New School Duds: Pairing Zonen Jacob with Figgy's Ayashe

SERIOUSLY.

I get TOO happy when I see this outfit on Camden!!  I don't know if you recall, but I made Camden a Figgy's Ayashe blouse back in December of last year, and I maybe mentioned that I'd also made two others....to pair with Zonen Jacob pants (their FB page).

Well, yay - I finally did!  Better late than never???  All is well in the end, as this is the perfect back-to-school outfit.  You can see in the December post that the first blouse will also pair with these pants perfectly.  I was pretty intentional at the time - rare for me, I think.

I'm pretty excited - this pairing, to me, is great - simple and cozy!  I love Ayashe blouses on Camden, and shame on me for having not made Camden a pair of Jacob pants since this pair a year and a half ago.

The pants turned out delightfully, but I subconsciously chose laziness when sewing them.  I didn't include a fly, because, for some reason, I assumed I hadn't on the last pair, and it turns out I HAD.  Ah, well - saved me some time, aha!  I did use a cute contrasting fabric as a pocket liner on the front pockets, though the pattern does not call for a pocket liner on the front OR the back.  I didn't line the back pockets, but I did make sure to fold down the top edge twice, though the pattern doesn't call for that either; it just makes me feel better deep down inside.

I have nothing riveting to say about either pattern, as I've blogged about them both before, but LOOK how CUTE the outfit is - well, either, really!  The pink flowered blouse is a gauze, and the other is a super lightweight fabric - possibly a lawn, but I can't recall.

She needed me to photograph this map she drew from Calvin and Hobbes

I also made sure to sneak Camden's green socks into the photos, too!  And speaking of hand-knit socks, I have a pair on the needles for Camden - and a pair for myself.  I suppose I should search for a yarn to use for Tiberius, but in the meantime, I'm working on the re-knit of the Antler sweater for Tiberius...and a Christmas in July for Camden (first version blogged here).  (I'll soon blog about about a Tallulah I just finished for Camden, too!)  So, I have a lot of plans, but I'd also love to cast on a new shawl soon, and I'm thinking I'll have a hard time, as I'll want to choose yarn first - THEN shawl pattern, which can be tricky for me.

And...basically a DAY in the life - probably our last warm ocean visit for the year!

That face, aha!

And this doesn't do the regional air quality justice...it was BAD...and still isn't great

Something Flowered and Something Blue - Figgy's and Zonen Combo

I am THIS PLEASED with this outfit!!!

These pants fit Camden so well, and it's one of my best zipper-fly installations (like, the whole shebang, fly-guard, zipper, waistband/button and all!), which really gives it major points.

Also awesome???  Brianne of Ali Cat and Co. sent me this lovely fabric - a blue corduroy and a vintage-looking flowered (super light-weight) fabric.  I knew I wanted to use them together when she sent it to me months ago, and I had the pants cut out a few months ago and only got around to sewing it all up right before Christmas.  So glad it's all done!

I wasn't sure at first which pattern to use for the shirt, and though I know a different pattern would have worked overall better for the fabric and style of the outfit, I chose laziness because I needed it DONE and wanted to use a pattern I already had (always gotta save those duckets, yo).  I will say I am glad I didn't choose something that needed buttonholes, as my machine may have totally eaten the fabric :O  Whew.

The pants and top went together quickly...especially as I had the pants cut out so long ago.  The sewing was nice and easy, and as with the last time, I cut out a pocket facing for the front pockets...wishing I knew a way to do that for the back side.  I'd have to sew up/prep the outer pocket piece and then make a pocket lining after.  I don't like having that raw edge that the directions give you (unless I missed something, aha!) on the inside.  I REALLY want these pants to work for Tiberius in the future, as that was part of the pattern decision-making process for this fabric.  I love the style of the Jacob pants by Zonen, and the directions are great!    As for the fly installation business...????

Clearly not a crazy-detailed picture, but you get the idea!  I hope :O

I kept the Ayashe blouse by Figgy's simple and only used elastic in the sleeves.  The mandarin collar sewing process was about the same as usual.  I always struggle with perfection on getting the corners to sew up nicely.  It will be a great blouse, too, for when the weather returns to normal around here (meaning, HELLO, could we have warmer temperatures any day now???)

Bottom-line, y'all???  A quick sew, and I adore the style - especially with her mittens, aha - and dotted Vans.  Our pairings always crack me up.

Some early January happenings....

Same day as above pictures...Community Day, Monday, January 4, 2016

Practicing from THIS book!

Cats and mice!

Helping dad make fry bread

Sewn Up in One Day! A Music Class Set

I'm so glad I had prepped a few projects, tracing-wise and cutting-wise.  It makes it that much easier to start sewing when I push the kids and their dad out the front door.  Last weekend, they went to Skylight Cave for a couple hours while I got my sew on.  I pulled out the fabric for the Music Class top and skirt by Oliver and S.  I feel like it's the third time I've sewn the top, but it's definitely only the second time I've sewn the skirt.

