pr&p week 3

This week was the white sheet challenge. I was super excited for this challenge but then almost decided to do nothing at all. It's like a blank canvas was lacking any structure and I couldn't come up with something I was passionate about making. Then along came Mae.

We were trying to get out the door the other day and he decides that he wants to wear a pink hoodie. Well he doesn't have a pink hoodie. As I deliver this message to him he comes right back with 'well can you make me one?' Bam. I had my inspiration for the white sheet challenge.

I used a white knit sheet instead of a white cotton and started by dyeing it pink. I was going to leave it at that and use the cow pattern for boy week but my husband thought the cows would make it unique. As if a pink hoodie weren't enough, ha. So I stamped some black cows here and there and added a few white ones, just because.

I used the Flashback Skinny Tee pattern from Rae and just sized up a size. I had to add a half inch on the fold of the front to insert the zipper. Also took off some of the length on the bottom to add the knit band. Self drafted the hood and serged all the seams then left them exposed.

My biggest concern was the zipper, having never done one on a garment. It was ridiculously straight forward and only a little tricky to ensure that the pockets and ribbing lined up. I love the look of the chunky zipper, which Mae can handle himself! Plus the lightweight knit is perfect for a fall hoodie especially under his rain coat.

Recognize his tee? Stolen from my girl look last week, silly boy.
Pants blogged here. Made them during spring KCWC.

Fall KCWC is coming...you in?

featured

So my pants for Mae were featured HERE.
Pretty exciting!

Monday is also garbage day in our neighborhood. We spend a better part of every Monday on the hunt for this truck. Am I the only one with a garbage truck obsessed child?

Happy Monday!

pr&p week 2

Week two this week over at Project Run & Play and the theme was to pick a favorite fashion icon and design a look based on the icon's style. It took me a very long time to decide on an icon. I thought about many but was not inspired until I came upon an old school picture of Mary Kate Olsen, or was it Ashley? Back in the day when they played Michelle on Full House. When oversized clothes were cool and everyone owned a pair of overalls.

The picture transported me straight back to middle school. When I also rocked overalls and absolutely adored the Olsen twins, as well as the Sweet Valley Twins. (Do you remember those books written by Francine Pascal?)

Lost in the memories of another era I came up with a few sketches and finally decided on this: an updated overall look. I used the Oliver & S Sailboat Top pattern that I edited to include only one open shoulder and then added snaps instead of buttons. I drafted the dress completely from scratch, using Mae as a model for the fittings, hehe.

After a fight with my machine over the button holes (my machine won) I decided to attach the straps on the interior of the dress instead of the exterior as originally planned. However, they do button so you could potentially undo them to make them cross in the back, like real overalls.

Much love to my good friend up the street for sharing her daughter. Her modeling skills were impressive!

bias....part 2

Last week over on Project Run and Play was the bias challenge. I made these pants for Mae but also made this skirt. I had this idea of a neutral fabric with something bright underneath but didn't want it to take over the entire skirt. So I cut out a half circle shape and added the bias similar to this tutorial from Katy of No Big Dill.

My favorite part: the contrast waistband in the back.

chicken dinner

Winner! Winner! Chicken dinner.

I can't believe these pants I made for Mae were chosen as the sew-along winner for Week 1.
I'm stoked!

Thanks for all the love.

help

This kid has grown like a weed. Yes, I know this is true for most babies but Case is just a big boy. The other day my husband mistakenly put Mae's tank top on him and you really wouldn't have known.

The teeny baby towels that you buy for newborn babies just aren't cutting it for this boy anymore. It's to the point where I need to use both his baby towels to get him dry. So I finally got around to making him a new one that is much bigger.

Notice the polar bear is missing something?!

That is where I need help. Should I embroider the eyes? Buttons? Fabric? Big eyes? Little eyes? Or possibly leave him eyeless? Too many choices and I can't make up my mind.

pr&p week 1

It is week one of season five over at Project Run & Play. The theme this week was to remix this bias skirt from Katy of  No Big Dill.

It took me some time to figure out a way to remix this for a boy. I had a few ideas sketched but as I looked through my fabric stash the idea of using the bias strips to hide something really jumped out at me. At first I was just thinking a really bright color under the neutral khaki but when I came upon a thrifted sheet that had trucks on it, I knew it would be perfect to hide.

I used the flat front pant pattern from Dana of Made that I meshed with the Ottobre Pipe Leg Cargo Pant to create a perfect skinny leg pant. I didn't want the entire back of the left leg to have the bias strips because Mae loves pockets to stash things in. So I did an interior type pocket and left the right side with nothing. I cut a whole bunch of bias strips at 3/4 inch thinking the skinny looked more masculine. 

One thing I love about these pants is that they were entirely upcycled. The khaki fabric is an old bedskirt and the truck fabric is a thrifted sheet my mom found. I think its safe to say that about 90% of the fabric I use is upcycled or from my stash. For clothes that my boys run and play in, and most of the time destroy in way one or another, it works out perfect. 

At first Mae was very confused. "Mama, I don't want the digger hiding anymore." The fashion aspect was maybe a bit much for an almost three year old to grasp. He now just spends time ruffling the fabric to find the digger.  For a kid who will only wear 'comfy pants' I was pretty ecstatic he asked to wear these and didn't want to take them off.  This says a lot!

(Shirt is a tee I made earlier this year - blogged here.)

  

baby girl

I have been on the search for a girl gift for my friend's baby due next month. While in Portland over the long weekend I fell in love with this teeny white cardigan at H&M but wasn't crazy about anything they had to go with it. Instead I bought just the cardigan and had found an excuse for some girl sewing.

The pink tunic is based on The Abbey Dress Tutorial found over at Shwin & Shwin. I changed some of the finishing steps and cut it at tunic length. I also made some purple leggings that I ruched very slightly at the leg openings. I was in the process of adding elastic to the waistband but instead went with rib knit because I find it much more comfy! Used some of the purple jersey knit scraps to make a quick headband.

My favorite part of the whole thing is the teeny vintage maroon button for the tunic closure. It matched perfect with the color of the fabric.

solution

Although Case has started taking steps he is still on all fours pretty much all the time. Plus the kid does not have a personality where he will sit still- he never has! So even if we are on bumpy concrete or even wood chips at our local park he is down roaming. The problem being that he is usually wearing shorts and it kills me to think of how painful it must be for his little knees.

A solution came when my mom emailed me this link for DIY babylegs. Too cute right?

I made some for him and then a couple girl pairs for an upcoming baby shower. I tried a pair with the foot part of the sock as the cuff but didn't like what it looked like. Part of it was the pattern of the socks not lining up quite right but part of it was just wanting something that was a little thinner.

Definitely a project I will do for all the upcoming baby showers. So quick and easy.