Petit a Petit Sewing Block Party

Fashionably late to the party as always.... (or just unaware it was on until it was almost over, you decide)

This month, all around the globe people have been sewing up the patterns of Petit a Petit + Family and sharing them with the greater sewing community. I received my party invitation via Emi and was instantly certain that the Loveralls would be my passport to party fun. 

So, all aboard! Let's party.

The Loveralls are a cute, modern take on overalls, or dungarees. They have plenty of options with lots of additional pocket styles and there's even a skirt version for those girls who aren't up for playing train driver.

I was keen to use fabric from my ever growing stash, and I'd missed the memo to help myself to the fabric sponsor buffet table, so I picked out these remnants of pink denim. That meant I was ignoring the pattern's suggestion for a fabric with some stretch. I did check that the narrow lower leg wouldn't be too tight and they fit fine without stretch, although bike riding may not be too comfortable (eep!). 

I sewed a straight size 6 (slightly above her measurements) and I only wish I'd thought to add some length. By the time overalls weather comes around again I suspect they'll be far too short. But for this weekend out in the country, when spring left us and we had another rehash of winter weather, they were perfect.

I chose the high front bib option and the full love heart pocket. In the week when the world seemed to take a turn towards a stupid and grim future, I found solace in sewing a big pink loveheart on a pair of overalls. Then the feminist in me decided that my girl didn't just need a loveheart on her overalls, she need the hammer loop, carpenter's pocket and all that practical can-do attitude sewn into these pants.

And then, as if she knew it would crack me up, she tied this scrap of fabric around her head and gave me the best holding-the-homefront modelling ever! :)

I already had the perfect gold piping from a previous order from Maaidesign and was keen to match my topstitching and all my hardware with the bright gold of the piping. I found Birch brand overall buckles and snaps at Spotlight, but truly there is too much joy to be lost trying to hammer in crappy snaps. Make sure you source good hardware, or better still get someone with an industrial snap press to set them for you.

Feeling bad that I'd missed out on the fabric sponsor discounts, the ever lovely Emi sent me a gift voucher for Miss Matatabi, where I found this gorgeous lace knit. It's a cream lace in a pattern reminiscent of doilies, backed with a tan merle cotton knit. Beautifully soft and lovely to sew with, I kind of wish I'd added more for myself.

The top is a modified version of the Rowan Tee by Titchy Threads, who is a part of the extended Petit family. I'd previously used the Rowan Tee for my Tron pyjamas, so I already had the size 4 drafted. It's a roomy T-shirt and the 4 is plenty big enough but I did add a heap of length to the body and sleeves as I was certain this long sleeved tee should last into next year's winter.

I took half an inch off the front neckline tapering to about a quarter of an inch at the shoulders and back neckline, then added the cowl neck. It's a rectangle about 8 inches high, folded but with the centre back seams offset by an inch or two to give the twisted lay of the collar.

For the T-shirt I didn't trouble to get the instructions out, but the sewing of the Loveralls was a delight. My beef with many indie PDF patterns is not just the printing and tiling of patterns sheets, that's unavoidable, but often the instructions are substandard. Not here! The instructions are completely printable with neat, clear diagrams and well written instructions for each sewing step. None of those fuzzy photos and constant refreshing of the computer screen for each sewing step.

But don't just take my word for the patterns being great, you can purchase them here, and throughout the rest of November, use the discount code BLOCKPARTY to get 20% off

Or, try your hand at winning the complete set of Petit a Petit patterns using the rafflecopter widget below

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

Now go mingle and check out who else has come to the party. There's been so much wonderful sewing!

Nov. 1st - Sweetkm | Nov. 2nd - The Sara Project | Nov. 3rd - La Folie | Nov. 4th - Hello Holli | Nov. 5th - Chalk and Notch | Nov. 6th - Sewing Like Mad | Nov. 7th - Beatnik Kids | Nov. 8th - Stitched Together | Nov. 9th - Coffee and Thread | Nov. 10th - Made by Toya | Nov. 11th - Stahlarbeit | Nov. 12th - Lily en Woody | Nov. 13th - My Petite Sophie | Nov. 14th - Handmade Frenzy | Nov. 15th - Paisley Roots | Nov. 16th - While she was sleeping | Nov. 17th - My Cozy co | Nov. 18th - A Jennuine Life | Nov. 19th - Knee Socks and Goldilocks | Nov. 20th - Sanae Ishida | Nov. 21st - Little Cumquat | Nov. 21st - Needle and Ted | Nov. 22nd - Gaafmachine | Nov. 23rd - Craftstorming | Nov. 24th - Made by Sara | Nov. 25th - Buzzmills | Nov. 26th - Bartacks and Singletrack | Nov. 27th - Moineau & Petit Pois | Nov. 28th - Naii | Nov. 29th - Just Add Fabric | Nov. 30th - Mie Made Memories | Enjoyful Makes | Dec. 1st - Petit a Petit and Family

Details: 
Loveralls by Petit a Petit, straight size 6, denim from the stash, quilting cotton lining for yoke and pockets
Notions: Gold piping, topstitching thread, gold snaps, jeans buttons and overalls clips.
Rowan Tee by Titchy Threads, size 4 with 3" length added to sleeve and body (from cuff option line on pattern), self drafted cowl neck collar, cream lace knit from Miss Matatabi