First full incarnation of this outfit...Summer 2013

Other than sewing up the twelve pintucks, LOL, the outfit goes together quite fast.  I love that the skirt is stinkin' cute but super simple.  The top takes longer, of course, as there is hand-sewing at the collar.  I'm not sure if it's my cleanest finish, but I'm always trying to get that placket/collar join better every time I sew it.

I used stash fabric for both items... The Alice in Wonderland print is something I've had for a few years, and there was only a yard, so, I was never quite sure what to do with it, but yay - a solution!  I was originally going to pair the shirt with pink corduroy, but I couldn't handle all that blinding pink in one outfit, aha!

My, my, a little homeschool girl

As always, I lengthened the top by a full size or two, and I did lengthen the sleeves this time, too, even though they're short.

I will have to WAY apologize for the disappearing ink NOT disappearing.... YIKES.  I had "washed" it out before leaving the house for Camden's Community Day, but it reappeared, of course.  And I'm not a magical faery elf creature with fancy photoshop skills ;)

Simple as that, though - easy outfit, cute results, yay for one more outfit out of the way!  I thought I'd get a chance to sew up the Zonen Jacob pants, too, but that didn't happen....maybe this weekend!

And....recent times...

Second week of Community Day

A day at Shevlin Park

Zonen Jacob Pants - What I Call an Awesome Outfit....Half Completed

Naturally....I super LOVE these pants - soooo few pattern pieces, in my humble opinion (which, for realz...is probably foremost in my mind, as I traced two dress patterns today, where I felt there were a hundred pieces), simple construction - and great fit!

But...since we're speaking of fit, if I was what SOME might call an UNlazy person, I would make them an even better fit by taking them in at the front/shortening the waist.  With zeeee belly, Camden often has bunching with pants, as they don't have enough room to rise, LOL.  They do seem to come just over the crack of the bum, but that works for her, as she has no bum to speak off, so, excess fabric up there isn't helpful.  I wasn't able to get a super great shot of the front, and for the umpteenth time, I made my wee girl stand outside in the brrrr chilly air for pictures.  No joke - what's the deal, Bend???  It was WINDY, snowy, rainy, sunny and who knows what today.  It might be snowing again, but I'm cozy on the couch and can't be bothered to check.

The Jacob pants pattern by Zonen can be styled in soooo many ways, I think!  I chose this lovely snowflake corduroy from my stash that I'd been saving for the perfect project - yay!  I also chose fabric just for these pants when I was able to shop for deals back in October, and it's a great red-orange (tell me THIS pattern wouldn't be GREAT in red-orange??!!).  The Jacob pants definitely have that 70s vibe and can go totally casual or be dressed up a bit, depending on your choice of top...

....which is where my great FIRST WORLD SADNESS of the day comes in.  I almost didn't want to photograph the pants and post about them, as the ensemble is technically incomplete.  I had grand plans to complete the Bloomsbury sweater for the outfit, in a gorgeous blue colorway by Colour Adventures. Time, however, got the the best of me (read:  I don't know what I was thinking...I knit about one sweater a month, no faster, really), and I unhappily won't be able to knit the Bloomsbury until a few months from now, if not the fall, as I have work to do for the baby due in March.  Anyhow....enough about my slow knitter problems, as the sweater will eventually happen...which leads me to the next thing...

The pants ARE on the longer side for Camden, and, as with the last couple pairs of pants I sewed her, I hemmed at the regular hem, and then took them up an additional 2.5 inches, which might be a hair short for her, but I'll let them out again in a month, I suspect.  Because of the design, however, I had to do a shoddy job of taking them up - the bottom is wider than the leg, and I basically sort of tacked them up at four different points - which is hopefully not too obvious from the outside - rather than hand stitch them up all the way around.  With this extra length, though, Bloomsbury should work well in the fall.

All this to say that I clearly do NOT plan on styling Camden in the Silversage shrug you see in the pictures, because, though lovely, it doesn't work so well with the pants, LOL.  (Note:  Snay-up!!!  She is tooo big for that sweater now!)

Overall, the pattern was great.  I did read the pattern in English, and I found that I didn't love, perhaps, how it was set up - maybe too much scrolling around to find where I wanted to be?  I can't quite pin my finger on it, though it WAS easy to understand.  Two more thoughts:  I lined the front pockets, as it's just plain silly to me to NOT line a front pocket, though the pattern doesn't call for it.  And...I did the faux fly, though I ended up stitching part of it down and should just have stitched the whole thing down, as it's gappy on her because of the bunching, though I see this as no fault of the pattern, of course.

Also, how cool would these pants be if you added belt loops and a belt???!