Games to Fight Boredom on Winter Days

 
In my childhood we used to play a game where you had to balance a bean bag on your head and walk along a line that we had drawn on the ground. If you dropped the bag you were out. The lucky one whose bean bag stayed on the head until the end of the game was the winner. When we were a little older, we used to sit in a circle, taking turns to toss a bean bag randomly to each other and ask funny questions. I also remember those happy afternoons when the whole family played bean bag tag!

Such games are real fun and cost hardly anything even today. Therefore we would like to encourage families to spend time together and play. You can start off by making cheerful bean bags. Our bean bag takes the shape of a frog. Bean bag frogs are suitable as toys and playthings for all children over three years of age.

You can fill the frog with dried beans, peas or rice. If you wish to make a washable toy, use plastic granules for filling. If the toy is intended for a baby, fill it with polyester batting for safety and
washability.

Shaping Pants by Pressing

The purpose of shaping the pants panels by pressing is to create a fit that follows the contours of the body. You can download and print out detailed instructions for shaping pants from the link below.

Download Shaping Pants by Pressing in PDF format (500kb)

Paris Scarf from Velour Knit and Striped Knit

Enthusiastic sewers accumulate lots of fabric scraps in various colors and sizes in their stash. Don’t throw them away as they can be made use of in various easy projects.

The cheerful scarf is sewn from scraps of velour knit and striped jersey. Really easy to make, it is also perfect as a child’s first sewing project!

Preshrink the knits before starting by washing. Choose scraps in delicious autumn colors or go for a black and white combination. The pattern for this scarf fits a child aged 4–12 but the pattern pieces can easily be made longer and wider for an adult’s scarf.

Cord pants from OTTOBRE design 4/2010 in sizes 110-146 cm and T-shirt from Creative Workshop 301 in sizes 92-170 cm.

Download Paris Scarf from Velour Knit and Striped Knit in PDF format (428kb)

Frilled Neckline and “Love” Embroidery

A girly version of the basic T-shirt

The T-shirt is a great invention from the early 20th century. A T-shirt is usually a jersey shirt with no collar or buttons that is put on by pulling it over the head. A T-shirt has short or long sleeves. Its neckline is round or V-shaped.

Originally worn as underwear, the T-shirt is today a popular garment among people of all ages and sizes. Since 2000, we have published various T-shirt patterns for children and women in our magazines. We have even included a couple of patterns for men’s T-shirts (Ottobre design issues 3/2005 and 4/2005).

The basic pattern for a T-shirt is relatively timeless, with the fit varying from snug to loose depending on the fashion trends. The length of the T-shirt as well as the width of its sleeves may also vary. In order to save space on the pattern sheets in the magazine for entirely new designs, we decided in 2006 to publish the best basic T-shirt patterns for children and women as two separate Creative Workshop pattern sheets.

 

The Creative Workshop 301 package includes patterns for children’s T-shirts in sizes 92–170 cm. The girls’ design is slightly fitted whereas the boys’ design is straight-cut. The best tops for women can be found on the Creative Workshop 303 pattern sheet. The women’s patterns are in sizes 34–52 (US 4–22 / UK 6–24). You can order both pattern packages on our website at https://www.ottobredesign.com/subscription/other.php?lang=en


Frilled neckline for T-shirt

We modified the CW 301 T-shirt pattern into two new and fresh girly versions for issue 4/2010. The lovely old-rose-pink viscose jersey T-shirt is detailed with a frilled neckline and a keyhole slit at the back neckline.

Download Frilled Neckline for T-Shirt in PDF format (512kb)


"Love" appliqué for T-shirt

The striped T-shirt is generously long and its front is embellished with the embroidered word “Love”. It has contrast-color coverstitching at the neckline, bottom hem and sleeve edges. You can use the same instructions for modifying the basic women’s T-shirt pattern.

Download "Love" Appliqué for T-Shirt in PDF format (1.1Mb)

Soft Bunnies and Letters

Cute baby toys

Soft toys are easy to make and you can usually find suitable materials for them at home. Babies are attracted by bright colors and interesting shapes such as familiar animals or letters that make up the baby’s name.

In issue 4/2010 we promised to provide the patterns and instructions for soft bunnies as well as for soft letters that can be hung across the front of a baby carriage hood. Use safe, clean and colorfast materials for the toys because they often end up in the baby’s mouth.

You can use various scraps of fabric that have been left over from other sewing projects for these toys. Before starting, it’s worth preshrinking the fabrics by washing them.

Download and print out the instructions for the SOFT BUNNIES and for the SOFT LETTERS (edit: Added the missing link) from the links below. Note that you only need to print out the section of the instructions document that is in your desired language (Dutch, English, Finnish, German or Swedish) plus the pattern sheet. 

Download Soft Bunnies in PDF format (780kb)


Download Soft Letters in PDF format (308kb)

Sulo Letters Appliqué

Appliqué is a fun and easy way to spice up everyday clothes. Using the lettering appliqué we used on the Sulo raglan-sleeve t-shirt in OTTOBRE design® 3/2010 kids, you too can easily personalize your child's clothing. The entire alphabet is available for download from the link below, so why not have a go at it yourself?  

UPDATE: Be sure to get the fixed version of the PDF with the mirrored letters!

Here's how to do it: Trace motifs from pattern sheet on paper backing of double-sided fusible web. Iron pieces of fusible web onto wrong side of scraps of jersey and cut shapes out along their outlines. Re-move paper backing, arrange shapes on front panel and fuse them in place. Pin piece of tear-away backing to wrong side of front panel under appliqué motif. Stitch appliqué shapes in place close to edge with straight stitch, stitching around each shape twice. Remove tear-away backing.

Download Sulo Letters Applique (Updated April 23rd) in PDF format (550kb)

Sew and Colour!

We designed these sewing & coloring cards in order to introduce young children to sewing. They will keep their little hands occupied while mom’s working on her own sewing project.

Working on it...

Finished with the sewing!

 

And adding some pretty colors as the crowning final touches.

 Download the sewing cards in PDF format (1MB)!

Have fun!

Dachshund Purse

The pattern and the instructions to a charming dachshund purse are now ready to be downloaded. As a sideproject we also sewed a lovely makeup purse or pencil case for women.

Be inspired and have fun!

Doggy Purse

Birdie Makeup Purse

Download the pattern and instructions in PDF format (1MB)!

"Friendly Robots" Coloring Pictures

Inspire your little ones to create as well. The latest issue of OTTOBRE kids has our versions of the Friendly Robots but we are sure that the little artists at home can easily do better.

Download the coloring pictures in PDF format (640KB)

Illustrations by Suvi Suitiala.

Pea Pod Purse pattern is now online!

The fabulous spring-green Pea Pod linen purse featured in issue 2/2009 of OTTOBRE design® appears now on our website. You can print out the patterns and instructions for it free of charge. The tunic and pants in the picture were also featured in issue 2/2009.

MAKE YOUR OWN PURSE!
Make your own Pea Pod purse and post a picture of it to us. We will display the purses on our blog and those who posted pictures will be entered in a draw for a nice product prize. Be quick – the winner will be drawn on March 30.