Well, July went past in a bit of a blur! I’d had grand plans to whip up garments for #SewJapaneseInJuly, post some work in progress updates and show off the Burda trousers I finally made – but I did none of that! At this point I think I’ll not worry with the work in progress, but I’d love to show you the Burda trousers as they were a pattern I loved when I saw them in the magazine, but knew they’d need pockets and a zip transfer!
Anyway – it’s August now and I have new plans. First off… I have enough summer goodies in my wardrobe, so I’m not making anything more for me – unless it’s something that really grabs me and I have fabric!! I’ve dusted off my pattern cutting equipment and books and have started with drafting a trouser block for the other half. Why? He needs new shorts and doesn’t like anything in the shops and none of the patterns I have fit his requirements either. I tried with the Jedadiah shorts, but nope.
As far as making for the other half goes, things haven’t been all that successful. I made a coat block 3-4 years ago and drafted a beautiful coat pattern, bought shell fabric and buttons, but I’m still looking for the “perfect” lining fabric, so that project is still on hold! I am hoping making shorts will be easier, I mean, chino fabric is not that hard to find, right? And it doesn’t need lining, thank goodness!!! The block toile fitted much better than I expected! I just needed to shorten the crotch depth by about 2cm and reduce the waist by 2cm too. I distributed that between the front side seam and back darts and it’s all good! I hontstly expected much more faff, so this is a relief!
Once the shorts are done, I want to make patterns for office trousers too, he lives in his jeans and one pair of black wool pants that have to suffice for meetings. Why only one pair? Because he’s a fussy begger who doesn’t like what’s in the shops so drags this one pair of pants out for every meeting. So I definitely want to make pants to his particular requirements. Then I guess it’ll have to be shirts and a jacket or two! But jackets mean lining and if the coat saga is anything to go by, jacket making could take a while! If you’re interested, the book I’m using is Patternmaking for Menswear, I bought this a long time ago now on one of my London trips, a chain bookstore there had loads of books I couldn’t get hold of in sleepy Warwickshire. Sadly it’s closed down now and I cannot remember the name!!
I’m quite looking forward to pattern cutting again – get those dusty brain cells up and running! Of course, making garments will always depend on finding the right fabric, so now I’m on the hunt for suppliers of good shirting fabrics. I’m sure my usual fabric suppliers will do good on the wool suiting and cotton twill for pants and shorts. Tomorrow I’m taking my machine in for a sercive and then I’m off to a tailoring supplier in Kenilworth, it’ll be good to see his stock in person rather than online. There’s also a little fabric shop on the high street that’s come up trumps for good wool in the past.
So – apart from the odd request from the girls, I’ll be making stuff for the other half this month! Oh – and toiling a pattern for a winter coat and raincoat for me. Just because my summer wardrobe is full doesn’t mean I don’t have room available in the winter one! And I need to use up scraps, so I’ve decided to make some pouches and little bags that I’ll sell later in the year as a fundraiser for an environmental charity. Them’s the plans!
THE COMPULSIVE SEAMSTRESS 
Lots of interesting plans! I’ll be following along on the menswear – at some pont I’d like to make some things for my husband, maybe not drafted from scratch, but copies of some of the items he wears the most. I’ve made something for every other family member or friend and it seems like I should at least try to make something for him too!!
I’ve been naughty and ignored what I was doing!! The first trouser block worked well, then I had to adjust it to make a double pleated fornt and lost all interest. The weather in August didn’t help….
Am delighted to know there are others who wait years for the right (lining) fabric to show itself! Good luck with all as your plans sound wonderful.
You are so lucky to have a good local fabric shop 🙂 Hope they come up trumps! My go to for special lining is The Lining Company. Not the cheapest but a truly amazing range.
Yeah, I thought I’d find the perfect lining there too, but apparently not!🙄
Hope the shorts work out! I promised to make some for my husband when we got married – it’s our 27th anniversary this week & he’s still waiting!
The shorts are still waiting – I’ve told myself I’ll make him a pair of jeans instead…
😂Hope you have better success! I run a sewing class & one of my students has made her husband shorts AND a shirt in the last few months! I daren’t mention it at home…..!