Fake sheep and buckley things

This is the second waistcoat I've made from my pattern, and it's for Munchkin's friend Harry, who was two this week. The outside is an old pair of trousers of mine that I had been saving to turn into something else, and the inside is fake sheep :) The buckley thing (that's the technical term) on the back was originally on the back of the trouser waistband - I just shortened it a little so it was scaled down to fit a two year old. I cut the back piece using the side seam of the trouser leg as the fold line. Nifty, huh?

I had yet more problems with construction on this one, and ended up nearly crying over the shoulders (don't ask), but I got there in the end, albeit in a slightly wonky manner. My lack of knowledge on how to put things together is slightly annoying, but I'm trying to remedy it by reading a few books and making more toiles. It just seems to be a bit of a steep learning curve...

I've had a slow craft week for one reason and another, but I'm back to normal next week so am hoping to crack on with a few projects. Including putting together a tutorial for a little activity me and Munchkin did when we were snow bound :)

My very first pattern :)

It's not revolutionary, but I designed it from scratch and I am ridiculously proud of it. Mr pickledweasel bought me Metric Pattern Cutting for Children's Wear and Babywear for Christmas, and by Boxing Day I'd drawn up a basic body block for Munchkin :)

I then drew up a sleeveless body block and started working on a waistcoat pattern. After I'd done my first draft I made a toile (although mine was made from spare sheeting, not linen like Chanel do). And realised I'd sewed all the way around the armholes on the wrong side, so it wouldn't turn the right way out :D

I also realised The scalloped edge I'd put at the bottom really wouldn't work, so I went back to basics and started again. I made another toile, and did a fitting with mademoiselle munchkin. I was happy with the fit but added an extra half cm everywhere as I wanted to allow a little bit of growth room and the fabric I would be making the waistcoat from was a fluffy sort of towelling and babycord, so I had to allow for extra bulk.

I'm really happy with the finished product, although my construction method was slightly haphazard - I ended up leaving the armholes open to turn the garment through and then found it very difficult to sew them together - lesson learnt.

I'm making another one for a lovely little boy whose birthday is on Sunday, using fake sheepskin for the lining and a pair of my old trousers for the shell - it's better than it sounds, honestly :) My next job is to make a trouser block for Munchkin, and then draft up a trouser pattern with added room in the bum for cloth nappies, which is my biggest gripe with shop bought trousers. Then on to grading so I can do bigger sizes. It's all very basic, but I'm learning so much, and it feels brilliant!

And this is what happens if you ask Munchkin to smile for the camera :)