All about the cherries

So look. I realise that there have been very few blog posts for a while here. And then, like buses, there’s a whole bunch at once. What can I say? That’s just the way it goes (and one of the reasons I have never wanted to look into monetising this blog: I write when I feel like it!)

Anyway, this is a relatively quick post for me. But I wanted to share my burgeoning obsession with the Closet Case Patterns “Jenny” overalls.

Yep. The same ones I blogged about last week. Let’s not pretend you’ve never made a pattern twice in quick succession because you just loved the first one so much?

Anyway. I spent time in Leeds with Sally this weekend, which meant we went into fabric shops, which meant I bought fabric. Willpower is not my strong point! Having already made my short dungarees, I really wanted to make a second, cropped pair too. And it turned out that B&M Fabrics had a whole range of linen viscose mix in all sorts of glorious colours.

What’s a girl to do?

Having realised there wasn’t enough left on the bolt of teal linen, I succumbed to the most glorious, cherry red length. At £8/m the 2.5m needed wasn’t going to break the bank so I went for it.

I had to repeat my original pattern modifications (add 2cm to the back rise and grade between a 12 and a 14) because there are separate pattern pieces for the shorts and the trousers on this pattern. But that didn’t take too long since I knew what I was doing.

I chose to cut the bib lining and pockets from a fun, contrast cotton print I had in the stash. I picked this one carefully as it toned with the red so I didn’t think it would show through the linen (which can be less solid than you’d like!) and also because it’s ridiculously cute!

And, after going with the Japanese dolls and cherry blossom print, I decided to whack a great big sequinned cherry on my bum. As you do!

On both pairs, I have followed the recommendation to cut the straps twice for added stability. For this pair that meant cutting at 90 degrees to the suggested grainline, simply because I didn’t have enough fabric left to cut properly. I think without the double layer the straps would be really floppy in this light fabric.

I did get hold of some dungaree buckles this time around and I prefer these to the buttons I used previously: I haven’t sewn the straps in place so there’s a little wriggle room there.

The big thing I wanted to mention on these though was the length. I wanted a pair of cropped dungarees. When I came to try these on before hemming though, they felt really long, almost full length if being worn with flats. The instructions have you fold the hem over by half an inch and then by 2 inches: I did the half inch fold and then a 2 1/4″ fold, tried them on and folded up by another 2 1/4″ again.

That feels like a pretty big adjustment, given I’m 5’7″ tall. I mean, you’re better having too much fabric than not enough, but still.

Anyway, I powered through and made these in a day so that I could wear them for today’s school sports day. The girls were slightly miffed (I forgot their House colour is blue, not red!) but they were perfect for a hot, sunny day spent traipsing around school grounds to watch both children in different places at the same time. And I even got unsolicited compliments which is always a winner!

I’m pretty impressed with the fabric: to say it’s linen, I don’t think the creasing is too bad? These photos were taken after Sports Day rather than before so probably reflect as much hammer as I’m likely to give these in a day!