Avery Leggings Take Two : : And a Chat About Online Fabric Shopping

Hey you! I’m back with my second pair of Avery Leggings. I made these about 15 minutes after I finished my first pair. The fabric…soft Bamboo Jersey Knit from Blackbird Fabrics. The colourway is Deep Ocean and you can buy it here.  This fabric has really strong recovery. I’ve had some issues with baggy knees when sewing my own tights and I’m pleased to report that despite the softness of this fabric, my leggings keep their shape beautifully. I made the same view as my Workout Leggings. I won’t get into construction details here as my previous post goes over all the deets. The Avery’s wide waistband isn’t a typical design feature in tights that are destined to be worn under tunics and dresses and I expected some seam-line show-through, but nope, nada. They have a very…

The Avery Leggings : : A Helen’s Closet Pattern : : And Some Olympic Love

Why hello Avery Leggings. Why hello 2018 Winter Olympics. Timely this…Helen’s Closet’s latest release and the world’s most watched sporting event. Okay, stating the obvious here….I am not an Olympic caliber athlete. By definition I’m not even an athlete.  ath*lete noun a person who is proficient in sports and other forms of physical exercise. Physical exercise…sports…is, for me, hard work. Coordination, communication, commitment, strength, endurance, speed. All at the same time? And then there’s the competitive aspect…all of the above plus a drive to be, not just better, but best. I was in competitive gymnastics. Briefly.  It wasn’t quick enough that we acknowledged that I was not competitive by nature. While I may not have the abilities or resolve of an athlete, I do have the desire to move my body. Yoga, walking, and rebounding…

My #2018MakeNine Picks

I’ve been busy. ‘Making plans.’ She nods head sagely. You see I’ve decided to participate in #2018MakeNine. I mostly think I can do it. For the record, A Colourful Canvas documents things I’ve made, not things I want to make. There’s a reason for this. I rarely go in with a plan. And when I do, I sometimes feel more of an obligation to the task rather than an enthusiasm for the possibility. So. Unless I sew each of my nine makes in the next month, there is the distinct possibility this tidy little grid will self implode.  What I want to make today….or think I want to make today….may be quite a different story six months down the road. That being said, one of my current sewing goals is to build a more wearable…

Sasha Trousers 2.0 : : Nettie Bodysuit : : A Closet Case Patterns Two-Fer

Hiya peeps. Reporting in with the final post of 2017. Standing at my wall. With my shadow. I gotta tell ya….having my gray, squashy self on the scene has relieved some of my photo angst. This is my second test version of the Sasha Trousers by Closet Case Patterns. I found this tropical navy stretch cotton sateen at Fabricland…..summer stock on clearance.  Although the print clearly speaks summer, these pants have been in heavy rotation this fall/winter.  Comfort with a capital C….I often pair them with booties and a longish chunky knit pullover sweater. Today however, I nixed the pullover in order to better show the silhouette of the pants. Again. Me with fabric that makes for challenging detail shots. I’ll walk you through…left side, top and bottom pics…back welt pockets. I’ve said it…