Wednesday 2 April 2014

It must be spring, I can feel it in my legs

Have you ever tried to take a selfie of the back of your leggings, while wearing them?  Or am I the only one stupid enough to do that?




I actually quite like the contours of my bum in real life, and I can live with the shape of my thighs too. But ouch - that picture up there doesn't flatter (really, it doesn't! It's just so dumpy!), and I can't quite believe I've put it on the internet.

But anyway. Let's backtrack. I've been slowly sewing, making progress on an Archer shirt and muslining some jeans. Both of which are very exciting, and it's nice to have some challenging projects on the go. But this afternoon I needed a quick fix - and I needed to feel like I'm making even the tiniest dent in a rather ambitious summer sewing list.  Enter the floral leggings.




I bought this fabric during the Antwerp sewing meet-up in January - it just got in my face and screamed SPRING LEGGINGS!!!! at me. Who was I to argue? Spring leggings it has now become. The pattern is Cake's Espresso again - a hit the first time, so I presumed an easy hit the second time. Ha. Obviously, I failed to take into account that this fabric does not have 4-way stretch like the previous one and therefore behaves differently. I studiously implemented the pattern changes I'd noted since wearing my first pair - lowering the rise a little at the back, a little more at the front - and it resulted in a fine, wearable but not exactly perfect pair of leggings which are ever-so-slightly too short. The waist sits pretty much where it's supposed to, but it's not the perfect fit I know this pattern can give.

And to top it all off, despite all that floral splashiness, I just felt a bit meh about the whole thing.




And then I turned around and selfied the back of my legs and realised that the party colours were not where I wanted them but having a little party of their own, on my rear. And as I was futzing things around my waist, trying to get it all satisfactorily comfortable, a little voice of inspiration whispered: put them on backwards. They don't sit right anyway.

So I did. And they still don't sit quite right, but it's not worse than it was and no-one else need know. Don't tell, ok?




They sit plenty well enough for real-life wearing. The party is now in front where I can see it - and I'm ready to go out and match the blooming, blossoming, exuberantly-scented park on our after school playground runs. Of which there are currently many, because the weather is doing this:




Sorry, was I complaining before? I take it all back. Shortest winter ever.

When the unusually warm temperatures cool down, as they inevitably shall, I have actually finished my Archer and will be posting it here poste haste. It was rather unfortunate timing to make myself a long-sleeved flannel shirt just as the mercury hit 20°C on a regular basis, but aside from not being able to wear it much yet, or possibly even till next autumn, I LOVES it. In the meantime, I took pictures of my no-dart full bust adjustment, so next up'll be a tutorial on that. Slouchy fit for the busty ladies!!

What are you sewing now? Have you ever made something seasonally inspired - beyond the "spring/fall wardrobe" changes?  I love how these feel like those tulips came to life on my legs!


11 comments:

  1. Ahahaha - I love this! I'm glad the party is where you can see and enjoy it now! They look great!

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  2. Such happy fabric, I'd have turned it round too! These look so cool!

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  3. I promise not to tell that the party's been moved to the front! These are so cute and look very comfortable! Please send the flowers and warm weather over to the US east coast! It's been the forever-winter and we're still waiting for the flowers to show up! I've just started sewing a Sewaholic Robson coat and I'm hoping to get it finished before it's too hot to wear.

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  4. thanks Gillian! Sewing colourful, comfy knits does feel a bit like I'm channelling you!

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  5. thanks! It really is cheerful isn't it. I still feel a bit self conscious wearing loud leggings out and about, but I'm betting they'll really come into their own once it's sandals + tees weather!

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  6. oh dear Shar, you guys have had a really long, hard winter haven't you! I can't believe I'm still seeing snow in people's pictures. I'm sending all the spring, flowery vibes I can in your direction!!! Even after our mild winter here, I was so surprised at how wonderful it was to suddenly see colours everywhere. It has to end at some point, right? If I were you I'd finish your coat as quickly as possible - my personal theory is that making a warm toasty shirt I really wanted to wear immediately is what brought on our hot weather. Murphy's law!

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  7. Just love these - of course!! Yay to seeing the party where you can see it.

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  8. Haha, I tried taking a selfie if my legs the other day so this sounds so familiar! Respect btw for taking a pic of the back of your legs (backache?).love the legging

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  9. Silvia - Sewing PrincessApril 04, 2014 4:17 pm

    Jo, phone lenses distort proportions. And the photo angle is also misleading. So don't trust them. Then I think it's also due to the actual pattern design as it those leggings are slim. I have the same issue on my legs and that's why the only fitted leggings I wear are capris just below the knee. If i go long then they are wider at the bottom. You can see my embarrassing posts at http://bombardone.com/sewingprincess/2013/05/ballerina/ and http://bombardone.com/sewingprincess/2013/06/jocole-yoga-pants-and-cap-sleeve-tee/

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  10. These are so fun! What a great idea to flip 'em around to make them even MORE festive.


    Gorgeous photos. Around here the flowers are starting to peak out, but verrrry slowly. Those tulips are breathtaking.

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