

I made the size M based on previous patterns I’ve made from Papercut and I’m happy with the fit. The little feature button is a very special one I bought on a trip to Barcelona in 2004. It’s waited a long time for a special project.

I will make it again but I’ll be fussy about which fabric I pick. I’m actually wondering about a drapey knit fabric?

May I also assure you that it looks better from the back than the picture suggests – my ‘stylist’ (read husband) did not adjust as necessary or tell me that I was bunching it up… we do what we can! 😉

Philippa Pony

In week one of IPM I made a dress using the Philippa pattern by Muse Patterns. If you read my post then you may remember the fabric I used wasn’t my first pick but I didn’t have enough of the one I wanted to use. Well, saddle up cowgirls, this was the fabric I wanted to use. It’s a super cute corduroy that I had left over from another project featuring little ponies.

The pocket features are in ‘road cone orange’ fabric I picked up second hand. I’m not sure whether the constant roadworks and general construction and high vis gear in Christchurch post 2011 earthquakes has made me like this colour or not – maybe it’s a kind of Stockholm Syndrome?! The button is a very cute fan shape one I’ve had in my extensive button collection for some time.

it’s straighter in real life!

I really like this pattern as well. As the Philippa dress I made was bigger than I expected I cut the size 38 and then did a 2cm back seam and 2cm grading out to 1cm on the side seams. It has made it a really good final fit. The instructions are good to follow and I like the way the pocket part is constructed (pockets!). I cut the skirt half way between the knee length and mini length and did a fairly deep hem. Next time I would cut the mini length.

Finally,

Pixie Puddles

I live in Christchurch NZ and the last few weeks have been supremely rainy. The photo below shows the river at the end of our street. There is actually a road on each side but the river had taken over. There were even rescue boats evacuating some people!

Anyway, it made me realise I don’t actually have a rain coat with a hood, so I thought I’d make one! I had the waterproof fabric in my stash already. (It’s not that thick so I’m thinking showerproof might be more accurate!). Then I lined it with a thick stretch drill that I picked up second hand.

I used Twig and Tale’s Pixie Coat which comes in adult and child sizes. I have made a couple of non-raincoat versions in the past. The pattern is fully lined but really simple and a great start for a beginner sewist. The fabric was a bit of a dog to sew with and the difference between the thicknesses wasn’t ideal for a pristine finish. I finished the top with velcro tabs and sewed a pocket on the inside. Unfortunately the velcro I had was the stick on version so my sewing machine needle got all gummy and did not enjoy the sew!

I made the size 12 with no amendments other than the fact that it’s clearly not designed to be a raincoat, and the inner pocket. I especially like the little hoop for hanging it on a hook.

It’s not perfect, but it’s fun for jumping in puddles. 🙂 I think it looks better on my 8 year old than it does on me but I can live with that!

And there it is… A perfectly practical outfit for a princess ( 😉 geddit? royalty!)  who rides ponies and has a pegasus, but also parades in puddles.  Can you believe IPM is done for another year?

So many amazing makes – go girls!

So many generous sponsors – thank you!

And such a lot of posting, sorting, voting, collating… whoop and massive applause to Mel and Kat.

I’m sure I’m not the only one whose sewing space looks like a wild storm has swept through it. I’m pretty sure my overlocker and sewing machine need a service and I have zero sewing machine needles left, also I think maybe I need to put pattern weights on my Christmas wish-list. I used cutlery to help with lack of pin-ability on the pixie.

… but wasn’t it SO much FUN!?!?

right I’m off for a lie down…

So, until we sew again – may your brain understand the instructions, your scissors be sharp and your fabric stash decrease in order to make room for new discoveries 😉 .

Be good sewists.

Love you more than a flurry of last minute posts for IPM xxx