Author: Miranda

Micis skirt release

Today, we are releasing the Micis Skirt. This quick to sew skirt with an abundance of options will keep you entertained all year round. The skirt comes in a wide sizes 3-6M to 13/14 and has both narrow and wide skirt options. So even if your taste or that of your daughter changes, you can still continue making her skirts.

The pattern is designed for stable knit fabrics with at least 40% stretch. The waistband contains elastic which makes ensuring optimal fit very easy.

Option A has an off center single pleat, making this option perfect for all kind of color block options. Almost no piece is too narrow to become an awesome contrasting peeping pleat.
Continue reading Micis skirt release

Sylva Onesie – RELEASE

Almost two months ago miss Rainbow was born. Two months before her birth we released our first onesie pattern and today we are releasing the second. Today, we are releasing the Sylva Onesie, the little sister of our popular Sylva Shirt and Tunic. The Sylva Onesie has the same symmetrical V shaped neckline that will make dressing your little one easy. In contrast to the Sylva shirt, the Sylva Onesie is a unisex pattern. The unique V shape is suitable for both girls and boys. The Sylva onesie comes in both short and long sleeves.

Let’s start out with some pictures of Miss Rainbow herself. We showed her off on Instagram already, but we did not show her on the blog yet. Both onesies have extra special fabric. You will not have to guess why the rainbow colored fabric is special, but the grey one is extra fun because in that same fabric Anne wore a Vallis during pregnancy. A onesie in general is perfect for using treasured fabric due to the size of the garment, but the color block of the Sylva makes the pattern extra suitable, because even smaller fabric remnants can be turned into unique garments.
Continue reading Sylva Onesie – RELEASE

Cessim shirt RELEASE

With the changing season we felt it was time for another boy/unisex pattern and it is a fun one! The Cessim Shirt is appropriate if you are moving into or out of winter.  The Cessim is a relaxed fit shirt which is comfortable during warm weather and suitable for thicker fabrics in winter. With so many options you can almost never make the same shirt twice!

There are four basic body colorblocks, three sleeve lengths and three neckline options. This pattern could easily become a staple in your kids wardrobe because it is both perfect for using scraps and/or panel fabrics.  But, let’s take it a bit slower and take a detailed at all the options one by one.

Let’s start with the color block options for the bodice. The first option is perfect for  beginners. The body is one piece which also makes it a lovely option for panel fabrics. The seam is at the back of the shirt.


Continue reading Cessim shirt RELEASE

Regem Color Block Extra Instructions

The Regem is the perfect shirt for scraps or to use during upcycling, but of course it gives great results with new fabrics as well. It is a quick and simple sew which gives a sophisticated result. In the Facebook group, we saw a few people that were a bit thrown off guard by the seam allowances for the color block. The seam allowances stick out and create some strange looking bumps. Today, we are showing how to sew the color block in extra detail. This pattern is perfectly suitable for beginners, so if you have some trouble, just look at these pictures and it should all become clear.

In the graphic, you can see the pattern pieces that you will need for the color blocked shirt. You can also see that if you would put the piece together such that they touch, the fabrics would not be a perfect fit. This is normal, the fabrics are only a perfect fit when you put the red lines on each other, that is the actual line that you will be sewing.


Continue reading Regem Color Block Extra Instructions

Guest post: How to shorten a separating nylon zipper

When I sewed my most recent Cicero hack, I made some process pictures on how I shorten separating nylon zippers. The biggest challenge of shortening separating zippers is the fact that you cut of the top stops. Depending on the pattern that you sew, there might be a few ways how to solve this. When I showed you an alternative way to sew the Foliis, I showed that you can simply sew the end of the zipper into the hood. Today, I am showing you how to melt a new stop.

Toen ik mijn meest recente Cicero hack naaide, maakte ik foto’s van het inkorten van de plastic rits. De grootste uitdaging aan het inkorten van een deelbare rits is het afknippen van de ritsstop. Afhankelijk van het patroon zijn er verschillende oplossing. Toen ik jullie een alternatieve manier liet zien om de kap van de Foliis te naaien, naaide ik de rits helemaal in de kap bijvoorbeeld. Vandaag laat ik zien hoe je een nieuwe ritsstop kan boetseren.

The first step is to cut your nylon zipper to the preferred length. Keep in mind that a zipper is always a bit longer than where the teeth end, so cut of the zipper a few teeth above the length you want the zipper to be.
Continue reading Guest post: How to shorten a separating nylon zipper

Guest post: Montis hack

Today, I will show you how to slightly hack the Montis bodice to get view A on the back (three straps) and to have single layer of fabric. I read in the Sofilantjes group that some kids sweat in two layers of fabric, so the Montis option B is perfect for those (single layered), but with this hack they can also wear option A. You need elastic bias for this hack, you can either buy it, or make your own (what I did). If you make your own, you cut a 4 centimeter wide, long strip of good quality jersey. For this post I assume that you know how to sew on a home made jersey bias (if you do not check the instructions on your Iridis pattern).

