Showing posts with label #minervamakers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #minervamakers. Show all posts

Thursday, August 25, 2022

The Brampton Shorts

Hello, hello!  How's your summer been going?  I've been having a great one!  We've had quite the busy one between football practices four times a week and working out in the garden - I refuse to let the weeds take over this year - and we even got in a trip to Saskatchewan that was absolutely wonderful.  We rented a cabin at Regina Beach for a few days and used it as a home base for day trips to Moose Jaw and Regina.  It's got me really excited to spend time over the next few months planning a road trip for next summer!

But here I am again with another pattern release from Itch to Stitch*.  I am definitely not ready to say farewell to summer or summer sewing for that matter, so the Brampton Shorts came at the perfect time for me.  Also, I'd been planning all summer long to make a few pairs of shorts, because I had only one pair left that fit me and so was in a bit of dire need.  The call to pattern test was the kick in the pants (or shorts as the case may be) that I needed to finally get to it.

Sarah sit's on a blue bike, wearing a black tee and blue Brampton Shorts with pineapples on them

Brampton comes with two different lengths to choose from, optional inseam and back pockets and optional belt loops and sash tie belt.  It features an easy elasticated paperbag waistband and comes in sizes 00-40.  This is a quick and easy sew, even if you choose all the optional pockets, belt loops and belt!  I whipped up my first pair in no time at all and made a second pair right away.  I didn't require any modifications to my shorts making it even quicker.   I chose to do the shorter length and all the options for both my pairs.

My first pair I made for the pattern test was made using leftover fabric from a previous Minerva project - my Itch to Stitch Anza Dress.  The fabric, that was gifted to me two years ago by Minerva, is a beautifully drapey rayon chambray.  I had just enough to do the shorts except for the pocket lining so I just used a white cotton lawn I had left over in my stash for that.  

Sarah stands facing the camera wearing a black pointelle Sinclair patterns Oasis top and blue with pineapple print chambray Brampton Shorts

The shorts fit great right off the hop.  As I said, no modifications were needed at all, so I was ready to make another pair straight away!  

Sarah stands angled sideways from the camera wearing a floral print Lago Tank and navy linen Brampton Shorts

I  definitely wanted to use all the options again, and this time wanted to try a different fabric to see how it would work out.  I chose a navy blue lightweight linen that I had bought earlier in the summer on sale from my local Fabricland with making shorts in mind.  It turned out to be perfect for the pattern as well!

My linen ones passed the road trip test too - I wore them all day on my trip and was equally comfy sitting for several hours in the truck as I was walking along the beach and lounging in the cabin. 

I'm so excited with this pattern and how it fits and wears!  I have some burnt orange viscose twill that I bought the same day I bought the navy linen with the intention of making some Helen's Closet Arden pants, but I changed my mind.  I'm going to hack the Brampton Shorts into pants.  I'd hoped to make them before my trip, but ran out of time, so I definitely want to make them for back to school.  I think they'd be super comfy as pants and I know that pattern fits well so it'll be a fuss free pants making venture!

If you want to get a copy of the Brampton Shorts they are on sale for the release week and I highly recommend them for any of your summer sewing plans!  I'll keep you posted on how the pants making goes! But for now I'm off.  I have to eat my breakfast and get out on the tractor and get the grass cut, then get into the garden and tackle the weeds and pick some veggies for supper tonight!

Sarah stands beside a chokecherry tree, smiling at the camera, wearing a floral Lago Tank and navy linen Brampton shorts






Thursday, January 21, 2021

The Octave Coat

Hello all!  

My blog posting habits seem to definitely fall under the category of "feast or famine" don't they.  I all but abandon ship for weeks on end and then I'm here every second day.  I've often envied those bloggers that could put out a post on a regular schedule.  Alas, that is definitely not me.  I'm sure if I were to impose some sort of schedule on myself it would most likely end up with me staring at the blank screen feeling as though I had nothing to say.  So, it is, as they say, what it is.

I realized I posted about my new coat over on the Minerva site (by the way, have you seen the new site yet?  I absolutely love it!!!!), but I don't think I so much as mentioned it here.  I'm so pleased with how it turned out, so I wanted to take a quick moment to show it off to all of you here as well!  It was my last project of 2020, and I finished it the afternoon of New Year's Eve.  

The pattern is the Octave Coat from Love Notions and I used a wool blend coating (provided by Minerva in exchange for the project) and a silky polyester lining that I purchased from Minerva to go with the wool.

Sewing the Octave was such a treat!  It went together amazingly well, and the instructions were easy to understand!  I did watch a quick YouTube video they link to in the pattern instructions for the pockets, just to make sure I was doing them correctly, but I probably really didn't need to worry!

I can't wait to start wearing my Octave on a regular basis.   I didn't take advantage when the weather was mild and now it's a bit too chilly to wear (we're suddenly having real prairie winter temperatures or at least on and off anyways - yesterday was back to above zero, then it plummeted again today).  As soon as things warm up sufficiently I'm going to be getting lots of use out of it I'm sure! 

As I mentioned I did post about it over on Minerva.  You can head over there to read all the details about my wool coat sewing adventures!

If you do hop on over to the Minerva site, feel free to follow me there too!