Vandaag laat ik zien hoe je de Montis een beetje kan hacken zodat je versie A kan maken (drie bandjes op de rug) en het lijfje 1 laagje stof is. Optie B van de Montis heeft altijd maar 1 laagje stof en met deze hack kan je dat ook voor versie A doen, voor het geval dat je dochter relatief veel zweet in twee laagjes. Voor de hack heb je elastische bias nodig, die kan je kopen, maar ook zelf maken van een strip tricot van 4 centimeter breed. Ik ga ervan uit dat je al vaker bias hebt genaaid en dus weet hoe dat moet. Eventueel kan je het Iridis patroon naslaan op hoe je bias behoort te naaien.

For this hack you need to cut a bodice on the option A line (the inner line) and you need strap1, 2 and 3 for length references (so do not cut them from fabric, just the paper pieces).

Voor deze hack knip je een lijfje op de optie A lijn (binnenste lijn) en je hebt patroondelen 1, 2 en 3 nodig voor hun lengte (je hoeft ze dus niet meteen in stof te knippen, het gaat om de papieren delen).
Continue reading Guest post: Montis hack

Guest post: Brueram smocked back and free circle add-on

Due to the “Summer of Sofilantjes” event in the Sofilantjes Sew and Show Facebook group, I decided to finally turn the circle skirt idea for the Brueram into a free add-on. I noticed that many people seem to fear the smocking of the back of the Brueram, so when I sewed a circle add-on dress, I also made some process pictures of the smocking. I hope I can convince a few of you that this is totally doable. The end result looks super complicated, but the process is just sewing straight lines (with elastic thread in the bobbin). You can find the free circle skirt add-on in your downloads next to the other Brueram files (after you have bought them). Attach the circle skirt the same way as the maxi skirt. The only difference is that the circle skirt should fit onto the bodice without gathering, so you can skip steps 15 and 16. I made several pictures that mostly visualize step 20 (the actual smocking) of the instructions. Continue reading Guest post: Brueram smocked back and free circle add-on

Guest post: Two Cicero hacks

Hi, it is Miranda from Inspinration and today I am showing how to recreate the two alternative Cicero looks that I sewed. The Cicero has two neckline options, a collar or a hood, but you can combine them as well. Anne pitched the idea to me back in January and I overcomplicated it a bit by not wanting the hood next to the zipper. I sewed this combi already back in January. I was planning to sew another because I was not a hundred percent happy with it, but piled up my sewing plate too high, and did not come around to it. I did sew another alternative Cicero, which I am also showing you today. I have a hard time staying interested in one plan for long, and in the mean time I have created 100 new ones. So, I have not figured out the optimal shape of the hacked hood, but better some guestimation for you than nothing right?

Vandaag laat ik (Miranda van Inspinration) zien hoe ik mijn twee alternative Cicero’s naaide. De Cicero heeft een kraag of een kap, maar je kan deze twee onderdelen ook combineren. Anne pitchte mij het idee in Januari en ik naaide toen een gehackte versie. Ik maakte het natuurlijk net iets gecompliceerder dan de twee dingen aan elkaar naaien, ik wilde namelijk niet het dik zou worden voor bij de rits waar kap en kraag samen zouden komen. Ik was echter niet helemaal tevreden en was van plan er nog een te naaien voor de tutorial. Maar toen kwamen er nog honderd nieuwe ideeën in mijn hoofd en een tweede gehackte kwam er niet van, wel nog een andere (veel kleinere) hack. Ik vrees dat van meer uitstel afstel komt en ook deze nog niet optimale versie zal hopelijk iemand op nieuwe ideeën brengen.
Continue reading Guest post: Two Cicero hacks

Guestpost: An alternative way to sew the Foliis

Guestpost by Miranda from Inspinration.

On Monday the Foliis was released. I really love the pattern and I actually sewed three garments with it during testing. I did change the constructions a bit though. I added a bias finish to the zipper and sewed the entire neckline with my sewing machine (instead of hand stitching the lining). In this post I will tell you how I did it.

Afgelopen maandag lanceerde Sofilantjes de Foliis. Ik ben helemaal weg van dit veelzijdige patroon en maakte tijdens het testen al meteen drie exemplaren. Ik week qua constructie echter wel een beetje af van de instructies van het patroon. Ik naaide namelijk een biasbandje als afwerking op de rits aan de binnenzijde en ik naaide de gehele halslijn op de naaimachine. Ik hoefde daardoor alleen een klein keergat met de hand dicht te naaien. In deze blogpost laat ik jullie zien hoe ik deze dingen deed.

Continue reading Guestpost: An alternative way to sew the Foliis

Guest post: Amare bow tutorial and hack

Hi, this is Miranda from Inspinration. After making two Amares, with two different bows I jumped on Anne’s question who was willing to write a photo tutorial on bow construction. This tutorial is the (very) extensive version of page 6 and 7 from the manual. Besides explaining how to make the standard bow, I will also give some tips on how to adjust the with of the bow to your liking (step 4) which makes it possible to combine it with the ties. If you prefer a bow without pleats, just read the extra tips at the end of this post.

Tutorial

IMG_9684
Continue reading Guest post: Amare bow tutorial and hack